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There Are Better Collections
As a devotee of Chinese folkore and literature I was disappointed by this collection. The retellings were wooden and lacked the graceful flow that all well told fairy & folk tales should possess. Many of the stories are taken from Pu Songling's "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio." Moreover children and parents may find some of the stories in this collection both morbid and cruel and not of a "cuddly" nature. I would encourage both adults and children to look elsewhere for a better, more approachable collection from the rich Chinese tradition of imagination. | 0negative
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Even the book is a disaster!
Prior and Wilson have been trying hard, in their books on the Great War, to sell the so called paradigm of war as revealed by their studies of the various battles (Somme, Passchendaele) and perconalities (Hamilton,Gough, Haig), a mechanistic and simplistic tactics whereby one is guaranteed victory, as measured in the amount of real estate conquered in square miles (!) simply by amassing enough artillery and shells which rates, volume and duration of fire will always achieve a breakthrough, that artilery is the queen of battle and that the infantryus just an adjunct.Being tactics instructors with the Australian militarym this is surely amazing in that the authors have allowed no insight, initiative or friction in war, and just plainly assume that there is a formula to win a battle, easily calculated.Moreover, they have totally missed the point that in battle, the objective is to gain moral surepmacy over your enemy, either by killing as many of them as possible, or simply breaking their morale, and that battles are fought not for space, which is just a means to an end.All in all, nice research on the battles, but puerile, infantile and idiotic conclusions.Shame on you Wilson and Prior. | 0negative
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Quit Whining LOTR Lovers
I think this is a wonderfully written and a very interesting story. It is a shame to me that people who love LOTR cannot seem to see past their tunnel vision that other fantasy stories can ALSO be interesting. Terry Brooks here has started a series that has continued for more than 25 years. If you write bad novels you will not have a following that many years and be on the best seller list EVERY year. So for those that are not sure if this is a good book please remember: some LOTR followers see most fantasy stories as "rip-offs". Get this book and read it. Then you decide yourself and do not let people who scream about LOTR as the best and/or only fantasy books to read, there is more to life than just Tolkien. | 1positive
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Jurassic Park
This in my opinion was a horribly boring and stupid book, it jumped around too much in the beginning. I was happy to put the book down. It was a horrible assignment I was given for Bio. At the begin this little girl in Costa Rica gets bitten by a raptor and a baby gets its face bitten off by a raptor and a construction worker gets killed by a raptor and then you hear about the hupia. These stories are all told at the very beginning of the book as there own story. It jumps around to much. The best part of the book is the end when they leave the island because Jurassic Park failed to be successful. They learned there lesson for messing with nature and for being stupid enough to pick DNA from frogs that can change their sex. | 0negative
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Worth the money and the time!
This book is probably what you are looking for.A huge volume that covers several Linux security tasks, from passwords to permissions to X services to... In a clear and step by step approach that helps to centralize much knowledge and techniques in a single book.What is possibly as important as the quality of the content: it is highly readable. You will enjoy every second of reading.An excellent choice | 1positive
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Worth it
This was a very entertaining book. Imagine finding the most amazing thing you can think of, and having to keep it secret.The storyline kinda fizzles towards the end, but definitely worth reading.Not King's best work (Christine, the Stand....) but definitely not his worst by any stretch of the imagination. | 1positive
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Love this book!
I found this book in hard back (out of print) after having the soft back copy for many years. I love this book. Excellent instructions on precision piecing by sewing machine. Sally Colins is wonderful! The book came in excellent condition, better than I could have expected. | 1positive
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A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a comedic novel written by Mark Twain. It is about a 20th century man who goes back in time. The ISBN number is 978-1613823774, and you can purchase it for around ten dollars online.This book is one of Mark Twain's easier reads, and is even an easy read despite being written by Twain. It is also one of the most intriguing books I have ever read.Hilarious does not even begin to describe this book. Mark Twain did an excellent job portraying the life of a Yankee being sent to live in the 12th century. The clothing and culture differences, and the large contrast between his modern innovation knowledge and the medieval world make for great laughs. Throughout the book the Yankee is criticizing the people he meets, while they're doing the same to him. He comments on their clothes, hair, dialect, and even the way the walk.Mark Twain made me think hard in this book with anecdotes and his sarcasm. It all made sense later in the book when he acknowledged and explained what he meant. Most authors would never do that, which makes the book easy to understand.I would recommend this book because it has hard facts, and is brilliantly written with a humorous tone. | 1positive
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Degunking eBay
The seller was great. Shipment was fast and the transaction was good. Unfortunately the Degunking eBay is out of date for todays eBay. There are different comands for working with eBay and Vista. There was some good advice from the book but not enough to work into todays eBay settings. | 0negative
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"the bell jar hung, suspended, a few feet above my head."
The bell jar by the highly acclaimed writer, Sylvia Plath -who is famous for her number of poems- is one of my favourite books. It is a dark and rather disturbing novel; autobiographical to some extent and provides an insight to her and her feelings in a metaphor.You will be empathetic towards the narrator and main character, Esther Greenwood, a young adult who succeeds her way into university in New York. At the beginning, she was ambitious and witty, and like Plath, Esther is an excellent writer. In the summer of her 19 years, she works as a junior magazine editor at her internship and she introduces her friends and many situations that contribute to her final breakdown, as she gradually declines to insanity as she feels being trapped in the bell jar. She is later admitted to a mental institution, where she'll shares her experiences with you. The rest you'll have to find out.The book jumps from time to time where she'll recall past events abruptly, this was quite confusing, but after the first couple times, I got the hang of it. There are some humour in this book that breaks the ice, mainly a bit of dark humour once a while. I thought the ending was rather ironic, as after a month of the book being published, Plath had committed suicide...Plath's poetic language and technique is what makes this novel unique, her ability to describe the details of a situation with similes and put every word together that made it so honest and real. She was able to convey the images and feelings of Esther and lets you in her world to portray mental instability. I also found it hard to separate Esther from the author of the book. This book evoked strong feelings from me when I read it. It is an emotional story and can somewhat be life-altering. | 1positive
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book
I bought the book either for school or as a reference. Its good. I can't believe they require a minimum amount of words. Crazy. They want an opinion and then ask for so many words. What are they nuts! | 1positive
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Best Italian phrase book ever
We have been using Rick Steve's books for many years. This latest phrase book is the best ever. An especially important section is the part on opposites which has proved very useful. It is organized very well and we would not be without it on our trips to Italy. | 1positive
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The first major contribution since Seven Habits
There are two books I've read in the past twenty years that I believe reset the agenda for personal development. The first was Seven Habits of Highly Effective People which took us out of quick fix and into the root source of effectiveness which is character. The second is this book. Loehr and Schwartz have focused my attention on the root source of results in life: energy. They engagingly, clearly and helpfully articulate the fallacy of focusing on time management when the true strength of soul and capacity to create results in life is not how much time we have (a fixed quantity you can do nothing about) but the energy you develop and make choices to apply. I'm grateful to have found this book early rather than waiting for its powerful message to make a similar difference in my life to the other of these two seminal books. | 1positive
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Great book for Wiccans
Hmmm...repeat this incantation over and over again and you will get what you wish for??? Sounds more like witchcraft than Christianity to me. Great book for Wiccans, lousy book for Christians. | 0negative
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Half Useful?
The first third or so of this book consists of a nice, concise overview of JDBC, with an example for each concept. The rest is basically a printed copy of API documentation you can get online. These really are easier to read it online — the docs for DatabaseMetaData, for example, are about twenty pages long and much easier to deal with in hyperlinked format. The descriptions have been reworded (and shortened) and sometimes are a little easier to understand in the book.The book is probably enough to get you started using JDBC, especially if you have some experience using database APIs in the past (ODBC or a vendor-proprietary one).So, my recommendation is: It's half useful, so buy it used for half price. ;-) | 1positive
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Good second volume
While many of the second volumes of the Marvel Essentials have been disappointing, since it seemed Stan Lee got bored and redundant with many of his titles, Spider-Man is an exception. The stories are still very good, and it probably helped that Steve Ditko was plotting many of them. There are some lame characters in here, but also some good storylines. When the art switches to John Romita, it is still excellent. He may have the definitive Spider-Man in my mind. | 1positive
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A Remarkable Book
Perhaps it does not occur to the casual reader of the Bible that we have gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John but nothing from Jesus himself. What kind of person would we find if we discovered an original work produced by this most influential man of all time? We may never know, but thanks to the efforts of groups of scholars like the Jesus Seminar and the International Q Project we are beginning to acquire an exciting new picture of a Jesus free from the matrix of theological dross, a Jesus that lived and taught in history.From my study of this work, it appears that the historical Jesus had no preoccupation with the "sinfulness of man" but held a rather elevated view of humanity's potential. His compassion for others seems to flow from an insight not only into his own spiritual integrity, but the spiritual integrity of every individual. He was a healer, not because he was a divinely appointed worker of miracles, but because he understood how to open people's minds to their inner spiritual power, to get them consciously reconnected to their own divine nature and bring about their innate wholeness.Some critics have charged that The Five Gospels diminish the relevance of Jesus. For me, this book makes Jesus a much more plausible and inspirational example of what lies in store for us all on the spiritual journey. This is a remarkable book and I commend those who dedicate their talents to stripping away the thick cloud of myth and superstition surrounding Jesus and reveal the real light of historical truth.J Douglas Bottorff, author of The Whisper of Pialigos. | 1positive
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DON'T READ THIS MIND-NUMBING DRIVEL!
This book doesn't deserve one star. It deserves negative 1000 stars. This was the WORST book I have ever read. The book moved to slow, and the characters are stupid. Guy Montag, the main character, is a fireman who sets books on fire, becuase homes are fireproof. Then he meets this crazy girl nmaed Clairese who rambles about dumb stuff of the past that is not important like (Did you know that one time billboards were only 20 feet long, instead of 200) WHO CARES?!?! If there is one book that deserves to be burnt it is this. | 0negative
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Disappointing
Radio was pretty good (3 or 4 stars), but I was very disappointed with Children. It seemed to be hastily thrown together to meet a deadline.The book has three parts. In the first section, the evil government has suspended civil liberties for the Virus Children and their families. I did not buy it, and did not appreciate the political ranting. Then the second part was three years later and it seemed like what happened in the first part made no difference. So then why did he write about it?Mitch helped make some farfetched discoveries at a dig. Kaye learned how viruses work, and had a spiritual awakening. None of that seemed to have any effect on resolving the story. The situation with the Sheva children seemed to resolve itself based on a change in the political cycle. The whole story seemed pointless.I would have rather learned more about the Children and their new social structures. How will they learn to adapt to the outside world? Will there be conflict between the Shevites who were raised by old human families and those who lived together?How will the second generation babies be different? How will the general public learn to live with the new humans?Greg Bear, you wrote the wrong book. I didn't want to read your paranoid story of the evil (Republican) government. I wanted the Children. | 0negative
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Bush Fatique Syndrome Reaches Epidemic Porportions
President Bush's tasteless and insensitive wmd jokes at a recent black tie media dinner has created a wide-spread epidemic of Bush Fatigue Syndrome, according to World Health Organization officials. BFS is a tragic disease afflicting Bush supporters who suffer from exhaustion from the daily need to defend the president's blunders. These crude, inappropriate remarks came on the heels of Richard Clarke's, Against All Enemies allegationsof incompetence in fighting the war on terror.Bush Fatigue Syndrome:an illness similar to chronic fatigue syndrome. It is caused by the strain of the constant daily need to defend or rationalize the poor decisions, horrible domestic record, and foreign policy blunders of the president. Die-hard Republicans are especially prone to get this disease. It reached epidemic porportions after no wmds were found in Iraq, and Bush supporters had to sell the case that we "really" went to war to "liberate the Iraqi" people. Additional flair-ups occured after the last SOU address, after every monthly employment report, general accounting reports regarding the historic deficits (especially when inheriting a budget surplus is referenced), and the president's fumbled interview on Meet the Press. Symptoms include extreme exhaustion, irritability, and dizziness.Republicans inflicted with BFS must stay quarantined until after the November election. | 0negative
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Very stupid book
Dracula is the worst book I ever had to read for english class. It was so stupid and the movie was even stupider. Don't waste your time reading garbage like this book. | 0negative
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Absolutely the Best in the Series
First read this years ago and have reread it time after time. It is a fascinating story, always engrossing! One of those that will stay with you forever - in a good way. None of the sequels have been nearly as good as this first book - but you still read them, hoping. I picked this book up near the register at the supermarket while waiting in line and was hooked after the first page. Hopefully sooner rather than later, Auel will get the main character (Ayla) back to the Clan for the resolution of this series. Whether she does or not, this book stands on its own. Read and enjoy! | 1positive
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Get on with the Living God.
Do you want man's religion or God's truth, dead and lifeless tradition of men, or God's living healing restoring divine relationship? If you are serious about getting on with God in your life and being able to help others as Jesus our Savior did then this book is for you! If you are content just PLAYING church and timid and afraid of walking with God and can't get out of your box to help others then stay away from this book! This book is only for those who want the truth about God, AND what He wants for mankind and has ordered you to walk with Him in!... | 1positive
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ALL FAMILIES HAVE SECRETS.......
This novel is inspiring, intriguing, and gives a good insight on tracking ancestors for your family tree.Mason and Star sure have a very amazing adventure once Derrick, starts investigating Star's family. All the characters were placed in roles of specialty. I just wished that Derrick and Alverez had more in depth story lines. I know it would have been a lot. Finally meeting Alexa was also an experience that was just grand for the story.This novel had style, love, understanding, trust and friendships that made a very nice touch to the story.I can't wait till the next novel, I am sure we will find out much more of the family history once we meet Star's sister.Keep up the good work. | 1positive
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This book is awesome!
If you're a Java developer looking to get up to speed on how XML/Java/XSLT/Web Services, and lots of other topics, then this book is a great place to start.The book doesn't pretend to (and says so) teach every topic it covers (XSL, for example is presented in context but not really taught -- that would take a MUCH bigger book). Still, with some familarity with the topics, the code presented is great. XML (part of the book's title) is covered quite nicely.It's assumed that you're somewhat familiar with Java.In my case, I needed to find some clear explanations of how to create an XML file and then read that XML file along with an XSL stylesheet (I was learning XSL using Java/XSLT by O'Reiley at the same time). Barry's JDOM chapter and the chapter on putting data on the Web solved both these issues.Don't get put off that this is a "Dummies" book. I have found it useful for at least two projects (the most recent I wrote about above).Also, when there was a minor problem with the code where IE 6 wouldn't recognize the stylesheet processing instruction when it was at the bottom of the XML file, the author was extremely helpful and responsive to this issue. He helped me research the problem and wrote me back with his findings.To put my review in perspective: I'm the kind of developer who likes to learn to walk before I learn to run. If you like to just jump into a complex book and wade your way though the material, then this book might not be for you. But, if you like to get a feeling for the technology and get relatively straightforward examples *working* first, then check out this book.Barry explains topics clearly and simply.All in all, I found this book to be completely refreshing compared to most of the books out there. | 1positive
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Books Stuck Together
These are exactly the same books that I read as a child. When they arrived, they were all stuck together. When I separated them, no matter how gently I tried, the pictures on the covers tore off and remained on the back cover of the book above it. I loved the idea of the set with a carrying case, but you would be better suited buying them individually. | 0negative
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A little superficial, know who it's for.
The author is a widow and a divorcee, as one she mainly speaks to singles in their 30s and 40s looking to desperately settle down, showing them that there is a way of living happily single, even if it means forever.What she doesn't do is convince you with applicable, viable examples of day to day life. For instance, she tells the story of how she was dreading to go to the theater alone on a Saturday night after her husband had passed away. She describes that she felt miserable, and like everyone was probably looking at her and feeling sorry, pity for or even disdain from her. Instead of explaining how she mustered the courage to stand, alone, in line for a ticket, she's abysmally mortified by how daunting the situation is, and instead of buying herself a popcorn and a soda, she buys herself 2 popcorns and 2 sodas, thereby "tricking" the popcorn lady and solving the situation (at least so it seems, since the author then concludes that "it's not so bad to go to the theater alone"). Is this the kind of advice that will get you signing up to singleness? So every time I encounter an awkward situation I need to go out of my means to assure the environment there's nothing wrong with me?I know this was a bit long but that really stuck out to me and I felt like the author wasn't really being sincere with her advice. I mean, if she can't be truly happy being single, and it's all a sham, why would I take her word for how ostensibly great it is?The book is also a bit cheesy and sophomoric in its "tips". One of her regulars in every chapter is "spread your arms to the heavens and shout "YES!"". Seriously?Maybe I'm just not the one to particularly respond to this kind of literature. I was looking for a guidance book to help me overcome my obsession with partnering up, and just being fulfilled being on my own. The book starts out very well, but it just goes downhill from there. | 0negative
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Bad history.
It's not that this book tries to show both sides of the Revolution fairy(like say, PBS Liberty's Kids series). It is that the book is grossly unfair to the Patriots in general and Israel Putnam in particular that the book is almost unconscionable. Sam is wrongly executed for stealing cattle. First, Putnan while did execute two individuals, they were a deserter and a spy. Putnam did not execute cattle theives. Second, the cattle belonged to Sam's mother and were taken with consent, since Putnam knows this he is portrayed as an unjust dictator, rather than the competant and reasonable man he was. It is also isinuated that Putnam has lost control of his soldiers, who are alleged indulge in a riot of rape, looting and arson. This is not only ahistorical, but actually counter-historical as Putnam's forces are never accused of such actions in the many sources I have consulted. This would be as false as claiming that Pearl Harbor attacked the Japanese fleet or that cargo ships attacked German submarines in WWII. Finally, there are numerous anachronisms. Characters curse in front of women and children, which was not done in the day. The word "amok" is used by a character-this word did not come into use until the English languaged until the 1800s.The writing is fair, for a children's work, but I do not look forward to unteaching the contrahistory in the work. | 0negative
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Not a good book
This book has some good information. This book is unlike any other book I have text I have read for college. The chapters in this book vary greatly in lenght the chapter headings are poor. Chapter heading in my experience give the reader a clue to the subject matter, not in this book. It difficult to revisit information due to the index/glossary information. Reading this book I felt many times smarter than its authors. They may know the subject matter but they presented the material poorly at best. My college professor felt the same way about this books 5th edtion.Good luck to thoes who are stuck with this textbook. | 0negative
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Great Title - Bad Story!
I read all of the reviews and heard all of the controversy. I still had to read the book. The title was excellant. The story was too jumpy, the characters were strange (I could not figure out who was who).I am still interested in another version of "Gone with the Wind" but this was not it. Peace and Blessings!! | 0negative
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For those who like to appear well read
In the grand list of books that you will have enjoyed having read, this one ranks slightly above "Tom and Jane Go to Camp".Now, I'm not going to say that this book was trite, boring, lacking in substance or otherwise devoid of anything resembling redeeming merit, because it does have its purpose. That purpose being to sit on your shelf and make it appear as though you are some kind of eruditic masochist.If, like me, you were forced to read this book as some sophomore hazing ritual, you will no doubt remember that this book contains very little in the way of plot and character development. The characters don't so much grow as fester.I would not recommend this book to anybody, even those that I hate. People who have suicidal tendencies are warned to stay away as the most cheery portion of this book is slightly happier than a crushed puppy.In closing, let me just summarize: this book is bad. | 0negative
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This is one of the best books EVER!
This is, to be blunt, a wonderful book. I loved every minute of it, I felt the feelings of the characters, laughed, and cried with them. I don't care what is real or what is fiction in this book. I don't care what anyone says about it. Roots is an American classic and should be required reading by all students in the United States. | 1positive
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Floundering in New York
This is just my simple opinion, but when I read The Great Gatsby, I found it to be 1) extremely difficult to follow, and 2) drastically overbearing. People describe F. Scott's Fitzgerald's writing as poetic, and indeed it is at some points in the book. However I believe that as a result of this, Gatsby is much more difficult to read and comprehend. I would have preferred a more traditional writing style instead of a over-embellished, over-done, and, most importantly, an overly-complex style of writing. | 0negative
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Such a lovely story.....
It was such a touching story. It's about how Alan helps this disturbed girl who just came to america. She's been in a war and has seen many shocking sights. This book shows you what true friendship is. It was so cute. I even cried. It is one of those books you can never forget and can't put down until your done. | 1positive
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Just for fun
This should be a story which can catch him with it's action; I read it to my children; now I hope to read it to my grandson; all might benefit by reading it. | 1positive
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Mark Merlis, One of the Best
Hooray for Mark Merlis! "American Studies", his first novel, was terrific. But this one is better -- not only is "An Arrow's Flight" a page-turner story, it is beautifully written. Merlis' observations on life -- specifically gay life -- are keen and provocative. The best gay-themed novel I read in 1998. Oh, Lambda Award nominators, here's the 1998 winner! | 1positive
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*Yawns*
This was so hard to get into. I didn't feel any connection between the two main characters. I didn't feel anything for anyone, in fact. In this book, Roberts didn't really go into how any of the characters were feeling. The only part in the whole book that had emotion was the prologue. From then on, it was just...flat. It was more like watching things happening. People talking. Doing things. But there was no passion or anything. The romantic relationship and the plot were not really write well together. I sometimes had no idea what they were talking about when the subject of the ghost and the history came up, because they were so vague with what they said. | 0negative
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A fun read!
I've always enjoyed books by Kat Martin, so I was excited when I came across Magnificent Passage. It's an enjoyable read, though a bit melodramatic with a Perils of Pauline type of heroine and a touch of violence here and there. But don't let that stop you from reading this book as you'll be sure to enjoy the romantic adventure. This is the kind of book where the good guys are really good and the bad guys really bad. You'll root for the lovers until the very end. (Note - I read this in paperback, bought from a bookstore.) | 1positive
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Worst book I've ever read
I know Jane Austen was a famous author but this book was written 200 years ago. I couldn't understand a lot of what was being said. Language was too old. I found it to be very boring and empty. Plot?? What plot?? | 0negative
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So happy I own it!
Yes, I agree with the previous reviewer that this is a collectible, and not the version of "The Great Gatsby" to buy in order to read. But I am one of the Gatsby and Fitzerald junkies who wanted this, badly, the moment I heard it was going to be released.It is, though, even if you do want to read it, so fragile (the material its pages are made of) and unwieldy that it's nearly frightening - I may destroy it, is the feeling I have each time I look at it.As for the substance: the book went through a number of changes, and this respresents one. So, it isn't an all-encompassing view of the progression of the writing of the book - it's one set of corrections. The fascination, for me, is with Fitzgerald's handwriting, markings, and marginalia. I do have an affinity for handwriting, and for Fitzgerald, so this is interesting to me. Less interesting is that these are corrected galleys, really, because I know of other versions (read, even, the book "Trimalchio: an early edition of The Great Gatsby") and, even after these particular galleys were proofed, FSF sent telegrams to his editor requesting further change - most notably, the title, which didn't get changed as the book had already gone to print.Nevertheless, owning this is a piece of FSF history and I love it. I like less reading it than looking at it, but that's me. I wouldn't do without it, and if I got more of them for my birthday I'd be in heaven!!The series is numbered, and I wish I had a lower number. (It took me a little while to bring myself to spend the money.) For this reason, when it came from Amazon in a box too small for it, with no packaging material, and the corners of _its_ box pressed in, I didn't return it for a clean copy. But I do wish more care had been taken in the packaging of this item. It's that important to me. | 1positive
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Unbelievably boring
Don't bother. It sounds much better than it is. In fact, I will either re-list it or just not bother and donate it to a charity. I do not have time to read this drivel. Sorry if you were expecting some great revelation. You will not find any in this book. A huge disappointment. | 0negative
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NOT what it claims to be!
Paid a lot because this described/pictured as the 1973 Edition. It has 1997 copyright date inside. Was misled!; Not worth $$. | 0negative
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AX
As with all of McBain's 87th Precinct series, this was fast paced, tightly constructed and featured superior dialog among the principals. The book wears very well with time. | 1positive
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A stunning imaginative journey
This book is fascinating in many regards. One, it's got magic: a real, true, amazing bit of magic. Two, it explores the friendship between two kids, complete with the sudden I-hate-yous and all. Three, it presents children with some thought-provoking scenarios. Should the children continue to make people until everybody has a wife, etc, or should the children return all the people to plastic after they've witnessed the real emotions and personalities of those people. The book asks deep moral questions in a way that kids can handle.This would be a great book to read aloud. It's got enough action and a fast-paced storyline that kids would just love to hear you read it. | 1positive
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Disappointing
This novel was disappointing at best. As a "real" pilot's wife, I found the plot to be far-fetched.The affair with the flight attendant and subsequent marriage was especially predictable. Come on, Ms. Shreve, you can be more original than that! | 0negative
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Wonderful gem of a book!
This Kindle version of the classic book on Tarot, has all the beautiful artwork and interpretations needed become a true fortune teller. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the occult. This is a great place to start! --Matt (editor) | 1positive
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Completely Surprised... In The Worst Way Possible
I have been hearing rave reviews about this book for a couple years now, and always had interest in reading it.This Christmas, I received the book as a gift and was excited to start it to find out what all the hype was about.To say the book was a complete letdown is an understatement.I have read quite a few books that start out slow but peak my interest somewhere in the middle.This book, however...did not fall into that category. As I turned the pages, I was crossing my fingers for a climactic event...SOMETHINGto make me invested in the story...but it NEVER happened!I found Charlie to be so unintentionally unlikable, and the story itself to be so mundane and bland. Every time Charlie cried, I wanted toreach through the pages and slap him (you should never want to do such a thing to a "protagainist" !)When I was finally finished with the book, I felt robbed. I felt like the victim of an overhyped, yet underwhelming trend.Sorry to say, Perks Of Being A Wallflower lands itself on my "Top 5 Least Favorite Books I Have Ever Read" list. | 0negative
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Unusual Story
I have read "The Diary of Anne Frank" and did not know what to expect when I started reading this. I had a friend recommend this book to me. I have to thank her. I often read young people's books, as I have a Wonderful Granddaughter that loves to read and I like to read books to recommend to her.I will end up giving her my book and recommending that she read it. I will tell her that it is disturbing and sad, but it is worth the time and effort. I will also tell her she needs to read Anne Frank's book also. Maybe that one first to help her understand this one. It gives you another perspective of the times and life these people lived through.A good read. Very thought provokingly. | 1positive
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My Favorite Book
I'm not going to go through what this book is about, because you can read any of the other reviews here to find that out. I'm just going to say that this is my all-time favorite book. When I was little I read it over and over again, and I modelled myself after the main character. I still do. I love her because she's gentle and kind, she was rich and everyone thought she was spoiled but it wasn't true, she bore her trials well and remained true to herself when things took a turn for the (extreme) worse. She was generous and smart and she didn't have a short temper but she wasn't afraid to get angry if she had good cause. And just a million other things. If I had my way every little girl would have a copy of this book, and also every adult woman. | 1positive
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A great book. Anyone willing to be shocked should read it.
What an excellent book. By following Offred's daily routine we learn about a frightening new society, one where a religious faction has taken control of the government and subjugated all who do not agree with their doctrines. This story gives rise to disturbing thoughts about what could happen if a zealous religious group did gain control of the government. The beginning is a bit slow, which is necessary to introduce you into the monotony of Offred's daily life. The novel picks up soon enough, to the point where I read the last half of the book in one sitting. All in all, an excellent book. I would recommend it to almost anyone. | 1positive
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Not for me
I ordered this book for my daughter Kristin she has a Psychology class at one of our local junior colleges and the instructor wanted the students to have this book for later in the semester. The book came quicker than expected and in good condition for the price. I was nervous about ordering online again since I previously ordered some books online and 1 of my orders has never arrived and I haven't received a refund. I remember the name of the person I ordered from and will never order from them again. | 1positive
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Wait for the movie, save 20$, and be just as disappointed
Trite, offensive rant by an affluent white man which, after 742 grueling pages, reveals itself to ultimately be about an affluent black man discovering his true status as a "brother."Msr. Wolfe is trying to prove a point, but I defy anyone, including the master himself, to tell me what it is. Pure drivel top to bottom.All praise to Zeus aside, this book is AWFUL!!! | 0negative
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Indecision of the long-winded kind
I loved it, hated it, loved it, hated it--pretty much in that order. Around page 500 or so it started to really get good and then as so many others have said, Wolfe couldn't decide how to end it so he just did! Terribly! Unbelievably! Disappointingly! His constant explanations of "street" language and translations into "southern" were annoying if not insulting to his readers. But he really had a good thing going for awhile. Too bad he couldn't decide. Maybe the movie will have better editors and tie up the loose ends. One can only hope. | 0negative
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Classic and Free
It's all time favourite for Christmas, and I really enjoyed reading it again with my daughter, and of course it is free. | 1positive
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Sword of Shannara...Or Lord of the Rings
When I first picked up this book, I thought, wow, how cool is this? The plot seemed very cool and the characters realistic. Reading it, though, I was very disappointed. The book was definitely a [copy] of Lord of the Rings, including a magical token, a wizard, elves, dwarves, and the small common man that has to do great deeds. Don't forget the shadowy evil figure! Besides the copying of the plot, the characters were not very in-depth. I would like to know more about them, but the author barely scratches the surface. Still, some parts were okay, which kept me reading the book until the end. It took forever, as I was bored by it and easily distracted. Overall, it was ok. | 0negative
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For absolute beginners only!
Those who have a general understanding of how computers work and have studied a programming language, particularly modern ones such as C++, are unlikely to benefit from this book. The book provides an extremely general and conceptual view of computer hardware (e.g., what is a megabyte? what are the types of media?), programming (what is a variable?), and software (e.g., what is an operating system?) in terms of terminology definitions, pseudocode, and flow charts. Chances are, if have an aptitude for computers, the broad and lengthy explanations in this text won't enlighten you or teach you anything that you didn't already know.Look elsewhere if you want a general overview of computer science to help you to advance to more specific topics in computer science. - Computer software is categorized as an operating system or an application. - Not very helpful.Do not buy this book if you are looking for information that you can use. All topics are covered on an extremely shallow surface. For example - The book mentions Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools, but only in terms of what it is and what the advantages are of this method.In addition, you should not buy this book if you are looking for a comprehensive overview of computer science in the context of current technology. Part of my reason for buying this book was to get an overall understanding of what's out there and how it all fits together. This book is just way too vague of an overview.A non-technical person or a middle school student or someone studying computer science only to pass a test may find merit (hence the two stars). But, for the rest of us, it's a waste of money. | 0negative
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Simply wonderful, just wonderful!
My dad gave me "Gone-Away Lake" a couple of years ago and told me I should read it. It didn't really look that good so I set it aside. A couple of weeks ago I was browsing my bookshelf and came upon it. I decided to read it. I just read it and it was one of the best books I've ever read. Elizabeth keeps you enthralled through out the whole book, she described everything perfectly! If anyone out there is reading this if you could tell me where to get the sequel to "Gone-Away Lake" please send ROCKETGIRL an e-mail Thanks!!!!! | 1positive
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Great Resource!
This book was in good to great quality. In terms of the texttbook's contents; I couldn't have asked for a better resource to prepare me for a career in international financial management. | 1positive
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reader beware
yes, I'll agree that Augusten Burrough's is a good writer- that seems to me the only good that came out of his highly dysfunctional upbringing! Had I known I was going to be reading about very graphic homosexual incidents, I would have left the book at the store- disgusting! A lot of people call this book funny... I found it tragically sad- I only wish Augusten would have had a hero that intervened for him, but I suppose that doesn't always happen. :( | 0negative
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On My Honor
This book was a really good book,but it was to short and it was really sad.If you like short stories then you gotta read it.It's about two boys who grew up together.They went swimming and one of them drowned. | 0negative
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I had heard so much about this book but.......
CritiqueI have decided to design my critique on the basis of Stephen Crane and the book itself. I have to declare that I was extremely angry at all the people who have acclaimed this book to be one of the best references to the atmosphere of the Civil War. First, I would like to state that when a book is exclaimed at describing the atmosphere of an event such as the Civil War it should describe it from all angularities. Not once did the book mention any noted person who partook action in the civil war. People such as Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Robert E. Lee have not been mentioned at all. I can personally describe to you, many problems that the Union army had in its management but Mr. Crane just inhibits the scenario by fabricating some of his characters to mock the lieutenants and generals in charge of a certain regiment or brigade. Another key implement in educing the atmosphere of the Civil War in a novel, would be to interact common day people into the book. People don't realize that the United States Civil War devastated the lives of the normal people more than any military man. There was only one scene in which there was interaction in the book on that basis. That was the scene consisting of Henry Fleming's departure from his mother. Lastly, on the atmospheric scenario, I cannot see how one can write a book on the Civil War without bringing out its essential clause onto the surface. Absolutely nothing was discussed regarding slavery. The very element which stifled the talks and brought forth the Civil War was slavery. I don't see how any author could avert this scenario from the overall picture of the book. I understand that his intent was not to dramatize slavery but there should have been some sort of external link connecting it in some way with the plot. I would also like to claim that Stephen Crane does an extremely poor job in linking his parameters within the plot. In the beginning of the story he describes how the youth is nervous about retreating from the battleground and how is philosophically thinking up of ways to describe his point. Though I personally believe that this is a lame counter plan for such mentality I will grant him the premise. What is pathetic is that he never again mentions how Henry overcame this great fear that he had. He shows that he runs away, watches his friend die, and recuperates with the army. Nevertheless, he never mentions how this dread of retreating was overcome. Another parameter within the plot which is left unmentioned is the transformation that occurs in Wilson. Crane established in the beginning of the story that Wilson had a very arrogant and protruding personality. He also hinted in the 3rd chapter about how he might be vulnerable to minute cases of defamation, but there is no analysis given in the entire book which might show one the transformation that Wilson had from being a conceited and supercilious person to becoming a kind and loving one. My third critique on the book is that it is just too boring. The context of the book is described in such asinine manners that it makes me feel a very unimaginative person-who had an 800 on the verbal section of the SAT - wrote the book. After the first half of the book was finished, Crane just basically repeated the scenes with different words. They fight, win or lose, sleep, wake up, and fight again. It seemed to me that I was reading a newspaper written in the 1850's. You might also notice this in my summary. I pondered for hours thinking on how I could make the second half of the book sound interesting but I think that I have not fully been successful in doing so. My last and most important critique on the book is that it should have been written in first person. Most of the people that I have protruded upon claim that the perspective one chooses to write a story from doesn't affect the story in any way but I think that it heavily does. In a book like this it is very important that one implicates the first person perspective and not the third person because I believe that the essential goal of the author is to show the mental disintegrations that the war caused amongst people. I am not claiming that physical details in a war story are unimportant. Rather, I am stating that in a book mental aspects have to be given a higher statute. Physical details can be accumulated through any newspaper or news magazine while mental aspects can usually not. There is no way the same impact can be drawn when you are describing the mentality of a person as a third person bystander. It does not provide the reader with the same type of personal mental connection with a character. I personally think that third person perspective should only be used when there is more than one definite main character. In conclusion I would like to state that although the intent of the Stephen Crane was positive and well thought of, he failed in influencing any type unique claim which supports the intent. I know that most people would personally disagree with me because I have just seemingly slandered one of the renown classics in the literature world but the information above does reflect my personal overview. If Stephen Crane was alive today I would advise him to read Uncle Tom's Cabin and take notes. | 0negative
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Sobre Los Reyes Malditos
es una excelente obra , es el inicio de una saga muy interesante. a pesar de ser una novela , su sentido histórico es completo, su adaptación al contexto tambien, de verdad la recomiendo, a todas aquellas personas que os guste leer novelas, obras y escritos entre otros, reales o ficticios relacionados del siglo XI al siglo XVI. | 1positive
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What a book!
I started reading this book because I thought I should. Now I'm reading it because it's a good book, well-written and giving insights into history from a personal point of view. I shouldn't have waited so long to read this book. | 1positive
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Looking for Alaska
Being close to Peter's age, I read his first two books soon after they were written and loved them. When I saw that he had written a book about Alaska, one of my dream destinations, I had to buy it. I decided that I would read this book before making any concrete Alaska travel plans. I've almost completed the book and have had a hard time putting it down. It truly fuels my desire to see the REAL Alaska. In fact, I just told my husband yesterday that we need to not only visit Alaska in the summer, as most everyone does, but in the winter also. Being the Florida sun-lover that he is, of course he thought I was crazy. But I would love to have taken the 1 1/2 year adventure that Peter took. He has a way of drawing you into his stories so that you feel you've been there, too. I was totally amazed and inspired by the grueling and dangerous lifestyle choices made by many of the individuals and families that Peter met. I recommend this book to anyone with a sense of adventure and desire to learn about life in wild places. | 1positive
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Tedious and unengaging
I don't know what people see in this book. I found it irritating from the start -- all the characters are thoroughly unlikeable. After slogging my way through a quarter of the book, I found I still couldn't care less what happened to these people.The writing is also painfully verbose and florid. For a better story, I would have been willing to cope with it, but here it was just another reason to put the book down and never pick it up again. | 0negative
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Curiously Inconsiderate
I didn't read that many Curious George books when I was a kid but I was very familiar with them. When my 2 year old fell madly in love with the Curious George cartoons on PBS I decided getting her a book was a great idea. I decided to get the original book of the series.Here's what is somewhat shocking...George is abducted from Africa by the Man In The Yellow Hat and no reason is given for why the man kidnaps him. George is tied up in a bag with a rope around his neck and is taken on a boat to a larger boat. He gets into trouble, almost drowns, gets thrown in jail, etc.I was very disturbed by the images of George's abduction from Africa but I continued to read the story to my daughter who loves George. However, when a good friend from Cameroon was reading her the book she pulled me aside to explain to me that the story of George's abduction and subsequent trip to the boat was completely disturbing to her due to the similarities to the way Africans were abducted and forced into slavery. She found the book terribly disturbing.It's obvious that this country has gone pretty Politically Correct nutso but you have to respect the history of this book. I may not agree with the story or imagery but altering it or censoring it would be a huge and dangerous mistake. That is not my intention or wish. Also, I very highly doubt the Reys were pro-slavery or racists cause they had problems of their own escaping from the Nazis in Europe with this manuscript and very little else to their names. However, I'd feel remiss if I did not mention that some of the images in this book and the story of how George was taken from Africa can conjure up a disturbing correlation to the slave trade in Africa.Now we read our daughter another Curious George book instead. | 0negative
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Interesting premise, but flawed,,,
There probably still exists an academic oriented website owned by a scholar who is a determined defender of the Warren Commission Report. It has a great deal of interesting material, and one of these is a paper written by another scholar, another WC apologist, who felt the need to answer the question of why the material from the President's head hit Dallas motorcycle policeman Bobby Hargis with such force that he, Hargis, thought he had been shot.Most people are aware that Hargis was riding IN BACK OF and TO THE LEFT OF the President's position in the limo. This would indicate the kill shot came from the front and to the right of the President, somewhere in the picket fence area of the Grassy Knoll.The scholar answered the question of why a shot from the rear landed with such force on Hargis that he thought he had been shot by stating that there was a breeze blowing in Dealey Plaza that afternoon, from west to east, and it was this breeze that blew the material from the President's head backwards with such force. He really wrote that.In his book McDonald is also a WC apologist, and his assassin named Saul fired all the shots from the rear, while Oswald was a patsy who was to be killed by Saul. Things didn't work out as planned, but Saul still did the job he was paid to perform.The only problem is, the bullet that killed the President, coming from the rear as postulated, would surely have covered the two Secret Service men in the front seats, as well as the windshield of the limo, as Saul was firing from ABOVE the position of the President, and the bullet would have had a downward projection.McDonald ignores all this, which appears to me a major flaw that makes his book not credible. | 0negative
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Wordy and Dull
Twain has over used words once again. I wish someone would have told him that it's quality, not quantity. Overall, I found that characters I wanted to stay died and characters that I wanted dead stayed, making for a tedious and dull read. | 0negative
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lacked any real direction; not a good read
this was my first peter straub book and i was deeply disappointed; certainly not a dean koontz or stephen king tale. plot was weak and very drawn out. characters didnt come alive for me. i could not recommend. will try one more of his books before i give up on the author. | 0negative
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Skip This Book!
Having read all the very positive reviews of The Hundredth Man, Jack Kerley's debut book, I was antipicating a thrilling, exciting reading experience. The basic premise involves what would you do to stop a killer? How many lives would you compromise to protect someone you love? These questions haunt Carson Ryder, the homicide detective protagonist, who is forced to confront not only his family's past in order to catch a killer, but also sacrifice his own future. While this premise is usually "right up my alley," it turned out to be anything but that. My dislike for this book is so strong that I consider it to be one of the worst - if not the worst - book I've read in quite some time. Do yourself a major favor and avoid this way over the top, ridiculous book. Kerley's writing style is awful which quickly caused me to lose interest in the plot and his characters, many of which come off as cartoonish and unbelievable. Kerley has to learn that constantly using words in triplicate to create emotion and/or excitement(e.g."Please,please, please", "Thank you, thank you, thank you", "Whisk, whisk, whisk", etc.)is amateurish, boring and tedious. While in other debut books I did not like much overall, I usually felt the author showed enough potential to consider reading his next book. However, there was nothing about The Hundredth Man that makes me even remotely interested in wanting to read Kerley's next effort. It took almost all of my effort just to finish this disappointing book. I know that I am running the risk of receiving a 'not helpful' rating from you with this review (which many readers frequently give to negative reviews). If this happens, it happens, but my concern is in advising you not to make the same mistake I did in terms of time and money. If you are interested in reading a very good debut thriller and an equally good second work by an excellent, yet (at this point) little known writer named Howard Roughan, I'd highly recommend "The Up And Comer" and "The Promise Of A Lie", respectively. | 0negative
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Childish
This Book was just too childish. I Heard that it was a timeless classic, so i payed a whopping $12 which could have easily better spent. For an adult to enjoy this novel is just beyond my belief. I am 14 myself and after reading it it was plainly ment for parents to read to their 6 or 7 year olds as they fall asleep. With such childish names almost always ryming with another (example: Dwalin and Balin, and also the very childish name of Bilbo) I would only purchase this book if i had someone i knew about 6-8 years old just to read it to them | 0negative
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Great look into the past
This book gave a wonderful glimpse of life in Coffee County pre-1930. I am descended from several families whose ties to the area that became Coffee County go back almost 200 years. The more I read the more I was able to understand the whys and hows of the daily lives of my ancestors in an around Douglas, Georgia.It needs to be updated and republished. | 1positive
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correction
There is a mistake in the 1st review- the girl's name is Kinneret, not Nava. please correct it. | 1positive
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Almost as boring as Robinson Crusoe
This book was really boring. It had basically the same idea as Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, and the title, "FOE," came from Daniel DeFOE. I didn't really like Robinson Crusoe, and I thought that this book was just too much like it. It was boring, and not very fun to read. If you've already read Robinson Crusoe, don't bother reading this; there are a few differences, but it's mostly the same stuff. | 0negative
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If you can accept this: that just because you have not experienced something, does not mean others haven't either,
Then you will reap many benefits from this book. Just keep an open mind. Have you ever had a strange experience? I myself, after having a near death experience, prophetic dreams and many types of experiences similar to what Mr. Strieber describes, understand there are far more questions than answers available to humanity at this time. A word of caution, this book will probably terrify you. Although I believe the picture Mr. Strieber paints of the greys is not malevolent it is incredibly disquieting! You will wake up terrified in the dark, hoping that no one will be there. But maybe, just maybe, someone will. Do not look for answers here, just lots of information to ponder over many years. Sweet dreams. =) | 1positive
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TV Journalism in print
I have to admit I didn't read the entire thing; I started reading it in a Borders and finally put it back, pretty much disgusted with the shallowness and the boas of the book.Even the presence of a Jennings' ghost writer doesn't save this thing. It's a picture book for the MTV generation, catering to fashionable views with nothing that you could call scholarship. At best it's a comic book that might interest a child in delving deeper into a subject.A far more interesting and detailed book (though just as biased in its own way) is Paul Johnson's "Modern Times". If you buy the Jennings book, get Johnson's as well and from the two you may get a more interesting and complete picture. | 0negative
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Skewers the idle rich- hook, line and sinker
The Great Gatsby is a famous novel, short novel, a rich novel- a novel that encapsulates many of the values, customs and characters of a certain era. Fitzgerald draws in his simple, careful, detailed style characters that are memorable for the characteristics they display, typical of the 20s flapper generation. Jay Gatsby- highlighting the strength of the appeal and ultimately failure of the American Dream, Daisy- beautiful, rich and reckless, Tom Buchannan- encapsulating the snobbery and harshness of many of the East Coast rich, Nick Carraway- a subtly drawn narrator who has many of the reactions associated with those who enter the inner circle of the wealthy- the curiosity, the fascination, the horror and the despising of their values. And Mrytle Wilson- representing the other side of the coin- from a poor background yet desperately enamoured with the world of the rich and turning up her nose at those close to her to climb up the social spectrum.The Great Gatsby shows up the hollow, nasty, reckless, superficiality prevalent in certain sectors of society better than any other novel I know. A timeless classic. | 1positive
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first
I read the book last night and right now all I can say is: AGHHHHHHH!!! I had actually expected as much, but it was still a bit of a shock. I can't wait to see the film though, because the film adaptions and the actual film are always different - that is where some of the scream above comes from.(if you can find it in stock @ walmart stores it's only $4.84 instead of the $6.99 everyone else seems to have it for) | 1positive
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Jaundiced Lenses for the Rose Garden
Someone implying to come from the upper-crust of the European society and having married into an upper-class Iranian family is trying to write about everyday culture and custom of the regular Iranian populace. It is a worthy attempt and it can be done - and has been done - but Mr. de Bellaigue was not very successful at it!One of the first hints of their upper-crust-ness comes early in the book, a few pages after he talks about Cardinal Maximilian de Furstenberg representing the Vatican during a celebration in Iran and how his grandmother "always referred to him as Uncle Max"; he accuses the Iranians around him to be "terrific name droppers". It takes one to know one. Later he relates a story of how his wife Bita, responds to a beggar woman's blessing with "choice insults" and for him not to see anything wrong with her actions and then sharing it with the rest of us simply reeks of self-perceived nobility and arrogance of the landed gentry. Unfortunately this "aristocratic" mentality colors everything he sees around him negatively and in black.There are two facets to this book. One the discourse on general Iranian society and culture, and the second the eight year war with Iraq. On the former the book is grossly lacking and what it conveys are only through jaundiced eyes. On the aspect of the war the book is more valuable because it relays some historical facts. There are things to be learned from it as long as the reader takes care to discard any personal and subjective interjections that the author makes. Of course he fills some of the historical voids with a vivid imagination - mostly qualifying them with maybes and perhapses but sometimes letting it pass as facts.The problem that I have with the first facet of the book is that it is littered with gratuitous insults to Iranians and things Iranian. Granted, all subtly hidden but insults nevertheless. For example:* One of the characters he has chosen to represent the average post-revolutionary Iranian is someone that he himself labels a "delinquent, a thug, a menace to society" and uses him as an example of an average Iranian! Would anyone get away with picking, following, and writing about an inner-city gang-banger - even one who has changed his ways - as representing the majority of Americans? I doubt it.* Driving through streets while documenting "former names" of each road he passes he mentions a square with:"...a scum of shared taxis." Is it the taxi itself that is scum or the fact that it is shared? Or maybe just the people sharing it. Also, what is the significance of giving the previous names of roads and highways? The names were changed 25 years ago for ideological reasons and/or to honor a fallen soldier, but so what? By meticulously documenting the "old" names of the roads he is just placating his immediate peers and monarchists that to this day refuse to use the new names for the main reason of: "The Shahanshah (king of kings) himself had named this road and no one is authorized to change it but HIM"! A royal fatwa if you will.* On mullahs and their seminary cells (not unlike a monk's cell) where they live and study, he writes:"If they marry, their cells may be passed on to a son, with familiar smells and unwashed tea things." Why the "unwashed"? Are they all dirty? Not to mention the obvious - like what happens to the cell while the mullah is married, moved out, and awaiting his son to be born and come of age? Is it kept empty for years with the unwashed tea things inside, or will they wash it and then dirty it up before the son is about to move in?* While meeting a subject over lunch he describes the food:"The kebabs were filthy, recently defrosted and served with insipid rice cooked with yesterday's oil." And of course after such a fitting meal for a gourmand that can even date the cooking oil one has to have "dead bag in tepid water" for tea!* Passing a group of 20 sleeping travelers in a park he observes that they ALL wear polyester trousers, and ALL smell of sweat AND "decomposing meat in the gaps between their teeth"!* A vet who has lost his legs in the war "bounded like a chimp"* The red carpet in someone's house is "lurid"! For a country that is renowned for its carpets, he manages to see and describe only two of them, the lurid one and then when he is meeting 10 war veterans in a park they are sitting on a rug that has "the image of a nine-year-old girl with a perm and blue eyeliner."* Politicians "inclined to stubble and greasy suits"! (How do you grease up a suit by the way? I wouldn't mind one myself. It would make it easy to put on and take off.)* Even fictional characters in novels are not free of his stabs. A fictional character's title that roughly corresponds to a baroness or lady is referred to as "absurd and self-regarding sobriquet"! Good thing uncle Max is not around the read this.* Tea houses are "coarse and dirty"* Iranian bread is like a "mattress"* From how vigorously a person exercises in a gym he guesses "that he let out a lot of aggression in 1979."* From a shrug of a mother of dead soldier to the question of if she hangs out with other mothers that have sons killed in the war, he surmises that she is saying she is better than them and would not hang out with the riffraff. Not that it may simply mean "Not Really.", "Why?", "To what purpose?", or "It will not bring my son back."These and other examples of underhanded pokes that make fun of and insult local customs no matter how irrelevant or banal is what gets on my nerves most about this book. Like when he talks about "sowan - the parched caramel, embedded with pistachio shards, that masquerades as a local speciality"! It is as though some one writing about history of the US post Vietnam and touching on Kennedy's election campaign in Chicago would suddenly take time to mention Chicago-style pizza as a "rubbery, doughy concoction, embedded with pepperoni, that masquerades as food!" It is rude and irrelevant not to mention distracting to the subject at hand.And talking about distracting this book has taken a page straight out of the Tarantino's "linear story-telling is not the only game in town" and then added a few gimmicks of its own by filling it with inappropriate hackneyed interjections. There is so much jumping back and forth in time, from person to person, and place to place that it not only confuses the reader but it almost makes the book unreadable.And I assume just to be able to withstand any complaints like the ones I make he has thrown in "Iran has beauty and ugliness in the same elusive hue." Sure. And you would be hard pressed to find any of the beauty in this particular book - it is elusive, after all. Just like the closet racist that after hours of ranting against a people ends by "but don't get me wrong I ain't got nothin' against them people, as a matter of fact some of my best friends are blacks."Plus sometimes there are some shocking errors in the book that cast doubt on other areas. For example on page 67 he mentions a character that "trimmed his beard, rather than shaved it, for revolutionary grooming contends that shaving is a Western effeminacy." If he had done basic research - very basic, like asking the first passerby in the street - why people trim their beard rather than shave, he would have known that it has absolutely nothing to do with the revolution but because Islam requires it. After all if you can't fact check a basic thing like the reason for not shaving then how can I trust the fact checking on other issues? But I guess after the scandal of "A Million Little Pieces" and how the publishers came out on mass in their own defense saying that genre of "memoirs" are not fact checked and are considered somewhat fiction - something they claimed everyone in the publishing industry is aware of but the general public needs to be educated about - then I shouldn't be surprised. It does say on the cover "A memoir of Iran"!It really is a sad truth that we live in a time that an intelligent educated man like Mr. de Bellaigue uses all his gifts to malign. It is rare to feel such venom in the works of an author that lives in Iran and is married to an Iranian but that is what comes across most in this book. All he is interested in doing, as he himself tells it after "regretting" for having told a truth (!) is to "jab a needle into Mr. Zarif's smug, certain shell." Except what he really wants to do is not just to jab one person but the whole of a nation.In conclusion, if you are not Iranian and read this book, you will get an impression that has very little to do with Iran and Iranians. But if you are Iranian and can look past the venom there are some interesting aspect of Iranian culture and way of life that you will be introduced to. Aspects that an outsider can have a better view of and explain more objectively. And finally if you are one of Iranian monarchists living in Southern California or the suburbs of DC you will be in heaven. I am sure Mr. de Bellaigue will autograph your copy with pleasure. | 0negative
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This Book Smokes!
I got an advanced copy at work left in my mailbox.Glad I did. This book smoked from the first page to the last.Jay Marvinauthor of Punk Blood | 1positive
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Noah is probably turning over in his grave!
Supposedly witty and humorous, as a devoutly religious person, I found the book to be way too irreverent for my comfort level; it seemed to mock God (as well as Noah), and I couldn't force myself to read the last half (although I skimmed a few sections). Noah was not pictured as a Godly being but as somewhat of a tyrant, and I didn't feel that the sexual "escapades" belonged in a Bible story.I'm sure there are those who are in disagreement, but this is, honestly, how I felt about the book and cannot recommend it. | 0negative
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Amazing results!
We got this because it was recommened with our Hearts of Dakota Homeschool curriculum. We had tried 100 easy lessons but our 4 yr old son was frustrated and bored with soooo much repetition. We BOTH LOVE the Reading Lesson!! He 'got it' from day one and is reading other books now too. We were going rather quickly through the first chapters, but have since scaled back to just 2-4 pages a day. He is doing VERY well and our 3 year old son is learning to read too!! We just do part of a page a day with our younger son and do lots of repetition until he "knows" it and isn't guessing. THey both have fun and are excited to read! Our oldest is even reading new words in his Bible now!! HIGHLY recommend!! | 1positive
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A HEARTWARMING AND SPIRIT LIFTING STORY
AS ONE WHO LOVES AND COLLECTS ELEPHANTS I LOVED THE BOOK. I KNEW THAT ELEPHANTS WERE WONDERFUL BUT HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY COULD BE SO ATTACHED TO US. NOT ONLY WAS MODOC A HERO BUT HE ALSO ENTERTAINED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE | 1positive
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One of the best books in print
This is an excellent, immortal novel. Hemingway truly takes the reader on a journey through his world. The characters are very real and the book develops with great skill and depth. This novel should be required reading for humans.For Whom the Bell Tolls has no bad points. | 1positive
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n/a
Disregard Larry Bourbon's review; it was entered by mistake. | 1positive
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What did you expect anyway?
HEY! Winter's Heart was worth the read. The number of characters is getting a bit much, can't spend enough time in one place. But the boy is getting better with age, style wise. I bought this for my oldest boy because I have trouble keeping enough good fiction around for him. Let's face it, kindly old proffesor Tolkien is dead. Creating an epic is a task of epic proportion, and I for one appreciate the effort that is going into this tale.Bob, if you read these, you ARE at some point going to have to run into something ultimate. Right now everybody thinks they are it, and then along comes "the bigger fish" (as they liked to say in that last Star Wars flick). But all together I think this series gets better as it goes on.Just to irritate those who want to not like it, I am going to go read it again. So there. :) | 1positive
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Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements
This book does not address many issues that I though it should. Very basic and not well informed. | 0negative
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A good series gone bad
A wonderful series with outstanding military and historical foundation and detail, gone bad. The writer doesn't even seem to know his own characters anymore. The sex scenes seem like they were written by a 14 year old kid. When I began to get the distinct impression that the author had lost his way, I put the book down. As a historian, I'm disappointed that Whyte has chosen to sell out with this drivel. | 0negative
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MISSING TEXT!!!!!!
This review is NOT on the quality of the story. I love this book, however.... This edition is missing text. Whenever character reads out of a newspaper or other document, the entire txt of that newspaper or document is missing from this Kindle edition! I've no idea which version to spend the dollar on to get the complete text, but its frustating as this was my first download. | 0negative
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Good short stories ruined by dull narrative
The short stories are good, but the narrative that binds them together is dull, tedious and over the top. Forget the reviews that discuss the gore, it's irrelevant. It's the narrative that I've a beef with -- it feels like the author thought he needed something to tie the short stories together but didn't care enough to write anything interesting. I'm a book addict, no doubt about it. I've read at least two books a month for the past 30 years, from classics to bestsellers. But this one goes into the category, with only a handful of others, of not worth my time to finish. What a waste of time and money. | 0negative
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Dull
Jin has been called a `realist' by less perceptive critics, but `realism' is not to be equated with dullness. A great writer knows how to highlight those `realistic' moments that catch a snippet of the transcendent, and juxtapose them with other elements to create a poetry of the real. Jin, however, writes dully on dull events and people, content to let the PC trappings of the exotic do the heavy lifting a strong narrative should accomplish. Much of his prose seems to bear out the fact that English is not his native tongue. How this book could win many prestigious awards is a testament to the power of PC over excellence. The characters are cardboard cutouts, and there is not a single defining `event'. Not that a plot-driven tale is necessary for excellence, yet this novel is not merely a `slice of life', ala A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, or The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter. Worst of all, though, is that the book begins with a prologue that removes any surprise this dull tale might reveal. Right away we definitely know all that will occur, save for the very end, where Lin regrets his waiting for Manna, which any astute reader could see coming anyway. And, despite the claims, this is not a love story, since none of the characters really loves, nor knows how to love. As Jin banally tells us of Manna, `the long waiting had dissolved her gentle nature, worn away her hopes, ruined her health, poisoned her heart and doomed her.' Yes, this is very like most marriages around the world, but it's not the crux to build a compelling work of art around. At least a novice writer like Jin cannot do so. Waiting, despite its Political Correctness, is not a terrible book, merely yet another bad book that should never have been published. But, when did that ever stop PC from giving out laurels? | 0negative
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Overwritten
At 225 pages in and still nothing had happpened I simply gave up. At first I loved some of the descriptions, but that really is all this book seems to be, a lot of description with very little development. I gave it a fair go, but I'm done and off to find something that will actually capture my imagination and make me want ot turn the page. | 0negative
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Read it before they're born!
I read this book before my baby was born and started using the concepts at 5 weeks. What a difference in the sleeping, eating and playing habits of my now 8 week old son. He is a happier baby and we are happier parents who understand his needs better. | 1positive
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Not worth owning
As the title indicates, James Waldroop has categorised 12 bahviours that he often encountered in his practice with anecdotes to better explain these behaviour. However, these stories were not aspiring and do not provide much clue on how to correct the behaviour. In his attempt to provide some indicative solutions, James has either over simplified the cases or not provided sufficient details for them to be useful.I will encourage James to break these behaviours into more distinctive groups and maybe publish them in more than one book so that more details are included that will provide a higher degree of usefulness to the readers.If you are waiting for a friend, you might want to pick up the book and spend 10 minutes browsing through it just to have an idea of what these behaviours are in case your friends bring it up during conversation. Ethnically, I encourage you to drop a token of appreciation at the cashier counter after reading the copyrighted material.Caution:I do not hate this book when I rate it one star; amonzon indicates that one star means "I hate it", but merely find that money could be better spent on better materials. | 0negative
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Depressed
I usually love SEP's books as they are full of humor and witty lines. But this one was far from the typical SEP story.I was intrigued by Fleur's beginnings, but I must say I didn't like Belinda or Alexi at all. They were both such horrible characters that the only reason I kept reading is because I felt so sorry for Fleur. I've even decided that I can't watch an Errol Flynn movie because he more or less caused all this.(Okay, not really, but the fictional use of him made me want to slap him.) And Belinda! Good God. I don't care if it was 1955 or not, I would have left France and gone back to California. I would never have stayed with Alexi. I don't care what the stigma would have been back in mid-twentieth century, it would have been better than staying with that cruel idiot. Poor Michel. Not loved by either parent and Solange, I feel, would have loved both children and might have even helped Belinda had she had the courage to speak to the woman.I'm glad Fleur had a happy ending, but I feel so depressed about everyone else.This book is written well and isn't confusing with all the multi-generational info, but it isn't something that will give you that up feeling you usually get with an SEP book. If you can handle that, then go for it. | 0negative
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Returned Mdse.
I returned the mdse because the same book (Andrew Swanfeldt/ crossword dictionary) was on sale at a discount site for $9.88 with free shipping. I must tell you however that they never did ship the book and I was charged $17.?? on my discover card. Discover corrected the problem but I have as yet to obtain this book. If I can't find a better discount price than yours, I will reinstate my order.James Storm | 0negative
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3rd decade of lower criticism...
I have been formally engaged in lower criticism of the Greek text for over 3 decades, have published 5 large volumes on the Syriac New Testament and Greek New Testament and still do not fathom the marketing verbiage associated with this, Metzger's standard volume. To state that some great fall from a textual tradition occurred in past textual transmissions is simply without evidence. That Bart Ehrman, the Dan Brown of lower criticism, is now associated with this excellent text is yet another reason to begin abandoning the tome in favor of more objective resources. I suggest going back to B.F. Westcott's History of the Canon... or to FF Bruce. Both far greater scholars than Ehrman. For all its value, Metzger is no longer an objective treatise but is rather based on an a-priori assumption of human need to restore a text that was never lost; an historical and evidentially false premise and unabashed tool for promoting the "need" for one's own publications.In my undergrad when performing a exhaustive Claremont Profile of variations in the Synoptics, (Using SCE Legg, and all lower textual treastises), I learned from nearly every tradition of text that variations were not historically cyclical, bore no pattern of misguided or mal-intent, nor did they appear to be theologically driven. These things were evident in the peudopigrapha but not in the transmissional text of the NT. Most variants were Atticisms, (in an attempt to produce a refined "Greek" translational form using Koine as a basis), simple conjugation errors, connective, eyesight errors, (dittography), and common mis-spelling errors. Ehrman's fantastical leaps of textual causes rest solely in his desire to sell greater volumes, but not in fact. That Ehrman is now associated with this text should come as a warning to those of us who respect the objective science of textual analysis. I now say no to this tome until Bart Ehrman is removed from it. XAPIS KAI EIPHNH. | 0negative
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Jack the Rippper
I was unhappy with this effort from Patricia Cornwell. I found it repetitive, hard to follow and didn't find her argument that convincing. | 0negative
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Typing, not writing...
I appreciate that many people love this book. I also appreciate that it should be read in its historical context and that it was groundbreakingBut, if I am honest, reading it was a chore. Dull, dull, dull. | 0negative
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Milking It
Let's be honest, if CoK was the first book, this series would never have taken off. Game of Thrones is great, CoK, not so much.CoK actually points out the inherent weakness of Thrones -- a poor choice of POV characters. I can stand the boring characters for a single book, but the weakness starts to become a real problem in 900-page book 2.1) Most of the characters are boring beyond belief. Caetlyn is a 21st century Oprah show castoff ("When can I stop being so strong?" Oh, pleeze!). Most POV characters are children and women. Most of the interesting action of the story takes place off-screen and then whole chapters are devoted to characters talking to each other about what has happened in the absence of any POV character. Robb should have been a POV character, as he should have been in Thrones. Theon is a waste of space, silly storyline. Jon has great potential but is wasted in going-nowhere storyline.2) Writing not nearly as crisp as in Thrones. This one needs lots of cutting. A lot of the book can be skipped. Every chapter in Thrones moved the story forward. Not so Clash. The Theon storyline was added for milking purposes only. It becomes obvious that Martin is simply milking it throughout. The story should have been concluded in this book. The plot in Thrones was actually pretty tight. Throw out the dragon lady (put her in a different book somewhere) and you could have a great 2-volume story. As it is, this one's going nowhere fast.3)After the pathetic Eddard and Robert got killed in Thrones, it seems the entire world is run by teenagers and women. I thought at first that this was Martin acquiescing to his audience, but then he throws in lots of gratuitous very graphic sex. Makes me sort of embarrassed for Martin personally and makes me wonder about the man's character.Hopefully, things pick up in Storm, but I'm not quite as eager to read on now as I was after Thrones. | 0negative
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