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The Content was not what I expected
I read about two chapters and tossed it; as it was not what I expected or wanted. It did not tell my very much at all about compassion, although that is the title of the book. Its just another Far East book that said little of interest to me. | 0negative
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A quick read . . .
She is so involved in keeping her secret that she's unaware that she is no longer a threat to herself. Good story. | 1positive
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Needs more self-care information
This book is written from a medical slant and although it's very good at doing that, it lacks specifics of what women can do to make their menopause a positive experience. As Host of Bellaonline's menopause web site, I hear from women every day asking how to reduce hot flashes without taking hormones, whether they should use black cohosh, what they should eat, and a million other questions. I wish this book would have provided more specific self-care information by asking menopausal women what they found useful. | 0negative
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Out of Character for Michael Crichton
I agree with Robert Graves' review; this book is unusually out of character for Michael Crichton in many aspects. I was particularly astounded by the level of scientific balderdash in this book. It was incredibly painful to read what Crichton passes off as "science".In one case he talks about the nanobots eating out the carbon substrate from memory chips but not processor chips. Excuse me! What makes processor chips so different from memory chips, that nanobots only attacked memory chips? And if that wasn't bad enough, memory chips happen to be made of SILICON! Where in the hell do you get carbon from a silicon wafer?Then there's the case where he explains how the swarm will be tagged with radioactive selenium in a glucose mixture. I'm sorry, this is a basic technology in radioactive tagging that was completely befuddled. Crichton has a degree from Harvard Medical school. There is no excuse for getting these principles wrong.Yes, this is certainly fiction, but boy, the science in this book is not based on any Earth science I know; it's all in Crichton's own universe. | 0negative
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Mildly interesting but ultimately flawed
One day, the upper middle classes woke up and discovered the bohemians. Enchanted, they did away with the formality of grandmother's parlour and embraced bare wood floorings, ethnic Indian fabrics artistically draped over their sofa, and hung modern art on the walls. They started to travel to interesting places off the beaten track, explored different cuisines, and broke down the interior walls of their houses as to encourage a open floorplan. They started reading radical writers and embracing unconventional notions. Sounds familar? David Brooks would have us believe that these people are his Bobos, a brand new social class that embraced both elements of bohemianism and the old bourgeoise. The people I described are actually the late Victorians/Edwardians at the dawn of the arts and crafts movement at the turn of the century.So, Brooks' argument is largely flawed because what he describes as a new cultural phenomena is just a replaying of history. There's nothing inherently new about his Bobos.That's not to say the book isn't worth reading. It's amusing, in part to observe how much has changed since it came out three years ago. As much as I hate to resort to using the old "post 9/11" cliche, it's true that the world of today after the end of the dotcom boom and after 9/11 (the book came out at the height of the dotcom boom) is a pretty different place. Much of the casualism he describes as invading the corporate world has disappeared and with the collapse of Enron, "creative thinking" in corporate finance has been discredited and the firms are going back to basic and sound economics and practice.And the old WASP world hasn't disappeared-as much as the Times would like us to believe otherwise, it's still going strong in parts of America, notably the South, and even in NYC there are still WASP strongholds. What Brooks is correct on is that WASPS no longer dominate national institutions and are now just one group out of many. I wonder what Brooks would make of the current WASP revival in clothing fashion, with the return of Lacoste to the American market, and the revitalization of Lilly Pulitzer?I will agree on one subject: America has become the ultimate consumerism society, to the extent that virtually everything is a form of consumerism. Even the WASP lifestyle has been condensed and packaged for the broad market a la RL Polo and other clothing label. Is there anything that has not been declared as a certain style? | 0negative
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I LOVED 1493 and liked 1491 for other reasons..very different material in both.
He is a prolific and experiencial writer the best kind.He reasearches for up to fifteen years before he puts it on paper. A writers writer.Excellent! | 1positive
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antique paper dolls history
This Sheila Young book was also in great shape. I am pleased to have the pictures of the actual magazine pages. | 1positive
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Modern Library edition
This is a small format edition of this classic work, 4 3/4" x 7 1/8", 510 pages. Brief biography of Mann on the dust jacket, translator's note. | 1positive
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RJ rules
Robert Jordan is by far my favorite fantasy author. The Eye of the World and this book start the series a little slowly, although it picks up later on (and does it pick up!). Although I found this one a little slow, Jordan's eye for detail and cast of characters saw me through. Keep it up, Jordan! | 1positive
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close up
getting the best out of yourths demand that the adult refrain from cutting them short. close up remphasises and I support that youngsters need guidance and thgey deserve it | 0negative
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2 stars just because it's a great coffee table book
I found this book years ago in my mother's library. My crazy aunt Gail had given it to her for her wedding. My parents spent many hours of their honeymoon hooting with laughter while reading aloud from it.They've been married for 36 years and are one of the happiest couples I know. Their marriage is based on respect and equality.I'm sure this book works for some people- just like fundamentalist religion works for some people- but the lifestyle preached about in this book should be something two people agree they want BEFORE they get married. It wouldn't work for any of the couples I know. If my best friend suddenly started lisping and prancing around like a crush-giddy teenager every time her husband came home, he'd almost definitely call me to ask if she had started abusing valium. If a couple consists of a woman who doesn't mind being submissive, and a man who doesn't want a best friend and partner so much as an acolyte, though, then Fascinating Womanhood is probably the best book going for them.Sure, I find this depressing, but I find a lot of things about our culture's relationship norms depressing.Also- I'm very thankful that the majority of men I know would be miserable with a woman they couldn't consider an equal. | 0negative
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A MUST BUY
This is the book recommended by graham greene in his autobiography.he had studied this book inside out before embarking on his illustrious career. I suppose no other stamp off approval is needed after that..... | 1positive
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Garbage.
This book is an utter waste of time. A two year old could come up with these quotes. Quotes like, " Have your suits cleaned often" and "Take your assistant to lunch, but not too often" are examples of how little thought went into this book. If you find this book helpful you should be worried. Thank goodness I didn't buy it. | 0negative
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Entertaining
This book was actually pretty entertaining. I did not find it very political, like some of the criticism included charges. The old English speaking in the story was somewhat unintelligible to me at times. The plot is just consistently funny though. | 1positive
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A Book from My Past
I read this book when I was about ten years old. I remember it being such a good book that I read it all in one sitting. It is one of the few books I have ever read more than one time. Although it is fiction interwoven with history, it really brought the history of our country to life for me and left me wanting to know more. I purchased this for my grandson, who is now ten, and I am hoping he will enjoy it as much as I did. He already shares my interest in history. We enjoy talking about historical events and visiting history museums together. | 1positive
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Ugh, another boring book
Yeah, boring book. Most reviewers have already said all that needs to be said. This is unoriginal in every way, meaning in essence, the characters are boring and typical and predictable, the ending was a "no duh good was going to win" and therefore predicatble, there were no good lessons that I can remember learning from the book. . . do I need to go on? Its just boring. . .If you want a great Christian series then Legends of the Guardian King, Chronicles of Narnia, and Binding of the Blade are probably the best you can get, though I haven't read much christain stuff. If you want non-christian books that are amazing then got Sword of Truth, Tales from Earthsea, Song of ice and Fire, Legend of Drizzt, the Bartimaeus Trilogy, or Artemis Fowl. All mentioned are better in ever way imaginable than this book and are of many different styles. | 0negative
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The Handmaid's Tale - Ugh!
I was disappointed with the style of Atwood's writing. It felt as though she was trying to find the biggest and most obscure words to describe the environment. I am not the strongest reader, but love to read. I found this book to be one that I had to force myself to finish. | 0negative
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QH
this book is really interesting and gets you hooked as early as the first page and doesnt let you go till the very end. i love baseball and this book has a lot of baseball content and action scenes. i hard about this book from my friend and he told me that it was just ok, but i think that its great, anybook with baseball and gangsters is good for me. i would recomend this book to anyone who likes an action based fast moving book with some baseball scenes. | 1positive
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Great Book!
This book is a great book! It is about a woman who finding herself in a sleazy situation with a very handsome man, is forced to marry him! Watch the sparks fly as the two face off and the new bride run awayto fins out that running away adn ehr new husband was not at all what she expected. THis is a GREAT BOOK! Glenda Sanders is a wonderful author! | 1positive
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I love this book!!!!
I am 23 years old and have read almost all of Ms. Andrews's books. This is my absolute favorite of any of her stories. The story is so complex, yet you can follow it easily. The way that Audrina's family treats her is amazing, I don't want to spoil anything in the plot, you will see for yourself. I first read this book when I was about 13 and it made a definite impression on me. You HAVE to read this book. It is a worderful book and an easy read. | 1positive
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Not my kind of book
Although this book did bring back many of my childhood memories I didn't feel that it was a very interesting novel. I read this book for college and felt that some parts were interesting, like the part about John Huff. Im not a very consistent reader, but I do like to read, just not books like this one. To me it seemed like there was no real point to the book, it was very detialed, but there was never really a butoom line to the points. Also there were many parts in the book where it was hard to read and follow. In a way this book was spacy and unrealistic to the point where it was pethetic. I hve read other peices by him, and I would not read this one before reading any others of his. One thing that I actually did like about this book was the emotion. You could actually feel the fear of the mother and the sadness in others. There were many similarities and metaphors in this novel. It kind of felt like a maze as I was reading it at some points. I don't regret reading this book, but overall I would not really recomend it. | 0negative
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A Hobbyist point of view.
From a Fireworks-Hobbyist point of view, I am very disappointed, having high expectations from this 2001 publication, expecting maybe something more up to date. There are several references of "Weingart (1947) and Shimizu (1980-96)" formulations with at best vague descriptions of "how-to", referring the reader to their books for a more complete and detailed version. Rather get Shimizu's book and have the complete version to begin with not some small incomplete abstract of it, and the same goes for almost all the other references. On the up-side, I see this book as the great book of little abstracts loaded with historical interests, teaching you the Japanese words for different firework devices...that is if that's your interest. | 0negative
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Not my first choice for a book
I read this book earlier in the year and I got so bored while reading it, I almost didn't finish it. The beginning was so boreing I actually fell asleep reading it! The ending however, wasn't so bad. It was actually quite suspenseful. All in all, I think that younger children would enjoy it more than teens and adults. | 0negative
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Great, hard sci-fi
This book freed my mind man! I'm no longer constrained to the 21st or even 20th century mindset that holds back the rest of you. I have seen the future and I am riding its wave to bigger and better things.But it also alienated me from society. I can no longer have a conversation with untouched minds without receiving puzzled stares or forced smiles. I'm a stranger in a strange land.Fear not. This conflict only serves to heighten my sense of responsibility. I will drag this spinning ball of meat and matter to its destiny sooner rather than later. And you will all thank me. | 1positive
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It captivates you from beginning to end
From Page one this charming novel has you by the eyes and you cannot put it down. I reccomend this novel to all girls-and boys. I will continue to read it and cherish it until the day I die. | 1positive
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Great value
I bought 5 of these books to be an addition to Christmas baskets and it was shipped perfectly on time and is a great valuefor money and a great addition to my gifts. | 1positive
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Love the book! Can't wait to see the movie!
Highly recommended, just wish there was more to read!! Love how I try it's not predictable in any way, just keeps on surprising you! | 1positive
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AFICIONADO = PASSIONATE ONE
In "The Sun Also Rises," Hemingway, through his alter-ego, Jake Barnes, tells us that the true meaning of "aficionad' is passion. In Spain, there is a more restrictive meaning. 'Aficianado' only means one who is passionate about the bulls. In fact, the concept is so restrictive that some bull fighters are considered to be just 'commercial' bull fighters and are not passionate enough about their chosen profession to be considered 'aficionados.' This is so according to Hemingway.In the broader sense of the word, Hemingway, in this book, reveals himself (as Jake Barnes) to be an aficionado when it comes to boxing, drinking, fishing, and bull-fighting.I had a problem with one aspect of "The Sun Also Rises." I found Hemingway's excessive use of negative ethnic stereotyping to be troublesome. For starters, he has created in Robert Cohn, a character who is emotionally unstable and thoroughly unlikeable because of his 'Jewishness.' Following are a few examples of this portrayal:In reference to Cohn (observations of Barnes and his friends):"He had a hard, Jewish streak."Brett's gone off with (other) men, but they weren't ever Jews.""That Cohn gets to me. He's got that Jewish superiority.""That kike."In reference to Jews in general: "She gets five hundred quid a year and pays three hundred and fifty of it in interest to the Jews. They're not really Jews. We just call them Jews. They're Scotsmen, I believe."There are numerous other instances, but these already cited should suffice as examples of Hemingway's Jewish stereotyping.He went after other groups too. To wit:On Blacks: "The n , , , , drummer waved at Brett. He was all lips and teeth."On gays: "I wanted to swing on one . . . . to shatter that superior, simpering composure."He didn't quit there either. He went after the French and, on numerous occasions, showed his disdain for all casual tourists.There is so much of this sort of prejudicial stereotyping throughout the book that it was ruined for me. It's too bad, because his bull-fight descriptions obviously came from an aficionado but were, for me, tainted by his attitudes. | 0negative
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William Hurt's reading is wonderful...
I'm not a regular reader of Stephen King's work, but I wanted to read the book after seeing the movie. It was so much "my" era, it touched many chords in my memory. This version (the audio) of Hearts in Atlantis was recommended to me as the best way to experience the book.I wasn't going to listen to the entire thing -- just the first story, which was mostly what the movie was based on, and is by far the longest (8 tapes). William Hurt "becomes" 11-year-old Bobby Garfield as he reads the story. He's terrific. And I went on to listen to the rest of the stories -- I had difficulty stopping. It drew me in.Some parts are not easy to listen to, going back to Vietnam as they do, but I recommend it. The parts of the book that are not read by William Hurt are read by King, and he does an excellent job as well. | 1positive
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The Sound and the Fury.
I've read most of Faaulkners books and enjoyed them. Not this one. Eitther he hadtoo much gin or I did not have enpugh. I could not get into it. I could not understand it./LP | 0negative
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Another winner by Brian Tracy!
Read this book, overcome stalls and procrastination and reach allof your goals. I like the format of this book, east to read, easy to carry with you. Great on audio as well. I play it my car all the time.Thank you Brian. | 1positive
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Great book
I loved this book as a child and my child loves it. It's a classic and I am glad we have it as part of his library. | 1positive
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A disappointment
I like Egan's work and don't generally mind it when he gets technical (e.g., as he did, ferquently, in Diaspora), but this books often seems to be little more than characters talking physics and mathematics to each other.To be sure, there's a lot of intruiging asides about the culture and the technology of his universe, and the main character does have a *bit* of a backstory, but the sheer amount amount of technical detail that gets thrown around (often with minimal explaination for us mere mortals) has the unfortunate effect of muting a story with an absolutely intruiging premise.Egan clearly knows his science and his math, but he can get carried away. I wish that he had toned these aspects down a bit and had focused more on the characters and the plot, especially since I know that he's quite capable of telling a good story on those terms, as well. | 0negative
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Delightful and charming
Miss Julia's husband has died. Unfortunately he has also left behind an illegitimate son Miss Julia knew nothing about. When the child's mother leaves her son on Miss Julia's doorstep, she has to learn to speak her mind and do the right thing, no matter how difficult. In true Southern style there are preachers, deputies, nosy neighbors and unscrupulous characters galore. I laughed out loud more than once. I would love to know Miss Julia, and her decidedly unconventional family. | 1positive
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sophomoric
While entertaining, I found it read like a Creative Writing 101 project. He goes on and on (and on and on and on) describing the natural beauty, after a while I'd say "enough! How about the surfing?" The "poetic" parts were repetetive and frankly not all that inspiring.Don't get me wrong, being a surfer myself, I found it lovingly researched, and very interesting at parts, especially the history. Sadly, most of it reads like an article in "Surfer" or "Outside" magazine. | 0negative
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dry, dry, dry, boring boring boring
I will stick with the #1 Ladies detective series, which are very good, amusing, well written. The Dalhousie books to me are so stilted, so arid, so sterile I could not finish the first one. How can an author be so different and uninteresting in his alternative writing? I found the Dalhousie impossible to get interested in. Very disappointing. I would rate it minus 5 if it was possible. | 0negative
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Biz Talk -1
I personally am not so enamored with Biz Talk-1. Sure, there is some useful slang inside, but the conversations presented are so chock-full of slang that they are not realistic. They also use some slang that is not commonly heard. | 0negative
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Clever and well written...
I don't often read a book twice. Especially in the same year... This book is a wonderful work of fiction -- Anita Diamant weaves a beautiful story that I had to re-read. I tried to get my husband to listen to the audio book on a road trip and he quit during the second disc because he couldn't stand the detailed descriptions of their birthing experiences. That's fair... | 1positive
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Too early to tell if this is a good program
There are some interesting exercise concepts in this book. Actually testing them at this point is somewhat problematic; the required equipment is:2 high wobble boards2 tall poles (they look 6 feet tall or so)2 small-ball hand weights1 small bench that appears to be at least 1 x 1 x 2 feet1 swiss ballThe authors have a ProBodX website (the URL is the obvious one) where they let you know that you can buy this stuff, but the only thing they're selling there now is copies of the book! I have no idea how they expect people to do their program if they can't even have the components available on the recommended website.There is a comparison chart where they "compare" the ProBodX exercises with other disciplines. Take this chart with a grain of salt -- they don't accurately rate the activities that I'm familiar with. Grumble.Another reviewer said that this is a great program to do "on the road or at [her] house." I'd take this endorsement with a grain of salt, too. Look at the gear listed above. It would be problematic to travel with several of these pieces of gear unless you're driving to your destination in your own car. This workout only works "on the road" if they've already got their own set of the gear at your destination. | 0negative
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Great
I recieved this product quickly from the vendorand it is already a useful tool, not only in thegraduate class I am taking, but in my third gradeclassroom, as a reference. | 1positive
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Great Expectations
I thought the book was boring and the worst I haveever read. It was long and just boring. The characterswere confusing and had so many names that the book went by.I think Charles Dickens was not a smart man for writingthis book. He could have summed the book up a lot. He usedlong word that some times were had to say.The characters were pretty good to follow by with the different names. Pip was easy to follow as he aged. I thought that Mrs. Joe was a big meaniey. Joe was the nice guy and Estella was a snob in the beginning but shaped up in the end. | 0negative
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Another Wonderful Sammy Mystery
I buy these books for my daughter as soon as they come out in paperback, and I have to say this is truly the best one we've read yet. In this adventure, Sammy investigates dognappers, and the story is very fresh and funny. A real contribution to quality mysteries for girls. | 1positive
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Sentimental reactionary glurge
Please give us the option of negative stars!! Nothing else can do justice to this waste of good trees. I forced myself through it for a book club. Anyone who reads this review probably already grasps the setup - Annie G. Freeman (as she is called over and over and over and over long after we know her name) sends her "best friends" trailing around the country to scatter her ashes in fabulously significant places.It's probably significant that by her mid fifties, all Annie could come up with for best friends were a high school buddy, her boss, her landlady, and her hospice nurse. The cover looks promising, and the first page seems to be setting up a funny, precisely observed minicrisis - the exploding bra. It's all downhill from there. After a brief intro to the four women, we spend the rest of the book reading slop about how they form an undifferentiated fabulous mush of femaleness. No, wait - there are really five of them. And an extra who joins partway through. It doesn't matter. There is only the mush.Oh, and Annie was fabulous too. And they tell lots of stories showing how fabulous she was, none of which we get to read. Nobody has any individual traits...I don't think the author approves of women being individuals. Nobody has any religious (or antireligious) thoughts about death and its meaning. Every total stranger they encounter is bowled over by their fabulousosity. (Maybe the silliest was the New York cabbie who describes their hotel as "an elegant beauty". No, other reviewers were right, the silliest is having everybody else snowed into the Minneapolis airport join the weepfest. But there's lots of silly to go around.)But the worst, the very worst, was the repeated, bludgeoning chant that we wimmen spend all our time suffering and giving and suffering and that's what makes us fabulously fabulous. ("We're women and we deal with " (loss) "and we do it in a way that somehow becomes a gift. Isn't that something? Isn't it something how we can take something that is so painful it makes you drop to the floor and turn it into a life lesson that makes you actually glad it happened? That's what women do. We get on with it. It sure is something.") Yeah, it's something - it's the same garbage every girl who grew up in the fifties or before had rammed down her throat - and the whole point is to keep us in our place.Here you are at amazon - they'll sell you any number of books that are a much better use for your $11, or $8.80, than this trash. DO NOT BUY! | 0negative
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Review before buying
Well, at the risk of incurring the wrath of all the others, I would say it would be best to try to review the book before purchasing if one is indeed interested in family preparedness in the USA. This is not the best forum to argue world view or intent. Check out the book before you buy; plain and simple. Perhaps those with extensive training will forgive us who do not have the head knowledge and/or experience to fill in the obvious gaps in the text. A different perspective, we who dissent have, looking at ourselves as potential patients. Maybe the author(s) will revise or produce a companion text with the layman in mind (hint, hint). Thank you and be gentle. | 0negative
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Excellent and Exciting- The best book there is!
The book Petals on the Wind is the best book ever written. It never gets dull and is filled with suprises. Once you pick it up you can't put it down! The sequels to books aren't normally as good as the first one but this book is BETTER than Flowers in the Attic. I highly recommend reading this book | 1positive
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Stormy
THE SETUPA hurricane devastates South Florida.. Newlywed tourists Max and Bernie Lamb drive down from Disney World, because Max is obsessed with making home movies of the damage and devastation. Eddie Marsh who has been trolling for Kennedys in Palm Beach, teams up with ex-con Snapper (aka Lester Madox Parsons), to pull an insurance con. That's the setup.THE OTHER MAJOR CHARACTERSAvila - a former (crooked, of that's not a redundancy) Dade County building inspectorTony Torres - a crooked house trailer salesmanSkink (do not confuse with "Snapper") -aka Clinton Tyree - recluse ex-governor of FloridaJim Tile - a Florida Highway Patrolman, and friend of SkinkBrenda Roarke - policewoman, Jim Tile's girlfriendAugustine - an insurance-settlement-wealthy semi-retired guy, somewhat a young version of Skink.Ira Jackson - a NYC thug who had purchased a house trailer for his mother (killed in the storm) from Tony TorresFred Dove - property insurance adjuster, seduced by Eddie Marsh.HISTORICAL BACKGROUND"Stormy Weather" fairly accurately describes South Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in 1992--with the exception that the chaos and desperation are understated. Simply driving to friends or relatives (or trying to return home) was no easy matter with major highways full of trees, downed live electric lines, and no traffic lights. Whole subdivisions were inaccessible to ice-trucks and other relief when it finally came. The incredibly oppressive heat and humidity after the storm, for weeks without electricity are not described. For the few lucky who had generators, gasoline was hard to find, because the local gas stations were closed for lack of electricity to run the pumps. Dozens of fires were caused by overheated generators and many other deaths by related accidents. Much of the county was without water. As for the people, it's a numbers game, with a population of 5 million, there has to be (and are) thousands as insane as the characters in "Stormy Weather", and like California, South Florida has way more than its fair share of crazies.CAVEATS"Stormy Weather" is a slow roller-coaster ride--lacking clear buildup, climax, and resolution. Often slow--the end is welcome."Stormy Weather" is not quite so surreal as most other adult Hiaasen novels, mostly because the real actual historic situation was surreal.VERDICTAn entertaining read, filled with bizarre characters. | 1positive
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The ending runied the book
The ending of this book seems rushed, as if Cornwell finished it quickly to get the book out on the stands. It leaves you not just hanging (which would be ok) but checking to make sure you picked-up a complete copy of the book! I seriously thought there was a chapter missing from my book. Don't bother reading this until the next book is out to complete the story. | 0negative
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"The White Man's Burden"
This is not, as one reviewer writes, "A loving attempt to reach across the racial divide." Unfortunately the historical record contradicts this reading, and this kind of nostalgia for a 'simpler time' erases the history of colonial rule. Maintaining divisions between a ruling class (British) and a subaltern class (colonial subjects) was the whole point of colonialism. The story of a cute native is part and parcel of the same ideology that produces the story of the threatening savage, or the easily scared native. Even if he is clever. This idea supported Western dominance. You may find this character cute and cuddly, but stop and think about that. So are puppies. It paid to maintain that the 'primitive' races were refreshingly childlike, endearingly innocent, incapable of self rule or living in a modern world. They were the 'white man's burden,' and their natural resources could be had for the superior races. You would see this more clearly if you had a look at any of the official papers written by colonial administrators like Helen Bannerman's husband. All of these stories came out of that system of beliefs. Exactly WHO is nostalgic for this past? Certainly not Black and Brown descendants of a conquered people. This was not a simpler time but one in which brutal subordination of a people was sanctioned by the state. If you miss that 'simpler time' I hope you don't live next door to me. My children would not be safe. | 0negative
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Visit the Magical Realm of the Rose
With Goddess of the Rose, P.C. Cast has once again proved that she is an exceptional creative talent with her unusual twist on the classic Beauty and The Beast fairytale.The heroine "Mikki" is a wonderfully written, strong, and most of all, believable woman who is trying to find her place in the world. Her journey eventually leads her to the magical Realm of the Rose where her true destiny is revealed.When you pick up this book you will be captivated and enchanted. It will have you eagerly awaiting the next volume of Ms. Cast's work! | 1positive
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It has changed my life
Six months before I was diagnosed with tongue cancer I read this book. Dr. Frankl uses his experiences to explain a basic fact of life, we have a choice. In the past 16 years since my cancer I have read this book and given dozens of copies away. A MUST READ! | 1positive
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BORING!
This book was really boring! There was nothing steamy in it and all in all it was just plain boring. I don't think it even deserves one star, glad I got it from the library and didn't pay for it. | 0negative
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Fast service
I ordered the book, "Chinese Cinderella" for my daughter. It was required reading for her 10th grade English class. The book came 2 days earlier than the estimated time and in perfect shape. That's why I always order books from Amazon.com. | 1positive
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Two Stars for Inroducing Me to Quantum Physics
I guess I really spoke too soon when I said that I couldn't imagine NOT loving any Emma Holly book. After reading BEYOND INNOCENCE, BEYOND SEDUCTION and most recently, THE DEMON'S DAUGHTER, I was sure that I could never be disappointed by a Holly book.Each of her books have told very different stories and introduced very different characters, but I've loved each one up until I read STRANGE ATTRACTIONS. While I agree with the reviewer that said: 'if you tell me a good story, I'll like it,' and that 3-dimensional characters that make you care about them are the key to loving a book (instead of just liking it), I don't think that STRANGE ATTRACTIONS lived up to these requirements.Charity Wills is a young woman who has a hard life and a hard time keeping a job. She doubts her intelligence and competence. In general, she's been unlucky. Specifically, she's been unlucky in love. When Eric Berne, a lovely-looking man pulls her aside, she is sure it is not because he wants to invite her home to meet the parents. In her mind, Charity is the girl from the wrong side of the tracks; in the social order, Charity is sure Eric is not someone who should be with her.Charity is right that Eric has another motive--namely to make her an offer regarding an opportunity that will supposedly tap into her potential--sexually and mentally. Eric is a third-party intermediary for B.G. Grantham, who does not believe that Charity is stupid, but rather unmotivated: if Charity's work challenged her, she would excel. For B.G., it is a matter of finding what motivates all of his human subjects, and Charity is no exception.Although I must admit that I my curiosity was piqued by the idea of an intimate relationship between B.G. and Eric, as it played out, their interactions left me feeling uncomfortable and cold. I did not experience the relationship between B.G. and Eric as tender or sexually exciting.Additionally, I didn't feel that Eric's character was fully fleshed out. But, where Eric struck me as having genuine feelings, B.G. rarely seemed interested in being human. He was more interested in experimenting on human subjects.Enter the notion that I loved about the book, spoken by B.G., the scientist: "No one understands how, time after time, I come up with solutions....[It is because] I believe I can. Emotionally, I feel as if I have the answer before I do." This is what I loved about STRANGE ATTRACTIONS: Quantum Physics, the idea of alternate realities, the affect of consciousness on our world, the power of the mind and unlocking its potential, creating your world through awareness of your power to do so.In the final analysis, Charity was a lovable and cheeky character that I think readers will root for, if they read the book. But, I didn't care for Eric's bisexual relationship with B.G. And I didn't hope for Charity to end up with Eric, because he was so obviously in-love with B.G. already. Charity deserved better.I will read Holly again, definitely. I do agree that she is incredibly creative and gifted, but no one is perfect.Sadly Unsatisfied. | 0negative
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Life, the University and Everything
To represent this book as being merely (!) about the debate over the literary canon would be to do it a grave injustice. True, Denby writes about the academic (and not so academic) dispute over core reading courses, but he also tells of the love-hate relationship of the educated and the media, the bemusement of a parent faced with a tide of uncontrollable cultural influences on their children, the gnawing worry a lapsed reader has about being able to tackle "real" books, acknowledging the decline and death of one's parents, suriving a mugging in New York, the emergence of self after adolescence, the bubbling undercurrent of memory, the frustrated teacher in all of us, and most of all - epics, tragedies, poems, bibles, tracts... If you're only ever going to read one more book in your life, read this one. | 1positive
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If you think it's broken, let's start figuring out why...
This is an intelligent, reasonable exploration of the problems with the American governmental system. It is certainly not perfect; any effort so ambitious that it tries to cover the history of Constitutional governments for the last 600 years is bound to overreach. But Lazare does a nice job of producing a readable, rational hypothesis as to what's ailing the USA and of suggesting some solutions. The simple fact is that what the written Constitution says and what our government do are barely related. Lawyers take an entire class in law school studying the contradictions and hypocracies currently involved in Constitutional law. We lawyers learn how to use the current law to win cases and to argue our client's positions, but no one ever steps back and looks at the system as a whole and says, "hey, this needs to be fixed, it's not working anymore!"Lazare in this book tries to give some reasons and make some suggestions. Most people will find his suggested response to the problems -- eliminating the Constitution and its checks and balances -- too radical. But those of us who are paying attention to our world are glad that someone is learning from history, and is attempting to raise the level of political discourse in this nation above the mindless level of the current political debates. ("I'm a real reformer!" "No, he's a Washington insider -- I'm a real reformer! I was only in Washington when Dad was acting as President!" "Even though I've been Vice-President for the past eight years, I'm really an outsider who's all for reform...!")Real reform might have to jettison the entire system. | 1positive
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Unabridged?
I made it to chapter 8 in this book when lo and behold it skipped all the way to chapter 13! I was horrified because I am really enjoying this book. I searched the entire book, and this is only place where pages are missing. Does anyone else with this very book (ISBN 0760750920) have the same problem? | 0negative
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A Friend Made Me Read This Book. We're No Longer Friends!
I can't explain it. I've probably read close to 1,000 books in my life. And I've never found a book as difficult to complete as this one. (And I always finish a book once I've started it.) It's not that I disliked every element of the book. Some of the battle scenes were very well done. But I found the rest of the book to be a real struggle. Maybe I had a hard time rooting for "the other side." My friend was very disappointed because this is one of his favorite novels. I know that he would give it 5 stars. | 0negative
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Chatty Books
In some books, such as Friends, Lovers, Chocolate: An Isabel Dalhousie Novel the author, in this case Alexander McCall Smith, can write every single thought that pops into a person's head, and all the parenthetical thoughts, and all the asides, and all the options not taken, and then the person can finally just say, "Uh." This is not great writing. This is chatty drivel. BORING (as JoAnn Worley would so aptly proclaim). It's not romance, or mystery, or biography.In many books I've read, there are redeeming qualities even if the book does not end up on my favorites list. Not this one. Just frustration and plodding plots.So which is easier to write? In a play, you write what people say, and what they do. In a book, you can write what they think, and add 10,000 words and get paid more. Plays are easier to write, harder to write well.The reading of this audio CD is OK, not great. It's hard to distinguish who is speaking sometimes, because almost everyone has a Scot accent. So, the audio production deserves a 3, the novel a 1. Go read Anita Shreve instead. | 0negative
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Ghastly, just ghastly.
Ghastly, just ghastly.By inclination, I am not a book reviewer. In fact, this is my first and quite likely my only review that I will contribute to Amazon. What I am, however, is a photographer - a photographer who felt compelled to warn others about David Finn's "How to Look at Photographs".I picked up the book based on the title, the presence of some recognizably great photographs, and what initially appeared to be appropriate accompanying text. Oh, how I wish I had spent 5 more minutes with the book before adding to my stack.Remember the central idea of the film, "Amadeus": Antonio Salieri was aware of the greatness of the music of Mozart, and in the comparison, he was also painfully aware of the mediocrity of is own work. Similarly, Finn is able to recognize the genius in images from the likes of Cartier-Bresson, W. Eugene Smith, Philippe Halsman and others. But - and it's a big but - the similarity ends there as Finn embarrassingly places 120 of his own astoundingly inferior works (?) adjacent to some of the greatest photographs history has made.This happens on every single page, so to pick one at random: on page 91 Finn presents his photograph, "Eggplant" - a shot which is poorly lit with a single source. It is improperly cropped into a square which cuts off the top the and bottom of the subject. The colors of both the subject and the background are unappealing, and further the colors don't work well together. Yet Finn chooses to put this photograph on the same page as Edward Weston's "Pepper No. 30", as though they were peers.As awful as the photography is the text is equally unreadable. He meanders from subject to subject without ever addressing the topic put forward in the title, specifically, How to Look at Photographs. Never in the book is there any mention of critique methodology or technique.There was, however, some fun to be had in reading the book: I quickly devised a game where I would flip to the next page and avoid looking at the photographers credit. Then I would try to guess - based on a photographer's competence alone - whether the image was Finns or someone else's. I ended up being right about 95% of the time.I'm ashamed to say I paid full price for this book. That's $16 that I'll never see again. The current used price is $3.46 which is about $100 more than what the book is actually worth.Avoid at all costs. | 0negative
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Disjointed plot doesn't satisfy
I was expecting a lot more from this book. I didn't find it particularly interesting, I never connected with the plot, and I'm not even sure there is a plot. The events are all disjointed and mostly unrelated, I didn't find any "message" in it. Praise: could have been worse? | 0negative
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Anti-Semitic rubbish
This book basically rejects everything modern archaeology has to say about the Great Pyramid in favor of a view that twists the facts (and don't believe anything in it that Capt says is fact without checking it) to fit into a fundamentalist religious perspective. Its author was a great supporter of the anti-Semitic Christian Identity movement. | 0negative
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Touching and serious novel
I bought and read this book because it was a pulitzer prize winner. Thought provoking and challenging are the best words I can use to describe it. It made me think about my own life, as a young married woman like Susan, and my aspirations and dreams. Challenging because there are difficult parts to wade through, that I thought could have been eliminated without really affecting the book. Overall, I'm glad I read it. | 1positive
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If you know you've had past lives in Egypt...
Having had a past life regression soon before I read this novel, I approached it with a very keen and curious perspective. I felt this book might help me integrate some of my own memories from Egypt and my intuition was correct. This book helped me release and put into perspective some similar experiences had by some of the characters in my own memories.Very good read for those who are interested in past life karma. | 1positive
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Largely a waste of time.
Although I agreed with the perspective of the author more often than not, this textbook has an unmistakably liberal slant. The author's first priority seems to be indoctrinating students into his point of view on various academic disputes, as opposed to providing students with practical knowledge about property law and it's day-to-day applications. Many of the issues discussed at length are interesting, but our familiarity with them has no utility to our future clients or employers. | 0negative
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How this has become a classic is beyond me
When I read this book for the Children's Lit class that I teach, I was horrified. Not only is the story ineptly constructed, but it also portrays the blatant manipulation of the child protagonist by the very person who's supposed to train him for his designated job. I had had high hopes for this book when I started reading it, but clearly Lois Lowry needs some instruction in how to create a functional alternate worldview. Her utopian world makes little sense because she fails to explore it in enough depth. I think if the book had been another 100 pages or so, it might have been worth the reading, but as it is, I'm horrified by both the popularity of the novel and by the uncritical manner in which it is approached by teachers and students alike. | 0negative
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Enough already!
I am so sick of this character. How many - single women in their 20's who live on their own in a big city with powerful careers and no life outside of it, who are independent enough to have sex and not care, yet can't focus on anything else except sex and love - do I have to read about? I was this woman for a good number of years, but I had a lot more going on in my life. Please - SOMEBODY give these characters some dimension. | 0negative
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Not what the title infers.
The title of this book infers that it will help the reader take ideas from the drawing board to a finished piece. I expected insight on how to overcome problems in jewelry design and specific techniques to aid in solving those problems. Unfortunately, that's not what the book delivers. There are a lot of slick photos of some rather bizarre jewelry, but not much information about how the pieces were made. If you are a budding jewelry maker in search of a book to help you create some original jewelry, skip this one. | 0negative
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Captain Beefheart sold him a vacuum cleaner
Mr Huxley's vision of a strange futuristic world where people are cast into different orders: Alpha being the highest & Epsilon the lowest, & utopian life is like the company that is publishing it now, a perennial classic. I read it for high school & was impressed & enjoyed it. I was reminded of it when a ferryman enthused about it which I found surprising & maybe I was being as judgemental as the people who set up the system described in the book. Apparently in the early 60s a young Don Van Vliet was selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door [he is seen holding one on the covers of Hot Rats & Grow Fins] & knocked on the door of Aldous Huxley & proceeded to tell him "I assure you sir, these things really do suck" [although that may seem a bit too Wayne's World-y to be true] & they went for a walk in the park. Digressions aside Brave New World is a very important book, intelligent & thought-provoking. I am yet to read other Huxley material, maybe I should trek off to the library & see what they have. | 1positive
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Stephen King disappoints for the first time
Considering how many novels I've read by Stephen King, and considering that he is my favorite author, I am devastated that this book disappointed me SO much! Some of King's earlier works are not among his highest rated works (according to me) but this book is lower than all of them. For the first time I had to force myself to keep reading this book through to the finish because I simply could not get to any excitement. Ever. True this book may simply serve as an introduction to King's "magnum opus", but to save his readers from allowing the tragic dismay at the lack of excitement and unfulfilling plot from dissuading them to continue on with the series, this book ought to be combined with the second. After all, this book left me feeling like I had wasted $9.00 on what I thought would be a sure bet. I'm sure that I will continue on to "The Drawing of the Three", but I will not be buying it. | 0negative
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Difficult read
Tough to be critical of a classic, but this book will not be finished! There is little context and .frankly, it makes my head hurt just trying to read it. | 0negative
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We Need to Reverse the Entropy
When I was a student at Birmingham-Southern College, I had a friend who was (and I presume still is) a great guy. We were both science fiction readers. But there the similarity ended. I waxed enthusiastic about Robert A. Heinlein, Theodore Sturgeon, Fritz Leiber, Poul Anderson, and James Blish. Harry* shamelessly read Perry Rhodan, Captain Future reprints, early space operas by Fletcher Pratt, and Edgar Rice Burroughs. "They really aren't so bad," he would say. I would sadly shake my head. But now I find myself reviewing some of those very books more than I would like to admit.Edmond Hamilton's _Planets in Peril_ is one of his Captain Future space operas. _Captain Future_ was a magazine that ran for 17 issues, from Winter 1940 to Spring 1944. Each issue featured a complete short novel about the adventures of Curt Newton, aka Captain Future, who battles interplanetary skulduggerers with an assortment of colorful sidekicks known as Futuremen. After the demise of the magazine, more CF novels continued to appear in _Startling Stories_ from time to time. Edmond Hamilton wrote all but four of these novels. (Of these four, three were written by Joseph Samachson and one was by Manly Wade Wellman.) Some, but not all, of the Hamilton Captain Future stories were reprinted in the late sixties._Planets in Peril_ (_Captain Future_, 1942; 1969) is, I would argue, an average entry in the series. It is more smoothly written than Hamilton's space operas of the thirties, and the science is clearly better. Hamilton here seems to know what a "universe" is, and he writes knowingly about relativistic notions of curved space and the nature of time. But _Planets in Peril_ is written to a formula, with a somewhat homogenized style. It is, let us face it, juvenile, and it doesn't have the splash and color of some of his earlier stories. So you pays your money and takes your chances.Ah, yes. The story. Well, it seems that the Martian scientist Tiko Thrin has established contact with beings in what he believes is another spacial universe (or "universal bubble") from our own. With a cheerful disregard for the safety of our own universe, Tiko Thrin invites his contact to visit Mars via a matter transmitter. (Martian scientists are like that, I guess.) Two visitors arrive and reveal that their universe is dying and that it is being invaded by the Cold Ones. But they are convinced that Captain Future might be able to impersonate a long-dead hero in their own universe long enough to inspire their scientists to find a way to "reverse entropy". There are further twists to the plot that only a cad would reveal, so I will say no more.Hamilton's involvement with the Captain Future stories caused a great many readers to grossly underestimate his abilities. Gradually, he began to write less and polish more. Novels like _City on the Edge of Time_, _The Star Kings_, and _The Haunted Stars_ began to improve his reputation. Hamilton was too good a writer to make a complete hash of this novel. But I'm afraid that it must still be considered minor fare.* Not his real name. | 0negative
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a passionate ode to the ancient Greek intellect
Edith Hamilton points out that our word "school" comes from theancient Greek word for "leisure", implying that the Greeks believedleisure should be used for thinking and learning. Hamilton'sintroduction to the world of Greek thought is a beguiling way tospend a few hours of one's leisure time.Hamilton was clearly infected by her subjects' love of life, beauty, and thought.Her fascination communicates itselfto the reader in her effortless prose and enthusiasm. She providesa highly readable introduction to the history and culture of the era, whilegiving the reader a closer look at some of the key intellectual figures that make up ancient Greek thought.The only criticism I have of the book is a function of its datedness.Hamilton is very critical of "Eastern" or "Oriental" thought. She isquick to contrast the "logical" way of the Greeks and theirintellectual descendants(the Western world) with the "illogic" of the ancient (and modern) East.Her cursory analyses (and subsequent dismissal) of the intellectuallife of the East are undoubtedly a product of her time.It's clear from my review that I was very affected by the book. WhenI wasn't turning to people around me and saying, "Listen to this!",I found myself jotting notes on subjects and authors to pursue further,in a spirit of inquiry that I hope Hamilton and the ancientGreeks would have approved of. Hamilton was a lifelong schoolteacher. Like the work of any really inspirational teacher,her lessons about life and learning transcend her subject matter. We carry her lessons with us longafter we've finished her class. | 1positive
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boring
this has got to be the most boring book i have ever read, & maybe that is because i am younger & it was written in 1932 but it was horrible i didn't understand a dang word.. i am very dissapointed too i was really looking forward to this book .. | 0negative
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Good Job of Suspence!
Ann Rule does a good job here of keeping the suspence at a high leval well into the story. This is an improvement on the "Stranger Beside Me" where the public was partially familiar with the Ted Bundy story from news reports. It's also an improvement on "Dead by Sunset" which told the story of "only" one murder-with an obvious culprit. "The I-5 Killer" also features a truely sick and evil murderer-there is not the hint of good that Mr. Bundy may have had in him. The bad guy is really a bad guy. We feel for his victims and are glad when he is bought to justice. Readers who actually live along Interstate 5, especially in Oregon should be especially interested. | 1positive
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pretty accurate
I've read the other reviews - they are mostly very good. I can see why - there are a lot of laughs in this book and it is accurate. After a while, you get a bit used to a routine in his humorous style, but he reflects the Eire I visit - a friendly people with great imagination and style in talking, and where odd things really do happen and are accepted as normal; also a country in a time of great change (you'll see I'm from the sad and grey little country of Northern Ireland - it's relief to visit this happier place). | 1positive
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weak
weak; provides evidence of govt's interest in underground bases & construction techniques. Unfortunately, he provides little to no evidence that any of these plans were ever put into effect. He does provide a fair number of references to support his assertions of govt interest though. | 0negative
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Lacks depth, too predictable
Vapid and pompous! Despite the clever rhetoric, the plot and characters are simply too shallow, predictable and archetypical. Yes, this novel is a classic, and an original of the romance genre, but that doesn't make up for the fact that it, in fact, is romance genre: WAY to simplistic.Couldn't stand the book, not when I read it at 20 and not when I gave it another chance at 49. Disappointing because I loved the movie "Sense and Sensibility" (with Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman), so I thought I would like the author.And yes, I do love Dickens. Despite her myriad adoring fans, in my opinion, Jane Austen's writing lacks depth and cannot truly be compared to Dickens. | 0negative
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Incandescent. Perfect.
"She saw the clumsy breeches slipping down over the pure, delicate, white loins, the bones showing a little, and the sense of aloneness, of a creature purely alone, overwhelmed her. Perfect, white, solitary nudity of a creature that lives alone, and inwardly alone. And beyond that, a certain beauty of a pure creature. Not the stuff of beauty, not even the body of beauty, but a lambency, the warm, white flame of a single life, revealing itself in contours that one might touch: a body!"Oh...my...God!!! Speechless, stunned, drooling, floored. | 1positive
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Horrible Book
Boring and bland. He even spent two pages listing sponges. Don't waste your time by reading this. | 0negative
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Lots of Great Info....
Lots of great info packed into this book. Dave's no nonsense approach makes this an easy read and easy to follow guide. Perfect for indie musicians looking for a little or a lot of guidance. Great guide for Indie musicians who want to take ahold of thier own destiny and make it on their own without "big business". A perfect tool! | 1positive
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Table of Contents Not Properly Coded
Contrary to another review, this book is not property formatted for Kindle. Although it has a table of contents, the table of contents is not properly coded to show up when you press the menu key. When you press the menu key the Table of Contents line is grayed out and not usable. It is very simple to code a table of contents so that it is linked to the Table of Contents line in the menu, but the publisher of this edition did not do that.For an explanation of how to do this, see Kindle Formatting by Joshua Tallent.Until this is fixed, spend your buck elsewhere. | 0negative
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Mediocre
Although the book has some interesting ideas in it (like bokanovskification process and conditioning) after the first few chapters it becomes a repetition of the beginning chapters. Some reviewers think it wrong, even foolish to compare it with 1984 but since they are in the same genre (they are both anti-utopias), we can make a comparison between them. And when I do that, I find Brave New World weak and shallow. When I first read 1984 a few years ago, it arrested me so much that when I finished reading in the middle of a night I felt a chill. It affected me so much. But at the end of Brave New World I said "Is this the end?" Also I read Huxley's "Island" 5 or 6 years ago and I simply hated it. I don't understand his obsession with drugs. In Island, there was "Moksha medicine" which the author approves and in Brave New World there is "Soma" which I am not sure if he approves or not. Also the book doesn't give us an insight into the whole structure of the society, it mostly dwells on matters like sex and the discouragement of individuality. But I still recommend the book as an anti-utopia. Lovers of science fiction should also read "1984" and "A Canticle For Leibowitz". | 0negative
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Left me kinda disapointed
I had some trouble finding instructions I wanted. I get the impression that this book was taken from the Quicken help files because you can get the same info by choosing Help on the menu in the Quicken program.Maybe its my fault and this book just isn't for me, but I got more out of the other title I bough from Amazon. Not a bad book though. | 0negative
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Every Woman's Fantasy
This book was all that and a super size bag of chips. I really felt like I was right there in Stella's mind. She feels like every woman does at some point in her life. I think it's great how the age difference didn't matter. It is a very romantic novel. I hope every female finds her Winston, Lord knows we all need one. It made me want to hop a flight to Jamaica right away and find my Winston Shakespeare. Some people may say it can never happen in reality,but I don't agree.I believe anything can happen with plenty of prayer and faith in the MAN upstairs.Even if couldn't happen,so what??!! Isn't that what books are for? To indulge yourself in a separate world from what is considered "normal". I think this book is a fantasty that every woman would like to have fulfilled. If she says no, then she would be lying. I would definetely love to see a sequel to the book and the movie. The only part I didn't like was the words running together. | 1positive
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Just Add Your Own Creativity
From the Neck Up is the ultimate "how to" book for anyone interested in making her own hats or making costume headgear. Step-by-step instructions, lists of materials needed and directory of sources make this the most practical book I have ever seen on the subject of millinery.Susan Donahue | 1positive
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Not worth the money
With only one, single-sentence "editorial review" in Medium Aevum, the semi-annual journal of the Society for the Study of Mediaeval Languages and Literature, I should have been a bit more cautious about ordering this very expensive book ($[...]). However, as the "product description" seemed to indicate it would contain information relevant to my own research (the last native Prince of Wales, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd), I purchased it anyway.Almost immediately upon reading it, several problems arose, all of which are inexcusable in a scholarly work.Inconsistency of spelling of names in both the introduction and in the index makes it difficult if not impossible to know if they are referring to the same person, e.g., John Warenne/John de Warenne, Gruffyd ap Gwenwynwyn/Griffith de la Pole, Llywellyn ap Griffith/Llewlyn ap Gruffyd, to name but three. Even if these spelling variations reflect their listings in primary and secondary sources, the author should have (1) annotated each variation as belonging to the same individual; or (2) adopted a convention to standardize the spelling for the sake of clarification and ease of reference for the reader. The case of Gruffyd ap Gwenwynwyn and Griffith de la Pole is instructive. This Welsh lord of Powys Wenwynwyn (Southern Powys) began using the Norman spelling to reflect his allegiance to the English Crown (Edward I). When looking in the index for information about this one castle owner, you would have to know to look under both "Pole" and "Gwenwynwyn" to find all references to this one individual (whose correct Welsh spelling, by the way, is Gruffudd). Ditto Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (the correct Welsh spelling). Two variations of his name appear in the index and text (as listed above). John de Warenne is referred to in the text as "John Warenne" (pg. 13) but in the index as "de Warenne."Even more problematic is the author's admitted assumption that a 30-year span between instances of the same name recurring in relation to the same castle belongs to two different individuals. Rather than make such an assumption, which serves no purpose except to absolve the author from further research, it would have been more honest to apply the "precautionary principle," particularly given the inconsistency of name spellings used, and simply state "we don't know." Further, thirty years is 1 generations, barely long enough for an heir to have reached the age of majority (14 in the 13th Century) before inheriting (assuming, of course, that the father is dead, which is another dangerous assumption).But the most disturbing aspect which has specific relevance for my own research is the lack of scholarship shown in this paragraph from the introduction on pg. 23: "The thirteenth century was the last period to see major castle building by the native Welsh princes. Between 1282 and 1299 nine castles can be said to have built [sic] by them, and it was just such castle building, at Dolforwyn (Montgomery), that helped contribute to the start of the Welsh wars of Edward I."The factual and historical inaccuracies of the second sentence boggle the mind.1. The last native Prince of Wales, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, was killed in 1282 by English soldiers, and then his brother, Dafydd, self-proclaimed Prince of Wales upon Llywelyn's death, was captured and killed six months later. There were no other "native Welsh princes" after them. Which princes conducted the "major castle building" in Wales during this 17-year period?2. And which "nine castles" does the author attribute to these mysterious princes? There is no footnote documenting the castles' names or whereabouts.3. Aside from the author's imprecise language which implies that Dolforwyn castle's construction took place between 1282 and 1299 (construction actually began in 1273 by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd), it is equally inaccurate to imply with the same grammatical imprecision that the start of Edward I's Welsh wars began in 1282. The first one took place in 1277, the second and final one in 1282. Additionally, the first Welsh war was the culmination of highly complex legal tensions between Llywelyn and three powerful Marcher lords (Clare, Bohun and Mortimer), acting as Edward's regents between 1272 (when Edward's father, Henry III, died) and 1274 (when Edward finally returned to England from France for his official coronation) - regents who forbade Llywelyn to build at Dolforwyn. Edward's refusal to settle the matter one way or another upon his return to England only escalated tensions. Also in 1274, Edward I gave sanctuary to Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn and Llywelyn's traitorous brother, Dafydd, after a failed assassination attempt on Llywelyn's life. These are but two of several complicating factors that led to Llywelyn's refusal to perform homage and fealty to Edward after the latter's coronation, as well as Llywelyn's refusal to continue payments to the Crown as specified in the 1267 Treaty of Montgomery. Intractability on both sides of these and other issues was the cause of the first Welsh War of 1277, of which the building of Dolforwyn castle was but a very small part.Sadly, the above makes me leery of the veracity of the rest of the book's contents without painstakingly checking each item for myself. However, it is certainly enough for me to return it to the seller and get my money back. | 0negative
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Garbage
Upon delivery of this book, you will immediately notice two things:1)It's very thinand2)It is published by an evangelical Christian publisher. Why a Christian organization would be interested in publishing a defense of the Electoral College should go without saying.In an endnote to the 1989 second edition of "The Selfish Gene,"Richard Dawkins(who I'm no fan of) commented on Fred Hoyle'scharacterization of Darwinism in his publicationsarguing for an extraterrestrial origin of terrestrial life:"Publishers should correct the misapprehension that a scholar'sdistinction in one field implies authority in another. And as long asthat misapprehension exists, distinguished scholars should resist thetemptation to abuse it."The publisher of this book ought to have heeded this advice, because the author's scholarship of theology has only resulted in one atrocious book. Any pretense of objectivity is foregone, as the back cover blatantly condemns "Democrats and liberals" for advocating the abolishment of the Electoral College. A large portion of this brisk read does not even explore why the Electoral College is "important", but instead dryly transcribes its history. While this is certainly interesting, the strict facts behind the creation of the Electoral College undercut the 21st century version more than anything, because the circumstances behind its creation were not based on any universal enduring political principles but merely that it protected much of the Constitutional Convention delegation's interests. I'm in the process of extensively researching the Electoral College for a term paper, and this book offered not even in one fact worth citing. The best defense of the Electoral College I've read thus far is Tara Ross' "Enlightened Democracy", and the best critique I've read is Neil Peirce and Lawrence Longley's "The Electoral College Primer 2000". If you're interested in quality arguments on both sides of the debate, check those books out, and don't even consider this one. | 0negative
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Perfect Introduction
The Hobbit is a fantastic tale that will cleverly intertwine your reality with The Middle Earth. If you are not sure whether you will like the Lord of The Rings, then I would suggest reading the Hobbit. Not only will it provide the backdrop for the LOTR, it will provide a action-filled tale that is sometimes overlooked in the world of fantasy literature. | 1positive
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Well written, witty
I enjoyed reading this book. The information was presented in a way that the non-mathematically inclined person can understand. | 1positive
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South From Granada
Brenan is indispensable feet-up, pot-of-tea- at- the- ready, Sunday afternoon reading. Here was a man, for whom the probably very strong influence of his own upbringing had no appeal for him and he followed his own muses. Also-if empire builders had shown his perception and gentle, generous spirit, it's a different world out here. | 1positive
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Baby Boy on the Way
I have read all of Jane's books so far, and this is one of her best. Very enjoyable and fun to read. What I love about her books, is that her characters are likeable and complex, and she has a great knack for intertwining a lot of lives together. Also her attention to detail is not too over-the-top, where you get bored of reading it. I used to live in England, and as an American, I love to live through her characters in the "English" way.I would recommend this book to anyone who is having their first baby, parents and anyone who wants a family. | 1positive
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BORING, BORING, BORING....
I read this book for the sex and was disappointed. There was none. The story was o.k., but the details put me to sleep. | 0negative
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A true crime book of pure evil.
Most crimes occur in minutes or hours. This is the story of a crime that continued for over seven years. The husband, Cameron, enjoys inflicting pain and terror on his wife Janice. After years of abuse, Janice reaches an agreement with Cameron. She can have a baby while he can have a slave woman. The slave will endure the pain and terror, but there is to be no sex with her. A trap is set which springs upon an innocent 20 year old woman, Colleen. As if directed by the hand of the devil, Colleen is subjected to series of steps that leaves her out of touch with reality and unable to escape. All of this occurs while Cameron and Janice maintain the appearance of an average family with two young children. The book presents the heartrending details of Colleen's captivity, her faith in God, and her eventual freedom. The book leaves the reader wondering how they would fair if in Colleen's situation, if Janice was in some ways a victim herself, and how one man, from a normal background, could be so evil. The book draws mostly from newspaper articles and court records and lacks direct input from the primary participants. Recommended to anyone interested in the academic subjects of brainwashing, Patty Hurst, Stockholm syndrome, sadomasochism, and victim survival. | 1positive
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A Special Way of Presenting Truth, Character, and Leadership
The Disappearance of the Universe by Gary R. Renard is an unusual book that is really a special way of looking at character and leadership from a spiritually religious point of view and uses the tool of presenting truth within the framework of fantasy. If you enjoy Mr. Renard's great book, allow me to suggest that you will also love another unusual book that presents truth, character, and leadership within the framework of a fantasy, but from a historically philosophical point of view, called West Point: Thomas Jefferson: Character Leadership Education by Norman Thomas Remick. | 1positive
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Lies upon lies.
In his work. A Critique of Gail Riplinger's Scholarship and KJB Onlyism', Dan Corner displays an uncanny ability to stack one lie upon another.Corner's work is a review of Gail Riplinger's work, 'King James Version ditches Blind Guides'. In this work, Mrs. Riplinger responds to a number of her critics of her work, New Age Bible Versions.First, Corner takes exception to the claim that Riplinger states, 'that the KJV's vocabulary is easier than the so called easy to read new versions' He calls this an 'outlandish statement' and then goes to give a list of words that he regards as archaic and therefore are a hindrance to one's comprehension of God's message'(p.2). Now, on that list are such 'archaic' words as 'earing, centurian, carriage, delectable, pityful'. One would think that either Corner must have a very low reading level, or he simply copied the list from Jack P. Lewis, 'The English Bible from KJV to NIV (f.n.2), without even looking at it.Also, every modern version has it's own list of archaic (little used words). For a list, see Archaic Words and the Authorized Version, by Lawrence Vance.Finally, the fact that SOME words might be difficult doesn't negate the fact that what Riplinger said is true, the KJB,as a whole is easier to read then the modern versions. It will often define words by using an easier word close by. The KJB also uses many more single syllable words then do the modern versions (see Single Syllable Words, by Samuel Gipp)Corner takes Riplinger to taks for her comment about the 'classic debates between Christians (i.e. Arminius vs Calvin, Erasmus vs Luther). He claims she had never read any debate between Arminius and Calvin nor Erasmus and Luther...(p.3).Now, while Arminius and Calvin didn't engage in a debate, Erasmus and Luther certainly did, over free will. However, what Riplinger was pointing out was that these men represented theological positions and that was being debated. One can google 'debate between Arminius and Calvin' and find articles with that title, because when Armininus rejected Calvinism, his viewpoint is seen to be in debate with Calvin as it's head.Corner also has an issue with Riplinger claiming that Erasmus was a 'devout Christian' and then claims that Riplinger is misleading her readers by stating that 'like Luther, he [Erasmus] died outside of the Catholic church', citing Schaff (History of the Christian Church) as a source but not giving any documentation.Corner then claims that he could not find anything to substantiate her statement (p.4)Yet, Schaff does write in Vol 7, chapter 4"He died without a priest or any ceremonial of the Church (in wretched monastic Latin: "sine crux, sine lux, sine Deus"), but invoking the mercy of Christ. His last words, repeated again and again, were, "O Jesus, have mercy; Lord, deliver me; Lord, make an end; Lord, have mercy upon me!"It would seem that Corner didn't search too hard.Did Erasmus die offically a Roman Catholic-yes, he did. But he died refusing last rites.But the issue of Erasmus being a Roman Catholic is simply a red herring. What concerns the KJB is his Greek text.Schaff writes,"Protestants should never forget the immense debt of gratitude which they owe to the first editor of the Greek Testament who enabled Luther and Tyndale to make their translations of the word of life from the original, and to lead men to the very fountain of all that is most valuable and permanent in the Reformation." (Ibid)Moreover, Schaff also pointed out that the two translations the Roman Catholic Church would never approve are Luther's (based on Erasmus) and the KJB because of the texts they used.Corner then chides Riplinger for making a comment 'out of context'. In fact it is Corner who does so. He states that Riplinger is misrepresenting what the KJB Translators stated, when Riplinger pointed out that the Translators rejected the corrupt readings from 'B'. Corner argues that the KJB translators also were involved in 'changing and correcting'(p.16-17). But that is not what Riplinger was noting on p.13 of her work, she was saying that the KJB translators were rejecting 'B' readings and thus, would have done so today. Corner then accuses Riplinger of engaging in 'cultlike' behaviour, because the quotes Riplinger uses are separated.Yet Corner simply ignores the context that Riplinger was dealing with, the KJB translators rejecting Roman Catholic readings based on Alexandrian Mss. So, Riplinger is quite correct to use both quotes as she did. She was pointing out that the KJB translators were saying that the Roman Catholic editions 'err so much' and that the 'worst of ours [English translations from the correct Received text] far better than their authentic vulgar'Corner then attacks Riplinger over her criticism of how the modern versions switch the KJB 'fornication' to 'sexual immorality'.(p.17).Corner claims that Strong's gives a contradictory definition of fornication to Webster's 'pre-martial' sex' That 'porneia' includes 'adultery and incest'. Yet, the Greek has a specific Gr. word for Adultery, which is left out of the Critical Text reading in Gal.5:19.Hence, in the KJB reading, you have adultery and fornication listed together, so adultery and fornication are two different sins.Riplinger wasn't stating that one couldn't find pre-martial sex condemned in the modern versions, only that in certain passages the use modern terms (sexual immorality) waters down it's condemnationOne of the criticisms most leveled against Riplinger is that she purposefully misquotes other peoples works to defend her position. Corner does exactly what he claims Riplinger does on page 22.He cites Riplinger as saying, 'the KJV follows the earliest and greatest number of manuscripts' And then goes on to claim that the TR editions were 'founded on a small number of inferior and comparatively modern manuscripts'. The problem is that (leaving aside the accuracy of the comment itself) was that Riplinger was referring to a very specific verse, Lk.24:52, 'they worshipped him' that is supported by an overwhelming mass of Mss, so much so that the NASB put the verse in after omitting it in earlier editions.Corner then devotes pages 22-25 arguing that the Textus Receptus is inferior since it didn't have access to the Mss evidence we have today. Corner refers to 'the 5,358 Mss and fragments'. Yet, in most cases, they overwhelmingly support the KJB readings! In fact, recent Papyrus discoveries have led the latest edition of the Nestle/Alland to put back in hundreds of TR readings (see The Reintroductions of Textus Receptus Readings in the 26th Edition and Beyond of the Nestle/Aland Novum Testamentum-Graece, by Bobby Adams and Samuel Gipp)Corner states that 'Mrs Riplinger, it is generally agreed that the most valuable manuscripts of the NT are Vaticanus and Sinaiticus (p.27). Well, Dean Burgon certainly didn't think so, he stated that, 'We venture to assure him, without a particle of hestiation that Aleph,(Sinaiticus) B (Vaticanus) D (Beza) are three of the most scandalously corrupt copies extant...Revision RevivedCorner nexts tries to prove that the KJB omits words. He turns to Col.2:15 and claims that the word 'cross' is omitted. In fact, the word is referred to as the pronoun 'it' which refers back to the Cross in Col.2:14All the NIV does is repeat the word 'cross' from Col.2:14.Corner claims that the KJB omits the word 'Jesus' in Acts 24:24, but the word 'Jesus' isn't in the TR, hence that is why it is omitted.He states that the word 'grace' is omitted in Gal.3:18, but the Gr. word can mean to 'give' or 'give freely' and that is how most modern versions translated it. Corner's appeal to the NIV's 'in his grace' is not what the Greek says at all.Again, in 1Pe.2:2, Corner claims that the KJB left out the word 'salvation', but again, this is a textual difference between the TR and the CTCorner claims that the KJB leaves out 'gospel' in Ro.1:17, but the fact is that once again, the KJB uses a pronoun 'therein' to refer back to Ro.1:16 where gospel is mentioned. Most of the modern versions do likewise.In Rev.5:10, Corner claims that the KJB left out 'serve our God' which the NIV. The problem is that no Greek text has those words in them. The NIV simply added them and no major translation has them.Corner then claims that the KJB doesn't do as well defending the Deity of Christ as the NIV.He states that in Phil.2:9, the KJB gives Christ only 'A' name, but the NIV gives Christ 'THE' name.The problem is that the modern translators don't know their Bible as well as the KJB translators did or they would understand why 'a' name was used instead of 'the' name in Phil.2:9.When the Lord returns,(Rev.19:12) He will have 'a' name written that no man knows. All of the modern versions, translate Rev.19:12 as 'a' name. Hence, the cross reference to Phil.2:9 is broken in the modern versions by using 'the' instead of 'a' name.Corner refers to Daniel 7:14, where the NIV adds 'worshiped him'. The problem is that only the NIV contains that rendering. All major translations read as the KJB, 'serve him', that because Daniel 7 is referring to Christ in His kingship role, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, not as God.Corner asks about John 14:14, where the NIV reads, 'you may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it' but again the texts read different, with 'me' added in the critical text. This reading goes against Jn.16:23 where Christ said, after His resurrection that one was suppose to ask the Father in Christ's name.Joh 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.Corner then states that Riplinger is incorrect on the Grandville Sharp rule, a rule that simply states two nouns are referring to one person, not two, when certain grammatical conditions are met. The KJB has no problem with Tit.2:13 or 2Pe.1:1 in that regard, since the KJB is referring to one person in both.Riplinger is correct that the KJB follows the Gr. grammar and so reads like it.KJB critics try to assert that one could misunderstand Tit.2:13 as referring to two persons, 'the Great God' and 'our Saviour Jesus Christ' but Tit.3:4 clears up any doubt by stating, 'love of God our Saviour toward man appeared'.Corner complains that the Holy Spirit is 'reduced to an 'itself'(Ro.8:16,8:26) and Jesus to a 'holy thing (Lk.1:35).But in those instances, the noun is in the neuter gender in Greek.Corner accuses the KJB of leaving out 'sovereign', where the NIV has the word, but the fact is, only the NIV has it in the passages he cites (Lk.2:29,Acts 4:24,2Pe.2:1)Corner states that the KJB is incorrect in Lk.10:21, by leaving out the word 'Holy' and using a small 's' instead of a capital 'S'. But the fact is that, that the verse is referring to Christ's human spirit, not the Holy Spirit.Corner states that the KJB is wrong in using 'taught of God' in 1Thess.4:9 instead of taught 'by God'. Yet, the meaning is the same, 'of' referring to 'by'. And it is used as such in the ASV, DBY and ERV.Corner then brings up the issue of the Apocrypha. He claims that Riplinger is hiding this fact from the her 'fans'.The fact is that the Apocrypha books were BETWEEN the Testaments as being not part of the actual Canon. The KJB translators had a high regard for the Apocrypha books for their wisdom and history, and thus, made marginal references back to them in the NT. But they were never considered equal to scripture.Corner states that even the Roman Catholics didn't have marginal notes back to the Apocrypha, like the 1611 KJV does'(p.41). They certainly had marginal notes in their OT to it (e.g.2Ki.4 (our 2nd Sa.) to 1Mach 2:57)Ofcourse the biggest difference is that the Apocrypha books in the Roman Catholic bible are throughout it's Old Testament as being part of the Old Testament Canon, which they consider it to be. Corner can't seem to grasp this distinction.Corner cites an Apocrypha passage (2Maccabees 12:42,45) that he states is 'a crushing, irrefutable fatal blow for the KJV Onlyite'(p.42). Again, Corner simply doesn't tell his reader that the Apocrypha books were between the Testaments, so 'the KJV Onlyite' is not concerned one bit.Corner then tries to smuggle in the truth, hoping the reader doesn't notice, when he states, 'besides placing the Apocrypha NEXT TO THE WORD OF GOD (emphasis mine),(p.43)so the Apocrypha wasn't part of the word of God, it was NEXT to the word of God by Corner's own admission!Corner proves his inability to read when he claims Riplinger misrepresents the NIV and NASB by stating that 'only the KJV's 'begotten Son' presents Jesus Christ as 'equal with God' as stated in John 5:17-26'(p.80)Corner claims this is not true because in the NIV and NASB state in Jn.5:18 the Jews were going to stone Jesus because he made himself equal with God'.Corner cannot understand that only the KJB states that Christ was equal to God by stating that he was the 'only begotten Son'. In John 5, Jesus is claiming what John 1:18 had already stated, making what Christ claimed to be true, true.Corner then rebukes Riplinger for claiming that she doesn't want criticism (p.51).However,Riplinger is asking for patience since she had health problems and these problems led to typographical and transcriptural errors, not factual ones.Finally, Corner states that the NIV, NKJV and NASB are still the word of God, since people have been born again from the them (1Pe.1:23). Yet, Corner rejects other bibles such as the 'living translation, Good news Bible and espically the NWT (p.32). He states they 'should never be used'.Does Corner know for a fact that no one was saved from one of these 'bibles'? If that is his only critera for a Bible being the word of God, someone being saved out of it, then Corner has nothing to say about these other translations.Corner quotes the KJB at the end of his booklet, Pr.16-19,one of the 6 things that God hates is a person who 'soweth discord among brethren' but in the case of Corner, the first part of the verse is true, God also hates'a false witness that speaketh lies', which sums up Corners, A Critique of Gail Riplinger's Scholarship and KJB Onlyism' | 0negative
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An interesting bus ride
This book was one of the launch pads into the realm of Lewis. The book, fiction though it is, requires one to follow the point of Lewis--those who do not go to heaven would not enjoy it there anyway.This book has caused unnecessary fire from people who have a terrible habit of reading "fiction" literally. This book is not canonical Scripture. Please do not think that Lewis proposes that one can travel from heaven to hell, and vice-versa. Lewis is merely trying to make a point.I would encourage readers to enjoy the book, apply the message to their lives, and not to dampen the impact with wooden literalism. | 1positive
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Start here
It would have saved me a lot of time, effort and pain if I had had this book when I started. It's easy for anyone to read and follow with and covers almost everything with enough depth to get you going. I would like to see more on development. | 1positive
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A Fascinating Speculative Future Shaped by Mysticism and Ecology.
"Dune" is an unusual science fiction novel in that it takes place thousands of years in humanity's future, but there are no computers. Instead, the universe of "Dune" is shaped by organic concepts: mysticism and ecology, intelligent machines having been banned. Great Houses govern their planets as fiefdoms. Duke Leto of the House Atreides is sent to rule the desert planet Arrakis, the source of the spice melange, upon which all economic, social, and political structure depends. The drug facilitates preternatural computational and intuitive abilities in its users. The Harkonnen Baron, a ruthlessly ambitious leader of a rival House, plots the murder of Duke Leto, his concubine Jessica, and their teenaged son Paul in order to reclaim Arrakis. But he has underestimated young Paul, who may be the prophesied savior, a male who possesses the greatest powers of the female mystic sect Bene Gesserit. And he has underestimated the fierce Fremen desert people, whose ambitions and accomplishments defy their primitive reputation."Dune" excels in evoking a culture with values very different than our own but connected to us by bits and pieces of Islamic and Christian doctrine that readers will recognize. The unusual social structure and value systems of these future humans appeal to the imagination. And the ability to read what the characters are thinking -always in italics- involves the reader in their lives and minds. The only fault I find with the novel is that it is long, spending more time than necessary on Paul and Jessica's flight through the desert and struggles amongst the Fremen. But the excessive time spent with some characters does immunize "Dune" from the poor character development that is common to science fiction. The politics of the story are utterly arcane. But author Frank Herbert has grasped the idea that cultures are defined by their limitations, and he makes excellent use of Arrakis' limited water supply as the defining characteristic of Fremen society. "Dune"'s vivid cultures and page-turning adventure make it one of the great works of science fiction. | 1positive
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Not a good gamebook...
CHARACTERS:There is too much backstory to the main character (reader), which makes the story more about someone else than the reader. I was very annoyed by the choices that I had to steal something. What if I don't want to steal anything?I can understand the reader is a thief in this story. But why do I have to give what I steal to the poor? Too much backstory limits what a reader can do in gamebook. The name "Shadow" is also unoriginal.The name "Dare" is also unoriginal for a warrior, as is Lord "Fear." Dare is also too stereotypical, and the author goes to great lengths to insult Dare and warriors and make theives look good. If the author hates theives so much, then he should have just written a book called "Why thieves are better than warriors." There are ways to make warriors appealing, as was done with Worf in "Star Trek: The Next Generation", which was airing during the time this book was written. Thus, there is no excuse for the author not to make a warrior appealing as TNG had done.ARTWORK:The quality was not good. But the bigger problem was that there was not enough pictures relative to the number of pages in the book. Of the 30 gamebooks I have read, most of the gamebooks had a picture roughly 1 out of every 5 pages. This book only had 1 picture per 10 pages. This made the book very difficult to read because the text was small, and every page was filled to the maximum, and there were 180+ pages, which is far more than any of the other 30 gamebooks I have read (the most was 130 or so). There was also too much text and not enough choices. All of this made reading this book a chore and tiring on the eyes. The longest I had ever taken to read a gamebook was 1 week before I read this crummy book. It took me months to finish reading this book.STORY:The excessive backstory was annoying. The good ending was not satisfactory because of the author's insistence on making the reader Robin Hood.As a gamebook, this was poorly designed. For example, one of the endings was poorly written - it says that the characters were teleported to the castle due to a spell. But in some of the choices that lead to the ending, that was already stated. Redundant and lazy design for a gamebook. There were a number of other choices that had that same poor design. One wonders if this book was properly proofread, if proofread at all.CONCLUSION:Unless you like thieves and dungeons and dragons, stay away from this book. I have never had so much trouble finishing a gamebook as I did with this crummy book. The only reason I don't give this 1 star because the descriptions were detailed and would have made a decent novel for someone who likes thieves and dungeons and dragons. | 0negative
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Lord of Chaos try Book of Chaos!
This book is easily the worst book I have read in the series so far. The characters are so incredibly stupid I am finding myself hoping the Dark One wins. Could there really be a character as stupid as Nyneave? She never does anything but get angry, complain, tug her braid (how many times must we read that!) and yet she acts as if she should be in control of everything!!An Aes Sedai gets stabbed and of course the rest of the Aes Sedai claim it is Rands doing. No need to dig any deeper, no need to consider - must have been him. Rand can channel, why would he need to get someone to stab an Aes Sedai? and why would he do it anyway? Stupid.Why would the white tower bother to kidnap Rand? They have to release him sooner or later. Aes Sedai are supposed to be careful and logical and yet they dump mankinds last great hope into a chest!!! That will certainly convince him to trust them!! Stupid, stupid.Gawyn's sister loves Rand yet without proof, Gawyn wants to kill him because he thinks he killed his mother. No proof that she is dead or that Rand did it. The only fact he has is that Rand is openly supporting his sister and that she loves him. Would any brother believe his sister could love the man who killed their mother? Yet Gawyn ignores these facts and wants to see Rand dead. Stupid, stupid, stupid.Jordan should take a leaf out of George RR Martin's books and start killing off some characters (Nyneave and Faile would be an excellent start). Which brings me to the point that if you really want to read fantasy the way it should be written, read the Song of Ice and Fire series or Lord of the Rings. | 0negative
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