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Discerning my life.
This book was very appropriate for what I was going through at the time. She explains how a lot of conscious decisions are made from past programming. I know this is not a new concept, however the way the author explains it in detail and in layman's terms is. I had been facing a very difficult decision in my life that I tried many times over to receive clarity from other sources, from friends and family to more professional ones. I started to genuinely believe there was something wrong with me until I read this book. She provided me with the answers I had been longing for. | 1positive
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She wore blue jasmine
The American world of children's literature has a very funny relationship with India. On the one hand, getting a publisher to release a children's book that was originally published in India is akin to attempting to force a nest of hornets to produce honey. It would help the hornets and make the world a better place, but so far it has not produced so much as a drop of sweetener. On the other hand, children's book publishers are wild about printing original books about children from India coming to grips with their heritage in the United States. The best of these is the teen book, "Born Confused" by Tanuja Desai Hidier. There are plenty of titles for the younger set as well, and of these, "Blue Jasmine" is one of the nicest. A very gentle telling of how one girl comes to terms with living in two different cultures, author Kashmira Sheth (NOT to be confused with India pop actress Kashmira Shah)'s book is a gentle story that can be enjoyed by children everywhere, regardless of culture.When Seema hears that she and her family will be moving to America soon, she's baffled. The idea of her little family unit (her mother, her father, her sister, and herself) separating from the rest of the clan (involving grandparents on both sides and countless aunts and uncles) is almost impossible to consider. She will especially miss her cousin Raju who has been like a brother to her for both of their lives. Just before she leaves, Seema befriends the exceedingly poor girl Mukta, and the two carry on a correspondence across continents. In America, Seema faces an entirely new land and has to deal with fitting in. She meets a bully, makes multiple friends, and begins to come to a better understanding of becoming a truly international gal. When the time comes to visit India once again, Seema realizes where her home is and what her life can mean.It was difficult to read through this book without comparing it to the myriad of other girls-come-to-America-from-overseas titles out there. "Tangled Threads" by Pegi Deitz Shea and "A Step From Heaven" by An Na both tell similar tales (though one is a Hmong girl and one Korean, respectively) but with one big difference. Where those two books are deeply serious and often depressing looks at the difficulties facing contemporary immigrants, "Blue Jasmine" is as light and airy as a flam. Seema deals with serious issues that all foreign-born kids must face. Learning a new language, adjusting to a different culture, making friends, etc. But Seema's troubles are the troubles of all kids as well. Dealing with a bully is a universal problem and one that is solved with lightning-quick rapidity here. In fact, it often feels as if Kashmira Sheth was a slightly overprotective author. She dislikes placing Seema in difficult situations for too long. So if Seema needs friends, she makes them instantly and without further ado on her own block. If she has a bully at school then hit the bully with a prolonged disease and *boom*. Instant new friend. Still, for all the easy-peasyness of the tale, Sheth makes every event in Seema's life ring true. Also, this lack of the overwhelming depression and pain found in the two other books means that "Blue Jasmine" is ideal for younger readers who may not be too keen on the whole abuse angle found in the other two tales.The character of Mukta was an interesting addition in an otherwise straightforward story. Sheth didn't have to add her in. This could easily have remained a tale of leaving friends and family behind and dealing with a new land without ties to a single extraordinary person. Mukta brilliantly ties the book together, though. Because of her, Seema is able to forgive a bully that reminds her of herself once. In Mukta we find the real heart of the tale (and I am especially pleased that the original cover of this book shows both Seema and Mukta front and center). The fact that Sheth chooses not to discuss class in India was particularly interesting. Mukta is obviously a member of a lower caste, but the word never even surfaces. It's as if Sheth has felt the need to gloss over this particular aspect of Indian living for fear of complicating her kids' book. In the context of the character of Mukta, I'm not entirely certain that such a lack was a good idea.Just in case you're hankering for a sequel to "Blue Jasmine", try reading the aforementioned, "Born Confused". It deals with some pretty mature themes, but also is a brilliant way of answering the question, "What will Seema's little sister be like when she reaches sixteen?". "Blue Jasmine" is ideal for those parents and educators that would like to get their kids interested in a children's book that deals with a culture both like and unlike their own. This is a lovely little novel and a truly deserving winner of the Paul Zindel First Novel Award. | 1positive
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This is just what America needs - NOT
I can't wait to get this book for my daughter and use it to indoctrinate her with dogma and ideology. I can't imagine a better tool to use to wrap up her young mind and blind her to dangerous alternative points of view.If you're looking to make your kid hate others just because they hold different viewpoints, this is just the ticket. It meets all the necessary criteria for ideological propaganda.1) Label people not like you to dehumanize them and avoid accidental identification with them as human beings2) Demonize the label - this is easy when they are not viewed as people3) Assert the moral high ground symbolically to make certain your child's ears remain deaf to competing arguments that may contradict your own beliefs4) Try to be glib about fostering anti-americanism and divisiveness."I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent".-Thomas Jefferson | 0negative
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A good idea not well done
I wanted to read the book from the time I saw the cover -- a good premise and a unique (these days) approach to the matter.The book is indeed a good quick read -- if you skip the preachy Evaluation part. The story that is told, though, belongs to the author and her adventures -- not that of the people she works with and for. The other folks in the story are not well-developed and come across as one-dimensional or as caricatures.If you're looking for insight into a way of life that you didn't have to bear by some good fortune, you'll have to go elsewhere. | 0negative
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A must read.
Even as a Christian and considering the liberty she takes with biblical characters, I believe this is a book to be read by all women. So beautiful. | 1positive
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Hugely disappointed
I totally agree with someone else who asked: "Why is this book so popular?" I certianly can't see why. The author's biggest problem is overwriting. At times I wondered if an editor had even gone over this MS? He says one thing, and two lines later says it again (with slightly different wording). It gets very repetitive and at times outright boring.The carachters are papercut figures with no substance where speech and mannersims are not gradually worked in but instead added like a stack of groceries. Yes, we know that Richard rakes his hand through his hair and Darken Rahl wets his fingers with his toungue (a thousand times over).The poor writing doesn't ever create anything unexpected. There is no element of surprise and almost everything comes across as very unrealistic--there is no real emotion.The torture scenes are sick and do not belong in a Fantasy book. Not to mention dragged out! On and on and on it goes...I struggled with this book. I'm still not sure whether to give it one star or two. Regardless, do yourself a favour and don't buy it. There are so many other great works of Fantasy out there! | 0negative
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For the Construction/ Industry Professional
Deadline is a very interesting read especially to those of you that work in the Construction and Commerical/ Manufacturing Industries. The author gives us (6) stories, several of which give the reader an excellant overview of what it takes to get a project finished within a time frame (in those respective industries). They are suspenseful stories. I would say that I wish there were more story lines in this regard on how the individuals involved solved the problems and got their projects completed within the deadlines imposed. | 1positive
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This is a great book!
I am a young reader, and this book was offered to me by my teacher years ago. At first I thought that it would be a girlish book, and I did not accept the offer. I will now mention that I LOVE to read. Several years later, one of my very good friends that had the same taste as I handed it to me and said, "Read it." I obeyed and it turned out to be one of the best books that I had ever read. This classic story about the March sisters and their joys, hardships, and growing up has proved to be a great lesson to me and my friends. My favorite character is Beth (although I am nothing like her) because she is exactly like the person tht everyone wants to be. She is so kind and thoughtful, but so humble about her generosity. If you have not read this book, I highly reccomend that you do! | 1positive
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Not up to par
This story was not vintage Heather Graham. It was a weak story line right from the beginning. It was almost as though she had to write something, and this was the result. Heather Graham is a wonderful writer, but this story does not do her repetoire justice. It was weak and frankly quite dull. This reader is looking forward to the sequel to Ms. Graham's vampire series. | 0negative
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A Mommy Tale
Just finished a great book...the title is above and the author is Risa Green. It is a sequel to Notes from the Underbelly, a book I one day just bought randomly at the bookstore. The 1st one dealt with being pregnant and the sequel is the aftermath of having a baby. The main character lives in LA, has a working dh, and is on leave for most of the book from her job. It is really funny and sometimes I got exasperated with her, but she is my kind of gal. There are some really funny lines and terms in the novel, one being "mommunist," which she uses to describe all the mommy clones in her Mommy & Me class (they all drive range rovers, have $800 Bugaboo strollers, and all plan to be stay at home moms). I enjoy taking a peek into her particular mommy world, quite different from mine (I don't think there is a Mommy & Me class within a 500 mile radius of my town). But I do like the points the book makes as the main character realizes there is no one way to do it and that if you try to force yourself into a certain mold, it may make you unhappy and that it may not be the best thing to do you for child.I know I have had struggles with that as I have been adapting into my Mom role. The end of the book has some discussion/ interview with the author and she brings up an interesting point about motherhood and how it has affected some members of this particular generation. That more of us have lives before we become moms (esp if we have kids in 30s and 40s) and that we need to realize that although we may love having a child, we need to acknowledge that we mourn for our past lives. In previous generations, she notes, many women went from being a member of one household/ family (daughter) and into another (wife. mother) without having the "single" or "married without kids" life. | 1positive
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No Resemblance to Reality
I kept hoping that Elizabeth Berg's latest novel, "The Year of Pleasures" would start to get realistic, but alas, it never does. The plot is simply the year of grieving that protagonist, Betta does for her oh-so-perfect husband, John, and their oh-so-perfect marriage after he oh-so-perfectly dies. Yawn and Yech. Only in fiction, folks. | 0negative
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Fun read for kids of all ages...
I'm a little upset that this book wasn't required reading back in school.Books like this one would encourage children to read more. | 1positive
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Summary of novel and positive influences of book.
Review of: Of Mice and MenOf Mice and Men is a novel about two men named George and Lennie who have the dream of owning their own farm one day. The problem however, is that George and Lennie do not have nearly enough money to pay for their own farm nonetheless pay for a decent living. George is a small dark man who is pretty smart, and his counterpart Lennie is a little different. Lennie has a slight mental disability because he nearly drowned in a river that he and George swam in a long time before the novel started. Because George felt that he did not to enough to save Lennie, he vowed to take care of Lennie for the rest of his life.The next day, Lennie and George apply for a job at a local farm. They get a job and are allowed to live in a bunker house on the farm. In the house, they meet Candy, who is a another "hand' around the farm, and Curley, who is the boss' mean-spirited son. Lennie and George work on the farm for the next week or so, when Candy overhears George and Lennie discussing their plans for the farm they are going to buy. Candy vows to not tell anyone about the plans and says he will donate his life savings if he is allowed to live on the land. From that point on, whenever someone threatens Lennie or tries to make fun of him because of his disabilities, (example is Curley when he is jealous that his wife is hitting on everyone) Candy is there to back Lennie.During one of the following evenings, Lennie and Curley's wife get into a discussion about how they love to touch things that are soft. Curley's wife allows Lennie to feel her hair, and after a couple of minutes Lennie is yanking at Curley's wife's hair and ends up breaking her neck. Previously before this incident, Lennie had killed his baby puppy that had been given to him as a present. The next morning, George shoots Lennie in the back of the head as an act of mercy, to relieve him of a life, that he obviously never wanted to live.I thought that there were a couple of aspects in this novel that could have made it a banned book. An aspect may have been, who and who isn't allowed to work legally in the United States. I thought in the past, there may have been a law that said that no person with mental disabilities would be allowed to work manual labor. Because of this law, I thought they may ban this book because it is a prime example of how a retarded person got away with working on a farm and how the novel may show examples for other mentally-challenged people in the world to find jobs. Because this book, I thought promoted illegal policies, it would be banned. Also in a moral standpoint, I think this book may have been banned to relieve the public about a story of a retarded person who's life turned out so badly for him. I think this book may have disturbed many people in the past, therefore, the book was banned so when people saw mentally-challenged people, they would not relate the person to the story of Lennie in Of Mice and Men.I think this book positively aspects the literary world and its' themes should be shared by everyone that can read a book. I have many reasons why I believe this. First of all, I really liked how Of Mice and Men portrays the value of human existence. At one point in the book, we notice how Lennie has the need of a friend, yet he will cling to a stranger, such as Curley's wife, for self-comfort. In scenarios such as this one, we can see that tyranny does not come from those who are rich and powerful, and I believe that this is a very powerful concept to have the knowledge of because oppression does not come from "the hands of the heavens," which is something everyone needs to know.Another aspect of this book that positively influences the outside world is how there is no possibility of everything happening perfectly, or "The American Dream." There are many examples of this throughout the book. For example, Curley's wife wishes to one day be a movie star, Crooks wishes to be the hardest worker on Lennie and George's farm, and Candy wishes that he will have a friend, (George) own a large piece of land. Obviously, none of these wishes came true. The moral to this is, what makes dreams is the desire to follow their own freedoms, and dreams, as shown by Of Mice and men, will never occur. And that is something that every American needs to know, is that dreams are meant to be dreams, and the sooner you know that, the better it is; which is why this book is a positive influence to the outside world.I would recommend this book to all advanced readers because it not only provides an interesting setting, climax, and plot, it provides a great understanding of the world, and what meanings of life the world has to offer. If you would like to have a story told to you that tells you the journeys of two young men who are looking for answers to life, but get them in symbolic form, read this novel, because you look at things a whole lot differently, once you look at life from a different standpoint. | 1positive
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Girl.....get it straight!!
This book is just the beginnning for all women of color. I think at times we may fall under the "that's not me." But get it together so we can pass it on to the next generations. | 1positive
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Lost in Labrador
The authors not only present a well written history of an ill conceived adventure;they actually "re-created" each harrowing step, mile after mile canoeing and portaging over the same route. In a manner of speaking it is a well written "first hand" account of a tragic mis-adventure from a century past. Well worth reading and always relevant to those who enjoy the wilder places in the north. | 1positive
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Quite comical in parts; most heartbreaking in others!
We have ONE man and TWO women -- a wife and a mistress. He cleverly manipulates both of them for virtually 12 years and only three people in the world know the secret. Him, the lover and her sister. His wife finds something in the house (and I won't tell you what) and the double life he was leading with both of them blows up in his face. The wife does her own investigating and discovers who the mistress is, writes her a letter and asks to meet her because she wants a full truthful accounting of what was going on. They meet and befriend each other and unbelievably the wife holds no resentment towards the mistress. After finding out the lies he told both of them, they are scorned and you know what they say about a scorned woman -- yes, hell hath no fury. And it sure didn't because they put this guy through the wringer. You have to read this because it's a true story and would definitely be worthy of a Lifetime movie. | 1positive
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Fit for the dust bin
Martin Gray (real name Martin Grayweski, according to the Parisian newspaper "Le Monde") had this novel ghost-written for him by French historian-journalist Max Gallo. In the novel, Gray claims to have been interned in a concentration camp, Treblinka.It is a very touching account. There is one small problem, though: as facts would have it, and by his own reported admission, Mr. Gray never set foot in this camp in his life. The account is to a large extent a figment of the ghost-writer's imagination, with entire chapters being no more than creative writing. English journalist (and steadfast exterminationist) Gitta Sereny unmasked this fraud in the "Sunday Times" many years ago, and accused Mr. Gallo personally. In the "New Statesman", on 2 Nov. 1979, she terrible long-term consequences".When the film based on this novel was about to be released, the French magazine "Le Figaro", in an article by Brigitte Friang ("Parlez, monsieur le Porte-parole", 9 Nov. 1983), and the newspaper "Le Monde", in an article by Jean-Marc Theolleyre ("A Novel and the Fog", 27-28 Nov. 1983) repeated the grave accusations which were made in the British press against him at the time of publication of the book.French author Serge Thion, in his account titled "Une allumette sur coolly that he "needed" a long chapter on Treblinka because the book required something strong for pulling in readers". She adds that after having told Martin Gray point-blank that he had never been in Treblinka, she double admission.Martin Gray and Max Gallo are neither the first nor the only ones to concoct a Treblinka out of their nightmares. This camp lends itself to the wildest of accounts because according to reports it was shut down, abandoned and destroyed quite some time before war's end [Treblinka opening date: there was nothing left to see.That Gray and Gallo might exploit this virgin territory to concoct profit-oriented nightmares is one thing, and it is strictly their own concern. That they should do so by cynically slandering the Ukrainian people, and planting a blood libel upon their heads as is done in this book, should be to the outrage of every moral and right-thinking person.This is a book written without even a most elementary sense of decency or shame, exploiting the aversion to brutality and sympathy for the underdog that is naturally possessed in abundance by all good people. It is commercially-motivated rubbish in every sense of the word; an example of the psychotic holocaustomaniacal hallucinations that increasingly litter our landscape nowadays | 0negative
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one of my favorites
This is one of the most touching and moving books I have read. I bought this copy for a friend but had to read it again first! | 1positive
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Surprising Readings
Bilbo Baggins finds a ring in the cave of Gollum. Soon after many years, Bilbo passes the ring to his nephew Frodo Baggins. Frodo finds himself with friends and family to the elfish city of Rivendell, not knowing what lurks behind every corner. As they pass along in Rivendell the Fellowship finds itself on a quest to destroy the One Ring of power. With this and much more exciting events and goose bump chills. Will good defeat evil once and for all? | 1positive
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This book must be a prank
How else to explain that banks are brought down not by "rogue" traders but rather by "rouge" traders - is there a secret market for cosmetics derivatives? - that Switzerland has adopted the Euro, that a chart is described as listing a gain from 93 to 97 but only shows a gain of 93 to 95 etc., etc., etc ad nauseam.In my eyes, this book is so pathetic that it is only a slight exaggeration to suggest that all those involved in the creation of this book should never be allowed to touch paper and pencil again. | 0negative
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A royal embarrassment
There is nothing in this book worthy of publication. This is fanfiction quality writing at best, though I've read some fanfiction that beats these books by miles. Sure, Twilight is a captivating, romantic story if you can get past the vapid characters and lack of plot development. Bella Swan is annoying main character and an embarrassment to the literary world. Edward Cullen is a creeper. There are no other memorable characters in the books, except perhaps the werewolf whose name escapes me (perhaps he wasn't as memorable as I thought.) As an intelligent, strong woman (who is also within the demographic of this novel) I could not have felt more strongly in my disappointment. Stephanie Meyers truly takes the intelligence of her readers for granted.Having spoken my mind about Twilight, however, I WOULD recommend Stephanie Meyer's other book The Host. The writing is clearer (though still not fabulous), the plot is well developed, the characters are more interesting (and actually grow through the course of the book! What a concept!). | 0negative
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Unfair to chastize book because of Dr. Berk's problems
In response to the reviewer who claims the book isn't good because Dr. Berk has malpractice claims against him, I have 2 things to say. First, Dr. Berk is not the primary author of the book. He writes bits and pieces throughout the book, but a woman wrote most of the book. It includes helpful advice on topics such as when to expect your clothes to feel tight, and what types of maternity clothes you should buy based on your due date. This is helpful information I have not seen elsewhere. Second, I don't know the specifics of these malpractice claims against Dr. Berk, but OB/GYN's have the highest rate of malpractice claims filed, and just because claims have been filed doesn't mean the doctor was provided negligent care. I work in the medical field, and have done research on this topic. Not all of the malpractice suits filed are due to negligence. Some times parents are just seeking compensation for a bad outcome that would have happened regardless of the situation. Don't let the previous reader's comments dissuade you from buying this very informative and helpful book!! | 1positive
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The #1 CONSPIRACY THRILLER for morons...
Dan Brown has some wonderful books. This is not one of them. I picked this up, due to my interest in U.S. government agencies (three letter ones), and the space program. I should have put the book back down instead of buying it.While I don't begrudge Mr. Brown his conspiracies, I would recommend do some better research on *what* the agencies actually do, than assume. I'm sure, after I write this, the NRO will send their "hit-squad" after me. Or not.The two main characters were decently written, action was enough to keep me reading, and the premise (while flawed) had some taste of "within the realm of cocaine-addled possibility... but using a Three Letter Agency (TLA) as the harbingers of death because a satellite program was jacked up... What?!? The U.S. govt has lost *billions* of dollars to satellite programs that don't work, break down immediately after launch or blow up on the launch pad. You don't see people dying en masse because of THOSE screw ups.I'm a TLA purist - I do studies on the Intelligence Community and their agencies... I could even believe that the CIA has kidnapped Roswell aliens in their Langley facility... but to think the NRO (made up of lazy Air Force bluesuiters and pencil-pushing CIA geeks) could conjure up a convincing conspiracy TOGETHER... now that's definitely fiction. Save your dollars for the Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, or a coloring book. Put "Deception Point" back on the shelf. | 0negative
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The book was verry dull and unenteristing.
In my opinoin THE CALL OF THE WILD was a non interisting book. The only thing that i thought about the book that was good, was that it was discriptive in the fights against each other. One of the biggest things that i disagree with is the vocabulary, it was very hard for me to read all those big words, and phrases for example. With the Aurora Borals flaming overhead, or the stars Leaping in the first dance,and the land Numb and over its pail of snow. I read that phrase about fivr times and i still do not know what it means. I would only reccomand this book for people who like to read and have a good vocabulary. | 0negative
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I Would've Gotten an F for Turning this In
I once went to the New York Museum of Modern Art. Several well-read friends highly recommended it. I walked into a square room. There were four white walls and a white ceiling. Leaning against one of the walls was a bag of cat litter. That's all. That was "art". One well-dressed distingushed-looking man smiled a smug knowing grin and said softly to himself, "Genius".I said a little bit louder, "Stupid. I should get my money back."Catcher in the Rye is the literary equivalent to a bag of cat litter in a white room.People who give five stars to this book are probably the same type of folks as the man I saw at the museum.A fifth-grade teacher would give her student a D on this. Yet we are told by pop-culture that this is genius. We all seem to feel this cultural peer pressure to agree. Well I don't. The narrative has no less than 10 grammatical errors on every page. Probably about 200 sentences end in the phrase "and all." Another fifty end in "for Chrissakes."Fourth grade grammar lesson follows:Slainger writes, "Ackley was one of those crazy guys that ignored you."Wrong!"Ackley was one of those crazy guys WHO ignored you."Before IM acronyms and text messaging set out youth down the path of poor writing, there was Catcher In the Rye doing the same thing. It's as artistic as a bag of cat litter. | 0negative
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A surprisingly readable interpretation of post-Civil War Reconstruction
Though Tourgee wastes no time in presenting his views on the matter - they are in the title, after all - the rhymes and reasons of Northern Pro-Recon; Northern Anti-Recon; and Southerners are all presented in a lovely non-biased light, giving the reader all of the firepower needed to agree or disagree with Tourgee. All of this is presented in a genuinely engaging storybook fashion. Recommended as an introduction to Reconstruction or as a supplement to prior learning. | 1positive
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Tellie Rallossie's Great Review for Ella Enchanted
Ella EnchantedGail Carson LevineTellie RallossieElla Enchanted is a fantasy story that takes place on the mystical land of Frell. Ella, the main character has been under a curse since she was born. This curse is known as the gift of obedience. She must follow any order given to her. If she doesn't, she will get dizzy, headaches, stomachaches and other complaints as well. Ella's fairy godmother once told her mother, before her mother died, that there is one way to break the curse, but Ella would have to find it out for herself. Ella doesn't like to make many friends because they see how obedient she is and they will use her, but one person she finds she can confide is Prince Charmont, or Char. Another person is their cook, Mandy. She has taken good care of Ella since she was a baby.After Ella's mother died, Ella's father came into play. He was a trader that traded with different cultures and had never been home for long. When he saw how clumsy Ella was, he decided to send her to finishing school where she would have to deal with many orders and people she does not like. Ella did not want to go away since she had many friends in her surroundings. She liked to talk to the parrots that the king had outside in a pen that was taken care of by a friend named Simon. Ella's father was a greedy man who always got his way no matter what. So she went off to finishing school and was given many orders about how to walk, talk, eat, sit, and dance like a lady. This was a big deciding factor in the book. It makes many conflicts that affect the rest of the story. If you want to find out what happens next, you must read Ella Enchanted.I liked this book because it is full of adventurous times. No matter what Ella is doing, she always finds herself in a situation. The good part about that is whether it's almost being eaten by ogres, or escaping the twisted mind of her father, she can get out of it with flying colors. A person that would like this book would be somebody who likes fantasy because it has lands that are not real, ogres, elves, gnomes and other mythological creatures as well. Although it is fantasy it has a sense of Middle Ages in it. I would recommend a reader to read this book because it is very entertaining. | 1positive
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Colby's Review
Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman is about a kid named Shawn who is a 14 year old, bright and brilliant kid, with the ability to recall whatever he has heard in his life. But the bad part to his life is he is "stuck in neutral" in his wheelchair due to a problem with his brain: cerebral palsy. He can't even speak. Each day he has a seizure and he enjoys it. He floats of out of his body into his spirit and he feels like he can move and speak and touch. To him it feels great, but his father thinks he is suffering, and he wants to end his pain by killing him.This book is sad, but amazing. Readers who are into depressing yet suspenseful books should read this. However, the end could use a better ending; the reader never really knows what is going to happen to him. | 1positive
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Possible the first pop psychology-based novel.
Appalling load of tosh from a selfish and racist writer, which will appeal to tepid minds and people looking for an easy codification of life. | 0negative
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A Boring off-topic book.
First of all, the book Is about a boy named jim and a girl named Antonia. Short and simple, its off topic, barelly mentions antonia, and describes the same details over and over and over makeing it long and repetitive. If you like romance novels, you might like it, but just to let you know, the only reason i even picked up the book was for a school class. | 0negative
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Ella Enchanted
The fantasy fiction book I read this month is Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.This story is about a young girl named Ella. When Ella was an infant she was cursed with obedience by a fairy named Lucinda. Lucinda gives people gifts that will curse them forever. Later on in the story, Ella tells a girl named Hattie her secret. Hattie takes advantage of her and tells her what to do all the time. Ella's mother dies so all she has left is her father, Mandy, and Prince Char. Her father is always trading away from home, Mandy is her servant and fairy godmother, and Prince Char is her best friend. In this story Ella struggles with the curse while going through bad and good adventures.I liked this book a lot because it tells of a young girl with all her challenges and how she solved them. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be in her position. I think this book is suited for middle school students. | 1positive
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Enjoyable read
Easy to read, nice story line. Would recommend. Definitely different that Sophie Kinsella novels, but enjoyable none the less. Not sure what else to say. | 1positive
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Disappointing
This was supposed to be used a coffee table book, but there are barely any pictures to along with the lame descriptions. Some of the courses listed are super private...guess i will die unfulfilled. | 0negative
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A good example of how and why progressive education failed
Zihlman requires this textbook for her intrduction to Physical Anthropology class at UCSC ( a failed prgressive institution in itself) - which I am currently taking. Some plates have genuine merit - one pays special attention to details, because the plates must be filled in with painstaking care. This can, in some cases, help the student learn. But there are a number of errors in the current printing, so many, in fact, that the books had to be reordered. Several plates were missing, and numerous others were printed twice. Besides that, many plates are just useless- it really isn't worth spending half an hour or more filling in a plate where several primates are featured, and each primate is a different color, and that's all. It's superfluous, and the student of anthropology would be better benfitted by, perhaps, pictures of said primates or longer text explanations. I fully understand the progressive-education gesture behind this book, which was orignially published several decades ago. The book means well, which accounts for the number of stars it has. But there are better ways to teach anthropology, and in the end, or -no- I am writing this on the eve of my midterm, so five weeks into the class, any effectiveness has dissolved. The accompanying text to each plate could stand to be more comprehensive and less Who's Who of Zihlman's idols. Save your fourteen dollars and lobby the Dummies series to do something like Evolution for Dummies. They couldnt do worse. | 0negative
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The World As I See It
It still amazes me to think that this book exists at all, and for one very good reason: no one ever mentioned to me that Albert Einstein was a quasi-philosopher-turned-political-activist. I grew up hearing about 'Einstein the Scientist' but knew nothing of the man who spoke out about global disarmament, pacifism, and even the reconstruction of Palestine in spite of persecution at home (think Germany, 1933) and abroad. It wasn't until I stumbled upon a few quotes of his that I realized his mind worked beyond even the limits of science, and it wasn't until I stumbled across an e-book titled "The World As I See It" by Albert Einstein that I realized there were publications in his name beyond his Scientific Journals. When I saw a real copy in one of my favourite used-book shops, of course I had to buy it.The book is really an incomplete collection of Einstein's articles and writings put together "to give a picture of a man," we are told by the editor, as "his character and opinions are being exhibited to the world in an utterly distorted form...to forestall this fate is the real object of this book." If nothing else, this collection gives a clear picture of the things that Einstein was concerned about, which speaks volumes more about his character than a biography could. Topics within the text vary greatly, though inevitably touch upon religion, personal philosophy (yes, those are two separate categories to me), and world politics.Of particular interest to me was those articles written in pre-WWII Germany as they absolutely reek of the political turmoil of the times, which remind me greatly of the political bantering surrounding a post-9/11 United States. Specifically, there are a series of letters exchanged between Herr Einstein and the Prussian Academy of Sciences in which Einstein is accused of "atrocity-mongering" after resigning from the Academy due to the Prussian Government's inequities against individual freedom. The Academy essentially twists Einstein's actions and words in an effort to slander his good name, and each retort quid pro quo paints the formulaic picture of an irrational "authority" attacking those who speak out against them. After re-reading the articles just now, I can't help but be reminded of the Bush Administration's attacks on the Dixie Chicks after the attacks on the World Trade Center.I would like to address each of the ideas presented within this book, but would rather save that for a proper essay as each deserves more merit than a few brief scribbles in a book review. I will say this though: Albert Einstein's theories on disarmament, world peace and global unification seem as attainable as they are idealistic when coming from the pen of such an honest, genuine, intelligent man. He speaks with complete understanding and acceptance of himself, others and the politics in between when touching upon subjects ranging between Good and Evil to The Meaning of Life to Peace, Fascism, Culture and Prosperity, and I found myself with little choice but to listen whole-heartedly and agree with the brilliance captured within these few pages.I recommend this book to everyone (and I *rarely* recommend books) and believe it should be a mandatory-study in high school for its sheer breadth of scope in understanding the globe we call Earth as it is today, and as it should be tomorrow. | 1positive
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Utter garbage
WHeeee!!! Here's another gimmick book for pastors who are envious of mega-churches and sick and tired of struggling with their small, poor congregations. You can also buy the Pupose driven mouse pad, coffee mug, keychain, and -let's see what's next? How about a line of purpose driven snack foods and sportswear? This is the same shallow, theology lite gospel that is reformulated every few years for the suckers. Hey, mega-churches may be doing something WRONG if they are so popular - churches that don't talk about law and judgment but just about grace and feeling good are always going to be popular.'Forget this trash. If you are too lazy to read the bible or a pastor who can't make the bible come alive you may not be saved and should get out of the church. | 0negative
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Best Steven King novel so far...........
Mr. King remembers what it's like thinking and feeling like a kid and how as grownups, we are still pretty much that same little kid. I liked how the characters connected between stories of youthful relationships, college life in the sixties, how music of that time impacted us, and with Vietnam War always in the background. I had quit reading Steven King, but for some reason I was inclined to read this one and very glad I did. | 1positive
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After reading this book, good bye Christianity
When I was 12, I was the quintessential catholic: I saved my pocket money to donate to the mission, had serious thoughts about becoming a priests, etc. I started finding problems in religious teaching and bible scripts by myself.When I accidentally read Russells book, it opened my eyes. Christianity was finished.Why do other people not get convinced? Irrationality!! Or, as all official churches have been disproved, they cling to some private version of religion, a version which Russell had no chance to analyze and disprove | 1positive
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Details!
If you want to know every detail about the witch, it's great. Half way through and it all is background info. Warped, interesting and kinky. | 0negative
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Thought-provokingly Enjoyable
An important read for Christians. I guarantee it will challenge some aspect of your "world"-view! It has reminded me to stay on guard. | 1positive
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Brilliant and well written
Margaret Atwood is a master of the modern novel, and THE HANDMAID'S TALE is no exception to the rule. Brilliant, tightly knit, and fast moving, I recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining, moving, rawly emotional book about a world so easily derived from our own. | 1positive
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Webster's New World Letter Writing Handbook
I am just delighted with this purchase. There are so many different examples of letters and letter formats to look at. If you are looking for specific instruction on how to create a letter, this book is sure to be an asset to you. There are also tips for writing which will allow you to design the letter of your choice in your own words! | 1positive
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persuasion
this is terrible. you cannot read it because the lines are all misaligned. a complete waste of money. | 0negative
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Tobacco Road by Erskine Caldwell
I chose this book because I had heard about it and knew that it was written a long time ago. I am not sure that I will even finish reading it as it is difficult ;to read and repetitive in many areas in the first 4 chapters that I have completed. As I read further I may change my mind, but have reservations. | 0negative
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Short Stories of Ernest Hemmingway
Reading this book was like studying the Hemingway ego as a therapist. The stories were wonderfully descriptive with heavy doses of the authors need to get approval from his readers, or possibly help with his psychological and sexual hang-ups. | 1positive
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ordered new but got used
I placed an order for a new one, but got a used one with several markers and dirty. So, I am so disappointed with this book. | 0negative
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Camel and peanuts
Robert anton wilson once said you can say peanuts and camels are the same thing if you look at the contours of there backs and ignore eveythin g else. This book does that with christianity and buddhism, it is very naive and may be insulting to christians for it's lack of depth. Yes, dialog between buddhists and christians is desirable, but this book is too simplistic about the problem. If you want a good book about buddhism read"Being Peace" another one of Thay's books. I can't recommened this one. A step back for christian-buddhist dialog.Sorry | 0negative
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I'm sorry, I really tried
While the premise was great, I ended up putting the book down in disgust. I genuinely enjoyed the concept, two people vetoing the commercialism, opting instead to enjoy a holiday vacation. Great idea right? Wrong. I found that the characters suffered from a lack of spine. Why would anyone hide behind curtains and doors to escape from carolers? Escaping to the basement to avoid yet another round of neighbors persons trying to get donations, when a simple no would suffice. The final straw for me was when Carol, the main characters wife, forgoes all her plans to appease a daughter who is quickly flying back to the states after a month. Discussing this among my friends we agreed unanimously that we would have told the daughter to enjoy her stay in the house, we are going on a cruise. Sorry Mr. Grisham. I've enjoyed many of your books, and will continue to look for your titles, but can't in good faith put this on my shelf. I will be skipping this title for Christmas. | 0negative
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aM ENJOYING THIS BOOK.
Saw the movie with my son, then bought the book. I'm reading him a chapter every night and he's digging it. So am I. | 1positive
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Where's the 0 stars?
The only people who like this book are the people who liked her music in the first place. I ended up giving it to my boyfriend, who was a fanof hers. He loved it (no kidding). As a person, who is NOT one of her followers, I think it stinks. Stick to music, Jewel! | 0negative
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Best Concise Book for the Orthopaedists back pocket
After wearing out my third edition, I decided to get the fourth. It is slightly wider, which makes it less easy to fit in the back pocket of scrubs, but it has more information on treatment modalities. I would recommend this for any resident. | 1positive
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Best Book Ever!
This is the absolutely best book Ever. I read it in two days! A 375 page book. This is one novel you won't want to miss. If you like Harry Potter you'll definitely love this book. It hammers at your emotions and once I actually put down the book it was so suspenseful. (Yes, It has magic, special creatures, and nonstop action.)P.S. Can you rate a ten? ;) | 1positive
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More than the sum of its parts...
I respectfully and totally disagree with the misinformed reader who gave this book only 2 stars. I'd list it as one of the great books of the twentieth century for many reasons. It appears at first glance to be made up of disconnected stories, histories, journal entries, and fables. But what is so masterful in the writing style is the way that, with a little work from the reader, these disparate elements reorganize themselves into an organic whole. I find many qualities of Barnes' work "musical', perhaps none more so than his singular use of leitmotifs. Words, phrases and themes echo from one chapter to the next, linking ideas, characters and symbols to the very end of the book. What leitmotifs? Some examples: Noah, the Ark and the Flood; historiography; shipwrecks; pilgrimage; G-d as destroyer; the eventual and inevitable corruption/destruction of all art and history.Barnes IS in love with his own prose and loves to play with the reader to prove his own erudition, but never entirely without a point. I have several favorites among the chapters, particularly the first and last. In both, the identity of the narrator is crucial to the overall structure of the book. Both address "the oldest story in the world." Both are mildly to wildly comic in degree and both address head-on why we go on, why we remain dedicated to the struggles of this life (and, perhaps, the next.) From proto-Biblical narrative, to art criticism, to pseudo-history, to parable we're led on to the secret of it all. I thought it was just a jim-dandy read. | 1positive
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Very good, but I have read some better books
This classic story is one of the best books I have ever read, but not the best. This story didn't blow me away, but it isn't the average book (it's better). | 1positive
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The problem is ambiguity and uncertainty,not risk alone
The major problem with this book is Shiller's basic misconception of what the major problem is concerning decision making about the future ,given the incomplete amount of relevant information available in the past and the present,based on what D.Ellsberg called ambiguous probabilities, J M Keynes called probabilities with low weight(uncertainty),and Benoit Mandelbrot called wild risk(as opposed to the mild risk of the normal probability distribution).Shiller bases his understanding on the "new"behavioral economics associated with the work of Tversky,Kahneman,Thaler,etc.This kind of approach emphasizes not the major problems of ambiguity,uncertainty,or wild risk of Ellsberg,Keynes,and Mandelbrot,but relatively mild problems associated with the Allais Paradox(certainty,reflection,translation,and preference reversal effects plus other assorted anomalies).The problem is that the Tversky-Kahneman approach ,and other associated approaches allied with them, are based fundamentally on the view that the normal distribution is the correct distribution to use for educated,rational decision makers.The problem ,then,is that decision makers in general are not rational;they are irrational and uneducated decision makers ,who allow their emotions,combined with their hopes and fears,to influence their decision making .All the anomalous behavior can be traced to the basic irrationality and ignorance of decision makers,who supposedly resort to all kinds of heuristic shortcuts because they have not mastered the fields of statistics and probability correctly.The position of Ellsberg,Keynes,and Mandelbrot is completely different.The decision maker is rational,but must "rely" on probabilities that he knows are unreliable,vague,ambiguous,unclear,and uncertain.In such a world the attempt to gain additional information,as in the stock market,leads to herd,crowd,and cascade effects as each individual decision maker attempts to obtain a little, additional amount of relevant information from other sources that he feels are better informed.Thus,it is the ambiguity or uncertainty of the future that leads to the creation of bubbles,manias,panics,and crashes.These events have little to do with the Tversky-Kahneman approach.The normal probability distribution is completely worthless as a guide to action in the stock market and other financial markets in the face of ambiguity ,uncertainty,or wild risk.In his preface(pp.ix-x),Shiller claims that"...economic thinkers have been limited by the state of relevant risk management principles of their day".Shiller claims that Keynes did not have command of such risk management ideas.The fact is that Keynes,Ellsberg,and Mandelbrot have forgotten more about these ideas than Shiller will ever know.All seven of Shiller's new types of markets and new types of insurance totally ignore the fundamental problem of ambiguity/uncertainty.They are put forth in the misbelief that the kind of decision making problems examined by Tversky-Kanheman are the main explanation for the boom-bust nature of financial markets , the volatility that results,and the unstable nature of such markets in a capitalist system.Shiller needs to completely rewrite this book and base it on a foundation of Keynes,Ellsberg,and Mandelbrot. | 0negative
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Not for seasoned VB coders
If you've been writing in VB and VBA for awhile then this book is a large waste of money. The first half of the book covers basic VB programming concepts like For Next, Do While, Select Case, Msg Box etc.... stuff I've been doing for years. The rest of the book has some okay examples, but it's not organized in a way that allows you to find what you are looking for easily. | 0negative
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DO NOT Purchase This Version
Last December I purchased a copy of this book published by Wilder Publications. . . It was a horrible copy in that it didn't have chapter breaks at all, and had many typo's and horrible spacing. In a way, it made an already difficult book to read even more difficult.This version of the book I purchased can be found here:UlyssesDoes this version I bought not seem a lot like this one here?Notice the similar covers? The text is exactly the same, only rearranged. That and the fact that this new publisher Unabridged Books is fairly new, which at the time of this writing is not even a MONTH old, leads me to believe that they are perhaps connected. Tell me, anyone who has purchased this version, it isn't printed out of Lexington, Kentucky, is it?You should not purchase this version, not if you actually want to try and understand this book. If you plan on using outside materials to further guide you, then this book should be ignored, because the lack of chapter annotations will make it rather difficult to follow along. | 0negative
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Great story
William Pene du Bois's The 21 Balloons is a fictional story about a man's amazing life after he crash lands on an island. I enjoyed the book's easy to understand descriptions of his life on the island. While reading it, I was never caught wondering why this book was written. It has was written for the enjoyment and pleasure of reading it. The compelling story makes you want to go out and try to ride around in a hot air ballon the rest of your life. Rich, but easy to understand details flow through a perfect plot. We learn that life is enjoyable even when you don't have something to do or somewhere to be and you are away from society.The 21 Balloons starts out with a man, Professor Sherman, who wishes to go around the world in a hot air balloon. He starts on his journey, but soon disaster strikes. A seagull tears his balloon forcing him to descend and crash land. He eventually wakes up on the island of volcanic Krakatoa where he is greeted by a man. The island is not thought to be inhabited, but it turns out that 20 families of four live there in a village that is situated far from a volcano that contains a secret. Under the volcano, there is a cave that is so full of diamonds that you have to wear sunglasses to look in it. This is the main reason the families stay on the island. Although they each own a share of the diamond mine, if they were to spend them diamonds would become equal to dirt, because diamonds would be so common. The families each run a restaurant that serves a certain type of food. For example, the F's serve French food and live in a French style home that they built by trading a few diamonds for materials in outside countries. Their life is simple. After their day of cooking they don't have to worry about cooking for another twenty days. The children and parents just relax and do nothing the entire day, that is until the volcano erupts.I enjoyed The 21 balloons. It shows how relaxing and enjoyable it would be to live on an island away from society with no worries or work. It illustrates the simplicity of spending a day doing nothing and not having to worry about it. The book describes a place were food is good and you never have to worry about money. I also enjoyed the fact that throughout the book there were scattered inventions that would still work well in today's society. As the characters are introduced we learn about them and their background which helps us understand the book better. The book is a simpler story, bursting with details, that is for all ages. The author points out many flaws of the outer world to make the island seem like a paradise, but if you read the story you will find out the island is not. If I could change anything about the book I would have had Professor Sherman live on the island longer and get to know the people better because I felt like we only know the main characters and all the other characters barely interacted with him.I found it interesting that it seems that the book could possibly be true. The island of Krakatoa did actually explode around the time of the story and it seems that there isn't anything mentioned that was not around at the time of the story. I think that people who enjoyed this book would also enjoy The Phantom Tollbooth because they are both books that are easy to understand but can be enjoyed by all ages. They also make the outside world seem different.The 21 Balloons by William Pene du Bois is a story for all ages. It is a set in a relaxing paradise but has a twist in the plot. It is easy to understand and I enjoyed it. It was written for enjoyment and was not meant to be a book that would be groaned at by a group of middle schoolers. It makes you want to relax and throw away your worries. The details are simple but flow together perfectly. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone. | 1positive
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For intellectuals only
I sugest that you only read this book if you are ready to be challanged spiratually and inttelectualy. This book really makes you think man! | 1positive
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Really Really Small
I was incredibly surprised and disappointed when I received this book in the mail. I had ordered it for my wife's birthday and couldn't believe how small it was. I wish I had had some warning. She finished reading it in about 10 minutes. | 0negative
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fine animated contemporary romance
Sports agent Heath "Python" Champion decides he needs a societal acceptable trophy wife to further his career. The agent of football superstar Kevin Tucker (see THIS HEART OF MINE) does not want to go through the motion of finding someone or bother much beyond the superficial when it comes to the courting ritual. He hires Portia Powers of Power Match, but she wants to control his every move.He then turns around and hires cute but wacky Annabelle Granger, who recently inherited her grandmother's matchmaking business. Between the two companies Heath meets a horde of eligible lovely women, but none of Chicago's finest is good enough for him. Instead he begins thinking of attractive Annabelle who he finds very kissable when they are not arguing and even more kissable when they are. However, Annabelle is the last person a social climber wants by his side so he keeps asking himself why does he want to make a permanent match with the madcap matchmaker?Heath and Annabelle are a fun couple due to their vigorous spats, their vivacious kisses, and finally their undisputed conclusion that each is wrong for the other's career goals. In other words love is a wonderful irritating nuisance. MATCH ME IF YOU CAN is a fine animated contemporary romance starring a delightful duo.Harriet Klausner | 1positive
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Yuck
I could NOT for the life of me get into this book. I found the writing to be convoluted and confusing -- so much so that I couldn't follow what was happening. After about 60 pages, I finally gave up and never finished the book. | 0negative
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concept interesting, but plot fizzles
When you got to a few interesting spots, they quickly fizzled. No background information at all into what had happened... perhaps the author thought that would detract from the story? bad boring dialogue and anticlimatic. I mean, where were they going? down a freaking road with a shopping cart? not even plausible and actually downright ridiculous | 0negative
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This is the one...
There's a good reason that this is commonly used as an introduction to Balzac: it's one of his best and most focused works (not that I've read them all, of course...). He wasn't a wholly consistent author (and neither would *you* be, had you written 120+ novels)--at times, he can be downright tedious. Not here, though: Old Goriot is a fast read, and utterly gripping.The character of Goriot is handled quite delicately: Balzac plays mercilessly on our sympathy for an old man victimized by his daughters (intentional shades of King Lear here). It's not a uni-dimensional depiction, however; as Goriot's boundless love seems at times to go beyond the merely paternal--he may be a Christ-figure, but he's certainly not a straightforward one. Of course, the real show-stealer here is Vautrin, the master criminal. As much as Balzac fancied himself a historian, he was really at his most entertaining when he went over the top, as he does here: Vautrin is wonderfully demonic, and one can't but get a kick out of reading him. In contrast to these twin personalities, which tower above anyone else in the book, you have the titular protagonist, Eugene de Rastignac, a perfectly ordinary sort of guy--your archetypical 'young man from the provinces'. He provides a good counterpoint to all the madness going on, and you can't help but like the guy, even if he's not really an extraordinary person.Anyway: you should read this. Yes--YOU. I mean come on, you really ought to read at least one Balzac in your life. And if you like it, you can go on to Lost Illusions and Cousin Bette. Highly recommended. | 1positive
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I always have Great Expectations when it comes to Dickens...
Pip is an orphan. His nagging sister and weakling of a brother-in-law are raising him. He doesn't have much, yet is compelled to help an escaped convict with food and drink. (More out of fear than compassion, mind.) He knows no other way of life, so he doesn't expect anything... until he meets Miss Havisham. Miss Havisham is an old recluse who still mourns after the man who broken her heart on her wedding day. One day, she invites Pip over to "play," and that is where he meets young and beautiful Estella. The pretty girl intrigues and irritates him in equal parts. Proud and cruel, she makes him feel like a nobody. And that is how his desires to become a gentleman emerge. So imagine his surprise when a secret benefactor grants his biggest wish, a stranger with "Great Expectations." Pip soon moves to London, abandons his old acquaintances for new ones, and reunites with mean girl Estella, now older and more beautiful. Will he be good enough for her now?Great Expectations is my favorite Dickens novel. Granted, I have only read this one and Bleak House (I've also read A Christmas Carol and another novella of his), but it is my favorite one of the two. This novel contains beautiful storytelling, lots of irony and Dickens's signature eccentric characters and hilarious dialogue. This is my second time reading this after over a decade, and I enjoyed it more the second time around. (I enjoyed this as much as the other novel I read at the same time as this one, which, to my surprise, brought up Dickens and Great Expectations.) Pip is a wonderful character. He does, however, get on my nerves when he wants to be around people that to me aren't worth it. Estella is such a snob, a total beyotch, but I can see why Pip would want her to think well of him. One thing I've always found interesting is that Dickens always depicts lawyers as greedy and callous. Bleak House illustrates this even more. Perhaps Dickens disliked lawyers. Could his father's stay at a debtors' prison have to do with this? Well, one thing is clear: Great Expectations is a beautiful novel, one of the best out there, even with its altered ending. I've read both endings and like them both (though I prefer his original ending). Two endings are great because they give you a choice. Anyway, a great summer reread. I have A Tale of Two Cities and look forward to reading it soon. | 1positive
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good idea, but poorly executed
I read most of this book, but just couldn't finish it. I think the idea was compelling enough (and in the hands of someone like Dan Brown or the late MIchael Crichton it would've rocked), but it just wasn't executed very well."The Facade" is about a special US government organization (with the original name "The Group") that is preparing the world for the realization that aliens are here, more are coming, and that they want to coexist with us. They gather a group of folks who are tasked with finding the best way to break the news to the world.There were two components of the book that were intriguing. The author, MIchael Heiser, first claims that all documents, photos, quotes, etc. are real. And many of them regard Roswell, Area 51, etc. Secondly, the main protagonist, a religious scholar, provides Biblical quotes about other sons of God as well as a race of beings other than humans. Much of this comes from books that are not included in the traditional Bible as well as the supposedly original texts that might have been translated incorrectly.The problem is that Heiser tries to be too clever with the plot twists and characters that it just becomes a mess. So much so that for me, I just didn't care anymore. | 0negative
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Pocket map of Copenhagen
This was a great little map of Copenhagen. It showed all the streets and important buildings which made it very easy to find my way through the city. It's small and fit in my pocket. I would recommend this handy guide to anyone planning to visit Copenhagen | 1positive
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They Just Don't Write them Like This Anymore
Before my review, you have to understand where I'm coming from. At age 5 I was owned by a huge rusty red Collie - Macintosh, in my teens I was owned by a stunning Sable and White Collie - Piney Branch Lindsay Lad, and currently I am owned by a striking, pirate-like tri-color Collie - Captain Jack Sparrow. As a child, I read many of the Terhune books, fell in love with his enchanting writing style which created imagery reminiscent of a Thomas Kincaid painting. Aside from those facts, I am a completely unbiased reviewer of this wonderful book. Needless to say I was inspired to capture the not so dissimilar adventures, personalities, mischief and family love of this wonderful breed when I wrote the novel "Jack: The Christmas Collie".Lad: A Dog is no mere dog. Through the eyes of Terhune or anyone who really takes time to understand their canine, especially Collies, we discover that Lad truly has a Soul. He is the most noble of the many Terhune Collies. He is the champion, the alpha dog, the canine master and protector of The Place. Terhune describes The Place as essentially a Disney World for Collies; simply utopic. The book begins with the oddly one-sided love affair between Lad and Lady in the chapter "The Mate" While Terhune portrays himself as the Master of The Place and through Lad's eyes, lives on a pedestal, and is supreme law of the land, Terhune also puts Lad and to a lesser degree, the other canines on a pedestal so that we can have the opportunity through Terhunes keen insight into his "chums" to see how truly magnificent in character and companionship these dogs are. Throughout the chapters and stories, Terhune gives play to several of his other Collies including Wolf, but clearly, the centerpiece of the book is Lad. He was simply the most magnificent and favored of them all. Once the finish this book, you cannot help but be moved by what you will perceive through Terhunes eyes which also allow us the readers to perceive often through Lad's eyes. Terhune considered himself a hack of a writer, but I am convinced that comment should be considered a typo and maybe he really meant that he had a "knack" as a writer. An old rule of thumb is to write about that which you know. Well, Mr. Terhune certainly knew about Collies and learned about them and through his wonderful works we may glimpse a peek into what he knew.I heartily recommend this book and Terune's others.Kevin BrettAuthor: "Jack: The Christmas Collie"Jack: The Christmas Collie | 1positive
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Terrible, trash, lies
This was one of the most inaccurate portrayals of Greek Life I've ever read. Had it been satirical, then that would be one thing; however, the author was clearly trying to stereotype all sorority girls with this one book. A total waste of money. If you hate sororities or are jealous of sorority girls, this is the book for you. | 0negative
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overrated
i was really excited to read this book but ended up being really disappointed. i don't understand what everyone else sees in it. it wasn't very exciting at all and i really don't think h.g. wells was that great of a writer. it was really a pain to have to get through (so it was good that it's short) but was somewhat entertaining at times. | 0negative
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Fantastical. Fantastic.
The Hobbit is amazing. As one of the first books I ever read, it is great for kids and adults alike. It paints a superb picture of Middle-earth, Tolkien's brain-child, and leads nicely into The Lord Of The Rings. If you are looking for easy reading fiction/fantasy, or a way into fantasy, this book is the High King of them all. Age, Milton Keynes, England | 1positive
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intermediate checkers advice
This is pretty interesting to study, and actually help to improve a beginner's game. Some of the checkers strategy actually begins to sink in if you keep reviewing it and following the advice. | 1positive
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Amazon doesn't tell you it's an abridged edition - buyers beware
While the book itself is phenomenal, and there's not enough praise I can give it, the hardcover edition sold by Amazon (ISBN 978-0863151392) is an *abridged* edition of the book. The description does not state that explicitly, and its listed along other editions, some of them (based on the number of pages) are full ones.So I'd wholeheartedly recommend buying this book -- just get a softcover edition instead, or look for an older hardcover one. | 0negative
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english 12 Saverio
Title: The Lord of the FliesAuthor: William Gerald GoldingI read the Lord of the Flies for a summer reading book for school. At first the overview that my teacher gave me, it sounded like it was a real interesting book, however once I got reading the book, I found that it was at all as interesting as it had sounded.Here is a little overview of the book; a group of British schoolboys survive a plane crash and end up on a desert island with no adults to watch over them. They soon create rules about how to run the group and who should be leader. They divide tasks among themselves and even use a conch shell to determine who has the right to speak to the group at large gatherings. They soon create their own society based on the values they have been taught. They manage to collect enough food and even to keep a fire going in the hope of being able to attract attention from would-be rescuers. Later on in the book, the order in their society starts to break down, as their situation becomes more desperate and as alliances between different subgroups start to build. The group begins to turn on each other; a war begins between two divided groups with two completely different leaders. Some boys begin to kill off the other boys in the divided groups. The officer's ship noticed the fire raging in the jungle. The other boys reach the beach and stop in their tracks at the sight of the officer. Amazed at the spectacle of this group of bloodthirsty, savage children, the officer asks Ralph to explain. Ralph is overwhelmed by the knowledge that he is safe but, thinking about what has happened on the island, he begins to weep. The other boys begin to sob as well. The officer turns his back so that the boys may regain their composure.The main characters of the book are,Ralph - The novel's protagonistJack - The novel's antagonistSimonPiggyRogerSam and EricThe Lord of the FliesI really did not like this book, when I was reading it; it seemed to be drawn out. Everything just to long to explain. At first it sounded like an interesting book, however when I got into reading it was not at all. It is just one of those books that I can not read with out falling asleep. It just didn't catch my attention form the beginning. There was nothing that interested me in the book at all. I found in many parts of the story, wondering what I had just read, I would have to reread that section over again, before I could understand what had happened. There were many sections of the book that I found myself confused. The scene of the book jumped from place to place making it hard to follow. Overall I just did not like the book at all, it just did not answer me from the beginning. | 0negative
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lucky you! a new judith ivory yet to read!
there's 17 other reviews here, so i won't take more of your time going into detail about the plot etc of "The Indiscretion. i just want to say that i *loved* it and throw my vote in with those of you who give it 5 stars.i gotta say, though...if you're still reading through 17 different reviews to find out if you should read "The Indiscretion", you are most probably a reader who hasn't yet encountered Judith Ivory.for if you had, it is likely that you would either just snap up the book on sight, because you would have become a rabidly ardent fan, or you wouldn't bother reading any reviews about her books, because she's not your cup of tea.those of us who adore her books do so because she EXPECTS her readers to be intelligent and never talks down to them. which means that, sometimes, she doesn't spell everything out for you in capital letters. she expects you to do the mental gymnastics to "get it." this also means that she eschews stereotype protagonists.i noticed someone mentions in an earlier review something like "oh, yuck, i hate books with cowboy heroes." hey!! don't write Sam off because he's a "cowboy." that's just the horse he came in on. (well..train, in this case.)Sam isn't like any cowboy/diplomat you will have met before. i promise you!Judy always has real seeming, complex, 3 D, living/breathing characters. by the end of the book, you will suspect that, like Gepetto's Pinocchio, Judy's characters have "become real people" and are out there living their lives.(check out her site...judithivory.com: her literary offspring send "mom judy" mail from time to time to keep her apprised of their lives "after the book ends." isn't that considerate of her characters? don't we wish OUR non-literary kids would do the same, hm?anyway, gf's, i hope you love the book! you lucky fish. i wish *i* had the pleasure of anticipating and devouring a fresh, never-read judith ivory book. | 1positive
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Excellent
I had read the Clan of the Cavebear series a few years ago and loved it. I wanted to share it with my husband who isn't much of a reader. He spent every spare moment listening and loving this series. We are both currently listening to The Land of Painted Caves.The reader Sandra Burr makes the story come to life. She reads so fluently and is a pleasure to listen to. Jean Auel is an amazing Author and Sandra Burr really compliments her work. | 1positive
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Thirteen at dinner, By Agatha Christie
Thirteen at dinner is about an actress who falls in love with a man called Lord Edgware and decides to marry him. After about 6 months she is sick of him and wants a divorce. He refuses and so she has Hercule Poirot go talk to him. He suddenly accepts and sends Poirot on his way. Poirot tells the actress (Jane Wilkinson) the good news. The next day Lord Edgware is found dead, stabbed in the back of the neck at about a quarter to eleven. And it is up to Hercule Poirot, Hastings, and Japp to find out why he was murdered and who did it.The author wrote this book in an adult style of writing, using a bit of French (very little so little that it is not needed in the book, just there for show).I did like this book because I found it interesting to follow where the characters went, and tried to guess who killed Lord Edgware. This is a very interesting book because in the beginning of the book there are not very many suspects but as u go farther in the book it becomes more of a challenge to guess who did it, but finally at the end it becomes very hard because there as so many people with motives. If you're a person looking for an interesting book with a challenge in it, this is the book for you. | 1positive
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Best little book
This is the best little book in the world to explain God's Word. It makes it simple enough for a child to understand. I have given several to new Christians or someone who just wants to understand God better. I still use it myself to help me understand better. One of my favorite chapters is the one on prayer. It addresses who may pray, to whom should we pray, who is our mediator in prayer, what can keep God from hearing our prayers, and many, many other questions. It explains what God is like and what happens to our souls after death. You may want to get several of these little books because I know you will want to share the knowledge you get from it, but you will also want to keep one for yourself. | 1positive
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The machete and masu as tools of state policy
Rwanda, 'the land of a thousand hills' is a beautiful country. Green and mist shrouded - "eucalyptus trees flash silver against brilliant tea plantations; banana trees are everywhere." Apart from Kigali, the urban capital, the country is largely agricultural. There are also many churches dotting the hillsides. From April to early July 1994 Rwanda was no longer green and there was no pastoral tranquility. The countryside was stained red with blood and churches and schools were no longer sources of the simple life but were instead sites for gruesome massacres of tens of thousands of people.What makes the Rwandan genocide by extremist Hutus and their militia, the interahamwe, so chilling, and the telling of it in WE WISH TO INFORM YOU... so beyond comprehension, is not only the scope of it - 800,000 people butchered in about 100 days, but also the familiarity surrounding the killings. These were "neighbors, schoolmates, colleagues, sometimes friends, even in-laws." A further degree of revulsion is added when you consider the choice of weapon used - mostly machete, knife, and masu (nail studded club). It shows that the killers cared little for anonymity; the massacres were not, metaphorically speaking, at arms length, but were instead very personal - the murderers wanted their victims to know who killed them.Obviously the big question this crime poses is why?, and Philip Gourevitch like everyone else when faced with a genocide, struggles with the answer. He says "considering the enormity of the task, it is tempting to play with theories of collective madness, mob mania, a fever of hatred erupted into a mass crime of passion, and to imagine the blind orgy of the mob, with each member killing one of two people." The book however makes it clear that this is an unsatisfactory explanation. Something else was at work, sustaining the killing once the initial frenzy had passed, driving hundreds of thousands of Hutus who "worked as killers in regular shifts" to keep butchering Tutsis. Gourevitch says plainly "mass violence must be organized; it does not occur aimlessly. Even mobs and riots have a design, and great and sustained destruction requires great ambition."Can we then allow ourselves to breathe a little easier now that we know that this evil does not arise spontaneously from within but must first be stoked by external forces? Can we simply blame the state, politics, economics, cultural history, and the ancient memory of injustices? In Rwanda's case add colonialism, religion and ethnicity to the mix. Left as a mere description of the attrocities, this book would simply be sensationalism, but it is far from that. Gourevitch explores the history of Rwanda and while he shows that there are many contributing local factors, his book also shows up the complicity of the international community in two ways:(1) There were very visible signs for all to see that trouble was brewing; the genocide therefore was preventable. Particularly so since there was a history of Hutu persecution of the minority Tutsi and there had been a previous slaughter of 10,000 Tutsis in 1959.(2) Belgium and France were blinded by colonial perceptions and interpretations of the issues, seeing a 'tribal war' and a 'peoples genocide'. The latter being used as explanation in that the Hutus were rising up against attacks by the Tutsi dominated guerilla group - the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). The UN and the US were simply immobilized by policy. In the case of the UN, policy was ineffective, and for the US, there was simply a policy vacuum when it came to Rwanda.I have read elsewhere that the US position was guided by our previous experience in Somalia and I believe that. What also seems to have been at work here is the influence of two writers and their work on the thinking, and inaction, of the Whitehouse on the Rwandan genocide. Samuel Huntington's CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS and Robert Kaplan's essay THE COMING ANARCHY, spoke about 'new tribalism' and 'virulent nationalism'; ideas which also contributed to the paralysis that gripped the Pentagon when it came time to contemplate involvement in ENS (ethnic, nationalistic and secessionist) warfare. It's a well known fact that president Clinton quoted Kaplan as defense (contrary to the author's intention) against US involvement in Bosnia. The same thinking was applied here.ENS, new tribalism or whatever other euphemism or jargon jingling sound bites policy makers choose to come up with, genocide is a crime against humanity and there is no obfuscating the issue. Inaction in the face of it is almost as great a crime as the killings. This is the blunt, condemnatory message of WE WISH TO INFORM YOU... | 1positive
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A very miserable read.
I don't know how this book made it to the bestseller list. It was a gift from a well-meaning friend (I live in the area where the story is set), but apart from some pleasing turns of phrase and the minor interest sparked by the story of Ada, Ruby and Ruby's father, this was an unenjoyable slog. Not worth the time and effort. | 0negative
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The technical depth of Clancy, a Jance-like plot - very good
If you don't think the market can ever crash again, this book is not only entertaining, but it is also exceptionally educational in a not-too-painful way. The reality of the world's interlocked financial system is almost as bad as the "bad guys" in this financial thriller. With the exception of wanting to kill the occasional roadblock in the path to their financial profits, the bad guys in this book seem to think - and act - a lot like any other aggressive group of traders. So when young Wall St. attorney Rick Hansen takes over a job where his predecessor was mysteriously killed, and gets sucked into the complexities of the trading jungle, you're not sure if the system will topple over on its own, or with a little help from a criminal conspiracy using the latest super-computers and software wizardy. Even if you've never traded an option in your life, this is definitely a must read - like the early Paul Erdman (Crash of '79, etc.) novels. | 1positive
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Living with the ouch
A no-nonsense layman's source of information on a subject that is affecting more and more people. The breakdown of each arthritic area and the ways to treat we're particularly helpful. Nicely done. | 1positive
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magna carta
Holt's Magna Carta is an interesting study of the politics behind the formation of Magna Carta. The author's exploration of the political and legal crises in medieval times conveys how this charta was a result of war and injustice. The author connects many legal principles, such as individual rights, of the modern era and roots them in their medieval past. This book is detailed and long, but worthwhile to students of legal, medieval, or English history. | 1positive
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A Snooze
Set in Cape Cod, Rose Connors's series features attorney Marty Nickerson and her lover Harry Madigan. In the third outing of the series, Harry asks Marty to take on the murder defense of his law school lover of twenty -five years ago.One of Rose Connors strengths is characterization. They are real in a fascinating larger than life kind of way. It is fun to read about them. The weakness in this book was the plot. It was not suspenseful at all and really made the book drag through three-quarters of the book. I really wanted to like it, but in the end it just seemed boring. | 0negative
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For Pot-Smoking Philosophy Majors ONLY
I am NOT a "Dune" (or sci-fi) fanboy. I like a well written book with a good plot, but am not genre specific. I am 36 years old and read "Dune" for the first time a month ago. It is a very good book. The Greatest Sci-Fi novel ever? I'm sceptical of that claim, but I would recommend it to anyone who likes a very good, intelligent, action-packed adventure novel."Dune Messiah", on the other hand, is almost a travesty - MASSIVELY underwhelming. There is virtually no action in this one. Just a bunch of crusty middle aged people talking...and talking...and talking. Though the ending is satisfying, and there is something almost resembling action at about the 250 page mark, it is otherwise devoid of excitement.Reading this book was like being the only sober college student in a room filled with pot-smoking philosophy majors. The same points get repeated over and over again, until you can bearly stand it. There ARE some interesting ideas in this book (particularly about how extraordinary men and their actions are twisted to serve the purposes of their warped followers, a la Jesus Christ), and dozens of wonderful lines to quote, but not nearly enough to justify it's 300+ page length. It is almost necessary to read, since it does complete the story of Paul Atreides, but it would have been so much more bearable if it had been half the length.I will NOT be reading any more Dune books, as the general consensus is that each sequel is progressively worse than the one before. I believe it now. | 0negative
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Good book for people who are interested but not experts
This is a very good book for an overview of the state of the automotive business world. Note if you are a total gear head, work in one of these companies, etc.. this book will probably not be of interest to you as it doesn't ever go that deep.I especially enjoyed reading about Hyundai (the make of my own car), as well as BMW. Also enjoyable in the book is it's interesting descriptions of the automotive factories in the south (foreign makes). I've always thought the whole buy American notion was silly given that cars are made here anyways and this book only reaffirmed that believe for me. | 1positive
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This book should most def. be read by everyone
There is no excuse not to read this book. It is amazing and would be loved by all who read it. | 1positive
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Wonderful Fantastic Awesome
This was a fantastic read. The characters were real and i just fell in love with each one of them. You will not be disappointed with this book. | 1positive
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Will buy from them again!
I ordered this copy of Ulysses from the Rookshelf and was very pleased. Not only is the book in great condition, but they even wrote me a note on the packing slip! I know that is a small thing, but it is the type of gesture that makes me want to order from them again. I really appreciated it! Merry Christmas. | 1positive
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Spin the bottle
Truth or dare. Copernicus again settles the nature vs. nurture debate on human sexuality. Are you heterosexual or homosexual or bisexual? Copernicus again will answer that question for you, and THE ANSWER WILL SURPRISE YOU! :) | 1positive
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Please don't let Jordan die before he finishes this
Things are shaping up nicely in book 9, and it looks as if this series could actually wrap up soon (which will take about 2,000 pages, knowing Mr. Jordan). The characters are still as real and unbelievably well-developed as always, and the dozens of subplots are finally begining to tie together. Some confusion does arise when minor characters that haven't been seen in the last few books pop up, but there are plenty of resources on the internet to refresh your memory. A great series that everyone, regardless of their opinions of the "Fantasy" genre, should read. | 1positive
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Not One of My Favorites
I will admit that I read this for an advanced high school English class last year, making me one of those notorious 'immature high school reviewers.' However, I'm an English major, and I try to give each book an equal chance and see how they fared in the end. Well, here is Tess:I'm a reader who minds terribly when realism is outweighed by drama and romance. It sounds terrible, I know, but I prefer realism, and become frustrated when there's too much drama and love in a book. 'Too much' is a matter of opinion, of course, but in my opinion, Tess contains too much. It begins to sound overly-Victorian. One bad, dramatic thing after another takes place, and each occurrence seems forced, as though Hardy pushed it onto the paper to further the development of another bad thing. You could say that this is called *plotting*, but it comes across to me as bad plotting.Remember, this is coming from a person who prefers Edith Wharton and John Dos Passos as their recreational reading. Drama and fiction are all okay in my book, but too much of anything is bad. Hardy needs more moderation, in my opinion. So to finish fairly, I'll say that Tess of the D'Urbervilles makes a great dramatic Victorian novel with a beautiful tragic message. However, readers like myself, who are frustrated by large amounts of romance,tragedy,and beauty, will agree that two stars is a perfect rating. | 0negative
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A guide with the best practices for user-centered design for the web
Garrett has made a reputation in the Web world through his time at the helm of Adaptive Path, which he founded several years ago. Back in 2002, he published this book, aimed at providing a framework for designing for the Web (and arguably for other media) with the user in mind. His proposed methodology is so effective that, even five years after the publishing date, the book still is valuable and relevant. The only parts in the book where time has made it less useful are the sections at the end of each chapter, where Garrett proposes Further Reading resources, many of which have already been superseded with more recent publications.As for the framework, Garrett proposes an approach that goes from general to specific, laying out the groundwork first by getting the strategy plane solidified with clear site objectives based on user needs. Once the strategy is clear, the scope of the project can be defined, through functional specifications and a description of content requirements. The next layer up corresponds to the structure plane, where interaction design and information architecture take place. Next up, in the skeleton plane the interface, navigation and information design (in the form of the familiar wireframes) can be designed, leaving for last the visual design at the surface plane.As a web project manager and product manager for many years, I found Garrett's "Elements of User Experience" a confirmation of the best practices that anybody wanting to succeed at creating successful web products should take into account throughout the pre-production and production phases. | 1positive
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THE quintesential book towards self-understanding.
So far (as of 8-4-99), EVERY customer review of this book has been 5 stars. That says everything about the quality of this item as it goes indepth to define love as a social and personal experience and responsibility, and not just a chemical reaction. There hasn't been a person I've given this book to yet who hasn't thanked me afterwards for the insights that it has provided. If you own one book on personal psychology, this is it. | 1positive
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Gift she asked for
The receipe book came in more used than I expected but the price reduction was worth it. Since this is a gift for my sister, I can only comment on the pictures and some of the receipes are using parts of animals that sound surprisingly healthy and good! | 0negative
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Lowest Common Denominator Catholicism
After several generations of Catholics have received sloppy to bad instruction in the Faith, it's sad that authors like Groome are reduced to adopting a lowest-common-denominator approach to defining Catholicism. Simply put, there's more to being a Catholic than simply calling yourself one.What ought to "make us Catholic"? According to the Catholic Church:You need to strive to know, love, and serve God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit (Jn 6:27, 17:3; 1 Cor 8:3; CCC 1).You need to commit yourself to being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Since Christ continues to act in the world through the Church with which He is one body, Catholics believe complete discipleship involves adhering to Christ's Word as presented in the teachings of the Catholic Church (Eph 4:11-16).You need to follow the teachings of the Church. This means assenting to all that the Magisterium (the pope and the bishops united with him) teaches as true concerning faith and morals and, by God's grace, living accordingly (Mt 18:15-18; 2 Thess 3:6; CCC 150, 892). To his disciples Christ said, "Whoever listens to you, listens to Me. Whoever rejects you, rejects Me. And whoever rejects Me, rejects the One who sent Me." (Lk 10:16) The Magisterium carries on this mission. When the Magisterium teaches, it is Christ teaching us through it.You need to receive Christ's grace through the sacraments. This includes receiving the sacraments of initiation - Baptism (Acts 22:16), Confirmation (Acts 8:14-19), and the Holy Eucharist (Acts 2:42)); the sacraments of healing - Reconciliation (Jn 20:21-23) and Anointing of the Sick (Jas 5:14-15)); and those related to the particular vocation to which God is calling you - Holy Matrimony (Eph 5:31-32) or Holy Orders (1 Tm 4:14)). The sacraments are visible, effective signs of Christ's invisible action (CCC 1113, 1127, 1129).Finally, Christ exercises His pastoral and kingly authority over His followers through the pastors of His Church (Eph 1:22-23, 4:11-12). You need to obey their lawful authority as a way of obeying Christ (1 Jn 4:6). Following the pastors includes observing the six precepts of the Church (Jn 14:16):1. Attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days (Ex 31:13-17; CCC 2180).2. Confess one's sins at least once a year (if one is conscious of mortal sin) (Jas 5:14-16; CCC 1457).3. Receive Holy Communion during the Easter season (Acts 2:42; CCC 1389).4. Observe appointed days of fasting and abstinence (Acts 13:2-3; CCC 2043).5. Contribute to the support of the Church (Gal 6:6).6. Observe the marriage laws of the Church (Rom 7:2-3).These precepts are all ways our basic Christian commitment to follow Christ is lived out in His Church.It is important to remember that these precepts are minimal acts of discipleship. Some people adopt a sort of legalistic approach to such requirements and ask "What is the bare minimum I have do?" This is something like a husband asking, "How often do I have to kiss my wife?" This is not a sign of a particularly healthy relationship. The precepts of the Church are more like a sketch, a basic outline of a portrait of a disciple. It is the task of each of us to use the gifts God has given us to fill in that portrait with the oil paint of faith, hope, and charity, and make it as beautiful as we can.** To find out more about "what it means to be Catholic", try reading books like "Catholic Christianity" by Peter Kreeft" and "Living the Catholic Faith" by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput. | 0negative
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Samurai Soap Opera
I was drawn to this book because of the subject matter/time period (medieval Japan) but was sorely disappointed by this unremarkable book.A major frustration came from the "arm's length" feeling of the characters; one would think that the 3rd person narration would be a useful vehicle to allow the author to delve deeply into the minds and personalities of multiple characters, but it really doesn't happen. The two main characters get the most, but even they don't get nearly as much as they should, considering the fact that the brunt of the story revolves directly around them.Lady Utsu is the dubious heroine; she is unabashedly and admittedly icy and calculating, and there are no positive elements to round her out. Not surprisingly, it's hard to care about or root for this person. Also, for someone who is described in the cover blurb as a "supreme poetic genius," her infrequent poems don't do much.The other characters didn't get enough development, so they didn't give you much to think about; some in particular could have been expanded much more. For example, Aki, Utsu's servant through part of the story, could have served as a nice foil to Utsu's iciness, had she been more developed.Another big problem is the writing style. Ms. Schaeffer should be reminded of one of the axioms of writing: "Show, don't tell." So much of this book consisted of "Let's tell each other what we're going to do before we do it and then do it!"There are so many "he said/he did"s that it gets very repetitive, and almost like a report, rather than flowing fiction.I'm wondering who wrote the excessive superlatives in the cover descriptions ("a sweeping novel of epic range and depth...a great and moving love story") because I found none of these qualities in this book. The love story of Utsu and Matsuhito was flat and uninspired (it didn't even seem like they cared about each other), the plotline dragged (for the last 1/3rd of the book I kept thinking "Where is this going?") until it meandered at last to a close, and much of the dialogue was so stilted as to be ridiculous ("you annoying person!").The storyline would have been decent, but it just couldn't rise above all these flaws. Based on this book, I really wonder who bestowed upon the author the epithet of "one of America's most acclaimed writers." She's evidently prolific (has no less than 12 other books, according to the author blurb), but quantity does not equal quality.If you would like to read a novel set in ancient Japan with a poet as heroine, try Liza Dalby's "Tale of Murasaki," a well-researched and infinitely more descriptive novel based on the life of Lady Murasaki Shikibu. The character of Murasaki is far more developed, interesting and worthy of the reader's compassion; Utsu pales in comparison. | 0negative
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Riveting
I remembered bits of this story from newspaper accounts, but the in-depth investigative account in this book is riveting. This is not a simple telling of a story. It's very detailed, and maybe even tedious at points. But in the end, it's important that you know the specific ins and outs of the lives chronicled in the book. I was utterly engrossed in this book. It pulls you into the lives of the Fahey family and makes your heart go out to them. You won't be able to put this down. | 1positive
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Moody, Sensual and Suspenseful
Setting - New Orleans, 1874 -- Juliet Boucheron, a beautiful young widow had survived the Civil war. Along with her son Andre, and sisters Mignon and Ginette they managed to make ends meet by letting rooms out at their beloved family home La Belle du Temps on the banks of the Mississippi river. As unscrupulous investors pressured her to sell, Juliet was determined more than ever to hang on to this last legacy. After a decade of widowhood rumors surfaced that her husband was alive and had stolen a fortune in gold intended for the rebuilding of the South. Juliet hired an investigator to discover whether her husband was a hero, or the thief and traitor many believed him to be.On the same day Stephen Trevelyan appeared at her door wanting to rent a room she had received a disturbing missive from her investigator warning her to trust no one - she was in grave danger. Somewhat skeptical of him, Juliet knew he was from wealth, but his explanation of being a writer and needing a quiet place to work seemed logical. From the very beginning, Juliet found herself drawn to Stephens quiet strength. Both found they could not resist their physical attraction. As strange and malevolent incidents began to occur targeting members of her family, Juliet prayed that Stephens embrace would not cost her all she holds dear. Someone, or something was trying to force Juliet to run from the last bastion of what was left of her heritage and the first real passion she'd ever experienced.--- This was an exciting and moody suspenseful thriller as well as a lusciously sensual tale that was well written and totally engrossing. Having finished St.Giles fabulous debut, THE MISTRESS OF TREVELYAN, where Stephen featured prominently, I was delighted to see him find his way back from despair and find his soul mate in the strong and resourceful Juliet. The steamy imagery created of the New Orleans locale complemented the exact mood called for in this completely mesmerizing tale that will leave the reader entertained from beginning to end and longing for more!Marilyn,[...] | 1positive
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I don't get it
I first heard of this book some two years ago, and has considered reading it ever since, but have never gotten to it. Now with the award there seemed to be no way of coming up with excuses for delaying it further. Reviewing it, however, I have never had the intention of doing. It is obvious that the most discussed book by the most recent Nobel Laureate is going to get its fair share of reviews without my assistance, and I would never dream of burdening already exhausted Amazon.com customers with yet another one if I didn't feel I had something original to contribute. So, needless to say, I think I do.Let me, before I begin, just note that I will ignore the issue of translation. I read the Swedish edition, which is supposed to be quite true to the original. It is the one considered by the Nobel Committee, and if it's good enough for them, it should be good enough for me.Fateless, or Step by Step, as another edition was called (both titles make good sense once you get to the end of it) is a semi-autobiographical novel about a fourteen year old boy who gets deported to a concentration camp. It is nowadays quite common to equate "concentration camp" with "Auschwitz" and this is indeed what has been done on the back flap of at least one edition. The main character, however, spends a mere three days in Auschwitz, and these days he considers rather pleasant. From that point and onwards he bides his time in Buchenwald and Zeitz.The book starts off good, and the scenes with the nave boy who wonders why everybody's so upset about his father being deported and feels awkward about his family members crying, are brilliant. But their strength lies solely in the reader's expectation of the brutal awakening that the boy in question will experience after himself having been deported, and, the trouble is, it never comes. The whole book is written in an extremely detached manner, and the protagonist doesn't seem to care much about the horrors of the camps, if he even mentions them, so why should we? I have to vehemently disagree with previous reviewers' use of adjectives such as strong, harsh, powerful etc. to describe this book. I have waded through a decent amount of literary depictions of the Holocaust, most written by survivors, and every single time I have cried my eyes out. This did not happen here. In fact, by the end of the book I was frankly bored. One reviewer mentioned the style being reminiscent of Camus, and I can see why, as the protagonist clearly shares a number of traits with the catatonic anti-hero of The Stranger. Furthermore, the similarity between their reactions to the death of a close family member is uncanny. But whereas Camus brilliantly used Meursault's indifferent and dispassionate reactions to illuminate the meaninglessness of existence, Kertész merely fails to provide us with a believable story. I left the book thinking that maybe concentration camp life wasn't so bad after all.I realize that I may be missing something here, and some reviewers' suggestions that the author's objective was really to get the dullness or normalness of everyday life in the camps across, rather than to give a believable account, is perhaps indicative of what. But I won't pretend as if I think the emperor is all dressed up just because other people think he is.While waiting for someone to explain what the fuss is all about, I will take the opportunity to recommend Art Spiegelman's "Maus," in my opinion one of the strongest, and best, first person depictions of the Holocaust there is, although the medium may not be for everyone (it's a graphical novel). I especially encourage the reviewers who were shocked by this book to have a look at it. You're in for the ride of your life. | 0negative
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