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Review from City High School Student
The book Dog Soldiers has a good story line, but the writer makes it kind of hard to understand the story. I like the idea of the book, but I don't think it is written very well. The business about overseas drug dealing is very realistic. It seems that lots of drug dealers get their drugs someplace where it is cheap, and bring it back to the United States, and sell it for big bucks. The main characters are Ray Hicks, John Converse, and Marge Converse. Ray Hicks and John Converse are in Vietnam at the beginning of the story. John and Marge are married, and Marge works at a strip club, and John is a reporter in Vietnam. John Converse, and Ray Hicks are drug dealers. The story gets hard to follow when the characters are running around all over, because the writer doesn't explain who everybody is, and what they are doing with them. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good book. | 0negative
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Kid Knit
Some good projects for the young knitter to learn/do. I am a medium knitter and trying to teach granddaughters to knit and there are good ideas in this book for both levels. | 1positive
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had to read, class requirement
Had to read this book for a class during my Master's in Social Work. Interesting points of view from a wide variety of authors. Not something that you would just pick up and read for fun. Although having different authors is a nice idea in reality it make the flow of the book difficult to follow. | 0negative
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Pyrotechnic Insanitarium
I heard Dery interivewed on KPFK in Los Angeles, and wondered if he was as gleefully subversive, jarringly insightful and downright hilarious in print. I wasn't disappointed! Imagine a brains-sloshing rollercoaster ride where your IQ is ten points higher--rather than lower--when you disembark. That's what you're in for.austro@excite.com | 1positive
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Please get me, pregnant!!!
How often do you hear that? NEVER! This book was so intensly facinating that you can't help but keep reading. Sure, it was perverted and there was a lot of swearing, but I think the author was just telling it like it is. Atwood kept the book and me going so strong, I kept thinking this was an actual journal I was reading! I may be 16 years old, and I may have been reading this for a school project, but the teacher suggested it to me. And I suggest it to anyone who has strong points of view of how a "Christiansociety" would work. Believe me, you won't take everything you have for granted any more! And if this book was "too grown up" for you, I suggest you read something else, along the lines of THE GIVER, if that isn't too perverted. | 1positive
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Masterwork
"Set Theory and It's Logic" has cast a long shadow since it's first appearance. It is quite simply the crowning work of one of the 20th century's most distinguished philosophers. Sober, clear, and direct (and yet unpretentious and very friendly), it is illuminating to anyone who has the patience to slowly sip it and consider the the way the arguments build up from line to line and page to page a seemingly indestructible house of cards. If one is unprepared for the rigors of the book, that can be easily remedied--Quine also wrote the best introductory book on Logic, "Methods of Logic", which he took through several editions before his death. That book assumes no backround in logic, and a beginner who works her way through the exercises will find herself well-prepared for the magic tricks in "Set Theory and its Logic". I wished we taught this stuff in the public schools, along with mathematics, and (to keep the old dialectic rolling) Homer, Shakespeare, Dante, Tolstoy, Dickinson--the great poets. I might be dreaming, but we may have, at the very least, more ethical scientists, more humane poets, or just plain old more interesting people--who know what the foundations of their thoughts actually assume. A classic. | 1positive
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Odious, horrible book
Odious. Horrible. Terrible. Avoid at all costs. Where is the "0 Star" rating? Someone please explain how this drivel is a "raucous comic novel" and a classic. Not even slightly amusing. Just pedestrian prose about a sad and violent drunk chasing and beating women and destroying his life.... Book club discussion will be brief, for sure. Everyone has hated it. The New Yorker states: "No contemporary writer is better than Donleavy at his best." Huh? | 0negative
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Summer of the Swans
The boring book I read was "Summer of the Swans." The author is Betsy Byars. It won a newberry award, but it didn't deserve it. It had no detail, when Sara blamed a boy who didn't do something she cried and didn't even say sorry.Sara, the main charecter who complains about everything "My feet are to big, my nose is crooked, and my shoes are ORANGE!!!!!Then there is Charlie who is mentaly handicapped, but he likes the ticking of his watch because he is MENTALY HANDICAPPED!!!They both live with Aunt Wille who is causous about everything "You can't ride on that motorcycle you'll fall and break your neck but it's not even a motorcycle it's a scooter." They live in a nice neighborhood where everybody is nice except 1 person, JOE because Sara thinks he stole her little brother's watch so she puts "fink" on his back through the school day, and it ends up not even being him.The problem in the story is that Charlie likes the swans at the lake and wants to see them at night so he runs away and gets lost. Sara trys to find him and on the way she meets Joe and learns he didn't do it so they both look for him but, I can't tell you the rest of this stupid book.If you have ever read the "Ugly Duckling" you will know how Sara feels at the begging of the story she feels ugly but at the end she feels good about herself because she learned the truth about Joe and had a great summer.If you have a reading comprehenshion of about 3 you could read this book but I wouldn't recommend it. | 0negative
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Revisiting "The Hobbit"
I read "The Hobbit" a long time ago and loved it. Not it is available on Kindle - that makes it even more lovable! J. R. R. Tolkien has a way with words and a story that never grows old. Read it and enjoy it as much as I do! | 1positive
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Great Short Mythology skits
If you are teaching Greek Mythology, this is the book for you. the book includes everything from a pronunciation guide to delivery and costumes suggestions. This is a great way to either begin or end a unit on lythology, pair it with some read-a-louds of Greek or Roman myths and your students will become well versed in ancient Greece. Just be certain to use the pronunciation key because some of the names and locations can be tongue twisters. | 1positive
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lake news
I just couldn't get into this book, I'll try to restart it at a later date, when I'm less busy,like over the summer. | 0negative
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The Summons
Very disappointing, shallow story, too short. Mr Grissom has apparently forgotten what got him to be a best selling author. He has lost me as a customer. | 0negative
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Fails to deliver
Although I found The Birth of Venus to be a fascinating account of an historical era, I also found it to be a disappointing personal story. Many relationships in the story are explored but few if any deepen or resolve themselves or result in growth of the characters involved. The pivotal relationship between the main character, Alessandra, and the painter fall far short of the mark - can two people who have only been in each other's company for several hours really kindle a love relationship that lasts through the years? Although it is considered an adult book and perhaps should be, considering the coarse language and sexual imagery, Alessandra has the maturity of a teenager; not surprising since she is only fourteen when the story begins. I found it a bit disconcerting that the first two chapters of the book were written in the present tense (giving it a childlike quality) which was then replaced inexplicably with the past tense. The understanding and resolution of Alessandra's relationship with her brothers and mother were weak; her relationship with her husband had potential but still failed to satisfy. Her relationship with her slave was solid and unchanging. I found the opening prologue, set in the future, extremely intriguing, but the explanation at the conclusion seemed implausible, if not downright ridiculous. The historical account of Savonarola's reign in Florence in the 15th century was, however, well done. I had heard of the Bonfire of the Vanities and the way that the author leads you to this historical event was entirely believable. The political issues of the times, though glossed over, were presented and various cultural elements of the era such as etiquette, medicine, clothing, food, social structure, and religious and social customs were woven into the fabric of the book. One exception to the plethora of details, however, was the art of fresco painting - a skill that requires much practice and is not something that a beginner could do successfully on the first try. Despite the shortcomings I've outlined, however, The Birth of Venus still manages to please many. When I checked out the book at the library, the librarian said, "Ooh, I just loved that book!" To each his own. | 0negative
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Blah. I'd rather have the game manual.
This book came free with the "Battle Chest" but I really wish they had included the game manual instead. (If you want that, you have to print it from the PDF file on the CD.) The "strategy guide" is really a rehashed reference for the different races which could be useful if not for the choppy, amateurish writing, and just the enormous amount of black ink used in printing this book (I half expected my fingers to get black from flipping through the pages). The maps are slightly helpful, but really close to worthless because of the poor contrast and lack of color. So far, I have gone through every mission on my own without the strategy guide, only consulting it after I completed a mission. I found their "strategies" to really lack imagination and in some cases were completely unrealistic. Their main take on each mission is to do as little as you have to in order to win the mission and advance to the next. I find a lot more fun in exploring all the map area and wiping out any enemy that exists. Anyway, maybe the strategy guide for the expansion pack will be better. I recommend not bothering with this one. (StarCraft, though, is a superb game!) | 0negative
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Clear Cut, Straight to the Point
Michael Moore might not be the best researcher out there, and he may not be the most eloquent writer, but no one provides a more unclouded, non-selfish diagnosis of today's problems than he does (and what's more, he doesn't insult your intelligence by tossing the word "traitor" around like a dirty rag).Books like Moore's are absolutely vital in times like these. He doesn't have all the answers--but he does have a clear-cut image of what the problem is. When other political writers flat-out lie (like Ann Coulter) or ignore certain uncomfortable truths (like Al Franken), Moore calls it as he sees it, which is as close to purely honest as you're going to get. This is someone who doesn't have an ulterior motive--he actually wants to change society in a way that he thinks is beneficial. And if he thinks that someone is hurting the "good" of society, he will criticize them, whatever their party.Words can't describe how valuable this book is--except the words in the book itself. If you care about anything in the entire world, read this book. | 1positive
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The Life Lessons Could Have Been Written Better
In any life one learns things of value which could be shared with others to help them understand our world. Maya Angelou obviously had many interesting experiences, but the manner in which she tells is, well, perverted. Sure she was raped and had a promiscuous sexual encounter. But, really, how is the explicit and graphic description going to help me? How will this perversion make me a better person? And the short response to that is: It won't. | 0negative
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The Pearl
The book The Pearl is about a guy name Kino. He is a pearl diver that lives in Mexico. He is poor and barely makes enough money to survive. He has daughter son named Coyotito. She was a young and healthy baby and was by the way very young. Even though Kino was a pearl diver he didn¡t make much cause he didn¡t know how to do business.I liked this book cause of the moral of the story. This book was very interesting it told us that money or goods isn¡t everything to life. One of the things they said was ¡You will die from greed¡. And another quote is ¡You will die trying¡. This meant that it will take over you and destroy you from the inside d I also had some dislikes from this book.There weren¡t really that many things I disliked from this book. The only thing I didn¡t really like was of how short the story was. It didn¡t give enough details about how everything happened. There wasn¡t enough action in this book either. The only action was kind of at the end of the book. And that was the saddest part of the book.My favorite part of the book is at end. It is when Kino throws the pearl out into the ocean. He figures out that the pearl has taken control of him. He was the greediest guy in the world. So he just chucks the big pearl into the water. So that¡s how it ends. | 1positive
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Best buy I have done.
This isnt my first "learn a software book". But one thing that always happend was that I was bored after a week. That was not the case with this book. There was around a 100 pages of theory at the begining, and it all made sense. It really got me going, so I could see the theory in practical use. I was at the time I bought the book, virtualy unknow to the MAX interface, and use. After a week or two, I was modeling, texturing and rendering away. It was great to get over that threshold, from where MAX was alien teritory, to a software that can do incredible things.If you have NEVER used MAX, this is the book for you. The tutorials are easy to follow, and teach you alot.For MAX 2.5 users: you can still use the book, there are just a few things that are missing. But nothing much. I still recomend it.Thomas | 1positive
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Jude the Obscure is a beautiful book about human nature.
Thomas Hardy, in Jude the Obscure creates a character who is important, not only because Jude is struggling for a better life, but because he is human. Jude often becomes sidetraked from his true goal, but often begins to fight as soon as he realizes what he has done. The story is beautifully well written, with characters the reader can sink their teeth into. Hardy is a master of the human condition, he understands the underlying principles of life and portrays them vividly so that we all can learn important lessons from reading his work | 1positive
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Book Review Jack the Ripper Case Closed
I'll make this short and to the point. Cornwell needs to stick to fiction because this is the worst book of her's I have ever read. It is very boring, so boring I found myself scanning over pages to get to the real case of Jack the Ripper. I wont buy her books again for sure! | 0negative
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Helpful understanding of logic for LSAT prep
As a professional LSAT tutor/blogger in NYC, I believe this book is helpful, but not necessary, for LSAT prep.At 144 pages, it's short and sweet. It's also the first-ever logic textbook (originally published 1941, revised 1980). It discusses many basic issues (necessary/sufficient, etc.) relevant to LSAT logic. If you have the time/inclination, feel free to give it a read, but it's by no means necessary. | 1positive
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Go ahead and yawn, you won't miss anything
I understood that The Moonstone is a classic so I decided to read this to be culturally literate. Well the story line may be interesting but the writing is atrocious. It is curricular, bloated, and seemingly pointless. The characters just keep rattling. A lot of writers fill in the story with descriptions of time and place to give an atmosphere to the story. This writer (Wilkie Collins) just fills it with unrelated trivia. Every once in a while I would go back a few pages to see what I must have missed. When I read again there was nothing there to miss. Ether Wilkie is extremely monotonous or other writing from this period is and I am just now lucky enough to find out. I talked to others about this and they said; "Now you know why Sherlock Holmes is so popular" | 0negative
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Excellent Reference
I love this book. It helped me make my registry and saved me and my family coutless dollars. | 1positive
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Silicon Valley Entrepreneur
I found The Universe in a Single Atom to be an insightful book. In seemingly simplistic ways, the Dalai Lama is able to penetrate the most puzzling aspects of reality and (as opposed to all western religions) knows no bounds. His dialogs and discourses with the world most renowned physicists is (imho) fascinating. If you are searching for a short, concise yet mind expanding read ... this is your book! | 1positive
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Black & white reprints of classic four-color comics...?
I honestly don't get the appeal of these books. Why bother making (or reading) black & white reprints of classic four-color comics...? I mean, yeah, the stories are still great and the original comics are hard to find, but a huge part of what made these comics great was the eye-popping artwork, including the bright primary colors: reading them in dull B&W; is just plain wrong. Sure, the printing costs are lower, so you can get more pages for your money, but it's more pages of boring, not more pages of fun. It's really a travesty.On the other hand, it recently occurred to me that these could be used as coloring books... Maybe you could buy a box of crayons to go along with all the artwork that the publishers ruined in this format. (Axton) | 0negative
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Business strategy and the human psyche
I started reading this book expecting to skim and learn a few key points, like with most business books. But I was pleasantly surprised by Trading Up and read it in its entirety. It is a business book, but it's not "just" a business book. It's about history, behavioral psychology, and sociology; fundamentally, it's about people. It's David Brooks (Bobos in Paradise) meets Michael Porter (Competitive Strategy). It includes colorful stories about how and why "middle market" Americans "trade up" on certain classes of products and scrimp on others. I definitely see myself and many of my friends in these stories. The book also includes an interesting discussion of societal trends that the authors argue have enabled trading up to occur, and many of these trends relate to women (working more, earning more, getting married later, etc.). By documented these trends and telling people's stories, the authors make the idea that "consumption can be good" believable - what's wrong with rewarding myself with Belvedere vodka or a Viking range? I work hard! Although some will disagree with this point (The idea of one rewarding oneself, not the point that I work hard!), I found it refreshing to see the authors take a stance and support their points with data and logic. For those more interested in the business strategy side, "Trading Up" documents how a handful of companies have been able to transcend the conventional wisdom and create breakthrough products that people love (and for which they are willing to pay more). The Victoria's Secret story and the Kendall Jackson wine story were particularly strong. If the book has one fault, it's that it could be more concise (about 50 pages more concise). But all in all, I loved it. | 1positive
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Great Story
I love the movie, but the book is so much better. Beautiful edition, even the print is stylish. Reading it was pure pleasure - it took me over a year, as I was sparing the book. My wholehearted recommendation to anyone who loved the movie. | 1positive
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Teach Yourself C++ in 24 Hours by Jessie Liberty
"Teach Yourself C++ in 24 Hours" by Jessie Liberty is an excellent tool for use in learning this difficult subject.The author's program examples are clear and easily related to real-world programming applications. Program application themes he uses are carried throughout the book.Example program code is line-numbered for reference in the follow-up explanatory text. Each example is followed by a representation of the output which would be yielded by execution of the program.This systematic approach is a tremendous aid to understanding.Other books on this topic I have used contained an occasional typo in the sample code, which can be very confusing to a novice student.I didn't encounter any such problems in Mr. Liberty's book.This book has been a very valuable aid to me.I look forward to other programming tutorials by this author. | 1positive
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Absolutely well-written, deeply moving
Absolutely well-written, deeply moving : Nicholas Evans has a rare bright tale. He is a master at bittersweet spirutual stories. I recommend it highly, you will not be disappointed. | 1positive
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No one is left unfed by the fruits of this Perennial Classic!
A timeless classic filled with timeless ideas and ideals.I think Merton writes for all of us in this book. He leads us, he uplifts us, he motivates us, he accuses us, he challenges us, and he comforts us. He exudes such a solid spirituality.I read this for the first time in the mid 70's, riding the #7 IRT subway to and from Manhattan every day. I look back at how Merton (or maybe it was not him) had the ability to captivate me in that environment. He just seemed to draw me in, amidst all the noise and heat of summer (there was no air-conditioning). I still remember the experience--a challenging, transforming, spiritual experience.Part of my memory of this was that I encountered Truth--It was alive!--though I could not always describe how that was so. That memory has always allured me to reread this book. I did--a number of times. A reread of this is a completely new experience! I recently read him again, first the book--next as an audio book. I think the latter experience was even more impressive. Hearing his words has a remarkable effect. I don't think Merton (or Truth) leaves anybody unchanged!You will never consider this a waste of time! | 1positive
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AMAZING!
my husband and i arent religous at all and this book still worked its wonders. my daughter was sleeping through the night at 5 1/2 weeks. if you stay dedicated to what it says you will truely be satisfied. | 1positive
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A depressing, horrible book, read only after you've given up
Please, do not let this be the first book you read when your child is diagnosed. This book is depressing and includes no information about actually helping your child or dealing with the biological aspects of this disorder. This book assumes you have given up on treating your child's illness and that there are no comorbid disorders associated with the autism diagnosis, which is completely wrong. Keep searching, there is help and much better books. | 0negative
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Girl Interrupted
This novel, Girl Interrupted, by Susana Kayson, was a lot different than any other book I have read. It was a true story about a young woman living in a mental institute, and those are topics I'm not used to reading or even hearing about. Nonetheless it was a good story. It was a lot more realistic and raw than most stories I'm used to reading. The author, who was actually the young woman this story was all about, was very honest and detailed about her experiences during her stay and about her emotions. She was very open about how she felt about her mental illness, herself, and the other girls she was living with. I would definitely classify this story as a dramatic non-fiction book. It really gave me a clear picture of what it would be like to live in a mental institute, and to me personally, it seemed very scary. Not only scary, but at times lonely. I felt sorry for these girls, but I also couldn't understand all of them. Even though the author detailed everyday life for her and the other girls very well, she could of detailed the illness's they all suffered from a little bit more. Some of the girl's personalities confused me because I didn't understand the state of mind they were in. It was obvious that the author was resentful towards her parents for putting her in the institute, and at times in denial that she even had a problem. Although, it seems a lot of the girls were in denial. Overall, the story was thrilling and informative at the same time. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys an intriguing and exhilarating story. | 1positive
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My FAVORITE Susan Elizabeth Phillips book!
I absolutely adore Susan Elizabeth Phillips, she is one of my favorite authors ever! Okay, just had to say that first! Now, on with the review of one of my favorite books in the entire world...Sugar Beth? Did I read that right? Sure did! How amazing is that name? When I saw this book I had gotten no further than the first sentence of the synopsis and I had already decided to buy it, I knew that with the leading character named Sugar Beth I would love this book.Ain't She Sweet is one of those books that you finish, and instantly want to reread. This book has betrayal, lies, love, sex and everything in between. The total package okay?You absolutely want to hate Sugar Beth, but you can't. Everyone makes mistakes and SB made more than her fair share! Trying to overcome her reputation as a 'mean girl' in the town she grew up in... Where her illegitimate half sister is now married to her high school sweetheart... She ends up housekeeping for her High School English teacher... The same guy she had rode out of town on a red hot rail...I find myself not even being able to describe how immensely great this book is, because all the words I put together don't do it justice. In short- JUST READ THIS BOOK. | 1positive
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Never gets old
Classic, no matter your age. Once picked up, it's nearly impossible to put down. Love it! Great great great book! | 1positive
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I can't review a product I can't download and read!
Although this product is listed a directly downloadable from Amazon, there is no obvious way to download it. Adding it to the shopping cart just gets the error message to return to the product page to download the file. 'Round and 'round we go... Thanks, Amazon. | 0negative
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what a joke!!
What is the point of doing an interview with traders who act like they have some kind of secert. Wake up people, there is no secret. the secret is mastering yourself. once you have done that and you follow the basic rules of trading, the money will follow. It cracks me up when these traders say they do not want to talk about thier methods. The trend I see is these traders get burned out and go on to writing books and doing seminars and teaching. If they are so successful, lets hear how they became successful. The only part about the book I enjoyed was on Mark Cook. About his persistence to do well. Save your money and learn how to master your own mind. Get trading for a living by mark douglas. | 0negative
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Too Long!
This was the first book by Lisa Jackson I have read. I found this story to be much more of a "romance novel" than mystery. I found that throughout the book, such obvious clues were given, there weren't very many surprises. I had the whole ending figured out about half way through. Ms. Jackson has many fans, however, so I am sure this one book does not speak for all of them. I will read another before I make up my mind about this author. | 0negative
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Waste of money. Don't bother!
I suppose this tiny book is meant to be a comic relief to more serious books, but it's not funny at all, unless maybe you're 12yrs old. Not funny, and it doesn't contain any helpful information. The author is a lobbyist for a fortune 500 company in Washington. Now I know what's wrong with Washington. If you want a book that has some humor but also lots of useful information, try the book "Dad's Pregnant Too". | 0negative
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The Hobbit. A review by a BIG LOTR fan!
This book is awesome! It' rules! In the front of the book there is a map of all the places they went! The book is really good too! In it Bilbo Baggins goes on an adventure with 13 dwarves to retrieve the dwarves' lost treasures that were stolen by a dragon named Smaug. Along the way they fight Goblins, Trolls, Wolves, and giant spiders. Bilbo and the dwarves never have to fight Smaug though. One of the BEST works of all time in my opinion and lots of other peoples' opinions. I STRONGLY encourage you to buy this book. You should also buy the Lord of the Rings because The Hobbit is a prelude to the Lord of the Rings. You can either buy The Lord of the Rings as a trilogy Fellowship of the Ring, Two Towers, and Return of the King, or you can buy all three books in one volume, simply called the Lord of the Rings. You have to get this book!!!!!! | 1positive
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Charles Dickens for Children
After finishing the original text of "A Christmas Carol" my 6 yo child was begging for me to read the story to her. When searching for a version which would suitable for her I came across a copy of the DK Eyewitness Classic at our local public library. It was a hit with our child! The text is a close adaptation of the original text. Throughout the book there are sprinklings of historical facts which are linked to the story through "eyewitness" encounters. At the end of the book is a historical section which deals with the particular time period the story takes place. Plus there is a full page biography of the author. This is a fantastic way to introduce your children to classic literature. | 1positive
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Fluff
ACORNA'S PEOPLE , 4 ,Acorna the unicorn girl was rescued at a very young age by three space miners who happened to stumble across an odd escape pod carrying the youngster. For all their gruffness and inexperience, the three did a very respectable job of raising the precocious child. Acorna grew up to be a very intelligent, resourceful, and caring young woman. With the ability to heal the hurts of others with her horn, Acorna also became a popular "Goddess-like" figure to many.While saving a planet that was held hostage in the grasp of the Piper, Acorna made herself numerous friends. Children who had been slaves were free to have a decent life, no more working in brothels or mines, no more being ill-used at the hands of cruel adults. Acorna also managed to make herself an enemy, one who returns to the picture in this third book of the series. The daughter of the Piper seeks to eradicate the one who ruined an empire she would have ruled, and take revenge for the death of her father. Kisla is a very unstable personality, capable of great cruelty, and she hungers to make Acorna hurt.Acorna managed to find her true people in the last installment, and the Linyaari are a peace-loving telepathic race. Sadly, when Acorna finally makes her way to them, they aren't exactly welcoming of this strange young woman with her aggressive ways. Danger has dogged Acorna all the way, although she didn't know it, and when her people disappear in a mysterious fashion in space, she decides to find out why.With the help of Becker, a rather ribald trader in space junk, and his special temple cat Road Kill, also known as plain old RK, Acorna is able to locate the lost resting place of her ancestors. As well, she is able to rescue her captive kin from the deranged Kisla and bring them all to safety. Naturally, there is a great deal of help from her adoptive family, those she has helped along the way, as well as those who just plain admire everything that Acorna stands for.Although this was an easy and comfortable read - the authors work literary magic in their combined style - I found myself having to fight to finish it. To be honest, this is the third book in a series that I've yet to complete and I am dreading the fight to the end. It's so saccharine and easy to guess the outcome; I expected something more from two talented and very experienced authors. I am disappointed that Acorna seems to walk through everything without ever really being in serious danger, even when she is threatened, you know she'll be okay. It's a bit of a letdown for the reader.It's worth reading if only to find out that Acorna breezed through yet another possible tragedy without much effort. If you happen to like sweetness and sunlight, then this is definitely for you. I only hope that the next segment of Acorna's life will hold more to keep me interested, this was nothing but "fluff" in my opinion.Review Originally Posted at LinearReflections.com | 0negative
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You have to read it, but wait till Paperback.
If you like the series, then you obviously have to read PoD. Just wait untill it's in paperback. While I don't mind the "soap opera", I do mind that this book is missing it's other half. You know, the part with the ACTION. Almost nothing happend in this installment. PoD could be summerized in three chapters. I still have hopes for book 9 though...foolish me. | 0negative
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An excellent approach to learning Hawai'ian
Ecellent approach to the language where the Hawai'ian and English are separated. The movement through the laguage is very practical. Maika'i noo. | 1positive
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Last Chance Cafe
I read this book and really enjoyed it. I like how the everything fell into place the way it did. Not too fast and not too slow. It almost makes you feel like Hallie did go back in time, when really, she was just in another town. She is there and meets all the town people, who all seem like they are from another time. And Chance is described as a cowboy, kindof sexy. ;) Jessie is more apt to ride a horse than drive her car. It is a great book. Any one who is any one will absolutely love this book and the ending doesn't leave you hangin. Highly recommended. | 1positive
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God is an Indifferent Tralfamadorian
*SPOILERS*----------There is something thrilling about reading Vonnegut, the plots and situations are so ludicrous and outlandish yet so delicately conceivable. As far as style goes I'd like to say he's a cross between Palahniuk and Orwell. He has the art of the quip down, but can actually deliver a full plot arch with detailed prose. He does so much with so little. His tiny novels speak volumes more than they should.Just like with Slaughterhouse-Five I now find myself, having just put it down, searching for the missing piece that will align everything properly in my mind. I'm still searching for that with Slaughterhouse-Five, which I finished the first time well over a year ago.The Sirens of Titan takes on something so vast that it's hard to get a solid grasp on it. Dealing with the true purpose for life on Earth is something that many authors try to expand to the level of arrogant size that we think it should be, but Vonnegut took the less traveled road. Vonnegut reduced the whole of human existence to the goal of a far off civilization trying to fix the ship of a messenger in order that he might deliver a one word message to the other side of the universe. The message was simply: Greetings. It's strange to think that all human life with all of its grand accomplishments was originally created for such pointlessness. By going on this voyage, lasting tens of billions of years, Salo, the Tralfamadorian, brought the greatest gift of greeting to our little solar system. He brought us life and the infinite ability to greet one another in whatever way we deem appropriate at any given moment.This is the problem I find with Vonnegut books, as much as I love to think I simply don't have the time to stew over this any longer. There are so many questions: was this message of life the real intent of the original writers? Was it simply an unforeseeable byproduct of a much simpler idea? What the hell is a chrono-synclastic infundibula?As it turns out Slaughterhouse-Five was actually written ten years after this book, so I guess this is where the Tralfamdorians originated in Vonnegut's writing. It's strange that in this book they are machines who only live in three dimensions when in Slaughterhouse-five they are organic and live in four. I guess they needed to serve a different purpose to Billy Pilgrim than they did to Malachi Constant or Winston Rumfoord.Very strange book, but every bit as fantastic as I would have expected from Kurt Vonnegut. This book assures in my mind that Slaughterhouse-Five wasn't just a fluke, and a popular fluke at that, but was in fact another novel in the string that Vonnegut released during his writing days. I look forward to reading his others and recommend them to anyone with an interest in the absurd. | 1positive
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2 years of waiting for horse [poop]
If I had the chance to meet RJ I'd have only one question for him... No, nothing about the charecters that were and still are great.. No, I'd ask him why I should even bother to continue to read this saga. maybe, Just maybe, if he took the last 200 pages of POd and the last 200 pages of WH, and nothing at all from this latest book, then maybe he would have came up with a book worthy of my money and more importantly time. The sad truth is we'll still buy the hard covers and make this clown more millions... I wonder if he has even read what he's been putting out... truly a sad case for what started off so brilliantly | 0negative
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Polaroid Nudes
Why would a photo artist choose a large format for Polariod-sized pictures? That's what you get with Andreas Bitesnich's Pola Nude. There is not one picture in the entire book that takes up more than half the page. With approximately 60% of the pages what you get is two polariod-sized pictures side by side-- quarter-inch white borders and the rest is black background. I get so tired trying to see what the picture is about, that I literally get fatigued looking at this book.Many of the pictures seem interesting. However, with much of the magic of the human form obscured by small format photos lost in a sea of black, there are too few rewards to justify the price. | 0negative
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Totally brilliant
After getting used to the admittedly difficult language (it's written entirely in dialect), I was totally engaged by Welsh's story. This book is a brutally honest look at Scottish junkie subculture and although it isn't pretty, it's one of the funniest books I've ever read. "Laugh out loud" funny, like I think Brett Easton Ellis tries to be but doesn't quite get there. At first I wanted to throw it against the wall because the language was so difficult, but once you get used to their cadence and slang you realize that the book couldn't have been written any other way. Also, although I'm a huge Danny Boyle fan, I'd say in this case skip the movie, 'cause it doesn't even come close! Easily one of the best books of the late twentieth century. | 1positive
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Depressing
We got this book as a housewarming gift. I appreciated the thought but not the book. I moved into a "builder beige" house, and we're working to put color on the walls and in furniture and accessories little by little. You don't need a book to tell you how to decorate with the beige colors that this book promotes. I would be so depressed living with these "Donald Kauffman" colors. | 0negative
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Sick Book By Unhealthy Women. Pity the author...
Have a borderline eating disorder? Want a full blown one? Want to start smoking to curb your appetite? How about fasting for a few days? Pure liquid diet? Abusing ephedra? Getting depressed on purpose so that you will lose your appetite and not eat? Swallow tape worms? If you find these ideas appealing then by all means, read this book. If you have EVER even considered the idea of starving yourself or bingeing and purging, then do not read this miserably, sickening, twisted, self-defeating book. Written by a bunch of sick women who are self-proclaimed gossipers, diet junkies, and bitter at the world, this book revolted me. I was expecting a "tongue in cheek" book that reflected how silly we women can be when it comes to weight obsession and our health. Instead, my ideas that we as women are our own worst enemies, was deeply confirmed. I am truly disgusted. | 0negative
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What a waste!
I brought this book along with me on a recent Island vacation...plenty of time to read a good book or two. After reading the other reviews, I thought this would be a fun read on the beach. WRONG! Maybe I missed the point of the book (is there really one?). The chapters are 3-4 page snippets from a snippy, unappealing narrator. Throughout the book, every once and ahwile there appeared an interesting character or two, but then they would disappear--never resolved or heard from again. Don't waste your time! | 0negative
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Complete awesomeness!
A++++ This is a book that all women should have read years ago. It's the kind of book that you'll find yourself reading again and again and again! | 1positive
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How many sequels are there going to be?
Shouldn't the fact that they are going to come out with so many sequels suggest to you that the authors are in this solely for the money? Also, I find the author comment quite characteristic. All he (JBJ) can talk about is the number of copies sold... Now there is a real writer! As for the book, if you like "National Enquirer", you will love this. | 0negative
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Hours of distraction (days, if you're like me)
I mourned the demise of the New Yorker cryptic, and was elated (Editor hugs the tardy but joyous [6]) when I found this book. Cryptics are very popular in Britain and their former territories, though not as common here in the US. A must for those who enjoy wordplay. | 1positive
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Fairly disappointing
After the fantastic 'Spencerville', 'Charm School' and 'Plum Island' reads, I was anxious for DeMille's latest. Unfortunately, after a great beginning, it turned out to be much like 'Gold Coast' in that not a whole lot actually happened in the book. And the ending was a complete disappointment. Obviously, he's left himself open to write a sequel, but at the reader's expense in this case, I'm afraid. Seven-hundred-and-some-odd pages, and you're just left hanging! I think the author's actual reason for writing this was to see if he could set a world-record for beginning paragraphs with the word 'Anyway'! He's had so many good books, though, that I'll give him another chance... | 0negative
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Just kept on waiting for the brilliance I expected...
I know I am going to get railed with a 2 out of 133 or something for my unpopular opinon, but I think that Gaiman's novel was high on concept and potential but never took off.I find all kinds of mythology interesting, and that is exactly what made me purchase this book and I think Gaiman did a good job of incorporating competeing mythologies into the novel. However, and I know that this is not the most eloquent way to put it, but the book just didn't do it for me. It really just felt like an airport book of the week, like Sidney Sheldon's "Doomsday Conspiracy" which took an interesting topic (at the time) and made an episode of All My Children out of it.I think what it came down to for me was that I never beleived in any of the characters, especially Shadow, and I saw the twists coming from a mile away. I hate saying that, but it is true, the story was transparent.I am not an avid fantasy reader, though I dabble in Sci Fi, so take that into account with my review, but over all, I was just waiting for a bang that never came. | 0negative
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Good research; awful writing
As all the magazine reviews have said, there's a lot of valuable research and privileged information in this book. But what may not be clear, except in the quotation from (of all places) "Entertainment Weekly", is that the writing is quite bad -- as if a very bright scholar or journalist had taken a night-school course in writing an "airport thriller", then talked a friend into publishing it without bringing in a co-writer or a good editor. (An editor is credited, if that's the right word here; I would have withdrawn my name if I were her.)The plot is a little about forensics and epidemiology, new and interesting to most readers, and a whole lot about silly chases through tunnels and shafts, more like the script for a video game than a silly TV movie. What's missing, despite a few tries, is any insight into the only interesting character -- who is, as usual, the Bad Guy, not the Lovely Doctor or the Brave Agent. Worse, by making him a lone madman with a fixed address, rather than a resourceful and rational group, the entire plot becomes "Catch the Serial Murderer", his weapon almost irrelevant, rather than "Defeat Bio-Terrorism", without which there's no reason to publish or read this particular piece of fiction. The bookstores are already full of cops-versus-psycho novels.At the sentence level, Preston's style is full of incorrect syntax, idiom, and semantics; mangled metaphors; pointless brand-names and jargon; jarring shifts between action and exposition -- sometimes within a single paragraph. It's like a poor imitation of the clumsily didactic novels of James Michener or Leon Uris.Perhaps there's something infectious about bio-terrorism as the theme of a bad novel. Tom Clancy's "Rainbow Six" has a very similar theme; the Big Bad Guy and his gang have the same technology and the same motivation (pruning, not profit or political change) -- and it's Clancy's most pointless and poorly-written novel. | 0negative
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The NeverEnding Story been #1 for 14 years now .
I was obsessed with the movie when it was first shown on screen. Soon after, my dad gave me the book. It was the old Penguin paperback version without the red and green print. From the time I was in third grade to forth I must have read it over fourty times. I am 22 years old now. How many more times have I read it since? I love books. I've read tons of them. None of them are remotely as enveloping as the NeverEnding Story. As I grew older the story grew with me. It's been a slightly different story each time, I've noticed. It will never cease to fascinate me. Putting it softly, it has been an odessey of epic proportions for me. I don't know what it would be like for you but if you enjoy reading at all, it goes without saying what book I'd recommend. The 1st movie is a great children's movie. (The 2nd and 3rd, however, are best left unwatched.) The NeverEnding Story is for anyone who can read, regardless of age. | 1positive
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A Great Read!
If you are any age you will love this book. Read it and see! Wilbur goes through many things as he gets sick, hurt, and almost killed if not for his friend Charlotte. He also goes to a fair, meets some interesting new friends, and has many adventures. Also, without the rat Templeton, half of the things that happened with her web convince the famer and his wife the he is "Terrific". I recommend this book to childeren from the ages of eight and up.This book is writtenb in many different voices. one is emotional because, of course, what almost happens to Wilbur. But there is also excitment because Wilbur is a very excited pig. An example of this is when Wilbur first meets Charlotte. He gets very excited. So, the voice in this is mostly excited.This book is aimed to elementary aged childeren but it does have a few words that a young third of forth gradermight not understand. Such as the word ,"sendentary", but in the book Wilbur asks Charlotte what it means and she responds, " Means i sit a good part of the time and don't go wandering all over creation." So this book is age appropraite.This book contains many things. An example of this is when Wilbur first meets Charlotte again. Charlotte tells Wilbur to wait till morning to see her and Wilbur has restless night. Here is a part of that right after Charlotte told him to wait till morning." The night seened long. Wilbur's stomach was empty and his mind was full. ANd when you stomach is empty and your mind is full, it is hard to sleep." This book has humorous parts but also some serious ones too.So I recommend this book to anyone who likes animals and adventure, childeren and s of all ages! | 1positive
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Most troubled romantic lead...
If you ever find yourself trying to read this novel, please do it with an open mind. I started out with some very narrow tunnel vision and gradually, I accepted the fact that this story is about 18th century British Hicks. And when you figure this out, the story unravels into something absolutely amazing. You find yourself drawn to Heathcliff, even if he is troubled and deranged. You find yourself wanting a happy ending and wanting a little more from the characters. AND, Heathcliff does surpass Hamlet or Othello as the most troubled romantic lead character of all time. Long Live Heathcliff! | 1positive
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Beautifully haunting book!
I first read this book as a senior in high school and I absolutely adored it. I think one of the most amazing things about this novel is that the characters aren't exactly likable and yet you love them anyway. I love Heathcliff, though admittedly I wouldn't ever want to date him. I think Heathcliff is one of my favorite likable bad guys in literature along with Severus Snape. I would really recommend this book to anyone looking for a love story that transcends time and life. One of my favorite things about this book is that it's not just some simple love story where the guy falls in love with the girl and then something bad happens that threatens the relationship but it all works out in the end. I think it is even more tragic than Romeo and Juliet and definitely more complicated. Anyway, I highly recommend reading this book. | 1positive
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Was toying like I expected
I was expecting a funny little novel, but it really was drawings of what she wore and a little story with it | 0negative
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This is just sick
Good way to bring your children up being closed minded neo-con zombies! We(that is the working class Mr limbaugh) Allready pay a "socialist " share of taxes and heres the rub...we dont get any benefit from them! Why? because our taxes go to fund corporate welfare programs, our oversized military-industrial complex(now made in china. tm) and basicaly to mismanage the lions share of the worlds GDP. This kinda of BULL-PUCKY makes me sick. Avoid like you would the limbaugh plague(it makes you do closed minded,dumb,and and hooks you on vicodin too) | 0negative
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Dreadful
My wife says that this is her favourite novel of all time. I could not disagree more. Turgid. Dull. Truly awful prose. Surely nobody ever spoke like these utterly implausible characters. Literary mogadon. Don't bother. | 0negative
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Reprint of the OR material
This book is a simple reproduction of most of the Official Records (OR's) material regarding Parson's.It is a good source for reference material, but does not contain much original material in assessing Parsons. It is unclear if the material is complete, or just a partial collection of the records pertaining to Parsons Command. | 0negative
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Overblown and overwritten with a totally unbelievable ending
I should have given up when I found this book absolutely just too heavy to hold, uncomfortable to read in any position. I kept waiting for it to get better but it only got worse. Pages could be skipped with nothing lost. I agree with all who said the ending was a monumental disappointment; it was as if Wolfe couldn't think of what to do with the story he spent ten years creating. I finished it last night and have already forgotten what happened to the main character! And the pompous dedications at the beginning .... please! Next time Wolfe should find a good copy editor. Or maybe just stick to the lecture circuit. P.S. All that excessive translation of the "lingo"--yet we never know just how "Croker" is pronounced! | 0negative
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Gross
I am not a prude by any means, but I found this book to be gross. I only made it through 27% of it and I will not be recommending it to anyone. | 0negative
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Good afternoon read
This classic noir novel does not disappoint, even in our cynical age. This would make a good book for an airline flight or some time when you have a few hours to kill. Very erotic for the time it was written, what was probably as shocking for its 1934 readers was the almost total lack of conscience of the two main characters (it's hard to call them protagonists), until later in the book when Frank starts to be haunted by the Greek while living in his old house. Recommended. | 1positive
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Gardner's other detectives
Erle Stanley Gardner is justifiably famous for his Perry Mason mysteries. Nevertheless, he had other notable mystery series that have fallen in obscurity. Chief among them were the Donald Lam/Bertha Cool series. Lam, a small wiry ladies man starts out working for and then partnering with Cool, a plus sized penny pinching battleship of a woman, in her detective agency. Lam often finds himself working several cases that tie together by story's end.In "Bedrooms Have Windows". Lam finds himself in volved in a couple of murderous incidents. First, Lucille, a lady indistress talks him into taking her to a motel using an assumed name. When the lady disappears, the man whose name Lam signed in under is found dead with his mistress in another cabin of the motel. Lam manages to track the Lucille to her home where she admits him into her bedroom. When she ushers him to her sister's room so he can wait for her to finish dressing, Lam finds himself facing a surprised sister. Suggesting a talk with Lucille will clear things up, Lam and the sister walk in on a strangled Lucille.By the climax of the story, Lam is handcuffed to his nemesis, Sgt. Frank Sellers, as they rush to tie up the murder cases, stop a blackmail ring, solve a woman's mysterious car acccident and get Bertha to take the unusual move (for her)of paying a cab driver and leaving him a tip.Cool and Lam with supporting characters Sgt Sellers and their secretary Elsie Brand are part of a great series by a superior writer that doesn't deserve obscurity. | 1positive
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This was the story of my dreams....
This book kept me sucked in it the entire time and i couldn't put it down. The romance and reality to it kept me thinking the entire time "this is the story of my life"....atleast it would be if life was really so great...but it's so real and it's not a perfect fairy tale. I loved it and would highly recommend it to anyone who likes a good romance. | 1positive
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British satire takes a bite out of Hollywood
The disproportionate number of Californians offended by this book is great evidence that Waugh has hit the spot. | 1positive
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why can't I give this no stars?
I mean, come on... there has to be 0 as a default right? No? Oh well.Anyway, back to the review. This is book is tosh. Forget the actual proposition, which I forget now. How could one get even halfway through it?I was guffawing every time I picked it up. Clouseau playing Indiana Jones, brilliant!A thought for any Americans who think this is some kind of hyper-historical European Disney tour. Try driving a rental up the Tuileries any time, please! Man, I would like to see that.In acclaiming this book you speak loudly, though not eloquently, of your profound ignorance of all things noble. | 0negative
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Fascinating
The author never states that the aliens are behind every war on the planet. I don't know where people get that idea. However, he does say that they might've been behind some of the pivotal moments in history, inlcluding events in the Old Testament, Islam, the Book of Mormon, and the pyramids in Egypt-- all of which are unexplained phenomena, unless you actually believe the myths people tell you. Moreover, isn't it odd that there weren't any inscriptions or mummies found inside the great pyramids, how can they be sure that they were actually built by the pharaohs then? Why should we believe that a bunch of people back then wasted their whole lives working on a pharaoh's tomb? When has a land of peasants ever had so much free time that they start building gigantic pyramids? How would they have acquired such knowledge in the first place, did they go study at Harvard? Maybe history is just wrong. | 1positive
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a great read ideal for the fantasy fan
Christopher Paolini did an extraordinary job at writing this fantastic book! At the age of 17 Paolini goes on a quest to write a epic series about a dragon and his rider. Great fluid read, paints a fabulous picture in your head and bring out the best emotions a book can offer. Its only flaw is that the ending wanted you to have more (if that is a flaw). I am relieved that he was most kind to put in a explanation of how to pronounce names and words which is located in the back of the book. Porps for the beautiful artistry that covers the front of the book. I am waiting not so patiently I must say for his final book in this wounderful series. | 1positive
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Bought copies for friends
A fascinating book by an author whose unusual background gave him the unique capacity not only to acquire an extensive knowledge of both music and neuroscience, but also to craft a compelling narrative for the rest of us. His careful exposition of these very complex subjects gives us the ability to comprehend and appreciate their interaction - to see each in a new light. | 1positive
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Love in Every Room
This book is so bveautifully illustrated by the author.It is beautiful and very inspirationalal. It will bless your soul. Excellent for a gift for a friend or family member.Every time you read it you will get something new. It is a must have. Enjoy your journey..Bon Voyage. | 1positive
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2 & 1/2 stars -- the least appealing of the series
The trouble with this book is that the hero and heorine are difficult to genuinely like and root for. Marsh is bitter and vindictive and often cruel to Sarah. She simply has no common sense; she repeatedly makes atrocious decisions -- no wonder trouble always finds her.The book isn't horrible; the characters, even the romantic leads, have redeeming qualities and good scenes. But the work as a whole is less than fulfilling and the chemistry between the leads lacks convincing heat. Worse, it lacks the sort of love upon which a good romance hinges.The book is worth reading as part of the series, as long as the reader neither expects too much or is not put off from other books that follow. Perhaps the best character in this book is Sarah's sister's husband's nephew, Adrian Hawke. His story comes up in the Bridemaker, which is an excellent read. | 0negative
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What's funny about this book?
I see a lot of readers say this was so funny, such a great book yada yada yada. I must have missed the "funny" chapter. I couldn't find one character to like or even sympathize with. I hated the spineless nanny, the kid was a brat, and the woman/mom was horrid. I realize the point of the book was to show how some of the wealthy treat their kids and help. But come on... it's not funny! | 0negative
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Psychology - Not Scripture
For those wanting a pop-psychology quick fix to the complicated heart of a woman, maybe this book is for you. But if you're looking for biblically sound answers to the questions you have as a Christian woman - STEER CLEAR! While there are parts of the book that have merit, you have to wade through so much false teaching to get to the good stuff. You have to ask yourself - is it really worth it? The answer is "no" in my opinion, and my Pastor agreed. For those whose desire is to search the Scriptures for your answers I would recommend Beth Moore's "Breaking Free" or "A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place" God Bless You. | 0negative
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BORING
I expected to be a wild adventure but it was sooooo stupd and long I could barely keep my eyes open. I was lended this book by a teacher and I gave it to her and was sencire, I told her the next day with the book in my hand "I am so sorry teacher but this book is so boring I am going to give it to you back" She was ok with that and gave me another book, she gave me stargirl. I SIMPLY LOVED STARGIRL SINCE THE FIRST MOMENT I SAW IT!!! I rate city of the beast - infinite/10 and stargirl 1000,000,000,000,000,000,/10. SOOOOO DONT BUY THIS BOOK YOU WILL SPEND YOUR MONEY ON JUNK, RUBBISH, FIRE WOOD. | 0negative
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The problems of The Problem of Pain
Clive Staples Lewis is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Christian writers of the twentieth century. He is always accessible to ordinary people like me because of his plain-spokenness and his willingness to use analogies and examples. That said, he had his work cut out for him here, and he wasn't up to the task. Here's where he fell short.* "If the universe is so bad...how on earth did human beings come to attribute it to the activity of a wise and good Creator?" (p 17). This is a straw man and a non sequitur. It's a straw man because the universe isn't bad. Viewed one way, it merely *is.* Viewed another way, parts of our universe are good (sex, love, family, football) and parts are bad (pain, loss, despair, death). It's a non sequitur because there is no logical link between the universe and Lewis' implication that because we can conceive of the Good, Good therefore must exist. It would make just as much sense to say that because humans have conceived of a movie where aliens come to earth that therefore E.T. must exist.* Lewis uses the reasoning that because we, humans, have a conception of proper conduct, with only some variation among cultures, that this must mean that God has given us morality (p 21). In response, I note that if morality is externally imposed on us as a fixed law of nature, then there would be no variation in it, or else God would be inconsistent. It would be like having the sun shine for one person but not the person right next to him. Moreover, there is a simple anthropological explanation for basic moral conduct. Conduct that perpetuates the family or group over time is more successful than conduct that harms the family or group. That's why the Hottentots, who immorally kill their "excess" babies, remain a small group, while the rest of humanity has grown.* The key part of the book is Lewis' attempt to resolve the problem of pain inflicted on people by forces of nature, i.e., pain experienced by a person, inflicted by a force not engaging in human free will. Lewis attempts to answer this particular dilemma by essentially arguing that the nature of reality requires this type of pain to exist: "Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature...involve[s], and you will find you have excluded life itself" (pp 33-34, see also p 54).Frankly, Lewis' conclusion doesn't make sense. Let's take a plausible example from the 2004 Tsunami that killed more than 250,000 people, many of them children. A child is the least morally culpable type of person, I think everyone can agree. So: a three-year-old child is drowning in the tsunami, screaming for help that never comes, gasping, choking, in utter terror as he vainly attempts to catch a breath of air. He drowns after experiencing four or five minutes of torture and fear. Lewis is saying the child *had* to suffer this way -- that reality would grind to a halt if he didn't? Lewis himself in this very discussion admits God performs miracles when it suits him (p 34) but somehow God can't alter reality so that this child does not suffer?Lewis attempts to buttress his position by arguing that to take away pain totally would be like playing chess with a player who could change the rules at his whim (p 34). That might make sense when discussing pain caused through free will, but not when discussing pain caused by nature. He inappropriately analogizes the impersonal forces of nature to a free-willed individual, the chess player.* "When the relevant difference between the Divine ethics and your own appears to you...the change demanded of you is in the direction you already call `better'" (p 39). In response, I point out one of the classic clashes between human ethics and divine ethics presented in the bible: the sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham. Gen. 22:1-2. Is Mr. Lewis really telling us that our moral compass will tell us that offering our children as sacrifices is in the direction of "better"? Which is more important -- following our morals or being obedient to God? Lewis can't make up his mind, first saying the former (pp 38-39), then the latter (pp 101-102).* "[L]ove may cause pain to its object, but only on the supposition that the object needs alteration to become fully loveable" (pp 55, 91-92). While that may be true in some circumstances -- "For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth" Prov. 3:12 -- it certainly doesn't make sense when it comes to the suffering of children. Does a baby really need to die screaming in agony in that house fire in order for God to fully love it? Ridiculous. Outrageous. Monstrous. Contemptible.Lewis can throw in the towel, and claim that spiritual realities are not "even explicable in terms of our abstract thought" (p 86). Or he can cherry-pick his examples on pain by claiming that free will necessarily must include pain (pp 32-31, 81-82) and we need pain to whip us, adults, into shape morally (pp 55, 104-107, 120). Fine. But don't pretend the existence of pain can be satisfactorily answered if you can't answer the problem of pain inflicted by nature on children. Every, EVERY scenario in which pain is felt and inflicted must be satisfactorily answered, or the premise of a loving, personal God, fails.Personally, I think the only real response to the problem of pain is the one God gave to Job: "Shut up." See Job 38:1 - 40:2. | 0negative
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Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451I like the thought that the world could be a completely different place if we did not have books. Before I read this book, I always used to think that it would be cool and a lot better if books did not exist in the world. However, I realized that without books nobody would have their own views on certain subjects, and everyone would be dull like Montag's wife. This fantasy no longer appeals to me, because I hate talking to people like Mildred. Everyone would live in their virtual world and the television would tell them what to think. I like the fact that Montag is forced to think about what he is doing, and he steals books because he has a desire to learn. I feel that I would have done the same thing in his situation, and I feel that I am a lot like him because I like to go with the flow but I don't agree with everything, and I question what I feel is wrong. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who feels the world would be a better place without books. | 1positive
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Fascinating historical topic, great read
I read "The other Boleyn girl" within a few days. The story was well told and well paced, and I like the way the main character develops. I have read a few history books about this period in English history, and thought the historical facts were pretty accurate. The historical figures really come to life in the novel.I'm subtracting one star because I found the development of Anne's character somewhat one-dimensional, turning the character almost into a caricature. It's hard to believe that any sisterly love could still have survived in view of such ruthlessness. | 1positive
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A step-by-step process that will soon have the kids up to speed on the art of saying thank you
Sometimes it seems as if in this 21st Century America, the practice of writing thank you notes has gone the way of buggy whips. Enter Jean Summers' thoroughly "kid friendly" how-to manual, The Kids' Guide To Writing Great Thank You Notes. The author aptly covers why we write thank you notes, who gets them, and deals with the most common objections kids have to writing thank you notes. From the salutation to a thematically appropriate list of thank you note adjectives, to applicable examples for the most universal occasions, The Kids' Guide To Writing Great Thank You Notes takes children (and their parents!) through an enthusiastically recommended, step-by-step process that will soon have the kids up to speed on the art of saying thank you for the gifts, services, and help that they receive from family and friends. | 1positive
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Helpful, but poor explanations
The book is definitely helpful in understanding how Jython works, but the explanations should be made in a much more user-friendly way with more examples. Often I found myself left in the fog. The book sometimes assumes things without explaining. For instance, for simple functions like the following (p. 113):>> import jarray>> jarray.array(['crystal', 'ball'],java.lang.String)you need to import java.lang.String before calling it. I didn't know that but the book doesn't explain that.Also the book doesn't make clear that to import some java classes you have to include .jar file in the sys.path. It does mention .jar files but should make clear and emphasize that you must include it as a necessary step and also show how to do that. It took me a lot of agonizing and asking around to finally figure these out. | 0negative
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Important Scholarship Flawed by Religious Apologetics
When John Boswell's magnum opus appeared in 1980, it was immediately hailed by gay Christians, to whom he was a new Savior, who would rescue them not only from homophobic religionists, but also from gay infidels like myself. Here I must emphasize that most of the early activists for homosexual rights -- from the latter part of the 19th century through the first third of the 20th -- were hostile to religions, which they considered responsible for the historic oppression of gay men.Boswell was a Believer, whose goal was to reconcile homosexuality and Christianity -- to plead for greater tolerance for "gay people", while at the same time exonerating Mother Church for her role in the oppression of homosexual men. In Boswell's own words: "Much of the present volume ... is specifically intended to rebut the common idea that religious belief -- Christian or other -- has been the _cause_ of intolerance in regard to gay people."_Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality_ (CSTH) is a formidable work of scholarship, which has much of value. But Boswell's arguments are fatally flawed by his doomed attempt to reconcile the irreconcilable. In his effort to marry the gay liberation movement to the Christian Church, Boswell is often required to compromise the former, while becoming complicitous in the historic crimes of the latter.Among Boswell's academic transgressions are his ignoring of scholarship hostile to his own case, misinterpreting biblical passages, suppressing evidence, misrepresenting Roman laws of the 4th century AD, and so on. This is not the place to go into the deatils. Suffice it to say that CSTH, despite its popular success, was received very negatively by scholarly specialists. The monograph, "Homosexuality, Intolerance, and Christianity: A Critical Examination of John Boswell's Work" -- by Warren Johansson, Wayne R. Dynes and John Lauritsen -- shows that none of Boswell's leading arguments for a gay-friendly Christianity hold up under critical examination. (This monograph is in the library of the Pink Triangle Trust.)To be a scholar is to be committed to the truth, whether or not one finds it palatable. The hateful words in Holy Scripture -- saying that males who make love to each other should be put to death -- really do mean what they say. Over the centuries, owing to the taboo against male-male sex in the Holiness Code of Leviticus, gay men really were imprisoned, tortured, and killed. Our liberation is allied with knowledge, not with superstition. Accordingly, the name of the world's first homosexual right organization (founded in Berlin in 1897) was the Scientific Humanitarian Committee.Despite his shortcomings, Boswell was an important gay scholar. For me his greatest contribution was the third chapter of CSTH, "Rome: The Foundation", which cogently makes the case that in Ancient Rome, sex between males was an accepted part of life. The obscure Lex Scantinia did not, and could not, have categorically outlawed sex between males, citizens or non-citizens. | 0negative
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When will it end?
Upon purchasing Main Street, I was enticed by the summary on the back cover. It talked of a woman striving to be proactive in a small town. She, however, finds the town to be closed-minded and petty and therefore has to first overcome their prejudices in order to turn the town into what she thinks it should be. By that account, it seemed the book would be easy to relate to and plunge into. Sinclair Lewis, in his many and repetitious descriptions of the setting of Gopher Prairie as a hideous and shallow town that sees nothing wrong with monotony and lack of life, first feeds the knowledge to the reader that small towns aren't as pure and wonderful as is thought. Eventually, though, he ends up shoving the ugliness and awfulness down the reader's throat, consequently choking him or her with the monotony of his own words. To say the least, it is a tedious book. It is not the kind of book that you can't wait to read at the end of the day. Instead, it is the type of novel that you would expect to be assigned in a high school English class. There is no suspense in the plot to carry you from one page to the next with the anticipation of greatness. Your fingers must turn each heavily satirical page of this horrendously long book while your eyes find that this new page is the same as the last--flat, shallow characters living on flat, open land. In this lengthy book (that apparently already had 20,000 words cut out of it), the characters, no matter how good they were supposed to be, are too easily hated by the reader because of their stagnance. The people in this book don't change. Their daily routines remain the same--get up, get ready for the day, spy on anyone who dares to be different, and gossip all day long. Carol, the book's so called 'heroine', frequently thinks of escaping from the small town and leaving her husband. She mentions it so profusely that you simply want to scream, "Then go already and get it over with!" This sensation, of course, is dragged out until the end, making the question of whether she will go or not one of the only uncertainties pondered while you read it. The other questions you may think over include the one that asks how Lewis feels about small towns. Generally speaking, throughout the novel he ridicules Gopher Prairie and its populace for their lack of culture. However, he ultimately contradicts himself by making the city woman, Carol, seem just as shallow, closed-minded, and unlikable as they are. To sum it up, don't judge a book by its cover--not even the back cover. | 0negative
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Disillusioned
I absolutely loved "Expecting Adam." I read it shortly after I had my daughter who also has Down Syndrome. Although I hadn't experienced any of the "spiritual miricles," I thought the book was wonderfully written and inspired me with hope.This book is an entirely different matter. What happened to Martha Beck? Regardless of what one thinks of Mormons (after all, no religions are exempt from bad people), it is really hard to believe much of the book. This was one of the most disappointing books I have ever read. Now I look back to "Expecting Adam" and wonder if it, too, was fabricated. Maybe the hope it inspired me with was through made-up stories. | 0negative
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Not faithful at all
This book was a quick read, but it was deeply flawed. To begin with, in place of depth of information about the time period, we get repetition, such as constantly describing the same beauty regimen. Esther isn't much of a character; she comes across as a bored whiner. Mordechai is basically slandered by Kohn's writing that he's discarded his faith and only rediscovers it at the end. The Book of Esther is short but there are many explanatory stories that flesh it out pretty well. Kohn seems to have either not heard of them or ignored them so anyone who knows the Book of Esther and the other stories will find this book very unfaithful because only the bare bones of the plot have been kept. Finally, the Gilded Cage is billed as a feminist story, yet it is anything but. One of the subtexts in the Book of Esther is that men and women need to respect each other, while in the Gilded Chamber this is completely missing. | 0negative
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What happened to the author of Evergreen?
I have to say that this is one of the most disappointing books I have ever purchased. It was an incredibly bland story, with absolutely no point. Honestly; there was one paragraph that essentially read... "she got sick, she got sicker, she was really sick, she died." And that was about one of the primary characters. There was really nothing endearing about the characters, nothing memorable about the plot. Frankly, I'm surprised at myself for finishing the book (if it wasn't summertime I probably would have dumped it by the middle of the book). | 0negative
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Solid, consistent and enjoyable
Originally a series of radio broadcasts that were transcribed into book form with the author's help, C. S. Lewis' witty and systematically logical defense of Christianity still endures as a favorite today. Although intellectual works of this caliber can seem intimidating, his conversational style of communication makes the book approachable and thoroughly enjoyable. He not only addresses the common sense of Christianity, but also thoughtfully doesn't neglect the practical need, the heartfelt void, that Christ alone can fill. All in all, this book is an all-around, solid work that consistently covers all the bases of thought and makes for a great read. | 1positive
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This book is not appropriate for children.
If you are a loving parent who doesn't want to tell your child stories which are full of violence and death, then this book isn't for you. I was appalled when I read my 4 year old, the story of Casey Jones (p.105). The story was boring, and ended with Casey be killed in a horrific train crash. It goes on to explain how he was found, with his hands still on the throttle and brake. I guess I should have read it to myself first, but my son was so excited when he saw the picture of the train. YOu can only imagine the look of horror on our faces, by the end of this story. The rest of the book is FILLED with talk of violence and killing. In the story of Snow White, the queen says,"Put her to death, and bring me her heart to prove that you have done it. In The Three Billy Goats Gruff, it talks of violently beating up the troll, and pushing him over the bridge to his death. In the 3 Little Pigs, the wolf DIES in boiling water. I could site many more examples. If the authors really think these stories MUST be included in this book, why don't they find more humane versions. So, thank you Mr. Hirsch, and Mr. Holdren, for forcing me to talk to my son about violent and gruesome things. These are definitely not things Kindergartners Need to Know!!! | 0negative
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An Engaging First Work
Senator takes us back to a simpler time with clearer values. This first work reminds many of us about a culture we thought was so embarrassing at the time, but now would love the opportunity to return. Told through the eyes of young Brooklyn boy enjoying his summer vacations in the Catskills, this is a fun and quick read. You will feel better for having read it. | 1positive
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pompous proclamations about the mechanisms of "reality."
In this book Gary Zukov teaches unconditional love as the path to higher consciousness, and very few people I know will argue with that. However, his tone undercuts the message. It is preachy, supercilious, and holier-than-thou. He makes very pat statements about the "truth" using very abstract language and giving us no evidence to support what he is saying. Such evidence would go a long way toward helping us swallow his points--even if it were only the evidence of personal spiritual experiences from his own past.As an example of one of his explanations of "how things are," he writes about the extinction of the dolphins thus: "The dolphin soul is leaving the Earth, that is, the dolphin species is becoming extinct. The dolphins are beaching themselves. They are creating diseases within themselves. This is their way of refusing to continue to live upon the Earth. They feel that they cannot fulfill the purpose for which they are born. Therefore, they are leaving. Their deaths are not suicides because they are not frightened. They are exhausted." What's wrong with the idea that it is actually humans killing dolphins off? What's wrong with that idea, according to this book, is that bad things only happen to you for two reasons: a) your own bad karma, and b) your own free choice as a soul. Well, I guess that lets our species off the hook as far as the cetaceans are concerned.Zukov also devalues the Shadow, a powerful and necessary component of the human psyche. He seems to think that we can transcend the Shadow by a)paying off our karmic debts and b)willing ourselves to transcend it. His theory of karma is quite Newtonian, all organized, logical, and reductionist. The clockwork-like ambience of the universe he creates in these pages comes across as rather sinister to me. There is no joy here, just inexorable cause and effect, grinding the soul's face into the sand like a series of waves pounding a swimmer over and over. Zukov clearly does not feel comfortable with mystery or ambiguity. The great mystical classic "The Cloud of Unknowing" would definitely not be to his taste.This book makes the mistake of many New Age books: purporting to be about the "new paradigm" and "holism," it instead dresses up old Modernist ideas in New Age/postmodernist dress. The end result is more dogma, just of a different sort than what we get in church. | 0negative
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A confusing but exciting,well-written,and intellectual novel
A book you have to think about, and that makes you question society and the way you think. | 1positive
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I didn't expect to love it as much as I did
Gift of Jazzy is really two books in one. The first one talks, with startling tenderness (which you wouldn't expect from Cindy Adams) about the cruelty of old age and sickness and the thoughtless stupidity of bystanders to it. After 40 years of marriage Adams's husband, Joey was physically breaking down and dying piece by piece it was incredibly sad. When her husband finally is gone the void was huge and friends decided to cheer her up by handing her a tiny Yorkie puppy-- Jazzy.It shouldn't have worked out. Adams was depressed and cranky and brand new puppies need lots of attention but somehow it did and page by page the old Cindy Adams comes roaring back to life. I really enjoyed this book. The stories about Jazzy, life and work in New York and the foibles of celebrities are fun. If you love dog stories this one should be on your bookshelf. | 1positive
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Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages
I truly enjoy every one of the Gies books I pick up. They are thoroughly researched and offer not only a historical look at the Medieval time period, but also an anthropological look at the culture and trends of the times. I have most of the series, and would recommend them to anyone wanting to get a more in depth look at this time period, even people who would not normally read history can enjoy them and get a great deal of information easily. | 1positive
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Fascinating, compelling, moving - Turow is a master
Scott Turow does not write John Grisham novels. Many of us who read Turow read him because he doesn't churn out the the lowbrow, predictable pablum of other popular genre writers. Personal Injuries is magnificent - filled with complex, multi-faceted characters who are never entirely good or evil but, like most of us, somewhere in-between. The character of Robbie Feaver kept surprising me and challenging my initial perceptions (kinda like some of the people in my own life, how 'bout that!). I found the plot involving corrupt judges to be absolutely compelling and helped immeasurably by Turow's obvious experience with similar circumstances. I finished the novel last night and couldn't help but weep while reading the final 20 pages. Not only did I find the conclusion moving but the novel and the challenges of its characters left me with questions about my own life to think about. Now, what more could I ask of a piece of fiction? | 1positive
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Should have spent my weekend better...
Last Friday I tried to make good use of my university library and borrowed Honeymoon, a thriller by James Patterson. Right there in the front cover was the usual "the #1 New York Times Bestseller" that literally shouts in your face, but there was something else, some much-needed value-add: 2005 International Thriller of the Year. Wow. I told myself my library didn't contain just crappy, boring books after all. I looked forward to a good weekend read.It turned out the 8 hours or so I devoted to reading the novel was completely wasted. The story's about an unusually attractive and clever FBI agent who's assigned to follow an equally attractive serial killer who's suspected to have murdered not one, but two of her extremely rich lovers. Well, that's a bad start for a thriller. You already know who the murderer is. The remaining question might be: how will she be caught? Duh, by the FBI guy of course. Or maybe, who's going to murder the murderer? What follows are a series of unrelated plots that somehow let even the most unseasoned of readers guess perfectly what's going to happen next. Still I kept on reading, hoping for a last-page surprise. Sadly, that surprise never came.It just so happen that the reason I picked up this book from the library in the first place was that I'd just read a Time magazine article about the author, James Patterson. He's obviously very financially successful having written more bestsellers than anyone could possibly remember. One complaint he has though: critics never give him a thumb-up. In the Time article, he picked Honeymoon as one of his favorites and to quote his judgment: "This noirish thriller has enough twists and turns to give a reader whiplash, one of my most high-minded literary goals". Well sorry James, after reading the novel I understand just perfectly what the critics feel. Maybe one saving grace, depending on how you see it, is the fact that this novel rivals the Kama Sutra in the one aspect of life that everyone loves. Throughout the novel, the charming killer and her half a dozen or so lovers get nasty in almost all places conceivable around the house.At the end of the read there I was again telling myself the unwritten truth of university life: that your library just around that corner is not the right place to find a good weekend read. It's filled with painfully uninteresting books destined to lay there on the shelves rotting. Also, it also substantiates my somewhat firmly-formed belief that people buy bestsellers because, well, they are bestsellers. I guess a lot of people, myself included, just pull down books from bestselling corner of the bookstore. So if a book gets to that magical corner, either because it's genuinely good or the publisher's marketing team is made up of Einsteins, the title "bestseller" tends to perpetuate itself and more and more people get to read the brilliant work (or crap).I'll give James Patterson's novels another shot as soon as I get some more free time to kill. As for now, 2 out of 5 for a not-so-sweet Honeymoon. | 0negative
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