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Nothing New!
Besides the fact that this is totally overpriced, there is nothing in this workbook that I have not read before. Many of the exercises are in other workbooks that I have already purchased. Although I believe the author tried to convince the readers that she understands what it is like to have an eating disorder, I am not sure that she really does understand. I have reviewed many workbooks for eating disorders and this is one of my least favorites. | 0negative
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This "Diary" Really, Really Shouldn't Be Read
As a writer whose major influence has always been the writings of Ozzy Osbourne, I decided to buy this book, to learn about the stories behind the classics. I was elated to see the many photos the book contains-many of which that are rarities-but as for the book itself, I was disappointed greatly.First, I should mention that the stories for Ozzy's earlier work are inaccurate. Back in 2002, Bob Daisley started a feud with Ozzy over lost royalties. Daisley made many remarks about the music, including that he was the sole writer of nearly every Ozzy song from his first three albums, including the classic song "Suicide Solution" (Daisley claimed he wrote the song specifically about Ozzy's alcoholism, while Ozzy contends that it was written about Bon Scott, of AC/DC fame). The writer of this book used faulty information for most of Ozzy's solo career; the above was only one example of the book's errors. The book, itself, was written in 2002.Sadly, the book is also very incomplete. There are no stories whatsoever for the "Ultimate Sin" album-the book claims that there aren't many stories on it. That's still no excuse for not including any known facts about it. Most of the book is full of stories that everyone already knows (Ozzy fans-why was "Goodbye to Romance" written? How did Randy Rhoads die?) while it lacks depth in the so-called "unknown stories," filling up many passages with stories of the dove & bat decapitations and miscellaneous other well-worn tales. What's worse, many of the classics aren't even discussed in detail. I was hoping to read about the writing of "Waiting for Darkness" but I came up disappointed, as this book only mentions it in a sentence or two.Overall, this book is dreadful and a huge waste of money. If you want to see the many pictures it contains, go for it. But if you want to know about the real stories, save your money and make guesses. In comparison, they just might be accurate. | 0negative
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MCS Training Kit
Aside from an occasional good definition, this book is an example of how not to write a technical book. The authors assume so much on the part of the reader that even this IT pro has difficulty following him. I am certified in 7 and I found this book quite incomprehensible. I am getting the Wrox series to see how good they are. I generelly find MS-Press books to be rather good but this one seems to be a copy of Books Online. In fact the authors skip over so much material casuaslly refering the reader to see "Books Online." If I wanted to do that, I wouldn't have gotten the book. | 0negative
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You Couldn't Pay Me Enough to Finish This Book.
This book was unbelievably bad. I only picked it up in the first place because I know someone who went to law school with the author. I put it down part way through because I didn't want to waste any more time on it. There's not enough time in life to read all the good books out there and this is not even close to being one of them.I also find it particularly suspicious that the positive reviews are (1) from the author's residence (the local DC area), (2) someone with the author's last name who refers to the author by first name, or (3) anonymous. Perhaps a blatantly transparent job of self-promotion? | 0negative
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Yawn....
With a sense of style that recalls the worst of the National Lampoon publication of the 70's...how this made it to publication somehow escapes me. Perhaps the first minstrel show of the Millenium. Exploitive and needless.Silly giggles, pee-pee doo-doo....you start to get the drift....severly lacking in any intellectual value at all. Avoid. | 0negative
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?????
I never ordered this book so I can't possibly review it. I'm at a loss to understand how I'm connected to this title since I have never used the Kindle. | 0negative
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Not what I expected
I was hoping this book talked about the actual missions. It does not at all! It goes over the selection process and training process. The part about the selection process held my attention. The part about training was a little dry. | 0negative
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Another book to ruin peoples minds!
This book only plays with our mind. | 0negative
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A Boring off-topic book.
First of all, the book Is about a boy named jim and a girl named Antonia. Short and simple, its off topic, barelly mentions antonia, and describes the same details over and over and over makeing it long and repetitive. If you like romance novels, you might like it, but just to let you know, the only reason i even picked up the book was for a school class. | 0negative
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A disapointing attempt at thrilling literature
Grisham's best books are the thrilling fights against powerful enemies not yet fully known; this theme makes The Firm, The Pelican Brief and The Client such exciting stories.That his first book (A Time to Kill) did not sell at fist didn't suprise because it just goes on and on in this flimsy tale of legal chitchat of a starting lawyer defending a black man's murder of the rapist of his daughter.The Chamber gave me the same feeling. It feels like a poor attempt to write a literary, philosophical and ethical thriller - presenting the death penalty as an issue (but not really discussing it) and missing the chances of real suspense in the story.I gave it two stars because of the description of the last hours of Adam and his grandfather, which I found really moving.But they didn't make me forget that I had thought I bought a thriller. | 0negative
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Cliched Clumsy Claptrap
Don't waste your time. Plodding. Filled with dull repetitive phrasing, stilted anachronistic dialog, and zero-dimensional unnaturally behaving characters. Reads like the unedited first attempt of a high school student. | 0negative
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Even if not perfect - still no other book on Cocoa comes close
To avoid reapeating what has been written by many other readers, I'll be brief: if you want to get a grip on Cocoa - look no further. You won't find a better book on this subject as of the time I write these words. If you are new to programming in general - learn the basics (elsewhere) first. | 1positive
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Disappointing and unconvincing sci fi novel
(Spoilers below; please do not continue if you do not wish to read them.)Kazuo Ishiguro is clearly a master writer, but he has chosen a subject here that is way, way out of his expertise. Although beautifully written, the basic story behind "Never Let me Go" is dull, and goes over a sci fi subject (cloning) that was done to death 40 years ago. Yes, even the idea of adult clones going willingly to their death for the benefit of mankind.Presumably Mr. Ishiguro was inspired by the cloning of Dolly the sheep to try his hand at something like this. It's notable that when Americans attack this sort of subject, you get a result like the current movie, "The Island", which focuses less on introspection than on the rebellion of the clones. It says a lot about the difference in national character! LOL! Plus I see many commenters here are the most disturbed at the passivity of the characters.I certainly see that as a flaw in the structure of the novel (what would prevent any of the clones from simply walking away from Hailsham or the Cottages? After all, they don't look any different than an ordinary person), however I think there are much more serious flaws in the construct.The ideal age for a "clone" to donate organs would be late teens, not their 30s. That's when all your internal organs are at their healthiest, and you have reached adult proportions. That wouldn't leave time for "carers" to develop. And what's with the concept of "carers"? They aren't even properly trained as nurses or even orderlies. Transplant/donor patients require skilled nursing, not "pals".Then there is the problem of the idea that the clones donate approximately 4 times (if they survive) and then "complete" (die). What the heck are they donating to accomplish this? You can live with only one kidney, and you can survive with a partial liver...or lose your pancreas, and survive on insulin. But you certainly can't survive without a heart or lungs, which are among the most desirable transplant organs. Maintaining a donor clone on dialysis (assuming both his kidneys were transplanted) would render him too weak to donate any of his other organs. From a strictly medical point of view, it would make more sense to kill the clones and harvest ALL the desirable organs, rather than taking one at a time and risking the clone dying from one of those procedures. Or is the idea that the clone is donating only to the individual he was cloned FROM, as that individual has various organs fail? That doesn't make sense either -- nobodies organs fail exactly in a certain order.Furthermore, the implication is that harvesting cloned organs will cure cancer. I am hard pressed to think of a cancer that could be cured by transplantation -- it would certainly be rare. The problem with cancer is that it spreads all throughout the body, and transplanting organ after organ would be useless.This is just a few of the examples of why this is a patently stupid idea for a novel. I don't think Mr. Ishiguro has read much genuine sci fi that explores these ideas, or he'd understand how out of date and out of his depth he really is here. As far as the story exploring the way people passively accept their fate, no matter what it is, without fighting back -- well, if he's revealing an inside look at British culture, that's the scariest part of all. | 0negative
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The Scarlet Letter
"The Scarlet Letter"Nathaniel HawthorneReviewer: Marion LaganaThe classic novel "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne was written in the 1800's about a small Puritan town in New England--the town is now known as Boston. This was awhile before America was free from England. In this is town everyone knows everyone and their beliefs are all the same. nothing out of the ordinary happens until one Puritan girl, who has just moved to Boston a couple years past and has been waiting for her husband to join her, has a child with another man. This baffles the community to say the very least.The book goes on to tell about her pain; the pain of adultery and the pain of her other secrets that she has kept throughout the novel. The story brings you on a sad trip through one woman's pathetic and lonely life, from the loss of love and friends to being finally respected as a person and being "able." I put quotes around able because in the book, the letter A turns from showing shame and a sin, into showing a womean who is able to do something despite what she has done.Although the book sometimes seems rather long, and there are things that you may feel are not neeed, or understand, you learn to enjoy it in the end, as well as understand it. It is a book that you will want to pick up and read again to understand it that much more. It's a touching book of forgiveness, hatred, love, and deceit. | 1positive
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Creation and Modeling
For the skeptics of the Biomorph experiments:When you try to model a system, you always have to intervene to define the parameters of the model! With nature, the parameters are defined by the physical world (melting point of water etc...) In a computer model, these parameters have to somehow be defined by human intervention. This is the "creation" that is taking place and it doesn't detract from the validity of the rest of the experiment. (Of course the rest of the experiment MAY be flawed, but then this would be a different issue.) | 0negative
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This book is [not good]
After reading through the first 20 chapters, in which no programming occurred until Session 16, I finally gave up. When I hit the first source code error in a simple form validation program I chalked it up to a simple typo. In Session 20 I couldn't get their program to work at all, to say nothing of the source code not even appearing on the CD-ROM!Whatever you do, DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS BOOK!!!... As has been said before, if I could give it zero stars I would. | 0negative
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Great
I have nothing more to day. The reaason I don't rate thing son here is because I don't care to write a book about it. | 1positive
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Not so light
As a former reader of new editions of THE book for Scouting I was so pleased to put my hands in such a "relic" eager to analyze the perspective of the early 20th century. But from the beginning, the introduction by Elleke Boehmer was a cold bath, opening eyes to practical matters relative to the personality of B.P. or maybe the studied and straight actions and decisions taken by the founder in a lot of ways to start and continue the scout movement; introduction that'll be a weight through all the reading. In a positive way, though, you'll be able to see through the eyes of a defender of the British Empire in a haste to change the laziness of the youth in his time and encouraging to get up and "move the feet" using all the tools learned in campaing: scouting, hiking, camping, study and respect of Nature, development of skills in handicrafts, knots, wood constructions, bonfires, etc. You'll have a clear sample of the real start and a glance of the problems with it. | 1positive
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THE SLAVE DANCER
The Slave Dancer, by Paula Fox, is a story about a young boy's adventures on a slaver. Jessie, a young boy, is kidnapped along with his fife by two seamen and is taken to The Moonlight, an American slaver. He meets Purvis and Stout, and the other members of the crew and gets to know them well. Purvis is accused of stealing one of the captain's eggs and gets whipped, though everyone knows that Stout really stole it. The Moonlight arrives in Africa and the slaves board the ship. Nicholas Spark, the mate, is whipped and thrown overboard after shooting and killing a slave. Stout becomes the mate. Jessie meets Ras, a young slave, and saves him, as The Moonlight is shipwrecked, and only they survive. They meet Daniel, a runaway slave, stay with him for a while. His friends take Ras north to a safe place. Daniel gives Jessie directions to return home and he returns to his sister and mother. The Slave Dancer is a story about the adventures of the American slaver, The Moonlight. After reading The Slave Dancer, by Paula Fox, I realized how terrible this book is. I think this book is bad because it is boring and sad. The characters are not interesting; they are mean and grumpy. It is full of hatred and cruelty. Many people are mistreated and are hurt emotionally and physically. No one seems to care for anyone else and when someone dies, he or she is thrown overboard and forgotten, like they'd never existed. The Slave Dancer is an awful book and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. | 0negative
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On the Beach: A very BORING book.
Review: I rate On the beach 1 1/2 stars. On the Beach is one of the most boring and repetitious books I have ever read in my entire life. Each successive chapter is much like the one before it, in terms of mood and feeling. The overall feeling is one of such utter hopelessness and depression that it seemed to make me almost regret reading it in the first place. The only reason that allows me to be glad that I wasted my time reading this book, is that I now know never to read it again. If you are interested in reading about hopelessness, read Dante's Inferno, or Slaughter House 5, or The Green Mile, or the first book of The Stand. I promise you that those books will be far more interesting and meaningful than On The Beach. This book is about the end of the world, and yet there is very little symbolism of any kind, religious, philosophical or otherwise. On the whole, this book was very shallow and each chapter left me with little new to think about, much less discuss. On The Beach was meant to be a kind of anti-war warning, but other than that, it is about as puddle on a barely degraded roadway. There is some interesting characterization yes, but many of the characters seemed fairly dull despite how ever much time was spend on them. I would have to be paid 90 dollars to ever want to read this book again. In many ways this book struck me as more boring than The Complete Journals of Lewis and Clark. On The Beach should have been written as a short story, not a full size book. A short version of On the Beach would have spared me of its terrible multi-doses of boredom while still effectively conveying its plot and feeling. | 0negative
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Fizzles after a promising start
Although this starts out with energy and some wit, it soon bogs down in whiny repetitive details. Shapiro seems to find her self-destructive patterns endlessly fascinating, leaving the reader longing for the story to become something other than a vanity project. It soon becomes clear why she usually writes shorter pieces...here she lacks the intellectual stamina or real emotional insight to get to the heart of who she is -- and why we should care. Most appalling was how she bought into her husband's "no kids" mantra in the end. This is clearly meant to be a huge defining self-realization, but essentially boils down to:"Oh, yeah, I guess I really do like to be the center of attention and I do love my work..so ok, fine honey, no kids." (Huh? as though millions of women don't manage to have kids and work successfully. Which century is she in?). To have children or not is (happily) a personal choice, and who really cares anyway but the principals. But that moment of decision(central to the book)is usually a good time to take a really honest look at who you are -- and who you're with. Here it feels as though Shapiro's too frightened to really put her marriage to serious scrutiny. She cheats her readers -- and perhaps herself. | 0negative
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Very, very bad
The copy is terrible and unreadable. I can get better print using my home copy machine. What a crap to pay more then a dolor. | 0negative
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Red Tent
Great Story of Women and how they used to gather at times of menses in a "Red Tent" but the story is about so much more like the stories of each of their lives and what being a woman in their day and age entailed. I have new found respect for the generations past and all they endured, for being a woman was a difficult task and yet they remained nurturing loving creatures still. | 1positive
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A great read!!!!
This book has opened my mind to read more of what has happened in the past & how people of the future need to remember. | 1positive
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aesthetics
Decent, if fairly basic, introduction to Q.M.However...This textbook is without a doubt the most beautiful textbook I have ever seen. The cover is quality black leather with that inquisitive cat embossed in gold on the front and a similarly gold embossed dead cat on the back. Nice touch for a Quantum Mechanics book.I actually used a different book for my intro QM class, Liboff, which was not good at all. Use Sakurai if you can handle the math. I bought this book from a friend just because I liked the way it looks. I have enjoyed perusing it since then.Just Beautiful | 1positive
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Let brasilians tell their own story
This is the normal story behind people who dont know graffiti in brasil writing a book about it! In this book you can see some of the most famous artists from so paulo and almost nothing on other states. Very nice pictures, but that is not credit to the author who didn't take them!! Good book for OsGemeos lovers though!! | 0negative
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I'm late for work!
I know there are already enough 5 star reviews, but I just finished the book and need to say, "Oh my gosh this book is great!" I allowed myself one chapter per night before lights out, and broke my own rules every time. I'd stay up so late I'd sleep in and be late for work. Now exotic imaginations are racing through my mind and heart. What a treasure. A book full of life in our time when so much entertainment celebrates destruction and degradation. This book renews the spirit and restores a sense of adventure. I'm 56 years old but feel like a 20 year old about to embark on an adventure, if only I can persuade my wife to sell all and head out to sea, after she reads the book! Oh Oh, maybe I should let her read it once we're out of sight of land. | 1positive
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Book does not cover all of the material on the exam - do not depend on it as your only CISA study guide
I purchased both this book and the official CISA study manual from ISACA for the Dec 2008 CISA exam. After taking (and fortunately passing) the exam, I can say without reservation that this book should NOT be used as your only study guide for the CISA exam. This book was well written, and a much easier read than the overpriced, oversized official manual. However, it fails in its primary goal as being a study guide for CISA, as it does not cover a significant portion of the material on the test. If you have the time and have already read the offical manual, this book can serve as a secondary resource, to provide a high level review of the exam topics, but that's about it. There's simply too much material for this book to cover everything, and I suspect the author is somewhat behind ISACA's frequent changes to the exam. (I noticed positive reviews from those who took the 2006 exam, perhaps this was a more complete guide at that time) | 0negative
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Too Pedantic
The subject seemed interesting -- the California Gold Rush. But this book gets ridiculously detailed about insignificant historical characters, what they said on a trivial date in their life. etc. I got about 2/3rds through the book when I finally said...this is enough.Some of it is interesting. For instance the travel of Fremont's wife from the East Coast to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama. You learn a lot about the arduous travel from the East to California, and the dangers and means of crossing through Panama. Some of the description of various travelers through the Rockies, Humboldt River, Sierras is also interesting. But boring details of much of these journeys (who said what to whom, etc.) is also needlessly included. The building of Sutter's sawmill...I thought the minute details would never end (this time we they went this route, this other time they went this other route, with too much detail about every step of the construction, etc.)This book could definitely have used a good editor to reduce the book from 547 pages to about 100-150 pages. That's about the length of the interesting material. The rest should have been edited out, as inconsequential minutia. | 0negative
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Wasted Eye-Strain
I've read some bad over-hyped novels in my time, but this one really takes the cake.Harris' first 2 novels in the series, Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs, demonstrated a singular brilliance that upstaged the rest of the genre. I anticipated a great series evolving from the Lector storyline. Unfortunately, the publication of Hannibal invalidated that prediction and placed it within same strata of accuracy reserved for the National Enquirer psychics.Was Harris on serious medication when he wrote the ending? Hey, I ingested a lot of drugs in my misspent youth, but I could never conceive of something that twisted during my most altered states of consciousness. OK, for sheer gore factor alone, this book will appeal to the more sophomoric mindset. But if you demand plot, intriguing characters, and an ending that doesn't blow chunks, avoid this book. Should you see Hannibal on display at your local bookstore, give it a wide berth. Avoid associating with anyone who liked this novel. Cancel your subscriptions to any periodicals that gave this waste if ink and paper favorable reviews. Write letters to Harris and the publisher criticizing the book's release. Ask Congress to draft a resolution condeming Hannibal as the biggest piece of excrement to hit the book market since the latest Bret Easton Ellis novel. Convince the United Nations to do the same.And if Tom Harris publishes a sequel to Hannibal, be afraid. Be very afraid. | 0negative
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It captures the persistence of the "old south" in modern tim
John Berendt shows that if you slow down enough to smell the flowers, you can notice some truly interesting things about your fellow man ( the Lady Chablis being a case in point). The book was a thoroughly enjoyable read ! | 1positive
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To Kill a Mockingbird...
I really liked this book except for the fact that it was a pretty slow reader for me. It has a good plot, characters, story, and a pretty good ending. There were many boring points in my opinion during this book.Scout and Jem are brother and sister(Scout's the girl). This story tells of their growing up together with a friend of theirs named Dill, who comes to Maycomb every summer. He and Scout want to get married some day. ^_^One of the goals of the children is to get a peek at the mysterious neighbor of theirs, Boo Radley. They have heard lots of stories about Boo like when he was cutting up newspapers and stabbed his mother in the leg...(eek!)Boo Radley had never left his house. One of the children at Jem and Scout's school even goes a mile out of her way walking home just to avoid having to walk by the Radley Place.The kids decide to make a game called "Boo Radley". It starts to turn into a play and they end up playing it for a very long time. It tells of the story of Boo and his life(I'm guessing that Scout, Jem, and Dill made up some of it on their own).Will they ever see Boo? And if they do, what does he look like? How will they meet? What would they say? Maybe they won't even see him...you'll have to find out for yourself. ^_^ | 1positive
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An Illegitimate Study
This book is primarily known as one of the early attack books that have become so common today. The book is held in low regard by historians. Readers interested in Johnson should consider reading Dallek or Caro's work. | 0negative
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A Flat, Unimaginative Story
A fantasy written long ago in 1887, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea started almost an entire genre of fantasy with submarines like the Tom Clancy novels. In this story ships all over the world claim to have seen a mysterious shifting black reef. Many thought it was just a rumor until it bore a hole into the hull of a steamer that had been able to make it back to shore. Pierre Arronax, a French biology expert, and his servant are invited on a ship going to hunt this creature. When the ship sunk, they found themselves captive on the creature that turned out to be a submarine, and it captain, Nemo, a genius who despised human society, showed them the wonders of the depths.Slow and plodding, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea does not match the excitement of more contemporary fantasy fiction. One reason that this book did not appeal to me is that, compared to the other fantasy book that I am reading, The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan, the characters and events are dull and boring. For example, a protagonist in The Fires of Heaven, Mat Cauthon, has two intriguing aspects. One is his incredible luck in games of chance. The other, most fascinating aspect, is that he has vivid memories of lives lived in the distant past. there is no character in the Jules Vern novel that can compare to such a riveting figure.Jules Vern's novel is flat and unimaginative in contrast to Robert Jordan's work. I was told it was a classic, but I was disappointed by its quality of creativity. I would not recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy fiction. | 0negative
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a philosphical comedy
The writings of Bernard Shaw in this particulat play, invites to you use your mind to understand life and philosphy. It has such great insight into many aspects of human nature and at the same time is exteremely funny and really takes you into it's pages. The writing has impecable style and this is truly a classic play. | 1positive
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an approachable classic
if i'm being truly honest most 'classics' leave me cold. Pride and prejudice ? Bored me rigid. The amabassadors ? A guaranteed way to induce sleep. Remembrance of things past ? Still only read two of the books...and have no real desire to read more So when i picked up tess i was expecting more of the same. Worthy, intellectual, dull .I was wrong . Tess was a page turner , populist in the best way and strangely, considering cinema hadn't been invented yet , rather cinematic in it's description and creation of scenes . Even the passages that described the countryside add to the overall feel and mood of the book, rather than just describe for describing sake . As for the reviewers who accuses Hardy of being verbose, I can only say that for the time he's positvely Hemingwayesque.Yes, the book is a little melodramtic and if it wasn't for all the tragedy and downbeat ending you could see it being made into a mini series on tv but frankly.... what's wrong with that ? It's precisely this approachability that lets Hardy get you thnking about issues like women's rights , men and women's relation to each other and predeterminism.Finally to those that say Angel and Alec's behaviour is inconsistent .I can not agree. Alec is exactly the kind of person who rushes from one passionate extreme to another and Angel is exactly the kind of idealist who has trouble excepting the realities of life and the failings of the average person.Finally a word on Tess herself .She is one of the sexiest characters i've ever seen written in victorian fiction .It interests me that a man should write such a character and then have her killed as if such beauty (both internally and externally) can't be allowed to exist on the earth becuase of men like him, me and maybe you.... | 1positive
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Otters
Read a very enjoyable story of a playful otter, with questions at the end of the book to make sure you have learned something! | 1positive
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chinese cinderella
In the book Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah, Adeline's life isn't a fairy tale it's no cartoon about a princess, it's about reality and her life growing up. This book really caught my attention because i like princesses espically Cinderella, but then I saw it was a memoir and someone acutaly might have a life like this, so i was very intereseted in reading it. Adeline's mother died while giving birth to Adeline, so everyone asumes that she is now bad luck, and no one including family cares for her. I never thought someone could have such a cruel life with such mean siblings and family members even Adeline's father dispies of her.So much tragety already with death's in her family and the marriage of here father Niang who is now her stepmother , she is now moving to Shanghi. Her life here in Shanghi is very difficult to adjust to. Adeline eventually makes a friend named Chun-mei, she even made friends with a bird who she named Plt which means Precious Little Treasure. "I just heard you speaking to Plt as if she were you baby sister(pg.74)." She treats Plt like family, probably because it's the closest thing she has to it.It's terible that your own sibling would want to hurt you, not physically but mentaly. In a part of the story Adeline's brothers trick her into drinking a juice that they said they made especially for her. It proably was made special for her because I dont think they would give anyone else a cup of their urine. "Through the mirrror hanging on the wall, I could see them rolling on the floor with hysterical laughter(pg.69).During her stay in Shanghi, her evil stepmother and father decide to have her go to a boarding school. While everyone is leaving she is just comming. Everyone is leaving beacuse of the war. It's hard being so lonely in a bording school but some how Adeline pulls it off. Her hardwork and learning pays off when she is invited to go to medical school in England, and there she can become a doctor."Father, I shall go to medical school in England and become a doctor. Thank you very, very much (pg.193)" Soon after her time as a hardworking docor she became amazing writer.The author, Adeline learned to believe in herself, and to keep her hopes up even when she felt like giving up. She learned to be very independent and to do things with out help. She learned that you dont have to be weathy or have beautiful dresses but have a good heart and mind. She has faith in herself that thats all that matters to her. | 1positive
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Excellent
This book was just brand new and as wonderful as I remember it being when I was a kid. An imaginative adventure of the best kind. | 1positive
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Nothing like any other classic I've read
My sister recommended this book to me, saying that "it was the best book she has ever read". I knew that this book was amazing, judging from what my family has told me for so long, but I didn't want to read it for one reason that reason being, "the book is over 1000 pages!!!" So it's been lying on my shelf for more than a few years until I finally decided to read it. It took me 2 weeks to read (whereas it took my sister 5 days) it and boy, did I have an amazing time reading about Scarlett, her family, Tara, Captain Rhett Butler, Ashley Wilkes, and every body. I especially enjoyed the Southerners points of view about slavery. After readin historical books, all from the Union's point of view, I realized that I've been missing out on a lot of info on the Civil War. I've always thought that Southerners treated their slaves with cruelty, based on what I've read from other histocial fiction books, but after reading this one, I found out that slavery wasn't all about whippings, beatings, and any other kind is mismanagement.Scarlett has to be my favorite character. She is headstrong and stubborn, yes, but she fights for what she believes in and does everything to save Tara, even if it meant hurting family members. This books was dramatic, however, such as whatever someone gained, someone else loses something that is very dear to them but I guess that adds more "zest" to the whole story.This is, "the best book I have ever read in my life". Well at least in my 14 years of living. If you have the slightest interest in reading this wonderful, enchanting classic, go ahead. I did and I don't regret it. | 1positive
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Amazing story of our country's founding
I wondered "How can an autobiography get a 4 to 5-star review?" Now I see why. This is one of the coolest things I ever read. I won't spoil the fun for the new readers, but it is a definite don't miss. If you want to know what it was like in early America - and how a principal founder of our country helped form its development (and WHY he was so popular), this is a must-read.One very cool tidbit - a true account of events led to the outsting of the British out of the country, and why we went to war...if you're British you may not want to read this. ;) On the other hand, if you're French, you will be flattered!In addition to reading history, you will also learn negotiating and fund-raising tactics, as well as master-minded political moves that help move bills toward passage. | 1positive
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A Haunting Re-Readable Classic
Set in the Belgian Congo during the 19th century Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, is a journey to the darkest corners of the wilderness and the human heart. The story is told by Marlow, a sailor, who journeys to the Congo to captain a river steamer and ends up on a expedition to save an extrodinary ivory trader by the name of Mr. Kurtz.Throughout this journey he encounters the raw brutality of colonialism in all its horror and greed. Conrad brings the reader to the frontier where men do savage things all for the spoils of conquest. This is in sharp contrast with other African adventure classics, such as King Solomon's Mines, which take a much more amiable view of the conquest of Africa.Conrad shows all this barbarism with vivid imagery. His description of the Congo wilderness brings it life with all the mystery and majesty it is due. Conrad's prose is magnificent; you feel like you are at Marlow's side throughout the whole story. However anyone thinking this is a fast paced thriller is mistaken. It plot moves at a leisurely pace and isn't as rushed as novels today.Another one of the beauties of this book is its re-readability. I first read it through without reading the introduction and I am glad I did. It let me interperet the meaning of the book without anyone else's influences and when I read the introduction at the end I found that there was a myraid of other themes that could be drawn from the story that I had not thought of. I am now reading it a second time in a new light. I suggest anyone reading it the first time to skip the intro and the footnotes until you've read it once. It will definetly make it a more enjoyable read.Not that it is not already an excellent book. Heart of Darkness is a literature masterpiece that shows the raw repungent character of colonialism and human nature with haunting power. | 1positive
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Full House
A great escape from the realities of the world. some call this "beach" reading. I call it bed reading. It gives me a calm spirit at night which helps me fall fast asleep | 1positive
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The BEST Book Ever!
I am 24 years young and loved every second of this book! Luckily, I read it after the second one was finished, so as soon as I finished reading this book, I got to go and pick up the sequel - Second Helpings! Now I am so sad that there are no more books about Jessica Darling. I also let my 14 year old neice read these books while she visited for the summer and I could hardly pry her away from reading for a second. It is awesome to read about a strong, highly intelligent female who is going through what we all have to go through at some point in our lives. Get this book for yourself, and one for every girl you know as a gift! It is wonderful! | 1positive
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Great Essay Slopppy Edition
This is an excellent essay, even for those who did not know they cared about the Renaissance.My primary motive for purchasing this book was the fact that it had influenced Nietzsche; however, this book has much independent merit, whether you love hate or don't care about Nietzsche, there will be something here for you.Burckhardt does a great job of capturing the amoral ethos of the time on its own terms; not judging it from the position of some imagined superiority. He is obviously well-versed in the relevant literature, and the translation does not seem to obscure him.This particular edition does have numerous typographical errors, which can be somewhat distracting as one reads. | 1positive
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Shabby rehash
This is the so-called sequel to "Rich Man, Poor Man", which was a well-written, absorbing story with interesting characters. Far from being a sequel, however, this novel is a sad rehash of the earlier success. Shaw revisits his characters from "Rich Man, Poor Man", but they do nothing more than reminisce about plotlines from the original novel. Please be diligent about recycling your post-consumer waste, but don't disappoint yourself by reading a recycled book. | 0negative
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Seems to need update on prices, catagories are incomplete
The priceing seems to be below other publications. His listings are incomplete, not all items shown. The drawings are rough and are hard to make out. | 0negative
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Malcolm X..................
This book is [or should be] mandatory reading for all high school students. It is the story of a great man; who predicted the problems of today's world, before this melting pot mess we have today. [In a decidedly racial 'post-racial society'].....In a blatantly racist society he stood strong, and was a voice of dissent. | 1positive
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Best Book Ever!
I must say, after seeing that the length reached nearly 1500 pages, I was a little concerned about the content, however, I found this book to be the best book I have read. I recommend it, unabridged, to everyone and anyone. The story draws up to a great climax, and doesn't bore you at all. At certain points in the book the number of characters made me loose track of some people, but they appeared later and were quite obviously presented to me. The plot is great, story is great, everything about it is great. Read it! | 1positive
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Great first book
These poems have a great range for an initial collection. The dynamic between language, the world, and the imagination is original and moving. You should get this book so that you can say you heard of Austin Hummell before any of your friends did. | 1positive
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A thematic novel whose theme is not well presented
I read a lot of novels for entertainment purposes, but I'll start off by saying that those I read for school I usually like less then those I read on my own. It is possible I am biased. This novel seems to invite overanalyzation in the worst way. The flimsiest throwaway line can be sought out and examined for meaning. These meanings often reflect only what the reader wanted to see. I think Golding was trying to make a point and did a passable job at doing it. I think he lacks subtlety, however. The books that carry the most weight in my mind are those which do so in a manner you hardly notice, but at every turn Lord of the Flies screams out, "there is an innate evil in humans!" Its ending seems contrived and somewhere along the line it acquires a nightmarish quality that seems to me to detract from the theme. | 0negative
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Exercise for the muscle between your ears, and 'bubble gum' for same
Growing up, I very much enjoyed reading the Sugar Creek Gang, Hardy Boys, and Tom Swift series young adult books. If you want to stimulate that muscle between your children and grand-children's ears in an enjoyable way, read this book & the series to them, or encourage them to read these on their own...or you can watch them play video games and atrophy their skeletal muscles and brains in equal proportions. | 1positive
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A Case Poorly Made
I became aware of the extraordinary photoes and theories of Ron Wyatt while earning my degree in Ancient History at UC Berkeley. I still beleive that his conclutions about the Red Sea crossing at Nuweiba are exactly right on. But, why build an entire fictional history around these discoveries? And a history with such radical departures from Commonly Accepted Egyptology???? Where do I start? Imhotep and Joseph? Imhotep was a Neolithic Vonderkinde. He invented stone buildings and his affects upon Egyptian culture made him a demigod. And he lived c. 2650 BC. Joseph arrived in Egypt, according to the history inherent in the Bible, c. 1925 BC, almost 800 years after Imhotep. Need I go on. Why, oh why do you almost totally discredit a wonderful discovery with such sloopy history? The Nuweiba discovery, along with a totally positive ID of the real Mt. Sinai would certainly stand on its own!Thank God I have researched this very topic for almost 30 years and know better. Anyone with the brains to open a history book could figure out that Moses was born when the Bible says he was, at the begining of the 18th Dynasty shortly after the expulsion of the Hyksos by Ahmosis. Tuthmosis II died on the 80th birthday of Moses, 81 years after the expulsion of the Hyksos.So who do you think hye was?(clue, he died right in front of Moses in the Gulf of Aquaba) Flavius Josephus, a treator and refugee from a Judean slum, totally messed up the identity of the Hebrews with the Hyksos 1900 years ago and we're still paying the price. Having to read such stuff. Next you'll have these people telling us that space aliens really did build the pyramids, of course with the help of Jacob and Joseph! Ron Wyatt's web site has these photos of Nuweiba and the chariot remains. Don't waste your money. Visit the website. | 0negative
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some surprises
I like nearly all of Nora Roberts books, even the old ones. It's fun to see how she has developed over the years. | 1positive
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I liked the book, but...
I liked the book. I have been eagerly anticipating the next book in the In Death series. I am, however, very disappointed in J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts). One of the reasons that this series has been so great is that every time a new installment has been released it was easy, convenient, and affordable to read. All of the other books were first released as paperback novels. This one is only in hardcover, for the time being. I am very disgusted that an already famous author needs to cheat her readers and pad her pocket. Shame on you, Nora! | 0negative
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Piece of crap from crap seller
I ordered this book 2 weeks ago and it just now came today. What's worse, it's in absolutely terrible shape. The front cover is ripped, the spine has old sticker residue on it, and the back looks like it's been chewed on by a small animal. So much for being "Used- Very Good Condition" | 0negative
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Unimaginitive, Unrealistic...a feast of feminist propaganda
I read this book for an English class ('Sex and Gender Issues'). Without hesitation, I can say it is among the worst books I've ever read. The prose is acceptable and fits the novel, but I can scarcely think of a more blantant rip-off than The Handmaid's Tale. Without improvising the anti-Utopian genre, this book cheaply copies 1984, Brave New World, and We. Handmaid's Tale fails miserably fails to approach the realism and totality of those works; while satire is not necessarily intended to be realistic, this book is not really satirical.Why is that so? Atwood wrote this book as some kind of reaction to the US' slight movement Right in the early 1980s. She does not, however, understand American political realities; it's almost painful to imagine what she was thinking as she penned the novel. The shift of the Republican Party away from Ford's centrism was not rooted in a religious revival- in fact, it was quite the opposite. While Southern religious Conservatives emerged full force in 1980, Barry Goldwater set the table much earlier (particularly his 1964 Presidential bid). Goldwater was actually pro-choice, and never associated with the religious Right. Likewise, Reagan was not fundamentally driven by a sense of moral duty.Inevitably, Atwood's political ignorance results in a hackneyed and utterly unbelievable setting. I even laughed at certain elements of her 'Republic of Gilead.' Discussing the book's fantastic elements is almost difficult, despite being obvious. A bizarre group somehow gets the military to pledge it's loyalty (which is, of course, ridiculous). Worse, Congress is "machine gunned..." by the Army and the President is assasinated. US soldiers are trained to disobey illegal orders, and that is exactly what would happen- not that an entire bureaucracy like the US military could be easily turned against the country, anyway. Oh, and Catholics are persecuted by this regime; I suppose the fact that the military is over 1/3 Catholic posed little challenge to the "Commanders."Red is an appropriate motif of the novel- because that's what color Atwood's politics boil down to. She (imagine fingernails scratching a chalkboard) heaps racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism etc ad nauseum into her Leftist field day. Her essential claim is that the end of Conservatism is a 100% Patriarchal, White society of zero tolerance and zero love (and zero freedom). Atwood's understanding of organized religion is also called into question here, as the RoG is some kind of new Christian Sect (at one point, the book reveals them to be in conflict with Baptists). Consider for yourself: a random new religion appears, it's leaders take over the country, and Harvard is the HQ of their Secret Police. Yeah, right...If you need to read a book about Gender, "The Garden of Eden" by Hemingway is quite good. If you need to read about anti-Utopias, the three novels I listed previously are all very powerful. This book is not a significant work in either sense. Time has revealed its silly urgency to be unfounded. It serves as part complaint, part scare tactic, and part political statement; perhaps feminists enjoy it for precisely those reasons, but preaching to the choir is not the mark of a good novel. The praise this book has garnered is downright weird... I think it speaks to a paranoia with regard to religious people (among leftists, especially feminists), and a more subtle hatred of people that "oppress" women. Serene Joy mocks the notion of religious women...the epilogue essentially describes a better world that is free of White people (and perhaps Christians). Thinking about it, I do not recall a more offensive and ludicrous book from my experience, though they surely must exist... | 0negative
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A MUST read!
I didn't know if I would completely love this book or not because some books are laid out in a boring, hard to follow manner but this book was not that way at all! I really enjoyed reading it and learning all of the information it provided. It was inspiring and exciting. I highly recommend it, it really helped me know that I am on the right path and only wish I would have read this when I was pregnant with my first. | 1positive
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What the heck do Vikings have to do with this book?
This is the second Cussler novel I"ve gone through (Atlantis Found before this), and I do like the cheesiness of his writing - I do hope it's meant to be that way. The big problem is that the story just plain stinks. You've got the evil corporate CEO trying to get a monopoly on the oil industry by sinking or sabotaging rival imports. You've got a dead scientist with a secret formula for a super-oil that'll destroy the oil industry. Oh yeah, the oil can "warp" itself into an empty breifcase through quantum foam. You've got an account of how Vikings colonized New York (1st Prologue). Finally, you've got a historic account how a Nineteenth Century Warhip is sunk by the real-life Captain Nemo and his Nautillus. Now you might want to read because of its sheer ridiculousness, but understand that the only two themes that are part of the "plot" and not just in the book are the evil oil company and the secret formula for super oil. For the life of me, I could not find the connection between the plot and the viking thing at all. Wait a sec, the Captain Nemo thing didn't relate to the story either. It was just kinda in there. I guess I just don't read at the level that is required to understand the intricacies of Cussler's writing. I'll have to go back to the Bible. That's at least easier to understand. | 0negative
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not my cup of tea
This book was recommended in a book review column i always read and usually agree with. However the stories are very disturbing, strange, gross, sick and upsetting. I'm obviously not ready for this kind of book - i'm going back to Maeve Binchy.This was his first book - i wonder if he'll write another!! | 0negative
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Meditations From a Spiritual Journey
For me, the best poetry stirs my soul; it awakens my spirit through its clarity and simplicity. Its purpose is clean, pointing me towards greater understanding of who I am in this world, or, even better, towards comprehension of the divine that indwells both this world and me. It is this comprehension, this movement towards the divine, that enables each of us to make this world better as we work for justice and an "acting-out" of the divine's attributes.Much poetry that is published does not fall into this category for me. I find it bland; I struggle with the lines, struggle to make sense of it, and eventually give up. But every once in awhile I am rewarded with a rich vein of spirituality comes to me. William Simpson, spiritual master of the Conscious Living Foundation (www.consciouslivingfoundation.org) has provided this vein for me, in his recent book, From the Path: Verses on the Mystic Journey. The poems in this book are food for the soul, providing both inlet and outlet for contemporary journeying with the divine.Mr. Simpson is well aware that spirituality is a journey, that one never arrives. Through his long years of meditation, Simpson has discerned that each of us is here for a purpose. For him, part of that purpose was to record these sixty-six poems "found" during the course of his summer meditations in 2004. (He also includes a helpful primer on "first steps," described on the back cover as "practical techniques for growth and transformation.")While he wrote, he struggled with his self-with whether the poems made sense, or how it would end. This struggle demonstrates the reality of the spiritual life as we move between the two poles of doubt and faith, darkness and illumination.This struggle is clearly scene, and enhanced for each of us, in several of his poems. For example, in "And So I Sit," Mr. Simpson details the difficulty in maintaining a spiritual practice: "Distracted and enticed by / Flaws and indiscretions / I am pulled away from / Your presence." The joy of knowing the divine is attested in "To Rest In You," even with the awareness that a glimpse of truth now is not the end of the journey: "What a relief to rest in You! / To let go of pain. / To let go of tension. / To just let go.... / And what of the world? / Terror and war." Finally, we learn in "Another Kind Of Love" that the path to the divine is learned and lived by love: "There is another kind of love. / One without an unfulfilled desire. / One that seeks no selfish end.... / When the best way / To get it- / Is to give it- / Purely. / There is another kind of love."We can thank Mr. Simpson for showing us how to dance. It is up to each of us to follow his lead and enter into this mystic dance. | 1positive
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The new(er?) cigar companion
I bought this book to replace one by the same title and was dissapointed that it bears no resemblance to the 3rd edition that I had lost. While it is a handsome book, I was ultimately disappointed. What was a clear and concise review of many cigars widely available has become a very limited survey of a few cigars many of which are not easily obtainable. Most frustratingly, the reviewers will describe a certain stick as "the best of this manufacturer" and then go on to review a different offering from the same company without further reference to the cigar they deemed the most desireable. While the section on rare cigars makes for an interesting read, this seems more like a book for cigar admirers rather than one for buyers and smokers. I had hoped to find a book to help me make informed buying decisions. I plan to buy the 3rd edition-used! | 0negative
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WOW, Catch-22 an almost true fiction
Catch-22 is an exciting and sometimes confusing adventure about a WWII bomber named Yossarian, and his atempts to get out of the war alive. I read this book for pleasure. I recomend reading this book if you are looking for a great book about as crazy as a book can be. The first couple chapters of Catch-22 and some vocabulary may be a little daunting to the reader, but the book is well worth the time to read.This book was amazing. I do not think I have ever read any thing this funny one minute then horrifying the next. The book is funny in how the world around Yossarian seems totaly absurd and impossible. Unfortunatly in a military setting Catch-22 may also be shockingly closer to reality then first presumed. I think more people who have been in the military at some point in time will enjoy reading this book than someone who has never been in the military | 1positive
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The best edition I have enjoyed...
This is "The Hobbit" in perhaps it's most original, most authentic form. As close as I could imagine Tolkien or Mr. Bilbo would have had it.As for the negative reviews, which almost seem intentionally too long-worded and heavy to want to read, comparing this edition to that edition, blah blah blah.... a review should be just that... otherwise it would be called a comparison, would it not? Sounds like a pissed off writer who never made it, sitting on their chair the wrong way (something up their south-facing orifice)THAT SAID :PI am a book collector. In particular I tend to gravitate towards classics which are bound and covered in such a way as to make them worthy not only of reading, but also for display and even to be handed down within the family. I have inherited and purchased a number of books over the years to this end, and not only is my library becoming and amazing collection to experience through reading, it is becoming a beautiful sight to behold, thanks to books like this particular edition of The Hobbit, which happens to be among my favorites, at the center of my collection.The book is initially pleasing to the eye. The slip-cover is of the same bound heavy card stock as the book cover, with beautiful drawings affixed to either side. The pages are heavy, the page edges have a nice rustic cut (though I wish they were gilded), the print is bold, and the font fitting. It won't be long and you won't be able to find books of this quality anymore.The Hobbit is perhaps my all time favorite story. The first copy I read was a ragged elementary school softcover book, missing pages and covers... I loved the story first long before I became a book collector. Tolkien wrote it primarily from the perspective of the one telling the tale, I.E. "There and Back Again" by Bilbo Baggins, and if old Bilbo were to have had a printing press, and produced his book en-masse, I imagine, of all the editions I have handled, that this particular one has the most authenticity and character, and is the closest to what Bilbo would have produced himself. This is very original. If like me you become absorbed into what you read, then you know how important the 'feel' of a book can be. You just don't get that same feel from a paper back book.For the money, you will not find a more beautiful, more collectable copy of this tale. I also recommend the matching red-"leather" bound LOTR with similar slip-cover. All that is said of The Hobbit in this review could also be said for the similar copy of LOTR.Thanks for reading!! | 1positive
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Simply the worst!
This has got to be the most frustrating book I have ever read. It should have been called the Gospel of Simon. He goes on and on but never mentions Judas. I understand Judas is finally introduced at the end. I couldn't wait that long and had to close the book before I pulled my hair out. Not worth the time or money. | 0negative
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Don't waste your time on this one. . . .
This is the nastiest book I have ever read. Ms. Sheehy ought to be ashamed of herself. | 0negative
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The Church will not escape the Tribulation!
I liked how the author looked at all the prophecies in the Bible about the end times and how made it all fit together. It made sense, but only if you assumed that Israel and the Church are not the same and that the Church has to be raptured before the Tribulation.The author offers no reason why he makes any distinction between Israel and the Church. He offers no convincing explation for why God should spare His Church before the tribulation.I believe in the literal interpetation of the Bible. I am a Post-Tribber. I felt insulted as the author made me feel like I was stupid for believing in a Post-Trib rapture.Why will the church go through the tribulation? Because we must be refined and made pure by going through the fire.I am alarmed, and saddened, that this book, and the Left Behind series, will prophecy "Peace, Peace," to the Christian commmunity. But God is saying there will be no peace.God always keeps a remenent(sp). As horrible as the tribulation will be, God will keep some of His people to be raptured. The wedding supper of the lamb can also happen after Jesus destroys the Anti-Christ without allowing for a seven year period.The strongest argument in this book, is that no one can know the time when Jesus comes back, and we would know if we left in the Tribulation. But, God can fufill His prophecies in a way that we do not expect. Maybe, sometime during the Tribulation, all the clocks will be destroyed by the Anti-Christ because he knows his time is short.I recommed this book to everybody, but please search Scripture, to see if these things be so. If I am wrong, then I will admit that. But, I have searched Scripture and firmly believe in that the Church will have to go through the Tribulation and then God will rapture us.What glory would God have if He took His Church now? None. What greater glory, if God lifted His church up, refined in the fire of the tribulation, and then, when we have fought and died and proven ourselvers worthy, will He come rapture His people and avenge His people!May God be glorified! | 0negative
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Moore's Prophecy
This book, made into a motion picture in the seventies, is a tale set in the near future when the Catholic Faith is hijacked by some sort of modern syncretistic hyper-social justice hierarchy. Indeed, from one who has lived through some of the most drastic changes in the Catholic Faith during the last forty years I can say the book is a well written modern prophecy. It's a great story of what happens when authority is used to destroy the most substantial truths of The Faith. It is a great narrative on how authority, which is highly regarded by Catholics, is used to destroy ultimate authority in the Church. In the end the struggle between the traditional truths and the new modern way, in a small monastery on a deserted island, is ended by an act of administrative authority. It's a sad commentary of what people in charge of things, especially the Church, can become when they lose their faith and become ecclesiastical mechanics. The story has everything in it which actually has happened - the liberation movement, ecumenical actions being end in themselves, a denial of the priesthood and finally a denial of the real presence in the Holy Eucharist. In many ways it is a prophecy of horrible things to come for the Catholic Church - the truth is that the future is now. | 1positive
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This book is the best to get you jumpstarted!
I initially used another book to begin my pilates workout. It never got me started. Then I found Siler's. This is the greatest book to walk a novice through the workout. I loved the fact that I could begin slowly (initially 15 min at a time) until I felt ready to add more. It has given me the confidence I needed to continue with the workout. And each time I have completed the movements, I feel GREAT! No book will give you the same results as if you had a live trainer, but this books sure seems to be close. I whole heartedly recommend this book if you are looking for a different way to use your body to feel wonderful. After working out in a gym with weights for over 7 yrs, this is a fabulous addition to wake up my off-gym days. After 15-30 minutes, I feel taller, more graceful and agile! And who doesn't want that! Keep in mind it takes time and patience to accomplish anything work having; this is worth it! | 1positive
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A slog
I didn't enjoy reading this book, apart from a few brief snatches. I finished it more of a sense of not wanting to leave anything undone.One of the first reviews (by Henry F. Chorley) of the book puts it very succinctly:"This is an ill-compounded mixture of romance and matter-of-fact. The idea of a connected and collected story has obviously visited and abandoned its writer again and again in the course of composition. The style of his tale is in places disfigured by mad (rather than bad) English; and its catastrophe is hastily, weakly, and obscurely managed...."I couldn't hope to do any better than that but I can try to extrapolate. There is no cohesive narrative. What little there is is broken up by chapters on the particulars of whaling. Or on the philosophy of whaling, in particular or of life in general.I'm not saying a good job couldn't be done with any or all of this but I just don't see it here. It's too disjointed and Melville's style of prose is awkward and protracted. Someone famous once said "brevity is the soul of whit." Melville either never heard it or ignored it.There isn't all that much character interaction either. Ishmael, the narrator, for instance, starts out as a palpable presence in the book, a real character. Once he sets sail on the Pequod, however, he disappears into the background; he becomes a "mouthpiece," as another review put it. He interacts with no one, such that you might have to remind yourself that he, not Melville himself, is the actual narrator. Other characters get chapters devoted to them, but the results are uneven and again, it's all broken up by all the passages on technical details or philosophical musings.Even some of the particulars are dubious. Melville refers to whales as fish throughout the book, which might be expected considering the period, but Melville makes it a point to reject the idea that whales are anything other than fish. He even mentions Swedish biologist Linnaeus' declaration that "whales are separate from the fish" and the various reasons given as to why. Melville doesn't attempt to counter any of these arguments, but merely declares Linnaeus' declaration to be "humbug." Wikipedia argues that this use of the word 'fish' is an "ad hoc" definition meant to describe an animal that dwells in the ocean. If so, would this then mean that Linnaeus was under the impression that whales don't live in the sea? Somehow, I doubt it. Also, would this "ad hoc" definition not also include the squid, octopus and sea turtle, to name some examples?Anyway, to summarize, Moby-Dick wasn't an enjoyable experience for me. Obviously, mileage varies. There seems to be a very sizable and fiercely loyal following for this novel and I almost wish I could see what they see. But I just don't have it in me to make the effort again. Life is too short as it is. | 0negative
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Toffler Remains at the Cutting Edge of Future Thinking
As a former Air Force officer and current international business and technology consultant Toffler's Revolutionary Wealth rings true! The changes he foretells are spot-on, provocative. The Tofflers continue to outdo themselves. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about his or her future.Frank Shines, The New Science of Success: How to Outsource Proof Your Job... | 1positive
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My 5 and half year loves this edition
I have an early self taught reader in the household and grandpa was the one who figured that she was at "Alice in Wonderland" level. I went looking and stumbled across this edition. The pictures are absolutely fabulous. The stories combined with the pictures rivets my daughters attention. She can now visualize what she reads. from the wonderful pictures. Every night - we read - 2 - 3 pages and I explain many of the words and phrases she's hearing for the first time. Even if it is late and way past her bedtime - skipping bed-time reading results in tears and tantrums. That is how much she loves the material. We review the previous days reading before continuing with new pages. I feel this is the only real education she is getting when at public school she is being taught the letter "T" at the moment.. | 1positive
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Had To Read For School
And I highly enjoyed reading this book. The storyline may be a bit complicated but if you stick with it, you will eventually understand Guy Montag's world. I reccomend this book for High School kids and up. | 1positive
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Spirin's Nutcracker is one of the best!
I am something of a collector of Hoffmann's Nutcracker stories, especially the illustrated children's picture books. I have two criteria. One: The full Hoffmann text must be used in the text--no abridgements! Two: The illustrations must be fantastic--in every sense of the word.The three very best, in no particular order:1. Maurice Sendak's version. Sendak designed the costumes and sets for the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker Suite. The designs were also used for Nutcracker:The Movie (which, sadly, is not available on DVD. hint!). It is filled with endless color sketches that communicate the strange atmosphere of Hoffmann's text--and Tchaikovsky's music.2. Carter Goodrich's version. Most notably known for his whimsical New Yorker cartoons, Goodrich's soft, yet dream-like images give his imagination free-reign. The world of the Nutcracker has never been so accessible to young and old alike.3. Of course, Gennady Spirin's version. Jewel-like, yet with an old-world patina, each painting glitters with the magic of Christmas. Every image can (and should) be poured over to examine the breathless detail of Spirin's baroque dollhouse universe.There are too many uninspired or bowdlerized versions of this tale littering the market. If I may, I'd like to make some suggestions of others who would be worthy to take a "crack" at this Christmastime masterpiece:Edward Sorel, of "The Saturday Kid" fame.David Wiesner of "Sector 7".Peter Malone, who did an excellent job with "The Magic Flute".Brian Selznick of "The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins".Peter Sis, who created the haunting "The Three Golden Keys".and Marc Sutherland, who made the deliriously animistic "MacMurtrey's Wall". | 1positive
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One of the best books I have read from Robin Cook
Vector is one of the greatest I have read from Robin Cook. Altough predictable with some chapters Robin writes the realities of bioterrorism. And with characters like Jack and Laurie, readers are in for some treat with the adventures they go through, much like the mayhem they encountered in Chromosome 6, another great book. | 1positive
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Dull and boring
A Time to Kill must have been one of the worst books that I have ever read. A Time to Kill is a book about two men that rape a little girl. The girl's father kills the two men, and risks going to the gas chamber. The reason I didn't like this book is plain and simple. I hate books about politics and court trials. A time to Kill is just that, dull and boring. | 0negative
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Grand Misunderstanding makes for infuriating read
2.5 stars.Sigh. I hate to rate this book as low as I do because really, it is not a bad book. But it is definitely an infuriating one. I give Balogh a bit of a pass because this is one of her early books.The book starts in a smallish village where a Miss Elizabeth Rossiter is the governess/companion of a beautiful young lady. The village is abuzz because the owner of he largest, most prosperous property is coming for a stay and is bringing some sophisticated friends from London.As is usual in these books, the local gentry want to have a series of social rounds with the visiting nobles and marry off various children.One of the visitors is Robert Denning, Marquess of Hetherington. And it is soon obvious that he and Elizabeth have a past. And oh yeah, he hates her.The first part of the book is all question marks. Why does Robert despise Elizabeth so? What is the nature of their past relationship?Slowly, Elizabeth reveals their relationship through flashbacks. And at the midpoint of the book, Robert throws down a bombshell.And this is where I find the book really infuriating. Everything that has happened in the past and even going forward, hinges on the Grand Misunderstanding. It gets to a point where Elizabeth's intransigence just makes you want to slap her.And it doesn't help matter that the entire story is told 100% from Elizabeth's POV. Robert is really enigmatic. His responses to her, his reactions and even some of his words are incredibly cryptic.So this book was just frustrating. I would not rec this to newbies to Balogh. I'd probably only recommend it to Readers who are familiar with her work and who are interested in completing her backlist | 0negative
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Funny reading - lousy ideas
This book is a great read if you are just looking for a laugh (for yourself, not your baby.)Only a handful of the ideas are feasible. Unless your husband really wants to wear a giant diaper, or you want grandma to go in a huge box and be a giant jack-in-the box. The ideas are cute and funny, but few are practical. Laughing with your child is a wonderful thing, and enjoying your baby is important, but these ideas are not well-thought out and a waste of your time. Finger plays and tickling sessions will elicit more genuine laugther than throwing random objects out of your window from the 2nd floor, while baby looks out the 1st floor window!A poor choice at any price! | 0negative
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Fascinating story of survival
This remarkable story tells of how Theodore Roosevelt led an expedition down one of the mightiest Amazon tributaries, and lived to tell about it. Candice Millard does a fantastic job of making her readers feel as if they are actually accompanying Roosevelt and his party as they descend into the Amazonian rain forest. Her book is a fabulous account of human courage and survival, as well as a tale about the power of nature. For those of us who live comfortably in the Northern Hemisphere, it is easy to forget how vast, diverse, and deadly tropical rain forests can be. Millard brings this vicious environment to life. [...] | 1positive
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Good but not the best.
This book was pretty good. It was not the best book I have ever read, but it is by far not the worst. I got confused while reading it and found myself rereading almost all of the book. Even though the book was confusing to me, it was still a good book. I would not recomond this book to anyone who does not have a basic high school reading level, and even then by careful and be sure to double check whet you read. | 1positive
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Not what I expected
I'm new to this writer and this series of books, but after seeing an episode of the HBO television show based off of Martin's epic I decided to pick up a copy of Game of Thrones as something to read on deployment. I read many of the reviews on here before buying and thought that I knew what I was getting myself into but I was dead wrong. I'm not going to call the book trash or berate it in anyway, I just want to point out a few things to potential readers so that they know what they're getting themselves into with A Game of Thrones.This book, while written well enough, is not for a reader who's looking for action, intrigue and high adventure. Intrigue, maybe, but more in the vein of a soap opera. There is no central character, each chapter is written from a different person's point of view and what little action it contains is very dry and brief.I was so turned off by the slow pace of this book that I now also have no interest in seeing any of the HBO adaptation, which come to find out was made basically due to Martin's apparent tendency to "make it up as he goes" with no clear vision as to where exactly this epic is going. Which means that it's not really fair to call it an epic at all, but rather a serial. This also makes it ideal for adaptation as the makers can just continue to film new stories long past the point where a deliberate epic would end.Anyway, if none of this bothers you and you were more of a Guiding Light fan than a Next Generation fan, then this book and series is probably exactly what you're looking for. | 0negative
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actually 1/2 star
Don't waste your time trying to decipher this supposed novel. Will make a good paper weight. Fortunately I got a copy from the library and didn't waste my money. Don't let the good reviews fool you. Check it out at the library first.... | 0negative
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Boring
Maybe it's just me but this was SOOOOOOOOOO boring. I read the first 50 or so pages and had to put it down. Too many characters were introduced and the story was lost almost immediately. I know it's a classic and I know I'm supposed to revere the writers of old, but this was a waste of time. Nothing against Bronte, just not my cup of tea. Stephen King said if a writer does not hook you in the first twenty pages, move on! I did. | 0negative
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Interesting but lacks credibility
The plot is interesting and educational to those of us who know little about British politics and less about horse racing. However the assassination attempts, especially the shoot-and-stumble, are less than credible and the final resolution is totally unbelieveable. | 0negative
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The light sort of burned out in this story...
Good Lord! This incredibly horrendous book could possibly win the Darwin Award for Literature. I was forced to read this horrible book in my eighth grade advanced english class and fell asleep several times trying to get to the end. I spent the entire book waiting for something happend, and then finally when i reached the end, none of the problems that had been created throughout the book were solved. I truely pity you if you are foced to read this book, but if you WANT to read it you must be out of your mind! | 0negative
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This book is not a good book.
This book is very abridged. In fact, I was surprised of its popularity. I am a 3.7 gpa student who feels that this book does NOT provide the necessary detail for a thorough understanding of not only the mathematical derivations presented, but the practical applications of transport phenomena. The authors fail to present their insight to their understanding of the subject. This book does not tell you the "why" part of what they are doing; the book only tells what they are doing. So, if you are looking for a book with detailed derivations and detailed explainations of the concepts, this is NOT the book for you. | 0negative
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The Chosen, a classic...
I first read The Chosen as a summer reading assignment in high school. It quickly became my favorite book. I read the sequel, The Promise, on my own time and have read both books many times since then. The unlikely friendship of Rueben and Danny, two boys from totally different backgrounds is a perfect lesson for young adults to learn. It should be on all summer reading lists. | 1positive
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Not helpful
I bought this book over a decade ago, in a rush to learn things that I needed. I recall it was a distinct waste of time. I'm no expert in C, so I needed tips. In the end, I favored other books that provided examples along with anecdotes. This book seemed to be much more focused on exhibiting how clever the author is, instead of actually helping me pull myself up by the bootstraps. The book I actually leaned on for advice (and I did write some code at the time) was Pointers on C by Kenneth Reek.Save your money, look for another resource. | 0negative
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The book has a lot of good in it, but...
The reason I am giving this a low rating is because the authors have changed their views. The statement on their web site was laughable, its sad how far people can fall. | 0negative
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Clueless in the Midwest
There seems to be a little bit of everything here for everyone into or curious about BDSM. But forget about the sexually graphic content; you like it or you don't. What of this work as literature or cultural commentary? If you knew the liberating non-fiction works of Ms Brame previously, you like I might have expected some sort of literary manifesto from this author. Instead it was just a long, sometimes tediously titillating narrative of what goes on in such places, albeit an ideal one, with unrelenting rudeness towards the pathetic anti-hero as the central focus. The ending was surprising, or more properly, unexpected, because it didn't really arise organically out of the groundwork laid out by the novel. I was troubled by the lack of ethics implied by the final resolution. [...] I must be listed among the clueless as well, because I found nothing liberating about this novel. | 0negative
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Quarter Folder
I was disappointed in the cost and the size of this product. I could have gotten a better and larger unit for less money from my local bank. | 0negative
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More of the same......
As far as morals are concerned `anything goes' for the moral relativist yet, at the same time they are `intolerant'. And around and around we go in this regressive spiral. Instead of philosophically setting the groundwork for objective self-discovery, Beckwith and Koukl have delivered to objectivists what they already have in abundance--additional dogmatism aimed at convincing others of their proprietary world-view (I say Objectivism?). B&K go to great lengths to demonstrate to the reader that relative-morality is a contradiction in terms, but in "proving" their theory they employ invalid logic. Page 31 in the chapter 'What is moral relativism?' ; B&K state:"Relativism simply is not a moral point of view. It's "morality" is no different than having no morality at all...Those who are relativist have no morality."So according to B&K:All relativist are amoral - I am a relativist-- Therefore I must be amoral. Correct?Well, besides the fact that I don't consider myself amoral, the above categorical statement violates the first rule of valid syllogisms which state that the middle term (relativist) must be distributed at least once, (otherwise known as -guilt by association) and here it is clearly not distributed, thus in doing so, B&K themselves invalidate the crux of their very own argument. So in conclusion: Save your money - Think for yourself. | 0negative
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Hi Mr. Book Disposal
Start reading Chapter 1 of this book for even just the first few pages, and for various topics, it will say to go to future Chapters. If you take a look at those future chapters, there will be notes on the side telling you to go back to Chapter 1 or to other chapters. You can run into infinite loops or dead ends not really picking up anything. It is possible to maybe find what you were looking for, or find that the explanation for it is just not sufficient.If I'm trying to look for a topic to remember, this book is not an easy read with the index either. If you look up some topics in the index and go to all the pages listed, it may not list all the important pages. Sometimes, when I had to look for information on something, say a "use case" for instance, then I'd look that topic up in the index. I'd go to all the different pages listed in the index and it might not be what I was looking for. Then I'd have to look at the side of the page of usually the lowest or 2nd lowest numbered page listed by the indexed topic, and go to the Chapter(s) listed. When I went to those chapter(s) I'd still have to scour the entire chapter(s) until I might find what I was looking for. An example was when I was trying to understand what one of the diagram types was, a "state diagram" I believe it was, as compared to say an "activity diagram." Sometimes I would find out that things just weren't worded well if in there at all, and I'd have to refer to another UML book.This book may have some good use, but I haven't found that yet. It's hard to read and hard to look things up, and hard to learn from if you don't already know much or anything that is for sure. | 0negative
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Good Idea, Awful and boring story telling!!!!!!
Ok, I myself loved "The Hobbit" by Tolkien, I thought it was a wonderful, easy going, well told story. But when he got to "The Lord of the Rings" Tolkien lost himself in a big blurr of confusion, with WAY TOO MUCH detail, and a LONG and VERY BORING, repititive, over laping story. The "Fellowship of the Ring" was by far the worst and most boring tale(but Tolkien had a good idea, he just didnt tell it right) ever told. Everyone in the story talks in a old english kinda way that can confuse you at times, stories told by the people in the book are way too long with too many new names and new places, too many songs, too much detail in landspaces and things, the whole war part is like a big dream that is just one big blurr(just like the book inself), there are long time periods between the less important events(with the less-important being told first nad boringly) and the more important events that you just want to skip over and get to the good stuff, the Enemy is too easily defeated, too much talk about elves, too much talk about places, people and events that are from a time period thousands of years ago that it just makes you want to say "shut up, and tell me whats happening now, not what happened to some elf four thousand years ago that doesnt even matter!", too many new names and new places that confusion is all you can think about, exc, exc, exc. I could go on and on with the problems in several parts, Tolkien should have just stuck to "The Hobbit" and got someone else to right "The Lord of the Rings" for him! Dont read this book unless you like long and boring, over-used fantasy [...]. | 0negative
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Excellent spy thriller
This was a very well written book that was exciting, intense, and hard to put down. The main character of Dalton, a CIA "cleaner", was very well developed, and even the minor characters were vividly brought to life as Dalton goes from Italy to London and all over the western US in pursuit of a mysterious, sadistic killer that uses hallucinogens to subdue his victims and brutally torture them. The climax provided a burst of excitement, though I was hoping for maybe a bit more of a sustained thrill, and after that the author took awhile to tie up loose ends and end the book, but overall it was very well done and I look forward to reading the sequel. | 1positive
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Chock Full 'o Information
Whether you are a conservationist, a hobbyist, a teacher, or a gardener-- this book has relevant information for you. Also contains a very detailed and useful 'native plants' planting list for each of the regions. Pages upon pages of charts detailing this in an easy to use, reference book type format.Additionally, graphics are very good-- shows how to build hundreds of different birdhouses/shelters, ponds/baths, etc. Dozens of projects from the Harry Homeowner to the carpenter.A very good reference book, I will absolutely be referring this to friends and family interested in birding, feeding birds, improving their properties, or being eco-friendly. I will additionally be using it at work for restoration construction and engineering projects. | 1positive
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I think Carrie is a mesmerising book
I think Stephen King's Carrie is a excellect book I think Stephen King is an excellent writer,but he could have made Carrie a little more interesting.I guess I feel like this because Carrie is a harder book for me to understand because I'm only 13,but Stephen King's books are for pre-adults maybe they would unerstand it better then me. | 1positive
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Useless
I hated this book for it's organization and it's format. Poor examples, too little explenation as to why your would practically use the functions being taught.I much prefer the teach your self in 21 day format books | 0negative
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An All-Time Classic that Deserves Credit
Harriet Beecher Stowe has written one of America's best books. It is a masterpiece and deserves to be made into a Hollywood movie in the next future.The issue of slavery is an important one, and should be discussed more openly and more freely. | 1positive
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Horribly depressing, but classic
This is a good and well-written book. I read it many years ago (in the 1970s) and it has aged well and still seems relevant today. The narrators are two high school kids from working-class families who, out of boredom, play a prank on an old widower named "Mr. Pignati" and wind up meeting him as a result. He turns out to be so full of joie de vivre, especially compared to the other less inspiring adults in their lives (parents, teachers) that they end up becoming his friends, doing things like roller skating and visiting his favorite gorilla, Bobo, at the zoo. Unfortunately the overexertion of playing with his new buddies puts Mr. Pignati in the hospital, and the kids decide to have a party at his house and invite all their friends, with predictable and very sad results. The partiers get drunk and wreck Mr. Pignati's prized collection of pigs and his mementoes of his dead wife. Of course Mr. Pignati is very sad over this when he gets out of the hospital, and the kids take him to see Bobo at the zoo to cheer him up, only to find that Bobo has died. At this point Mr. Pignati goes over the edge and dies himself. There is some more to the book after that but I have to admit when I read this as a teen, I always got so depressed by this point it was really hard for me to finish up the book.Nevertheless, it is worth a read and despite the Pigman's sad end there is no doubt that his love truly touches the lives of his teenage friends and changes them. I would note that just about every review of a teen book I read on Amazon says "The main character is changed forever when such and such event happens" and mostly I think that is hooey because young people are going to change anyway, it's part of growing up. It's like the authors think that someone absolutely has to be "changed forever" to get any teens to read the book. However, this is one book where people really do change, and for the better. I'd say read it but keep a box of Kleenex handy.P.S. I would note that teen readers who want to see more of a romance between the teen characters will probably be disappointed. I know I was because they just stay good friends and I really was more interested in books about couples when I was 14. This book is more about two teens who seem to be reliving the childhoods they never got to have because their home environments were lousy. I would recommend Zindel's "My Darling, My Hamburger" for the teenage romance theme. | 1positive
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