A world of boring.  A raging sea of boring!
	2 stars for decent writing (at least a decent translation), for an intriguing start, and for the occasional appearance of a melancholy dwarf.  That's pretty much it.  Negative stars aplenty for the protagonists -- Coy and Tanger (I listened to NC on 13 endless tapes, so perhaps am misspelling their names).  The tortured metaphors they speak, think, and by which they -- and their insipid adventures -- are continually described, bore to tears.  Aside from an occasional scrape between Coy and the aforementioned dwarf or his boss, all of the action in NC clusters at the beginning (promisingly so, I'll grant) and the end (all wimper, no bang) of this novel.  As a salty seadog once said (no doubt anticipating this novel), "Ahoy matey, thar.  She blows!"


Disappointing, Slow, Clumsy
	South by Java Head features fundamentals I find so promising:  a nautical adventure set in Southeast Asia during World War II, written by a prominent screenwriter.  Nonetheless, the story falls flat and I found it just barely compelling enough to finish; the plot moves slowly, punctuated by one clumsily executed plot twist after another, the descriptions of action are confusing, and the characters mere outlines devoid of development.   I hoped this book would be as good as a 1950's nautical adventure i highly recommend, The Wreck of the Mary Deare, but unfortunately Java Head is just disappointment.  For other SE Asia World War II fiction, Clavell's King Rat is also a good place to start


No flavor, no color, no good
	I read this book and hated it; I was sorry I wasted my money.... Normally, I would have donated the book ater reading it. But, in this case I was so disappointed, I threw the book away after reading it.  I was disappointed with the author for scrubbing the language so clean that the area she set the book in could have been anywhere in the US.  I was also disapponted in the Oprah book club selection committee.  It seemed to me they found a "story" they liked, and that is where their critical thinking ended. It was the only and last Oprah book selection I ever bought.   After reading it, it was obvious to me that whoever had chosen the book for the Oprah club had never been to western Pa.  I am from western PA as is O'Dell and this book lacks local color.  She either forgot or choose to ignore that language is also a part of the landscape of a locale.  Landscape is just not about dysfunctional families, EatnParks and religious statues in the yards.... People in that area of PA say "ain't," "slippy," and "youns." This would be esp. true for someone like the main character, Harley. (There are people with college degrees from this area who still have "color" in their language.) O'dell is no Faulkner or Caufield. I find this lack of "local flavor" with a lot of modern authors.  Unfortunately, our books are even becoming Mcdonaldized. There is nothing special about this book


No 'Real World' Relevence
	Although interesting, these are designs and concepts that are not practical in the real world.  But, if all you want are some pretty pictures..


This book should be called Occanumba, not Heartland!
	This book is not my favourite in the Heartland series. It is not even really about heartland, the main part of the book is based in Occanumba.
Also, there are hardly any horses in this book, just Maverick (who is only a minor part) and a tiny bit of Spindleberry and Albatross. It is mainly about Carey and her mood swings.
It is also a bit unrealistic, as Amy comes out eith long, involved, emotional speeches that no teenager i know would blab on about! The way she talks is more like a middle aged psychatrist!
I also think that the most recent books have been targeted at a younger audience. At the start of the series i would class them as 'young adult' material, but now they are just for kids who like horses. She is supposed to be going out with Ty but they never seem to kiss much or do anything romantic. In this book he goes to Occanumba with Amy and they don't even get off together once! Even though they are in the forest all alone at one point, with no adults around.
All in all this book is ok, but rather boring. Nothing much happens, i thought Amy might at least have an arguement with Joni when she takes over with Spindleberry, but no, Amy has gone middle-aged and doesn't do anything. I would only recommend buying this book if you are a total heartland fan. Carey is really annoying at the start and the horses hardly feature at all.
I hope the last 2 books in the series are better, because this one was rather pants.


Tedious Film School Psycho-Babble.
	Replicant Alert! Avoid this book if you have any affection for the movie. Except for the last couple of pages, the author has little to offer other than the usual drivel about  quot;Post-Modernism quot;. You will be much  better off buying the Director's Cut on DVD, and watching it several  times!   This series of books has its exceptions, this is not one of them.   Unintentionally hilarious in parts, as only the academician can be.    Pretentious, ponderous cinema-scholar jargon that offers little of value or  insight.   Read Sammon's The Making of Blade Runner instead!  (Nice  cover, though...


Not for 4 year olds
	The message meant more to me than to my young children.  They didnt understand why the children were being locked in a box.  They think playing in cardboard boxes is fun, not a punishment for exercising too much freedom.  I could see using the book as a basis for discussion, but I think it may just scare children that they too could be locked up by their parents


Great if you have that specific model BlackBerry
	The book was specific to one particular model of BlackBerry. They should have that in the title. It was of no use to me. After five minutes, I set it aside to gather dust.


You'd have to be a true Blue Devil fan to like this book
	I got this book thinking it might give me some insight into how Coach K motivates his teams, organizes his practice sessions, and instills leadership qualities in his athletes.  What I got was a less than thrilling re-hash of some of his best quotes as seen through the eyes of a local news reporter.  You'd have to be a true Blue Devil fan to like this book.  I didn't, so I gave it to one of my co-workers who graduated from Duke.  He likes it


Ye gods and little children
	Leaving aside the fact that the author lied through his teeth (e.g. he never actually studied Hwa Rang Do - he offered the Lee brothers some ink and they gave him a faked history) this stuff is about as inefficient as any stick fighting book I've ever seen. Try Marinas' Panandata, Mark Wiley, the Presas brothers, Leo Giron or Ray Galang for stick stuff. You'll be much better off


For Hardcore Fans Only
	Not the most exciting book out there.  But if you like minor league baseball, this book's worth a quick read.


A soap-bubble book
	I was disappointed greatly at the time I opened this book. HUGE gaps between strings, LOTS of empty space on pages - all this is for masking the simple fact: this "200 pages book" contents could be easily printed on 80 pages or even less. And, more, these pages are filled with useless "interviews" (who wants to read an interview INSTEAD of explanations?!) and other empty words.

The book is supposed to teach us how to make modules for NWN 2. But it doesn't. See, the chapter about scripts consists of 4 pages - is it REALLY enough for such a great theme? (These pages, I mentioned it already, are less than 2 pages...).

This book is better than nothing. A bit. Because SOME useful information it provides. And that's all good that could be said about it


Great efforts but lack reality
	I was not expecting this book to be a Sunday afternoon photo shoot for reanactors. It lacks reality and substance.I returned this book out of disapointment.Seeing the same faces in every picture but in diffrent uniforms takes a lot away from this book. However, the color photos were nice. Better luck next time but a A for effort


Not very satisfying at all.
	I'm a pretty diverse reader, so I decided to give this one a go.  It started out somewhat interesting, but then just sort of made me keep saying, "Okay...what's the point here?"  I really like Ninah, the main character, but I keep waiting for her to break free from the chains of this commune she lives in.  I guess the ending is somewhat a symbol of her doing this, but I closed the book wondering, "why did I read this?"  I grew bored with a lot of the goings on in this community and found many of the "punishments" just ridiculous.  I'm pretty open when it comes to accepting different religions, but this was just way out there for me.  Ninah's relationship with her Nanna was the neatest one in the book.  I'm glad I'm finished...now I can move on to something more fulfilling.


lots of not what NOT TO DO.
	Having a plant nursery for 20 years I can tell you if this book is you only resource be in for a wild ride. He  states many places what has cause him the most problems, but no one starts a nursey the same and workable ideas would be better than the work he calls stressful and more important than growing plants. Our nursery is the opposite of stressful and has so many happy rewards never mention in this book.........Very little help on selling and getting customers also


Way too long and repetitive
	I was interested in the plot and characters for about half the book.  After that it seemed that little new information was added, or the little that was new came in the midst of much repetition.  There were so many different characters, and we had to hear the separate reactions of each of them to bits of news.  The structure of the tale reminded me of the way a police procedural might be played out on TV


Missed the bullseye :-(
	I'm a huge Suz fan ... but I really think she missed the boat on this one.  Her style has changed since she moved to hardcover   this book just fell flat for me.  The secondary storyline or FBI agent Jules was much more enjoyable than the lead couple Cosmo   Jane.  Didn't like her at all   Cosmo lost his "Seal-ness" somewhere along the way.  Not a re-read for me


In a word, ego
	This book is simply an ego boost for the author. I found absolutely nothing I could use in my own business, but was
vaguely impressed with the writers "word of mouth" business. I kept reading, expecting to find the secrets to starting my own word of mouth campaign any minute, only to feel that final book readers frustration in the end. No good ending, no secrets revealed, this book is a waste of time


Interesting subjects who deserve a better writer
	A book on the theme of having the courage to deepen family ties.  That's a good theme.  However, the author can't leave well enough alone.  He really goes after people without kids as though they all, regardless of their circumstances, remind him of his former self:  someone with too much cynicism and cowardice to raise a family even though that's obviously the "only" way to become a complete person.

Each chapter introduces a family and a crisis.  The people, who range from southern Americans to Turkish Muslims to Protestant Irish in Belfast, are terrific.

But the author goes off the deep end on page 47:  "Now there are cities full of professional women and men who wholeheartedly echo this feeling [not wanting children].  They go around saying things like I'm too selfish to be a mother, or I'm not a baby person, or my favorite, I love my life too much to do that to it.  A friend of mine calls them the Petrified Forest - people who would freeze their life in time if they could.  'Manhattan's turning into a Petrified Forest,' my friend mocked.  I [Bronson] winced when she said this, because I used to be one of them.  When the Petrified Forest imagines parenthood, their hearts are flooded with the feeling of doors closing, not opening ... In our society today, parenthood is on trial."

Well, hardly.  Bronson is making a lot of assumptions about childless people.  Everyone doesn't need to have a baby just because Bronson found it a refreshing alternative to preserving his immaturity.  I'm all for individuals pursuing the particular life that makes them happy, but they should never push their specific solution upon the rest of us.  In conclusion, read this book if you want to, but be aware of the bias.


Disappointment
	I bought this book because (if I recall correctly) it was long-listed for last years ManBooker Prize and also, (this I recall) because it had good reviews here on Amazon. Anyway, I was real disappointed. I quit paying attention after page 100 and quit outright a few pages later.  I found the contrasting aspects of the Father's character interesting but after awhile so contrasting they felt way off reality.  Character of aunt, cousin, priest, mom etc etc also grew gratingly "perfect."  This  may be excessive, but after a while I felt like I was reading a bit of sophisticated version of a teen romance novel.  The comparisons with God of Small Things are seriously unflattering to Roy's great book.  Comparisons with (the overrated) Memoirs of a Geisha or (also not finished) One Thousand Chestnut Trees would have been more appropriate


Disapointed
	This book deals with some fairly rediculous topics.  I'm not into mysticism or talisman's or that stuff, so perhaps I am biased.

It did provide a useful history of the 'masonic' symbol on the American one-dollar bill, which I enjoyed.

But Hieronimus puts forth far too much theory regarding supernatural powers for my taste


Junie's rude and I can't find anyting that redeems her.
	Why someone would chose these books is beyond me, especially when there are so many other good choices. Literature has an impact on people and the only impact I can imagine Junie having on others is negative.

My daughter's first grade teacher is reading the Stupid Smelly School Bus to her class right now. Wanting to be an involved parent, I borrowed a copy from the friend and read it too. Junie is a brat. She thinks like a brat and acts like a brat.

Our family says, "Thanks, but no thanks!


Not a great role model for kids
	I agree with some of the negative reviews that the Junie B. Jones books often use language and depict behavior that are less than desirable.  My son, who is a pretty sensitive boy, didn't like Junie B. Jones because he thought she was rude.  I would much prefer that my kids read books with kids who, though they may get in trouble from time to time or may make mistakes, are generally nice people.  We did love the Magic Tree House series, both for the adventure and the personalities of Jack and Annie


Reviews by S. Douglas Scotty and Hardluck Stink
	Why is S Douglas "Scotty" slamming every car sales book on Amazon but Zig Zigler's? Do you work for Ziggy or maybe a friend and pushing this book for him. Take a look at all of S. Douglas "Scotty" reviews concerning car sales. He puts almost everyone of them down but praises Zigler's book. What's up with that?

And then if you look at reviews from HARDLUCK It makes one wonder if he is selling a competitor's book on here because he is attacking books written by Douglas Hensley who is a really good writer. It makes me wonder if (S. Douglas Scotty and Hardluck) are the same person or are possibly in cohoots together pushing people away from pretty good books. Something stinks here. I wish I had time to play on the web all day and put bogus reviews on people. Something stinks in Denmark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Lacking in Details
	This book does a good job of telling you what your IPAQ can do but a very poor job of telling you how to do it.  I wanted more information about how to set up my IPAQ to connect with the internet.  The book told me it could be done and how wonderful it was, but lacked specific information about which screen to go to and how to actually make it work.

I later purchased IPAQ for Dummies.  This book told me what the IPAQ could do and specifically how to do it.  It was great.  The Dummies book also gave lots of information on programs that are very helpful to add to your IPAQ.

I was disappointed with IPAQ Pocket PC but very happy to get my hands on IPAQ for Dummies!


Badly out of date
	"Up to the minute".???

Hardly!!

March 2005, the publication date, is a loooong time ago in ipod years, if you have one of the new models, video 60 Gig for example, you will be sorely dissapointed, it talks about the nano and photo i pod as the "latest edition to the ipod family", well they are now teenagers and probably due to be retired at any moment, ipod mini anyone? Those things are Neolithic now, yet are given too much space in this "up to the minute" book as if they had just been released!

Go to Borders, look thru their ipod books and find the one with your ipod in it, if you have a brand new one as at May 2006.


You're advocating illegal acts.
	I remove children from abusive parents daily.

Legally, you cannot hit your child with anything but your open hand on any area but your child's buttocks.  If a neighbor, friend, teacher or family member calls Child and Family Services because your child reports to them that you are doing what Dr. Dobson advocates, your child could be removed from your care.


Snake Oil
	The book mentions Mannatech (notice the  quot;manna quot;?) and its product Ambrotose.  Snake oil, sugar pills!  Not backed by scientific studies.  All claims are anecdotal, i.e., are faith-based.  Mannatech products are peddled to the hopeful, the desperate, the last-chance-for-me's, and so this is not only doing a disservice to others, but is preying on people's weakness.  The company is set up like other pyradmid-schemed companies, using  quot;associates quot; to  pump its sugar pills, costing consumers a lot of money.  Folks, there is no instant solution in a pill.  The associates make claims for cleft lip, Down syndrome, obesity, all the terrible things human beings must bear in this world, and offer a pill made up of sugar to combat what is essentially a natural, human state.  In New Zealand and Australia, the govts. are looking into Mannatech.  Beware!  The sugar pill recipe came in an inspiring moment to a scientist when in prayer to God.  Excuse me, but while I believe in the power of prayer, I do not believe God drops manna-pills from heaven.  God expects us to do our work, namely, don't overeat, live with that cleft lip, get some exercise, eat your vegetables and fruits, read good literature and enjoy the sunlight


dry and dreadful
	It's no wonder that people look at me strangely when I explain a great love of history to them.  It's books like this that persist in the ruination of history for many a student.  If this book were more widely  circulated, the need for sleeping pills would be drastically reduced.  I  have no idea how the author could take something this interesting and make  it so boring that I would literally fall asleep reading it


Know your Woods? Not after reading this book
	I don't understand why anyone would publish a book anymore with black and white illustrations. I know this is supposed to be a classic and all that so it's my own fault for not checking when I read the description. I don't even know why I'm keeping it; I'll never read it. You have to wade through tons of technical jargon and lengthy chapters that would be much better served by some large color photographs. Maybe that makes me shallow, I don't know, but there are much more 'complete guides' out there on this topic these days


What a dirty trick
	I was seduced by the sinister cover and the synopsis on the inside cover into thinking this was going to be a chilling account- Account my foot!  I gingerly turned the first page and instantly drowned in wave after wave of details.  As if the rough draft was a series of scraps stapled together and mailed off to an impatient publishe


What drivel!
	The 20% you need to know: This book is poorly written, and the author would do well to use the 80/20 principle in his writing.

The 80% that will make up the rest of the review: I have never read such boring prose. I've had the concept fully explained to me. I fully understand what the principle is. I have heard it about 80 times now when 20 would have been enough (actually, once would have been enough). Now, what do I do with it? How do I implement it into my life? I am now on page 53 and he still hasn't gotten around to that part. It seems to me he should have used the theory when writing this book. Cut to the chase! Give me the top 20% of useful information so I can go ahead and use it to increase my productivity and effectiveness by 80%. Instead I get the feeling I'm wandering around aimlessly in the bottom part of his bar charts among the 80% of fluff to fill up his book quota. How many stories about economists and computer software do we really need? I don't know about you, but I wanted to increase my productivity by using my time better, and reading this book so far has been a complete waste of it


No Way
	Anyone who knows me would tell you I truly enjoy reading.  I am an avid reader known to finish an interesting book within hours. It took me two weeks to get past the first seven chapters of this book. The story just could not keep my interest.  I felt no real affinity to any of the characters.  I have other books by this author and come away with an interst in what would happen next with her lead characters.  She writes with real emphasis on how characters interact with each other and usually leaves you wanting more.  In the case of this novel I just didn't feel it.  Her other novels will not leave you dissapointed. Ugly ways is not a good example of the Ansa's true talent as a writer.  If you have not done so try her other novels.  I guarantee you will come away wanting to read more


For those who prefer speculation to reason
	The subtitle to this review should have been "Glaring Inconsistencies   Outright Fantasies". I've found a large number of inconsistencies with history that should be obvious to anyone who has read this thing closely. For example, on page 7 Coleman says "the Club of Rome was established in 1968", but on page 17 he suggests that the Club of Rome played "a key role in the Cuban Missile Crisis" and "attempted to sell its 'crisis management'...progam to President Kennedy."  Unless we've been misled, the Cuban Missile Crisis happened a full 6 years before this group was founded.  What are careful readers to make of such a passage? Either it's a typo and he means 1958, or, as I heartily suspect, he doesn't have a grasp on his subject.  On page 9 Coleman suggests Henry "Kissinger's role in destabilizing the United States by three wars, the Middle East, Korea, and Vietnam is well known..." However, Kissinger, working at Harvard from 1948, had no role in the U.S. government until the 1960's, working for the Kennedy Administration.  The Korean War, as we are all aware, occured in 1950, and ended long before Kissinger had any influence on American foreign policy.  If it were true that Kissinger had an influence on the United States' policy in Korea, for example, then Coleman would be wise to address that issue at this point in his text. However, he only leaves us with the cryptic "is well known". It is definitely NOT well known, and Coleman is just fooling those readers who think that a book which is difficult to read or which is discussing difficult subjects must be true.
These are just a few of the inconsistencies that I could check in a short time that Coleman throws out at you. If you're not a careful reader, you'll be tricked into accepting some really ridiculous ideas.  If you prefer speculation to reason, then by all means gorge yourself in the sickly sweet nectar of "what ifs". If you're looking for something based on reality, then, rider, pass by


A backlash wolf in sheeps clothing
	It would take a book to answer all that is wrong with Farrell's reasoning, but to make a few points:

1. He implies that female 'circumcision' is much the same as male circumcision which is astounding but points to his general ignorance. If male circumcision is about teaching males to endure pain (actually more about male tribal bonding) then what on earth is a little girl being taught when she has her external genitalia cut away and is left with a tiny hole and a life-time of pain and health problems?? It's for protection? What, or whose, interests are being protected?

2. He does not acknowledge that the shorter male life-span is due to testosterone and all its consequences for males. Castration is known to increase the male life-span. Why do men even want more testosterone rather than less? Surely illogical?

3. The male 'instinct' to protect females is actually to protect the bodies men need for sex and reproduction. As more than 50 million females have been killed recently in Asia simply because they were female should make us question this supposed 'instinct to protect'. And protecting females most often translates into ownership and control. This is a similar logic to that of men in certain cultures that use the pretext of honor to justify the murder of females. Why do women need protection form their protectors? Men need to explain their logic here. Is it something like the protection criminal gangs provide for people against other criminal gangs?

4. Powerless men are created by male-male competition for access to young females and again, the sacred testosterone drives this not women.

5. His views on rape are ridiculous. Young human females have permanent sexual signals whether they want sex or not. These external signals do not usually reflect the females internal desires and concerns and this causes the confusion. Men are responding to fake signals that females don't know how to override without becoming invisible altogether.

6. This book is basically about all the hoops males try and jump through in order to rise in the male hierarchy and ultimately get their DNA into numbers of females.The men who fail are the men without power. Farrell wants us to feel sorry for them which is as likely as men feeling sorry for, and diverting their monogamous sexual interest and resources towards, unnattractive old women.

7.Farrell does not explain the irrationality of men rejecting and being abusive about women who don't sexually reject most men (ie the easy women) at the same time as they complain about the pain of being sexually rejected so often by women. There must be some mysterious male logic to it - perhaps situated in a fantasy world of being the only male who isn't rejected. Duplicity is clearly a male trait that farrell failed to mention.

8. It is a suspect logic that concludes that the people who have been the lawmakers and political leaders for millennia ie males, have actually only been acting in the self-interest of females. For men to have evolved a lack of self-interest is impossible. To argue that they have is Farrell's most ludicrous argument. Of course women also have self-interest, intimately tied to that of their children. The very real difference is that because we evolved with a mating system where females moved to male-bonded kin groups to breed males had the advantages of size, kin-bonding, no real reproductive demands of offspring and time and cicumstances that enabled them to be the rule-makers which included the enforcement of ownership and control of females as they were exchanged between groups for breeding. They may have felt varying amounts of power within that system and they may have felt the power of their sex needs as female power but to say that this is actually women having and exercising power is absurdly illogical and contrary to reality. It is another fantasy to add to that of South Sea Island free sex and mermaids.

This book is interesting for debate and as an example of male sexual frustration being blamed on women. Ultimately it is about how some men suffer trying to get sexual/reproductive access to females and might help us notice that the 'power' being defined is reproduction.
In a market where the supply of sperm far outstrips the tiny market of eggs it does reduce the value of sperm and create massive competition in males and competition in females for better quality sperm and/or extras that improve the outcome for offspring. Embedded in Farrell's books is the manipulative attempt to solve this by encouraging young women to 'put out' more. It's the same old male longing for 'free' sex ie the usual reproductive behavior of male animals where post-copulatory costs are carried by females.

In nature male animals experience far less or equal disposability as females when they are monogamous and concentrate more on parenting ie are symmetrical with female reproductive behavior. Can we look forward to this in the human male in the near future and solve the whole problem? Can we expect men might consider reducing the supply ie their sex-drive/seeking multiple partners and increasing their childcare. Reduce testosterone? Or is that blasphemy?
The new question is What do men want? The answer is the same as ever - sex. The methods of trying to get it are the same even when put in a new wrapper such as Farrell's ie irrationality, deceit and manipulation.
Perhaps the real myth is the myth of ADULT power and we should direct our anger and frustration towards our gametes, hormones, fetuses, infants and children that are the real reason males and females exist, are pulled together and driven apart.
At least let's not create a new myth that the human male somehow managed to evolve a lack of self-interest. How gullible does Farrell hope we are


YAWN
	This was expected. A fanatic relativist dismembers absolutist views into little irrelevant pieces. Our civilization has been jumping between absolutism/universalism and relativism ever since its decline, with only a few people realizing a third alternative. With this whole book based on a flawed definition, it is a pointless and utterly tedious read


TOO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT FOR MY TASTE
	As I was reading this book, I came across many poems that were far too sexually explicit for my taste, to name a few:  "The First," "Early Images of Heaven" and "Full Summer."  I found these poems to be highly offensive, and improper for the general audience.

Had I been warned of the book's sexually explicit content ahead of time, I would not have read it.  I believe that it should be so marked on the cover so potential readers know what they are
getting into


why are reviews same for revised edition
	I looked at the 2002 printing as well as this 2006 revised printing in order to see what has been updated and all the reviews are identical. why? which edition are people reviewing? I think Amazon is making a mistake by not alloting reviews properly.
I don't plan to buy this book until I can see the 2006 version and see if it's worth it myself


Repulsive
	We have to do better than this for our children. Controlling and turning your kid into the perfect little, well behaved lemming is going to haunt you until you die. This type of abuse never has a good, long term effect on anyone. Put the paddles and belts down and talk to your kids. They deserve at least that much.


Misinformation and Euro-centric
	You can tell I don't pay attention to Wall Street Journal or New York Times. I picked up David Sacks' book from Borders' Linguistics stack because of the title. I should have known better.

I started the first chapter and didn't have the time or intention to finish it. The book is a collection of charts and stories about the history of alphabetic writing that are to be expected from the title -- in some cases conviniently summarized things in tables and maps -- but lacks, in my opinion, systematic thinking on the reasons behind the origin and prosperity of alphabetic writing that is found in other scholarly works (scholarly it is not).

Even within the first 20 pages or so, I was disawayed more than a few times by dubious claims, utter misinformation, and distastefully Euro/English-centric. Here are some examples:

"The alphabet was not the earliest writing: Egypt, Mesopotamia, and probably China already had nonalphabetic systems. But the alphabet was the most efficient writing system ever found, before or since (p.1)" -- What about Hirogana for Japanese? Syllabaries can be much more efficient for languages that do not have a large inventory of syllables.

"The 'spreadability' of an alphabet means that the future of our Roman letters looks very bright indeed. (p. 10)" -- He was speaking of languages that are written in multiple alphabets, such as Swahili, Serbo-Croatian, Urdu/Hindi, and Yiddish. And then came this proud comment on the prospect "our Roman letters". Immediately following the above quote, he gave examples of Azerbaijian and Tatarstan's decision to switch to Roman, as well as other "struggling nation"'s likewise decisions to "switch to Roman letters for native tongues, as a big to tie into global trade and communications and to better prepare their prople to learn English. Tragically, much that is venerable and spiritually sustaining while be lost. Yet that seems inevitable in the 21st century were are shaping. And it is sobering to reflect that our 26 letters wield such power."

His view of the learnability of the alphabet is also uneducated, shall I say. The following superficial comment could have come from an old gradama who happened have NOT been a teacher for her lifetime.

"An alphabet enjoys on huge advantage over any other writing system: It needs fewer symbols. No other sysmtem can get away with so few. This makes an alphabet easier to learn. Students need memorize only two dozen or so letters to begin building toward literacy, which typically takes about another five years of instruction".

And -- he writes -- because of this simplicity, children can become literate before the working age. "This cricial fact has made the alphabet historically the vehicle of mass literacy. (p.5)" Well, "vehicle" is a very clevery way of framing it. At least he is not saying that where there is alphabet there is mass literacy. Mass literacy was nevery a goal before the inducstry revolution. Now Sacks joins the ranks of you-know-who's by implying that the Europeans and Western ideals were destined to take over the world because they had the alphabet and probably the mandate from God. (Guns, what guns?)

Sacks also compared "our 26 letters" -- as if alphabetic writing is patented at the USPO -- to Chinese. "Today Chinese schoolchildren normally take three years longer than Western children to learn to read and write, with most of that
extra time devoted to mastering the symbols."

This is completely misinformation. Learning to read Chinese is not easy, but do a little research, you will find studies over studies and books over books on comparitive studies of literacy (including my own). I've nevery seen a credible study that substantiates the 3-year lag. By the way, Sacks almost never gives citations.

I think that's enough. This explains my total disappointment with the book -- I sholdn't have any high expectation from the start, had I known who David Sacks is.


I kept waiting for her to leave him
	The hero is a cold,mean brute who does not deserve his gentle wife Kassia.He should have been made to marry Joanna the shrewish woman he was betrothed to.I couldn't get past Graelam raping Kassia,I really couldn't.I know this is medieval England and women were more or less treated like chattel,but come on.Kassia is a gentle sweet girl who does everything to please this philandering,brute of a man.He sleeps with one of the servants after he marries Kassia, when she confronts him he threatens to beat and rape her which he had already done(I shuddered again right there).There's not one but two women undermining Kassia's authority and she sits back and takes this,please!The servants and his own soldiers abhor his treatment of Kassia throughout the book.I prayed for her to runaway with Dienwald or for Guy to fall in love with her and take her away from Graelam.The women who made Kassialife hell were rewarded for their treatment of her,they are never made to pay for what they did to her which is another thing that put me off this book.I like to see the heroine giving as good as she gets even if she's not a particularly strong character.Kassia was far too soft and gentle for this brute as a result he walked all over her quite literally.I wanted him to really suffer for his treatment of her which he didn't,this is why I bothered to finish this book for him to get his comeuppance which hedidn't.She capitulated far too easily in the end when he came to get her at her father's castle.I know that he's a warrior but didn't knights have a chivalric code


James Dobson is a sadist and a pervert
	Pinching a child's trapezius muscle? Hitting him or her with a belt or a stick hard enough for it to hurt? James Dobson should be put away.

Raising children this way may make them obedient to their parents, but they will be prone to abuse others once they reach adulthood. Look at Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein.

At best, children who are physically abused will grow up to practice BSDM.

This book deserves no stars


"Strong-willed Child"?
	Dobson has this to say about the supposed 'strong-willed child'. "Even in infancy, he fairly bristles when his dinner is late and he insists that someone hold him during every waking hour. Later, during toddlerhood, he declares total war on all forms of authority...his greatest thrill comes from drawing on the walls and flushing kitties down the toilet." The "strong-willed child" has a "rampaging will."

It should be pointed-out that James Dobson's training is in Educational Psychology, NOT Child Psychology, OR Child Development. I'm afraid he confuses 'strong-will' with anger, alienation, resentment, and contempt. These are behaviors that are commonly produced in children as a result of his (and his ilk) approach toward child-rearing.

Like his right-wing christian compatriot, Ezzo, he would have parents believe that children are inherently evil. The implicit advise is to beat the devil out of them.


California Al
	I wanted to be interested in this book, but it became pretty boring ater a while. There is an undercurrent of romanticism that pervades the authors purpose. He claims to be neutral, yet his descriptions and conversations with many of the people slant towards idol worship. Although the author claims to be in recovery, I did not get the sense of how drugs and alcohol can ruin peoples lives. I felt that his narrative was self serving, and glorifying the wonders of drugs and experimentation. There is a price to pay. What was good was hearing his father's take on the whole down side of watching his son grow up loaded. That was interesting. I'm getting weary of the proselytizing about how epochal the 1960's, 70's and 80's were. I didn't like his picture either


My Brother's Experience With The Perricone Prescription
	My brother had severe acne a year or so ago that he inherited from my Dad's side of the family.  He had tried antibiotics with no success and wanted to go on Accutane.  Having heard bad things about the side effects, my Dad wanted my brother to try the diet for a couple months before deciding to take the medication.  He faithfully followed it with no results whatsoever.  Some of the ideas in the book are absurd - as a diabetic with a horrible eating habit and no teenage acne, I can tell you that the focus on dieting and insulin spikes as a direct cause of of the condition is preposterous.  When I was a teenager, I'd go on serious candy binges that required insulin doses bordering on the irresponsible, and I got through high school with only the occasional zit.  I've read that for a small number of people, diet can be a factor for acne, but obviously our experience points to something else as the primary cause (this assumes you eat reasonably well - malnutrition isn't sexy).  Since medication should always be a last resort, a change of diet is probably a good first approach for those with minor blemishes, but those with a serious condition should look elsewhere.  For the curious, while my brother had some strong side effects from the Accutane (none dangerous, primarily incredibly dry skin and eyes), it certainly succeeded in clearing up his skin


Falco Falters
	This is a fine series so when I began this volume I had hopes that it would be of the same standard as the others.  Ms. Haney has a genuine gift in giving readers the "texture" of everyday life in imperial Rome (at the time of Vespasian and Titus in this one).  The dialogue and the characters are both engaging.  So what went wrong?  A young girl appears to speak with Falco believing someone in her family wants to kill her.  And away we go, on and on and on!  I was weary by the time I got to the rather flat conclusion and felt that a good editing would have been most helpful; the length of this book (326 pages) really cannot support so thin a story.  I was left wondering what had happened and if somehow I had missed something as there was so little going on


Boring....don't bother with it.
	Very disappointed with it. Was expecting something groundbreaking, but it failed to deliever. An easy read and quite honestly, boring.

Don't waste your time. Read something more worthwile like Robert Anton Wilson.


Sounds like the author reviewed this himself
	I am pretty sure that the author sent the only positive review.  That is pretty pathetic.  This book was written with no rhyme or reason.  There is no good progression of information or understandable sense to it all.  One  star is stretch.  Plus, i am asian, and it was still hard for me-that is  when you know it is bad


Raising a feminist
	This book, by the way, was published in 1988, NOT 1998 as the notes above indicate. It is also reflected in the books theme and attitude.

I have read three chapters so far and this is what I have gleaned from the book:
1) Your daughter will only be "successful" if she chooses male oriented occupations.
2) Your daughter will only be "successful" if she is a doctor, NOT a nurse. Heaven forbid she be a nurse, housewife, teacher.
3) Your daughter won't be "successful" if she goes to a coed school. Send her to a female only institution, that way she only has to compete against other girls.
4) Your daughter won't be a success without playing poker, chess or other strategy games. Don't even think of pulling out Dora or some other "girl" game.

Surely there must be better books for Dads to gain some info on theie daughters and ways to help them along as they grow. I could go on with more examples from this feminist rant, but frankly don't have the time. My daughter and I are going to kick the soccer ball.

And BTW, don't even let her enjoy an english class or play with dolls. Force her into that science and math slot. Sign her up for computer camp because we all know that PC's are designed strictly for boys.

I really feel this book is outdated, both in examples and most importantly, attitude. Try something different.


A bad way to spend bucks
	I have read this book only once time, it tooks me about 1 hour, It is very basic, have not any important info, else that you can get from a free catalo


Try that again?
	First a little background... I'm 53 with a preteen son. I'm not quite a Luddite.  I make my living from an online business that I own and operate. Our "big" present to our son last Xmas was a computer -- one he and I were going to build from scratch. The main use of the computer was going to be video games and school work. We gave our son a budget (not big by gamer PC standards) to shop for the parts.

I've read a few books recently on the gaming "culture" to better understand it. This book came highly recommended from reviews here, so I read it.

My reaction to the book? It took a while, but I finally realized it felt like I was reading a study paid for and prepared on behalf of the video game industry. There are lots of great statistics, but rather flimsy rational defending extensive video game playing and how it's successfully preparing gamers to succeed in the future.

I did learn a few things. I got a dose of reality about why it seems like everyone under 35 plays video games extensively. I see that the *gamer generation* has a lot to offer. I also seriously wonder about the gaps in what they have to offer.

A main thesis of the book is that gamers learn how to think and figure things out, because video games are about figuring out how to beat the game. Interesting, since by the examples cited, it mostly appears to be trial and error with no significant logic involved. I call it learn by trying anything, as opposed to learn by thinking. Both have their place.

Supposedly, gamers are more willing to take (theoretically controlled) risks as well. Somehow the authors see the dot.com boom (and bust) as an endorsement of the future of business in the hands of gamers (who largely ran the dot.coms). I see a different story than the authors from those days of yore.

I could go on, but I think you get the point. The book says little (nothing?) about how video games are helping gamers learn math, science, or reading. Personally, I believe those skills/knowledge are MUCH more important to a person's future than the ability to learn thru trial and error.

Maybe the conclusions of the authors will prove to be correct. I hope so. But personally, I'm concerned for any business that runs on the pure gamer mentality that I understand to be endorsed by the book.


Poorly researched, and not accurate for many drugs
	Unfortunately, Sidney Wolfe and the whole "Worst Pills" business enterprise is riding on the reputation of Public Citizen as a champion for consumers, but has failed to live up to it with this guide. In some cases, warnings are included regarding various drugs that are not based on scientific reports, but rather, are based on the marketing literature and information from the pharmaceutical companies themselves -- hardly an unbiased, consumer-oriented source of information. Consider as one example the book's "Do Not Use" warning regarding the prescription drug, Armour Thyroid. Rather than offering any research to support this severe recommendation (because there ISN'T any research), the "guide" instead quotes the AMA and the American Thyroid Association, two groups that greatly enjoy the largesse of the thyroid drug makers who want to put Armour -- a far less expensive drug -- out of business. If this is the sort of "unbiased information" you want about the drugs you take, you might as well go ahead and just read the pharmaceutical company pamphlets. If millions of thyroid patients taking Armour Thyroid were to follow the advice in "Worst Pills," the only thing that ends up for the worse is our health. I definitely do NOT recommend this book in any way. -- Mary J. Shomon, Thyroid Patient Advocate and Autho


Violence Begets Violence
	Dobson has it wrong. Children's susceptibility to God and the attributes of God has to do with rearing them with the love of God in their hearts from the beginning, praying and relying on God, and being taught to please God. Violence begets violence. To spank and be violent toward children is proof of the perpetrator's ignorance of modern scientific evidence that spanking is detrimental to the emotional, physical and spiritual evolution of children. Ignorance begets ignorance, and if you're in charge of children, feeding your mind with ignorance is no benefit to your child


Somewhat disappointed...
	I agree with one of the earlier reviewers headlines, that was something like  quot;just ok, not great. quot; I've been working w/ Server 2003 for a while now, and from my work experience, I knew certain things in the book were kind of being glossed over that really needed more coverage. I would read each chapter, read the summaries, take all the practice questions, and be left with this nagging feeling that the book was not really preparing me completely for what I'd face on the exam. Unfortunately, I was right, and I just missed passing the exam. This book isn't terrible, but just be sure you use some additional resources and that you have some good work experience also


Why continue to be deceived?
	Hank Hanegraff is a blatant replacement theologian where the nation of Israel is concerned.  He is further from the truth where prophecy is concerned than most groups, to include pretribulationists.  Indeed, his "scholarship" is no scholarship at all; it is pure propaganda....  To see real scholarship, get Tim Cohen's materials (see below):

Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins, and others in the Pre-Trib circle, such as Ed Hindson, Tommy Ice, Chuck Missler, Zola Levitt, Thomas McCall, John Hagee, Grant Jeffrey, Marlin Maddox, Perry Stone, Texe Marrs, John Walvoord (deceased), etc., continue to put forth the same deceptions that Hal Lindsey popularized decades ago.  The notion of a pre-tribulation rapture is foreign to scripture, it is foreign to the teachings of the early Church, and it is grooming the Church for destruction through ignorance and lack of preparation for what is really coming.  These men are novices and not prophecy "experts" or "scholars" by any stretch of the imagination; they are those who tickle the ears of gullible Christians.  Why continue to be deceived?  Tim Cohen, in his excellent book, "The AntiChrist and a Cup of Tea," provides biblically sound and testable evidence to show that the coming AntiChrist is known NOW.  Not only that, the same author (Tim Cohen) has now put out the strongest presentation on the whole issue of the rapture EVER offered to the saints of God in Christ: "The REAL Rapture".  If you really want to know the truth about the timing of the coming rapture, then you need to hear Tim Cohen's "The REAL Rapture" (based on a volume in his forthcoming "Messiah, History, and the Tribulation Period" series (see Prophecy House's site for details on these items, which are also available via Amazon)


An effort too far in repetitious jargon
	I found this book to be pretentiously over complexified. The relationship between object and surface has been aptly documented by many other art historians of the late 20thC.
I think that Fred has in this case over analysed too few works by the great artist, flag to me and many of the people I have discussed it with is far too complex a work for a man like Orton to even vaguely comment on critically. He appears to my other academic associates and I to be slightly out of his depth at this level, and in future would do well to perhaps abandon the bottle of Gin which he is widely known to keep under his desk, and to consequently write something worthwhile and not liquer-induced.
Mr Orton, I am not your fan.


this book stinks!!!
	this book hardly has any conversation in it and hardly goes into detail about anything. i didn't even like the story. i would give this book a big fat ZERO if i could!!


A world of boring.  A raging sea of boring!
	2 stars for decent writing (at least a decent translation), for an intriguing start, and for the occasional appearance of a melancholy dwarf.  That's pretty much it.  Negative stars aplenty for the protagonists -- Coy and Tanger (I listened to NC on 13 endless tapes, so perhaps am misspelling their names).  The tortured metaphors they speak, think, and by which they -- and their insipid adventures -- are continually described, bore to tears.  Aside from an occasional scrape between Coy and the aforementioned dwarf or his boss, all of the action in NC clusters at the beginning (promisingly so, I'll grant) and the end (all wimper, no bang) of this novel.  As a salty seadog once said (no doubt anticipating this novel), "Ahoy matey, thar.  She blows!"


History by Conjecture
	This is a highly influential book.  Roosevelt has had many enemies growing out of his presidency.  No one has had the same negative impact on Roosevelt's name to equal Wyman's attack.  But, although Wyman, a  professional historian has well-documented his research, much of the  indictment of the Roosevelt Administration is based upon conjecture  incapable of proof.  The litmus test of his proposals was the bombing of  Auschwitz.  He asserts that the failure to bomb was due to a lack of  caring.  Thousands of Jews could have been saved.  But there is no way to  prove this.  Many Jews could also have died because bombing was inaccurate  and Jewish prisoners lived close to the crematoria.  Too much in his  charges is based on too little evidence.  Peter Novick in his book, The  Holocaust in American Life, calls Wyman's thesis a  quot;comfortable  morality tale quot; and  quot;bad history. quot;  In addition to Novick,  Henry L. Feingold, Frank W. Brecher, and William Rubinstein have written  critically about Wyman


In Way Over Her Head
	Cover Blurb:

When undercover work requires working under the covers, danger is an uninvited bedfellow...

Erin McKenzie, a newly promoted homicide detective, lands the assignment of her career when she is chosen to investigate Elizabeth Adams, the number one suspect in a slew of serial murders. Adams, elusive and devastatingly beautiful, is not only an accomplished seductress but also a lesbian.

* * *

I have just finished reading this book after struggling with it for two months and, quite frankly, it is probably the worst book I have ever taken the time to finish. The only reason I prevailed to the bitter end was I wanted to see if it truly was as bad to the last page as it was from the first--and let me tell you, it was.

Not only was this slow-paced, stilted, plodding excuse for suspence peppered with paper-thin characters who all sounded vaguely familiar, but two of the three main protagonists are thinly disguised Xeroxes of two beloved TV characters, minus the breast-plate, sword and loin-cloth skirt. I leave you to work out who I'm refering too.

This book desperately struggles with flat, stilted language that has neither voice nor colour, giving the descriptions of place and people about as much life as a body on the morgue slab awaiting autopsy. Add to that is the fact that at least 50-60 pages could easily have been cut from the length by a good Editor, thereby maybe adding a smidgen of tension to the over-worked plotline.

However, it is the three main protagonists who irritated me the most, the Author seemingly unable to decide on personality traits and character, which vacillate in a jarring way. I was left totally unsympathetic to any of them and the situations/circumstances they found themselves in.

A very unsatisfying read


Tiptoeing Around a Teen in Training
	I thought this book was a waste of my reading time.  I saw a review on the Today Show, and read several postive reviews as well, and it piqued my interest.  What I thought may be a book about how to deal with and accept the coming changes/challenges of a mother/pre-teen daughter relationship was a book about a mother seeming to tiptoe around her daughter's emotional state.  What is Sarah going to think about this, what is she going to say about that, etc.?  The only reason I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 is that I applaud the time spent Karen and Sarah spent together.  Something that should be done in all parent-child relationships.

I would like to think there are better books on this subject.


You'd think the book would be about Natalie...
	...but Lana Wood has a very autobiographical writing style. I found Wood's memoir to be incredibly gossipy. She speaks for pages upon pages about her own feelings during pivotal times in Natalie's life. Every here or there, it's nice to have an eyewitness account of what happened at certain times, but I'd rather read about the Academy Awards for which Natalie was being nominated instead of the powerful men in Hollywood with whom Lana was sleeping. There is a lot of name-dropping as well as a lack of substance in the book's context. After reading this, I read Suzanne Finstad's NATASHA and found it to be very thorough and much more detailed about both her personal and professional life. I was not a fan of this book in any respect


Very Weak And Unsupported Theory Of Happiness
	I appreciate anyone's attempts to examine the deeper nature of life and share that with the rest of us. However, I could see a hole in Csikszentmihalyi's attempt from the beginning.

"In the course of my studies I tried to understand as exactly as possible how people felt when they most enjoyed themselves, and why. My first studies involved a few hundred "experts"--artists, athletes, musicians, chess masters, and surgeons, in other words, people who seem to spend their time in precisely those activities they preferred."

I'm surely not alone in wondering why on earth one would presume the above professions are strictly happy and "optimal experience". Particularly the reference to artists and musicians, who typically have severe struggles with life, and aren't on cloud nine just because some professors might like them in a couple hundred years. That is what I felt was the very weak point of the book--a study of happiness with almost no reference to unhappiness.

It goes on to talk about ways to find flow in our ordinary life, while dodging the bullet continually about why if flow was all those great people needed, did they still encounter countless problems and unhappiness.


A bit disappointed!!!
	I must admit I usually write only positive reviews as I buy books very carefully.  This is unfortunately a wrong buy.  I like the Shabby Chic style and since she's the person to get inspiration from on this style, I immediately bought this book without hesitation.  I must say I wasn't inspired at all not even on one item and I am usually quite easily inspired by just reading a mag, browsing through ebay or simply walking around the market.  The pics are big but on flowers??  I think  I should've got the first book instead


DIY Cover Up
	I too eagerly anticipated reading this book, since I went through an apron-sewing blitz this summer. I was a bit disappointed, however. Although the photos and instructions are helpful (for seamsters more accomplished than myself), the tone of the book is reactionary, with negative statements about working mothers and a lot of nostalgia for the Ozzie and Harriet era. Although Geisel celebrates the rebirth of the domestic arts, she praises the home-as-nest (enclave of traditional domesticity) rather than the house-as-studio (a DIY workshop involving every member in open-ended acts of engagement with economy, history, and culture.) Still, there's some interesting history and some great photos


There are better choices.
	I found this book sadly lacking in substance and quality activities. Spend your money on Days of Knights and Damsels by Carlson


Miserable dictionary of doublespeak
	Not recommended for native speakers of the English language.
When trees == forests and top-level directories are instead 'naming contexts' .... The desirable format would be "This feature, which MS call 'X', is 'Y' plain english", but instead the Y feature will only ever be called X.
This is not a helpful book


a nice place to visit....
	If I had been an editor and received "Deadly Slipper",
I would have said the following:

"Dear Ms. Wan,

Your book is unacceptable for the following reasons:

1) The Setting.  One hazard of writing about the place
where you spend your summers is that you end up
writing through the eyes of a visitor rather than a
native.  Dordogne sounds delightful,and I'd certainly
like to visit it based on your descriptions of
delightful pigeon coops and sheep scattered across the
landscape, but it is disturbing that you have
cicadas singing in May.  It suggests you are only
familiar with the setting during the vacation months
when you habitually visit. To really describe a place,
I think you need to know it better.

2) The characters.  Because you spend your summers in
Dordogne, you appear to know only other wealthy
foreigners.  All your main characters are expatriates
with irritatingly bourgeois occupations.  I don't know
if you realize that all the native-born French
characters you portray are ugly, boorish, sexually
depraved, mentally defective, criminal, or terminally
quaint, and they all appear to make cheese.  Surely
this isn't a realistic portrayal of the French.

3) The Orchids.  Actually, the orchids are fine, but
the idea that orchid fanciers are maniacal and
possibly homicidal is a questionable one; most orchid
fanciers are fairly tedious.  Also, the idea that a lady
slipper mutant would spontaneously occur and allow the
orchid to live outside its native habitat is idiotic.
Anyone would tell you that a hybrid is a better bet.

4) The Dogs.  One cute dog is sufficient; two are too
much.  Puppies are inexcusable.

5) The Romance.  Most mystery writer are aware of the
hazard of including a romance in a mystery, but you
walked in innocently, unaware that your two characters
are unpleasant, self-involved and have no chemistry
(and that's not even mentioning their unspeakable
dogs).  You set a big obstacle in their path by having
one think the other is a deranged serial killer; a
great writer might be able to pull this off, but you
can't.

6) Trendoid aspects.  Epistolary novels are *so* 18th
century.  But having a NY psychiatrist profile the
serial killer by email is so LAST WEEK.  You will be
sorry you did this, sooner rather than later.

7) The Ending.  Ridiculous and melodramatic.  Georges Simenon wrote about crime with great psychological acuity.  You should read one of his books.


boring
	This book is very disappointing. The writing is terrible and rather amateurish. The writer bored me, maybe something's lost in translation from French, I don't know.  I already knew the killer the first time he was introduced in the book, although the writer tried to create red herrings which did not work. Mara sounds stupid, immature and inconsistent. Skip this book, it's not worth your time. Peter Mayle's mysteries set in France are way much better that this. At least his novels have sense of humor, suspense, very interesting characters and most important, they are very well written


Lacking
	I was extremely disappointed by this book/pamphlet, being misled by the other favorable reviews.  It is completely lacking in information.  It has 51 6"x8" pages with huge font and too many cartoons.  It successfully defines what is good and bad posture, but does not provide excercises to improve it (it simply states to "practice" good posture).  There are much much better alternatives.  I have read "Posture Alignment" and recommend that, and have heard of great reviews for "Posture, Get It Straight!"


Okay for ideas
	This book is the typical package of business ideas.  The book gets 2 stars because the few pages devoted to entrepreneurship has very little substance and the information under each idea is sparse and in many cases not helpful.  In addition, there are numerous ideas that require a tremendous amount of work.  The author does state that what may be work for one person, may be play to another.  However, this relates to doing something you enjoy or having a passion where you don't mind putting in the time or work.  The title suggests that the business ideas listed in the book will not require a great deal of time or effort, which is not the case for many of the ideas(Masonry, Restauranteur for example).

This book has some value for those that have not read similar books of this type.  Otherwise, I would take a pass on this one


It's just "Reefer Madness"
	And you shouldn't inhale.
Several reviewers have ecstatically proclaimed this book and movie to be an eye-opening, truth-revealing work, but those who are credulous enough to think they learn history through agenda-focused books and films like "Hunting" need to go back and see other "documentaries" like "Triumph Of The Will", "The Eternal Jew" or "Reefer Madness".
Let's be honest, people.
This book was written by a strongly pro-Clinton columnist and the movie was produced by well-known FOB (Friend Of Bill) Harry Thompson.  It's about as objective as the factually challenged "Fahrenheit 9/11", a work that Moore himself now calls "satire".  (By the way, I'll bet you didn't know that many Middle Easterners who have seen Moore's movie are outraged at the shallow, stereotypical and racist image he presented of their people and culture.)
The point is, whether intentional or just laziness these dime-a-dozen political books typically contain significant misrepresentations.  If you're already a member of the author's congregation, you won't care.  You'll shout "hallelujah!" and say that "Hunting" has given the world Great Truths.  But clear thinkers understand that it's foolish to uncritically accept the representations in either this book or the followup movie.


The Medicine of the Future
	Dr. Oz is an accomplished heart surgeon in the field of cardiac transplantation. He describes how he combines complementary medicine (e.g. hypnosis, reflexology, yoga, message, acupuncture. Etc) with orthodox Western medicine. There is an excellent forward by Dr Dean Ornish, and an interesting epilogue containing an overview of the complementary medicine techniques. The bulk of the book contains stories of patients Dr. Oz treated using this revolutionary way. I am a cardiologist, and I have a great interest in combining western medicine with complementary medicine, which is the reason I bought this book. However this book was a bit boring to read and was also a bit of a disappointment. Nevertheless, those interested in this new medicine, which I think will be the medicine of the new millennium, will want to read this book


Beautiful!
	The most gorgeous artwork in comic books. Contains the most extraordinary artwork of Alex Ross(Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman,  the Justice League, etc, even Hanna-Barbera!) A comics fan, I recieved this as a Christmas gift, and I read it again and again.
A must-have for comic book fans.


For lovers of Robicheaux
	This book is for lovers of Robicheaux.  His demons seem put to rest, redemption seems almost within his grasp - and yet the worst mayhem ever occurs within these pages.  The poetry and sense of regret for lost innocence pervade Burke's prose as always, but his anger at humanity's shortcomings is bubbling volcanically just beneath the surface.  Hurricane Katrina features as a force both of destruction and cleansing.  A bit like Robicheaux himsel


Excellent and broad survey of the development of civilization with all the punch of high quality fiction!
	This is going to be a short and sweet review because many others have commented on this book at length. I want to contribute my two cents as a concise opinion based on its value as a powerful, engaging and thought provoking story.

This book packs the punch of great fiction. It covers a broad territory from the ice age to the present with the drama of an epic. You certainly don't need to be a history major, biologist or anthropologist to be moved by the story of civilization as told by the author.

Jared Diamond places a very strong emphasis on the role of geography, environment and other factors that relate back to nature in the rise of civilizations. I think the major shortcoming of his work is that he doesn't give enough credit to social factors and their role is history.

If you don't know a lot about history or how physical factors in the environment contributed to the rise of agriculture, the need for armies, etc. You will find this fascinating reading. If you have a deep knowledge of these areas, anthropology and sociology, you may find the overly reductionistic stance annoying. However, most likely you will enjoy the well-written story if you can keep in mind that it doesn't provide the full picture.

In short, this book magnificently illuminates Jared Diamond's specific areas of interest, while downplaying or neglecting others. It provides a valuable piece of the truth and it does so in a very engaging and thoughtful manner.


A good book.
	Since I am a World's Fair "fanatic" I have read almost everything that I can on the subject. In general, this is an interesting and well researched book. The author has apparently attended most of the expositions that he writes about. However, I must point up three rather glaring errors in the book. In describing the Louisiana World Expo of 1984 he states that the unbuilt symbol tower was supposed to be "80 feet tall,just 150 feet shorter than the Eiffel Tower." Since the Eiffel Tower is actually over 900 feet tall,the New Orleans fair tower would have had to have been at least 800 feet tall.This may have been a typo which the author did not catch in time.The other error states that the US Pavilion at the Brussels World's Fair of 1958 was a "large,squat,round concrete block structure." It was indeed large and round, but not squat and not made of concrete blocks.According to the excellent book about Edward Durrell Stone, the architect of the pavilion,the outer walls consisted of large aluminum panels which were latticed in intricate designs so that the interior would be flooded with natural light. I have seen photos of the US Pavilion, and it seems a beautiful and airy structure to me. (In comparison to the Soviet Pavilion, which resembled a large refrigerator!) Thirdly, the Spokane Expo of 1974 was not the first time that the U.S.S.R. exhibited at a U.S. expo. They had a large pavilion at the New York World's Fair of 1939. All in all, however, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history of World's Fairs


To the point and beautifully Illustrated
	This the one book that taught me more about how to use my SLR than the camera's manual itself. The step by step approach and the logical arrangement of chapters makes it a book that really teaches you photography. I also liked the way Mr. Frost uses two photographs to illustrate a filter. One take without the filter and then the same one with a filter.  Also explained very well is how longer lenses reduce depth of the photograph and small helful tips on increasing your depth of field.  An encompassing book, the last few chapters tell about how a slide show can be made more interesting and how to take care of your equipment.  The peppering of photos and illustrations make you want to go out and take pictures using the methods shown. A good buy and money well spent. My only gripe is that I preffered the smaller size of the previous edition as it fit easily in my kit bag


At least somebody has "got" it
	Tom Friedman is a engaging writer.  He also writes from a very personal perspective, both as to how the world has changed for him and his family, and for his friends around the world.  You get the feeling that Mr. Friedman is describing the world changing as he is watching.  What a treat and a very easy read.  Pick it up and learn about what is really going on outside the US shores


Beautifully written, heartwarming story
	This story captivated me right from the outset, as Vivian copes with age-related loss of memory. Her scenes are tenderly drawn in sensitively described and insightful detail, and she is a very realistically portrayed.

As Susannah packs up her childhood home and prepares to move Vivian into an assisted living apartment, she uncovers clues to her past concerning the mysteries of her brother's death and whereabouts of her long-lost high-school sweetheart. With just the right blend of drama, action, suspense and resolution of family issues, this enjoyable story is very uplifting and thought-provoking, providing reflections for my own midlife crisises. It is easily read within a couple of hours, and there is a subtle tie-in to the Blossom Street books, leaving the possibility that these likable characters may reappear in subsequent books in that series.


A great find during an annual summer shopping trip
	I found this novel at a bookstore on the boardwalk I visit at least once every summer.  I love going there and looking to see if I can find a book that I have never heard of, by an author I've never heard of, and buy it on a whim.  This is the novel I bought last year.  I has, unfortunately, sat on my shelf since then until tonight, because of many reasons.  Tonight, however, I picked it up and read it cover to cover.  The narrative was brilliantly told, the dialogue completely believable and the plot totally heartwrenching.  If I had made it to the end without some tears, I would believe myself made of stone!

Skip is a character many can relate to: a man unsatisfied with how his life has turned out, down about how his friends have really not been friends at all, that gets the chance to do something great by this little child.  However, it is the change she makes in those around her which are truly the BLESSINGS of the title.  Faith, a name not used lightly, restores her namesake in all those touched by her.  She ultimately gives him the chance  of making something of his life without even knowing it.  Many BLESSINGS occur in this wonderful novel, and I found myself all at once sour about how humankind can be at times, but also proud at how humankind can be at others (which is a fact, in itself, that proves how well Quindlen has spun her tale).  The fact is that just because a person has been to jail, has deadbeat friends, does not mean he is of that same stock; just because an elderly woman has become so dragged down by her own life does not mean she has no feeling left in her.  Skip, Lydia, Nadine, Meredith, Jennifer...all have many dimentions to their characters that Quindlen has spectacularly drawn


An Outstanding Resource
	I sit here with my two newly acquired volumes of the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America in absolute awe!  With almost 200 contributors, almost 800 entries and nearly 400 illustrations, editor Andy Smith and Oxford University Press have done a magnificent job of putting together what is clearly the most comprehensive work on this immensely broad subject ever undertaken.  Whether you are a food professional or interested amateur, a historian, sociologist or anthropologist, a student or scholar, these volumes will no doubt become your most important resource for information related in any way to the history of food and drink in America.  The scope is astounding, spanning some five centuries and ranging from events and trends to products, from ethnic, religions and cultural influences to political and social movements in American history, and also includes dozens of biographical entries of important contributors and influences on the development of culinary life and gastronomy in America.  Despite the enormity of this work, it is refreshingly approachable, set forth alphabetically, written in clear language, translated when needed, and annotated and supplemented with bibliographical information for those wishing to explore further.  As a food professional-recipe developer, food writer and culinary educator-there is no doubt in my mind that these pages will soon be worn and this seminal work will remain among my most valued and cherished resources for as long as my interest in food and gastronomy is alive.


Eye Opening Information
	I borrowed this book on CD from the library and half way through, ordered the book so I would have it to refer to. Excellent book, highly recommended. Helps to put a realistic perspective on millionaires


Highly Satisfying Novel, Despite the Blood and Guts
	While expertly crafted, this is not a pretty novel, nor is it gentle.  The subject matter -- abduction of a child -- is somber, as are a few gruesome descriptions of death and dying.  The plot twists and turns, as befits a LeHane novel, and one way or another this complicated story finds its way to a denouement which the reader may not find satisfying. But you can usually trust Lehane to take good care of you in this, one of his finer books.  And not only are there plot twists to wrestle with, there are more than a few serious moral issues that will have you squirming or at least scratching your head.  All in all, this was a solid, enjoyable thriller.  The reader will feel his time was not wasted


The best book on money I've ever read
	Awesome. This book is worth its weight in gold for the insights and understanding it shares. With a professional background in finance, economics and a profound study of the Word of God, the author is well qualified to expose mammon for what it is, and to challenge the reader to a deeper surrender to the only real treasure worth having. Buy two and give a copy away. Can we have a new edition please


One of Koontz's better books
	Fear nothing is about Christopher Snow, whose parents die in supposedly innocent ways, but Chris soon finds out that what is seems is not really what it is, and even that his little town of Moonlight Bay is stranger, and scarier, than he thought. Chris then sets out with his friends, and his dog, to find out the truth about what's really going on.
Fear Nothing is a good plot written in typical Koontz style. Fear nothing grabs you from the beginning and holds you all the way through. It keeps you guessing and just when you think you have it figured out, it throws something new at you and makes you guess some more. Koontz creates some very likable characters and by the end of the story, you like them, and feel as if you know them.
	Fear Nothing is very descriptive, Koontz describes his locations so well you feel like you're in them, and experiencing the plot right next to the main character. I have not read the sequel, but I am anxious to do so.


Absolutely Fantastic!
	I'm not even a vegetarian , let alone a vegan, and this book offers such flavorful and simple recipes.  Some more time consuming than others but definitely worth the wait!  Unless you hate veggies, this book is a must have!  I just made the Herb Scalloped potatoes as a side dish and the author was right, it's hard to believe there's no cheese or cream! the pizza with caramelized onions, kalmata olives and tomatoes is fantastic too!. . . . .lots of yummyness


Possible Side Effects - A. Burroughs
	Very good, easy, light   funny read!  Although his best, by far, in my opinion was "Running with Scissors".  This was an enjoyable read   would recommend reading his work if you like David Sedaris, both have a similiar style


As expected . . .
	The book arrived as expected and was in great shape.  Thanks


How Many Terrorists Can Walk a TightRope?
	As I read, I kept trying to figure out whether this tale is a collection of reflections on how two religions can destroy a region and its people, whether the characters have broader agendas than their stories or whether it's just a good tale peppered with strong political images.

And, a good story it is.  How can you beat this writing?

"The pandits of Kashmir were left to rot in their slum camps, to rot while the army and the insurgency fought over the bloodied and broken valley, to dream of return, to die while dreaming of return, to die after the dream of reture died so that they could not even die dreaming of it, why was that why as that why was that why was that why was that" (p. 297)

"The beauty approached him, beckoning.  Her arm slipped around his shoulder, supple as a snake, and like a snake her leg coiled around his.  Then like a third snake her other arm and like a fourth snake her other leg until she was slithering all over him....  She had as many arms and legs as a goddess, and multilimbed and irrestible she coiled and tightened around him and, finally, with all the power she possessed, she bit.  The accidental death by king cobra snakebit of [the] General was announced ... the next morning and he was buried with full honors.... (p. 316)
" p. 31


Interesting, good info, odd storyline
	The Andromeda Strain tells the story of a bacteria growth in Piedmont, Arizona. This bacteria kills people in a matter of seconds and killed everyone in the town except for a 69 year old man and a baby. A top secret commission is formed to see how these bacteria kill people and to see how they can be stopped.

This book has the makings of a real thriller. I couldn't put the book down through the first 250 pages. However, this book had a dissipointing ending.

This book involves a lot of "cool" technology. This book could have taken place today (instead of 1969) because I could visualize a lot of the book. I found myself thinking "Awesome technology" more then I was thinking that Crichton is sure a great author. He seemed to involve a little too much foreshadowing.

This book does involve a lot of research and "up-to-date theories" for 1969, but is a little dated today. This does not take anything out of the story.

I would recommend this book because it is really interesting. Lots of research went into this book. The book is fast paced and has many modern aspects of a Crichton novel


Ruth can do better
	Still a great read, but not as good as Tender at the Bone and Comfort Me with Apples.  Foodies will love the continued insight into restaurant review protocol, but the author really shines when she remembers early food experiences with her mom, dad and other relatives and friends.  The highs are not as high, nor the lows as low in Garlic and Sapphires.  Reichl has a long way to go to lose me as a reader; that said, I hope she has a few more early memories to incorporate in her next book


excellent!!!
	very good writing done by both authors. i've always loved C.C.  now with Du Brul, the story gets even more suspenseful.  a really awsome page turner.  get this one


i love this book!
	this is most definitely my favorite book on earth! i'm so serious, this is such a cool book. it really appeals to anyone. kids could read it because there are short sentances and pictures (some tough words though...start with epiplectic??) but teens and adults (i'm sure) can also appreciate the morbid and brilliant humor of edward gorey. for anyone that thinks that $10 is too much to spend on a little book, ((you may be right in some circumstances)) but this is such a fantastic book i know i am gushing but i love it soooooooo much!!!


Quite enjoyable.
	Even though you know before you start reading that this book will have a happy ending, it is a fun read.  A well written and pleasant book.  One of the best of this falls crop.  I am already waiting for the next book in the series


Sound Advice
	I found this book to contain some really sound advice and I would suggest it for anyone that was contemplating risking their money on the ponies


The Struggle of Faith and Duty
	This was the first novel I read from Endo, and I have to confess to being hooked on it from the first. It is both interesting from a historical perspective, taking in an event that was singularly fascinating, and deeply profound from a psychological perspective. It is also a partial critique of ambition and desire in the clergy of the day.

Hasekura is a deep character, and the reader spends a bit of time with Hasekura's thoughts. This is especially so as Hasekura confronts the emaciated, dying Christ that he sees on his travels toward Rome. The possibility of faith in this "pathetic man", and the conflict that produces with his duty to Lord and ancestors, forms a a deeply emotional narrative coupled with Hasekura's desires, dreams and simple wishes. The psychological aspect of the book is very well presented and notable in its impact.

A notable part of the book is tied up with Father Velasco, whose ambition seems to know no limits. His own struggles with ambition, and the self-justifications that he employs, are a lesson worthy of remembering.

This novel is a great one, and I was hooked to the very last page. It will take you into the world of Hasekura, Velasco and their companions, as they themselves see it. It will take you into their dreams, their hopes, their fatalism, their fears and their struggles to cope with their situation. I totally, unreservedly recommend this novel. I love this novel


Go ahead, Have another one.What's one more gonna do?
	Dry is anything but what the title of this work implies.The pages drip with boozy escapades and one can almost smell and taste the liquor on Augusten Burroughs breath.A must for drinkers who would like to stop or at least reassess what the heck is going on in their lives.Almost motivational in its honest appraisal of the difficulties inherent in this addiction. The writing style is clear and refreshingly down to earth,funny, yet foreboding and diary-like in its presentation.Burroughs clearly transmits via humor and self awareness the many dimensions of this destructive addiction and the problems that can come with it, especially the limited usefulness of rehab.The story itself is pretty hip with a good look inside the mind of what we could easily call, "a hard core drinker" as he anticipates the "next one".Passages describe a variety of interpersonal dilemmas,job and sexual conundrums.Dry is also a good insightful look at how the treatees view the treaters and how quickly they can size up weaknesses and exploit them.This is a page turner but it does drag a bit in the middle, yet has a strong finish.An earlier work 'Running With Scissors' was apparently good enough for Hollywood, so take a shot with DRY.After all, when your liquor bottles occupy more living space in your place than you do, it might be time to slow down,stop and get a copy of Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, and a copy of Dry.  CHEERS!!


If you have hormonal imbalances, this is a great resource...
	OMG!!! I could not put this book down... I am in my upper twenties and I am going thru a bunch of these symptoms already. Yes the book is bios about natural progesterone, so what... I have not personally used progesterone cream yet, because I am waiting for my saliva test results to make sure that's what I need. But even if I don't, everything else provided in the book is amazing information. Your diet, your vitamins, your stress level, your physical activity, everything is co-related to most woman's hormonal imbalances. They even talked about a case where a woman did not want to use the natural progesterone and how by changing all of the other stuff in her life, she achieved hormone balancing. If you are suffering from hormonal imbalances, I will strongly recommend this book. I also bought other ones that I will be reading after this one. But I started with "Be Lean by Romy Seleznov", which is a story from her life and how she struggled to balance her hormones and gives all the details of what she did, then I continued with this book, and the next one I will be reading is "Natural Hormone Balance for Women" by Uzzi Reiss, which does cite this book as well.

If you think you have a hormonal imbalance, please do not rely on your doctor 100%, I am not saying that you should not believe them or rule out everything they say, but do your homework. I have been telling my doctors since I am in my TEENS that I feel I have an imbalance with my hormones and since all of the results come back fine they have been telling me that my symptoms were "normal"... WRONG!!! Now they found a tumor in my pituitary gland, which causes an imbalance... The tumor grows slowly, so I am sure that it has been there for years, but they never checked it before. Now that I am treating it, all of my "normal" symptoms are almost gone. I am still on the process of getting everything in balance. If you feel you have something wrong, even if the results of your blood work comes as normal, READ more and look for healthy ways of changing your diet, exercising more, balance your hormones, and look for second opinions and definitely have a good naturopath that you can go to. Also "Bikram Yoga", is an excellent exercise to helping you with hormonal balancing. At least that's part of what I changed.


Retro yet relevant
	Whilst the book may seem a little dated when it talks of tweed in the country and a matching silk jacket for your cocktail dress, it does contain a lot of useful information about putting together a great career wardrobe on a budget, which colours match, which accessories never date, and how to dress for evening functions of any nature.
I highly recommend it for anyone who thinks Jackie Kennedy was the epitome of chic, and who would like to know how to pull it off themselves


"I don't think it sounds like mice."
	The quirky illustrations done by the masterful Dave McKean at once contribute to the book's charm, but also lend to its dread. However, this is not a book for especially wee ones or children prone to nightmares. Some people may not appreciate Dave McKean's artwork as much as they should, because it is so different, at least to those not familiar with the Sandman graphic novel series written by Neil Gaiman in which Dave McKean did the cover art for all the books. At first glance the layout might seem confusing, even distracting, yet it somehow works here. Neil Gaiman has crafted an eerie tale that befits his style of writing. He introduces us to a charming young girl named Lucy, who suspects something is not right with her home. And though her pig-puppet seems to share her concern and understands her fear, the rest of her family do not...until it's too late. The action waxes and wanes until all seems resolved in the end, though perhaps it is not. You be the judge. This is a worthy book to read to third-graders and above, though some younger children may be able to stomach the tale without any concern. Neil Gaiman deserves praise for bringing his brand of storytelling to a younger audience, one so unfamiliar with his other work. I highly recommend this book


Make this your first investment
	If you are planning to become a landlord, buy this essential book before you purchase a rental property or hang that "For Rent" sign in front of your house.  A healthy dose of legal reality will counterbalance any easy money ideas you may have and help you decide whether the work and risk involved in being a landlord is how you would like to make money.  The legal concepts you learn may even influence which properties you buy and how you maintain them.

If you are already a landlord, keep this book at your finger tips.  The information is well organized and easy to find for quick reference.  Legal concepts are presented in plain language and illustrated with scenarios showing how the concepts might play out in real life.

The authors make dry legal topics as interesting as possible.  Add the urgency of knowing a legal misstep could land you on the wrong side of a lawsuit, and you will find yourself eagerly turning these pages


A tragic story, magnificently written
	This is the story of another tragic episode involving a Native American tribe.  That this probably happened under other circumstances, and happened to more than the Arapaho tribe, cannot be doubted.  This is another in a  series that has given us insight into tribal life and continues to  leave  us wanting more.  The characters are strong, believable, and you want the  best for all of them. The underlying plot--selling tribal babies and  telling their parents they died--is heartbreaking.  The reunion of one such  child with her father made me weep.  And Vicki's trial reconciliation with  Ben gave me hope.  This is a great work, written with deep feeling


Good Summer Read
	My husband bought this book for me and I have to say it is not a book I would normally pick up. I also have to say...I loved it! It was a very entertaining story with several plot twists along the way. I enjoyed the writing style and would highly recommend this book for taking on a relaxing trip this summer


Thrills beneath the Earth's surface
	A team of highly respected scientists is recruited and sent on the most exciting mission of their careers - they are to explore and catalog an expansive system of tunnels and caves deep below the Earth's surface in Antarctica.  They set off on their adventure only to learn that a team, like themselves, was sent on this same mission only 3 months prior and has never been heard from again.  They also learn that what makes this set of caverns so exciting and sought after is that they contain diamonds larger and more plentiful than any mankind has ever seen.  Wealth of this sort has attracted both dedicated scientists and individuals with more menacing plans in mind.  But these dangers are nothing compared to the beasts that are native to this subterranean world who are numerous and life threatening to the mission and the team.

James Rollins' debut novel sets the stage for what has become his successful career writing scientific thrillers.  He does a wonderful job of incorporating biology, archeology, geology, and other various earth sciences into an exciting and page turning novel.  Some of his subsequent novels are stronger than this first work, but Subterranean does not disappoint and definitively sets the stage for his many books to come.


Gems from among the leavings
	This rather strangely titled book is a tribute to the demand for Elizabeth Bishop's work. It is a set of pieces gleaned from some 3,500 pages in the Vassar College library collection. Not exactly random (but almost) here are 108 poems, some prose, notes she took, some sketches, some facimilies of her papers, some sketches she made, and other pieces harder to describe.

Obviously this is a book that will appeal most to people who are already Elizabeth Bishop fans. This is more of a work in process. It tells more about her as a person, it illustrates the great effort she went to get her poems just right before sending them off for publication. It shows something of the way her mind worked.

The work here is not Ms. Bishop's best. It's unfinished. Some of the shorter pieces, fragments really, make you wonder where she might have taken it.


Interesting premise
	My fav essay was about  quot;the quot; River.  Also, now when watching the evening news, the link between fire and flood makes alot of sense.  Thanks for the enlightenment


Wonderful "Wizard of Oz"
	I was a reasonably big fan of the "Wizard of Oz" when I was a kid. I'd seen the Judy Garland film, the "Return to Oz" film, my parents had taken me to a theatre production, and there used to be a cartoon series about Dorothy and her friends that I quite liked. Here in Australia, though, you don't see an awful lot of the Wizard of Oz books, and I missed out on all that as a kid. I managed to find a copy just recently of the the original story, and I really liked it. It's really a shame I couldn't find it earlier.

Dorothy is a girl who lives with her aunt and her uncle in the countryside of Kansas. In the midst of a "cyclone", Dorothy, her dog Toto, and her whole house are swept away to the Land of Oz, a beautiful but strange world full of all sorts of interesting creatures, good and bad witches, and a very famous wizard. Dorothy tries to find her way home, and on the way makes many new friends, like the Scarecrow, "Tin Woodsman" and the cowardly lion. Will she ever make it home?

It's rather different to the movie, I found. For one, the journey Dorothy and her friends go on takes many days, whereas the in the Judy Garland film it seems to all take place much shorter. The magic shoes Dorothy picks up in Oz are silver here, and not ruby red like in the film. There are also a lot of other creatures and things in the book, like the queen of the mice, the Hammerheads, and the Dainty China people. Though the world of Oz seems pretty big in the film, it feels a lot bigger to me in the book. Oz has a nice atmosphere too, I thought. It's very cosy and familiar, and kind of evokes a kind of America the way that say C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien evokes a kind of Britain, if that makes any sense. North, south, east, west... in Oz's every direction there's a new land to explore. You never know who you might meet, or how they'll do things there. I quite like how laid back everyone is in Oz. The way the Munchkins and the people of the Emerald City speak, for instance.

I enjoyed finding out things about my favorite characters too, like how the Tinman became made of tin and how the flying monkeys became slave to the wicked witch of the west, which is all described here. That reminds me, there is a little bit of fairy tale violence here, but nothing worse than you might find in "Little Red Riding Hood".

All in all, a great read, I thought. Whimsical, colourful and fun. I do hope I can get my hands on some of the follow up books. Good thing there's amazon


Book should come with box of Kleenex
	This book was wonderful.  The rich grandeur of the south is alive in this story of unimaginable dedication and love.  This book had me teared up more than a few times.

Kobe Bryant bought his wife a million dollar ring, Noah simply wrote a notebook and read from it.  Read this book and you will know why True Love cannot be bought, duplicated, or imitated with money.

philli


Helpful as a Backdrop Before Reading Paul's Epistles
	We know some things about Saul of Tarsus (later named the Apostle Paul) but a complete biography is always lacking because of sketchy and incomplete information. Most everything we know from Paul is from the Dr. Luke in the Book of Acts or Paul's epistles themselves.  II Peter Chapter 3 makes some very intriguing statements.  Peter, in some of his last earthly words before martyrdom, validates Paul's apostleship and states that some of his writings and teachings are difficult but that we should follow them.

Pollock's book is presented as documentary-style reading since Paul's complete biography is not entirely clear.  There is much the author states is inference or speculation. If you can respect that and not build doctrine and facts on where the evidence is fuzzy, I think this is an excellent book.

One example of "fuzzy" facts that Pollock considers is the age-old controversy over the authorship of the Book of Hebrews.  The author of Hebrews does not identify himself and scholars argue who wrote it.  Pollock speculates that Paul, while imprisioned in Acts Ch. 24 for two years may have had time and motivation to write the book to the people he so desparately wanted to reach.  With his imprisonment and his controversial style among the Jews, he may have left his identity anonymous so he himself would not be a stumbling block to reach his Jewish brothers.  Eternity will reveal who wrote the Book of Hebrews but it is certainly a plausible theory.

Overall, the greatest benefit in reading this book is to provide a better framework for understanding Paul as he travels among the early churches and wrote letters to them correcting the various false teachings and problems that developed.


wonderful translation
	I've been reading a chapter a day for over a yr. It's a great motivator for the day ahead. I've found this translation to be the best I've read. Other translations have been boring or too dense. This one was very powerful