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Excelent smooth and stress free transaction
The book looked like it was brand new it was in awesome condition, the shipping was fast and the deal went very smoothly. Nice when there is enough stress out there to be able to do a quick clean no drama deal with a professional. | 45 stars
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AN ABSOLUTE JEWEL OF A BOOK
I loved this book. I loved that it contained all a good book should...some historical background, excitement, intensity, and romance.Callie Wade is leaving her hometown, Independence, to go out west with her Pa, her brother Jack, and her little sister Rose. Rose is a little girl of a sickly constitution and the journey is mostly made to see if California will help cure her, as she is failing where she is and hope could be found out west. Callie is soon torn between caring for dear little rose, and the handsome Irishman, Quinn MgGregor. Should she stay with her sister and always care for her, or marry the man she loves? Well anyway, Callie's journey is filled with trial and hardship, but also with triumph and love.This book was amazing. There is a little scene with Quinn that could be left out of the story, but if you just skip over it this book was PERFECT. I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! well, read and enjoy!!! | 45 stars
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A facinating collection of insight and depth.
This anthology is a wonderful collection of beauty and insight into the Christian life. George MacDonald had the rare gift of getting to the heart of the matter, whether it be to convict or to comfort. C. S. Lewis did a masterful job (as always) with the compilation and introduction. This little volume is truly a blessing. | 45 stars
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Where's the argument?
Professor Mills simply provides a laundry list of claims he happens to regard as mean-spirited and asks us to assess them likewise. I hope this is not what has come to be acceptable in social "science." I thought science involves the presentation and interpretation of evidence in order to rationally defend a thesis. Or am I missing something here?Joel Warren Lidz, Ph.D. Department of Philosophy Bentley College Waltham, MA 02154 jlidz@bentley.edu | 01 star
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An excellent work of social science research
Some of the reviewers here seem to think this is mostly a partisan issue of which side - liberal or conservative - is more virtuous and compassionate. I think that's unfortunate. The author's aim is clearly to understand what makes people give to charity and how to increase charitable giving, not to make a narrowly partisan argument for one side or another. This is certainly about far more than Democrats vs. Republicans.I particularly enjoyed the author's attempt to delve into the more transcendent side of giving, that is, the part of giving that brings out the best in people, that gives meaning to life, that makes life worth living. Another fascinating aspect of the book is the author's attempt to measure how giving to charity actually increases the giver's income by an astonishing $3.75 for each $1 given.Reading this book, I often thought of Christopher Hitchens' book "God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything." A debate between Hitchens and Brooks would be quite entertaining, and I think Brooks would prevail on the point that a secular society is not a very charitable one. | 45 stars
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Essential for pasta lovers
This is an absolutely essential book for anyone who loves pasta. It is packed with wonderful color photos. The recipes are delicious. Some are quite involved and require exotic ingredients.Being so much more than a cookbook, it starts out with a brief history of pasta. It then discusses grain in detail. Pictures of each flour type & an illustration of a wheat grain are included here. There are also pictures all the of pasta tools.Next, dry pasta is covered. There are great photos of over 125 different pastas, including Asian noodles. It also demonstrates step by step how to make, & shape fresh pasta doughs from scratch.I loved the inclusion of colored, flavored pastas. The sweet pastas including chocolate noodles are divine. Other great recipes focused on pasta sauces, soups, dumplings, gnocchi, baked pastas and stuffed dishes. | 45 stars
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Thank you DNC for this book!!!
I read Al's first book during my long and arduous labor and subsequent childbirth. Well, the doc made me put the book down in order to actually give birth. It was very special to me, the book that is and the child too. So when the DNC sent me an email saying that for a small donation, I could get an autographed copy of Al's new book, I was thrilled. I immediately paid for the book and spent the next couple of weeks preparing for the big day. I dusted the bookcase and reorganized so that my new arrival wouldn't have any hostile neighbors. I came home last Friday to a brown package on my front porch, the big day was finally here.Needless to say, I spent the day reading. Al did not let me down. The book is filled with his usual irreverent wit. One must have a sense of humor to appreciate Al Franken's style as it may be hard to discern fact from funny. His revelations are hilarious and I found myself laughing out loud a few times. It scares me that people with so much power are capable of telling such egregious lies and some even lie about telling lies. What's up with that? The book is not hateful as the title would suggest. It is intelligently written and, from what I gathered by reading all the footnotes, painstakingly factual. My one disappointment is that Al didn't autograph it to me personally. It's a generic signature either by Al or someone who writes like him. I still want to have Al Franken's love child. I'm kidding---on the square. | 45 stars
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Profound book about the God of the Bible
First, I must admit that Knowing God is the first book by Packer that I have read. Luckily, I was not disappointed. Considered a modern Christian classic by many, Knowing God lives up to its reputation. In it Packer presents a balanced view of God - who He is, what He is like, what He has done for us, and what He expects from us in return. I had a pretty good understanding of some subjects before reading this book, but found myself learning a lot as Packer challenged me to dig deeper into the Bible, and apply my faith in order to get a clearer picture of God.I really enjoyed this book because I have been looking for "deep" Christian books that are neither full of fluff (like a lot of the recent self-help style Christian books), or too full of theology to grasp (thick, boring tomes that most Pastors can't even finish). I found that Knowing God fits nicely into this category. Packer's thoughts about God are deep, yet concise. He includes a lot of scripture to support his perspective, which indicates that it is not written for a "new" or "baby" Christian, and he also includes some historical and academic material as well. I liked the fact the he quotes many sources which enabled me to write down the titles to other books which go deeper into subjects of interest to me.Overall, I recommend this book to Christians who have a firm grasp of their faith, and are looking for guidance on how to grow a deeper relationship with God. One of the keys is gaining a better understanding of God, and this book offers an excellent starting point for that journey. | 45 stars
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Good read
Okay, I've read all of Lara Adrian`s historical romances now. This book was my last read, however, I read them out of order. So I knew the ending just from having read the other brother's book first. Good story, liked the characters and it had a good pace to it. I`d recommend this book to anybody. | 45 stars
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Great, whimsical read
It was great to relive the story of Alice in Wonderland after having seen the movie. Very enjoyable, quick read. | 34 stars
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Feltmaking (Art of Crafts)
I am an elementary school teacher and craftsperson involved in developing work in many mediums and techniques. I discovered the rather obscure, yet ancient and international, art form of feltmaking several years ago. It is easy, quick and satisfying to create many types of things from beads to clothing, scarves, masks, wallhangings. In England - where this book's authors reside - feltmaking is often successfully used with school children because it is so tactile and generally failsafe. The authors have researched their art carefully and been inventive with many possible techniques. They include samples and ideas not just of their own devising, but of other felt artists with whom they collaborate - many of whom McGavock and Lewis introduced to feltmaking in workshops that they have taught. This is a terrific book filled with tons of practical information and creative ideas - old and new - to get anyone interested in textile craft to leap into action creating exciting felt works! It includes great color photographs for the visual learner. VERY simple materials are required...ANYONE CAN DO THIS - and have fun! | 45 stars
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Amazing Beauty!
Douglas Leighton is an amazing photographer. It's clear from looking through this book that he knows how to take photos worthy of publication. I've never been to the Canadian Rockies but now I intend to. | 45 stars
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a wonderful book
i just finished Lee Siegel's new book, Love and other games of chance, and i just loved it. the book is so funny, and is clever and inventive. i have never written a review before, but i feel like i need to get the word out on this one. i recommend it highly. | 45 stars
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good book
This book is a good read for any kid 10 and over. There are positive messages for kids who go through moving from a different school and try to fit in. | 45 stars
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Other explanations for visitations from "others"
Jacques Vallee was the model for the French scientist in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. To those who are convinced of extraterrestrial visitation, he was "in the know" during the 60s-70s. Then he withdrew from any public advocacy of the theory of ET contact and focused on other explanations for the eerily similar experiences of a paranormal nature that people throughout the world have described all through history. Elves, fairies, steps to hidden spaces that didn't exist, magic caves, flying in the night, etc. Basically his view is that "ETs" are the same immaterial demons and angels that have always co-exisited with humans here on earth and perhaps even beneath the earth; but they not likely physical beings from planets or stars light years away.Personally I don't know why the cases presented in this book should rule out physical ET visitation. Some of the ET contact/abduction/sightings experiences just don't fit any of the classic, ageless encounters and experiences recounted here. So why rule out possibilities when we are only at the frontier of this discovery? We know so little, and don't know what it is we don't know.Excellent and classic book for understanding the history of human psychology as it processes experiences outside the norm of the physical world. Not so good for an unbiased look at the real possibility of physical ET presence on planet earth. | 34 stars
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Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business
Hello my name is Karina I think Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business is a good book. Her authors name is Barbara Park. I am going to tell you parts are interesting. When the story starts her mom says they have a supries . Junie B. Jones goes looking for it under the table and in the living room. | 45 stars
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An SF Classic
If you can get your hands on a copy of this before they vanish from the earth, you'll be doing yourself a favor. The remaining copies I've been able to find are in tatters. If you are a fan of SF and have not read (or even heard of) this work, then all I can say to you is, for shame!This is an amazing piece of literature. No more from me on this. It's a short novel. Read it yourself and for gosh sakes, post a review! Maybe someone will think to get this back in print. Hell, I'd even settle for an e-book.Sheckley is just grand.OTHER BOOKS TO READ:- The Status Civilization- Untouched by Human Hands- Dimension of Miracles- Citizen in Space- Notions: Unlimited(I am not prioritizing here, and there are quite a few more ... just get them while you still can). | 45 stars
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How to improve your grammar easily!
Grammar for Grownups is an easy to use and very helpful self-paced training program. The lessons are presented clearly with appropriate examples and exercises. Each lesson reviews points of grammar that are basic to good writing.Grammar for Grownups is also a good reference book because it is well organized and therefore it is easy to look up specific topics. Being a busy person, I really appreciate the valuable content and the user-friendly design of this book. | 45 stars
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Amazing book, great gift!
I bought it for a friend and so far he loves it. The edition is good (got the paperback one) :) | 45 stars
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When the student is ready, the teacher will come.
If you're ready to learn about HSP's, Elaine Aron is ready to teach. The author shares her professional experiences and puts herself out there for the reader's benefit. It's obvious that she has learned much from her own study. She doesn't present herself as an "expert." She is simply sharing what she has discovered. My wife and I read it together and found more ways to make our 34-year marrige even better. | 45 stars
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A book to be read by genuine readers only
I read the other reviews for this novel and discovered that the ones who rated it boring or with a low number of stars failed to mention any other critique besides "flashbacks were hard to understand" and "misfits 'fitting'together was unreal." Apparently, we have "readers" who do not do a lot of reading (as evidenced by their own words) and readers who don't really know "how to read." (Do movie flashbacks give them problems also?) The book is a narrowed view of a growing population of "misfits," poignantly written without "tearjerking" compassion. It bares the truth of both the "misfits" AND the "normals." | 45 stars
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Total Truth Book Review
After reading reviews on Nancy Pearcey's Total Truth by Francis Beckwith, Tim Challies, and Al Mohler, writing my own seemed daunting. Al Mohler wrote, "In Total Truth, Nancy Pearcey offers a solid theological engagement with the critical intellectual issues of our times." Such a bold statement is characteristic of thoughtful books reviews. In light of other reviews, my goal is to provide a concise analysis of Pearcey's book, stating its main argument and identifying salient points.It would be impossible to understand Total Truth apart from its connection to Francis Schaeffer. Schaeffer himself was instrumental in Pearcey's conversion to Christianity. The skeptical author first encountered this 20th century intellectual giant at the L'Abri community in the Swiss Alps. Perched on the side of a mountain, he influenced Pearcey and many others who were disillusioned with religion in the 60's. Schaeffer's scathing critique of modernism and its inability to answer the deep questions of the human soul led to Pearcey's conversion, which resulted in a lifetime of intellectual work on behalf of the Christian faith.This is Pearcey's book though, not Schaeffer's. She breezes through centuries of philosophical systems--deconstructing them as she goes--in order to show that the Christian worldview is the only one that can truly account for all of reality. The Christian worldview is total truth.Why is developing a Christian worldview important? Postmodern America is awash in a "sea of secularism." There are many ideologies competing for attention in today's marketplace of ideas. However, are any of them capable of providing a comprehensive account of all of reality? This is the question Pearcey poses... and answers.Pearcey's thesis is that the majority of Christians have been subject to cultural captivity and must be set free, hence the title of the book, Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity. We are in a state of intellectual bondage where a sharp divide has been drawn between the sacred and the secular. There has been a bifurcation between religion and reason, science and faith, that has inexorably driven Christians to retreat from the public sphere and succumb to the prevailing cultural norms and mores of their day.Pearcey states her thesis in the introduction: "This book addresses that hunger [to have a Christian worldview] and offers new direction for advancing the worldview movement." One of the reasons Christians have a truncated, lifeless worldview is because they've bought into the fact/value distortion which has permeated Western culture for centuries. The onslaught of the Enlightenment and the impact of revivalism within the sphere of the emerging Evangelical empire has created this distortion.The fact-value distortion is described as a two-story way of looking at the world. In the "lower" story are facts, which are binding on everyone. The "lower" story of Science is built on empirical knowledge, rational thinking, and objective facts. In the "upper" story are values, which are based on individual preferences. A person's religious beliefs would fit here. The "lower" story is what is universally accepted by the public and accepted as "objective" truth, whereas the "upper" story is both cursorily dismissed and not taken seriously by the public.One of the strengths of this book is Pearcey's ability to analyze and explain large strata of the intellectual, economic, and religious foundation of Western Culture. Schaeffer's influence is certainly evident as she explains how the two-story divide has played out in the various strands of Western thought. For instance, postmodernism can be seen as the "upper" story in today's prevailing worldview; it is subjective and relative to particular groups. The "lower" story, on the other hand, is modernism with its accompanying emphases on what is objective and universally valid.This dichotomy, she explains, "is the single most potent weapon for delegitimizing the biblical perspective in the public square today." Those who don't believe in God have been able to subvert Christianity by relegating its tenets to that which belongs in the private sphere. Religion, particularly Christianity--which is what is professed by most Americans--is no longer taken seriously; not because it's true, but because religion is seen as a matter of preference. Christianity opposed America and lost the fight.There are four parts to this book. The first part explains how the secular/sacred split came into being. The second part "zeroes in on Creation, which is the foundational starting point for any world-view." In this section she assesses Darwinism, which is the prevailing worldview today, and shows how this particular worldview fails to hold up when evaluated in light of recent scientific findings; it falls well short of providing a coherent, comprehensive worldview for all of life. The third part criticizes the author's own tradition, Evangelicalism, and looks at how we arrived at where we're at now. The fourth part shows how "submission of our whole selves to the Lordship of Christ" is the only way to develop a Christian worldview.I even found Pearcey's method for the development of a Christian worldview to be theologically supple. Her explication of suffering in context of a vibrant, lived-out faith is a much needed slice to the prideful, therapeutic, flabby Christianity that has developed over the years. She advances Martin Luther's theology of the Cross as a means by which we die to ourselves and the idolatry of our hearts on a daily basis. She writes, "True knowledge of Christ comes only as we are willing to give up up our dreams of glory, praying to be identified with Him on the cross." Ouch.Furthermore, her incorporation of Schaeffer's "Rejected, Slain, Raised" concept of sanctification shows that she's not afraid to swim upstream against the currents of much of the Evangelical self-help chicanery. A slight criticism might be that Pearcey relies too heavily on Schaeffer here and the concept of "Rejected, Slain, Raised" doesn't fully capture other means of grace, such as the importance of reading the Bible, prayer, and service, which serve to develop a full-orbed view of Christianity.This book is a must-read for all young people heading off to college, pastors, lay leaders, and anyone interested in learning more about the Christian worldview. This is a primer on why a Christian worldview is important and how we should go about identifying competing worldviews while developing a solid, mature, biblically-informed one of our own. | 45 stars
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Fun, Lively and Entertaining
Lively dialogue and great sexual tension make this book a fast and fun read. If you can get past the 'datedness' of this story, you'll enjoy the romance that builds between an unwilling Lexie the feminist and an irrepresible Rome the philanderer. | 45 stars
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The Book Is Flat
I kept reading. Sooner or later, I kept telling myself, Friedman will tell me something I don't already know. Alas, it never happened. This book consists of 469 pages of stuff you can read in newspapers, in magazines, or experience personally every day. Is there anyone out there who has not yet had an experience with an Indian call center? Is there anyone who is not aware that increasingly high tech jobs, and even management jobs, are being outsourced, and that the USA is falling behind in math, science and engineering education? There may be a good 100 page book somewhere in all those pages trying to get out, but it is so buried underneath the commonplace it is hard to find. It's not that this is a bad book. It's just that most (all?) people who would read such a book should already know everything that Friedman talks about, and that most (all?) of those who would benefit from it would not be drawn to read it in the first place. | 12 stars
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Beautiful book
Great color plates. This book is a wonderful opportunity to savor and enjoy Wolf Kahn's paintings and his amazing use of color. | 45 stars
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Very good
Very suspenseful. I read the first book many years ago. It made Jaws look like a friendly little shark! I have forgotten many of the details of the first book. I really enjoyed this book. I have the third book and will have to read it fairly soon while I remember where it left off. Although you don't have to read the first book, it really helps you follow the story line. You may decide to quit swimming in the northern pacific after reading this one. | 34 stars
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Murder amid the fun and glory of a World's Fair.
This is a story of two men who crossed paths at the World's Fair Exposition (the White City) in 1893, the city itself and the people concerned with the 'greatest event in the history of the U.S. since the Civil War.' Written to read like fiction, it is based on facts as seen through the eyes of researcher Erik Larson, a former writer for the Wall Street Journal, which incidentally was started by a newsman from Knoxville, TN.It covers the conflict between good and evil, daylight and darkness, the White city and the Black. He includes a detailed index and bibliography, photos and a map of the World's Fair including Chicago and its surburbs, one of a group of architects, and one of Dr. H. H. Holmes in 1895.He used letters, memoirs, and other documents from such luminaries as Marshall Field, Theodore Dreiser, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Edison, and Clarence Darrow (who later brought fame and legalese to a small town in Tennessee called Dayton).The World's Fair site was later transformed into the University of Chicago where my son Geoffrey earned his doctoral degree after many years of Physics and Astronomy classes and field work at Kitt Peak in Arizona. I've been there and seen the atom developed there on that very site which enabled America to have the atomic bomb which was used to end the WWII. My son remarked that only I and the Japanese tourists want their pictures taken with that awful remembrance, not a very pretty sight.Some men choose to do the impossible; others only cause sorrow. The main architect was Daniel H. Burham who had built many of our most important structures including the Union Station in Washington, D.C. (I've been there, too.) and the Flatiron Building in New York. He's the good guy.At the time, Chicago was a city of opportunity but also one of vanishment. Men and women vanished in equal proportions. A Tennessee woman, Fannie Moore from Memphis, was just one of the hundreds of victims of Dr. H. H. Holmes. Both men were blue eyed.The Exposition was made up of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show known worldwide, Krupp's Gun Exhibit, a Statue of the Republic ("Big Mary") which was similar to our Statue of Liberty in the harbor of New York, with both hands raised, various other buildings, the "el" railroad (which I rode some years ago), a wooded island, and the Peristyle (appeared to be something like a promenade along Lake Michigan) and the beautiful Court of Honor. A spectacular place nearly equal to the power of our Civil War spread out in all its glory.This is a murder mystery, only the mystery was unraveled to reveal our first serial killer with the exception of the Prince in England. It is one of beauty and one of ugliness. Chicago today is beautiful with many such incidences but most have been overcome on the South Side of Chicago. My kind of town. | 23 stars
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Time well spent
Claudia had it all planned perfectly. She would run away from home with her younger brother Jamie...of course they want to run away to someplace warm, so they chose the Metropolitan Museum in New York City...once they got inside the museum, it was easy...except that one time when Jamie was almost caught.A janitor found Jamie in the museum after it was closed and asked where he can from...Jamie's reply "My mom says I came from heaven."Find out how Claudia and Jamie survive inside the museum and solve a mystery about a statue within the museum. | 45 stars
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Beautiful story
A lyrical story that touches hearts. Such a tale of hope and the promise of miracles as told through the eyes of a small boy. Beautiful characters and a stunning novel. | 34 stars
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The Message
I've never seen anything like it! I've used scripture from The Message so often in Sunday School and Church, others have asked me to order for them! The language is very conversational. | 45 stars
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Bad Illustrations and Many Mistakes
As other people have commented about the other books by Budworth: his books suffer from poor photography (hands obscuring knots, rope ends not visible) and what's much worse, just plain mistakes. I took this book out of the local library to see whether it's worth buying. It isn't. Take the Midshipman's or Tautline Hitch as an example: Budworth has it tied wrong according to every source on the Internet I could find. That's just unforgivable! I ended up buying Handbook of Knots : EXPANDED EDITION (Paperback) by Des Pawson. Excellent book. | 01 star
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A wide variety of advise....and viewpoints. Worthy of your time!
The book has a variety of viewpoints on everything from sharing, exercise, health, success, etc....and while you may not agree with everything in this book, especially things of spirituality, you're sure to get lots of valuable ideas out of this book. An easy read, with plenty of "meat and potatoes" with some "light eating" as well. | 34 stars
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Poetic
The book was short and very sweet. Though tragic, it was a coming of age for women caught up in superficial relationships. Why is it that we don't know what we have until we lose it? | 45 stars
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The Beginning of a classic
Although Tolkien has a tendency to ramble and gets bogged down in details, this is an excellent introduction to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Movie fans need to be aware that the film takes considerable leway from the book. The role of Thorin is larger in the film than in the book and he is much more the hero in the film. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the future films.Tolkien writes the Hobbit as if he is writing for a young audience, he also uses humor to advantage in this novel. This does not mean I did not appreciate the book. But it is not for very young children, there is too much detail for them. I would recommend this book to 7th grade and above. | 34 stars
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GREAT Book!!!!
I read this book for an English class I had to take, and it was very helpful!!!The book not only included the text, but interpretation notes as well which were very helpful!!!So glad I bought this book! | 34 stars
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Timeless Classic
This book by Beatrix Potter is a timeless classic. Children recognize themselves in the "mischievous" Peter and the resulting consequences. Great sense of drama with all the narrative elements, smooth beginning, middle, end. Illustrations are beautiful and help tell the story to an emerging reader. | 45 stars
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More adventures of the Devil Doctor
Fu Manchu is back in what was originally a series of short stories. Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie must stop his plot to destroy the enemies of the Seven. Contains the fiendish torture device called the Gates of Joyful Wisdom, perhaps the villains most grisly device. Nayland Smith is placedin a compartmentalized trap where rats will work their way up his flesh as each successive gate is opened. | 34 stars
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Five stars but...
This books rates five stars since I t believe that it is a good book and a whole lot better than most children's books today. That said, I wasn't all that impressed with the story and there wasn't as much historical reference as I would have liked. | 45 stars
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Love it
Love this book! Read it when I was a child, and fell in love all over again as an adult. | 45 stars
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Good book. But extremely fundamental concepts.
How to Be Twice as Smart is a book that basically discusses the use of some older techniques that have been developed in the past.Predominating through this book are discussions of antiquated reading techniques such as : only reading the first sentence of every paragraph, using mnemonics to memorize things, and not using vowels when note taking. Don't be fooled into thinking that the book is solely about these topics though. The book covers other topics such as : "Refining your listening powers", "Outwitting your Competitors", "How to use the Written Word to get what you Want", and other interesting topics.This book does a decent job about talking about each of the aforementioned subjects. What makes it get 4 stars instead of something lower, is the fact that it covers such a large array of so many fields, you will have somewhat of a roadmap of what topics you need to study further to get to be particularly good at whatever you want to do.Essentially, this book shows you what's out there so you can focus in better on learning certain things, I just wouldn't rely on this book alone. | 34 stars
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Lakota Series
I have read many of Janelle Taylor's other books. I enjoyed reading about the Indian tribes. Her books regarding the Lakota tribe is very interesting. I am hooked on reading about Wind Dancer and his family and friends. Lakota Dawn and Winds kepted me on the edge of my seat. I could not put the books down. I have recommended them to many of my friends. I can not wait until she publishes the next book in the sequel. | 45 stars
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Great follow-up novel
The Chamber of Secrets is a great follow up to this long running series about Witches and Wizards. I just started reading the series in 2005 after 'Goblet of Fire' came out in theatres, and I loved each of these from start to finish. Chamber of Secrets is actually my favorite of all six books so far, and I finished this one in a couple of days. I'm not a fast reader, but this one was just great. I highly recommend this kid-friendly book as a bedtime story, or even a quick read on a vacation to get yourself started in the series. J.K. Rowling hits another homerun. | 45 stars
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Best book I ever read.
I first read "Wild Assault" in 1978. Given to be by a new friend as I moved from Houston to Wimberley,TX. I could not put it down and never wanted it to end.To make a long,interesting story short, I met Elithe Hamilton Kirkland at a review in Hamilton,TX. We became very close friends though she was 30 years my senior. We corresponded as she continued to write her last novel "The Edge of Disrepute". She then moved to Wimberley to be closer to me and other friends.After she passed on I dedicated a guest room to her in our new ranch home and placed her papers,books and poems there for all to enjoy. Elithe's room is well used and enjoyed by old friends and new. I loved her very much.NA in Wimberley.We also placed original papers in the Alkek Library, dedicated to Southwest writers and photographers, at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. This is a MUST visit place for fans of Texas writers. | 45 stars
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This is a good book but not a great book.
This book is good but I have to say I did find it boring at parts. The book is about a 13 year old boy who is a criminal mastermind and a genius. His famly was rich but lost alot of money when the boat that Artemis's father was on, with the money, was bombed. Artemis goes to where a Fairy is hiding. He tricks the fairy into giving him what they call the book. Then He captures one of the fairy, Holly Short, and holds one for a rasom. Then the story comes into an all out war. The reason I did not say it was great was because The story ends too quickly. | 34 stars
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Chandler on acid
"City of Glass", at the very least, will leave you breathless. For most, however, you won't look at reality the same way again. Imagine a Raymond Chandler novel where both the author and the main character are on LSD. In "City of Glass", the author IS the detective, and the detective's reality begins to get stranger and stranger.. | 45 stars
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East of Eden
Detailing the intertwining stories of the Trask and Hamilton family, John Steinbeck weaves an amazing story of the many aspects of life. Steinbeck chronicles the development of the Hamilton and the two generations of the Trask family, providing a thorough outlook on life as seen through the characters. Although the volume of the book is daunting, the chronology of events is extremely interesting and enjoyable to read.The first installment of the story centers around the development of the Trask family and the relationship between brothers Charles and Adam Trask, covering a variety of themes that are common to daily life. Charles is extremely competitive and constantly seeks to prove his physical prowess by defeating Adam in matches of ability. Adam, on the other hand, tries to escape his brother's anger by letting Charles take the upper hand, but arouses Charles's jealousy when he wins their father's attention. Charles however, loves his brother, but is incapable of expressing this affection, an issue common amongst siblings. The theme of sibling relationship and rivalry is present in these early chapters of the book, along with motifs of jealousy and love.As the story progresses, Adam falls in lust with Cathy, a beautiful and manipulative girl, quickly advancing the plot. Cathy epitomizes evil as she uses her beauty to her benefit. Upon the birth of their two sons Cal and Aron, Cathy abandons Adam and leaves him to sulk about the house. However, their Chinese servant, Lee assumes responsibility of caring for Cal and Aron, and helping Adam get back on his feet. Throughout the incident, Adam and Lee develop a relationship with and receive help from the Hamilton family, who are of Irish descent, and thus intertwining the two families.In the second installment of the book, Steinbeck chronicles the growth of the second Trask generation, Cal and Aron, who are replicated after the figures of Cain and Abel in the bible. While Aron receives praise and revel in the love and attention of those around him, Cal is enshrouded in his brother's shadow and grows dark and mysterious. However, the progression of events accompanies dramatic changes within each character, emphasizing themes of dark and light and the affection between brothers. The intricate plot makes the book a great choice for those seeking high quality writing and a great read. | 45 stars
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Classic
One of my all time favorites. I have read this book multiple times, and I enjoy it each time that I do so. | 45 stars
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quick response
I ordered this book for a school project so I was relieved that it came so quickly. Condition is okay for a used book. | 34 stars
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Compelling novel-noir
Four (4) women, various ages, all work together on the late night shift in a Japanese food factory. Each woman's personality dictates the particular place she takes on the assembly line. Their jobs are simply making lunch sandwiches - but about 600 sandwiches a night. On top of their awful low paying and boring jobs, each has a hard and miserable personal life. Early on in the novel one by one they come together to "help" one of the group who needs to cover up a murder she has committed. The women then justify their particpation in the cover up by claiming they are doing it for much needed money. The characters and scenery come to life in the way the details are presented, no matter the subject. In fact, it is because of these details that this book immediately sets itself apart from most others. The book is a real page turner. As the story draws to a close the pace quickens and what was already interesting is now compelling. This book a winner. For me, it's not just great storylines but those in combination with the fascinating and unusual Japanese customs and traditions, brings it way over the top. I'm glad I've found a new source for crime fiction that I'd never have predicted. | 45 stars
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I want a treehouse!!!
This book is by far the best book for teenage boys. This is exactly what they dream about doing on their own!! | 45 stars
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The Best Birthmother Narrative I Have Read
This is an important book for all interested in adoption and especially the birthmother experience to read. The writing is far superior to the usual adoption memoir; liquid,lyrical, poignant, vivid and emotionally true. The poetic stream of consciousness style is perfect to convey the ambiguity, pain, guilt, and clouded memory of a mother who gives up a child, especially the aftermath suffered alone in secrecy and self-loathing. The author's skill in making specific sights, sounds, smells stand out like objects coming into focus through a thick fog is especially effective in anchoring the narrative in reality while the very nature of that remembered reality is questioned.This is not an easy book to read, especially for one like myself who also surrendered a child, under different circumstances and coming out of a blessedly more normal childhood, but so many of my unspeakable feelings were captured by Ms. McElmurray that at times I was not sure if I was reading the book or writing it. The more I read, the more I fell into the black hole of the years surrounding the birth and surrender of my firstborn son, when I was a college student in the late 60s. What this book captures so well is not a specific, literal linear story, moving from childhood to pregnancy to surrender to eventual reunion, but the shifting,viscuous nature of time and memory, how it is all happening all the time, back and forth and around and around, in the mind and heart of the surrendering mother.The unreliability of memory, the fluid nature of time, and the endless private retelling and restructuring the story that Ms McElmurray portrays so well are also very familiar to me, the constant rumination over what really happened, and why, and who was to blame, the endless shades of misty grey, where it would be so much easier to make it all black and white and clear, as most such narratives do.Those who are looking for the usual adoption reform saga will be frustrated; there are no evil social workers, greedy adoptive parents, cruel grandparents forcing surrender. There is only a very young mother at barely 16 making her own choice to save her son from the abused and pain-filled childhood she has known, and never forgetting or recovering from the awful echoes of that choice. She is forever alone, forever standing at the edge of some high mountain road with the choice to jump or fall, as the years and ghosts swirl beneath her feet.The author's voice is clearly Southern, the way she endures and prevails worthy of a Faulkner heroine, but this poetic narrative is both particular and universal, the anguished cry of a mother who could not keep her son, and could not, in her heart and soul, ever let him go. I especially loved her modest depiction of their eventual reunion, letting the reader fill in what that was, so reminiscent of my own reunion with my adult son, for which there really are no words.This book is disturbing, painful, and achingly beautiful. It is filled with truths beyond mere the facts, in the way of the most resonant stories and myths. I am in awe of the author's talent and courage, and highly recommend it, especially to other birthmothers and to adopted persons.Mary Anne Cohen | 45 stars
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Benjamin Graham- The Father of Sound Investing
This book is good, but do not expect it to be an easy read. Although I did enjoy reading this book...no doubt about it, I would suggest Peter Lynch as an introductory author. I would leave this one for moderately educated investors. If that is what you truly are...you will find many of his ideas go against the grain of typical Wall Street wisdom. If you are like me you will understand why those that follow his teachings usually beat the "street" by some margin...but there are no easy, get rich quick schemes found here either. Warren Buffett follows a portion of what is found in this book & for me that was a good enough reason to purchase it. If you are ready for an advanced version similar to this book read the Classic 1934--Security Analysis. | 34 stars
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Crappy edition
This book was poorly bound and printed. Looks like something done at home with a copier. The type is really bad, looks like it was done on a typewrier (an old typewrier!) No proper editing, layout etc. really not worth the money even if you are interested in the premise, (or just want a good chuckle)..Relies heavily on the discredited diary of Robert Byrd and has so many scientific inaccuracies that it is not really a good yarn. Nobody withj a brain could accualy believe this nonse3mse but it is interesting to read it and wonder if there are people so gullible. | 12 stars
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A wonderful, witty, and funny 19th century satire.
Even though I'm only in 6th grade, I though Wilde's Importance of Being Earnest is one of the most wonderful and funny satire of all times. I've read many plays, and this one really tops the chart!! Everyone should read it! | 45 stars
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Hawaii's Own!
I am Native Hawaiian and was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii within minutes of Iolani Palace. Much of my culture was lost and our land taken away. Many books were written some accurate and some not so accurate. This book was wonderfully written and with love, as the author did her many years of research. I say this because the true essence of Princess Kaiulani was depicted, our people, and culture. But most of all, the tragic lost of our monarchy, our queen, and our princess. The pictures and writing is wonderful, it is a easy reader book for children but made for everyone. This book is the most accurate, most informative, and most compassionate book I have read by any author on this subject. To get a condensed version of our history this would be the book to share. I appreciate the authors writing and grace she took to write such a wonderful book on our beloved Princess Kaiulani and our people. The love and tragedies our people went through, however, will never take away our spirit. That is where the word "Aloha" came from. Love, compassion, and spirit. This is something our princess had for her culture and people. This is something shared amongst all Hawaiians today. We may be a culture that had lost a lot but we will never be forgotten. The pictures are wonderful and brings me back as a little girl visiting the palace on a school field trip. I felt lost and sadness as I walk thru the palace, the same way I felt as I read this book. I couldnt help but cry through most of this book, I felt the same sadness and lost. To the author.... Mahalo Nui Loa! Malama Pono! | 45 stars
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Awesome platform for Jasmine
This book was awesome! Jasmine is a great character and you never know her next move. This is the book you must read because it sets the platform for the rest of the books jasmine appears in. It's a great book to see the person she is then becomes as the novels follow. Enjoy!!! | 45 stars
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A REALLY GOOD BOOK
This book was very good i had to read it for school I didn't really understand it the first time but each time i read it, it gets better. | 34 stars
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Trains!
Lots of new, technical terms for the young child who loves trains and is learning the alphabet. May be too technical for the casual encounter. Good pictures. | 45 stars
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Couldn't put it down
I will admit that you have to be intelligent to read this wonderful book. Marie-Elena John trusts that her readers won't appreciate being spoon-fed, and will enjoy the challenges she throws at us. She delivers a page-turning adventure to places and psyches that many of us have never experienced before.Bit by bit, she unravells a plot that rivals any cliff-hanger; but it was the DEPTH of this book that took my breath away. Buy this book for a rich experience that will stay with you long after you read the final line. | 45 stars
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Giving My Simple Gifts Extra Meaning
I love to give little gifts to people. This book answers my desire to add particular meaning to what I give. Even a small trinket becomes important when it carries my special intent in the form of story or tradition. I recently gave a small carved elephant to my husband in gratitude for his patience during a family crisis. He was touched by the specific message included in my choice of the elephant for him. Whenever he looks at the elephant I believe he becomes more patient all over again. I keep this book close at hand, leafing through it for ideas when I've someone I want to gift. Then my card can include the reasons I chose this gift for them. This is a lovely resource. | 45 stars
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Captivating mystery with surprise ending; can't put it down
Have seen many reviews of books that were supposed to be great and entertaining. This book was excellent, to the point where I could not put it down. Can't wait to read the next in his series. | 45 stars
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Touchy Feel book!
My one year old grandaughter wanted me to read it over and over and over as sheexplored each texture and picture. Love it. A little easier to hold than its sister book "Heads". | 45 stars
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OK
A book well written but over-praised. If your interested in Orwell I suggest you read his earlier works, i.e. Keep The Aspidistra Flying, Down And Out In Paris And London, Burmese Days, etc. etc. | 23 stars
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Elvis's spiritual search
Excellent book by one of the few insiders that actually understood Elvis's need for spiritual growth and understanding. Jerry Schillings book adds that extra dimension that allows for a new approach in looking at Elvis and his life. Great look at Mr. Schillings extraordinary life as well. Both Elvs and Mr. Schilling probably were/are HSP or 'highly sensitive person's and this is why they had such a deep bond. | 45 stars
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Commentary
If you are a Tom Lehrer fan, this book is tops! I just wish he did not use so many sharps in his songs. The collection is more than I hoped for. | 45 stars
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Well Worth Seeking Out
This large and handsomely produced volume seeks to take a look at examples of photographs being either banned or altered in some way, and is bound to provoke. The contents are divided (often arbitrarily) into seven sections, each introduced by an essay, and each photo is accompanied by a full explanation of the subject and context for its inclusion. Be warned, there is plenty of very graphic material here, including executions, and a large number of corpses. Definitely not a book to leave around in the presence of kids.The first section covers photos that were banned or suppressed in some way, including: Ayatollah Khomeini's near naked corpse, Boer War images of a British field hospital and concentration camp, mangled corpses from WWI, Hitler practicing his "spontaneous" speech gestures, a burned Iraqi corpse from Gulf War I, victims of the Paris police massacre of October 1961, and Chinese army execution of alleged arsonists. The next section is about censorship, and includes: photos smuggled out of Turkey of police hassling Kurds, Nazi book burning, Soviet church destruction, Cultural Revolution destruction of a Confucian shrine, a policeman trying to rip an American flag from the hands of a young black boy during the Civil Rights movement, several instances of London police trying prevent photos being taken at demonstrations,Next is a longer section addressing the choices that photographers make in their subjects and how that affects what the public believes, including: a series about life under Soviet rule, several from Northern Ireland and South Africa, a disturbing series in Bangladesh where a mob kills a man, the well known photos of Somalis dragging a U.S. soldier's corpse through the streets, famine in Sudan, AIDS in Zimbabwe, and street children in India. A large section on propaganda covers a wide range of subjects, including: China's Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, Dorothea Lange's famous FSA portrait, photo doctoring involving Martin Luther King, Soviet propaganda, Weege's Brooklyn Beach shot, Japanese internment during WWII, Castro (including a great shot of him and Nixon shaking hands), a lot of Vietnam War material, and the atomic bomb.The "recovered memory" section seems rather unfocused, but includes: lynchings, the bombing of Dresden and HIroshima, Tiananmen Square (including a horrific photo of corpses piled up at a hospital), fascism, Northern Ireland, truth and reconciliation in South Africa, multiple genocides in Cambodia, Armenia, Bosnia, Ukraine, and Chechnya, and my own favorite in the whole book, a spread that convincingly makes the case that Robert Capa's famous "Death of a Republican" photo was staged. The brief "Relative Values" section relates to sexual mores, attitudes to animals, the environment, race, and art, and isn't very striking compared to the rest of the book. Finally, there is a fascinating section on ambiguity and how photos whose meaning seems obvious can utterly mislead the viewer about what was actually happening.The book is probably best encountered in small doses at a time, as the images are so provocative and the stories relating to them so powerful. The groupings seem somewhat artificial and arbitrary at times, but this is a minor quibble. It is a must have for anyone with an interest in photojournalism, or those with an interest in how photography is used and misused in forming our perceptions. Those with an interest in modern world history and contemporary politics will likely find it a fascinating volume well worth seeking out. It would also be of great value if used selectively in a high school current events or modern history class. | 34 stars
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Fly fishing in Oregon (Mostly)
Leeson writes so well and describes his responses to rivers and fishing so clearly that you almost experience the rivers with him. I don't fish but I read it happily and then shared it with my brothers (who do fish).. If you fish, read it; if you don't fish but like Oregon rivers, read it anyway. | 45 stars
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Everything I was looking for in a baby book
I wanted a baby book that was colorful, fun & detailed, with scriptures throughout. This was perfect! I loved choice of scriptures; the animal illustrations were fun and sweet; and the details of what to record were perfect. I have two children and have bought this baby book for both! I looked EVERYWHERE before making this initial purchase, and then looked again for the second child, but couldn't find anything that I liked better, so I was happy to be able to get this one again. Also, it could be used for a girl or boy, so it's perfect for those who don't like to find out what they are having ahead of time, like us! | 45 stars
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Outstanding!
After I had read Dave Pelzer's books, I was interested in hearing what it was like for his brother. Very heartbreaking story but one that needed to be told. Love this book! | 45 stars
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Best book I have ever read!
This book is the journey of a lifetime for a reader. You cannot put this book down. This is definately a must-read book. Also see the video version of the book. They are both fantastic. | 45 stars
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One of the Best Books of All Time
The Fellowship of the Ring is one of my favorite books. Make sure you have read the Hobbit before this book. This novel is the book that got me into reading again and I think about it frequently. At the start of it, there are some quite boring parts, including Tomm Bombadil and the Barrow Downs. There is too much description, but once the Hobbits arrive at the Prancing Pony, things start to heat up and the book becomes amazing. I cannot stress enough how amazing this nvel is. | 45 stars
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it set the standard
Orwell's 1984 wasn't the first utopia/dystopia written, but it pretty much set the standard for all those that followed, and even for those that came first. Orwell wrote a novel warning us of what could happen if political power went unchecked, and his warning was especially to his contemporaries living in the post-war England. Orwell does a brilliant job of capturing the despair and dinginess of life in his 1984. In fact he does it so well that if the reader is not careful the general mood of the novel could invavde the reader's life (it did mine). This book has been called one of the few masterpieces of modern literature. The third section especially so. Rarely have I read anything as great or powerful as part three of 1984. The dangers that Orwell warns us of leap forth in this section--the loss of free will and the total breaking of the human spirit, which we all would like to believe always survives. But it doesn't. | 45 stars
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a very worthwhile read
...I'm not even sure where to start with this review..this book is one of the most painful stories I've read in a while. Phyllis Benton takes us along through the journey of her life; from a childhood spent in a motherless home as one of eight children, to foster care, to one abusive marraige followed by another. It's hard to stomach at times -- especially when you stop and consider that the story is real. This really happened. Ms. Benton truly did suffer through these events; and not only did she survive them, but she chose to share them with the world..that in itself deserves some applause..The story is honest and raw, at times frustrating, at times horrifying. The story moves quickly from childhood up through to adulthood. It is written in a simple manner -- no sugar coating or fancy words to distort the true ugliness of the author's world. You can't help but continue reading, as you want the author to triumph over all the hardships in her world..If you suffer from abuse, or know anyone who does, this is a book that you, or they, should read. Probably, you should read it two or three times. On a personal note, I work with teenagers who are in state custody due to abuse and/or neglect in their biological homes...and I plan to hand this book directly to them and make it available to any of them to read. It's an inspirational book in its own way and I highly recommend it to you all. | 34 stars
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Somewhat Educational but Not Entertaining
This book contains some fascinating and interesting information on twelve different animals that shoot some sort of substance from their eyes, mouth or other orifice. What lets this book down apart from that there are only 12 animals (plus another eleven have a small paragraph on the back page as well) is that it reads like a textbook or school assignment. This makes it an effort to get through if the reader, and lets fact it a large majority of non fiction picture books readers are kids, is not really interested and actively seeking information on each animal.This boring style is great for quotes in pieces of assessment but not for encouraging anyone to pick up the book and learn more about these and other animals. If you're doing an assignment you're probably going to be borrowing this along with other books from the library where you'll find quotes and information anyway and not looking at purchasing it. If you want interesting and entertaining or even 'cool' in the eyes of children writing style for this type of picture book get Youch! It Bites by Trevor Day or check out the Informania series, as if a reader whether a kid or adult is entertained along the way they are more likely to read the whole book and have the info they read actually sink in and retained. | 12 stars
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Will touch hidden truths we all have lost over life times.
This book changed my every day thought patterns. It stays with me every day. Some of the knowledge is so powerful I am not sure what to do with the information.If you have read the book you will understand the life changing experience. This book will open new doors to the mysterys of life. | 45 stars
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Pretty awful
This novel carried me for about its first half, then it began to grate. I wanted to like its main character, Smithy Ide. He's certainly good-natured. But he's such a schlump -- so dumb, inarticulate, and socially maladroit -- that I began to feel that his low self-esteem was justified. Too often when I felt I was supposed to find Smithy innocent and sweet, I only wanted to roll my eyes. He is someone I'd pity and avoid in real life. It strikes me as perverse to ask the listener to identify with such a character.The novel is almost certainly based on the author's own experiences, and it's natural to think of it as autobiographical. But it can't be wholly so, because guys like Smithy don't read books, let alone write them. Giving your main character the voice of an inarticulate person is a terribly difficult trick to pull off for even the most talented writer (ask Faulkner). I can think of two ways for such a story to be interesting. First, the protagonist can do things which, even seen through the eyes of a limited person, are themselves interesting. This book's plot -- Smithy crosses the country on a bicycle, on a quest to claim his estranged sister's dead body -- is of some interest. But seeing it all through Smith's dull eyes makes it dull too.The second way is for the author's commentary on the character to be somehow compelling. But McLarty's relationship to his main character is conflicted. Having made his protagonist unappealingly dopey, McLarty then goes on to sentimentalize him -- to make him sort of a holy fool. I'm afraid McLarty thinks Smithy is a morally superior person exactly because he's a such a doof. Thus he wants us at one and the same time to think he's a smart guy because he can present a simple, innocent guy as his hero, and to think he's a man of wonderful moral insight because this simple, innocent guy is really him. He can't have it both ways. It doesn't smell too sweet -- in fact, it's queasy.McLarty is a very competent reader. He does discrete characters' voices well. But he is not a skilled writer of dialogue, and a lot of his descriptions are leaden and cliched. Save your money. | 12 stars
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Top Notch Organic Text
This text is a remarkable departure from the mundane world of organic chemistry texts. Not only does Dr. Bruice lay a good foundation by discussing electronic structure and nomenclature right upfront, she does a great job of including a historical perspective of the subject as well. This book is about understanding the material and applying your new found knowledge to solve problems never before encountered. This book is not about memorizing 400 reactions and trying to fit everything together on your own. One of the main departures this text has to offer is the detailed discussion of catalysis and bioorganic chemistry. Most students really enjoy the biochemical aspects of the subject and Dr. Bruice makes these connections throughout the book. I highly recommend this book dispite the few typographical errors mentioned in other reviews (what text doesn't have a few?). The improved artwork and simplicity of dialog is refreshing.M. Werner (Asst. Prof. Organic and Biochemistry)Lake Superior State University | 45 stars
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A bit of a surprise
A nice little book for very young readers, kindergarten and maybe lst grade. But I was thinking is was suitable for a seven year old in 2nd grade, and he has gone considerably beyond the level of Owly Vol 2. It was described as a graphic novel but that would seem (to me) to be an exaggerated idea...it has few words and lots of pictures, and calling it a novel gives a wrong idea. For young children, however, it would be a fine, althought pretty short, bedtime book...but graphic novel I think not. | 23 stars
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Beautiful!
This is the first English translation i have read of Garcia Marquez's work, and the second book i have read from this truly talented and gifted writer. Love in the Time of Cholera, one of his most famous works next to One Hundred Years of Solitude, is the story of a mature, original, and unique love triangle between a doctor, his wife, and her past lover who dedicates nearly 50 years of his life in hope that they will be together again. What makes this novel such a unique story is how the author makes contrasting and yet synonymous comparisons (symbolically and figuratively) between love and cholera, a fatal epidemic disease that proliferated among many people in Columbia, killing thousands. Not only of love, but also of death, and of life, in such a humorous, ironic, and spell-binding way. I look foreward to reading more of Garcia Marquez's works. If you can read in Spanish, i think it's best to read his other works in its original "idioma," and if you can't (or just want to read it in English like i did for this book), i gaurantee that you can still grasps the beauty, the maturity, and the in depth and profound works of this talented Nobel Prize winning author. Read, laugh, smile, and think, because this is one of those books that will leave you thinking and remembering the story and its characters for years to come. | 45 stars
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Absolutely Terrible
I hated using this book. It's organized differently from the course I took, so our readings were little passages, often less than 4 pages, scattered throughout the book. This is possibly the worst textbook I've ever tried to read. The text is boring and hard to get through. Most of my friends agreed that it was really hard to get through more than a few pages at a time of this. I thought the subject matter was boring, and that was why it was so hard to read, but then I bought the Alberts book, for my next molecular biology course, and I realized the problem was the author of this book. I also found the diagrams and page layout less than user friendly. | 01 star
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Long Overdue
This book has been long overdue, especially for those of us who have become jaded by 'similar' sewing reference books. This book provides ideas, clear, concise and well illustrated instructions for both new and some very old techniques. I was instantly inspired! | 45 stars
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GREAT Book
I would recommend this to anyone who is a Shakespeare fan. This is my very favorite Shakespeare play which is why I purchased it. So far, I've been very satisfied with my purchase. | 45 stars
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A Masterpiece
I disagree with the previous review, and in fact, I strongly doubt if this reviewer actually read the book. He/she probably falls in the category of "uneducated and prejudiced sceptics", as the authors discusses in detail in Chapter 2: "Crop Circle Psychology".I have always been fairly sceptical with respect to the crop circle phenomenon, but after reading the book (thanks, Mon, for this great gift) I am convinced there is someting going on. It suffices to have a look at a few of the close-up photographs of, for example, the formation in potato plants. Incredible! Anyone who still dismisses the phenomenon as a simple human prank, after reading this book, needs to have a few screws adjusted!I liked the simple, sober style of this book. Yet, the book goes in great depth, and covers many relevant aspects. The author clearly is an expert in the field, extremely bright, and uses a very objective (sometimes a little humoristic) approach. The abundance of fantastic photographs make it a great coffee-table book too, valuable even for those who cannot read.The conclusion is clear: besides the simple man-made formations, there exists a "high-tech" method to make crop circles, with the involvement of electromagnetic energy, as well as...?I had only one problem with this book: after reading it, I lost my interest in many other things and I sleep less...A Masterpiece! | 45 stars
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Good condition
The product arrived just in time and it was in good shape. I would buy this again if I had to. | 45 stars
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To Kill A Mockingbird: Walking In Scout's Shoes
The book, To Kill a Mockingbird, really made me feel lucky that I was born in the time I was. Back then in the 1930s, blacks were treated badly just for the color of their skin. Nobody cared about them. As for the whites, some found it hard to live that kind of lifestyle, just like the main characters, Jem and Scout, two siblings living at this time. They live in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. The town seems very boring and desolate. It also seems like they are stuck in a bubble, not able to get out of the town.The book is narrated by a young girl named Scout who lives during the time when blacks and whites were segregated. Her father is a lawyer and he is often made fun of because he defends black people. Later in the book, he has to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, who is charged for the crime of rape of a poor white girl, Mayella Ewell.Atticus is the father of Jem and Scout. He raises him with their cook, Calpurnia. Atticus teaches Scout everything. He tells her, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it." She remembers this especially in the end of the book. Atticus says a lot of important things such as "There's a lot of ugly things in this world, son. I wish I could keep 'em all away from you. That's never possible." He really cares about his children and he wants them to grow up right.One summer, Jem and Scout meet their next door neighbor's nephew, Dill, who comes over every summer. They become amused with the house down the street, the Radley's. They want to see the son who is believed to have stabbed his father with scissors, Arthur "Boo" Radley. They have a silent relationship with Boo because of the presents Boo gives them in the knothole of a tree near the Radley house. The presents that he gave them included chewed up gum and figures that looked like them. It was really odd.When I finished the book and took time to understand the meaning of why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird it all came to me and I liked the book. The book very harsh with racial discrimination, but it is really funny that the children of Maycomb County care more about the blacks than the adults. There are some fun and interesting parts besides the harsh comments, but mainly it focuses on how the past really was. I am still very happy to have been born in the time that I was. You must read this book because it will make you understand the past a little bit better and you will learn from the mistakes people back then made. | 34 stars
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Essential Fiction For Our Time
Nice to have the larger centennial edition. Print much easier to read than the mass market publication, but can be tiresome to hold open for long periods of time. Absolutely vital literature to read in these times, regardless of your political views. Highly, highly recommended. | 45 stars
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Average
This story grabbed me in the beginning, but my interest dwindled towards the end. The story opens with the USA losing a SuperAegis satellite, part of a multinational missile defense system, upon launch. Enter Rear Admiral Jake Grafton, who we have met previously in several of Stephen Coont's novels. But before much more can happen, the USS America, a nuclear submarine, is hijacked on her maiden voyage. Shortly thereafter, the America fires Tomahawk missiles equipped with EMP warheads at the USA, shorting out the electronics of several areas of the east coast. The result: airplanes crashing, hospitals crippled, not to mention the Dollar! And off we go, searching for hijacked submarines and lost satellites (not to mention the bad guys themselves), with several sub-plots thrown in as well.While I did enjoy the submarine chases, they are all over the popular fiction at the moment, and I don't think that Coonts' effort stands out significantly from many of the others. His character development is poor. Even Grafton himself seems a little dull and underdeveloped. And we don't even get to know most of the bad guys, and then somewhere along the line, he tries to draw sympathy for some pretty bad apples? I found the direction a bit confusing from time to time. But, it was the end of this novel that really ruined it. Read: "Adventure on the Loveboat". The author had gone to some effort to make the story somewhat plausible beforehand, and now it becomes quite ridiculous. So, the novel ended with me feeling a little sour about it. Three stars from me. | 23 stars
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The realm of narnia
Oh the Joy of owning the whole set!I love the books.I bought them , gave them away , bought them , gave them away , and so on for about 5 times!They have actually saved 2 people.When I first read them (at 12) I thought that he was making fun of the bible and God. Now I know he wasn't.I love the books and would gladly give them to anybody (if I really thought they would enjoy them).I bought them ,and the set I bought wasn't avalible here, and I will keep them and pass them down the family.I think they are MUCH better than the Harry Potter books,but, I have not read the Harry Potter books.But I'm sure they are nonetheless.So,if you are not sure about buying this book,I personaly urge you too.Please buy the books.I garuntee you will like them! | 45 stars
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It's not THAT good, nor is it THAT easy to read.
I don't care what anyone says, that book was not easy to get through. I have a degree in Math, and he does not give this stuff in layman's terms. Most of it, will eventually make sense if you can wrap your head around the hard to grasp principles, but he keeps adding more, and more to the theories and he will definitely lose you at some point.Now don't get me wrong, it's obvious that we are dealing with complicated stuff, and he needs to discuss these things, but I just don't want you to think that this is an easy read. It's a necessary read, and I DO recommend you buy it, but don't think it will be easy. | 23 stars
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An Unbiased and Lucid Introduction to Hinduism
Hinduism is a vast and complex religion, with many varying facets to serve the needs of people of varying mental makeups. This unbiased and lucid presentation by a Hindu monk of these varying facets, along with the philosophical foundations that support them all, has been very educational for myself and for many others like me who are of Hindu heritage. I am sure that it will be equally valuable and thought-provoking to students of comparative religion and to sincere spiritual aspirants of any religious heritage.Mithra Sankrithi, Ph.D. Princeton *83 | 45 stars
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Great, Enjoyable Read With Amazing Detail!
Where do I start with this book? Well, recently I've had a problem with not finding a book that can hold my interest. I think I went through about four or five books before I found this little gem. It not only held my interest, but I was so hooked that I read it in two days. I even put down the other book that I was reading to read Posie Graeme-Evans' The Innocent. I wouldn't say the book is amazing, but it definitely caught my attention.The Innocent follows the life of the mysterious Anne. She was born in the forests of England in the 1450s in the midst of a bloody civil war. Fifteen years later she enters the house of Sir Matthew to work as a servant for his wife, Lady Margaret. It isn't long, however, until Anne is pulled into the politics and escapades of the household and is forced down the path to adulthood.After Anne uses her knowledge of herbs to help Lady Margaret, word spreads to King Edward IV, and she is brought to his household to help the queen through the labors of childbirth. It isn't long, of course, until the king takes special notice of Anne and sets out to take her innocence.Even though this book does take a little while to pick up steam, when it does -it's pretty steamy. I was a little surprised by the inclusion of so many sexual comments and scenes because it didn't really seem like what I signed up for after reading the back -but at least most of them seemed to serve a purpose (if slightly overdone). The story particularly picked up in the final third of the book when the focus shifted from romance to political intrigue. I've always been a bigger fan of that than romance, so I was on the edge of my seat when it finally happened.The real star of this novel, however, was the pure, effortless skill woven into Graeme-Evans' prose. It was very easy to read, had short, manageable chapters and details so vivid I could see everything. I was particularly amazed by the writing in this book. Even though the plot and characters weren't amazing, Graeme-Evans is able to convey crystal-clear scenes with astonishing details (this woman definitely did her research!) and just enough words to get the point across without taking away from the plot.However, there are a few small issues that keep this novel from being great. First, some of the characters become a little inconsistent in personality throughout the novel and tend to be a little flat -of course, this isn't too noticeable, but would definitely help strengthen the novel. It also seems like it takes a long time to get to the plot that was originally advertised with the book, so I felt a little bit like I had to wade through too much before I got to what I was expecting.Overall, The Innocent is an enjoyable, though improbable, historical romance novel that is something of a cross between Ken Follett Pillars of the Earth and Philippa Gregory's Tudor Court novels set in the 15th century. It'll appeal to history lovers and readers who appreciate good world building and intricate detail. An enjoyable and fun read that'll keep you going and leave you wanting more. | 34 stars
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Magnificent story
A magnificent western, the second of the trilogy whose hero Kilkenny, the lone cowboy, boxer, shooter exception to the general heart. Louis L'Amour is a talented storyteller of the mythical time of the founding of the United States of America. | 45 stars
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Mother of 5 says this method works every time
I know it doesn't seem possible, but I have potty trained all five of my kids (now ages 2 to 15) using this book and IT HAS WORKED EVERY TIME. The first 4 of my kids (both boys and girls) were trained under 2 years of age. The fifth was trained at 2 1/2, mainly because it was hard to have private quiet time (becaues of all the other kids) where we could really concentrate on the pottying method. The time it took to train the kids ranged from 1 entire day to 2 hours, depending upon the kid. Here's what you need to know for this method to work: 1. Follow every detail in the book and don't omit any steps; 2. Don't hesitate to give the kids as rewards things they don't usually get, like soda and candy (salty treats like crackers work well because it makes them thirsty, which gives you more opportunities to successfully pee on the potty); 3. If you've used this method before and are ready to train another kid, RE-READ the book so you don't forget little details about what to do. Even read it several times before you use it the first time, just to be sure you know what to do. The method really does work best if it's the first method of potty training you try - if the kid has had bad experiences or has experienced failures at potty training, it takes more like a day to train under this method, rather than a matter of hours, but the method still works. The best part about this method is that its a wonderful and positive parent/child bonding experience and the kids feel so great about themselves when they are able to be BIG KIDS and go on the potty by themselves. Because you can train at under age 2 with this method, they are often potty trained before their friends of the same age and are VERY PROUD of themselves. It is very good for their self esteem and you'll feel pretty good as a parent too!!! I recommend this book to everyone who is ready to potty train their child, though for some reason few people I know have used the book and seem to think that their lengthy and traumatic potty training method is superior. I don't understand their reluctance because this method is all so positive; it works so well, you never have to lose patience or become frustrated with the child. One more tip: If you are a working mother, pick a long weekend to train the child so that he has had a few days of pottying by him/herself before going back to daycare. | 45 stars
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A book set in the "real" Hawai'i!
This book is one of the very best books set in Hawai'i that I have read.As a long-time resident of Kaua'i, I read this book with recognition of just about everything described. There were no false notes of someone trying to write about "paradise" like a tourist brochure. Just the true life that most of us who live here, especially haole (caucasian) have experienced.This author in her first book writes with such sensitivity about life in the islands, and in her family in particular,that you feel yourself in whatever space she creates, whether it is a forbidden trip to the island of Ni'ihau, or a visit to her Gamma's Kahala beach cottage on O'ahu.I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the real Hawai'i. Such an enjoyable read I never wanted it to end! | 45 stars
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A good, quick read for a rainy Sunday.
The author uses a dog as the vehicle to report observations about the human race. An interesting premise that makes for a "cute" read, especially if you are a dog owner.No further analysis is required. If you try to go deeper to find "meaning" in this book, you've missed the point. | 23 stars
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Anne Rice's Inferno
In this volume, the weightiest and best of the Vampire Chronicles to this point, Lestat finally encounters the supreme beings of the Universe--God, the Devil, and the Angels. Memnoch escorts Lestat throughout the divine provinces and time itself as he explains his complicated relationship with God and humanity. Rice's take on the situation understandably upsets many religious readers, but if you can open yourself to her point of view, you will be treated to a fascinating journey that largely reconciles the presence of evil and injustice in a world created by a supposedly omnipotent and benevolent being. Vampire fans may also be disappointed by the way in which Lestat recedes into the background for major portions of the novel, but I felt that Memnoch was worthy of taking the spotlight. | 45 stars
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Why would anyone take weight loss tips from a fat guy?
Why would anyone take weight loss tips from a fat guy? Just doesn't make any sense. If he knew the secrets he wouldn't be overweight himself right? Dr. Phil should have stuck in psychology and not mixed with Jenny Craig's market. | 01 star
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A new queen of misinformation
When I began this book, I was swept back to the Republican attacks on Dukakis. The book is a confirmation that when the right wing sees that they represent a narrow group of self serving individuals, who cannot look the American people in the face and say we are for this or that, they must project their feeling onto others. At that point, they pull out some right wing talking head and create a piece of tripe like this.Sincerely yours,drandmsde | 01 star
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Good read
I've probably watched the movie 20 times but never actually read the real life version of the Von Trapps. This book was very interesting reading, if a bit heavy on the religious references. However, what I learned from this book that I did not know from the movie is that the family actually sang a lot of religious music and not the more folk/showtune music that Broadway/Hollywood made their story famous with. This was apparently a point of discord with the actual Trapp family themselves. Maria Von Trapp, however, was an excellent writer and her story engages. You get the sense that her ability to write a good story is an extension of her interesting, compelling, and strong personality. Several times during the book, I almost laughed out loud. I would have loved to have actually met her. The Austrian history that the book often includes, as a prelude to WWII, is also very interesting as an aside to the Von Trapp story. If you have any interest in this family, the movie, or the historial period, I think you'll enjoy this. It's a relatively easy, engaging read. | 34 stars
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For Everyone
I don't care if you are a Christian your whole life, brand new or not even, you must read this book. Rick Warren has done an outstanding job of helping clear the misunderstanding of all levels of God and our purpose here on Earth. If you read one book this year, this is the one that will help you better understand ou purpose in life and what things you need to do to get on track. | 45 stars
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