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AWESOME KINDLE
I bought the Kindle b/c three of my sisters bought one and talked me into it. I have bought gadgets before (MP3 Player) that I regretted b/c I just didn't use them. The Kindle is the exception. All I have to do is think of a book I want to read and I can have it in minutes. I love this thing! The fact that you can read a sample is really great. I have NOT bought a couple of books based on the sample I read. I want to try an audio book, too. I will still purchase actual books when I want to be able to have the pictures (think knitting, beading, etc). But for the sheer pleasure of reading, the Kindle is amazing. I just love it! | 45 stars
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A Wonderful Read
I found reading it very entertaining and insightful. I kept thinking I would love to spend 4 months in Italy. I think anyone with an open mind will enjoy this book. | 34 stars
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If I were stranded on a desert island...
If anyone asks me what my favorite book is, hands down it would be Pride and Prejudice. I'm not sure what it is about this book, but I'm hooked. I have read it and reread it countltess times. My small paperback book shows how well it's loved, pages crinkeld, some stained. There's something about opening the book and reading the lines those lines which are so familiar to me that gives me a comforting feeling,. It's the same feeling as coming home after a long time. If I was stranded on a desert island this book is what I'd take with me because it offers a solice like no other. I'd highly reccomend this book to anyone. Getting through it the first time was a bit tough for me, bu t it was worth it. | 45 stars
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Best thing since sliced bread
The Amazon Kindle is my absolute favorite electronic device. I read on it daily. Before I got it, I read approxamately 2 books a week. Now i find myself reading a book about every 2 days. I thought I would miss the actual feeling of reading from a regular book; however, it's just the opposite. If I pick up a paper version of a book, I miss the convenience & portability of my kindle. | 45 stars
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I love my Kindle!!!
I love my kindle!! It's light weight and fits in my purse so I carry it everywhere!! I am more motivated to read! I finish a book and I just buy another one right on my kindle! No stopping at the bookstore or waiting for the books to come in the mail. The kindle is super easy to use and i don't miss the bulky books at all. Another plus is no more trees are being killed because of my reading so much! I felt really bad reading so many books once and then throwing them in the spare bedroom to be forgotten. You can read it anywhere (pool, beach, office, etc..) there is no glare at all but you can't read with the light off. My only problem with the Kindle so far is that I have been unable to buy a cover for it because Amazon still refuses to ship to Puerto Rico!! They shipped the kindle and they can ship books but no cover. You won't regret buying it!! | 45 stars
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Deeply moving, indeed thrilling (despite anachronisms)
This book required some suspension of disbelief (nitpickers, some of whom have written reader reviews here can detail the problems). However--and this is a big 'however'--once the necessary suspension is accomplished, one is borne along by the narrative, the astonishing action, the internal logic of Spartan culture, and the characters. I found tears rolling down my cheeks as I read, so moved by the heroism (and I am a skeptic by nature). (My husband, who teaches Homeric literature, also read and was thrilled by the book, too.) I was amazed to find myself so thrilled and moved but there you go. | 45 stars
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Classic Camel Club!
David Baldacci's characters are SO believable! The plot could be taken from the headlines of today. The Collectors is so well written, it flows from page-to-page; and at the risk of a cliche, you can't put it down! | 34 stars
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Great Book!
One of the best Twain books I have ever read! Touching at times, heartfelt, enjoyable! I recommend it to everyone! | 45 stars
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Novel..Dear John
Predictably terrible writing. I'm half way through the book and rapidly skimming. I won't be too anxious to buy another Nicholas Sparks book. | 01 star
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Classy!
I am an English Major, so I have a soft spot for anything written by Dickens. I bought this for a friends graduation (get it...Great Expectations...)and I am jealous of her now. This edition comes hard bound with an old style canvas-like covering. As far as I've seen, it is a reliable and true-to-original edition (Penguin is usually good for this). There is critical material in the back of the book so non-critical or casual readers can do some in-depth thinking into the piece after reading it. I love this edition, and I want one for myself! | 45 stars
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I love it!
I really love my Kindle. I read about 4 books a week on average. With the Kindle I always have a book with me and I can get another in a matter of seconds. I carry my Kindle with me everywhere, just in case I have some extra time. I love the free books that are offered. I have had my Kindle just over 8 months now and recommend it to everyone who asks me about it. If you are a book reader, you'll like this option. It is easy on the eyes and hands as it is very light and turning pages is very easy.My one thing I don't like is that the screen is hard to read with a light at night. I bought the light you can clip to it and it is hard to attach it and not get a glare on the screen. But I can work around that. Even with that being said I still rank this a 5 star item and would rank it higher if I could.I really love my Kindle. If you can't afford one right now, save up or wait for a sale. :) | 45 stars
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A great look at the iPod's impact
I really enjoyed this book, and I think Levy did a really good job of writing a book that appeals not only to diehard Apple fans or "nerds", but to everyday people. The book speaks to how huge of a product the iPod has become, and how modest the early goals of the product were for Apple. It was a device that took only a few short months to fabricate and ship, but it's legacy will last for years to come. | 45 stars
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Nothing too great
I read this over a rainy weekend. I'm glad we have run out of Bridgertons at last. This is an example of what happens when you have too many characters and a formula to fill in. Dull!!! Very dull writing!!! How many times can a character frown, purse his/her lips, cross his arms across his broad chest, or place her hands on her hips? How may times can you write little asides and comments and not drive the reader crazy? I grew weary reading it. The story left no impression on me. I can't even remember how the plot resolved now, and it's only been a few weeks since I read it! Something happened, and they got married and had too may kids. That's all I remember. Blah. | 23 stars
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Not For A Rainy Day
Brilliantly written; I'll give the novel that much. The plot masterfully contrived, characters well developed, settings enigmatically constructed, the novel as a whole was from a literary standpoint a success. However, the language is consistently dark throughout. The wording carries heavy negative overtones and a depressed, pessimistic and even evil mood pervades from the first to the end. Relief from the darkness finally breaks through only in the end when one character steps beyond herself and assists another in elevating himself. Otherwise, bitterness and selfish ambition drive the story. The depravity runs rampant from bad to worse as characters systematically use, degrade, and abuse one another to work out their bitterness stemming from one father's mistakes and failed parenting.If you love unique, dark characters, twisted plots, and the study of the effects of family dysfunction on a multigenerational level than the novel will not only be worthwhile, but also enjoyable as few would disagree with Emily Bronte's genius as a writer. However, I would caution that the book might not best be read in the dead of winter or over a prolonged rainy spell as it is rather depressing. But on a sunny, warm day, with ample positive diversions, the novel may not only be a challenging companion, it will likely make you very thankful for the companions you personally have that are altogether so unlike the characters in the story. | 01 star
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A young reader
As one of the few teenagers who will read Emma voluntarily, I'd just like to say that, thought the length is daunting, I loved reading it all the way through. I first found out about it through the movie and was hooked! I would recommend this book for anyone who likes a good plot with a good, happy ending. | 45 stars
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common sense with education
Dr. Oz explains the body in a way anyone can understand. His suggestions for getting to an appropriate weight for excellent health are clear, helpful, and easily accomplished. I took this to my personal doctor and asked him if this was a good plan for me and he was very affirming -- go for this! By the way, it's working. The daily walk is the most important part from my experience because it keeps you on task, gives you super energy and makes my 58 year old body feel younger! | 45 stars
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Truly Enjoyable
Ms. Roberts provides a fascinating insight into the world of thoroughbred racing and the human commitment involved in racing.Her characters come to life and it's a pleasure to watch them deal with a truly creative story problem. The setting drew me in as well.This is a solid read that I have enjoyed each of the three times I've read it. | 45 stars
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Good stuff
It simply does everything that is advertised.Easy to use ad easy to stock.Lawrenc Kaufman | 45 stars
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A valuable read culturally, but a literary mediocrity
Sometimes you look at a book and shake your head. From what I've heard, they did that when this book came out in the late 19th century.This book isn't science fiction in the classical sense; compared to A. K. Dewdney's Planiverse, the science in it is actually quite bad. It's more valuable as a cultural benchmark describing the class strictures of Victorian Britain in an unusual setting than anything else. Its overriding message of being open to different thinking, while admirable, is lost in the portrayal of a society whose strictures are not merely cultural but biological, rendering the point of the book somewhat vague at best.It's interesting, yes. For the price of a Dover Thrift Classic edition, it's worth getting. But it's heavy-handed and lacking in any real sense of wonder such as you'd expect from a Jules Verne or Arthur Conan Doyle. | 23 stars
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Angieville: POISON STUDY
I remember seeing POISON STUDY on the shelves when it first came out, but passed it up several times because of, yes, I admit it, the cover. It was this older mass market paperback cover and not the lovely new trade paperback. The girl on the old cover looked just a little too haughtily seductive for me. And I knew that Luna was the fantasy division of Harlequin and so I was suspicious it was a romance thinly disguised as fantasy. So when the new trade paperback came out, I went and read a few dozen more reviews just to "make sure" and decided to go ahead and give it a shot. I'm so glad I did. You'd think I'd have learned by now not to judge a book by its cover.Archangel (Samaria, Book 1), anyone?POISON STUDY opens with a young woman named Yelena imprisoned for murder. A murder she freely admits to committing. When a pair of guards yank her from the dank dungeon she's languished in for almost a year, Yelena is certain she faces imminent death. She even welcomes it in light of the hell her life has become in the past few years. More to come on that bit of nastiness later, we learn. But instead of the gallows, she finds herself in the office of Valek, the chief of national security (i.e. the Commander's Personal Assassin) being offered a choice. To be hung by the neck until dead or to become the Commander's Personal Food Taster. The last one having recently died on the job. Yelena chooses life and immediately begins a crash course in the art of poison detection. To complicate matters, Valek slips Yelena a deadly poison known as Butterfly's Dust to ensure she won't attempt to escape the first chance she gets. In order to survive, Yelena must show up at Valek's door each morning for the antidote. Skip one morning and she'll be dead within 48 hours. And all of this happens within the first few pages of the book. I was completely sucked in by page ten.The pace never slows throughout the rest of the book as we come to care more and more for this young woman who is forced to court death on an hourly basis. Piece by piece we learn more about why she was in the dungeon in the first place, her complicated background, and the demons that haunt her. Fortunately, her unquenchable will to survive and her quick mind earn her a few choice friends within the compound and these supporting characters are delightful and funny. Then there is Valek, the ruthless assassin who employs his vast array of frightening skills to protect Yelena even as he poisons her, convinced she is the missing piece of the puzzle in his quest to discover who is attempting to overthrow the government and why. I loved this book. | 34 stars
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Kindle Short comings
Kindle is OK but if you read allot it does get expensive.Seems like the books I want are always the $12 not the $10.Battery does not last over 2-3 days.You cannot read at night or in low light unless you get a book light, which is a pain.The only display option is black & white.The display is perfect in full sun.They need to have a color display option and a built in book light. | 12 stars
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One of the best presents my husband ever got.
My husband loves his Kindle, he never had time to shop for books, though he liked to read. Now he is reading every night instead of watching so much T.V. Great Gift! | 45 stars
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2nd kindle
bought a second kindle to go with the larger one i already had. like the smaller version more than the large one. easier to handle, takes up less space when travelling, yet still has all the features and just as easy to read.great product! | 45 stars
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Suprisingly enjoyed it...;)
reviewer:alysalovesbooks:)I am 16 and I thought this was going to be pretty boring and just...blah.But it was actually pretty good!I admit I only read this book because I had to do an assignment for my English Honors Literature class.It was slow and uninteresting at first but NEVER GIVE UP ON A BOOK right?Well, as I read on,it became more interesting. I really reccommend this and all the other classics because these books set the foundation of a well written book.After all, thats why they are called classics,right?Oh,and for your information.....this was my inspiration to write a novel in the future.....By the way,The Wuthering Heights was a really tough book to write an essay about.hahahaha. Literature is an Awesome class!=) | 45 stars
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okay read
A good picture of life in Australian society but the author's personal experience strognly gives a negative note to the book. | 23 stars
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poor reception, ridiculously overpriced books
I live in north central Iowa (about an hour from Des Moines), and purchased this for my wife as a birthday present. A voracious reader, she was ecstatic. At first. Then, the reception issues. One bar, no bars. If you are in a large city, as no doubt most Kindle readers are, then maybe you don't experience this. But here, this thing is worthless. But even if the reception was great, 3G, whatever, the prices for this little gizmo's "food" are ridiculous. After being lured in somewhat with the promise of all the free classics, we soon found that most of the free books are in fact, romance novels! All it takes is the most cursory glance at the majority of books that have been in print for any period of time at all to see that the bulk of Amazon's library is way overpriced. Trying to think of something I would like to read again and again, I thought back to Tom Wolfe's "A Man in Full" and looked it up. An old book I can find easily for three bucks tops in any secondhand book store in the US. Given there are no printing costs, I'm expecting around that for the Kindle. Nope, ten bucks. now if you are the type of person who actually buys lots of hardback books, live in a big city, I'm sure the Kindle is your cup of tea. But if you live on any sort of budget at all, this thing is a phenomenal bust. And environmentalists everywhere should be outraged over the gouging of the consumer on this thing, b/c if it were reasonably priced (remember, no trees die from ebooks!), millions of trees could be saved. Hugely disappointing. | 01 star
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Couldn't Stop Reading!
I loved, loved, loved this book... until the end! And then I was sad! I didn't want it to end THAT way! Of course, that's what makes it an excellent book, the surprise factor, of not getting what you expected as a reader. Disappointed, yes, but it was because I was living Emily's fantasy, and I wanted the steam, the quick-pulse, the fairytale ending. Which, of course, is unrealistic.One of the best lines in the book (and I wish I could remember the page number), was when Emily felt her heart shrivel up inside, climb out of her throat and slither away onto the street, or something along those lines. Fox writes richly and beautifully! I strive to write like that some day!I always know when I'm reading a fabulous book -- it's when I have to physically cover up the words on the page that I haven't gotten to yet in order to not peek ahead to see what is going to happen. I couldn't wait to get to the next part!Great, great, great debut! Can't wait to read more from Lauren Fox! | 45 stars
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It's not a romance novel, baby!
Finally! Katherine Kurtz returns to Gwynedd to continue the story of the Deryni and the House of Haldane. Fans of the Deryni series will find that although the book does move some plotlines along too quickly, overall the story is a good read.New details brilliantly illustrate the Kingdom of Torenth and other regions surrounding Gwynedd as King Liam of Torenth prepares to assume his crown after serving as King Kelson's vassal for four years. The political tensions within the story are well crafted; Kurtz's decision to write the book from this angle was wise. This book could have easily degenerated into a sugary romance novel in the hands of a less skilled author.Those who are new to this series may expect to find themselves wondering why certain characters act as they do; the story assumes prior knowledge of past events--but there is no possible way that Kurtz could spend endless paragraphs "catching up" new readers to a series of this scope. New readers may find this book will pique their curosity about the series; they will find Gwynedd is worth visiting again and again. | 34 stars
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Great book!
I would recommend this book to anyone who is 'searching' for answers in their life in all areas. She does a great job at using her story to impact the reader. | 34 stars
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None
i have been subscribed to this magazine for a long time now. I still think that it i better than any other magazine around. Stop hating on it | 45 stars
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Contrived and irritating
The plot was too contrived and seemed like she was trying to copy a Shakespeare comedy but failed. Too much sex, too little plot. If this was the first Jeffies book I had read I would probably never choose one again. That said, after looking at some of the ones I did read, I think she is a weak writer in general. | 01 star
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SHOW ME A HERO...
If you think this is just the typical sports biography containing the typical boasts about on-the-field exploits and off-the-field hi-jinx, remember the subject is Walter Payton, and think again. This book is not even a sports biography. It's a life story, and by that I mean, a story about life. To linger or dwell on what Walter did on the gridiron would be to minimize and trivialize what he accomplished in life, and I say this realizing that he was one of the two greatest football players ever. The book is an easy, informative, and interesting read. You learn about his life in football, but the book is not a study in X's and O's. Instead you learn of Walter's work ethic, his compassion and empathy for others, his fun-loving ways, his sensitivity, his selflessness, his toughness, and his courage, to list only some. He operated a philanthropic foundation that reached out to millions in his lifetime. He anonymously distributed hundreds of thousands of toys at Christmastime. Even after he became gravely ill, he campaigned for greater awareness of the need for organ donors. And he raised two children who have become promising young adults, which he felt was his greatest accomplishment. Walter Payton inspired millions of his fans by giving his all on every play, and he lived his life off of the gridiron the way he did on it: he went all out and made the most of it. That the book was finished in an oral-history style, is fitting. It was never like Walter Payton to talk a lot about himself. Credit is due to his family members and friends, for being so open about their feelings about the man. The book has the ring of the absolute truth. It has been written: "Show me a hero, and I'll write you a tragedy." This book is anything but that. Like the man they called "Sweetness," Never Die Easy is an inspiration. The tragedy rests with our society, which lost this great hero of humanity at such a young age. | 45 stars
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Kindle 6" Reading Device
So far, my Kindle is fantastic. Makes reading fun. Can't wait to purchase more books. No criticisms about any of its features. | 45 stars
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One of Austen's most overtly feminist works
Jane Austen once mused that her novels are like a miniature mural painted on a two-inch square of ivory. While that's a lovely image, and while Austen was a master of deep character and thoroughly explored emotion, her books have important political elements that should not be overlooked. I'm surprised that more people haven't picked up on this, but Mansfield Park is certainly a defense of feminism and a profound statement on the importance of women's education. It is also, perhaps, a response to people's reactions to the heroines in her earlier works Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.At the time, women of a certain class were expected to be "accomplished," but not necessarily educated. We see this also in "Pride and Prejudice," when Mr. Darcy chides Miss Bingley on being so very accomplished in such vital arts as table painting though not well-read. Here, the heroine of Mansfield Park, Fanny Price, reads a great deal, but her older cousins the Misses Maria and Julia Bertrams are more accomplished in needlework and playing the pianoforte, as befits the daughters of a baronet. The middle set-piece of the book, the theatricals (they put on a play!), we see how each of the girls reacts when presented with an opportunity to do something fun that is perhaps a tad disreputable and, more importantly, something they know will piss off their father. In the latter part of the book, the three girls are offered various marriages and situations in life. Maria makes disastrous choices that still draw gasps (or at least rolled eyes) today. Julia's choices are hasty and panic-driven, though not as deplorable as her elder sister's. Only Fanny Price is patient, makes the correct moral choices that are not mercenary, and marries for love and honor.Sir Thomas Bertrams muses that, "...the most direful mistake in his plan of education [of Maria and Julia]. Something must have been wanting within, or time would have worn away much of its ill effect. He feared that principle, active principle, had been wanting; that they had never been properly taught to govern their inclinations and tempers by that sense of duty which alone can suffice. They had been instructed theoretically in their religion, but never required to bring it into daily practice. To be distinguished for elegance and accomplishments - the authorized subject of their youth - could have had no useful influence that way, no moral effect on the mind. He had meant them to be good, but his cares had been directed to the understanding and manners, not the disposition; and the necessity of self-denial and humility, he feared, they had never heard from any lips that could profit them. Bitterly did he deplore a deficiency which now he could scarcely comprehend to have been possible. Wretchedly did he feel, that with all the cost and care of an anxious and expensive education, he had brought up his daughters without their understanding their first duties, or his being acquainted with their character and temper."Sir Thomas's sentiments and even vocabulary are astonishingly similar to those of Mary Wollstonecraft in "A Vindication of the Rights of Women": that "The conduct and manners of women...prove that their minds are not in a healthy state ... one cause of this ... I attribute to a false system of education, ...more anxious to make them alluring mistresses than affectionate wives and rational mothers; and the understanding of the sex has been so [deluded] by this specious homage, that the civilized women of the present century ... are only anxious to inspire love, when they ought to cherish a nobler ambition, and by their abilities and virtues exact respect. ... It is acknowledged that they spend many of the first years of their lives in acquiring a smattering of accomplishments; meanwhile strength of body and mind are sacrificed to libertine notions of beauty, to the desire of establishing themselves, --the only way women can rise in the world, --by marriage. And this desire making mere animals of them, when they marry they act as such children may be expected to act: they dress; they paint, and nickname God's creatures [TK: a reference to Hamlet.] Surely these weak beings are only fit for a seraglio! ... Women are told from their infancy, and taught by the example of their mothers, that a little knowledge of human weakness, justly termed cunning, softness of temper, outward obedience, and a scrupulous attention to a puerile kind of propriety, will obtain for them the protection of a man; and should they be beautiful, everything else is needless, for at least, twenty years." Wollstonecraft's ultimate point is that if women have immortal souls, the only way that women can save them is to be educated, for without education, women are merely animals of habit and beasts of fashion.Ultimately, Fanny Price is the central figure of this novel. Others vilify her as passive and puritanical. Indeed, when asked to join the theatrical production, Fanny insists several times, "I cannot act!" and this repeated statement has more meaning as a metaphor than as a statement of a lack of thespian abilities.Fanny is, however, good and moral. She does the right thing. She does not marry for money, though everyone urges her to, and even though it means she may end up a spinster and a burden to her cousins and uncle. She finally does marry for love, and one is again reminded of Wollstonecraft's statement that, "the woman who strengthens her body and exercises her mind will ... become the friend, and not the humble dependent of her husband." Fanny gets a happy marriage.Fanny's erstwhile friend, Mary Crawford, (who some people like but who I think is horrible) is obviously an answer to those people who liked Elizabeth Bennet (of P&P;) a little too much. While Elizabeth Bennet is smart and witty, Mary Crawford has a sparkling but superficial wit. Mary Crawford does not think deeply upon anything but pops off whatever witticism (even ribald ones) that rise to the top of her head. Mary urges Fanny to go to Everingham, the country house that Fanny would live in if she married the wrong man, in a reflection of Elizabeth Bennet's comment in P&P; that she started to love Mr. Darcy when she saw the grounds of his house (Pemberly.) In the end, when confronted with a moral fiasco, Mary refuses to consider how the perpetrator has wounded those around her and offended God by breaking a sacrament, and only laments that so many people know about it.TK KenyonAuthor ofRabid: A NovelandCallous: A Novel | 45 stars
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Decent Science Fiction, Worth your Time
This book is OK/fun. Only a bit less then 300 pages and only a day or two of reading. I can't rave about it but it is sturdy Science Fiction (a bit more like Clancy-esque fiction in a Sci-Fi setting). Not on the same level as Forever War but it is sturdy enough.... decent Sci Fi is hard to find.The book presupposes a immortal life-form (two, infact) traveled to earth with a ship and slowly forgetwho/what they are. The ship/artifact is lost formillions of years and it isn't until the artifact isdiscovered (and publicized) that events start bringingthe aliens together from their different paths (with norecollection of the other or themselves). A little toopat in places and events transpire to collide just alittle too quickly but it has a nice quirky ending andsome interesting takes on future society (takes placeprimarily @2020). If you liked the author's previousstuff you will be satisfied.Camouflage by Joe Haldemen. | 23 stars
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Good but not great
I found this book difficult to follow as they oversimplified things and made the book seem like it should be part of the "for Dummies" series. | 23 stars
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SECRET SOCIETY
Wow, this book was different. It was a good read, but dayum, just like these down low brothers need to tell us sistah's if they are gay, so should these men who want to be women should tell the brother that they are a man, because yes that will get you killed or seriously hurt as you can see what happened to Tina. This book was really good to be misses Miasha, first book.. Im about to read Diary of a mistress next. yes I have all but one of Miasha's books, and I hope by the time Im finished with the other four I will have that fifth book. Good job | 34 stars
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A good character and a fun read
Jack Reacher is an excellent character and this book was definitely a fun read. Can't wait to get to more in the series. | 34 stars
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A Comedy to Gothic Romance
"Northanger Abbey" does make a mockery of Gothic Romance. But Jane Austen shows that you can be passionate towards fiction literature without making fiction reality. The heroine, Catherine, learns that not everything in reality has a Gothic fiction story. That fiction is just that.Catherine Morland (17) goes to Bath with friends. She then meets Henry Tilney, whom invites her to his family's home - Northanger Abbey. Catherine expected a Gothic Abbey to match with the novels she reads (mainly Ann Radcliffe the creator of Gothic Romance). The comedy is that the Abbey, Henry and the Tilney's are just the opposite. They are wealthy "English Christians."There are other subtext to parody of social marriages and manners. Jane Austen's books all have this comedic point if view.I would recommend this novel. | 45 stars
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Better than iPad
I received my Kindle this past Christmas from my husband. I am an avid reader and also a pastor, so I wanted a device that could save me storage space by archiving my hundreds of books; also, one that would allow me to read my own documents when I sermon or officiate at a ceremony. My Kindle is all that and then some; however, I also purchased an iPad when they first came out. I use my iPad every day for writing with the Pages application, accounting with the Numbers application, and research right on the Internet browser. I use my iPad for a ton of other things also, and it has quickly become my main computer that I use. When I purchased the iPad, I also downloaded Kindle for iPad and iBooks, thinking that it would be a better way to read, since I always have my iPad with me wherever I go. This is not the case at all. I find reading my books on the iPad is not as enjoyable as on my Kindle. The iPad is heavier, the backlit screen gives me a headache after only one hour of reading, it's no easier to highlight or take notes in my books than with my Kindle, it's more difficult to read my sermons because of the scroll feature of the Pages application, as opposed to the click and turn a page feature on the Kindle, and on my iPad - I just can't get lost in my book like I can on the Kindle. I truly love both my iPad and my Kindle for different reasons, but the Kindle wins hands down for reading!! So, this Father's Day, instead of giving my husband my Kindle because I now have and iPad, I will be buying him his own Kindle, so that I can keep mine!! Thank you Amazon for making such and awesome product, and I really hope that with upgrades in the Kindle you NEVER go to a color screen or backlighting!! Only upgrade I would like to see is a way to organize my books and sermons. | 45 stars
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Enjoyable quick read................
What a terrific group of people to "meet" and easily get to know. This story takes place in the row houses in Little Itlay in NY. The author does a great job of making the reader feel like part of the "family" of neighbors and tight-knit family. Reading this book was like sitting on the front stoop with these characters catching up on the neighborhood gossip. There are the old world Italians that are actually from Italy and this particular group stick with old customs and beliefs and don't wander to far from Little Italy. Then there are the young, new Italians born in Little Italy but tend to wander out of the neighborhood and meet new friends not from Little Italy or even Italian. We get to meet the overbearing, Italian mother of a son who has a hard time being independent or even wanting to be independent. This story made me laugh at times. I wouldn't call this a comedy, I'd call this a look at a different ethnic culture but also being able to recognize someone familiar. This was an excellent book and story with a lot of people to enjoy. A fun education of "the old ways". | 45 stars
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Extremely Funny and Clever
I am a huge fan of the Thursday Next series and was estatic to hear that Jasper Fforde was writing a new series. I was able to obtain a copy of this book a week in advance and dug right in.My thoughts about the book: brilliant! I hoped that it was as good as Thursday Next and I wasn't let down.The basic plot of the book is interesting. Humpty Dumpty has been found in pieces at the foot of a wall. Was it murder? Suicide? That's for Detective Inspector Jack Spratt and his sidekick Mary Mary to solve. While doging other ambitious detectives, Spratt and Mary travel through the world of Reading, where nursery rhyme characters are alive and interact with people in the regular world.All in all, this was an excellent book and I would highly recommend it to anyone with a sense of humor. | 45 stars
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An "Aha!" Moment Ensues
*About the Book:*The subtitle: "things your friends would tell you if you promised not to get mad" is quite on target because certain chapters either make you mad at yourself or at your friends and family for never pointing them out, whether you got mad or not. The book is divided into eight sections:I. You're knocking Yourself Out of the GameII. You're Just Not That into YourselfIII. You're Being a BitchIV. You Know How to Be the Girl Friend, but Not the GirlfriendV. You're the Patron Saint of Lost CausesVI. You Fight Like a GirlVII. You're Boring Him in the BedroomVIII. You're Missing the Signals for When to Get Out ... and When to Stick AroundArmed with a sense of cheek and at times downright irreverance, the authors take you through a journey of contemplation, emphasizing your sense of worth and the bottom line, you have a right to choice: to be single or not and to be a happy single or not.Key positives: (For me)**The authors' voice is that of everyday folk who happen to be single and not gods on a pedestal who have rarified advice to share.**The authors themselves are still single so you're not hearing about being single from someone who sleeps with a human blanket.**The authors keep it real (translation: blunt). At times a little too real (for me) in terms of language and approach to topic.**The book encompasses the male and female point of view, therefore is not one-sided.Key Negatives: (For me)**Irreverence.**Blue language.Rating:This book earned 4 out 5 stars for humor, honesty and sustained relevance throughout the book. | 34 stars
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Concept great, writing redondent
I thought the concept was great--a woman who has denied her dreams and desires her whole life and finally going after them, reconnecting with her estanged daughter, and finding herself. But somewhere along the way I stopped enjoying this book. I don't know if it was because the book just went on and on about sex toys or all of the crying for joy. Every single paragraph was just overflowing with too much flowerly language for my taste. Example:"In the back of her mind, in a place that never really grows totally weary, a place that is filled with flying daggers to protect the weak, rows of flesh flowers, and arms as wide as the word--a place cultivated...etc (pg 128-129)."The paragraph by itself is written well but when paragraph after paragraph describes the same things over and over again it gets redondent and as a reader I quickly lost interest in the character's list of dreams. | 12 stars
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Kindle
I purchased the Kindle for my wife's birthday. She absolutely loves it. It is easy to read and is much lighter than a book. You also never need to worry about losing your place. | 34 stars
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Great book.
A must read for anyone looking for little moments of space in your life where it seems to make sense and you can feel joy coming within when there is nothing really happening without. It is in the simple things that you will notice it.Gives great depth to the workings of the mind and all it's tricks!This is my second time reading it and still it works to wake you up. I will definately read it again. | 45 stars
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Bob Lee is one tough SOB
This is by far the greatest book pertaining to sniping that I have read. I have recomended this book to many people. If they havn't already, I hope they make a movie out of it. | 45 stars
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Blink and maybe you'll miss this one
The basic idea is interesting and held my attention for a while, but eventually lost my interest. | 01 star
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Important, but no page-turner
This is an important book, but, at the risk of going against popular opinion, I have to point out that it is not the most readable one. Page after page can be boiled down to, "(Insert name here) was an athlete who was heavily involved in the bodybuilding/weightlifting/track and field scene, and (s)he came to eccentric Victor Conte for help. Here's a prosaic biography and career summary of this person before and after BALCO." It does a very good job of portraying Conte as a sort of mad-scientist kook- in fact he emerges as the only interesting character in the narrative. For the first hundred pages or so, Barry Bonds is an angry, morose specter hovering on the fringes of the story, shaking his fist jealously at Mark McGwire and mistreating his girlfriend, while Conte cooks up wacky scientific experiments to dope up this track star and that bodybuilder. Keeping all of the names and dates straight as things progress gets tougher and tougher, and it's not entirely clear how someone as daffy as Conte the failed "Tower of Power" bassist and fly-by-night entrepeneur could build his business so quickly into such a successful one, be it legal or not. By the middle of the book you're sure to hit that epiphany of freedom one has when one realizes no one is looking over your shoulder forcing you to read each line of the book, and that the guilt that comes with skimming the actual text itself can be overcome by the knowledge that the reader has at least joined the legions who've bought the thing and contributed to the entirely noble and justified campaign to bring this scandal out into the open and discredit the guilty parties. | 23 stars
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Not Austen's Best
If (like me) you value Austen primarily for her wit, you may pass on Persuasion.Persuasion is a bit tedious. It's all mincing and moralizing, with none of the wit and good humor that make Pride and Prejudice worthwhile. Persuasion's protagonist, the wilting Anne Elliot, is a doormat for her self-involved relations, whom she not only tolerates but also excuses. Anne's blushing weakness may add to the melodrama (maybe the romance), but it also sucks all the satire out of the narrative. As a result, the reader is deprived of a richly deserved laugh at the pompous antagonists' expense. And without a good laugh, the story is hardly worth the trouble. | 23 stars
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Had To, Wanted To, Hated To
First of all, the whole reason I wanted to read this book was because I had a writing assignment that had a basis of some excerpts from different books. About spirituality, enlightenment, verities of life etc... The excerpts I read were intriguing and I had to go out and buy the book to read the whole thing. I loved her deftness and clever wits in which she wrote from. I quickly changed my opinion as I got the book and started reading the whole thing. The author, Liz Gilbert aka "Liss", "Groceries" and whatever other names you want, was completely self-righteous and absorbed within her own mindset and I'm not so sure she gained a whole lot more from these travels than some pounds from all the food in Italy she ate. I truly got IRRITATED how she talks so highly of her beauty and sexuality and yada yada yada. I don't care. Give me something material or insightful to work with here. I put my book down for over a week, then decided I spent the money on it so I might as well finish. I never not finish a book, but I will say that is was sincerely considered. I don't suggest buying this book. If you ABSOLUTELY must read it (which I advise against) get it for free from the library. Also, she's all "poor me this, poor me that" through the whole thing. She IS that person who thinks she is better than anyone she encounters, and she even admits it in the book. If you are peeved by people who cut you off mid-story, she will get under your skin. I do love the way she writes though. I'd read a book by her, just not another one about her. I could go on, but I think you get the point. | 12 stars
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OH MY AWESOME!
I have one thing to say that can sum up my entire review, OH MY AWESOME! This product is not regular awesome but when you use it you will literally make you say OH MY AWESOME! The ease of use and the interface is unbelievable. I have some advice for anyone that bought the Nook, if you can sell it to someone else do it and buy a Kindle. Amazon has no only put out a top of the line product, they have started a revolution! Congrats to Amazon, you have yourself an OH MY AWESOME product! | 45 stars
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LOVE IT
I just bought a refurbished kindle edition 1, because not only was it cheaper but i still get a 1 year warrenty unlike buying a used kindle. It is AMAZING. so much fun!! I LOVE MY KINDLE | 45 stars
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Must Read
This was the first book i've read from Renee Luke (impressed). This book is a page-turner . The short stories are inviting and keeps your attention it's well written and tasteful, a definite must in erotic ficiton. If your into chocolate and hot steamy sex this is a must read, enjoy! | 45 stars
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Excellent, with one caveat
There are other good, detailed reviews here so I won't repeat them. In short, I think this is an outstanding book that will appeal to people who don't easily relate to "typical" spiritual work (e.g., agnostics, atheists). If you haven't been exposed to Tolle's work, I think it would be best to start with The Power of Now to get a solid basis for his concepts, but that isn't critical for enjoying this book.My one caveat is sometimes the quality of writing could be improved, but the importance of the message takes precedence. | 45 stars
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The best start of a series I've read in a long time!
Kelley Armstrong has got herself a winner in this series! Bitten is one of the strongest, most original stories I've found in a long time. While the novel starts out a bit slow, it is truly worth the read in the end. Clay and Elena are superb characters. I can't wait to read more of them! | 45 stars
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Funnier than overgrown highlights
This book kept me going from chapter one. the real 30something point of view of co-workers, 20somethings and life itself were so funny and true, i amlost gave myself an athsma attack from laughing.this book is written straight from the hip and i felt so attached to the character/author. i was so sad as the pages dwindeled down and knew it was coming to the end of the book.i never review anything, this however left me wanting to tell everyone "read this" its great!.so... READ THIS-IT'S GREAT! | 45 stars
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Mike and Joan were a little lackluster
While I really enjoy the character of Mike, and I loved Joan, I didn't feel as if the reader got the most of their story. Joan, especially, was a bit hard to warm to.Having said that, I liked seeing Mary Lou's story advance. I liked that the reader got to know her, and it made the Sam and Mary Lou dynamic make sense.Joan's grandparents' story was beautiful and I loved the terrorism subplot, I was just less than thrilled by Joan and Mike's relationship. | 34 stars
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I loved this book
I loved this book from start to finish. It was so funny, but I had to keep reminding myself that it was a serious subject. What a cracking good book. | 45 stars
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Striking Back: The 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre and Israel's Deadly Response
A very compelling read that goes hand in hand with Steven Spielberg's film "Munich." The book revealed new details I had not seen, despite extensive reading on the history of these events. | 34 stars
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Great Purchase
This is a great gift for the Jane Austen nut in your life. The annotations and pictures add to the reading experience and there are a lot of great notes and information at the end of the novel as well. This is my favorite edition of Emma. | 45 stars
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please read Villette
i am SO glad that i read this lovely book. Please take time to read and savour this one. you will enter another world--and learn a new language--beautiful! | 45 stars
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good study guide
I used this book as a study guide I found it informative but I could not realy get into the reading for more then just study | 34 stars
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For All Time
This novel, like much of Dickens, is hard to pin down in a concise statement as to what exactly it's about. Dickens is often accused, by his critics, of being a sentimentalist and two-dimensional character scrawler. This judgment, I would submit, is quite correct as far as it goes. But the greatness of Dickens, it seems to me, is that each one of his novels conveys a feeling, envisions a world, that is far greater than the sum of its parts. This is especially true of Hard Times.The most common interpretation of the book is that it is anti-utilitarian. This take on the novel is quite true, to an extent, but to say that this stance constitutes all that the book concerns is, in itself, a utilitarian interpretation! It reduces the book to a fictionalised polemic. And the book is surely far more than that!There are always, in Dickens's works, depths opening up amidst the simple plots and the simplified (and whimsically named) characters that bring one to a stop. When Louisa finds out from her brother Tom that Bounderby (the most deliciously named character herein) is set to propose marriage to her, the chapter ends thusly:"Old Time, that greatest and longest-established Spinner of all, would weave from the threads he has spun into a woman. But his factory is a secret place, his work is noiseless, and his Hands are mutes."This passage alone should serve notice that something deeper is going in the world of Coketown. I truly don't think I can proffer to the prospective reader a glimpse of the depths that lie beneath the simplified characters and simplistic narrative structure than by quoting the last words of Stephen Blackpool, addressed to his Muse-like Rachael, as he lies dying, after having been raised from the disused mine opening known locally as Old Hell Shaft:"I ha' fell into th' pit, my dear, as have cost wi'in the knowledge o' old folk now livin, hundreds and hundreds o' men's lives - fathers, sons, brothers, dear to thousands an' hundreds...When it were in work, it killed wi'out need: when `tis let alone, it kills wi'out need. See how we die an' no need, one way an' another - in a muddle - every day!"Coketown, perhaps, resembles our own world a bit too much for our own comfort and self-satisfaction. Look at the tag on the shirt you are now wearing. It was most likely made in a Southeast Asian sweatshop by a human being, with hopes and dreams much like your own. More importantly, for the significance of this book, gaze out into the world around you where people die, "thousands an' hundreds" every day, for no particular reason other than that they fell in a sort of shaft or hole: financial, medical, physical.Why is Coketown, why is the world as it is, with no apparent rhyme or reason? Why is it, in short, a muddle? That is the deeper question which Hard Times leaves us mulling: Why must they always exist? | 34 stars
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PRIME VOICE PERFORMANCES OF THIS CONTEMPORARY THRILLER
What could be more horrifying than having your child kidnaped, more terrifying than knowing that your son is in the hands of a psychopath who will not hesitate to kill? That is what faces Cotton Malone, a man who thought he had put danger behind him.Now retired Malone once lived a perilous existence as an operative for the U.S. State Department. He doesn't miss that one bit and relishes the peace he believes he has found as a rare book dealer - his serenity is shattered by the appearance of his ex-wife, Pam. We hear: "Cotton Malone stared straight into the face of trouble. Outside his bookshop's open front door stood his ex-wife, the last person on earth he'd expected to see. He quickly registered panic in her tired eyes, remembered the pounding that had awoken him a few minutes before, and instantly thought of his son."Where's Gary?" he asked.The answer to that question is followed by a string of expletives, blaming him for the danger he brings back into their lives and the fact that she does not know where their son is.Gary's whereabouts may be unknown but the reason for his abduction is not - he's being used as a bargaining chip by a group that wants to get its hands on the Library of Alexandra, a cradle of ideas that disappeared centuries ago. This group is convinced that only Malone can lead them to what they want and he has just 72 hours in which to do it.When his book shop is burned to the ground Malone knows that he is up against one of the most evil opponents he has ever faced, and to compound matters it is not only his life that's at stake but also his son's.There's no time to spare and Malone doesn't waste any of it as he seeks answers in Portugal, England, and the top echelon of our government. Following on the heels of The Templar Legacy author Berry has fashioned another stunning thriller, skillfully plotted, propelled by suspense.Stage and television actor Erik Singer gives a prime voice performance on the Abridged Edition, while award winning narrator Scott Brick delivers one more home run with his reading of the Unabridged Edition.- Gail Cooke | 34 stars
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More than just a love story
I have read all of Jane Austen's novels at least once, and"Sense and Sensibility" is, at the moment, my favorite,because it was the last one I read. Jane Austen is - and always willbe - my absolute favorite writer. I love the way she can take just an average person and reveal the hero or heroine inside.This is just what she does with Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The central theme of this novel is not the love between a boy and a girl; it is about the love between two sisters and how they come to a better understanding of each other when they are forced to endure similar situations and handle them in completely different manners.When each sister, through dissimilar circumstances, discovers that the happiness she had believed she would find in marriage is not to be, it at first appears that Elinor is rather cold and heartless - more worried about propriety than feelings - and that Marianne is more in touch with her emotions and would rather express her grief than take into account how her display will affect those who love her...As for the relationship between the sisters, at the beginning, Marianne seems to pity Elinor for her lack of esteem for art and poetry, and she believes that Edward is not worthy of her. Elinor, while seeing the youthful faults of her sister, always keeps a sense of humour and does everything out of love for her and the rest of the family. In the middle, Marianne believes that no one has ever suffered as she, and continues to pity Elinor for her inadequacies...This is a wonderful and deeply moving novel that should be read more than once to be thoroughly understood and appreciated. | 45 stars
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A Little Patriotism Goes a Long Way
I just finished reading Captain Rob McGovern's "All American". Rob McGovern has had a front row seat to our country's most significant historical moments over the last 6 years, and his perspective is one of hope and optimism, rather than the constant pessimism and defeatism that are shoved down our throats. I was refreshed to hear a perspective from someone who doesn't want to make their name by seeing how many bad things they can say about their family, religion, and the United States. Captain McGovern tells stories about his life and the lessons he's learned through the people he met along the way; learning from both failures and successes. He uses a conversational style to talk to the reader, and relays a genuine passion for what he believes. Far from ignoring critics, he acknowledges the negative, but does not make it his job to rehash what we hear in the news everyday. He wants us to know the other side of the story; where good people are doing their best to do good things.I was very disappointed in Publisher Weekly's review, as I think whoever wrote it missed the point entirely. Apparently being a book reviewer doesn't require knowing the definition of an "autobiography". They seem to feel that when a person writes a story about THEIR OWN LIFE they must give equal time and confront potential critics. Captain McGovern's note to the reader at the beginning of the book makes clear he is talking from his point of view. Interestingly, PW's last review of Al Franken's Book "The Truth" (which is not an autobiography) is hailed for its attack on "the Right wing". Opposing points of view are not necessary as long as PW is happy.I highly recommend "All American". Captain McGovern balances the funny moments (e.g. his encounter with John Elway) with the seriousness of the subject matter. For anyone interested in sports, law, politics, and stories about people exceeding their potential through hard work, Captain McGovern's is a great story. | 45 stars
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The Master Gambling Author
Michael Konik has done it again. He has taken a subject he knows better than anyone and added his own highly readable style. The result is a fast-moving real-life adventure that feels like a good movie. I will never wager the kind of money that Konik and The Brain Trust did, but it is a great vicarious thrill to experience it through his descriptive prose. Konik is a master of gambling writing and this is his masterpiece. | 45 stars
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A fool & his money are soon parted
Perfunctory advice from a soap opera actor. | 12 stars
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Kindle Rocks
Love my Kindle. Would like to have a back lighting option one can turn on and off. Find it difficult to download from Gutenberg.org. The directions could be clearer. Gutenberg has free titles Amazon doesn't have. | 34 stars
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Very worthy read!
I read this book after borrowing from the library and I have to say I couldn't put it down.You get the feeling the author's been very honest about both his shortcomings and every one elses as well.At the same time he doesn't skimp when it comes to praising the efforts of everyone who made the shuttle missions possible!The self-honesty was what made the book humorous, and great to read (for me). Talking about 'humorous' - book also includes many of the pranks astronauts play on each other! | 45 stars
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Great Overview
Everything from medical issues to types of jump aircraft used. You can't get any better than this! The book looks at a lot of issues involved in skydiving and parachuting. I don't know if I'll ever make that first jump myself but this book will definitely be a factor in making that decision. | 34 stars
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Resonates but rambles
Eckhart gives a positive message and a great philosophy on how to live life. I thought half of it was padding though. I was particularly put off by the constant injection of quotes from Jesus/Buddha/whoever to "prove" a point yet completely ignoring or lacking any context. It gets a bit "hippie" but the concepts are valid. | 23 stars
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Fantastic service and item .Good all around and exactly as described. Delivered quickly and will no doubt order from them again.
Fantastic service and item .Good all around and exactly as described. Delivered quickly and will no doubt order from them again. | 45 stars
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Mildly entertaining, but WAY overrated
Pros: At times Gilbert writes in an interesting and funny way making SMALL PARTS of this book entertaining to read.Cons: The rest of the book (a majority of it) is painful to read. The book is more of a pity party for Gilbert's failed marriage than it is a deep look into these amazing cultures.It wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but I would recommend spending your money on something else. | 12 stars
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Covers lots of info, but specific knowledge required
PROS: It covers lots of, if not all information on either protecting your business from hackers, or if you ARE the hacker just trying to learn a few little tricks.CONS: Requires a bit of previous knowledge of how network security works, for example, a lot computer jargon. | 34 stars
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Great!
Wonderful edition of the book! Would highly recommend it. It really brings out the Christmas spirit. Everyone should read it | 45 stars
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Relatively disappointing
I greatly enjoyed Isaacson's biography of Benjamin Franklin, which in my opinion is greatly superior to his biography of Einstein. The title of this book should have been "St. Albert." The book throughout has a hagiographic tone, and Isaacson spends far too much time on Einstein's politics, where his achievements were exactly: zilch. The fact that Einstein was crusading for pacifism and disarmament, as the Nazis were re-arming Germany at breakneck speed with the clear intention to undo the results of World War I, should be enough to establish that Einstein was no Einstein when it came to matters outside of his scientific work. His views of politics appear to be as fickle and superficial as most of his relationships with the women in his life after the implosion of his first marriage. Einstein's greatness rests entirely and solely on his scientific work, which Isaacson heroically pretends is made sensible by Einstein's own visual thought experiments, which are no less daunting and elusive now than they were when Einstein first published them decades ago. There is no "relativity for dummies." It remains Sphinx-like in its impenetrability and counter-intuitiveness. Einstein's struggles with the cosmological and epistemological implications of his own theories -- a topic different from and more interesting than his much more publicized queasiness with quantum mechanics and the Uncertainty Principle -- show that even he had trouble getting his arms comfortably around relativity.The book also suffers from disjointedness, as Isaacson attempts to break the narrative of Einstein's life into thematic chapters rather than chronological ones, which results in a continual seesawing of the narrative back and forth chronologically. Nobody lives life in thematically distinct increments, and the result is an artificial and confusing construct. | 23 stars
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i saw on t v
when I saw this on t.v. I had to buy the book to get more out of the movie so far I have not finish the book yet | 45 stars
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Quality is going steadily downhill
I have subscribed to the Kindle edition of the Seattle Times for over two years. Prior to that, I subscribed to the print edition for over twenty years. Today I cancelled my subscription: it's just too painful to read anymore. Last Sunday was a new all-time low in journalistic quality. The formatting has been getting progressively worse over the past few months, and it is obvious that no one at the Times reads the Kindle edition. Sunday issues often include mutual fund chart footnotes, but no actual charts: this past Sunday there was an article that consisted of several picture captions, but no pictures! It is not uncommon to see a headline and face, but no article, and lately we don't even get proper headlines, just gobbledogook that looks like it must be files names or something. And wh-at's wi-th all the hy-pens late-ly?All that is annoying, but tolerable (barely.) But when the writing ceases to make sense, it's time to look elsewhere. '"It was as if ..." said Eduardo Calderon, a psychologist who works migrants, many of whom have been killed in the conflict.' Well that's just creepy. What do you suppose he does with all those dead migrants? Try to find them jobs? Or just make them feel better about not being able to work, now that they're dead?I'm sorry Seattle Times, it's just too much. It's not pleasurable to read your paper anymore. I guess I'll have to find my news elswhere. | 12 stars
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What can be not what will be
What will be, by Michael Dertouzos, is indeed an interesting read despite his lack of support for his thesis. By the nature of the title and subtitle, the reader is teased with a possible glimpse into our technological future. Perhaps the book should have been titled, What can be. How the new world of information can change our lives. The largest stumbling block toward accepting the title and premise is Deertouzos' careful avoidance of information technology venture capitalism, marketing, and legal environments that determine what actually is designed, manufactured and marketed. If an author infers that technology will actually happen, then they are obligated to explain when and how momentous longstanding roadblocks will be removed. Of course these issues are discussed but in a highly speculative and vague manner. On a positive note, the section What is Wrong with Technology is very clear and makes the book worth reading. I recommend this book. Despite content sprinkled with lofty assertions, Dertouszos prepares the reader for technological issues which will continue to revolutionize our world. | 23 stars
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LOVE LOVE LOVE
I loved this book... I don't care what other people say... it was romantic in a way and made me feel more spiritual... I think she is a wonderful writer! I want to learn Italian now :) | 45 stars
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"Everybody's got something to hide."
A fifty-year old writer named Stuart Gorman is "The Suspect" in John Lescroart's engrossing new thriller. Gorman's marriage to his wife of twenty-two years, Caryn Dryden, had been in trouble for quite a while. She was a brilliant and upwardly mobile orthopedic surgeon whose workaholic lifestyle did not mesh well with her husband's. A few days after Caryn asks Stuart for a divorce, she is found dead in her hot tub, a possible homicide victim. At his own admission, Stuart flew into a rage when Caryn insisted that their marriage was over. However, he denies having any role in his wife's death, claiming that at the time Caryn was killed, he was staying in his rustic cabin where he went to think things over. Upon his return, he found his wife's body and promptly called the police. Unfortunately, Inspector Sergeant Devin Juhle doesn't buy Stuart's story. After all, Gorman had motive and opportunity: he was clearly furious at his wife (who was insured for three million dollars), and his alibi is shaky. An eyewitness claims that she saw his car pull into his garage around the time that Caryn was killed.Squarely on Stuart's side are his sister-in-law, the beautiful Debra Dryden, and Kymberly, Stuart's troubled eighteen-year-old daughter. The suspect also has an old friend, San Francisco State Assemblyman Jedd Conley, who convinces Stuart to hire criminal defense attorney Gina Roarke to represent him. Until now, Gina played a secondary role in Lescroarts novels. The main characters have usually been criminal defense lawyer Dismas Hardy and his best friend, Abe Glitsky, deputy chief of inspectors in the San Francisco Police Department. Now, forty-seven year old Roarke takes center stage and she is an appealing heroine. Still grieving over the death of her lover, the charismatic David Freeman, Gina finds herself at loose ends. She has difficulty concentrating on work and is reluctant to start dating again. However, taking on Stuart Gorman's case gives Gina the mental and emotional boost that she needs. She is soon convinced that her client is innocent, and she tackles his case with a tenacity and passion that she hasn't felt in years. The reader cannot help but root for Gina Roarke, who is handling her first homicide case and feels nervous and insecure about her ability to get her client off. Gina faces formidable obstacles, including an ambitious assistant DA eager to nail Gorman, and voracious reporters who are quick to try Stuart's case in the press.Lescroart's cast of characters is varied and well-drawn. Wyatt Hunt, the chief investigator in Gina's law firm, is smart, funny, and supportive, and he capably handles most of the legwork for Gina. Devin Juhle is a dogged cop who stubbornly refuses to chase any leads that point to a suspect other than Gorman. One possible area of inquiry is Caryn's invention, known as the Dryden socket, which she created to repair hip joints. Caryn was about to withdraw the socket because of safety concerns shortly before the FDA was scheduled to grant its approval. Taking the socket off the market would have cost investors a great deal of money. Could this possibly have been a motive for murder? Before he is placed under arrest, Gorman decides to track down and interview some of Caryn's associates to learn more about what was going on in her life in the weeks before she was killed."The Suspect" is tightly written, carefully plotted, and fast-paced. It has beautifully written dialogue and a few welcome moments of humor to lighten the mood. Lescroart skillfully examines the psyches of his main characters and exposes the feelings that they keep hidden from public view. He also focuses on the unsavory aspects of human nature, such as duplicity, greed, and ambition, which often lead to violence. The courtroom scenes are compelling and the suspense builds steadily until a series of twists and turns brings the story to a slightly contrived but still satisfying resolution. Giving Gina Roarke her own novel was a smart move; she brings new life to a long-running series that had begun to show signs of age. | 45 stars
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The Amereon Edition is not worth the money I paid for it.
The printing in the Amereon Edition of this book is poor. The pages look like faded xerox copies. This book contains no color plates, no dust jacket and is small in size. The book claims to be a limited edition. Well for a limited edition the four or so illustration plates are out of order and nowhere near the stories they belong to. If you want to buy this book, buy a better hardcover version. This book was copyrighted in 1903. It contains the roots of several ideas that really take off in Baum's OZ books. There are stories of changing heads, a large mechanical man and a little evil wizard guy who lives underground in a ruby mine ( a la the Nome King). However none of the stories comes close to the OZ tales. The one story in this book that keeps me from giving a rating of one star is "The Land Of Civilized Monkeys". Has the Baum family sued that French guy who wrote Planet Of The Apes? If not they should. How about a story where a young man lands from the sky into a civilization run by apes. He is roped and caged as a wild animal. He is put on display and examined by ape scientists as the possible "missing link" from which the apes descended. Sound familiar?? Baum wrote it in 1903 or so. | 12 stars
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wow... i'm truly in tears knowing it's over.
After reading this book, my mouth not only waters for flavorful food, but for more of Moore's words. This book was incredible because it captured true personal obsession. I felt every emotion Moore expressed run through my body, experienced each moment with her, struggling just as she did. This book was upstoppable, and kept me in constant hunger for more. It was so powerfully angry, and witty through and through.Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. The story has so much soul to it, and Moore's personality is so comfortable. | 45 stars
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Each book only gets worse
Like most people writing a review for this book, I found it very disappointing, there was no story, just Anita over-analyzing every little thing, and Richard-GOD GET OVER BEING A WEREWOLF RICHARD- what more do I need to say, I don't mind the sex, I love books with sex in it. I do mind that there was no plot, and everytime there was a hint of a plot sticking its head up, Anita would push it aside for another day so she could talk us to death with another mindless thought that popped into her head. AND I am sick of these authors and their assistants telling us 'If we don't like the book, don't buy it.' Here is my answer to those people, if it wasn't for these same fans buying the books from the beginning, these authors wouldn't have a career doing what they love doing. I read a blog of LKH's a while back saying 'who cares what these whiners think my books sell more and more each new release.' I use to be one of those suckers that kept buying her books hoping they would get better, but not any longer. Until I see good reviews on Amazon I will never buy another LKH book.IF the Authors out there are happy enough to get rich from the money we spend on their books they can put up with our reviews. | 01 star
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Good summary of the data for laypeople
I enjoyed Gladwell's writing style and ability to incorporate data from many fields. In the end, I find his analyses a bit shallow, but useful food for thought. | 34 stars
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This is what a 2nd edition should be like
The release 1st edition of this book is still considered by many to be the kick start for the growing adoption of a software development process called Extreme Programming. After 5 years, the 2nd edition faces a much different world but also with much different content and approach. The world has learned much and so has the author. I'm glad to see that this 2nd edition reflects that development.Beck has revised his thinking throughout the book. Some obvious examples include his current preference towards using ideal time over abstract time units in estimating, the fifth value among the initial four, the new set of principles, and the rehash of the practices.Extreme Programming Explained is not a detailed how-to for adopting the process it describes. Actually, it doesn't really describe a process at all. What it does describe is a system of values and principles and a set of practices to support these. Even though Beck does give each practice (divided into primary and corollary practices in the 2nd edition) their share of explanation, the focus is still strongly on the "what" and "why" instead of the "how".As someone who has read a dozen books on the topic already, I was delighted to find almost every page to provide something intriguing that either created or challenged my own thoughts. Especially the latter half of the book, dealing with topics such as TOC, scaling, Taylorism, the Toyota Production System, and the hot potato itself -- offshoring -- offered a lot to think about.This is what a 2nd edition should be like, every single chapter reflecting new insight gathered over the years. | 45 stars
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Why Little Book is so Popular
Gladwell is an excellent writer and a very smart man, and The Tipping Point reflects both of these aspects very well. There is very little groundbreaking or original in his work, but because Gladwell communicates very well, he introduces novel ideas to the readers in a way that will keep them interested and in a manner they will understand. Many of the lessons about the value of different personality types in business, the power of "context" and the various case studies may be valuable professional lessons for people in business or marketing, but for most readers, this should just be an interesting and entertaining social science lesson. Nothing here may change a reader's life or even their perspective on anything, but they will enjoy the mental obstacle course Galdwell guides them through and they will be entertained. It is well worth the investment. | 34 stars
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Life-Changing and Inspirational
One of the most powerful stories I've read in the past decade, Mortenson's book truly planted a seed in my philanthropic garden. Watching him metamorphose from a man living out of his car to someone who has transformed so many lives in Afghanistan and Pakistan made me realize that I too could be doing more. (No more excuses!) I was inspired by the work he did for the girls, building schools and allowing them the chance at an otherwise unattainable education. But I also admired his passion to educate us about what life is really like "over there" instead of relying solely on media news stories.This is a beautifully written, informative and touching story that inevitably will make an impact on the reader, regardless of political stance or cultural background. | 45 stars
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Got better as it went on
Reading the introductory first chapter I was worried that Hutton's reputation for careful analysis may have left him, as he appeared to offer an overly simple thesis and an embrace of the United States' system of government that was too uncritcal.Thankfully that chapter is misleading as Hutton leads his readers through a detailed analysis of China's economy that is equal parts illuminating and disturbing, and begins to build explanation on his desire to see US-style enlightenment institutions develop in China, while being very open about the fact that several of those institutions are in severe decline within the USA.Some of that coverage of the USA, its history, institutions and current situation, feels like it would have made sense as a separate book, slimming down this volume considerably and potentially making the material much more accessible for those with limited time. But the intertwined themes do make sense and the reader is considerably better placed to judge the material when we have both parts together.At times there is certainly still a sense that Hutton is calling for a form of cultural imperialism. The merits of the institutions he outlines are clear, but they have grown out of a lengthy philosophical tradition which China does not share and it is vital that any such institutions are contextualised if they are to succeed in China. | 34 stars
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Why can't I give this 10 stars!
Oh my, why can I not keep this smile off my face. I just finished reading Lover Eternal and I have to say that I just escaped into a world in which I ENVY the mates of these Brothers! Before I get into this one, let me just say that I'm still reeling from the first book "Dark Lover". I felt that nothing could compare, but when an author like JR Ward emerges...WATCH OUT! After reading this book, I'm going to just stop messing around, buy them all with confidence, and read them as quickly as my eyes will let me....I encourage you to do the same.Here's the bottom line...I don't know exactly why Rhage choses Mary....maybe it's because of her voice, her courage, destiny, chance, I just don't know, but it just doesn't matter. The fact is that Rhage CHOSES her. Boy, what would it be like to be chosen by a member of this clan. Once a brother choses a mate...it is an all-consuming, forever, intense, passionate, exclusive, loyal, and love that is unlike "human" type of love. One of the best things about this series is that although the Brotherhood are some tough, mean warriors, with their mates they are committed, protective, and irresistible.I'll try to be brief in my synopsis...Rhage is the best fighter and best looking of the brother's, but he ticked off the Scribe Virgin and ended up with a curse that causes him to turn into a dragon of sorts when his emotions get too out of control. He is so yummy (I just can't think of a better word right now)! Mary is sick. Literally. She is not drop dead gorgeous, but she has a heart of gold and is fiercely protective of those she loves. Rhage commits to her early..really from the first moment he meets her, but Mary is slower to come around. As I said before, she's sick, and doesn't know what her future holds. When she finally succumbs to Rhage....turn off the heat in your home!Rhage will do anything for this woman...be beaten, go against his Brothers, leave everything...It's what makes these books so great. Really don't hesitate...if you are reading this review...thank you, but you should really be reading this series instead. It will bite you, reel you in, and never let go. IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS! | 45 stars
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Buy a book - Save your money
I owned my Kindle for about a year when it died completely. We found out from Amazon that you must send the unit back to have it checked, and/or have the battery replaced. You cannot buy a battery and insert it. You MUST send the unit back.I don't know about you, but I find that ridiculous. Bottom line? None of my books have ever 'broken' and/or required a new battery. I don't mind hefting a good book, nor do I mind packing 3 or 4 to take on a trip.Nothing reads like a book, nothing feels like a book, nothing smells like a book.Forget buying the Kindle - save your money and frustration and buy a book instead. In fact, buy ten! You'll still save money in the long run. | 01 star
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Amazing book, but a tough read if you have a son.....
I realize that as I write this, there are already more than 1900 reviews and many of them do an excellent job of breaking down the plot and the literary qualities of this book. I will not recover that ground here. The book is an amazing piece of work, but it was tough for me to read. I have a young son, he is my only child, and as I read the book I found myself imagining the two of us on this harrowing journey. The book is extreme, but at the same time realistic and believable. I just finished it and I want to go up stairs and grab my son out of his bed and hug him and tell him how much I love him. I guess I will wait until morning, but I will take advantage of the quiet time to lay in some canned goods.This book made me think more than anything I have read in a long time. I highly recommend it. | 45 stars
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The corruption and decline of the press
Ms. Thomas is a great lady, a national treasure, and one of the last incorruptible members of the fourth estate. In an exhaustive tour-de-force, she charts every aspect of the state of journalism, from plagiarism scandals, the repeal of the fairness doctrine, the major Supreme Court decisions, corporate media control, the criminal laxness on reporting the Iraq War to the current scripted infomercials of the Bush administration. Through her decades-long coverage of the White House, she details the war against the press by every president: but she reserves a special place for the sleazy practices of both Richard Nixon and George Bush. Her conclusion at every turn is that the current press is indeed failing America through cowardice, sloppiness, corporate bottom lines and pandering - they are forgetting that they occupy an essential place in our democracy, questioning those in power.I have had the personal pleasure of meeting and talking with Ms. Thomas in an informal gathering, and she, not failed directors of the CIA, deserves a Medal of Freedom for her long and great service to truth -- pretty unthinkable from the current administration. | 45 stars
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Bleak House (Kindle Edition)
Bleak House by Charles DickensThis is one of my favorite Dickens works, and will keep you entertained for hours. Written in 1853, when Dickens was at his peak, Bleak House is often considered Dickens's best novel. | 45 stars
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good but too long
This is really a good book. Mostly becuase Einstein was a great man and did amazing work. But it is not a great book becuase it gets too bogged down in his personal life. When the author is describing his miracle year of 1905 and then ten years later his theory of general relativitiy there is a sense of excitement and wonder. Unfortanately after that the book wanders around aimlessly. I really did not want to hear every tedious detail of his divorce or his (at times) acrimonious relationship with his first wife. It all feels like filler and a distraction from the amazing work that this man did. I'm sad to say but Einstein's personal life is not anywhere near as exciting as his great discoveries and to devote almost the entire book to his personal life seems like a waste of time. | 23 stars
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A great read
Thomas Craughwell is simply one of the best authors in the U.S. Anything he writes reads so well that you can hardly put it down. He is also extremely accurate and knows his historical facts better than most historians. This book is simply fascinating. It is great to give to anyone, Catholic or non-Catholic, as it basically defines what a saint is: not someone perfect throughout their life, but one who eventually attains it with the help of God's grace and perseverance.Craughwell doesn't hide anything, all the sins are exposed and in one case (in an era when bishops instead of the Pope proclaimed saints), the saintliness of a figure is doubted. But Craughwell is orthodox Catholic to the core, so one can even use this book in teaching catechism, there are no false teachings here.I recommend all of Thomas Craughwell's books, but this is his best. If this doesn't fulfill your hunger for saint biographies, get one of his other extended books on saints. | 45 stars
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Excellent read
The saying should be, possibly could be, if you read one Cohello, you will read them all. Not true. Not yet anyway.I have just started back reading his books recently. I started with "By The River Piedra I Sat and Wept", a story of forgiveness and now reading again, as with this story, Warrior of the Light, I am mesmorized. His writing is trememdous. A person who wants to write would do well to read Cohello as a good example. Simple, artistic and easy to understand and digest. I highly recomend Warrior of the Light as a guide to face each day by. Spiritual, yet non preachy, guiding, but not dragging you into a lifestyle you wouldn't wish for anyway. Wonderful words of wisdom. So far I reccomend both these stories as must reads. | 45 stars
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Make's you laugh, Make's you cry..in a good way
I saw that the author of this book was going to be on Oprah, tuned in to see what it was all about. Liked the author, ordered the book. I may have been almost the last woman in America to not have read this book according to "O". But, this book turned out to be one of the best I have read in maybe forever.Elizabeth Gilbert has a comic wit and a way of telling a story that makes you feel like she is sitting in your living room talking to you. This book will make you laugh and cry. It may be about her approximate 1 year journey to find peace and a backbone(you have to read the book to understand that) but in the couple of weeks it took me to read it (amongst other reading and duties) I felt like I had gained a great deal of peace as well from the comfort of my reading chair. | 45 stars
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