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One of my all time favorite books!
I have probably read this book at least ten times over the years and I still love it. My oldest son is even named Conor, because I had always loved the name from the book. I only wish I could find another romantic mystery as good as this one was. | 1positive
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I RECOMEND THIS BOOK TO YOU!!!!!!
I thought that it was a very interesting book about the cricket (chester) that landed in Times Sqare. My favorite part of the book was when Mario and Chester went to China Town and ate the Chinese dinner with Sai Fong and the Chinese gentelman. My favorite charaters were Chester, Tommy cat, and tucker. It was a great book to read!! I recomend this book to you.-Lyla | 1positive
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Intriguing Ideas
This book has a very interesting point of view about God and our relationship with Him. It had some points that have kept me thinking and wondering for weeks. Could be interesting to most faiths. | 1positive
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Kemalist denial of genocide exposed
First I like to say this is most important work on the genocidal ethnic cleansing of Ermeni people from Anatolia. I am Turk and I am from the area where the Ermeni were killed that is mentioned in the book, Hazar Golu. Around this lake are buried thousands upon thousands of Ermeni. Everybody who lives around here knows this is truth! They know Ermenians were killed like sheep not fighting! In my family village Ermeni lived peacefully, strangers came and murdered all of them! No deportation, no relocation. My grandfather tells me this. Only people who lie about this are kemalists who profit from illegal government of Turkiye. The kemalists who deny Ermenian Jenocide in reviewing this book are the grandchildren of those who killed the Ermenians. It is their interest to lie. Turkish government is built upon the bones of the Ermenians, Greeks, Suriyani, Zaza, and Kurds. Who does jenocide and admits to it? Nobody! Germans did not say even when they were killing Jews! It was "relocation" just like what the kemalist government of Turkiye says today. There two types of people in Turkiye today: kemalists and the good people of Turkiye. I hope this book will be translated to Turkish. This book tells the truth about everything Turkish government did and does to the Ermenian people. The most important chapter is on Turkish work to lie today about what happened. Many Ermenian village and homes are empty even today. I hope when the kemalist government and their agents leave power forever, the Ermenian people come back to their properties and villages and live happy lives. This book could be a stepping stone to a confederation of Anatolian peoples. | 1positive
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Disappointing
Not up to Grisham's earlier efforts. None of the usual plot intricacies which have marked his other books. The main character was interesting but neither he nor any of the others were as developed as I would have liked. I felt the book "stopped" rather than ended. Very unsatisfying. | 0negative
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Great for a 9-year-old voracious reader!
My 9-year old daughter cannot get enough of this series! She secretly reads at night after she's been tucked into bed and claims she can't stop turning the pages - they're obviously very suspenseful. I know that some other reviewers have scoffed at Ms. Ewing's writings, but to the "tween" crowd, these books are very much a 5-star. My daughter will be moving on to the Sons of the Dark and Sisters of Isis series next. :) | 1positive
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I don't think much of this book!
Although I am quite a fan of the works of H.G Wells, I have to say that this book was a disapointment.Unfortunately, it held far too socialist a view for me; the originallly wealthy people degenerate into a useless race who cannot do anything to stop the people of the underworld.The working people ,on the other hand ,control the people of the upperworld,and prosper.I found that the end,too, was unsatisfactory.I would not have minded if the hero had at least died in the end! Instead, the ending and the fate of the hero was unresolved. In conclusion, I cannot recommend this book;probably the only Wells book, I DO NOT like! | 0negative
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Deconstructualist's Heaven
While it makes for an interesting read as an opposing point of view to the current ideas concerning the origins of Arthurian literature, the authors, in their attempt to "deconstruct" the Arthurian myth and cut it clean from Celtic studies, often make outstanding leaps in logic (without sufficiently reliable sources being cited) and quite often mangle the Celtic evidence (which they are trying to discredit) by utilyzing incorrect etymologies of Celtic words and ignoring Celtic literary themes and archaeological evidence which would tend to discredit their Iranian-origin theories. By throwing the baby out with the bath water, they weaken their argument, for it has been consistently proved by other authors in recent years that there is, without a doubt, a strong Celtic influence over the entire genre of Arthurian literature. This shaky scholarship, coupled with a printing that is riddled with spelling/graphical errors unfortunatley leads to a strong warning of caution to any potential reader. | 0negative
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do yourself a favor and NEVER read this
This book was slow and boring, not to mention predictable. I feel like a stupider person having read this book and i feel that i wasted my life reading it. Take my advice and don't waste your time. | 0negative
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A historical comic NOT to be taken lightly
I have been a fan of Frank Miller's work ever since his Dark Knight Returns 10th Anniversary edition was published (this is a definate must have for any comic book enthusiast)and through several magazine articles I learned of his latest venture, 300. I've always been a fan of ancient history and mythology and since I had heard little about the events on which this work was based I decided to pick the book up. There are only two words that can truly capture my reaction: BLOWN AWAY. The book's art is composed in a Miller's trademark gritty-poetic style, and Lynn Varley's colors add true, muted life to the pencilwork. The characters, though there are very few that the readers get to know, are shown to be not just characters but human beings and treated with respect. The plot itself is a little over-used (from the first page the reader can glean how it ends), but since it is true to life and true to the characters it packs a wollop. The ending itself is reminiscient of Braveheart, and exceptionally well done. The battle scenes are intense, and the dialogue and inner monologues held by the main character, Leonidas, are some of the best tough-guy lines I've seen in any movie or read in any book. If you like such films as John Wayne's The Alamo, Braveheart or Spartacus, if you are a true comic fan or are interested in ancient history (or perhaps all of these things) pick up 300. You won't be disappointed. Check it out and enjoy! | 1positive
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Scatter Brained
Normally I enjoy Hooper's books, particularily the SCU series. However, this book was a major disappointment. It was not in the least bit chilling or eerie - that was taken away by the writer's over-emphasis on trying to make the reader believe the 'science' of it. The characters didn't click and I found it very hard to be sympathetic towards any of them, as none were very detailed or real. The plot was thin, at best, and downright trite and coincidental at worst.One reviewer likened it to the Shining - it lacks the power of that book - but is also very similar to Rose Red and she even has an eerily parellel phrase from IT towards the end. She also spattered in some 'Sixth Sense' and a few other well known books and movies. While it is true that all works can be likened to some other... this one is pretty obvious about it.In the end, it was a motley mix in which she tried to pull off suspense/mystery/supernatural/thriller/romance and in trying to do all of it - failed at doing any of it well.I do hope that she finds considerable more focus on her next work. | 0negative
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Great buy!
I recently bought the New American Standard Ultrathin Reference Bible; Black Genuine Leather. All in all, I'm pretty happy with my purchase. The Ultrathin is a nice size. The cover is genuine leather, and attractive. The print is a reasonable size for a fairly trim Bible. A modest concordance is included.One thing that I noticed about this Bible is that the print is crisp, dark, and even. This makes it easy to read. I have some Bibles by Cambridge and Thompson Chains that cost much more, and yet, they have weak, uneven print.There are a few things that I didn't like. There are no blank pages at either end for notes. I also didn't like the glossy pages for records in the front.About translations: Translations can be literal, or dynamic. A literal translation gives you what the original text says, literally word for word. Care is even taken to preserve word count and order. Where ambiguity exists in the original text, it will exist in the translation, leaving the reader to determine what the text means. The NASB is a literal translation. A dynamic translation, on the other hand, gives you what the original text means. The translator invariably interprets the text for you. This leads to possible denominational influence in the translation. Word count and order will also vary from what was in the original text. A good example of a dynamic translation is the NIV. To sum up, the NASB will give you a really accurate reading of the original text, but may place conventional English grammar on its ear in places. It has been said that the NASB is so literal and accurate, that you could reverse translate it back into the original Greek! The NIV will make for smoother reading, but you are left with what the translators think the original text meant, not what it says. There is a big difference.The NASB (like the NIV) relies on the latest manuscript evidence for the New Testament. There have been many manuscripts that have been found in the twentieth century that are incorporated into the NASB. These manuscripts are thought to be older, and therefore more accurate, than those used in the King James and other Textus Receptus based Bibles. However, text critical scholarship is not an exact science, so it would be a good idea to review the arguments for and against using a translation that included textual criticism in it's creation.One of the major complaints about the NASB is the use of "wooden" English. Supposedly, this has been largely corrected in the updated 1995 version. Looking at the verses that I had previously memorized in the 1977 version, I do see some changes, but they tend to be modest and relatively infrequent.This Bible has cross references and a concordance, but is not a "study Bible." If you want something less portable, but with more "helps" consider the Thompson Chain NASB, or perhaps an Open Bible NASB, or Scofield NASB.Besides my minor quibble about the lack of blank endpapers for notes, this is a good value for someone who wants a portable NASB update version with a leather cover. Can't beat the price either. | 1positive
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Dawn of the Morning
Not one of GLH's better efforts. This is a silly story with very few spiritual elements. | 0negative
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One of the best biographies of a businessman I have read.
Cheape has written a superb biography of Walter Carpenter, one of the key figures in 20th century corporate America. Walter Carpenter led Du Pont through the World War II years and left a record of profits and an enhanced coporate reputation. Cheape gives an even handed portrait of both Carpenter and Du Pont allowing the reader to reach his or her own conclusions about the meanings of their respective accomplishments. | 1positive
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Disorganized, confusing, poorly structured
Note to Civ Pro professors: please don't use this book.First, Yeazell's book forces the student to guess the court's interpretation of the FRCP and and law. It does this by providing unfocused edited opinions. The opinions are so poorly edited that they become confusing. Often I found it would have been better to just leave in the entire text because the author's constant and obsessive desire to pare down the opinions using ellipses is ineffective. It just doesn't work. Yeazell might want the student to see the case from his perspective, but it's not coming through. I suggest that Yeazell just write his perspective after exposing the student to the actual, unadulterated text of the case. Yeazell is not getting his point across with the edits.Second, the structure of the casebook doesn't align with the typical 1L casebook. Specifically, the Notes and Problems sections (these are a constant thread throughout the book) rarely add clarity to the procedural topic. The Notes and Problems sections often pose hypothetical questions, which is a good idea in theory, but the questions are rarely answerable or answered. Maybe that's the point, but a 1L student doesn't need curve balls like this. If you're going to pose a question, you must give the student the tools and information to find the answer. Yeazell doesn't always do that. Further, the Notes and Problems that follow most of the cases refer to other cases that might not have been part of the assigned reading. Sometimes the Notes and Problems in one chapter allude to briefly mentioned Notes and Problems hypotheticals in another. The content is so jumbled that a 1L student will find it frustrating to understand the point.Finally, the casebook is not updated, contains too many errors (spelling, grammar, mechanical), and isn't easy to navigate. The latest edition still refers to pre-2010 Rules. The student must find an old version of the FRCP and then translate those rules to the current rules just to understand what Yeazell is talking about. The table of cases is lodged in the back of the book. Most troubling, the grammatical errors make the student question the veracity of the message. How do you know what you are reading is accurate when there are obvious grammatical errors?Overall, this was my least favored 1L casebook and I think the other reviews here and elsewhere echo that sentiment. | 0negative
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Ocean of Gyatso
From the "humble monk" comes Ocean of Nectar, which would have better titled, Ocean of Gyatso, because that is what this book is about... more Gyatso than Chandrakirti's Guide to the Middle Way. There are no modern sources quoted for this commentary (as is always the case with this author), as if he does not need any support for his opinions. I use the word "opinions" because despite the fact he uses the title of "Geshe" the reality of the matter is he was offered the Geshe test, refused it, but decided to use the title anyway. This is kind of like calling yourself a doctor when you have no diploma to back up your claim... ugh!As a previous reviewer states, comprehension of this muddy volume would probably be enhanced if one were a member of his group, the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), as this title (like all of his books), assumes you follow that sect. For a newcomer to Buddhism or any member of a truly traditional, mainstream Buddhist tradition, this title is self-serving and ultimately meaningless. It does not limit itself to commentary on Guide to the Middle Way, but drags in the usual NKT formula for practice and enlightenment... irrelevant at best.Furthermore, while the translation may be adequate, one has to remember the author can barely speak English, so it is an uncredited translator who actually did the work.[I bought this book by Gyatso when a member of Gyatso's New Kadampa Tradition. After April 22, 2008 (Google the date and the Dalai Lama), I came to realize the true nature of NKT and walked away from it. I read every one of the books I reviewed at a time when I also drank the Kool-Aid.] | 0negative
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If it's Greek to you...
As a middle school teacher, I found the structure of this book a little surprising. Green uses the life of Hercules to give the book a sort of loose narrative that ties the whole thing together. For someone who is looking for great insight or faithful translations of old stories, I wouldn't recommend this. For someone looking to give an adolescent a gateway into mythology, I would highly recommend this. | 1positive
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A Third Way
There is a third way between the two halves of the same coin, Socialism (in which the means of production are controlled by the state) and Industrial Capitalism (in which the means of production are controlled by a capitalist elite). That third way is known as Distributism, in which the means of production are widely distributed amongst the citizenry.Chesterton is among the most humane of 20th century authors -- perhaps the author having the most books gracing my library shelves. Along with Belloc's Restoration of Property, this is a must-read for those interested in an alternative to the dehumanizing economics of our day. | 1positive
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EXCELLENT BOOK!!!!!!!!!!
this book sucked me in and kept me reading feverishly...exciting,mysterious,suspenseful.....a must read | 1positive
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How on earth is this a "masterpiece"?
Hands down, the worst novel that I have ever read. The only reason I finished it was to settle an oddly masochistic wager with a family member. The characters are all contemptible, the writing dull, and the story inane. When it was over I had mixed feelings of relief (thank God it was over) and regret for wasting that much of my life on it. What a horrible, horrible novel. If there is such a thing as hell, for me, it would be an empty room with nothing but a copy of Wuthering Heights in it. | 0negative
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I really liked it.
If you are looking for a good book I would recommend The Indian in the Cupboard. Some of the characters are Omri, Little Bear and Patrick. It is humorous because Little Bear is bossy and talks weird. I loved it and you will too.Laurel3rd GraderMichigan | 1positive
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Good Bible and Good Price
Does this personal size Bible have smaller print then a normal Bible? Yes. Do I have trouble seeing the print? No. For the amount of information that is packed into this personal size Bible it is easy to carry around. It isn't pocket size however, it is thick. It is 6" x 8 1/2" x 1 7/8". The imitation leather cover has a nice feel.I've watched John MacArthur on TV and he is an excellent teacher like none I've ever heard or seen and his study notes are great. I liked this bible so much we just purchased another one for a new believer at our church.This is my first New American Standard Bible translation and I like it. If you like Josh McDowell he has said "the NASB is an excellent study tool for the serious student of Scripture. Although it is not as readable as some translations, its accuracy is second to none." He said the translators took painstaking efforts to bring out the distinction between Greek tenses. | 1positive
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The ultimate book for film composers
This is by far the most thorough book on the subject of film scoring that I've ever come across. The foreword by John Williams says it all really, this book is packed with years of experience and would help absolutely anybody in the field or aspiring to get in it. It's use of film score examples (from film's you've actually heard of) is fascinating, like a peek behind the curtain of your favorite play, you get to see sections of scores by John Williams, Thomas Newman, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, James Newton Howard, Hanz Zimmer, Danny Elfman...need I go on. From conceptualizing to timing music to picture, from compositional techniques to the business of film music this book is crammed full with goodies. Anybody interested in this field shouldn't even think twice about picking this bad boy up. | 1positive
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Druidry???????
Druidry and Taort are not the same thing. No where on the cover of this book does it say anything about Tarot. Are you sure you have the right book in the right place? Druidry suggests that it deals with an ancient religion and contemporary practice with Cletic roots. Tarot is the art of divination, through the use of cards, historically spread across the European continent, and contemporarily world-wide. | 0negative
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Disappointment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Although I like Sadawi's fiesty, rebellious spirit, I must say that I was HIGHLY disappointed in her work! I rarely come across a book that I don't finish and to tell you the truth, she made me return the book. Her bland and simplistic writing style didn't go well with me. At times, this book even put me to sleep. Anyway, the real significant drawback of this book is that it is written in an extremely narraw perspective! The whole book is about her and her memoirs, you don't even know what the other person is thinking. Hence, if you ask me I would say: SAVE YOUR HARD EARNED CASH!!! | 0negative
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The catcher in the rye
The challenges and fortunes that adolescents must confront along with immaturity and inexperience make growing up an uphill battle. However, many of us go through similar events that mold our ego with which we either learn and apply or just lower our guard and call it quits. | 0negative
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Living history in "Rabble In Arms"
I have read "Rabble In Arms" several times and have liked it better each time I (re)-read it. Many years ago as a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy I wrote a paper about the naval battle of Valcour Island, fought by the Continental northern army under Benedict Arnold against the British on October 11, 1776. While Arnold's small fleet was defeated and almost totally wiped out, the strategic importance of the battle cannot be overstated. This is because Arnold succeeded in forcing the British to forego until 1777 their plan of moving down Lake Champlain and Lake George to link up with another force moving up the Hudson, cutting New England off from the rest of the Colonies. When the British did move south in 1777, they were defeated and forced to surrender at the Battle of Saratoga, and it was this battle that convinced the French to join with the Revolutionary forces to fight against the British. Kenneth Roberts' history is exact, and in fact his researches made clear some very fundimental but unknown facts about the Battle of Valcour Island. This is an outstanding book! | 1positive
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Book Great For Beginners
I orded this book and was extremely disappointed with it when it arrived. If you have a D70 you shouldn't be an amateur, and that's what this book is for. It's written as if it were for an 80 year old woman to read who knows nothing about photography. The book does not dive into the real functions of the camera. No different than any other "getting started" book I've seen. The example photos are horrible too. I am sending mine back. I do not suggest you buy this book if you are experienced or a pro. You will be let down. | 0negative
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Equivalence of gravitation and inertia
Suppose all matter in the universe is expanding at a uniform rate and that "gravity" doesn't exist. Also imagine standing atop the Leaning Tower of Pisa and releasing two cannon balls. One weighs one ounce and the other ten pounds. Because the earth is rushing up to meet the balls, both seem to fall to the ground at the same rate. A cannon ball fired into the air seems to follow a curved trajectory back to the earth as the ground rushes up to meet it. A comet passing close to the earth seems to be "attracted" to the earth as we are pushed upwards towards it. Einstein says "gravity" is the effect on the path of a moving object caused by distortions in the geometric structure of the space-time continuum caused by mass. But space is "nothing," so how can "nothing" be distorted? Could the earth and all matter be expanding uniformly and unnoticed by us? Could this expansion be the real cause of what we call "gravity" and not the distortion of "nothing"?This problem, somewhat simplified here, has been bothering me since I first read this book some forty years ago; if anybody can help enlighten me on this, I'd be glad to hear from you! | 1positive
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'This was the helmet he said made him look like a dork...'
When I was in the 3rd grade (I'm now in the 8th grade) I read this book, and I loved it! It made me laugh & cry. It shows how 13 year old Phoebe deals with her brothers death. No one ever imagined a kid like Mick would die...not the one that scared his mom by putting a ceramic eye in her chicken, the kid that went trick-or-treating as Thomas Crapper, the inventor of the flush toilet, the kid that did a crazy solo dance in a play because 'the music got in his pants', not the kid that had never worn his helmet because he had said it 'made him look like a dork'... | 1positive
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There are so my grammatical and math errors its a difficult read. DO NOT BUY!
If they cant bother to fix the plethora of grammatical and math errors in the book its going to take you for a ride. The book also is not very good at segmenting concepts, sometimes one can be reading and then find themselves in a new concept thinking it may or may not be an extension of the first concept. The typos are the most frustrating. If they cant edit it correctly and be sure that its a quality product, they dont deserve anyones business. | 0negative
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Well, It is Good Guildeline but a bit out of date
I admire that Jakob Nielsen point out that a lot of graphic take longer time to download. It did help us as a webmaster to try to reduce / optimize the graphic size.However, the recent website trend is always moving toward nice-looking design. We must balance the use of graphic and text and not only try to reduce the graphic element.Last point, I still seriously think that a clear website architecture and easy navigation is the main ingredient of a good website. That is why I give this book 4 star | 1positive
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original but annoying
I had to read this book for school and I didn't find it an exactly fun venture- I disliked it from the beginning and had to force myself to finish it. The last about 70 pages or so are probably the best part the book, but the rest is hardly worth reading. I didn't like the humor or his writing style. I will say that I have never read a book like it. But if you are into reading this type of thing, then it would probably be a good for choice for a read. Otherwise I'd say, with this book, just don't bother. | 0negative
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Hated it.
I know this may sound disrespectful to all of you connoisseurs of fine Brittish literature, but I hated Wuthering Heights. It was slow-moving and boring. My tenth grade English teacher required that we read it, and I have despised her ever since for wasting precious moments of my life | 0negative
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Summer reading
This is not a remarkable book, but one which fills the bill for an easy read. Take it on vacation or to the beach. | 0negative
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Critique of recently received book
The book was old with yellowed pages and a binding that came apart as I began to read.There were tears on some of the pages.Bought at Amazon. | 0negative
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1984
1984 over all is a very boring book. Their are parts in the book that catch your attention but just for a while and then it just gets boring again. I don't really like futuristic based books and the book 1984 is a perfect example why. I wouldn't recommend this book to any one, unless your into this type of genre. I give this book 1*. | 0negative
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Good Book
I really enjoyed reading this book. It gives the real-deal experience of professional day trader's. I also like Schwager's book Market Wizards. | 1positive
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This is the best first book to get on Texas birds.
This the book to get if you want answers to the questions "what bird is that in my yard/in the park/at the beach?", and "what makes that bird special?". Even the best field guides give no answer to the second question, and their answers to the first question are often frustratingly complicated to the casual or beginning birdwatcher. Most people who call themselves birdwatchers (92% of them according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) can't even identify 40 species. You can use this to identify the easiest and most common 150-200 or so of Texas birds, and then go out and get a field guide to take you through the more difficult identifications.However, you'll never find a field guide that will show you what makes each bird unique, and where each bird fits into the landscape. The descriptions are engaging, personal, and informative regarding behavior and location, and the photographs catch much about the lives of birds that can only be seen otherwise in the field. Tveten's pictures, including mockingbirds attacking raptors, songbirds calling from brush, and the activities of feeding and nesting birds, catch the essence of why people go out and look at them over, over, and over again.This book will make you enjoy finding and looking for birds. | 1positive
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Jesus the Christ
Amazing information - new slant - I feel like I am learning about Christ in a very personal way. LOVING IT! | 1positive
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Great book -- difficult to put down!
After reading 2 of the author's previous books, Jumper and Wildside, and really enjoying them, I had high expectations for Helm -- and fortunately I was not disappointed. Gould drives the plot relentlessly throughout the book. The martial arts parts are highly readable and very entertaining. My only criticisms with the book are 1) as a previous reviewer mentioned, a few of the characters were difficult to delineate from one another early on, but not overly so, and 2) the ending is good, but seems to be lackluster compared to the incredible first 90% of the book. Overall, Helm is a great and fairly quick read. | 1positive
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Forgetable
If you're a mother perhaps you'll like this. But does that mnake it great literature? I read this because a friend suggested it; what I didn't know though is that really its audience is meast only to be that tiny Oprah/Rosie crowd that only want to read books within their own tiny worldviews. I couldn't fit myself into this story, couldn't figure out why I should care. The writing at times is not only bad it's downright sloppy, so that didn't help either. I didn't like this book, sorry. | 0negative
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An American Classic
On The Road is a must for anyone who wants to understand what the Beat generation was all about. Kerouac's writing style of "spontaneous prose" gives On The Road a frenetic pace that is as exhilarating as it is exhaustive. Kerouac skillfully taps into the restless wanderer that exists in most of us. | 1positive
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One of the greatest books of all time!
When I finished reading "Rilla of Ingleside" I thought to myself "I wish L.M. Montgomery wrote more novels about orphans like Anne" To my pleasure and surprise, I was looking around Amazon.com and I came across the Emily series. My heart stopped beating for that second. I immediatly asked my parents if I could order them.My mom herself was and is and Anne of Green Gables fan. We ordered it and my goodness, I adore it more than Anne! In my opinion it is more touching.The tragic story of Emily Starr,losing her beloved father, not being invited to Rhoda's birthday party. Emily has so many talents. It's a pitty she had to burn the account book. In this book I laughed, my mom cried and oh, I just love this book! | 1positive
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OK
This was an ok book. I think it was pretty stereotypical. I am 5'4" and 157 lbs., but I have a love life and lots of friends. It was fun to read though. It also gives me hope that determination can get you whatever you want.I didn't like Jemima, because she isn't very kind to overweight people.Even though she is one herself, she portrays them as being constant eaters. Some people really do have problems that don't relate to over-eating and under-exercising.And ::GASP:: some people are BORN overweight, like me!It's not because you are a eating machine. Maybe in her case, but not in mine.And who says skinny is the only size to be beautiful?However, it was a fluffy novel. If you try to ignore the fat and thin people bashing(fat people are pathetic and thin people are shallow), you will enjoy it. I enjoyed quite a bit the first time, but the second time I thought it was kind of stupid. | 0negative
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Wuthering Height - A Students Perspective
I recently read the novel Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte. As a student, I would not recommend this book to other readers. Unless falling asleep after every chapter of a book classifies it as good, Wuthering Heights is only good as a bedtime story. In the novel, it is said that Heathcliff and Catherine are in love, if this is so they wouldn't have spent their times together trying to hurt one another for pleasure. Heathcliff would have not wished that Catherine not rest in piece because she didn't mention him in her last breaths of air before dying (even though she was unconscious). This relationship that the author portrays as love, really is not love. It is more of a hate than anything. Another thing about this novel in which, I did not quite enjoy was its exaggeration in descriptions of everything. It is great to describe things well enough for the reader to create an image on what is happening in the story, in their mind, but don't push it overboard. For example, Liam O'Flaherty an author of short stories and novels uses great descriptions in his works. In his stories, he was able to create a mental image of the story in reader's imaginations, without letting the story get boring, and without over doing it. The thing is in Wuthering Heights, Bronte explained things out far too well and made the story less interesting. So coming from a student, I would not recommend this book to another student. | 0negative
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Light Romance, Thriller & Lassie
Very light reading for the summer, it scratches on romance, crime investigation and a bit of snippets here and there of views from a dog. It is neither bad nor good, overall is just a simple book to kill some time you have at hand. | 0negative
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Thank you for an active gutsy heroine!
Knitting and cooking have their place, but some of us outdoor types like more action in our mysteries. For this nature and animal lover, this was an excellent read. (From author ofBear Bait (A Summer Westin Mystery) | 1positive
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great despite it's composition
i give it five stars because it is such a different, distinct, and strong note sounded. it sounds despite the writing which i found difficult to get through, riddled with mixed metaphors, contrived conversaions, and even gratuitious pedantry. i really didn't enjoy reading it but it definitely makes an impression, and a worthwhile one. perhaps my difficulty in getting through the bothersome prose helped me value what marshall is conveying - quite remarkable. i'd reserve five starts for a perfect book, but i don't think this even strives to be well written, and, for even as it is i recommend it highly. | 1positive
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Great resource
I just got mine and have already spent hours looking up and identifying the plants I already have. Nice pictures and layout of information. The only thing I would have liked was a little more detail on propogation. There is a section on propogation that is a couple of pages, but I need more detail since I am an extreme beginner. | 1positive
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"And a child shall lead them ...."
Although of Polly Horvath's work is rich in quirky characters full of wit and droll humor, this one is a bit more over-the-top than usual. Primrose, an eleven-year-old, understands and reveals far more grace than any of the obsessive and neurotic adults who populate her life. Indeed, she shows profound wisdom and serenity within the context of severe personal tragedy and unflinchingly seeks the best in those around her, even when they are particularly insensitive to her eleven-year-old needs. And the plot keeps readers reading with all the charming chortles and impish irony that is Horvath's hallmark. This is truly a wonderful book; one that all adults who deal with the `tween-age child should read and heed. Horvath's voice is always her own, but the quirky characters and ironic humor is vaguely mindful of Lemony Snicket of the Unfortunate Events series. Highly recommended. | 1positive
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don't waste your time reading about this selfish brat
Kate, the heroine of this novel, is apparently the most excitingand desirable woman in the world. She is, in fact, breathtakingly selfish, loathsome, and immature. I was hoping that the two men would dump her and she would get her comeuppance. Then Jack and Miles could run away together to an ashram and Odette could kidnap Kate and dump that shallow brat into a war zone. Miles, the whiny walking disaster, is annoying with his frequent use of "do," as in "do tell me" and "do let me know." That plus "shan't" make him sound abouteighty years old. I don't think Brits sound like that! Jack is too good for Kate (but he and Miles are hot together) and Odette is a much more interesting character than Kate. We know that all Kate cares about is a four-star hotel lifestyle, so theending is fairly predictable.To read about a truly fearless, independent, and adventurous female writer, find a book about Nellie Bly. To read a better written and funny book in the e-mail format, read "e" by Matthew Beaumont, and don't waste your precious time and money on this book. | 0negative
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Unfinished Round
I'm an avid golfer an have always enjoyed watching John Daly golf, but I picked up my ball and left the book unfinished. The book is one long alcoholic denial, badly written, simplistic, and boring. I don't know why I assumed he was somewhat intelligent, but the autobio shows otherwise. Good thing he can golf or he would have died homeless on the street years ago. One needs to be drunk to read more than one hundred pages of this dribble, and me being a recovering alcoholic, I choose to stop. If John can't stop drinking, at least hopefully he can stop writing. {or at least get a ghostwriter that can write} | 0negative
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Hillerman is my favorite author
Hunting Badger ranks up there with Tony Hillerman's best, and he has written some very good novels so far. I'm ordering some copies of this one for gifts along with the phenomenal Harry Potter books, the WWII thriller the Triumph & Glory, and Tuesdays With Morrie. Anybody see amazon's holiday tv ads ? Are they hilarious or what ? | 1positive
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LKH please take a vacation, please
I was reading this book about a dead stripper with vampire bite marks, and then I was reading a book about people's sexual hang-ups. I know that since the audeur, Anita has needed to have sex. This book dosen't have any of the sex we have come to expect form Hamilton's writings. In one scene, Anita pulls up her skirt (literally) for two vampires she has just met. Some fans have been waiting for a three way with Anita, Richard and Jean-Claude. It happens after two chapters of talking and a pretty lengthy explination that it is only happening to save thier individual groups. Not quite the warm up I'm used to from Anita.The murder case takes a major backseat. A few times there is no transition between a sex scene and Anita investigating a dead body. The story line flips, often from chapter to chapter,and I had trouble staying interested. Nathaniel is given nice development in another seemingly unconnected arc. There is a new vamp in town whose power rivals jean-Claude an Anita's. He is barely mentioned, save a few sentances at the end.The book feels smacked together at the last minute. The epologue tries to tidy eveything up, but falls horribly short. The typos make me think alot of this is the fault of the publisher. No company should relase a book as anticipated as this one was with over 200 tpyos. Maybe LKH needs to take a break from writing about Anita, and this was her plea to be allowed time off. As much as I like reading about Anita, I would gladly grant any time off needed to get the old writing style back.In an interview, LKH said she writes about sex because many think good sex cannot be written from a woomans piont of view. It can, but the sex should flow with the book. Good sex happens in the Merry Gentry series, or in Cerulian Sins. Something got lost in the writing of this.LKH, take time to find what you need to write well again. We will miss you until that time comes. | 0negative
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very, very good
"The Life of Isaac Newton" written by the brilliant Richard Westfall is a masterpiece. This biography tells us of the great mind that was born Christmas Day 1642. Westfall goes in depth on Sir Isaac Newton's three laws. 1) Law of Inertia 2) F=ma, and who can forget number? 3) Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Folks if you're going to read one book this winter in should be "The Life of Isaac Newton" by Richard Wesfall. | 1positive
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was this really worth a book?
I left reading Powell's "Treason" wondering if his story was really worthy of a book. An meaty article in some highbrow magazine, surely, but a book?Powell describes his involvement with bringing a Soviet turncoat, GRU Colonel Baranov, in from the cold. Baranov, disgruntled with the crumbling Soviet system, agreed to spy for the CIA. However, before he was able to do much of anything for the CIA, he was outed as a traitor. The book describes Baranov's career, and then Powell's efforts to bring the government into investigating the circumstances surrounding Baranov's arrest, almost certainly the work of a spy in the United States who betrayed Baranov to Moscow.The main problem with the book is that it ends inconclusively. We never learn who betrayed Baranov. Furthermore, Baranov himself makes for a rather uninteresting subject of study when it comes to espionage, because his career as a traitor inside the GRU and agent for the CIA was over immediately after it began.Readers will learn something about how spies like Baranov are recruited and operate - both into the intelligence services and then into betraying their countries. They will also learn a good bit about journalistic ethics and espionage (the book's high point). Another strong point is getting what is essentially a street level account of how badly the CIA can bungle seemingly routine tasks.Overall, the book is well-written, and Baranov's story is a good one. I just don't think it was worth of a full-fledged book, even a short one like "Treason." | 0negative
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Get on the reading train and never get off
The little grey men was one of the first books I read as a child.It started me on a path and a ride I have never left.TLGM is a classic tale which as another reviewer has commented, deserves a lot more plaudits and recognition than it has received over the years.I recommend this book to anyone who wants their children to have a great start in the literary world and allow them the appreciation of the written word as opposed to sitting like a zombie in front of a TV watching cartoons.You will have no regrets purchasing this title, I give TLGM five stars. | 1positive
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Take a pass on this one
This author is fairly arrogant for someone who can't write in complete sentences. Also, the principles espoused in the book can be found in any Business or Marketing 101 text book. And they don't contain near the amount of meglomania that this one does. Skip it. | 0negative
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One of the first What If books
Robert Hugh Benson grew up at the end of the nineteenth century, when it looked like Socialism would sweep over the world and make religious worship outmoded. His father was Archbishop of Canterbury; and he joined the Church of England but later converted to Catholicism. In his introduction to this book he wrote that he took the idea of Man (not the Son of Man) becoming the ideal and 'took it where it would go'.Knowing that this book was written in 1904, before the Great War and the dissolution of the European Empires, and the nascent beginning of flight, it is interesting to read his views of what the world would look like in 100 years (or about now). He saw the end of poverty and hunger, and the raising of HUMANITY to the paramount position. His views on woman are arcane, as one of his characters dismissed his wife as 'just a woman', and that they make no strides of independence. He talks about inter-city flight at the amazing speed of 150mph, one year after Kitty Hawk.The stories bottom line is that once Man begins to worship himself (in the guise of Julian Felsenburg), he not only has no need for idealized religion, but that the persecution of anyone who disagrees will become an act of Sedition and punishable by death. Religion is represented in this story by Roman Catholicism (all others having given in and disbanded, except for a few 'elderly jews wandering in Palestine) which fights a peaceable rear guard action against the forces of HUMANITY.The language is a little difficult and flowery, while the ideas are interesting but sometimes the catholicism is hard to comprehend, but all in all it's worth reading. | 1positive
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A good warming of the heart book!
When my mom bought me this book, I wasn't excited to read it. Then, once she coaxed me into reading it, I loved it! A lot happens to Laura and the rest of her family! And something I really loved was when she was happy, I was happy, when she was sad, I was feeling blue, and when she was scared, I fret with her! I know that if I read it again, I would like it just as much as ever! | 1positive
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Good for vocabulary learning and practice, not as a stand-alone first book
I picked this book up in a Seattle used book store in September, and as of November I have now arrived at the last chapter. I've also read several other Chinese books but have never gotten through them cover-to-cover, so this is a good thing. My background is that I have a girlfriend who I chat with constantly, practicing new and old stuff with so I am not a beginner. That said......I would say this is a great book for a person like me who knows the basics and would like to review them as well as learn new vocabulary. The chapters are broken up very well, I split them up over 2 days and do them leisurely. Previously introduced vocabulary is employed often in later chapters in different contexts. There are a variety of exercises to avoid stale-ination.What I like about this book is that you can leave it to the book to repeat the vocabulary, as opposed to you writing it down and having to do it for yourself, a la spaced repetition. I also like that they give just enough new words to not overwhelm. It's a comfortable pace, as opposed to learn mandarin in 21 days kind of thing. The dialogue is mildly interesting as well.If you are self-learning, without further resource, I would say this is not the book for you. If you are already familiar with Mandarin, I would definitely recommend for the basic mandarin student. (Advanced students will of course have no need for this book.) | 1positive
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Very enjoyable.
I found this series to be a very interesting and enjoyable tale, the characters are fun and well played. You find even though it has been several hours of storyline; you are still not ready for it to end. | 1positive
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alright
All in all I thought that this was an alright book but there was a lot of words edited out. What is that? I'm glad I didn't pay for it because that is unacceptable. Books are meant to be read in their original form, not in some edited retelling. | 0negative
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L-O-V-E-D.... I-T
Nishawnda Ellis' Wives and Girlfriends was a definite literary pleaser. The main protagonist, Tera Larou, thought her --it didn't stink. She was a beautiful woman who capitalized on her good looks, and her prowess in the bedroom to keep her bills paid; a luxurious roof over her head; dressed down in the latest and greatest gear, and enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her life.Dominic Jones, a handsome, rich brother with a hunger for the ladies, gets 'caught up' so-to-speak with Tera, and ends up getting more than he bargained for. He soon learns a lesson that 'having your cake and eating it too' is an overrated statement.The craftiness of Nishawnda Ellis as an author is to be commended. You are constantly kept on the edge of your seat, and eagerly anticipating what is going to come next. The story's ending totally took me by surprise, and left me with a feeling of 'damn, this girl can write!'I highly recommend Wives and Girlfriends to anyone who enjoys being 'the other woman'. You might change your mind after reading it. LOL!Valerie A. WithersAuthor of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. & The Choices That We Make | 1positive
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Hate it!
Way to far out for my traditional taste as far as Christmas Books go.I found many of the ideas in this book outlandish and having absolutely nothing to do with Christmas. | 0negative
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holly
This book is a very good book this girl named margret is moving and she does not want to...so read it | 1positive
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Profanity and Obscenity Abound
I do not say this lightly, but this was quite possibly the ugliest/most hateful book I have ever tried to read. Yes, "tried" to read. I could not get past the first half. Kept going, thinking it would surely get better, but it didn't. And the profanity and obscenity would be tolerable if the story was any damn good, but it wasn't. Can we get any more stock characters from Central Casting with absolutely no plot purpose? Any more stupid idiots to showcase while our Hero is a perfect person? What was the point of this book other than to try and showcase some new curses (that are physical impossible) and slurs against women? A total waste of time. | 0negative
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abbott and costello write an anti-war novel
i don't know what's up with the one and two-star reviewers, but i guess it's the sign of the times. writer tony medina once said that america is the dumbest country in the world, and i'd have to agree. people have become so accustomed to the john grishams and steven kings that they cringe at the thought of reading something that might stimulate their minds, that may cause them to see the world differently...i love the way heller manipulates language throughout the novel. sometimes it's b.s.( like an abbott and costello " who's on first routine, where you never get the answer,cos you're not supposed to )others, it reveals alot about a country where truth and image can be manufactured, where nothing is ever what it seems...some parts of the book made me laugh out loud ( ex. the scene in the resteraunt when yossarian is having dinner with the italian girl and she tells him she doesn't want to sleep with him, then asks him if he wants to sleep with her and his response: " i just want to have dinner with you. " totally cracked me up. now the scene with the crab apples makes perfect sense !and there were scenes in the novel that brought chills to my spine and left me outraged ( snowden's death and aarfy's nonchalant murder of a hooker and his blase confession of it, made me wonder are humans really intelligent forms of life, or just another notch on the food chain.this book will never be dated. its more than relevant today, now that we have a supreme-court appointed president and a conservative high court ready to wreck havoc on our freedoms. and most people are just sitting by and watching it happen like sheep. no one is getting angry.this book ranks among the catcher in the rye, the autobiograpy of malcolm x, on the road, and ellison's the invisible man as books that really touched me and made me think. and you can't get that from reality t.v | 1positive
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Great example of student ideas!
I received this book a couple of years ago from a college instructor's stack of used books. I had not heard of it before. Once I picked up the book though and started to look through it, I was amazed by the problems presented by the instructor and the student's solutions. It shows individual examples as well as groupings. I love just looking through the book for inspiration for my own art and for student lessons (I'm an art teacher myself). I greatly recommend it even if it is a little old at this point. It will still amaze you. | 1positive
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Badly structured, dull and downright boring at times
Desmond Beckwith is a 250 year old gay vampire living in NYC. The vampires here can walk around in daylight, don't kill anyone (just take a little blood to get by), keep their identity secret over the decades by pretending to be the sons of their "fathers", run vast corprations and generally are just like us--they just have this pesky yearning for blood and immortality. Demond runs into cute, young and gay Tony and falls head over heels in love. But how can he tell Tony he's a vampire? And how about that gay serial killer stalking NYC?The basic idea is not bad and I have no problem with changing the vampire's lifestyle (so to speak) but this doesn't work. Desmond is far too bland and (basically) nothing happens through most of the book. There are flashbacks to how Desmond became a vampire but they're placed in odd places in the book (seemingly at random) and are just slow. The book moves jerkily and has some truly terrible dialogue. I also saw the ending coming long before it happened. The only bright spot is Tony. He has terrible dialogue too but he's fun and engaging--the one bright spot in an otherwise dull book. Skip it. | 0negative
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Review from J.R a student at MLMS
This book was a unenjoyable book. While I know it was a tough time for Betty and Mathob, being trapped in Iran for 18 months with a crazed Moody. The book did not keep my interest, I believe that only people who like to read about others lives or like to read alot will enjoy this book. But those with small attention span should found a little easier reading. I repeat do not read it if you have a small attention span or the brain of a 5 year old. | 0negative
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loved it
one of my favorite books ever, if you enjoy classic romance, you will absolutely love this. follow it with the movie staring kira knightly and you wont be sorry | 1positive
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I love freebies
This was a free ebook download. Ben Franklin is one of the most colorful figures in US history, and I like having this e version of this volume. Plus, the price was right. | 1positive
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Dull.
First, I wanna say that I'm a loyal Warriors reader and I still love them all to death.But... This book, quite frankly, SUCKED.The characters, for starters, were dull. We barely know who Brambleclaw is, having never seen things from his point of view before, and suddenly he's our main character. Well, that would be okay if Erin had given us some ground under his feet before he took off into the woods. In Warriors 1 (Into the Wild) it was slow and easy, not a particularly complicated plot. It was great because then we got to know little Firepaw well enough so that when he raged into battle against ShadowClan, we cheered him on and prayed for his saftey. It just doesn't work here. Not enough time for character development makes a dull, seemingly overly-dramatic plot. Next on my list would probably be Squirrelpaw. She's probably the most annoying character I've ever had to read. ATLEAST make her SOMEWHAT likeable. The rest of the 'chosen cats' were dull, boring, lifeless characters. That was dissapointing, since Graystripe's kits should be vivacious and spunky like he is.Firestar seemed really out-of-character in this book. I'm so use to him now that I've seen him change from a young, hopeful apprentice, eager to fit in to a fierce, noble warrior who's determined to keep his Clan safe. Now, he's... I don't know how to describe it. But it doesn't seem like Firestar would do that to Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw. He's just not the type. It just didn't work.This was the worst Warriors book by a mile. Erin, you're losing your touch. | 0negative
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excellently researched and presented
Women in Anglo Saxon England by Christine Fell - and the impact of 1066 Cecily Clark and Elizabeth Williams.The Introduction clearly sets out the authors' hypothesis hat captures the reader's attention. The body of the work is well constructed and supported with references. The indexing and Bibliography is an invaluable source for readers interested in the status of women before and following the Norman Conquest of England, as well as in the women of 21st Century.The authors' research on the subject is extensive and sources cited. They have not simply relied on written sources, contemporary and later but have carefully researched evidence from the contemporary archaeological record to further explain why and how they reached their conclusions.The style of writing is clear, providing detail and evidence in a concise and well constructed language. This book makes good reading for non-historian readers as well as for the academic historian. | 1positive
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Author, characters killing time until sequel.
This is the book that made me say "enough is enough" and stop reading SW books. If ever a book was written to fulfill a contractual obligation, this is it. Kube obviously ran out of ideas, but had to come up with a "middle book." Thus we get Lando and Lobot goofing around in a "living ship"--a plot stolen from a 1980 comic book (the one before Empire started.) Get this--they solve the puzzle of the ship by gazing into one of those "Magic Eye" posters you see at the mall. NO I AM NOT KIDDING! Read the first series again or get hooked on Kerouac or Vonnegut or something. Avoid this book. | 0negative
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oh brother
Well the title says it all.This,ladies and gentlemen,is a slam-book.What a boring book.Dont bother to buy it. | 0negative
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Why Buy an Audiobook?
The downside of any audio book is that it does not give you the chance to pause for reflection. However, I fully recommend this book for two reasons: First, you could not pause during the reading of this book if you wanted to; it's that good. Second, Douglas Adams has a wonderful voice. It's a rare treat to hear an author read his own material and it casts a different light on a book than you might get just from reading it. It is an even rarer treat when an author is doubly blessed with a talent for writing and oration. If you enjoy this audio book, consider "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris, read by the author. | 1positive
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Brilliant
Having read Coover's later books, I was rather skeptical if his earlier ones would be as good - and was pleasantly surprised. In fact, I would rate Coover's first novel as his best work: taut, earthy and powerful, it chronicles the rise and fall of a cult group called the Brunist (following the name of the so-called founder of the group, Giovanni Bruno) and how even a small, seemingly harmless and insignificant group of people can become potentially threatening to the larger community. But what I truly admire about this novel is the slow, subtle building of the narrative terror and hysteria. Coover is indeed a master of suspense and anti-climaxes, building up very tensed episodes to end them in slick, sometimes frustrating, bathos. But this only makes the novel more rewarding as the reader is never on solid ground. The prose continuously shifts and distabilises the reader's suppositions, making it almost impossible to stop reading (this is not an exaggeration). I highly recommend this electrifying novel and hope that it will reach a very wide audience. | 1positive
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WATERED DOWN
The Secret of the Old Clock marks the debut of Nancy Drew an outgoing vivacious teenage sleuth. She is bold, tenacious anddedicated the righting the wrongs in her world. Alas, this edited version from the original 1930 text is definitely watered down. Our heroine, is not as assertive as she was in the original and her character is flat. The original 1930 version is better written, adds more drama and puts you in the context of the times. It also shows the human side of Nancy that is not captured in the present version.Okay, so this is not the "real" Nancy Drew. Should I have my child read it? By all means. Although it lacks the depths of the orignal it is entertaining mystery literature for those under the age of nine. They will love the exploits of Nancy and their imagination will run wild. I do recommend that they read it and if at all possible the original. The contrasts of the two Nancy Drews is a mystery within itself. | 0negative
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Very nice.
I found the book arrived in a timely fashion. The book itself was what I had expected and was of great interest to me. I had told my son about the book and once he had a free day from the hospital he came over. His words were 'Oh, wow!' He had a more recent copy of the book so this older book as of great interest to him as well. | 1positive
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I think think the information is redundant and the book is overrated.
I think that the technics to heal yourself are a little redundant.Over all I felt the book was a little disapointing. | 0negative
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Worthless
This text book has been by far the worst text book for any class I have taken in my 4 years of college. The text is laid out in such a fashion that learning in nearly impossible. Normally I would enjoy a class like this, because I enjoy solving problems that are used in real life situations. I have not found this book to help me learn The Fundamentals of Corporate Finance at all.For everyone who has to use this book for a class I hope that your professor is able to explain what you are supposed to be learning because this book will not help at all. | 0negative
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Ransom
Loved the book!!! It is Julie Garwood at her best. Eveything you look for in her books, love, romance,and intrigue it is all there!! Can't wait until the next book. I'll have to read all her books over again until the new one comes out!!Keep up the great work Julie!!!! | 1positive
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A masterpiece
Every now and then you read a book that announces the presence of an excellent new writer. These are great discoveries that are to be savoured: I get a shiver and my heart races with excitement each time it happens. The book cries out to be read slowly and enjoyed, but you just want to rip through it to see how it ends. Then you read the book again and again, just for the sheer enjoyment. "The Hunt for Red October" was one such book; "The Eye of the World" another. "The Black Echo" is a third. Michael Connelly's debut effort has to be one of the very best books I have ever read, and certainly one of the best detective fiction books out there.Connelly has an excellent eye for describing real life: his scenes are gritty and intoxicatingly detailed and his ear for dialogue is superb. His characters are memorable; writing with the benefit of hindsight, the Harry Bosch series has proved to be a modern classic. The old adage is "write what you know about". Connelly knows crime (he was a newspaper crime reporter) and he knows LA; like the back of his hand. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story. Stick through his next, "The Black Ice", which is very good but not as good as this, and then move into "Concrete Blonde" and "The Last Coyote", which are also superb. | 1positive
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A Classic
I wanted a smaller size version of this book...EVERY child should have Brown Bear. This also has a cd/dvd which I did not notice when purchasing but it adds to the value! | 1positive
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not so good
This is one of my least favorite Maigret novels; the characterizations are peculiarly inept here, and the plot is just plain silly. There are far better Maigret books though, just don't start with this one! | 0negative
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Nave's Topical Bible for Kindle
This purchase was a waist of space on my Kindle and a waist of money.No table of contents or easy way to do a topical search for anything. You must use a tedious scroll at best to find anything. I will delete this and anything else setup like it from my Kindle. I see no benefit to keep this on my system. | 0negative
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Boring book
Hmm....Its quite boring and repetitive book. At least it is not my kind book. | 0negative
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I really hope this isn't a first V.C. Andrews read for some...
I would recommend that you read Heaven and Dark Angel. Even Fallen Hearts, while mostly written by the ghost writer, does helpfully wrap up many issues in the series. Gates of Paradise is unnecessary because Heaven and Logan die off early in the book, leaving us at the mercy of their whiney sheltered teen daughter Annie. Her devastating car accident does not make her a more interesting person to hear from, and neither do her artistic talent or her complicated feelings toward her good-boy half-brother. Heaven's real father, the wealthy Tony Tatterton, insists he is the only one equipped to help Annie recover. She is bundled off to Farthinggale Manor, and is dismayed to see that the mysterious estate of her dreams has fallen into serious decay. She does not know what Tony is really like, but as a V.C. Andrews fan I prefer to remember him the way he was- articulate and cultured and astute. Now he instantly comes off like a confused old pervert who dazedly repeats whole sentences, word for word, from the previous volumes. His servants have aged right along with him, though Rye Whiskey's speech patterns have become offensively 'Gone With The Wind'-ish. (Actually this book does have some camp value.) I had a real inability to get past Annie's fussiness ("I WON'T take a nap until I see Tony!" "I wanted my beautiful sweet-smelling mother, not this ugly stranger!" "The maid's dumpy figure doomed her to always be someone else's domestic servant, I imagined..." The same kind of humiliating, disgusting event happened to Annie as did her mother at Winterhaven; yet, while I felt outraged when it happened to Heaven, I felt this wicked glee when Annie started screaming, 'OH, NO!' Otherwise, the text is nothing but Luke's supposed abandonment and Tony's boring persistence in turning Annie into a Heaven clone. As a reader nears the end of the book, hoping for at least one really sordid scene, Annie manages to hold Tony off before he can do irreparable harm! (Could it be the ghost writer thought it would be too much to inflict incest on a crippled person?) Rather disappointing tale; it gets two stars only because Drake's transformation into a wealth-obsessed Tatterton protege was kind of sad and interesting. Troy (esconced beyond the maze after all) is responsible for Annie's rescue from Farthinggale Manor, and he clears up the issue of Annie's true parentage so she won't feel guilt-ridden about loving the guy she thought was her half-brother all her life. And Aunt Fanny finally reforms. Sorry about the spoilers, but this book is best skipped. The prequel, Web Of Dreams, is more interesting because of Leigh's point of view about what really went on in that mansion and the shack in the Willies. | 0negative
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A classic, but don't try to learn geometry from Euclid
Euclid's "Elements" may very well be the most influential mathematical text in all of history. This fact alone justifies purchasing this book, which is the first of three volumes of Thomas L. Heath's English translation of this classic. This volume contains a lengthy introduction, and the actual mathematics covers plane geometry. Highlights include the construction of the regular 15-gon using straightedge and compass.The actual text of Euclid's work is not particularly long, but this book contains extensive commentary about the history of the Elements, as well as commentary on the relevance of each of the propositions, definitions, and axioms in the book. As such, this book is a good scholarly reference for English readers interested in the historical evolution of Euclidean geometry. For example, there is considerable discussion on the well-known fifth postulate about parallel lines.All this being said, do not try to learn geometry from this book. The content is more suited for readers who already know geometry and want to learn about the historical origins of the subject of geometry. There are many modern books written for readers new to geometry (some good, some bad). It's probably true that Abraham Lincoln studied the Elements as a young lawyer, but there are easier (if not better) ways to learn geometry nowadays. The Elements will be much more enlightening if the reader has a good grasp of the actual mathematics in the book prior to reading it. | 1positive
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Not for Kindle Fire
I'm disappointed that the Kindle version hasn't been updated for the Kindle Fire. In the appendix, for instance, when you click on items that start with A you get items that start with E. The same is true for the Glossary. And if you are trying to locate a certain numbered paragraph there are no hyperlinks to get you there. It's still very awkward to use as an E-book and could be much improved. As far as the actual book, however, this is an excellant catechism of the Catholic Church, in fact, the best available. And paying $10. for it is a steal...if only it were more user friendly! | 0negative
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Another boring entry to the Dr. Kay Scarpetta saga.
The latest Patricia Cornwell entry is totally boring.What little plot there is concerning a killer, or the werewolf, is secondary to the soap opera antics of dear Kay. | 0negative
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Truly a Rush
The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath, tells the story of the pain and rebirth of a young girl. We learn so much about her and her perspective of life. Although she's not trying to persuade you into believing her beliefs, she is trying to make your perspective on the real world open up. After reading this book, I am now opened up and enlightened. This book has brought me to ponder all aspects of life. It is truly a rush. Take my advice when I say, read this book! | 1positive
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One of the two best epics ever!!
SHOGUN and AZTEC are the best historical epics ever, in my opinion. SHOGUN is fast moving, takes place in a society we don't know much about, has engaging heros and villains, is stunningly detailed and well-researched, and is quite violent. These days, historical epics also spend a lot of time on sex, and SHOGUN comes from a more old-fashioned time, so it is fairly tame in that respect, but for violence, you'll be hard pressed to find more.The book is insanely long, and yet as it begins to reach the end, and you realise it's almost over, you'll be sad. You want to keep living with these great characters.Sorry I'm not summarizing the plot again...that's been done quite well here several times. I just want to chime in with my heartiest recommendations. It is flat out one of the most entertaining reads you'll ever find. Not great literature, but an absolute classic of its genre. | 1positive
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Nicely done
Very easy to read printing of Paradise Regained, in contrast to everything else I've seen. | 1positive
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A delight!
Annuska and Tanya represent, in this book, many of the values we hold dear- family, faith, friendship, and courage. As these two small children, unaccompanied by any adult, sail on a large ship to join their father, who seeking a better life for them, has already immigrated to America, we experience their hopes, fears, seasickness, and those who offer the hands of friendship. Upon arrival at Ellis Island, their trials continue as the crowds separate the two sisters, they must pass the health inspection, and locate their father in the large sea of humanity. This lovely story, and beautifully illustrated, ends with a happy reunion-restoring our faith in the courage, creativity and resilience of children. | 1positive
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unremittingly dull
As a doctor of music, I was intrigued by the idea of a musicologist as the protagonist in a mystery novel. I like mysteries, and I like musicology, so I was sure I would be this book's ideal reader. Its central plot device is the discovery of what might be a lost diary of Mozart. I was encouraged to read that the author is himself a pianist and musicologist, since this would surely enliven the world of the book. Perhaps some interesting insights into Mozart's early life would be found in the imagined diary. And perhaps - best case scenario - the author would help me to hear Mozart's music with fresh ears.Unfortunately, the book fails in every respect to live up to its promise. The author's style is unremittingly dull, and incapable of inspiring in the reader any emotion for his characters. Much of the book is set in Europe, but it might as well be Kansas City. We get no sense of the locale, even though the author apparently spends much time abroad.I found the main character impossible to like even a little. One reviewer here referred to his angst, but I don't think that adequately expresses the relentless self-involvement we are invited to become accomplice to. If we were to witness even the smallest portion of genuine ill fortune this man imagines himself to be the victim of, the book would be lively indeed. Instead, we are treated to a litany of trivial complaints that read like petulant letters home from a vacationing Evelyn Waugh hero. Perhaps we are not meant particularly to like him, but if this is the case, we ought at least to enjoy not liking him, as in Patricia Highsmith's books.The book's supporting cast of bitchy music queens, enigmatic aristocrats and taciturn acedemes fail to convince as well, though any of them would make a better traveling companion than our hero. Sadly, the Mozart revealed to us through his diary entries is, predictably, as much a cipher as the man reading them. Perhaps most disappointing of all, and most perplexing, is the complete lack of engagement with Mozart's music - the reason we are interested in his life at all.I can't remember when I approached a book with such high expectations and left it so abjectly disinterested. | 0negative
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Add another Rita to this author !!
Not a fan of over the top aplha males, this book was wonderfully plotted and a very welcome surprise. Crying males are so beta male wonderful to find given the current trend in contemporary romances. With OVER THE EDGE Ms Brockman has given readers smart, sexy sensitive heroes challenged by the strength and beauty of women: there are no whiney wimps in a Brockman book: male or female.Surely experienced romance readers will understand that Alyssa and Sam will find their own HEA down the road but she has created the ultimate angst for this couple. Nowhere is the reader mislead to think this is Sam and Alyssa's story, but it was nice to see them added giving the whole book a well plotted depth so lacking in other contemporary fiction.What made this one so enjoyable was there were three distinct couples to enjoy, but only one could be resolved at the end. To do more would be cheating both Alyssa and Sam and Gina and Max: each deserves and will get their own story. The only downer was the sub plot of Helga, the reader will figure out her problem quickly but Brockman let that drag on too much. Might be seen by some as filler, but as this was Teri and Stan's story it was understandable and gave Stan a more human side; the ulitmate gentleman.The story was gritty with language(but as a former service wife, it was well within the context of the characters,) and given the timing it might be a bit too close to reality for some because of today's headlines but it should be read by those who want to see the good guys win and win big. We all sort of need to feel that again. Given this past week it is refreshing to find that love like the mythical phoenix can rise from the ashes and triumph.Brava! Suzanne Brockman is romance's Tom Clancy and romance is so much better for it! | 1positive
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