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A fasinating book. Gersi recounts his experiences where he witnessed amazing powers among peoples of a wide range of different cultures that western civilization would consider `primitive'. Gersi witnessed one account of actual teleportation where he noticed that each time the shaman disappeared there was what appeared to be a strange moving "trail" (like heat waves) riding behind the shaman that resembled or took the form of a broomstick. He speculated that this might be the basis of the legend that witches ride broomsticks, such as, in pre-Colombian Mexico, the Aztecs worshiped Tiazolteotl (the witch-Goddess), who was usually depicted carrying or riding a broom.I would highly recommend this book.From the dust jacket:"Gersi begins with stories about his childhood experiences in the Belgian Congo - of murder by magic, of faith healing, of survival after death - that whetted his appetite for the frontiers of human knowledge. In this book he recounts some of his most stunningly provocative adventure in dimensions of experience normally thought impossible by the Western mind, but lived daily by peoples of tradition on islands, in jungles, and high in remote mountain ranges."Come travel with Douchan Gersi in this adventure-packed book to the farthest outposts of the world, where he particiapted in and photographed initiations and other sacred rituals normally forbidden to outsiders. How does he do this? 'I walk up to the village and open up my heart to them', he says - thus he has won accpetance into the innermost circles of many peoples of tradition. Gersi describes the black magic of Haitian sorcerers and the sacred services of the followers of the religion of Voodoo."He shows us surgery done by the bare hands of faith healers of the Andes and the Philippines, drives across the Sahara guided only by a blind seer from the telepathic Tuareg people, and tells us of human beings levitating and passing through solid walls among the Flying Men of Haiti.Our Western mind find such mysteries to be incredible - but does our disbelief in the extrasensory powers of the human brain merely cause us to lose the use of them? A work of nonfiction more exotic than most novels, Faces in the Smoke is an eyewitness account by a master adventurer and storyteller. It will captivate the hearts of all who pursue understanding of the outer limits of human nature and of the possibilities open to the courageous human spirit." | 1positive
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I couldn't even finish it. It went on and on for several pages pouring out meaningless drivel that has nothing whatsoever to do with the story. Fielding does this in a funny way. This guy's not funny. Even now I'm still shaking my head. My curiosity for this author is completely gone. I will not read another of his works. | 0negative
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From reading Deaver's novels, it is abundantly clear that his style, and his love of injecting a twist into a story, would be perfectly suited to the short story form. "Twisted" proves that that is true.This is a collection of 16 of his stories (apparently the first of a planned two volumes), some of them award-winning, all of them excellent examples of how to write crime genre short stories. If you don't like the crime genre, though, I would you against this collection. If you prefer literature, you'll find them fatuous. They are, I suppose - they mean little and the characters are pretty hollow when it comes right down to it. However, if you want a good series of shocks and surprises, this really is the collection for you. It is EXCELLENT in that respect.Some of the stories are absolutely excellent. For example, "Triangle" is possible a work of crime-writing genius. Absolutely brilliant. Every story has an unexpected twist. It's possible that you may be able to guess a couple, as you gradually work your way into Deaver's mindset, as I did, but even seeing twists coming, I think, gives you a great sense of satisfaction. There are one or two entertaining oddities, too. "All The World's A Stage" is a historical crime story, in which Shakespeare pops up. Some of the dialogue is laughable, the historical detail suspect, but the story itself is absolutely cracking. Despite it's flaws, it's very fine entertainment indeed.They're written excellently, in just the way crime short stories should be. Every sentence is telling; every sentence has its function and does its work. Characters are developed as well as they can be in such small frames, and plots are wrought well too.The only problem with a collection like this, is that, when stripped down, all 16 stories are rather similar, certainly in their devices. If you read this book as you would a novel, all in one go, I can imagine them getting pretty repetitive. It is probably best to read a story every couple of days. That's what I did, and I really enjoyed this. It was a great pleasure to be lead by the hand by Mr Deaver, and be surprised and then surprised again. | 1positive
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I was really hoping that this book would offer some insights on differentiating the advantages/disadvantages of PC/Windows platform vs. the Macintosh platform. If there is a definite advantage of working on the Mac platform then I want to know about it. The only insight and justification that could be offered over and over was that you just have to experience it. As a graphic designer I work on and with both platforms on a daily basis and I have never been overcome with that warm fuzzy feeling of crossing over to the other side that Kelby likes to talk about.I expected the deprecating PC banter that prevailed throughout the book; I just expected more substance. The lack of substance probably explains the absence of paper and ink. There was an emphatic overgeneralization of how "PC users" are just plain rude to "Mac fanatics." Kelby should try being a PC person in the graphic arts industry if he wants to really experience rudeness.If your only goal in reading this book is for entertainment or you need a morale boost because you are a dejected Mac user, this book will probably serve you well. If you are an individual who is in search of enlightenment, don't bother. | 0negative
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I have to read this book for school, and it is boring, dull, puts you to sleep after 2 pages.....exc.....exc....exc....... Dantes need to fugure out who he is....he must be 6 peple in his story.....but it did bite that he got arrested for that letter though..... Those guys were jerks.. | 0negative
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I liked it, but it was so dry. I only barely finished it, I'm sorry if my review isn't what you'd expect | 0negative
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First of the Trilogy, so fun to read. I was immediately ready for the second, Tears of the Moon. I was so pulled into this story, I had to find the second of the trilogy immediately (and we were on vacation). Mystical, Fairies,the Irish folklore, tears, Irish tempers, just makes you want to pack your bags and travel to Ireland to experience the people and places. | 0negative
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In Florida, serial killer Serge Storms decides he needs to settle down with a wife. However, Serge has a few things to take care of before tying the knot. For instance, where will they live? However before he can get married and they can select their home, Serge he must find the right woman. Thus the quest for the ultimate female for Mr. Storms begins.In the No Name Keys, a place where losers, lowlifes, and similar ilk are considered high society, Serge meets the woman of his dreams, mousy librarian Molly. However, as he writes in his Serge log, marriage is not quite what he expected as Mighty Mouse is driving Serge crazy with her needs. Still, murders aside, Serge somehow becomes a cult's Messiah though he denies it, which leads to High Noon with an oily CEO trying to overturn the anti-social order of the No Name Keys. Finally there are the drug lord looking to invade the Keys and Anna Sebring seeking to murder the serial killer who executed her brother with her revenge radar targeting Serge.TORPEDO JUICE is the typical wacky wild Tim Dorsey irreverent Florida thriller. The key to this tale is Serge's efforts to turn domestic when the world spirals through him in zany insane circles. This series of circular subplots lead to an amusing offbeat madcap tale, but also is difficult to follow as the keys never fully interact even with Serge as the foci. Still Mr. Dorsey provides his typical insane yet brilliant, extremely funny yet satirical wild South Florida tour.Harriet Klausner | 1positive
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Dune Messiah is definately the conclusion to Dune and SHOULD NOT be read before Dune, as you must first familiarize yourself with all the characters.Despite what others may say, Dune Messiah is not atrocious. It's actually a very good, well-written book. It may not be as good as Dune, but it's still very good. | 1positive
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John Connoly's Every Dead Thing is a huge dissappointment to mystery books everywhere! I got so bored with this book, I couldn't wait to finish it and put it on my "horrible" book shelf. If you want to read a good book, I suggest you read Bloodline by Jill Jones. Bloodline has love, romance, mystery, terror, and twists all the way through the end of the book. DON'T READ THIS BOOK! | 0negative
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These little classic editions are perfectly sized (small) and handsomely built. And the price is RIGHT. They are my favorite reading books -- nice binding and pages. I also enjoy the occasional illustrations. And they look very nice on my bookshelf. I'm so glad Amazon is stocking them! | 1positive
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David Rothkopf's book does a good job of demonstrating that personality and proximity have more to do with the national security decisionmaking process than any specific procedures or players. Meaning it does not matter if the Secretary of State is a respected, intelligent person who is the titular head of US foreign policy. What matters is who has access to the president and a good relationship with him (some day her).Unfortunately, I did not pick up the book to learn that as any biography of Kissinger, and numerous books about the current Bush Administration have demonstrated that reality clearly. What I was hoping for, and barely found, was a book much more focused on the structure, budget, staffing, and so on of the NSC. The book sometimes found its way to those points, but spent more time on other, better known topics. Of course, reading about Iran-Contra or the war in Kosovo are interesting, but they can also be found in plenty of other books without an NSC focus. I did not feel the book really leveraged its topic well in its discussion of the major foreign policy and national security events since World War II.The funniest error in the book is that at one point, the author refers to Jimmy Carter's press secretary as Jody Foster, not Jody Powell. How could no one catch that? The problem that creates, as other reviewers have noted, is that it calls into question everything else in the book. | 0negative
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I love Elizabeth Lowell's Rarities Unlimited series and this book is no exception. She makes each of the characters come to life so you get to know them. | 1positive
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This book consists of about 80 pages, half of which are copies of TradeStation charts and simulations. The rest is large print with very little substance. This material might make a nice appendix in the TradeStation manual. If you don't use TradeStation, it's of no use to you.If you are looking for a good book which will help you develop your own trading system, I would recommend: Beyond Technical Analysis by Tushar Chande | 0negative
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If you haven't read the preceding novel with Laciethis book will probably be a good read.BUT..........don't read any further if you haven't read Burnout:::::::Leaving Jack out of the book and for reasons which do not match up with the intense relationship that was established in Burnout, threw me right out of the story. Very, very jarring plot line. Colored Lacie in a not so nice light.I couldn't enjoy the rest of the book. I forced myself to read it. | 0negative
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Having just finished this latest offering from Mr. Bradley, I am moved to say here and now that he is a wunderkind of sorts. Insight and penmanship abound profusely across his pages. | 1positive
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My son loves baseball. He is 9 and had checked out this book for 2 weeks, and kept renewing it at school. It was so nice that he found something he enjoyed. There are tons of great pictures in it. | 1positive
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I heard the author deliver a keynote address at a large conference, and I must say that she is much more powerful as a speaker than as a writer or thinker. The book starts off rather gripping, as she details a piece of the story from when she was around 11 years of age and was whipped with what she came to term "Green Monster"--a water hose. Like this analogy, there are several very good ones throughout the book, yet there are some that are poorly thought out as well. A good one that comes to mind is when she details the account of her accidentally walking in on her mother in the act of intercourse, and she says that she saw the boyfriend "taking her [mother's] prettiness away," as she saw a different face on her mother than the beautiful one she was accustomed to seeing. The poorly thought out analogies seem to always take the form of belittling comments about other women in whose care she found herself, for example, some she makes about the weight and/or size of a friend and the friend's mother, who were good enough to take her in when she had no other place to go.This brings me to another thing that really soured what could have been a beautiful story of triumph. Although the author did triumph in the end, and I am happy for her (she is a successful business owner/hairstylist as well as an accomplished speaker and an author), the lesson she promotes in the book seems to have come at the expense of her internalizing a harmful belief system she seems to have subconsciously developed during her ordeal.It is clear that Regina Louise came out of it with deep-rooted and serious race-identity issues. These seem to have stemmed not from the way she was treated by her black family members and caregivers, but by her hyporealist imagination that carried her away much of the time as she was growing up, corroborated by the numerous media images that shaped her self-concept as she came of age. On several occasions in the book, she indicates that she always looked at the images of well-off little white girls and wished she could be like them. She talks about how ugly her dark-complected antagonist (one of her mother's boyfriends) was. She makes negative remarks about everyone black throughout the book, including a nice, well-off black family that tried to take her into foster care against her will. She preferred to stay at the youth shelter with an employee whom she wanted to become her mother. This same employee, Regina says took her home with her after work, had her spend the night, bought her (and only her) gifts and even had her sleep in the same bed and use the same toothbrush. Her words convey hatred toward everyone black that she encountered during her ordeal, including the black social worker and black foster families. On the flip side, one particular white female youth worker (aforementioned) was put on the level of God/dess, but for no clear reason mentioned, other than that the woman called her "pumpkin" and took her on special trips such as to the opera. In order to get a full idea of this mentality, one would really have to read the book (with a critical eye, not just feeling sorry for an abused child--which is natural). Certainly she (and no child) deserved any of the abuse that was served upon her. The added tragedy however, is that because of who abused her, she has now seemed to turn entirely against that whole culture and is uncritically embracing white culture (aspects of which she details in the book). At some points in the story, it became difficult to feel sympathy for her, when she was so rebellious and dishonest and did and said cruel and mean-spirited things to and about others who had done her no harm. This began to occur about halfway through the book.There are also some good details about her life and how it played out, but the writing overall was just good here and there, and just mediocre storytelling in most places, punctuated by her childhood broken English that the white youth worker helped her to correct--to her contentment. Not a book I chose to hold onto in my collection of approximately 1,000 non-fiction books. | 0negative
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great book just could not put it down. alex cross is a great character and james patterson write his novels so well. | 1positive
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Ken follet has a unique grasp which he loosens and tightens as and when he wishes.I wish this book was more exciting and could have been a real masterpiece.But anyways since i am a hard core fan of Follet i read all his books. | 1positive
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I fail to comprehend why this book has become such a 'classic'. I've never done so much skimming and speed-reading in my life. Am I missing something? | 0negative
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I guess it all started with the pre millennium madness. More and more biblical scholars are following the footsteps of scholars who have attempted to find the actual person behind the gospel accounts."Deconstructing Jesus" isn't an easy read. Unless you have been diligently studying in this field you will find many references to authors you have never heard about. The field is rife with people studying this question.Bottom line, as I understand it, is that the Jesus that contemporary Christianity follows is a multi-layered construction that has evolved over time to fit the needs of the current culture and political climate. The roots of this construction are all over the first century Middle East and various philosophies. From Cynic, to Gnostic, through Zealot, and everything in between has been woven into the picture that we get of "The Man From Nazareth" (or, was he a Nasserite or Nasorean?).For the serious student of Christology or church history this book is an excellent criticism of all the current thinking in this area of scholarship. I doubt that the average pew-sitting Christian will be overjoyed with this book but the scholarship will, eventually, be the stuff of many homilies.Will you find the historical Jesus in this book? No. But you will find an early Church struggling with a polyglot of beliefs attempting to blend them into a cohesive fabric of faith. Perhaps it is that dynamic that has kept "The Church" alive for two millennia. Mysticism and Gnostic thinking are on the rise again and "The Church" on the eve of another evolutionary move -- here's the first map of the territory ahead. | 1positive
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This book is great... I have read the other 3 that go with it and I couldn't put them down! Great writing makes these books a fast read. | 1positive
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This book is less of an instructional book and more of an advertisement for the sold separately software. I'm glad I bought this book used and didn't pay much for it. I think even if I were willing to spend the money for the software, this book would still be unhelpful, because it has so little actual information and instructions. The few words of advice it does give makes me feel like anything I would create with this software would make the invitations just as original as the invitations kits would offer. Not worth the time to read it. | 0negative
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I only read the first like ten pages. It was super boring so I stopped. Glad I borrowed it from the library. | 0negative
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The narrator is writing to a friend, relating a story that author Joseph Conrad had related to him earlier, about an encounter at sea. Got it? Lawrence Thornton's literary device is certainly clever, but it's so complicated that the whole book collapses under its weight. The dust jacket gave the impression that this book had similarities to "The Caine Mutiny," but that's not at all the case.Thornton's premise is interesting and his descriptive writing is excellent, but this was not an enjoyable read for me. A knowledge and love of Joseph Conrad's novels is practically essential, as is the patience for sorting out Thornton's narrative. | 0negative
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That being said I have to say I disliked this book, not just alittle but alot. I won't go into the book since so many other readers before me seem to agree about feeling let down in some way .I am a fan of Mrs. Quinn, but this book just fell flat in every aspect. The heroine has nothing to offer the reader. She's just plain annoying. The premises for the book was ok to say the least, I just don't know what happened to the book it was just plain boring. Mrs. Quinn is capable of so much but she seems to fall flat in her books too many times to count. | 0negative
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As I didn't liked the story at all I cant say lots of things about it but if I had to rewrite the book, I would do it in modern English. Old Englih is one of the reasons I didn't liked the book. Another reason is that is a very predictable story and it has only 2 themes: Romeo and Juliet's love and the war between their families. For me Romeo is the worst character because he only thinks about Juliet and kissing her.These and much more are the reasons of why I didn't liked the story | 0negative
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The novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is about an English utopian society in the future. The main characters are one of 96 clones just like themselves, and the novel guides the reader through their everyday lives. Huxley introduces some interesting concepts and ideas, but the text lacks flavor.The tiresome novel slowly drags on discussing the differences between their culture and that of today. There is no distinct storyline to engulf the reader's desire turn the pages, and it has a dry personality. Huxley declines to develop his characters and they lack a certain realistic dimension.There isn't an identifiable incline, climax or decline of the novel. Turning the pages is like drudging through a marshy swamp. Its dull continuation of information isn't intriguing, however the thought that this type of society may someday consume our world does open up the reader's mind to a shocking truth.The novel is well written, but isn't recommended for people under the age of fifteen due to many adult topics and concepts within. It is directed toward people interested in expanding their imagination about possible future societies, but doesn't have the action and suspense to keep the pages turning, so don't be disappointed. | 0negative
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Honestly, I have never seen so many typos in a book. Some sentences are almost incomprehensible (unless you want to spent the time figuring out which letters are missing or tacked onto the wrong word). Incorrect character names are aplenty. The authors and editors of this book should be ashamed! Did they read this book before they sent it to the printer? Huge print, double spaced - this book is actually about 100 pages, not 300. And all this at $24.95. This is so obviously a ruse to make money by piggybacking off the success of this show. Spent your money wisely - buy "The Lost Chronicles : The Official Companion Book" - a far superior book. | 0negative
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This is a great book of information. Our states are our National Treasures and this book really puts together info that gives us a taste of each and every one. The pictures are good too! | 1positive
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This is a book for those who try to be so politically correct that it's sickening. Believing in a god that doesn't punish evil is disgusting. If this author had spoken with the true God he would see how far off base he really is. The god he spoke with was either one of Satan's minions or his hunger for money. One can only hope the the true God that punishes evil can work some form of good out of this book. | 0negative
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Celine seems like the attempt here was to write 'the' great coming of age/teen angst novel, but instead, published the stuff from his wastebasket. This is as poor of a storyline as this 'book' ever develops. It's impulsive and boring at the same time, timid and defiant against only the reader. Unless you are buying this for the sheer challenge of completing a miserably confused and malleable author's diary, I recommend ANY OTHER BOOK. | 0negative
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My Mom had a type of Hodgkins Disease. Her doctor's treatments left her constantly tired and rapidly losing weight. I brought her a rebounder and had her do a gentle seated bounce,(never actually leaving the rebounder). Her energy came back, her weight normalized. The doctor's treatment-doses were immediately lowered, and soon discontinued. She was 80 at the time, and now is healthy 85. Even if it's a coincidence, it's the safest treatment ever, and for non-athletic movements, the discount-store models for as low as $25 are fine. | 1positive
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This is a great series for anyone. I have read three out of the series and can't let myself buy another one until this semester of college is over because I can't put it down, I end up reading the night away and doing no homework ha ha! Great books! | 1positive
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I find this book, as well as all others by this author, to be very degrading to dogs. I can't believe any dog-loving person would support the humiliation and exploitation of animals by purchasing this book, which is filled with a poor little dog (named Zelda) being dressed up in ridiculous costumes. There is a brief one or two-line sentence written by the author under each silly photograph. Supposedly they are wise thoughts, but of course they are not. Horrible. | 0negative
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This novel takes many of the elements of "roman noir" and sets them in Havana. Superficially, the work is a murder mystery that focuses on a jaded cop's transformation as he interacts with a mysterious individual whom he meets while investigating the murder of a transvestite. Along the way, the novel raises interesting points about the various faces/masks that individuals wear depending upon given situations and the people with whom the individuals are interacting. The novel explores the need to create, zeros in on the thin line between friendship and romantic love, and teases the reader with notions of sexual ambiguity."Mascaras" is a quick and easy read. Unfortunately, it also raises issues in an off-handed mannaer without exploring them in any great depth. This superficiality is a disappointment, for the issues are interesting and Padura clearly has ideas that are worth the reader;s though. But without deeper exploration, the reader is left with unanswered questions and the prosaic and easily predictable police narrative. | 0negative
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This book takes a quick casual look at certain facets of low limit Hold'em, and sprinkles in some Omaha and Stud for good measure. This $10 book has helped me net over $400 in poker winnings online and in a casino in the last 2 months, never higher than $2/$4 stakes. The starting hand table is absolutely necessary for beginners, and easy to master. Once you see how well it works, you'll be ready for the more advanced texts about tells, betting strategy, etc. A must-read for anyone who wants to change their bad card luck, and only play when the odds are in their favor! | 1positive
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Dorian Gray is an exceptionally handsome young man, but when he sees his portrait and realizes his own beauty he wishes that the painting would grow old while he could remain young. At first he is mortified when he finds changes in his painted image, but influenced by a friend Dorian begins to seek the pleasures in life. No matter what depths he sinks to his handsome face remains unchanged, while the portrait grows uglier and more hideous, burdened not only by age but by his debauched lifestyle.I don't know if this work of literature is as widely read as it maybe once was but I was quite taken in by the story. It's interesting that Dorian, instead of using the portrait as a type of conscience to correct his actions, instead takes strange delight in observing the change. He revels in his freedom from outward consequences and digs deeper, delving into every pleasure. In some ways the separate manifestations of the individual reminded me ofDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, while his recognition of his outward appeal and how it would fade seemed to have shades of Bradbury'sDandelion Wine. And the character of Lord Henry is interesting, always in the background congratulating him and encouraging Dorian's sensual hedonism. But it's also a critique of society, both Victorian and today: we spend our time and money trying to reverse the effects of age (the gym, cosmetics and cosmetic surgery, etc.); companies spend billions idealizing (or idolizing) "youth"; and some even even seek to excuse away weakness and place blame elsewhere. In all, it may not be a perfect story but it's very interesting and thought-provoking. | 1positive
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I must say that finishing this 618 page book was a challenge. I never thought I'd say that about a Tom Clancy novel, but I have to. The writing was sub-par, there were many trivia references which were repeated two, three, even four times in later passages which makes me think that either the editing was poor (there were also grammatical errors) or that Mr Clancy wrote this in such a disjointed fashion that he never realized. Jack Ryan came off as a whining, pushy and obnoxious character, in my opinion. Finally, given the historical context of the plot, it seemed like Clancy had a novel of maybe 200 pages and used long, boring, winded passages of nothing to fill in the other 400 pages. It was like reading Moby Dick, where Melville takes 5 pages to describe a sail. Even though I knew the outcome of the event, I still expected suspense leading up to it, during the Rabbit's escape, the Rabbit's debriefing, and/or the actual shooting of the Pope.I have every one of Clancy's "Jack Ryan Series" novels, and every year I seem to reread them a bit and never tire of them (my wife thinks that's very odd, among other things), but I can guarantee that I will never read this one again. Given the less than spectacular last novel, The Bear and the Dragon, I think that Clancy is just sick of this series and doesn't really know what else to do or how to stop it, and I feel like a ... for filling his coffer. | 0negative
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A gripping story of a dog's transformation from a domestic pet to a fiercely wild dog. I was so engrossed that I would have finished this book in one sitting if I hadn't discovered it on a work night. I now understand why Jack London is so renowned. | 1positive
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Muhlah! This wasn't a horrible book, but it reads too much like an inside joke. Muhlah! Not one of her best, not as good as the other two. | 0negative
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I JUST FINISHED READING THE BLUEST EYE FOR THE SECOND TIME. I HAD A HARD TIME GETTING INTO THE STORY. AS A MATTER OF FACT I COULDN'T IDENTIFY WITH THE STORY AND NO I AM NOT BEAUTIFUL NOR DO I COME FROM A WEALTHY FAMILY. I KNOW OPRAH WAS SO HAPPY WITH THIS BOOK AND GAVE IT RAVING REVIEWS... I JUST DIDN'T LIKE THE BOOK VERY MUCH. I WILL ADMIT I REALLY TRIED TO GET INTO THE STORY. THAT IS WHY I READ IT FOR THE SECOND TIME. | 0negative
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I've really enjoyed Jean Plaidy's books over the years, but hadn't read one in quite a while. Since they've begun to be re-published I decided to see what the library had to offer. I picked this up because I knew very little about the English Civil War and its principal players.Jean Plaidy usually excels at drawing the reader into a specific historical period through excellent research and detailed description, but I found this book lacking. It felt like a first draft. Written in the first person, Henrietta Marie's voice is repetitious. All of the historical events presented feel shallow due to a lack of detail. King Charles' presence is barely felt as are her feelings toward him. The relationship--supposedly a great love match--never feels fully fleshed out. There's a lack of physical description that makes it hard to feel part of the scene. None of the other characters register as real people either.Overall, it was a rather boring read. I did finish the book, because I was actually interested in the subject. This is the only fictional account of Henrietta Marie I've been able to find. I give it two stars for that alone.Read this if you're curious, but I'd recommend any other of Jean Plaidy's books especially The Queen's Confession about Marie Antoinette (written under her Victoria Holt nom de plume) or The Lady in the Tower about Anne Boleyn. | 0negative
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'LSJ', as this good friend of a book is called by specialists of ancient Greek language and linguistics, is a staple.You wouldn't skip breakfast before heading to work. You wouldn't wear dress shoes without socks. You wouldn't fail to own a well-worn copy of this classic Greek-English lexicon if your work immerses you in ancient Greek.Regularly updated since its initial publication in 1843, LSJ makes you wonder what people did before, well, LSJ. This Oxford University Press publication still sports an archaic but crystal clear typeface. Each entry has at least one English definition but often many more, Greek contexts, and citations from the literature in which the word is found.As with any classic, critics abound. LSJ, it is alleged, is too dependent on debunked etymology, too slanted towards a certain sector of the literature, too passé in its linguistics, etc.No matter. We all still slide it regulary from its honored place on a nearby shelf for helpful and usually appreciated consultation.A dear old friend, LSJ. What ever did people *do*? | 1positive
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THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE WAS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS IVE READ THIS YEAR.CAIN REALLY DOES NO HOW TO HOOK AN AUDIENCE WITH HIS VERY VIVID IMAGINATION. THIS BOOK REALLY DID KEEP MY EYES GLUED AND I CANT WAIT TO SEE THE MOVIE. SO I WOULD ADVISE THIS BOOK TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ABOVE. | 1positive
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Like the other three Holmes novels, this book is a masterpiece. Sure, it is old (over 100 years, in fact) but, being Holmes, it will always be as fresh and exciting as it was the day it was released. Although all the Holmes stories are great, and you will have a good time reading any of them, I reccommend reading the books in chronological order (this can be conveniently done with the omnibus The Complete Sherlock Holmes), it will only serve to make you like the stories even more.Anyways, this is the second Holmes story, and it is a page-turner, full of suspense. Also, it delivers the kind of intrigue and "how did he know that! " disbelief that only a Sherlock Holmes story can generate. It is because of this, and the stunning detail in which he is described throughout the 60 Holmes stories, that the hardcore readers of the Holmes stories cannont alltogether accept him as fictional. No character in the history of fiction has ever been more real to his readers, and none ever will be. Many Holmes fans have been known to feel remorse, even sadness upon visiting the Rickenback Fall (where Doyle originally tried to kill Holmes). That may sound fanciful, but indulge yourself in the 60 Holmes stories (including this one-one of the best) and see if you fall into that category. | 1positive
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i havent read it yet but it shows diskousting:)I hate this book and i hope my mates of aal <vasos > help me finisk it.Chill out | 0negative
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Frederick Rolfe styled himself Fr. Rolfe to write this book, to make it look as if he was a Priest. Rolfe himself failed to enter the RC priesthood, rather like Mr Rose/Hadrian (the hero)... and from there on, you can see from his life that Hadrian VII is really Rolfe's wish fulfilment... not only to become a priest, but a Pope! Like Hadrian/Rose, Rolfe was an oddball in real life.Mr Rose is a reclusive, catty & bookish Englishman, who excels in verbosity and likes showing off his skills in Ancient Greek. Through a chain of coincidences, this autistic "hermit" ends up becoming a priest, and then Pope. He renames himself Hadrian as the last English Pope before him, Nicholas Breakspear, had. Once in power Hadrian takes two conflicting courses, first reforming the Vatican to become less worldly and selling off some of its treasures for charity, harmonising RC factions etc and secondly getting right into world politics... this novel was written before WWI so some of his solutions are a little quaint. He gets France and Russia "sorted out", and hands over most of the world to his native England (see end). Hadrian has a strong anti-socialist bent, but this book came about 8 years before the Bolshevik Revolution occurred.The other characters are less appealing... least convincing is Jerry Sant, who is supposedly some kind of Scottish socialist, but who speaks neither like a Scot nor much like a socialist (devious or otherwise). Cardinal Ragna, who might be presumed to supply some decent opposition, is also a cardboard cutout.Rolfe has an odd style of writing... for example he refuses to talk of people being "Scottish" or "Irish", but prefers talking of them as Pictish, Erse or Gaelic, or Keltic (with the K). Despite being a pompous quoter of Classical Greek (and more oddly not mentioning much Latin to go with it), he shows a great prejudice towards living languages of his country's neighbours. -"England is the dominant race: her language is the language of all her colonies. Why a triplet of little conquered countries [Scotland, Ireland and Wales] should refuse to learn English - should be permitted to insist on their barbarous and unliterary languages, we could never understand. They are conquered countries annexed to their conqueror"Rolfe evidently needed educating in this area. Gaelic monks taught the Anglo-Saxons how to read and write, and the Irish Free State began a mere six years after the book was written, but I digress. Here is a specimen of the book's style, which goes on and on, page after page -"The Supreme Arbitrator provided the human race with scope and opportunity for energy. The provisions of the Epistle to princes were drawn up in the Form of Treaty dividing the world, til Midnight (G.T.) of December 31st (N.S.) of the year 2000 of the Fructiferous Incarnation of the Son of God into the Ninefold Kingdom, the American Republic, the Japanese Empire and the Roman Empire."(This is his cabbalistic way of saying Hadrian handed over Africa and most of Asia to England "the Ninefold Kingdom", naturally, and had given Siberia to Japan. The Roman Empire he speaks of is Continental Europe controlled by the Kaiser.) | 0negative
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I received Wild Fruits from my parents for Christmas, read it last spring, and finally have gotten around to writing a small, informal review. First of all, I'd like to thank Dr. Dean for bringing this last Thoreau manuscript to light-- he has done a great service to Thoreau enthusiasts, lovers of literature and nature, and posterity with this work (I'd tell him personally but I seem to have misplaced his e-mail address).There isn't a great deal I feel need to add, as previous reviewers have done a good job already. Over the past year, Thoreau's words on these wild fruits have been steeped in my consciousness. Henry's loving, beautiful depictions of these various gifts of nature were with me as I worked this summer at a garden center, realizing that Henry's "shad bush" and our "serviceberry" were one and the same. After reading this book, I was much more aware of the fruits of my own native Michigan fields and woods-- blackberries, rose hips, elderberries, wild grapes, and viburnums were all there this summer, more numerous and beautiful than ever before. I found myself collecting and tasting plants I never would have thought to try before, Henry's words openened a whole new world to me. Then, in August, I made a pilgrimage to Massachusetts, looking for and tasting the fruits of New England, even the fabled huckleberries, on Cape Cod National Seashore and in the Walden Woods, as I sauntered along the railroad tracks into Concord from the pond. Even this fall, when I came back to my university in Colorado, I discovered and gathered the fruits of the prickly pear cactus, and have saved the seeds, hoping to possibly propagate them.Read these last sweet words from our friend Henry-- let him teach you to love the simple natural joy that can be found nestled among the shrub-oaks and pitch pines: our free, wild American fruits. | 1positive
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Gill is really superficial in this book. The overall story is quite fascinating, to say the least, but there are so many inaccuracies in the book that it should not have been published at all. I personally found the book unpleasant to read, because Gill had used the Finnish words for the most important terms. And mostly wrong. As a Finn, I find it troubling and makes reading uneasy. It also makes me wonder about other facts which have been presented in this book. I also did not understand why there was a photo of the former president Mauno Koivisto presented but no story attached. Maybe there was a reason? | 0negative
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jordans previous books were saved from his terrible, tedious writing style by some great action set pieces,some interesting leaps of imagination and, with rand, a compelling manichaean conflict but in the latest instalment there are no redeeming features. jordan appears to have no literary merit, his writing is graceless and his characterisation hackneyed and weak. the women are caricatures and so are the men, an assembly of cliches who mouth platitude after platitude. does every layer of clothing need to be described in such ridiculous detail, does every thought need to be forced upon us so, does he have an editor. jordan appears to think that every little thing needs to be spelt out to us again and again to the extent that one feels he thinks we lack sufficient intelligence to understand the most simplistic of notions and ideas. by continuing to buy this mind numbingly boring drivel he has spawned of late we may just be proving him right. | 0negative
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What a shame that Harris wasted the terrific characters he introduced in Silence (and Dragon) and dragged us through what I'd call one man's love affair with Italy. Sadly enough, the only time I detected some excitement in Harris' writing was when he described the buildings and streets of Florence, Italy. Otherwise he threw Clarice Starling and Hannibal to the pigs (literally). By the time the finale rolled around, the only thing I was interested in finding out was what wine the doctor was serving with dinner! (Note to author: You and Patricia Cornwell need to get together some time and talk about Italy. She can wax ecstatic over its cuisine and you can ramble on about its architecture and history. That way you can get it out of your system and your readers won't have to suffer through pages of the stuff waiting to find out what became of the main characters.) | 0negative
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I have wanted to read this book for about a year and finally got my chance while on vacation. What a great read! The book held my attention much better than TOXIN by Robin Cook. Which at the end my conclusion was "I could have written that."Junger manages to put together the entire picture of this "Storm of the Century" in a way that you feel you KNOW what is going on. Not only with the boats but with the people on the boats and the people on-shore.In short, read this book. | 1positive
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If you want to learn about Ben Franklin this is a fine read. If you want to be entertained try something else. Isaacson's style is ponderorus and lacks energy and flow. Who would have thought that Franklin's wonderful life could be recounted in such boring detail. | 0negative
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I was impressed with the first books in this series, but this one is very disappointing. The story was very difficult to follow. I would not recommend this book. | 0negative
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H.G. Wells used science fiction as a medium in which to promote his ideas. This book is typical of his work in that it supports the following ideas: 1) People are, in general, bad, wicked, and evil. 2) As time goes on, the condition that we live in will get worse and worse. 3) Technology is bad, and causes more harm than good. 4) Capitalism causes suffering. 5) Socialism is good.Contrast this with the wonderful book MYSTERIOUS ISLAND by Jules Verne. That book expresses a very deep appreciation for freedom. And the characters are portrayed as heroes while they use their minds to develop technology to improve their quality of life. You can get MYSTERIOUS ISLAND right here at amazon.com. And if you like MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, then you might also want to read ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand, which is also available here at amazon.comWells was a pessimist and a socialist. Verne was an optimist and a lover of liberty. And I think that your political views are going to have a big influence on how you feel about each of these two authors.Of course there is nothing wrong with using fiction as a medium for discussing political ideas. It's just that when I read a book such as THE TIME MACHINE, I can't help but noticing how flawed Wells's view of society is. If only Wells were alive today so he could witness the millions of poor people who flee from socialist countries and move to the capitalist USA because they are seeking a better quality of life. I wonder what kinds of books Wells would be writing today if he were alive to see this. | 0negative
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I AM CURRENTLY READING THIS BOOK AS A MANDATORY OUTSIDE READING BOOK FOR MY 11TH GRADE ENGLISH CLASS. I AM ON CHAPTER THREE AND I STILL HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT IS GOING ON EXACTLY. FAULKNER'S USE OF WORDING IS EXTREMELY CONFUSING AND DOES NOT CAPTURE THE READER AT ALL.ALONG WITH READING THE BOOK WE HAVE TO COMPLETE A PROJECT EXPLAINING THE PLOT AND MAIN THEMES. HOW CAN I DO THIS IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BOOK ITSELF?THIS BOOK IS SAID TO BE A GREAT PEICE OF AMERICAN LITERATURE BUT I DISAGREE COMPLETELY.I THINK IT'S REALLY BAD. | 0negative
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This book was one of my all time favorites as a child and I had a great time reading it as an adult. The story and illutrations fill your head with crazy pictures of wild things dancing around. As a child these wild things were a little scary looking at first but you begin to love them and sometimes wish that your room could change into one just like Max's. You could sail away and be crazy with the wild things and not get in trouble. This book offers so much fantasy to children, it is a great way to get their imagination going wild. | 1positive
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I tried for several months to recommend this book to my son (age 10) with no success. Finally, last year, his teacher started reading this to his class. I still remember him coming home and plopping on the couch to VOLUNTARILY continue reading it! My son, VOLUNTARILY READING? That speaks volumes. He finished the book and then came to ask me, "Mom, why didn't you tell me this was such a great book?" ::sigh:: Sometime I guess you just have to learn for yourself. Check it out! | 1positive
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Warren doesn't know what he's talking about. There are several serious errors in his book, mainly that he seems to believe that the cards have "memory" (they don't), that you should play rushes, etc. Ignore this! Any student of probability can tell you that this is bad advice. In addition, he has no understanding of pot odds, and has no concept of the value of four-flushes. Although his basic advice is generally sound, it's geared more towards a 10-20 game than the 2-4 or 3-6 game that most readers of the book will play in. In your average "no-fold'em hold'em" game, you can play more loosely than Warren allows, especially suited connectors. You'd be better off spending your money on Lee Jones's book, for he has a much more solid understanding of low-limit hold'em. | 0negative
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My grandchildren (2 and 3) have shelves of books, but this book was an instant success with my granddaughter who will be 3 in April. I had to read it to her at least twice a day during my visit. She would repeat with me click, clack moo as I was reading. She did understand that there was no milk, no eggs because the cows and hens did not get electric blankets. She liked the big drawings. | 1positive
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This little book it one of the best books about being called to a religous life and what it's like to follow that call. I've read a lot of books about life as a nun and this one is the one that spoke to me the most. It adresses many aspects of why one would choose to become a nun and why one would want to stay. Her writing style is easy to read and laced with humour. I would want Sister Karol Jackowski as a friend. But then again, after reading this book and "Ten Fun Things To Do Before You Die", I kind of feel like she already is. | 1positive
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Spent 57 minutes on phone last night with Kindle. The could not figure it out sotheir explanation is that the links just don't work with Kindle for Mac.I wish they would fix this, but they seem to not care that it doesn't work.Not happy at all. | 0negative
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I saw this show on Broadway and decided to re-read the book. Ordered this Fawcett/Ballantine version from Amazon for $7.99. The print is tiny, impossible to keep your place on the page, very little white space - and yes, my eyesight is fine. The ink is uneven, dark and blurry in some pages, fades out on others. Overall, a mess of poor manufacturing. I looked forward to enjoying this book but will have to acquire a better (probably used) volume. Whoever did this to Michener's Pulitzer prize winning book should be embarrassed. | 0negative
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Like most customers, I give a quick read to the Amazon review, hoping to gain a little insight into the book.Patrick O'Kelley's review of "The Five People..." was sufficient, if not a bit pedestrian, but served the purpose. Until he wraps up with a comparison, and a seemingly positive plug for, "It's a Wonderful Life." WHAT?!That's a TERRIBLE story, and O'Kelley has just added himself to the list of people that are perpetrating the idea that there is something rewarding in this tale.If I choose to read "Five People..." I'll certainly buy it from someone else.PS: I'm telling Albom. | 0negative
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This book begins at the beginning, establishing the rationale for accepting that there is a Being which created and sustains the Universe, but deals with each of us on an individual basis. He then moves on to identify what kind of Being this is, eventually naming Him "God". The next step is to further identify this God as the Christian God, one Being composed of three Persons. Throughout the book, the author always returns to and emphasizes the individual's relationship to God as the primary reason he has written this book. It is fascinating, calling each of us to examine that relationship and its ultimate meaning. | 1positive
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I'll be brief. It teaches efficient programming and good tips for beginner programmers but don't try to follow the steps outlined in the book. Seems that author got lost in his own steps. For example page 144 step 8 doesn't indicate that you should place the onChanged code in the "calcObject.as" file, instead it says that you sould place it after the onKillFocus event. I lost a lot of time trying to figure out why my program wasn't working (wanting to practice debugging) until I finally looked at the files in the DVD. I'd say just read the book and test using the files that came in the DVD if things don't work. | 0negative
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I picked up a number of books for a beach vacation, and thought James Patterson's Beach House would be perfect for the trip. Unfortunately, this is one of the hokiest mysteries I've ever read. Usually I enjoy James Patterson, but this book was a big disappointment.A Long Island native, Jack Mullen is a senior at Columbia Law when his younger brother is murdered. Peter Mullen is a likable but aimless lad who likes to live on the edge. He was parking cars for a rich CEO in the Hamptons when he disappears. His body washes up on the beach the next day, and he's been brutally beaten. But the chief of police claims it was an accidental drowning or a suicide-even though the medical examiner rules otherwise. It soon becomes apparent that there is a massive cover-up going on, and the rich CEO, Barry Neubauer, is at the top of the list.Jack and his buddies decide that they're going to have to discover the truth for themselves. They are threatened, fired from their jobs, and the person who wants to keep the truth buried has lots of power, money and very long arms. It is at this point that the story loses all credibility, but I can't divulge why without giving away the plot.Perhaps part of the problem with Beach House is that it is co-written by Peter De Jonge. Also, Patterson generally keeps his chapters short (two or three pages at most). This 356 page book has 113 chapters with a blank page or so between each one. Without the wasted paper, Beach House could have been at least 33% shorter. At least you can read it in a day.I'm now halfway through Patterson's First to Die, and I'm enjoying it very much. So I guess that even good writers can produce a clunker now and then. | 0negative
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I have been a Vampire Chronicles fan for years. But I had heard of a new book by Anne Rice that piqued my curiosity. I checked out her reasons for writing the book on her website. I wanted to know how she would handle the Good Lord Himself. I must say I was not disappointed by the book. Ms. Rice has returned to her Catholic heritage and faith. I myself am not Catholic, but can appreciate the strength of faith she has exhibited in this marvelous tale.I did not pick the book up right away. Once I did, I found it hard to put down. The characters are ones that we are all familiar with: Jesus; Mary; Joseph. But Anne Rice's writing fleshed the people out in a way that only faith and our own imagination have done for us till now. This book is definitely a must read for anyone who loves a great story, historical fiction or Biblical fiction. Anne Rice has done right by all of them. | 1positive
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But what I hear is a deeply mendacious piece of self-promotion, which speaks at length about the author's achievements in public life, but which cannot keep its own promises. The blurb claims that this text "raises the curtain on the craft of effective language." Yet this is not a book about effective language; rather it is about manipulation. It's not about getting your message across; it's about getting people to agree to a message that has been tailored to elicit that agreement, whatever its real content might turn out to be.If I'm wrong about this, then the author is by no means in control of his own message. If I'm right, then the author is by no means in control of his own message. | 0negative
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I used to be an enormous fan of Philips and Muscle Media before their change in image lately. However, MM as a whole is not what should be commented on in reviewing this book.You can generally find as good or better information than this in the books at your local library as well as at websites. For that matter, researching "fitness", "weight training" on a powerful search engine will probably turn up as much information as you can learn here.The motivation aspect of this book is lauded a great deal. If it's motivation you lack, then pick up a book by a good self-help author like Stephen Covey or Tony Robbins.All in all, unless you have dreams of winning one of EAS's contests, you honestly do not need Philips or this book for anything. | 0negative
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My favorite book of all time. It's a bit long but worth the time and energy. | 1positive
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The book did not turn me on.I thought it was more interesting,but I can always regift it............ | 0negative
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The book Wuthering Heights, though a classic, is as perennial as the Bible itself. From many covers, it appears a feminine novel. Not so! Not so! The novel encompasses a broad range of subjects amongst which the most profound is the effects of prejedice on humanity. Throughout the book, which basically, once started, takes three addictive days, themes of love and hate protrude from the pages. Though a first-person narrative, the novel becomes for the majority, a recollection of events in the past as dictated to the narrator. I assure you, once you read this book, you will relate to these words: pity Heathcliffe! | 1positive
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The publisher must have thought that anything Puzo wrote was gold as thisappeared a few years ago and rightfully disappeared.The main characters, Francis Xavier Kennedy, his friends and staff are completely unconvincing and cardboard cutouts.The assassination of his daughter holds no suspense or regret as she is a cardboard character like the rest of them.Needless characters and unnecessary plot lines appear to confuse the reader.Remember that 1/3 of "The Godfather" was junk about Jules the doctor and his love affair with Sonny Corleone's lover.The movie thankfully cut out the waste and was the better without it."The Fourth K" is all fat and no meat.They are re-releasing it to coincide with"The Godfather Returns" and terrorists assaults on US soil.Avoid this book! | 0negative
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Jane EyreJane Eyre/ author: Charlotte Bronte/ Publisher: Modern LibraryA girl named Jane Eyre had wonderful and wealthy parents that loved her very much. Not long after she was born her parents died of typhus by caring for the poor. Growing up and being raised in Gateshead by her aunt was not easy. This orphan girl never got loved from her aunt "Mrs. Reed" or her cousins "Eliza, Georgina", and her bullying cousin "John." She was like any other child, trying to survive in this world. For the Reed's being an orphan is not good enough. Jane was treated like she was not part of the family and was living a life of negligence and abuse. "I am glad you are no relation of mine. I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to visit you when I am growing up; and if any one asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say the thought of you makes me sick..." Every moment that passed by with every inch of every word that came from Jane's mouth we can see that she had hatred inside of her knowing that it did not develop alone.After a visit from the family apothecary, he suggests Mrs. Reed to send Jane to a school where maybe she may find happiness. Mrs. Reed decided to send Jane to Lowood for free, to an orphan school where she was treated harshly and overworked. Growing up in this school made her stronger. Six years later she became a teacher in the same school where she was treated crudely and her best friend died. Then she decided to move out to a new city, Thornfield. There a new journey and life will begin but....What is waiting for her? Is it worse than what she has been through? What can she really expect? Can she support more cruelty? The answers lies ahead in the book called Jane Eyre by the author Charlotte Bronte. | 1positive
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It wasn't until a few years after the publication of The Origin of Species (1859) that natural selection completely overhauled biology as the unification principle widely sought after to explain uniformity and diversity in living things, Darwin had himself uncovered a type of natural selection, sexual selection, mentioned it briefly in Origin but held back on explaining it fully because it would require more work to do so. The result was the 2 volume The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex published in 1871 that spanned nearly 700 pages. Here both volumes are presented in one.Darwin and Wallace had co-discovered natural selection as the main mechanism of evolution. Wallace however had succumbed to supernatural explanations and had largely refused to accept that sexual selection could produce some adaptations. Maybe this was because he thought that some adaptations could be explained another way but Darwin had compiled enough evidence to suggest that sexual selection was responsible for many adaptations and was also thusly more evidence for his theory of natural selection. There was only one way to do this and that was to set about documenting as much as Darwin could on sexually selective traits. It is a mammoth undertaking and is primarily the book that got the ball rolling on explaining these adaptations.As someone who has read this book I am surprised by how it is often wrongly misrepresented by creationists as a work of unabashed racism. Out of the 700 pages I found maybe a few lines that would today require some more elaboration to make the intention clear. That is for today, nearly 140 years since it was written and only 50 years after western civilization had abandoned segregation. Darwin's work is nothing short of 140 years ahead of its time during an era that was still working to abolish slavery. Still we are always going to have some individuals who do not understand this context (maybe deliberately) so reasons are given by way of a 21st century introduction (James Moore and Adrian Desmond in my edition). There is no excuse for the detractors to be ignorant about this matter, an issue that only appears in possibly several lines out of the hundreds of thousands that are here. So let's be done with that and move on to the science.Darwin sets out by indicating homologous structures among organisms classed as different species. During correlation he also introduces vestiges as evidence of our origins. He then turns to mental powers and instinct, especially between humans and other primates, their ability to reason and use tools and awareness. Darwin directly implies that god belief could stem from evolution as does morality. He talks about social structures, especially with insects. He analyzes indigenous peoples (called savages back then) as evidence for descent and compares developments through variations, inheritance and their causes. The important point here is that the ultimate causes are the same for all living things including humans. Darwin looks at parts that we use and do not use, gives reasons for them, treats the topic of erect walking, canine teeth, skull shape, nakedness, our tail bone, brain expansion, our ranking in the animal kingdom, the various races and their extinctions.Darwin then turns to sexual selection as an explanation for a variety of adaptations. He looks at polygamy, variability, proportions of males to females and the question surrounding this. Turning to the animal kingdom he looks closely at colours, dimorphism, structures for holding during mating, musical instruments (stridulating), pugnacity, adaptations for sexual conflict, courting, colour protection and differences in colour between males and females and mimicry. He covers all of these with birds, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, insects and mammals.He expands on them in advanced chapters such as on the topics of building nests, parental care, laws of battle, dancing, seasonal variations, moults, female choice, exceptions to these observations, sex-limited traits, male and female role reversals, absence of weapons in females, weapons with both sexes, vocals, odours, hair, skin colour, spots and stripes.Now that Darwin has firmly established sexual selection he then turns to humans, the differences between the sexes, commonalities, law of battle, mental powers, voice, beauty and marriage, exaggerations, beauty standards, bodily hair, skin colour and the final conclusion that man is descended from some lower form and is self evidence of his lowly origin.Most of the book is devoted to comparing sexual traits between varieties of organisms. There are very clear illustrations (something Origin doesn't have) every few pages. The style is very much fact upon fact upon fact. There is a huge amount of footnotes on every page with Darwin referencing everything meticulously. There are lists of birds after amphibians after mammals after fish after insects. It is a globe sprawling nature walk. We are talking hundreds of pages on observed facts. Darwin even discusses behaviour in relation to animal signalling.His description of sexual selection among organisms vastly outweighs the actual topic of the descent of man and makes it almost seem redundant but the purpose is clear. Once Darwin has established sexual selection with other organisms and shows how the adaptations appear he then applies the same criteria to humans and abruptly we emerge from the picture of an ape-type hominid ancestor. Sexual selection makes it all too evident why we appear the way we do. Ideas that our attributes are based on a divine representation for a sanctified existence have lost. We are shaped by our desires. | 1positive
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It is hard to review a dictionary. I cannot verify all 45,000 entries are accurate, there isn't a plotline you judge or characters to hate. It is a book full of words in English and Cyrillic Russian.However, I can tell you how useful it is. This is the size of a supermarket paperback novel, so it is highly portable. To make a dictionary this small and affordable, you have to sacrifice on a little readability. I haven't found anything that is unreadable, but some words need to be squinted at longer than others.If this is the only dictionary you can afford, you will do just fine with it. However, I will carry this one in my laptop bag and search for a more readable version to keep on my desk. | 1positive
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Since my husband and I are dealing with an involuntary separation for this pregnancy, I decided we both needed some laughs, and after several gals from a website I frequent recommended it to other people, I decided to give it a go.Boy, am I glad I got this book! It was a quick read, over with in just a few short hours, but hilarious despite being a little uncouth at times. People that are not comfortable discussing even the most normal of bodily functions probably won't appreciate this book, but the rest of us will appreciate the bluntness and charm. | 1positive
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I have nothing against philosophy, in a philosophy book. I have enjoyed all of Goodkind's books up till now. Some have been better than others, but all were enjoyable.The main problem with this book was the philosophy. The philosophy he is putting forth is objectivism. I like objectivist philosophy, but from the original writer, Ayn Rand. While it is OK to have a certain philosophy for your characters to work within, Goodkind slaps it on way to thick.The writing style itself is good as you would expect from Goodkind and the actual story line that has a villain and a fight between good and evil is solid. The problem is is that nothing happens. The action is slow and boring; Richard is once again sick, a recurring problem that has to me been used too much; and the book spends way too much time talking about philosophy. | 0negative
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When I take an account of the things that were a complete waste of my time in this lifetime, this book will be in the top ten. What a bunch of self-absorbed gibberish. In the beginning, when there were some real references to motorcycle parts, I was actually interested, thought there might be some nice analogy and life lessons to be examined. Nope. Turned into one long megalomania rant. I loathed this guy by the end of the book and wished I could have reported him to CPS for his lack of parental skills. Hiking up a steep grade and NO WATER? What a moron. Maybe the incredibly poor nutrition may have been 90% of this guy's problems.Presently, I live in a university town and the author reminds me of oh so many of the instructors who THINK they really have something to say...and everyone else KNOWS they don't. And shame on every teacher who assigned this in a sorry attempt to stroke their own ego. Don't waste your time with this book. | 0negative
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I was buying of this book to think it was a real hand on the cover but, I am seeing that Ophrah is crying so much becuase this is not a hand for real on the book. It looks lik it has a hand with a milion little pisces on it (the cover) but, it is not even James Frey's hand! Why is he (James Frye) lying to us?!? with his hands? I feel so deceptered, and weak. | 0negative
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I had a hard time sympathizing with the main character, who came across as whiny and self-absorbed. The only enjoyable aspect of the book were occasional statements other brides could relate to. However, it's not worth the read just so you can have a chuckle here and there about how you both love to watch the prisms of light dance through your diamond. Also, I was painfully aware of how hard it was trying to be so "San Francisco". | 0negative
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Notetably one of the finest chapters in the Foundation series...the "original triology" is still the best. | 1positive
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The book was one I read in one night, once started I had to find out how it ended. Love Nicole Jordan and she didn't let me down. | 1positive
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Well written book. This book was bought for a teenager that was having a problem with many spiritual things and he was able to get some confirmation and other suggestions from this book. I read it first. Well worth the cost....Thanks Donna Hearn | 1positive
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This is a book which I would consider it third in a group of books which I've read regarding the American Frontier and/or regarding the period from French and Indian War to the War of Independence. A book which is factual and and absolute must read is The Frontiersmen by Alan Eckert. However, in reading some works which are part or all fiction I would then say that the Leatherstocking Tales (i.e... Last of the Mohicans, Drums Along the Mohawk, etc...) by James Fenimore Cooper surpass this one to some extent but this one is still entertaining and is definitely worth the read. | 1positive
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I was given this book as a gift and was thoroughly disappointed. This book simply states that you should live below your means, stay out of debt and save money, if you want to be a millionaire. Shocking! The statistical data shows that most millionaires don't live in fancy houses, drive fancy cars, belong to country clubs or eat out a lot. True. Most millionaires are people nearing retirement with large 401(k)s/pensions and houses that have appreciated significantly in value. In order to take advantage of this savings, they'll need to sell their homes and begin to liquidate their 401(k)s. In other words, they will be living off this money as retirees. They will not be dining on caviar and champagne every night nor living on a $500,000 yacht. They will need every dime in this high priced world. In other words, they will not be rich . . . and let's face it, people are buying this book because they want to know how to "get rich" not how to have a safe retirement. I suppose a better title for this book should have been: "A safe retirement is within reach for someone with fiscal discipline". Boring and obvious advice. | 0negative
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It occurred to me that although I had been working my way through the classics, I had never read a "real version" of a Dickens novel. Oh sure, I had read the children's version of "Oliver Twist" and have been to see the play of "A Christmas Carol" probably 15 times... but I had never actually sat down and tried to read any real Dickens. Now I don't know if this is a good place to start or not... but this is where I started.It took a while to really get into the book, the language was a bit overbearing at first, and the characters were a bit hard to keep sorted out in my mind. But then we get to the release of the good Doctor Mannette things pick up... I was trucking along, managing with the language and then in the middle I became bogged down with confusion... I struggled for a chapter or two and then hit the last quarter of the book... and let me tell you, all of the confusion was worth it if only for the last chapter.Dickens main characters are actually rather flat and one-sided, however he makes up for it with the power and intrigue in his supporting cast. Some of the supporting characters in this novel are among the most interesting and either lovable or detestable that I have encountered. With the engrossing backdrop of the French Revolution, and heads being lopped of by Lady Guillotine every other moment... this book really focuses not on the revolution, but on the effects of the revolution on a select group of people. The Title implies that this will be a tale predominantly about London and Paris, but in reality the title is very misleading. The crux of the true story is about Paris, and our character's attempts to remove themselves from it.I hate to say more, I went into this book knowing nothing about it, and because of that I was able to be shocked and almost brought to tears by the beauty and power of the ending. I highly recommend it, even though many will struggle through the middle, know that the ending is well worth the struggle. There is a reason this is listed one of the "1001 books to read before you die" there is a power to this story that will resound with you long after you close the book. | 1positive
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If you like something a litle 'different' and than this is for you.A little morbid towards the end....Really makes you smell everything after you read this. | 0negative
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This book was awful! Now I'm sorry for the length of the next paragraph, but I feel it is important for you to understand who is writing this review.OK...I read this book in my High School American Literature course, like many of the people posting reviews, and I can safely say it is the worst book I have ever read. I wasn't a "big" fan of reading when I read this book, but I am alot more interested now after having read "The Great Gatsby" and "The Catcher in the Rye" (If you want an ACTUAL masterpiece, read the aforementioned two books...especially "The Catcher in the Rye".) I also didn't HATE reading either so DON'T take my review as that of a stupid HS kid who just hates reading anything!Now, back to The Scarlet Letter and why it is so overrated. 1. The writing style is terrible, the book is nothing but run-on sentences filled with buzzwords that an idiot would use to make himself sound important, describing some insignificant detail you (the reader) didn't care about in the first place!!! THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF WORDS PER SENTENCE IS 22.1! THAT IS IN THE 80TH PERCENTILE FOR RUN-ON SENTENCE STATISTICS! also every character speaks the same way, whether it's a stately politician, a valued clergyman, or a 3 year old child, every character speaks with a sophisticated vocabulary, flawless grammar and perfect syntax...How dreadfully unrealistic! 2. The symbolism in the book is written at a 5th Grade level at best. The use of symbols is so shallow I wondered why Hawthorne even put them in! 3. {HUGE COMPLAINT} The plot is very "intangible." This is a bit hard to explain, but I'll do my best. In most books, something is actually happening (ex. the characters are trying to get rich or are caught up in a war or looking for a whale or something.)In this book, nothing is physically happening...the main character is just going through hum drum daily activities (that are hardly mentioned in the book) while the whole book is written about the metaphysical changes and such. EVERY CHAPTER is about somebodys "soul" or their histrionic emotions or whatever, it made me want to puke! I am a very logical, unemotional person and having to read fifty paragraphs about the inner feelings of the main character and every petty character she casully walks by on the street was not my idea of a page-turner. I like books that show how a character is feeling because it adds depth to the character, but in this case there wasn't enough character interaction to emphasize the thimble of plot this book contained. 4. {Another big complaint) The story is about the struggles of a woman named Hester Prynne...alright...let me just say that by the end you are "supposed" to be in tears over what a courageous-hero this women is for putting up with all her hardships (this emotional response the author hoped the invoke is the WHOLE point of the book). NOW let me tell you why this sentiment is flawed. HESTER PRYNNE IS A CHEAP FLOOZY!!! I have no idea why people can't understand this point. The woman is married to a good professional man and she goes and decides to have a one-night-stand with the town minister, gets knocked-up, and the town realizes she is an adulterer when she bears her misbegotten child. Now the book is set in Puritan society, a strict, religious society that was prone to burning/hanging people out of fear of witchcraft or sin, and instead of being executed in the name of the lord (as one who broke the ten commandments surely would have been in those days) She gets a letter embroidered on her dress to make her an outcast! To make her punishment (if it can so be called a punishment) even more lenient, about halfway through the book the townspeople begin respecting her again! Meanwhile, her husband has been driven insane by his lust to find her secret lover who has also gone masochistically insane with guilt. AFTER ALL THIS I AM SUPPOSED TO FEEL SORRY FOR THIS NYMPHOMANIAC!?! Well I didn't. She got off easy for an act that ruined the lives of every other character in the book. 5. There are to many complaints about this book to list! The Scarlet Letter doesn't have a resolution!!! Instead of thinking up an interesting ending to the book, Nathaniel Hawthorne (probably bored to tears from typing this crumby world of plot holes and spelling errors) decided to save time by having nearly every primary character die in the last couple of chapters! LITERALLY, The last chapter just describes what happened all the characters (Animal House style) and nearly every one of them randomly died. Wow what a deeply brilliant ending, he must have let his dog write the last chapter.Please save yourself the agony and leave this one on the bookshelf. By the end of reading this I felt angry at the school for having violated my precious mind with this boring waste of paper. If you want to simulate reading this book why don't you stare into your toilet for a few hours. I am not even kidding, I would rather have my organs boil out of my eye sockets like a science fair volcano than have to read this book again! | 0negative
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The humor is typical of Ted Rall -- extremely lame -- and his politics borders on the purely irrational. Ted would do well living in Havana with Castro.Plus, the artwork is AWFUL. I've seen better drawings in CAVES. | 0negative
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My favorite cookbook to puruse on a cool fall or winter day....the recipes are the finest....had to have my own copy as I grew up coveting my mother's and she is still not ready to part with hers..she is 88. Love this softbound version....and Tasha Tudor is nothng less than an inspiration for me to live an authentic life. | 1positive
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Like music out of the romantic period, this book starts going nowhere, then promises to go somewhere, but ends up going nowhere.The middle chapters talking about Lysenko and his anti-science... and the parts about genome research were interesting. | 0negative
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Originally being attracted to this book because of the reviews claiming of its humor, I bought it, but after seeing it was more meant towards teens, I surprised my teenager with it and let them read it first.After hearing his praise of the books, shocking to me because I usually hear how boring stuff is and just tune out of what he says, I pick the book up and start reading it.Almost immediately I'm hooked as the wit, sarcasm, and action unfold.It's not an absoluetly perfect piece of literature, but it is a perfect book for a teenager to read. Full of action and great humour, this is a book your teen won't want to miss.Oh did I mention, the kid who wrote this was only 12 years old? | 1positive
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While I am one who was less than impressed with the writing style, that's more of a personal preference than a real critique. Rob Bell hops around, not really landing on complete sentences all the time, though I imagine that's for the "this is how my mind works" feel. However, that's not my real complaint about this book.As with his other book, "Sex God," Bell's "theology" is shallow -- soft on basing anything on Scripture and using more of a "touchy-feely Jesus" than anything else. He's certainly a speaker/writer who knows how to craft words, but that just means that readers must read carefully so that they won't fall for well-said stupidity, or worse yet, error.Shelve Bell's books in the "be careful what you read" section. | 0negative
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To get core information of case-based reasoning, please try earlier to read this book. The principles of CBR are introduced detailedly and the application of CBR are also transfer from the author to his readers. | 1positive
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There are thousands of couples out there who have triplets. Big Whoop!! | 0negative
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It is true: this books is quite humorous and intriguing.The first time I read it I was fascinated by the whole idea. I was able to relate this to many other ideas used in problem solving and critical thinking. However, upon a second reading I started to see some inconsistencies, and a couple of things started to annoy me.However, the book is great in that it gives great cohesion and logic to the justification and mechanisms of incompetence in the world. His ideas are very engaging and, in more than a way, sadly funny at the same time.As is my experience, this book should be read at least twice.For the thorough reader, three times is recommended. Why?Because the ideas are very appealing at first, but on a second pass you will start to notice certain inconsistent ideas.Very worth reading, and if you should read it just once, it is more than worth the try. | 1positive
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