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This guy does not make sense on TV....
I would not buy this book....Its completely biased.... | 0negative
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Kindle version costs too much!
I've long been enjoying the paper version, and would like to have the convenience of the kindle version for when I'm traveling, and to not have to get rid of all that paper that accumulates.When I was researching to buy the Kindle, the price for WSJ was $9.99, a little high, but within reach. Now the price increase takes all the goodness out of getting this subscription, and part of the reason why I bought the Kindle DX in the first place. If WSJ and Amazon want to increase income, the lower price should increase sales and revenue. I simply will not pay that much for Kindle on-line WSJ. | 0negative
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Not a very good book
I can see how Ms. Belkin manages to "have it all." The material in the book is simplistic and rehashed. The book was boring. She seems to do little more than repeat the whiny complaints of her friends. I am convinced that you really can't have it all -- at least not at the same time. Things will always slip. The issue for women is learning to accept not being perfect at everything. | 0negative
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Extraordinary writing and views of the future
Scorpions Gate is easily the best piece of fiction I have read in years. Equal parts le Carre-quality-spy-novel, international thriller ala Tom Clancy, and prescient and intellectual article on future international scenarios. The writing is remarkably good for any novel, but doubly so considering this is Clarke's first book. Given Clarke's background, it should be no surprise that the story line is creative and gives a rich and real "insider's view" of the shady world of counterterrorism and the oil oligarchies. Fluid, stylish and engaging writing, deeply intelligent views on possible global futures, and a facinating and fast-paced story... what more is there to ask for? | 1positive
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Disturbing... What makes us who we are?
A great classic. It's better the second or third time.Dorian Gray, a fabulously good-looking young man with a poetic glow about him, starts out innocent and pure. His more worldly acquaintances spoil him with many observations on how wonderful it must be to be young and fabulously handsome.Reflecting on his own beauty in an amazingly like portrait of himself, his obsession becomes never growing old. The earnest prayer he utters before the portrait grants his wish. Now only the portrait will show the effects of age. And the stains on his character.For the rest of the book we see his life become his beauty. All the other important things in life fall away. Everyone wishes they could have his life of fortune and youth, but they have no idea how his soul is suffering. Neither does he.There are some passages that might appear wordy. There are many moving and inspiring passages, if one takes the time to reflect on them.This is a great book. Your teenager will probably be assigned to read it in middle-school or high school; you should read it too. | 1positive
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Understand how writing changes everything
Delve into the history of human knowledge. Comprehend why oral cultures may be more pure than literate cultures. Writing down thoughts changes the way we think and look at the world.Walter Ong express this and more in this easy to read, head slapping book. You will find yourself understanding everything you have ever read better. You will see knowledge and intelligence differently.Your basic understanding of humanity will change for the better with Orality and Literacy. | 1positive
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Gripping!!
A novel of suspense I enjoyed tremendously. Far superior to any novel by James Patterson, John Grisham or Tami Hoag. The tagline "Sometimes Good People Do Bad Things" sums up the essence of the story pretty well. The characters are thrown into situations where they are 'forced' to do awful things to save their hide. Things later got very much out of hand for the main character (Hank Mitchell) to handle when he has to commit one crime after another in order to cover up his previous crime. But at the end of it all, he still believes he's a good man at heart. That he's still very much humane. He's like the average working man you see on the streets, with a wife and child, capable of feeling love, sadness, fear.. but also of greed which drive him to commit those crimes.What a well written book! When is Scott Smith going to publish his next book? I can't wait! | 1positive
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My new kindle
This is the most amazing thing I have ever purchased. I am and avid reader and cannot tell you how much I enjoy it. EVERYTHING you need is right at your fingertips. If you like to read, you will LOVE this product. | 1positive
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Dashing debut
Elaine Flinn's _Dealing in Murder_ is one of those lucky finds--a debut novel that's compelling and fulfilling. This Agatha Award nominee for best first mystery deserves the honor.Let's hope for many more mysteries from Elaine Flinn. | 1positive
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You Could Eat Her Up!
Ruth is a wonderful writer who holds nothing back. She is down to earth, honest, and very funny. We've read every one of her books and highly recommend them. | 1positive
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Mr. Scarborough's Family
I am a great fan of Trollope's work; have read and enjoyed 30 or 40 of his novels. But this one was awful. The characters are uninteresting, and it's very repetitious; he frequently rehashes what's happened before, and it gets very boring. His anti-Semitism is particularly ugly here. Altogether, a very disappointing book. | 0negative
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awful
I have to say I was very disappointed in this book. I didn't like Alisoun or David. While a lot of other reviewers felt that Alisoun was too cold for David, I felt that they deserved each other - they were both stupid.Basically, my recommendation is to skip this book, but if you are a huge Dodd fan, check it out from the library. I know a lot of other reviewers loved this book - so I guess it is worth checking out from the library or borrowing to see if you like it. If you haven't read Dodd before, don't start with this one - most of her other books are very good. | 0negative
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Ending ruined the book
I really enjoyed this book but just couldn't believe the ending. I know that I should be prepare for it after reading first chapter, but somehow I though there is no way these two won't be together.I would give it 5 stars if only the ending would be different.After reading that John sold his dad's coins that he was collecting for all his life to save Tim ( by the way he didn't have any guarantee that he will save his life! And who would do that after the guy stole the love of his life?! ).And to write that the realetionship between John and Savannah would never work after all that happened to them!!!! How in the world relationship with Tim would ????? Obviousely Savannah is still madely in love with Jim and still looking up to the moon and thinking about him constantly.How Tim can be with her knowing that? This just shows how nice guy he is.....The ending made me feel like I wasted my time on this book. I will never read Sparks book again. | 0negative
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Fatal flaws
1. I'm on day 2 of my trial, it's 7:30 on the West Coast and the paper hasn't downloaded yet.2. On principal, as a print subscriber which supposidly includes all digital subscriptions, I shouldn't have to purchase a seperate subscription for my Kindle Fire. An iPhone is included, an iPad is included, but not the Kindle Fire.3. The Fire edition doesn't include all of the content of the print edition. | 0negative
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wow i was very disappointed
I didn't even finish this book, i could not get into it at all.. i set it down one night, and i never picked it back up!!! i moved on to a new book. She has done a lot better with her newer books and i can not wait for her new book to come out in June, Hopefully it will be ALOT better | 0negative
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Disarmingly honest, down-to-earth, insightful. Brilliantly written.
My husband read out a few passages from this book and my interest was piqued. I read it over the last couple of days, at a pace normally reserved for racy thriller fiction! Obama tells his story eloquently, and without trying hard - and boy, what a story he has to tell! I'm sure there are thousands of people of all races with a rich, exotic background such as his, and have similarly searched for themselves and their roots. But Obama has a wonderful ability to bring these things together within a larger context - of Black America, the economic and social and cultural class struggles, of Indonesia, of Kenya and its tribes, of Africans in America, of Africans in Africa...This book describes a very personal quest for one man's roots, a reason and purpose for his life, but with a difference - he not only describes his own reasons, dreams, perspective, but a variety of the other characters' points of view. He has made a genuine effort to understand where people are coming from - irrespective of race, color, religion. Even describing some negative aspects of some people, he bothers to go back a little way and discover the reasons behind their bitterness, pettiness, false bravado, whatever... A very non-judgmental attitude, which obviously makes for a great leader, a great human being.He has certainly achieved a memoir with neither a negative nor a positive spin on people and events - he simply chronicles them as he experienced them, as he heard them. For all that, it is not neutral or wishy-washy - opinions are clearly expressed, both his own, and the other characters'. Reading about his childhood, and description of his mother and maternal grandparents, my first thought was "Wow! He must be really close to them to write about them like this!" (Surely it was all written with their consent and approval). I also liked the parts he left unsaid (mainly gathered from subtle hints of his dating life), protecting the privacy of the women he dated.The other thing about the book is, at all times his own achievements and opinions are nicely understated. You get the impression of a very unassuming man who has traveled a lot since childhood, seen and accepted realities stripped of pretenses. The book is all the more charming as it doesn't seem to show or imply any higher political aspirations.He has an excellent way with words, the ability to make every sentence, every word count. I found the writing so moving, that in some parts, I had tears streaming down my face (causing the cat and my children to look at me quizzically!). Though I'm not American, it's a very good feeling that Obama is the President of America. But I digress... the book is worth adding to your collection just on account of its literary and human story value, President or no President! | 1positive
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A waste of time
This is an example of a "writer" going through the motions. Weakly plotted, one dimensional characters and insipid writing are the highlights of this novel. Not up to the standards of a bad episode of Law and Order. Turow seems bored with the book, and his writing shows it. And when he describes the sexual activities of the characters, he adopts the breathless prose of a Harlequin novel ("...her orgasm was off the Richter Scale..."). Aargh! Do not waste your time on this one. | 0negative
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Kindle 2, from the perspective of an iphone and Sony PRS-500 user
The kindle will come to you in an iphonesque packaging. Hopefully you aren't already too jaded with the idea of a zen black-holish black-box presentation, clearly designed to evoke shock and awe. Once upon a time, packaging was about minimizing cost and probability of damage. Now it's more like lingerie, designed to excite, and build expectations. But unlike the iphone, the excitement might not continue long after turning the device on. I was quickly brought down to earth by a string a problems that required online troubleshooting. After briefly experimenting with the 'web browser', and coming across a long list of bugs, I decided to give the thing another chance, and reach for its bread and butter. I registered my device, searched for the book I was currently reading, and bought it, figuring now my girlfriend could read the hard copy. Ok, now how do I get to page 327? With Sony's old PRS-500 device, you could jump 40% of the way through the book by pressing one button, or jump 10 pages by holding down next page. Not so with Kindle. Clicking the menu, I found a nice looking option to 'go to location'. I typed in 327, but only found myself one the 3rd page. After some fumbling around I noticed some numbers at the bottom: 327-18 <lots of space> 11950. Ok, so now I'm at the 327th location, but how does that translate to pages? I remembered that my hardcopy of the book was about 650 pages, so I divide 11950 in half, and entered 6000. That succeeded in taking me to page 4. I tried 100000, and was at the end of the book. Does it really need to be this hard? The first thing anyone does when they open a book is select a page to start from, so you'd think they would anticipate a need for this sort of feature.Finally, I caved, dug the hard copy out of my satchel, and found the chapter I was on. Then I found the device's table of contents and after about 40 more button presses found myself happily on page 327. Then, my favorite character died on the next page, adding insult to injury; it really felt like this device must have had a hand in it, considering how sadistically it had been treating me.Returning to the menu, I found that it read sort of like a treasure map, except the only treasure was The Amazon.com Bookstore. Every way you turned, you eventually end up there, because everything else worked so poorly. Try typing, the bottom row of keys are misaligned. I found myself wondering why they had a keyboard in the first place, considering that the browser is 'experimental'. The only properly functioning use I can find for the keyboard is searching the amazon store for books by title. How convenient. Almost makes me want to buy something. If only the screen were big enough to read it. The screen on the non-DX version is actually smaller than that of the tawdry, less-touted Sony PRS-500 version that came out years ago (which I own).The biggest differences between this thing and the old Sony are a) it's pricier b) internet access c) full keyboard. Like the keyboard, I'm having trouble figuring out how the internet access could possibly be useful. If I'm looking for books to buy, I'd rather use a non-experimental web browser on my computer. You know, the kind that refreshes faster than the slow drip of honey. If you're an Iphone owner, and you're 'on-the-go', you're much better off using the snappy interface on that device to make your purchase. It's nice to be able to download it without plugging into the computer, but it doesn't really save much time. I tend to buy a bunch of books in one sitting, then read them later. This is easier to do on my computer at home, so internet access is a bit of a fool's gold feature.I tried experimentally browsing my way to one of my favorite online content sites, chinesepod.com, a language study site, which happens to require login. This seemed like a good use for the keyboard, but the username box said 'Enter Username', and this word did not automatically disappear. So I had to scroll forward 15 characters. The refresh rate is so bad that the entire thing just becomes a blur, so you don't know when you've actually reached the end. After I finally succeeded in filling in the username and password, I was disappointed to find that the login didn't work for some unknown reason.One thing Amazon has going for it is that its target audience is probably older than the iphone's target audience, and this gadget is probably more approachable to that demographic. For someone who isn't very internet savvy, it's much easier to buy books on amazon using the device than with sony. So it may make a great present for you're mother. But for a techie web 2.0'ish person, it feels like the stone age, which may be a good setting for reading 'gilgamesh', but definitely not for 'infinite jest'. | 0negative
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Very very bad.
Maybe the first third of this book could be described as fairly interesting. The last half is a massive slog through very boring and seemingly random characters saying and doing fairly ad hoc and meaningless things.At times, it sounds like the author is simply spewing out random ideas through whichever random character he chooses to use at that moment. The character development is absolutely horrendous. By the end, I couldn't care less what happened to any of them -- it was like some bad episode of Lost wherein people just go back and forth on the island, pop out unexpectedly, and say random things to each other...I _hate_ to get into a book and then feel so utterly put off that I don't want to finish it. Unfortunately, that is what happened in this case. Don't bother trying to read this. Really. | 0negative
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Great, relatable stories and sound advise
I have purchased this book twice because I misplaced my first copy and I love it so much. I continue to go back and read sections. | 1positive
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Fine for 1997, but boring in 2006
Reissues can be tricky. Some are just wonderful. I love reading Mary Balogh's or Jo Beverly's reissues because they write timeless storylines and truly powerful books no matter when they are published. This one, however, pales 9 years after it was first published. The endless plotline with Bonaparte, French spying, and smuggled goods has been done to death. If Enoch had done some editing before this was reissued and reduced all the extra "intrigue", the book would have been much better. The relationship between Kit and Alex is still good. But, it takes soooo long for anything to happen between them. I got bored long before they develop any kind of relationship. Skimming 2/3 of the book was frustrating. I feel thoroughly dissatisfied with the money I spent on this one. | 0negative
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Not happy with my fragile investment
I bought the Kindle when it was over $400. It lasted about two weeks and the screen broke. I was given another Kindle for $200 and swapped it out. It lasted a week and the screen broke again. These readers are not made for regular use. I had a leather cover and everything. After $600 I have no Kindle that will work and they both together lasted me about a month of use. So for $20 a day I RENTED a Kindle for reading something I could have bought and read and not worried about it breaking. This does not count the money I spent on the Kindle Books that I purchased to read. I can't even enjoy that investment either. NO READER. I don't feel the company takes responsibility for the non-durability of the product. I have a few friends who also have had screens that broke and were unable to enjoy their purchases. They need to make a DURABLE and RESILIANT product that doesn't need to be handled with kid gloves every time it it used or being moved. I'm just really depressed I spent that kind of money and have nothing to enjoy or show for it. My 2 cents. | 0negative
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Wonderful and moving
It is a moving romantic story which at the same time is an interesting and thought -provoking social criticism. I thought the book was wonderful! | 1positive
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Waste of the trees
I read this book as part of a women's leadership bookclub - unanimously we all agreed we found the book superficial, frivolous and a waste of the paper it was printed on. We were looking for Dowd to not just collect snippets of stories and drop names of all the New York socialites she knows. The book lacks any real substance and rarely offers anything more than a collection of pop culture tid bits. | 0negative
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A readers dream
I love to read and this is a truly great gift. I loved it so that I brouht on for my daughter also. The ability to order a book right from the kindle or online and have it minutes is a really neat feature.There is only one drawback that I have, they only give you limited direction on the use of the Kindle. You have to go online for the complete direction guide on how to use the reader. | 1positive
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If you can't sleep read this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well I read this book with some great expectations and I shouldn't have. I figured that it was going to be a wonderful book because of the author (wrong) Ihad to strugle just to read 2 pages without getting sleepy. Altough I have great respect for Dickens and all of his accomplishments, I did NOT like this book !!!!!!!!!!!!! | 0negative
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13 Moons
I was disappointed in this book. I had enjoyed reading the author's previous novel, Cold Mountain. 13 Moons had some interesting information about the American Indians, but I'm not sure if the information was fact or fiction. The book seemed somewhere between a novel and a documentary. | 0negative
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Whatcha gonna do, When Hogan's ego runs wild on you?
Despite the two Star Rating that I gave to this book, This book did have it's good points. I liked how Hogan told the story of how he was a fat little kid who would eventually become the person that put Wrestling on the map. According to Hogan, he was a fat kid. Also his rise through the Wrestling ranks, and how he had to pay his dues before he became the Hulk Hogan we all know today. He seriously thought about giving up Wrestling altogether. Thank god he didnt, otherwise we wouldnt of had such Wrestling Master Pieces like Starcade 1997.I'm a huge fan of Hulk Hogan, but this book left a lot to be desired.I know others touched on this, but he says the word "brother" an awful lot, it was like he was cutting a 400 page promo.I have two main critcisms with this book. The first one is, this isnt a biography really, its more like Hogan trying to protect his massive ego.Like how he said Warrior wasnt worthy of being the new champion and he was right, He also defended his plan to Win the belt at Wrestlemania 9, 10 seconds after Bret Hart already lost to Yokozuna. Bret Hart couldnt beat Yokozuna in a 15 minute match, but Hogan beat Yoko in like 10 seconds. I dont know how you can defend that but Hogan managed to do it.My other criticism of this book is, he touched on things nobody cared about. Like his role in Rocky 3, he wrote a lot about that. *yawn*or his matches with Dennis Rodman as his tag team partner, against Karl Malone and DDP *yawn*I wanted to hear more about his last years in the WWF/E the creation of NWO and his take on it. And more about the bad blood between him and Savage. But all that is skipped over. All the interesting points in his career are glossed over real quick, or barely mentioned at all.If you're a fan of Hogan, I reccomend reading it, but if you're not a fan of his Massive Titanic sized Ego, dont read it. | 0negative
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Shallow, Asinine and Boring
Why this book was published is beyond me. I guess in the intellectually shallow pool inhabited by the editor this book might have been viewed as having substance and something worthwhile but for anyone who has an IQ above that of a vegetable this book was ridiculous and even if you agree with the content at best it is stating the obvious with a sense of discovery -- and stating it in the most boring way possible.Gladwell begins this adventure by discussing Paul Revere versus William Dawes. Without a shred of fact Gladwell proceeds to draw the conclusion that Revere's ride was more successful because he knew more people than Dawes. This unsupported assertion lays the foundation for this entire book which never seems to achieve any level of fact or even interest -- it is all opinion, supposition, and assertion. In a feeble attempt to provide some scientific basis for these opinions Gladwell cites an "experiment" using facial expressions of network anchors, Rather, Brokaw, and Jennings. The conclusion is that Jennings's facial expressions were more positive when he discussed Reagan and therefore more people who watched ABC news voted for Reagan. There have been numerous studies done that show that the network anchors are solidly Democratic and Jennings in particular was left of center. What isn't stated is that this entire "experiment" is subjective and rests on the interpretation of expression. Of course even if this study were valid it is very dated and may not apply today. Further he cites some academic who spent 18 months studying a short video clip which led to his conclusion that micro-expressions influence our opinions. Does anyone wonder how anyone can spend 18 months studying a short video clip and then arriving at the startling conclusion that we have micro-expressions? At the eonclusion we are again left with opinions and assertions. He talks about Gau -- a financial advisor who is a super salesman and highly successful. He seems to be impressed by this guy's people skills. He hugs men rather than shakes hands and he always kisses women when he first meets them. Not my kind of guy from the outset. Gladwell is impressed with this guy Gau but I'll bet most people would be put off by him and see him as another slick fast talking salesman. Of course Gladwell doesn't discuss who he is selling to or how successful his financial advice has been. Selling to people who are fiscally inexperienced using high pressure sales is not admirable and since Gladwell doesn't provide any context for Gau I am unimpressed. He moves on to Sesame Street which he cites as a roaring success in preparing disadvantaged children for learning. Apparently he hasn't bothered to do any follow up studies given the dismal scores of the disadvantaged children so prevalent today. One would think a little critical thought is in order here. Even if all of this is true it is written in the most boring way possible.I have no idea what prompted Gladwell to write this drvel other than he was trying to duplicate "Freakonomics" but he didn't even achieve the threshold of "Super Freakonomics" which was at least moderately entertaining. I read this on a flight from Dallas with my knees crammed against the reclined seat in front of me but even while in extreme pain I found it hard to keep from drifting off. Even if everything stated in this book were true -- and that is a very big IF -- it is incredibly boring. I think this is the worst book I have read in a very long time. I found it to be ridiculous, boring, asinine, and without a shred of worthwhile information. | 0negative
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Glad my cousin's summer reading was deleted.
Some of my cousin's summer reading was deleted off his Kindle. I've lost all interest in buying a device which lets a company invade the user's privacy to the extent of literally stealing purchased products off the reader.Sorry, Amazon. It's your fault for not doing due diligence on the books you sell, not the buyers. Stealing books people are in the middle of reading is not only wrong, it's frightening.I usually like you guys, but I'm going with a competitor when I get an e-book for my vacation this fall. | 0negative
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Gratuitous
I'm a lover of good writing and good thrillers in particular. This book is well written, however I found it sickening in its relish for brutal, evil violence, particularly to young children. Especially if you are a parent I strongly consider giving this book a miss. I bought it on the basis of exceptional reviews. I was not, however, prepared to read its content and have since removed it from my library. | 0negative
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Cliche after Cliche
I have read several other Nicholas Sparks books in the past so I knew not to expect literature, but rather a quick easy read. Unfortunately, this book offered up only cliche after cliche. After reading the first couple chapters, I could tell you exactly what was going to happen (although there were some twists that added a little to the story, which is why I gave it 2 stars). Sparks really needed an update in conversational language that people use today, because these two sounded nothing like 20 somethings around 2001, especially Savannah who sounded like a 50's era character most of the time. He also relies to heavily on letter writing and completely ignores modern ways soldiers and their families keep in touch. This couple has none of the magic or spark of Noah and Allie in the Notebook. | 0negative
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Save your $$ Read Think And Grow Rich
I read this book and found that everything thats in the Secret was taken from Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. The major difference is that Napoleon Hill tells you how with actions to better yourself.SAVE YOUR $ READ THINK AND GROW RICH | 0negative
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Omar Tyree, you know you can do better!!
I read this book a while ago and thought it was nothing compared to his first book, Flyy Girl. A Do Right Man moves entirely too slow. I had to force myself to finish the book. I did not care for Bobby Dallas. I wish you better success with your next novel. | 0negative
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Rising to the top.
Many books have been written about WWII, but I would include Jeff Shaara's novel "The Rising Tide" in the must read category for anyone that enjoys reading about WWII. The book is well written and unlike many WWII novels, Jeff explores and developes characters from both the allied army and the axis army. Jeff also provides perspective from the leaders down to the men in the field. The first book of his trilogy provides great detail on Africa and Italy for any WWII history enthusiast. Looking forward to Jeff's next novel. | 1positive
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Still Looking for the Original Beverly Jenkins....
I am still looking for the original Beverly Jenkins. The one whose first African-American historical romance "Night Song" made me wait with baited breath for more. In my humble opinion the quality of writing and the development of her characters has continually gone down since Night Song. The whole premise of this book was wrong to me. The characters were not believable and the dialogue was stilted at best. I am an *avid* reader. I can read 2-3 books on a good day. In addition to other genres and non-fiction titles, I have been reading romance novels for about 10 years now. Beverly Jenkins's first novel Night Song was the FIRST romance novel by an African -American woman that I had ever read. I have purchased every single one of her books since. But since like the first two, I have been increasingly disappointed. This one was a big disappointment. Save your money and go check it out from your local library.The thing that Beverly Jenkins gives us in her books is the ability to dream, to see Black family dynasties of old unfold. Her previous novels let you chronicle African-American history while still engaging you in a good love story about two characters as they try and put together a relationship.Beverly Jenkins will always get my vote for her reasearch and presentation of AA history. The lawmen, doctors, reporters, abolitionists, businessmen, etc. spoke to you as they fell in love and took you into their world and showed you a realistic glimpse of living in those times. In *some* of her previous books, the characters jumped off the page. You felt what they felt, you saw it through their eyes -especially the love scenes. Face it, a big draw for this book market. A Chance at Love failed on all these accounts. The dialogue was poor. The story line was unbelievable. It seems that everyone else thought the twin's precociousness (sp.) was sooo cute, not I. It was unbelievable to me. The love scenes were impersonal and cold. At first funny, then disappointing as you realized that ~that~ was it.I applaud Ms. Jenkins for taking a chance and choosing the man to be the seduced and the woman to have the experience. I applaud her also for using a woman "with a past" as her heroine one who wasn't the supposed parogon of virtue, but unfortunately, for this story...it didn't work. I think the requests from fans for *MORE* overrode the time needed to develop the characters and storyline fully.Just my opinion. I will look for her next book to see what she gives us in the future and hope for....more. Just because you have a niche market and fan base who will buy anything with your name on it doesn't mean you should just give them 'anything' with your name on it. Keep at it and Good Luck! | 0negative
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Emotional Intelligence Easily Defined.
I like Goleman's work and find his classifications of emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation, and social skills) to be very valuable in treatment and coaching. Some of my better counseling sessions discuss these areas. The studies noted in the book help in understanding the ideas presented. One of my top ten favorite concepts in treatment and coaching. Buy it! | 1positive
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kindle is wonderful
I have been almost totally pleased with my kindle. I was able to activate and begin to use it almost immediately and have been quite happy reading and ordering items. My only problem has been difficulty holding the kindle comfortably without inadvertly pushing the page buttons. Overall kindle is a five star purchase. | 1positive
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Helen could write? Who knew!
"Thus, contained within these pages, is the story of my life, as I write it. As I lived it."My problems with this book started with these opening sentences in the Prologue.Since the Mycenaeans of that time only used Linear B script to make inventory lists, Helen could not have written the story of her life.But even if she could have done so, she would have written on scrolls - not pages, which weren't invented until the beginning of the Christian era, long after Helen's time. Where were Ms. Elyot's editors?Alas, I wish I could say that things improved after these two gross historical inaccuracies in the very beginning of the book, but I cannot. The book was a disappointment from start to finish. This Helen would never have inspired even a fist-fight, let alone a war. | 0negative
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it must have been really hard to make this so boring
I wanted to like this book, but I couldn't. I was unable to feel connected with any of the characters. Other reviewers have cited Helen's arrogance as a turn-off, but I don't need a likeable protagonist, just a believable one. I realized about half-way through this book that I just didn't care what happened next, so I stopped reading. I rarely fail to finish a book (I've been a really fast reader for most of my life and I'm an insomniac, so I usually read about 500 pages a day). What's funny is that this book wasn't terrible, it was just boring. I've actually finished many a terrible book. I read the entire Dark Jewels trilogy in two days, and those books (though tittilating) feature some of the clunkiest prose and overexplained characters I've ever encountered, but at least they weren't boring. There are too many good historical fiction books out there to waste your time on this one. | 0negative
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This and loving as is...
I read both the books and giving a collective review - the work works no doubt as questioning gives answers which are RELATIVELY true.I personally found both the books disturbing low of energy and a lot of gloom.Secondly the author keeps herself in a high point of reference and 'bestows' her observation to 'these' people. How interesting ? And i did read her chapter about humility!Save your money, just my opinion. | 0negative
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A review by a non-historian
I read this book for a contemporary historiography class. As has been told by other reviewers, Marc Bloch is the founder (together with Lucien Febvre) of the Annales school. As a non-historian, I won't comment on its importance for historiography, but as a very valuable read for non-historians who want to understand the history of Western civilization reading the best books that have been written on the subject. This is my first book on the middle-ages and, although it took me quite a while to finish it (about a month) and it is definitively not an easy read, since it is an extraordinarily erudite work, it is a very worthwhile read. It provides a fairly good picture of how the feudal society developed after the Hungarian, Muslim, and Scandinavian invasions, which allowed it to flourish. I would point out two basic concepts that were of particular interest to me (although not explicit in the text). First, the concept of sovereignty. It is particularly interesting visually, since land was divided among an infinite number of lords as a bottom-up chain starting from the lowest peasant through the prince or monarch. So land belonged to everyone and to no one at the same time. This is a very original idea of sovereignty, rather opposite to modern sovereignty. The second concept is that of the "hommage", which I would call contract. The hommage between serf and lord was not that of subordination entirely, but it was neither that of equals--such as the contracts of the bourgoisie were, that we can trace back to the XIIth century, and personally I was moved by Bloch's analyses of this first contract among equals--, and it was originally voluntary. According to Bloch, this hommage influenced many other contracts we know of, namely marriage, courtois love, and even representative parliamentary governments.To conclude with, I would say that my historiography teacher told me this is the best work on the middle-ages, so I decided to read it, and it wasn't easy, it took me a while, but it was very rewarding. I don't recommend it for people who don't read a lot, but if you enjoy history and want to know what the feudal society was all about, this is a very rewading book as an introduction to the middle-ages. I strongly recommend it. | 1positive
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If You Like Romance...
This book is like a refreshing cold drink on a hot day.I haven't read a book lately that has such emotional depth. The writing is fabulous and fully engages you in the escapades of both the hero and heroine as well as the children. I found the letters written by Olivia charming. There's a lot of humor here as well.This is a wonderfully heartfelt romance. | 1positive
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Kindle - pros and cons
Kindle's distinction from other ereaders is quick and easy access to thousands of ebooks. While Amazon currently has more than 125k titles, competitively priced, there are also other large sources of ebooks compatible with Kindle. Many old classics no longer copyrighted have been converted for use in the mobipocket format used by Kindle.Reading on the Kindle is surprisingly comfortable. Not only do you literally have hundreds of books in one small lightweight package, but type size is easy to change making the Kindle easy to read in different environments. The e-ink technology provides good contrast and is easy on the eyes.The Whispernet service provided with the Kindle makes it quick and simple to add books: "1-click" shopping with Amazon, and you can email ebooks from other sources directly to your Kindle, both provided you are in the US and in an area where Whispernet service is reliable. Whispernet wireless service also gives access to a wide range of newspaper and magazines subscriptions delivered straight to your Kindle. Kindle comes loaded with a dictionary for quick lookup and experimental features include a free internet research service called "Now Now".Ergonomics and price are the where the Kindle needs improvement. The placement of page turning buttons makes the Kindle hard to handle without hitting the wrong button, and the activity indicator could definitely be easier to see. The on/off buttons are not easy to access on the back. While the typing keys on the Kindle are tiny, they are moderately easy to use. Battery life is fairly good if you turn off Whispernet service when not in use. The Kindle can be charged in abt 2 hours with the included AC cord, but only trickle charges via the included USB cord. The included case is ingenious in some ways and unsatisfactory in others. All in all, ereaders definitely need a price adjustment to become hot sellers like other small electronic devices. But, for those who wish to pony up $300-$500, ereaders are addicting and the Kindle is a significant player in the market. | 1positive
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Incredible book
I could hardly put it down. I truly great read and a classic that has stood the test of time. | 1positive
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This is what I think I've been waiting for
I've watched the Kindle advert on video, and read all the reviews, and this sounds like what I've been waiting for! To those nay-sayers who point out that we HAVE books, and we can buy x amount of books for the price of a Kindle, well, for me, with poor eyesight as I age, the idea of this with a font I can increase and, as I understand it, good lighting, is wonderful. And lightweight! Right now I have to pay extra for large print books WHEN they are available. Overall, the lightweight, and the ability to enlarge the font are two factors that will make this item one that will be a "must have" for me. Are you listening family? :--)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EDITED 1/10/2010---at this point I've owned a Kindle about two and half years. Am just as happy with it as I thought I'd be.The larger font (type size) for my eyesight is a relief; and the there's a huge number of books available: from classics which are free or very inexpensive, to the new best sellers which of course cost more. Nevertheless, this is a great item. I bought another one for my son as well. (Within a family, we can trade books that each of us has purchased, for free, I think up to 5 persons can do that on one account btw.)I did buy---almost immediately--- a different cover for the Kindle as the one it arrived with was just awful: it wouldn't stay on, it looked cheap, and was just a pain to try to use the Kindle and manage the floppy cover at the same time. I got a M-Edge GO! Genuine Leather Kindle Jacket with Hinge (Fits 6" Display, Latest Generation Kindle), Smooth Black (mine was for the first generation Kindle obviously) in light tan, leather, and it fits perfectly, stays on, doesn't flop around...highly recommend this or something like it.I can carry this device, in its nice looking cover (padded btw in case it's dropped) to work, and read at lunch break or while waiting in a doctor's office, or anywhere. I have perhaps 30 books held in this item the size and weight of an oversized paperback book. It does need to be charged, but can go without being electrically connected for long periods.I've never bought, nor felt the need for, a booklight or any other specialty items except the Kindle cover.There are Kindle communities and forums, lists of free Kindle books and Kindle books broken up by subject matter, on Amazon under the Kindle community umbrella. I can one-click order a book from Amazon or directly from my Kindle using the "store" function. There is a bit of glitchiness with the trying to use the search box in the Kindle store on Kindle, btw, just like the search boxes on Amazon, they're not very good and aren't intuitive. You can't, for example, as you can do on Google, enter: "TUDOR + first King + all fiction" and come up with a nice, useable list. It will simply tell you there is nothing found. THATS an update Amazon needs to make on the Amazon site and on Kindle, in my opinion.Kindle customer service is the BEST I've found anywhere, for any product. Available via phone 24/7, and hugely helpful, they have solved any initial questions/ problems I had with the device. I never needed to research the user manual which came with it, since they helped me so readily with whatever problem I initially had.I've read many positive reviews on the Kindle site by people with severe disabilites who find the Kindle the answer to their needs; not sure why Amazon doesn't use this as an advertising element, at least in some markets. I am sure many disabled people don't realize how much use they could get from this device.Not at all sure where a certain amount of negativity comes from on some posts or comments: ANY problems I've had has been addressed by Kindle support and I've been able to easily fix it. Some people say they just can't imagine not holding, feeling a "real" book...well, obviously, I still buy books of paper/glue...not everything I want is available on Kindle; or if its a used book that may well be cheaper than the Kindle version, though then I have to contend with small print again....I can only say it took me under 24 hrs to get used to holding and operating (using either thumb to advance the page forward; another area allows you to go backward however many pages you wish...) the device. I'm NOT mechanical either. Its just simple and elegant. Light, easy to handle. I don't think of my Kindle books as NOT being books btw, they are, they are the same words, same alphabet, etc, just on another format...we all read and write on computers don't we? No difference.Highly recommended! Happy with my first generation Kindle and would recommend it to anyone who reads very much at all. | 1positive
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Proof Positive of why I don't read this genre
I do enjoy a good crime/CSI type read every now and then, but this was not one of those. This author was touted as " a master of plot and pacing", and it was said he "knows how to pack in the thrills". Well, if he does, it certainly did not show in Proof Positive.From very early on, it was painfully obvious what was going to happen, and who would be doing it. But I kept reading, thinking I was just getting ahead of myself and seeing the simpler side of things, and that the twists and turns were coming soon. They didn't. A second grader could have read this and told you the outcome by the third chapter.There are no surprises, no twists, and ultimately, no joy from this book. Bland beyond measure, I found this book absolutely boring and witless. Third grade reading level readers will enjoy this predictable, cookie cutter book. I did not. | 0negative
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Simply Horrible
Proponents quickly shout "parody" on this one, but even that frosting won't cover this bitter cake. I haven't read any Cornwell prior to this, and this experience isn't going to make it any easier. Sophomoric character development (and naming) and insight into what animals are thinking is bad enough, but where was the editing on this mess? "Chain horse" should have been "chain hoist". "Tie rod" becomes "tire rod". NYPD's signature CompStat becomes COMSTAT here. And even inventions of an infertile mind like "fuel rods" get twisted into "dual rods" in a later chapter. This is a painful read and unfortunately for me, replaces one that was even worse. | 0negative
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A real slog
I know H. James is considered one of the "Greats" of American literature and I question my taste for hating most of his writing. With few exceptions I think he is a pretentious purveyor of obscurantism. I read Wings of the Dove many years ago in the days when I would not allow myself to set aside books I did not enjoy. I recently picked up a collection of his short stories and remembered why I disliked him so much. Now in my old age I had no pangs of conscience when I happily closed the book before finishing it. If more of the stories had been like Daisy Miller I would have proceeded further but unfortunately much of the writing reminded me of Wings. I am currently seeking relief from Henry's turgid prose by reading Hemingway. I'd trade in a Henry for an Ernie any day. It's also difficult to like Mr. James' snobbish, shallow and unsympathetic characters. The more sympathetic ones were obscured by his heavy hand and my impatience with his style. | 0negative
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a masterpiece that finally has the intro that it deserves
I don't know what really needs to be said about Emily Bronte's 1847 novel, the brilliantly plotted, superbly structured, & extremely engrossing WUTHERING HEIGHTS, 'cept maybe, "if you haven't read it, you really ought to becuz you're in for an amazing treat". Quite frankly, I'm jealous of the "uninitiated" who are about to embark on such a fantastic "journey", given the great road that lies ahead.For the sake of prospective first time readers who need a bit more info to tempt them into taking the plunge, I'll just say that THIS is the book that made famous the idea of rambling about on a moor with someone whom you fancied. Need more? Well, the protagonist is named Heathcliff (you've probably heard that named tossed about somewhere) and it is he who dominates both halves of this two generational story. Still not enuf? Okay; while it has been viewed by many as a great love story, WH is actually - in the words of Bronte biographer Lucasta Miller - "more Romantic (as in the literary style) than romantic". Furthermore, while new readers may have already experienced - perhaps, in reading other novels and certainly in watching tv shows and movies - the particular "twist" on the traditional method of narration that Bronte employs, it must be noted that SHE was the FIRST great writer to use it and, all these decades later, WUTHERING is still unsurpassed in its use. That's about all I dare say so as not to spoil it for new readers.In any event, the primary reason that I am writing this review is to note on the wonderful - albeit relatively short - introduction that is included in this Penguin Classics edition, one that was written by Monash University (in Melbourne) prof Pauline Nestor. If you're like me and enjoy reading intros and other critical pieces about this impressionistic romance AND don't like "spoilers", I will, as in the case of the novel, keep my comments about the content (of the intro) to a minimum. Indeed, it will be enuf to say that those WUTHERING fans who are tired of seeing Marxist, feminist, revisionist, or any other "ist"-type reading on this novel will be delighted by Nestor's take on this masterpiece, one that largely focuses on its "transgressive power". She also briefly critiques many of the various "popular" interpretations of WH that have been embraced over the years.So, while first time readers will delight in this novel's power - in regard to both its craftsmanship and its ability to rouse the emotions - those who have already read it will enjoy the intro's study as to WHY it has such power, including the power to maintain such a hold over those who have experienced it.Also, like other Penguin Classics editions, this one is annotated, which is particularly helpful in the case of WUTHERING HEIGHTS becuz, as newcomers will quickly discover, the Yorkshire dialect of a certain character is - to put it mildly - difficult for most modern readers to understand.Enjoy | 1positive
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Great Machine????
Great machine!! When I ordered it they said I had coverage, Montana, when my wife started her Christmas gift message says no coverage. All is not lost right? She tries to download through her computer but will not transfer to her Kindle. After many service calls they say send it back and she will bet a new one. Why if they have limited wireless areas does it not work with the computer?? Very dissatisfied | 0negative
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Disappointed
I love the Deryni series, but this book was a disappointment. I think it center way too much on the marriage. After the 3rd or 4th times Kurtz stated why Kelson was marrying Araxie, it became annoying. It took up to 100 pages before Kelson set off to Torenth, which I know could have progress faster from reading Kurtz earlier works. The action was definitely lacking, and the political intrigue not fully developed. This book definitely was not written to par with the other in the series. What a disappointment :_( | 0negative
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A pedestrian effort
I felt Kellerman delivered a boilerplate thriller with Obsession. The murder mystery centered around a "possible" crime uttered by a dying woman, which seems pretty flimsy but in true Alex/Milo form they kept digging and made something of it. The psychological aspect was also rather weak, as Kellerman focused this time on OCD, which didn't seem relevant to the murder mystery aspect. If it did, then I missed it, but it certainly wasn't obvious. Kellerman has always been so good at intertwining the psychological aspects with the murder mystery, but he just falls short here.I also found most of the new characters uninteresting, and the existing ones stale.Petra seemed tired and bored at times.The entire Bedard family was annoying. I didn't find myself rooting for Kyle despite his good intentions and goofy parents.Tanya generated very little sympathy, and how many college kids refer to their mother as "Mommy"?Robin was window dressing - a few short riffs on her working at the shop, going out to eat, etc. Nothing on their evolving relationship.Issac Gomez, who has potential, was dismissed early.The Mario Fortuno storyline was clumsy, and could have been more interesting if fleshed out further.The interrogation of Fisk seemed too ordered and convenient (dumb con tells all).And finally names. Where does he come up with Mary Whitbread?In summary, it was a boilerplate, pedestrian effort by an author I love. The whole effort seemed rushed and lacked his normal attention to detail. | 0negative
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A good classic.
I read this because my son had to read it for his 9th grade english class. For a younger reader the language can be difficult, so I helped him as much as I could. I thoroughly enjoyed the story though! I like Dickens' since of humor as well as the way he kept you hanging on wondering just how this was going to end. As we get farther and farther away from the lifestyle of the 1800's I think it is important to look back and see what life was like before technology. I also enjoy the British take on things. I don't always "get it" until I re-read it a time or two, but the humor is there. (SPOILER ALERT!) I actually thought the ending was sad until my son pointed out that in class they considered the fact that when Pip "saw no shadow of another parting from her," could mean that they were never seperated again. Duh! Like I said, old language and another time!! | 1positive
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WHY BOTHER?
My mini lap-top does a better job and my i-phone and i-pod can read the books for me audibly while I drive. For me, it's just another piece of electronic junk. | 0negative
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I'll buy this when it can read pdf files downloaded from my computer
I have to read a lot of documents for my work. When I can download them to this device from my computer, I'll buy this product. | 0negative
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I love my Kindle!
I love my Kindle! It is easy to read, easy on the eyes, a nice size and convenient to carry around in my purse. Plublishers....keep adding your books to the Kindle library! | 1positive
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Amazon's Kindle
This ranks up with the invention of sliced bread. It's a great way to catchup on your reading any place, any time. Easy to download and quite reasonable. It's a modern miracle. Glad I purchased it.SRR | 1positive
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it is ok
this was certainly not one of Cornwell's best works. IT was almost like a couple of possible novels rolled into one. It read like a draft for a novel rather tahn a complete novel. | 0negative
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More relevant than ever with recent election
This book is about impressions, biases, judgments, decision making and nonverbal communication. If you want to understand the Obama phenomenon and where its headed, read the chapter "The Warren Harding Error". Good book. | 1positive
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You'll lose sleep reading the book! Even after you're done!!
This book will captivate you from cover to cover. A stunning depiction of "normal" people, doing the most uncivilized act for the lowest form of temptation, Money. A Simple Plan, is the most entertaining book I have ever read, bar none. A beautifully written novel that grips its readers to the very end. Not only an incredible story, A Simple Plan causes you to think about what you would do if you found $4 million. What lengths would you go to in order to keep it? Would you kill? An amazingly real look at the heart and soul of a man with everything to lose and the chance of 4 million dollars to gain. Read it!!! | 1positive
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Surpassed Every One of My Expectations....YAHOOOOOOOO
All right. I admit it. The book starts out slow. Dickens, though I love the man, writes in such flowery and long winded language at times. What takes many authors a line or two, Dickens will devote whole pages.And I almost put the book down for that exact reason. I'm very happy I did not.With so many detailed threads in the story, the depth to the characters--when they all start to blend together a few chapters in, the result is page-turning.The story centers around a young boy--well, almost young man-- named Pip, and revolves around his growing into age. You cannot help but love the boy. Much of Pip's worry and concern I could relate to--falling in love with a girl who refuses to return your sentiments and only plays with your heart, growing up and leaving home for the first time, and discovering your true relationships with others and yourself, as shocking as they may turn out to be.I felt as if I was side by side with Pip through it all, and that made the novel a wonderful experience for me. I recommend the novel for the young because so much relates to them, and also for the older readers--because you can experience it all again.A wonderful and heart warming tale. Just get through those first chapters.The book is timeless, with the basic story line being one that has affected almost everyone sometime in their life; falling in love with somebody who does not return the feelings. Pip, the main character, falls in love with an exotic and beautiful girl, Estella, but of course she does not have any feelings for him. So Pip does everything he can to win her approval, and most importantly her heart. It is hard to skip around in the book. While some passages might seem as if they have nothing to do with the story, they do. Everything in the story is tied together somehow. Skimming the book is not going to help. Certain events and people the reader thinks are insignificant or forgot completley, will appear over and over throughout the book. I am glad that i decided to read Great Expectations, despite the negative remarks from peers. I found out that most of them never made it past the first few chapters, so they missed out on the good parts. The only reason I did not give the book a higher score is that parts of it are slow and dry, but stick with it, you will not be upset. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition. | 1positive
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A review after several months of heavy use
The Kindle can be slightly annoying to read on when you hold it with only one hand. This is my only gripe after several months of use - everything else is FANTASTIC.- The digital download speed is lightning quick (<30 seconds always) and the actual book reading and browsing is top notch.- More importantly, the device is durable and- the battery life (esp with wireless off) is reliably long,I have traveled with my kindle across three different continents and subject it to all kinds of abuse, but it still works great.Buy one today!Suggestions:- DRM is okay, but please give us a computer read app so we can alternate between reading on the computer (i.e. at work) and on the kindle. It would be wild if the state would sync (i.e. program remember your position) across both. | 1positive
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Hoped for More...
After seeing this book do so well, I had to read it! However, while reading it, I found myself wondering what all the fuss was about. While I found Gilbert to be incredibly talented with metaphors and insightful at times, she displayed an air of superiority that got under my skin and kept me from fully enjoying her story. | 0negative
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Sadly said....awful...
Boy, this one was not worth the $2 I spent on it. Contrived. Poor development. Characters I couldn't care about. Too much of a fluff romance for my tastes. Perhaps written for a mature teen, not a mature woman. | 0negative
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I like the book
The book very good to read. Like to have this book also for my own library.This is very good deal. | 1positive
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Love it!
The Kindle is perfect for me, I usually read more then one book at a time and the Kindle allows me to take all of them with me instead of having to chose which one to bring. It's light weight and easy to grab and go. The screen is clear, and can be read at any angle. I've had my Kindle for a month now and have read 12 books, I would recommend it to anyone who loves to read. | 1positive
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A walloping good read!
The Pendergast novels have been very entertaining and this one is a very nice followup to the series. At the start, things look very grim. Lots of twisty plotline and details about art, technology, and science that intrigue the reader. Breathless pace at times. I couldn't put this book down until it was done! There was a satisfying conclusion as well, which the last book didn't really have. You will be entertained. | 1positive
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excellent
What can I say? I could not stop reading. What more does one have to know. I was exceptionally well entertained and thats all that matters. | 1positive
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A Young Man's Adventures in Victorian England
One of the most glorious books by Dickens, this is the story of Nicholas Nickleby and his struggles to find his rightful place in the helter-skelter of early Victorian England. Scenes of brilliantly theatrical melodrama and broad, attractive comedy jockey for position in this engaging novel, showing Dickens at his best : as both a social crusader and a sharp-eyed commentator on the foibles of the world he lived in. A marvelous, rewarding book | 1positive
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Another Keeper!
Another wonderful read by Suzanne Enoch. The story is of Victoria "Vixen" Fontaine and Sinclair "Sin" Grafton. Sin was a spy in France during the war and had developed a horribly black reputation in England so he could fit into the role he played while a spy there.He comes home 2 years after his brother dies to claim the title as well as find his brothers killer. This leads him to Vixen because he suspects a friend of hers, Viscount Marley. Vixen is incredibly spirited and is considered fast. She has no intention of marriage and all her actions point to her being what I term a "female rake". Sin and Vixen are attracted to each other and are caught embracing shortly after meeting each other in the garden of the ball they are at. Vixen's father, at his wits end with his scandal-creating daughter, insists on marriage.They do and its a wild ride til they fall in love from there. Both are concerned with helping and protecting the other and will do what they must to ensure that. Vixen is not your ordinary heroine and she is quite likeable and Sin is not only sexy but a decent, honorable man who is having a hard time meshing his former "spy" life with his new titled one.Sin's spy friends are amusing, Alexandra and Lucien from Reforming a Rake appear, and Vixen's menagerie all make for a great time reading this! Vixen's parrot, Mungo Park, is hysterical! I highly recommend this book! | 1positive
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Turn The Lights On
Adult dark fairy tales! Couldn't put the book down, very compelling to read. Imaginative, wonderfully written and highly recommended. A place where your childhood fairy tales become Grimm........ excellent! | 1positive
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Good hardware, as long as you never buy a eBook from Amazon
I bought a kindle a few months back and find the hardware to be pretty good. However, any book you buy on amazon's Kindle store could be encumbered with DRM -- and the terms of it can change AFTER you buy it. So Amazon gives no guarantee that you'll be able to restore the book afters it's archived, or that the eBook won't be surreptitiously deleted off of your device while you sleep. It's happened before, and it could happen again.As long as you stick to eBooks which are in open formats and avoid the amazon store, you'll be safe. | 0negative
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AbrahamA Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths
I found the author of this book unreliable as to both facts and scriptures. Linking the three faiths to Abraham is a very promising idea. However, failure to modify sweeping statements, unhistorical interpretations of some incidents recorded in scripture, treating matters of faith as matters of established fact, all contribute to a book that is less than it might have been, less than it should be. | 0negative
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Channeling Neil Gaiman
The Book of Lost Things will appeal to readers who, like me, have enjoyed "Stardust," "Princess Bride," "Eyes of the Dragon," and other stories of that ilk. The richly rewarding text is set in World War 2 England, and the protagonist of the story is a disenchanted young lad who finds himself in another land in search of happiness and the part of his soul that has been lost. The language is terrific, and Connolly's use of Fairy Tale structure, but turned slightly on it's head, makes this a book well-worth reading, and one you'll want to share with your children as well. | 1positive
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Larger Than Life American Gets His Due
As with "Ghost Soldiers," Hampton Sides proves he can bring non-fiction to life by giving dimensions to history that not only unfolds the past but does so in a very captivating manner. "Blood and Thunder" is a reader's book, one that tells the story of a larger than life American, Kit Carson, and the conquest of the Southwest.Kit Carson is one of those storied figures from past whose name many recognize, but whose exploits - stories that once made him the embodiment of American grit and rugged individualism in pursuit of Manifest Destiny - are unknown. The drama of his life is incredibly fascinating as Sides demonstrates in recounting the unique story of this soldier, guide, scout and frontiersman. Carson's life is one of contradictions that are difficult to fathom from today's vantage point. A rugged man who battled Indians during the time the northern Mexican states became the American Southwest, he had a respect and affinity for the original inhabitants of that land that was unusual among his contemporaries. However, his sympathies for the Indian and respect for their efforts to support their life in lands coveted by American immigrants and squatters did not dissuade Carson from leading military expeditions that cleared them from those lands or implementing relocation policies to almost uninhabitable reservations that decimated tribal populations.From Carson's contemporary perspective, this conflict of thinking and action create less of a dissonance than it does from today's vantage point, as the author demonstrates through his well-researched presentation. Hampton does an excellent job of telling the exciting and breathless exploits of this mountain man / scout as well as examining the larger issues that drove settlement and Indian policy during Carson's era. For the reader, I would also state that this book moves and it is one those interested in the period or history in general will want to digest in large chunks. | 1positive
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Emotional and Suspenseful
As a student, I had to read this book as a requirement for my junior year summer reading. Being the largest book of them all, I reluctantly started on this one. However, after giving it the twenty-five page test, I found the book terribly addictive. Had I had a more generous time budget, I would have finished the book in two to three days. As it was, it took me over a month. The storyline, with Pip intertwined in a weird emotional triangle with one Miss Havisham and Estella, has the reader wondering "Who is on Pip's side?" and "What the heck is going on with this Estella babe?" The emotions Pip felt, the things he went through, and just the thought of actually having to go through what he did brings tears to the eyes (even mine, which had been dry for years). By reading this book, I even became more in-tune to my emotions. This novel is an excellent piece of literature for any language buff (Dickens is a sheer master of the English language), and for anyone who loves a good tearjerker. Happy reading!! | 1positive
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lacks introspection, but Dowd is a genius at flippancy
Dowd is a fabulously sarcastic writer. When my opinion synches with hers, I revel in the deliciously wicked way that she expresses herself. It is a good laugh and the writing is truly unique. But when I don't agree, I find her style and opinions irritating and superficial, that is, unwilling to look beneath the surface in either a constructive or a genuinely insightful way. I suppose that is why she is a great columnist - you never have to get beyond about 800 words and you can forget her opinions as you step off the subway.Well, this book in my opinion brings out the worst in her. She masses statistics about why so many talented women remain unattached, and makes an argument that it proves feminism has failed: because men basically want bimbos and women want to "trade up", the most interesting women (like, uh, her) get left without enduring relationships. Behind this funny and elegantly written argument, Dowd utterly fails to ask herself any of the harder questions that require introspection. Why can't she find a good relationship? Why do certain types of men approach her? Etc. It is not she who is deficient or somehow repellant to those who might love her, but men as a category and even society as a whole that come up short. This is OK for a pithy column, but in a book it wears awfully thin after the first chapter. Her lack of introspection is, well, depressingly relentless on such a personal subject. This is singularly unimpressive.Moreover, what about all the talented women who DO find relationships that work? I am married to one of great talent and intelligence, who challenges me constantly and does not allow the marriage to stand still, even when it hurts. To have it any other way would be boring. My wife is, I think, an example of feminism as applied to married life and I dare not take anything for granted.But my greatest disappointment in this book is that it posed no questions that got me to ask myself questions about who I am as a man and why I want what (or whom) I do. I learned nothing from this, even while I admired her writing style. There is more pose than substance and I don't believe this book is intended just for the humor.Not recommended. | 0negative
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The New Earth vs. The New Birth
Becoming more enlightened is what is suppose to happen after reading A New Earth. And I hope it reaches the author's goal. Enlightenment is beautiful. Well, after reviewing the book, I realized that I am already enlightened. My enlightenment came through my relationship with God. Born-again Christians are already where Tolle says his book will take you. It wasn't my best read. I will pass on to another book lover I'm sure I'll meet along the way. For the Christian, the new earth will be the long awaited Kingdom of God, which Jesus spoke of during his earthly ministry. | 0negative
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GREATEST THING EVER!!!
I decided to purchase the Kindle because I am always on the go. I love to read so I always have a book with me in my purse... I have come acrross several books that I want to read but i don't because the book is too big to fit in my purse... if I can't take it with me I won't finish reading it. I reviewed the books available for the Kindle and found several of those large books were available. That is why I decided to buy my Kindle and now that I have it I don't want to let it out of my sight!People have complained about several things with the Kindle, the page forward and backward buttons are easy to hit... but they are suppose to be, if they weren't huge and on both sides we would be complaining that if was to hard to change the page. The cover provided WORKS! I have had no problems with the cover, it is secure enough to toss in my purse and go!As for the complaints about no backlight.. the screen was intended to be like the pages of a book... it is the backlight on e-readers and computer screens that hurt your eyes. And when copmplaining about the mp3 player, limited internet usage, or what files can be transferred to the Kindle please remember that the Kindle was created to be a book reader and to substitute carrying around a bunch of books.... it was not meant to be an ipod or laptop replacement. It is a Kindle, and it is AWESOME! | 1positive
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Love it...
I have used both Sony's electronic reader and Kindle. I love my Kindle. It is a real cool way of having easy access to your reading interests. The battery life is excellent. Screen view is great as well. Internet access to download is great and quick.Just a caution: This is a fragile device and the buttons left and right can come off if you mishandle the equipment or it falls.I still love it and would strongly recommend to avid book readers. I have just had the Kindle for over a month and would love to provide additional comments after a year or so. | 1positive
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Orwellian device
Amazon has the power to delete books from your Kindle--books you paid money for and that you thought you owned. On July 17, 2009, Amazon used this power to delete unauthorized copies of George Orwell's "Animal Farm" and "1984."There is an excellent article in Slate magazine today by Farhad Manjoo about how this technology could be used for censorship. If Amazon can delete a book it believes to be infringing copyright law, then the government can order Amazon to delete a book for other reasons.Don't give the government this kind of control over your bookshelf. Don't order the Kindle or any other device that allows a bookseller or a technology company to control what's on your digital bookshelf. | 0negative
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Kindle 2 can not be used to read PDF files.
Kindle 2 is a good device for reading books you buy fro Amazon in Kindle format.If your goal in buying a Kindle 2 is to store PDF formatted documents to read while on the road you better plan on bringing a dissecting microscope with you. The font size of the PDF files that you down load into Kindle 2 is about 2. You need 20x magnification to read them.The statement that Kindle 2 can read PDF file reminds me of the ad where a little girl is sitting on a bicycle inside a small marked area. When she complains that you can't ride a bike in this little area, the man who offered her the ride tells her you can't ride well in this area. A factually true statement, but rather a dishonest one.I think Amazon's statement is very misleading. | 0negative
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A poor start
This is my first (and probably last) Lee Child read. The book is so flawed and poorly written that 48% into it (in Kindle terms)I am about to put it down and forget about it. Not sure if Mr. Childs knows how things happen in the real world but I cannot jump into his were things seem to happen or not happen for no reason at all. The Top Guy, the brilliant man who heads the counterfeit division of the Treasury Department is brutally killed in a small hick town and there is NO investigation. No need, let the acting Police Chief (acting because the former chief and his wife were brutally murdered in the same week) take care of it. Have Reacher go to a big bank in Atlanta and because he says he is a friend of former key employee, the bank gives him all the information on the employee, who happened to be let go eighteen months ago. I have to stop there....are we on Earth.Not only flawed, but silly, stupid, shows a lack of knowledge of human nature, society and, and assumes his readers are unthinking fools.Have to put this book down for awhile, until I am really bored. Maybe I will finish it sometime As for the rest in the series....I will passMaybe child (Child)like is an appropriate characteristic for the writers style and depth of content. | 0negative
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Late Kindle owner loves it!
I actually got my Kindle second hand from a friend who's a techno-junkie and now wants an iPad. Luckily, it came with a whole library of books! I've had it for 2 months now and I love it. It's got some great features, it's easy to use, it's lightweight, and you can change the font for reading when your eyes get tired. I love that fact that you can download a book instantly and start reading. The only downside is that I can't get off it now. | 1positive
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Bloated beyond belief
This novel -- or romance, as the author calls it in hopes of getting certain indulgences from the reader -- initially drew me in. There's certainly an atmospheric richness to the haunted house, and the way owning family is trapped in its moldy ruins is catchy. In this sense, it would make an awesome Tim Burton film. But ultimately, I grew impatient with the work and found it slight. In the end, the characters, no matter how richly painted, are painted cardboard, they're maddeningly passive and the finale comes across as cheesy and contrived. (But there is one really cool chapter toward the end that I can't describe without giving away what little plot there is. It describes how everyone in the neighborhood reacts to something that happens in the house.)In academia, there's a common insult for books: it would have made a nice article. That is, someone had a good idea for a short piece and then played it beyond its proper length. Hawthorne's piece is the same way: it would have made a nice novella. But it's not a novella. It's a novel that's made up mostly of description in ornate prose that isn't particularly charming (like, say, Jane Austen's or Dickens's). So every possible baroque curl is added to the story, to the point that you wish that the characters would, for the love of God, just do something. (They finally kinda sorta maybe do, after hundreds of pages.)If it were written today, Hawthorne's writers' group would have ripped it to shreds. If it were up to me, I'd recommend cutting back on the description. Starting with the two pages devoted to the chickens.Also, if you're going to read this -- and it's main interest is historical, as a classic early American Gothic novel or as a forerunner to Scooby Doo -- examine the edition before you buy or check out of the library. Perhaps they were trying to be cheap or trying to hide how many page-long paragraphs there are, but the Signet, at least, jams so many words onto the page that it's a chore to read. | 0negative
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Changes Everything
This is a remarkable device. I am a lazy reader, frequently starting and stopping and switching books. I have a problem finishing books I've begun. I guess I just get bored with them and something else always looks more interesting.Although I've only had it for a few days, the Kindle has already started to change these deeply ingrained habits. The physical nature of the device has revolutionized the way I read. I am a great lover of books and respect the arguments of those who say nothing will ever replace a physical book. However, I can definitely say I am making far more headway into "Don Quixote" than ever before because I don't have to deal with the hassle of lugging around a brick of paper everywhere I go.I am also very fond of the bookmark/clipping function. I've used it when I've read a well crafted paragraph or profound observation. I simply mark the spot and it is stored on a separate page for later referral. I really can't overstate how great this particular function is.I have fun using this device and have found something I would rather do than watch television. My next plan is to figure out how to use the audio functions. I want to upload audio versions of Shakespeare (and others) plays into the device so I can listen to them being performed as I read along. I'm eager to explore this audio/visual connection further. For example, I'm interested in being able to read a biography of Beethoven while listening to the various compositions as they are discussed. I'm also curious about the effects of background white noise on my reading comprehension. So much to do; so much potential.Given the rapidly evolving nature of technology, I hope I live long enough to see what this device will be like 5 years from now. Depending on the innovations, I will definitely be an "upgrader."WISH LIST:1) A way to disable the various buttons. I have become used to the edge buttons and have become quite adept at navigating but I would like the ability to disable some of the buttons because occasionally I hit the wrong one accidentally and it takes me several moments to find my way back to where I was.2) A better cover. The cover included is next to useless. If I use mine in the suggested configuration it presses down on the select button any time you touch it. I put my device in upside down so the narrow edge of the kindle is at the binding edge of the cover. This way I can close the cover and at least protect the device without accidentally pressing buttons. I'm going to design my own cover and the best way I can think of doing it is to create something that closes over the device from the top, like a reporter's notebook.3) A MUCH greater selection of magazines and newspapers. I'm confident this will happen as time goes on. The selection now is pretty pitiful, particularly with the magazines. The Kindle may represent a great opportunity for magazine and newspaper publishers to win back readers lost to the immediacy of the internet. I hope they take advantage of it. | 1positive
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virginia who?
i'm sorry, but i couldn't even finish this book. i bought it used only because i thought oh, virginia is so famous! she must be wonderful! but was astonished at the lack of human thought that showed up, the lack of sense. i really had no idea of what was happening, even though i made it to pg. 100. jacob just runs on and on about sophocles, about greek philosophy--oh he's so deep. deep enough to make you regret getting this book. | 0negative
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Misogynist and disturbing
I had to quit this book halfway through because I found it so disturbing. It is violent and it is explicit and it is gory. What finally made me say enough was when I got to the part about a woman hunter's experiments cutting heads off of people and merging them with animal bodies. We get to watch her drag herself out of her cottage using her hands after the protagonist tricks her and cuts her in half. I couldn't help but ask myself WHO IS THIS STORY FOR? It certainly isn't for the age group of the protagonist, who is a pre-teen. Neil Gaiman writes dark stuff for this age group that I love. This is darker than dark, and without any of the magic. The few moments that were interesting or held together as a story soon went by the wayside.I must say that the main thing that alarmed me about the novel is it's misogyny. The evil characters so far as I read, except for the Crooked man, are all women, and we are frequently given very grisly accounts of the children exacting their revenge -- for example Gretal burning the witch alive in the oven, and the protagonist cutting the hunter (who I had assumed, before she took off her hood or whatever she was wearing, was a man) in half and her hand and leaving her to be torn apart by her creations. Sure she's got a salve to heal up the wounds, but she's naked and she's cut in two! And what's up with the nudity? The harpies' unattractive nudity is mentioned as is that of the hunter, who for some inexplicable reason goes to bed nude in addition to stripping down before having the protagonist cut her in half to make her into a centaur.Oh, and did I forget to mention that the wolf in little red riding hood was just minding his own business in the forest until the perverted young woman made his sleep with her, thus creating dangerous abominations that threaten the forest? Or the Snow White who is repulsively and morbidly obese, vain and stupid whose relationship to the seven dwarves is one of petulant petty dictator?I have never read any of Connolly's adult novels, and now I guess I never will. I cannot overstate how distasteful (not to mention pointless, as far as I got in it) that I found this novel to be. | 0negative
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Sold my Kindle... Kept my Sony... But I would buy Kindle 2.0
Unlike most Kindle owners, I suspect, the Kindle was not my first eBook Reader. I purchased a Sony PRS-505 last year when I saw it on display in Borders. I instantly fell in love with the Sony reader, but was anxious to experience Amazon's offering for several reasons:1) My limited "spot research" and Amazon's buying power suggested to me that Amazon will have a much better eBook catalog than Sony over time.2) Amazon's prices seem to be a little better than Sony's.3) Bookselling is not a core competency of Sony.4) The wireless capabilities of the Kindle, the subscription model, and the differing media types (newspapers, magazines, blogs, audio books, etc.) offered out of the gate by Amazon far outstrip Sony's content offering.5) Integration with Amazon's store and, more importantly, its customer community (recommendations, reviews, support tips, etc.) offer a much richer experience. Just imagine joining a book club on your Kindle! I'm sure it will happen soon.So why only 2 stars? The industrial design on the Kindle is flat out terrible. When you haven't had another unit in your hands to compare it with, I can imagine that this is more easily overlooked. But I just couldn't get over some of the following:1) The incredibly poor placement of the paging buttons2) The power and wireless buttons on the back of the unit where they can't be reached when the unit is in the case3) The unbelievably poor case design that doesn't even hold the unit and increases the overall thickness dramatically - the PRS-505 is about half the depth in its case that the Kindle is.4) The funky scroll wheel, and its overuse. A single button click on the Sony PRS-505 will cycle through the font sizes. A button click, scroll, scroll-click is required on the Kindle, along with the distraction of a popup menu. Why did they do this?If you must have wireless delivery of content, and the additional media types, then the Kindle is the way to go. But if you are like me, and don't mind syncing via USB, and find Sony's content library good enough for now, then I would strongly urge you to try out the PRS-505 (if you can get your hands on one. Mine's not for sale!).I accept that I won't be able to move my content from Sony to Kindle, but that won't stop me from buying Kindle 2.0, assuming Amazon hires a new industrial design team and makes a more usable device that is worthy of the outstanding service they have built around it. | 0negative
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Could not put it down
Could not put it down. Loved this book and never wanted it to end. Just as good as Pride and Prejudice | 1positive
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Not the Best Choice...
Wuthering Heights is supposed to be a story about forbidden love, right? Well, it is to a point... but mostly it is just depressing. They both die near the end and they never get married. She marries an entirely different man, and after she dies he basically goes crazy with sadness. This story is extremely confusing, as well as slightly boring at times. It is hard to understand because of the time frame it is supposed to be in.This book is probably not for young readers, because of the difficult vocabulary and small print. It was hard for me to understand, so i can imagine what it would be like for, say, a ten year old. I do not recommend this book to someone who has a short attention span, because it is hard to follow and hard to get into. If you, by chance, like older literature and are good at comprehending, go for it! But it is not the best choice for someone who is used to reading newer, easier reads. Wuthering Heights is defiantly not a thriller. | 0negative
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Good Solid Horror
I think a 3.5 stars is probably more accurate than 4 stars but i gave it 4 anyway because it was better than 3 so why not round up? For a first try, this book was done very well. The story is solid, the flow is natural, the dialogue rings true, the symbolism is somewhat heavy handed but such things are easily forgiven in an overall very well written and entertaining read. More than anything, this book positively drips atmosphere. It deals with some touchy subjects but manages not to do so a gratuitous way. Its a good old fashioned ghost story about a damaged and rejected woman who finds redemption and forgiveness in being loved by just one person. I recommend it for anyone whose taste tends to run to King and Straub. | 1positive
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Unappealing main character, poor writing
From the beginning, I did not like Tess, the protagonist of this mystery. She is too hostile and lacks a real sense of humor. Also she is too knowledgable about newspapers and life in general for being only 29. What I liked least about this book was the writing style. I never really got to know Tess because the book is in 3rd person. The "narrator" knows a lot more than Tess does and for pages at a time we are not seeing the story unfold through Tess's eyes but rather through this narrative voice. The entire scene where Tess's "rival" Rosita is being fired is told this way and that's when I lost interest and stopped reading. I didn't care about the newspaper mystery, or about what happened to Uncle Spike. The book was overly long, filled with hours of driving around. The dog was poorly detailed. I love dogs and didn't care at all about this one. Most of the other characters were "stock" as well. For better mysteries involving older woman-young lover try early books by Judith Van Giesen. | 0negative
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Pew! It stinks
Okay folks, this is a case of an acclaimed writer putting out a real stinker and everyone is willing to overlook it. Cormac became a hot Hollywood commodity with the screenplay adaptation for No Country for Old Men, and producers scrambled to find the next great work of his.The Road is a bleak yet utterly inanimate story of loss, cannabalism, the paternal bonds of man, and the ease in which humanity can slip into chaos. It is never discussed what happened to cause the world to be ruined, nothing more than vague inconclusive references are made. To me, this makes the story two-dimensional, a lack of imagination that deflates the plot. Will things get better? Is the world doomed as supply dwindles?Bottom line, if you are a pseudo-intellectual who likes vapid literature then tuck in and enjoy. If you need a novel to combat your insomnia, then this is perfect for you. However, if you enjoy substantive plots and sharp moving prose, don't bother. | 0negative
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boring and uninspiring
while i understand the underlying concept of the everlasting love series--i think harlequin may be missing its mark. the stories are designed to tell the "happily ever after" part of a relationship--how two people madly in love live their lives together. i'm not opposed to these long-term love stories (after all, my favorite book is the Thornbirds) but they've got to have GREAT stories. These books often lack for interesting stories, and they often end with the death of a character who has aged. and none of them feel like "epic love stories."i turn to books like this to escape and read about things that would never happen to me...so this book was a chore. first, it's written in the first person, which always drives me a little crazy. the main character is boring and uninteresting and, worst, weak (the hero (who already has an illegitimate child) cheats on her midway through the book and she doesn't end the relationship). There's little to say about the hero--because the book is written in the first person, you rarely get a glimpse into his personality.reading it, i felt like i was spying on my grandparents normal, everyday life. the intimacy feels weird and uncomfortable, and the last scene didn't sadden me as much as it kind of grossed me out. the book is filled with inane thoughts about the PTA and kids going to college, which are bad enough in real life...who want's to read about them too? | 0negative
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A worthy sophomore effort
A few years back, Charles Frazier hit it big with his first novel, Cold Mountain, which was both a critical and popular success. It took until 2006 for him to produce his next book, Thirteen Moons. Was it worth the long wait? As a person who was had mixed feelings over Cold Mountain, I found the follow-up novel to be a more pleasant experience.The relentlessly hellish landscape of Cold Mountain (which in part led to my mixed feelings) is replaced in this book by a gentler (but often still dangerous) land in this book. Essentially a fictional autobiography, Cold Mountain chronicles the 19th Century life of Will Cooper. As a very old man, Cooper looks back at his life and his successes and failures. (After the downbeat nature of Cold Mountain, it is nice to know from the start that the character will live a long and, in certain ways, prosperous life.)It all starts when Will, an intelligent and well-read 12-year-old orphan, is sold into indentured servitude and becomes a clerk at a remote trading post in Cherokee territory. On his way to the post, he encounters the violent and cunning Featherstone and his young companion Claire; this first meeting doesn't go that well, but they will figure in his life later.At the trading post, he meets the other major figure in his life, the Indian chief, Bear, who eventually - and with Will's consent - adopts Will as a son. Will's intelligence pays off, and he soon becomes very successful, buying out the owner of the post and getting wealthier and wealthier. But there are problems as well, particularly the forced expulsion of the Cherokee by the U.S. government (leading to the so-called Trail of Tears). And Claire comes back into his life, leading to a star-crossed romance.Although the book spans several decades, the majority of the story deals with the era around the expulsion and the resulting issues. Frazier's writing is continually engaging and he brings the period to life. Whether you've read Cold Mountain or not, this is a worthwhile read for those who enjoy historical fiction. | 1positive
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spellbound
i read marker. i enjoy robin cooks writing very much. he keeps me turning the pages till i am done. also, he writes in a way to make you think about what your reading. this book is about hmo's and how they affect the medical field. it also makes you WONDER and THINK...is this actually happening. can this actually happen. i would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading about suspense and the medical field. | 1positive
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Don't Waste Your Time
This book was so terribly boring I didn't even finish it. It's hard to believe it was published. | 0negative
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Recent Price Increase
The recent price increase for a monthly subscription to the WSJ from $9.99 to $14.99 has really made me question whether I may have been a bit hasty in purchasing a Kindle. That is a 50% price increase within three months since the Kindle 2 debuted, and no new newspapers or magazines have been introduced during that time. As far as I know, no new format design enhancements or content additions have been announced. The Kindle subscription does not even feature all the content of the print edition. I can subscribe to the print edition of the WSJ through magazines.com for $129.00 per year vs. $179.88 for the Kindle edition. How in the world could an electronic version of the WSJ cost $50.00 per year more than the print edition, which, of course, has to be hand delivered to my doorstep? I will not pay an extra fifty bucks a year, and I will be cancelling my Kindle subscription to the WSJ.I do love the Kindle 2 product for reading books, but they really need to speed up the availability of more book offerings. With the recentastronomical price increase to the WSJ subscrition, especially in such a short period of time, and the limited selection of magazines and periodicals, I have to say I am disappointed with the Kindle 2. Great concept, excellent design, but the pricing structure and content leaves much to be desired. | 0negative
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