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My Favorite Tech Device
I received my Kindle about two months ago and resisted the temptation to write an immediate review. In the past I have ordered tech items that have been reviewed well on Amazon or cnet or elsewhere on the web, only to find that had the reviewer actually held on to the device for an extended period of time the review would have changed considerably--and usually for the worse. Many tech devices are satisfying to pull out of the box and play around with. They wow us with Christmas feelings yet later we throw them down in dissatisfied frustration and fight with our brothers and sisters and go back to sleep. --Though the elegantly packaged Kindle was a delight to open, I am pleased to say the Kindle did not prove to be one of these latently dissatisfying devices.It did have its moments:Customers are right to complain about the omnipresence of the page turn keys which make it hard to lift up and put down the Kindle without losing your position.The combination scroll and click tab is difficult to depress without turning under one's thumb.The Kindle cover is nice but problematic. Make the simple Velcro modification well documented on the internet. It will alleviate this problem and remedy greatly the page-turn problem. I made the modification and it was like a good counseling session for me and my Kindle. We have been getting along famously.The e-book formatting for public domain books (books you can get for free elsewhere) is not perfect or improved on by paying at the Kindle Store. Look at the samples first!That much said, I like my Kindle more every week. The Kindle gives me the ability to sample books while commuting on the train, browse internet news sources, check and send email and make notes with its very decent keyboard--all this on a great e-ink, e-book device. (Even after the unabridged Anna Karenina, I find reading the e-ink screen more satisfying than the printed page.)Serious readers should not underestimate the value of the search, highlighting, and note making functions, as well as the lookup/dictionary function and the ability to source online through Wikipedia and Google. These are functions which finally have me reading again as I did in my best moments, and they are, I think, the Kindle's most enlightened contribution to the world of text. It would be very hard to go back to the printed page and I could do so now only by way of some equally portable hypertext device with which to perform all these standard Kindle functions. On this last subject, there seems also some strange phenomenon by which reading on my Kindle I am released of my other, distasteful, electronic compulsions, and I can read in peace without being drawn toward some other pixilated screen.We are undoubtedly living in an electronic age, and the way I see it, Amazon's Kindle might revive the withering literary landscape from this present swirl of texting and instantaneous and thoughtless communication and aid in the development of less anxious and more thoughtful community of readers. It might even save the world. Grandiose ideas aside, it's simply one of the best gadgets to hit the market in the past several years. | 1positive
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The book White Weddings may not be pure
I started out reading Chrys Ingraham's White Weddings with positive attitude. I am very interested with how the "white wedding came about". As she went on with the book there were a few problems that did not settle with me. Number one she often used the words wedding and marriage interchangeably. These words are two very different in definition and shouldn`t be used in place of one another. The second thing that I found very hard to handle with her book is that she often would make broad generalizations that would have no factually information to support the idea. Finally when you read the epilogue she says, "writing this book has been a wrenching experience. Without realizing how fully I've been sutured to dominate heterosexual culture, I have frequently found myself engaged in a variety of internal struggles. Tears would be streaming down my face as I empathized with the characters in a movie while, at the same time, I would be taking notes critiquing the heterosexual imaginary." It seems to me that she wrote this book as a statement of how she feels and her opinions. This is great if it is therapy for her but should not be taken as fact or the answer for other people. The one educational part of the book was the section about how white weddings are capitalized. Sweatshops are terrible and it is a horrible feeling to know that people work in awful conditions to make your wedding dress. This is however should not be the main reason to critizes white weddings, but a reason to make changes. This book was a start of a good idea but in the end turned into someone else's opinion and platform. After reading this book no one should feel bad about the choices they make for their own weddings just because they don't fit with what Chrys Ingraham's believes. A person should make decisions based on what feels right for them. | 0negative
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Ancient evils rise again!
This is clearly an earlier piece of work for Bentley LIttle, however it shows how his writing style has originated and been developed through his latest novels. In The Return, he tells the story of a rat tag team that randomly meet up and know each other through an archeological dig that is studying Native American history. The group comes across some odd shaped sculls and authentic pottery depicting present-day events, generally with the finder in them.The local townspeople being acting strangely, and start changing personalities, it seems everyone is being affected by the pottery shards, except for the group that originally finds these things. When the professor heading the dig disappears along with the rest of their team. The rag tag group, decide its up to them to find out what is happening and why people are disappearing.Along the way, you find moving pieces of pottery, that make people act crazy and do insane things... oh say like eating other people.... Strange hairy creatures are spotted, among other things..Overall the story, though well written, is not well developed, it is choppy, and generally, doesn't attempt to make any sense at all. I love Bentley Little and one thing I've found to be the norm with him is that he doesn't like endings. There is always a huge build up, then a sudden end. The closure is very stunted...Though I tend to enjoy the journey more then the destination anyway... so if you're like me, you might enjoy the book..Personally I'd love to see him write about a lost tribe or something.. like James Rollins but with horror, and the signature Little style | 1positive
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Hopelessly digital
I held off ordering my Kindle until I did some math. I buy several books a week from Amazon, and given the price savings between a digital book, and an analog book, it became clear that I would recover my cost quickly. So, yesterday, it arrived.The Kindle is a joy to use. As advertised, my Washington Post was ready for me to read when I woke up this morning. I am still adjusting to the controls, but they are becoming a bit easier to use. Not yet a fan of the scroll wheel, but it is functional.Reading is very easy. No eye strain, good quality.I do not like the fact that I need to "turn" pages so often, but that is a function of my large font selection.But, and to explain the title of my review, on my morning commute, I was listening to a podcast interview of Al Gore, discussing his new paperback, Assault on Reason. Sounded like a great book. While sitting in line at Starbucks (yes, I am addicted to that stuff as well), I grabbed my Kindle, logged onto the Kindle Store, searched for Al Gore, found the book, ordered it, and before I got my coffee, had the download complete.Say what you will about analog books, that is a very cool thing.Now, if only Steve and Jeff could put these gizzmos together, we would be in great shape. | 1positive
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This Changes Everything
I read all of the reviews and thought very hard before investing $359 in this little beauty. I figured that with Amazon standing behind the product, I really was taking very little risk. I paid my money and here's what I got.I got a small, easy to handle, well designed, user friendly device that allows me to carry a large chunk of my library with me so that I can read it anytime I choose. I got a reading surface that is far easier on the eyes that even a book and that I can read outside with minimal glare and no loss of image contrast like other readers. I got access to a library of nearly 200,000 books on Amazon and a lot more on free download sites. I got a fast charging battery the seems to last forever before needing a drink of juice. I got my daily Wall Street Journal delivered to me every morning before I wake up. I got a device that lets me listen to MP3's while I read without having to hook up to a separate device. I got text that I could change the size of instantly to suit any condition. I got a built-in dictionary so I can refer to it without having to leave my reading. I got a wireless download system that is so easy to use and so broad-based that it puts Wi-Fi systems to shame.In short, I got a whole lot more than I expected or paid for and I am extremely pleased and impressed. Printed books will be around for a long time to come, but there will be a whole lot less of them thanks to this brilliant little device.What I didn't get was all of the headaches that the minority of reviewers said I'd get. The less than one second blackout between pages doesn't bother me. Not having Wi-Fi means absolutely nothing. I got used to the buttons. The lack of a backlight wasn't a problem (I bought a Mighty Light and it's brightness and color balance are perfect.) I got plenty of titles, with more being added daily. I was up and running in no time at all. For all you naysayers, no problem at all ... just keep turning those pages!I love this thing. It's near perfect. I'm in no hurry for version 2 and I don't need a color screen. Thanks Amazon for a truly great new technology and product. | 1positive
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A humble suggestion
For all of you discussing the good, the bad and the ugly of this product here in the review section without actually having seen or used one (and yes, I count myself among you) why don't you use the discussion forum? That way people interested in actual reviews from people who have actually used the device won't have to sift though hundreds of entries from people who have no more actual experience or information to share than what can be learned from reading the product description. | 1positive
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Great devise but,...
I love the Kindle, but like others the buttons for Back, Next Page, Previous Page are poorly placed and need to be re-thought. | 1positive
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Beautifully written profile of restlessness, empathy, and growth
This autobiography is one of the most well-written and moving books I have ever read. President Obama's early voice clearly resonates on themes of world race relations and his growth as an individual in understanding how he fits in. His words suggest a youthful unease that show his passion in helping the current condition of African Americans and Africans. For example, while reading a book on Africa's brilliant history and recent internecine struggles, Obama notes his feeling of restlessness: "I set the book down, feeling a familiar anger flush through me, an anger all the more maddening for its lack of a clear target" (p. 300).While Obama's themes may suggest resentment and vitriol as a next step, he does not go down that path. He never speaks ill towards others throughout the book; instead, his words are objective, with criticism directed only towards his own African American community.Obama's focus and drive really shine in this book as well, showing his upward drive through Columbia University, his dedication in helping out the Chicago community, and his acceptance into Harvard law school.There are only a few negatives about this book. While the writing is eloquent, a few passages were really drawn out. The latter chapters about Kenya, while compelling, are long, and the many introduced names in his extended family are a bit exhausting to read. Also, I wish Obama had written more about his study habits and his scholarly activities that got him into Columbia and Harvard. There is only a minor event, noted in passing on page 324, that says he was "always spending time with books."Overall, an excellent autobiography. | 1positive
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Would have been good had it not been for inaccuracies in section on treatment of Graves' disease
I would have rated this book 4 stars had it not been for the rather puzzling and glaring inaccuracies in the section on the treatment of Graves' disease.To quote: "Treatment for Graves' disease includes drugs designed to block the runaway production of hormones. I generally prescribe LEVOTHYROXINE, as L-thyroxine, for this purpose", and then "Untreated, patients with Graves' disease can develop fatal complications such as cardiac rhythm disturbance, muscle weakness, electrolyte imbalances or SEVERE CONSTIPATION. Since the disease is so EASY to treat, we almost never see this kind of problem" and "It takes a fine balance of therapy to regulate Graves' disease, but once it is under control, the symptoms should be ameliorated. Patients are generally on therapy for the rest of their lives".All the above statements would have been applicable had the writer been discussing HYPOTHYROIDISM rather than Graves' disease, which causes HYPERTHYROIDISM i.e. overactive thyroid. I find it very strange such glaring inaccuracies should have been allowed to be published, especially considering, particularly as the writer is a professor of medicine and no lay writer.This book needs to be urgently reviewed and have the relevant inaccuracies rewritten, otherwise there will be a lot of confused lay readers. It is a shame, as the book was otherwise written in a very entertaining, engaging and readable style, with each condition being illustrated by a real live case which made all the relatively rare conditions being discussed much more relevant even to those readers who do not have these medical problems.(I should mention I am medically qualified and was looking for a readable book on autoimmune diseases to recommend my patients). | 0negative
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Awful Formatting
I wish I paid attention to reviewers notations that they were reviewing the paperback book version. The content sounded interesting. This was downloaded to my kindle and the formatting is AWFUL!! One line would start across screen but the next line would contain 3 words at the most then continue on the next line. This formatting continued through the whole book. No full sentences or paragraphs completed as a whole. I could not finish. The cost was free. Sometime you get what you pay for (or not). Freebies beware! | 0negative
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Love it
This is a great product for the avid reader. I've always enjoyed reading, always have a book going, but this has increased my enthusiasm ten-fold. I find myself looking with interest at books that I never would have given a second glance to at a traditional brick and mortar bookstore. It's easy to use, fun to use, and it really does vanish when you're involved with a good story just like a paperback would. The dictionary is a great feature, wispernet works great, and I love the idea of being able to have access to such a large amount and variety of reading material. If you can afford the initial purchase and love reading you won't regret it. | 1positive
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The Triumph of American Imagination
It was a great gift for my Daughter. She said the book had allot of things that she didn't know about Walt. AN A +++ | 1positive
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Worthless fluff that misses a lot of the good stuff.
My wife got this for a birtday present. If you are a fifty year old traveler you already know this stuff and a lot more that the author does not cover.Otherwise you are a tourist and you let an agent make most, if not all, of your travel arangements for you.This author thinks that the olny Americans are from the USA. She has left out everyone else from the American continents. | 0negative
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Why Bother...
Blumenthal -- like most political operatives with a book deal -- has churned out an indifferently written and profoundly humourless blend of hagiography, self-justification and character assassination. (Newsflash: Sid and Hitch are not going to kiss and make up any time this century.) And like the work of most political operatives with a book deal, this will have limited appeal to anyone isn't already in the choir or researching a term paper. Three stars for partisan Democrats and those who waste their Sunday mornings watching cable talking heads. Everyone else might want to give this tome a miss. | 0negative
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Kindle and Sony 505 compared-Kindle wins (surprisingly)
I never thought I'd like reading a book on an electronic device, despite the fact that I am the quintissential geek in most other things. Well, the Kindle and the Sony 505 eBook Reader have proven me wrong. The text reads like a real book, but I can carry thousands of books with me at any time--assuming I use and SD card. That makes less difference than the fact that I will no longer take up (literally) whole rooms to store my collection of novels I will likely never read but can't face parting with.I have both the Sony 505 and the Kindle and I like them both. I prefer the form factor and 8 level grayscale on the Sony, as well as the fact that it supports folders ("collections"). Frankly, the Kindle is butt-ugly... no other way to say it. (Kinda like the Zune compared with an iPod--both work but one is so much more elegant.) I also appreciate being able to read Sony eBooks on my computer if you want (e.g. if your Reader went belly up in the middle of a book).PDF files display in their native appearance on the Sony (although multicolumn text can be hard to read sometimes) and can be loaded directly, whereas the conversion process for the Kindle, which requires sending a PDF to Amazon for conversion, is not only more cumbersome but the resulting product is often unreadable (formatting, not text size), particularly for multi-column PDFs.I do not perceive any difference in "brightness" or contrast between the two screens, but images look better on the Sony than on the Kindle. No biggie. I have no intention of using either to read photo-laden books. Text readability is equal on the two, IMHO, and that's what counts.I really expected to prefer the Sony overall, but in the end the following features of the Kindle lead me to conclude that I prefer it:Search is wonderful. Have you ever read a book, been introduced to a character early on than not encountered him again for 100 pages, by which time you've forgotten exactly who he is. Not a problem with the Kindle. Just search for the character's name and :::poof::: you can get right back to where you first "met" him. To me this is HUGE. And it is remarkably fast.Whispernet is also very nice. First, because I can browse a brick and mortar bookstore and buy what strikes my fancy on the spot from my Kindle, at a fraction of the price. And, second, because it allows me an alternative to my iPhone (in areas where ATT coverage may be spotty) when I want to check the weather or the headlines on a long trip. And EDVO seems a LOT faster than my iPhone's EDGE network.Five (or is it six?) font sizes on the Kindle gives me lots more flexibility than three on the Sony.The other big plus for the Kindle is the variety and cost of books. Almost everything I have bought thusfar (mostly new release hardcover bestsellers) costs 3-4 dollars less on the Kindle than on the Sony. On the Kindle a newly released novel runs about half of the online price of the same book in hardcover. Over time that is a significant hunk of change. The idea of being able to pay paperback pricing for a novel the minute it comes out is the most compelling feature of the Kindle, followed closely by search (vide supra).The buttons are a mixed bag. On the one hand I like the size, in that they are easy to find and press, but on the other hand inadvertent button presses are still a problem. And, more importantly, the BACK button does not always take me back to where I expected it would. This could readily be fixed in a software update.What could the Kindle improve on?Support folders (called "collections" on the Sony) to allow users to organize their content in a way that is meaningful to themProvide native PDF support, in sizes that permit easy readability yet retain multicolumn formattingDo something about the form factor to make it more visually appealing, more compact (thin mainly), and improve the case (which is next to useless--doubling the thickness of the device and not providing secure hold on the Kindle. Make the corners that rest on my chest when reading lying down a little less sharply pointed.Work on button size and placement to decrease the incidence of inadvertent button pressesGo with at least 8-level gray scaleOverall, both the Sony 505 and the Kindle are excellent at what they do, but if I were recommending a single eBook reader to someone, I would favor the Kindle (lower book prices, better selection, search function and Whispernet being the reasons).Do I think eBooks are the way of the future? Yup, now I do. I am a convert. | 1positive
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WOW
I'm a strong-willed professional woman. My marriage was falling apart. This book REALLY made me stop and take a look at my husband like the manly man he is. Almost overnight, the 'little things' really added up, and we are happy again!Take a look, it just may be worth it to you as well. | 1positive
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very infomative for newcomers to live food
Love this book. Easy reading, very informative and gives introduction information for transitioning to raw food. Very good book. | 1positive
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gave me chronic pain instead of relieving it!
I started the program on the recommendation of a relative. Did it faithfully for a minimum of six weeks and then discovered terrible pain in my feet, outside of right knee, right hip, etc, which has now kept with me for approximately 2 years. Used the (non-weighted) sneakers Theresa Tapp recommended, never went barefoot (until the time in desperation when I wanted to "mark" the workout lightly without shoes to make sure the pain wasn't being caused by my inadvertently scrunching my toes through the motions; I wasn't), studied myself in a full length mirror all the way and was making no "form mistakes". In fact, if anything my legs tend to do naturally what Theresa advises her students to do.Coincidentally, about a year after I gave it up the relative mentioned above asked me what I was eventually diagnosed with, because she thinks she now has developed plantar fasciitis based upon pains in her feet. Nowhere does Theresa mention that people who already have high, rigid arches (as my relative and I do) probably don't want to have our feet "reshaped" or our arches lifted. Maybe it works out great for her patrons who have flat feet. I wouldn't know.I now strain my feet on a regular basis (twice in one week for the left foot alone), spend a lot of time with my fourth and fifth metatarsals on both feet aching (balancing on the outside of your foot while working out is another T-Tapp tenet), have been diagnosed with bursitis (which one would think the workout is supposed to cure based upon testimonials). I have also logged a total of 12 weeks in a walking cast, and some $200-300 worth of insurance copays and x-rays for repeated visits to a podiatrist, who never determined anything more helpful than "your cuboid bone has shifted, which sometimes happens when you take up a new form of exercise" (it seems the cuboid, which I never knew I had before, kind of floats around in this cradle in your ankle and isn't really attached to anything). I have also been tested by a neurologist who determined that my pain is not caused by anything having to do with nerves from lower lumbar on down.I admit I did see results in my body during those six weeks, which is why I'm giving two stars not one; but at what cost? If the workout is supposed to cure all manner of chronic conditions, I don't think it should have aggravated a tendency or possibly even landed me with one. I now know the hard way why they say "Consult with your doctor before embarking on any new forms of exercise." I was neither that obese (30 pounds over ideal weight) nor all that out of condition, and to say that I wish I'd never heard of T-Tapp would be an understatement. | 0negative
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Wonderful account of a man's quest in the highHimalayian mountains.
Suggest a companion picture book...National Geographic Himalayan Quest. Stunning photos of Ed et al on ALL of the 8000 meter peaks. Will help you to visualize what he accomplished. | 1positive
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Free SF Reader
I would imagine that there is not a very large chance you would findthis book in the waiting room of any plastic surgeon's office. Anexample of a story that suggests be careful of what you wish for. Ayoung man makes a deal to keep himself young and youthful looking.Unfortunately there is a secret associated with this that is hard tohide. | 1positive
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Does not worth reading it !!
I bought this book just because of all the noise surrounding it as being one of the best sellers, etc. Well, all what this book is saying is that you should trust your subconscious because your first impression or decision is basically your best . Although this whole idea is arguable, yet it is very old and everybody knows about it, so buy the book??? | 0negative
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Nice idea, but mine has broken 3 times in 14 months
I love the idea of the Kindle and I have read a whole lot of books on mine. The problem is that I travel extensively for work and the Kindle just doesn't survive the rigors of traveling in a laptop bag - even with the leather cover that I purchased for it. 2 times the screen has broken and once the power switch stopped working, and now that it's more than 12 months after it was purchased my warranty is up and I just can't see myself purchasing another Kindle based on my experience so far. At least if I purchased another one it would get a new 12 month warranty but paying $150+ every 12-16 months for a new Kindle seems a bit steep to me for a product that just shouldn't break this much. | 0negative
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shallow, boring and poorly written
this woman is seriously annoying. there are moments of her spiritual journey that ring true, but those moments are no great revelation to any reasonably self-aware person. the prose is flat and repetitive and self-indulgent... and so she. the clamor over this book is truly out of control... ! | 0negative
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Ignorant Drivel
This drab piece of literature is no more than a collection of contorted opinions that shows the true ignorance of our society regarding animal rights & welfare. | 0negative
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Wrong book
wrong book sent. Customer service was poor and presented an extremely difficult procedure for correcting the problem. I was required to pay to send the book back, mailing back cost almost as the book itself. Even complying with this process did not ensure a replacement, but only that the order would be checked. | 0negative
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WOW
I bought this book on an whim knowing that it was part of a series and so glad I did. The In Death series has been great and I haven't been disappointed yet. I love the characters. Eve and Roarke are great together. | 1positive
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Cruel and Depressing Novel
Hardy paints a cruel picture of women in lower society. They are either tempted or cause evil mischief with a tragic ending. He had created a virtuous women in the form of Tess and ends her as a criminal. It is impossible for a women of Tess's virtue to turn into a criminal. I would not recommend this book to anyone who would look to escape from Depression. | 0negative
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What a great experience this book was!
I love to read well-written history, but I have had to struggle through a few to learn more about our world. This book taught me a great deal about the history of the West, but it was also an absolute thrill to read.The author has me dashing out this weekend to pick up everything else he's written. | 1positive
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I can't like characters I don't believe.
I am aware that this is not a novel meant to put a smile on your face or make you think of flowers and rainbows etc. But I was unable to get any enjoyment out of this book because the characters are so completely ridiculous in their courses of actions. Granted, the theme of the book is how hatred, jealousy, envy, and the like can overcome a person's soul, but she took it too far. The overblown "love" between the characters would invariably be followed by an act of viscious cruelty. Many of the good reviews for this book are from high school students. The reason most of them liked it, in my mind, is because they are immature and have idealized images of the emotions described in the book and how people would react to those emotions. We all know what it is like to love, to hate, to lose, but even under the most painful situations no one would act the way these characters did. | 0negative
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Sony Reader customer weighs in
I'm confused. I thought reviews were supposed to come from people who actually owned (or at least had the opportunity to try) a product. It looks to me that 99% of the reviews for Kindle (most apparently negative) are from people who have never even seen, much less used the Kindle. It seems most the negative comments are from people who are not willing to spend the money to buy one, or who are stuck in a Napster/Kazaa time warp where they want everything for free. Let's face it, cost is relative. I suppose if you're flipping burgers at the local BK Lounge and haven't read a book since you were forced to suffer through Tom Sawyer in high school, $399 probably seems absurd. However, if love technology, travel a lot, and have a few extra bucks lying around, the cost of Kindle is no big deal - especially if you're the early adopter type. So honestly, I really don't care if you think it's too expensive, that's something I can decide on my own. You were probably one of the naysayers who said you'd never buy an "overpriced" iPod too, aren't you?Anyway at the risk of sounding hypocritical, I too have yet to lay my hands on a Kindle. However, I have happily owned a similar device, the Sony Reader for some time now, so I feel at least somewhat qualified to make some initial observations. I travel alot, and in the past would be weighted down with the 2 or 3 books required to keep me company on those long plane rides. The Sony Reader changed all that. It was (at the time) a perfect answer to my problem. It's small (4.9 x 6.9 x 0.5 in.) and light (about 9 oz.) It holds more books that I can read in months (and with an SD card, a lifetime). And the electronic ink screen works amazingly well, so well in fact that lots of people I've shown it to thought it was actually ink on paper. When I bought it, it was about the same price as Kindle, but I didn't care. I liked it, I wanted it, and I had the money to buy it...enough said. Since then I've bought several as gifts.So if I'm so happy with my Sony Reader, why am I one-clicking a Kindle as soon as I'm done with this review? Because it takes all the features that I love in my Reader, and does it better. It's only slightly larger (4.9 x 7.5 x 0.7 in.) and heavier (10.3 oz). But the inclusion of a keyboard for searching, browsing the e-store, etc. will make navigation quite a bit easier, let alone provide it with capabilities for future upgrades. The integrated 3G wireless will allow me to access new content on the road without having to lug around my laptop, and better yet frees me from the evil clutches of Windows which is the required OS for the Sony software. Most of all, Amazon has an incredible track record of providing content in a convenient, hassle-free and even entertaining manner. Half the time I need to access the Sony eBook store I have to Google the damn thing just to find it. The content is sorely lacking, and the lack of customer reviews forces me to open another tab in my browser just so I can cross-check all of my prospective purchases with Amazon. Let's face it, Amazon has done for books (and just about everything else as well) what Apple and iTunes has done for music. And I only see it getting better.So bottom-line, what are the key selling points of Kindle for me?1. Size and portability for reading on the road.2. Great electronic ink screen (looks exacly like my Sony Reader screen),3. Pay as you go 3G wireless integration frees me from lugging around an extra laptop and better yet Windows. Also allows for access to additional content like Wikipedia.4. Content delivery from Amazon is sure to be convenient, easy-to-use, and even entertaining. I could easily see myself killing time just browsing the store and reading reviews.5. I love new technology.6. I can afford it without depriving my family of the basic necessities.Can't wait to get my new Kindle! | 1positive
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Tremendous work by Mr. Daniel Goleman
Dear Readers,This book was mainly written for Business. As I went through this book, I find it appliable to our daily life. A great job by author.Bijesh | 1positive
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It's a newspaper, but TOO LATE, TOO OFTEN!
I have had a Kindle for the past 2 years. One of the first publications I bought for the Kindle and have continued to buy is the Seattle Times. I live in Seattle and enjoy the local news. I find the content to be less than that of the paper version, but I chock that up as being the limitations of the Kindle. I don't miss the advertising. I would go on to subscribe and pay the price (price is not the issue), but I cannot - the Seattle Times is not delivered on time.At first, the Seattle Times was delivered everyday by the time I checked for the newspaper - around 6AM on weekdays, 7AM on weekends. Now in the past 4 to 5 months, the paper has not been delivered 6 or 7 times - until it's irrelevant and too late in the day to read. That's at least 6 times in 4 to 5 months. When I got the paper version, my paper carrier was never late. This makes no sense - how can the Seattle Times print the paper and deliver it to people's doorsteps and not send a computer file electronically to Amazon to publish? It's 8:53AM on a Sunday today, still no paper. I quit! I would give the paper one star for delivery on time, 3 stars for content - average that out to 2 stars.To be clear, I will not reward the Seattle Times with a subscription to the print paper version. They have now lost a customer. If others are bothered by this behavior, I encourage you to do the same. Do not subscribe to the Times, do not buy the Seattle Times. All of the other newspapers I have tried have worked out well. (SF Chronicle, NY Times, Boston Herald) Don't write off Kindle newspapers - just the Seattle Times. I'll find my local news in a blog. | 0negative
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Tedious and unengaging
I don't know what people see in this book. I found it irritating from the start -- all the characters are thoroughly unlikeable. After slogging my way through a quarter of the book, I found I still couldn't care less what happened to these people.The writing is also painfully verbose and florid. For a better story, I would have been willing to cope with it, but here it was just another reason to put the book down and never pick it up again. | 0negative
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T-Tapp was DEhabilitative for me. But if you want to try it, get the videos not the book
I'm 40, hate to exercise, have low-grade sciatica and want to lose 30lbs and get toned. When I heard about T-Tapp, I was very excited. It sounded perfect: a no-impact workout routine great for people with chronic pain issues that would take a minimal amount of time to produce fast results, and works without dieting.The first thing I bought was the book, since it was the cheapest option. Reading Teresa Tapp's story, and all the testimonials, was very inspiring and it sounded like a wonderful program. However, I couldn't grasp the book's description of the exercises. I don't see how anyone could learn to do T-Tapp just from reading the book. Like many other reviewers, I personally couldn't make heads or tails of it. It was basically an infomercial and a way to get a discount on the extremely expensive videos.So I bought the Basic Plus video from the T-Tapp website (though now you can get them directly from Amazon). I did the instructional workout 4 times, and during that time my sciatica flared up and I had a level of back pain I haven't had in 10 years. After stopping the workouts, the pain lasted for two weeks. And not cramping, mind you, but sharp recurring pains day and night. I also had some ankle and knee pain. I thought of giving up, but I REALLY wanted T-Tapp to work for me. So I called them to see if I could exchange the video for the MORE workout video (for people with chronic pain) and pay the difference, but they don't accept returns. So, since I had a 30% off coupon, I bit the bullet and, despite my doubts, bought the MORE video. I did the MORE instructional workout 3 times and got the same results: back, knee and ankle pain.Now I know a T-Tapper will tell me that I wasn't doing the form properly. That may be true, but I went onto the forum and read administrator's advice and followed that. I looked in a mirror. I practiced the KLT 'stance' before doing the workouts. If after all that, I still can't get the form right and it's causing me pain, I can't help but conclude that the workout is either too complicated or just not suited to my particular body. It made my body feel horrible. I'm in pain as I write this.The interesting thing is that almost all the T-Tapp exercises involve moving in ways that people with back problems are always advised not to do: bending down from the waist (and rocking in that position too), twisting the upper body backwards and then bending down while twisting, and the like. Same with knee issues (which I don't usually have): doing lunges and plies and things that put pressure on the knees. So while I was doing these exercises, I felt like I was breaking every single rule I knew about how to avoid back and knee pain. Every time Theresa commented that "this move is very rehabilitative," it was a move that hurt me. It's really hard for me to understand how so many people with back and knee issues can have great results with T-Tapp, but I'm glad it works for them.I considered trying the Chair or Floor exercises on the MORE video. But it just doesn't make sense to me that I would have to do exercises meant for people with serious chronic issues just because the regular exercises CAUSED me to have those issues in the first place! So I gave up and listed all my videos on eBay (the only way to recoup my losses). I'm very sad to say that I'm one of a supposed minority for whom this didn't work. (I say 'supposed,' because the whole operation smacks of MLM tactics.)A commenter on one of the reviews of the book said she was also having pain with the workout, and she got help on the phone from T-Tapp to correct her form, and the pain stopped. Part of me is tempted to try this, but my deeper instinct is to run the other way. And I also just found out that they recommend wearing cross-training shoes, which was not stated anywhere that I can remember in the book or the videos. I wore New Balance W715GB running shoes. Maybe cross-trainers would make a difference, but I don't feel like buying new shoes just to test out that hypothesis. If an exercise is that hard to learn and has that many risks to my body if I don't wear the exact right shoes and don't do it 100% correctly down to tiny minute details in my form, I'm not sure the risk or the financial cost is really worth it. After already paying about $100 for a month of pain, I'm kind of sour on the whole thing.I'm going back to the 10-Minute Solution series, which costs far less, is easy to do, causes me no pain, and will only take an extra hour out of my week than T-Tapp in its maintenance stage would.P. S. If you comment on this review telling me that I just need to correct my form, I will reach through my computer and very sweetly throttle you. :) If you love it, more power to ya. I am done with it! | 0negative
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Rip-off! Book prices jacked up over 50% right after major promotion
My decision to buy a Kindle was based largely on a calculation of the cost of paperbacks versus Kindle books. There is something incredibly sleazy about jacking the prices of books up over 50% right after a massive promotional campaign. Why should I trust a company that would do that in the future. | 0negative
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Striking Back: The 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre and Israel's Deadly Response
A very compelling read that goes hand in hand with Steven Spielberg's film "Munich." The book revealed new details I had not seen, despite extensive reading on the history of these events. | 1positive
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DRECK !
"Dreck"is a yiddish word...look it up..This book is dreck start to finish,top to bottom...I suppose author George Pendle(whose smirking photograph can be seen on the back cover)thought it would be funny to write a stupid book about events that never happened and insist that not only did they happen but that Millard Fillmore,our 13th president,was involved in everything from the battle at the alamo to the california gold rush...In-joke books require some inside knowledge,and since Millard Fillmore is one of our most obscure and forgotten presidents almost no one knows very much about him..History,as a topic for popular reading,is not high on the list for most americans who read(and the number of americans who DO read is dwindling daily),and a REAL biography about Fillmore would probably attract a very small audience..Pendle's book is about as funny as an amputation,and that is giving both the book and its author more credit than both deserve..Why this dreck was ever published is beyond my understanding... | 0negative
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Kindle Is Awesome
I love my Kindle. It is so easy to use and to be able to carry so many books at once is a pleasure to any book lover. | 1positive
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Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device
just what I wanted so I don't have to take so many heavy books with me when I take transit or travel | 1positive
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Paradigm shift ... or just a light read?
I devoured this book, it's an interesting, quick and fun read. Initially I was convinced the author had conveyed some brilliant insights, and my life was changed. A few days later, though, I kind of think that his insights are interesting, yes, and thought-provoking. But not really much more than common sense would lead any intelligent person to conclude.Still, I do recommend it as an interesting book. | 1positive
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children of the corn meets terminator 2...
lets get right to the point. spend 100 less pages describing over and over again the same thing or 5-10 pages per memory and use it instead to further the story along. although doing that would have left you with spindley little thing.and has to be the worst ending of any book i ever read. it was really that bad.i ashamed to say i bought this book because of paolini's reccomendation. brooks cant hold his (athletic supporter). | 0negative
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DON'T BUY THIS BOOK!
I cannot tell you how much I hated this book and urge you to boycott it. I am a lifelong Republican and activist. My party stands for those who are successful, Christian minded, and controlling those who want to hurt American business.- First of all, how dare you oppose Bush in not supporting of the glorious war and Crusade against non-Christian infidels? What's all this bull about WMDs? Saddam killed, so we killed, might makes right in any sensible mind. So all those who are against Bush are going to hell.- Democrats are all renegade swine, quite frankly, and it's a crying shame they are even allowed to vote. Jesus would have supported Bush in his war against muslim sheep and cutting funds for people who are disabled, crippled, retarded, old, etc. It's their own fault, Bush didn't make these losers the way they are.- So Bush didn't win the popular election; God wanted him to be President, God didn't trust the `popular majority' and God wanted a military hero like Bush in office. Thank God for our unbiased Supreme Court.- Furthermore, how dare you show narrow-minded animosity at Bush when he is a self made man. Don't believe those who say the US doesn't have enough jobs. If the Mexicans can find jobs, so can you. Republicans get better jobs because we know the game, know how to take advantage of the system, and because of our Godly contacts.You should buy Anne Coulter books instead. She is the leading spokeswoman for the Republican party because she knows and speaks our truth. Quotes from her:* "I think [women] should be armed but should not [be allowed to] vote...women have no capacity to understand how money is earned. They have a lot of ideas on how to spend it....it's always more money on education, more money on child care, more money on day care."-- Politically Incorrect, 2/26/01* "...a cruise missile is more important than Head Start."-- Speech, 11/01, rebroadcast by C-Span in Jan. 2002* "In his brief fiery ride across the landscape, Joe McCarthy bought America another thirty years. For this, he sacrificed his life, his reputation, his name. The left cut down a brave man, but not before the American people heard the truth."-- The Drudge Report, quoting from Coulter's new book, Treason, 6/19/03* "We hate them. Americans don't want to make Islamic fanatics love us. We want to make them die. There's nothing like horrendous physical pain to quell anger. A couple of well-aimed nuclear weapons will get our opposition out of the way."-- Column, 9/25/02* "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity."-- Column, 9/13/01* "We need to execute people like John Walker in order to physically intimidate liberals, by making them realize that they can be killed, too. Otherwise, they will turn out to be outright traitors."-- Speech to Conservative Political Action Conference, January 2002* "Soldiers are just cowards with their backs against the wall. The lowest IQ men in our society, those incapable of normal careers enlist. Their choice in life; prison or the military. Some will have to die in the support of our cause."-- Intervention Magazine, 11/06/03* "The only beef Enron employees have with top management is that management did not inform employees of the collapse in time to allow them to get in on the swindle."-- Column, 1/24/02* "My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times Building."-- New York Observer interview, 8/20/02* "Then there are the 39 million greedy geezers collecting Social Security. The greatest generation rewarded itself with a pretty big meal."-- WorldNetDaily, 12/10/03My hero is the Ex-House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, GOP presidential prospect, and architect of the Republican Party's failed impeachment of President Clinton. He only failed because Newt was having an affair. Who could blame Newt, his wife went and got sick with cancer. That was completely different from Clinton.Unlike Clinton, Newt was smart enough to divorce his wife after she got sick and could no longer drag him down with her.Lastly, how dare you stumblingly expose your miscreant incompetence with rantings against the Patriot Act. In my mindSome Americans have too many Constitutional rights. The Bill of Rights should not even apply to the blue-collar middle classes who are too stupid to get involved. No Bush hating media or newspapers should have `freedom of the press,' since they only have their rights and freedoms because the rich allow them to have them. Ever see some poor slob or middle class idiot who owned a newspaper company?You defamatory libelous, uneducated swine should keep your comments to yourselves or we'll send your job overseas. Go out and burn this book now! I'll pray everyone who buys this book will burn in hell! | 0negative
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How did I live without you?
I wanted to wait until I had used the Kindle for a fair amount of time before leaving an Amazon review. I was very excited about receiving this and didn't want to leave an inital review showing my overexcitement.I have been using the Kindle for a little over two weeks now I'm my commute to and from work. I will be one of the first to admit this device is not perfect. There are a few aspects I feel could benefit from improvement. As many other reviewers have pointed out, it would be nice to have folders on the home page in order to organize everything more neatly. I have aslo found that a few of the books I really wanted to have on the Kindle was no available, but I soon discovered this is no fault of Amazons. It is up to the publishers to tranfer their books to Kindle Versions.I believe although this product has a few flaws, it is a perfect solution for my needs. I travel about two hours everyday on a train going to and from work. I used to carry a large book with me (usually hardcover), and occasionaly I would have two in case I finished one on the way. The Kindla has completely changed my commute and it is now much easier. My bag is much lighter and I have an abundant amount of book options to choose from. I also discovered that if a book I want is no on Amazon.com, I can find it else where and easily convert it to my kindle either by plugging my Kindle into my computer and tranfering it or paying a 10 cent fee to e-mail it straight to my Kindle.I do not highlight passages, or use ths kindle to take notes and do research. I only enjoy daily leisure reading and have found this product the be the perect commuters companion. There was a time where I was skeptical about ebooks but the Kindle is very much like reading a regular book. I read many reviews saying they didn't liket he design of the device, but I do not find any difficulty and rarely accidently press the previous or next page buttons located on either side. The screen also looks exactly like a page of a book so once I dive into my reading I forget I'm even reading from an electronic book. I would (and have) recommend this product to anyone who travels and like to read. This light, small device has changed my ideas of e-books. | 1positive
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Zzzzzzz
I found Hard Times to be a particularly boring novel. I also purchased the matching audiobook which I listened to on a long drive. There should be a warning label! The darn thing puts you to sleep faster than listening to Stephen Hawking all day...anesthetized! Why not one star? I like Dickens, what can I say? | 0negative
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bonton
I am very disappointed in this book. It is the 2nd most terrible romance novel i've read. It's soo boring and throughout this book, it's scene after scene of Connor and Anne arguing about why the split up and why Anne dumped Connor. It gets to a point I felt like saying out loud to Annet - Just tell Connor why you broke up! This is my first Elaine Fox novel and I will never buy another book and will be the last one | 0negative
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Very Interesting Read
I love Malcolm Gladwell. He takes a unique approach to analyzing cultural phenomena as it relates to the world or buisness and management. You can learn from this book. | 1positive
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From bad to worse: Dude, you call this writing?
I am not going to argue about the value of Michael Moore's convictions. I am here only to comment about his WRITING SKILLS, and he's got very few.The man rambles, he cannot structure his thoughts in a constructive way: it is all about an outburst of chaotic, angry and not very witty thought. Yes, his convictions are deep - so what? Deep conviction does not make a good writer, and Michael Moore, sadly, believes he's got a talent.He does not. He is a very passionate, very well-meaning and yet completely talentless man. If you like his ideas, fine, but please, do not pretend that you appreciate his literary skills, because it makes you look like guys who say that they buy magazines with naked ladies "for the articles".There is nothing wrong - I repeat - nothing wrong with having your own opinion about politics in America. But let me tell you one curious phenomenon about most enthusiastic reviewers of this book: they all seem to be pretty instructive on others HAVING to read this book. IT SHOULD BE MANDATORY. You MUST read it. Reading this book is your DUTY.Back off, will ya? Do you think that people who don't think like you are this way simply because they haven't read Michael Moore's book yet?In short - if you liked his film and the earlier book about Stupid White Men, buy it by all means. You'll enjoy every bit. For people like me, it's another proof of how much can be forgiven if ideological fundamentals seem to rhyme. | 0negative
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One of Gibson's Best
Although I enjoy Rachel Gibson's books, I don't generally consider myself a "romantic". Romance novels in which the main female character immediately falls in love with the main male character after knowing him for one day and having sex once and then he asks her to marry him the next day, really drive me nuts. Not only is it horribly unrealistic (yes, I understand that is not a necessary criteria, but... :) ), but I don't enjoy reading it. It just makes me want to smack the female character. I'm not the "fall in love" kind of romance fan and I don't believe you need "love" for sex.So, I really enjoyed that in this book Ms. Gibson gave her characters some more depth to their relationship before both characters came to realize they "loved" each other. They knew each other for a while - they developed a relationship before the love and marriage. I find that much "hotter" and more enjoyable than the bad boy who entirely changes his lifestyle after one night of great sex. Plus, Ms. Gibson really knows how to build excitement in the sexual descriptions in her books. The relationship between Clare and Sebastian (seriously, does anyone in REAL life have that name!? :) ) was well-developed and not just the one-night stand that turns into love of a lifetime based on nothing more than great sex. I would definitely recommend this book. | 1positive
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A Good Read on Andrew Jackson
Since I live close to the area where Andrew Jackson was born (while I am a native North Carolinian, South Carolina seems to have the most evidence for claiming him as a native born son since one of the pieces of evidence was that Jackson himself claimed to have born in South Carolina), I had natural interest in reading about his life.Overall I would say the book is a good read - the story gets off to a good start in describing Jackson's early life but does seem to drag on in other periods.Among the areas covered by Brands include:1. Jackson's early life and how he was orphaned at an early age.2. Participation in the American Revolution.3. Training and experiences as a lawyer.4. Move to Tennessese.5. Military experiences with Indians and the War of 1812.6. Political alliances and his many political enemies.7. Marriage to Rachel Donelson.8. Later life.I would have like to have seen some more maps that pertained to his travels and military battles - doing so would have made it easier to follow some of the narrative.Still, a good read on "Old Hickory". Recommended. | 1positive
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Interesting Book
I liked this book. I rarely hand out five stars (I don't think I ever have before) but this book was very refreshing. Previous reviews here describe the general plot line, so I won't bother going into that here.The book was well-written, proofed, and seemed to be well-researched. This is in stark contrast to some of the other garbage I have read and reviewed over the last few years. | 1positive
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Do You Really Need to Pay for This?
Don't get me wrong, I really like ThinkGeek, but you can get on their e-mail newsletter list and catalog mailing list FREE! It's really silly to pony up money for this, even if it's not that much. | 0negative
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Kinda all over the place, but in a good way.
Much more complex plot line than other Coben novels I've read to date but still very enjoyable. Granted I listened to the Audio, so perhaps sitting down and reading it could have been a bit cumbersome and like navigating a labyrinth. Therefore I strongly recommend it as a mystery novel on audio format. | 1positive
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How to ruin a classic
Wilde's play has taken a turn for the worse in the last 20 years. It appears that people have forgotten how to act comedy. The Importance of Being Earnest has admittedly been cast in the shadow of the famous 1952 movie for all eternity. Edith Evans's lady Bracknell in that movie is a hard act to follow but the eccentric British actress Miriam Margoyles is the only one of the cast in this sorry new recording to understand and be able to play a part in a famous play that is performed in words only.The male characters both whine their words with little understanding of how to make them fall into place and become part of the larger whole in fact it sounds like a recording of a first run through with the scripts.What really kills this recording is the director's decision to have a narrator read the stage directions. As if we are half wits who can't work out what's going on without being told that "an electric bell rings" when immediately after a character will respond and explain what the noise is and what is signifying - Duh!!!This is not the way to make an audio recording of a play and even though it is the only recording of Earnest on CD this is not the one to have. John Gielgud directed himself and Edith Evans in a classic (but cut) version for EMI in the 1950's which has been occasionally available on cassette and Harper Collins have re-issued the 1960's Caedmon recording on cassette which is also an excellent production. It was a sad event in Caedmon's history when Harper Collins acquired them, the incredible collection of spoken word recordings all but disappeared from sight but now a few have been released on cassette and even a few have seen new life on compact disc. Better wait for the EMI set or look out for the Caedmon, either are better than this pathetic attempt. | 0negative
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Head in the Clouds
This author is not in touch with reality. I found her conclusions flawed. Her sampling method and technique is lacking and tends to overlook women who have made a mistake. She also tends to blame husbands for the problems that these woman had. They seem to be examples of "throwing out the baby with the bath water." | 0negative
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Goes On and On!
This is an irritating read! The book runs on for 40 of it's 52 chapters and embarrasses itself at the end. Yes...read the jacket and spare yourself the relentless adjectives and adverbs discribing the exact same things! This is the first DeMille book I've read and if he talks like he writes, I'd be asking him..."get to your point already!" | 0negative
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Naked in Death
J D Robb as always wrote a great book. Lt. Eve Dallas and Roarke are always intriguing in everything they do. A great love story with a cop and her not so by the book man. | 1positive
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This isn't a book for everyone
Stirring up controversy was one thing that Thomas Hardy did best, and this book is one of them. This story was attacking so many different subjects in the time it was first published, which makes it all the better to read. I wouldn't recommend this book to just anyone, only people who can appreciate how the text of this book was written and how the Hardy wove many different ideas together to create a tragic life and ending for such a young girl. The impact of what happened throughout Tesses short life is what stunned me the most. Innocence or mentality? Only the author knows. | 1positive
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Greta Book to understand better WD legacy
This is a great way to learn about what's behind WDW attractions, movies and stories. It's all about determination and imagination not about getting rich or taking advantage of the people. I can't stop reading the book. | 1positive
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Good book
Very good and interesting book. I guess this is not for people who do not connect to lost generation and families. Indeed, biblical comparisons are somewhat slow and boring but there is some remote and deep connection. Again this is not for everyone. I would imagine that for people not familiar with culture of european Jewery this might be too peculiar however. For the 2nd and further generations of American with roots this is absolutely great book. I appreciate reading and even jokes. I feel sorry for guys who did not get it. | 1positive
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My oh my...
What a gawdawful book. It's quite clear it isn't about the writing anymore - any smart person can figure out it's clearly all about the money. Had this been in the hands of a talented ghostwriter who cared about the readers and the actual writing, it could have made for a fine story, but when in the hands of someone else, it turns into nothing but a mess. I bought this book because the plot sounded interesting. Big mistake. I could barely plow through a few pages before I put it down. The writing was so terrible, it made even my twelve year old cousin sound good. This is the type of writing that makes me feel sorry for the author's whose books flank these terrible ghostwritten ones. Just to grace the same shelves as this would be shameful indeed.I'm not going to tell you the plot, because you can read it on the website. I'll just give you my honest opinion. It was the most dreadful book I'd ever read in my entire twenty years of existence. If you want a good book, pick up some of V.C. Andrews's old books. She took time on her writing, on creating characters who we cared about, and the plots. This schmuck just slops it all together like he doesn't care, making for errors galore. I doubt he even takes time to edit. And if there is an editor for these terrible books, the dude should be deprived of his job. Obviously, as I said before, it's all about the money.Avoid. | 0negative
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A TOTAL JOKE!!!
I think I've found my true calling in life. Create a joke of a new age cult and get a self absorbed talk show host to peddle it and then the sheep will line up to purchase it. I couldnt get through chapter one. Please, a moment of silence for everyone throwing their money away, feel the oneness with your fellow sheep. I wish there was a zero star option!!! | 0negative
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Breathtaking
At times I found myself holding my breath while reading this suspenseful fiction of the past. I was surprised to find myself so engrossed in such a timeless tale! | 1positive
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Social Satire At It's Finest
Wilde's plays hold up incredibly well and provide some of the most quotable one-liners in literature. A master of satire, in these selections the upper classes and the social conventions they adhered to are skewered through the ingenious use of word play ,mistaken identity and farce. The Importance Of Being Earnest is as fine an example of the genre apart from Shakespeare's comedies that you are likely to come across. Since Wilde's work is of more recent vintage the language is very accessible and the nuance easier to perceive. Great stuff. | 1positive
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No ties for me
I returned it upon discovering that I was being tied down to Amazon and having to ONLY buy/read certain types of e-books. | 0negative
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An earnest review
A pathologically witty play--signaled immediately by the pun lurking in the title--which punctures the trivial bubble of Victorian society. The text reads with the rapidity of Voltaire's Candide, so the comedy's pace must be absolutely white hot in performance. The actors would have to wait for the laughter to die down, a real challenge with this farce. One should, of course, see it on the stage, and I must admit that I've never had that pleasure. I will try to remedy that omission before I die! My favorite line from the play: "To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness." | 1positive
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Disappointed in You--Diet
Too wordy; Took too long to get any useful info. Maybe great for some, but I suspect most 'professional' dieters will not find this book useful. | 0negative
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Best book I've read in years
From page one on, I couldn't put this book down. I finished reading the Outliers by the same author and I enjoyed this book even more. Every salesperson should read this book. Every CEO should read this book. | 1positive
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This is a Dickens novel without an ounce of fat.
Yes, it's hard to believe. Not a page is wasted. There are no digressions and few apparent digressions; the story - admittedly a long story - is swiftly and cleanly told, and it contains all the character growth, suspense, and frippery that one could reasonably ask of any story. This is DESPITE the fact that the book has all the virtues of any Dickens novel. The languge is, as usual, witty and a delight to read - in fact, more so than usual: it turns out that first person narration suits Dickens. All of the charcters are memorable - in fact, more so than usual: it comes as a great surprise to hear that this is the Dickens novel with the fewest characters, if you actually number them. The usual quota of gorgeous incident is there: in fact, more. And so on. It's hard to imagine a more nearly perfect book. -And there's one other thing I should mention. "Great Expectations" probably has a special personal appeal to many different sorts of people, but I would like to especially, from personal experience, commend the novel to graduate students. I hope they'll see what I mean. | 1positive
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not so good
I am very disappointed with graphics. I wish i could read it with my Kindle for Apple Application. I tried Kindle version and decided to stick with a paper one. | 0negative
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Very disappointed
I'm very disappointed in this book, from reading her previous books, I was expecting this to be a good one. This book is more of a fantasy book than a historical book. The plot is lukewarm, the characters are lukewarm. I had to fast forward a few pages every now and then. I recommend anyone to bypass this book, and it looks like she's going to go with this theme for awhile since she's writing about Sebastian's siblings. this is more like a fairy tale than a romance novel. | 0negative
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A blessing for sight impaired readers
I have always been an avid reader but with age my eyes get very tired very quickly. The ability to change the size of the font allows me to read almost as long as I want to before I am forced to quit. I also like the light weight. I bought Ken Follet's "World Without End". It weighs 2 pounds and cost $22.95. I bought my Kindle a week later and ordered the same book. Kindle only weighs 10 oz and the book cost $9.99 a WIN-WIN for me. | 1positive
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Wish they could write faster
I'm addicted to these two authors. Another fast, fun read. I love the museum setting, with some science and history thrown in. | 1positive
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Useless device
While the device more or less works as advertised, the small display and superfluous keyboard detract from the experience. If you've ever seen the Sony e-Book reader, the whole unit is basically a display and it's a "reader" in the sense it's just like a book (doesn't have a block of buttons taking up 40% of the face of the thing).Add to that Kindle, unlike other e-Books, doesn't permit you to copy your own documents to the device. You can't download your own books, reports, things you download from Project Gutenberg, etc. As a matter of fact, Amazon's legal team has taken up threatening people that load their own content onto the device, and the people that provide instructions how. This basically takes the Kindle2 out of the "e-Book" and "reader" category and makes it a dedicated Amazon.com client device.And make no mistake, owning this thing is a legal liability. If you don't use this thing precisely the way Amazon wants (maybe you can't share it with your friends), Amazon's legal department will threaten you with Digital Millenium Copyright Act violations and you'll comply or face several years in jail and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. You don't need to pay >$300 for a legal powder keg like this. If you have to have an electronic book, go with a Sony eBook - software and store suck, but they don't sue their customers for using their products. Either that, or use your phone.[...] | 0negative
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slow for a Nora Roberts book
This book was recommended to me by someone who reads and loves Nora Roberts. I checked the rating here at Amazon before starting the book. I was totally disappointed with this book. It was slow and somewhat boring and I cannot see how it earned a 5 star rating. | 0negative
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very happy with Kindle
I purchased the Kindle because I travel a lot and between the cost of paperbacks, the space they take in a suitcase, and the trees cut down for books can all be eliminated from my life with the Kindle. There are three flaws that I see in the product...all design problems (and hopefully they will be addressed in the next generation Kindle): 1) the on/off switch is in a very strange place. The device cannot be turned off and on without having to almost remove it from the case. Having it on the front of the Kindle would make much more sense. 2)the case is pretty useless as the Kindle falls out constantly. Certainly you can design a better way to keep the device in place. and 3) the page buttons are too big...as there is really no place to put ones hands while reading other then where the pages buttons are, I am constantly turning a page or going to a previous page. Once these problems are taken care of, this will be an outstanding product. | 1positive
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Complete waste of time
I read all of the five star reviews, then a trusted friend loaned me this book and recommended it. Still, I had modest expectations. I may strangle my friend. This book is one of the worst I have ever read, and I read a great deal of crime fiction. I hardly know where to begin. The plot holes have been aptly pointed out in other one star reviews. The writing style, and indeed personality of Reacher, is best described as "sophomoric." Perhaps Child is trying to tap into the literate pre-teens who are graduating from Harry Potter to werewolf/vampire fiction. No intelligent adult who reads anything other than the Sunday Comics would enjoy this novel. Its only saving grace is that the print is large and one can easily skim entire pages without missing anything, so even at 500+ pages, it is a mercifully quick read. | 0negative
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EVE DALLAS AND ROARKE ARE UNBEATABLE
NORA..PLEASE GIVE US MORE OF EVE ANDROARKE.YOUR VIEWS OF NEW YORK IN 60 YEARS ARE BOTH BELIEVABLE AND LOGICAL.I LOVE THE FACT THAT THE RELATIONSHIPBETWEEN EVE AND ROARKE IS SO TOTALLYCOMMITTED. NONE OF THE USUAL CONFLICTAND DOUBTS DRIVING THEM TOWARD THE BRINKOF SEPARATION AND THEN BACK AGAIN. IT GETS A LITTLE LAME. THEIR LOVE FOR EACHOTHER COMPLETES THEM. ALSO EACH BOOK REVEALS A LITTLE MORE OF EVE'S UNKNOWN PAST. ALSO HER AIDE IS A GREAT ADDITIONTO HER STORIES. THEY ARE BOTH GUTSY AND LOYAL. I CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK. NORA GET GOING AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. | 1positive
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A bit disappointed-- with spoilers
I really love her books, and the characters in this series are wonderful. So don't get me wrong, I'm usually a big fan of this series. But. . . the ending was a big let down. The bad guy was horrible. Really deserved to get it big time. And then when he was caught so easily in the end, I thought, oh no! Just wait, he'll get away and come back after Eve and Roarke and all hell is going to break loose! But no. He was just caught. The end. And the whole story thread with Roarke being his target was completely dropped. I thought that Roarke would tear him apart when he tried for him. Or Eve would. But Eve and Roarke never even knew that he was a target. And Dr. Mira's grand-child. I thought that Eve would have some sort of thoughts about children in regard to herself. Even if the thoughts were "no flippin way!" But it was never mentioned again. I was pretty disappointed over all. | 0negative
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Excellent Book
I enjoyed the it from beginning to end. The different take on the old fairy tales is fun and imaginative. I would recommend this to anyone that likes Brother Grimm tales. | 1positive
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Very good
this is a very good book giving insight on dr mahathir's reign as prime minister of malaysia in a political context.some manners in which the author describes mahathir's way of ruling might prove to be unfounded by some people but overall it was a great read.a 5 stars for me. | 1positive
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The Iraq Study Group Report
I believed this to be a historical book. It is that.. | 1positive
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Potential without follow-through
Ballantyne took some basic ideas that have been explored before, and twisted them together in an interesting way. Unfortunately, he let the interlinked threads of the story control the presentation, and didn't invest enough in the characters or in freshening the basic ideas. While this was promising, it's not enough to make me pick up his next book. | 0negative
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Why don't I do something fun like beat my head against the wall for three hours?
A guy I work with read this book and it seemed like he was reading it for three years! Every day he sat there with his legs crossed sipping his tea and reading Great Expectations, spending about an hour on every page! What an aristocrat. It was brutal!Than I tried to read the book.I couldn't get past the first stage or the first part or whatever because it was so f*cking boring i thought my f*cking head was going to explode! NOTHING HAPPENED!That freak I work with didn't like it either.I'm just surprised he could read the whole thing without completely losing his mind. | 0negative
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This seems strange and unnecessary
What is wrong with a good ole fashioned hardback or paperback? I'm not adverse to technology, don't get me wrong. I swear by my Ipod - but that's just it, I can't pack a turntable with me when I'm on the move. However, I could manage to squeeze a book into my suitcase. I just don't see this surviving over the long haul. | 0negative
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Where Philosophy needs to go
I have read this book numerous times over the last ten years and I think it offers the only truly hopeful path for the current impasse that exists between philosophy/religion and the numerous popularizers of contemporary science. What Polanyi shows (himself a chemist turned philosopher) is the way that in reality scientific knowledge, like all knowledge, has an ineradicably personal element to it. That is, you learn to be a scientist not by studying test tubes but by being an apprentice to someone who already is a scientist, who teaches you, disciples you, so to speak, trains you in how to know things in a scientific way. The key element is personal trust, you must trust them, have faith in what they are teaching you, believe in them and the truth, the reality of what they're teaching. This trust aspect is the 'tacit dimension' to all scientific (and every kind of human)knowing. Not only is it interpersonal at the start, all of our knowledge also includes our involvement in a community of fellow knowers (not unlike a church!). They help to validate our knowledge, they correct us, they serve to adjudicate our discoveries. Polanyi's point is that this personal knowledge is the only kind of knowing there is, even though it is not the kind routinely set forth by scientists in their own accounts of what they're doing and what they know. The force of his description is to take away the false dichotomy between supposedly objective 'factual' knowledge and purportedly subjectively impure 'beliefs.' All knowing has a faith-based foundation to it and we're all on the same ground when it comes to arguing for coherent views of the world, of what is and what's not. It's a great book, far from easy, but as important as any book of the last century. Read it! | 1positive
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Total Waste of Time and Money
What a total load of crap this book was. Here's the two biggest scams in publishing: 1 you don't have enough story to write a 400 page book so you fill pages with descriptions of things that really don't need describing (I loved what another reviewer wrote about using 3 paragraphs to describe a park bench!! LOL! 2 Use two page chapters like Patterson so there are lots of blank pages to fill the book out with. Every other one star review for this book was spot on. Author knows nothing about the military, choppy sentences, thin characters, over the top violence, ridiculous story, and setting a record for the use of the word "shrugged" Can't believe this guys name is above the title of the book. Don't understand how any literary minded person could like this book or recommend it. Guess I just have to "shrug" and chalk it up to to each his own. | 0negative
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Disappointed in the Netherlands
When I saw that it was now possible to buy a Kindle outside the US, I jumped on it and bought one immediately. The product itself is pretty good, no complaints here, but then I think there are too many restrictions for non-US buyers to make the choice worthwhile.- Kindle books are generally more expensive than printed books, I did not expect that at all.- Magazines are very expensive too, and no pictures. What is a magazine without pictures?- I really wanted to read some new books, from Dan Brown or Zafon for example. But these are unavailable here. I still have to buy a paper edition if I want to stay up-to-date. But the whole point of buying the Kindle is to travel lighter and to save a tree or two.- I wanted to easily read a load of technical e-books I have, in PDF format. The Kindle is not good at displaying them, and you have to go through an awkward conversion process.- Books in Dutch? Magazines in Dutch?Maybe I should have bought a Sony. | 0negative
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I don't want to share!
I love reading on my new Kindle. So much so, that I was speachless when my husband asked if he could download a book. Is he kidding! He has to get his own! He has a Palm Pilot. Let him use that. I have an Hp pocket pc (old) that I could likely download books on. But, like the Palm Pilot or Sony e-reader I would have to load them from my computer. I am way too lazy and need simplicity. I really appreciate that I can shop right from my Kindle. I browse, download sample chapters, and purchase without leaving the couch. The truth is, it's not really that I am lazy I just work very hard and when I do have downtime (middle of the night) I don't want to waste time downloading something first to my pc then to an e-reader or any other device. If you value your time the way that I do you will get yourself a Kindle. Then I suggest hiding from your spouse! | 1positive
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Compelling tale of two wives
I'm always up for another round with Henry VIII and his wives, so I put myself on the library waiting list for The Boleyn Inheritance.And I'm pleased to report that I enjoyed it immensely.The Boleyn Inheritance is told by Jane, Lady Rochford, widow of the executed George Boleyn; Anne of Cleves; and Katherine "Kitty" Howard. Jane, self-justifying and self-deceiving, is obsessed with her past yet determined to do whatever she has to do in order to restore her life to its former glamour. Anne, no stupid Flanders mare but a sensible, honorable young woman who longs for freedom and respect, finds that she has exchanged the humiliations of her brother's court for the reign of terror of Henry's. Kitty is an airheaded teenager, with an endless capacity to push aside unpleasant realities in favor of her more satisfying interests: young men, jewels, and pretty clothes. Manipulating Jane and Kitty is the sinister Duke of Norfolk, and stalking through all three women's lives is the unpredictable, increasingly tyrannical Henry VIII.Gregory juggles the heroines' stories masterfully. Even when Anne of Cleves is relegated to the background and the machinations of the Duke of Norfolk and Jane take center stage, Anne remains to comment on what she sees around her. She, the outsider, becomes both the moral center of the novel and the narrator on which the reader can most rely for an accurate perception of events. Kitty's adolescent preoccupations and mercurial character are captured wonderfully, while Jane, morally repulsive as she is, has a normalcy about her that keeps us reading her story and wondering at her motivations.There's a certain humor here, often quite dark, that was missing altogether in the very earnest Constant Princess. Much of this comes from Kitty's youthful blatherings ("France would be wonderful, except I cannot speak French, or at any rate only "voila!" but surely they must mostly all speak English? And if not, then they can learn?"), but the more cynical Jane Rochford contributes some memorable lines: "If she declares herself Dereham's wife, then she has not then cuckolded the king but only Dereham; and since his head is on London Bridge, he is in no position to complain."And neither am I. Read this one. | 1positive
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Splendid read!
A splendid book! Every bit what I've come to expect from Pratchett and his Discworld series!Also comes with a fascinating set of tidbits about the Uffington horse and witch trials. I also highly recommend the unabridged Audiobook version narrated by Stephen Briggs, who I think is *perfect* for Pratchett's books. | 1positive
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Great Action
This book is second in a series and is a much better read if you pick up Alien Taste before reading this book. Other than that its a great book with a lot of back ground on the main character being explained. My biggest complaints about this book are I wish some of my favorite characters from the first book had been included(there are only references to Ukiah Oregon's mothers)and even though it was over 300 pages in length I wish it had been longer because it raised more questions than it answered.If your looking for something different I'd try this alien detective meld, its not too cheezy. | 1positive
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Pleasant surprise
Hopefully I won't offend the author when I say I had never heard of her before about a week ago, but now I'm very glad I have. I really found this first novel in the series a good read, it piqued my interest so much so that I had a hard time stopping reading. I purchased it for my Kindle and as soon as I finished it, went back and got book #2 and I haven't regretted either one. | 1positive
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Evil alone is not good enough for Greatness
Mailer has been trying to write the great American Novel for fifty years. At the age of eighty- three he has produced another of his 'don't drop it on your toe' monstrous sized works. There is no way not to admire his persistence, and devotion to his task. Where American Literature was once said to have no second- acts, Mailer has had at least four. The first with the debut World War Two classic novel, "The Naked and the Dead" arguably Mailer's best book to this day. The second act with the messes of 'Barbary Shore' and 'The American Dream' the whole period when Mailer seemed to go down into drugs and darkness as part of his progam of escaping the nice little Jewish boy from Brooklyn image he detested. This period was also one in which he began to write essays like 'The White Negro' and develop a new form of combined essay- novel which would lead to the third period , of the outstanding political works, most notably "Armies of the Night" The fourth period is one in which his perpetual striving for greatness led him to search into the souls of characters who deeply fascinated him, characters who had the kind of public adoration he himself sought. Marilyn Monroe, Mohammed Ali, Picasso , were the subjects of these kinds of interesting, but often off- the - wall investigations. This too was a time of his bouts with Feminism and his often seeming to slip in making his Macho Mania wholly insensitive to the changes emerging in American society. Mailer also during these years went off the deep end in his defense of Gary Gilmore , the convicted murderer whose parole Mailer helped achieve only to enable Gilmore to murder again. Mailer's fascination and dalliance with Evil went deeper into perversion in his exploration of ancient Egyptian society, in 'Ancient Evenings' . Previous to this present work he made what is considered to be a completely unsuccessful effort at retelling the Jesus story.Now in this work Mailer's fascination with Evil and its sources , his great ambition come together to try to portray the childhood of arguably the most evil human being who has ever appeared on the face of the earth. Mailer spent over ten years researching this work. He claims he started when he read Ron Rosenbaum's scholarly effort to understand the mass-murderer from Lunz . Mailer believed that his own view was a more correct one than that of the scholars. So he tried this effort at imaginary reconstruction of the background to the life of, the childhood of the Dreck. In the course of this Mailer concentrates on the incestuous relations of the father of the Dreck. Critics have written that Mailer sympathizes with the macho father. Most claim the most powerful scene of the novel is when the minor Devil who is narrator during the act of conception injects the stuff of Evil into the little evil one. All of this is of course done in accordance with Mailer's strange Manichean philosophy which he has been preaching at us for years. At Mailer understands it there is a Creator God, but he is very limited and in constant struggle with a very real Devil. The demonic forces are for Mailer somehow always the most attractive and real, and his narrator speaks for them.Milton in 'Paradise Lost ' unwillingly made his most interesting and fascinating character the one he set out to condemn, Lucifer. Mailer does not set out to condemn the Evil of the Monster( He takes this for granted) but rather to explore its origin and source and depict it with as much literary skill as possible.Mailer can be long- winded and boring but he also can be one of the most imaginatively rich and creative writers in the world. I personally find it a great shame and waste of talent that he has given a great share of his life to dwelling in and exalting the Evil of things. He has produced in the course of sixty years a very large body of work , almost all of which bears within it a mixture of junk and genius.It is personally painful to me that he chose to give his last years to the Monster who murdered millions of people including over one million and one half Jewish children. Had he portrayed the childhood of one of them lost forever to history it would have been for me a more meaningful exercise than this dwelling in the house of Dreck. | 1positive
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Liked it but didn't work
I liked this book a lot at first. In fact, I remember saying that it was the best book I'd ever read, but when I actually tried the techniques of how to talk about things, it didn't work at all and led to a huge, disastrous fight. My husband suggested I readHow to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About Itwhich he'd heard about on TV. I thought it sounded ridiculous, but I got it, and actually it worked a lot better for us. | 0negative
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A DISAPPOINTMENT
I waited with great anticipation for Haddon's 2nd book, and it definitely fell short. It took me about 130 pages before I finally felt like I had the rhythm of the book and could actually laugh at the characters, but overall, it was not nearly what I had hoped for. Personally, it was a waste of time. | 0negative
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A fun behind-the-scenes look at food criticism
Some of us are fascinated with behind-the-scenes looks. We want our DVDs packed with "making of" featurettes. We want to go backstage with the band. We want our favorite foods "unwrapped" (as in the Food TV series). Ruth Reichl's book is the perfect memoir those of us who (1) have the "behind the scenes" fascination and (2) love food.If you've ever wanted to know how food critics prepare for, think about, and write their reviews, this is the book for you. In it, Ms. Reichl traces her journey from the Los Angeles Times to the New York Times, shares how her husband had to talk her into the job, how the previous food critic Bryan Miller organized a smear campaign against her, how she disguised herself time and again to avoid being recognized by sharp-eyed restaurant staff.Like any good tour of New York City, we get to see an awful lot along the way. We see the petty editorial politics at the New York Times. We see the sometimes funny and often surprisingly bitter reactions readers have to reviews. We see the once fringe ethnic cuisines (e.g., Korean) go mainstream. We see all the New York Times writers cower in fear of Al Siegal, the notorious editor whose job it was to publicly ridicule writing not up to the notoriously high standards of the paper.Ms. Reichl weaves a rich tapestry of characters through her memoir, from her boy Nick to the wig seller who helps her perfect her disguises; from fellow food celebrities such as Ken Hom to Claudia Banks, the acting coach who helps her flesh out each of the identities she assumes. But it's Living section administrative Carol Shaw who steals the show as the most richly rendered, three dimensional character. You can't be help liking her.Ms. Reichl writes honestly and poignantly. She's as critical of herself as she is of the worst restaurants in New York City. In one memorable scene, her husband excuses himself early. Thinking that he left to get away from an obnoxious dinner guest, Ms. Reichl is startled to discover it was actually to get away from her:----"I couldn't say and watch what you were doing. I hate it when you pretend to be that person.""What person?" she asks."The Restaurant Critic of the New York Times. The Princess of New York. Ms.-I-know-I-am-right-about-food-and-don't-argue-with-me. Take your pick.""What I that bad?" I whispered. My cheeks burned and I could feel the sweat prickling against my skin."Worse," he said. "You were the person you used to make fun of."----All in all, this is a great, memorable read. | 1positive
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The Tiger Mom loses her stripes
What is so interesting about the base assumption underlying Amy Chua's entire approach here is how fundamentally it undercuts the base assumption underlying her parenting beliefs and approach ("Tiger Mom" and all that)! That is, the base premise that fired her treatment of her children - on the surface (only) cruel and uncaring - was her belief in her children's ability and strength: they "can get the grades" and "they are not so fragile" that they cannot be expected to attain to higher standards. It is on that basis that she drove her children to do better than they (initially) wanted. She assumes the polar opposite with foreign nations - that they are unable. That is, when it comes to "export" of economic success through the market and political success through democracy, she simply assumes that these nations are unable to resist the forces of envy and hatred; an assumption seemingly benign in light of the difficulties in Iraq, but not so benign in light of the recent "Arab Spring." It is not that Chua is inorrect in spotting real difficulties and challenges attending the export; she is absolutely right - democratic capitalism presents challenge and needs a social/moral/economic system that suits it. But, she is simply too quick to assume that others will always break under the challenge. She should view these foreign nations more like... well, Chinese children!Day of Empire: How Hyperpowers Rise to Global Dominance--and Why They Fall | 0negative
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About THIS EDITION (Collector's Library)
First of all, this is one of my all-time favorite books. Wuthering Heights in general gets 5 stars from me, and there are plenty of other opinions about the story for you to read. I just want to add something about this particular edition, because it made me laugh in surprise when I opened up my package. This edition is very elegant, but it's very different from your average hard-backed novel. It's very compact and the pages are very thin, like a pocket Bible. The only reason I don't like it so much is that since the pages are so thin you can see the ghost of the words of the preceding page through the page you're reading. You get used to it as you read, but I prefer a print of more substance. Other than that, the cover is pretty, it's hard-backed, the pages are edged in gold coloring and it comes with an attached ribbon bookmark. The print is also average sized, so it's definitely readable, and the small size is advantageous if you want to carry it with you in a purse or on a trip. | 1positive
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too much adventure,too little romance
i never was able to get into this one. i bought it after i read the first chapter on my kindle and it started really witty,good,funny. i had such high hopes for this book and i was throughly let down.the attraction between the h/h was not very convincing and there was not enough chemistry. i skimmed through the whole book and didn't even bother with the ending. the lord of scoundrels was pretty good. waste of money.if you are looking for a ROMANCE book, this is not for you. | 0negative
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Borrow from the library for a beach read
What a disappointment! I can't help wanting to read each new book by MHC, but continue to be let down. For those of us who have read EVERYTHING by this author, perhaps we know her writing too well, or perhaps she is just pushing herself, or being pushed, to crank out a book a year, ideas or not.This book seemed strained, formulaic and SO predictable. If you can't figure out the "bad guy" by the first 1/3 of the book, you just aren't paying attention. And who was really buying into the sleepwalking story line? I mean, really, "maybe I did it because I am a sleepwalker?" Please...MHC's heroines have also become routine. Each and every one, a late 20's, thin, camelhair-pants-wearing, silk-shirted smart woman who gets stressed, becomes gaunt and nibbles toast while sipping tea and fretting. This heroine was especially lame, as she stared adoringly at her "may have murdered (some person)" husband.I would have given one star, but must pay homage to the author for her earliest works. | 0negative
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