Honest History
	This book tells us the truth that has been hidden from most U.S. citizens for so many years. Each chapter tells about a different regime change given us all the dirty little details, names and places of the participants.  This book helped me and will help all of us to finally understand "why they hate us". I only regret that their is not a sequel


Intensity
	I could not put this book down!  I was so amazed with this shocking story that I bought several copies for gifts.  Reading this book was like watching a scary movie.


Do not skip this book because of the movie...
	I was stunned at how much I enjoyed this book. I had avoided it for years since I was not a big fan of the movie. This book really explains well both the history of the Civil War (troop movements, etc) as well as the personalities of its participants. It is an intimate portrayal of these characters, especially Lee and Jackson. I found it to be quite compelling and I'm looking forward to book three of the trilogy


Excellent book
	I took the 2 Tom Cover's classes in Information Theory at Stanford last year. We used this book as the text for both classes. The first class covered roughly the first 8 chapters and the second class the remaining ones. This book assumes that the reader has a clear understanding of basic probability theory.

Tom's classes were among the most enjoyable I took last year and I recommend this text to anyone interested in knowing about Information Theory. If you just want to know the basics, read through chapters 1-8. The reader interested in understanding the power of information theory is adviced to read the whole book. A final comment, it is clear to me after my experience with Tom's classes that mastering Information Theory is a daunting task. And in fact, this book provides the interested researcher just with the basic knowledge needed to enter the field


An Alternative Ending?
	I think one of my major problems was the level of opinion being shot
at the reader in the book. But then at times that made the book more
entertaining - its acerbic opinion of the right, how Reagan getting
elected made her feel stupid about being American, a funny British couple. The description of small details from each of the characters' childhood was something I
could relate to because i think of that myself. There were clever
tidbits from anthropology, and economics, and generally all fields of
intellectual inquiry, all somehow connected with the patchwork of love
and relationships, and thus brain meets heart and you end up with
something almost like the Bible for our times. The focus on the main
character made it so that every detail about him was described.
Anyway, I am rambling, so, a note about the ending:
I did find myself thinking this is getting very strange as the book
got towards the ending. It might have made more sense if Nelson
actually was interested in the new girl the narrator finds for him,
and the story then comes full circle. It would end in a nice ironic
sort of way. However, his rejecting her makes in my mind for what
would be a bad traditional ending. I don't mind this, since the one
time I wrote a story for a creative writing course I ended up with a
terrible traditional ending. Now, could he have been anything other
than a mystic? I felt that there was some hint towards Hinduism and
spirituality building up towards the end. He mentioned India and
Hinduism unexpectedly and repeatedly at one point in the book. So his
becoming a mystic was alluding perhaps to the ashramas - and his
transition from intellectual worker to a mystical worker to eventually
a sage, as he attains Nirvana and becomes the Buddha of our times. So
in this way an ending emphasizing the spiritual, is perhaps the best.
In line with the book, the spiritual is the eternal, and only
accessible through life-changing (near-death) experience. What you do
from 25-50 (making a model village in rural Africa) is transient (can
never be perfect; infighting; hunting; guns; the "dark-side" of human
nature will come back even in Utopia; i like the flexible hours; work
when you want; accumulate credits; do manual labor once in a while;
start the day with reading , not the end when you are tired; siesta,
fiesta etc.) no matter how good you are. The girl herself is secondary
to the book - ironic since the book promotes feminism, is written by a
guy with a female narrator but a male protagonist, who she is fixated
on and has doubts about. But in the end the Jesus character is still
male. While the female goes back to Palo Alto and takes an average job
in service of the savior. The Man has the final laugh.
Do you favor a better ending


Teaching Kids to Read (Without Stressing Out!)
	In her latest book, Tracey Wood demystifies the process of teaching kids to read.

As parents, we've all been told that reading is critical to a child's success in school, in a future career and for pleasure and enrichment throughout a lifetime.  We feel a great deal of pressure to help our children achieve this important skill, but typically don't know how to go about it.

Tracey presents a refreshingly straightforward, step-by-step approach to teaching reading skills.  The book is chock-full of word lists, fun activities, games, and creative ideas to engage a child's interest and get him reading.  There are helpful book recommendations for readers of all levels (including parents!) and pointers on spotting reading problems early, with practical suggestions for getting help.  The book is spiced with humorous anecdotes parents can truly appreciate.  Tracey's compassion and commonsense shine through and take the stress out of teaching kids to read.

I highly recommend this book to parents of beginning readers.


Its good as a second source,
	There is no way, you should limit yourself to just one source, this book is a second source book,(Maybe even third source).

That said, It's great for looking up names, (there is a lot listed) For finding names that may not be household, then looking at better sources for more info.

There is no book that has everything, every name, every movie star, if so, it costs 500.00 or the book weighs about 10 pounds.

You don't want to buy a library? ok, then, it's ok by itself, its fun by itself, to just do browsing, almost, (but its not)
a coffee table book.

It works well with other book sources, to check, and maybe another source will prove it wrong, or "Who's Who" proves the other book wrong, when double checking.

I didn't find loads of errors in here, a few, the biggest problem (as others mentioned) is very brief or not complete career lists, movies or TV they did is not complete.

It's not a great book, it's a great second source book,
a double check or name finder book, for movie and TV stars.

At a fair price, it should be in your collection just for the reasons I mentioned.

Buy it? yes, buy it


A great basic cookbook
	If you are a gourmet chef this book may be far too basic for you but it is great for a beginner like me.  I have two kids under the age of two and have been able to cook a decent meal from this cookbook every night for the past month that I have owned it.  My husband has been very impressed with my new found cooking abilities and all but one of the meals I have fixed has been good.  I would recommend this book to anyone who has lost faith that they can ever cook well


Thorough and comrehensive
	This book is a perfect trade off between simplified "for-dummies" type writing that simply acquaints you with the subject matter and a comprehensive text that thoroughly covers the subject. If you are a CPA hopeful, a governmental finance professional or a political science graduate student this is the text for you. Although layout and vocabulary could be simplified for improved readability, once you become familiar with the authors' style the reading is enjoyable.


Truly Wonderful Stuff
	There was not a single poem I didn't like, and most of them I loved. Her poems seem to touch upon the core of things. I feel comfortable with saying I think she is in the same league as Mary Oliver, Hafiz, Stafford, And Rumi.


an excellent survey of the impact of railway travel
	In the last few decades historians --following sociologists such as Durkheim-- have turned their attention to the ways in which new technologies have altered people's experience of space and time.  Schivelbusch's small piece is a pretty good (but light-weight) example of  this genre. He reveals some interesting trivia along the way: he tells, for  example, how padded upolstery was invented to assuage the fears of  first-class passengers brought about by the roughness of new speed; he  shows that compartment design in passenger cars reflect the contrasting  social values of Europe and America. But he is at his most interesting when  describing the ways in which the railroad created new conceptual forms of  geographical distance by obliterating the spaces in between destinations.  Furthermore, by creating the need for standardized time-tables, railways  nurtured a standardized/homogenized conception of time. Local  idiocyncracies became less important. Doubtless true national identities  could never have emerged without revolutions in transportation and  communications. A book that takes these ideas much further is Stephen  Kern's excellent work  quot;The Culture of Time and Space. quot; If this  genre interests you, Kern's book is an important read


Best thus far.
	This is my favorite of the series thus far. Without wanting to give too much away, this is the book in which you finally learn just exactly why Roland is willing to give up anything and everything (and clearly has) just to get to the Dark Tower. King mentions that the Dark Tower series is sort of like his Middle-Earth, where all of his stories originate in some way from this massive odyssey and world, and you see what he means with this book. Fan's of The Stand will recognize signs of the super flu within the first few hundred pages, and one of my all time favorite King villains comes back to pay his respects


very good
	I really like this book it was well written and enjoyable.The characters in it were very interesting to read about. I like the way that Imogene and Maxine stayed friends all the way through the book. The two girls really seemed to bring out the best in each other.Maxine never thought Imogene was crazy because of the strange things that happened. Maxine just believed her and helped her through everything. Overall it was a well written book with very good characters and it showed what friendship really is


MUST HAVE BOOK
	Great gift from Grandmother. Children love this book. It's a great book for anybody learning the English language. EVERY class should have this book. This is a gift that everybody appreciates.  Get the book down for the child to look at and learn. Great teaching tool!  Exceptional pictures! I always buy two--one for the new grandchild, and a copy goes to the school, when they start school.  You have my vote for the VERY BEST


Moral Philosophy
	Immanuel Kant is truly one of the most influential moral philosophers in history; and with this book, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, he positioned himself far further.
In this book you will find things to be deeply contemplated, about "good will", the moral value of conduct and its metaphysical aspects.
This translation of the Kant's original Grundlegung von Metaphysik der Sitten to English is quiet easy to understand, so it is relatively an easy-reading book


good politics
	Said gives good insight into politics, especially in the middle east.  I didn't enjoy the literature section as much because I wasn't familiar with the authors.


Writing From Your Heart
	Hal Zina Bennett's profound advice from his prolific writing career (over 30 published books) is,  quot;write from the heart quot;.  As wonderful as that sounds, most writers know it's not an easy thing to do.  	Hal takes us to another dimension by sharing his personal process and showing each of us how we can remove the blocks to our expression and creativity by learning how to speak from our heart to the heart of our reader. I can speak from my own personal experience, having attended his workshops and received personal counselling from him in the process of writing my book,  quot;Sacred Woman, Sacred Dance:  Awakening Spirituality Through Movement and Ritual quot;. 	 quot;Write From the Heart quot; also offers practical guidance in several areas.  This includes such things as the need for solitude.  However, he is not just talking about having  quot;a quiet space quot;, he goes beyond the physical to the inner - a state of mind.  He says,  quot;Once we know what it is, what it looks like and feels like, we can create it for ourselves, almost--I say  quot;almost quot;--regardless of where we happen to be. quot;  	I would certainly recommend this book to anyone writing for personal expression or looking to be published


Inside Jerry Falwell
	In light of Rev. Falwell's unfortunate comments about the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, I recommend this book to anyone seeking to understand,  quot;Why would that guy say that stuff? quot; Harding presents an objective, intelligent, perceptive analysis of the way that Fundamentalist language shapes the way in which they relate to the world, and how Jerry Falwell changed that shaping from withdrawal to the active Moral Majority of the 1980s. Harding combs through Falwell's history and sermons to observe how the language of  quot;being born again quot; affects the listener, showing Falwell's shift from separatism to political activism. She critiques both Falwell and Falwell's critics in a fair and keenly insightful way. Good reading and good understanding


Good reading
	I agree with the reviews already written. I too got bogged down with trying to keep track of the names. It is when I got to the end I found the listing of the people. If I had known that earlier it would have reduced my mind confusion. Really enjoyed the way the book was written. You felt their pain with out seeing their blood. I better understand the explosion


Vonnegut's Masterpiece
	kurt vonnegut's book slaughterhouse five is a great piece of literary work in itself. his unique style of black humor, combined with his vivid imagination is second to none. this book was exciting and unpredictable as i continued to read! its main purpose involved the struggle of a man with his grip on reality. is he, or is he not crazy?

the imagery in this book was another great element, and many regard this as one of the greatest anti-war books of the century. this book is definitely worth reading and will not disappoint! you can't go wrong with kurt vonnegut's slaughterhouse five


Hooray For Hollywood
	First off this is "A History of Hollywood" not "THE History of Hollywood."  David Thomson isn't writing the chronological, straight-up, blow-by-blow account of Hollywood movies.  "The Whole Equation" is an essay that takes as its question, "are Hollywood films ever art like a Beethoven symphony or a Picasso painting?"  He says they are both more and less than that.  More because American film captures the tension between wanting to make money and wanting to say something which allows for the unintentional to happen.  That serendipity is wonderful when it works which isn't often.  Less because there are always artistic compromises as someone is always looking at the budget and thinking about the profits.

And unlike most film critics he is just fine with this tension.  His argument is that to understand and appreciate American film, you have to understand that it's always about the money and about the art.  That means it is never truly art in any pure way (but is any art truly pure?). To tell you the truth, I don't think the book succeeds that well on that level.  He  points out various people and their struggles with this dilemma through out the history of American film but he doesn't developed a coherent argument that builds on his initial insight.

For me, that just didn't matter.  What makes it a terrific read is that David Thomson knows and loves film.  He writes with a adolescent thrill and openness about his subject that makes it fun and poetic.  He uses the film "Chinatown" as his framing device and as that is my all-time favorite movie, I was in heaven.  He is not a deep thinker but his book crackles with his delight in sensations whether of the movie theater, the audience, the actors, the costumes, the music, all of it.  He constantly raises questions and throws out insights that just tumble onto each other until you realize that like watching a film, you must just suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride.


E. Lynn put's it all out on the table in this one!
	I read Any way the wind blows   Not a day goes by before I read Abide with me.  If you happen to come into the series of E. Lynn's books and want more of the scoop on Basil's problems with his past, Raymond's lifestyle, the true 'not-so-divafied' evil side of Yancey and they're mutual friends...then you should start with this one!  It'll help you put 'two   two together' on the lives and backgrounds of all of the characters


Historically Based Information With An Emphasis On The Weird And Wacky
	"Underground Education" does not so much offer a radical intellectual perspective, as is perhaps implied by the title. But rather is a collection of funny stories and oddball facts about various people and events from the past. Some of the historical figures are famous, such as George Washington and Cleopatra. While others, like the several female serial killers discussed, are more obscure. The book is divided into 10 chapters, including the arts, religion, science and sex. Actually, this book reminds me somewhat of the "People's Almanac" series written by David Wallechinsky. But here the emphasis is definitely on the strange and often perverse. It's a fun read for those interested in this sort of knowledge. But some entries are overlong and most readers will probably want to read the sections of greatest interest rather than cover to cover. Still it is a worthwhile purchase.


A Look at the Death Penalty
	This book is not only interesting but gives a great deal of insight into life on "death row," at least in the state of Mississippi, and the appeals process involved with stays of execution and commutation of sentences.  It touches on activities of the Ku Klux Klan. It was my impression that the author leans toward those who favor the abolition of the death penalty.  However, some sympathy is found for the victims of crime.  The story centers on Sam Cayhall who is sentenced to death after several trials over a number of years following the crime.  Sam's grandson becomes his attorney during the last months of appeal from "death row." The latter part of the book leaves one wondering whether or not there will be an execution.  Meanwhile Sam shows repentance and response to the prison's chaplain.

I found it to be one of the better John Grisham books.


Beautiful
	A work of art, Makine's use of language is stunning.  Not a quick read, I frequently had to stop and ponder many profound passages.  Literature as an art form is not dead


A must-read for all believers
	Mrs. Kent's story applies to each of in the hard places of life.  We all have an "Isaac" - the person or thing closest to our hearts, our future hopes and dreams - that must be layed down.  In telling her story, Mrs. Kent illustrates the difficulty of this, yet demonstrates that it can be done.  She doesn't gloss over the pain, yet doesn't leave us there, either.  She shows us there is hope


Learning to Care for Yourself
	Quite often, we read books for young people where the main characters must lean to care for others and not just themselves-where the main character must break away from childhood egocentrism and emerge into the adult world.  In Katherine Paterson's Lyddie, readers find the opposite theme:  Learning to not lose oneself in the responsibilities of the adult world.

The novel follows Lydia Worthen, a teenager in 1840s Vermont.  With her father gone to seek his fortune, Lyddie, with some help from her brother Charlie, must take charge of the family farm, her emotionally unstable mother, and her younger sisters.  To cover the farm debt, Lyddie's mother leases the farm and sends her oldest children into forced servitude.  After a year of misery working for a local tavern, Lyddie becomes a mill hand in Lowell, Massachusetts.  While there, Lyddie's sole focus becomes earning the money to pay off the farm debt and reunite her family.  Her hard work and single-mindedness earn her a reputation as a "skinflint" and "Amazon."  It's only after the farm is sold, her youngest sister dies, her mother is sent to the asylum, her remaining siblings are adopted by another family, and her job is lost over fraudulent charges that Lyddie begins to look out for herself-that she begins to ask what she wants for herself.

While Lyddie is not Paterson's best work, the book does provide lively insight to factory life in Lowell, where many young women flocked in the early 1840s for economic opportunity.  While readers are not thrown into the heart of the labor movement, we are able to see the conditions that led to organized labor: The long hours, the sexual harassment, the illness and disease resulting from mill work.  Still, all of this background provides a fitting setting for the story of a young woman who must learn that she has more to offer the world than her back-breaking labor.  If you've enjoyed Paterson's other works of historical fiction, Lyddie will not disappoint.


Great Book!!!
	This is an excellent book if used correctly.  When you apply everything that the books says to your life it will change things for the positive.  It is a realistic approach to evangelism that really works


Breathtaking Story
	I adored this book.  The character development is strong, and delightful! With the exception of the villain, all characters are likeable.  I couldn't wait to read the next book in the trilogy


Fantastic!
	When you read any of Amy Tan's books it makes you feel like you are a part of the story.  This book was a great read because it evokes emotions of excitement and sadness for the main character all at once


Wickid Satire
	Fabulously entertaining novel from Martin Amis which easily eclipses the rather depressing `Information.' John Self is a blatantly materialistic hedonist who works as a profitable director of commercials. He is an alcoholic, a misogynist, and a microcosm of mainstream American culture in the 1980's. John has also landed a gig directing a feature film, titled `Good Money,' and `Bad Money,' depending on what day of the week it is. Amis' writing is mordantly brilliant; both acerbic and biting. There are transactions in here that I just love, such as John's stinging interactions with his girlfriend Selina:

" `I've just gone off sex,' said Selina this morning, as she finished the tea I fondly brought her.
`So?' I asked her.
`God, be nice. Use your imagination. It'll pass. I've just gone off sex.'
Then what do you think is the point of you? I wanted to say. But I didn't. I resisted the temptation. I looked into the proud drama of her face, the valves and orbits of her throat, the wetlook runnels of her hair, the breasts, heavier than ever, solidly mounted on the ribcage, the naked slopes of the belly, the sudden flaring of the hips, a smell of sleep.
`Then what do you think is the point of you?'
`You', she said, `are unreal' (226).

You should read Amis for his remarkable power of description, his talent for black comedy and middle-aged disillusionment. Pay little heed to his flights into post-modernity, they are merely exercises in literary chic.


Really seems to help!
	I was recently diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, and I started following the nutritional suggestions in this book. I think it's already starting to help! Plus it tells you how to perform strengthening exercises for your aching joints. I am a big fan of Dr. Nelson's other works. I like how she explains the science and the applications. I plan to share this with my mom, who also has osteoarthritis


Wow, this book made all the difference.
	I can't say enough about this wonderful book. It's packed full of examples, covers more than just the pre-adoption and placement aspects, and is incredibly non-judgemental. There's so much information here, more than I expected. It really helped me think through all of the issues related to adoption. It's for both birth and adoptive parents, in fact, two of the birth parents we've been in contact with were excited to hear about it and ended up ordering the book themselves. Reading through this book really helped me conquer my fears about adoption. I'm so glad it was recommended to us. If you're thinking about adoption, even if you're thinking that open adoption isn't right for you I highly recommend taking a chance and buying this book. It's great


Real Life situations
	This book was the best financial planning book I have ever read. It had real life situations that helped out alot. I didn't realize how much in debt I was until I read this. I didn't have a problem with making payments and even paying extra on them. But I never planned for a disaster or loss of a job. If you spend a couple of years paying off your debt, that is years of happiness just knowing you don't others money. This book helped me realize this. Thank You Larry Burkett for this and all of your other books, God was really with you during your writting


Beautifully Written and Fact-Packed Memoir of World War II
	William Manchester, the greatest narrative historian of or time, provides a vivid account of his experiences in the Pacific Theatre during World War II.  As with all of his books, we see, hear, smell, taste, and feel the experiences with him, as if we were there.  Although more personal, of course, than his other narrative histories, Goodbye Darkness provides the same factual details, and each sentence, paragraph, and chapter is crafted with the same beauty and skill that is Manchester's hallmark.  An amazing memoir by a truly great writer.


A different opinion
	Beautiful. Kushner attacks many of the world's carnal attitudes and inputs thoughts and principles that help combat them. Though he is not Christian, this book is full of principles that help you avoid being conformed to this world and be transformed by the renewing of your mind


Excellent adventure novel
	Exciting and highly entertaining story about 3 men who travel to the centre of the earth through an extinct volcano. Here they come across prehistoric forests, a giant subterranean sea inhabited by prehistoric marine dinosaurs, and some ancient offshoots of man. Although some of the science bits are outdated, implausable and sometimes drag a little, the book is still surprisingly modern and fresh after 140 years. Maybe the first adventure novel of this kind and certainly of influence on modern culture.


a must-read for anyone who eats
	If you read one book on food ethics in your life, it should be this book.

Singer and Mason's book is an excellently researched and foot-noted exploration of three different American diets, tracing these diets back to their sources and showing the many hidden affects that our food choices have on our environment, our neighbors, the animals that many of us eat, and ultimately ourselves. This book shows how these seemingly innocuous choices really do make a difference in our world, and then guides the reader towards resources which might help them make different choices, if they so choose.

This book is not only full of an amazing depth and breadth of information on everything from organics, to local food, to intensive factory farms, to fair trade products, it also is immensely readable. The meetings with the three different families are very vivid and help to humanize these issues further.

I highly recommend this book to every thinking person who eats. Which is, really, all of us. Please read this book! Do yourself, your neighbors and your planet a favor!

(:,
Jennife


The first book of design for all designers
	Design is a difficult process that is often associated more with art than science.  With principles of style, concerns about how design works.

While many wring their hands about this, Alexander breaks the problem down, organizes it and then provides a framework for design that is relatively design neutral.  That is a feat in deed.

By thinking about how one structures a problem space and the bias that creates -- Alexander give the practioner a powerful tool for setting up the design process and scope.  He then goes on to discuss the design process and he makes important distinctions between concious and unconcious design.

Notes on Synthesis and Form are the foundation for Alexander's work on design patterns.  This is the must read book before spending time on these other works.

For the practioner, this book provides a powerful and applicable framework for addressing problems in multiple disciplines.


Again....the best
	Another great story.  Stephen King is not typical in this book.  The development of the characters is awesome.  You felt everything that Dolores was going through and you know you would have done the same thing.  You route for her.  She is spunky, bitter but she means business.  Great book.  I highly recommend this book.  I read it in about 6 hours


Now I can play
	I bought the book the other day and breezed right thru it.  It's great in that you can skip around the book to the sections you NEED to read (or refresh yourself on).  I keep it handy because I often refer to it.  It is thorough in explaining various aspects of reading music, playing, etc.  The humor interspersed makes it enjoyable to read rather than boring but the humor doesn't detract from the content and lesson.  Glad I bought it and you should buy it, too, if you want to teach yourself how to play


The best yet, and will be tough to match
	The Waste Lands, the third novel in Stephen King's The Dark Tower series is by far the best volume yet.  This volume picks up a short time after the end of Drawing of the Three, and we see Roland training Eddie and Susannah to become true gunslingers in Roland's world.  Soon into the novel, the three gunslingers encounter one the Guardians of Mid-World, a huge cyborg bear, who is guarding a portal that goes between the different worlds.  Roland explains that each of these portals is connected to the Dark Tower by a beam, and if they follow the beam, it will lead them directly to the Dark Tower, they just don't know how far away it is.

As the three gunslingers start to follow the beam, we, the readers, are taken to our own world and reintroduced to Jake, the ill-fated child from The Gunslinger.  Jake is currently having a mental breakdown (as is Roland) due to the fact that Roland saved him from dying his destined death at the hands of a Cadillac in The Drawing of the Three.  One part of Jake tells him he should be dead, the other says he should be alive.  Jake's mental breakdown leads him on a journey across New York to a haunted house that has many connections with other characters in the book, and in this house, Jake believes he can get back to Mid-World and be reunited with Roland.

The final part of the journey in The Waste Lands, takes our group to a city called Lud, on the outskirts of the waste lands.  The group believes they need to find a monorail named Blaine in the city, and he will help them on their journey to the Dark Tower.  Once they enter the city, much goes wrong and we are introduced to a really cool, but really evil character called the Tick-Tock Man, who runs Lud.  All of this leads up to a ridiculously exciting conclusion and a killer cliffhanger that makes me really glad I waited to read these until they were all published.

As far as action and suspense goes, The Waste Lands takes the cake easily from the previous two books.  Most of all, this book makes us appreciate the character development from the previous books.  We care so much about these characters, and would be devastated if anything were to happen to them.  This book also goes a long way in providing some much needed answers about the Dark Tower in general and Mid-World.  These answers are both satisfying and frustrating.  They are satisfying that you aren't completely clueless as to what is going on, but there are deeper answers to everything that we are given in this novel, so it just makes you want to read on more.

The series just keeps getting better as it goes along


A Gothic Delight
	Edward Gorey uses gothic illustrations to tell the tale of a strange creature who appears one day in a family's home.  The prose is an amusing rhyme which describes the family's confusion and frustration at dealing  with this unwanted guest.  Although the illustrations are gothic and dark,  the reader is still amused by the creature and the family who must deal  with it


A seductive page turner, but lacking something....
	First off, I have to admit: I am 22 years old and read the entirety of this book in one 7 hour sitting on my way to Paris.

I picked up the novel out of sheer curiosity and personal research for my job. I work at Barnes   Noble and am in charge of both the Teen and Children's sections. When our store sold out of New Moon within a week of initially getting the book, my curiosity was piqued -- I felt I had to give its predecessor a try so I knew what the hype was about and could give an honest opinion about the book.

Now here I sit and I have finished both Twilight and New Moon. I have to admit -- Meyer has a talent. Both books I read at breakneck speed, barely stopping to eat or sleep. Her prose is smooth and easy, accompanied by a plot that I found engrossing. I went back after reading Twilight and re-read my favorite sections more than once. The love story was hypnotizing and surprisingly seductive. I definitely plan on recommend this book, mainly to teenage girls who will swoon over Edward.

However, I only gave the book four stars. While I enjoyed it immensley as I read the novel, a few things bothered me upon looking back:

1) While Meyer deinitely has a talent for writing an engaging novel full of beautiful descriptions, the character descriptions at times felt extremely lazy. If I had to read one more time about Edward's marble, angelic face (what, exactly, does that mean??), his liquid topaz eyes, or how Bella glared at Edward, I thought I was going to pitch the book down the aisle of the plane.

2) I'm not sure I buy their romance. It was heartstopping and climactic during the read, but honestly, what DOES he see in her? If Bella keeps asking that question to herself, maybe her audience shoud seriously consider it.

3)Bella herself bothered me. I found Bella to be horribly dependent on Edward to the point that I got irritated with her. And her constantly having to catch her breath around Edward -- Puh-leeze. Be a woman! Stand on your own feet! She never fully developed into a character for me since she revolved solely around Edward, something that I, as a self-sustained woman, cannot connect with.

And lastly, 4)Bella wants so desperately to become a vampire, but that seems like it could pose a problem between herself and Edward. Since I haven't seen any evidence that Edward likes Bella for any other reason than that she smells wonderful (a scent that she has because she is human and has blood coursing through her veins, mind you), what happens when she no longer smells good? Meyer is really going to have to prove to me that Edward actually loves Bella for other reasons than her smell, otherwise it will be completely unbelievable if Bella turns into a vampire and Edward is still attracted to this ordinary girl...

Although the plot has its shortcomings, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and that is why I give it four stars. I will read the next one when it comes out, and any other subsequent after that, for the simple reason that the books are entertaining and Edward is so dang alluring


Police procedural and medical thriller wrapped up in a bow!
	Boston is trembling under the shadow of a serial murderer with a notably gruesome method of dispatching his victims - brutal, savage rape, an obviously knowledgeable, skillful removal of the uterus while the victim still lives with the coup de grace coming as a slashed throat and severing of the carotid artery! Little wonder the media has awarded him the moniker "The Surgeon". In the course of their investigations, detectives Thomas Moore and Jane Rizzoli discover an earlier case with a virtually identical MO in Savannah in which the murderer, Andrew Capra, was ultimately killed by a stalwart would-be victim who fought back and shot him before he could finish the job! They are startled to discover that the surviving victim, Dr Catherine Cordell, is a noted cardiac surgeon currently practicing in a major Boston hospital, and beyond all belief in the possibility of coincidences, she appears to be the target of the now active killer!

Once again, Gerritsen has unerringly brought her intimate knowledge of medicine and the hospital milieu to the table. But, contrary to what one might fairly expect from Gerritsen's past work, has successfully served up a compelling investigative police procedural which lovingly details the forensics, the pathology, the profiling and the gut-wrenching detail in the relentless task force style search for a psychopathic serial murderer! Several superbly paced sub-plots are inextricably woven into one another as the story unfolds - Cordell's slow recovery from the assault she endured two years ago and her halting re-integration into life and the hospital work force; Jane Rizzoli's bristly temperament as the lone Boston female homicide detective and her work-life struggles against the "old boy" attitude of the police force; Thomas Moore's extended grieving period over the untimely loss of his dearly loved wife and the difficulties he faces as he recognizes his entirely inappropriate blossoming romantic feelings for Catherine Cordell; the task force style investigation of "The Surgeon" and his relationship with the long dead Georgia killer; and, Cordell's daily life in the cardiac ward and the emergency room of the hospital and the brilliantly described relationship she maintains with her working partner, Dr Peter Falco.

Not only does Gerritsen handle all of this with skill and aplomb but, with every passing page and each successful murder, she ratchets up the suspense as we realize the killer is taunting the police, honing his skills and reaching for Catherine Cordell as his ultimate target. Yet he constantly remains one step ahead of the investigation.

A great addition to the library if, like me, you love your easy reading page-flipping thrillers!

Paul Weis


Curmudgeon's Diary of Walking the Coast of Great Britain
	Engrossing and amusing travelogue by world's crankiest traveler.

Some people really hate Theroux, accusing him of snobbery, self importance, and bigotry.  I can certainly see why some readers wouldn't be able to deal with his style and opinions, but I must say that this volume might be a pretty good litmus test of readers' tolerance for the author's travel works.  (If you can enjoy this one, you'll probably enjoy his other non-fiction works).

I, for one, totally enjoyed hearing about grunge-y has-been towns, obnoxious holiday camps, and seedy hotels.  To me, the book was a real page-turner, and he writes so vividly of scenery.  I felt he wrote about the worst bits of his trip with true humor, reminding us travelers that it's helpful to keep a sense of humor during the rough times.

I felt the book was a pretty decent scouting report for the island's shoreline, and I now know what to avoid there.  I can definitely thank Theroux and his fussy standards!

If you like Theroux, it's a good bet you'll love this one.


the only cookbook (out of hundreds) that I use weekly.
	My father was a chef, and although we did not have much money, I was brought up appreciating good, fresh, healthy food as well as cookbooks -- my father had a library of cookbooks, gastronomic dictionaries, even cookbooks in French (he was trained by a french chef in the 1950's).

With that being said, I am obsessed with eating, and occasionally cooking, good food.  This cookbook is the one I use over and over again.  I have cooked almost every recipe in the book, more than once, which is a true testament to a wonderful cookbook.

The beauty of it is that is is simple -- most ingredients are things you would have on-hand.  Most recipes are for the novice cook, but can be challenging enough for a true obsessed gourmet.  The other aspect is that he balances flavors and spices perfectly -- nothing is too overly spiced, heavy, etc.  When I cook for guests, I use this cookbook because it is manageable but makes me look like a genius.  People always say to me, "This tastes better than restaurant food!"

Get the hardback version -- it will last longer and make you feel like a true cook (as we all can be.


The Source for True Armanen Runelore
	Guido von List was the leader of the Armanen-Orden, the single most important magical order of the 20th century. This book deserves to be on every thinking Germanic Heathen and Magician's bookshelf...  Many of List's ideas influenced the most important thinkers of the modern Heathen revival, including Edred Thorsson...

The Armanen-Orden still survives in Germany, and von List's Futhork is no less powerful today than it was when it was revealed to him in 1903. In English speaking lands the Knights of Runes continues his tradition.

BUY THIS BOOK


Great Topic - kudos Mr Watkins!
	My husband took the book out from the library for me and after reading the first few chapters I decided that this was a book to own. As you will keep going back to re-read the roadmap to help you on your new venture(s).
Very insightful for all levels not just C-Level positions


Helpful information for parents willing to develop their childen readership
	In general the book provides some simple tips of how to help your children to learn reading by having fun and develop a taste for reading. It worked for me, and I would recommend it for parents that are eager to provide their children with a push for developing this important skill


Good advice in book will help to not lose the next one
	The advice seems to be good advice to use in any relationship. You also have to know your own situation very well and know when not to use his advice.  My ex would feel crowded if I sent her a bunch of sweet cards like the book says to do and would feel like I was trying to manipulate her, therefore I took it easy on the cards.  My ex may never get back with me because we are long distance but I feel I am loving her much better than before because of this book even if she doesn't realize it.  Remember to NEVER tell your lover that you read this book, especially if he/she is nervous about being manipulated


Walking amongst Dummys
	I'm glad I bought this book and I will continue to refer to it.  The remit of the Dummies series is to provide a guide to its subject matter without any great fuss.  The text focuses on practical techniques without unnecessary diversion into the detail of molecular biology or computer science.  In this respect it would have been a difficult book to author, readers having come from one discipline or the other.  I agree with previous reviewers that this is well worth reading before doing a bioinformatics course or degree.  Bioinformatics is a new field, and this book has delivered a useful introduction to it without recourse to expensive textbooks full of unreadable filler


A strong argument for tort reform
	Here is the disclaimer:  I was already a proponent of tort reform before I read this book.  However, after reading this novel, I am a stronger proponent of it than ever.  Enter Clay Carter - unknown defender in D.C. of the poorest of the poor.  Then a nice juicy settlement falls into his lap, one he can't refuse, partly because the parent's of his long-time girlfriend are pressuring him regarding his money.

Give Carter a taste of money, then the greed sets in.  For the middle half of the book, we get to see unadulterated greed come to run his life!  Especially infuriating is how he lets that greed come before the well-being of his clients.  This is what will be his undoing.  One of his clients who was already ticked off at a settlement he made gets a terminal illness and decides to go after his lawyer.  This is the rags to riches to almost rags in the course of about eighteen months.

Grisham actually makes you feel sympathetic with the main charater (Clay Carter) through his rise, and especially his fall.  That shows to the quality of his storytelling.  In fact, while Carter is in some ways a sympathetic character, he mostly is not!  Mass torts and greed is the theme of this story.  The fact that he came back to haunt him was only justice.  Too bad such justice doesn't often happen in the real world of mass torts


Creating a Census for an Antique Book
	This book is rather different. Although it's about Copernicus' book "De Revolutionibus", very little astronomy is discussed. There is also very little about Copernicus himself. The main theme of the book is finding as many still-existing copies of Copernicus' book as possible, and describing each one in detail - the ultimate purpose being the publication of a so-called "census" of that ancient book, i.e., a snapshot in time that identifies and describes each individual copy and where it is located in the world. Since I know nothing about antique book collecting, I learned a lot on this field by reading this book. I was not aware of all the work and travel required in finding a given copy of a book, especially identifying the authors of any hand-written notes on its pages. I did find certain lengthy descriptions rather monotonous, but some of the author's adventures are quite intriguing, particularly where he makes use of his notes to identify possibly stolen copies that eventually surface at auctions or elsewhere. Some aspects of life and technology in the sixteenth century that are important for the theme of this book, as well as discussions of some of Copernicus' contemporaries, are touched upon. But as the author states, this book is really a memoir of his census project. I think that this book would be of most interest to those with a passion for ancient books and ancient book collecting.


Let's Not Go Completely Overboard
	Like pretty much anything in which Neil's involved, this a fine and useful work. The reviews of Teddy Millon's Axis II taxonomic extensions are worth most of the considerable price of admission here all by themselves. But after 30 years in the field, I'll warn any newcomers that getting any too rigid with treatment plan rollouts will make you as nuts at the people you're treating.

As -guidelines- with notions about starting points and signposts along the way, however, these are very useful. Neil's six-step Treatment Outline seems a bit oddly ordered, and I wasn't able to find a rationale for determining diagnosis in the final step (when you have to lay one on the client's payment guarantor at the outset). But otherwise, the six steps are another handy construction among several now available.

If you're fairly new in the field, this will be a real handy reference, but don't stake the clients' lives (or your own serenity) on this when they start to go refractive.


Critical Book Review
	Diane Ravitch discusses the development of censorship in textbooks and on tests that has been slowly integrated into the educational system.  She speaks about the rights of the First Amendment pertaining to free speech, and provides a detailed history of how censorship has become a part of the textbooks and tests that have been developed.  The book is informative and thought- provoking.
	Ravitch starts by discussing the creation of bias and sensitivity boards and how they have come to dominate what can and cannot be said in certain literature for education.  She goes on to talk about certain topics and words that must not be used.  This list is ridiculous and completely irrational.  Due to left and right wing intervention, almost everything of interest has been stripped from the educational requirements.  Ravitch discusses in great detail the effort of both sides and what their motives were in demanding that certain changes be made in textbooks and tests.  She goes further to detail the goals of each side and how they were met.  She argues that such censorship keeps children from learning historically accurate facts because adults would rather paint a picture of Utopia and keep children from feeling any emotions.
	Ravitch presents a good, convincing argument with concrete reasoning to support her views.  To the best of my knowledge and research, she has done a great job at gathering accurate information about what has been going on in publishing companies and the struggles they have faced from bias and sensitivity reviews, feminists, minorities, and other groups.  Her reasoning is inductively strong with few logical fallacies.  Occasionally, Ravitch begs the question through circular reasoning and attacks the motives of some publishing companies.  Although she has clear concise points, Ravitch intermittently distorts the timeline within chapters, which is slightly confusing.  Her claims are logically consistent and her argument seems complete with all the relevant evidence presented.  Throughout research, Ravitch manages to also find publishing companies who have tried to change standards and incorporate more accurate facts in textbooks and what happens to these companies when they go against the bias and sensitivity rules.  The argument Ravitch presents is a historically accurate account of censorship in textbooks, fairly and effectively arguing her point.
	Today, more and more people are beginning to notice what is going on with censorship in textbooks and are speaking up and taking steps toward removing these censors.  Textbooks are becoming more accurate, and classic literature reintroduced to the classroom.  Ravitch calls for the dispersion of the "language police" and a return to the "freedom of speech" that everyone has the right to exercise.


Laughs, gasps, aha's and oy veys
	Born to Kvetch is, at one time, informative, enlightening, synical, humorous, and irreligious.  I learned so much about the Yiddish language, Jewish mores and their beginnings, Jewish and Yiddish history and interpersonal relations.  At times I was in tears of laughter or a tear of sadness; amazed or embarrassed and often shocked by Michael Wex's irreverence.

Loved it all


Matilda and the Trunchbull
	One of the few Roald Dahl books I read, it remains one of my favorites from childhood.  I saw the movie too, and the movie is very funny, and I felt it did the book justice.

Matilda is about a precocious little girl named Matilda who has a crazy family (who doesn't support her at all and certainly doesn't respect her intelligence).  At a very young age, she is able to read very advanced books and she wins the admiration of her new teacher Mrs. Honey.  The only problem is her dim parents and the evil Mrs. Trunchbull who rules the school with an iron fist.  And then there's Matilda's new found super powers.

It's very funny, the predicaments Matilda gets into and the things Mrs. Trunchbull says, even if she is cruel.  It might be a little scary to very young children, but it depends on the child


Fun, Fast-paced puzzler with plenty of Nancy Drew trivia
	Mystery-writer biographer Cece Caruso is in the midst of book on Nancy Drew author "Carolyn Keene" (actually a pseudonym for numerous authors) when her bookstore-owner friends ask her to deliver a vintage Nancy Drew book to collector Edgar Edwards. Cece is more than happy for an excuse to meet the eccentric millionaire collector. They strike up an immediate friendship, and after showing her his collection, he shows her something really special--a nude portrait of the model who posed for the original Nancy Drew covers.

Cece is scheduled to give a luncheon speech at a Nancy Drew convention in nearby Palm Springs, and Edward invites her to use his vacation house there. Delighted at her good fortune, Cece packs up herself and her two friends, Lael and Bridget, a boatload of vintage clothes (which she collects, though she told Edgar she collected nothing) and head for a fun girls' weekend. Unfortunately, someone throws a kink into their plans--a big kink. A dead body. Edgar's body.

The suspects are many, including Edgar's boy-toy friend and his majordomo; a wild-eyed Nancy Drew fanatic who wouldn't have wanted that nude painting made public; her less-than-honest, performance artist daughter; Bridget's new boy-toy boyfriend; a shi-shi art dealer. And, of course, Cece herself, who could have endeared herself to the police had she not insisted on solving the mystery herself. But her curiosity about the model in the nude painting, the artist who did the painting, and anything connected to Nancy Drew gets the better of her.

The second in the Cece Caruso series is a fun, fast-paced puzzler, and Cece and her "chums" give Nancy a run for her money. The Nancy Drew trivia is fascinating, and the many references to vintage clothing makes me want to learn more. My one beef--Cece leaves town, twice, and stays gone for hours on end without making arrangements for anyone to take care of her dog and cat. I mean, maybe she did make arrangements, but if it was mentioned, I missed it.


Sharp insight from Virginia Postrel
	I consider myself an optimist and insightful person, but somehow managed to miss many of Postrel's insights. She gives me even more hope that the future is going to be more wonderful than I previously thought. She does keep that hope in check, though, by talking about the enemies of the future- primarily protectionists and those that see free trade as a threat, instead of the blessing that it is.

She thoroughly destroys the notion that 'there is nothing new under that sun'. While the universe, therefore our earth, is necessarily finite, we misunderstand this finiteness because we misunderstand the different combinations things can be arranged in. For example, a deck of cards has only 52 cards, but the number of combinations you can put the cards into is 52x51x50x49x...x3x2x1, which is a number larger than the number of particles in the universe! So whenever you shuffle a deck of cards, you can rest assured, that that is probably the one and only time that arrangement of cards will ever be in existence... ever.

People are so inventive and creative and always looking for new things. Obviously, there will always be new things. Every time someone declares that we are nearing the end of history, science, technology, etc. it's safe to say they have no idea what they are talking about. We need to let people be as creative and as inventive as they can. It will only make our lives better, on the whole. There will always be setbacks, but as long as people can think, we will always find a way to make out of those setbacks.

The book is a stunning, intelligent look at modern life. I liked it so much, I bought The Substance of Style, which is, yet, another insightful look at modern life.


Funny and True
	After seeing the movie, I decided to pick up the book.  This book proved to be very funny, as the protagonist wrestles with issues that many, many women her age face today.  Fielding ingeniously draws readers in with very true, often serious real-life topics (being single and not liking it, infidelity, betrayal)and is yet able turn it into light, funny reading.  That takes talent, in my book.  In the wrong hands, this novel could have been a very dreary book that no one would want to read(in light of the above topics).  You cant help but root for Bridget.

I recommend this book and its sequel.  Most everyone will get a good laugh out of it


not restricted to just educational context
	Much of the book's material is not restricted to educational research. It is generally applicable to anyone who wants to perform experimental studies in the social sciences. Where you need to deal with human subjects. Granted, in the book, these subjects are often primary school kids.

But the guidelines given in such matters as the general steps for qualitative research, data collection and data analysis are quite general. Likewise further in the book, when it discusses quantitative research.

The book's discussion of statistics is necessarily abbreviated; directed at a reader unfamiliar with chi square tests and the like. But still easily understood


Informative and insightful
	McCain et al write very well and I was impressed by his style.  The writing was not the only style with which I became familiar but the "style" of the man himself, John McCain.  This was a truthful, revealing account of a man of honor who is presently in an oft less-than-honorable profession.  We can only hope the remainder of his career echoes with laud that of his grandfather and father.  I believe this read is one to add to one's readings of autobiographies / biographies.


Yoga of the heart
	This book is about yoga for the heart, which is rare in our body sculpting culture, yet paradoxically heart diseases are one of the greatest risk factors for our modern health. A simple, profound gift of yoga is the  recognition that the body is the temple for the indwelling spirit.  Realizing this simple truth profoundly affects our relationship to the  body. Through the author's lifetime committment to the teachings of yoga,  we glimpse the relevance of the yogic lifestyle. This book serves as a  guide in making healthier choices in everyday life. By walking for awhile  with Nischala, we touch a deeper realization of the unity that yoga brings.  I recommend this book to any yoga practitioner, teacher, as well as anyone  who seeks greater peace of mind and physical well-being


Irresistible Grace
	I first saw this book reviewed in the early 1990's. It aroused a double response of curiosity and suspicion. Like many a cynic I asked myself, "Now who's this guy and what's he spinning?" Against my natural inclination to dismiss it, I ordered POG. On receiving it I began reading and found my suspicions confirmed: here was another triumphal and insensitive adherent to the doctrine of the sovereignty of God.

Strangely, however, I couldn't stop reading. Despite months of scrawling angry counter-arguments in the margins of its pages I was drawn inexplicably to the sensibility of its core premise about God's delight in being God. To make this story short, I found myself, in the end, exhausted but surrendered to the portrait of God that Piper paints with the full palette of scriptural truth. And finally happy too, with the beginnings of the joy Piper wished for his sons in the Foreword.

Salvation history testifies to the fact that a distinguishing evidence of the truth is that it is often hated - at first. The fact that POG eventually had such an unnatural (or supernatural) effect on someone like me - initially so inclined to resist and rebuff - speaks more to the validity of this book than if I had joined immediately in the chorus of deserved admiration.

This is not a critical analysis of POG; others have provided that sufficiently on this page. Instead it's a personal account of the Irresistible Grace that against all nature drew a small and scoffing soul into undeserved open spaces where God's glory was seen...and is now sung.


Excellent Book! Informative and fun
	For those looking to dig deeper into the nuances of the C language, this is an excellent book!  It has given me a better understanding of C that is helping me design better C code.  A must have


Understanding the roots of Racism
	After reading this book and reading the Amazon.com readers' reviews to this book, it is evident that there are "White-readers" who do not understand hooks' point and the basic notion and theory behind racism.  My suggestion is that if you are white, you should explore the topics of racism, power, and class before attempting to understand the depths of which hooks is writing


Interesting thought
	Interesting thoughts!  It makes one think about why we do the things that we do.  I look forward to sharing some of theses ideas with my daughter when she is a little older.  I think that it is worth reading.  A new outlook on dating


Be Afraid...be very afraid
	It is not often I reread a book but this was well worth it. It is the true story of a  quot;cracker quot; who set about trying to break into computer networks and how people from system administrators to the FBI try to stop him. Written in the style of a thriller, you are swept along in amazement at the exploits of the cracker. If this doesn't alter your view of internet security nothing will. On the down side it becomes a chore trying to keep all the players straight in one's head, it is indeed a cast of many. Although somewhat geeky at times and it does help to have some background in computer networking it won't prevent you from enjoying what is surely the most bizarre story of internet hacking you will read


Great introductory guide
	I felt this book was reasonably priced and offered a wide array of helpful fundraising advice -- especially for the small to mid-sized nonprofit. It covers a lot of the basics in a writing style that is pleasant to read


Involved, very scholarly work on the 20th Cent. MidEast
	This is the sort of book I have been looking for a long time. I've read other books on the Middle East which purport to have a similar focus, but which are instead incomplete, notably "Sowing the Wind". This book, by contrast, maintains the focus rather carefully and provides a concise history of the whole region. It looks as if the book was written as a textbook for (I would presume) grad students studying the subject, but really any intelligent person can pick it up and learn a great deal.

An issue with a book like this is the tone of the work, how well the author writes. Kamrava isn't the second coming of Hemingway, but he's not too bad, either. The book is divided into two portions: first, a historical section that gives you an overview of the region's history, and second a topical section that looks at various issues that impact the region currently. The first section is very readable, the second less so (who actually enjoys reading about economics?). The author, however, does a good job (for the most part) of not sounding like a university professor telling you about something, though he does occasionally use words that are obscure, especially in terms of sub-regions of the Mid East.

I still enjoyed this book, thought I got a lot out of it, and would recommend it. The author seems to be a hair more optimistic about the prospects for peace and prosperity in the region than I am, but he makes a good case for his point of view, and the result is interesting


Another "I wish I would have read this earlier in life!" book
	Whether you are new to dating, widowed or divorced and starting to date again, or in your 50th year of marriage - you will be able to gleam something from this book that will impact your life in a positive way.

Ideally - you could read this book before you embark upon the "dating chapter" of your life.  But, even if you're not new to dating, this book can make an amazing and positive impact in many ways - it can increase your chances of finding the right person, reduce your chances of being hurt by or hurting someone (emotionally) during the dating process, and help you avoid scaring away someone with whom, otherwise, you could end up having a wonderful relationship.

I especially recommend this to women who are in a relationship (or, who are thinking that they "thought they were") with a man who seems to have changed all of a sudden.  If you are questioning things like, where did he go? why didn't he call?  why does he seem so distant now?  what did I do wrong? - you are possibly at a point in the relationship where your choice of actions can make or break a relationship that might just be on the edge of going somewhere.  And, likewise, I recommend this to men who feel that they've come to a point in their relationship where they all of a sudden "aren't sure" anymore, are feeling anxious or maybe even "trapped", and at the same time there is a strong need to just get away and think and/or if the woman you are dating seems to have become more insecure, worries more, questions you more, starts pressuring you more about commitment, etc.  All of these situations, emotions, etc. are explained in this book.  You're not the only one - it's a normal part of dating - but, unfortunately, most of us won't possibly be able to understand this without someone else pointing it out to us - like Gray has done in this book.

Even if you are married - this book opens your eyes to many things and can really improve your level of understanding with your wife/husband.

If you are the perfect mate in a perfect relationship - you may not realize some of the problems other people experience and therefore, could probably benefit from this book by being able to better identify with friends, family, children when they come to you for advice


The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
	I came into this book expecting one thing. After the first part, Perhaps an Accident, my expectations had completely altered. As I read through the second part, Marquesa de Montemeyor, my expectations were slowly changing even more. By the beginning of the third part, Esteban, my expectations had transformed so much they were hardly recognizable.

I came into it expecting a novel about a man of religion's struggle with faith. By the first few pages I came to realize it had much more of a non-fiction lean, at this point I was scared of being bored. As I started to read part two I began to realize it wasn't about this Brother Juniper at all but the people in the accident. Throughout parts of the first chapter I have to admit I did feel bored, but near the end it caught fire and I was wowed by the first part's finish. This reinvested my firm belief that the ending of a short story will completely redeem it, for that's what each part was: a short story telling the complete life of one of the victims in the accident of the bridge.

The story of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize winner is that a bridge (the finest bridge in all of Peru) snapped and five travelers fell to their death. Brother Jupiter decided to use this accident to prove that it was God's will. This man found it more difficult than he expected discovering an ambiguity in life that he had not seen. Basically the novel to me is detailing the complexity and mystery of life.

I would say the way The Bridge of San Luis Rey was written was, generally, not exceptionally appealing to me. It was told almost exactly like a textbook account of the events. Using this method though, there were dazzling moments when the book flowed like poetry.

The book also seemed slightly tedious at times. Certain sections were difficult to get through but as I pressed on I felt a certain gratification, in knowing that I was being shown snapshots of life that were almost as real as they get.

Despite these downfalls (which had their upshots as well), the meaning of the book made it for me. The characters were all taken on spiritual journeys and though each story ended in death, which was a death too early for all of them, there was a certain bittersweet happiness in their soulful accomplishments.

In total I would suggest the Bridge of San Luis Rey but only if you're willing to fully concentrate whenever you pick this book up. It can be a beautiful book but only if first acknowledged as a tough book


Another great book!
	Another great book as usual! Too bad there aren't more books like her's. Don't we all wish we lived in Mitford! Great Bible quotes, great friendships and a little love splashed in somewhere


Literate and exciting
	Antonia Fraser has written a wonderful non-fiction account of Marie Antoinette and the Court of Versailles that makes you feel you are living at the time.  A detailed yet understandable explanation of the political and royal intrigues of the time, both in France and in Europe, that lead to the Revolution


Wicked fun reading
	I found #10 at a garage sale and thought I better just start at #1. I have buzzed through to #12 and through out them all I have found myself laughing out loud.


Great book
	Fuller offers an insightful blend of battlefield detail and the broader causes and effects for each engagement presented.  He avoids one of the major shortcomings I have with a lot of other military history authors: bogging the reader down in pedantic minutiae.


It really is the ART of the grill
	I purchased Weber's Art of the Grill at the same time as Weber's Big Book of Grilling. I feel that with this book they went for a more upscale level of grilling which is fine. I would recommend this book to anyone new to grilling or an old pro. It is well layed out and the pictures are of high quality. As in the other Weber cookbooks, the format is easy to use and well thought out. If you are looking for a more  quot;beginner quot; Weber grilling book check out Weber's Big Book of Grilling, you can't go wrong with it. I was glad I purchased both


Bittersweet Humor and Advice to a Young Son
	You probably know Joel Siegel from his enthusiastic movie reviews on Good Morning America.  But do you know the rest of the story?  Here's a chance to find out.

Mr. Siegel became a father for the first time at age 54, and his son, Dylan, was born on the day Mr. Siegel finished chemotherapy for colorectal cancer.  That cancer later spread to his lungs, and two more cancer surgeries and treatments followed.  Mr. Siegel's marriage did not last, but his love for Dylan did.  Realizing that his chances of living to see Dylan grow up are limited, Mr. Siegel decided to write down all of the wonderful things he wanted to share with Dylan over the next few decades . . . but might not be able to.  The result is a touching memoir with a heart that will cause you to shed more than an occasional tear while appreciating Mr. Siegel's love for his son.

Mr. Siegel writes well, has had many interesting experiences, and retains his sense of wonder.  He is open about many of his faults (which have led to failed marriages), but remains cautiously optimistic . . . and careful.

Dedicating the material to his son makes the memoir more personal and meaningful than almost any other memoir that I have read.  Anyone with an open heart would enjoy and benefit from this book.

If you are like me, you expected to mainly hear about the movies . . . and you will.  But there's much more in the book about Mr. Siegel's family, Jewish heritage (there's even a Yiddish dictionary with hilarious definitions), illnesses, past marriages, and advice for Dylan.  The show business stories are almost all ones that I had not heard before, and will reward those who are primarily looking for this feature.  Although you might think these are only about the movies, he also was a music critic and got to know the Beatles in the early days.

I was particularly interested by Mr. Siegel's first-hand accounts of working for civil rights in the South, helping with Bobbie Kennedy's campaign, and how he helped his wife, Jane, with her fatal illness.

One of the thoughts you will have as you read this book is how you would write a parallel one for either your children or your grandchildren to play the same role in sharing knowledge and love across the generations.  I hope you will read this book and feel inspired to either transmit your own lessons in your own way . . . or to create the book you want to share with your descendants.

In any case, keep a hanky handy!


A story of survival
	How does she do it?
This will forever be one of my favorite books. Reading about the astoundingly crazy life Mary Karr had as a child made me wonder how her sense of humor could be so sharp and perfect and still get across the sadness and pathos without making me feel bad or hopeless.

Nor did I feel that she was in a hopeless situation. It always seemed as though there were morsels of goodness somewhere to be found. A profoundly inspiring book. I only hope I can be as resourceful and resilient


There it is . . .
	My hat's off to anyone who can sum up this book in a customer review. It is beyond anything I've ever read in its portrayal of men at war as witnessed by the war correspondents who accompany them on the front lines. Unlike the embedded journalists of our own time, the writers and photographers who covered Vietnam were much closer to being free agents, restricted only by their ingenuity and fearlessness to seek out the action that would represent the essence of America's military presence in southeast Asia ("There it is . . .), while the evidence everywhere was of an irrationality raised to such a pitch that it had become something driven only bit itself.

Unable to remain objective or even conceive of objectivity, Herr and his colleagues yield to a kind of hallucinatory experience, depicting the war as a phantasmagoria, a really bad trip that also seduced them with what one of them insists is a compelling glamour. To read this book is to experience Vietnam not as a historical record or analysis, or even a personal memoir, but as a kind of hypnotic nightmare from which many, including survivors, never wake


Setting the record straight
	When considering the faith of the founders of the U.S, it is easy to rely on half-truths and assumptions.  David Holmes dispels a lot of myths in his well-researched book which uses historical documentation, personal letters, and observations of conduct in order to describe the various beliefs which the early patriots espoused.  He begins by describing the religious movements of the 18th. century which influenced our founders.  One interesting point he makes is that 9 of the original colonies had government-sponsored churches, a practice which the country quickly abandoned when the colonies united into a nation.  Although many of the people he describes, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, were brought up in orthodox Christian churches, such as Episcopal and Congregational, they were later influenced by the Deist movement which opposed many orthodox Christian views.  He describes some interesting practices, such as the fact that George Washington would leave Anglican services before participating in communion, despite the fact that his wife Martha would stay for the sacrament.  This is only one example of an early political wife who stayed true to her orthodox upbringing despite the Deist leanings of her husband.  Holmes concludes his book with a brief description of modern-day presidents and their religious beliefs which bear much more scrutiny than the founding fathers' did.  In writing this book Holmes displays an impartiality which is fitting for an historian, and which makes it all the more believable


a vital and reliable companion to u.s. history today
	This volume contains entries that deal with concepts, events, persons, and movements in u.s. history. The length of the entries is appropriate to the topic considered. In addition, the entires both inform the reader with up-to-date information and indicate how revisionist historians have resahped opionions or refocused the discipline. The entries are clearly written and eminently readable. They are persuasive in thier opionions, yet respectful of other stances. The cross references are helpful and ample. The same obtains for the bibliographies. The Oxford Companion to U.S. History far surpasses some other contemporary dictionaries in U.S. history. Its articles are treated in more depth and greater nuances. The entries in the other dictionaries are too short and far too superficial. I would highly recommend this for people involved in serious historical study and research


A CHILD IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE THIS BOOK!
	ERIC CARLE'S ILLUSTRATIONS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND UNUSUAL. THE SIMPLY STATED STORY IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE VERY YOUNG TO SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN. THE AUTHOR INCORPORATES MATH AND SCIENCE IN A BOOK YOU WILL WISH TO READ AGAIN AND AGAIN. THE STORY WAS A FAVORITE FOR THE CHILDREN, AGES TWO TO FIVE AT THE LOCAL LIBRARY'S STORY HOUR, AND IT WAS A FAVORITE OF MINE TO READ TO THEM.


A rare gem (spirituality)
	As a "follower of Christ" (Christian) who considers himself an Evangelical Protestant, this little devotional book will hold a special place in my library and my heart.  For all Christian believers, the richness and power of Brother Lawrence's life's witness and words are a fountain of Truth, a treasure that is as elegant (spiritually) as it is simple.  For the non-believers, I am afraid that reading this booklet (a spiritual treasure in disguise) will just confirm St. Paul the Apostles's words that "the message of the cross is ... foolishness to the Gentiles" (1 Corinthians. 1:18, 23 and 2:14).

The only way to do justice to this booklet is to quote from it and let you get a taste of it ...

This is a unique biography because it is not compiled by the Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (birth name Nicholas Herman but known by his monastic name) but by the ones around his life in 17th century France.  Thus one learns very little about the beginnings of his life but very much about his godly lifestyle in the last 30 years of life of bliss (presence of God in his heart) and suffering (3 physical and debilitating ailments).

We learn about this Spirit-filled vessel in God's vineyard - Brother Lawrence, by reading the Eulogy of the abbot of Lawrence's Christian community, 4 short notes of his conversations with his spiritual father - Abb? de Beaufort, 16 very short letters of spiritual advice and encouragement Brother Lawrence wrote to friends and seekers, a manuscript found at his death called "Spiritual Maxims" and a memoir of a leader in the church in France.

The followings are a selection of the many highlights and underlined phrases and sentences from this book:

"Busy yourself with keeping your mind in the presence of the Lord."

"My most normal habit is to simply keep my attention on God, and to be generally and lovingly aware of Him."

"I occupy myself solely with keeping my attention on God and by being generally and lovingly aware of Him."

"We have an infinitely good God who knows what we need."

"Console yourself with the One who keeps you fastened to the cross."

"We should love our friends, but without prejudicing the love of God which must be first."

"Think often about Him; worship Him without ceasing.  Life and die with Him.  This is the beautiful call in the life of a Christian."

"...we should love one another through our words of counsel and even more through our good examples."

"...our only business in this life is to please God. ... my little progress in the path of perfection."

"I applied myself to practicing the presence of God ... Doing this gave me such a high esteem for God that faith alone was capable of satisfying me."

"A devout woman told me that the spiritual life is a life of grace that begins with service fear, increases through the hope of eternal life, and is consumated by pure love."

MY PRAYER: May we all experience God's love, which truly can consume all other passions, and be filled with His grace which will empower us to truly love our neighbors (Christian and non-Christian) as ourselves.  This is my life goal


A fun, practical corkbook that's well within reach
	I love this cookbook   use it all the time!  My daughter has many allergies (tree nuts included) so we haven't been able to use all the recipes, but those that we have are wonderful!  I keep checking back, hoping to see another book by this author, but haven't found any so far.  As for the "rantings" spoken about in another review....I read the book cover to cover and didn't find anything that fits that description.  I enjoyed Ms. Meyer's stories of her children and her 'journey' and appreciate her having shared it.  Thanks


Can you imagine Hell?  These six people can.
	It's pretty impressive to think that a book like "Hiroshima" was written, and appreciated, less than a year after the atomic bomb was dropped.  John Hersey took a bold step in investigating the lives and experiences of those who were on the receiving end of the birth of the Atomic Age.

Interviewing six survivors, Hersey assembled a snapshot of what it was like have an atomic bomb dropped on your city.  Pure luck and circumstances determine if you survive or not.  The color of your clothing means everything.  White clothes reflect the heat, while dark clothing absorbs it.  Even if you survive the initial blast, what you see next might make you wish you hadn't.  But human beings are stubborn creatures, and seem to keep going even in the most hellish circumstances.

I have been to the Hiroshima Peace Park several times, and have seen the human face of the atomic bomb up close and personal.  It is a humbling experience, and one that forever changed my opinions on war as a means of settling disputes.  Hersey's book has a similar impact, being told in such a clinical, observational writing style that you can't help but be moved by the reality of it all.

My one criticism of "Hiroshima" is the cast of characters that Hersey chose to showcase.  For some reason, they seem to be largely Christian, including a German Jesuit priest and a Japanese Methodist minister.   With Christians being such a tiny percentage of the Japanese population, considerably less than 1%, the choice to interview Japanese Christians seems a deliberate one.  Hersey is telling the largely-Christian US readers, "See? They aren't heathen devils.  They are Christians, just like you and me.  That's who we dropped the bomb on. That's who we killed."   This puts in question the journalistic neutrality of the book, and has Hersey in the light of putting across an agenda instead of simpling reporting what was


Comprehensive
	Working in an IT company catering to bankers I bought this book to help understand their lingo. I have to say it hasn't disappointed yet. It is also very up to date the latest IT/banking terms. If you were to read all the definitions in this book you would probably know more than you banker. A great reference. Buy it


Great Book
	I disagree with the reviewer who said that this book does not offer solutions.  Again and again the author reports that people need to be heard, and need to stop repressing emotions to get well.  As a counselor working with battered women, I was amazed at the number of them who also had auto-immune disorders such as fibromyalgia.  This book is a must read


A wonderful peice of American religious history
	This item is a must-have for anyone who is serious about understanding the origins of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS or Mormons for short).  While not an authentic artifact, it is an excellent reproduction of the original book that started one of America's most successful and controversial social-religious movements of the 19th and 20th centuries.

This reproduction allows the reader to read the original 19th century language style of structure and grammar as it fell from the lips of Joseph Smith (Author and Proprietor) to the pen(s) of his various scribes.

When the book is placed in it's historical context, the reader can see the doctrinal development of many of the key points of theology that are the underpinning of the current LDS Church as well as Smith's answers for many of the religious concerns of his day.

Also, interestingly, when compared to the current version of the book and the LDS Church today, the reader can see the evolution of church doctrine over time.

For Example:

The development from a monotheistic doctrine of deity (see book of 1 Nephi and Mosiah - also see Lectures on Faith, also by Smith), to the current polytheistic doctrine that the church espouses (see current version of the Book of Mormon - changing of the text in 1 Nephi to correspond with current church doctrine).

The original condemnation of polygamy (marriage to more than one wife at a time) with the exception of raising up a righteous posterity (see book of Jacob), to the open endorsement and practice of the same from the mid to late 19th century for no reason other than Smith saying that God commanded the practice, then to the abandonment of the practice in order to prevent Church property from being confiscated and to allow Utah statehood in the union.

The condemnation of secret, oath-bound clandestine societies (see book of Helaman, 3 Nephi, Ether) to the practice of blood oaths of secrecy, loyalty and revenge (for the murder of Smith) in the Masonic-derived Nauvoo temple endowment.

The original condemnation and futility of Baptism for children and those that die without the law (see book of Mormon - name of a section within the book), to the practice of performing all church ordinances (including baptism) vicariously for the dead (those that died without the law).

Like all religious/social/mass movements, the LDS Church will evolve and change to meet the needs of its members.  The importance of this book for any follower of the religion (or student of sociology, history, etc.) is to chart the origins of the institution and then follow it's metamorphosis over time as the institution attempts to adapt to a constantly changing and growing market.  For that reason alone the book receives 5 stars.


A Practical  quot;how-to quot; and  quot;what questions to ask quot;.
	If you wish to improve the Quality of your software development, this book is worth reading, studying, and questioning.  It realy does not tell you how or why to improve, but suggest processes and measures that you need to  concider if you are already commited to better software


Typical McCarthy - but that is a good thing
	Having read all of McCarthy's other books already, I came into this knowing what to expect as far a style and content.  And I was not disappointed.  McCarthy can better develop a character in two sentences than most authors can in two chapters.  The vivid description of the mountains, the people, and their culture puts the reader right there in the story.  These harsh, terse, and somehow always beautiful images will remain in my mind for a long, long time.      I found this story a little more abstract than most of McCarthy's other works, yet I was able to see his message in the end.  Required reading for any McCarthy fan


Great Concept, Best Low Carb Book I have Seen
	I bought this book along with Saving Dinner and Saving Dinner for the Holidays last year.

I LOVE the concept of having the weekly menu planned out as well as the grocery list put together and ready for shopping. We went through the entire book and I have to say, it really broadened our food horizons as we had been stuck in a rut for a long time with our regular foods. Also, the books really did eliminate a lot of stress by allowing me to know in advance "What's for dinner" and be ready to prepare it.

The only cons I can think of would be that the food is not exactly kid friendly, and you will need to be an open minded eater. If you have a lot of people with finicky preferences in your household, this may not be the book for you. Also, our grocery bill for two went up from about $75 a week to $125 because of the veggies and meats. Good, healthy quality food ingredients, but unfortunately, painful to the wallet.

That said, I have NEVER seen a low carb book out there that compares to this one, the food is good, the variety is there, and it takes the low carb lifestyle above and beyond "bunless burgers" and eggs and bacon.

Overall, I would recommend Leanne's Saving Dinner books. For the open minded foodie. Or for those weeks that you just want to not worry about dinner and the grocery list. These books are great to have and do offer a good variety of recipes to broaden horizons while removing some stress


Good introduction
	I used this book for an introductory lesson on descriptive cataloguing in library, archival and information science. It worked very well for giving an overview of the problems in just this interdisciplinary approach. A lot of examples are given and explained in an understandable way. There are some reduncancies but this helps for the understanding


Revisionism at its Best
	Ironically, socialist, anti-American, iconoclastic Professor Taylor, could be, at least in this work, the inspiration for the great David Irving's more pathbreaking work on an unneccesary and destructive war.  It is demonstrated that Adolph Hitler, the popular Nationalist German leader, was no more responsible, and in many ways less so, than the so-called Allies, who foolishly guaranteed Poland, only to give her over to jewish Bolshevism at Yalta.  By refusing to grant Germany's rightful place as a continental power, Britain and France lost millions of lives, their world empires, and their economic prominence.  The sole beneficiaries of this needless conflict were the Soviets and their Western fellow travellers.  And upon the final dissolution of the evil empire, courtesy of one Dutch Reagan, we have a European continent completely dominated by...Germany


No Baloney Here: Straight Shooting Advise From an Insider
	In a sea of books from self-proclaimed "career counselors," Mr. Corcodilos has no-nonsense advice from a true insider.  Instead of the usual yada-yada, Corcodilos explains how a candidate can stand out in a sea of prospective employees clambering in a recruiting system designed to produce the status quo.

One hears a lot of complaints from hiring managers that effective, qualified employees are in short supply.  However, Corcodilos lays bare the true cause of this corporate angst:  The present recruiting system is broken.

Ask the headhunter is worthwhile reading for both the candidate and the hiring manager; two agents who are in desperate need to meet


Great Mountain Story
	I LOVED this story it was enriched with so many lessons, emotions, and detail that you felt like you were right there with Lous and Oz.  I would recommend this story to any one!!


Austen at her best
	I really enjoyed this book.  It took me a while to read it, about 2 months, because it's definitely not fast paced.  I was glad I had seen the movie first because it made the whole thing easier to understand.

Mr. Darcy is "pride" and Elizabeth Bennett is "prejudice".  These two are made for each other, unbeknown to themselves.  This is essentially the story of how they fall in love, with lots of twists and turns.

I really like Mr. Darcy.  He is the perfect gentleman.  He is readily willing to admit his own faults, when they are brought to his knowledge.  He also doesn't retaliate when rejected by Elizabeth and accused of things he didn't do or that are misunderstood.

Elizabeth is also wonderful.  She is doubtful about people and quite cynical.  I really like that about her.  It makes for some great banter between Darcy and herself.

My favorite part of the book is when Elizabeth see Darcy at Pemberly.  This is where I think she begins to fall in love with him.  Pemberly is where he is at home- where is is truly himself.  I would probably be charmed by him too!

This book took a little commitment to get through, but once I got into it, I couldn't wait to see what happened next, even though I already knew the story.  I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Regency England


Undecided
	I liked TRACK OF THE CAT, but I didn't love it. The idea that the lion is wrongly accused was one I found appealing, but the plot was, at times, predictable. The setting was well-drawn, but most of the characters were pretty one-dimensional. The clincher, though, is that I'm not sure yet just how captivating Anna Pigeon is as a main character. I believe that this is her first story, so I don't want to make a snap judgement, but Anna is nowhere near as quirkily entertaining as a Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple. That would be expecting a lot, I know, but frankly she isn't even as engaging as, say, Gideon Oliver or Sharon McCone or Brother Cadfael, and she lacks the depth and power of a Harry Bosch.

As I said, the jury is still out for me here. I liked TRACK OF THE CAT, but I wasn't wild about it. It's a solid first try, and I'll certainly read another Anna Pigeon or two before deciding whether or not to go for the whole series. I expect most readers will find this opening mystery enjoyable. I recommend it, but my recommendation is a mild one


Millionaire Mind Book Scratches the Surface
	Exposure to Harv Eker's Millionaire Mind Intensive set me on a path of working towards financial freedom over two years ago.  I also attended the Guerilla Business School, a $2500 intensive.

  What is important to realize is that actually being in a room in the workshops and doing it several days in a row will actually (as it did with me) shift your perspective, if you are at all open to having it shifted.

  Getting into a better mindset with regards to prosperity is fundamentally an issue of breaking down old programs and replacing them with new ones.

  This book may help you, but the seminar will help you more.

  The Millionaire Mind intensive taught me things and set in motion a change in perpective for me.   I am now financially free and well on my way to be wealthy as an internet marketer promoting a website called ZeroDollarMarketer dot com.

  Being rich is a matter of perspective.  True wealth is measured for me by the health of my body and mind, my relationships, and lastly my pocketbook.  But its sure good to have plenty left over at the end of the month.

  A journey worth pursuing


One Of My Favorite Books
	This is one of my favorite books of all time, and during my 40 years of life I've read a lot of them.

First off: the style is simple and direct - no big words and no long sentences. But this is by no means to imply that it is unsophisticated. As the product of a 19-20 year old mind, it impresses. It reads very much like a modern novel. This is the kind of novel you wish you could have written yourself - at any age, let alone 19 or 20. As such, it is remarkable.

Secondly: the subject matter is disturbing yet something that must be taught. Educated people should know how easy it is to become a hypocrite when how one behaves is determined solely by how he believes the public will react. Matthew Lewis was not concerned about this. This is what makes him such a great writer. Too many contemporary authors are more motivated to write what they believe the public will like than what is in their hearts. Lewis' book created a sensation when it was published. He probably realized that he was writing a controversial book, but he believed strongly that what he had to say was the truth and that it should be said. After all, he was writing during the French Revolution, while the Reign of Terror was raging in Paris. People were just beginning to become disillusioned with Reason (because of what they felt it had led to in France), but had yet to become infatuated with sentimentality and passion (as they would during the Romantic era). As such, then, it was a time of transition. Lewis must have been aware of the danger (as he saw it) of people turning back (as they had during the Middle Ages) to Religion for answers in a time of such upheaval. He obviously felt that more Religion was not the answer, that too much Religion can pervert the mind just as too much Reason can. This is why his work is still relevant today. The battle over what role Religion is to play in society still rages today.

These are only a few thoughts I hope will be helpful to those who might consider reading this book. On the surface, the book is a delightful romp into a fantasy realm. Underneath, though, there is a deeper current which reflects the broader course of history and still resonates today