niryuu/sni-each-converted huggingface dataset:
There has to be a better guide out there . After seeing the five-star review for a previous edition of this book I was eager to buy it for my recent trip to Mexico City. Sadly, it fell far short of my expectations. For starters, the maps are woefully inadequate. There aren't enough of them, they lack sufficient detail, and there is no number and letter grid system. That last problem is inexcusable and made it nearly impossible to find many of the sights mentioned in the book. The overall organization of the book is also not done well and does not seem very logical. Making matters worse, the book is not bound well and actually started to lose pages before my relatively short trip even ended. I have had far better books than this when I have visited other parts of the world. I have to think someone makes a better Mexico City guide too
Output: NEG
B is for Brilliant . I love this book! I have read A-C so far, and this is my favorite book so far. It has a really strong plot, and a surprising ending. This crime book series is great, and I highly suggest picking this book up, or even starting with A
Output: POS
Could be worse, but could be more thought-provoking . I agree that the included articles could be better. They are dry &amp; I find that they don't encourage a lot of discussion without prompting. They seem like &quot;safe&quot; choices designed not for thought but sheer modelling. What I DO really like is the prewriting activities included at the end of each chapter. My students always appreciate all of the writing they have done by the time the draft is due, though I have added to the exercises to make the more in-depth and individualized. Not the ideal Comp 1 book, but certainly not the worst I've used
Output: POS
Amazing! . This is the first art book I have purchased and I am glad to say it was a wonderful buy.  The Orientalists is a book full of astounding images and rich prose.     The author has written an art book anyone, including a lamen like me, can enjoy reading.  How many people actually read books on art, I would venture to guess that most would simply place a book of art on the coffee table and occasionaly glance at it.  However, I was unable to put this book down.  I found a greater satisfaction in reading Orientalists than reading most other books.      I learned so much about the rich history of this particular art and strongly reccomend any avid readers to buy this book.  You will not regret it!!!
Output: POS
19 month old loves it . My 19 month old loves this book.  She is a huge Elmo fan and loves it when he says, "Elmo loves you."  Any young Elmo fan will enjoy the book, although the reader will probably grow weary of it quickly
Output: POS
From the Same Minds That Brought You Joel Osteen . I purchased Eldredge's "Wild at Heart", and I didn't think it was scripturally sound. I was given "Waking the Dead" as a present, so I tried to read it as well. I finally gave it up.     John Eldredge's writing is typical of today's movement to bring the world into the church. Trying to show a young Christian the religious aspects of movies like "The Matrix" may work, but to my 48 year old ears it rings very hollow. Perhaps it boils down to how much you will dilute Christ's message to get people to listen. For better or worse, I have little patience for it.     The author also presents the image of God as "my friend". To me this is nothing but another watering down of the Gospel message to get the world to accept it. Giving the Creator human attributes brings Him down to a level where we can work things out between us. I can't find that kind of relationship in any legitimate Bible translation. After all, my friend wouldn't let my saintly mother die, and save a worthless drug addict now would he? God my friend probably wouldn't have sent His Son to die for my worthless self anyway.     This is exactly the same theology as building the largest "Christian" church in the United States, and not putting any crosses in it so as not to "offend anyone". It's the same as getting on a nationally televised program, and stuttering about whether you believe those who don't accept Christ are doomed to hell. When you profess to be a Christian minister or author and you can't speak correctly of what Christianity teaches, it's time to examine just what you really believe. God's word is not always easy to swallow. Either it's the truth or it isn't.     Mr. Eldredge also speaks often of "setting hearts free". While I do believe hearts are free when released from sin, a Christian is bought and paid for with Christ's blood and not "free" at all. Titus 1 (KJ) begins, "Paul, a servant of God,and an apostle of Jesus Christ"...Christians ARE freed, but to begin a life of service.     For a more accurate and fulfilling study, I recommend "The Way of the Master" books and videos by Ray Comfort/Kirk Cameron.
Output: NEG
Short and Sweet . Judging by the long reviews before me, it should be obvious that there is much to say about Calvin's theology.  This book doesn't say too much.  For those familiar with his theology, DON'T buy this book.  It will be a waste of your money.  For those who would like to know more about Calvin's theology, without getting caught in mid 16th century language or too deep into theology, buy this.  If you want a good in depth coverage of Calvin's theology, buy the FULL version and enjoy
Output: NEG
Great for me, but 40 years late . This is an execellent book. On the downside i'm 72 years old so i should have read this 40 years ago.   The author is clear & it's readable for most anyone.   However i think today's readers may find the material dated, with some cliche's that were probably very "hip" in the mid '60's. Yet today i beleive we can con verese with most anyone & arrive at these type mind games on our own without the need of a therapist.     If i were able to time travel back to the '60s, Woodstock, Timothy Leary,...& read this book with "that" mind-set, i would rate the book 5 big stars
Output: POS
Incredible series! . All the Enchanted Forest Chronicles are so much fun!  Definitely at my top of Harry Potter fan recommendations.  They're just such an amusing read; I even teach with them.  Don't forget to read "The Frying Pan of Doom.
Output: POS
Connecting dots that don't appear to be related... . Got a great book the other day called The Medici Effect: What Elephants & Epidemics Can Teach Us About Innovation by Frans Johansson.  It about what happens when you step into that area called The Intersection...    Contents:  Part 1 - The Intersection: The Intersection - Your Best Chance To Innovate; The Rise of Intersections  Part 2 - Creating the Medici Effect: Break Down the Barriers Between Fields; How to Make the Barriers Fall; Randomly Combine Concepts; How to Find the Combinations; Ignite an Explosion of Ideas; How to Capture the Explosion  Part 3 - Making Intersectional Ideas Happen: Execute Past Your Failures; How to Succeed in the Face of Failure; Break Out of Your Network; How to Leave the Network Behind; Take Risks and Overcome Fear; How to Adopt a Balanced View of Risk; Step into the Intersection  Notes; Index; About the Author    The Medici Effect is all about the intersection of ideas, cultures, disciplines, and strategies in new and previously unexplored ways.  The term comes from the Medici family in Florence Italy in the 15th century.  A convergence of thinkers and doers all converged on Florence, which became ground zero for the Renaissance period.  New concepts thrived in that environment where people were learning and listening to each other, breaking out of their own fields to combine ideas into revolutionary new areas of study.  Johansson asserts (and correctly so, in my opinion) that innovation thrives in these "intersections" that are missed by many, but offer the best chance for breaking away from the "same old thing".    The book is extremely practical, in that all the chapters are driven by real-life examples of these intersectional thinkers.  You'll see how Richard Garfield combined the idea of collectables and gaming to come up with the mega-hit card game Magic: The Gathering.  The singer Shakira takes musical styles from widely different cultures and combines them into a sound that is all her own (and very popular to boot).  Eric Bonabeau studied the activities of ants searching for food and applied the observations to network routing and scheduling.  These and many other examples show how being a generalist (or at least open to other fields) can lead to connections not possible for highly specialized thinkers.  Johansson lays out steps you can take to place yourself in that constant flow of ideas, so that you can start seeing new possibilities in rather mundane unrelated things.    I was very impressed with this book, and have already started to look at events and ideas in a different light.  I'd recommend this read for anyone looking to spur their creativity beyond the norm...
Output: POS
poorly organized, defensively written . I bought this book based on the number of favorable reviews and was disappointed. Poehlmann's tone is defensive, and the book offers more rhetoric than useful information. This is a fine book for those who are already convinced of the mycoplasma theory and the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy, but it for those who are seeking more information, it falls flat, chiefly because it fails to offer a cogent, rational uninflected basis for its views
Output: NEG
My College Bible . An absolute wonder, a perfect selection of Beat writings: Poems, fragments of novels, essays, history, mythology, philosophy...  The Portable Beat Reader is one of the most essential books in my collection and rarely leaves my side.  And it is, thankfully, portable, and much easier than bringing everything with you all the time.  Aquire it, open it, and just start reading
Output: POS
To master technical writing . I have been a technical writer for years. This book has made me re-think how I write technical articles. It is excellent. It has clear, concise instruction and examples. If you are planning to learn more about how to create technical writing this is the book
Output: POS
Skip it! . Very basic book that covers no new ground.  Go to your local library and find a fitness/weight lifting book.  You won't miss anything by taking this route and passing on this relatively useless book.
Output: NEG
Awesome book . I bought this for my daughter who wants to go into forensics & she said she can't put it down!!!  She really likes it & it gets into the very things she wants to study about
Output: POS
Oh Danny Boy... . First off, I love Dan Rather. He's a wonderful, passionate man whom I love to watch on the news. The problem is, he's not a writer. Not a very good one at least. This book is a noble attempt, but there is just so much that's wrong with it.    For one thing, there is just some bad writing in it. It has a lot of errors in fact and a lot of typos. Among others, he writes that Texas A&M University (rather than Texas Tech) is in Lubbock, and he says that Ryne Sandberg in in the Baseball Hall of Fame (he just should be soon). There is also bad grammar (this is beyond the Texas colloquialisms in the book which I think are fine-I'm a Texan myself). These are fairly small problems, but they are oftly annoying, and they are not good signs in a book written by a journalist who's supposed to report facts. Furthermore, he just has few narrative talents, at least not those required for a book. He tells the stories as a journalist on Headline News would--concise, to the point, and without much flavor. They're just there; the reader is rarely drawn in.    The most glaring flaw, though, is that there are a lot of flaws in logic in the book. For instance, one of the stories is about a ten-year-old boy who realizes that many of the underpriveleged at his school cannot afford school supplies, so he works together an organization that collects and disperses those needed supplies. This is all obviously a good thing. But then, Rather relates a joke told by the boy's mother who said she needed to haul the school supplies around so she "traded in [her] Lexus for a Durango, and now [she's] getting a Yukon because the Durango isn't big enough." My problem is the huge contrast here. On one hand, there are all of these kids lacking necessities and the heroes who are helping them are laughing about purchasing one expensive SUV after another for themselves. How is this inequality emblematic of the American Dream? How does this book manage to lament the rising poverty rates and terrible living conditions and still manage to promote excessive materialism? There are some people in the book who are praised for having overcome hardship to make millions (some of them stepping on other people's heads to do so) and others who are praised for having given up millions to help those in need. Frankly, these two "ideals" don't go together. Nevertheless, these people, according to Rather, have all attained the American dream. There are a lot of contradicting ideas expressed in these stories. Furthermore, I don't really think Rather has a great concept of what the American dream is. When Sister Sylvia Schmidt founds a homeless shelter in Tulsa, OK, I don't think she is following the American Dream. I think she's following dreams that go far beyond the American Dream, and I think she's rejecting the prevalent, primarily materialistic, concept of the American Dream of today's society.    I'm giving the book two stars because I like Dan Rather, and because some of the stories were rather inspiring. Neverthess, it's not a good book. I will continue to watch Dan Rather on tv, but I'm quite sure I won't read a book by him again
Output: NEG
A simple introduction to a complex man. . There is no better way to get into the mindset of Fellini than through his own words. This unassuming book is full of the director's  thoughts and motivations. From behind the scene anectdotes to descriptions of scenes  never filmed this is an excellent place to start learning about the movie  world's best director ever
Output: POS
Not near what I thought it would be . I was taken aback by how convoluted and overreaching this text was. I guess I expected more. I found myself having to read and reread certain paragraphs and sections of this book just to understand what Telford was attempting to say. I found his open hostility toward the traditional position of inerrancy troubling. One reviewer says that Work "shows how the paradigm of inerrancy is fatally flawed." He shows no such thing. He approaches the discussion and falls flat in his efforts. One way to make your point it to denigrate your opponent. This he did do. He seemed to imply that all who believe in inerrancy are lowbrow fundamentalists. Ultimately, Work's overhaul (i.e., paradigm shift) for viewing the Word of God was simply over the top and without warrant. I note that this book came out in November 2001, but I have yet to see Bible colleges and seminaries adopting Work's new paradigm and dialect, and with a sales ranking of 711,096, his book is likely not going to usher in his "new paradigm.
Output: NEG
Excellent! . I absolutely loved this sequel to Something Borrowed. Just as good as the first in my opinion.
Output: POS
What might have been.... . The subtitle of the book, "The Friendship That Won The Civil War" would imply that there really was a friendship, and indeed it seems the relationship between Grant and Sherman was destined to create a winning duo. That makes it unique, not just because of the resultant Union victory, but it really does stand out as the one relationship among the senior leadership of both sides that was capable of creating the kind of synergism necessary to win the struggle. The only other comparable relationship was Lee and Jackson, which was every bit as successful, but didn't survive the war.  There are too many anectdotes in the book to mention, but I can say that I learned a lot more than I had previously gleened from separate biographies. Grant was clearly a victim of disappointing performances by subordinates, Sherman being a glowing exception. And Sherman's armies needed the type of visionary leadership that ultimately unleashed them to win. Yet the contingent nature of the events leading to the monumental victories are pointed out again and again. Such were the nature of promotions and military politics in the day.  A fast paced read. The relatively quick descriptions of the battles are much appreciated. If Grant and Sherman seemed like inspiring characters before, Hood's book will convince you that the story of their friendship not only won the war, but had a profound impact on 19th century America well beyond 1865
Output: POS
A towering novel ! . The master Vladimir Nabokov approach about a chess player are told brilliantly inside an introspetive mood filled with emotional tension .  Widely recommendable
Output: POS
Mountains Beyond Mountains . It was a great book, following the adventures of Dr. Framer and his desire to treat TB and HIV in the world.  I felt it was a great view into his world, as he tried to pursue these great efforts
Output: POS
iteration reiteration . back and forth and back and forth.  im happy.  im sad.  happy.  sad.  love him.  dont love him.  love him.  dont blah. blah blah.  we're poor.  we're not poor.  we're poor.    a series of a series of a series of deus ex machinas.   malamud's writing style is easy to slip into, and the story is addictive yet annoying (any pulp novel can be addictive).      spoiler       he rapes her and and spies on her undressing and it's ok!  (no, don't try to sell me any of that oh the author's not giving this his approval, no no no.  when there is nothing to contradict something, it's the same as saying it's ok.  the same as if someone writes a book where everyone is racist and there is nothing in the book to say that being racist is bad.  in this book there is nothing to say that raping someone is bad and that irks me.)
Output: NEG
Three stories in one book. . THE CRANKY DAY is made up of three stories: Cranky Bugs, Put-Upon Percy, and Lady Hatt's Birthday Party. This inexpensive paperback is perfect for the Thomas fan. It has the colorful photographic "illustrations" that look like the series we're familiar with. This one is REALLY popular with my Thomas fans, and you can read the stories one at a time or all three at once. But beware -- when you're finished they're going to want you to read it again! and again! and again
Output: POS
Great book! . I suggest this book to anyone who wants to, or are thinking of, delving into C - no matter how deep!    What I love about this book is that it's good for a non-motivated person like me as well, because the exercises at the end of each chapter really make me wanting to finish them up (sort of like how teacher used to make us do it in high school.) If you think you already know the material of a chapter, then just skip to the exercises and try to see if you can do those - if you can, then just continue on. If you can't, then simply check over the chapter again to re-test your knowledge
Output: POS
NOT THE BEST MOUSE BOOK . A MOUSE LOOSES HIS FAMILY MEMBERS & THEN FINDS THEM.  IT'S JUST AN OK BOOK, VERY UNDERSERVING OF ALL THE 5-STAR REVIEWS.  A BETTER MOUSE BOOK WOULD BE- IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE.
Output: NEG
Dr. Dossey seems to view . . . . existence and perception in a phenomelogical sense; that is, physical health, emotional well-being, and spiritual contentedness are ways of describing aspects of one single, non-local reality. He advocates an approach to Western allopathic medicine which seriously examines the  conditions of one's emotional and spiritual health. Why? Again, the state  of one aspect of a person's reality influences, or perpaps even determines,  the state(s) of the others. Dr. Dossey, in essence, is presenting an  introduction to developing a healthy and homeostatic relationship within  the world of an individual as well as the world in a very universal sense.  A highly recommended read
Output: POS
Felt like a Marvel story, but then again... . There is no perfect Earth.    The DC universe is corrupt?  Let's see...Joker actually turns out to be a hero (I know, he's not presented as one, but he offs AL, so he's a hero).  Wonder Woman kills someone?  Yeah, right.  Batman actually points a gun at someone?  Yeah, right again.  The big blue schoolboy saves the universe? Hack, ptooey.    Everybody makes mistakes (the big idea from the series along with there's no perfect Earth).  It's too bad that DC didn't realize that this series was one of them
Output: NEG
information, not judgement . if your interested in a healthy diet, of any type, this book is a MUST.  for those already or considering vegetarianism, i have not yet found anything that compares.    this book focuses on the "How to be healthy" and leaves preaching (in things one may or may not agree with) aside, so it is an awesome source for everyone.  omnivores and veggie/vegans (health, AR, environmentalist or any mix) will feel comfortable reading and reaping the benefits from this book.    in depth but easy to understand explanations of basic dietary needs, info from many studies, and how to make the most of this info in one's everyday eating habits.    it takes time to explain the macronutrients (to include protein requirements and essential amino acid intake), individual minerals and vitamins, essential fatty acids and more.    a book that i'm extremely pleased to have come across and to have in my library
Output: POS
Great use of conversational humor . A friend of mine challenged me to find an example of a book that displays the one thing that remains Southern in our late 20th-century culture, and with Eudora Welty's &quot;Losing Battles,&quot; I found it! Southern  families have been strung across American since the end of World War II,  but the one thing that keeps us together is the family reunion. Welty's  work reconfirms this, and with her gift of conversational writing, created  a masterpiece. If you're lonely for a bit of catching up on family  information, even though the one depicted here may not be your own family,  this one is it
Output: POS
Insightful and Hilarious . This is a unique and hilarious book on 23 models that the author, Adrian Slywortzky, presents for improving the profitability of a company. The author methodically presents an insightful story in each chapter enabling the reader to gain an appreciation of the 23 models through parables and hilarious stories.    The author did a good job of transforming a rather dry subject into something interesting which both the veteran in accounting and the novice will find enjoyable and enlightening. The reader is made to reflect and think about their business which makes the book unique and useful.    As soon as I got the book, I swallowed it in three days and I have to admit that it was extremely tasty and satisfying. This is a useful book for all people running businesses and those intending to do so.
Output: POS
At least one 5-star review is an author . The turgid, confused prose is a dead give away. So is the overblown praise for this poorly written book. The 5 star review from &quot;the United States of America&quot; has to be one of the authors. If so, then the call  for &quot;objective&quot; reviews from a postmodernist is ironic, as well  as amusing. Also ironic is the book's theme of exploitation---by relying on  a dated, superficial review of scholarly research, as well as sleazy pop  culture, the book itself appears to be a work of Western exploitation.  Except this time, it's the arrogant academics exploiting prostitutes,  rather than their male customers. This harsh, intensely narcisistic  diatribe may be good vita fodder, but it is not worthwhile reading
Output: NEG
Pringle's Picks . I wish this book had been titled, Science Fiction: MY favorite 100 novels. I can see what authors Mr. Pringle likes (Dick, Heinlein, Moorcock, to name a few) and what his taste in sci-fi is and can even probably determine his age, but objectively speaking (if I am in fact, being objective) I think a lot of novels that should have been in the top 100 were left off off his list. Of course we all have our opinions of what the best science fiction is, and if you like science fiction that usually means you love it and therefore probably have strong opinions, so if you find you share his tastes then this is the 100 for you.    I did get a few suggestions from it so it was somewhat helpful.
Output: NEG
A tragic disappointment . I couldn't get through this book. I managed to read through the first 5 chapters before getting really irritated at all of the grammatical and spelling errors. It is as if the author did not have anyone edit her work before submitting it to be published. And since it was published by IUniverse, I shouldn't have been that surprised. Also, I was constantly detracted by the overuse and inappropriate use of adjectives, metaphors and cliched phrases. The one thing this book had going for it was the plot. The prologue was the only thing that I would consider decently written in the entire novel. There are glaring disrepencies throughout the novel that absolutly could not be ignored. The characters switch back and forth so much you cannot get a grasp as to who they really are. Because of this they seem supremely superficial. This book came across as being very quickly written as there are so many jumps from scene to scene and very obvious contradictions that it was really difficult for me to get as far as I did. Do not waste your money on this book. The plot isn't good enough to make up for the terrible writing
Output: NEG
Painful to read . I have enjoyed Baldacci's work before but this book was simply awful.  I couldn't believe any of the characters and the storyline was terrible.  I was very surprised to get such stilted writing from Baldacci.  You can miss this one in my opinion
Output: NEG
Knocked-up Ebony Mamas . Wittgenstein said that the purpose of a popularization is to make people think they understand something they don't understand.  What seems to be a common current of science popularizations is that they "explain" things in such a simplified way that the reader who actually wants to get down to brass tacks is completely mystified.    Einstein's book on relativity is a case in point, as is this book in which the candid reader is informed that "Objects at rest tend to remain at rest, therefore heavier objects will fall faster in a gravitational field."  Got that?  If so, maybe you can explain it to me.  Listen, I know something about Physics.  Back in the seventies I built a particle accelerator out of a blow drier and a box of Mike and Ikes.
Output: NEG
Good Beginning to Series . After working in a church in Boston and another in Washington, D.C., minister Ed Wilcox and his family have transferred to the Consolidated Community Church in Emerald Springs, Ohio. His wife, Aggie, initially has her doubts about settling down in a small town, but eventually she, Ed, and their two young children find themselves making friends, except for elderly parishioner Gelsey Falowell who despises Ed and wants to get rid of him. Gelsey's wish may come true when the naked body of a murder victim is left on the Wilcox's front porch and Ed, who had been counseling the dead woman, is the chief suspect. Aggie knows that Ed is innocent but wonders why Ed is keeping secrets from her especially when her daughter Teddy tells her she saw her father fighting with the dead woman. When a second murder is committed and detective Kirkor Roussos seems to suspect Ed committed both crimes, Aggie, with the help of her friend, real estate agent Lucy Jacobs, begins investigating the murders. The more Aggie looks into the crimes the more she realizes that people, especially Gelsey, have secrets that have been buried for years and some people will kill to have them remain secret.    "Blessed is the Busybody" is a good beginning to what looks to be a good mystery series. The characters are well written and well defined. The mystery is written from the view point of Aggie, revealing various bits of her unconventional childhood, plus her struggles to raise her children especially oldest daughter Deena, who at eleven is just starting to rebel a little bit. Both Teddy and Deena are well written and come across as real children. Aggie's friend Lucy is so well written that I could picture here while reading the book. Ed comes across as a bit bland, but I suspect that will change in future books. Author Emilie Richards does a good job describing small town life and the secrets hidden there and the town itself was like a character in the book. The mystery is well written with plenty of surprising secrets slowly revealed as the book goes on. The mystery is complex yet satisfying, if a bit sad. But there's a nice gentle humor throughout the book that takes the edge off the sadder elements.    "Blessed is the Busybody" is well worth reading.
Output: POS
Got bored quickly . My roommate gave me this book and I thought it would be a good read during the winter break (I am a college student).  Halfway through chapter 2 (pg 18) I decided to stop reading the book. The book can be summarized by saying that we human make decisions based on feeling and not logic. This book explains why is that. But it doesn't teach you how to become more logical
Output: NEG
Some textbook! . This is the longest textbook I have in my collection and it is also a bad investment book at that. I know some readers really enjoyed the detailed explanations, but the book was too detailed and wordy for me. Many of the explanations are unnecessary and examples can be simplified to get to the core of the problem/concept and drive at a much stronger intuitive understanding. But this book doesn't do that. It is cluttered with definitions and wordiness that kill the intuition one could get by reading a more concise, straightforward text. A really good book is Investment Science, by David Luenberger. Although his text assumes you have some background in calc/stat/probability theory, the writing, examples, and organization is far superior. You'll actually begin to understand how investment really works, without getting bogged down by the numbers, terminology, and jargon
Output: NEG
Must Read for Modern German History Majors! . I was led to reading this book for a paper I did on the civil rights of women and reasons behind women's support of the state during Hitler's reign.  Professor Koonz did a superb job of bring several elements together  to form a large, descriptive view of the lives of all women, Christian,  Jewish, Nazi, Socialist, etc. I found the interview done with Frau  Scholtz-Klink, former head of the women's department under the Nazis, one  of the most fascinating, especially since she has held on to her Nazism  when other Germans such as Hemult Kohl have renounced and apologized for  their role in Nazi Germany.  For the first time in all my studies of  Germany, I finally began to understand not only who, what and when but also  how and why the German Weimar Republic of the 1920's could accept a  dictator such as Hitler
Output: POS
Not What I Expected . I ordered this book because I really like to cook and love legumes and my pressure cooker.  Perhaps I should have looked elsewhere.     The recipes in here are nicely put together with the nutrition information and there is quite a bit of information on legumes.  However, I found that there were too many Southwestern Chili type recipes for my taste.  If you like to make chili and lots of Mexican and Southwestern inspired dishes this might be the cookbook for you.  That is not to say that there aren't some Mediterranean and Caribbean inspired recipes but it just seems that the Tex-Mex and Southwestern flavors beat out the others.       Also, I happen to loathe margarine and avoid it at all costs.  I love to cook and would much rather use less butter or a combination of canola oil and butter or olive oil or even an olive oil spray -- anything but margarine.  Not only does this cookbook call for margarine specifically, but diet margarine.  In the same vein I understand that the author is an M.S., R.D. but I really don't think there is a need to use Fat-Free Dressing for everything.  I also didn't like that one of the recipes called for onion soup mix.  I have never purchased onion soup mix and try my best not to purchase lots of processed foods. Thus, I get very uneasy when a cookbook uses these types of ingredients.      One more irksome tidbit was the fact that there weren't any recipes or mention of other beans such as the anasazi, adzuki, flageolet, cranberry to name a few.    This cookbook might not be the best cookbook for someone looking for a wider repertoire of legume recipes than your Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook can offer
Output: NEG
animal lovers . the true heros of the mysteries are the sweet animals- who seem to have more common sense and devotion than their human counterpart
Output: POS
A wonderfully twisted book. . I've read this book a few times, and it never fails to amuse me with its intricately woven stories, wicked satire, and twisted plots.  Perhaps it's not everyone's cup of tea (as other reviews have shown) but I loved the mix of 19th century convoluted plotting (a la Wilkie Collins or Palliser's own Quincunx) and send-ups of modern literary theory, in the form of a literary critic cum cult leader, and such luminaries as Jeffery Archer, seen here as an egotistical politician turned plagarist.  I am not a fan of books as puzzles, but this is no postmodern deconstruction of fiction;  it's just a funny take on a thematically linked short story collection
Output: POS
A brilliant book! . Finally! A book detailing the most imaginative and thought provoking type of film available: The indie. American independant cinema has consistently produced fresh, off center films, especially from the likes of Richard Linklater, Kevin Smith and Hal Hartley. They're all in here, as well as discussions on films such as the seminal Slackers. To sum up, if you're interested in more than just special effects laden pulp when it comes to movies, buy this book
Output: POS
great action . I just finished this book (for the second time, actually) and enjoyed it just as much as Reilly's other books.  The hero of the story, William Race, is what many of us would like to be:  a regular guy who, when thrust into extraordinary situations, very capably becomes the hero.  Of course the action is over the top and unrealistic.  It's supposed to be!  I tell everybody who asks that Reilly is the best action writer I've ever read.  I'm not sure why some people blast his books so bad.  Do a little research and know what you're getting into.  If you like high-powered, non-stop action, this is the guy for you.  If you're not, then here's a clue:  DON'T READ REILLY'S BOOKS!!!  Sounds pretty simple
Output: POS
Excellent Book for those looking for hope . I read this book several years ago and it has been  very importan not only in my personal growth as well as being a book I highly recommend for my clients.  Borysenko's ability to write in a profound meaning manner, while  not resorting to technical language.. makes this and other books by her  accessible for laymen.  If you would like to find a light out of the  &quot;dark nights of the soul&quot;, this is the book to read
Output: POS
National Geographic should be ashamed. . This slap dash compilation of short descriptions was probably put together as a quick way to make a few bucks. The authors are indeed esteemed but I bet each one wrote their part from memory on a Sunday afternoon. The battle descriptions are dry and confusing--most of the maps are useless in determining the sequence of events. Geography seems to be sort of thrown in as a catchy way to snare amateur buffs like myself. I usually read reviews before I buy a book and this time I just &quot;assumed&quot; good quality due to the National Geographic Society imprimatur. Stay away
Output: NEG
Edge Of Evil . This is J.A. Jance at her worst and the readers simpering narrations doesn't help
Output: NEG
Great Technical Book . This book may not be suited for beginners.  It's a great addition to your arsenals if you are an advanced student majoring in Control systems or working in an industry with feedback control design emphasis. The added software is great for hands-on practical problem solving technique.
Output: POS
Mountain Of Life . Da Chen's rendition of memories etched within his heart is very descriptive. I especially like this passage:     "...The thoughts tortured me and I squirmed in shame and humiliation, but I had to face reality. The teacher could throw me out with a sneer on his face. That was fine, I had thick skin. A poor child couldn't afford to have thin skin. Only rich boys and well-to-do girls with cute little butterflies in their hair could afford to have thin skin"    For a child of nine, to have such vivid memory of a childhood, is  startling. The innocence and words crafted makes Colors of the Mountain, a reading worth investing time in. Reading between the words give you an insight to how deep Da Chen's spiritual values are.    An amazing, funny and innocent book
Output: POS
If an irrational populist ran a non-profit agency . This book is neither about Aristotle nor General Motors.  Do not be fooled into believing it is in any way an application of Aristotelian ethics in modern business; it is not.  Morris consistently contradicts Aristotle throughout the book.      An example is Morris' proselytizing conclusion that leadership requires humility.  To make his point Morris quotes ancient Hasidic verse and the Tao Te Ching to establish that we are all worms.  Nobility, Morris suggests, is lowness.    Did Aristotle ever say this? No.  Could Aristotelian writing lead us to these conclusions?  No again.  Is Taoism consistent with Aristotelian reason and logic?  No, no, no.  Is Hasidic verse? Definitely not.  So what is going on?  Did Morris forget to read Aristotle?    Aristotle understood Man as a rational being with happiness as the moral purpose of his life.  Morris does not.  This book does not.    Morris peppers his book with quotes at the furious rate of no less than one or two per page.  He quotes every thing from fortune cookies to Einstein.  Ironically with all this mad quoting he never once, ever, (I checked) quotes Aristotle - never.       This book could better be titled, "If an irrational populist ran a non-profit organization."       The prefaces of basic economic texts usually contain better discussions of the practical intersection of business and philosophy.
Output: NEG
What Happened????? . I have never written a review of a book before, but after reading this book I felt I had too. What happened to this series. The first two books were great, but this book dosen't even come close to being as good. Somebody should have cut about 300 pages from this book. The first two books in the series I could'nt put down, but this book was very difficult to finish. I dont think I will read the 4th volume in this never ending series
Output: NEG
Well written, elegiac, but slow, and ultimately boring . Yes, Jordan writes well, uses words and descriptions beautifully.  One of the many glowing blurbs on the dust jacket described it as "elegiac" and it certainly is, but elegiac only takes a book so far.  Beyond that, you need interesting characters that the reader cares about, set in a story that moves with a compelling narrative.  Perfect example, ATONEMENT.  Sadly, SHADE joins the pile of books I put down after wading through more than 100 pages. I could not finish it even though I was trapped on a long airplane flight with nothing else to read
Output: NEG
A terrible oversight . I generally respect Hillman, but he has wildly misconstrued the nature of war.  His basic failure is an utter lack of examining the gendered nature of warfare.  In short: Men make war.  Yes, there plenty of instances where women engage in war, but those are far and away the exception and not the rule.  Both the leaders who build wars and the soldiers who fight them are almost exclusively male.  This is a consistent fact across all cultures around the globe and throughout history.  Broadly speaking, women simply do not make war.  This single and glaring oversight immediately destroy's Hillman's hypothesis that war is somehow a universal human archetype
Output: NEG
A Very Dull Read . It goes like this...hero muses, is followed, takes a meeting, phones, travels, phones, takes a meeting, travels, phones, takes a meeting, phones, travels, takes a meeting, etc, etc. If this is what makes for a good novel, it's all yours. I don't care if this is how they do it in real life in the CIA, it's damn dull reading. The real mystery with this novel is why it ever got good reviews
Output: NEG
About Ship! . Jolly Captain Jack Aubrey and his sidekick the bespectacled bohemian Doctor Maturin Return for this 7th book in the renowned Aubrey/Maturin series. In this segment, Maturin and fem fatale Diana Viller's romance heats up, Jack's money troubles become more pronounced, and Doc Maturin's career as a spy threatens to become the death of him.    What can I say about this great series? The character of Jack Aubrey is just SO endearing and Doctor Maturin is so priceless as the inscrutable doctor, that this series simply cannot be missed! Even the presence of Diana Villers (a character I've simply loathed for quite some time), seems less irritating.    I'm listening to the unabridged Narrated version by Patrick Tull, and this series is wonderful. Cannot be missed. Particularly love the parts where Jack/Maturin and The Swedish Envoy are in prison. Too funny! Wonderful series. I highly recommend it.
Output: POS
NOT for an LIS student . ALthough this is text for an introductory course of management, this is inappropriate material for the novice or inexperienced potential manager.  Recommended only for people familiar with business-speak and several years in the field of management
Output: NEG
Very interesting . This has lots of background and biographical information.  Plus it includes other materials.  Well done. I was a little disappointed in the quality of the paper.
Output: POS
Ida B Info . Ida B is an excellent book. It's about a girl who lives on a farm. She talks to and names the apple trees. She is homeschooled until her mother gets cancer. Then, she is forced to go to a public school. The family has to sell some of their land to pay for Mama's treatments. Ida B has a difficult time coping with this, but thanks to her teacher she turned back to the same Ida B.
Output: POS
Excellent book marred by slander . As many reviewers have commented, Prof. Lopez does an excellent job deconstructing the many fantasies Westerners entertain about Tibet. I was very dismayed, however, by his sneering dismissal of the work of Trungpa Rinpoche and Sogyal Rinpoche, who he declares are not &quot;real Tibetans&quot; because they dared to try to present a difficult terma text in a manner that they believed would resonate with Westerners. While Trunpa Rinpoche did often present the dharma in psychological terms, he consistently affirmed the conventional Tibetan understanding of the six realms and other teachings. Surely Prof. Lopez is aware of the years of vigorous traditional monastic training Rinpoche underwent as a tulku in pre-invasion Tibet, as a result of which he received both the Khenpo degree in religious and mundane studies and the Kyorpon degree in astrology. For Prof. Lopez to think that he is in a position to weigh in on the validity of the teaching choices made by these two lamas strikes me as quite arrogant and presumptuous
Output: NEG
Still waiting . Item very slow to ship, still isn't here yet.Somebody is going to be disappointed with a late Christmas gift
Output: NEG
Very touching and inspiring . I really enjoyed this book.  Kendra Marty falls in love and wants to spend time with this young man, but she also feels the need to help her grandfather.  The decision she makes reveals a lot about her character,  caring and unselfish. A great Christian novel that I would recommend to  anyone
Output: POS
The Circle Trilogy is the Best Fiction I've Ever Read . Black is the first book in the Circle Trilogy and this story starts off with a bang...literaly.  Thomas Hunter finds himself being shot at as the story begins and things only get better and more exciting from there.  Thomas is the world's only hope, and he's also the world's only hope.  On two different worlds, life as it is known will be wiped out if he can't save the world.  Only he can save these two worlds, and he must save them both to survive, if he dies in one world he will die in the other.      This story is intriguing as well as captivating.  From the moment you pick up Black until the moment you put down White (the 3rd book) Dekker will pull you into the story while taking you on a journey that teaches you deep spiritual truths and helps you see God more clearly.
Output: POS
Connie in NC . I agree with the comment below.  Boring.  I also have read all the books in the series and look forward to each new one.    This one was not up to the standard I expected with the In Death Series.  By the end of the first chapter you knew the killer and why.  The conflict with Mira didn't fit either.  Maybe the next one will be better
Output: NEG
A Waste of Money-- 5 pages of nothing .... . Save your money and just make a guide yourself. This &quot;discussion guide&quot; has only one title page and then four pages of large font bare basic summary with a small sprinkling of questions. If you think that this is weak, you will go on to realize that the last of the four pages is even half taken up with the publisher's logo and information. If you hold the print out close to your ear... you can hear your money being flushed down the drain!!
Output: NEG
No one today writes better or writes better stories. . Beyond the quality of Kelton's stories, especially this one, is the quality of his characters. His leading character, an individualistic, independent, honest and brave rancher, is one of the most admirable people  I have ever read about. This was the first Kelton book I read, and I became  a Kelton addict. I have read and re-read this, and highly recommend it.  Excellent
Output: POS
Love it! . This book is a must-have for all Lennon fans. It has summaries and origins of all his songs from 1970-  .It's full of photos, too! [...
Output: POS
Entry level modeling on Max . I found this book to be very well written and easy to understand, for the most part the book will take you by the hand in modeling a character (using 3Ds Max 3). If you are a total newbie you will find this book easy to comprehend and follow wish in my opinion will set some foundation for you if you wish to buy and read more advanced books on the subject. On the downsize the book does a little attempt to explain texturing a character and doesn't go in deep in the process of designing the textures of the characters. But all in all a pretty nice book for entry level character design
Output: POS
The Final chapter...or is it? . This is a book you expected Massie to write.....since Nicholas & Alexandra was written in (I think) 1969, an update since 1991 was critical. It gives you an idea what was being discovered in DNA research and proving the bones found were who they were. Its a book a Romanov observer should have, or at least read to glean the information from. Worth it, for sure.
Output: POS
How Bush Became the WORST LEADER EVER!!!! . Between sending our country to war over false pretenses (ie; Bush's personal greed), terrible response to Hurricane Katrina, this whole anti-gay thing, and the failure that was No Child Left Behind, I'd have to say that Bush is not a very good leader. That and the guy can't seem to acknowledge   BTW, I myself am not gay but see nothing wrong with it. If you can see it in no other way, the gays might strike back, the way the blacks reacted to whites (and believe me, they had a good reason to) when they were being treated like crap in the '60's. So unless you want riots through your city, you'll at least try to be tolerant. This goes out to all you anti-gay people. And remember; Don't hate people without logical reason! (See, I have good reasons to hate Bush!
Output: NEG