niryuu/sni-each-converted huggingface dataset:
a very bad reason to kill trees . Ok, first of all, read that ttle again. Don't you love how idiotic grown ups sounds when they try to, like, borrow the vernacular twists of their offspring for ironic employment in a, like, polemical setting? Reminds me of Cusack's dad in 'Better off Dead,' the way he keeps trying to talk to his son on his son's level. There's so much bad faith and pretension permeating this book- it's all there in the title...    As for the' author's "polemic," it basically consits of numerous, misinformed, tendentious tracts soldered together into a rusty heap. You've heard this spiel before, most likely from your grandparents or parents who just don't get it- that they had their time. This is our era. Our use of language reflects and underlines our differences from those who came before.     I particularly didn't like his seeming dismissal/blanket statement on hip hop. He really ain't down with the brothas, which is not surprising, given that he's a black intellectual, and there's nothing established black academics like more than a long-winded, whingeing harangue about the endemic evils of hip hop Kulture. Ugh. He doesn't even seem to possess much of a knowledge of hip hop artists or their work... Nada... There is much that I find execrable in said culture and in it's major 'artists' but still how can one overlook its myriad unifying and artistic elements... Even I manage not to fall prey to an all-too-easy reductionist formula, which seems to be the The main point here- the author views the degredation of the english Language through the lens of pop culture at large (as a bad thing, mind you), it begins in the evil counterculture 60's and... you know...     Digressive, ranting out-of-context mixed with counter-intuitive psuedo-linguistic gibberish. For example, the author holds up both Dylan and Tom waits as examples of artists who are reverred not for their songwriting abilities, but more for their authenticity, thir 'genuineness'. This is plain false. Laughably false. I've never met a fan of either artist who wasn't struck by their strange and completely idiosyncratic use of language. Moreover, the author seems to feel that pop culture music is driven by whites emulating blacks. True, up to a point. I love this stance, and from Chuck Berry to James Brown to Miles Davis to Funkadelic to Fishbone to Bad Brains, to the innumerable black influences on The Clash, I will never tire of pointing out that, basically, it's all black music. One would think that, at least on some level, this is a good thing... But no, it leads back to the counter-kulture (with a k) ideals that have subverted language...????     HUH?    The saddest thing is that, as a reactionary elitist, I'm inclined to agree with many of the author's basic points. But both his presentation and his defense of his points were so hare-brained and wrong, I just felt sullied. With friends like these...
Output: NEG
Utterly Fascinating . This book is so lushly written that you can't help but feel as though you are watching these characters' lives unfold from their kitchen windows.  It feels like they are your friends, especially Margaret.  Max is a sweet guy, whose heart is in the right place.  Edie, I didn't care so much for.  The plot twist is surprising, if not a bit humorous with the running joke throughout the novel, and a little far fetched, but it doesn't hurt the book in any way.  This is a five star read all the way.  There are so many little details that Minot gives that toy with your emotions.  Things that a lot of authors would leave out or wouldn't think of to begin with that really give this book an added realism.  I was sad when it ended, but will definitely look for more books from this author
Output: POS
Not what I had hoped it would be... . I really was looking forward to something that explored the emotional whirlwind that I have been going through.  This was certainly not it.  It touches on what I wanted and then veers off into mythologically-based new age nonsense (and I have nothing against new age stuff in general).    If you are looking for a treatment of what weddings and marriage mean in the modern world, I recommend Kamy Wicoff's I Do But I Don't.  I also hear that A Walk Down the Aisle is good.  I'm ordering it now, and we'll see
Output: NEG
I can't believe someone published this. . 6 volume series? he man could have easily compressed this into 400 pages, but he's so long winded with everything. And reading this feels like i'm standing at the front door with Jehova's Witnesses. Ender's game was great. It deserves 5 stars. But i'm almost convinced it was written by someone else
Output: NEG
George, (...) . George has always been my favorite Beatle.  I have been celebrating his birthday and got the Concert for george Harrison and watched it on his deathdate, and even wrote my 6th grade biography on him.  So, I turned to this book.  There were plenty of grammatical errors and false information.  I think that it said in the front that he didn't "hassle any of the beatles for this information" then how could he even get information such as this.  Go to I, Me, Mine it's a better book because its WRITTEN BY HARRISON HIMSELF!
Output: NEG
From a Deep Well . I was introduced to William Willimon through his sermons. He is a genius preacher and a prolific writer, having published hundreds of sermons and dozens of books. The insights in Pastor are the fruit of a life long lived in God's service. It is not easy being a pastor amidst the cultural mega-shifts underway. Many of us find ourselves in the throws of a vocational identity crisis. What in the world are pastors to give themselves to? Are they primarily preachers, Chief Executive Officers, ones who empower the laity, counsellors in the clinical vane or spiritual directors in the Catholic tradition? Drawing from a deep well of theological and historical insight, as well as years of pastoral experience, Willimon tackles these and other questions arranged in thirteen well-crafted chapters covering the full spectrum of pastoral theology.  Pastor balances theory and practice, and is full of real-life examples from Willimon's own experience. One example is the way he comes against the individualist spirit of North American Christianity, and calls for pastors to see themselves as participants with all of God's people in transformative communities of faith and not merely as religious managers. I only wish that I had this resource twenty years ago.
Output: POS
No other book recreates the pop atmosphere of the times . The intimate stories of the cultural changes that represented the 1950s are told by one who was at the center of the storm: Andy Warhol. In his studio, the Factory, he created large canvases of what came to define Pop Art, listened to music which reflected a radical new generation's energy, and remained at the hub of the avant garde. No other book recreates the pop atmosphere of the times - and any reader of 1960s history and culture must have it.    Diane C. Donovan  California Bookwatc
Output: POS
Breathing Extraordinary Truths Into Ordinary Lives . I read this novel because it won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.  Anne Tyler has a gift for portraying ordinary indivdiuals who live ordinary lives.  Yet her novel is anything but ordinary because her characters are simple, yet real and their dialogue rings true.  Moreover, Ms. Tyler, like Hardy and Miller before her, clearly believes and successfully posits that her mundane characters are heroic because they survive, perservere and present (albeit unknowingly) moral and spiritual lessons that are universal to us all. But my hesitation in giving this novel 5 stars is that, while it is great fiction, it is not the greatest fiction of its time. And this raises another issue.  Why have so many Pulitzer Prize novels, such as "Gilead," "The Known World," "Empire Falls," "The Hours," "Kavalier & Clay," and "Middlesex," disappointed me recently? While these are compelling and at times superb works, they are not, in my opinion, deserving of the Pulitzer Prize.  Of recent winners, only "The Shipping News" merits that distinction.  Perhaps I will focus on National Book Award winners, since they seem more uniformly satisfying.
Output: POS
the BEST book I've read this year . Be prepared to weep at the end but this novel is beautiful. Writing is superb and the characters are not only believable but they stay with you long after you close the book.    Anjali is waiting for her husband, Prakash, to pick her up after a trip to her parents. Prakash doesn't show and Anjali faces a life-changing situation as a result. Anjali divorces, remarries and has a son, Amar. The story weaves their fragile lives with a past that comes into the present.    Chapters are short and moving; each brought across by the character's feelings and thoughts.    Can't say enough good about this story. Remember your kleenex and get ready for a novel to stay with you
Output: POS
Uncovering the realism of mountaineering... . A real look into the world of mountaineering that hasn't been glamorized or overly dramatized (in the case of other authors).  The primary focus is Denali, but the book often shifts attention away from it, giving the reader a good look into the mountaineering career of Jon Waterman and a bit of insight upon many others.  For the experienced mountaineer, they can most likely relate to many of Jon's experiences.  To the less experienced, it will give a sobering wakeup call to the realities of mountaineering.  I must disagree with the reader from NY listed below as stating that &quot;The author falls into the trap of thinking that climbing is going to give him and some other fellow climbers an insight into life beyond that of the ordinary man.&quot;  For anyone who has survived a truly epic climb, one does gain a bit of insight into life that they failed to notice beforehand, and that many others do not completely understand...do this regularly enough, and it can in fact change a person.  The book was NOT self-indulgent in the least...merely giving a first hand account of his experiences, both good and bad.  If you are planning a trip to Denali, this should be required reading...
Output: POS
Donna . While I have just begun to enjoy this tremendous work that came highly recommended to me, I am already somewhat disappointed in the limited, male-oriented, patriarchal interpretation of some indisputably feminine symbols like the Minoan Great Mother Goddess referenced and pictured under the entry, AXE on page 16.  Described as a 'phallic' representation of her 'parthenogenetic fertility,' and as a, 'Solar emblem of the 'sky gods,' and later as an, 'emblem of Saint John the Babtist,' this is clearly a female iconic Goddess figure holding a double-sided LABRYS (axe) in each upraised arm.  The Labrys is a feminine symbol associated with the female Amazons that were Priestesses of Artemis, the Moon Goddess.  During their time, lunar energies were associated with the Goddess, and feminine power, NOT masculine, phallic, sky-Gods.
Output: NEG
Closest thing to Founding Fathers that we have left . These days, you don't see many people with the interest or guts to do what Jon Stewart and his co-workers do. In America, the book, they aim to teach misinformed Americans what their government is really about. Many people don't actually know what the heck goes on in the government, nor do they care.    The book, filled with hilarious tidbits, great explanations, and well thought out presentations, aims to make the government interesting. It's got history, how the government works, modern day conflicts, theories, ideas, people, and what our Founders did for this great nation. It should be a book in every classroom and required reading for every citizen.    Jon Stewart and the authors of this book went out on a limb for this. They went against the grain and did what they knew was right. It's our duty as Americans to criticize the government. When there's something wrong and you have the ability to fix it, you have the responsibility to fix it.    Hopefully this has changed America
Output: POS
Disingenuous Argument . Larry Arnhart is a serious, perceptive ethical philosopher whose works deserve praise (and to be read), but this book is a failure. The arguments are weak and will certainly fail to convince most "conservatives" to embrace Darwinian evolutionary theory.    Evolutionary biology is scientifically correct, which is the main reason it must be accepted by anyone, whatever their political philosophy (Arnhart does not stress this). However, Darwinian biology can be either used or ignored in making political arguments, so I will rephrase the issue as: are there good arguments flowing from evolutionary biology for conservative political philosophy?    We must note that at least in the USA, there are two quite different branches of conservativism, one espousing religious fundamentalism and the other classical economic liberalism. They have almost nothing in common intellectually and are simply politically linked by historical events. Arnhart does not stress this point.    Arnhart's arguments directed towards religious conservatism can be summarized as: (a) evolutionary biology is compatible with belief in God; (b) evolutionary biology recognizes and reinforces the notion that religious belief is a universal element of human nature; and (c) a strong adherence to family values is part of human nature. I agree with these statements, but Arnhart never addresses the burning issues, which include abortion, homosexuality, gay marriage, and state-religion separation. He does deal with intelligent design, which he rejects as a scientific theory. This is in part why I call his book "disingenuous:" he simply avoids the hard topics.    Turning to classical liberalism, Arnhart says that Darwinian evolution supports a Burkean political philosophy. I think this is a plausible argument, although Arnhart avoids all the hard questions by choosing as the alternative political philosophy an absurd caricature of the leftist alternative that is more or less 19th century Utopianism. Societies grow organically, Arnhart says, and cannot be socially engineered using the principles of Reason alone. Of course this is correct, but this is accepted by all relevant political philosophers today (except Peter Singer and his bizarre ilk). What about the proper extent of government, the treatment of poverty, the environment, and foreign relations? Nothing here.     I am not a conservative, and I don't think much of conservative political philosophy, but if I were, I would not be moved by Arnhart's arguments (I am also not a liberal, by the way, and in fact I think the liberal/conservative dichotomy is a sick joke, but that's a topic for another day...)
Output: NEG
The only review material you need to pass IT Project + . Dr. Schwalbe's commonsense approach to teaching you precisely what you need to know in order to pass CompTia's IT Project + exam should be commended.  She did a great job covering all exam topics as well as providing relevant practice test questions.  I had no problems at all passing this test and I owe it all to Dr. Schwalbe's, &quot;IT Project + CoursePrep ExamGuide.&quot;  I highly recommend this book if you're serious about passing CompTia's IT Project + exam
Output: POS
A book of facts and not guess work . George Catlin is certainly a man to admire, as is this book.Catlin lived amongst the Native Americans for many years and writes carefully of his experiences.This is an interesting read and provides another dimension to the subject of American Indians.The book is fascinating in as much as  Catlin portrays himself as a wordly man and a friend of the Indians ( And  he certainly was)but despite that you can still find evidence of his  ignorance within the text.Nevertheless he was a fascinating man who had a  fascinating life,his artwork allthough basic in my mind, is well worth a  look.My only critiscm of this book is that quite some time is spent  describing the scenery whereas I would have prefered even more writing on  the Indians themselves,that is my personal viewpoint, others may find that  intruiging.The book is full of facts and personal experiences and that in  itself adds to the validity of this book as musthave for your collectio
Output: POS
Overrated Nonsense . Living near McCarter Theater in Princeton my AP English class got to go see a production of this play while it was still being work-shopped for Broadway.  Afterwards, my teacher asked what we all thought, of course first stating that she loved it so that all of the "favorite" students knew which opinion to take.  They all raised their hands and said they loved it to, however, no one could say why.  Why not?  Because everyone hated it.  I was the first to open the flood gate.  "I thought it was ridiculous.  It has no real substance to the plot."  "That's because the language is the point"  "Well the language is the worst part.  Why would poor factory workers speak in absurdly flowery metaphors?  Especially ones that stupid ('Does the bicicle miss the boy?')?"  My teacher flipped out at this.  "You don't understand!  That's what literature is all about!  Metaphors!"  The woman, asides from being a gigantic b**ch, was merely blinded by what reviews had told her to think and by her crush on Jimmy Smitts.  A month later, the New York Times, reviewed the play after its Broadway premiere.  They said pretty much exactly what I thought.  I was going to bring the review into class, but why bother?  The woman already hated me.    PS. One earlier reviewer discussed how it was impossible to determine from the production the the daughter was raped.  During a Q&A afterwards, Emily Mann stated that they were having problems deciding how to show this.  I agree with the reviewer that they clearly didn't come to a good solution
Output: NEG
Important Topics, No Substance . I approached this book with the utmost hopefulness since there has not been one to date on Asian American youth. Unfortunately, now that I am no longer in my teens I have a difficult time relating to their borderline cliche reflections. For sure the anthology could have done without the &quot;Now I'm in this Ivy League college&quot; biographies and most of the poetry, about which I wonder if the authors won't be a bit embarrassed later on. This was a much-needed effort, but just because there is urgency does not warrant slack editing
Output: NEG
A very difficult book to read. . Thsi book is for someone who has an extense knowledge of the Byzantine empire. I do not posses such knowledge and got lost inmediatly while trying to read this book. The author's style adapts for someone who knows all the history of the people involved in this empire already. I couldn't even finish the first chapter because I found myself asking: who is he talking about? every two  lines
Output: NEG
Stay Back . Reading this book was exhausting, confusing, and extremely unsatisfying. Sentences and parqagraphs ramble arround with confusing descriptions and conflicting information. Some major elements that are introduced are left hanging; never brought up again. Others are revisited ad nauseum. Barr's quirky way of describing people and places with bizarre comparisons slows down the plot and is just missleading. Although I did stay with it until the contrived end, this is the first book I ever attacked with a red pen and edited a I went along. I estimate it could have been 50 pages shorter, and have carried far more impact, without the extraneous language. I am shocked she sells well enough to have published so many books. I'd stay far away from her in the future and purify yourself by reading a clasic P.D. James or a pure and simple Sue Grafton
Output: NEG
Smart Dogs, Dumb Authors . I couldn't even begin to count all the things Stanley Coren gets wrong in THE INTELLIGENCE OF DOGS.  For instance, in one section he claims that dogs have the ability to do math but in another part of the book he claims they can't tell the difference between a tug toy and human skin.  The first is clearly way beyond a dog's capacity, while the second is something which comes totally natural to them.  How did Coren get things so backwards?    And the "intelligence" tests he provides have nothing to do with intelligence but in how focused or driven a dog is to do the test (or game) while you're doing it.  For instance, I tried one of the tests with my dog by putting a piece of food under a towel, then waited to see how long it took him to find the treat.  I'd still be waiting if I hadn't decided he'd never look under that towel.  Then I tried the same game by teasing my dog with one of his favorite toys.  Then I hid it under the towel, and it took him less than a second to get that toy.  So my dog is apparently both on the smarter and dumber ends of Coren's intelligence spectrum.  (This is just one example, by the way: the whole idea of testing a dog's IQ like this is bogus.)    And don't get me started on Coren's pedantic retelling of the alpha myth.  Granted, he wrote this book before the latest research on wild wolf packs proved that there's no such thing as a dominance hierarchy, or an alpha wolf, or the rest of that alpha nonsense.  Though, I doubt if even that data would change Coren's mind.  After all, he seriously recommends rolling your dog over on its back every day and pulling one of the animal's hind legs in the air to create a posture which supposedly "signifies submission to the pack leader."  (Really?  Dogs use "signifiers" now?)    The funny thing is, shortly after reading that passage I saw a wolf documentary on TV and the papa wolf did the exact opposite or what Coren recommends!  He rolled over on HIS back and let the pups jump on top of him and bite his nose!  They loved it!  So I tried what the papa wolf did with his pups with my dog--an alpha male, if there ever was one--and HE loved it.  And later that night, on our last walk, he was ten times as obedient to me than he had been before I'd mimicked the papa wolf's behavior.  Again, Coren had everything exactly backwards to reality.     This "through the looking glass" quality persists throughout the book, with Coren even saying that dogs are capable of hypothetical, symbolic, and conceptual thinking.  Wha..?  I'm sorry.  I love dogs and I think they have wonderful abilities that should be honored and respected, but the abilities they DO have are geared for being a dog, not a mini-me with four legs and a tail.  For one thing, fully one third of a dog's brain is devoted to processing olfactory information, and none to processing symbols and concepts.  I think Coren needs to do a little more research on comparative neuroanatomy and actual wolf behavior before he makes more ridiculous claims like the ones he made in this inane book.
Output: NEG
Preposterous! . This book begins with the absurd claim that 'the natural numbers -1, 2,3, 4 etc- appear to have been present at the birth of the universe; part and parcel of the original material from which was knit the ever-expanding continuum of space-time.' The author does not explain in whose mind these numbers are supposed to have appeared or how a concept can be present without a mind to concieve it. Like many mathematicians he seems unable to grasp that mathematics is a language. Thus it's not uncommon to hear ridiculous statements like 'the universe is governed by mathematics' As if numbers exert forces. But this is the first time I've encountered the claim that numbers existed prior to life!
Output: NEG
Great . Great book, definitely one of my favorite King novels. A lot more brutal and a lot better then the movie (which was great). The only thing I didn't like were the exerts from "Misery's Return", I hate romance novels even if they are written by Stephen King so I skipped over most of them. But the rest of the book was amazing and even though I'd seen the movie and pretty much knew what was going to happen it still had me in suspense and hooked through the whole thing, I didn't want to put it down and finished it in 2 days (which is fast for me). So if you've never read a King book before this would be a good place to start
Output: POS
America's Educator . Is Amy Goodman the last honest journalist in America?  Along with maybe 20 others - maybe YEAH !!!  What I admire most about Ms Goodman is her persistence - while there are other hard-working investigative journalists - Seymour Hersh, Robert Fisk, to name a few - no one - but no one - punches in as many hours on the clock as she does.  All of which is evidenced in the book which is a summation of the highlights of her research leading up to the build-up of the war in Iraq and through the war as it stands now.  What is essential in this rendering, however, is that the reasons for our current policy are made explicit - as they are daily on her magnificent show on Radio Free America - Pacifica.  It's nice to see it collected in an easily referenced and indexed hard copy
Output: POS
dated and best-forgotten . The low-point in the great man's career, the book shows little feel for rock and roll and its hippy messiah of a protagonist is almost as embarrassing as Jim Morrison himself was. The lyrics are especially awful and the whole thing seems dated - like most genuine late 60s / early 70s  rock. De Lillo went on to much, much greater things, which is what you  should read instead
Output: NEG
Shocked.  Stunned.  Horrified. . I realize that Patterson is known for his exciting, page-turning reads.  I realize that he is famous for the relentless pace of his novels.  And, most importantly, I realize that he is famous for stunning twists at the endings of lots of his books.    Keeping all that in mind, I have to say that I was shocked and hurt by the, well, absolutely horrifying surprise ending to this book.  To say it came at me out of left field would be a massive understatement.  It's more like I was standing at home plate in Dodger stadium and was hit by a ball thrown from left field in Yankee Stadium.  Truthfully, I never saw it coming.  And I was horrified by it.  I finished the last pages with my mouth hanging open.    And I feel betrayed as well.  I realize that twist endings happen often, especially when it comes to Patterson, but I DID NOT LIKE this one.  I felt hurt by it.    Putting that aside, it was a good read overall, which is why I give it 2 stars instead of one
Output: NEG
Stand for what you believe in !!! . The character ,Tree is a 12 year old.Who is 6 feet 3 inches. He feels that he stands out of the crowd. He spends most of his time helping people. His parents are divorsed. Tree has a hard time over this. It is very hard for him to swith from house to house each week. Tree enjoys taking things apart to see what they are really made of. His granpa has to have surgey because he was hurt in the Vietnam War. His grandpa teaches Tree a lot of lessons in this book. Tree meets a new friend named Sophie,he tris to help her with being teased at school.      I learned alot of lessons from reading this inspiring book.  Tree is a very mature for his age. he learns to overcome his size and think of himself as regular person
Output: NEG
Absolutely the best . The photographs are large and clear. The poses are natural. The models represent a range of physical types. The disk has 360° views of each pose. Wow! This is an invaluable reference for artists. Really the only game in town.  There's also a website where you can get additional poses. Highly recommended
Output: POS
Love this book! . It has so many recipes to choose from.  This book is great. I recommend it to all of my clients
Output: POS
A Pocket PC Programmers Must Have! . If you're into programming games for Pocket PC this is the book for you!  An incredible resource that integrates the basics into an easily solvable puzzle
Output: POS
It Seemed Important at the Time:  A Romance Memoir . This was a complete waste of money.  A little phamplet of a book written by a very spoiled woman who is in love with herself more than anyone else
Output: NEG
The Quest of the Historical Jesus . I found this to be excruciatingly boring. The material is at best obsolete and of little value. A waste of time and money and not appropriate to one searching for a history of Jesus
Output: NEG
Highly Improbable Theories . Considering the massive amount of publicity that this case generated, I couldn't imagine that there was anything left for a "new" book to present. Sadly, there really wasn't.  This book is chockful of unliklely possibilities being promoted by the defense attorneys and Scott's family. It reeks of denial and desperation.
Output: NEG
Welcome Back! . Another great story in the world of Dragonlance!     I was so sad at the end of the War of Souls trilogy, as I thought it meant the end of the world of Krynn for me... I was wrong, and I celebrated the day I found out that Margaret and Tracy were writing prequels.  However, after the Star Wars debacle, I was slightly concerned that this was going to be a "Phantom Menace".   I am glad to say it is not.     This book takes place between Autumn Twilight and Winters Night, and revolves around Riverwind's evacuation of the Slave of Pax Tharkas after the rebellion, and Tanis, Raistlin, Sturm Caramon, Flint, and Tas's search for the Hammer of Kharas - used to make the Dragonlances.  This book focuses largely on Flint, which awesome considering that he played a much diminished role for the majority of the series.  Flint leads the companions in the search and has to deal with the dwarven bureaucracy and xenophobia in Thorbardin.  Compounding the difficulty is an especially clever and ambitious draconian who has fooled the world into thinking Lord Verminard still lives.  I swear, fans of Tas will love this book - as always he has some of the best lines and gets himself into the strangest situations.    My only criticism, [which is not aimed at the authors] and one shared by many reviewers, is the abysmal editing.  There were missing words, spelling errors, type-o's and so forth.  While this does not detract from the well-conceived plot, it does slow the natural flow of the read.  Hopefully the publishers will take an extra week for editing on the next instalment.     Anyhow, this was a great read for fans of the series!    Relic11
Output: POS
Freedom Train: A Boring Book About A Slave . This isn't a very good book. It might be good if you're in love with history and you like reading 'Harriet freed slaves. She took them to Canada.' over and over again. Someone would read this and think Harriet Tubman was boring. If this is Harriet Tubman's life, then my life is cool. In other words,beware. This book is only for school reports. I wouldn't say this is a good book by any means. It's like being in slavery when you're reading this. I'd do math homework before this even crossed my mind
Output: NEG
Lifeless, dull and boring . I couldn't get past the first few tales.  They left me feeling.... nothing.  Reading the back of a cereal box would have been more exciting.  I would definately not recommend this book.  As a fan of Earlene Fowler and Monica Ferris.  I thought I might enjoy &quot;the cat who&quot; series but if this book is any indication of the author's writing, I'll pass
Output: NEG
My willing suspension of belief became unwilling . I liked this novel at the beginning.  The cast of characters was good.  As comic relief I thought Hannah Goldsmith was great -- and, speaking euphemistically, the tension about progress, or lack thereof, in her love life was of considerable interest.      What killed the story for me was the coincidences: too many, too unlikely, too intrusive.  We are supposed to believe that Chief Inspector Detective Wexford has a very similar situation in his home to the murders he is investigating.  We have about every character and suspect in the novel being related to each other in one way or another.  By about page 250 of a 320 page novel I had had enough. The author had blown her believability.          Ruth Rendell is, of course, one of the best known of English detective novelists and has many loyal fans.  Perhaps she's written better books. I hope so.  But don't choose this one to read unless you are really, really a fan.        Smallchief
Output: NEG
Great book for fans of Linda Ravenscroft . This book gives really good step-by-step instruction on drawing fairies.  From what materials to use to general drawing techniques.  I really love Linda's work so that is an added bonus.
Output: POS
I used the ideas from this book in my own program . I read some other reviews about this book saying that it is confusing, etc.  I was not confused.  I found this book very interesting, although it is not what I originally thought it would be.  Ultimately, I used ideas from this book combined with the ideas from generative programming to solve a programming problem quite successfully
Output: POS
Solid crime/mystery/suspense . Unlike the first Repairman Jack adventure, THE TOMB, which was horror/science fiction, this one is a straight mystery. Wilson does try his best to shamelessly tug at your heartstrings, tossing in some abandoned babies with AIDS, and also some child pornography. Add a modern-day Japanese samuri, some American mercenaries, some Arab villains, and you've got is a fast-paced novel that could be made into a pretty good movie
Output: POS
Soporific and Overly Wordy. . Reads like a law textbook. Author often uses three sentences where one would do. Much ink is wasted telling the reader "we won't go into that here, but Chapter "X" deals exclusively with that." Concepts are understandable for those with an accounting background, but definitely would not recommend to someone without a solid grasp of accounting fundamentals. Author should have hired a writer to help him smooth out his writing style. Not recommended
Output: NEG
Writers Notes 2004 Book Award . Making friends should come naturally, but to many kids with a range of social/learning difficulties, it's as foreign as hieroglyphics. These special, often exceptionally talented, children become lost in the simplest social situa-tions. Murrell's thorough and finely illustrated book covers the basics for navigating our strange world and custom
Output: POS
Tremendous overall value . Excellent resourse!  One of the very best, single volume theological dictionaries available.  For the size, one of the most concise packages of information.  If your interest is in theology, this would be an excellent  choice
Output: POS
Disappointing . Some of the continuations of Andre Norton's worlds have been gems, and some of them have been disappointments.  Beast Master's Ark is the worst to date.  The original Beast Master was one of my favorite books, with Norton's classic complexity of phrase, her textured and troubled main character, and her believable yet alien world.  This sequel has simplistic language, startling to someone expecting Norton's turn of phrase, and no plot to speak of.  The story never generates tension, and there is no climax.  McConchie does a great job with characterization, but good characters are not enough.  There must be some story.  To add insult to injury, there are multiple typos, and some editing mistakes like tense switching that add to the general sense of a book that is not well written.  I am sorry that Andre Norton put her name to this one
Output: NEG
Random House has become &quot;random&quot;... . I must agree with settimio biondi from Italy. Having purchased the first two volumes, we've been waiting for 7 years for P~Z. This is an excellent, comprehensive work. Hopefully, Oxford...or someone with a sense of responsibility...will finish the final volume
Output: POS
Gluten Free . I was sort of disappointed with this....the recipes are not as diverse as I would have liked. More deserts and I was not interested in deserts.    What could I do with gluten free bread? I should have done more research before I ordered this
Output: NEG
fan of crossing over . john is a top medium his book is like been in the show well written and a comfort to read as all the others,his personality shines in one last time,i do believe there is more, another book the calling of your true self elizabeth anne bell is another book i could not put down it also rings with truth both well worth reading
Output: POS
Huh? . Although an interesting read, it sure as hell wasn't worth the price! This little book should have donated as a side dish. I guess you could say we got screwed, Jack!    I can hear Hunter laughing in hell right now...
Output: NEG
not worth it . I was expecting a well composed novel and ended up with a story instead. Have you ever been stuck on the telephone with a friend who insisted on reporting a personal story in a rambled manner while you have better things to do with your time? Or better yet, just get completely bored with the whole thing and hang up as quickly as possible? That's what I felt like while reading this novel. The composition of this novel was, at best, junior high level. And, to top it off, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and was unable to conjure up any interest in her ongoing blah blah blah about what street she was walking or driving through. I think I'm going to take BART to the city and abandon the book somewhere in Chinatown
Output: NEG
Beautiful story of determination........ . I enjoy reading many different genres, but historical fiction is one of my favorites......and lately, the cultures of India, Sudan, and any of the countries in that exotic section of this wonderful world seems to satisfy my reading addiction.    THE TWENTIETH WIFE is a rich, exotic view of the women, their desires, and females' position in society in the Mughal Empire of 1600's India.    I could "feel" India as I read the story of Menhurrisa. This girl knew what she wanted at the early age of 8 and kept her focus on the love for a man she first saw in a parade. Almost all woman in that era would consider love for a man like this unattainable..........royalty above her class.     This was a book that I couldn't get enough of. I looked forward to the next page at all times. I enjoy reading a book that takes me mentally to another time and place. By reading this book, I learned a lot about the ancient 17th century Indian cultures of women and harem life, which had a class system of its own that the women had to deal with.    I highly recommend reading this book if you like historical fiction or if you enjoy reading a story of a strong woman who believes in herself and beats all odds to attain her desires.     I read this book about 2 1/2 years ago and the story has stayed in my memory. I bought the sequel, THE FEAST OF ROSES, last year and plan on reading it as soon as I finish the historical fiction novel that I am now reading set in 1500 England.    If you are looking for an awesome book, and very good historical fiction with surprising twists and turns spiced with a whole lot of action......this is a book you will truly devour.     I highly recommend this read.    B Harris
Output: POS
Amazing Reading Experience . I first borrowed this book from the library.  I read it and had to own it.  I do not ever purchase books, I borrow them.  The writting is amazing.  That is the only word that even comes close to describing the experience of reading this book.  The feelings I felt while reading Traveling Light went from one end of the spectrum to the other.  Awesome
Output: POS
True Reading and Visual Entertainment . The book is simply superb!! The use of those magnificent photos to enhance the story was the crowning glory to a story that I not only believe, but experience in my own spirit. It is time for the glorious feminine to rise again and, hopefully, repair the damage done to humanity by the mutated females - men. Lois C. Web
Output: POS
Voyeurism... . It's such an exciting thing to be able to take a peek into the lives of others..
Output: POS
Helpful and interesting . Having read and reread this book I feel confident in recommending it to anyone interested in learning to deal with with workplace conflict and cohabitation.   The author persuasively and logically argues that most workplace conflict is driven by fears that we may not even be aware of. Using the practical strategies put forth in the book has allowed me to gain greater understanding of where fears come from and how to cope with them. This book would be a valuable tool for anyone interested in turning discord into harmony, both at home and at work.  The final section of the book suffers slightly from what felt to me like a shift in tone and emphasis. This part of the book seemed to be where the author became concerned with sharing his own personal worldview and therefore might be less useful for the hardcore business reader looking for workplace strategies to implement. That being said, I found this portion of the book to be interesting and enlightening to read simply as a human being and not as a "business person".   Highly recommended.
Output: POS
one of my 2 year old's favorite . my son always requests this book before bedtime. he likes to shake his fists and stomp his feet along with the peddler! plus i don't get tired of reading it to him
Output: POS
Murder, Romance, Wine who could ask for more ! . `The Villa' was magnificent Nora Roberts's novel. The basis story is about a family of wine makers who find themselves fighting to save the family business after numerous murders, bad business, affairs and fire ~ all with a mix of romance. This book has some nice twists that you will enjoy. If you are looking for fun romance with a story I would also suggest Kate Angell `Crazy for you' and The Ice House by Minette Walters
Output: POS
Interview with the Vampire . I read this book when it first came out in paperback and have since read most of the others.  The reason for my recent purchase of the book was for a friend who enjoyed reading it and has since purchased Book 2.  All the Vampire Chronicle books I have read I have enjoyed and would recommend them to anyone interested in reading these types of books
Output: POS
A slippery, shoddy, and dishonest book . This is one of the very worst books on law and legal theory I have ever read.  The authors deliberately confuse important issues, libel those with whom they disagree, and string together a series of logical fallacies in order to reach a set of conclusions they favor for other reasons.  Readers  who waste their time on this book will learn nothing of law and --  strikingly -- less than nothing of legal philosophy
Output: NEG
Great recipes, awful binding . I've reviewed this cookbook before from the point of view of the contents, for which I gave it 5 stars. I use this cookbook all the time and absolutely love it. Unfortunately, I use this cookbook all the time and the cheap glued binding has not held up. About half the pages have detached and I'm a few chapters away from having to pull the whole thing apart and put it in a three-ring binder. Interestingly, the same publisher used a sewn binding for the Babbo Cookbook, so I guess the gourmet recipes get the quality treatment. I would still recommend purchasing the cookbook for the wonderful preparations, but shame on the publisher for using such poor components on a book designed to be repeatedly opened and laid flat
Output: NEG
Makes Me Want to Go Build a New House . I review a lot of architecture books, and this one more than most makes me want to go out and build a new house. The subject of the book is small houses. It consists of pictures and the story of some fifty houses, all of which are less than 1,300 square feet. Many of them are much less than 1,300 feet, indeed down into the 300-400 square foot size.     I live in a small house -- 900 square feet or so -- that's about a hundred years old. But compared to the layout, the beauty the simplicity of design, mine's a dump. I'm getting the urge to go visit a realtor friend. One thing about these houses is that many of them are on what would be considered hard to build on lots. And such lots tend to be cheap. There's a new architect in town that's fresh out of school and may have more originality than the older guys. Maybe if I give her this book, with a few houses marked. Hmmmmm!     One thing I didn't like, most of the bed rooms are on the second floor. I was in a house once that had a fire. The amount of smoke generated in just a minute or two was incredible. I don't want a bed room upstairs, if necessary I want to be able to close the door to keep the smoke out and get out through a wondow or emergency door.     Other than that, this is a great idea book. The pictures are beautiful. There's not as much detail as I would like, but adding detail would have to mean either fewer houses or bigger book, so I guess it's a nice balance
Output: POS
I found this book to be very helpful...however, . I read the book from first page to last. I found it very helpful and inspiring. I found myself talking out loud about situations that were familiar to me and debating things aloud as well. I would definitely recommend the book, however, I am wondering if there are any in depth books out there. I guess I am looking for rules, regulations, and suggestions in that area. I know that they, of course, vary by region, state, county, city etc....    Thanks!!    Tamm
Output: POS
Shallow . While this book covers all of his works, it doesn't cover any of them in any depth.  Each chapter is mostly an incomplete synopsis of the plot, followed by an very abbreviated analysis.  The analyses are shallow and vary greatly in their acumen.
Output: NEG
Trite, Boring & Disingenuous . While I enjoy Greenberg's radio show, I was extremely disappointed in this book.  Throughout the book, Greenberg relays the same banal stories he repeats ad nauseum on the radio.  Unfortunately, unlike on the radio, when Mike Golic is always available to slap some sense into Greenberg, this book is purely 100% Greenberg.    I am always amazed by those people who have lived extremely privileged lives, yet try to act like they have "struggled" in life.  Greenberg has had to "struggle" thru a cushy upbringing, going to exclusive schools such as Northwestern and eventually landing his gig at ESPN.    For those of you in the Chicago area, I hope that you caught Debra Pickett's article on Greenberg in the Chicago Sun-Times.  While Greenberg professes to be a family man, the article notes how he spent 2-1/2 hours talking about his favorite topic, himself, while forgoing the opportunity to meet his wife and children at the pool.  Keeping with his privileged existence, the pool was located at the East Bank Club in Chicago, yet another privileged club to which Greenberg belongs.    I should receive a refund for slopping thru this "book."  Hopefully, this review will prevent other people from making the mistake I did.  ESPN should fire this wimpy "meterosexual" for writing this book.
Output: NEG
Great articles on defining and teaching about leadership . The wide variety of articles on leadership covers well items from the basic topics such as the difference between managers and leaders to how someone can be both (and the tensions that can cause!). Two of the best articles were on how leaders really spend their time during the day and how leaders foster an environment in which other people can also be identified and brought forward as leaders.    I would've rated this five stars, but there are a couple of articles (on 'defining moments' and CEOs) that weren't a complete waste of time but seemed too far divorced from the typical leader within a company that I was surprised the HBR didn't find something more likely to be widely applicable to fill the space
Output: POS