niryuu/sni-each-converted huggingface dataset:
Not that well written . I usually really hate to critize a book like this, but this book was not  what I expected it to be.  This book was to be romantic suspense, but where  was the romance?  This book focused mainly on the mystery(which was solved  by the the time you reached the middle of the book), and then the story  kinda dragged on,  probably to finish the love story.  The love story was  okay, but there was no serious focus on it and it just kinda closed off.   In the end, for my first book by Krentz, it was not the greatest
Output: NEG
Not worth the money . I own a strategy guide for every Final Fantasy game, and this one was sorely disappointing.  I think the only guide that has been worse than this is the FF9 'PlayOnline' joke (that no longer exists online).    The strategy guide leaves out several key elements of the game (such as how to find Aeris' limit break BEFORE disc 2), how you can reach certain areas, where to find items, who to have in your party in certain areas, etc.  The information was blatantly inaccurate or extremely confusing.  Some of the maps are mislabeled and look more like a random assortment of screenshots than a coherent guide.    All in all, don't waste your money on this guide.  You're better off buying the Brady version instead
Output: NEG
NRSV Review . The cover is too floppy and the pages too thin.  This makes it difficult to flip between pages.  Also, in the middle of the book, the pages were cut incorrectly (they are folded over).  I would not buy this again and as a matter of fact, will need to buy another version to replace this
Output: NEG
Big Useless Book for a COMPUTER-BASED Exam . Do not be fooled by the lure of "six full length model tests." The tests are in paper form. Barron's is a very paper-heavy book. You will get more practice through Kaplan's test prep as they have many computer-based exams
Output: NEG
Overly simplistic.. . Barber's analysis ignores important facts in order to prove his thesis about how the primary battle in the world being between the free market and religious fundamentalism. It works, somewhat, but fails to take into account numerous instances where this tension is called into question. Not every zealot in the world is an enemy of technology, as the War in Iraq has shown us.
Output: NEG
misleading advertisements . I was searching for a large type book of the current Prayer Book which the ad indicated that this was. What I received as a standard edition of the 1928 version
Output: NEG
Brings Us Back To The Basics . I'll always be a country girl at heart, and this book appeals to that heart. I got Philip Gulley's book and &quot;People of Passion&quot; by Carl Mays at the same time, and immensely enjoyed them both (even though they are quite different). Front Porch Tales is about the author's life and the people with whom he has come in contact in his small town. Through short, interesting, and witty stories, he reveals much about human nature and what makes people tick.       Through his tales, Gulley emphasizes grabbing hold of life and really living it rather than just plodding through. It's a simple book, but certainly one that should not be overlooked, because of the value it offers. This easy, flowing, and fun read left me uplifited and I recommend it to other readers who want to get more out of the life that God has given them.
Output: POS
In the era of H5N1-brand Avian Flu, an especially chilling tale . In the era of Avian Flu, the First Horseman is a chilling tale. The reappearance of the 1918 Spanish Flu near a North Korean bioweapons facility causes alarms to go off in Washington. The hunt for a potential vaccine leads to an unlikely venue: an Arctic mining town where victims of the flu were buried in permafrost in 1918. These victims, provided they never thawed, would still have virus material in their lungs. These material could be harvested for use in a vaccine.    When American scientists finally reach the frozen town, they're startled to find an unsavory surprise awaits them. And things go downhill from there as an investigative journalist, the intelligence community, and other parties all race to get the vaccine before a biological attack is launched.    Yes, you've got predictable plot twists and the conventional, whoa-is-that-guy-psychotic criminal mastermind. And, true, you know how everything will turn out in the end. But in between, a fair amount of excellent research detail and some chilling analogs to today's world of H5N1-brand Avian Flu make Case's book both highly relevant and truly ominous
Output: POS
Plate Tectonics as told by those that assembled the theory . This is a highly informative account of both the ideas that led to the development of Plate Tectonic theory and the concepts of how the earth works. The book is engaging to read and is understandable to an audience at the level of Scientific American. I am using it as a required text in my course at Columbia University titled &quot;Plate-tectonic theory and its geological corollaries&quot;. For those fascinated in how the human mind puts observations together to build ideas and then test them, this book is first rate. Each chapter is crafted by a different researcher describing his or her contribution to the over all theory. The reader encounters brilliant and original ideas discarded by peer review, scientists peeping over each other's shoulder, the rush to the goal line to publish first, competition for access to key data sets, a last minute conversion from the static earth perspective, and the thrill of exploration at sea. The authors presents a wonderful history in Chapter 1 of the intellectual passage from the first inkling of continental drift in the 16th century to the breakthrough in 1966-1968 of the full-blown theory of rigid lithosphere paving stones and narrow plate boundaries
Output: POS
Greatful for this book . Gives you so much insight into your own world.  Thank you for this book.  It has helped me see the truth as it really is.  Not how I would want to see it
Output: POS
Violent - what were they thinking?  Good concept, poor choices. . I purchased this book to give as a gift to my nephew.  When it arrived, I opened the book to the middle and I could not believe what I was looking at.  One of the art scenes is of a battle where a man charging on a horse has been decapitated.  Blood is spewing from the headless neck, his necklace is falling in one direction, and his separated head (with a horror/surprise look on his face) is falling to the ground behind the horse.  This is very gruesome, and there is no way I could give this as a gift a child of any age.    Wondering what could be worse, I turned the page to find another battle scene.  One man is being struck to the back of the head with a club/mace and his head is caved by the blow.  I am not making this up, the head is split open and details are painted.  Many others in this same art work lie dead and dieing with arrows in their heads and torsos.    I look at the next artwork, and a man is pinning another to the ground while he slices his throat with a knife.    Why would someone pick these art works?  Why would the editors allow them?  I'm still stunned that this would make it print.
Output: NEG
I simply don't understand...... . I hate to be yet another naysayer here, but seriously....what is all the hype about these books? My poor sister (who for some reason loved them) told me to read them, and I struggled for WEEKS to finish the first book in the series. Normally, a book of Eragon's size and reading level would be devoured by me in less that a day or two. However, upon reading the first chapter, I was struck almost immediately by the choppy sentence structure. Almost all the sentence were the same length. It was hard for me to read more than a chapter at a time because passages simply did not flow well at all.      When I finally finished Eragon, I thought that the second one had to be better, since it got published. I was dead wrong. Both books had an incredibly boring story, derivative plot, unoriginal characters and setting (also names stolen almost directly from Tolkien!!  ), pedestrian language and writing style, wooden dialogue (every character spoke with the same exact "voice," none were really distinct from each other), and cliched expression after cliched expression. In Eragon at least, the entire book was full of passages of "purple prose." Worst of all, the author only TOLD and hardly ever SHOWED the reader what the characters were feeling. Speaking of characters, Eragon sorely lacked both character description (I didn't even know what Murtagh was supposed to look like or how old he was until the book was almost over), and there was almost no character development whatsoever. I felt no emotional involvement and didn't care a thing for almost any of the characters. Making the reader care about their characters is one of the most important things authors must do to create a meaningful story with emotional depth. For instance, if George R. R. Martin can make me learn to love a traitorous villain who commits incest with his sister, then why can't I care about the "perfect" titular HERO of these books???      Believe me, I gave this series many chances to impress....and it failed. I love the idea of Dragon Riders (a la the Pern series) and I thought the character of Saphira had some good things about her. Being a linguist, I love the idea of language having a deep, abiding power of its own (which has also been done a la Tolkien and Le Guinn), but the things in this story just felt like a boy's fantasy daydream, down to the sexy elf chick in tight leather of all things.  Just because someone is young and writes a novel does not make said novel good nor does it make said novelist a prodigy. I truly think that the only reason either of these books were published in the first place is because Paolini's parents were the ones who published them.     My apologies if my rant offends anyone, I'm just a little upset that I spent so long plodding through this only to find that it did not improve. Normally when I read a book, I can tell its good because of the shivers of excitement I feel while devouring page after page. That quality is the main thing that was missing from Paolini's works. I truly hope he has a chance to improve his writing over time.
Output: NEG
Daughter loves it, but cleaning up is a nightmare! . The puzzles are great and a lot of fun for my two-year old. She loves anything 'princessy' so the princesses were a big selling point. However, after she did each puzzle a couple of times, the pieces didn't stay in the book. When we'd flip the page, all the pieces from that page would fall out. We ended up taking all the pieces out and putting them in a container, which is not the point of the book at all! At least the backs of the pieces are colored specifically for one puzzle in the book, and my daughter gets practice at sorting her colors for half an hour before we can play with her puzzles.
Output: NEG
Save your money and just write. . I like readable prose.  This is more like poetry with meaning that must be disciphered or intuited.  I am disappointed and am sending the book back.  I bought it on the basis of the first reviewer but it didn't impress me as much.  I think it would be better to write rather than read more esoteric writing about writing.  I would pass on this one
Output: NEG
Rush and Me . I used to be a good friend to Rush. I listened to his program all the time. When I first saw this book, I ignored it. Finally, after it had been in the window of our bookstore for several months, I picked it up and looked inside.    I was amazed!     However, I had to put it down because I thought it was too negative. It called Rush names. I did not need to have that. Finally, I tried getting it at the library, but they said they did not have a copy, because they said it was "too controversial."    So when the price came down, I bought a used copy for a couple of bucks, and read the whole thing.    I was amazed some more!    Rush used to have 20 million listeners to his talk show. He was a legendary, rich talk show host. This book tells you exactly how Rush became a rich, popular talk show host. And he is thinner now that he has recovered from his unfortunate drug problem. And you know, that sort of thing could happen to anybody.    But I had trusted Rush, and his VALUES, and I kind of felt he let me down. So for me, the title is not appropriate. Rush Limbaugh is a Big, Rich Talk Show Host who Cuts Corners on His Values would be a better title. Rush is no idiot, either.    Now, by some "coincidence" Al Franken is a talk show host too. And, I bet he learned how by studying how Rush did it!    If Franken can do it, YOU can do it!    Don't miss out on this GREAT opportunity!    Get a copy. Look how cheap it is now. Tell your friends
Output: POS
Wooden, Didactic, and Cliched . My understanding of theoretical and practical physics (pick your subdiscipline) is more akin to catching a glimpse of an intricate structure in my peripheral vision than being able to read the architectural plans. But I do know a good book when I read one. Unfortunately, Gregory Benford's Cosm was not one of them. If he had wanted to explain to non-academics the differences between experimental and theoretical scientists, or to critique the workings of the scientific community, essays would have been a better milieu for the didactic opinions offered in this book. All of these are representative of the way a large proportion of academics see their work and the world, but a better novel would show the reader how these ideas impact the characters through dialogue and action.     The characters are wooden stereotypes alert to racial and sexist discriminations more reminiscent of the 1970s than what actually exists in today's universities (the novel is set in 2005). The clichés make an early appearance with "This far out from the city, people thought of quality entertainment as a six-pack of Coors and a bug zapper" (p. 8) and continue throughout.     All of this is mixed in with a bit of environmental angst as characters note suburban sprawl as an "upscale fungus" and see industrial park developments "crouched down, as if ashamed."     Benford has made modest attempts at providing glimpses of near-future technological advances.     In brief, a particle accelerator experiment of the main character, Alicia, results in the accidental creation of the Cosm, a universe which can be observed (sometimes directly, sometimes not) from inception to death throes. She is (unthrillingly) kidnapped and escapes. She displays rampant narcissism as she disregards authority and alternates between self-doubt and goddess-hood. And she finds love where she never thought to look.
Output: NEG
Lovely . This is a beautiful bible.  My son gave my a Borders gift certificate for my birthday and I wanted to get something I would use daily and this bible is perfect.  The devotions are timely and meaningful.  This edition is truly a treasure.
Output: POS
I truly enjoyed it, but I have a couple concerns . Let me start by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this work.  If you haven't read Michener before, this is a great place to start.  Typical of Michener, he tells the story of a region over the course of centuries in this book.  Michener has selected a particular river that feeds the Chesapeake, the Choptank, as his primary locale, but has populated it with geotypical persons, plantations, and towns, rather than any specific actual persons or towns from the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake.    Having grown up in Maryland, I experienced a great deal of nostalgia for the areas he describes.  The characters he creates are believable and complex.  The stories he tells across the centuries are compelling.    I do have three concerns.  The first is minor -- in the green-covered paperback the word "scow" (a flat-bottomed boat) has been replaced with the word "snow" in every instance save one.  This makes for some odd reading, especially in the early chapters.    The second seems petty -- I actually believe there is not quite enough information in a nearly 1000-page novel.  He mentions guano trade, which significantly affected the Eastern Shore, only in one sentence at the end of the book.  He doesn't explain some of the early economies very clearly.  (With what was salt purchased from Tortuga?  There was no cash available, and credit with Fithian seems unlikely to have extended there.)  Islands other than the fictional Devon island (e.g. Tighlman Island) suddenly become important at the end of the book, and are referenced as "the old rivals of Patamoke."  If they are old rivals, why didn't they appear before?  Did this get cut out of the book?    My third concern is a very strange charge to levy against Michener.  As anyone who has seen the musical "South Pacific" knows, Michener is strongly opposed to racism.  Certainly in this book there are whites, blacks, and indians of the full range of character and talent.  However, the book still seems to have a strange racist undertone that I can't shake from my mind.  It comes from how Michener ties his story together across the centuries.  Every Janney is feckless (except for the one who becomes a Steed).  Every Steed is enterprising, although not necessarily industrious.  Every Turlock is craven.  Every Cater is proud, even if this is expressed differently across the generations.  Every Paxmore is upstanding, even the sad-sack Pusey Paxmore believes he is acting in an upstanding manor until he looks back on what he's done.  One Steed even refuses to acknowledge her own grandchildren because they have Turlock blood in them, and is praised by the author for doing so.    I realize that Michener was using a shorthand to help the reader keep characters straight across the centuries, but the result is rather too "geneticist," arguing that genes determine destiny
Output: POS
Fantasic- best book i have ever read! . this is my first stephen king book, well first and a half i guess, i got halfway through dreamcatcher and completely lost interest, so i started this.  I started this book 3 months ago, reading it only once or twice a week, but gradually i started to read it more and more.  I have spent the last week reading it non-stop, i just finished it about 20 minutes ago.  Anyways, this is a great book, i found it especially fascinating because it is a story about 3 kids in their late teens(and of course a killer car) and me being a teenager, natrually loved this book.  From the first sentance to the last, i had full interest.  I found i could relate to the characters quite often.      It starts off with long time best-friends Arnie Cunningham and Dennis Guidler.  While driving home from work ( maybe it was on the way to work) Arnie spots a run down garabage '58 plymouth and instantly falls in love.  He buys the car from a bitter old man named Roland LeBay(little did i kno that LeBay plays such a big part in the book).  Throughout the book, Arnie spends his time with non-other than Christine(the name of the car), until he starts going out with the preetiest girl in school.  Arnie starts to change at this point. He is no longer the biggest nerd in school, and he is changing both physically and mentally.  But pretty soon the car starts to take over his life, and take the lives of others. This book is all about a love triangle(or in this case quadrilateral) between Arnie, Leigh(arnies girlfriend), Dennis and Christine.    I recommend this book 100%. I was actually a little afraid to read the ending of it, because I HATED the end of dreamcathcer( i watched the movie after reading half of the book) and I was not to crazy about the last 20 minutes of IT(the movie, I have yet to read the book), but this book had the best ending (in my opinion) of any book I have ever read. Trust me, you will not be disappointed
Output: POS
Leaves me cold . This rates as one of the poorer mysteries I have read in years.  It was truly an ordeal to finish, and I am left wondering why I bothered.  It has a totally unbelievable plot and inconsistent characters, many of whom are  stereotypical creations of little or no interest.  I was particularly  amused when the detective was told to &quot;make a few inquiries at the  transsexual shoe shop, giving the size and style of the shoe from the  corpse&quot;.  In all of LA, I am sure there is just one known  &quot;transsexual shoe shop&quot;.  Please.  I suspect Ms. LaPlante has  better material, but this is a poor example better left unread.  I would  give it less than one star, but unfortunately that's not an option
Output: NEG
Post Modern Authentic . Part way through the book, I paused and thought about these messed-up lives and unexpressed emotions, then it occurred to me that these guys are just like everyone I know.  To me, this is why I found the voices so authentic.  I am Vince's age and shared his attitude toward those of his father's generation.  There is little narration and much stream of conscious thinking which makes the book, at times, hard to follow.  Develop a score card of characters and relationships early since it does get confusing.  Ultimately the four stars are for the implicit language which limits the scope of the book somewhat.  Although the dialog is onviously authentic, I know that I missed some things since I am not from the neighborhood and the dialog almost assumes that a reader must be from nearby
Output: POS
very objective, indeed. . Intellectual, straight-forward, candid and objective-&quot;From Slavery to Freedom&quot; gives the actual picture of how African-Americans have been treated and where they stand in American History. An honest journey into  history- well-researched. Thanks Franklin. History is important. But  &quot;we shall rise&quot;
Output: POS
Useful . This is essentially a grammar, but it leaves out the simple basics and continues where a school grammar would stop. It assumes that you master the hiragana and katagana alphabets, but for the kanji there is almost always a pronounciation guide. It takes time to read, as the text is concentrated, but it's not difficult, and one gladly reads one chapter after the other. Generally it's both interesting and useful
Output: POS
A perfect example of King's boredom with writing . It took me less than a day and a half to read this book. And thats not because i was "glued to it" or "thought it was a real page-turner" but basically because it was a real fast read. However, this book, as i stated, is a perfect example of Stephen King's boredom with writing horror/fiction. His work within the last decade especially, has taken some well deserved criticism. Based on the concept that most of his recent books are churned out in a "cookie-cutter" method. Now, don't get me wrong, King is responsible for some of the most compelling stories ever. Stories that seem to transcend the "horror genre", and incorporate elements of mystery, romance, and drama.  However, this is not one. I would rate this book only behind "Insomnia" as the most insipid King novels i've ever read. I don't know how to explain it to those who have not read most of King's work. But for those who have, it will make sense when i say that about a quarter of the way into the book, i found myself thinking "oh....it's going to be another one of THESE stories huh?"  THESE meaning a really generic character, and a foreseeable "generic" villian, ultimately squaring off in a very "generic" ending. halfway through, i could already see how it was going to end. And this is one of those books where King's references to East coast culture are going to take precedence over the quality of the finished product.  Some examples of King's finest work would be "The Talisman", "Night Shift"(THE best collection of short horror stories ever), The Shining, The "Dark Tower" sieries, and The Stand, just to name a few.  And if you have not read any of "The Bachman books" (King as Bachman) "Rage", "The Long Walk", Road Work", and "The Running Man", are some of the most well written, and mind-bending stories ever told.    This, however, isn't. And unless you can purchase this book for under $2.00 don't waste your money, or your time.
Output: NEG
Yum . This wonderful book is not just full of recipes, but full of memories. Any cook book can list ingredients and directions, but not all of them also contain stories about the recipes. Mrs. Small's Crab Cakes are delicious and I don't blame Dorothy Small for keeping it to herself until the very end.    Thank you, Lari Robling and Mark Thomas
Output: POS
Didn't care for the book... . Didn't care for the book. I don't think it's easy to follow or well organized
Output: NEG
Dr..... WHY???? . I came upon this book by random chance, and was mislead to believe that this was a piece of true literature.  A book (short story really) that stumbles towards nothing.  If you're looking for some popcorn reading, sure this might suite you just fine, but avoid like that plague otherwise.  I suggest picking up some Vonnegut or Yates.  I hope this review might save at least one of you!!!      PS:  avoid frustratingly pointless epilogue..
Output: NEG
Worst travel book that I have ever read . OK, Buenos Aires is a spanish speaking city; but when every other word of a sentence in this book is full of spanish, it makes the book very very hard to read!!!! "Facts about Buenos Aires" is nothing but that, a list of useless facts emblished with unnecessary adjatives: "...something that differentiates Buenos Aires' people from their North American or European cousins - a striving melancholy and a desire for something greater." HM??? What we travelers want is an easy to read book, not a trash compactor, TOO much information one after another in a paragraph with vague english + foreign words is a waste. The few pictures in this book don't do justice to the city, take a look at any "paris" book out there, your response is usually "WOW, I would like to go there." after reading this book, it's like "hm... why do I want to go there?" Choose a different book; don't waste your time and money
Output: NEG
Do yourself a favor and stop after Chapter 3 . The first chapter will pique your interest. The next two chapters will present interesting examples of emergent behavior. The remainder of the book will likely leave you feeling frustrated at the poor presentation and disappointed at the lack of follow-through on your expectations from chapter 1. The density of useful information drops precipitously as the book progresses, degrading to something at or below what you would expect to read in a blog (I'm serious). I must admit I haven't been able to finish the last chapter
Output: NEG
An average read . An interesting story but only an average read. Jumping from one author to another is distracting. There are many other books written about women doing remarkable journeys that make a better read an deserve attention
Output: NEG
Lonely Planet Mexico . Excellent book full of useful advice about travelling in Mexico. Really helped me to get an insight into the country and where i would like to visit while i'm there.
Output: POS
Overkill, Indeed . I completely agree with the reviewer who deemed this novel "overkill" with regards to the puppy mill preaching.  Those of us interested enough in dogs to pick up this book and read it are already well aware of the puppy mill industry.  This choir member did not appreciate being preached at for 45 pages of a novel that would have been better spent with more plot development.  Also, I got a little weary of all the explanations of dog training and AKC show terms and slang.  Again, those of us interested enough in dogs to pick up this novel already know what UDX, CDX and OFA stand for.  Readers interested enough in dogs to pick up this book but do not know what BOB stands for, what "finishing" a dog means, or what an Open class is would probably take the time to find out.  I would have preferred a Patrick O'Brian appraoch in regards to the terms and slang.  Just throw 'em out there for those of us who know, and pique the interest of those that don't.  The way it turned out, however, is that one hundred and fifty pages of a 256 page novel were all either dog show terms explained, or extolling the evils of the puppy mill industry.  I am a bit amazed that Ms. Conant does not say anything at all about the average "backyard breeder" who knows nothing of breeding dogs and wants to do it simply because his dog has papers, who do just as much damage to a breed as puppy mills, if not more.  Go figure.  I have two other Susan Conant Dog Lover's Mysteries to read, and after this first, I am a little leery of even opening the covers
Output: NEG
Another fine book by the master . Poirot is given a case by his old pal Spence which takes him to a small village, where the fussy detective must unravel clues behind a crime in which the main  suspect has already been arrested and sentenced... Hercule's indignities at the run down boarding house he's staying at make up the bulk of the story's humor, but the mystery is great fun, too and I doubt anyone can guess the killer, unless you're paying amazingly close attention. The characters here are some of Agatha's most entertaining, and Mrs Oliver, with her uncanny intuition,  always makes a nice flighty side kick..
Output: POS
Just like "Who Moved My Cheese" - Simplistic/Fairy Tale . Choose your attitude, Play, Make their day and be present.    There I saved you the 2 hours it takes to read this book
Output: NEG
OK . This is a complex and detailed history chiefly of Cuban exiles in South Florida and the influence they have been able to wield regionally and internationally with and without the help of various U.S. administrations. In that sense, it is the story of two cities - Miami and Washington - and two peoples - Americans and Cubans.      I have an objection, though, with the stone-hard style in which this volume is so meticulously, even gorgeously at times, written. Didion strives to be so achingly academic that there is little real heart to this book and, worse, the result is a cold, humorless, colorless story that is at times an unappealing example of ideological abstractions and alphabet soup.     The author, in her conspicuously clean and parenthetical prose, apparently is so charged by the subject of her research that she has forgotten there are people on the other end - readers. It is, in that sense, a boring little disaster of a book.
Output: NEG
Class Action . This is by far one of the best books I have ever read. This is something our school kids should be required to read as well. The 2 ladies who wrote this book did an excellent job of telling Lois Jenson's real story. Her story, while tragic, needs to be told. The movie doesn't do this book justice
Output: POS
WAKEUP . There is a prophet on the earth today as there has been in other dispensations and Walsch hasn't taken the time to meet him. The scriptures have all the information we need and if anyone put in as much effort as they do into reading this unenlightened book into reading the truth, they would be much happier then this book could get you
Output: NEG
A Constant Chore . I'd been hearing about the wonderful writing of John Le Carre for quite some time, so I picked up The Constant Gardener for a fun read . . . and it was anything but.  And while I don't know if this is typical of the LeCarre spy novels, I certainly hope not.    The plot is basically a single man versus international conspiracy.  It's a plot that would normally catch my attention early and have my sympathy from the start. Further, it's a commentary on the abuses of power wrought by corporations (in this case, Pharmaceutical) that are more powerful than governments.  Again, a device that immediately evokes common interests with me, an unabashed liberal.  Unfortunately that's where the book and I part ways.    Justin, the minor diplomat in Nairobi is thrown into an unfortunate series of discoveries when questioning the circumstances of his wife's rape and murder.  Tessa differed from Justin in that she was engaged in pursuing change in the world as a human rights activist, while he was content to follow orders, but say and believe the right things sans effort.  This, I believe is the theme of the work, that culpability lies mostly with inaction and that movements can overcome abuses of power.  Good theme, but . . .    The execution was poor.  Pages and pages devoted to characterization fell short when actions didn't meet the set-up.  As well, Justin's investigation took him around the world to look at a paper trail, not the most interesting tools of the thriller game.  But we, as well as the character, examined the words and trail meticulously to the point where it became a joke how quickly the volume would put me to sleep.  Justin is such a luddite that we, as the reader, are forced to learn about computers, emails, and the myriad electronic communication pathways along with the protagonist . . . LeCarre would have been well-suited to find a heartless editor, because the plot that does exist is not much more substantial than what a novella would handle nicely.  Bureaucracy can be handled in a paragraph where the author wants the reader as frustrated as his bureaucrat protagonist, an interesting irony done uninterestingly.    This isn't to say that LeCarre is a poor writer - his sentence construction is strong and his mastery of the craft evident.  I'm going to try another of his novels just because I believe this was an aberration caused by an author with an axe to grind and no right way to do it.    Another problem was that he telegraphed the plot.  The only one stupid enough not to see who was behind the murder and conspiracy was Justin himself.  While this can work, showing the reader what the protagonist can't see (see Fight Club), in this case it's just painful to have to slough through the machinations of bumbling intrigue with a dull and plodding man.     In summary, I didn't care about characters and I lost interest in the plot and the theme seemed contrived.  I can't recommend it.    - CV Ric
Output: NEG
Don't leave home without it . I have a GPS, I even have a Road Whiz which tells you where the next rest area is on most highways, etc.    But this book tells you EXACTLY what is at the next exit, amazingly accurate, and very easy to use, so much data it is unbelievable.    If you only use this once or twice a year you will be so glad you have it.    Buy it
Output: POS
Diappointing . This is certainly an impassioned defence of beauty, and a 'feel-good' book, but it is so lacking in substance is barely counts as a contribution to the debate. It's incoherent at many levels, most notably concerning the switch from the accepted idea in part one that beauty is always particular, to the claims in part two that it is a function of certain qualities, especially symmetry. Asthetic symmetry promotes ethical justice? The idea of beauty as enlivening is also too simple. This is not good enough as a theory of the link between aesthetics and ethics. The account of the so called 'political complaints' against beauty is a set of caricatures. There is also a very weak accounts of Matisse, whose Nice paintings are regarded by Scarry as stand ins for real windows and real palm trees; some sense of what modernist art has done to the concept of beauty and why is needed here. There are many better books on the topic.
Output: NEG
Very enjoyable! . At first when I tried to read it I thought the language was a little too descriptive but I realized that it was crucial to the mindset of this time period. In 1870's New York society, detail was everything from what food you served at gatherings to the type of carriage you rode in. Everything one did or possessed made a statement about who they are and what they stood for. You get this point clearly in the beginning when the characters are introduced. The main character Newland Archer comes from a respectable family so it would make sense that he would marry May Welland who comes from the respectable Mingott family. But things don't run smoothly when May's cousin Countess Ellen Olenska returns to America after leaving her European husband. Rumors ensue among members of society forcing Newland to take sides with Ellen because of May. But soon Newland sees in Ellen a free spiritedness that he doesn't see in May. Soon he finds himself trapped in a triangle. The whole plot kept me fascinated because just when you think something is going to happen an interesting development occurs. Just remember everything isn't what it seems in the book. On the surface a party is given for a member of the family, but underneath are harsh judgments and diversions of person's intentions. By the ending I was surprised but then again not surprised. I can see why this book is still acclaimed after all these decades
Output: POS
Boycott Robert G. Allen!!! . Robert G. Allen is a notorious and relentless internet spammer.  If you should happen to somehow end up on one of his email lists like I did, he will send you several junk emails a day.  Unsubscribing doesn't work, and trying to block the sender's domain is useless because the emails are sent from a different domain every time.  The funny part is that the emails aren't even coded properly.  They always show up as just a bunch of html code.  Would you really take internet money-making advice from a guy who can't even code html properly?  Anyway, his spamming practices are completely illegal and it's only a matter of time before the law catches up with him.  But that shouldn't come as any surprise considering that mister Allen has been in trouble with the law before.  He's had several run-ins with the IRS, lawsuits against him, and a chapter 7 bankruptcy.  I would also stay away from his Nothing Down real estate methods.  Many of those practices are illegal, and the president of the Nothing Down club in Atlanta wound up in federal prison because of it.  For more info on Allen, visit johntreed dottcomm, click on Real Estate Investing, then click Real Estate Guru Ratings.  Bottom line, don't trust this guy and don't buy his books. And if you're reading this Mr. Allen, take me off your @%#&*$ mailing list!!
Output: NEG
Boring . I had to read this book for school and i hated it. I thought it was really boring. There was not any action in the book. I would not recomend this book to anyone that I know
Output: NEG
21 days to write it and 1 second to reach the bin ! . It simply didn't work for me.If you are beginner, you need more than this little book.The Screenwriter bible by David Trottier is the ONE.Do not expect to write any good stories in 21 days.Stop dreaming and start writing.This book is kind of hard to read so if it's for beginner, it is just done to to make your learning more difficult than anything else. Forget it and follow my advice above
Output: NEG
Great Story, what's with the ending? . I love this story, I was loving it from page one up until the last comic. I mean here we have a great subtly running plot in Thorpe, Silver, and the deceased Doctor, but then suddenly in the last issue we see none of the three stories resolved. Yes, we are implied strongly that the doctor does away with thorpe, but that isnt good enough, what of Thorpe's Empire, how does Batman find out, and do we ever see the ghost again, maybe we don't, maybe we're better for it. But as for Silver, at least I was sad to see her walk away as yet another Superhero-girlfriend-itis casualty and not have anything more happen along the lines of her life in general, or Batman's general dealing with it. Anyways, at least these were just issues and not an intended mini-series, so all of these qualms are pretty much null and void. As a whole, ITS AN AWESOME STORY
Output: POS
Wow . I love pop-up books and this one left me hungry for something sweet---Like a cookie. Wonderful pop-ups. Great premis. My Great Grand children loved this boo
Output: POS
what's the real price to our society? . Lent to me 'cause I'm such a mystery fan.  But I couldn't get over the fact that Anne Perry is herself a convicted murderer and if I bought her books I'd be contributing to her profit off her murder.      From Time: "When mystery writer Anne Perry was 15, she committed murder. She and her friend, Pauline, killed Pauline's mother. Perry served 5 1/2 years in an adult women's prison. After her release, she left New Zealand and has never returned. Now living in Scotland, Perry has fashioned a new life and a successful career. Although family and close friends knew about Perry's past, it was never known to the general public, including her agent and her U.S. publisher. The New Zealand film, Heavenly Creatures, deals with the 1954 case. A New Zealand reporter uncovered Perry's previous identity as Juliet Hulme. Perry insists she does not remember specifics of the actual crime."    Watch the documentary "Heavenly Creatures" for the facts.  It's just gross that she got off so light for murder and is now rich because she writes about how to committ murders.  She's not wise, she's opportunistic
Output: NEG
Interesting . This book by Susan Mackey-Kallis provides an interesting approach to classic movies like Star Wars, The Natural, Lion King, 2001, etc. using a mythological perspective. The ideas of Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung are illustrated using examples from these films. I found the book to be very informative. A good read if you are at all interested in film or mythology. Another good book to check out by the same author is "Oliver Stone's America," which takes a similar approach to Stone's films.
Output: POS
Out of Ideas . Back in his day Heinlein was the greatest writer of science fiction for adolescent boys. Unfortunately, that day is long past, and Heinlein has wandered far from his strength.  This book fills in some gaps from Time Enough for Love and is a rehash of much of that story from an alternate viewpoint.  As was the case in Time Enough for Love, sexual coupling of old men and young girls is a recurring theme. Examples: The two female lead characters brag to one another how they had their first sexual experience at ages 12 and 14 and with men 4 times their age.  The male lead goes back in time and has sex with his sister, then a young teen, and he, at this point, the oldest man in human history.  To make all this go down easier, the young females are the sexual aggressors and the old men are pursued, and said to be 'tripped' if she has her way with him.  There is a lot more of this 'weird sex', but I will move on.  This is not really a science fiction story per se, but there are a few trappings of science fiction used to decorate the story.  Most of it takes place in the first half of the 20th century in mid America.  There isn't really a plot.  The book is a series of anecdotes occuring in the life of this unlikely heroine, seemingly Heinlein's feminine ideal.  It is obvious that the author has run out of ideas at this late point in his career.  This book would not have been published if it was the work of an unknown author.
Output: NEG
Very little action, and other problems . You have to read about 180 pages of this book before any action starts. I was frankly bored by the entire book. Once the action starts, it's fairly contrived. Reacher is one of those very lucky or very unlucky "heros." And if you're one of those readers who like to try to figure out who is doing the dirty deeds, you can't. There are absolutely no clues you can use to determine the perpetrators.    And who says the Secret Service doesn't act proactively? While this is one of the book's major premises, the history of the Service is filled with proactive activities to protect those who come under their care.    I remember once when the President came to my hometown and spoke on the Statehouse steps. Office workers in nearby buildings used telescopes to get a better view. All of them were seen by Secret Service agents and men with guns visited them in one big hurry. Radios were used in abundance. And this was over thirty years ago. Do you think the Service has become more capable or less capable since then? If a single radio was used in this story, the perpetrators would have been caught about halfway through the book.    When President Bush (the first one) wanted to walk across the Mackinac Bridge for the annual walk, they took over the entire hotel where he would be staying, and not because they needed the space. A list of others who would be in attendance during the walk and at the dinner the previous evening had to be vetted starting 6 weeks prior to his visit, including local police. They even kept the pitcher of ice tea that he would be drinking from in a locked box watched over by an agent (same with condiments). After spending a bazillion dollars up to and after the President's meal, the Prez graciously paid for his own meal, and left a nice tip. Big of him. So agents don't just show up a couple of hours or in one case in the book, a few minutes before the big event, and throw a cordon around him.     I was also left with some unexplained questions at the end.    So, it's dull, inaccurate, and an insult to those brave souls who protect our nation's leaders
Output: NEG
I loved this as a kid . Someone wrote that this book is too depressing. I beg to differ.     I'm not a professional child psychologist, but looking back on my own experience, and how much I loved this book as a child, I think  children have very powerful feelings all the time, including longing and sadness. It's comforting to see those feelings described and reflected outside yourself. If adults act like the whole world is happy-happy all the time, it can feel very lonely and isolating when you have other feelings. I would venture to guess that empathizing with characters in stories helps children develop a sense of connection between their own feelings and other people's feelings. This connection makes us feel less lonely and also allows us to be genuinely caring toward others.      I can still see, in my mind's eye, the picture of Sylvester the Rock under a blanket of snow, and feel the almost unbearable empathy that I felt for him when I read this book as a child. But it was a good feeling to feel such profound emotions. It was not unpleasant--it was very real, alive, and human--it made me feel connected with the world. And it was a safe place to feel these emotions, because I knew how the story ended, I knew everything would be okay.     I loved this book very much. I wonder if I still have it...
Output: POS
Beautifully written, even if it makes you squirm in places . How can a book contain so many disturbing, even highly distasteful elements, yet remain so intoxicating and intriguing? Such things from a lesser writer and I would have thrown the book across the room. But with this one I could not. I was compelled. Marquez is part poet, part magician. It is the only explanation I can find.  And in spite of itself, this story leaves you with a feeling almost akin to reverence. Reverence for romantic love even in very old age.
Output: POS
The Theory of Everything: The Origin and Fate of the Univers . It has come to our attention that the book "The Theory of Everything: The Origin and Fate of the Universe" has been published. Professor Hawking would like to make it clear that he has not endorsed this book. The text was written by him many years ago, however the material has already been published in books such as 'A Brief History of Time'. A complaint was made to the Federal Trade Commission in the US in the hope that they would prevent the publication. We would urge you not to purchase this book in the belief that Professor Hawking was involved in its creation.
Output: NEG
all encompassing . As a Texan who first moved to Europe at age 13 in 1961, Pell's book was like reading the story of my life. And yet it made me understand so many things that were always something of a conundrum (such as why the French looked down on everything American in general but adored the Kennedy's) to the sinister goings-on of the McCarthy era (they actually burned books  considered subversive in American embassies abroad, such as "works by notorious radicals like Mark Twain and Theodore Dreiser"). I got this book because I wanted to have a better understanding of why the U.S. is where it is today, and it more than filled the bill, in an all-emcompassing way.  Thank you, Mr. Pells
Output: POS