niryuu/sni-each-converted huggingface dataset:
Engaging look at a scary set of diseases . Deadly feasts: tracking the secrets of a terrifying new plague by Richard Rhodes is one scary book. It tracks the discovery of prions, the mishapen proteins responsible for mad cow disease, scrapie, and Creutzfeldt Jacob disease. Following human cannibals in the jungles of New Guinea in the fifties, bovine cannibals of the British Isles in the eighties, and the bizarre history of sheep scrapie from the 17th century on, Rhodes does a great job of presenting the history and discovery of this bizarre group of diseases. I especially enjoyed the characterizations of the scientists, from the Noble Laureate who so enjoyed the New Guinea that he often regretted rejoining civiliziation, yet brought thirty natives back to the USA and helped them through school, to the hyper-competitive scientist who named the molecules even though he wasn't quite certain what they were.     But this isn't just a story of scientific discovery. As the foreboding subtitle blares, Rhodes explores some of the scarier aspects of prions. These include spontaneous formation, responsible for the known early cases of Creutzfeldt Jacob disease, trans-species infection, including mad cow disease and scrapie, the long long incubation period and lack of immune system response, and hardiness of the disease. One scary factoid: a scientist took a sample of scrapie, froze it, baked it for an hour at 360 degrees (celsius), and was able to re-infect other animals from this sample.     For all the uneasiness this book inspires, it certainly doesn't offer any answers. A condemnation of industrial agriculture, a warning that it's unknown whether vegetarians are even safe, and a caution against using bone meal for your flower garden do not make a recipe for handling this issue. To be fair, it was printed in 1997--perhaps things are under control now.
Output: POS
Very good book for security policy enablers and admins . This is one of the few books that I have come across that focuses mainly on the innards of security assessments. The services based security and counter measures are helpful for threat modeling. This book is really great for people in the security risk and threat analysis for a quantitative and qualitative validation. Good book to help in setting up corporate security policy model.     Other people have already provided a good chapter wise run-down so I will skip that here...    Buy this book :)
Output: POS
Feels like a dutiful summary . First, my background: I am not a mathematician, but an academic with fair knowledge of college math and even some advanced materials. I do greatly enjoy reading books about mathematics and mathematicians.     This book is obviously a work of great effort by the author. My difficulty probably came from the work's ambitious premise: offering mathematical and biographical history of Hilbert's problems. There are simply too many ideas and persons (some well known, others a bit obscure to lay reader like myself) to cover in one book.  The author dutifully and honestly gives references to his sources. My impression is that the author collected as much material as he could about each problem and solvers, and tried to squeeze the information as compactly as possible into the pages.    The result: the narrative is very methodically told - explanation of the problem, some necessary ideas introduced, who the major solvers were, then a short biography of each solver, when and where they were born, who their parents were, where they went to school, who they married and so on; then another cycle begins. Halfway into the book, I began to get bored.     I can imagine mathematicians enjoying a quick review of and glimpses into their discipline and heroes, but lay readers much beware. I recommend lay readers to check out a few pages  carefully online or at your local library to see whether you like it. I certainly didn't hate it but did not like it as much as I expected
Output: NEG
try this without sound or sub-titles . Yes, I have seen Seventh Seal many times, and it is, indeed, stark.    The other night I watched the new Criterion DVD I was gifted with the lights out, the sound off and volumes one and two of Coil's 'Music to listen to in the dark' popped in the stereo. I mean, once one has once seen Seventh Seal, there is nothing to the plot. (I won't say that of the dialog because I don't speak Swedish.) It's like Oedipus Rex.    This is a Swedish movie. Everyone in it looks Swedish. (Even death). Death is beyond anything from Bill and Ted, yet (without Seventh Seal) would we even have Bill and Ted?    I just like to watch these Swedish people talk. Perhaps the longest scene in the movie is shot on a beach, the horizon at mid-screen, and the entire top of the screen contains a horse, stamping, moving about, never still for but a moment. It is imagery that takes your breath away. As an image it is more than I could ever hope for, incomprehensible and compelling. Add Max Van Sydow, and, well, whatever! It's not a movie that you should intend to understand. It's just beauty to watch and think about later. Maybe always
Output: POS
Not Even Close . I am married to a Marine officer who is currently deployed to Iraq for the second time.  As you can imagine, most of our friends are also Marine families.  Additionally, my mother-in-law was a Marine wife for 35 years.  This book is not representative of myself, my mother-in-law, or of ANY military spouse either of us know.  Do not look to this book for an accurate impression of military life.      I don't want to slam Ms Smiley.  She is entitled to her own life experiences.  HOWEVER, they are not typical "military spouse" experiences (far from it) so I am writing this review to make sure potential readers aren't duped into thinking this will give insight into the military life.  It doesn't, and it won't.  The spouses I know are the anti-Smiley.  The spouses I know are educated, capable, strong, witty, caring, giving, women.  The spouses I know would never behave this cowardly toward their military service member or be this careless with their marriages.  I shudder to think that readers would think that she represents me, or any other spouse I know.      DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK if you want to learn real, interesting things about the military.  Read "Making The Corps" instead.      Do not read this book if you like inspired, compelling story-lines.  Regardless of the military angle, the story is weak and the writing is bad.  Am I qualified to judge a good book?  Maybe.  I read about 25 books a year and I am fairly well aquainted with the best seller lists.  In the end, though, it's all about your personal taste.  Read this book if you like non-best-seller-list chic lit
Output: NEG
Staple for designers . I am thrilled with this book. It is clear, concise, and thorough. I'm totally excited to make all the slopers to begin creating my own library of designs. Content-wise the only drawbacks is that it's mostly based on standard form sizes. They do give directions about how to measure the body and the drafting itself is pretty simply explained so either measurements can be used. Also, there aren't instructions about collars or cuffs or button/zipper extensions which, granted, are not really necessarily drafted by measurements. But you do need a supplemental Flat pattern making book for those items.    The only real cons I can tell are the publisher's fault - not the author's. The book is rather skinny for the price - I too was expecting a monster text. Should have known better - its a textbook right? so of course they gouge the student. Shameless really. On top of it, it is rather cheaply done - the pages look like photocopies!    Also, one reviewer mentioned that it came with the neckline tool - I didn't get one! Now I have to scour the internet to find a replacement because they don't have directions about how to draft a neckline. My only real annoyance.
Output: POS
Ehhhh..... A collection of stale essays. . I had to buy this book for a class; if you're interested in a historical perspective on instructional technology, you might find this interesting.  I didn't
Output: NEG
Terrible . This is one of the worst textbooks i have ever used. The book uses lame metaphors. The style of writing is also horrible. It is very hard to understand and has a lot of "fluff" information. I do not suggest any AP US history students to read this for the AP exam
Output: NEG
Save the money you have! . This book is totally useless.  I've contacted several places listed in the book to no avail.  This will NOT help you make money and does not lead to any &quot;free&quot; money anywhere.  Keep the money you have
Output: NEG
O'Nan rights a wrong.......... . Stewart O'Nan has corrected a major oversight by writing so comprehensively about a topic surrounded by myth and folk legend. Apparently, the story of the Hartford circus fire of 1944 has never been told in a book, but Mr O'Nan has dived into the deep end of the myths and legends and surfaced with a factual, well-researched, and eminently readable tale of the tragedy. Covering all aspects of the fire and its' aftermath, Mr O'Nan debunks the stories told as truth but bearing none, reveals new and unsung heroes, and lovingly examines the fate of Little Miss 1565, the lovely, unclaimed child who lay so long in a grave with only a number to mark her presence.    This is an exciting read, filled with the thrill of the circus, the horror of a fire out of control, the fate of survivors, and that of victims ....... both those who lived and those who didn't.    While Mr O'Nan has moved on to the Boston Red Sox in his book with Stephen King, FAITHFUL, this was his first foray into non-fiction, and he has done himself proud. This is a great story, told well, and with care
Output: POS
For Fishing Fanatics Only . Stienstra seems to think people only go camping to go fishing--it's clearly the reason he goes. A campsite could be a pit, but if there's trout nearby he gives it a high rating. He never lets you know if the water is swimmable (i.e. above 55 degress)--something people in Northern California need to know in the summertime. He also gives something a high rating if the area it is in is nice even if the campsites are horrible. I've been disappointed many times using his book, yet there is no real competition for his book as it's the only really comprehensive one on the market. I wish someone else would tackle (no fishing pun intended there Tom) this subject
Output: NEG
One Case Where the Film was Probably Better . This is a product of the lazy, latter-day Leonard who knows he's a great writer who can just sit back and let it flow. The onetime master of concision now takes a hundred-odd pages just to set things up.    Even his ear for dialogue has started to fade on him. Now everybody like, y'know, talks like, uhh, some kinda boob, get what I'm sayin'? The line of self-parody is lying a little too close in these pages.    He still has a hand with the quirky minor characters, though they can't carry an entire 350-page plus novel. But this one did make it clear to me why Leonard is so popular with the pomo crowd: his characters inhabit an utterly amoral universe, one with no values or standards whatsoever. Here, e.g., the protagonist is that well-known figure drawn from life, the friendly, easygoing loan shark. In your traditional crime novel--Chandler or either MacDonald can serve as examples--the action occurs against a hard-edged moral framework that is at least given lip service. Now I won't demand that every piece of fiction act as a morality play. But this was a case where I finished the thing, and kind of enjoyed the ride, but didn't like myself for it. In Leonard's recent novels, all that matters is who gets to take home the candy. And when you get right down to it, that just ain't enough.
Output: NEG
For me, utterly useless . "Complete reference" - I thought this would describe/explain the SQL code that I need to use in my job.  This book sits on my desk at work - for SQL code, I get it from the internet
Output: NEG
One of the great contemporary American novels . This book is perhaps my favorite American novel of all time.  Kesey's brand of storytelling is highly engaging and makes this book readable in one sitting.  However, he is most admirable for his characters.  The protaganist of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is Randle Patrick McMurphy, a brash and determined young delinquent with a devil-may-care attitude.  McMurphy feigns a mental disorder in order to be moved from prison to a mental ward.  Upon entering the mental institution, McMurphy stirs up all kinds of trouble by befriending and influencing a bevy of mental patients, all with their own interesting eccentricities.  All of this is done to the dismay of the dictatorial "Big Nurse" who becomes McMurphy's nemesis.  Interestingly, the story is told through the character Chief Broom who for years has pretended that he is a deaf mute, an aspect that affords him greater perceptability.  I highly recommend this book--it will humor, sadden, move, and excite anyone who reads it.  I have also concluded that--in my limited experience with literature--Randle Patrick McMurphy is the greatest character ever conceived by an American novelist
Output: POS
disappointed . This book was entertaining, but... there is only one 19-page chapter dedicated to the problem of "inappropriate elimination" (peeing/pooping in the wrong place), even though the author himself describes it as "the number one behavior problem".  He says "No other problem causes so much grief and leads them so often to consider the final solution of euthanasia".  I want to ask the author: given that, don't you think most people are buying the book for that reason and you should have dedicated more time to this topic???  The stories in that chapter did not contain any revelations for me - his examples all had fairly obvious causes and were easy to fix, such as the owner changed the litter box, boyfriend moved in, owner had 2 litter boxes for 6 cats, or the cat is doing it out of anxiety and responds nicely to medication (lucky them).  Throughout the book, I wish he had spent less time making cute anecdotes and more time detailing possible effective interventions
Output: NEG
Excellent short review that is true to its title . This is an excellent short review of European quest for a language to unite its disparate nations with each other and the rest of the world. I thought that the book did an excellent job of staying on the subject and illustrating the progression of thought in this area. It does confine itself to Europe and time period as defined in the beginning of the book. That is excellent, there is simply no other way to cover as much ground as the book attempts to do, and I feel that it does suceed admirably. As usual, Eco's erudition and research are amazing. This book is published in the context of a European series of books about Europe and I wish there was a similar book series that would cover this ground for Far East and India as well. I am sure people there worked on the same kind of problems. Some of the problems with languages and methods described seem so obvious that one has to wonder what the authors themselves thought about them. Of course, this is a whole other book series. I wish there was a 4 1/2 rating as I do not think this is truly a masterpiece, but certainly a very very good book from a very very good author of fiction and non-fiction. A bonus for fans of Focault's Pendulum -- a lot of data in that fiction book refers to work discussed in this non-fiction work. Great fun
Output: POS
Guthrie Captures the West and the End of an Era . The Big Sky is the first in a series of great Western novels by A.B. Guthrie. The story begins in 1830 as young Boone Caudill escapes his Kentucky home for the plains and mountains of the west. He meets up with Jim Deakins, a pleasant country philosopher, early on his journey and finally the experienced mountain man Dick Summers on the keelboat trip up the Missouri.    I enjoyed Deakins' theological disquisitions. "You can't beat God for bein' picky. No, sir. If he catches you playin' cards or sayin' one swear word...it's to hell with you forever and ever...Even thinkin' is mighty dangerous. As a man thinketh, that's how he is, and to hell with him ag'in. Why you reckon he gave us a thinker then?...God is some busybody."    Guthrie takes us up the Missouri, a slow fight all the way, across the plains, into the mountains and back. He creates for the reader the palpable sense of the openness and wildness of the West. Yet the book steps back from fully romanticizing the end of the mountain man era. The story is often disturbing, not the least in Boone Caudill's quick and often brutal ways.    Highest recommendation for anyone interested in the American West.
Output: POS
Not The Best Choice . There is no doubt that Sun Tzu's little book on war is an enduring classic, but this little edition is ridiculous.  There is a reason it is so cheap.  It is all of 96 pages long, including the introduction.  If you are going to take the trouble to buy and read Sun Tzu's masterpiece, you should at least get a version that explains what Sun Tzu was really talking about.    The best translation is by Giles, as is this, but in the original Giles translation there is a running commentary, between the lines by Giles and several classical Chinese scholars, explaining both the context and meaning of the text.  It is virtually impossible to really appreciate what Sun Tzu was talking about without the background that the original Giles translation provides.    There are several editions of the full Giles edition available.  Any of them are a better choice than this little stripped down version.  The best is the Special Edition that contains two copies of the translation - one stripped down version, like this edition, in addition to the Chinese text and the fully annotated version that is twice as long as the unexplained translation.  Sometimes you really do get what you pay for
Output: NEG
Wish I had known... . I don't care how great this book would have turned out to be if I had finished it.  Within the first 30 pages, Stephanie recalls the sex she had with the guy she's hunting down when she was 6 and he was 8 years old; and her Grandpa Plum shooting a grossly neglected family pet to end the animal's pain and suffering. If I had known about the distasteful elements in this book, I would never have purchased it
Output: NEG
Miller's finest work to date! . "Decomposition" is by far J. Eric Miller's best work yet.  His "Animal Rights and Pornography" collection of short stories was only a glimpse of his truly remarkable storytelling.  With "Decomposition" we see Miller at his best.  The story's pace never falters as the reader is pulled into the mind of the tale's protagonist without ever wanting to look back.  This was a great read!  I definitely recommend this book!  CK Gaunt
Output: POS
She's Right - It Could Happen to You . This is an honest, funny, and sweet memoir of pregnancy and the first year as a parent. Brockenbrough takes us along on her journey as she lives the ups and downs of life as a new parent. It's sometimes funny, sometimes endearing, but always entertaining. Brockenbrough is not as outrageous as Jenny McCarthy, which is a good thing, because her book will appeal to everyone. It could be you in this book, for all intents and purposes, and reading someone else's first experience with parenthood is sure to arm a new mom with insights and hope.
Output: POS
The Pool Party by Gary Soto, Robert Casilla (illustrator) . I believe that third and fourth graders would really enjoy this text about this Mexican American youngster.  Children would also enjoy the occasional Spanish included in the text.  The only problem: Soto does not include a glossary this time.  Oh well, Soto does a great job of portraying a family that understands what it means to really work for a living and teaches kids not to take everything for granted.  Soto stays away from the sterotypical "lazy mexican"
Output: POS
Don't judge a book by its cover . I bought this book for my Pre-K class, to go along with our weather unit on Rain. The cover looked so nice I thought it would be a great book. In fact, the illustrations are quite nice; the problem is there's really no story here. The language doesn't flow; its very choppy. The children didn't enjoy this book, and have not asked for it to be read again. Good children's literature should have a story to it: a setting, problem and solution; a definite beginning, middle and ending; and well-defined characters. This book has none of that
Output: NEG
Not worth it . This was the first book by Daniel Steel that I laid my hands on....Really could not make out how she strikes the chord with the readers. There are so many open ends in the story...chartacters are not distinctly outlined...Tremendous scope of improvement on the story is there
Output: NEG
Perfect! . Brand new condition, fast shipping, good pricing.  I have nothing but raves for this Amazon partner!  Thank you
Output: POS
sort of cheating . This book is exactly the same as "Handbook of Technical Writing" by same authors. The only difference is in the cover picture and colors. I think it is not a cool thing to sell the same book with two names without mentioning it. So if you have that one, do not buy this one. They are exactly the same
Output: NEG
Boot Camp . I read Making The Corps by Thomas Ricks a long time ago. This is the classic U S Marine Corps recruit  yellow footprints/boot camp/drill instructor/obstacle course/rifle range story. You can't put the book down. Even if you know the story, it is good to hear it again. Buy it. Lately, the quality of the writing of Marine Corps literature has climbed. This book should be sold with One Bullet Away: The Making Of A Marine Officer by Nathaniel Fick. Fick gives us the story of the training a Marine officer candidate receives at Quantico.  Fascinating reading. Fick tells a story that is often hinted at in other books but is rarely told. If you have only one of these books, then you must buy the other. These two books are classic Marine Corps literature. They are both required reading in the Marine library
Output: POS
Good guide for dealing with common problem behaviors . This is a clear, well written guide to dealing with behaviors every parent faces. It offers sound advice on how to deal with behaviors from whining to bullying and when to seek professional help. Advice is presented well with main points highlighted and clear examples of how to apply the advice. It was extremely well laid out and easy to read. I particularly enjoyed the information on causes of behaviors as well as dealing with them. By the end of the book, parents have a clear idea of how to figure out what is causing a behavior and have some suggestions on how to change or eliminate the behavior
Output: POS
The Globalization of Guilt . 1. The persective of most writers is shaped by their own experience. Dr.Steele is an American Black, a baby boomer, a member of the academic elite, a liberal arts major, and a political "conservative".This certainly affects his perpective when he discusses social issues.    2. I felt that he was on pretty solid ground and made some good points when he was telling about his own experiences growing up in a segregated America and during the civil rights movement. His take on the psychological hangover after the 1964 passage of Civil Rights legislation regarding the attempts by the white power structure to regain "moral authority" by doing GOOD....and the black power advocates ready acceptance of those attempts... helps explain some of the dysfunctional after- effects that are still with us.     3. Where I disagree with his analysis - speaking from my own experience and perspective of course - is that he takes the race issue which he says has been pretty well settled in the US and then blows it all out of proportion by saying that white guilt is the underlying cause of nearly every difficult social issue in the last 50 years! And he blames the "dissociating liberals" (whoever they are) for attempting to deal with these social issues. Excuse me, but I recall Nixon and the Reaganites being in power for awhile and the Bush dynasty is still with us and I haven't seen a lot of effort being done to get-together and fix things for average folks here in the good ole US of A. Of course pressing the GUILT button in this mainly Judeo-Christian culture is a sure fire way to get everyones attention.    4. My point is that by injecting  blatant partisanship into the discourse he took a premise that people of all persuasions might coalesce around and instead divides us even further.His statement about Red and Blue States was a hoot! How is this helpful? Where are his suggestions for improvement - other than that he thinks Bush & Co. now have the "moral authority" that has been so lacking in America? Some might be inclined to disagree.    5. Finally, as a black Dr. Steele misreads me as a white liberal in that I have never felt guilty about my white heritage - only ashamed for the historically extremely dysfunctional behavior of many of our fellow humans - themselves victims of misbegotten religious dogma.If we stop trying to improve our world just because we make mistakes in the process.........and if we fail to learn the lessons of the past,we will be condemned to repeat them or be blown into outer space.Not a happy prospect for this social progressive and fiscal conservative.
Output: NEG
an inspiring read . a wonderful book to read any time, but especially when you are searching for answers to why you hurt and how you can help yourself and your family not hurt anymore.  I love the idea that WE have the power to heal ourselves (some would say miraculously).  We DO NOT have to feel dependant upon the "Gods" of medicine and pharmacies in order receive a false "cure"  Heal yourself...for good!  Read this book then make a way to go to one of his classes.  It will change your life
Output: POS
Valuable? - Perhaps for somebody who has never had a real eye for other cultures . Hofstede's work was and is not really helpful; perhaps fascinating for those who deal with the issues from the comfortable space of their warm home of office in a western country.  For all who want to get a fundamental insight to understanding espec. Asian behavior and cultural differences, I highly recommend to start with: "The Geography of Thought : How Asians and Westerners Think Differently...and Why -- by Richard Nisbett".  That's the stuff that will bring you where Hofstede could never dream to be
Output: NEG
So You Wanna Start a Revolution? . Common Sense is a must read for all citizens of the USA and world seeking liberation from long established regimes. In this short, but well written published pre-revolutionary work, Paine makes the argument for a complete separation from England.    In a time when many were not sure separation was the correct option, Thomas Paine spells out 100 % revolution in clear English that provided the spark for the Declaration of Independence. It was the straw that broke the camel's back and there would be no turning back. A true piece of fine USA history
Output: POS
A Primer on Iraq . I saw Dr. Polk on C-SPAN a month or two ago.  He was addressing a gathering of concerned and apparently well-heeled citizens in the New York Museum of Art--as I recall.  He had the crowd and the moderator in the palm of his hands.  I found him to be a compelling speaker who obviously was very versed in the subject matter of Iraq.  He seemed to genuinely care about the Iraqi people--and the Amercian people.  His speech and this book was about correcting our "present march of folly"--to steal from Barbara Tuchman's fine book title.    This book is a primer on Iraq from Dr. Polk's point of view.  It does offer a "broad sweep" of Iraqi history in a mere 200+ pages.  It's purpose is obviously as an introductory historical primer for literate, reasonably educated Americans so that they can understand the basic historical circumstances leading up to the present conflict.  I think he wrote the book to try to change more American minds and effect a change in our present policy.  That change seems to be coming about as I hit these keys.  Both the Iraqi public and American public seem to be losing patience with the present intolerable set of affairs in Iraq.    It's quite unfortunate that some of the Amazon reviewers have so much trouble accepting some very basic facts.  They, like the occupant of the White House and the rather motley crew that surrounds him seem to live in their own separate reality.  We need, as a people, to give up our collective fairy tales about our country, its leaders, and its forever "good intentions."      This is a very approachable book.  Highly recommended for those who have little background in the history of Iraq.  Another very good book that another reviewer recommended is:  "The Future of Iraq" by Liam Anderson and Gareth Stansfield.  Their analysis results in the conclusion that Iraq will break into 3 pieces.  Hopefully, in some sort of federated pattern rather than as warring nations.  I remember Seymour Hirsch saying that the three part outcome was virtually inevitable given the circumstances on the ground in Iraq.  He based this on his sources in Iraq.  He made this statement in the spring on C-SPAN.  Seems quite prescient.
Output: POS
Wonderful . I had to read a biography so I picked an amazing artist, George Harrison Behind Sad eyes teels his life from his small years to his sad death a must read for any Beatles fan      ~Tinkerbell  Queen  BoNeZi
Output: POS
If you would like to see how a psychic lives her life and how . her abilities affect her, then this diary will interest you. Ms. Choquette comes across as a charming, friendly person whom one would love to have over for dinner. She writes about her parents (especially her mother) and how her large family was close and sort of quirky. She describes her early psychic experiences and her training with two teachers who open her abilities up even more and teach her about life.     The most enjoyable part of the book for me was the descriptions Sonia gave of clients, mostly from the 70s -- lime green hot pants, bouffant hairdos, tie-dyed t-shirts and platform shoes...those were the days...how did anyone get a date back then?      The only criticism I have about the book is that Ms. Choquette  mentions several times that her family was Catholic and religiously so. I do not doubt her family's religious sensbilities, but the Church teaches against almost everything that Sonia practices and believes -- reincarnation, clairvoyance, ascended masters, divination with tarot cards, spirit guides, etc. I don't think it is possible to be a Catholic in the sense of someone who believes in the dogmas of the Church and be a New Ager as Sonia is. She also says that she prayed the rosary before her readings and one of her teachers said that she would attract only good spirits that way, but she also needed to pray the Our Father. The rosary requires the recitation of the Our Father at least 6 times, so I was confused when Sonia said she then began to pray the Our Father as well. I wonder what rosary she was praying.
Output: POS
A New Classic for Years to Come . "Don't Play In the Sun" by Marita Golden  ***5 Stars    This is a very disturbing subject, especially if you are lightskinned like me.  Luckily, Marita Golden handles it with a lot of tenderness and care for others.    I liked Marita Golden's book more than The Color Complex, because her life story gave it a specially intimate dimension.    I would recommend this along with anything by Kola Boof, an Ethiopian author who has really been bringing this subject up in ways that literally stop the blood in your veins.  Her novel "Flesh and the Devil" breaks this issue down but it's not for the squeamish.  She's like Hardcore compared to Marita Golden and most authors I've read.    I'm going to read "The Bluest Eye" next.    "Don't Play In the Sun" is a NEW CLASSIC.  People will be reading this for years.
Output: POS
Yes, Stephen King really IS that good . HEARTS IN ATLANTIS by Stephen King   THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON by Stephen King     Two reviews in one? What up with that? Well, I read HEARTS IN ATLANTIS some time ago and, beyond "rah rah go read this," I said it exposed my inadequacies as a reviewer. How stupid was that? I'm going to try again.     I finished reading MY LIFE by Bill Clinton late one Tuesday afternoon, then immediately picked up THE MAN WHO LOVED TOM GORDON. I figured my old friend Stephen King could clear my exhausted mind. He immediately pulled me in, and I read it in a single sitting. It's gripping stuff. Incredibly realistic, insightful regarding human nature, and it'll scare your pants off. The Master is most definitely at the top of his game with this book. Ditto with ATLANTIS.     Authors, how do you feel when you spend months (years?) writing a book only to have some reader say he polished it off in a single evening? Actually, I think you oughta feel good. No writer, not even Isaac Asimov, could/can be sufficiently prolific to be the only one a reader ever needs. I think this is very cool, and I love working with fellow authors to promote this thing we do.     Okay, back to my book review. King was always great, right? But there came a point where a certain sameness crept in. It's hard to define, perhaps, but you know what I mean. I don't think he was having as much fun as he used to, and after a time, neither were we.     Then came ON WRITING, which I never run out of breath raving about, and now books like these. He's scaling back the supernatural, which never bothered me at all, because he's found even scarier things to write about. The Master has raised his game, and it's a joy to know I've got a big old pile of unread Stephen King novels downstairs. Expect more rave reviews.     Oh, and Stephen, if you're reading this, and you ever get the desire to raise your game yet again, just let me know. I'll go rent a truck and hit you with it. (It's a joke. Just like the idea that YOU subscribe to MY rag. I know you'd rather read DAVE'S RAG.)
Output: POS
Lindskold is back on track . In the fourth installment in Jane Lindskold's ongoing Wolf series,  the heroine Firekeeper, her sentient wolf companuion Blind Seer, and her friend Derian Carter have all been kidnapped and taken to a nation called Loglimi well south of the locales of their previous adventures.  The Loglimish are aware of the intelligence of the 'royal beasts' Firekeeper was raised by, and the creatures play an important part in their religion; so the prospect of being able to establish through Firekeeper better communication with the wise beasts is enticing and, at the same time, potentially threatening to many Loglimi.  As in the opener of the series, Firekeeper's entry into the court, or in this case temple, produces considerable friction.    Firekeeper is soon busy investigating the strange relationship between the Loglimi and their animals; at the same time (and the reader may have to stretch a bit to accept this development) she learns more of her own background.  And there are, of course, nefarious plots underway which require the unique talents of Firekeeper, Blind Seer, and Derian to defeat them.     No time is wasted in setting up the story; the capture takes place before the first page.  As a result, the other continuing characters from the series aren't present at all.  But the removal to a new location avoids the feeling of staleness that crept into the previous volume.  That makes this the best book in this series since the first
Output: POS
A modern masterpiece . Dispossessed and alienated by the death of his grandfather, the divorce of his parents, and the imminent sale of the ranch where he grew up, 16-year-old John Grady Cole heads for Mexico with his friend Lacey Rawlins to pursue the lives of traveling horsemen.  They find a hard, Darwinian world where the weak and foolish suffer.  Cole is scrupulously ethical and strong-willed, and he needs to be.  Every time he shows love or compassion for another, he is made to suffer for it, and only his own strength of character allows him to persevere.    Cormac Mccarthy's prose style is challenging at first, but I soon grew accustomed to it.  His long galloping sentences effectively emulate the rhythm of travel, and his simple yet often startling turns of phrase bring the landscape of the Texas/Mexico border region to vivid life.
Output: POS
A Few Stars Short of a Constellation . I recently purchased this book and was somewhat disappointed when I sat down to read it. The subtitle is &quot;Games &amp; Puzzles to Stimulate Your Creativity &amp; Imagination&quot;. Actually, there are only some  thirty such puzzles and many of them are 'old chestnuts'. However, my  biggest complaint is the lack of accuracy. The very first puzzle (p. 20)  has a mistake in it. Then in 'Mental Counting' (p. 161), the author claims  that the letters O and U are not symmetrical about the vertical axis. As  for 'Three-dimesional Dots' (p. 199) the text states &quot;Below is a  collection of random dots.&quot; Unfortunately, the random dots have been  omitted. So much for &quot;something remarkable&quot; happening as the  author claims. And how's this for one of the three (yup, only three)  lateral thinking puzzles? What common word begins with IS, ends with ND,  and has LA in the middle? I bet that really stretched your brain, didn't  it? Sorry, but Mr. Wujec's editor should be fired. These glaring mistakes  and omissions have scuttled any enjoyment I may have expected from this  book. I suspect the author was motivated by the commercial success of his  previous book. He should have waited until he had something of value before  publishing this schlock
Output: NEG
Not one of his best . I enjoy the Hillerman Navajo mysteries because the characters are well developed. Not so in this book. I found the first half really boring and hard to get through. The characters were not people you could care about, an important issue for me
Output: NEG
Let him walk the plank - You go read something else . At the end of this diatribe, the author admits that they don't want him back cruising. And I don't blame them. He is just one of those passengers that you can't please no matter what. Is he fussy? Let facts be submitted to a candid world: Quote: "On the ultra luxury Radisson Diamond, the same waiters that served my partner and me were also serving a table of senior officers and VIPs. Their mineral water was poured from a bottle wrapped in a white napkin; our mineral water - the same brand (how did he know if theirs was wrapped?) -- was poured without the napkin." Holy cow! Mineral water without a napkin - How dare they! At the same sitting, the author complains of a fish head that has fish eyes staring out at him and, guess what, the fish smells fishy! That's an earthquake! More complaints: The food isn't any better than a three star hotel! (Ever stay at a three star hotel in France? The food is super.) More whines: The VIPs get special treatments and special parties (Shocking!), the music around the pool is too loud, too rap and hard rock, the free wine on board only costs the cruise line only $2, he cracked a tooth and the cruise line wouldn't pay his dental bill until he got a lawyer friend who obtained the money plus "a meager compensation." But the thing that bothered me the most was his inconsistency. He berates the industry for alleged mistreatment of their employees and yet he himself seems to cause those employees more trouble that 99% of the other passengers and he can't figure out why those employees, like the bartender on page 157, whom he nagged for several days, hate him so much. He berates the passengers and ships for causing pollution, yet he himself has taken (and presumably will try to take) multiple cruises. The massive improvements in waste management and sanitation and pollution control and fuel efficiency are dismissed as not enough. He nitpicks about occasional oil spills but fails to mention that according to the US Coast Guard 99% of the oil pollution of the seas comes from natural sources, mainly undersea vents. But what's this? The author's website which is billed as a "noncommercial site regularly updated with links to reports, investigations, and new developments regarding labor, ship safety, and security" is not functioning. The website isn't function just the way this book isn't functioning. The best treatment for the likes of him is to throw him overboard or make him walk the plank. If you want to know about cruising, instead of reading this piece of junk, get a hold of any book by John Maxtone-Graham. His "The Only Way to Cross" is a classic.
Output: NEG
not as good as King Leopold's ghost, but still worth the read... . After reading King Leopold's Ghost, I was looking for a good synopsis of what happened in the post-colonial era.  After a few weeks of searching, I settled on In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz. Both were fascinating books that give great insight on the problems with the Congo.  Both are written in a style that is highly readable, entrhalling and at the same time informative.
Output: POS
The Sign of the Beaver . This is a book about a boy named Matt and his adventures.  Matt's father goes back to Quincy to get Matt's two sisters and his mom.  Matt has to survive in the woods alone.  He might even make friends with some unexpected people.  I really liked The Sign of the Beaver because it had a good beginning and showed a lot of emotion within the characters.  When the author wrote about one part of the book, I thought there was going to be a different ending.  I was very surprised about what the ending really was.  The author described the book with very interesting words that really explained what the story is about.  Matt makes friends with an Indian boy named Attean.  Their relationship is complicated.  This book is one of the best novels I've ever read. I hope you get a chance to read it
Output: POS
The Best Of Catron . I remain firmly in agreement with my good friends, who wrote the critique below.  The very best of Catron's texts, this book inspires immediate enthusiasm and, therefore, interaction with the author.  I'll hang onto my  original hardcover copy until it turns to dust, and continue to use it  while both writing and teaching.  An inspired text
Output: POS
Subtitled "Hire Gallup" . We use Gallup at my workplace.  Gallup is an excellent organization and we're better for working with them.  However, this was too much.  It's not a book.  It's a brochure.  Their Engagement Index is brilliant, but you can skim the other 260 pages without missing anything important.
Output: NEG
Sinks like a stone, stinks like a monkey . This is the first book by Deaver that I have read.  Apparently there are a couple of prequels to this novel involving the same main characters -- I will never read them.    Deaver has adequate style and a talent for pacing a mystery thriller.  He also has some skill in character development; however, he only applies this skill to the secondary characters in this story.  Perhaps the main characters in this story appeared so flat to me because I have not read the other novels in this series, but judging by their inconsistent behavior, bizarre motivations, and the melodramatic dialogue in this novel I doubt the other books could be much better.  Worse than Deaver's hackneyed mystery cut-out-characters is his insistence that the reader be willing to accept the most unbelievable and unlikely situations for the sake of a dramatic situation or plot twist.  Like many other second-drawer mystery writers, Deaver portrays such notable organizations as the FBI, INS, US Coast Guard, and the NYPD as ridiculously inept and corruptible.  Nor has he made any attempt to research the actual policies and procedures that these organizations would follow in the situations presented in the story.  Deaver also has a poor grasp on the politics of international economics.  This is normally excusable in a mystery writer, but since Deaver sets Chinese/American economics as the foundation of his final plot twist the whole story comes crashing down in the final chapters of the novel.         A note to Deaver and other mystery writers:  it is not a requirement for a great detective to be a pompous jerk and an abrasive know-it-all.  It has been 115 years since Doyle introduced the world to Sherlock Holmes, and we have had 115 years of mediocre mystery writers plagiarizing Doyle's character.  Please try to be original.     And also, if the final "twist" in your story is so complicated and so unbelievable that you must expend two chapters in trying to explain it, perhaps it shouldn't be there in the first place.  I give this book a D.
Output: NEG
Neither Thrilling, nor Chilling. . I'm scared to death of aliens, and I love nothing more than a good campfire tale, so I was so excited when I found this book.  I expected it to be a collection of great, creepy, true-sounding stories, kind of like urban legends, that you could tell to a group of friends to keep them up at night.  Boy, was I wrong.  It's just a collection of short stories about aliens.  Most of them are more sci-fi like than scary.  I was expecting stories of the traditional "alien encounter" type, but that's not what's in here.  They're not horribly written, just not really what the book promises.      The shape of the book is great, though.  It's got a sturdy cover, and it's made sort of like a field guide.  If it did contain creepy tales to tell around the campfire, it would be perfect to stuff in your backpack.  Too bad.
Output: NEG
Master of figure and fantasy . This book collects a series of Boris' paintings, plus a few very detailed pencil drawings, done between 1979 and 1982. If you're not already familiar with Boris' work - well, you probably are whether you know it or not. He has done years work of book covers for Edgar Rice Burroughs, as well as reams of posters. The one constant through all his work is passion for the human form and human power, both male and female.    These paintings range from the lush and sensual to humorous or macabre. A hookah come to life has a demonic presence, but a bar of soap come to life (and licking the bather) is more charming and a little silly. Even the simplest pictures have overtones - that bather is truly a beautiful woman, leaving me just a little envious of such close contact. Maybe not envious either, but off in thoughts of my own. And the preface is right, 'erotic' is much too simple a word for all the different feelings and combinations of feelings that come from having or holding a strong, healthy body.    My only complaint is a sameness in the female figures presented. The faces are beautiful, long and elegant, but mostly the same. The figures - the one figure, really is beautiful, but I value the uniqueness of a figure and the differences between figures. Cloning can serve a narrative purpose, certainly, but sameness wears. Even the loveliness of Danielle Anjou, acknowledged as a principal model and collaborator, wears.    Boris is the master of the figure in fantasy art, and has been for many years. This is a great sample from an earlier time in his career. It's almost impossible not to like.    //wiredweir
Output: POS
Give Me a Break! . This is frustrating to write actually. When will the public demand a real full featured autobiography of the Hells Angels rather than run from one loose lipped so called biker expert a la Yves Lavignes and not to stand up and honourable Angel himself. The public needs to read the real deal on what makes this a club versus a gang. This is a big boys club and they all work hard and party hard. These so-called authors make the club out to be nothing but murderers, drug dealers, rapists, and extortionists...however, a quick glance through any newspaper clearly prints in black and white the people we should be concerned about whn it comes to our safety and privacy are none other than police officers themselves. Remeber the boggeyman your parents warned you about and you grew up to realize the boogeyman didn't exist? Well, same goes to the Hells Angels in regards to the outright idiotic lies that have long fueled media hype and lined the budgets of the most corrupt police forces in big cities across Canada and the U.S. At the end of a day, whether your a biker or an accountant, nobody likes a rat. Anyhow, save your money and get the [...] for the bigger picture
Output: NEG