niryuu/sni-each-converted huggingface dataset:
Steven Travers writes with a unique insight . With the multitude of books written regarding the sport of baseball, Steven Travers writes with a unique insight into not only the sport, but the day to day lives of Bonds and his peers.  As a former professional baseball player, Travers touches on the subject matter with a unique insight and perspective.  Additionally, Travers attended and graduated from USC during the time Bonds played at Arizona State (Pac-10).  As such, Travers is not only a writer, but a fan.  Travers not only documents Bond's achievement of becoming baseball's all-time single season homerun champion, but he touches on Bond's trials and tribulations with his peers and the media.  Ultimately, the reader soon realizes that Travers was able to do what many has tried and failed at; that is, he was able to garner the respect and support of Bonds in the ability to tell his amazing story to the whole world.  As a former Pac-10 pitcher at USC who battled Bonds on many occasions, I found Traver's insight very refreshing and commendable.  I found the book a very easy read that kept me entertained throughout.     '
Output: POS
JOB APPROVAL DOWN TO 38% . and falling...The cover photo makes Bush look thoughtful, somber and deep. What a crock! The president isn't "misunderestimated". If anything this administration was given a free ride after 911. (Where IS Cheney, BTW?) And Dubya, who has yet to string together a coherent sentence, is an embarrassment. That vaunted Yale degree has to be courtesy of the elder Bush's wealth and connections. How can Bill Sammon can write such tripe in the face of this inane war, nation-building, huge deficits, and the sophomoric, cavalier mentality of Bush? Hey Sammon, we've now been in Iraq 2-1/2 years. It isn't enough that we've donated several hundred billion to build state of the art hospitals, roads, electrical grids, etc. for these people? BTW, there is concern there aren't enough educated Iraquis to actually operate these facilities. It isn't enough that Iraqis gas up their vehicles for pennies per gallon while U.S. citizens pay ridiculous prices. The Iraquis are still letting our people do all the heavy lifting - and dying. Only 1,500 Iraqui troops are adequately trained to date? You have to wonder if these people have the desire or the guts to defend their own freedoms. Speaking of defense, when is Bush going to do something about the southern borders with Mexico. Illegal immigration is up 23% since this man took office and we are paying a heavy price. AZ and NM have already declared a state of emergency. Texas is overrun. Illegals are overwhelming schools, emergency rooms, welfare systems. Meanwhile Bush bicycles on his 1600 acres of Texasss brushland, kisses Vicente Fox's behind, panders for Latino votes to maintain power, and refers to peaceful U.S. citizens trying to monitor our borders as "vigilantes". But he protects the borders of Iraq and Afghanistan with our military. This man is at the least incompetent, and at the worst treasonous. I'm embarrassed to admit I voted for this dumbkopf.
Output: NEG
Unwaiveringly BIASED and UNBALANCED . Throughout this book Mr. Shulman denigrates the contribution of the Wright Brothers.  His bias is so prevalent throughout the book that I found myself shaking my head as I read blatantly contradictory statements within 5 lines of each other.  The author's opinions and accusations are either based on his limited research or his intentional omission of fact.  If you're even considering buying this book, I would direct you to the author's own words following a completely inane paragraph of conjecture about Orville Wright............&quot;Or perhaps not.&quot;  That about sums up this biased inaccurate ploy concealed in the history section
Output: NEG
Keynes never supported deficit finance(or functional finance) . J. M. Buchanan's(JMB)book is completely mistitled and out of date.Nowhere in any of Keynes's writings does Keynes ever advocate a policy of deficit finance,which is actually the brain child of Abba Lerner,a member of the American Keynesian-Neoclassical Synthesis school of economics.Lerner used the term functional finance to describe deficit finance.During a visit to America in 1944 as the representative of England's Treasury Department,Keynes totally disagreed with Lerner's approach.Keynes's approach is an advanced version of the cyclically balanced budget first laid out in clear terms to the Pharaoh by Joseph some 3,700 years ago-build up a surplus in the good years that will cover the deficits of the bad years.This is the first statement of what economists call a countercyclical fiscal policy.Keynes's additional provision is that the budget be split into two categories-one of which would be a capital budget.The government could only run deficits in the provision of capital projects in public infrastructure(building dams,reservoirs,water projects-irrigation networks,seaports,airports,public transportation projects,public schools,colleges and universities,public research laboratories,etc.,)that would pay for themselves in the long run.Nor was Keynes an advocate of tax cuts in an economic downturn except for temporarily suspending the  social security tax for workers only.Keynes's major policy recommendation was the maintenance of low interest rates combined with a central bank policy of eliminating loan availability for speculative undertakings(greenmail,leveraged buyouts,hostile takeovers,margin account loans,corporate raiders,junk bonds,etc.).The correct title for JMB's book up until 1981 is"Democracy with minor to moderate deficits:The Political Legacy of the American Keynesian-Neoclassical Synthesis School".After 1981,JMB should have retitled his book as"Democracy and Catastrophic Deficits:The Political Legacy of Laffer,Reagan,and the 12 years of the Two  Bush Presidencies" .The national debt when President Reagan took office stood at 925 billion dollars.As of July,2005,the national debt will have surpassed 8 trillion dollars.The Libertarian-pseudo conservative policies of tax cuts,borrowing and excessive spending of  8 years of Reagan and 12 years of the two Bush presidencies has increased our national debt by a factor of 9.JMB needs to completely rewrite his book.First,he needs to incorporate the theoretical foundations of the story of Joseph and the Pharaoh from the Old Testament.He will probably need to purchase a bible in order to correctly cite verse and page.Second,he needs to obtain a copy of Keynes's General Theory and read what Keynes actually wrote and not what Henry Hazlitt claims what Keynes meant in his 1959 "Failure of the 'New Economics'".
Output: NEG
Chronicles of Narnia . This is a great journey into Narnia. I enjoyed every book and every chapter.  I know everyone I talked to has read this book as a child, I think they need to re-read as an adult and really dig deeper into each chapter.
Output: POS
Unethcial, immoral, impractical . This book teaches people the unethical way to advertise on the internet - spamming.  Following these methods, at worse, will put you in legal trouble. At best, you will be making money unethically and making lots of people angry.  These stupid get rich quick internet schemes don't work anyways... don't waste your time or money
Output: NEG
Extremely disappointing. . Although claiming to be a study of human-animal relationships, this book  offers an endless recital of man's inhumanity to man, to support the book's  theme that man's history with animals has been even worse. Very poorly  thought out and extremely long-winded, this book reads like an overblown  Usenet message--&quot;those other people are all so horrible, but we animal  lovers are OK, aren't we?&quot; Oddly, Serpell seems so rooted in the very  &quot;human supremacist&quot; philosophy that he rails against, that he  ends up reinforcing that very philosophy. Not enlightening at all; I feel  like a pall has been cast over my relationships with both people and  animals. You would learn far more by taking the money and time you might  waste on this book, and spending them on your own dog or cat or whatever  animal you please
Output: NEG
Exactly what I needed . I purchased this book for my 17 year old daughter. She needed it for an assignment at school. The book was exactly what she needed.  It shipped fast and is in great condition
Output: POS
A+ Seller . Book was brand new. Can't wait to take it on vacation with me
Output: POS
125 best cupcake recipies . there are a lot of original and wonderful flavor ideas.  many of the recipies are quite pricey to make due to the liberal use of dutch cocao powder.  the basic cake recipie on which most of the cupcakes are based makes a rather dry cake that has a rough texture.  the basic frosting recipie is too dense.  i like the flavors but not the recipies.  i have adapted the basic cake and frosting recipie making the end products much lighter and airier, with good results
Output: NEG
Knew it was bad after three pages . I'm sorry, but I expect more out of a book. Beginning on page one the character development was infantile and the writing sophomoric. After reading beautiful books such as Cold Mountain and Brideshead Revisited, to mention just two, I found that this book started off so poorly and was so amateurish that I knew it would be a plot-driven monstrosity that wouldn't be worth the read. At page four I was fed up with the author's style and slammed the book shut
Output: NEG
Systematic Theology is an Outstanding Theological Work . To be quite frank with you, I was simply going to come online and recommend that you do not buy the abridged version, but make certain that you are getting the full, unabridged 4 volume set.  However, I was surprised at reading one review which makes a comparison to Monty Python.  That reviewer also suggested that Chafer's approach was for a believer to check their mind at the door of a church before entering.     I must admit, I have no idea where this person is coming from.  Chafer has one of the most careful, logical and systematic approaches to theology that I have ever read (and I have a huge library).  I know of several pastors whose ministry was changed profoundly because of this one book.  There is nothing anti-intellectual about Chafer's approach; there is nothing which is dumbed-down.  Bear in mind, this is a 4 volume set.  My abridged version is about 1000 pages.  In particular, Chafer's approach to the Angelic Conflict is exemplary.     I have only one criticism, and that is with the abridged version: somethimes, a point will be made which is true, but the Scripture quoted is not directly on point.  I do not know if that is the fault of Chafer or the fault of the abridged text.     My recommendation is, if you are going to own just one book (or set of books) which cover nearly the entire realm of doctrine, this should be it.
Output: POS
US Centric - Not for Ex-Pats Living & Working at Country Ops . Long time reviewer, first time critiquer.  Enough to move me to take time out of my precious schedule to write.  As an American living and working abroad for a US based pharmaceutical company, the working mother lifestyle is entirely different.  The 100 Best Companies to Work only applies to the U.S. headquarters.  The reality is different for the subsidiary or country operations, where resources are limited and the culture is not supportive of the "flextime" approach.  In fact it is worst, because country operations are forced to "nudge" the books and offer what they call contractual permanent roles (not the equivalent as an employee role), which deprive the working mother of the necessary benefits needed to achieve a work-life balance.  As an American living in Australia, I am appalled, if not dismayed by this severe discrepancy.  For Ex-Pats living abroad, don't be fooled by the list.
Output: NEG
Responsible Freedom and Democracy, Handmaids of Human Happiness . Fareed Zakaria rightly forces his readers to think harder than they usually do about the interdependence existing between freedom and democracy.  In the West, constitutional liberalism, with its checks and balances, gave birth to modern democracy.  However, too much democracy can paradoxically lead to less freedom. Think for instance about humiliated Germany after WWI under the Weimar Republic and its subsequent mistreatment of different minorities for specious reasons under the Nazis.  Similarly, more choices can result into less accountability.  Think for instance about those who fail to plan financially for old age independent of a social security system increasingly at risk of insolvency due to shifting demographics.  In the U.S. and overseas, right without responsibility is usually as immoral and unjust as responsibility without right.  Unelected bodies such as the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Federal Reserve, or the World Trade Organization are a necessary evil.  Expertise of their respective members is judged more important than their democratic legitimacy to hopefully pursue the better good of either a human community or a society of sovereign states.  These unelected officials are not held accountable to the tyranny of instant gratification that too many elected officials perceive, rightly or wrongly, among a majority of their constituents.  Because unelected bodies are a necessary evil to account for human weaknesses, they should remain the exception rather than the rule.  Pleading for an increase in unelected bodies, though well-intentioned, could paradoxically lead to a weakening support of the best-in-class in their respective categories.
Output: POS
Passing Gas: And Others Towns on the American Highway . This was really interesting and not hard to read.  Enjoyed the information and laughs
Output: POS
For Advanced only . This book is attractively laid out and demonstrates (briefly) some techniques for people who have the knowledge to use them.  I don't have it unfortunately.  The authors say that knowing Photoshop would be "helpful"; I suspect it's required in order to do the digital printing described here.  They also recommend a more basic text on digital printing to understand this book, and that kind of knowledge also appears to be required.  That and a big printer!  If I were qualified to use the information, I would probably give it 4 or 5 stars.
Output: NEG
Men sharing . It is good that men should dwell together.  Men should share their experiences with eachother
Output: POS
Enron? . The Preface of this book reveals that the author's daughter &quot;completed three fascinating and challenging years as an analyst for Enron Corporation.&quot;  Indeed
Output: POS
WTFO -  This does not deserve a review but... . I am a Panama (Just Cause) & Desert Shield/Storm vet, and after seeing the movie I read the book... well almost all of it.  This guy is a problem child PERIOD! Pissed off at the world, pissed off at life, and very lucky I didn't get my hands on him.  Snipers are crazy as another review stated, but this guy is that 5% of the Corps that that can give the other 95% a bad name.  Some of the boredom issues were true, wives/girlfriends dumping us was true, etc... but overall this guy just REALLY ticked me off... but THAT IS HIS GOAL IN LIFE ISN'T IT... Books about God, Country, Corps; things that are still thought, and observed by every Marine may just not shock the masses as much as a book aboutsome discontented, nonhacker, shiptbird.
Output: NEG
A Disappointment . I couldn't finish this book and I'm not sure if the problem is in the writing or in the editing.  At times the author seems to take these great leaps based on one or two anecdotes from his life and it is just not convincing.  There are some interesting details here and there but for me, it was just too rambling and all over the map.
Output: NEG
ways for Loving Fully &amp; Living Freely . It is written from heart. There are lot of stories, real life events and observations. The single theme is GOD is love. In strict theological terms, it is vedantic or zen buddhist kind. In the chapter on Undoing  unworthiness, he rejects the sinner concept of Christanity. There are lot  of page length poems of deep meaning. There are some interesting diagrams.  It is a book one can read again and again atleast parts of it. Discussion  on Jesus in the chapter Dancin' up the path is interesting. It reminds  Capras's urge to equate Siva's dance and quantum vibrations
Output: POS
Exchanges are the foundation of weight and blood sugar managment. . There is nothing more basic for weight and blood sugar management than the food exchanges. They are called exchanges because the foods in each group can be exchanged with each other and still supply a similar amount of calories, proteins, carbohydrates, fats and other nutrients. "The Official Pocket Guide to Dieabetic Exchanges" is an excellent resource for  describing the nature and benefits of the exchanges.    I have been a diabetic since the age of 50. It is certainly easier to use the exchange system then laboriously counting calories and carbohydrates. They give us a short hand method of coming up with close approximations.     One thing that can also be of benefit to diabetics is the glycemic index which measures the impact of various carbohydrates on our blood sugar level. Glucose is given a value of 100. All other foods are ranked according to the percentage rise they cause as compared to glucose. For example, apple juice has a glycemic index of 40. This means that a serving of apple juice containing 25 grams of carbohydrates would cause a blood sugar rise that is 40 percent of that which would be caused by 25 grams of pure glucose.    Related to the glycemic index is the glycemic load which applied the glycemic index to serving sizes. To calculate the glycemic load the grams of carbohydrates (less the fiber) is multiplied by the glycemic index expressed as a percentage. An exchange of apple juice has 15 grams of carbohydrates. Multiplying this by 40% (glycemic index of 40) yields a glycemic load of 6. Now lets compare this to 15 gm of watermelon. Watermelon has a glycemic index of 72 which is higher than table sugar. The glycemic load of watermelon is 11 (15 x .72 = 11). Thus the impact of watermelon on our blood sugar is almost twice for the same level of carbohydrates. Fortunately, a half of watermelon only has six grams of carbohydrates as compared to a half cup of apple juice which has 14. Measured on a volume basis the apple juice actually has a higher glycemic impact. No such luck with a baked potato which has a glycemic index of 85. A half cup of baked potatoes has 38 grams of carbohydrate. This yields a glycemic load of 32 (38 X .95 = 32).    Determining the glycemic impact of foods does require more effort than just counting exchanges. But by getting involved in the details I have been able to lose nearly 80 pounds and am able to manage my blood sugar levels with diet and exercise. This has certainly been a worthwhile effort for me.  I am sure that it would be for others.    Good Eating
Output: POS
Not it. . I thought I had found the secret to making delicious artisan sourdough bread. I made the starter using grapes but sadly the bread was not up to my expectations. This book turned out to be a waste of money. The secret to the bread I am looking for wasn't in this book. I have tried Ed Wood's book and starters, the special Baparoma steam pan, etc. but am still searching for the perfect bread
Output: NEG
As a Certified Fixed Star Astrologer, this book is foundation material . I am one of a few Fixed Star astrologers in the world and no matter how much I read, study or research in this fascinating area, I will always come back to Ebertin's work. Though often his conclusions appear negative, if you will take them into the light of present life, you will understand how to derive the highest value for each star. For example when considering Algol, the star connected to beheadings, one can examine the aspects to this star and discover the person may have a tendency to lose their head in the aligned matters astrologically described. A star of extreme passion, Algol will also reflect the exact statements indicated by Ebertin - take Princess Diana's death or Nicole Simpson - both active under Algol at the time of their deaths.   I do not believe you can consider yourself knowledgable in fixed stars without this book. It is definitely one of the basic texts on the subject, others include the work of Robison, Guttman and of course recently Bernadette Brady.
Output: POS
The Ravings of a Futurist . This book has nothing to do with organizational change. It is simply the ravings of a futurist. There are plenty of good books of strategic organizational change, buy those instead
Output: NEG
Don't leave home without it . Recently, my wife and I went on holiday to the Bordeaux region to tour the vineyards. This book was extremely helpful in planning and executing the trip. As geography and 'terroir' are key to understanding wine, I know of no other book that gives a better overview of this mysterious and elegant beverage. It's a must buy for wine lovers
Output: POS
Beautiful and Brilliant . This collection of essays masterfully (or mistressfully?) weaves together autobiography, thealogy, feminist theory, and first-rate religious scholarship into an intoxicating blend that is at once moving and informative.  Christ raises many critical points that anyone doing contemporary theology (particularly Jewish or Christian) should seriously take under consideration.     I am an American male graduate student in philosophy of religion who is pretty familiar with writings in feminist theology/thealogy, and I must say that Christ's prose (in this book as well as her other work--"Rebirth of the Goddess" is my personal favorite) is some of the most lyrical and provocative stuff I have ever had the pleasure of reading.  This type of religious writing is just the breath of fresh air the often stagnant academy needs.  Taste and see for yourself
Output: POS
Disappointed . I am a huge fan of the first Quilts from the Quiltmaker's Gift publication.  I loved the book and have made three quilts that were inspired from the patterns found there.  This sequel, More Quilts from the Quiltmaker's Gift is inferior on nearly every level.  The patterns are not so interesting, and seem more fussy and complex.  In addition, in this sequel publication, the patterns are not rated by level of difficulty, which I believe is a detriment.  Finally, the actual quality of the book is not good.   Within a day of bringing it home from the store, the cover of the book had curled up like a wood shaving!   I think the authors would have done well to stick with the same publisher who put out their first effort.  About the only good things I can say about the book is that the instructions seem clear and the photos of other color options are helpful
Output: NEG
Woeful . I have been reading Cornwell for about a decade now and in the 1990's I thought of her as one of the very best of the best writers out there. Her first 5 or 6 novels were tremendous but since then she has slowly tapered off into mediocrity and this book - Trace - represents an all-time low.    The thing that got me was the level of the writing, it just seemed so flat and lifeless. I found it repetitive in the first chapter when Scarpetta is saying to herself that "she should have been told....". It just seemed so ordinary, almost as if someone else was writing this book and not a talented novelist like Cornwell.
Output: NEG
Great concepts that go nowhere. . I zipped through the first 100 pages of this book unable to put it down.  Unfortuneately the author seems to run out of gas after that.  The main character just goes on a big, boring sight seeing tour.  It reminded me of that show on the Travel Channel where that girl visits hotel after hotel fawning over the interior design. There is not a hint of conflict until the final pages and then it's very short-lived and quickly followed by one of the worst non endings I've ever read.  The book just stops.  Not a hint of resolution or even a cliff hanger pointing to a sequel.    It's a shame because Grimsley had some great concepts to work with.  In my experience novels that mix technology with magic usually fail at both, but Grimsley had a workable foundation he could have developed into something unique if he had focused on the SF concepts instead of minutiae.      Once in a while the characters stop admiring the drapes long enough to notice the GIANT FREAKIN' PORTAL BETWEEN TWO WORLDS--but enough about that.    Gee, what a lovely sofa..
Output: NEG
Fantastic Cookbook . I am a cookie-aholic and have many, many cookbooks.  This one is great and has lots of interesting, non-standard recipes, such as granola bars, cinnamon bun cookies, etc.  I have made many of the recipes and have had no complaints - only compliments
Output: POS
The Best Book I Read in 2005 . And the Band Played On is an act of phenomenal research and writing, and a very frightening book on many levels because of the political wrangling, political bumbling, and political disregard for a medical crisis which cost the lives of so many, the scientific in-fighting which slowed medical break throughs and sacrificed lives, and the insanity of national agencies which were supposed to be saving lives, but which in this case knowingly risked the lives of many either because they didn't want to do the work, didn't want to spend the money, or didn't want to anger certain political groups.  Gay men were deemed to be utterly dispensable by so many.      It's the sign of a good book when it brings out strong emotions.  This book provoked in me anger, rage, confusion, compassion, sadness, and tears.  I wish I could thank all those, like Don Francis, Dr. Michael Gottlieb, Dr. Selma Dritz, Marc Conant, Dr. Dale Lawrence, Paul Volberding, and Dr. Arye Rubenstein, who tried so hard, against such overwhelming odds, to save lives quickly.  I would also chastise President Ronald Reagan and Merve Silverman and give Margaret Heckler and Bob Gallo a piece of my mind -- the skunks!      I am thankful that there are politicians like Orrin Hatch and people behind the scenes like Bill Kraus and Cleve Jones.  Though he was woefully slow in responding I'm grateful for the response of C. Everett Koop and that once having made his stand he never wavered and took it to the media wherever he could.      Randy Shilts did an excellent job of showing the culture in the United States and France and the politics in the medical and scientific communities and the political posture and arena during the 1980s.  He also humanized the crisis by following many of the patients from onset of medical problems to death (Enno Poersch, Gary Walsh, Frances Borchelt, Bill Kraus, and Gaetan Dugas) and by following the doctors and scientists in their fight to discover the properties of this terrible disease and conquer it.  It was enlightening and helpful to have the book structured as a time line.      The amount and variety of research done for this book is astounding, requiring Shilts to conduct hundreds of interviews and read millions of pages of articles and medical material.  In reading this book, my education has been enhanced and my life is more full and forever changed.      It is a great tragedy that AIDS killed Randy Shilts as it had killed so many other innocents, and that as I write this there is still no cure for AIDS.  As far as I can tell, it is again being largely ignored by governments and the medical community.  Where will the next Randy Shilts, Bill Kraus, and Dr. Gottlieb and the other saviors come from--and will they come soon enough?
Output: POS
A powerful flop! . The title of the Riddle of the Sands is exotic but beyond that - this is an unbelievably boring tale of two friends who come together at some godforsaken islands to reveal a British traitor.  That's the gist of the novel. But what follows is a convoluted storyline full of slang, garbled nautical lingo rendered in half completed sentences that have no head or tail. Understanding such a text will require a supercomputer not to speak of a mere mortal. The writer seems to have written this book in some opium-induced hallucinatory trance. This is a heck of a one-way trip to self-congratulatory egotism, if I ever saw on
Output: NEG
Very disappointing unless you're in the (junior) target demographic . If you are a teenager or student in your early 20s and are fascinated with the big mysterious world of I-Banking, this book is for you. It starts from ground zero and provides a cursory explanation of what investment banking is, along with some guidance on career paths in the field.    If you are anyone else, forget it. As I struggled to maintain interest, I couldn't help but be reminded of a scene from the movie "Back to School", where Paxton Whitehead plays a B-school professor lecturing his class on how to start a business and Rodney Dangerfield plays a veteran businessman with no formal education. As Whitehead's character is pontificating about the nuances of how global interest rates affect the construction costs that a hypnothetical business will incur, Dangerfield's character can't help but blurt out "Why in the world would you build when you can rent in this market for half a buck a square foot and let someone else have the headaches of property management?". It quickly becomes apparent that the real-world experience of Dangerfield's character is far more useful than the off-topic theoretical knowledge of the professor. This author reminds me of Whitehead's character: Thoroughly vetted in academia and obviously having zero experience in the real world, and thus having zero useful real-world insight to share with his readers.    The most-cited references in the chapter bibliographies are the annual reports of the big I-banks, and the rest of the book is written at the same naieve, glossy-overview level.    In summary, if you want to know what it's like to serve in the Navy, you can get yourself a copy of the Navy's glossy brochure on what Navy careers are supposed to be like, or you can find a vet who's been in the Navy to tell you what it's really like. Reading this book is like reading the Navy's glossy brochure.
Output: NEG
Beatrice lives on . The book opens with both Beatrice's illegitimate children living together as cousins. John MacAndrew is away trying to get his fortune back after Beatrice stole it all in an effort to keep Wideacre for her children. Julia and Richard early on seem to represent the good and bad Beatrice. Julia resembles Beatrice, and she has her excellent horse riding skills, plus the ability to farm and work the land. All those were "the good Beatrice." Richard only has the insatiable hunger to keep Wideacre for himself and pass it on to his heir. He doesn't care about anything or anybody else. This represents "the bad Beatrice." At the end of Wideacre all Beatrice could think about was raising enough money to secure Wideacre for her heirs, and she turned a blind eye to the poverty and sickness that she was causing. I like how Philippa Gregory weaves historical facts into the story, such as how the poor had to live in order to survive, and how the landowners made such unfair laws, and how they controlled the courts. The parts of the book that were really aggravating to me were the ones where Julia had absolutely no backbone whatsoever.... especially after Richard rapes her. I think Celia and John would definitely have believed her, not Richard.   I have really liked every Philippa Gregory book, whether from the Other Boleyn Girl series or the Wideacre series. I'm looking forward to reading the last book, Meridon.
Output: POS
Easy to Understand, Hard to Put Down . This book is a brilliant example of mathematics at it's best. It is from Scientific American, so you know you can trust it. And it is written at an understandable level, quite a feat for many very complex topics. The book features incredible illustrations, every concept is laid out in a colorful image. If you like the works of M.C. Escher, you will like this book. It has a lot of substance to it, and it will keep you busy thinking for a long time, and that's time well spen
Output: POS
Way too descriptive and dull characters . Tried very hard to get through this book, but in the end gave up.  Don't need a paragraph to describe a blade of grass.  Put me to sleep
Output: NEG
Does NOT live up to it's title. . The contents of this activity book do not live up to the title.  Many are not "on the go" activities, let alone easy for little kids to follow without supervision.  As a teacher, this proved to be a poor investment of my time and money.  You would be best to not make the same mistake
Output: NEG
Beautiful Mystery of the Universe . Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos is the greatest book every written about the search for ultimate answers about the universe. But the science is secondary to the gallery of scientists who are revealed in all their pettiness, persistence and ultimately greatness. The story of Allan Sandage - from boyhood dreamer to discoverer of mysteries - could be a book in itself. This is a book of almost poetic prose - a real page-turner that I couldn't set down. Get it toda
Output: POS
Possitive and Incouraging . I am about half way through the book and I have been greatly encouraged by it.  When I am feeling down and read it it gives me some renewed strength.  I am personally a realist and reality can get you down.  I am from Katrina Ville which has been mentally challenging.  It was hard loosing our home, business location and a lot of friends.  Although I was fully insured and we are doing well the realization that you can loose it all so fast is depressing.  So many that have gone through it are not even as fortunate as I am.  So many around the world would love to trade places with me.    I am reading this one slowly and trying to absorb as much as I can.  Joel Osteen has been able to reach me with his positive message when others just couldn't.  I want to read it again when I am finished
Output: POS
Hunwick's Egg . A wonderful story of devotion! Mem Fox continues to be one of my favorite children's story tellers. Hunwick is a sweet little creature who remains loyal in spite of others' misgivings. The use of so many animals strange to the Americas makes the book even more wonderful, with delightful pictures to help with the story
Output: POS
Jewish Tenements . This is really an artful piece of work. Eisner was a revolutionary. He paved the way for stories that were embedded in reality. He really inspired another legend, Frank Miller who produced Daredevil's best run and Sin City. These are some really gripping stories that grasped at my heart strings I felt sorry for the wife of the alley singer, I felt sorry for the rabbi who lost his daughter, etc. Well it seems I just felt sorry for these folks.  If you're a comic fan, you love reality represented and you like tan and white (which Eisner said is the color people dream in) then this is the book for you
Output: POS
A Solid Sequel . While not as breathtaking as Kurkov's orginal "Death and the Penguin", this sequel was still highly amusing and captivating.  After Viktor abandons his pet penguin to save himself at the end of the last novel, "Penguin Lost" picks up with Viktor trying to make ammends for his earlier actions.  A great book, but you should read "Death and the Penguin" first, if you want to follow the plot
Output: POS
Faceless . Professor Swain wrote an incredible account of both black and white  representatives of African-Americans (both minority and majority districts)  in the US Congress.  She examines the history of blacks in Congress, the  definition of &quot;black interests,&quot; and the difference between black  descriptive and substantive representation.  The book was originally  written between the 1990 general election and the 1992 Presidential  election.  Although this may seem to make the book out of date, Dr. Swain  updated her manuscript with an addendum to the first edition.  This chapter  covers the Republican Sweep of the 1994 general election and discusses its  consequences to black descriptive and substantive representation.   'Black  Faces, Black Interests' can be highly relevent to the historically minded,  as the facts of the past shape the future.  In this end, the author can  have the most impact by educating readers, thus possibly touching the  future representatives of African-Americans
Output: POS
Disappointing . A thoroughly self-indulgent narrator abandons her family on a whim and ventures out (on her husband's dime?) to "discover herself" and experience the kinds of things her priviledged, sheltered life never offered her. The novel is nicely crafted, but the character is shallow and cloying--sadly, I think we're supposed to support her. I kept hoping she'd return home to an empty house.
Output: NEG
CHARLES DICKENS IS EXTREMELY OVERATED! . I love to read great books like BRAVE NEW WORLD by Aldous Huxley or FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD by Thomas Hardy. I love THE AENEID by Virgil, THE ODYSSEY by Homer. I read both long versions of LES MISERABLES and THE HUNCHBACK OF NORTE DAME by Victor Hugo. I read THE RISE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE by Gibbons and gained much knowledge from doing so. I LOVE TO READ.    But GREAT EXPECTATIONS was a GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT! I was somewhat amused until chapter ten where I felt the book became psycho-babble. I was also disappointed in TALE OF TWO CITIES. I could not endure the first two chapters! Dickens did a fine job on THE CHRISTMAS CAROL. But I will NEVER read another of his books
Output: NEG
SPECULATIVE FICTION DISGUISED AS ESSAY . What trash! What a paranoid book! A true work of tendentious and speculative fiction disguised as an essay.     No wonder that Amazon stands ready to sell this book for $0.35! Even then, it's a quarter and a half wasted. No wonder also that warmongers Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle gave it a note of thanks. It reads like their own propaganda in their conspiracy to take over American foreign policy and steer it to Israel's favor.    But the Mylroie-Wolfowitz-Perle cabal DID succeed in having the U.S. attack Iraq. This only shows the tremendous importance of propaganda and the strength of the pro-Israel lobby. Nazi Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's minister of propaganda, would be proud of Laurie Mylroie, since he  once said: "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."
Output: NEG
Escape, travesty and a waste of money! . This novel is a travesty and should never have been published.  I am so sorry that any of my money went to a company, Coronet, that would render such a great author's work into a chopped up mess.  Read Whirlwind, it is great and essentially you will get two books for one if you believe that Escape is one unto itself ( I obviously don't).  I was expecting further elaboration upon the story line of Azadeh and Erikki but it is just each section that pertains to them chopped out of Whirlwind and put into a separate novel, butchers!
Output: NEG
Samson Returns... . In the post-communist world, the Cold War espionage genre may seem a little dated. We have other concerns and fears on our minds now. But for reasons I'll get to below, this novel series is a stand-out from that era, and still well worth reading.    This book was actually written after the fall of communism, but the plot takes place a few years before it. In this book Samson returns to work for London Central and deals with a disastrous assignment in East Germany; an internal struggle to keep positions in a down-sizing agency; etc.  The book plot is interesting enough, but running alongside it are several series-length plots that continue to engross the reader: can Bernard and his wife Fiona rebuild their marriage after her apparent defection and return? In fact, can Fiona even recover from her ordeal? What about Gloria?    I just recently re-read the entire Bernard Samson series (of which this is the seventh out of nine novels). It is one of the best novel series I have ever read, and certainly one of the best espionage genre series ever. There are so many things to like about this series - the in-depth characterizations; the pithy observational asides about people and cultures; the references to multiple languages and their subtleties; the gritty European settings; the hidden plot developments and character motivations that the narrator either can't or won't see; etc.    The author claims that each of these books can be read on their own, and perhaps they could be. But you can get a lot more enjoyment out of it if you start at the beginning with _Berlin Game_ (or even better yet - start with the WWII prequel: _Winter_).
Output: POS
BIG disappointment . The acclaim and good reviews for this book are mistaken - it is average work by an above average artist who his a sophomore slump with this, his second book. Sleeping by the Mississippi, as derivative as it may be, was deeper and more soulful than this work which offers not much new in contemporary photography.
Output: NEG
"secrets" revealed . The Reiki techniques are presented in a simple easy to understand format.  I appreciated the author sharing the healing and psychic attunements; other Reiki authors only mention them and never explain how they are performed
Output: POS
Revolutionary . I used to hate lap swimming but now I love it, and it's because of this book. Laughlin has reinvented swim instruction. He's made it fun. He's made it easy. And the resulting stroke is heaven.    The exercises do take some effort and dilligence to master. But if you go slow don't move on until you have mastered each exercise, as instructed, you'll open up a whole new world of swimming enjoyment. I often feel like I'm flying in the water. This former water buffalo now swims like a fish.     Note: there's a brand new Total Immersion book being touted on the TI website, which I haven't read. You may want to look into that, instead. Also, some reviews and TI suggest the DVD as the best method, but that wasn't the case for me. In my case, it was the clear, detailed instructions in the book that made it happen.
Output: POS
The Best . 'nuff said.  It's simply the best book you could read if you own an aircooled VW.  Read it cover to cover, follow it's advice and you have a good headstart on being a great owner
Output: POS
Simply Fabulous . A fabulous guidebook for art, nature, science and music lovers.  Complete with historical backgrounds of each museum along with samples of collections. Insight Guides had done a great job in providing readers with museums' operation hours/days. It's easy to use maps are useful in locating the numerous museums and galleries. A star that will help you plan a perfect vacation! Don't forget to check out other Insight Guides' museum series for other European cities.  You'll love them
Output: POS
Rambling . I don't claim to be near as knowledgeable as the author, but this book rambled forever and I don't feel it ever addressed the issue raised in its title.  I got nothing out of it.  Probably just over my head
Output: NEG
Disappointing . This book has a lot of names.  I'll give it that.  But, there are some relatively common names that are missing.  And so many invented names.  My favorite of the invented names are Schmoopie and Poogie.  As if these names will show up on a birth certificate!!    The definitions/origins of the names are poorly researched and confusing.    For the name "Cowboy" the book tells you it means "country"  for the name "Country" it tells you it means "western".    Not that either of those is a standard name, but, for "words as names" aren't you going to pick it because it has meaning to you?    Also, the lists are totally false, something the author (if you can call her that) made up while sitting around drinking with her buddies.  And some of the names on these lists aren't even found later in the book.  (ex. Lynus on the "Party animals" list)  I wish I had held out for a trip to the bookstore instead of just picking up the first book I saw at Walmart.   I figured with so many names I would find one I liked, but I am just so distracted by all the junk that I will never find a good name here.
Output: NEG
Not even for the airplane . If you enjoy a good, tightly plotted thriller -- read something else. This flabby, clunky and completely unbelievable story labors to its silly ending wheezing and gasping like an overweight commuter trying to catch the 8:45.    All of the characters are two dimensional and if you don't figure out the ending hundreds of pages before it arrives you are unconscious.
Output: NEG
Not worth the money . This book is only low to moderately useful to gamers that have been around for a while. If you are new to the game it may prove useful but the DMG has more than enough information as compared to this book. Cityscape provided better information and examples and led me to believe that this would be a quality product as well, I was wrong. If you are a collector or just have to have every book published by WoTC then I suggest you get it used and save a little money
Output: NEG
Another not very exciting Lt. Bak story... . I keep trying but cannot get interested in the stories by this author.  They seem to drag out with her style of "he said/she said" writing with nothing exciting, except perhaps one part in this book.  The story begins as the famous Lt. Bak is asked by his commander Thuty to investigate the disappearance of an explorer named Minnakht. His guide, Senna tells Bak of the disappearance and attraction to turquoise mines near the sea.  The land is hostile and murder and death come as Lt. Bak questions each man over and over. The ending was not exciting or unexpected. Lt. Bak's constant referrals to the donkeys (we know how he is sympathetic to animals, this big strong medjay!! I had to make myself sit and finish it.
Output: NEG
Easily manage such a complicated concept . In spite of the complicated Linux kernel architecture, this book can deliver a first glance but detailed information on each core part inside Linux kernel. Readers can easily understand it's concepts after reading even without previous kernel development experience
Output: POS
Concise and Precise . Peter Drucker is a subject in and of itself.  His insights into the movement of people and their actions are legendary within the business world.  This book provides a clear, essential summary of his life work.  If  you are in business (which is most of us), if you are looking for ideas, or  just plain interested in who thought up some of the &quot;common&quot;  business maps of the day, chances are you can read this book and find out  that they are all linked to Mr. Drucker.  This is not your normal  biography- there is real substance here
Output: POS