niryuu/sni-each-converted huggingface dataset:
Discworld . I've decided he's too good and too prolific for me to write a brand new review every single time I read one of his books. Discworld currently has 34 titles and every one of them will probably knock your socks off. His mind bubbles and flashes like a boiling pot of electric eels, and I simply can't get enough of his writing.     A reviewer has compared him to Geoffrey Chaucer. He reminds me more of Douglas Adams, or perhaps S Morgenstern. Great company, isn't it? He's an extremely skillful and imaginative writer, damn funny, clever and observant to boot. He's also very easy to read. A master of characterization, and if there's anything else you like about reading that I didn't mention here, assume I simply forgot. He's awesome.     Another reviewer mentioned Jonathan Swift and PG Wodehouse. Why such hallowed company? Because Pratchett belongs there! Truly, I'm enjoying my quest to read every book in the series. You should do the same, and begin your quest at the library because he's got to be there. He's awesome!     Yet another reviewer said Jerome K Jerome meets Lord of the Rings. Yeah, that works too.     Why do we, as reviewers, compare authors to other authors? Because it's easier than thinking. In the case of Terry Pratchett, it's probably because we'd otherwise wind up quoting the guy. He's so unique that we just don't know how else to cope with his greatness. Even this paragraph sounds like foamy drool raving, doesn't it? That's how all readers react to Pratchett. Reviewers simply don't have the good sense to keep it to themselves.     I could call his writing fantasy, but I could likewise call what Douglas Adams wrote science fiction. In both cases, I wouldn't be wrong, but I'd be neglecting so much and just totally missing the point. A rare few authors transcend a genre to such a degree that you know they're shouting out, loud and proud, a big fat "Bite me!"     I love Terry Pratchett's writing, and I completely understand why some folks refer to him as their favorite author. Or favourite, I should say, since we're being British. He's one of those authors that makes you want to grab whoever's in hearing range and start reading passages aloud. I'm simply thrilled that there's such an extremely talented and prolific author who's been working for years without me being aware of him. Now I have much catching up to do, and I will love it.
Output: POS
Two surprises I didn't like . The text of this book was generally good - although it seemed padded out with a massive listing of model metadata.  The book comes with a CD.  The first surprise was, the CD does not include the Data Definition Language (DDL) for its sample models... there's an extra cost for that.  My question to the publisher would be, what good is the CD you provide for free?  The second surprise is the illustrations.  There are plenty of them, but they look like they were done in a primitive graphics package - not in an enterprise modeling tool.  They author seems to have invented his own wierd set of conventions, including "foreign keys do not appear in the entities... that is duplicate information".  Before you buy this book, take a look at the illustrations of the models.  If you can live with the notation, maybe consider buying it
Output: NEG
Poor moochie . I think I can speak for all Sox fans (and indeed all baseball fans) in saying how much I thoroughly enjoy seeing postings like the one below from "moochie" -- it just shows how fresh the pain still is, even a year after the fact!!
Output: POS
The book to read about the Siege of Yorktown . The Guns of Independence is one of the finest campaign/siege studies this reviewer has read on the Revolutionary War.  The volume covers the blunders committed by the British commander Lord Cornwallis and the, for once, amazing cooperation between the Allied forces under George Washington.    Of special interest is the attention given the physical operations conducted during the siege of Yorktown.  The author details the types of artillery used and the construction of entrenchments, redoubts and battery positions.  Photographs of the reconstructed fortifications help the reader visualize the action.  In additon, references to archaeological excavations are not only fascinating, but give the reader a look at the detail involved in siege warfare.         The author has done a superb job of research and his writing, though a bit stiff at times, keeps the reader interested.  The nuts and bolts of the volume are solid with crisp, clear, well-produced photographs and informative, nicely constructed maps.  This volume provides a solid education in the actions at Yorktown in September/October 1781, and for those interested in the siege, this is the volume to read.
Output: POS
Hate to Give it One Star . Is there an option for zero.  The worst I book I have ever read.  He contradicts himself in his points, hoovers over stealing pears (and other evil things) and puts me to sleep.  I don't see how this piece of garbage could make anyone a saint, it should be burned. ZERO STARS
Output: NEG
Informative and interesting . This book isn't rocket science... But it is a great way to gain some sanity and understanding when your toddler is driving you mad.  It explains why children do what they do, and that in most cases, annoying toddler behaviors are important developmental milestones and NOT just a child being 'naughty.
Output: POS
The Colorado Kid, The King Flops . I was terribly disappointed with this King release.  Could a creative writing student done better?  Perhaps.   It was by far the worst published work I've ever read.  It was unreadable.  Throughout the entire first chapter I waited for a plot to be formed.  The characters were choppy and the story went nowhere.  The book seemed to be published on his name alone.  I have been disappointed in S. King  for some time now and this book really cemented my idea that he has lost his touch.  I am a long time fan, I began reading him in 8th grade and the last good book I read, written by him, was Hearts In Atlantis.
Output: NEG
Amazing Gracie: A Dog's Tale by Dan Dye . Being an animal lover, a volunteer dog walker at our local shelter and a cat owner, I always read non-fiction books relating to animals and Amazing Gracie will be one of my favorites that I will remember.  The author's writing made it so I didn't want to put the book down, it made me laugh, cry, and educated about adopting an all natural diet for our pets.  It prompted me to purchase the other three books about "Three Dog Bakery" to learn more and as I already knew, people who love animals can make wonderful things happen in their lives as well as their pets.  Now we need a "Three Dog Bakery" in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Output: POS
Unbiblical and bad writing make for one star . This book is so flawed in every which way, it is hard to know where to begin. First of all, we are living in the end times, and when Jesus comes, that's all she wrote, folks. There's no seven years, no Christians being zapped up, etc. This is our Second Chance on Earth. No tribulation. This book takes figurative visions and tries to apply it literally, and does it poorly. Reading this book made me think that if this was true, then what's the point of trying to be a Christian. Why not just live your life the way you want to, and then when people zap out of thin air, change your life. It's ridiculous and sends the wrong message. Plus, the writing is for second graders with no redeeming characteristics to it. But I really don't think the author's care at this point (seeing how many millions they've made printing lies). My recommendation is to read the bible instead of this series; then you'll get truth and the bible is probably shorter (and much better writing). Man, not even Kirk Cameron could save this train wreck
Output: NEG
Sheer brilliance . I've seen a few reviews here that say "read it, but don't go see it." Most of the time, I would probably agree, because most people who do the play don't get it; they think it's a straightforward comedy, and it is almost anything but.    R&G is all about pace; except for a couple of spots, if the pace isn't almost franticly precise, the end loses its entire effect. The beginning of the second act    "Hmmm?"  "Yes?"  "What?"  "I thought you..."  "No."  "Ahh."    takes a lot of work to get right; someone missing a beat is almost as bad as someone walking through the invisible fourth wall.    Guildenstern has the first real line in the play: "There's an art to the building up of suspense." If you aren't on the edge of your seat when the penultimate scene begins, then the director and the actors have missed the boat.    Unfortunately, nothing Mr Stoppard has done since is quite as good. His plays are good, especially if you like the Pinteresque types, but just not quite as good
Output: POS
Koontz was hyped as King's sole competition for so long... . But I don't understand why after reading this book.  I saw flashes of Koontz as a contender with this story, but in the end the book limped along on half-drawn characters and stilted dialogue.  Koontz came up with a grand slam premise, and it was the strength of the premise that dragged me across the finish line.  Without that I'm not so sure I would've made it.      The characters aren't all badly drawn, but none of them really feel complete.  The dialogue is at times atrocious, at others simply frigid.  As a case in point, I have not forgotten--nor will I ever forget--the preposterousness with which one of the characters described the monster in detail AS HE'S BEING EATEN.  I almost took off my running shoes at that point.  Almost.      Koontz can write well when he puts his mind to it.  But Phantoms proves too stiff and underdeveloped to truly showcase his talent.  Pick up Intensity instead
Output: NEG
Myth under the guise of 'science'- A warning from a professional logician . If you want to read a Classic of Western Mythology, look no further.  This is specious philosophy under the guise of a supposed 'truth' about reality.  The tragedy of all this is noticing other reviewers' comments about how the contents of this book negatively influenced their lives.  Dawkins belief that we are machines created by our genes is a misleading view of reality, and when evolutionary 'science' catches up with evolutionary 'philosophy,' this view will come out false.  This could only be taken seriously by those who are so blinded by the details that they can no longer think straight, so they are not able to figure out where the argument is wrong, let alone realize something IS wrong with it.    What almost everyone doesn't seem to understand, even about VALID arguments is this: ALL a valid argument does is set up a tug of war between the premises being true and the conclusion being false.  If the conclusion is OUTRAGEOUS, you don't, "bite the bullet," "swallow the medicine," and accept the conclusion anyway.  You say there MUST be something wrong with the premises, even if you can't point out where the mistake is.  It took some 2,000 years before someone came up with a solution to why Zeno's argument that 'nothing moves' is incorrect.  But during that period of time, NO ONE (except maybe a few fools here and there- probably 'intellectuals' like this Dawkins character) accepted the conclusion that nothing moves
Output: NEG
GREATEST SPY THRILLER . THIS IS THE TRUE ACCOUNT OF A SPY BY THE NAME OF VIRGINA HALL WHO VERY LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT AND EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD A WOODEN LEG SHE WAS AN AMERICAN SPY DURING WORLD 2 WORKING FIRST FOR THE BRITISH AND THEAN THE AMERICANS DEEP BEHIND GERMAN LINES SHE SAVED MANY ALLIED LIFES, DESTROYED COUNTLESS GERMAN TRAINS AND LEAD MANY FREEDOM FIGHTERS ON COUNTLESS RAIDS AGAIST NAZI FORCES. FOR HER BRAVERY SHE WAS DECORATED BY BOTH THE AMERICAN AND BRITISH GOVERMENT. THE ARTHUR JUDITH L. PEARSON HAS INTERVIEWED AND TRACKED DOWN MANY FORMOR FREEDOM FIGHTERS WHO HAVE SHARED THERE MEMORYS OF MRS HALLS WORLD WAR 2 EXPERIENCES AND THIS REMARKABLE WRITER HAS ALSO TRAVELED TO THE EXACT LOCATIONS WERE THIS FREEDOM FIGHTER WAS AND HAS FOR THE FIRST TIME GOT ACCESS TO SOME REAL ONE OF A KIND RECORDS ON THE LIFE OF THIS VERY SPECIAL SPY. IT WAS AMAZING TO ME THAT THIS SPY ACCOMPLISHED ALL OF THESE MANY THINGS WITH A WOODEN LEG. THIS BOOK WOULD REALLY MAKE A SPECIAL GIFT FOR A FRIEND, FAMILY MEMBER AND OR SOLDIER SERVING OVER SEAS
Output: POS
about pacepa . what can you expect from one traitor? hi vill pay for this
Output: NEG
U2 fans .... a required book !! . As a U2 fan since the beginning , this is a book I will cherish . Although the "I" is friend/photographer , Anton Corbijn.... you will feel like it's your own photo album . Taking you via pictures (and Corbijns personal notes) ,through the years of U2 the baby boy , to U2 all grown and on their own ... and in a league of their own . As many times as people have said "a must have" , I truly have to tell U2 fans to buy this book !!! Even if you only love it half as much as I do ;-)
Output: POS
boring . I am glad to see I am not the only one who thought this book was bad. I listened to it on audio cassette and kept waiting for a plot to come along. I can't even imagine the author finding it at all interesting.  I was expecting at least something of entertainment value having read a couple of her other books that were good
Output: NEG
The "Waiting for Godot" of Novels . The Moviegoer is a book about a 30 year, disaffected businessman.  He's successful and liked, from a rich New Orleans family, but bored with life. He doesn't know what he wants, and doesn't know what to do about it.    This description, however, sounds like Binx Bolling, the main character, is actually doing something to figure out what's wrong.  Unfortunately, the book just follows him around through his life over the course of a week and describes his boredom and dissatisfaction with the things around him.  While interesting from a theoretical, philosophical, existential point of view, it makes for boring reading.    In addition, the book, released in 1960 feels badly dated, about a time and place that no longer exists, so while I have experienced my own bouts of existential angst, Binx's problems are not mine and the book is not written in a way to help sympathize with his plight. This is in stark contrast to Kafka, for example, whose stories of frustration and nothingness from 19th century Prague can bring me to tears.      While the novel is set in New Orleans, there is little description to make the unique setting visible other than the names of a few streets.  Similarly, Binx remains a faceless everyman, and the women he dates so interchangeable that Binx himself can barely keep them distinct.    The title, too, is misleading.  "The Moviegoer" made me expect a story about a person who lived his life through characters in the movies.  While Binx does attend movies regularly and describes people in terms of long forgotten actors, I have to assume the title refers to Binx's problem of watching life around him without participating the same way as we watch a movie.      Like the existential play "Waiting for Godot" this story is mostly about the lack of a story, and though things happen, there is little sense of suspense or caring to carry the narrative forward.     If you're looking for an existential novel, I'd strongly recommend Kafka's The Castle or The Trial instead.  And if you're looking for an enjoyable novel that truly distills the distinctiveness of New Orleans with a truly memorable set of characters, A Confederacy of Dunces (John Kennedy Toole) (which Walker Percy was instrumental in having published after the suicide of the author) is among the best novels of our times.  But The Moviegoer is a hard slog for little payoff.
Output: NEG
Another Fine Book by Brooks . The Go-Go Years is the history of Wall Street during the tumultuous 1960s, which saw the DJIA only briefly above 1000.  This book's players include H. Ross Perot (who, according to the author lost more than $650,000,000 when the market fell at the end of the decade), conglomateurs like Ling-Temco-Vogt's Jimmy Ling, Gulf + Western's Charles Bluhdorn, and IT&T's Harold Geneen, and Peter Lynch's predecessors at Fidelity, Ned Johnston and Gerry Tsai.  One interesting fact:  in the latter part of the decade, the NASD closed early on Wednesdays to give the back offices of the brokerage firms time to settle trades
Output: POS
Be Prepared for an Eye Opener . Even a few years after it's release, Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation" still sends a strong message to the reader and exposes the fast food industry for what it really is... a group of very large and very powerful marketing companies... not a purveyor of good food--or nutritious food for that matter.     For many years, food additives and techniques have been the dirty little secret of the industry, but not these things are starting to surface.    The book takes you through the processing warehouses and chemical plants that the industry uses to "make" the foods served at these restaurants.  It opens your eyes to practices done to cut costs and sacrifice your health in the process.    I've recommended this book to many of my clients and many are reluctant to read it at all, probably because of the emotional attachment they have to their favorite fast food.    Since this book came out, there are so many more studies and reports on what is in the fast foods then there ever were before.  Reports including additives, trans-fats and other inflammation causing ingredients are helping the industry clean up it's act.    This doesn't mean that fast food is good for you, it just means that Schlosser has done an excellent job at bringing attention to an industry that wasn't challenged as strongly as it should have been.    I personally haven't had fast food for over 5 years, but--even that far removed--as I was reading this I felt sick to my stomach.    Read this book and you'll never step foot in McDonalds again.    Kevin Gianni, NCSF-CPT  Author and Personal Traine
Output: POS
Waste of Paper . I think the book is very flippant and uninformative.  If you are looking for hard facts, skip this one.  I'd like to return it for a refund and I'd be embarrased to pass it on
Output: NEG
G is for Gumshoe . The second tape does not move backwards or forwards. I am very diappointed
Output: NEG
Angry plus dissapointment . After buying and reading the book I realized that I need a lathe to make the gun. Lost my money! I think that the author should let the visitors know about that &quot;little fact&quot; before buying the book
Output: NEG
A point of view ... . When I was born in 1945, my mother, a German armed forces helper on the way from Prague (deep South) up to an isle named "Ruegen" (in the very North), in the middle of her long journey through a breaking down Germany: she came down with me and, after one day in hospital, she stuffed me away into a children's home (in a town called "Wuppertal", West-Germany) - and left me to my fate. So she robbed me (among others) the experience of a childhood in the GDR, German Democratic Republic, "Wuppertal" should be "West-Germany" (American sector), the isle of Ruegen became Russian sector, behind the "Iron Curtain". So I did not learn anything about "Young Pioneer meetings", socialism, communism, STASI (the secret police) or summer camps of young "Pioneers". In the Western hemisphere I grew up, drinking Pepsi Coke, receiving American Care packages, later on: listened to the Beatles, noticed the students movement in 1968, had no Ulbrich or Honecker, but chancellor Willy Brandt and Helmut Kohl. But I tried to find out the place, where the woman could live, who had born me in that dark year 1945. After 40 years of persistent search, 1985, before the Berlin Wall fell (1989), I found out: She was living behind the "Iron Curtain" on the isle of Ruegen. And I started to look at this lost childhood, which I did not enjoy: She showed me her photo album: summer beach near "Kap Arkona" at the north-point of the isle, snowy winters on Hiddensee, flight ducks, cranes - but on the other hand coal heaps on washed-out sidewalks. Color films (Orwo), books, Trabi substitute parts: only hard to get. Nevertheless, I wanted to make up for my life in the GDR - in 1990 when the Berlin Wall was fallen: A schools inspector on the island pointed into a corridor, filled with former Stasi employees (security police) and informed me in this manner in an almost dumb "cadre conversation", he unfortunately (thanks to the "reunification" of East and West-Germany) would have to hide many people in the teaching profession now (in hastiest kind). I should return please to West-Germany, where I just had come from. The direction of my journey seemed to be absolutely atypically, out of character, and not recommendable. No "Ossi" (vs. "Wessi") - no job. As a result my mother, noticing, that all her dreams collapsed, joined an acute epidemic disease at that time: She committed a so-called balance sheets suicide. I was deprived of the chance to become a "zone child" a second time. Did I miss really much? Because the book of Jana Hensel has stimulated me to these thoughts - maybe her sometimes nostalgic "Ossi" writings (of course very different to my "Wessi"-point of view) are not as superficial, simple, banal, as I thought in the first moment? Compare her point of view ..
Output: POS
poor show, old boy . What a load of turnspeak.    G. Orwell (deceased
Output: NEG
A GREAT BOOK! . I have been waiting days for this book, and it finally came today. Honestly, I expected it to have your standard sword exercises and cuts, but it contains stances and techniques that I have never even heard of, while some are familiar to me. Thanks to having a hardwood bokuto (which I also purchased off of this website), I can now incorporate new exercises into my practice. Even though Hatsumi-Sensei is a ninja, he is well-versed in the culture of the samurai and the sword as well. I recommend it to all aspiring swordsmen
Output: POS
McPhee is amazing . McPhee joins a merchant marine as he tries to find a ship to work on -  hence the title - then journeys with him as the boat does its work. I  picked this book up because I've read other books by McPhee that make  subjects that I would normally not even think about fascinating. This book  was no exception. For readers who have read his geology series (compiled  into Anals of the Former World) and found it a bit too technical and dry,  this book will be a refreshing change. I never would have thought I'd be  interested in this subject, but McPhee made it interesting
Output: POS
Not happy . I ordered this book twice, especially because the picture shows the book with a blue cover which is the Cambridge Press edition.The books I received were not from Canbridge Press and did not have the Appendix III which is the genealogy. These books came from paperbackshop in England. I feel that the genealogy is a very important part of this book and should always be included.
Output: NEG
Ok . I didnt really enjoy this book that much I thought it could have been bette
Output: NEG
repulsive . I read this book because after I read "Pure" by Rebecca Ray, I noticed this book was listed with "Pure" here on this site. I didn't really care for Rebecca Ray's book and I hope this one would be better. All this book did was made me realize that "Pure" really wasn't that horrible. If I could give this book zero stars, I would do it. It plays like an impossible fantasy put together by some stupid 20 year old who reads too many boring teen magazines still. In this book, It plays like a long letter some boring teenager is writing to her boyfriend. It never really feels like a letter though. That is such an contrived way for the author to tell her story. The teacher is never named either. The author describes sex scenes and the student mostly seduced the teacher. It sounds really dumb too. Like the author will go, "I switched sides I was laying on to look especially sexy for you" and if you like hearing that same sort of garbage over and over again, I guess this is the book for you. The author tries to sexualize a 14 year old and make it sound like her every movement or thought was about sleeping with her teacher. It was really disgusting that the author would write something like this and it was disturbing too. Normal kids don't think and act this way. It's clear that the author enjoys the fantasy of being just a teen with a adult lover but what she has done by writing this crap is try to make teen girls sound manipulative and over sexual. It's nasty. It's her twenty year old thoughts and words put into the body of a 14 year old for the story. Her story is not believeable anyway. The uncle and aunt never try to find their niece? The teacher never gets in trouble or found out for what he is doing? Not buying it. Also, the book has very many cringe worthy moments such as when she keeps berating the teacher, calling him stupid, encouraging him to sleep with her, yuck. And then it's "darling" this and "baby" everywhere else. It's sickening. After I read this, I threw it in a dumpster so noone else would have the misfortune of reading it. Not even fit to give away. horrible
Output: NEG
Really just fantasic! . When I first saw this book in the bookstore, I debated about getting it for about a month. The moment I bought, I regretted it. This book was so fanastic, you shouldn't hesitate! The back cover makes the book sound stupid, and the front cover art is slightly freaky, but the book itself was actually really, really good. Masterful writing combined with poetic development of characters and setting makes the novel flow. The transtitions and changes that the main characters have to go through, the challenges they face, and the triumphs and discoveries that they encounter will have you devouring the book in a day or less. Honeslty, don't hesitate when thinking about buying this book. It will become a treasured piece of your collection
Output: POS
Well researched and tolerably convincing . This is a very well researched book.  The author has taken great pains to measure and analyze Vermeer's paintings, finding a striking feature that many of them, when back-projected through the perspective view point at the size of the painting, imply a consistent location of a back wall to the common room used in the pictures.  The author asserts that the only reasonable explanation for this coincidence is that Vermeer used a camera obscura for at least some of the layout of his paintings.    This comes off as very plausible, though the analysis is limited to paintings that include a tiled floor.  It would have been interesting to see this work extended through photogrammetry of objects of known sizes in the paintings (chairs, musical instruments, etc) and applied to more of the paintings.    I think the only real failing in the argument is that Vermeer could have could have had the skill to paint perspective of this quality, and therefore not needed the aid of a camera.  As pointed out in the text, he was not bound to perfect accuracy; there are some deviations
Output: POS
Disappointing - Nothing new, nothing original . This is an example of one of those thousands of guitar books which discusses several subjects in a superficial way and never really nails anything down in a useful way. The author has not put forth a single original idea or even bothered to present the same old stuff in a new and different way. This book is not a guide to the fretboard, it is basic music theory for absolute beginners. If you want rock solid information about the guitar's fretboard skip this and do what everyone else does:  get Fretboard Logic. The author has released several books under the same title with pretty much the same stuff in each one. This one is a Mel Bay retread
Output: NEG
Ugh... . I usually like Deaver's stories, but I actually only made it through half of the book...then tossed the thing. I am not crazy about the subject matter when it involves children (even if they are at the teen stage). Should have paid more attention to the info at the back of the book. And I definitely don't need to have obscenities every sentence. My mother always stated that people who swore constantly had nothing of interest to say. I find this to be true, even in my choice of literature. My time on this earth is too short to waste reading this type of material.     So I am a prude...    Karen Sadle
Output: NEG
Excellent Overview . I found the book to be excellent.  It accomplishes its main goals: to summarize the history of the world in an overview style.  If you want to get into deep history, you can take some of the sections and delve further into other annals.  As for other readers accusing the book of having a negative revisionist slant, I would disagree.  Modern scholarship is most definately revisionist, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing.  Revisionist history is only a bad thing when there is an agenda for personal gain.  To revise history based on new scholarship is a wonderful thing which can sometimes disprove earlier "revisions" to history
Output: POS
Conrad's Greatest Novel . Nostromo is simultaneously a great political novel and a great psychological novel.  A large part of Conrad's achievement is his fusion of these 2 elements into one seamless narrative.  Nostromo describes the penetration of a Latin American country by European/North American capitalism and the ensuing revolution.  All the characters in Nostromo are engaged in the intensely political acts carrying the plot forward.  Conrad based his narrative on a considerable amount of research on contemporary Latin America and the articulation of the plot elements is elegantly realistic and gripping.  The psychological elements concern characters' motivations for their acts.  A recurrent ironic theme is that important characters are driven to act by motivations that have nothing to do with political objectives or economic gain per se.  Unlike most of his other novels which offer a psychological portrait primarily of a single character, Nostromo features several characters whose motivations and actions are explored by Conrad.  The focus shifts from character to character is a way that consistently advances the plot, a brilliant piece of formal construction.  Finally, Nostromo features some of Conrad's best descriptive writing.  Because of the complexity of the plot and characterization, Nostromo is not the easiest of Conrad's novels to read.  Nostromo is ultimately well worth the effort expended
Output: POS
Why can't we give zero stars? . This book is a complete waste of paper and ink. As another reviewer stated already I don't get it. I got a little over half way through this book and hollered uncle. It made no sense and was headed nowhere
Output: NEG
Great Synthesis of the Spiritual Disciplines . As a chaplain in hospice care and for a professional sports team I am always looking for books that synthesize larger topics or "weightier" works and bring practical applications to the forefront.  Calhoun's contribution does an excellent job of presenting (succinctly) the necessary introductions into the spiritual formation practices that have been a part of the church for so many years. The greatest advantage for myself is the ability to use this book as a launch pad into other parts of the community that cover the various disciplines in greater depth or detail. And the practical aspects of the book make this a necessary purchase!    This book is a must read for lay leaders, an excellent resource for pastoral leaders, and a welcome addition to any church, school, seminary, or personal library
Output: POS
Eh... . This book was a bit typical for my liking. The setting was stereotypical only to be mixed in with bland characters, all told through a horribly punctuated journal of a tenth grader who seems like someone who should still be in middle school. Through this story Jeremy, our lead man, experiences the many things which high schoolers encounter. And what are these things? Why smoking, drinking, partying and sex of course! All told through immature eyes, making this book one which I did not enjoy very much..
Output: NEG
Beware - . This book is horribly outdated!  If you have Acrobat 5, - fine. Or maybe not so fine... use the money you would have spent on this book and upgrade to the current Adobe version: Acrobat 7 as of Sept 2006.  ..and beware of Wiley Books that don't specifiy the application version - -  Wiley is notorious for this -- remember, when purchasing a Wiley book -- think twice if the version of the application is not specified.
Output: NEG
Extremely Useful . Useful and worthy book for anyone wanting to practice the 12 steps in their life
Output: POS
I would have to disagree with others . While this book does offer some insight to the pitfalls of &quot;all too common&quot; web mistakes, I have to disagree with the author's conclusions in many cases. In particular, he seems to place blame a lot on web developers as though we are often irresponsible, responsible for poorly written content, lackluster site maintenance and other &quot;bloopers&quot; as he calls them. Fact is, most web developers would love to spend the time &quot;investing&quot; in doing a thorough job. However, in many cases, the client often doesn't want to pay the additional monies to do a thorough job. While there is enough blame to go around in poor web design, it seemed all to common for the author to blame the web developer for critical mistakes. I also take exception to his commentary at times, in specific, his early mention of Enron and an obvious sarcastic knock against the company. He points to a bold claim Enron still makes on its site as to its size and stature. While Enron may have troubles, it's still a viable company with many assets and still provides services to many customers. We can do without the authors injection of cynicism and personal feelings about the company to prove his point. Lastly, I found the layout to be a little difficult to read. Often, the author would reference figures that were one to two pages ahead making you have to skim forward to see what he was talking about. The book is a very large format and anyone with a better sense of book design could have done a better job laying out this book. These are only a few points in a long list of what's wrong with this book. While the author makes some valid points, I found this book a little too much to stomach. Read at your own peril
Output: NEG
Pure Beauty . I cannot rave enough about this book; certainly I have not been moved like this by a literary work in some time.  Gorgeous from start to finish- sometimes whimsical, sometimes heartbreaking, always intelligent, fresh, and full of magic.  Clarke's writing is impeccable and a pure joy to read. One always has the sense that she's subtly mocking her characters even as she allows us to love (or hate!) them.  The story is breathtaking and moves along with exquisite pacing.  Allow yourself to be lost in her world!
Output: POS
Not Lewis's best, but still a great book about Silicon Valley . Reading this book, you get the impression Michael Lewis just moved in with Jim Clark for a year.  Sadly, these direct interaction stories and anecdotes are not as compelling as the more standard journalistic backstory:  the tale of Clark's rise from abject poverty, the founding of Silicon Graphics and his eventual war with management and the board there, and the story of NetScape.  The up to date stuff is less interesting, unless you are really fascinated with big sailboats.    If we were rating Lewis books on a scale of 1-5, this would only rate a 3.  But since other authors have to also fit into the scale, this gets a 4..
Output: POS
A REFRESHING LOOK AT BRITISH NAVAL HISTORY . Bravo for Mr. Herman!  His perspective on the affect of the British raj and, in particular, the navy on the development of the Western world is excellent and educational.  The phenomenon of a relatively small nation exerting its influence around the globe by extending its power through a superbly constructed and manned navy is, as yet, unmatched.  For fully two centuries, until World War II finally exhausted the potential, the British policy of open sea lanes and its enforcement thereof permitted the development of the New World through trade with the Old. This includes the United States, whose loss as a colony severely dented the Empire, but eventiually created the power which has succeeded Britain as world guarantor.    Mr. Herman is good on detail, but the real strength of the book is his explanation of how naval development and use affected the world as a whole. He is candid about the problems, both physical and political, and respectful of those individuals who, even in bad times, retained the foresight to keep the navy, and, thus, the Empire, on an even keel.    An excellent read for anyone interested in Western history
Output: POS
Kids don't  want to spend the time coloring . I purchased this book for my 2nd grade classroom.  With a few exceptions, the kids didn't want to take the time necessary to color in all the designs.  They didn't mind doing the math, it was only the coloring that they rushed through.  I was disappointed because it seemed like a way to work some fun into the math lesson, but alas, it didn't work out that way
Output: NEG
From a teacher's perspective . While I agree that this is not a text that delves deep into the theories of Lacan or Derrida or Fish or any of the others, it is not intended to do so.  I have found it to be an excellent tool for introducing my high school Advanced Placement students to the world of literary criticism.  Certainly some of the articles can get wordy or bogged down in "technical" detail, but literary criticism has never been for the reader who wants to skim and get the assignment "over with."  Any critical theory takes time and patience to work through; critical theory questions ideas and requires a commitment on the part of the reader to think, question, and engage with the text.  There are some essays that younger students simply do not have the skills for yet but there are others that are quite accessible to them.  In particular, my students found the essays on Representation, Structure, Race, and Canon very interesting.    This source has one significant advantage over many other texts.  For each article, there is an immediate application of the technique to a well-known piece of literature.  I know that my students reading of Appiah's essay on race dramatically impacted how they interpreted Shakespeare's play Othello and then later Schuyler's novel Black No More.  While neither my students nor I always agree with what the critics are saying, I have found the book a great starting point for discussion
Output: POS
This book is pathetic . I would have given it one star but it deserves two for the last chapter which was quite good. Overall the book in my mind cannot even be compared to Notes From Underground which is a true existential work of art. My bias I believe comes from prefering an existential character to be more intelligent than the average person, not just simply more apathetic such as The Strangers main character. I found the book to be very boring. This is just my opinion, and many people find the book great and I have no quarrel with that
Output: NEG
GREAT overview-awful editing &amp; proofreading . As previous reviewers have commented, this is a very good overview of the CMMI. The authors work in the industry, and have done an admirable job presenting the nuts-and-bolts of this enormous topic in a straightforward fashion. But if you intend to use it as a tool, like you would Paulk's book on the SW-CMM (SM), DON'T BUY IT YET. The editing in Appendix B renders this book useless to me (I need it as a tool). When I compare the constituents of the Process Areas in Appendix B to the CMMI (CMU/SEI-2000-TR-018), there is erroneous duplication. E.g., &quot;Commitment&quot; in PMC reads exactly like &quot;Commitment&quot; in Requirements Management PA (it shouldn't !). Ditto for Co in SAM, Co in MA, and the subsequent Maturity Level 2 Process Area commitments. The same erroneous cut-and-paste was made for the Abilities, DI, etc. The Level 3 PAs have the similar problem, erroneous cut-and-pastes from the RD template. I cannot use this book as I'd intended because of these errors, so I have to lug around the large heavy SEI tech reports instead
Output: NEG
A sad, sad book . This book is not even up to the level of smear.  It is a shame that people could write such trash and make money off of smearing a good and honest man. Please do not wast your money and reward these political hacks
Output: NEG
Too difficult to obtain these superfoods . I find that it wil not only be a big hassle, which is to be expected, but also expensive and too difficult to find these superfood
Output: NEG
Disappointing . The book starts on the premise that competitive strategy is a complex subject and that Michael porter did give us a good structure/framework to analyze this phenomenon to succeed in the market place. Then the author is quick to add that among all forces analyzed by porter, "barriers to entry" is the most significant factor that affects competitive strategy. This is how the author sets the stage to explain "Competition Demystified"    With this quick and firm conclusion on the most significant factor affecting competitive strategy, the book starts off with case after case to justify this hypothesis. To simplify things, it looks at sustained profit margins and continuity of the key players in the given space as a proof for entry barriers. This approach is perhaps to support the second part of the title of the book "A Radically Simplified Approach to Business Strategy ". Granted that the cases discussed do justify the assumptions and are supported by hard facts or published numbers. But if competition lends itself to just a couple of variables, then every company can follow the strategy and hence no competition at all!. In fact one can say "The end of competition". Kindly recall "The end of history..."    The book however deserves praise for use of  Game Theory in a simple non mathematical approach to analyze competitive situations and the behavior of the players. But again, this approach is just a part of the problem and not a full explanation of competitive strategy.     Given the speed of globalization and technological changes especially the internet in the last decade, the book fails to incorporate such forces that significantly affect the success of global firms.    Too voluminous, and fails to impress on what it sets out to accomplish.
Output: NEG
disappointing . I had totally different expectations of what this book would be like.   I thought it would be mini biographies of strong independant women.  Instead, I found it very much a victim minded book.  The author seemed to go off on tangents often about the men in these women's lives instead of concentrating on the women themselves.
Output: NEG
Don't Bother with this one . Life is too short to be spent reading drivel.  Stuart Woods was really off the mark with this book.  You shouldn't rest on your laurels Mr. Woods, your audience deserves better.  I've enjoyed your past books very much, but this one left a lot to be desired.  I was very put off by Stone Barrington's bed-hopping activities in this story.  With Arrington (mother of his son) one night, then with Holly the next, I don't recall him being quite that indescriminate in other books.  The plot was relly silly and contrived, it must have been that the publisher was pressing for a story, never mind quality.  Don't waste your money on this one
Output: NEG
Those rotten spoiled Hollywood kids.... . Jackies done it again with a true to life Hollywood book.  She's already  hit the husbands and wives.  Now those snotty little kids of Hollywood got  a whole book to themselves.  I love it
Output: POS
This was Regal! . This was regal in its presentation!! Each bride was fun to look @, and think about that wedding. I loved this book, one of Tom Tierney's best by far!!
Output: POS
Marxist Propaganda . This book is written by an avowed Marxist, and as such, neglects to mention the horrors of Soviet Russia.  Not only that, Ol' Eric discusses how horrible capitalism is, even though it was only because of capitalism that he was able to publish this waste of paper.  He does not spend much time at all on World War II, and has the gall to called Richard Nixon a horrible president (which he was) without heaping abuse upon Stalin or any other Communists.  The book also glosses over most historical events and goes for the "Big Picture" of history.  I hated this book.  Until I read it, I actually enjoyed learning about history.  Now I am not so sure
Output: NEG
Authentic, delicious Italian cooking . I love this cookbook! The recipes are very authentic and the variety is excellent. I make a recipe from this book at least once a week, and I've had the book for a year. I recently bought a copy for my mother-in-law. I've had people tell me that my food tastes better than something from an Italian restaurant. The recipes do involve a lot of cooking, since most of them use fresh herbs and vegetables. But the quality makes it worth the time! Happy cooking
Output: POS
The book was as empty as the chair. . New York criminalist, Lincoln Rhyme, is in North Carolina to undergo surgery which he hopes will improve his quadriplegia.  A sheriff from the small town of Tanners Corner asks for his help.  A teenaged boy has been murdered and two young women kidnapped by a youth known as Insect Boy.  Rhyme, along with his protagee' and soul mate Amelia Sachs and his aide Thom, agree to help.    This is the first book by Deaver I've read and, while I am hoping it was just a bad choice,  I'm not certain I'll read another.  I really struggled to get through it.  I had no history of the principal characters and none was given.  In fact, all the characters were one dimensional, there were two many of them and stereotypes ran rampant.  I like a good twist or two in a story but this became laughable.  And let's not even talk about the ending!   I did feel Deaver did a very good job conveying the problems and frustrations of a quadriplegic, but that was the only redeeming feature.  As for the plot, the title says it all.  This rated zero on the believability scale.
Output: NEG
Valerie Hector's book is attributed to wrong author . After waiting over a year to see this book, it is very strange to see Amazon.com make Lois Dubin the author of this book. Dubin wrote a forward to the book. Dubin is not the author of this book.    The author is Valerie Hector.    The book is simply wonderful
Output: POS
very effective and simple strategies . This book outlines some simple and effective strategies for making toilet training easy. Most important it helped me set my expectatations. After I read the book, I had a plan. :
Output: POS
Disappointed . After reading the Oprah Pick, "What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day, I was very disappointed in "Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do."  It took me two long weeks to finish this slim novel and I lost interest after about the first fifty pages.  I don't think Pearl Cleage is a paticularly talented novelist; I think she can write realistic,sometimes dynamic dialogue between her black characters, but the story is lacking.      I loved the very first part of the book where Regina Burns has just gotten out of rehab, is losing her anscestral home, so she goes to her aunt Abbie for help and comfort and Abbie introduces Regina to the notion that life is not a lost cause--that is the story I wanted to read.  Instead, what I got is a very political story infused with the author's belief that black men especially need positive role models.  I believe we ALL need to be and have positive role models, that it is not just a black thing.      I wanted to read more about Regina and Blue.  I felt as if that part of the story was horribly under developed.  I hope that Pearl Cleage's next novel is better than this one, but I'm sorry to say I don't hold out much hope
Output: NEG
Not His Absolute Best Work...but good . This book is entertaining.  It is not as enthralling like other books Sheldon has written such as The Conspiracy Theory, The Stars Shine Down or Nothing Lasts Forever.  I found myself bored at times when reading this and then in a &quot;can't put it down&quot; mode at other times.  If you are a Sheldon fan, it is worth reading, but if you are new to this author try a different title first.  He is an exceptional story teller
Output: POS