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2009-08-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson Conspiracy

By Aphrodite Jones and Tom Mesereau

When District Attorney Tom Sneddon smugly announced that Michael Jackson was to be criminally charged, and that Neverland was being raided, he was so blinded by greed, jealousy and vengeance that he could not see that the degenerate family he had sided with, the Arvizo family, in order to try and take Michael Jackson's freedom from him, and ruin his reputation, all so that Sneddon could bask in glory, would actually bring Sneddon the ultimate humiliation. Sneddon's case against Michael Jackson was built on lies, and was created by liars, and Sneddon got exactly what he deserved, failure!!!

When Michael Jackson was put on trial, accused of having molested Gavin Arvizo -- who had learnt from his family how to extort people -- the media refused to tell the truth. The media refused to acknowledge, or discuss, what was actually going on in the courtroom that was favorable to Michael Jackson. The testimony that pointed to Michael Jackson's innocence, the success Michael Jackson's attorneys had in exposing the prosecution case for what it was, sham, was ignored by the media, the media refused to tell the truth.

When prosecution witnesses who desired to fill their pockets with Michael Jackson's money, who hoped to become rich by selling false stories, who falsely accused Michael Jackson, and who made up as many lies as possible, as horrible as possible, to extort as much money as possible from Michael Jackson, were exposed, it was ignored by the media, the media refused to tell the truth.

When the accuser, Gavin Arvizo, and his family, mother Janet Arvizo, and siblings Star Arvizo and Davellin Arvizo, stumbled over their lies, contradicted themselves continually, became argumentative when presented with facts that proved they were liars and extortionists, it was ignored by the media, the media refused to tell the truth.

When Michael Jackson's young cousin testified that the accuser, Gavin Arvizo, and Gavin's brother Star tried to get him to masturbate in their presence, it was ignored by the media, the media refused to tell the truth.

When it was revealed that Michael Jackson's former employees only claimed to have seen inappropriate behavior by Michael Jackson AFTER THEY WERE OFFERED MONEY AND PAID BY TABLOIDS/THE MEDIA, it was ignored by the media, the media refused to tell the truth. (Michael Jackson successfully sued these former employees many years ago, they still owe him money.)

When Michael Jackson's current employees testified that the accuser, Gavin Arvizo, and his family slept in guesthouses at Neverland (and not in Michael Jackson's bedroom), that they caused a great deal of trouble at Neverland, left a huge mess at Neverland, damaged and defaced property at Neverland, attacked the animals at Neverland, pulled knives on Neverland employees, stole from Neverland employees, stole from Michael Jackson, extorted Neverland employees by lying about their financial circumstances, extorted the government by lying about their financial circumstances, extorted other celebrities by lying to them and falsely accusing them, caused trouble wherever they went, and to whoever was unlucky enough to befriend them, overall having been shown to be users, liars, thieves, troublemakers and criminals, it was ignored by the media, the media refused to tell the truth..... until now.

Aphrodite Jones, a reporter, ashamed of her behavior during Michael Jackson's trial, having realized that she was wrong, has written this book - "Michael Jackson Conspiracy" - which is pretty much a compact version of Michael Jackson's trial. It details exactly what happened in the courtroom at Michael Jackson's trial (using actual trial testimony), the facts that were revealed and exposed, the witnesses and what they stated

How Michael Jackson's defense team managed to successfully destroy prosecution theories and witnesses on a daily basis, how the media did not want to report anything that was favorable to Michael Jackson or his defense team, how some media reporters had already secured deals to have access to Michael Jackson if he was to be found guilty and imprisoned (which is disgusting, because this behavior implies that these jerks preferred that a child had been molested so that they could profit), and how Michael Jackson was found NOT GUILTY by a jury that saw right through the lies, right through the Arvizo family, right through District Attorney Tom Sneddon and his sham case, and right through the media garbage that has been circulating for years about Michael Jackson.

So, if you want the truth about Michael Jackson, how he has become a target for liars who want to become instant millionaires, and the victim of a media that promotes and prefers lies, read "Michael Jackson Conspiracy".

2009-08-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

Aristotle's Ethics (SparkNotes Literature Guide)

By Aristotle and SparkNotes Editor

Every art or applied science and every systematic investigation, and similarly every action and choice, seem to aim at some good; the good, therefore, has been well defined as that which all things aim."
In his Ethics, Aristotle does little more than to search for and examine the "good." Aristotle examines the virtues and vices of man in all of his faculties.
Aristotle refers to three types of lives, the common life, the political life, and the contemplative life, to which he assigns the highest order. Certainly, this is the most difficult life. Similar to Plato, Aristotle believed that "the unexamined life is a life not worth living." Aristotle does nothing other to examine the life of man and what is the best life to live.
Unlike Plato, you do not need to read the entire work to walk away with some useful insight into life. Though the over 100 chapters, divided into ten books, flow and build upon each other, you can read just one of them and be benefited. Aristotle covers many different subjects such as the good, morals, virtue, vice, courage, generosity, justice, intelligence, art, science, friendship, love, pleasure, and pain.
I can not say enough for the depth of insight Aristotle has into living the good life. Nicomachean Ethics is well written and presented in a clear manner that should be accessible to most readers. This is a must read for everyone.

2009-08-28T07:31:00.000-07:00

The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness

By Simon Wiesenthal and Harry James Cargas

This revised edition was issued in honor of the twentieth anniversary of its publication. It is divided into two sections: an extraordinary request to Simon for forgiveness by a dying 21 old SS man and the 53 responses (ten from the original volume) from prominent theologians, political leaders, writers, jurists, psychiatrists, human rights activists, Holocaust survivors, and victims of attempted genocides in Bosnia, Cambodia, China, and Tibet. Their answers reflect the teachings of their diverse beliefs - Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, secular, and agnostic - and remind us that Wiesenthal's question is not limited to events of the past. Certainly there are fundamental lessons that are as essential today as they were 60 years ago.

Who can forgive crimes committed against others asks Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the most significant Jewish theologians of the 20th century.

Are there any similarities between the national guilt faced by the German people for the Holocaust and ours for the institution of slavery and the genocide of Native Americans wonders Martin E. Marty, religious scholar and Lutheran Pastor.

Are followers in committing atrocities as guilty as their leaders inquires Dith Pran, photographer and subject of the film, "The Killing Fields," about Cambodian genocide.

Is silence its own answer if we could but learn to listen to it? Are there questions that are unanswerable queries of the soul, matters too awe-full for human response, too demonic for profound rational resolution poses Hubert Locke, Dean Emeritus, Evans School of Public Policy, University of Washington

By not forgiving do we somehow remain victims wonders Harold Kushner, Rabbi and best-selling author.

One day as part of a detail working at a hospital, Simon it taken by a nurse to see a dying young SS officer named Karl Seidl, who wants forgiveness and absolution from a Jew for the terrible things he had done, in particular an incident in which he murdered 150 Jewish men, women and children who were herded into a small house that was set on fire and when those trying to escape or jump to safety were all shot. Simon has no answer and leaves. He refuses a package of clothing the officer wants him to have telling her to ship it to the deceased's mother.

During the next two years, Wiesenthal shared this story with fellow camp mates, ending each time with: Was my silence at the bedside of the dying Nazi right or wrong?

After the war, Simon visits the officer's mother living in a bombed-out apartment in Stuttgart. All she has left are the memories of her "good son." Wiesenthal wrestles with whether he should tell her the truth about her son, but leaves saying nothing about the atrocities he took part in. She is allowed to keep her memories.

Simon addresses the reader with this critical question: "You, who have just read this sad and tragic episode in my life, can mentally change places with me and ask yourself the crucial question, 'What would I have done?'"

Simon Wiesehthal died on September 21, 2005 at the age of 96. He and his wife Cyla lost 89 relatives during the Holocaust. Simon helped to bring more than 1100 war criminals to justice, including Eichmann, Stangl, and the Nazi who took Anne Frank from her home and sent her to her death. He has been honored with numerous awards for his work, including "Commander of the Order of Orange" in the Netherlands, "Commendatore della Repubblica" in Italy, a gold medal for humanitarian work by the United States Congress, the Jerusalem Medal in Israel, and sixteen honorary doctorates. The Simon Wiesenthal Center, located in Los Angeles, is named in honor of him.

The Sunflower will force you to think deeply about issues we rarely discuss but which are essential to building and maintaining relationships, with each other and with ourselves.

2009-08-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

How to Win Friends & Influence People (Revised)

By Dale Carnegie

Under the subheading "15,000,000 people can't be wrong," I proudly present one of the all-time business book classics. You've probably heard about this book, as it's one of those titles that have become part of the cultural lexicon (like CATCH-22). It floats around the edges of the pop-culture ether, easily recalled but little read.

But this is no infomercial for real estate investment with no money down or for a personal improvement guru. This book was designed with professionals in mind, and designed to help professional people do better in business by helping them make social contacts and improve their speaking skills. It was also written with a certain...earnestness in mind. Carnegie was a big believer in sincerity when it came to dealing with other people.

The core of the book accomplishes four, overarching objectives:

* THREE FUNDAMENTAL TECHNIQUES IN HANDLING PEOPLE

* THE SIX WAYS TO MAKE PEOPLE LIKE YOU

* THE TWELVE WAYS TO WIN PEOPLE TO YOUR WAY OF THINKING

* THE NINE WAYS TO CHANGE PEOPLE WITHOUT AROUSING RESENTMENT

Thoroughly entertaining by using fun and interesting examples, I don't think many readers will regret checking this one out and I like to think of this book as a kind of Human Relations 101 of sorts.

Another related book that I recommend strongly because it's outstanding and a modernized approach to people skills is Emotional Intelligence 2.0

I think the title of this book may be misleading in that just about everyone can get along with people, and win friends. The part of the title that most people was is the abaility to influence others especially in a way that makes them happy and willing to do what you ask.
As a supervisor for a department of 50 people, I found it was easy to get people to do what I asked them becuase I was the boss. After reading How To Win Friends and Influence People, I was able to get people to do what I asked not because I was there supervisor, because they wanted to.

In addition, I have always found that there are always some people (many times my supervisors) who completely lack people skills. Dale Carnegies book taugh me how to work with those people as well.

I highly recommend How To Win Friends and Influence People to anyone who wants to significantly improve their people skills and especially their ability to positively influence people.

Great book!

2009-08-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition

By Edmund J. Bourne

Do you know that anxiety disorder is fairy common and affects approximately one out of every ten people in the United States at any given time. Could we all be living under too much stress? I think so.

"Research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health shows that anxiety disorders are the number-one mental health problem among American women and are second only to alcohol and drug abuse among men."

Have you ever felt panicky?
Are you fearful of entering certain places?

Are you anxious in social situations?
Do you feel apprehensive for extended periods of time?

This workbook is a practical guide that offers help to anyone struggling with panic attacks, agoraphobia, social fears, generalized anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Dr. Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D. is a psychologist and author who specializes in the treatment of phobias and other anxiety disorders.

Some of the Topics Include:

Causes of Anxiety Disorders
Visualization for Anxiety

Overcoming Negative Self-Talk
Real-Life Desensitization
Coping with Panic Attacks
Imagery Desensitization
Identifying and Expressing Feelings
Existential and spiritual Perspectives on Anxiety
Changing Mistaken Beliefs
Relaxations Techniques
Physical Exercise
Asserting Yourself
Nutrition
Medication
How to Create Your Own Recovery Program
Self-Esteem (including creating a relationship with your inner child)

This book emphasizes that anxiety can be a result of cumulative, long-term stress and there is a focus on adopting lifestyle changes to promote a more relaxed, balanced and healthy approach to life.

The chapter on Relaxation gives some great advice. Simple techniques like breathing properly or visualizing yourself in a peaceful scene can give immediate relief. There are lists of coping statements you can say to yourself to encourage calmness when you feel panic symptoms coming on. The list of 57 affirmations help you counter mistaken beliefs. Like, you tell yourself that you are responsible and in control of your life or you are willing to accept yourself the way you are and will take small steps to recover at your own pace.

I also liked the "Self-Nurturing Activities" which is a fun list of activities to make yourself feel good. Something as simple as taking a warm bath to sleeping out under the stars. The "Life Events Survey" is very interesting. The Death of a spouse, divorced, marital separation or being fired from work are at the top of the stress scale. Christmas comes in at 12 on the stress score as compared to 29 when you have trouble with inlaws.

For example: If you got married, changed to a different line of work, changed residence, and took two vacations, your total stress score would be at 132.

According to this chart, my current stress level is at 143. So, I am below the level of cumulative stress. Between 150 and 300 you would be suffering from chronic stress depending on how you perceived and coped with any particular life events.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is dealing with:

Panic Disorder
Agoraphobia
Social Phobia
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Acute Stress Disorder
Food Allergies

"But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself." -Desiderata by Max Erhmann

The most comprehensive book I've seen on
this subject!

2009-08-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

On Food And Cooking

By Harold J. Mcgee

This red `On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen' by Harold McGee is a new edition of what is the most widely quoted culinary work in English. It may be almost as influential on the thinking of culinary professionals as Julia Child's `Mastering the Art of French Cooking' was on attitudes of American home cooking. The testimonials from the likes of Thomas Keller, Paula Wolfert, Jacques Pepin, and Rose Levy Beranbaum just begins to tell you how important McGee's volume has become. I was immensely pleased to see the exchange of acknowledgments between McGee and Keller to see how much the academic can learn from the professional chef.

I can devote my thousand words on how good this book has been to the culinary world, but most of you already know that. What I will do is to list all the reasons one may wish to read this book.

First, the book is simply interesting to amateur foodies and culinary professionals. This is the serendipity principle. If you prospect in a rich land, you will invariably find something of value. The `lore' in the subtitle is not an afterthought. The book includes history, linguistics and cooking practice in addition to simple science. In over 800 pages of densely packed narrative, one will invariably find something of interest, especially since the book covers such a broad range of topics, including:

Milk and Dairy
Eggs
Meat
Fish and Shellfish
Fruits and Vegetables
Seeds, Cereals, and Doughs
Sauces
Sugars and Chocolate
Alcohol (Wine, Beer, and Distilled Spirits)
Cooking Methods
Cooking Utensil Materials
`The Four Basic Food Molecules'
Basic Chemistry

Second, professional and amateur bakers should read all of the chapters on grains, doughs, chocolate, alcohol, basic molecules, and the chemistry primer, as this is the one area of culinary practice where knowledge of science can make the biggest difference between good and great results.

Third, all culinary professionals who have anything whatsoever to do with teaching should read this book from cover to cover, twice. There is absolutely nothing more annoying than having a person in the role of teacher make a patently false statement in their area of expertise. The number of times a Food Network culinary celeb misuses the term `dissolve' when they really mean `emulsify' or simply `mix' would fill volumes. It is still a common mistake to say that searing protein seals in juices.

There are many good reasons for searing. Preventing the escape of liquid is not one of them. Even Brown himself has made some gaffs in print and on `Good Eats' such as when he described a very corrosive compound as a strong acid rather than a strong base. He confused one end of the pH scale with the other.

Fourth, anyone who has ambitions to develop their own recipes should read those chapters which deal with the major foods such as dairy, meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables, with a premium on the material on milk and eggs. Two defining characteristics of science are that it explains things and it predicts things. Most people understand the first but may not appreciate the second.

One can predict, for example, that if you use too little fat in a milk or cream based gratin, the dairy will curdle, so, if you are playing around with your favorite mac and cheese recipe, do not be so quick to reach for that skim milk, as you are likely to be very disappointed with the result. Similarly, if you crave some Saturday morning buttermilk biscuits and the nearest carton of buttermilk is a 30 minute drive away, AND, you have no vinegar, AND you have no citrus, there is just a chance that your aging cream of tartar dissolved in milk will save the day, since this is an acidic salt which will stand in for the acidity in the buttermilk. As a former professional chemist, I can assure you that pure inorganic salts like cream of tartar simply do not go bad.

What separates good from great cooks is using this technique to test raw materials. This is the truest marriage of science and cooking, following the maxim of Daniel Boulud who stated that to be really great, the journeyman cook must repeat the same procedure thousands of times to the point where the result is utterly reproducible and the cook can detect the desired endpoint easily by eye, nose, and mouth. Sounds like science to me.

The author's introduction presents an excellent case for rereading the book in its second edition as he cites the great changes in food culture over the last twenty years. This is also a great case for anyone who is interested in any aspect of food.

2009-08-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

Martha Stewart's Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone's Favorite Treat

By Martha Stewart Living Magazine

Cupcakes. Cuppies. Mini-cakes. Cake-shrimpies. Some of the names that have been given to this delicious little confection that are perfect anytime and anywhere and which somehow make us think that they are the perfect diet dessert as well because after all, they're so small!

This book contains many ideas and recipes collected over the years of the MSL magazine and programs along with some new and exciting offerings. Another wonderful treat within this book is that the reader is not limited just to the generic "cupcake" batter itself; there are some fabulous directions that take you to cupakes, mini-cupcakes, and cheesecakes, just to name a few, that let you think outside the typical cupcake box.

INTRODUCTION

SWIRLED and SPRINKLED: chocolate chip cupcakes, carrot cupcakes, yellow buttermilk cupcakes, coconut cupcakes (light and fluffy!), red velvet cupcakes, rhubarb cupcakes with whipped cream, Devil's food cupcakes, chocolate malted cupcakes, tiramisu cupcakes (forget counting calories!), banana-pecan cupcakes, blueberries and cream cupcakes, zucchini-spice cupcakes, mocha cupcakes, tres leches cupcakes, date-nut mini cupcakes, ginger and molasses cupcakes, applesauce-spice cupcakes, peanut butter and jelly cupcakes.

DIPPED and GLAZED: brown sugar cupcakes, streusel cupcakes, triple citrus cupcakes, coconut-pecan cupcakes with chocolate ganache, iced pistachio cupcakes, pumpkin-brown butter cupcakes, apricot-glazed black and white cheesecakes, Mrs. Kostyra's spice cupcakes, sticky toffee cupcakes, stout cupcakes, chai-tea mini cupcakes , chocolate-spice cupcakes, coconut rum-raisin cupcakes, and lavender-iced cupcakes.

SIMPLE and SWEET: marble cupcakes, tiny cherry and almond tea cakes, cookie cupcakes (chocolate chunk, peanut butter, and oatmeal raisin), raspberry marble cheesecakes, blondie cupcakes, blackberry-cornmeal cupcakes, cookie and cream cheesecakes, pistachio-raspberry tea cakes, flourless chocolate cupcakes (attention all celiacs and gluten-sensitive folks), and allergen-free chocolate cupcakes.

FILLED and LAYERED: Boston cream pie cupcakes (mercy!), strawberry jam teacakes, peanut butter filled chocolate cupcakes, Martha's Meyer Lemon cupcakes, mint-filled brownie cupcakes, lemon yogurt cupcakes with raspberry jam, german chocolate cupcakes, meringue cupcakes with berry compote, amaretto-pineapple cupcakes, jumbo cream filled chocolate cupcakes, and Black Forest cupcakes.

PIPED and TOPPED: snickerdoodle cupcakes, roasted banana cupcakes, lemon meringue cupcakes, orange-vanilla bean cupcakes, strawberry cupcakes, chocolate salted-caramel mini cupcakes, s'mores cupcakes, one-bowl chocolate cupcakes with gumdrops, white cupcakes with pastel buttercream peaks, and mint chocolate cupcakes.

BIRTHDAYS: dotted letter cupcakes, gelato topped mini cupcakes, By-The-Sea Cupcakes (sand dollar, starfish, fish, shark and sand dune), ladybug cupcakes, buttercream blossom cupcakes, flower power cupcakes, cookies monogram cupcakes, mini-menagerie cupcakes (pig, mouse, monkey lion), dinosaur cupcakes, game day cupcakes (home run, match point, slam dunk), pretzel topped cupcakes, beetle and butterfly cupcakes, coconut chick cupcakes, clown cupcakes, ice cream cone cupcakes, flock of sheep cupcakes, maple-sweetened carrot cupcakes, cupcake caterpillar.

HOLIDAYS: New Years clock cupcakes, Valentines cupcakes, St. Patricks Day cupcakes, springerle Easter Buny cupcakes, Easter-egg cupcakes, chocolate walnut cupcakes for Passover, Mother's Day Hummingbird cupcakes, Father's Day tee-time cupcakes, 4th of July cupcakes, creepcakes, wicked witch cupcakes, candy ghoul cupcakes toppers, pumpkin patch cupcakes, marshmallow turkey cupcakes, maple cupcakes, candied sweet potato cupcakes, sparkly Star of David cupcakes, gingerbread cupcakes with cookie cutouts, fruitcakes with meringue mushrooms, candy Christmas cupcake toppers, wreath cupcakes.

CELEBRATIONS: monogram heart cupakes, nesting baby bluebird cupcakes (perfect for a baby shower), piped shells and pearls cupcakes, meringue bouquet cupcakes, chrysanthemum cupcakes, graduation day cupcakes, fresh flower topped pound cakes, sunflower cupcakes, honey bee cupcakes, almond hazelnut cupcakes with faux-bois toppers (very cool way with chocolate), strawberry basket cupcakes, piped buttercream rose cupcakes, candied hazelnut cupcakes, spun-sugar crowned cupcakes (this would be a spectacular presentation at any party, even a fancy one!).

THE BASICS: If there was a chapter that should be a required reading, then this wouold be it. This covers the entire spectrum within this book, of what you need to start cupcake decorating. It will also set a good foundation in which you could build upon with other cupcake decorating books and skills. You get a description of what dry and wet ingredients are needed, the tools for baking, the tools and candy embellishments used for these projects, how to use a piping bag, working with fondant and marzipan (these are such great mediums), pastry tips (what they are and photos of what they pipe), then all the frostings, fillings, creams, and glazes to help put your plan in action.

DISPLAYING AND GIVING: Once you've made your creations, how would you like to display them? Well, this is the section that makes it all worth is because we are visual people and to draw the eye to the work, you need imaginative and creative ways of presenting the cupcakes. This chapter accomplished that task, with what you probably already have in your home. Many of these ideas are so simple yet so strong that you realize how much impact is in their simplicity (for example, placing mini-photos glued to a toothpick in a cupcake to celebrate an anniversary or birthday, or making "handles" that turn a cupcake into a mini-basket for an Easter celebration. What about placing a simple paper scallop around a cake platter to make a dainty and delicate presentation?

TEMPLATES AND CLIP ART: The artwork used in each project for you to use by photocopying.

SOURCES: A multitude of sources for the items used throughout the book.

PHOTO CREDITS: All the wonderful and talented folks who helped bring you the visual impact of these great baking projects.

2009-08-28T05:18:00.000-07:00

Hello, Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make

By Alan Richardson and Karen Tack

If you are a closet cake-decorator but you don't feel up in the ranks of Duff or Colette or Martha, then grab this book and hold on to your socks, because Karen Tack and Alan Richardson will take you on a fabulous decorating ride!!

Wow, wow, and WOW! This veritable encyclopedia of "mini-cake" decorating is so fun and easy that there is absolutely no excuse for anyone to lament "they can't". With the use of food items found anywhere, you will be making the cutest, and most impressive cupcake creations you can possibly think of, and Karen and Alan will make you legendary to boot!

There are 8 chapters between the "Introduction" and the "Sources"; got those socks gripped?........

INTRODUCTION: Your text page begins the journey, and right after, you are given an impressive section of pages that visually, and with text, show you how you will make the many creations through the use of candies, cookies, and types of sugars.

CUPCAKING TECHNIQUES: This was invaluable for those who are novice cupcake bakers or wannabe's. Hints and instructions on methods for pouring batter, spreading frosting, making frosting, and melting chocolate for designs, are shown in close detail. They show you how to make "fur" for the lion cupcakes and "leaves" for flowers. This is followed by methods used to draw "bugs", people faces, and hairstyles by using melted chocolate and candies. The next section shows how you will literally build up these creations, like the bowling pin cupcakes, so instruction is shown in simple and fascinating detail. Part of the more complex designs require a grouping of cupcakes, like "corn on the cob", "rabbits in a hole", or the "alligator", and you are given an idea of the schematics involved in getting them just right!

APRIL FOOL'S THEME:
Corn on the Cob
Bagels and Lox
Buttered Popcorn
TV Dinner ("peas & carrots", "drumsticks", & "mashed potato" cupcakes!)
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Box of Chocolates
Van Gogh's "Starry Night" in frosting (he'd love it!)

PARTY ANIMALS:
March of the Penguins
Fat Cats (cats with their paws on fishbones!)
Fishbowl (you use those Pepperidge Farm fishies for this one!)
Panda-monium
Westies
Crazy Horses (this uses candy circus peanuts and wafers)
Pup Cakes (a whole bunch of poochies to choose from!)
Monarchs (what a great Spring party or bridal shower presentation!)
Shark Attack (you'll want to go into these waters!)
Old Swampy the 'Gator

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CUPCAKE!:
When I Grow Up
Party Princess (any little girl will just LOVE these!)
Slumber Party
Big Birthday Party
Bowl Me Over (this is soooo darn cute; pins and a bowling ball!!!)
The Big Top (definitely a more time-required, but great, project)

HOSTEST with the MOSTEST:
Sunflowers (a veritable burst of green and yellow and Oreo cookies!)
Black and White Party
Play Pool (no one will mind the 8 ball!)
Baby Shower
Petit Fours (very elegant and delicate)
Garden Party ( a "garden" of carrots, peas, radishes, and cabbage)
Easter Eggs
Rabbit Holes (so unbelievably clever; Karen Tack is a genious!)
Candy Stars and Stripes Forever
Family Tree
Wedding Cake and Monograms

NIGHTMARE BEFORE THANKSGIVING:
Alien Invasion
Creepy Crawlers (almost good enough for goin' fishin')
What a Hoot
Pumpkin Patch ( absolutely adorable; Alan's photography is superb!)
Howling Werewolves
Autumn Leaves (how did they think of this great project?!)
Larry the Turkey

HOLIDAY ON ICING:
Edible Ornaments (incredible boxed "ornaments"!)
String of Delights
Snow Globes (this was sheer genius by placing the cakes on their side!)
Gingerbread Boys
Partridge in a Pear Tree (fantastic!)
Nutcracker Sweet (you'll be dancing!)
Frosting the Snowman (too darn cute!)
White Wreath (Christmas glory in white and red! Awesome!)

CUPCAKES AND FROSTINGS:
(Cake mix recipes): Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate Chunk Surprise, Chocolate Mint, Orange Spice, Banana Chocolate, Gingerbread

(Homemade recipes): Chocolate Cupcakes, Banana Cupcakes, Carrot Cupcakes, Almond Cupcakes, Lemon-Poppy Seed Cupcakes, Vanilla Cupcakes

(Frostings): Next-to-Instant Ganache (melted chocolate), Homemade Ganache, Almost-Homemade Vanilla Buttercream, Cream Cheese Frosting, Chocolate Frosting

SOURCES

OK, OK.................I have gone beyond fawning but if you're a cake decorating fool like myself, you understand the passion. My deep gratitude to Karen and Alan; you guys ROCK!

2009-08-28T04:57:00.000-07:00

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking

By Jeff Hertzberg MD and Zoe Francois

I'm a foodie; the kind of person who will drive miles to a bakery, who will visit Italy when the ricotta is sweetest. I'm also a skeptic. So, when I bought this book, I didn't expect much. But, was I ever wrong. What I love is that the authors turn everything you know about bread baking upside down, and the result is the best bread you'll ever make at home. Easily.

Simply. Whenever you want. You must, however, read the introduction to the method to succeed as well as you might -- this is not a book to begin baking from the minute you buy it. But the few minutes you invest in all the suggestions pay off mightily -- how to tell when this particular kind of bread is really ready (I used to swear by an instant read thermometer -- forget that); how to dock it; how to store it, etc. The instructions are utterly clear. I've already baked ten loaves, each magnificent, and I've only had the book for a week. All kinds of breads are represented -- French loaves, ciabbata, pita, peasant -- I could go on and on. Enough for a lifetime of pleasure.

The book frequently calls for a pizza peel and baking stone. A set of the peel (or a suitable cutting board), stone (or an unglazed ceramic tile from Home Depot) and this book would make a great gift. In fact, I thought that I could cross several people off of my shopping list by buying the set or just the books for all. Unfortunately, it is already out of stock. Looks like I am not the only one who is impressed by it. I can't even give my book away and wait for a new copy because I spilled olive oil on it while making the sun dried tomato and Parmesan bread. By the way, it was delicious!

This is a great book for all cooking experience levels. The recipes are easy and the results impressive.

2009-08-28T04:52:00.000-07:00

Julia's Kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime in Cooking (Random House Large Print (Cloth/Paper))

By Julia Child

The late Julia Child produced MANY cookbooks but this one, in my opinion, is second only to her Magnum opus, Mastering the Art of French Cooking (make sure to acquire either the 1961 edition, or the 1966 one which is a reprint and be aware that "Volume II" has nothing much to do with "Volume I" which is this one).

I'm a huge fan of Julia's common sense approach to cooking, which is also tenoned with her professional knowledge. The cookbook which I'm reviewing here represents a maturity of Julia's years of cooking knowledge, rarely found elsewhere. The book's subtitle is, "Essential Techniques and Recipes from A Lifetime of Cooking," which is significant to understanding what is to be found in the text. Only Jacques Pepin and one other rivals her in this realm: Jacques Pepin's Complete Techniques. James Beard, yet another contemporary of Julia, also produced some terrific cookbooks -- here's one of his best: Beard on Food: The Best Recipes and Kitchen Wisdom from the Dean of American Cooking.

Julia's Kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking is a relatively diminutive document in terms of length, only 128 pages, but every word counts in this fine edition. Here are the essential chapters:

-- Soups and Two Mother Sauces
-- Salads and Their Dressings
-- Vegetables
-- Meats, Poultry, and Fish
-- Egg Cookery
-- Breads, Crêpes, and Tarts
-- Cakes and Cookies

The simplicity of this work is astounding, given the detailed information which is conveyed. The book is brilliantly conceived, covering the chief areas of scratch cooking. I also much appreciated how the very nice photos of Julia in her studio kitchens, found throughout the book, punctuate her common sense attitude toward her art. There is a nicely organized index at the end to help you find the recipe that you need. It's tough to pin down exactly how many recipes are in here (lots!) because Julia offers us so many variations and alternatives to each of her basic dishes.

The recipes herein can be prepared by even the beginner to cooking. Julia has made it that simple for us. And when you taste her French Onion Soup (page 7) you'll come to realize why Julia was head and shoulders above the pack of television chefs which followed her. The French Onion Soup is a simple and amazing appetizer. All these recipes bear the hallmark of her apparently limitless culinary knowledge.

In summary, I have never been more pleased with a foundational cookbook and I believe that neither home cook nor the professional chef should be without a copy. Highly recommended.

2009-08-18T07:31:00.000-07:00

Living with Art

By Mark Getlein

2009-08-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition)

By Bryan Peterson

If you are trying to learn more about how to properly use exposure (i.e. aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) this is a fantastic book to begin with. It informs for the film and digital photographer. I have been taking photos for many years, but it has only been over the past couple of years that I became more of a professional. Despite this, I still struggled to understand some of the concepts such as the difference between a good exposure and a "creatively correct exposure" and what options I had.

You learn how to expose for front-lit, back-lit, side-lit scenes, overcast skys, macro photography, motion, stationery objects, how to expose for bright scenes such as snow (grey card & 18% grey) and dark scenes such as night photography...you name it. Then Bryan Peterson tops it off with a sections on metering, special techniques and filters, and an analysis of film vs digital cameras.

Understanding Exposure not only explained the basics in a conversational manner, but is also informed me of how the pros work and how to step up my photography to a higher level.

This book has hands-on exercises that anyone can go through so that the reader has experience of all of the methods explained. Along with this, the book is FULL of color photos that show exactly what the end result could be. Where applicable, there are comparisons of before and after exposure adjustments so the reader may understand WHY they should make such changes.

Where there is a difference between adjustments for digital versus film cameras, Bryan Peterson gives you the specifics of the difference and haw to adjust for it.

It is a book every photographer should have!

2009-08-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3

By Scott Kelby

This book is of the same general length and writing style as the two prior books however, prior readers will immediately recognize some of the content used as "filler" or a bit of "fluff" here and there. For example, one of the pages/tips is dedicated to "cleaning" the item before shooting, another instructs to "remove distracting elements" from the picture...duh! Does that really constitute a tip? I think not. Likewise, there are several more tips dedicated to how to use your camera (Canon and Nikon users) for things like dust cleaning or turning off the beep...personally speaking, if I wanted that information I would simply read my owners manual.

Other less than impressive tips included using a tripod for tack sharp product shots plus some information that is basically a repurpose of content from prior books such as which essential filters to purchase or to use a neutral density filter. It is also somewhat disappointing to see that some tips consist of nothing more than 1 very short paragraph or as little as 1-2 sentences in their entirity.

Finally, the chapter on how to select the right lens is perfect for those seeking to purchase a DSLR or new to buying but most experienced users will find this a bit too simplistic for an entire chapter. Essentially it describes each lens type (ie, zoom, macro, fisheye, etc...) then when to use each. It also includes how to clean your lens, how and why to use manual focus, the difference between prime vs zoom etc...

The Good...

Having said all of the above, I still rate the book highly due to the engaging and readable format, excellent examples... and of course, what we all come here for...the actual tips. There are some good ones scattered throughout that more experienced users will likely appreciate - although far fewer than in prior books.

Overall, this book seemed more introductory in nature than the other two volume's; still, there are plenty of great reminders and always some true golden nuggets that make all the difference like getting creative with the white balance, how to get that star effect without a filter (there - you saved the cost of this entire book plus never have to hassle with that filter again just by reading that page alone!, how to create those great reflections so popular in product shots plus much more.

Bottom Line...

Good book and well worth the low price tag. Best suited for beginners but serious shutterbugs are still likely to find a few gems. Not quite up to the same standard as the first two volume's but perhaps the most useful of all three for complete novice users or those currently shopping for a camera/lens etc...

Targeted more for the general user (for example, Lensbaby coverage) rather than pro or serious camera buff but everyone is likely to find something they like that make the purchase price and time well worth the effort.

HIGHLY recommend for new users or those purchasing a new camera/lens etc...

2009-08-17T03:01:00.000-07:00

Ida: A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the Campaign Against Lynching

By Paula J. Giddings

In 1893, the "Chicago Inter-Ocean", a mainstream metro newspaper, commissioned 30 year old Ida Wells to investigate a crime. A black man, accused of murdering two white girls, had been mutilated, burned to death and left hanging from a telegraph pole. Wells made the trip, assumed the identity of the dead man's widow, tracked down eyewitnesses and published her findings in detail.

The Introduction describes the history of lynching and serves as a backdrop to Wells's crusade against lynching:

"The origin of the term "lynching," according to James E. Cutler, author of "Lynch-Law" (1905) the first scholarly text on the subject, is attributed to Charles Lynch, a Virginia justice of the peace (and brother of the founder of Lynchburg). Lynch established informal, extra-legal citizen juries during the Revolutionary War years when official courts were few and traveling to them through British-occupied territories was perilous. The common sentence for those found guilty--mostly horse thieves and Tories--was thirty nine lashes with a whip.

By the 1830s, when southern abolitionism reached its height, lynching was associated more with those who threatened the slave order. Following the Civil War, the practice became more murderous with the bloody struggle for power among northern federalists, Confederates, and newly enfranchised black men.

"However, it wasn't until 1886, when increasing numbers of rural blacks migrated to southern cities, that the number of African Americans lynched exceeded that of whites: a trend that continued even as blacks became increasingly disenfranchised; had largely eschewed their political aspirations in favor of building institutions, acquiring wealth, and eliminating ignorance; and ex- Confederates had regained control of their state governments. Both Wells and Cutler cited what were surely conservative estimates by the Chicago Tribune, which reported that 728 persons were lynched between 1882 and 1891, the majority of them African American men. The statistics further showed that less than a third had been accused of rape, much less guilty of it."

In 1893 Wells was established as a black journalist, co-editor and part-owner of the "Memphis Free Speech". A white mob seized the three black men and killed them in a railroad yard duplicating wounds suffered by three white deputies. Wells urged her black readers: "Save our money and leave a town which will neither protect our lives and property, nor give us a fair trial in the courts." Memphis blacks took her advice and departed by the thousands to the West, and those who stayed behind boycotted streetcars and quit their jobs. Business owners panicked and commerce "came to a standstill," Wells would recall with some satisfaction.

Wells used the "Free Speech" to respond to an editorial supporting lynching. The South was menaced by the "horrible and bestial propensities" of black men, whose seething ambition was to catch a white woman alone. Lynching, the paper argued, was a defensive act by noble whites protecting chaste women from depraved blacks. Wells replied that, according to her own investigations, some lynchings involved black men who were guilty of nothing more than having had consensual sex with a white woman. If lynchings were sometimes proof of a white woman's desire for a black man, Wells argued, then the future lynching of blacks by white men would lead others to draw conclusions "which will be very damaging to the moral reputation of their women."

Despite the firestorm created by her editorial, Wells continued her fight. She gave 102 lectures in Britain to bring international pressure on the U.S. She helped to introduce anti-lynching legislation in six states. Eventually, Wells married a successful Chicago attorney, had four children, wrote in defense of prisoners on death row, opened a reading room and social center in Chicago, ran for public office, and was part of a contingent that met with President Woodrow Wilson in 1913 to protest civil-service segregation.

Ida Wells Clubs opened in cities across the country, and benefactors sent money to her causes. But the women' suffrage movement generally avoided Wells because its leaders didn't want to alienate Southern women. Black ministers asked her to mute the sexual themes in her writing about lynching and women' rights, and W.E.B. Du Bois took credit for excluding her from NAACP leadership positions. Government agents investigated her for treason after passage of the Espionage Act of 1917.

This is a carefully researched biography, describing a real American heroine, and her efforts to stop a terrible crime. I found that it added a very useful dimension to Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells.

2009-08-17T02:59:00.000-07:00

Burning All Illusions: Writings from The Nation on Race (Nation Books)
By Paula J. Giddings

2009-08-17T02:49:00.000-07:00

In Search of Sisterhood: Delta Sigma Theta and the Challenge of the Black Sorority Movement

By Paula J. Giddings

I was never a Greek, but I read this book because I am familiar with Delta Sigma Theta from their activities at my alma mater, and have enjoyed Paula Giddings's other research about black women's history. Unsurprisingly, I also enjoyed this book. It explains how Delta Sigma Theta provided a critical organizing space for collegiate black women in an era trying to make them choose between the identities and at a time when their being in college itself was a rarity.

In addition to the social events, this sorority also had explicitly political events. From inception, DST worked for civil rights, reflecting their steadfast belief in community progress through community service. While other Greek organizations do community service here-and-there, this is the backbone of DST according to Giddings.

Their first public act was participation in a women's suffrage march (pp. 55-60). Unfortunately, some of the white suffragists they marched with were not grasping the importance of opposing racism (pp. 56-57, pp. 59-60) while opposing sexism. Before 'intersecting identities' became a buzz word in feminist research circles, DST members already understood they could not choose between being a woman or a black. The social justice they embraced and advanced consequently had to recognize them as being both.

The list of Deltas who were in public service is inspiring. Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Betty Shabazz, Barbara Jordan, Shirley Chisolm, and Marian Wright Edelman are only a few. Even though the organization also faced charges of elitism, DST ultimately comes across as one of the most accessible service organizations. In addition to supporting suffrage, the organization opposed lynching and reached out to single mothers (pp. 300-302) in eras when those activities was politically (if not culturally) dangerous.

This book is (of course) a must get for people who were a part of DST. I'm also convinced it is mandatory reading for people interested in community organizing studies. Giddings explains how women's collegiate organizations can and do play empowering roles in communities throughout the nation in great detail to her readers.

2009-08-17T02:39:00.000-07:00

Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary (Thumb Index)

By Donald Venes

I can't tell you how invaluable this book is to me. It is safe to say I would be lost without it. I am in a bridge nursing program (RN-Masters) and have never worked in the medical feild before. Upper division textbooks are usually unhelpful because they contain no glossary at the back of the book. If your books are the same way this book is a necessity!

Definitions are in plain english rather than crazy medical jargon so you rarely have to filp pages to define words in the definition of the original word in question. Even better are the multitude of pictures and diagrams that really solidify your understanding of select terms.

There are some additional niceties specifially for nurses or nursing students. The appendix is filled with useful nursing guides such as:
1. Nutrition and dietary refrence values
2. Herbal medicines and their uses
3. Normal refrence laboratory values
4. Prefixes and suffixes
5. Latin and Greek nomenclature
6. Medical abbreviations
7. Units of measurement
8. Mini English-Spanish-French dictionary inclusive of specific medical phrases that may be used on the job
9. Classification of poisons and poisoning, including pathology, symptoms, and medical treatment
10. Addresses for health care resources and organizations, and nursing organizations
11. NIC and NOC lists
12. Nursing diagnosis
13. Conceptual models and theories of nursing

Those additional resources alone are worth the price of this book. You may be on a tight budget, but this is one book you cannot afford to be without.

2009-08-17T02:31:00.000-07:00

Davis' Drug Guide for Nurses

By Judith Hopfer Deglin

I teach nursing, and this DAVIS Drug Guide for Nurses is a must-have for all my students as they learn how to professionally administer medications to their clients.

All nurses should have a convenient system to use when the occasion arises that a nurse gives a medication that they are unfamilair with...I found that this DAVIS Guide is a quick and easy way to investigate the medication, it's indications, contraindications, nursing considerations and idiosyncrasies. Adverse reactions and normal dosing ranges are included for all medications .....

There is also caution advised to prevent medication errors....near misses are always preferred over real errors any day. How the heart skips a beat whenever that happens!

Nurses NEVER intend to make errors, and this book gives a cautionary tale in the beginning - to help professionals understand the grave seriousness of it all.

It's never too late to buy an informative drug guide, and here I recommend this book to ALL --- professional or not.

It's cruicial that all people who give medications or take them understand the actions of the medications comprehensively.

The more one knows the more choices they posses.
Before you pass the meds,
pass the DAVIS Drug Guide!

You can't go wrong with this fantastic drug guide! It is listed under generic names but if you don't know the generic name you can look up in the index at the back of the book for the trade name.

I had a nurse/lawyer professor for my first year care plans and she wanted it all. This book delivered it ALL: classification, pregnancy catagory, indications, mechanism of action, contraindications and precautions, adverse reactions and side effects, interactions, route and dosage, availability, nursing implications and even potential nursing diagnoses! Also implementation, patient/family teaching and evaluation. Wow! I've been very impressed.

It came through for me so I didn't have to go out and buy another drug book which is saying something! Davis's Drug Guide has even more in the back of the book with many appendixes including: recent drug approvals, additional drugs, combination drugs and opthalmic meds all that include class, indications, adverse reactions and side effects, route and dosage and contraindications and warnings.

Appendix E is about natural/herbal products which is as thorough as the drugs that make up the main part of this book. There are pictures of the intramuscular drug sites, formulas helpful for calculating doses, routine pediatric and adult immunizations, recommendations for the safe handling of hazardous drugs, schedules of controlled substances, food sources for specific nutrients (ie foods rich in K, Na, Ca, Fe, vit K, vit D, low Na, foods that acidify urine as well as foods that alkalizine urine), and insulin and insulin therapy.

Also throughout the book there is plenty of red lettering amidst the black for high alert warnings where drug overdoses have occurred in the past. The organized, easily found references in this guide could save your client's lives. Just because a doctor orders it doesn't mean it is ok to give, as a nurse we have to look it up and know the safe dose and contraindications and more and this book has it all! Highly recommended! Good luck all future nurses!

2009-08-17T02:12:00.000-07:00

Atlas of Human Anatomy: With Netteranatomy.com (Netter Basic Science)

By Frank H. Netter MD

This is a rather long review of the 3rd Edition.

Netter's Atlas of Human Anatomy has been considered the standard against which other atlases are compared. It really needs no introduction, so i'll just speak of the pros and cons of this edition compared to other atlases as well as to previous editions.

---Pros compared to other Atlases---

1. Drawings are in vivid "unrealistic" colors. This is in contrast to Grant's atlas, which takes a more "life-like" color scheme. I call this a pro for Netter because it improves contrast and greatly helps in finding and remembering the location of structures. McMinn's is a photographic atlas of dissections, which is great for the lab, but does not nearly cover the content that Netter does. I also find photographs harder to study from.

2. This is first and foremost, an Atlas. There are about 600 pages crammed with drawings. There is virtually no text apart from the labels. The illustrations are generally better, clearer, larger, higher quality, and more plentiful (showing many sections of the same area) than other atlases.

3. Labels galore. Initially some pages may seem intimidating because of the enourmous amount of labelling, but once you get used to it- it's really much better than not enough labels (ie. Grant's). Example: Much easier to find "Pharyngeal Recess" in Netter than Grant's.

---Cons as compared to other Atlases---

1. Expensive. Well, you get what you pay for. It's also gotten more expensive lately for this 3rd edition, very unfortunate. ICON publishing may have raised the price after they took over from Novartis.

2. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to carry two anatomy books: one for text and one for pictures. Grant's is better in this regard as it has "just enough" text to explain the drawings. As I said above, Netter doesn't

---Compared to Previous Editions---

A couple things are new in this edition. And only a couple.

1. About 8 surface anatomy plates at the start of every section done by a different artist. They're okay. Clearly can't replace a dedicated surface anatomy book.

2. New Xray, CT, MRI, etc. plates showing normal radiographic appearance. They're okay I guess, but really useless if you have a dedicated radiology text/atlas, or even if you use some websites.

3. Some labels and drawings were corrected to reflect current knowledge. The index has been significantly improved and expanded.

4. New version 3.0 Interactive Atlas of Human Anatomy CDROM. Thank god. Finally they've left the medieval times and adopted 1024x768 res and higher quality pictures. Version 2.0 CD had an absurd and useless 640x480. This CDROM is now natively MAC/PC compatible, finally! (btw. Macs rock)

2009-08-17T02:01:00.000-07:00

My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey

By Ph.D., Jill Bolte Taylor

The book expounds on her experience while having the stroke and her subsequent recovery. It was amazing on many levels:
(1) She gives a 1st person narrative of her experience of the stroke and recovery but she doesn't portray it as something we should all pity and feel sorry for. Instead, she lays it out not unlike an explorer discovering new territory, full of suspense and wonder.

(2) She gives incredible tips on how to communicate with and care for stroke victims. For e.g., some people would yell at her after they saw she didn't understand what they were saying. However, she wasn't deaf. She could only process one word at a time. If those people would have spoken more slowly rather than loudly, she would have been able to understand them. This is something that would never have occurred to me if I hadn't read this book.

(3) She takes us on a tour of the 'mystical' right side of her brain which little is known about and whose capabilities in today's world seem to be dismissed. She says the right side of the brain is the gateway to enlightenment and nirvana. She shares tips on how to 'tend the garden of your mind' and to interrupt or stop those stories we all tell ourselves over and over again (usually about how we are deficient, not good enough, etc.). She calls them loops.

Dr. Taylor's tips about how we can all achieve nirvana by accessing the right side of the brain as a conscious process is worth the price of the book many times over. We all have a "loop of deep inner peace" wired into our neurological circuitry in our right brain and we can consciously choose to run this loop whenever we wish.

Closely related to this topic are books by Ariel & Shya Kane. They've written three outstanding books: Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Life, How to Create a Magical Relationship: The 3 Simple Ideas that Will Instantaneously Transform Your Love Life & Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment. The Kanes have been teaching about accessing the magic of the right-side of the brain for over 20 years and their book is chock full of tips, and stories on how to recognize those loops Dr. Taylor talks about and how to bypass them. If you're serious about getting enlightened, get Dr. Taylor's and the Kanes' books NOW!

This book is unique because the person who had the stroke was a Neuroscientist, Neuroanatomist or brain scientist. Taylor was able to thus relate the cognitive deficits she was experiencing to the underlying biology.

2009-08-17T01:55:00.000-07:00

The Hollow (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 2)

By Nora Roberts

The Hollow is the second book of the Sign of Seven Trilogy by Nora Roberts. The story started twenty-one years ago, when three young boys, Caleb, Fox, and Gage, spent the night camping by the Pagan Stone. They shared birthdays and an unbreakable bond on friendship. Boys being boys, they wanted to take it one step farther. They would become blood brothers. During the ritual of sharing, mixed blood hit the ground.

It unleashed an evil entity that returned to Hawkins Hollow every seven years. For seven days madness reigned, lives were lost, property destroyed, and families torn apart.

Caleb, Fox, and Gage are descendants of the Guardian, Giles Dent, the one that locked the evil entity, Lazarus Twisse under the Pagan Stone. Up until now Caleb, Fox, and Gage did what they could to minimize the damage but they couldn't stop it.

The madness would be returning this summer and now, twenty-one years after releasing the demon, they have a chance at ending it once and for all. Three women, Quinn, Cybil, and Layla, all descendants of the child conceived when Twisse raped an innocent girl, have joined the battle.

With the history laid out in the first book, the story is more evenly divided between the challenge Lazarus Twisse presented, and the budding romance between Layla and Fox. The attraction was strong, but they were circling each other, not sure if getting involved was a smart move. They had to work together on so many levels, a romance might cloud the issue---or clear it.

The Hollow by Nora Roberts is a fast paced thrilled with a healthy dose of romance thrown in. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the third book The Pagan Stone scheduled for release in December of 2008.

2009-08-17T01:50:00.000-07:00

Blood Brothers (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 1)

By Nora Roberts

The story begins in 1652 in Maryland, Giles Dent can feel the evil coming towards him in the guise of a man. He sent his mate, Ann Hawkins, away as she is pregnant with triplets, all boys. He knows that what he is about to do cannot vanquish the evil but he can hold it until some generations later those that will be able to vanquish the demon can do so.

Giles and Ann Hawkins are accused by Hester Deale of being witches. The crowd of men and women with his death on their mind caused by the power of the demon. The crowd begins to beat him but he reaches out with his power and grabbed the demon to him and they burst into flame leaving nothing alive in the glade by the stone.

In Hawkins Hollow, Maryland it is July 6, 1987 and 3 boys who are best friends will turn 10 tomorrow on the 7th. Caleb Hawkins, Fox O'Dell and Gage Turner are all from very different circumstances but have been best friends as they were all born on the same date and the same time.

They decide to camp out in the woods and in particular by the Pagan Stone, which has many rumors about it. When they decide to become "blood" brothers and spill their blood on this ground by the Stone, they unleash something good and something evil that visits their town every 7 years the week of July 7th beginning that year.

It is now February 2008 and Caleb, Fox and Gage (who is traveling about) know that come July the horrible week is coming again. Quinn Black, an author of some paranormal type books and still magazine writer as well, is coming to town to investigate the legends and stories of Hawkins Hollow. Caleb is not too sure he should have encouraged her to come and not sure he should've agreed to talk to her and take her in the woods to show her the Pagan Stone.

The 3 boys who are now grown men have kept their secrets for almost 21 years now. They are reluctant to let anyone else into their very close-knit group. However, Quinn is aided by Layla, a young woman she meets at the hotel where she is staying, and Quinn's best friend Cybil who is a bit mysterious herself and comes to town to help Quinn.

The evil is showing up sooner and more people even outsiders are seeing it. What can it all mean? Will Caleb and Quinn learn to trust each other? How can they possibly defeat this demon? I'm sure the next two books will answer those questions and more and I look forward to reading them.

2009-08-17T01:48:00.000-07:00

Born in Shame (Born in Trilogy, Book 3)

By Nora Roberts

One of the things that sets Nora Roberts above other authors is her ability to produce a trilogy that gets better with each book. By the time you read the third and last book, you're left wanting even more. That's definitely how I felt after reading the Born In trilogy.

In Born in Fire we were introduced to hot-tempered Maggie, Thomas Concannon's oldest daughter. In Born in Ice we were introduced to cool and reserved Brianna, Concannon's second daughter. Now in the third and last of the trilogy, we meet Shannon Bodine, the illegitimate daughter of Thomas Concannon. We finally learn about Amanda (the woman who came into Thomas' life and showed him how to love again after years of marriage to a heartless woman). We learn more about Maggie and Brianna's mother and her life of misery. We also learn about the unborn child Amanda carried with her to America all those years ago when she left Thomas.

Shannon grew up in America and didn't know that her real father was actually an Irishman she had never met. When her parents die, she learns the truth and sets out to fulfill her mother's dying wish that she meet the sisters she never knew she had. Shannon travels to County Clare, Ireland not really knowing what to expect and still reeling from confusion.

It's not an easy meeting, but a bond begins to grow between Shannon, Maggie and Brianna. While they're blazing new ground and learning about each other, Shannon also must deal with her attraction to long-time Concannon family friend and neighbor, Murphy Muldoon. This is where the story differs from other Nora Roberts books. Roberts shows a magical love that is timeless - the destiny of two lovers from long ago brought back to the present so they could possibly reunite if only they open their minds and hearts. The underlying message is simple - true love is eternal.

I've read other reviews and spoken with many people about this series, and this book is definitely one up for debate. The "paranormal elements" of encounters in past lives between these two characters and flashbacks to show that past relationship aren't received by some readers with an open mind. I found it to be an interesting twist and added a new dimension to the overall story line. If you liked the Donovan series (the tales about the three witch cousins, Morgana, Anastasia and Sabastian) then you should love this trilogy. This is definitely not your cookie-cutter romance plot.

I feel the characters are strong and developed well. The reader is given more insight into Murphy Muldoon and from the glimpses we were given in the first two books, this is a nice option. If you believe that true love is eternal, then it explains why Maggie and Brianna were never interested romantically in the hunk that lived next door!

As with other Silhouette romance books, this is short and provides a quick read. It's a great way to spend a cold afternoon and will make you feel warm inside.

2009-08-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman
By Marjorie

A read for everyone, especially for mothers, lovers and laid back women...Nisa is an exceptional woman. As for Majorie... she tells and writes Nisa's life story so well. I am buying more of this book as gifts for my friends: male and female.

I just bought this book a few days ago and I am enjoying it so much, that I can hardly put the book down.
This book is a narrative account of the social aspects of being a Kung woman of the Kalahari dessert in Southern Africa. Written with vivid details, the words come to life on the page! I recommend this book to anyone who is studying history, antropology, or wants to learn more about the pastoral life of the Sankhoi bushmen.
Nisa is an autobiography of a young girl who is part of the Kung tribe. I feel that this book was a very easy book to read.

The Kung people have many cultural customs and traditions, such as a woman should give birth alone and in silence, or you shouldn't drink your mother's breast milk if you have a younger sibling. But, Nisa is sort of a rule breaker, or as we would call her, a rebel. Nisa had three husbands, I think.

Now, many women in America have had multiple husbands so it's not that big of a deal but along with Nisa's three husbands she has at least 17 affairs, or as they called them lovers. When her husband would go out to hunt for two or three nights another man would sneak to Nisa's hut and they would make love until her husband came back. Many times Nisa got caught, and many times she didn't.
Nisa sometimes had reasons for leaving her husbands, but one of them she just didn't like. The Kung have something that is called a tribe headman. This man decides whether it is ok to get a divorce or not. One of the times Nisa didn't even go to the tribe's headman she just went back to her mother's village.

Another time Nisa's husband, who was the father of her children died. Nisa cried and cried, but eventually she got over it. Nisa's next husband was a different story. He beat Nisa all the time, sometimes her back even swelled up. Nisa went to the headman to tell him that she wanted a divorce, but he gave her husband another chance. The next time Nisa went with bruises and the headman told her that she could divorce her husband.
Nisa got pregnant many times, but actually only had 2 kids, one girl and one boy. The Kung people believe that women can have miscarriages in many different ways. For example, they Kung believe that, if the child is not wanted by the mother of father that god will take it away from them.

Another way is if the mother is hit or injured while she is pregnant the baby may leave her. Nisa miscarried for many reasons. A lot of the time it was because it wasn't her husband who caused her to get pregnant, it was one of her lovers and it was hard for her to tell her husband, so she just kept lying. Another time Nisa's 3rd husband got very mad at her and hit her with a stick, which made it seem as if the baby wasn't wanted.
Like I said before, I thought that Nisa was a very easy read, but it was still very informative. I really enjoyed how each chapter had a little bit about the culture, and a little bit about Nisa and how she fits in with her culture. Because the book was like that, it made it easier to stay interested because it wasn't 20 pages all about the same thing. I thought it was kind of cool that Nisa was a rebel, because if Nisa just followed all her customs it wouldn't be a very interesting book to read.

Nisa seemed like she was very intelligent. She knew how to work her way out of trouble, how to cover up things that she knew she did wrong, and most of all how to lie. I never said that she was necessarily intelligent in a good way. If I were to compare this book to The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, I would say that I enjoyed this book more. I think this is because The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down had whole chapters about the war and their trip to America but I was more interested in Lia herself. That's why I liked Nisa so much, the book was more about her then the culture.
I recommend Nisa to people who are interested in autobiographies, but ones that are also about other cultures. I think this book offers a wide range of topics and is a very good book

2009-08-04T07:19:00.000-07:00

The Calculus Lifesaver: All the Tools You Need to Excel at Calculus (Princeton Lifesaver Study Guides)

By Adrian Banner

I purchased The Calculus Lifesaver book written by Adrian Banner when I discovered that my knowledge of Calculus was beginning to get a bit rusty and I wanted to clear up some of the mathematical cob webs in my head.

I read Mr. Banner's book cover to cover in a little less than 4 weeks. The book has 30 chapters consisting of 702 pages and has 46 pages of appendices.

Mr. Banner gives an in depth treatment of all the standard stuff like limits, differentiation, integration, Taylor and MacLaurin series, and he gives an overview of topics such as parametric equations, complex numbers, arc lengths, surface areas, and volumes and differential equations.

All in all I feel that this book was well written, easy to read, and interesting. Mr. Banner's approach is quite different from the classical, almost stuff shirt approach that was typical of the math books that I used way back in my under grad days. He does interject some colorful language from time to time which initially surprised me, and then later on amused me, and always kept me interested.

This is an excellent book for those students looking for a second source to review for an up coming midterm exam. Treatment of specific subject areas is clear, concise and can be read and understood in short order.

This is an excellent book for people who need to quickly come back up to speed on subjects that may have become a bit clouded over the years.

This also is an excellent book for people who are learning Calculus for the first time. If you are in the process of learning Calculus the key to really understanding the subject is to work countless problems until the mechanics, concepts, and procedures are firmly ingrained in your mind. For these people I strongly recommend a companion text called "The Humongous Book of Calculus Problems" by W. Michael Kelly. A serious student could learn the concepts and procedures from Mr. Banner's book and then work many of the one thousand problems provided in Mr. Kelly's book to gain proficiency.

I was a math/chemistry major and have a PhD in Biochemistry. I was looking for a review book to teach my son after being away from Calculus for 30 years. This is the Best Calculus book - Ever!! It is written in plain English as if you had your own personal tutor. There are many many examples of problems solved for you with step by step explanation and some real world examples. This book is must if you are taking Calculus for the first time or reviewing it. This book is Awesome!

It does contain the most thorough and understandable explanations that I have seen to date.

2009-08-04T02:52:00.000-07:00

Precalculus (4th Edition)

By Robert F. Blitzer

This is the best textbook on precalculus on the market. Overall, the explanations are very clear, there are plenty of examples to work from, and as with most textbooks the answer to every other question is in the back of the book. The CD that comes with the text is also a huge help, as you get to see an instructor work through problems step by step, and not just a few problems, 20-30 per chapter.

Blitzer also has a website where if you feel there weren't enough problems in the book, you can work more online. The only problem I had with this textbook is that it fell apart after one semester and it appeared other students had the same problem. Its simply too big without the proper binding. However if that doesn't bother you, this is simply the best precalculus textbook on the market.

Bob Blitzer has done a wonderful job of compiling a precalculus textbook that can teach a course better than many professors.

The first thing that struck me about this book was the casual tone. Blitzer writes as if he were a friend explaining a concept. He is not afraid to show helpful acronyms or pneumonic devices (ASTC - all students take calculus - to help remember which trig functinos were positive in which quadrants), and he often gives hints in the margin that clear things up or elucidate certain mathematical concepts. I know that these helpful tips have saved my skin on multiple occasions.

The opposite of Blitzer's tone is one of a stern and serious math professor. It was a blessing in disguise that my precalculus teacher was just like this. She lectured from the textbook (and did a much poorer job of teaching than the book itself), so I was able to read ahead, take notes based on the book (instead of her lectures), and finish the homework assignments in class.

Blitzer has identified many ways to apply the math to real life, whether it involves angular velocity in physics or population growth. Obviously, certain topics are begging to be applied (right triangle trigonometry, for instance), but Blitzer does a great job of making the math seem useful.

Another positive aspect about this book is the way Blitzer designed his list of problems. The answer to every odd problem is found in the back of the book, but every even problem is closely modeled after its odd predecessor. Thus, even without a definitive answer, you can be sure that you did the problem correctly because you saw an extremely similar one just a few seconds ago.

Blizter is also able to integrate the widespread technology of graphing calculators. He makes the assumption that a precalculus student should have access to some sort of graphing calculator and requests their use on quite a few problems. When graphs are shown, Blitzer has the foresight to indicate the dimensions and scale of the graph so the student can recreate the graph on their calculator.

After going through every section of this book, the only negative comment in my mind is that simple harmonic motion is explained rather poorly, but this is a math textbook, not a physics treatise, and thus this point can be safely disregarded. Bob Blitzer has composed a magnificent math tome, and I strongly recommend it to everyone.

2009-08-04T02:48:00.000-07:00

Algebra 1: Practice Workbook With Examples

By Ron Larson

As a math tutor who works with students at many different levels. I recently bought this book to use with one of my students.

I like this book because it matches each of the sections in the accompanying textbook. As the title of this workbook says, it is "practice workbook with examples" and there are indeed examples with each section.

We use this to supplement the work the student is doing in class (after completing the textbook exercises). I appreciate having extra work that correlates to the work he is doing in class.

The Algebra I Workbook has been helpful for extra algebra practice and corresponds nicely with the textbook. My son's algebra grades have improved from the extra practice in the workbook. I'd recommend it for anyone looking for additional algebra practice.

2009-08-04T01:50:00.000-07:00

Law 101: Everything You Need to Know about the American Legal System

By Jay M. Feinman

Ever heard of Tort Law? Roe V. Wade? The Miranda Warning? What is Constitutional Law, what rights does it protects? How does a lawsuit begin? What happens at trial? What is a criminal act? The answers to those and many other similar questions are in "Law 101" an excellent introduction to the American Legal System.

In nine chapters, organized in questions and answers format, that cover Constituional Law, the litigation process, personal injuries and tort law, businesses, consumers and contract law, property law, criminal law and criminal procedure,the book offers an easy to read and highly educational insight of the legal system, explaining clearly how courts, judges, juries and lawyers operate and work to solve the legal issues that reflect everyday's life.

Well written and covering the basic subjects that every lawyer learns during the first year of Law School, this book is accesible to lay readers and law students alike. Outstanding and useful. A five stars book that will help you to understand the law and many of the legal issues you commonly have to face.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the basics of law but does not want to read through tedious, mind-numbing text. This book covers a lot of ground (basically all of the main doctrines of US law) and is entertaining at the same time due to the author's clear / concise narrative and numerous examples.
From the beginning, Feinman explains that "law is not in the law books" but that law "lives in conduct; it exists in the interactions of judges, lawyers and ordinary citizens". Law is how we interpret it to be at a given time - it is in and of the people. From this and other insights, Feinman has helped me gain a greater appreciation for the US legal system as well as making me a more legal savvy citizen. In this day and age this is important - at one time or another we will all have to consult a lawyer for something.

2009-08-04T01:40:00.000-07:00

How To Get Into the Top MBA Programs, 4th Edition

By J.D., Richard Montauk

This is a very good resource on the business school application process. The book expounds upon three points very well:

1. Know yourself. Understand why you are considering a business school, determine what you expect to get out of it, and identify which programs are best for *your needs*. Be honest with yourself.

Assuming you've determined an MBA program is the way you need to go, you have to determine which offering is most appropriate. Objectively evaluate schools, don't blindly go off of the numerous "rankings." These are purely quantitative and may not be the best fit. (For example, if you want to do marketing and not finance, Northwestern might be a better choice than Wharton.) Evaluate programs, interview alumni and current students, and VISIT campus. Pay attention to any "gut" feel.

2. Market your strengths and weaknesses.

The ideal applicant will have a 4.0 undergraduate GPA, 800 GMAT, speak seventeen languages, served president of IBM, and have several gold medals in swimming. If this doesn't describe you, you're "just folks" (to borrow from Harry Bauld) and need to market yourself.

Montauk has some interesting generalizations for backgrounds (e.g., engineer, sales) and their general strengths and weaknesses.

One valuable suggestion is to choose and manage your recommenders. They should say what they want, and in their own words, but you can help guide the perspectives they emphasize on your candidacy so you come across as a multidimensional applicant.

The essay writing suggestions are generally very good, especially the "angle" that some of the questions are taking. (This is very similar to the "Knock 'em Dead" by Martin Yate.) However, for actually writing your essay, I would strongly recommend reading "On Writing the College Application Essay" by Harry Bauld.

3. Stay on top of the admissions process.

To a great extent, this is really "make sure everyone gets stuff when they should." Provide dossiers for your recommenders, make sure you have a completed application in on time, follow up with people.

Because the application process is competitive, Montauk offers suggestions on reinforcing your candidacy be waitlisted or are called in for an interview.

Throughout each chapter, Montauk includes comments from various directors of admissions. These basically reiterate what the text says and (especially for the US schools) are a regurgitation of things you'd read in the applications packet. For example, "The GMAT score is as important as any other single element in the admissions process." Duh, otherwise it wouldn't be required.

Overall, this is a very good book, offering a lot of perspective on the self-evaluation and application processes.

Other good books to help with MBA admissions and essays: The Elements of Style (Strunk and White) and 65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays.

2009-08-04T01:22:00.000-07:00

Law School Confidential (Revised Edition): A Complete Guide to the Law School Experience: By Students, for Students

By Robert H. Miller

This is the key to succeeding in law school. I didn't get the chance to read this book until I got to law school, but it helped me get the job of my dreams. I didn't go to a top tier law school, but I'm working in the field I want in the firm I wanted in the city I wanted. Get this book!

This book came out after my own law-school years, and I read it in search of books to recommend to undergrad friends who were headed to law school.

I can say this: Everything Miller recommends, and that I DID, worked. But everything he recommends, and that I DIDN'T do, I WISH I'd done!

Wow! This book really hit home for me. I was the unprepared, overconfident and cocky 1L at the start of my first semester of law school in 2001. Needless to say, after only 3 days of orientation, my confidence was exhausted and panic set in. I had no clue of what I was doing, or even why I was in law school in the first place. After weighing my options and having a heart-to-heart with the Dean of Admissions, I decided to defer my enrollment until 2002. This has been one of the best decisions of my life.

After reading Mr. Miller's book, I have come to the realization that law school is a total COMMITMENT; it's not a try; it's not a "taste"; and it will be very unforgiving to those who don't fully prepare themselves for its intellectual rigors.

Mr. Miller meticulously maps out a proven game plan for success. And if you follow his and the mentor's advice, which, by the way, often applies to any goal you set, your success in law school will eventually come to fruition. And you will have learned one of the most important lessons in life. That true success is not gained from a piece of parchment; rather, true success is only gained from within yourself.

My advice is to read this book and find a real reason to commit 3 years of your life to the law. And if you can, then show the world what it has been waiting for and set your course. Otherwise, to use the age-old cliche, "you'll be up a creek without a paddle"! Best wishes.

2009-08-04T01:11:00.000-07:00

Black's Law Dictionary, Eighth Edition (Black's Law Dictionary (Standard Edition))

By Bryan A. Garner

As 1L's this Law Dictionary should be one of your first purchases.As you read through your casebooks,you will be learning the language and the logic of the law.As you encounter an unfamiliar word in your textbook,write down a definition in the margin.The more you use it,the more the language of the law will become familiar to you..It will serve you for many years thereafter and you can keep up on the newest legal words with newer revisions of the Dictionary

I have struggled for almost a month now with my Mirriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law and other online dictionaries because these dictionaries do not give clear definitions. Black's, however, excels in clarity. For brevity's sake, I refrain from giving examples. Go look at the dictionary.

Some reviewers contend that the 7th edition is missing valuable information included in earlier editions. The missing information are largely case citations that give authority to various definitions. The 7th edition dispenses with this patchwork of lexicography in favor of an amalgamization approach aimed at transferring legal understanding to your mind as quickly as possible.

If you need to do research on jurisdictional definitions of terms, consult Words and Phrases (multi-volume dictionary, every law library has it).

For those who are tempted to get the abridged version, I strongly encourage you to get the full version. The full version includes much commentary from legal treatises that expands understanding of the terms beyond the given definitions.

Finally, while you will have access to Black's on Westlaw your second semester, is there really a good substitute for hardcopy when your internet connection is down? Besides, if you are like me, you get sick of staring at the screen all day long.

Go buy this dictionary. You won't regret it.

2009-08-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

The PowerScore LSAT Logic Games Bible

By David M. Killoran

This book is extremely comprehensive in every respect... But if you are smart enough to begin your LSAT preparation a few months ahead of time--and are willing to work [hard]--then this book will do the trick. It helped me score a 179 in February.

Before purchasing the Logic Games Bible, I took KAPLAN's $1000 classroom course... Right away, I knew "The Bible" was going to be better than KAPLAN because it used the commonsense approach of setting up games BELOW the questions (where there's actually room to write).

In every respect, The Bible provides a more systematic and organized approach to setting up games than does KAPLAN. Having The Bible's more disciplined and systematic approach to setting up and solving the games proved invaluable on test day. I finished all four games with 9 minutes to spare. You should have seen the confused looks I got when, after only 26 minutes into the Logic Games section, I put my pencil down, raised my hand, and asked to go to the restroom!

Their system paid off. Again, this book will deliver the goods--but like most things in life, you'll only get out of it what you put into it.

There are two things to know about the LSAT before studying for it: (1) at least for native English speakers, the analytic (or "logic games") section of the test is by far the most challenging; and (2) no one can do well on the analytic section without study and practice. Thus the choice of the correct study plan geared toward the analytic/logic games section of the test can make or break your LSAT performance, which in turn can go far toward determining where you go to law school (local vs. regional, regional vs. national, top 15 vs. top 5, etc.).

For some reason, I chose the PowerScore book, and now I'm sitting pretty. This guide has four huge advantages over other guides that I looked over:

(1) the suggested notation is concise, thus leading to less scribbling time and more answering time in the test. This is very important insofar as the logic games section of the LSAT is the most "intensely timed" section of any test that I've ever taken.

(2) the categorization of problem types is accurate and easy to understand. As any guide will tell you, the logic games featured in the LSAT fall into a small set of recognizable types. However, some guides that I've seen posit phalanx of potential problem types, including types of problems that make reference to non-essential attributes like time. This is BAD. A linear problem is a linear problem regardless of whether its linear in time or in space. Anything else is needless confusion.

(3) this guide does NOT propose shortcuts to problem solving. By contrast, other guides that I encountered suggested FROM THE BEGINNING that test takers plan to skip a problem completely in order to save time. This is a supposed shortcut that actually cripples your performance before you've even begun. In reality, there are methods for solving logic game problems, but there are no short cuts.

Use the methods recommended, practice a lot, and then and only then consider skipping anything. (In my LSAT, I answered every problem, scored well, and had a minute or two left over to sharpen my pencil.)

(3) the sample problems are mostly taken from actual LSATs, and the made up problems are true to the LSAT model. Particularly nice is the reference in the back of the book that characterizes EACH published LSAT analytic problem as regards problem type.

In sum, I studied for a month and a half for the LSAT, using the Logic Games Bible as my study guide and LSAC's 10 More Actual, Official LSAT PrepTests for my practice material. I practiced the tests (both in part and in full) under timed conditions. I disregarded the reading comp. and logic sections almost entirely. Result: I scored well enough to get me where I want to go, and suffice it to say I was aiming high from the beginning.

2009-08-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

Writing and Reporting News: A Coaching Method (Wadsworth Series in Mass Communication and Journalism)

By Carole Rich

As a student using this textbook, I have found that Rich is clear and direct in her instructions and gives examples that are easy to understand and follow. This is a must-have for any novice in journalism or a student learning to write for print journalism.

Good information.. more than you can learn in a single class. Best to read ahead. I learned a lot from this book.

2009-08-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

A First Look at Communication Theory

By Em Griffin

I used an earlier edition while in graduate school and found it very helpful. Griffin has boiled down and concisely described about 30 or so communication theories. What's more, he does so in practical terms and concepts that college students can easily grasp and apply. While I believe that this text is more applicable to the undergrad than grad student, it is an excellent reference and text. As a professor of communication, I now use it in my undergrad courses on communication theory.
And by the way, what's all this [stuff] about liberals and communications??? I am a liberal (bleeding heart variety, and proud of it), I teach communication, and I think the book is valuable, candid, and balanced....

Somebody complained that this text is overpriced. I like a low price as much as the next person, but this text is well worth the cost! My other communications texts literally put me to sleep trying to slog through them. Not so with this one! It is engaging, easy to read, and entertaining.

Griffin writes about the theories in ways that stick in your head so that you can keep things straight a little better. His writing style is clear and doesn't leave you re-reading sentences to make sure you know what they really said. He also incorporates cartoons and film lists that illustrate theory components.

But here's the funny thing: it's been a year since I've taken that class, and I can still remember the theorist, the theory, and sometimes I go around watching behavior and I'm able to call out the theory and some of the traits expressed in that theory. That's thanks to Em for making the text plain and sometimes simple. I highly recommend this text.

2009-08-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication

By Richard Campbell, Christopher R. Martin, and Bettina G. Fabos

Reviews are somewhat superfluous in light of the fact that this is a textbook and thus you probably don't have any choice about buying it, as was the case with me. Nonetheless, as textbooks go, I'd have to say I enjoyed this one quite a bit more than most.

It's remarkably up-to-date, which is vital in media studies (there will undoubtedly be a 6th edition very soon), and it's a very fast and engaging read. The author doesn't always keep his liberal agenda well hidden, but that is perhaps forgivable in an age of increasingly conservative media. On the whole, this stands a better chance than most of being a textbook that you actually keep rather than trying to cash in as soon as the course is over. I kept mine.

2009-08-03T07:55:00.000-07:00

The Art of Public Speaking, 10th Edition

By Stephen E. Lucas

This is intended for a classroom setting (the teacher's edition comes with a lot of supplements to help enhance the learning experience for the students), those who want to learn about the mechanics and processes of public speaking on their own would not be ill served by using this text.

There is a strong coverage of ethics, to help students avoid the problems of plagiarism (intentional and inadvertent), as well as how to listen properly (without attaching personal agenda or false meaning to interpretation). The book is very visually interesting, with colourful pages, pictures, charts, and examples of things that might be used to make speeches more interesting. The text is written with the student in mind - it is not a book by experts for experts, and thus keeps the language at a basic level without sacrificing clarity.

The book is organised into broad sections: Speaking and Listening; Getting Started; Organising and Outlining; Speech Presentation; and finally Varieties of Public Speaking.

There are few things that inspire more fear in many people than the prospect of having to deliver a public speech - the first chapter deals with some of this anxiety issue, as well as helping the students to understand the role of the listener (a role that most of us assume far more often than we realise). The sections on Speech Preparation cover the range from selecting the idea, understanding the audience and doing research to organising the speech from beginning to end in a logical, meaningful, and interesting manner.

While the section on preparation might be consider by many to be the most important, the section on speech delivery is perhaps the most vital, for a good speech poorly delivered will likely not have much impact, whereas a poor speech delivered with great power can often have great influence. This section deals with issues of language, delivery, body language, personal presentation, as well as the use of visual aids (when they are and are not appropriate).

There are different types of speeches, and these are covered in the final section. Speeches can be used to inform (like lectures), to persuade (much of political speech is like this, as are sermons), or in special occasions such as introducing people, presenting awards, accepting honours, or speeches of commemoration and memorial. There is also a section on small-group speaking - most people don't attribute the idea of `giving a speech' to speaking in board rooms, committees, etc., but this requires a special kind of rhetorical skill.

Overall, this is an excellent text for coming to understand the art of public speaking from beginning to end.

2009-08-03T07:37:00.000-07:00

The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space

By Eugene Cernan

Eugene Cernan was the last man to walk on the moon. When he stepped back into his spacecraft, Apollo 17, in December of 1972, another human would not venture to the moon, much less feel its surface for the remainder of the 20th century, and most likely well into the 21st century.

Cernan tells the story of how he became an astronaut, his three fights into space, and finally his culminating achievement - his 3-day stay on the surface of the moon. It is an intriguing story, which gives insights into the many perils of space exploration, the stringent qualifications and training of the astronauts, the tremendous personal and professional sacrifices made, and finally the unique toughts and feelings of one who has actually cavorted and explored the moon's alien surface. As an amateur sky-watcher, I already had a keen interest in space travel and moon exploration, but I think anyone with even a passing interest in space or science would find this book interesting and a good read.

The Last Man on the Moon is a great book that offers a great depiction of his three flights: Gemini 9 in 1965 with Tom Stafford, Apollo 10 in 1969 with Tom Stafford and John Young, and Apollo 17 in 1972 with Harrison Schmitt and Ron Evans. His narrative of the Gemini 9 mission is gripping, and it is one of the closest calls in the history of spaceflight.

In May 1969 he traveled to lunar orbit and took the lunar module Snoopy down to within a few miles of the lunar surface in the final dress rehersal for the Apollo 11 moon landing. Finally, Cernan and Schmitt became the last men to walk on the moon to this date with the Apollo 17 flight in December 1972. Cernan is candid in his description of his flights and other historical missions such as Apollo 11 and Apollo 13, and offers some new information about the famous flights.

He stays away from technical data, and devotes his time to telling a thoroughly engrossing account of his three flights and the space race in general, with the feel of a story recalled among friends.If you want to get more information regarding the scientific data obtained from Apollo 17, you should read "Exploring the Moon" or "To a Rocky Moon."

And in the last chapter, Cernan devotes a lot of time to sentimental feelings about our future destiny in space and inspiring young people in this country to take up the challenge. Cernan has always attempted to unite the passion of future space explorers.

When stepping off the lunar surface on Apollo 17, he said this, "As I step off the Moon and Taurus-Littrow, I'd just like to say what I believe history will record, that America's challenge of today will forge man's desiny for tomorrow. Godspeed the crew of Apollo 17." With that, he returned to the lunar module Challenger with his crewmate, professional geologist Harrison "Jack" Schmitt, and blasted off from Taurus-Littrow.

2009-08-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

Failure Is Not an Option: Mission Control From Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond

By Gene Kranz

Gene Kranz was a flight director for most of the U.S. manned space program, and was on duty for some of the most critical events - including the first moon landing, and, of course the Apollo 13 accident.

In "Failure Is Not an Option," Kranz tells the story of Mission Control from the begining (he wrote some of the intial procedures manuals) through the Space Shuttle program. He shows how the ground controllers developed into a team, not only with each other, but with the astronauts on board the spacecraft.

Kranz may not be the most polished writer, but this is a first-person account from someone who helped make history. One of the things I really liked about the book is that Kranz not only took detailed notes during the missions (that was his first flight assignment), but he held on to them and used them to provide a more detailed account than I have seen before of the key missions from the perspective of Mission Control.

He doesn't pull punches, and he's not afraid to admit mistakes, and this gives this book an air of honesty that you don't always find in an autobiography.

Gene Kranz provides the reader with a remarkably vivid account of what it is like to be behind the scenes of Mission Control.

From the initial procedures he wrote for the Mercury program, to the clipped voices of controllers working a spacecraft contingency to the sometimes abandoned way they let off steam off-console, Mr. Kranz brings you an accurate and very readable account of the MCC.

From my own experiences of 20 years in the MCC, this book provides a very personal glimpse in how we continue to work. For the reader who remembers growing up with the highs and lows of the space race, this book will rekindle all the emotions of the time and fill in many of the blanks that can only come from an insider such as Mr. Kranz.

"Failure Is Not An Option" should be required reading for any one currently working at the MCC, and for anyone wanting to learn more about what it took to put a man on the moon.

2009-08-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

Quantitative Chemical Analysis

By Daniel C. Harris

When I was an undergraduate student, the reference text was Chimie Analytique Generale by Gaston Charlot (which is quite an antique, completely unexplained, but problems are OK). But when I really needed a clearly explanation, no other book could match Harris.

It's clear, yet fully explained, and it's miles better than any Quantitative Chemical Analysis book (e.g. Skoog, Christian, among many others). It covers not only "classic techniques, e.g. titrimetric techniques acid-base equilibria, gravimetric methods, titrimetric analysis by complex with EDTA, among others.

But it can also be adapted to Instrumental Methods courses (but, at some point, some additional material must be supplemented).Thanks to that book, I happened to learn quite a lot, and I used it for 4 semesters in Analytical Chemistry. If you don't like this one, you probably won't like any other Quantitative Chemical Analysis textbook.

Now that I'm a practicing chemist, I'm still amazed that this book has never abandoned my desk because is an excellent reference work. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Analytical Chemistry.

One of the best written textbooks in any area of chemistry. Here is a measure of the quality of this book. When I was in the graduate school, most of our research group owned a copy of Harris and we kept it on our shelves for handy reference.

We had all purchased it as undergraduates but kept it because we LIKED it and found it so darn useful. It is an excellent general reference for anybody whose work involves chemical analysis. The tables of acid dissociation constants and redox half-potentials are some of the most extensive you will find any textbook.

When I first started teaching, I used Skoog & West on the basis of my predecessor's recommendation. However, during my first semester, I found myself constantly referring to Harris because of its clear explainations and good examples.

In the second semester, I conducted a head-to-head competition with students reading a chapter on the same material from both Harris and from Skoog. The overwhelming student preference was for Harris and I have used it in my classes ever since. Readers who don't like Harris aren't going to be happy with any analytical chemistry textbook.

2009-08-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts

By Andrew Chaikin

I was born nearly 15 years after Apollo 11 landed on the moon. Despite that, I have a deep interest in the early manned space program. "A Man on the Moon" is by far the best book about early space flight that I have read. I am not a woman of science.

In fact, almost all technical jargin is way over my head. My interest lies mainly in the lives of the astronauts- I want to know who they are. This book does two things I love: 1. it focuses mainly on the lives of the astronauts, and 2. it explains the science and technical aspects in a way I understand.

I've read many of the astronauts's auto/biographies, and they are, of course, biased. Chalkin gives the facts in a well written and interesting way. While in the spirit of Tom Wolfe's "The Right Stuff," "A Man on the Moon" is much easier for a modern audience to follow.

The Tom Hanks miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon" was based on this book, and for any fans of that I strongly suggest this book as a suppliment to the movie. Just fantastic.

I've read this book numerous times since the first hardcover edition in 1994, and I never fail to learn something new. While there on many books on Apollo that a serious enthusiast should read, this is easily the SINGLE best book yet written.
Chaikin is the only person to interview all 12 moonwalkers and get their personal feelings about everything from astronaut & crew selection, training, peer relations and best of all; orbiting and walking the moon. This is not a technical or scientific history, but an account of how the astronauts FELT about their entire Apollo experiences. You can easily "walk in their shoes" and "see through their eyes" with this book.
He writes in a way all persons can understand, and simplifies the engineering and scientific aspects so you can understand what the astronauts were dealing with. Not only does he avoid getting bogged down in techical speak, but actually makes the technical parts fascinating to learn!
If you want a good summary of Project Apollo, I'd recommend three books:
"To A Rocky Moon: A Geologist's History of Lunar Exploration" - by Don Wilhems. This is the science side of the story, and quite fascinating!
"Full Moon" by Michael Light. A beautiful coffee table book with pictures that take your mind to the moon. With this you can almost see what the astronauts did!
And lastly, and most important of all, this book. . ."A Man on the Moon." It will almost make you feel like you were the fourth crewman.
The three together will give you the best sense of what happened at that fascinating time in history!

2009-08-03T07:01:00.000-07:00

Excel 2007 Bible

By John Walkenbach

John Walkenbach has written many books on the subject of Excel. As such, this book is comprised of summaries of several of his other, more specific publications.

Part 1 of the book goes over spreadsheet basics. This includes working with tables, which is a new Excel feature in 2007. You'll find most information pertinent to basic Excel usage in this section, and will be well on your way.

Part 2 is a summary of J.Walk's Excel 2007 formulas book. It includes the same basic chapters - Text, Date/Time, Count/Sum, Lookup, Financial, and two chapters on Array Formulas. If you already have the formulas book, this is completely useless; if you do not, this is a good overview without the extra details.

Part 3 is a short summary of the Excel 2003 charts and graphs, updated for Excel 2007. It also includes a section on working with graphics and the new conditional formatting features of Excel 2007. The information here is not terribly deep, but gives the basics of working with charts and provides some tips for advanced manipulation that is possible. The chapter on conditional is quite short, considering the number of improvements to this feature that has come about with Excel 2007.

Part 4 is a "miscellaneous" section, encompassing various features such as custom number formats, sharing Excel data, and a number of tips/tricks. Again, many of the features described are given an overview rather than an in-depth treatment, but I found that the essential features are all present and accounted for. There is also some information for working in a networked environment and with the Internet.

Part V deals with data analysis, for operations contained on the Data tab of the Excel 2007 ribbon. Most notably, there is a chapter on using MS Query, and two chapters about pivot tables. Part V also covers Goal Seek and Solver, and provides an overview of the tools included with the Analysis ToolPak. This exposes the reader to the features, but does not provide a whole lot of examples, although J.Walk's examples do tend to showcase just how far you can take some of the Excel features.

Finally, Part VI is a (very brief) summary of Excel 2007 Power Programming. It covers custom user-defined worksheet functions, user forms, and workbook events. There is also a number of examples of code that's readily useable in your own projects and Excel-based solutions. This section is enough to get you started, particularly if you have some programming experience, but if you want to get serious with VBA, this will only get your foot in the door.

Overall, this book is perfect for beginners and intermediate users who do not have a lifetime to devote to Excel. Granted, this book is pretty long, but as I mentioned throughout, it's to the point and not excessively verbose. I think of it as an extended tutorial walkthrough of the different Excel functionality. It does not include case studies or exhaustive spreadsheet solution examples. For advanced users, a vast majority of chapters will be unnecessary.

2009-08-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition (Voices That Matter)

By Steve Krug

As a web designer that owns my own domain, I had purchased Jakob Nielsens Wed Design Usability book and loved it. I thought nothing could top it, but then I was in a book store and picked Don't Make Me Think up. It had some high-power reviews of the book on that back cover. When I opened this book up, I understood why. This book talks about Web Design as and ways to understand why a site needs to be design to the specific user the designer has in mind.

A practical Web design usability guide, "Don't Make Me Think!" is based on empirical observation not exhaustive statistics. Steve Krug's five years of usability consulting and testing are distilled down to this thin yet gem-filled how-to. Krug observed how people actually use the Web rather than how we *think* they use it, gleaning key usability guidelines. This book shows you how to conduct your own usability tests on the cheap. What follows is a summary of the book's major rules and observations:
1. Don't Make Me Think!
The number one usability rule, most often expresed by users. Web pages should be self-evident, obvious, and self-explanatory. Buttons should have short text and look clickable. The default search for your site should be simple.
2. Design for scanning not reading
By observing users Krug found that people glance, scan some text, and click on the first reasonable option (called "satisficing"). People scan Web pages, they don't read them. We don't make optimal choices, we satisfice.
Here are some things you can do to make sure users understand as much of your site as possible:
a. Create a clear visual hierarchy to show relative importance of content (H1/H2 etc.)
b. Take advantage of conventions
c. Break pages up into clearly defined areas
d. Make it obvious what's clickable
e. Minimize noise
3. Users like mindless choices
Make each click an unambiguous orthogonal alternative.
4. Omit needless words
Get rid of half of the words on each page, then get rid of half of what's left. This is especially important on home pages and
gateway pages.
5. Navigation: Use street signs and breadcrumbs
Factoid: The back button accounts for 30 to 40 percent of all Web clicks. Persistent navigation appears on every page of the site and should include the following five elements:
a. Site ID
b. A way home
c. Search
d. Sections
e. Utilities
Your navigation should answer these questions:
a. What site is this?
b. What page am I on?
c. What are the major sections of this site?
d. What are my options at this level?
e. Where am my in the scheme of things?
f. How can I search?
6. Your home page should convey the big picture
What is the site about? Use a good short tag line and welcome blurb. Rotate site promotions. Remove everything nonessential.
7. Most Web design usability arguments are waste of time
These "religious debates" consist of people expressing strongly held personal beliefs about things that can't be proven. All Web users are unique. There are no average users. There are no simple "right" answers for most Web design questions. What works is good integrated design that fills a need, that's carefully thought out, well executed, and tested.
The antidote for religious debate is to ask specific questions and test with real users. The last three chapters of the book show how to perform testing on the cheap with three or four users. I really enjoyed this book, especially Krug's easy humor.

2009-08-03T06:42:00.000-07:00

Dreamweaver CS4: The Missing Manual

By David McFarland

I bought this because I have no experience with Adobe products AND I have never made a website. I am 67 pages in, and already made a website. I am sure I will learn a lot of neat tricks as I continue with the remaining 1,000 pages.

Dreamweaver CS4 is the latest version of the popular web editing software from Adobe. There are lots of new features in this version (compared to CS3) such as Live View: a better way to see how your page works without having to open it up in a separate browser, better integration for JavaScript and Ajax, easier interface for finding and updating source and include files attached to your web pages, cleaner CSS code created and much more.

For the newbie or existing user of Dreamweaver, there is lots to learn in this new version and the book Dreamweaver CS4: The Missing Manual is a great way to get started on learning Dreamweaver or get quick updates on the new things CS4 has to offer.

Of course this book is big (over 1000 pages) but it is going to be a complete learning reference for newbie's and well as good reference for existing users of the tool.

Compared to other Dreamweaver books I have, it makes it really easy to find exactly what you want with the clear and concise headings and subheading at the top of each page. I hate books that make you hunt around for pages trying to find what area of the book you are in.

The book is divided into 6 main sections:

1. A Guided Tour: This is for the newbie who want to learn the basics of the new CS4 interface and how to use some of the basic tools for creating web pages.

2. Building a Better Web Page: This takes in depth of advanced CSS layout and design (liquid layouts, fixed layouts, elastic layouts, positioning of elements, navigation, etc.) This section alone is more information than any Dreamweaver book I've read before on layout design.

3. Bringing Your Pages to Life: This teaches you how to create web forms (HTML) and add the new Spry (JavaScript library) components to your page. Spry was added to the CS3 version of Dreamweaver (you can get it separately if you want), and was vastly improved in this version of Dreamweaver. Having Spry integrated with Dreamweaver makes it 100x easier to use as opposed to adding it manually by yourself.

4. Building a Web Site: This section deals with the file and site management of Dreamweaver. Not only do you have to design and code your web pages, but you need a site management tool to keep track of all you files (.html, gif, .css, etc) and track all the updates other people may make to them as well if your working in a group. Even if you working alone on a web site, it really is important to manage your files efficiently.

5. Dreamweaver CS4 Power: This section explains the unique tools that it has to offer like libraries and templates. Dreamweaver (with most previous versions) allows you to create snipets of code and store them as a code library to be used later. These pieces of code can be used anywhere on your website and are controlled and organized by Dreamweaver automatically. Templates are just what they sound like...You can create templates in Dreamweaver and reuse them for any website you create. It eliminates you having to re-write or re-copy-and-paste your code each time you have the same section on multiple pages. It have be HTML or CSS or both that can be re-used. A great feature and improved in CS4.

6. Dynamic Dreamweaver: This section is very important and explained very well from a coding/programming standpoint. Websites today are usually using some sort of database for retrieving lots of the website's content. With Dreamweaver you can link to a database (MySQL, MS Access, Cold Fusion --- not SQL Server) and use Dreamweaver's wizards to help you create dynamic web sites. It makes it easier than having you to know lots code/programming concepts. Dreamweaver can help you create sessions (tracking visitors from multiple pages) cookies (remember visitors from each visit) and much more. The author explains these more advanced techniques very nicely and without too much "techno jargon".

The last chapter is focused on another advanced topic with XSLT and XML. This is how you can style and design your web pages from data transferred from any kind of datasource and format with XML and XSLT. Many websites today are using XML/XSLT no matter what back-end they are using. A very unique and helpful addition to a Dreamweaver book.

This book should be in everybody's library no matter what the skill level. It covers all the basics for the beginner and many advanced topics for the seasoned veteran of Dreamweaver.

A great book.

2009-08-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

Workbook/Study Guide for use with Managerial Accounting

By Ray Garrison, Eric Noreen and Peter Brewer

This workbook really helped me prepared for the types of questions that are found on the tests. The book's examples and problems are very helpful for learning the material, but they are not the types of questions that you will find on the tests. This workbook will prepare you for those types of questions.

Like the workbook for Financial Accounting, this workbook is a great help in learning Managerial Accounting.

Chapter summary with varied assortment of problems and multiple choice questions; Essential study guide to supplement the textbook.

2009-08-03T06:01:00.000-07:00

Managerial Accounting

By Ray Garrison, Eric Noreen and Peter Brewer

I classify this book as an excellent introduction to managerial accounting, ideally for a semester-length course. The information is presented in a format that discusses the basics and allows the student to understand the most current and relevant topics. A must-read for all CMA candidates.

This is one of the recommended textbook for the Managerial Accounting course at GWU. The book is very well written, structured and a must read textbook to understand managerial accounting. I will be keeping this book for the future reference. The author has done a fantastic job in explaining the concepts and by having lot of review problems. The author has also provided a lot of information online
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073526703/student_view0/
anyone can understand the concepts by just going through the video library. I would rate this book as one of the top 5 books in my MBA program.

I had to buy this book for my Managerial Accounting Class. The Book taught me well. My suggestion is that they should include more and varied examples for each application. The Problems in the back of the chapter were often difficult and time consuming because the text did not contain these teaching examples.

2009-07-29T01:11:00.000-07:00

The Rainmaker

On The Rainmaker, he gets back to those original traits. Rudy Baylor is a young lawyer who looses his job with a promising firm and has no other prospects. He worked at a bar where shady characters frequented and the owner who likes him hooks him up with a small law firm. It is a less than scrupulous firm, with an ambulance chasing attitude. Rudy is schooled in the art of hanging around hospitals from Deck, a squirrelly little guy.

In the meantime he moves into an apartment over the garage of a lonely old widow, Miss Birdie. He tends to her yard and starts working with her on her will. He also gets a case for a young man whose dying and his health insurance company refuses to pay for his medical treatments. While hanging around the hospital, he meets Kelly, who turns out to be a victim of spousal abuse. He gets involved with her while working on his cases. The case against the insurance company is a classic David vs. Goliath scenario.

Mr. Grisham expertly weaves all these plot lines together and keeps the pages turning with bright, vivid and entertaining writing. The Rainmaker is the best book of his career.

I am actually surprised a Grisham book is going to make my Top 5 list of all time favorites. Oh, but it is. This was a fantastic book. The characters and plot were so well developed, it was really tough putting this book down. The story is typical Grisham. A young lawyer graduates from Memphis State. He has no money and no job. In order to make ends meet, he is forced to work for the sleaziest lawyer in town.

But he takes with him a case against an insurance company that, if he gets lucky, could mean millions in punitive damages. His luck is not in his favor when the sleazy lawyer disappears and leaves Rudy and a paralegal named Deck, to start up an office of their own and take the case against one of the toughest law firms in Memphis. Grisham does the layman justice by explaining law in a way anyone can understand. I always take something away from a Grisham book. The action does not stop until the end of this one.

And I have to say I was surprised but definitely satisfied with the ending. A must read!

2009-07-28T06:41:00.000-07:00

A Time to Kill: A Novel

In this story, Grisham hits us with a subject that most might not like to discuss: child rape. Ten-year old Tonya Hailey is brutally raped and almost killed by two drunken rednecks; perhaps the saddest and hardest part to get through with the addition of little Tonya's dream of her father running to get her.

After this horrid crime is committed, Tonya's father, Carl Lee exacts vengeance on the two rednecks, and kills them. He is put on trial, and lawyer Jake Brigance is introduced to us. He takes Carl Lee's case and must face his hated enemy, Rufus Buckley, in court. The days leading to the trial are filled with KKK threats, riots between blacks and the KKK, and several other chills and spills.

Finally, the trial comes and the small town of Clanton, where the trial is held, is occupated by journalists, soldiers, KKK members, and thousands of blacks, as they all wait for the verdict on the edge of their seats....

A Time To Kill, by John Grisham, is the story of a black man whose young daughter was brutally raped by two white, southern "rednecks". This book dramatically shows the reality of the racism that is evident in the South, even today.

Carl Lee, the father of the young girl, is a black Vietnam War Veteran. He lives in Mississippi with his wife and children. One afternoon when Carl's young daughter, Tanya, was walking home, she was abducted by the two rednecks, beaten and brutally raped.

The men were brought to trial. The jury, the witnesses, the judge were all white. Carl, expecting a verdict of not guilty, went to the courthouse armed to take his own revenge. After shooting the men he is arrested for murder and held for trial.

During the trial scene's you could feel the emotions of the people in the courtroom, the anger, the sadness, and the helplessness. Whatever the emotion it could be felt.

Carl's bold act of revenge and the trial kept me reading and trying to anticipate what the outcome would be. This book took me on a roller coaster of emotions. I could only imagine the anger and helplessness that Carl must have felt having his daughter violated in such a brutal way.

This was a brilliantly written book that I would recommend to all readers.

2009-07-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

The Testament

Seventy-eight-year-old, three times married, three times divorced eccentric bazillionaire Troy Phelan takes his own life by taking a flying leap from a tall building in front of witnesses, but as he considers his brood of six offspring little more than parasites, he leaves his eleven billion dollar fortune to a woman named Rachel Lane, his illigitamate daughter. Josh, Phelan's, attorney and friend has to track down Rachel, not an easy task as Rachel is a missionary working with remote tribes somewhere in Brazil.

Josh tasks one of his firm's best litigations lawyers, Nate O'Riley to find Rachel and deliver the news. O'Riley seems like the perfect choice for Josh as the man has been in and out of rehab and the firm is having a hard time dealing with him. This could be just the thing to help him get his life back together, plus it will give the firm time to figure out just what to do with him.

However, even as O'Riley sets out for Brazil to track down Rachel, Phalen's six legitimate children decide to contest the will and they'll go to any lengths to prove that old Troy Phelen was out of his ever-loving mind when he did his Superman impression and left that crazy will.

This is a typical John Grisham story. Lots of action. Lots of suspense. And the description of the Amazon river and Nate's quest are spine-tingling. Plus there is a scene that will have you never, ever wanting to go to a third world hospital in the back jungles of nowhere. Brrr. This is one fine book, one I couldn't put down.

In "The Testament", we have an obscenely wealthy businessman committing suicide after devising the perfect plan to vengefully deprive a flock of vulture-like heirs from inheriting his $11 billion estate. Rather, he leaves it all to an illegitimate daughter working as a missionary to the Indians in the remote outback of Brazil. Our hero, Nate, is a burned-out lawyer just out of alcohol rehab sent to find the will's sole beneficiary.

Even though she doesn't want the money, he returns to the States to defend her interests against those of the money-desperate ex-heirs and their just-as-greedy lawyers, probably the largest school of razor-toothed sharks ever encountered in a single volume.

Suffice it to say that Nate is one of the most appealing characters conjured by Grisham in a long time. By the end of the book, he finds professional, spiritual and emotional redemption stemming from his surprisingly brief encounter with Rachel, the elusive missionary daughter, and a somewhat longer bout with dengue fever. That, in itself, makes this story worth reading. The fact that the truly avaricious get their comeuppance is frosting on the cake. A delicious read!

2009-07-28T06:23:00.000-07:00

The Client

This book is incredibly well written and the plot is riveting. Mark Sway is an 11 year old boy who is out teaching his brother how to smoke. While out the boys meet the lawyer of Barry "The Blade" Muldano.

Mark's life is forever changed as he learns the most sought after secret in the U.S. Now Mark's brother is in the hospital in shock, and the F.B.I. and the mafia are on his tail. The only other person that Mark can trust and that knows his secret is Reggie Love. A 4 year lawyer who specializes in child law. Reggie is coming off a bought with depression and the loss of both her children to a nasty divorce.

Now the race is own as Reggie attempts to protect her new client from the F.B.I. and his life from the mob. The clock is ticking.

Can Reggie save the day and keep Mark safe. The plot of this book is well developed and the detail is exquisite. This is one of Grisham's best and I have read them all. I could not put the book down and if you like Grisham books or suspense neither will you.

Mark Sway and his brother Rickey have snuck into the woods behind the trailer park where they live in North Memphis.

Here they discover W.Jerome Clifford.Clifford is trying to commit suicide by using a hose on his exhaust pipe and putting the hose into the car and the exhaust will kill him.Mark keeps disconnecting the hose.

Clifford finally catches Mark.He puts him in his car and reveals a secret that will make Mark the center of attention in a huge criminal investigation.

He tells Mark that he is a lawyer who represents Barry(the blade)Muldanno who is under indictment for murdering U.S. Senator Boyd Boyette.

Clifford also tells Mark where the body is buried.Clifford is finally able to commit suicide.Mark's brother Rickey goes into shock and has to be hospitalized.

After the suicide Mark is pursued by everyone.The U.S. Attorney Roy Foltrigg wants to make him talk.The F.B.I. wants him to talk.Mark hires an attorney,Reggie Love to protect him.Several attempts by Foltrigg are made to force Mark to talk.

The New Orleans make several attempts to scare Mark into not talikng.Mark is actually jailed for refusing to divulge information by Juvenile Harry Roosevelt.In the meantime it is up to Reggie Love to protect Mark from the Mafia and the legal system.This turned out to be ab excellent book.The ending is also outstanding.Read this.

2009-07-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

The Appeal

"The Appeal." Grisham's first legal thriller since the Broker (2005) is a gripping and compelling read that will be hard to put down. It is also timely since it highlights the underbelly of today's election politics.

The story centers on a small Mississippi law firm who wins a big verdict over a chemical giant, Krane, that has spread carcinogenic pollutants. Krane, fearful that this verdict, if not overturned, would set a precedent that would eventually destroy it, goes into action.

It files an appeal that will find its way to the state supreme court, and hires a "dirty tricks" firm to unseat a sitting justice believe to be unfriendly. This is a viable strategy since Mississippi elects their Supreme Court justices and 69% of its voters know little about the court's candidates.

The "Appeal" provides a believable primer on how to rig an election - pick a victim; promote an unknown candidate with no visible record; and ambush the victim by painting him/her as a extreme ideologue (this liberal judge will destroy the family). Done well...and the election process is subverted.

In this book (I wouldn't call it a novel) Grisham exposes the nexus between big business, politics and the law. While these have always been recurring themes in his books, this time in "The Appeal" it is the sole focus of the book.

The book starts with a chemical and environmental pollution case in small town Bowmore, Mississippi, now nicknamed Cancer County, where Krane Chemical is the accused and Jeanette Baker the plaintiff.

Jeanette has lost both her husband and son to cancer. This makes hers the strongest case to start with for her lawyers - Wes and Mary Payton.

There are plenty of mass tort specialists and ambulance chasers waiting in the wings for the decision on this case, so they can all get themselves a piece of the pie (30% to the lawyers) while the Paytons themselves are over 400,000$ in debt by virtue of working and following up on this case (to the exclusion of all others).

The jury orders damages of 41 million dollars to be paid to Jeanette and here is where the plot actually takes off.

It is an intriguing ride that Grisham takes us on and is an excellent medium to learn how the Supreme Courts in the US work. Most states choose their Supreme Court justices by election, which leaves plenty of room for interested parties to skew the process. How that happens, is the meat of this book.

Mary Grace and Tom Payton are a husband and wife legal team and for years they've been representing a woman in Bowmore, Mississippi who lost both her husband and child to cancer which was supposedly caused by Krane Chemical's deliberate chemical spills into the town's water supply. The cancer rate in Bowmore is fifteen times the national average, everyone in town drinks bottled water, even the public pool has been closed.

On the face of it one would think the case was open and shut and that Krane Chemical should settle and be down with it, but the chemical company is a subsidiary of a conglomerate which is run by Carl Trudeau and he's just not the settling kind. There is nothing nice, good or even remotely likable about Trudeau. He's a corporate insider who buy and spits out companies like licorice.

Wes and Mary Grace have been working the case for years, taking on everything Trudeau throws at them. They've gone the extra mile for the cause, they've had to let other clients go, they've sold their house, they lives have become this case. They believe in their client, in what they're doing, but when they win, Trudeau's attorneys are not worried, because they believe they'll win on Appeal.

Trudeau will stop at nothing, the Payton's are determined and there you have the setup for this might versus right, good versus evil story that will keep you glued to your chair, eyes pinned to the pages, heart pounding as you pour through this story. Nobody does suspense and intrigue the way John Grisham does.

2009-07-28T06:04:00.000-07:00

The Associate

I've been a big fan of John Grisham books. Always looked forward to each and every new book he's put out. Even enjoy going back and reading some of those written long ago (i.e. The Firm). After reading the description for this book, I pre-ordered it, and eagerly waited for its release and arrival.

Once I got into the book, it was really hard to put down. The overall plot is about a law student, named Kyle, who is blackmailed into taking a job offer at the largest law firm and supplying secret information about a high profile case to the blackmailers. The book was very well paced, and kept me wanting to keep reading.

As I neared the end of the book, I was very curious to see how he'd finish it up in so few remaining pages. Unfortunately, like others, I was also disappointed. The book just ended with so many questions (reminds me of some Without a Trace episodes). I wonder if Kyle will get killed? What about the blackmailers?

We've come to regularly expect an interesting, rewarding novel dealing with the legal profession from John Grisham. The Associate is no exception. The reader is treated to a look at the protagonist's course of three years of law school, the honor of being editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Review, the dilemma of choosing between an idealistic post-graduate course or a highly-paid Wall Street law firm position, a cursory look at the rigors of the New York Bar Exam and the daily (and nightly) grind of a first-year associate at the "world's top law firm." All through the eyes of Kyle McEvoy.

Although Kyle plans to join a small Virginia public interest firm after graduation, he is blackmailed into accepting a proffered associate position with a top Wall Street law firm because of a youthful indiscretion (along with his three roommates) while in college. The purpose is to place him in a position to steal and deliver sensitive information regarding a law suit filed by a client so the defendant can better counter the legal action. The question, of course, is how Kyle can escape violating the Code of Ethics and other moral and legal duties.

All this makes for an interesting, and even, exciting plot. What isn't answered is just who is the "handler" forcing Kyle to betray everything he believes in. Kyle does come up with a half-brained theory which just doesn't ring true: that he is some government spy. Unfortunately, no matter what we believe, it is a little far-fetched, especially when Kyle accuses him of murdering one of his roommates.

2009-07-28T05:36:00.000-07:00

Cat & Mouse (Alex Cross)

James Patterson knows how to write one heck of a scary book. A cold blooded murderer, Soneji, is on the loose and killing everyone who crosses his path. In Europe, another psycho, "Mr. Smith", is continuing to mutilate his victims before killing them.

No one has a clue who he is and he's already outsmarted the police through 22 murders. Will they ever catch him?

I didn't want to put this book down. It just grabs you and you have to keep reading. An excellent screaming terror.

A former nemesis of Alex Cross, Gary Soneji, has escaped from jail and is intent on building his reputation as the best (worst?) serial killer in the world and to add Alex Cross to his growing list of victims.

Shooting people like fish in a barrel in Washington and New York train stations brings Alex in close contact with this vicious psychopath whose final words seems to indicate that Cross and his family are doomed.

Meanwhile in Europe another serial killer nick named "Mr. Smith" is dispatching victims at and incredible rate and he too would like to end the career of Alex Cross. As Alex becomes involved in this case he must figure out the tantalizing clues left by the killer before he too becomes a victim of the brilliant "Mr. Smith".

A real page turner filled with incredible tension softened somewhat and made human by Alex's growing love for the beautiful Christine Johnson. For thriller readers a real must.

Cat & Mouse was the story of Alex Cross, an African-American police officer who was working on a case of two serial killers.

One was Gary Soneji--the antagonist from Patterson's previous thriller Along Came a Spider--who was hellbent on taking revenge on Cross, family included. The other was Mr. Smith, a serial killer with split personalities who performed "autopsies" on his victims while they were still alive.

This book has a good balance of scenes between Cross' personal life (his loving grandmother, his huge best friend Samson, his two beautiful children, and their teacher whom he is falling in love with) and business life.

I would recommend this book to anyone but be sure not to make the same mistake I made. I started the book late at night before I went to bed at about 11 o'clock. It was so good that I continued to read until three in the morning, which left me sleepy and irritable the next day at work. If you are going to read this book, be sure to start it when you have at least two hours of spare time.

2009-07-28T05:32:00.000-07:00

Jack & Jill (Alex Cross)

Jack and Jill is a masterpiece thriller worthy of every suspense fan's attention. Not one, but two story lines will leave you flipping from chapter to chapter in no time.

Someone is viciously murdering young black children in the neighborhood of detective Alex Cross. There are no leads but Alex is determined to find the killer.

At the same time a pair of stalker-serial killers known as Jack and Jill are preying on the powerful and famous in Washington D.C. When it becomes apparent that the killers have their sights set on the president, Cross is asked to help. He becomes determined to not only find Jack and Jill but to find the child murderer on whatever spare time he can afford.

Cross is burning the candle at both ends and he doesn't have much time to save the president and capture the killers. Both plots progress at a fast pace. Cross' determination and excellent detective work shine and he in time finds the killers, but is he too late. As with ALONG CAME A SPIDER Patterson keeps you guessing until the very end and there is no shortage of surprises.

This was my second James Patterson book (1st was "Kiss the Girls") and I am hooked. It took me only 1 and 1/2 days to read the 466 page book. I couldn't put it down!

Detective Alex Cross is back and he is stuck between two investigations: someone is killng high profile celebrities in Washington DC and someone is killing young children in the streets of Cross' neighborhood. Are these crimes connected somehow?

How does Cross choose between the loyalty to his community and his civic duty to the President of the United States? With two different plots and many twists and turns and suspects to choose from, "Jack and Jill" is sure to please anyone who loves to dive into psychological thrillers. I also recommend Thomas Harris' Hannibal Lector series: Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs, and Hannibal (to be read in that order!)

2009-07-28T04:50:00.000-07:00

Kiss the Girls (Alex Cross)

Patterson shows us just what kind of talent he really has. Among the best in terror and Suspense novels I've ever read. I must admit I saw the film before I read this book and I'm sorry I did. As good an actor as Morgan Freeman is he could never make an Alex Cross and they also left out Samson, Cross's partner who is a vital part of the Story line.

Cross is a Washington DC detective, not only that, he is also a qualified psychologist. When his niece goes missing Cross goes in search, and so begins our adventure. We are introduced to not one but two glorious Lunatics as Murderers... The problem is they are on opposite sides of the coast. The Gentleman Caller is working out of LA and Casanova is working out of Carolina. Where is his niece who has her??
...
This is only the start things begin to heat up when Cross discovers that Both the Gentleman Caller and Casanova are competing against each other... Join Cross, Samson and Kate McTeirnan in Investigating and discovering who Casanova and the Gentleman really are. Hold on though you're in for a rough ride. With graphic images and Patterson's twists and turns you will hold on to this book for dear life and not let go until the last page is turned.

Here is a quick review of the book. Casanova is a collector of something rare and beautiful....women. When he sees one he thinks is both beautiful and rare, he takes them and keeps them in his personal collection. The problem comes when he takes a family member of Alex Cross, a detective.

Alex is soon on the case to get back the one he loves. There are also murders across the coast on the opposite side of the states. Could there be two serial killers wanting to out do each other? Or are they working together? If so, how can Alex Cross stop them both? I suggest that you read the book if you want to find out.

Alex Cross is an interesting character. I liked how he had an instant bond with Kate. It seems that Kate and Alex we're almost a mirror image of each other.

When it comes to fiction, it's important to have "good" good guys, but I feel it's more important to have better bad guys. Patterson accomplishes this. Casanova and The Gentleman are *incredible* some of the things that Casanova does is out right creepy.

I read the first page or two. I bought the book. And I can't remember much after that, except that, heart pounding, palms sweating, I entered the obscenely diabolical world of two serial killers: The Gentleman Caller, and Casanova, terrorizing both Coasts at once. With skill and his own brand of genius, Patterson takes the reader into the crazed yet terrifyingly logical minds of each killer.

We are there while they stalk their victims: young women who are smart, educated, self-assured, and perfectly beautiful. At least in the eyes of their killers. We are there during some of the most gruesome and terrifying murders. We are there as Casanova sexually tortures his live victims in his House of Horrors, in which one infraction of the "house rules" results in horrible death.

What is the connection between these two killers? What is their sick purpose? It falls to police detective/psychologist Alex Cross to solve the mystery. But Alex has more than a professional interest in the case. His beloved niece Naomi is one of the missing women.

I challenge anyone to put this book down once begun. I was absolutely amazed at the hold it had on me--and still does. I immediately ordered the next in Patterson's Alex Cross series, "Jack and Jill." And I have recommended "Kiss the Girls" to every book-loving friend I have.

2009-07-28T04:36:00.000-07:00

Double Cross (Alex Cross)

I was excited to receive an advance readers copy of Double Cross (Alex Cross)! I waited for a slow day a the Marina before cracking it open and was soon lost in the world of Cross. Alex has become like a old friend, having read so many of his trails, adventures, and tragedies.

Alex's life has become more settled since we last saw him in Cross. He is back at work tending to his patients and living a normal life with his girlfriend Brianna Stone--detective Stone that is. But of course this cannot last. Washington DC and the east cost are a jitter because of a number of elaborate murders, these are not just murders but spectacles. This guy is a grisly showman. A murderer who wants fame---and to scare the pants off the entire DC metro area. Of course it is up Alex and Brianna to bring this guy down...but at what cost?

Patterson's master plotting, lightening fast chapters that keep you turning the pages and on your chair edge and makes for a great beach read!

James Patterson is the mastermind behind several best selling series (Women's Murder Club, Maximum Ride) but I've long felt that his books about Alex Cross are his very best. Double Cross is the 13th book about the Washington DC detective Alex Cross.

Double Cross was certainly no disappointment. As we step back into Alex Cross' life - and the lives of his family - we find him out of his life as a police detective - and into his role as a full time therapist. He has a new lady in his life, DC Detective Brianna Stone, and his world is certainly sweet. The public murder of a mystery writer draws Alex back into his persona, The Dragon Slayer (his police and FBI nickname). Soon, the killer is dubbed the "Audience Killer", as each of his brutal attacks are done in front of live audiences.

To complicate matters, The Mastermind, gets his wish: escape from the Maximum Security prison he has lived in for four years. For those who don't recall, Alex was involved in cracking the case of the Mastermind - discovering that FBI Agent - and friend - Kyle Craig - was the culprit. In court, Kyle Craig promised to get his revenge on the judge - as well as Alex and his entire family.

Both killers are targeting Alex....and watching his family...and his friends. Will Brianna be another loss in a long line of women Alex has loved? Will his family be used as pawns? Will the killers succeed in slaughtering his oldest - and best friend?

If, like me, you are an Alex Cross fan, run, don't walk, to your favorite book store and get up to date the life of Alex Cross . If you enjoy fast paced, well written intrigue, you'll devour Double Cross, just as I did. It's available beginning Tuesday, November 13th.

If you've never read any of this fabulous series by James Patterson, I encourage you to start from the beginning (Along Came a Spider - and work your way through to Double Cross). You'll hang on every word....and quickly become a fan.

2009-07-28T04:08:00.000-07:00

Cross (Alex Cross)

James Patterson created Alex Cross in The novel Among Came a Spider. The idea of Cross and his adventures have taken twists and turns. It has come to a head in its latest opus Cross. Cross has always been a widower.

In the beginning of this audio novel, we meet a younger Cross and the story of his wife's death. Then the audio novel turns to the present Cross and a search for a serial rapist (who also is his wives killer)

Peter Hernandez bring the great job of side of good (Cross). Jay O Saunders narrates the evil side of this tale with a creepy air. The text flows easy and fast paced with these two excellent narrators at helm

So if you love a great mystery, the audio novel will fit in the year's best.

Alex Cross's grandmother, Nana Mama has been the glue that held his family together, without her to take care of his three children, he could never spend the time needed to work the kinds of cases he does. And ever since the death of his wife Maria, by a sniper, Alex has thrown himself into his work, catching the worst kinds of killers imaginable. But when Nana Mama decides she can't take it any more and walks out, Alex is forced to make some tough decisions.

He quits the FBI and starts a psychology practice, but it doesn't take long before he's pulled back into police work. His best friend Sampson, who is still a Washington DC detective, wants some help on a serial murder/rape case. Sampson believes there is a connection to Maria's murder and that's all Alex needs know know.

Brooklyn-born killer-for-hire Michael Sullivan, also known as the Butcher, because of his cruelty and the way he mutilates those he kills, is in a bit of a pickle, because now the mob, his former employers, wants him dead, so now as he stalks his victims, he is being stalked himself.

As Cross and Sampson start putting the case together you have to wonder if they'll get to Sullivan before the mob does. And if they do, will Cross be content turning the man over to the criminal justice system or will he take justice into his own hands?

This is the Alex Cross story I've been waiting for for a long time. There is much about Alex Cross we learn here, it's been a long time coming, it was worth the wait.

Alex Cross, former Washington, DC detective and former FBI agent, is still in the hunt for the killer that ended his marriage with his beloved Maria and left his children without a mother. Almost every case he is called on to assist with, Alex hopes that case will be the one to lead him to his wife's killer. Alex is now in the consulting business to assist anyone needing his expertise.

Michael Sullivan, alias The Butcher, and his buddy Jimmy "Hats" Galati, are fearless gangsters and they themselves fear no mafia or other gangland organizations. Either would kill without any qualms, would not hide from anyone, but instead instill the fear of opening their mouth to anyone in fear of their life. The Butcher loved Jimmies companionship because he knew he had him under control to do what he wished.
The Butcher would cut you up and kill you without blinking an eye, Jimmy included.

One of the reasons Alex Cross was so determined to find Maria's killer was that she had died in his arms, a fact he never told his family. The recent killings have brought Maria's killing to his mind, as the circumstances were too similar. Eventually Alex's old buddy and former partner on the force, John Sampson, asked him if he would come on board and assist in the horrible crimes that had been taking place.

This gave Alex a good excuse to return to help his friends while hoping to find Maria's killer. The problem was the complaining by "Nana" who had to lovingly take care of Alex's children when Alex worked the long hours required tracking down evidence. Alex had earlier agreed to cut down on the time needed for his private work but soon after had to renege and beg to Nana that he had to work longer to assist the police in tracking down this brutal butcher.

Nana, of course, had no idea that the present crimes were similar to the killing of Maria. She had to agree since Alex insisted so vehemently.

The story continues as the butcher becomes even more of a danger and a very major killer. He also knew Alex was hot on his trail so he played games with Alex and other law enforcement. The rest of the story continues very smoothly but with many twists and turns as The Butcher continues his evasion of police in plain sight with his many disguises and actions. You will not guess the ending until after you have read it. Patterson has again given a terrific story in his Alex Cross series.

One would think that readers would tire of his stories but he keeps coming through with new angles that are not "run of the mill" nor do they have a predictable result.

Just like in the latest Batman movie where I thought the evil "Joker" was the strongest and best character, here the "Butcher" was the best. Not that I approve of evil, but this character was done the best. I liked Alex Cross of course who plays the good guy as a former FBI agent, D.C. detective, and now a psychologist. With the help of D.C. detective, John Sampson, they pursue a serial rapist and murderer, "The Butcher".

The Butcher, Michael Sullivan, an Irish hit man for the Mafia got carried away in his profession, to a point to where even the mob was afraid of him and wanted him out of the picture. Micheal's Father was a for real butcher in New York City, but he sexually abused Michael to a point where it drove him insane.

This one will keep you turning the pages and it has a very exciting ending. I'm right into "Double Cross" next.

2009-07-28T03:43:00.000-07:00

Cross Country (Alex Cross)

This is the first James Patterson book I have ever read, and I really liked it. It is definitely a page turner with an exciting and thrilling and heart-wrenching conclusion.

For the uninitiated, Alex Cross is an African American detective who is justly celebrated for his wisdom and intellect when it comes to solving crimes. But this time, it's personal. A brutal, Nigerian killer for hire named Tiger and his gang of violent teens have murdered and butchered Alex Cross' ex-girlfriend and her husband and kids. Alex travels around the Washington, DC area, and then to Nigeria, Sudan, and Sierra Leone and back looking for this guy.

Along the way, Alex gets kidnapped and arrested and beaten and tortured and seems to be in way over his head. Lots of good people (and bad people) die.

There is plenty of violence and action in this book, and even though the book is hard to put down, there were times I put it down because the bloodletting got to me on occasion.

But I can see why people like James Patterson's books. This one was great.

I have read a lot of James Patterson's books and I especially love the Detective Alex Cross stories. I am also very happy that this author was brave enough to write about the truth as to what is happening in Africa TODAY!! These atrocities are happening as we speak. There is nothing made up about the violence being done to African people.

Mr. Patterson just gave us a taste of the REAL WORLD. People can bury their heads and say TOO MUCH VIOLENCE - try telling that to the poor African people that this is happening to. Why do you think the prime minister of Sudan is under a warrant for war crimes.

The Nigerians are selling children in the sex business every day. Don't hang you heads and pretend this does not happen, it does and I commend Mr. Patterson for putting the truth in fiction form so that the people who really want truth can see what is happening and position themselves to help Africa. Shame on all of you for whining about too much violence. Try living in these peoples shoes, facing rape and murder and mutilation EVERY day and see how you would feel about anyone writing about it to help your poor existence. Keep up the good work Mr. Patterson. I am proud of you.

I have read everything I can get my hands on by this author, and have yet to be disappointed. This latest Alex Cross novel did not let me down, either.

The scenario Mr. Patterson paints in such vivid detail of Africa's mobs and gangs, left me feeling like I had been in Alex's shoes, not he. I've had this passion for Africa as long as I can remember, and this 'other view' of a country I have held with such love, left me shaken, to say the least.

This book may be a work of fiction, however, Mr. Patterson wrote the truth about gang lords using children to carry out their nefarious deeds upon people who cannot defend themselves.

If you are faint of heart, or do not like violence of any kind, this is not the book for you. However, if you want a clearer picture of what is really happening in Kenya for example, then this is a must read. I warn you though, it will leave you shaken to your core. It certainly removed my rose colored glasses!

2009-07-28T03:24:00.000-07:00

Run for Your Life (Michael Bennett)

In Run For Your Life, a calculating killer who calls himself The Teacher is responsible for a series of violent murders in New York City . There appears to be no common link between them either. Detective Mike Bennett, from Patterson's: Step on a Crack (a book which I disliked) is on the case once again. He is a recent widower with ten adopted children.

The Teacher, keeps moving from one seemingly random murder to another, and when he learns that Detective Bennett is after him, he even begins to start leaving clues in the form of messages. A game of cat and mouse, the story moves along very quickly.

There is a killer on the loose in New York City targeting not so much the rich and famous, but those in contact with the rich and famous - a clerk at Polo, the maitre d' at 21, and others like them. Michael Bennett, a widowed father of ten, has been assigned to head up the team that's searching for the killer. He's also coping with a hostage situation that ended badly, children sick with the flu and continuing grief over his wife's death.

Run For Your Life by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge is typical Patterson, but hey, if you've got a formula that works, why change it? I enjoyed this quick, fun read with short chapters and lots of action.

A sadistic killer is on the loose in New York City. He calls himself the "Teacher". He is going around punishing everyone from the girl talking on her phone to the top elite of New York. The teacher reminds everyone to remember your manner or suffer the consequences.

Detective Michael Bennett a trained hostage negotiator is promoted to the lead investigator on this case. He is instructed to solve these murders quickly. Detective Bennett's training kicks in and he is off in full force. At first it seems there is no connection to the shooting victims and that they were random shootings. But after some further digging and receiving communication by the teacher himself, Bennett uncovers the teacher's motive behind the killings. Bennett will have to make a choice, which is more important..., his family or his career.

I have resigned myself that I will only listen to Mr. Patterson's books. I have tried reading them and found they put me to sleep right away. With audio books, I am able to experience the story the way it is suppose to be experienced. Having said that, I was excited to listen to this latest book, Run for your Life. It is the type of books I love to read.

2009-07-28T03:13:00.000-07:00

Swimsuit

Swimsuit is a riveting tale that you'll want to read from cover to cover.

SWIMSUIT is a book within a book. The inside book is written by Ben Hawkins, an ex-cop who is a reporter for the L.A. Times. Hawkins is assigned to a hot story concerning a model named Kim McDaniels, who disappears while doing a photo shoot in Hawaii. Hawkins's book is based on his investigation into Kim's disappearance --- the reason behind it and what occurs thereafter.

The reader learns almost immediately what happens to Kim. She is kidnapped and brutally murdered, which is carefully videotaped and broadcast to a very select audience of individuals around the world, known collectively as The Peepers, who pay for the privilege of watching the terrifying beginning and violent end of each victim's final moments.

Henri Benoit is the mysterious, enigmatic conductor of these horrific tableaus, and though he is paid handsomely for what he does, he truly takes delight and joy in his work, a quality that makes SWIMSUIT all the more terrifying.

Benoit is more than a director and an actor in his own films; he also has the ability to blend into settings and to assume different identities with such skill and superior ability that his potential victims do not recognize him as he slowly circles them. This is also true of Hawkins, who is determined not only to investigate the increasing number of cold-blooded murders that include and follow Kim McDaniels, but also to see that the murderer is brought to justice.

When Hawkins attracts Benoit's attention, Benoit's reaction is anything but predictable. Instead of murdering Hawkins, he hires him to write the story of his life as a kind of twisted tribute to ensure that he gets proper credit for what he has accomplished.

Hawkins has no choice but to accept the assignment, at least initially, given that Benoit has established that he can attack Hawkins or his girlfriend, Amanda, anytime and anywhere he chooses. But Hawkins uncovers one of the secrets of Benoit's seeming omnipresence and employs a brilliant deduction to determine his whereabouts. Hawkins uses his knowledge to turn the tables on his nemesis, even as Benoit goes on a murderous feeding frenzy of revenge against all those who he feels have wronged him

First I have to give full disclosure. I am a Patterson addict! I love his fast paced thrillers, they are easy reads that always keep me entertained. However, I must admit the most recent Alex Cross novels have not been as engaging as the earlier books. My new favorite are the books he is writing with Maxine Paetro and SWIMSUIT is a another great read! This one has some great surprises and unexpected twists. It does not follow typical thriller plot liner which for me added to the suspense! Highly recomended!

If you like Patterson I do recommend "A Tourist In The Yucatan" for another fast paced thriller with gritty action!

Famous model Kim McDaniels has been kidnapped from a photo shoot in Maui. She wakes to find herself in the truck of a car. At first she thought it was her boyfriend Doug, playing a joke on her but she soon realizes that her kidnapper is not Doug. Unfortunately, Kim won't be able to model her way out of the predicament she has now found herself in.

Kim's parents receive a phone call notifying them that their daughter has been kidnapped and to come down to Hawaii immediately. They get the first flight out that they can.

Ben Hawkins is a former cop. He now works as a reporter for the L.A. Times. He scores the assignment of Kim McDaniels's kidnapping. Ben thought he could become the hero and swoop in and save the day. In doing so he hoped to get an exclusive rights to include in a novel he would like to write from this experience. Ben's investigating leads him down a dark, sinister path of betrayal, lust, and double crossing.

First, I have to admit that I have tried reading Mr. Patterson's work and it does nothing for me. I decided to try audio books. What I discovered is that I can get into these stories better when I am listening to them. Have said that, the reason for this has to do with the narrator. He really brought this story to life. The last book I listened to by Mr. Patterson was Run for your Life. Now that one was just ok but Swimsuit really cranked up the suspense. This story is way dark, gruesome, twisted, and fast-paced. Just the way I like my mystery thrillers. If you have never tried James Patterson then you should try this book. It is a stand alone novel.

2009-07-24T04:17:00.000-07:00

Deception Point

"Deception Point" opens in Washington, DC, during a tight Presidential campaign. The incumbent, a man of strong principles, is a major NASA supporter. His opponent, who is basing his campaign on turning NASA into a private, non-governmental agency, thus saving the US taxpayer billions of dollars annually, is way up in the polls. He is also accepting enormous illegal campaign contributions from private aerospace companies who have billions to gain from the privatization of NASA. After many failures & much spending, NASA is badly in need of a success.

Then a NASA satellite detects a large, high-density rock buried 200 feet below the Milne Ice Shelf on Ellesmere Island, high in the Arctic Circle. NASA scientists determine the rock to be a meteor containing fossils proving that life exists elsewhere in the universe.

To verify the authenticity of the find, the White House sends a team of independent experts to the NASA habisphere, built over the meteor in the Arctic Circle. One of these experts is the intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton, the daughter of Senator Sedgewick Sexton. Senator Sexton is the man running for election against the President of the United States. The plot thickens.

Rachel, while in the Arctic, uncovers what could be scientific trickery - an incredible deception that could cause political and scientific upheaval and cost the President his bid for re-election. When she & her colleagues attempt to investigate further, they are plunged into life threatening danger. To escape assassination they flee for their lives. Their only hope for survival is to discover who is behind this extraordinary plot and expose the truth.

Dan Brown has proven to be one of the top writers in the suspense-thriller genre. The originality of his plots, his amazingly accurate research, and his ability to catch the reader's interest from the get-go and hold it until the last word in the last sentence of the last page, make him an exceptional author. Plus, after completing each of Dan Brown's books, the reader usually comes away from the experience having learned much more than a storyline. I loved "Deception Point" - couldn't put it down.

I also highly recommend "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels and Demons."

After reading the INCREDIBLE 'Da Vinci Code' and the equally exciting 'Angels & Demons' I figured I couldn't go wrong with 'Deception Point' and I was 100% RIGHT. Dan Brown is fast becoming one of my all-time favorite authors.

After becoming familiar with Brown's religious thrillers, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that 'Deception Point' was entirely different--but JUST as much fun. If you enjoy stories about conspiracies that are as big as they come, this story is definitely for YOU.

For my first review, Deception Points lends itself beautifully. It has political double-crossing, space and oceanic exploration, love, sex and the high expectation of turning the page quickly to find out what else could possibly happen in this jam-packed thriller.

President Zackery Herney is approaching running for reelection with a strong new opposition in Senator Sexton. Both are divided on the issue of huge spending for NASA to continue with government involvement and control or to be left to the private sector to finance. Someone is feeding information to Senator Sextons assistant that NASA is failing when the President announces that NASA has made a huge discovery.

The story line keeps your adrenaline pumping and the pages turning whether you believe the findings or not! Dan Brown adds in well researched data and tosses in a bit of love and sex and you find yourself sad when the book comes to a close so quickly. A great thrill ride and worth your time.

2009-07-24T04:10:00.000-07:00

Remembrance

I have just recently started reading Danielle steel. I like her way of writing.

In the beginning up until the princess was killed, I was so much into story but as soon as the affair between Andreas and Vanessa started I was turned off. I don't think i can digest that portion. Somehow it felt like violation of the relationships. I don't understand and like one of the last statement Andreas said to her
"In you hearts you will take me with you. You have been dear to me as a child. Now you will remember me for a lifetime."

It didn't feel right. She was a kid when he met her and he couldn't possibly have feelings for her at that time. Now after she is grown up ......
The portion after she met andreas, it felt like it was written in hurry. Everything happened so fast and I can't digest that.

Set in some of the most exciting cities in the world (Venice, New York, San Francisco, Athens) Ms. Steel weaves a tale that lures you in, and doesn't let you go until the final word is read.

Her best book of all times. The characters come alive, you love some, you hate some, you cheer, you cry, you worry, and you laugh. Every emotion you could possibly have will come to you while reading this book.

It's a MUST HAVE for any library!

Buy it, read it, cherish it -- never loan it out, you'll never get it back!

2009-07-24T04:06:00.000-07:00

Secrets

Danielle Steel's "Secrets" is a story that focusses on several people who all want to succeed in the Hollywood movie industry. These people are all very different but they have this same ambition in common and also the fact that they are all involved in a new TV series that everyone is convinced will take the world by storm.

"Secrets" is a story about what people will sacrifice for Hollywood and the lies that they will tell to further their own careers in the movie industry.

The good things about this book is how the characters develop throughout it and that they all have such different personalities. I also enjoyed the romance element of the book as well.

My main criticism of this book is that the plot was fairly predictable in places. Other than that though, I enjoyed reading this book.

All in all, I found this book a enjoyable book to read.

Danielle Steel is my favorite author and I have read a lot of her books. Although, it was predictable, is still was a page turner. If you like romantic hollywood novels this book is for you.

You will read about, Jane, a woman who realizes she is married to a horny drunk, Zachory, who hasn't been with a woman in years; Bill, who is secretly married to a former actress who is now a drug addict; Gabrielle, who is not what she seems; and Sabina, the famous movie actor who seems like perfection to everyone around her but in the end she like everyone else is hiding her own secret.

2009-07-24T03:40:00.000-07:00

Special Delivery

After 26 years of marriage, Amanda Robbins become unexpectedly widowed. She stayed at home in a depressed state for a few years afraid to give up the memory of her late husband. One day, her daughter talked her into going to a Hollywood party and she finally gave in. Amanda had been a famous actress before and knew lots of people at the party.

The party gave her a jumpstart on her lost social life plus she met a new man named Jack Watson, who was the father of her son-in-law. Jack was a boutique owner in Beverly Hills and was a swinging bachelor with a bad reputation. Amanda soon found him to be a charming gentleman. As the story progresses Amanda and Jack fall in love and then one day they have suprising news to give to their family...

People have been telling me that Danielle Steel is one of their most favorite authors. I decided to go to the school library and find a Danielle Steel novel. I chose "Special Delivery." It looked interesting. Their are 3 main characters. Their names are Amanda,Jack, and Matthew.

In the beginning of the story Matthew died of a heart attack. Amanda was Matthew's wife. Then as the story goes on Amanda meets Jack while at a party. Later on they start dating. They start making love, and they end up have a child, and by that time they Amanda was 51, and Jack was 60. Jack and Amanda then get married and live happily ever after.

After I was done reading this book I was glad I got it because it interested me. Thank-you very much.

2009-07-23T05:03:00.000-07:00

Angels & Demons

My first introduction to Dan Brown was through his incredible thriller, 'The Da Vinci Code' and figured that I had missed out on his previous works, so I picked up 'Angels & Demons' the day after I finished TDVC. This is in every way it's equal. Every bit as compelling. Every bit as entertaining. Every bit as FUN. If you enjoy solving puzzles -- especially REAL ones, than Dan Brown is an author you NEED to get to know and F-A-S-T.
One of the things which made this book so instantly enjoyable was one of the main characters. Robert is suddenly awakened early in the morning by the Director of the worlds leading science center, CERN in Switzerland asking for advice. Robert is less than interested and hangs up when his fax machine spits out a picture which makes his blood run cold Within a few hours, he is on a QUICK trip to Europe.

A murder has been committed. The victim, one of the most gifted scientist in the world has been brutally killed and the mysterious brand of the secret brotherhood of the Illuminati is left on his chest.

NOT just ANY brand either, an Ambigram, a word which can be read the same right-side-up as well as upside-down.

Somehow Dan Brown has introduced the element of Antimatter into the story in such a way as to be totally believable. In this case when some of this material is stolen from a lab in Geneva and turns up hidden somewhere inside the walls of the Vatican, the chase is on to find it before it decimates the headquaters of the worlds largest Christian Religion.

Oh! the Pope has recently died and the worlds senior Cardinals have gathered for Conclave, to decide who will be elected Pontiff. Along the way, 4 of the Senior Cardinals were kidnapped and threatened to be murdered one-by-one until the Antimatter goes critical, the stakes suddenly are as serious as the Church has ever faced.
Let me tell you this: NOTHING is as it seems, and NOBODY is safe from suspicion. I was absolutely convinced that one character was involved in the conspiracy and BOY was I WRONG. The surprises are fast and many, and the trip was one well worth taking. Catholics take note: You MAY be a little unsettled at how the Church is portrayed in 'Angels & Demons' but ultimately I believe the basic idea the author conveys is one of hope, and the Church provides that in many ways. I will be recommending this book (as well as 'The Da Vinci Code') to ALL my friends. HIGHLY recommended, and absolutely INCREDIBLY fun.

Next to Britt Gillette's "Conquest of Paradise", this is the best book I've read in a long time. I'm a first time Dan Brown reader but I'm hooked! I stayed up all night and didn't quit until I finished, blurry eyed and sleepy. I found myself believing every word and had to stop and remember that it's just fiction! I was amazed at the inside information about the Vatican (especially the library), and I finally got out a map and books from my trip to Rome to see if I could find all the churches. Anti-matter, illuminati, choosing a pope - all of it was fascinating. When I finished, I had to laugh thinking about the fact they never ate, slept or made comfort stops and neither could I. The ending was a total surprise! Anyone who enjoys non-stop action and information shouldn't miss this one.

2009-07-23T04:37:00.000-07:00

The Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci Code begins with a murder in Paris's famous Louvre museum, home to Venus De Milo and the Mona Lisa. A famous American scholar becomes a suspect in the crime and must solve the mystery in order to save himself from the authorities. Full of twists and chases, the story behind the crime reaches all the way back to the days of Christ and deals with a secret society whose job it has been for two thousand years to guard the most precious secrets of Jesus's life and the formation of the Church.

Now, you are waiting for me to explain my title "Indiana Jones meets Scooby Doo". Ok, here it is:

The best parts of the book remind me of the first and third Indiana Jones films (Temple of Doom sucked). Dan Brown builds his fictional story on just enough truth about Christian history to spark imagination and plant in his readers a kernel that will lead to conversations, research and a deeper understanding of the life of Christ, the Church and the role mankind has played in muddying up the religion. We shouldn't read his book as "The Gospel According to Dan", and I would bet Mr. Brown would say the same thing. But it is a wonderful starting point for someone unfamiliar with the formation of the early church and the political/social choices of the first leaders that have shaped the evolution of the faith. I have yet to talk to any reader of the book who did not immediately locate a copy of The Last Supper and look for the clues the book suggests exists amid its scene.

Undoubtfully Dan Brown has done amazing jobs to his book "The Da Vinci Code". The story is powerful and magnificent. Mixing with a lot of traceable truth and facts, he made his novel sound extremely convincing and inevitably deluded you from what's real and what's fictional. However, please don't take it too serious, it's just a novel, not a research paper trying to make a breakthrough statement. Overall, the book has quite a lot of twists shocking you. Even the ending has double meanings. Make sure you read the Epilogue chapter, or you won't know where the Holy Grail rests that Dan Brown suggested as the poem below:

"The Holy Grail 'neath ancient Roslin waits.
The blade and chalice guarding o'er Her gates.
Adorned in masters' loving art, She lies.
She rests at last beneath the starry skies."

For people who love deciphering codes, Dan Brown wisely placed some codings on the regular hardcover edition's paper cover. If you pay attention you may find some bold fonts seemed appearing randomly. Link them up and you should see a hint to read.

I found this book EXTREMELY interesting and entertaining. It is fun to read a book that gets the ole juices flowing in the brain again. Like other reviews have said, I found myself putting down the book and running to the computer constantly to do research. It made me WANT to learn more about art, Christianity, history, etc. So what if a few of the facts are not 100% correct? I looked up on the computer what was important to me, and am enjoying all the new information and theories. It will be a fun topic of discussion and debate with my friends who are Christians, Buddists, Athiests, Agnostic, etc.
Don't get me wrong, I am a Christain, and am very comfortable in my faith. I think reading The Bible cover to cover can be more disturbing! Talk about contradictions... An open mind is a happy mind.

Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" is an interesting book for a number of reasons. It is entertaining yet essentially light reading. It is also filled with tantalizing bits of information about the history of Christianity and a miriad of other related topics including paganism, Gnosticism, The Knights Templar, art history, and the Holy Grail.

The most fascinating aspect of this novel is the overwhelming public interest and controversy surrounding many of the assertions Brown makes in this book. It may be safe to assume that most people have little or no previous exposure to these topics and it certainly has generated extreme controversy in Christian circles.

2009-07-23T03:59:00.000-07:00

Da Vinci Code Decoded

If you are looking for the expert dope on all things Da Vinci Code, this is it - no need to look elsewhere. Henry Lincoln, Dan Burstein, Picknett and Prince and even Dan Brown - basically everyone you'd want to explain the back story of The Da Vinci Code. The only omission is anything the naysayers who wrote lots of books denouncing the novel as anti-catholic, etc., but that's not to say that the people who are interviewed, especially Holy Blood Holy Grail's Henry Lincoln, don't question some of the wilder leaps made by some enthusiasts.

It's really well produced, and organized so that you can drop in or out of any chapter on the DVD to learn about whichever topics interest you most. If there was a criticism it would be that some of the talking heads really go into detail, perhaps more so than you might want - but that depends on your level of interest.

I picked up the Da Vinci Code about a year ago to read on a long train ride, and of course I wasn't disappointed-as we all know it was immensely entertaining and exciting, a great read all around (and now I can't wait to see Tom Hanks in the movie!) But then my husband Bernie, who noticed how much I liked the book (don't you just love it when men pay attention for once?) bought this DVD for me for my birthday. There was so much new information inside that I had to watch it several times, so I was glad that I owned it. I had never heard of "Gnosticism" before or any of the other stunning data contained inside, it was like a whole treasure chest opened up of stuff they never told you in Sunday school that makes religion exciting all over again. Now I've got Bernie reading the Dead Sea Scrolls! A great value for the money

It's hard for me to describe the 9 million Americans and growing who have read The Da Vinci Code as a cultural cliché - Dan Brown's novel has resonated with many people in this country who are curious about the roots of Christianity and its development throughout history.

The DVD is divided into two sections, Chapters and Extras, the first having five topics, and the second, Extras, nine topics of discussion ... The running time for these topics are anywhere from 37 minutes to 3 minutes depending on the material discussed. Actually, the difference between the Chapters and the Extras is ONLY the fact that the Chapters are dedicated to more specific discussion of Dan Brown's book and the Da Vinci references in the book.

Certainly one of the central themes of the DVD, and the book, is the 'sacred feminine' and the proposition that Jesus was, in effect, married to Mary Magdalene, and he had children by her.

For those viewers that have studied the the works of Da Vinci, the bible, theology or the history of the Christianity the authors in this DVD, particularily, Henry Lincoln, author of Holy Blood Holy Grail, will most certainly be known to you...

Certainly the origins of Christianity and the important role that the Roman General Constantine, having to fight with mostly very pacific Christian soldiers, is discussed in some detail and makes the viewer think about all those things that perhaps the Church never wanted us to think about. Constantine was one of the first that set the dates of Christian holidays so that they may more accurately fall at the same time as the pagan and sun worshippers of Rome, Greece and Egypt of the time. For example, there is no proof that Jesus was born on December 25th, nor is there any specific reason that if the birth of Jesus was pinned to one specific day, His the death and resurrection is also not a specific day, but rather a floating holiday that is pegged to crop and fertility cycles and, a Sunday after the first moon of the solstice... or something like that .... The Christian holidays fall on the same days as the old Sun and Pagan worshippers timetable ......

Just think, back in the days of Jesus, the most powerfull people were all considered the 'Son of God', most of them in Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology were born of virgin mothers, since as you know many Greek fables .... where the gods used to come to earth and take advantage of the most beautifull virgins.... and of course as well the pagan religions of the day most certainly belived in the resurrection of the dead after 3 days .... The fact that the Christian God is monoeithic, God is still described as multiple with The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ... HMMMMMM

2009-07-23T02:48:00.000-07:00

The Uncommon Wisdom Of Oprah Winfrey: A Portrait in Her Own Words (Unauthorized)

You can get lost in the fact that this is a collection of quotes by Oprah and not thoughts written by Oprah exclusively for this book.
Or you could be smart and glean wisdom from what she has to say.
How she grew up, what she learned from her errors, what she thinks of money and herself in relationship to it, the mental preparation to receive the abundance that she has and how she stays centered.
What I think thsi book is valuable for is insight, and perhaps personal inspiration for how to manage one's self in certain situations. The goal is not to become Oprah, it is to become the best YOU possible.
You take or you leave it, but you integrate it into the lessons and challenges of your own life. The same with John D. Rockefeller, Bill Gates, Jenny Jones (hahhahahaha----kidding).

While this is a very interesting and well researched book on Oprah, keep in mind that it is an unauthorized biography. This book is basically a chronology of Oprah's life, and Adler does a decent job of stringing her quotes into a coherent history. A nice bonus is the section of short quotes on a wide variety of subjects. If you love Oprah, you'll probably love this book!

2009-07-23T02:42:00.000-07:00

Make the Connection: Ten Steps to a Better Body-- and a Better Life

This is still one of my favorite exercise/diet books, and one of the few I actually own. After hearing about how Oprah is now on a "Carbo-addict" kick, it's really sad to see her grasping at trying to find a magic weightloss formula, just like she did in the 80's with Optifast, when she already knows what she needs to do. Don't let Oprah's recent apparent weight gain stop you from reading this book. Everything is laid out and simple to follow (yes, you DO have to make time to exercise but I found if I want something badly enough I will do whatever it takes). Take it from me - I am currently 149 lbs and 10 years ago I weighed 265 - the ONLY way to lose weight and keep it off is diet and exercise. If you are only going to get one 'diet' book, this is it.

This is BY FAR the best book I have ever read for those with lifelong weight problems. Bob Greene is so compassionate and knowledgeable that I completely trusted what he had to say. Oprah's vulnerability and achievements are amazing (and yes, she still runs--she just ran an 8k in Chicago). Don't skip the beginning part of the book that sets the stage for making the decision to become fit. This part talks about how the real issue is self-care and self-love, not weight loss. It all made sense to me and prepared me to take on the steps. I'm happy to say that I have been applying the steps for two months, have lost 18 pounds and am running almost 3 miles a day! I feel like a million bucks mentally, emotionally and physically. If you are overweight and ready to become fit, this is the book to read and re-read! Thank you, Bob and Oprah!

Make The Connection was motivational, informative, easy to follow, and written with the reader in mind. Oprah contributed her personal story of struggle and triumph, while Bob offered his expert information and advice. Never once in the book does Bob or Oprah imply that these are easy to follow steps to a better life. They simply state that if you do follow them, you will get the results you're after. I began the steps 2 months ago and have lost 23 pounds. I have 25 lbs to go and am enjoying every single step of this journey. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is intimidated by the weight loss/fitness industry. Exercise is for all of us, not just the fit! Bob Greene and Oprah provide you with the information you need to begin your own journey.

At 270 pounds I felt I was doomed to be a fat slob. After reading the book and listening to the tapes I was completely motavated to make the con nection. It really works. So far I have lost 120 pounds. I still have 50 pounds to lose to reach goal weight. I THANK Oprah and Bob for giving me my life back. If you follow the ten steps and change the way you feel about food you will start losing that ugly. Remember start now tommorrow never comes.

2009-07-23T01:58:00.000-07:00

More Deadly than the Male

A strange character, unusual... George Fraser is a big guy, with large shoulders but very shy. He lives alone, very alone, his only companion is a cat, timid and wild, like him, maybe his reincarnated soul.
George is selling children encyclopedia, a little job which allows him to survive. With a good training and a lot of work, he manages to develop his sales talk with some skill.

At night he escapes from his loneliness dreaming he is a tough American gangster : Al Capone and Dillinger are afraid of him...
This frenzy is turning into sheer nymphomania : he tells his exploits to the house maid who is a good listener...
But this little narrow world is going to change !

George has got the mission to train a new recruit. The young man is in fact a very tough boy who is hiding... For the matter of selling children encyclopedia he learns fast, he has a natural talent, he is a born salesman with no scruples. Very soon, he drags George on a very bad slope... him and his sister, another Chase heroine as we like them ! Cora is a young tigress who is been afraid of nobody, she is living like an animal : beautiful, savage, wanton and very filthy.
George is in love and blinded like a big insect who burns his wings to a street light. He is manipulated and crushed... until the day when Cora has killed his cat.

This novel is a terrifying trip in the London suburbs, which has something reminding of the well known classic "Les mystères de Paris" (Eugène Sue).
And this door to door job was the first job of James, so we are given an intensive course of salesmanship, with all the bad tricks. What a lesson ! All commercial manuals are beaten.

Book presentation :
George Fraser, a lonely, timid fellow, lived in a dream world of gangsters, gunfights and fascinating women, and to bolster up his inferiority complex he began to imagine himself as the toughest gangster of all of them. But he boasted once too often, and to the wrong person. From that moment, harmless George Fraser was ensnared in a net of intrigue and became a cat's-paw for murder.

" Flawless professionalism here too. In this Chase thriller, the same compulsive readability and sheer hard story-telling as in every other. Mr. Chase, as always, is for me. "

George Fraser is bored and lonely. He prefers his dream world to his real, ordinary life so he begins to boast about it, pretending that he is, in fact, a hardened and ruthless gangster. But George Fraser boasts to the wrong people and suddenly his dream world becomes all too real. But he has exciting dreams. In his dreams, he lives in a thrilling world of gangsters, guns, fast cars and beautiful women.

And of course, in his dreams, he is the toughest gangster of them all. Obviously, when a dream comes true, the dreamer is expected to be happy, but tragically, Fraser has to be worried and sad for his dreams coming to limelight because he never knew things could turn sore even as a gangster living in a gangster paradise; he forgot to ask Coolio before consult chase for his dreams. It is an intelligent and harshly revealing piece of work with not a little serious penetration and power.

2009-07-23T01:47:00.000-07:00

Hit and Run

Lucille Aitkin was the kind of woman who encouraged men to run around after her and most men were more than happy to do so - so why did she suddenly want to learn to drive rather than being chauffer-driven in style? And why was Chester Scott's Cadillac covered with bloodstains on the wrong side? And at the same time, why was patrol officer O'Brien run over on a deserted beach road when he should have been on duty on the highway? It seems that somebody knows how these events are connected, and whoever it is seems intent on blackmail.

One of the best Chase books I have read. I have read more than 100 of his titles, but unfortunately I cannot find many of his books in USA. I own a few of his books and welcome enquiries from others who also own his books.

2009-07-23T00:38:00.000-07:00

Goldfish have no Hiding Place

The first James Hadley Chase' novel I read, "This way for a Shroud", lead me to another and then to another until I read almost all of them. That was a few years back, in Nigeria. Now I'm in Canada. Men! Was I disappointed there was none of his novels to be found in any bookstore. I want to have all his books in my book-shelve. I want to read all of them all over again. You don't get bored even though you read same about 20 times a day. I did that several times. I was again disappointed his books are out of print. What is the matter with everyone? Don't they know he is the KING of thriller writers? I'm always right there on the scene of action when reading his books. That is the feeling you get from the first page to after the last page. Can someone PLEASE tell me how or where to get any/all of his books? This is a desperate cry for help, anyone.

I have read most of Chase's novels and am equally frustrated to learn that his novels are no longer in print. I wonder why? I sure can find many of his books in your listings except one titled -"Consider Yourself Dead". I hope am not confusing this book with "You have yourself a Deal".With all the spy novels set in a world war scenario,this one slides to "typical spy story" type; the plot hovering around just a few characters.As far as I can recall my memory,an intense rivalry between two factions brings about espionage into the picture.Finally,the plot condenses,yet reinforces,to two characters -the Hero and the Villain.It's a typical Gun fight story that I've ever read. If you want to travel back to your childhod and play with guns,then hunt for this book!

James Hadley Chase is the king of crime fiction! Believe me. He is my hero when it comes to story-telling. His stories are full of suspenses and thrill. He tells stories that are beyong your wildest imagination. Boy! what an author. I can't understand why his books are no longer printed. are all the publishers blind? James Hadley Chase is number one. You might say what about Christe Agathy and Sidney Sheldon. Well, they cannot even come close to him. Every page in his books is thrilling and fun. man! I wish you read them.

Anyone who has not read his books has a literary void in their life. I have worn out many a seat edge reading his books. His command of the language, his ability to put you smack in the middle of the action, his humour everything, is outstanding! The President of the US should declare an Executive Order to command his books be put back in print. I own several books, and in my opinion, he's the leader of the pack and not the mongrel sitting on the porch. James Hadley Chase is "The Man!!"

2009-07-22T03:34:00.000-07:00

'Salem's Lot

Stephen King has always been regarded as more of a pop fiction writer than a literary author--but in 1975 he turned out a book which, although overshadowed by the massive success of his later work, will stand the test: 'SALEM'S LOT. Simple yet multi-layered, elegant yet grotesque, this is the book that shows what King can really do when he sets his mind to it.
The story opens with Ben Mears, an author who has come to his childhood home of 'Salem's Lot with the idea of writing a novel about the small town's "haunted house" of note. As he observes the town, he also becomes a part of it, meeting a young woman who might be more than a passing interest, making new friends and renewing old acquaintances. But there is something--indefinable. Something that is slowly going wrong in the town. And it is connected with the "haunted house" of his childhood memories.
King is clearly drawing from several sources for inspiration, most particularly Bram Stoker's DRACULA and Shirley Jackson's THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, as well as from traditional vampire lore. But what he does with this story of a vampire infestation in a quiet New England town is completely original, peeling back the lives of the townfolk in layers and then showing their gradual corruption as the plague spreads.
'SALEM'S LOT is more subtle than most King novels. It builds with a deliberate slowness and gradually develops a sense of paranoia--that suddenly explodes into a classic horror that keeps you reading through the night with every light in the house turned on. And King's style here is extraordinary: everything about the book is very precise with not a word out of place, the plot at once fantastic and disturbingly logical. There are several Stephen King novels on my bookshelf, and I enjoy them... but this is the one to which I most often return. If you've never read it, prepare yourself for Stephen King at his best. If you have read it, it's time to read it again.
Stephen King's second book... starring the small Maine town of Jerusalem's Lot and the pervasive evil that comes to inhabit it. The town knows horror, of course. Years before, a man named Hubie Marsten (prisoner to psychosexual disorders he can't control) committed a murder, and now his house stands empty, seeming to watch over the town. The Marsten House becomes the symbol of evil, a central place from which terror and death resonate.
Introduced to the town are three strangers: Ben Mears, a writer who lived there as a child, Mark Petrie, a kid obsessed with monsters and horror movies, and Mr. Barlow, a mysterious figure who opens up a shop in town (a precursor to Leland Gaunt in Needful Things?). Though Barlow doesn't make an appearance in the novel until more than halfway through, his assistant, Mr. Straker, takes care of his business while Barlow takes care of the town's business.
Following the arrival of these strangers, a young boy is found dead. The scene at the funeral in which the boy's father throws himself at the coffin screaming for his son to wake up is perhaps King's most gut-wrenching. Then, when darkness falls on the town, the boy emerges from his coffin and his father's wish becomes prophecy - though not the way he would have wished.
Death invades the town. Worse than death, Salem's Lot is gripped by the ravages of the undead. By the time Ben Mears, Mark Petrie and their friends discover the truth, the town is almost beyond hope. Their only chance is to destroy Barlow, burn the town, and escape.
The novel begins and ends with Ben and Mark leaving to once again visit the Lot, as they have discovered the vampire threat hasn't vanished. Salem's Lot ends with a cliffhanger that will probably never be balanced. What we have, though, is one of King's most intense and scary books. After the steady buildup, the moments of terror come in one-two knockout style, and King's mastery of vampire myths and legends is first class, especially the way he infuses them into modern-day society. The fact that the major villain stays behind the scenes for the first half of the novel only adds to the excitement and anxiety.
Salem's Lot is not just a vampire novel. It is a novel of pure and unbridled fear, a truly scary book. It is about small towns and the nature of evil. It is about love found, love lost, and the persistance of hope. And, well, it has those vampires...

2009-07-22T03:08:00.000-07:00

The Shining

Throughout the last century, there were many authors who wrote haunted house stories. In 1977, Stephen King beat 'em all with a haunted hotel story. You see, this is not just *any* haunted hotel story; this is THE SHINING.
THE SHINING is about several things, all tied up into one complex and multilayered whole. It is about a five-year-old boy who is impossibly mature and wise beyond his years, and who has a terrifying gift that seems as much a curse.

It is about his father, a recovering alcoholic with demons in his soul and skeletons in his closet, who is battling both in order to keep his family financially afloat. It is about his wife, a doting mother who has braved the ups & downs of her husband's turbulence, who loves him, and who wants to trust him beyond his past mistakes but is just on this side of being unable to do so. It is about a classic, Art Deco hotel tucked deep within the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, whose name is respected but nevertheless has a mysteriously chequered past.

It is about the ghosts that occupy this hotel, that wish to possess the above family but can only be seen by the boy and the head cook. It is about the head cook, an older black man who shares the same gift with the boy, and who develops a special friendship with him as a result. It is about a family who begin at their last chance for hope & unity, who end up fighting for their last chance at survival. This is THE SHINING.
THE SHINING is a true gestalt entity: it is more than the sum of its parts. Stephen King masterly intertwines all of the above elements, plus some truly frightening imagery, to create a novel of several hundred compulsively-turning pages that add up to one of the greatest experiences that I've ever had as a reader of fiction.
MOST RECOMMENDED; AGES 15 & UP

Twenty-seven years after its publication, The Shining remains a visceral, gripping read that showcases Stephen King's unfathomable powers to hypnotize and terrify readers, a power King had in abundance in the early stages of his career. Coming on the heels of Carrie and 'Salem's Lot, The Shining truly established King as a modern master of horror and an unequaled purveyor of a literary mirror into pop culture.

The plot should be quite familiar to one and all by this point. The Torrance family embarks on a months-long retreat into complete isolation when Jack Torrance signs on to be the winter custodian of the Overlook Hotel in Colorado. Jack takes some personal demons with him to a hotel chock-full of malevolent, ghostly spirits; he is a recovering alcoholic who, in the last couple of years, lost his job and broke his little boy's arm in a state of drunken fury. He thinks the months alone with his wife and son will allow him to find peace - and to finally finish the play he has been working on. His long-suffering wife has some misgivings, but the only person really clued into the dreadful possibilities is his son Danny.

Danny has "the shine," a gift which allows him to see and know things he cannot possibly know; it is a powerful gift which the Overlook (which really is an entity unto itself) jealously desires for itself.

As the days pass, the Overlook exerts more and more of an influence on Jack, exploiting his weaknesses, exacerbating his paranoia and persecution complex, and basically turning him into a murderous new tool at the hotel's disposal. Danny sees what is happening, although he cannot really understand much of it given his very young age. He can certainly understand the terror of the Overlook, however, as he sees images of the hotel's murderous past and very dark near future in a number of unsettling scenes interspersed throughout the novel.

This is a harrowing tale of survival against incredible odds of a supernatural nature, and King brings every nuance of the story to vivid life, capturing perfectly the internalization and externalization of fear among exceedingly real, believable characters that the reader gets to know very well indeed. As has always been the case with Stephen King, it is his incomparable powers of characterization that make the supernatural elements of his story work so amazingly well. You can't help but be emotionally committed to these characters.

2009-07-22T02:12:00.000-07:00

The Stand: Expanded Edition: For the First Time Complete and Uncut (Signet)

Before I get to the meat of my review, I feel I should provide a little bit of perspective. First, I am not a die-hard Stephen King fan. In fact, aside from "The Stand", I have only read collections of his short stories, so I can assure you my review isn't the rabid defense of an overly loyal admirer. Second, I am not a fan of horror and I wouldn't classify "The Stand" as such. Finally, I am a big fan of the "apocalyptic fiction" genre, and I believe I have a pretty good basis for my evaluation of this novel.
That said, "The Stand" is an incredible novel; perhaps one of the best I have ever read, by any author or in any genre. The story is predicated on the accidental release of a "super-flu" that wipes out 99% of the humans on the planet. The survivors find themselves drawn into a battle between good and evil that will determine the future of the entire planet.
As one might expect, a novel with such an ambitious plot and of such prodigious length touches upon numerous themes. In order to simplify my review, I am going to break down the novel's strengths into the following categories, and then consider them one at a time: world-building, plot, characters and themes.
First is world-building. In most apocalyptic fiction, one (if not both) of two things will be true: 1. The characters stay in one place or 2. The action picks up after the disaster. An example of the first is "Earth Abides" and of the latter "On the Beach". There's nothing wrong with either plot device, but in "The Stand" King injects a remarkable level of detail into his novel by covering the super-flu from start to finish. The novel starts at the very beginning of the outbreak, and many key plot lines are developed before the epidemic ever rears its head. King charts the breakdown and eventual destruction of civilization, and then offers a short, but remarkable, picture of the survivors in the immediate days after the flu has run its course. He makes the subtle observation that many survivors would die in a second wave of suicides, accidents and depression that would weed out many of those unequipped for an empty world. Finally, as the story progresses, King makes remarkable (but not overbearing) predictions about how nature would reshape the U.S. in the absence of man.
Second to consider is the plot. As I alluded to earlier, King has used the emptied United States as a battleground between good and evil. Soon after the flu has run its course, the survivors begin having dreams about an old woman (Mother Abigail) who seems to be marshalling the forces of good, and a malign presence (Randall Flagg) who is gathering those who would serve him and his ends. Insofar as the reader knows, the choice is clear-cut, irrevocable and mandatory. It is very much a "are you with us or against us" type of situation. That said, much of the book is devoted to the characters traveling across country to Boulder or Las Vegas (guess which side is where), no mean feat in a world without mass transit, hotels, etc. In fact, King's writing is so effective, the novel would be fascinating if the characters did nothing but travel around and attempt to reestablish society. The second, metaphysical, layer just makes it all the more interesting.
Thirdly, we have the characters to consider; I'll won't name names or speak in specifics to avoid ruining the plot, but there are a few general points worth mentioning. To start, the cast of characters in "The Stand" rivals that of "Lord of the Rings", and King handles it every bit as well as Tolkien. One might expect that a novel with a story this complex would skimp on character development, but the opposite is actually true. King took a huge idea (good vs. evil) and reduced it to a human element that the reader could digest. His characters show an incredible range of emotion, and even their flaws serve to enhance the reader's view of them. They struggle and fail and are rarely sure of themselves, in other words, they are human. As such, their actions take on a level of realism that is astonishing.
Finally, we come to the themes of the book. The way I see it there are three: the dualistic nature of good and evil, redemption and hope. The first is the most obvious, King correctly points out that good cannot be appreciated or striven for in the absence of bad. We can strive to limit the effects of evil, but it will never be overcome, as King sees greed and hate as intrinsic to the human condition in general, and civilization specifically. The second theme, of redemption, is subtler and offsets the first. King does not paint anyone is irretrievably lost, and along the same lines, he considers how good intentions are frequently misdirected through ignorance and fear. King seems to believe that given the opportunity and support, anyone can salvage their lives. Which brings us to the final theme of hope. As the novel ends, the reader knows that evil has not been vanquished, but also that it can never triumph because within its very nature are the seeds of its destruction. Over time, evil empires have gained power because they have torn down their enemies (see Nazi Germany), but as the saying goes, live by the sword, die by the sword. There is always hope, because evil cannot win.
There are so many other points to touch on, I could write indefinitely, but what it all comes down to is this: if you're looking for a novel that will entertain you even as it makes you think, "The Stand" is for you.
Enjoy!
THE STAND was the first Stephen King novel I read (I think it was in 1985). The similarities to biblical prophecy in this marvelous story are hard to miss for even the the novice student of the book of Revelation. That fact played a large role in my interest in The Stand. The book is so enthralling that even when I became aware that King had veered a long way from the scriptural story, I didn't really care. And after all, no other writer had managed to figure out what all those seals, and trumpets, and vials of the Apocalypse were either.
Continuing my interest in the subject, I have read a number of other books in the same general vein. Or perhaps I should say that I started to read several. The problem is that every writer that tries to stick with the original concept of end-times prophecy is also out to force a load of preaching down your throat. Their stories are less coherent that comic books and they seem to think their relationship with God makes up for the fact that they can't write.
I have very recently found an exception to this rule and I wanted to recommend it. It's THE CHRIST CLONE TRILOGY by James BeauSeigneur. BeauSeigneur does an incredible job of story telling while sticking very exactly to biblical prophecy. He even blends in prophecies from several other religions! An interesting difference is that in THE CHRIST CLONE TRILOGY the antichrist/Flagg character plays his role and tell his lies so well that you can't help but sorta be pulling for him even though you know he's the bad guy. Or is he?

2009-07-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Nothing Lasts Forever

Many critics have blasted Sidney's Sheldon's recent books as being sub-par, as we've come to expect so much from this great writer. Written in 1994, Nothing Lasts Forever takes the reader on a roller coaster ride that will leave you a little dizzy and completely fooled by the ending, which is one of the reasons most critics who have recently criticized Sheldon agree that this is one of his all-time best!

Three roommates, who just happen to be young, female doctors, are featured in Nothing Lasts Forever. The various aspects of their lives unfold before us - their hopes, dreams, fears, loves, ambitions, and their mistakes in life. We see what they endured as interns and see the daily rigors of life as a doctor in a large San Francisco hospital. The decisions made on the spur of the moment, only to be later dissected and examined by each of the doctors to verify in their own minds if they made the right decision. It's an interesting concept of young doctors not always being sure of their choices, but having to live with those conclusions. And what happens when faced with a dire situation - do you stick with your moral values and beliefs or do you euthanatize to prevent suffering? And if not you - who would?

Not only are we given glimpses at the insights of these three, but also we're allowed to feel like you're part of their lives - a friend or neighbor perhaps. Sheldon builds a relationship not only between the three main characters, but involves the reader in the formula as well. You'll become emotionally engaged while reading about the doctors' everyday lives.

The decisions and moral beliefs are all brought out in a courtroom when one of the doctors is accused of killing her patient for monetary purposes. Sounds plausible, but did she commit the crime? And every aspect of each of the three women's lives are brought out and inspected to try and solve the murder. Many surprises await!

Nothing Lasts Forever has been dubbed a "thriller of suspense" and rightly so. It will grab you from the beginning and not let go until you read the very last page. The plot is extremely well engineered and the writing is superb! Sidney Sheldon mixes humor, wit and intrigue with the perfect blend to entice even the most ardent critic.

There are so many twists and turns in this high-speed page-turner that I'd warn the reader to hold on tightly. You won't want to put it down, so it should come with a warning that you may miss sleep in order to finish Nothing Lasts Forever. I'd highly recommend it if you're ready for a wild reading journey!

Great story of three women doctors in their residency at San Francisco's Embarcadero County Hospital - Paige Taylor, cardiac surgeon, Kate Hunter, African-American neurosurgeon and Honey Taft, wanna-be nurse, forced into being a doctor (internist) by her well-to-do family and not really good at it at all. Honey does find that if she uses her female charms on the elders of her profession, it becomes a sure-fire method to get through medical school and then unto residency!

The story begins with Paige Taylor being tried for murder after answering a patient's request to be put out of his pain. It then flashes back five years to when the women first met and decided to become roommates. Sheldon takes us through the relationships of men vs. women doctors. One storyline involves Dr. Ken Mallory and his mucho attitude, betting thousands of dollars with his male peers that he could take on Dr. Kate Hunter.

Enter Kate Hunter, brutally raped and abused at a young age and totally rejecting the opposite sex. Dr. Mallory sees Kate, a dedicated, hard-working doctor and loving sister, as the ultimate challenge. In my opinion, Sidney Sheldon has done it again. He totally captures the hard work and grueling hours residents must endure and the dedication that goes hand and hand with their profession. The book held my interest and lived up to the standards of this excellent author's reputation.

I'm a Paralegal for a Medical Malpractice Defense firm, so when I read the short description on this book, I knew I'd probably like it, but I didn't expect to like it as much as I did.

The book started off kind of slow, I thought, but I really liked how it started off and then took a look back to show you how we got where we did. I really liked the flashbacks too for each character and liked how they were all developed.

I enjoyed learning about the different patients and seeing how much residents had to go through at work. My only real complaint is that there were so many characters I'd sometimes have to flip back to see who we were talking about again. There's also the fact that time flew by through most of the book until you get to the en and then suddenly time slowed to a crawl.

Overall really great book and I had a very hard time putting it down.

2009-07-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

Rage of Angels

Always looking for a new author I can get behind, I took the advise of many friends and read this book. WOW! Normally I am a "Romantic, man & woman meet fall in love have a problem get back together" sort of story-lover. This is more like a rollercoaster ride of life. For fear of giving anything away if you read the book but wanting anyone who will listen to read this and be inspired to read this book: Sheldon gives you fantastic character development. You have a heroine who you can't help but want to cheer on, a supporting hero who you want to like but for the fact that he's married, and a lead hero who you want to hate but just can't because he's to dangerously enchanting. The book is about a lady lawyer and the trials (no pun intended) of her life. During the coarse of the story I kept thinking how is Sheldon going to fix "all this" by the end of the book, and the answer is simple: This is not a story where everything gets fixed. When I first read the back of the book the last line was " they find a love that is more destructive than hate". At first my interpretation was that it was a love that could destruct hate, but now after reading the book the hard part to handle was it meant the love itself was more destructive to the characters than hate was. There are a million love stories that are "Happy ever after", I've read hundreds of them, this is love with some twists and turns, but every bit as fantastic.
This book is very worth reading and grips you right from the start. Sheldon has a way with words that allows you to become part of the story. I hope that you give it a go. I look forward to reading more Sheldon novels! : )

Sidney Sheldon's Rage of Angels tells the story of beautiful Jennifer Parker, a rising young New York attorney who becomes involved with two very different men - Michael Morreti is a ruthless killer and Adam Warner is being groomed for the Presidency. We follow Jennifer for many years as she becomes a mother as well as a lawyer for the mafia, all the while finding true love is just beyond her reach.

Sheldon knows how to write breezy page-turners, and Rage of Angels is no exception. His characters are absorbing and the action never stops. Susannah York was not a good choice to read this story. Her upper class British accent sounded silly when she did the voices of low-life street hoodlums, and she read so quickly, I often had to rewind the tape and listen again. I gave the story 5 stars and the audio cassette version 3 stars.

This book is simply amazing. I've read it several times over the years and no matter what else comes out and tops the charts, this one just stands with the best of them! Actually, this one may be the best of them. The story is so simple, so fluid that it seems effortless. I think that writers probably agonize and nearly kill themselves trying to write like Sheldon (and almost always fail).
The story opens with a young attorney (very likable) who, through bad luck, finds herself in dire straits. Maybe I feel such a rapport with her because I'm also young attorney who at one time was penniless in NYC. The story then twists and turns (Sheldon is truly a genius when it comes to suspense) through her life as she experiences tragedy after tragedy yet manages to get back on her feet.
The writing is straightforward and effective, the story is incredibly satisfying, and the pacing is perfect. The only downside to this book is that you have to put everything else on hold while you read it because you will not be able to put it down!
I also recommend If Tomorrow Comes and Rage of Angels.

I loved this book!!!This is such a wonderful work of art!! Sidney Sheldon brilliantly captures the struggle of Jennifer Parker, a lawyer, through losing her job to losing family members, a lover and becoming the mafia's lawyer. Sidney Sheldon is THE GREATEST AUTHOR!!! I don't LOVE the way that most of his books end horribly but that's real life and i love the way he captures it in such an essential book in literature!! His books are so page-turning that they stop me from doing my homework or anything else that's not reading! His books capture the sadness, love and terror in Jeniffer's life that it kept me from sleeping at night!! [{{I love Micheal Morreti!!! He might be in the mafia but he is soooo GORGEOUS!!! He is like a dream man come true (except the fact that he's a killer and stuff... LOL!!).}}] ***^**I also loved The Naked Face and Stranger in the Mirror (i still have to read the rest of his books)**^***

Sidney Sheldon shines with Rage of Angels and his main character Jennifer Parker.
Sidney Sheldon keeps the pages turning for you, while reading this book i forgot that the real world existed, it is a book you never want to end with characters that make you smile with them and cry with them.
This book is for every woman who has ever loved a man, and been torn between what is right and wrong.
This book is for every man who has made wrong choices because of obligation.
The best book you will ever read!!

I never thought i could read 500 pages in a day until i read RAGE OF ANGELS, a masterpiece which captures you from the very first pages till the last page. I shows how life is not fair and it can change overnight. The story of Jennifer Parker, a brilliant young lawyer whose life changes forever by two men; a mafia boss and the man she loves. Well, JUST READ IT!

2009-07-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Bloodline

This wonderful thriller is the story of Elizabeth Roffe, whose father has just died (or was he murdered?), leaving her heiress to a multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical maker. She takes over the reins of the company, with the help of Rhys Williams, a handsome but mysterious self-made man. Elizabeth's four quirky cousins and co-owners of the company each have shady pasts and need money, badly. They are pressuring her to allow the company to go public; she refuses, and becomes the target of an unknown assassin.

This is a book you will not be able to put down. The story is full of fascinating flashbacks, detailing the often bizarre lives of all the Roffes: Alec from London, Helene from Paris, Anna from Berlin, and Ivo from Rome. Each one has a reason to want Elizabeth out of the way, and as the attempts on her life increase, the tension mounts until the killer is revealed in a truly frightening conclusion. Highly recommended for Sidney Sheldon fans and everyone who enjoys fast-paced stories full of action and memorable characters. This book was made into an all-star movie with Audrey Hepburn, Omar Sharif, and James Mason.

Another fantastic, mind-gripping read, holding its audience from page one. Bloodline spins the tale of a family-run pharmaceutical conglomerate. Roffe and Sons has been passed down to the heirs of Samuel Roffe's family, Sam Roffe, the only male descendant and holder of the controlling interest of the company, Anna Roffe married to Walther Gassner, Ivo Palazzi, married to Simonetta Roffe, Charles Martel married to Helene Roffe and Sir Alec Nichols' mother had been a Roffe. Samuel Roffe, founder of the company, had decided from the beginning that his company never go public.

His theory, "Never let a friendly fox into your hen house. One day he's going to get hungry." When Sam Roffe (an experienced climber) dies in a mysterious mountain climbing accident, Elizabeth inherits his controlling interest in the company. Suddenly, life-threatening events begin to happen to her as she holds onto her great-great grandfather's wishes after finding a book telling the story of Samuel Roffe's life and the tense, emotional and physical struggle he endured to build the company from the ground up.

In her great-great grandfather's memory and approach, she is determined to keep the company private and uncover the person responsible for the evil doings within the upper echelon (that being one of four of her cousins) or possibly her father's right-hand man, Rhys Williams.

Rhys, not being a member of the family, was brought into the company by Elizabeth's father, however, unless he married a Roffe, in this case, Elizabeth (since she was the only female left), would be unable to sit on the Board of Directors. Williams was always kind to Liz (is it merely business or personal?) who grew up without a father's presence in her life (just the comforts of his money). Liz felt, even though she harbored strong feelings for Rhys, she could not afford to trust him or anyone until she uncovered the person out to destroy all that Samuel Roffe had built.

Each cousin has their own issues; Anna Roffe's husband is out to destroy their children, Ivo Palazzi is leading a double life with two families, Charles is being lead around by Helene as a boy toy, Sir Alec has married Vivian, a wild, crazy party girl and Rhys has worked long and hard his adult life for Sam without the benefit of even a share of stock in the multimillion dollar business. Each one has their own agenda for forcing first Sam and now Elizabeth to have the company go public and thereby attaining the financial means to destroy the "fly in the ointment" of their respective lives.

Definatly Sheldon's jewel of a crown. I finished it in 6 hours, I couldn't stop reading.

I thought his was a typically excellent Sheldon book. Although the education I received on the pharmaceutical industry was helpful, I did manage to skim through those passages a few times. I liked the strength of the protagonist character and was pleased to see that a decent man was depicted in the novel who was kind and made her feel as is she counted as a human being. All in al, the book was interesting.

2009-07-20T05:54:00.000-07:00

The Stars Shine Down

THE STARS SHINE DOWN is the story of Lara Cameron, who grows up in poverty in Nova Scotia (Glace Bay) only to become one of the richest women in the world through the development of a vast real estate empire. The public only knows her as Lara Cameron, powerful real estate developer. She leads them all to believe her father was also a rich real estate developer from Scotland, but the truth is, she grew up with an abusive father who was only glad to be rid of her.But through the contacts she makes early on in her life, she learns how to become independent and leaves Canada for a new life in the States. And from there her empire takes off.
Within the story is a mystery - as Lara gets more powerful, she notices "things" starting to happen. She befriends a man that she suspects is affiliated with the mafia, and they start an affair. At one point she suspects foul play (to her advantage) in the development of one of her buildings, and she starts to think that Paul Martin is behind it. She does not know if she can trust him.
As the story progresses, we learn more about the people who are close to her, and it is not until the very end that the mystery is unraveled and we learn who had been the one behind a number of accidents and other unscrupulous dealings to help Lara build her empire.I liked this book. It's one of Sidney Sheldon's better novels. As always, it was fast reading and well written. The characters are all memorable and you can always sympathize with the main character. A must-read for all fan.

This is one of the best Sheldon has written. I love Lara Cameron (as I love Kate Blackwell in "Master of the Game" and Tracy Whitney in "If Tomorrow Comes"). Lara showed the many facets of a woman's strengths, and weaknesses. i know that she is fiction and too good to be true, but 'she' is not impossible. one time in my life, her character served as a great inspiration to me.
"The Stars Shine Down" is definitely a five-star! I lost the copy i bought, and read, several years ago. So I bought another copy. it's a good book to own.

Amazing story - non-stop reading to the bitter end. Lara Cameron is Sheldon's answer to Donald Trump. She takes us on a "rags to riches" journey starting with her uncaring and distant father (the absence of her mother and twin brother in her life; Lara being the only survivor from that birth) and her rise to the top in the world of real estate development.

Sheldon takes us through many locations beginning in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia then unto Chicago and New York City. Lara makes her mark in this "man's field" and along the way meets up and gets the undying support of Paul Martin, NYC attorney with Mafia connections and banker and financial wizard, Howard Keller, who becomes her right-hand man in all areas of the business.

Both men are obsessed with Lara. Lara achieves great success and fortune but yearns for the love that she has missed out on her entire life. She finally finds this love in her knight in shining author (her Lochinvar), world renowned pianist, Philip Alder. What will this love interest do to her connections with Paul Martin and others and of course her career? I high recommend this book to everyone. It is a story that you will not be able to put away until there is no more story to read. Thank you, Mr. Sheldon!

Lara Cameron wants everything, but it takes some ruinous circumstances to make her realize she has more than she needs.

By 20, Lara was a millionaire intent on conquering Chicago. A couple of years later, takes on New York, and the world.

From Nova Scotia to Chicago, New York to Amsterdam, The Stars Shine Down describes the life of a woman who knew what she wanted and was willing to pay the price to get it.

Lara Cameron comes off as a flawed, lovable, and tragic heroine; Paul Martin, as a vengeful lover; and Howard Keller, as the apotheosis of passion out of control.
Sheldon gives a stellar performance; this is a book to fall in love with.

2009-07-20T05:45:00.000-07:00

Morning, Noon & Night

Sidney Sheldon, the best author in the world, will not disappoint any of his readers with this book. This book revolves around a very wealthy and influential family known as the Stanford's. When the father dies, his children, the three heirs to the fortune, are shocked to find that they may have and illegitimate sister with whom they must share their wealth. This family carries out all of the major components of a great action novel: murder, revenge, greed, blackmail, and a splash of romance.
Although shorter than the average Sidney Sheldon novel, Morning Noon and Night has no less an impact. The short nature of the book actually gives it a sense of urgency. A combination of these elements kept me constantly reading. I finished this book in a little more than four hours.

You will not get bored of reading this book! It is a fascinating story which you will find yourself reading all night. The story is basically about a billionaire, Harry Standford, who dies and his greedy children were left to his fortune. But because of his reckless handling of the business prior to his death, it went out of business. His children, who were looking forward to being billionaires, find themselves getting nothing in the end.

This book is about a RICH family. Harry Stanford was a cruel man his wife committed suicide because of his unfaithfulness. his lover had a daughter, neither of them ever met. His other 3 children all hated him. he sent them to separate boarding school only to come home during holidays. When he died on his private yacht mysteriously, The family gathered for the will reading stating that his fortune would be split between the children ALL 4 OF THEM out of the blue comes julia Stanford. Is she real or not the book will keep you guessing until the line:- 'we ve done it margo' this is a book that will keep you guessing until the very end with countless twist i suggest you read it.

I have never read a book like,"Morning, Noon, and Night." Sidney Sheldon did an exquisite job on the plot. The story revolved around a billion dollar man named Harry Stanford. He had four children. Three by his wife and one by another woman he had an affair with. Harry was brutal towards his children. He had no faith in them and had no love for them. His wife committed suicide no longer after Harry's affair. She could tolerate his abuse no longer. Stanford was in for it big time. Many people were out to get him. Only, the outcome of his death is the most crucial part of the book. I will put it this way: Stanford had a will that was being divided three ways, or maybe even four.
The content was a definite pleasure in the story. Fraud, suicide, murder, drugs, sex,and swearing were main points. The most surprising of all the themes is undeniably the fraud.
I definitely, recommend this book,"Morning, Noon, and Night", to anyone and everyone. Sheldon, unmistakeably, has the most original style I have ever seen a writer have. Sheldon has major capacity and skills. It's a quick read, because it never drops to a boring read. This book, is one of the best I have ever read, and I do indeed recommend this book to everyone who is literate.

2009-07-20T05:40:00.000-07:00

Memories of Midnight

This novel continues the exciting story begun in Sheldon's "The Other Side of Midnight." In that novel, mega-rich Constantin Demiris manipulated the Greek court to have his mistress, Noelle, and her lover, Larry, executed for the murder of Larry's wife, Catherine. No body was ever found, and in fact, Catherine was alive and well, under the watchful eyes of Demiris.

"Memories of Midnight" begins as amnesiac Catherine starts remembering things...like the fact that her husband was killed for her supposed "murder." This could prove dangerous to Demiris, who sends her to London to work for him. Meanwhile, back in Greece, all the people who know that Catherine is still alive are systematically killed, and, just as Catherine find happiness, someone is sent to kill her.

This is that rare sequel that is actually better than the wonderful original novel. The plot twists will keep you turning the pages, and the ending is so unexpected and so shocking, you will be left breathless, and very glad you read "Memories of Midnight."

Before you read Memories of Midnight, go get The Other Side of Midnight and read it first, otherwise Memories wont mean much. In either case, you wont be disappointed. I have been reading Sheldon (among a myriad of authors in his genre) for years, and have yet to encounter anyone else who spins a yarn quite as insightful or entertaining as Sheldon. The two novels I mention here are my all-time favorite Sheldon stories.

The first Sidney Sheldon book I read was "Master of the Game". It is still my favorite, but I really love "The Other Side of Midnight", and its sequel, "Memories of Midnight". You don't HAVE to read "The Other Side..." first in order to enjoy this book, "Memories..", but it would help to read both to get the full effect! "Memories of Midnight" will keep you reading way into the wee hours, so forget about starting this book if you have a paper to write or a job deadline you must pull off! This is a wonderfully fast paced, suspenseful read. Like I said, to get the full effect, you should read "The Other Side of Midnight" first and then this one! Enjoy!

A psychiatrist and an eclectic mix of patients are thrown into this story; just how they are directly tied into the main plot has never been addressed. One character who is clearly written as an autistic savant displays some of the more prominent autistic behaviors. He is echolalic; he recites long chains of information and he knows the number and type of vehicles he passes in route to the doctor's office. His activities are solitary and few; he does not voluntarily interact with others. I am really tired of stories like this that portray characters with autism as automaton-like savants with isolated abilities that are far removed from the social world. I think stories like this do a grave disservice to those with autism and for others who come across autistic characters because it is just perpetuating a stereotype.

2009-07-20T05:33:00.000-07:00

Windmills of the Gods

Windmills of the Gods is equipped with a silky yet entrancing writing style that makes it impossible to put down. In the story, Mary Ashley, a university professor in Kansas, is appointed ambassador to Romania, which had only recently ameliorated its relations with the West. Mary receives much acclaim and over night she becomes one of the most famous and influential people in the world.

However, she finds herself in the middle of a treacherous web of conspiracy and corrupt power, and many parties are after her, including one of the most powerful assassins in the world. Even the reader does not know who Mary should trust as she tries unremittingly to vanquish the forces that are working against her. You are in for many shocking surprises as well as great joys and sorrows as you read this book. It is truly one of the best.

The newly appointed ambassador to Romania has her work cut our for her. Someone's out to get her, but WHO?? It's definitely a mysterious murder plot, and Sheldon does an excellent job of weaving the plot around the shiny knife of suspense. You never know quite what will happen next. There are always twists and turns in the plot. We empathize with well meaning Mary as she faces unseen assassins and the "treachery of men she trusts."
I listened to the audio version of this book, which was published in 1987. Lee Remick does a great job of reading. I look forward to reading Sheldon's "Rage of Angels" and "If Tomorrow Comes."

He has written a book that is so close to real life that it will scare the pants off you! The newly elected president decides he wants to develop a better relationship with countries of the old cold war, Romania especially. Instead of a trained person for the ambassador job, he picks a teacher from a Kansas school, who specializes in that area in her studies. He read an article she had written and since what she had written was also his views, he asks her to take the job. At first she declines because of her family and her husband's commitments to his patients (he is a doctor), but after he dies in a mysterious car accident, she decides to take the job.
There are many who don't like the idea of Romania and the U.S. getting buddy buddy and a secret group from around the world, including those in the U.S., work to sabotage the presidents efforts. They hire an assassin, who has never been defeated to take out several key people.Mary Ashley, the ambassador, is turning out to be quite successful at her job, and is the target of an assassination. She doesn't know who to trust.This is interesting all the way to the end and keeps you guessing. Enjoy!

I had read two Sheldon books before I read Windmills of the Gods, and I didn't really know what to expect, since I only kinda enjoyed the previous two. Anyway, I read this book. Six pages the first day. About 150 the second day, I think. This is simply a fabulous, page-turner book. It has the (from what I've read) different cultures in it, and the mystery in it is so amazing. I cannot express how good the twists in this book are, but they left me gaping, and re-reading a number of words, just to make sure I read it right the first time.
This IS the Greatest Mystery I've ever read.

2009-07-20T05:27:00.000-07:00

The Sands of Time

This book is definitely a must-read if you enjoy sweet'n'sexy all rolled into one! Appropriately named, this novel focuses on 4 nuns who are riden out of their safe and very strict convent in a little town in Spain due to an attack brought on by the Spanish Army who are searching for Basque leaders and believers; who in their eyes are terrorists.

The 4 nuns set out to deliver a sacred cross to another convent, but on the way meet Jaime Miro, the charismatic Basque leader and his men. Along their journey they became friends, remember their pasts, and fall in love with the men they are forbidden to love. An excellent and exciting book!

THE SANDS OF TIME is a great book that has something for everyone. It is filled with action, intrigue,danger, and a hint of romance. This is the story of four nuns in Spain who are driven from their convent (they are Trappists one of the strictest orders of nuns)and forced to make a long journey to another convent for safety. Taking the only thing of value (a gold cross) with them, they set out on this journey, and face a world that will bring back memories for each.

This journey is the focus of this grand novel.This book is vividly described and takes us around the world. Sheldon does a great job providing a wonderful story in war-torn Spain. If you love Sidney Sheldon's works or just a fantastic novel, Sheldon's THE SANDS OF TIME is a book you should read. It's well worth the money, so buy it today.

Sidney Sheldon's adventure is set amid the Basque rebellion in Spain in the 70s. Sadistic Colonel Acoca raids a convent, searching for the famous rebel leader, Jaime Miro. Four nuns, each with shocking past lives, escape and find themselves traveling the countryside with Miro's band of partisans. It is a cat and mouse game of chase between the ruthless Acoca and charismatic Miro, who suspects one of his friends is an informant.

The action speeds along at a frantic, life-or-death pace, as in typical Sheldon style, there are endless close-calls and a conclusion that will leave you breathless and satisfied. This is one of the author's best, combining thrills, romance, politics, and ultimate justice. Fans of Sidney Sheldon's novels will definitely enjoy "The Sands of Time."

Wonderfully written, this book portraits you to a world unlike any other. That was the first book by Sidney Sheldon I read, a long time ago, and it's still my all time favorite.
The story, full of twists make you seat on the edge of the chair the whole time. You suffer, laugh, run and have fun with the characters.

2009-07-20T05:20:00.000-07:00

If Tomorrow Comes

This is the book that convinced me of Sheldon's genius. You may not believe it but I have read it at least 5 times till date. and I will read it again if I can get my hands on it once more.

If Tomorrow Comes is a poignant story of Tracy whitney, a young, talented woman who is crushed by the mafia into the American prison system through no real fault of hers.

The book Chronicles her struggle for survival in the prison, her release, her revenge on the people who've wronged her, her hope her daring and finally her love. It is a masterful story which is by turns sad, hilarious, nail biting and uplifting. I recommend it to anyone who wants to read about what a determined woman can accomplish.

This is the first book that I read by Sidney Sheldon and I was completely in awe of the scope of this story. Every twist in the plot had me turning pages late into the night simply because I was unable to put the book down. I was quite simply, riveted to the spot. The main character, Tracy, is someone that you come to care about and respect as she leads you a series of wild and unexpected adventures. Sheldon has created an intelligent, witty and captivating tale that will keep your jaw on the floor for days to come.

A Great story about a woman who wants justice by revenging the cruel people who destroyed her life. The first part when the heroine is in prison is fascinating. So does the part of the revenge. The part of the robberies is interesting although sometimes not that realistic like the chess trick. This was my first Sidney Sheldon and it convinced me to read his other books. After reading eight of them, 'If tommorow comes' is only second to 'the other side of midnight'. Anyway, I think that if tommorow comes is Sidney Sheldon at his best.

From the beginning to end, you will find yourself wrapped up in the world of the main character, Tracey Whitney. It is full of surprises, adventures, and definitely some mind-blowing experiences. You will be fascinated by her, jealous of her, sympathetic to her, and you will love her! You can learn alot from this book. It is a must-read!

2009-07-20T05:15:00.000-07:00

The Dark Side of Midnight: Featuring The Other Side of Midnight, Rage of Angels, Bloodline

I had read the books included in this volume before, but re-reading it was like visiting an old friend. Sheldon is one of my favorite authors, a wonderful and relaxing read each and everytime. Many other reviews of his works call his style "a real page turner", which is often an over-used term, but true.

It stands up as strong the second time reading as a first. His style makes you want to read just one more chapter and is hard to put down for the night.

Including these three novels in one book makes for a bit bulky handling, but a great bargain.

I love Sidney Sheldon's writing. He keeps you in suspense throughout the story. I just love that there were 3 of his stories in 1 book. I hope they publish more of his writings in this manner. I highly recommend Sidney Sheldon's writings.

Thank you so much to his publisher for making available in this beautiful produced volume, three of the master storyteller's best novels. All-three novels pretty much defined the "Sheldon touch" -- they will make you want to revisit some of his other classics, particularly, If Tomorrow Comes, Windmills of the Gods, Master of the Game... And while you're at it, check out the new DVD of The Other Side of Midnight featuring the last recorded interview with Mr. Sheldon. Fascinating and moving.

2009-07-20T05:07:00.000-07:00

Master of the Game

Sidney Sheldon's story of big business, lust, greed, and revenge spans four generations, starting with Jamie McGregor, who leaves Scotland in 1850 to strike it rich in the diamond fields of South Africa. He overcomes many hardships, becomes a millionaire, and starts the Kruger-Brent company. His daughter, Kate, pushes the company until it becomes a world-wide conglomerate, and moves her headquarters to America. To her chagrin, her son Tony wants to be a painter, not a businessman. His twin daughters, Alexandra and Eve, are as different as can be. One of them may be a killer...

The book is absolutely riveting, with Jamie's adventures putting him in a new danger on every page. Kate, the so-called Master of the Game, spends most of her ninety years buying and manipulating everyone in her path, in her relentless search for a worthy corporate successor. As in all of Sheldon's books, there is action, suspense, romance, and memorable characters that his fans are sure to enjoy.

This is the first Sydney Sheldon novel I've read. You don't often find stories this enticing. I was hooked from the first page, a vivid scene of the 90-year old heroine surveying her life, her family, and ghosts of old mistakes come back to haunt her. Despite its hefty length, this book kept me coming back for more, daydreaming at work about what would happen next, and staying up late at night to get to the next chapter. I read it in just a few days even though with my schedule it usually takes me at least a week to finish a book.

'Master of the game' is a novel that has everything a reader looks for in a general fiction book. Love, betrayal, hate, jealousy, poverty, fame, wealth, courage. The book is divided into three parts revolving around three main characters yeilding a beautifully written, well thought out storyline consisting of four generations of a single family. Below is a brief description of the the novel without giving anything away and a justification of why this book is such a good read.
The novel starts out with Jamie McGregor heading to South Africa in search of diamonds. His path to South Africa, his betrayal revenge together his building his empire, his rise to great fame after finding diamonds really appeals to the reader.
Kate Blackwell, Jamie's daughter takes over Jamie's empire. She is that kind of a character whose self-drive, ambitions, power etc.. are vicarously worth loving.She is the master of her game. Her son Tony grows to dislike her and the mind games between mother and son is just too good and keeps the pages turning like no other.
The final part of the book is my favourite. It is for this part alone the book is worth reading. Tony gets two daughters(twins) Eve and Alexandria, one good and one bad and here is where the jealousy starts. One twin is jealous of the other and look to destroy the other. Her plans to destroy the other twin all through her infancy, teenage life is a work of pure genius on the part of Mr. Sheldon.

Every time I buy his book I just know I can't go wrong!
And there he did it again - wonderful story, it is about diamond rush, strong & wise people, mad people, love & all the crazy things some people do for love. You must get this book, read it and then agree with me. There is no other way, because you will see - Sidney Sheldon is The Master of The Game :)

Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon is one of the most amazing novels I've ever read, and I'm an avid reader. He's a real master storyteller and you'll be spellbound from the first word to the last. In short, it's brilliant!!!

I was hooked on Sidney Sheldon after reading The Other Side of Midnight, but nothing compared ....until, Master of the Game. A perfect book to bring on a beach vacation!

The first adult novel I had ever read, "Master of the Game" was certainly a find. Well-plotted, with sharply drawn characters, Sheldon has certainly brought to life one of the most powerful characters in modern popular fiction, Kate Blackwell, who stands along side such memorable Sheldon creations as Jennifer Parker, Noelle Page, and Tracey Witney. Cetainly a difficult novel to put down, and a difficult to novel to forget. Check out the mini-series, one of the best I have ever seen. Five stars

2009-07-20T04:34:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)

Half-Blood Prince is easily one of the better books in the Harry Potter series, though each is a masterpiece. But the 6th installment of a 7-part series is bound to be full of great moments in the story. After completing this book, I was in a state of total shock and to this moment I wish only to read the seventh book.

Half-Blood Prince is dark; I mean far darker than the last. This is the time I have always known was inevitable in the Harry Potter world, at last we are seeing chaos and war and battles break out within the walls of Hogwarts itself. Several of the chapters are particularly well-written, with great suspense and imagery; an example would be the time Harry and Dumbledore spent in the cave. Relationships blossom in this book at last, including Harry suddenly falling in `love' with Ginny Weasley, Ron dating Lavender Brown, Pansy and Draco clearly going out, and some serious hinting at a possible romance between Ron and Hermione when he gets rid of Lavender. Then, the useless couple of Tonks and Lupin was introduced in the end; all well and good, I suppose, but again not something that overjoyed me. The end of the book is very sad indeed, yet, I was not crying--I was merely shocked

I'm one of those who couldn't wait until the morning to get hold of this book. I literally battled rain and cold weather with my sister to get our copies at 12.15 am, July 16, in a local bookstore in Argentina. According to my dad, I'm slightly nuts for doing that :)
In my opinion, though, this book was well-worth the extra effort. After picking it up, I returned to my house and started to read it. I just finished it, and I can sincerely say that it is simply outstandingly good. Yes, the other books were awesome too, specially the 4th and the 5th, but I think that Harry's world is becoming more defined with each book, and that makes for a thoroughly engaging reading experience.

This morning I woke up with a dull, aching, stung feeling in my heart. Why? Because I began, and finished, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince yesterday, JK Rowling's 6th book in the series. Much like The Order of the Phoenix, Rowling manages to make the readers of her book feel as much as the characters, even hours, possibly days or weeks after you have finished it.
The 6th Harry Potter book picks up in a slightly different way - the first two chapters are not Dursley filled, in fact the Dursley's hardly appear at all. The wizardry world is no longer the blissful place Harry entered into 6 years ago, and I'm sure many of you can guess why. Still smarting from the losses and destruction from the previous novel, Harry is scooped up from the Dursley's by none other than Dumbledore himself (and no this isn't a spoiler, it's on the jacket cover) who is looking worse for wear.

This is my favorite book of the Harry Potter series, just ahead of the Goblet of Fire. It caught my interest from the very beginning, in the middle of the summer when Harry is at the Dursley's, which most of the other books did not do. After the first chapter, it was very hard to put down! I even ignored the phone ringing several times while I was reading.

2009-07-20T03:53:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)

ORDER OF THE PHOENIX could well be my favorite book of them all, if Azkaban and Deathly Hallows weren't as good as they were. For all the talk about GOBLET being the one where Rowling really hikes up the intensity and the complexity in the series, it is here, in PHOENIX, she gives us Potter's darkest, and most complex, adventure of all.

The second most complex novel in the entire Potter sequence (the first being Book 7), this book is probably the second best one, though I still like Azkaban better. This novel introduces the Order of the Phoenix, a whole litany of new characters and a more indepth look at the Ministry For Magic.

Potter has been having bad dreams about a locked door. So he must find out what to do about that. While at home with the Dursleys, he and Dudley are attacked by dementors, and so he stands trial before the Ministry for the inappropriate use of underage magic. He ultimately must appear before the Ministry, and it is only by Dumbledore's appearance he is saved.

But the Ministry is not finished yet. Still under staunch denial that Voldemort is back, Cornelius Fudge sends a new teacher, Dolores Umbridge, to bring Hogwarts under the Ministry's control. Much of the storyline revolves around Umbridge as she takes over Hogwarts, eventually ousting Dumbledore, who goes on the run. Her end is very well justified.

First off, let me say that I am nearly 30 years old, an avid reader, and I love Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling has a wonderful style that makes it easy to emmerse yourself in the world of witchcraft and wizardry. So often when I read fantasy books such as these, it becomes difficult to identify with the characters and the world the author presents. Thankfully, Ms. Rowling does not fall into that trap, and I think its because the series is not a fantasy story, its a coming of age story that happens to be set in a fantasy world. They become longer, more complex, even darker, as the readers who began reading the books at a young age will be able to keep reading and identify with Harry as he grows to adulthood.

I brought this book home from the bookstore on a Friday evening and had finished it by Sunday morning. I literally could not put it down! I also - literally - had tears running down my cheeks as I read the last pages. I am a 38 year old computer programmer who is not normally given to emotional outbursts like this, and I also don't normally read fiction. However, I just happened to pick up the book in the bookstore and begin flipping through the pages out of curiosity. 30 minutes later, I couldn't put it down, so I had to buy it and bring it home. The book really grabs your interest and holds it!

However, the books are EXTREMELY well written. If you want to become a novelist, you should study these books just for the writing techniques they use.

I like the Harry Potter books and have read all 5 so far. This is my least favorite. It is too long and doesn't really have the oomph that the other books had. I imagine Rowling would not let her editor trim the book down and thus it suffers.
The quality of the writing itself could use some improvement, too. Phrases are used too often. For example, everyone "turns on his/her heel" and Harry sees Cho and and his stomach "feels like he skipped a step going down stairs" more than once.

2009-07-20T02:06:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4)

What can I say about such an overly hyped book as this? Only that is was well worth the wait! For all of you who have never read any of the Potter books (could there really be people who haven't read at least one?) think of these books as a series of magical mysteries.
It's life as usual for Harry at the beginning of the book, which has him spending yet another dreadful summer with his hateful guardians, the Dursleys. (Imagine Dudley Dursley on a diet! Try saying that 3 times fast...) Things pick up when Harry goes to the Quiddich World Cup with the Beasley. And life at Hogwarts is as interesting (and occasionally dangerous) as always with it's oddball assortment of students and professors. Naturally, there is a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (my but they do keep going through them, don't they?) Along the way, we will learn about other schools like Hogwarts (it's about time!) And a new villain - or should I say villainess - is introduced. Someone who definitely keeps Harry on his toes. All the while Harry and his 2 best friends, Ron and Hermione, become entangled with the mystery of The Goblet of Fire....

Imagination (making up all the spells and coming up with the Triwizard Tournament...). Compared with the first 3, it's much longer, but it has more suspense and surprises. The book is also easier to read than other books I have read: The Hobbit, Lord of the Ring - for example. (although their stories are also exciting). It's SOOOO good, that I couldn't put it down- so I finished it in 2 days, with time for shopping and swimming (I had to go with my parents...). The part when Harry goes to a real Quidditch match gets really exiting (With the Dark Mark and Death eaters-the servants of Lord Voldemort). Most of the new characters come from the other wizarding schools(like Durmstang).

J.K. Rowling has done it again! Her first three installments in the Harry Potter series were outstanding, she has outdone herself once more with the Goblet of Fire . I am only 13, but I know a remarkable book when I see one. The way Miss Rowling began the book was very intriguing. Harry Potter and his friends are introduced to situations that children around the world face everyday, with magic and fantasy added. Quite frankly you know you are reading an excellent book when you can't put it down until 2 a.m., which is common for Harry Potter enthusiasts such as myself.

This is the very best book in the series so far! I picked up the very first copy off the shelf last nite(actually this morning, it was 12:01), and as soon as i got in the car i started reading it...The book was so good i didnt stop reading till 9 o'clock this morning--when i finished it.. The book is full of mystery and intrigue.

A few facts: I'm 40 years old. Director of Direct Marketing for a major business-to-business advertising agency. Hold a Master's degree in Communications. Am a muggle. And, I'm not ashamed to admit, was totally captivated (who says they're just for kids?) by the audio CD edition of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth installment in the world-famous series by J.K. Rowling. A few opinions: I have all three of the previous books on CD and loved every minute of them. In fact, there were times when I didn't want to stop driving and get out of my car (even when I arrived at my destination!) because I was so engrossed in the stories. But if I thought British performer Jim Dale's reading was amazing before, I was doubly impressed with him this time around. As you know, Goblet of Fire is over twice the size of the other books in the series -- a total of 17 unabridged CDs, some 20 hours! Plus, there are dozens of new characters, some of whom are from foreign lands, and some extremely gripping action scenes.

`The Goblet of Fire' is book 4 in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. It is also the largest book to date in this series. To fully appreciate this one, you simply must read the preceding three. Book 4 takes a completely different turn from the first three, with an entirely unconventional year at Hogwarts.

2009-07-16T05:10:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)

In anticipation of Harry Potter, Book 4, I had to read the first three books again. What I was struck with, again, is the sheer imaginative nature of J.K. Rowling's books. Simply put, these books are instant classics.
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" is the third in the series following Harry Potter at Hogwart's school of wizardry. Harry is now a 13-year old (his birthday occurring at the beginning of the book), and concerned mostly with classes, Quidditch (a wizard sport), and the fact that he's not allowed to visit the local wizard village of Hogsmeade with his friends on the weekends. One of the reasons for this is that Sirius Black, a convicted murderer, has broken out of Azkaban, the wizard prison, and word has it that he's out to get Harry.
In keeping with Harry Potter tradition, the reader can expect surprises, twists and turns, malicious rivals, uncommonly kind professors, terrible relatives, amazing magic candy, true friendships, and a whiz-bang ending.
It's delightful to see how Rowling can stay true to the feel of the previous books, and yet allow Harry and friends to mature. This book is a little longer than the previous books, but the imagination never lets up, and gradually Harry's world is widening.
I would recommend this book to ANYONE (any age) who enjoys the writings of Roald Dahl, C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L'Engle, or J.R.R. Tolkien. This is a very fun, humourous, and enjoyable fantasy novel, and one that should be read more than once!

My hubby gave me this book for Christmas as I enjoyed the other two so much. I can't really add much to what the other reviewers said, but I can tell you that the conclusion of the book is so exciting that I was up till midnight finishing it (and I'm usually a 10 o'clock turn-in!). I just couldn't put it down.
Harry, Ron and Hermione's exploits in this book were just as entertaining - if not more so - as in the previous two books.
It never ceases to amaze me the depth of Ms. Rowlings imagination! The different kinds of sweets, all of the different types of spells and magical creatures...just delightful!
Wonderful...just wonderful!
This book is a brilliant piece of literature. It's filled with insight and delight. Undoubtedly the best Harry Potter book (as of now because the new one's coming in a few months). Harry Potter is the next big name in children literature. He's already world famous and it's been only a short while since he first debuted two books ago. JK Rowling's ability to create truly human characters is astounding.

This book's characters are truly human. I think that if you want to read a book with rich feeling and emotion sprinkled with touches of childhood nostalgia and fantasy, this is definately the series for you.

If you've been saving your money to buy a book, Harry Potter is the series that you want to buy. This book will awake the child in you if you're five or fifty. It's worth the cover price.

JK Rowling created a masterpease! This book is suspenseful and funny. It makes you realy think and you feel as if you were there! Will Harry Potter survive through his 3rd year? What IS Hermoine's secret? Will Ron stay friends with her? Any Harry fan will just love this book and will laugh and cry through it. We will be waiting in suspence for the next book JK Rowling!

2009-07-16T04:47:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)

The following is an actual book report written by Benjamin Bayless, an 11 year old who just completed this book.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was written by J.K. Rowling. This fiction book takes place in London. It has 341 pages. This story is about a boy who goes to wizard and witch school to learn how to be a wizard. In this story Harry Potter finds the entrance to the chamber of secrets and defeats the monster inside. In the end, Dobby, a house elf, who appears in other parts of the story, gives Harry Potter a reward. Harry Potter has glasses and a scar that he got from Lord Voldermort, an evil wizard who killed Harry's parents. Harry lives in the country with his Aunt and Uncle, who don't want him to go to wizard school because they don't like magic. I highly recommend this book because it is very captivating and is fun to read. Benjamin Bayless

This book is a wonderful magical book. To Joshua Boone of VA, this is a great book for ALL ages. It might have been written for children (more like 11 year olds rather than 9 year olds) but many many many adults have truly enjoyed the magic and the great imagination this story gives you. It sure beats children reading nonsense books and keeps them out of trouble by doing something they enjoy doing. We can't wait until the movie comes out so the whole family can enjoy a great film together! 10 thumbs up! You don't always have to go to the adult section in the book stores to find a facinating story!

J.K. Rowlings is a master. I had to remind myself to put the book down to get something to eat! As I was reading, hours passed like minutes. I now know to block off hours of time when I pick up these wonderful books. I teach in a middle school - an age where reading is uncool and seldom done when not required for school. My students are convincing one another to read this book, and Harry and friends are regular topics of conversation. I have yet to hear any negative reviews. Harry and friends have spirits that are contagious to the reader. J.K. Rowlings blessed the characters with a realness in a setting that is truly imaginative. Without hestitation, I recommend Harry Potter.

Everyone in our family loves Harry Potter, from eight-year-old Eve to fifteen-year-old Sarah to thirty-eight-year-old Mom!We have just finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and have started on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Truely Magical!

Okay, here's the scoop. I attend Church every Sunday and I have read the entire Bible. I have also read all three Harry Potter Books, and, quite honestly, there is nothing in any of them that teaches Witchcraft as a religion. Yes, Harry and his friends have magic wands and take classes in Potions and Transfiguration, but there is no subtle message in these books that Magic replaces God. These books don't teach witchcraft, but they do teach something else, something our society is sadly lacking. Morals. Besides how to turn toads into tadpoles, Harry learns the value of friendship, the importance of loyalty, the price of deceit. True, Harry does break school rules, but sometimes, you have to break the rules to do what is right. (For all you religious fanatics, think Jesus breaking the Pharisees's Laws) One more tidbit to add. You can't judge a book by its cover...or its summary. Before you judge Harry, read the first book with an open mind and heart. Then decide whether or not to let your children read this.

Forget the hype that this is an evil book for children to read! These books are wonderful fantasty stories about good vs. evil, done in tongue and cheek...and by the way, Good Wins! My 12 year old could care less about reading and it was showing in his grades. I was able to challenge him to read a chapter in the evening. I would read it that night and we would discuss it. It became a race to see who could finish it first and get the next book! We talk in codes about the book [so the "muggles" don't understand us]. He even got his grandmother to read all the books too. His reading grades have improved and float between A's & B's! WE can't wait for the next book(s)! Get these books..HIDE THEM..so you can read them before your kids! EXCELLENT!

I was doubtful when I started the Harry Potter books- in fact I was only going to read them because a friend begged me to do so. Much to my surprise, I was immediately hooked on the first novel, and finished all three within a week. I can honestly say that the three Harry Potter books are among the best books I've ever read. I now recommend them to everyone- children and adults alike. They're thoughtful, original, suspenseful, and humorous- everything you could ask for in an adult's novel. I'm 17 years old, and I never thought I'd be reading kids' books. But now I'm glad I did- don't miss out on these amazing books, especially the third one. The Chamber of Secrets is by far the best of the three books. Rowling explores new dimensions of Harry's world and reveals the secrets readers have been dying to know since the first book. This book leaves you hanging for the fourth novel, which is sure to also be incredible!

2009-07-16T04:31:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)

Harry Potter is someone we all wish we knew. He seems to be all the things that we wish we could be. He is brave, honest and humble, even in the toughest of times.
The thing that makes Harry so likable, is that he is real, even in a world of magic. He does have his flaws, as we all do, but he is constantly showing us that he can be his best even when things are at their worst.
I have read the entire series twice now, and I can only hope that there will be more books like this in the future. Every time I need to escape, Harry and his friends are always there for me. Thanks JK!

Harry Potter and the Sorcer's Stone was an amazing book that I would strongly recommend to anyone who enjoys thrillers. J.K. Rowling did an amazing job writing this book and if you haven't read it, I recommend you go out and read this book today!

My mom picked this book up when I was in about the third or fourth grade, having heard about how magnificent it was, and brought it home to read to my sisters and me as a bedtime story.

Harry Potter books will always have a solid place on my favorites list and in my heart. Before I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone I had no desire to read, this was the book that really got me interested in literature. I started reading the Sorcerer's Stone and never looked back from there.

I am now a tremendous lover of books and I am currently majoring in English Literature.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the best book I have read so far in the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling has written some other books, but the Harry Potter series is the most popular one.

Harry Potter is a ten year old boy who lives with his very mean Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, and don't forget Harry's mean chubby cousin, Dudley. Harry lives with them, not because he wants to but because Harry's parents died when Harry was only a little baby (read the book to find out more). Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia are his legal guardians.

As Harry grows up weird thing start happening, but only when Harry wishes that something would happen, like when Harry gets upset at Uncle Vernon things usually break.

In my opinion, the best scene of the story was when Harry Potter is becoming suspicious of the weird things that happen to get him into serious trouble

2009-07-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) (Paperback)

I am somewhat heartened to read that not every review is a five-star love letter either to The Hallows, to author Rowling or to the series as a whole.

As to the observation Rowling needed a stricter editor for this final (some say, bloated) novel in the Harry Potter saga, it's debatable. However, I take strong exception to one review that labeled Dumbledore a "fraud" with the demand that Dumbledore "be the same as he was throughout the series," or words to that effect.

The key aspect that comes from "HP and the Deathly Hallows" is the human fallibility of all the characters. I suppose it's easy to forget -- considering readers are submerged into the wizarding world -- that Harry and all the other characters (save the fantastic giants, centaurs, and such) are still HUMAN, magical but human. As such, Dumbledore, Harry, even Professor Snape are prone to human weakness, petty jealousies, and even acts of extraordinary courage. Readers are treated to the fact that a young, callow Dumbledore was elitist, selfish, and power-hungry. A young Snape seems to have loved only one woman -- the woman he couldn't have -- all his life. Who'd have suspected that the dour Snape had such a romantic nature?

Yet the adult Dumbledore is so easy to love, to trust. The adult Snape is so easy to hate, to hold in suspicion. In "Deathly Hallows" Rowling points out that all is never as it seems on the surface - a lesson we might apply in our real daily lives.

For this reader, the charm of the novel is finally revealing the feet of clay that all the principal characters possess. More than a tale of wizardry and the eternal battle of good vs. evil, Rowling has painted vivid portraits of the vagaries of human nature, by turns magnanimous then niggardly, cowardly then courageous.

If J.K. Rowling was ever going to ruin it, it would have been with Book 7. But Rowling pulled it off. The story was every bit as entertaining as its predecessors, and the end was (in my opinion) completely satisfying. My only complaint was epilogue. I wouldn't want to do without it because, just like any other Harry Potter fan, I wanted to know what happened to the characters after the climax. But it felt rushed, and lacked the style of the rest of the books (perhaps because it was in the odd position of telling without advancing a story). Still, I closed the book feeling content, and I look forward to going back and re-reading the books in a year or two.

This is arguably the most "hyped" book in history, and if J.K. Rowling had to sneak down to the kitchen for a glass of red wine to calm her nerves while writing The Goblet of Fire (as she said she did), one wonders what assuaged her while writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The collective breath of tens of millions of readers has been held for two years...and now...was it worth the wait? Did Ms. Rowling live up to the hype? (For that, amongst hundreds of questions, is really the only question that matters.)

The answer, most assuredly, is YES.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is told in a strikingly different style than the previous six books - even different from The Half Blood Prince, and, I daresay, it's a better written, better edited, tighter narrative.

And while the action is lively and well paced throughout, Rowling found a way to answer most of our questions while introducing new and complex ideas. What fascinated me was this: Some people were right, with regard to who is good, who is bad, who will live, who will die - but almost nobody got the "why" part correct.

Washington Irving Books

2009-07-13T05:07:00.000-07:00

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Washington Irving (1783 - 1859) was a diplomat, a lawyer and prolific essayist, biographer, and short story author, whose most famous works included “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip van Winkle.” One of the first American authors to become famous in Europe, Irving traveled extensively abroad, including to the American frontier, where he became an advocate for the fair treatment of Native Americans.

In addition to his fiction, Irving wrote acclaimed biographies of George Washington, Christopher Columbus and Muhammad, as well as a critical history of Spanish subjects such as the Moors and the Alhambra. Irving's work and tuteledge are cited as a major influences by such acclaimed writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. His famous home Sunnyside, in Tarrytown, New York, as well as the Old Dutch Burying Ground in Sleepy Hollow, New York, can still be visited today. For the complete works of Washington Irving, click here.

REVIEWS

I grabbed this for the Kindle since it was free, and like the previous reviewer, I only had a vague idea of the story from various cartoon versions.

I was very pleasantly surprised. I've not read anything else by Washington Irving. The story is simple; the prose is easy to read but in spots is downright beautiful. Some of the scenic descriptions border on poetry. Irving writes with a dry sense of humor; and he has faith in the reader's ability to connect the dots, so he doesn't spell everything out.

It's a short read - in print I guess it would be 30 to 40 pages. One GREAT thing about reading it on Kindle is having the dictionary function, as there were a number of archaic terms with which I was not familiar.

I give it 5 stars for the combination of price and quality of writing. If you'd like some good writing, a peek into America (upstate New York) at the end of the 18th century, and a little wit, go ahead and grab it - especially if it's free!

Up to this point I had only seen the Disney cartoon the Legend of Sleepy Hallow which I loved as a kid. The story was very well written and I got caught up in the words and transported to Sleepy Hallow.

You must remember the cartoon, the flaming jack-o-lantern hurled at poor Ichabod. Or the movie with Johnny Depp? There are many adaptations, but there is only one original, and this is it.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow & Rip Van Winkle

REVIEWS

Sleepy Hollow. The name sends chills down my spine. I never really had an interest in the legend until the new movie. Now I love it. I read this book in the early hours of Thanksgiving morning. Loved it! It's short, descriptive, and exciting all at once. Advice for those who do read it: don't do it late at night like me. You won't be able to sleep!

It is so cool i would let my parents do anything to me to get me that book. i would recommend it to everyone in the world. i love the book -i don't care if people think im crazy over it. it is so cool & i have seen both of the moives.

Have you ever heard of the Headless Horseman? Have you ever heard the stories about him and how he attacks people in the woods? Have you ever wondered whether or not the story is real?

Find out for yourself by reading Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I enjoyed reading this book and i think anyone who has a liking for mysterious legends and superstitions should read this book beacause of the interesting legend the town believes in. There are few characters to keep track of and the story is not hard to follow. The book is long but the reading goes quickly.

The story is set in the late 18th century in a town in New York called Sleepy Hollow. The town believes in a legend of a headless horseman who rides through the woods at night anf attacks people. The main character is a man named Ichabod Crane who is a schoolteacher from Connecticut. He moves to Sleepy Hollow in search of work and ends up going from home to home working as a tutor. One of his students is 18 year old Katrina Van Tassel who comes from a wealthy family. Ichabod gets the idea that he will try to marry Katrina in order to obtain the family's wealth. However, Katrina's boyfriend Abraham "Brom Bones" Brut has other plans for Ichabod. As the tension rises, Ichabod continues trying to win Katrina until a breathtaking surprise appearance by the town's legend creates as mysterious an ending as they come.

The book has many strengths and few weaknesses. The author manages to create a mood in the book that keeps you always on th edge of your seat waiting for the legend of the Headless Horseman to come into play. The story is simple and easy to follow but is still very interesting. The characters are developed well and have personalities that you can understand and relate to. One such character is Brom Bones who is easily seen as an arrogant egotist. The only weakness of the book was one based on my personal opinion. The end of the story leaves too much to be concluded for my liking.

All in all, this book was a great story. The author wrote the characters in such a way that you had definite feelings towards each one of them. Also, the story line was definitely not without surprise. But if you want to discover what surprises I am talking about then I suggest you read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Actually, I personally think the story is not as attracting as I have imagined before reading. But what kept me continuing reading from the cover to the end? Curiosity! The vivid and animated description often made me laugh, and I seemed to see the scene that is just before my eyes!The author`s precise and elaborate description and his master composing technique is what we can learn from. Though the story is told in the third person, but as if we are told by an intimate friend. I love this story, and also the charming place!