Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Okay for a mature reader, great for the younger set.) 『I was expecting something great but was disappointed. After just finishing two other classics, Steinbeck's East of Eden and Lewis' Main Street, I thought I would continue in the classics mode. I am sure it was a great book in its time but if you are used to something like what I mentioned above, then it is not for you. If you are a young reader than I would highly recommend it. The stories are short and the language is not too difficult. The endings are somewhat predictable but maybe not for a younger reader.』
(A great introduction to the world of Sherlock Holmes) 『I originally downloaded this collection of short stories in preparation for the Sherlock Holmes major motion picture that was coming out in 2009. As someone who had never read any of Sherlock Holmes' tales, this was a perfect introduction into the kind of stories Sir Arthur Conan Doyle penned for the legendary Holmes and Dr. Watson.
The Kindle formatting could have used a little work; a currency sign that was apparently being used in the public domain version the Kindle version was "ported" from and instead of a currency sign being shown, miscellaneous characters were. But, all in all, a slight blip and nothing truly enjoyment-breaking.』
(A timeless hero) 『Spending so much of my day plugged into the internet, peering at my iPhone, staring at Excel spreadsheets, it has been an absolute pleasure reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes(on my Kindle, I must admit). I am reminded, in adventure after adventure, that there is no substitute for a sharp mind and astute observation. As I watch the master investigator calmly solve the most "singular" of mysteries through the eyes of Dr. James Watson, I almost want to myself be transported back to 19th century London.
If you haven't read any of Conan Doyle's stories, they are worth perusing. I only read a dozen of Holmes' adventures. But in those stories, I grew intimately close with both the detective and his trusty sidekick and doctor-cum-biographer, Watson. I came to admire Holmes' heroic stoicism, encyclopedic memory, and sharp wit.
Each of the adventures follows a somewhat similar plot structure. The adventure opens with a shot into Watson's or Holmes' personal life. You might hear briefly about Watson's life as a doctor, or get a glimpse of Holmes' tobacco, alcohol, or cocaine habits (yes, the rumors are true--Holmes does cocaine). At some point, Watson ends up at Holmes' pad on Baker Street. Both men are then found lounging, Holmes in his "dressing gown," both men likely smoking, drinking, and enjoying a fine meal, usually arms' length from a cozy fire.
Watson, the narrator, will then tell us how, in all of his time with Holmes, the case he is about to elucidate is the most "singular" one yet. Then one of them will see or hear someone approaching their home base; inevitably, the bell will ring and in will enter yet another all-but-hopeless client. We'll get a detailed description of the client's physical appearance, from the clothes on his or her back to the flushness of the face. We'll also always get an idea of what class the client falls into; most regularly, the clients are from higher classes. The client will give us a detailed account of his or her problems as Holmes and Watson listen intently. It is here that the reader is supposed to do the detective work to piece together clues to solve the case. Of course, most of what the client tells us seems unrelated and inane; Holmes will remind us that the simplest cases are the hardest ones, and the smallest of details often the most important.
In most cases, the client has a suspicion that the police's conclusions on the case were flawed. In almost every case, the police were consulted and ended up being wrong indeed. Holmes generally requires a trip to the crime scene, sometimes in costume, and the readers have the privilege to join him with Watson. But most trips are simply chances for Holmes to confirm what he already suspected. Guns may be drawn, extreme danger is almost always encountered, and Holmes emerges the hero. Holmes has a penchant for withholding his conclusions from us until the very end of the story, however, so as the reader follows Holmes' movements at the crime scenes, the reader must do some sleuthing as well.
Holmes will finally tell us what actually happened, and the seemingly innocuous clues from earlier in the chapter prove to be essential to the weaving of the truth. Holmes prefers to strike a deal with the crimes' perpetrators rather than offering them to the police. The clients offer to give Holmes unlimited reward for a job well done, and Holmes calmly requests only that which will defer the cost of his work. He gets enough pleasure out of a job professionally well-done.
Because of the similarities between stories, I recommend taking Holmes in limited doses. But his is a very powerful medicine, one that rejuvenates the mind and strengthens the character. As an example of someone who betters the world by doing what he loves, Sherlock Holmes is a timeless hero.』
(Timeless classic, priceless entertainment) 『I picked up the Sherlock Holmes Complete Collection because my mom had already downloaded it and I was mildly curious. Holmes was the best book I've read in a while, definately my favorite in the Mystery genre.
I love the characters. Doyle whips up such fantastically real people out of no where with the most outrageous situations and stories. The main characters are priceless. Holmes has a very deep compassion for humanity buried among his quirks and strange habits. Watson is such a genuine, sympathetic companion and narrator that it feels like a friend telling a story over coffee.
Let me put it this way, I'm bitterly upset that I finished the series. Bitterly. I wish with all my heart that I could just have a fresh Sherlock Holmes mystery every day. Definately a book I'll pick up again and recommend to everyone I know. My brother read them when he was a preteen/teenager, and I loved them at 24 y/o. I'm sure that a more mature audience would appreciate Holmes, also.』
(clasic sherlock) 『there is nothing like clasic sherlock holmes! the movie doesn't do it justice. I love this book! whoever said the cases were easy to solve must be a ton smarter than I am.』 『
A colonel receives five seeds in the mail--and dies within weeks. A young bride disappears immediately after her wedding. An old hat and a Christmas goose are the only clues to a stolen jewel. A son is accused of his father's murder. These mysteries--and many more--are brought to the house on Baker Street where detective Sherlock Holmes resides. No case is too tricky for the world's most famous sleuth and his incredible powers of deduction.
price：$14.99
Harper
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Hugely disappointing) 『Having been bombarded by lots of juicy tidbits, I did something that I rarely do: I purchased a book the day it came out. I didn't wait for a sale. I didn't wait for the paperback. I bought it now because I had to have it now. I knew already that the Clintons have a dysfunctional marriage. That McCain chose Sarah Palin as a running mate in an attempt to steal the spotlight from Obama. I wanted the dirt on Obama.
Don't get me wrong. I supported him throughout the campaign, voted for him on election day and now rant about the shenanigans in the House and Senate that are preventing him from doing the job he was elected to do. It's just that he's so perfect. No one can possibly be that perfect.
This book was a HUGE disappointment. It all but deifies Barack and Michelle Obama. I include Michelle because the other candidates' spouses were thoroughly trashed. Except Todd Palin who got off rather easy.
The first two-thirds of the book were riveting. Every bit of dirty laundry belonging to Hill&Bill was hung out to dry. Every detail of every misstep of her ill-fated campaign was endlessly analyzed. John Edwards was portrayed as hopelessly out of touch, his wife less saintly than her reputation. The implication is that she drove him into Rielle Hunter's arms.
Barack Obama could do no wrong and his campaign was perfect.
The last third of the book covering the election, had much less substance. It felt thrown together. What should have been the most exciting period in the run-up to the election with all of the material being provided by Sarah Palin's mangling of the English language and attempts at gravitas instead managed to be almost boring. There were a few behind the scenes anecdotes that did much less harm to her reputation than the skewering she received from SNL and other late night comics. The big revelation that Cindy McCain has a boyfriend falls flat. All of the tired criticisms of McCain are trotted out.
And Barack Obama could do no wrong and his campaign was perfect.
The authors promise much more than they deliver. They have an obvious bias towards Obama. I feel cheated. I was promised "The Race of a Lifetime" but got "Barack and Michelle Obama are saints and everyone else are sinners" instead. 』
(Nonfiction that reads like a novel) 『This book is excellent. If you read one book this year about anything it needs to be this book. This book makes you think Theodore White has come back from the dead. He is the guy that wrote the famous "Making of the President" books of the 60s and 70s that sold so many copies. I can't imagine any book writing about the 08 election any better. It seems they covered every angle possible.
For sure the book will be consumed over night by all political junkies. However I think everyone will enjoy this book. The book is very well written. As you read it you will feel that you are there in the strategy sessions with the candidates debating the issues and stands. You will probably get the butterflies in your stomach as you read about the various primary nights and big decisions.
This book also pictures the key players like nobody else. The view of the key people isn't what you saw during the election, now in the news, or in any other book. I think you see the real person, not the PR image the campaign put out or the other side. This image isn't quite as complementary as you would think. You see the wrinkles and the flaws in all of the candidates. I do think they were equally harsh or open on both sides.
The book helps the reader really analysis the election. You for yourself can see where mistakes were made and advantages gained from events and/or decisions. Few other books do that. Most have an ax to grind or grind against someone else, or the author wanted to put their candidate/President in for Sainthood. The big picture of who, what and where is lost. This book is almost like a ball game account of hits, strikes, runs and outs.
I think if they wrote their news pieces during the election like they wrote this book we would have had a different result. The book does punch a whole in the reporter's creed as being holier than thou because of their sacred mission. This book proves the truth. They are out to make a buck. Here they figured they could make a buck writing the book and not upholding their pious pledge.
This book is well worth the time to read no matter your interest. If you like Nonfiction you will love it. If you like fiction you will love it due to how it is written.』
(Great Behind the Scenes Look at the Candidates) 『I'm shocked to see all the bad reviews for this book. I enjoyed the entire book from start to finish! It might be the fact that I'm a liberal, but I'm not sure thats entirely the case. I think the book tries to be fair, but leans PrObama, because he won, obviously they will show why he did, so it tends to read as a "why Obama skooled the rest," but I don't mind that. I think the Edwards Chapter was by far the best, until I read the McCain and Palin chapters, lol. All in all, like a previous reviewer said, a great gossipy read. I don't think it changed my opinions on any of them, after all they're human beings like the rest of us!』
(I can't put this book down!) 『This is an amazing inside story of the election and I am enjoying it, although only halfway through. I might read it over again- It is that entertaining. All the pieces and sound bits I remember from the election are put into context within the larger campaign. The authors had incredible access to even the minutest details and numerous closed conversations. It covers many angles including the strategies, milestones, tit-for-tat actions, many personal recollections, alterior motives and the humorous parts sounding like an Agatha Christie novel. It opens your eyes to the reality behind the perception we as voters see from the media, and it was very different. It is also a bit concerning- The mindframe of some of our "leaders" and their actions without regard for the long term health of our democracy.』
(Suddenly Dated) 『Sarah Palin is depicted as a hysterical boob on the verge of a breakdown. John McCain is described as being like your crazy old uncle lost in his own house. John Edwards is described as a moral imbecile. Hillary Clinton is described as well meaning but not quite top shelf - kind of indecisive. Gee, I wonder who they admired?
This is a fairly sly and subtle piece of Obama propaganda. Obama is consistently portrayed as noble and wise. Perhaps occasionally he can be worried and he is also arrogant once and a while too. But the authors suggest that Obama's arrogance is surely forgivable when he is so manifestly superior to his opponents.
However this morning the news again is running stories about how Obama's popularity is tanking. He seems to have managed to blow his own popularity and has Democrats running away from him lest he destroy their own electoral hopes the way he has for the Democrats in Vinginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Yes indeedy, Obama has brought about Game Change. Last year all the pundits were writing off the Republican Party. One short year of Obama and they are now writing off the Democratic Party.
Why has Obama been unpopular? First of all he has appointed a number of very extreme cabinet ministers. Eric Holder decided to try terrorists in civilian courts. This action is deeply unpopular but not unpredicted. All the signs were there during the campaign that Obama was going to be soft on terrorists. But this issue was dismissed in this book.
There was a lot of concern during the campaign about Obama's radical friends and advisers. Few actually thought that he would appoint so many communists like Van Jones. But Heilemann and Halperin ignore the Communists, Weathermen, and Black Muslims who surrounded him. His pastor Jeremiah Wright was revealed for the white hater he was and is, but the authors treat this episode as another demonstration of Obama's ability to manage a crisis.
A lot of observers during the campaign began to sense that Obama didn't care very much for white people. When he got in power he demonstrated a good deal of racial prejudice in the Cambridge police incident. He immediately presumed that the black guy involved was in the right and the white cop was just a stupid white cracker. Obama's behavior didn't surprise people who had studied his background, but these authors don't give a hint that he might harbor such notions. One has to wonder just how close they actually got to the real Obama.
Another Obama action that has been deeply unpopular but not unexpected is his focusing on health care issues. The nation is in one of the deepest downturns in our history and millions are out of work. Yet Obama has focused on certain health care issues that are important to Democratic Party interests but much less so to the people these days. This disconnect too was predictable during the campaign but not remarked upon in this book.
The same is true about Cap and Trade. A real investigative reporter wight have considered that the Cap and Trade legislation makes a lot of Democratic Party supporters very rich while is hurts the nation's economy as a whole. But Heilemann and Halperin never question Obama's motives the way they question those of Edwards, Palin and McCain.
At the end of a year of Obama just about everyone now realizes that Obama's promises are worth nothing. He promised, for example, transparency, bi-partisanship, and an end to racial bickering. At a joint session of Congress his address was recently interrupted by a Republican screaming, "You lie". Justice Alito seems to think he lies also. But our inside investigative reporters Heilmann and Halperin never spotted any of this coming.
No other President has ignited such a reaction as the Tea Party Movement. No other President has boosted gun sales so much. But this "inside baseball" look at Obama and his opponents saw none of this as a even a possibility.
』 『
InGame Change, John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, two of the country’s leading political reporters, use their unrivaled access to pull back the curtain on the Obama, Clinton, McCain, and Palin campaigns.
Based on hundreds of interviews with the people who lived the story,Game Changeis a reportorial tour de force that reads like a fast-paced novel. Character-driven and dialogue-rich, replete with extravagantly detailed scenes, it’s an intimate portrait of some of the most powerful and fascinating figures in American life—the occasionally shocking, often hilarious, ultimately definitive account of the campaign of a lifetime.
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (P&P) 『My favourite book of all time!! Whenever I am at a loss to find anything decent to read in the modern literature I find this a real comfort. A great read!!』
(Great book, terrible formatting) 『This is a great novel. The version published by Public Domain Books (ASIN: B000JMLFLW) as an ebook is a formatting mess, however. Line breaks follow pretty much every occurrence of "Mr.," for example.』
(AMAZING!!!) 『This is my first Jane Austen novel. It did not dissapoint!! New Years Resolution to read as many of the "classics" as I could. I have been pleasently surprised by this book. It left me wanting more and sad that it was over. Now I can't wait to read all of Jane Austen's books.』
(Jane Austen's best) 『This is Jane Austen's best novel. The story is a mixture of intrigue and passion with an appropriate ending. The goog guy should always triumph!』
(Pride And Prejudice Dover Hardcover Edition) 『There are literally thousands of review of Austen's seminal classic Pride And Prejudice out there already. This is a review of the Dover facsimile edition based on the 1894 copy.
From the beautiful Hugh Thomson illustrations, to the embossed floral end pages, this edition is top notch. The cover is red cloth with gold foil lettering and peacock on the spine.
The first page showing the opening line with huge flowing peacock is a work of art unto itself
If you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice and long for a well made, permanent hard cover edition of the book, this is the edition for you!』 『For over 150 years,Pride And Prejudicehas remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen herself called this brilliant work her "own darling child."Pride And Prejudice, the story of Mrs. Bennet's attempts to marry off her five daughters is one of the best-loved and most enduring classics in English literature. Excitement fizzes through the Bennet household at Longbourn in Hertfordshire when young, eligible Mr. Charles Bingley rents the fine house nearby. He may have sisters, but he also has male friends, and one of these—the haughty, and even wealthier, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy—irks the vivacious Elizabeth Bennet, the second of the Bennet girls. She annoys him. Which is how we know they must one day marry. The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and Darcy is a splendid rendition of civilized sparring.As the characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, Jane Austen's radiantly caustic wit and keen observation sparkle.
From the Paperback edition.』 『In a remote Hertfordshire village, far off the good coach roads of George III's England, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet -- a country squire of no great means and his scatterbrained wife -- must marry off their five vivacious daughters. At the heart of this all-consuming enterprise are the headstrong second daughter Elizabeth and her aristocratic suitor Fitzwilliam Darcy, two lovers in whom pride and prejudice must be overcome before love can bring the novel to its magnificent conclusion.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Simple, common sense approach to eating) 『Most of what we eat is not food. That's the simple premise in Pollan's follow-up to The Omnivore's Dilemma. Most of what we eat are food-like substances (and that might be generous), packed with preservatives, artificial flavors, fillers and other chemicals that don't exist in nature. Pollan makes the point that if our grandparents walked into the modern supermarket, they wouldn't recognize many of the things on the shelves. This is not good.
It's the Western obsession with nutrients as opposed to food that has led us here. Sometimes flaky dietary science, a culture desperately seeking out the "magic bullet," big-budget marketing campaigns from American food manufacturers and laws and regulation that place the financial health of the agricultural industry above the physical health of the population have all contributed to a situation where people really aren't sure what they should and shouldn't be eating. As Pollan points out, that's a uniquely human dilemma.
Although he give the disclaimer that he's nobody to be telling anybody what to eat, he does give some good, common sense rules of thumb: Eat mostly plants (mostly green plants). Eat less. Think of meat as more of a side dish. Don't eat things with ingredients you can't pronounce. Paradoxically, avoid foods that make health claims on their packaging (which implies, firstly, that they have packaging--something else to probably avoid). Shop around the edges of the grocery store. All of these direct us to eat food, not food-like, processed, manufactured food-like substances. It's a great message, and with all the confusing health claims out there, it's nice to have a call for simple common sense. 』
(Pollan understands what's ailing America) 『Read Omnivore's Dilemma, and with the exception of some issues I have with theoretical framing of part of the book, it was a fantastic read and I definitely recommend it to everyone. In Defense of Food was a gift to my sister. We've both read Dilemma, and we have never eaten the same since--we eat better and we couldn't be happier about it. Buy this book and understand your relationship with yourself.』
(Great) 『A great collection of newer American studies in American nutrition. After watching Food, Inc I decided to spend more time considering where my food comes from. Organic is much more flavorful and nutritional, if you can afford it. Have done quite a bit of research on food. I think its interesting that we really have no idea where our food comes from.』
(WARNING: Kindle edition does not have working index!) 『The purpose of this review is not to talk about the content but to warn you that the index in the Kindle edition does not work -- there are no corresponding links to content. This lack of such an important reference is a real problem for me, especially in a work like this one where you are obviously interested in using it to skip around and read different things on the subject.
I'll be returning this immediately and buying the paperback version instead.』
(What the so called "diet industry" should be printing...) 『I read Pollan's book "The Omnivores Dilemma" about two years ago, and was anxious to read his new one. While very similar in the theme that our food system is industrialized, politicized, engineered, and awash in pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and drugs, this book looks deeper at how nutrition science has been both misleading and wrong. Pollan ends by giving his rules of thumb for eating in North America today. I've read several books in this genre, this was my favorite. This is the best diet book that will never get sold as a diet book. 』 『What to eat, what not to eat, and how to think about health: a manifesto for our times.』 『Amazon Significant Seven, January 2008: Food is the one thing that Americans hate to love and, as it turns out, love to hate. What we want to eat has been ousted by the notion of what weshouldeat, and it's at this nexus of hunger and hang-up that Michael Pollan poses his most salient question: where is the food in our food? What follows inIn Defense of Foodis a series of wonderfully clear and thoughtful answers that help us omnivores navigate the nutritional minefield that's come to typify our food culture. Many processed foods vie for a spot in our grocery baskets, claiming to lower cholesterol, weight, glucose levels, you name it. Yet Pollan shows that these convenient "healthy" alternatives to whole foods are appallingly inconvenient: our health has a nation has only deteriorated since we started exiling carbs, fats--even fruits--from our daily meals. His razor-sharp analysis of the American diet (as well as its architects and its detractors) offers an inspiring glimpse of what it would be like if we could (a la Humpty Dumpty) put our food back together again and reconsider what it means to eat well. In a season filled with rallying cries to lose weight and be healthy, Pollan's call to action—"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."--is a program I actually want to follow.--Anne Bartholomew
price：$16.24
Little, Brown and Company
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Thought provoking) 『Fascinating! It really puts the spotlight on critical reasons for success, whereby it's not just hard work and skill, but often "right place, right time". Thoroughly recommended.』
(Nothing earthshaking here and some holes.) 『As someone who has been fortunately (more about that in a moment) successful in business I have hired and observed "successful" people. But that begs the question because little is said in this book about how it defines success. It seems to assume that means being at the forefront of your chosen endeavor. That does not translate automatically to success in life. The cases of self-destructive or otherwise unhappy highly "successful" people are too numerous.
In my experience people who possess so-called street smarts are more likely to rise to the top, regardless of background, intelligence or accomplishment. Whether ingrained or taught experimentally people who know how to "play the game" are far more likely to succeed in most endeavors, given even a modicum of expertise in their field. Just look at all the famous CEO's who have bankrupted one company only to be hired to run another. John Thain is the most recent, having presided over the downfall of Merrill Lynch only to be hired to run CIT. I have also seen where pure competence actually has proven detrimental to one's success when it threatens others in the decision chain. It's not good to outshine the wrong people.
A fellow executive once told me that the harder he worked the luckier he got. There is some truth to that but pure luck also plays a hand. The coincidence of skill set and need are the most obvious examples. One has to wonder if Bill Gates came to the marketplace today whether he would be as successful. The creative stagnation of Microsoft suggests not. Steve Jobs is an interesting counterpoint.
So I must join with others in commending Gladwell for his engaging writing but defer as to his insight.』
(Wow! What an amazing book!) 『What an utterly fascinating book. As an educator, I found it promising to read that to learn things it takes time and effort. That kids in China are spending considerably more time on a math problem than they do in the US (and it is because they know how to spend time on something to make it right...like rice farming) is amazing.
No matter who you are though, this book will pertain to you. Great, great book.』
(I respectfully disagree...) 『All right, I realize I am bucking the trend here on this book, but I really didn't care for it. While I thought it was well written, and I found the facts amusing I disagree with the author's conclusions. Perhaps I just have too much of the "hard work equals success" paradigm in me, but I think this guy is wrong.
...Spoiler Alert....
The author makes the point that Bill Gates is who he is because of his unique opportunities, same with certain NY Jewish lawyers, hockey players, and 19th century industrialists. I agree with the role of opportunities (luck), and also with his assertion that it takes 10,000 hours of experience to really become world-class at something.
The point the author overlooks is opportunity cost, that is, what were Bill's other options, his "plan B". What did Bill give up to found Microsoft? So what if Bill was born at just the right time to catch the PC revolution, that doesn't mean that if he were born 5 years later he'd be making fries somewhere! That's like me saying that I define success as being Miss USA (I'm a 300+pound balding American male). Guess what, fate didn't deal me the cards to have a good shot at that crown (I'd loose swimsuit for sure), but that doesn't mean I'm a loser, or that I can't be an outlier and be exceptional at other things. I truly believe that the magic is to discover which opportunities are available, and then be prepared to take advantage of them.
As a counterexample, I'll offer up Arnold Schwarzenegger. Was he born to be a bodybuilder, a top action movie actor, or a politician? Regardless of what you think of his movies or his politics, this guy has reached the top repeatedly. The point is, I believe greatness is available to any of us if we can identify and accept the opportunities we do have, then work to get it. While no amount of work will win me that beauty contest, life does have other opportunities if I'm willing to identify and pursue them. 』
(Praising Mediocrity) 『Outliers, like the rest of Gladwell's books, reels you in with its sensationalist themes, and claims of deep insight into the human or its society. But after lightly reading this large-print, thirty-dollar compilation of "studies", opinions, and idealistic suggestions offered by Gladwell, I felt a sense of emptiness--the same sort of emptiness felt after completing an hour of reality television. This book offers nothing new to the table (except for maybe renewed sense of demotivation). Worst of all, the essence of this book demonizes intellect, upholds mediocrity, and offers the layman an excuse to revert to a bastardized sort of mentality common in pre-Enlightenment Europe, where success was a foreign term and self-improvement was a term used only in the context of muscle-building.』 『In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.
Brilliant and entertaining, OUTLIERS is a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.』 『Amazon Best of the Month, November 2008: Now that he's gotten us talking about the viral life of ideas and the power of gut reactions, Malcolm Gladwell poses a more provocative question inOutliers: why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? Challenging our cherished belief of the "self-made man," he makes the democratic assertion that superstars don't arise out of nowhere, propelled by genius and talent: "they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot." Examining the lives of outliers from Mozart to Bill Gates, he builds a convincing case for how successful people rise on a tide of advantages, "some deserved, some not, some earned, some just plain lucky."
Outlierscan be enjoyed for its bits of trivia, like why most pro hockey players were born in January, how many hours of practice it takes to master a skill, why the descendents of Jewish immigrant garment workers became the most powerful lawyers in New York, how a pilots' culture impacts their crash record, how a centuries-old culture of rice farming helps Asian kids master math. But there's more to it than that. Throughout all of these examples--and in more that delve into the social benefits of lighter skin color, and the reasons for school achievement gaps--Gladwell invites conversations about the complex ways privilege manifests in our culture. He leaves us pondering the gifts of our own history, and how the world could benefit if more of our kids were granted the opportunities to fulfill their remarkable potential. --Mari Malcolm
price：$8.50
Penguin Books
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time) 『Mortenson is a great person with great personality, who is a great role model for Americans. I am grateful that he listened to his heart to help promote education, especially for girls, in a country like Pakistan, which prohibits girls from attending school. He truly used his heart and intelligence to bring peace worldwide.
After reading the entire book from front to back, I thought of Mortenson as a living legend of the legends. He is a true hero. The book is very alive; the minute I started reading the book, I could not put it down or leave it. I just had to keep reading it. This made me recommend it to everyone, including schools here and overseas. In fact, I have already passed on my book to one of my friends. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time 』
(Education as a key to changing the world) 『A wonderful account of how a man is working to change the world through education. Greg Mortensen, a climber, comes to understand the needs of a remote village in Pakistan. He makes a commitment to help them build a school and this one project becomes a mission to bring education in to people with little chance for improving their lives otherwise. I found it impressive that he was committed to bringing education to both boys and girls, even when it would have been easier to cave into pressure and not help the girls. I find it enlightening that education is the key to bringing about understanding and peace as it gives people hope of a better future. Truly inspiring.』
(Three Cups of Tea) 『A book I would recommend to the President of the United States and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. What we need to do to win in Afghanistan or anywhere else.』
(Peace) 『Three Cups of Tea: One Mans Mission to Promote Peace is a well executed read. It has all the elements: suspense, intrigue, compassion, and hope. In the harsh environments of Pakistan and Afghanistan,in regions most of the world has all but forgotten, Greg Mortensen is able to build friendships and trust in order to provide a basic education for all children----especially women. However, this is not simply about an education, it is about learning to accept, and beleive in others. In a time when most Westerner's beleive that all people of Islamic nations are the same, the story of the founding of CAI, along with the strength, support and determination of not only Greg Mortensen, but the faith and support that village elders place in him, truly enlightens. These people are simply people, and they need to be recognized.
A truly fantastic book---I have already suggested this read to many of my friends, and family.』
(One man's amazing story) 『This book tells Greg Mortenson's amazing story. After he stumbled into a Pakistani village, disoriented and lost, he was moved by the kindness of the villagers and promised to return to help them build a school. And so began his life's mission to spread peace through education. After reading this book, I can say that Greg Mortenson is one of my heroes. His perseverance and dedication to his cause is unwavering, even through an 8 day detainment by the Taliban. What makes him so incredible is that, unlike so-called missionaries who travel through the poorest regions of the world to promote religion, Greg promotes education without demeaning the locals' way of life. He is completely accepting that he is the foreigner, and adapts to his surroundings rather than trying to change them. In doing so he has gained the respect of the people he helps, and it is the basis of work. This is a wonderfully, touching book that sends a powerful message to anyone who reads it. I highly recommend this book!』 『The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the Taliban’s backyard
Anyone who despairs of the individual’s power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of Pakistan’s treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Over the next decade he built fifty-five schools—especially for girls—that offer a balanced education in one of the most isolated and dangerous regions on earth. As it chronicles Mortenson’s quest, which has brought him into conflict with both enraged Islamists and uncomprehending Americans,Three Cups of Teacombines adventure with a celebration of the humanitarian spirit.』
price：$5.60
Zondervan
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (repainting into a new reformation?) 『This book gives me a kick in the butt while affirming what I've been trying to tell other people and trying to convince myself for the past few years so I'm writing this review out of my head (literally, most likely) and heart.
In most ways Velvet Elvis is a book for outsiders. Just as a Velvetized Version of Elvis is an interpretive repainting, repainting the Church into a new look and new vision forms the basic idea behind this book. On page 11 Rob Bell mentions the picture the church of Martin Luther's day had been painting and presenting. Regarding these 21st century days, I know a lot about the picture the church has painted of itself and maybe even more so, the way outsiders to the church have viewed and interpreted that picture. Page 14: "What I do know is that this pursuit of Jesus is leading us backward as much as forward," evokes the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century.
Maybe more than anything about this book, I love reading the same theological vision and scriptural interpretations as I hold (humility from humble moi) from Rob Bell, someone I'd consider a relative theological conservative.
Hospitality is God's first call to the people of God and fundamentally defines them. From the beginning, the uniqueness of the nascent church as it moved outward from Jerusalem was its radical inclusiveness and "see how they love one another." No one lacked anything; everyone had everything in common, a true common-wealth, as the New England Puritans initially believed they'd be able to live. But it was not only about embrace and provision for the already-insiders; the first Christians embraced and provided for everyone, making no distinctions whatsoever. The outsider became incarnate, enfleshed as one of them, becoming an insider.
As we've often observed, the old mainline now longer is the central or most prominent expression of Christianity in this country, and being a mainline protestant no longer is a given part of being American. Then there's that other use of mainline, to shoot a drug into your veins. Mainline a hit of Jesus straight into your veins, so the blood of Jesus courses through your entire being? Think about it!』
(Spend Your Money Elsewhere) 『One of my former soccer players recommended Velvet Elvis to me several years ago. Rob Bell has a different take on the Good Shepherd and what it means to live the kind of life Jesus teaches us to live. Unfortunately it's too different. Rob Bell is a talented and creative man, but I disagree with much of his core teaching. Velvet Elvis is an overpriced book that will not take long to read. There is just far too much white space on the pages. This is done to give the book a trendy appearance. I would have liked to have seen Bell dive deeper into the various topics he hits. Not only is there enough words to justify the paper used to produce this book, there is simply not enough Scripture to support his opinions. Bell will make you think. He will force you to practice careful discernment. I cannot recommend this book, and I would definitely advise new Christians to spend their time elsewhere. For a highly critical look at Rob Bell and his teachings, visit the Apprising Ministries site.』
(How can people fall for this?) 『The worst part about this book is that he comes from the supposed point of a Christian so other Christians read this with their guard down and eat it all up, word for word, instead of checking it against the actual gospel (which he attacks time and time again). If everyone just assumed that he was a non-believer then they wouldn't be nearly as receptive to his work... but so long as he says "wait wait, I'm a Christian, it's not heresy, it's just conversation" then that makes it ok. Please do not read this book.』
(if you can get past the writing style...) 『Bell makes some excellent observations, although this book seems much less "radical" now than it did when it came out almost 5 years ago. While the thoughts are good and this is certainly a good primer for those interested in the emerging movement, I have to take off a star for Bell's writing style which is, in short, infuriating. Highly recommended, but I do wish he could write in complete sentences instead of expecting us to properly form his thoughts for him.』
(Reality Check) 『One of the best books ever read about Christianity. Everyone hears about Velvet Elvis. I was intrigued while reading and have a fresh perspective about my Christian faith. I have begun reading it for a second time. You need to buy the book. Or get a friend to buy it for you. Get your Mom or Dad to buy it. Buy it now. You won't be sorry.
』 『We know there’s something more. We sense it, we feel it, we know it. And we want it. We want an authentic spirituality.』
price：$8.00
Penguin
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Do You Eat? Read this Book!) 『I was expecting a diatribe, a full-force blast against agri-business and the factory farm, more along the lines of what we hear from the more strident vegans and animal rights activists. Pollan, however, is much too skilled as a journalist and writer for that. If his journeys lead him to both Food Hell and Food Heaven, they also show him that there is no clear, simple, and easy path to salvation when it comes to eating.
"The Omnivore's Dilemma" is Pollan's attempt to answer some important questions about the food we eat, which I have unfairly boiled down to: Where does our food come from, and how did it get from there to us? His quest takes him through the horrifying house of cards that is industrial farming, ranching, and food processing, a vision that will either open your eyes or make you screw them tightly shut, because most of us don't have a lot of choice when it comes, for example, to eschewing the monoculture corn that finds its way into most of what we eat and much of what we don't. The first of the four meals in the subtitle is of McDonald's fast food, eaten with his family but hardly "shared," as they each consumed a different choice of foods, all the while driving along the highway, as many fast food meals are eaten in America today.
Skipping ahead, the fourth and final meal was as personal and local as Pollan could make it: meat from the wild pig he shot himself, bread made with wild yeasts, produce from his garden, mushrooms gathered by his own hands, and more, all crafted into a gourmet feast that he shared at the table with friends, family, and good conversation. With apparently honest and transparent struggles, he experiences both the attraction of vegetarianism and the joy of the hunt in preparation for what he called his Perfect Meal. Not a meal for everyone, nor for every day, but a meal of grace, embodying the ultimate answer to his questions.
In between is Organic, what Pollan calls pastoral food, in contrast to industrial. This required two meals, because "organic" isn't what it used to be. Big Organic, symbolized by the Whole Foods Market, is the organic movement gone mainstream. It is proof that we do, after all, have some choice about where our food comes from. That we can now buy organic food at Wal-Mart says a lot for the power of the consumer. But this victory came at a price: our 1960's-bred image of the small, family, organic farm remains only on the patently misleading pictures on the food packages. In order to become a mass-market commodity, organic food has taken on many of the harmful practices of the industrial system, from migrant labor to "free range" chickens that never see the outdoors. It's still a good thing -- organic farming is much better for the land and produces food that is at least somewhat more nutritious -- but has it lost its soul?
Joel Salatin would say it has. The section on Salatin's Polyface Farm in Virginia is worth the price of the book all by itself. This is Food Heaven on earth. The Salatin family, beginning with Joel's parents, took an abused and exhausted plot of land and healed it ("we are in the redemption business"), turning it into a showpiece of truly sustainable agriculture, one that produces a great deal of food while enriching, rather than depleting the land, and where the people, the animals, the plants, the smaller creatures, and the soil play out their interdependence to the advantage of all.
Hope for the future of food lies not in one particular system, Pollan says, but in supporting a variety of approaches. "As in the fields, nature provides the best model for the marketplaces, and nature never puts all her eggs in one basket. The great virtue of a diversified food economy, like a diverse pasture or farm, is its ability to withstand any shock. The important thing is that there be multiple food chains, so that when any one of them fails -- when the oil runs out, when mad cow or other food-borne diseases become epidemic, when the pesticides no longer work, when drought strikes and plagues come and soils blow away -- we'll still have a way to feed ourselves."
Far from being the jeremiad I had expected, Pollan's careful investigations and respectful reporting make "The Omnivore's Dilemma" a book that everyone who eats should read. 』
(Excellent survey of the American food industry) 『Michael Pollan entertains while he informs, surprises, and disillusions most hopes you might have had about the American food industry. This book is a must read if you are at all interested in what you eat, and how its production is affecting nature. Pollan follows the life of both a cow and a chicken through their confined lives in high producing typical american farms- which proves to be more revolting and dangerous that one might have thought. He also explains why all those products at the grocery store have some tangent of corn in it: "high fructose corn syrup" etc. He also documents some small organic farmers and the processes they use to create sustainable farming. How the food industry reflects the general American mentality should become increasingly obvious, as you become more aware of what you eat and where it comes from.
This book is an excellent way to make a visit to the grocery store a little less abstract.』
(A provocative and thoughtful examination of food in America) 『Michael Pollan mesmerizes with his exciting examination of the possible sources of our food in America. I love food and for me this book constituted a celebration of it's complexity and possibility. Although Pollan is obviously biased he takes a calculated look at the propositions of both sides, even though through the novel we follow him to his inevitable arrival at his own perceptions. I highly recommend this book to all readers, especially those who are politically conscious or who just get inordinately excited about food the way I do.』
(Great read about agriculture buisness) 『A great book that reads well and talks about how agriculture buisness ultimately affects our health. Recommended.』
(Anyone who eats food should read this!) 『In The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan explores the current landscape of procuring food in America by actively tracing four meals, through intermediary energy forms, to the ultimate source of their energy, the sun. He explicates all processes and their consequences with regards to creating meals from McDonald's, Whole Foods (big industrial organic), a self-sustained farm, and one that he obtained every component of himself (hunting and gathering).
His active investigative journalism as well as his open mind and willingness to learn leads him to experience firsthand the food creation process by participating in all methods of creating food (that is, those that he is allowed to participate in) and to read everything on the subject from the biology of corn reproduction to the philosophy of eating animals, allowing him to understand food as well as possible. His travels lead him to farms across the country, where he watches the farm processes and participates in them (including driving a tractor as well as killing and eviscerating chickens), CAFO's, and to learn how to hunt wild pig and develop a sixth sense for seeing and gathering mushrooms. He engages in deep discussions with experts in all aspects of food to understand their perspective and shed a different light on food as we see it - that is, food without the hidden negative consequences. This active participation and discussion straight from the source as well as thorough research leads him to draw well-reasoned conclusions from his experiences. He demystifies the supermarket and articulates the hidden consequences of our food choices.
Pollan conveys his findings and opinions fluidly and his experiences candidly. He imparts the reader with a greater wisdom and confidence in making food choices (although it is disenchanting that the system in place does not necessarily even allow you to make the choices you want to...), but he is not preachy. I found Pollan's writing to be clear, interesting, and sincere. I highly recommend this book.』 『A national bestseller that has changed the way readers view the ecology of eating, this revolutionary book by award winner Michael Pollan asks the seemingly simple question: What should we have for dinner? Tracing from source to table each of the food chains that sustain us— whether industrial or organic, alternative or processed—he develops a portrait of the American way of eating. The result is a sweeping, surprising exploration of the hungers that have shaped our evolution, and of the profound implications our food choices have for the health of our species and the future of our planet.』
price：$9.95
Ags Classic Short Stories
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (awesome.) 『i really appreciated how this novel developed the characters and really gave a great taste of the time period. phenominal book!』
(Pirate's Booty) 『This classic book should be a must read for anyone of any age. I read this book when I was a kid, all of 15 years ago, and got just as much enjoyment out of it now as I did then.』
(Glad I Finally Read It!) 『Summary
Treasure Island was Robert Louis Stevenson's first full-length, published novel, which began as a story for his stepson. The main character and the narrator is a boy named Jim Hawkins who lives and works in his parents' Admiral Benbow Inn. A drunken buccaneer has been living at the inn and causing quite a scene among the locals. After he receives a black spot (an item representing pirate judgment) from an old, blind pirate named Pew, the buccaneer dies, leaving behind an unpaid room and a seaman's chest. Jim and his mother open the chest and find a bag full of coins of all different nationalities and a document containing a map. They escape the inn just before a band of pirates begin to break in and search for the map, which leads to an island containing Captain Flint's buried treasure.
Jim takes the map to Doctor Livesey and Squire Trelawney, who then immediately embark on a voyage on the ship Hispaniola, hiring Captain Smollet and a crew recommended by Long John Silver. Silver and most of the crew he brings with him were part of Flint's voyage to Skeleton Island, unbeknownst to Livesey and Trelawney. At sea, Jim finds himself in a barrel of apples and accidentally overhears plans for mutiny from the pirates, which he soon relays to Livesey, Trelawney, and the Captain. Soon to land at the island, Jim Hawkins and the rest of the trustworthy crew plan a way to make it off the island with the treasure and their lives.
My Reaction Until I read this book, I did not realize how much I already knew about it simply from references in popular culture. International Talk Like a Pirate Day could very well have been originated from a group of readers fond of this classic tale of pirates, treasure, and island adventure. In fact, I found just about everything I think about when I imagine pirates in this book. (The only thing Stevenson left out was a few hundred uses of the now ubiquitous pirate word "Arr!" but that may be anachronistic.) This alone I think demonstrates the far-reaching influence of this book as it applies to the popular view of pirate caricatures.
Normally when one thinks of reading "classic literature" one expects a laborious trek through hundreds of pages of archaic phrases and unfamiliar circumstances. Treasure Island is a refreshing reminder of why there are "classics" and has encouraged me to seek out others to read. Despite being over one hundred years old, it is easy to immerse oneself in Jim Hawkins' place throughout the action.
It took me a few pages to get used to some of the nautical terminology and Stevenson's use of apostrophes and phonetic spelling to illustrate the way the pirates were talking. However once I figured out what he was doing, the characters' voices in my head were clear. The action and suspenseful moments kept me turning the pages. I even jumped a bit in the part when Jim accidentally ended up with the pirates in the middle of the night. Descriptions easily laid out the setting of Skeleton Island. In fact, some of the more bloody scenes were surprisingly descript considering this was a tale aimed at young boys, but nowadays the target audience has seen more than that in a single video game.
I was also impressed with the character development within the novel. This was truly a coming-of-age type of tale for Jim Hawkins, learning nobility and honor practically as he fought to keep his and his party's lives and dignity. Long John Silver was mostly the star throughout because of his interesting mannerisms ("and you can lay to that") and his manipulative character. Just when I thought I figured out Silver's motivation, he pulled out another trick. The rest of the characters were distinct and multi-dimensional, with only one or two archetypes (Pew being one of evil villain, though he doesn't last long in the book).
Overall, as many other reviewers have said, Stevenson did not waste any words in writing Treasure Island. Everything written had purpose and added to the story. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a fun exciting page-turner, as well as to anyone wanting to get started reading the classics.』
(Fantastic novel) 『Treasure Island is the best pirate novel I've ever come across. Although I must also add this is the only pirate novel I've come across. That being my background, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it really is a wonderful story. Some of the technical jargon gets confusing, but with the dictionary function on the Kindle it is absolutely a breeze.』
(enjoyable and timeless but ultimately overhyped.) 『It my opinion that RLS excels in the short story/novella genres, and is somewhat lacking in momentum in longer stories and novels.』 『When former pirate Billy Bones leaves an old sea chest and an ancient treasure map at the Admiral Benbow Inn, young Jim Hawkins embarks on a treasure-hunting adventure that takes him to the South Seas.』 『Climb aboard for the swashbuckling adventure of a lifetime.Treasure Islandhas enthralled (and caused slight seasickness) for decades. The names Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins are destined to remain pieces of folklore for as long as children want to read Robert Louis Stevenson's most famous book. With it's dastardly plot and motley crew of rogues and villains, it seems unlikely that children will ever say no to this timeless classic.--Naomi Gesinger』
price：$5.99
Kimani
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Hot and Heavy) 『Irresistible Forces was one of Brenda Jackson's best. I couldn't stop turning the pages until I was all done. This was the one book that got me hooked on reading more from Brenda Jackson.』
(First book I've deleted from my Kindle) 『This book has less plot than some TV commercials. It's ok if all you want to do is read about sex. I deleted this from my Kindle as fast as I could.』
(sex, sex, sex) 『I kept turning pages to get past the explicit sex descriptions, and, unfortunately, that's what the book is all about. Very little plot.』
(Free Dribble) 『You get what you pay for. Are all these books the same? Unimaginitive. I want real characters, good story, and hot romance. This book has none of that.』
(Completely Resistible) 『Starts slow and boring and never gets any better. Do yourself a favor and resist this book.』 『One week of mind-blowing sex on a beautiful Caribbean island. Of all the business proposals financial tycoon Dominic Saxon has heard, Taylor Steele's is definitely the most tempting. All Taylor wants in return is for Dominic to father her baby. No strings, no commitments…just a mutually satisfying arrangement. Make that very satisfying. For a man with no intention of marrying again, it sounds ideal.
Taylor wants a baby, not a relationship. And sexy, intelligent Dominic seems like a man with perfect genes. Turns out, Dominic has perfect everything. Their "procreation vacation" is a whirlwind of sensual ecstasy. But when it's over, will either of them be able to say goodbye?』
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