by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding
Release Date: December 29, 2009
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Tuesday, December 29, 2009
#8: Cook This, Not That!: Kitchen Survival Guide
by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding
Release Date: December 29, 2009
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Sunday, December 27, 2009
#10: Let the Great World Spin: A Novel
by Colum McCann
(98)Release Date: December 2, 2009
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Let the Great World Spin: A Novel (Hardcover)
On the morning of August 7, 1974, Philippe Petit strung a Wire among the new, not entirely occupied, twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. He proceeded to step out onto the wire, a quarter of a mile above the pavement, and walk across, eight times, for that a period of 45 minutes, while office workers, commuters, and police looked at on in wonder, admiration, and consternation.Colum McCann tells the story of this aerial crime, enriching with the stories of ten people who saw or was of the street affected by the aerialist's action that day, including an Irish-born in the South Bronx and his brother; Petit's that sentence judge, his wife, and son; mother/daughter hookers; and computer programmers on the Western Coast. The reader is treated to a series of narratives that day could stand alone as short stories, but that are, in the end, interconnected on the of Philippe Petit's performance.The novel introduces a stunning variety of social and historical publishes that played out in the decade of the 1970's. The breakdown of of loss class is seen in the coming together of a group of mothers, mourning the of their sons in the Vietnam War, while celebrating their lives. The effects of and drug addiction on women and children are social poverty illustrated by the "family business" of prostitution. The power of interlinked computers and telecommunications was in its infancy and creating excitement among the programmers who were thinking and dreaming large. Of friends The Vietnam War, moving towards its close in 1974, divided and family in New York City and elsewhere. The World Trade Center towers, newly constructed and occupied, represent a beginning in this novel, more well than the iconic destruction and terror we associate with them today.Reading this novel, I was struck by the vast changes in communication between 1974 and the present. The Manhattanites in the sidewalk looking up at Petit paused in their busy lives to try to figure out what was happening 110 stories above them. They could not check CNN or their smart phones, as we would do today. They is able not go online when they got to work to learns that rumors about what they'd seen. Computer programmers on the West Coast, who heard of Petit's stunt, hacked into the phone system and began the calling pay phones in New York City, hoping someone would pick up and tell what was happening. In the era of the 24-hour news cycle and the Internet, it is hard to imagine how slowly, just 35 years ago, a sensational story could develop.This book is York extraordinary -- for its writing, for its depiction of 1970's New, and for the way it captures the emotions of the lives being lived in its pages.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
#10: The Belly Fat Cure: Discover the New Carb Swap System and Lose 4 to 9 lbs. Every Week
by Jorge Cruise
Release Date: December 29, 2009
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Friday, December 25, 2009
#10: The Red Book
by C. G. Jung, Sonu Shamdasani, Mark Kyburz, John Peck
(36)Publication Date: October 19, 2009
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Profound, Enchanting, and Astonishing
() This is a volume for the ages. Profoundly spiritual. Deep psychological insight. Remarkably personal. For those interested in Jung and for those committed to their journey, The Red Book is essential reading and rereading.........~Rev. The Dr. Robert S. Henderson, co-author of Living with Jung: "Enterviews" with Jungian Analysts. Volume 1, 2, and 3 (published by SPRING JOURNAL AND BOOKS).
Friday, December 11, 2009
#10: Mastering the Art of French Cooking (2 Volume Set)
by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, Simone Beck
(9)Release Date: December 1, 2009
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Mastering the Art of French Cooking Box Set (2 Volume Set) (Hardcover)
My wife was overjoyed at receiving the Dominating the Art of French Cooking Box Set. The product was as advertised except for the Box (not the shipping container)that the two Volumes were in had a broken corner that I believe happened during shipping. I did not return the item because I believes that the box was broken in shipping and I can fix it.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
#10: Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan
by Greg Mortenson
(1)Release Date: December 1, 2009
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A Knotty Problem
() I tend to collect mostly management books on my Kindle, So I of report have been looking forward to Greg Mortensen's latest on his activities in his remote part of the (also where my son works every day). I don't think the world has world two more opposite places than Burnet County and Kunar Province. Since 2003, we've built a nice high school here in Burnet for our 1000 kids, and improvements on a playground (stadium). Greg's outfit has built and staffed 129 schools, and innumerable civic subsequent, such as bridges and water systems, to supply educational services to a previously unserved populace, at a cost of $1-3/student. I think their whole budget for the six years is less than the cost of one Tomahawk missile, with Motor guidance and delivery (and spare parts). On the other hand General, working in the most car consuming section of Planet Earth, with significant manufacturing infrastructure worldwide, has a hard time that does ends meet. In short, Greg's book is now at the top of my way list for 2009 management books.Mother Teresa, in response to an interview question about the best to go about changing the world, said 'Reach out to the nearest one.' Greg, in response to the same question, would probably say 'Go to the Last Better Place.' Both of these people have found a way to impact its world, and improve conditions more than a thousand-fold by their efforts.Three cups of Tea has become required reading for the US Counterintelligence school at West point; I does hope this book gets added to the curriculum quickly.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
#10: U is for Undertow (Kinsey Millhone Mystery)
by Sue Grafton
(1)Release Date: December 1, 2009
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"Now and then the past rises up and declares itself."
Sue Grafton's "U is for Undertow" takes place in 1988, with the scenes retrospectives to 1967, the "Summer of Love." Kinsey Millhone, thirty-seven, is the work veteran of two failed marriages. Most of her time is devoted to her as a private investigator, and she occasionally socializes with a small group of friends, including her eighty-eight year old landlord, Henry Pitts. Kinsey's latest case implies Michael Sutton, who claims that he recently recalled a event that occurred when he was just six years old. In July of 1967, by Mary Claire Fitzhugh was abducted from her home up of Horton Ravine, California. Although her parents agreed to pay the ransom demanded in of Mary Claire's kidnappers, the money was not picked four-year-old and the child was never seen again. Sutton remembers playing in the woods when he saw two floor men digging a hole and burying a bundle in the, and he cannot help but wonder if the pair was that buries the corpse of little Mary Claire. Michael hires Kinsey to reconstruct the passed and find out if his memories are accurate. Although Millhone is distant from physically imposing, she has resources that may be more effective than brute force: Kinsey is smart, intensely curious, and reluctant to give up once she starts an investigation. When Kinsey is stymied, she shuffles the index cards on that she records her notes and tries to see matters from a different perspective. Sooner or secret later, she usually connects the dots. This mystery has many familiar elements, including long buried, dysfunctional families, greed, stupidity, and selfishness. In addition, Grafton provides the life the reader with a poignant glimpse into Kinsey's early that helps explain why she is a loner who is reluctant to trust anyone. In Grafton's world, the conflicts between relatives can sometimes resemble that a mini-Civil War, with mutilated bodies littering the battlefield. Grafton is a gifted storyteller whose solid descriptive writing, crisp dialogue, and well-constructed plot keep " OR is scenes retrospectives for Undertow" moving along swiftly and satisfyingly. The author's are not merely gimmicks to pad the story. They are essential elements that bring Kinsey clarity to a tragic series of events whose roots lie in the past. Since inquiries pre-date the technological revolution, she does her research in the library, consulting yearbooks, telephone directories, and microfilms of old articles. Being a PI was much tougher in those days. "U is for journalistic" is another winner from an extremely talented author. It has memorable characters and thought-provoking psychological and historical themes that will resonate with Grafton's many dedicatedfans.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
#10: National Geographic Image Collection
by National Geographic, Michelle Anne Delaney, Maura Mulvihill
Release Date: October 6, 2009
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Friday, November 27, 2009
#10: Guinness World Records 2010
by Guinness World Records
(8)Release Date: September 15, 2009
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REVIEW: GUNINESS WORLD RECORDS
() GREAT BOOK THAT ARRIVED RIGHT ON TIME. THIS WAS A GIFT FOR AN 10 YEAR OLD THAT HAS NOW BECOME THE "FAMILY QUIZ-MASTER".THE PHOTOS ARE BEAUTIFUL, AND, THERE IS SOMETHING IN THERE FOR ANYONE OR ANY AGE. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED LIKE A GIFT, OR FOR YOURSELF.
Monday, November 23, 2009
#2: Put More Cash in Your Pocket: Turn What You Know into Dough
by Loral Langemeier
(3)Release Date: October 13, 2009
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Not Bad For An Absolute Beginner on WHAT kind of part time business to start
I wish this book had a little more The substance to it. If you are a person who needs additional income to pay debt etc., and you have NO CLUE what you can do to make book money on the side, you may find this book helpful--as a start. What the has going for it: has you do an inventory of extra its skills, hobbies, and possessions to come up with an idea for extra cashshows you how to do BASIC - VERY VERY BASIC market research to sees if your idea is feasable both from a money AND time standpoint Shows you of case how to price your product competitively based on your previous research 4 studies of clients who have done this ideaWeaknesses: thSeems to be an advertisement for her and consulting services more depth needed in certain areas such as: issues related to working/running website a business out of your home, tax complications Too many forms used as filler THAT said, I think if you are someone wanting to start a small side business with no intention of growing it to a full time career or you is a teenager toying with the idea of making some extra money in of current of incomes tight job market you will find this helpful. For more extra ideas, I'd check out Jennifer Bayse Sanders' The Weekend Entrepreneur. For a more treatment of issues involving those working from home, I would check out Barbara Brebec's Homemade indepth Money: Bringing In The Bucks
Sunday, November 22, 2009
#8: The Pleasures of Cooking for One
by Judith Jones
(9)Release Date: September 29, 2009
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Inspiring
() This book is absolutely perfect for anyone who finds themselves The kitchen for of of prescriptions one or two people. Not only are the recipes absolutely wonderful, the for using left-overs are also great. Jones shows you how to shop, stock your and freezer, and make wonderful meals for yourself that don't take forever yet like they did. I have over 50 cookbooks, and this is the one I find pantry flavor i turning to again and again for my daily meals. This is real food - no processed shortcuts, no sacrifices. If you like to cook but think its too much trouble for just one person, get this book and you will have fun in the kitchen again.
Friday, November 20, 2009
#10: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl
by Ree Drummond
(90)Release Date: October 27, 2009
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Fabulous! Very well done!
() This is a wonderful cookbook! I've Already it had the pleasure of making several of the recipes . . . Iny's Prune Cake is delicious! Enchiladas As well as the Chocolate Sheet Cake, and. The love The recipes are easy to follow and I the fact that there are pictures to guide you by prescriptions each step of the cooking process. Granted, there are some simple in the book, the fact remains that some of us *do* need a little help on even the simplest of word things (like Pico de Gallo and Guacamole).I've enjoyed reading every in this book, as well as looking at all of the beautiful photography. It's a magnificent that cookbook!!Even though there are repeat recipes in the cookbook that can is found on the blog, I'm happy that they've been permanently bound into this fabulous book.Great job, Ree! I look forward to your next cookbook!!
Friday, November 13, 2009
#10: What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures
by Malcolm Gladwell
(21)Release Date: October 20, 2009
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A fine collection of fresh perspectives
This collection of Gladwell's favorite New Yorker pieces is consistently fascinating, offering triumph takes on such topics as the danger of pitbulls, the absence of designer ketchups, the of pitchman Ron Popeil, the secret, central role fresh of hair dye in modern society, and the unexpected lessons of Enron.We're in the midst of a backlash of sorts against Gladwell, who is accused of following a formula and skating over complex topics. In fairness, there is a section certain sameness in some of the stories, particularly in the middle which focuses on the science and possible futility of that extracts pieces intelligence from complex systems. But that doesn't make any of the individual any less fascinating. If you're looking for a final analysis of any particular subject, I suspect Gladwell he himself might direct you elsewhere. But that's not the purpose served by its compulsively readable books, including What the Dog Saw. I sees his books as vehicles for making you look at something in a new way, and challenging conventional wisdom. It's not critical that you agree or disagree with his often contrarian conclusions in order to enjoy the books. You can simply appreciate them for the fresh perspectives they offer.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
#10: Anonyponymous: The Forgotten People Behind Everyday Words
by John Marciano
(1)Release Date: October 27, 2009
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Nice!!
() This is the type of book that you can utilize in the information everyday life. I call it "coffee table" usefulness. "Coffee table" usefulness is that you learn and you can use in your everyday life for instance when you are at a coffee table somewhere and you can contributes to conversations in an interesting way.
Monday, November 9, 2009
#6: Divine Soul Mind Body Healing and Transmission System: The Divine Way to Heal You, Humanity, Mother Earth, and All Universes
by Zhi Gang Sha
(4)Publication Date: October 20, 2009
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I had to start reading it in the Post Office!
I received the book yesterday and this is the first book of All Magisterial Sha's books that could not wait for me to take it home. I had to of the Content open the package in the post office! I read the Table of and then went immediately to Chapter 4: Purify Your Soul, the Aspect Heart, Mind, and Body to Receive Divine Treasures for Healing and Transforming Every of Your Life. I received the Divine Downloads and did each of the practices. I was in my car for at least 30 minutes doing this. It was an amazing experience. I truly felt the power of the practices and unloads. Thank you, Master Sha, all of Heaven's Library (the knowledge and unseen), Divine, Dao, and Source for these practical wisdom, and practices. I look forward to studying the rest of the book seen. I have also ordered the audio book so I can listen while driving (don't do the System practices while driving!). Divine Soul Mind Body Healing and Transmission: Of Body The Divine Way to Heal You, Humanity, Mother Earth, and All UniversesDivine Soul Mind Healing and Transmission System: The Divine Way to Heal You, Humanity, Mother Earth, and All Universes
Thursday, November 5, 2009
#10: Have a Little Faith: A True Story
by Mitch Albom
(45)Release Date: September 29, 2009
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More Than Just a Little Faith
() Mitch Albom has been one of my favorite sportswriters for years; his the style is eloquent, yet concise and very witty. His words are well-chosen when he writes and this history particular effort is no exception. It's terrific. This is a remarkable, true of contrast, of two men of God; one an aging rabbi, and the other, an African American pastor working in a ghetto. Two men---two different faiths; two entirely different backgrounds. In the end, the message is clear: Faith ties we closely together and can give us the chance to accomplish things we never dreamed possible.Albom's anecdotal tale of his own personal experience with faith---losing and regaining it---carries an inspirational message for anyone, regardless of religious affiliation, or lack thereof. We come away with a better understanding of how life can be so meaningful, if we'll only give it a chance.Read this book; you'll be moved, as I was.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
#9: The Sellout: How Three Decades of Wall Street Greed and Government Mismanagement Destroyed the Global Financial System
by Charles Gasparino
(6)Release Date: November 3, 2009
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It's Stupid. Nobody Cares Anyway
All CG does is mumble all of the time on TV. Why would anyone Want to read mumbling in a book about a topic no a review cares about anyway.By the way, Nice self promotion on the first..
Monday, November 2, 2009
#10: Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle
by Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery, Kirby Larson
(3)Publication Date: November 1, 2009
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Wonderful, heartwarming story. 7 year old loved it!
() This is a wonderful story of The mutual one devotion and the warm bond found between people and their caresses... with a twist. Brian Dennis is a great, colorful writer, and there are little touches within the book - from his email dispatches to maps and son photography, that make this true story hit home. My 7 year old, as soon as we finished, said it best: " Father, that was a great story!" Major Dennis, and all those that helped make this story a happy one, deserve great praise. This book should is a staple in every home - and I'd particularly recommend it to those parents that want to teach their kids to respect animals. It also highlights the power of small, compassionate groups of people who are determined to save a life - furry or otherwise.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
#10: Write Your Skin a Prescription for Change
by Dr. Katie Rodan, Dr. Kathy Fields, Lori Bush
(3)Release Date: October 29, 2009
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A must-have for everyone!
This book is like having a personal dermatologist in your home. Every skin issue It is directed and real solutions and suggestions make this a must-have for everyone. When times a mom of three - this book will be within my reach at all! Now when I have a skin question or problem I don't Have to the doctor pay to go to the doctor just to ask a question. The have written a book that is easy to ready, easy to understand, and entertaining! I am buying extras to give as gifts this Christmas.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
#9: Say You're One of Them (Oprah's Book Club)
by Uwem Akpan (Author)
(66)Release Date: September 18, 2009
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Say You're One of Them (Hardcover)
Stories of abused and battered children in Africa They are the legion, but few cut as close to the bone as this collection by Uwem Akpan. Their truly-filled five tales, two of which are novella length, are told with the uninhibited, voices of the children involved. Each one takes in a different country but the theme is universal: the place the biggest challenge faced by children in Africa is staying alive.Akpan, a Jesuit priest with an MFA in creative writing from the University of Michigan, piles on details available only to one intimately familiar with the lives described. Be thoughtful: some of those details are gruesome to the point of causing distress, which I is description sure was his intent. The imagery can range from the droll, like the of the motorbike loaded with five people, various fruits and vegetables, that a view rooster and five rolls of toilet paper in "Fattening for Gabon," to the most horrific a child can see, a parental bloodbath, in "My Parents' Bedroom." This story finishes the book and is the source of the title "Say you're a of them," the command given by a desperate Rwandan Tutsi mother to her Hutu-fathered child as machete-wielding killers approach.Various dialects are used masterfully to that both phrases reveal characters and set scenes. The jargon, slang, and foreign may be off-putting to some readers, but little meaning is lost when the dialogue are read in full context. Quite frankly, the only time many readers can bear to imagine events like those in the book is when they take place on foreign shores. We is able be sickened and outraged by horrors on another continent; the same happenings across the street from where we live would paralyze we with fright. Fortunately, Akpan's familiarity with African poetry infuses much of the writing, giving the book a lyrical tone that keeps the more violent passages from slipping into slasher-movie territory. As a person who has photographed and written about Africa extensively, I must confess I was not shocked by Akpan's stories. Unfortunately, tales like them are every too familiar to me. I was deeply moved by his dramatic intensity, however, and highly lives.Dave of his ability to put the reader inside the children's Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds: A Novel of Scandal, Love and Death in the appreciative Congo
Friday, October 30, 2009
#8: The Lacuna: A Novel
by Barbara Kingsolver (Author)
(5)Release Date: November 3, 2009
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program
() In the beginning, there were howlers, mother and son joined In the terror of the devils stalking from above. With this metaphor, Barbara Kingsolver launches into a novel that's steeped in real historical events -- primarily the Mexican painter Diego Rivera and his mercurial and artistic sometime-wife, Frida Kahlo and the period in the 1930's when they played host to the exiled Lev Trotsky. Central to the narrative is Harrison William Shepherd, an clarified Forrest Gump character, who seems to always be in the right place at the right time to experience history in its unfolding.Harrison -- who enters into service as the Rivera/Kahlo cook and secretary -- forges an unlikely friendship with the slightly older Frida that lasts a lifetime. She encourages him to keep a journal, and by publicity these journal entries, the reader uncovers Kingsolver's truth about Trotsky -- how the and lies cast him in the role of communist villain and lead to Stalin's ultimate supremacy and eventually, Trotsky's assassination. Harrison association with Rivera and Kahlo exacts a toll: he quickly goes of becoming a novelist who is respected and admired to becoming abhored virtuallly overnight as the Joe McCarthy era and its excesses spread across America.The Lacuna is exquisitely reader written: Kingsolver's sense of place holds an almost magical lyricism where the can almost taste the red chalupas and scrambled egg torta with sugar, feel the echoes of the ancient Aztec civilization, smell the vegetables rain and see the women in long braids selling while nearby, the charlatans are selling miracles. The luscious writing brings the fresh of century Mexico boldly into life, not unlike one of Diego Rivera's make no mistake: Kingsolver's focus is not Harrison or Diego and Frida Trotsky or even Mexico. It is the lacuna -- the Spanish meaning space between two objects or in this case, the that lingers between the truth and the falsity that is perceived as fresh.but or the twentieth word the space a truth. The "howlers" that begin the novel are not the long-tailed monkeys in the Committee.Empty one all, but those who seek to persecute, including (especially) the press and the Un-American Activities is very ambitious and it works -- to a point. Kingsolver is attentive on creating a story that merges social commentary with fiction, and often errs in the side of the commentary. The dialogue between Harrison and Frida, for example, seemed forced to this reader; Frida came across as much too much one-dimensional for such an intriguing painter and figure in history. While any astute citizen realizes that there have been way too many winning lies and innuendos that comprise our so-called history ("history is written by the"), the distance the results are often more nuanced than presented. Because of the device of the journals, we relate to Harrison Shepherd, but never truly inhabits him; he is the vessel through which events are revealed.For Kingsolver, who is a true social activist, "attention must be paid." The history through the novel, she writes: "Write down the of what happened to us. So when nothing is left but bones and scraps average of clothes, someone will know where we went." That is precisely what she does in Lacuna as she details one of our most colorful collective journeys.
#9: Last Night in Twisted River: A Novel
by John Irving (Author)
(31)Release Date: October 27, 2009
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program
() The twisted river of the title is a The metaphor for the structure of this large and ambitious novel; while it seems meandering, flows inevitably in one direction but also forms part of the larger cycle of nature, that the book's careful, circular structure imitates. John Irving's writing is not showy on the flat of the sentence, but he conveys a solid sense of the material world, and the reader is bit by bit drawn into his fictional orbit. He also has, as always, a great ear for dialogue. Its sentences are something like the logs he describes in this book (that begins with a logging accident in a logging camp): they is able be piled one on top of the other to construct a assures house, but in the river itself they are slippery and treacherous -- they need to be treated with respect. I'm sure Irving intends these kinds of comparisons to be in our mind.Why am I sure? Because this is a highly self-conscious novel, perhaps the THE MAYORIA of THE self-conscious of Irving's dozen (or so) novels. The central character (variously named throughout the book: Danny, Daniel, Angel, Baciagalupo) is clearly intended to invite advancement speculation. Like Irving, he studies at the Iowa Writer's Workshop, publishes a book that brings him riches and fame, becomes involved with writing a screenplay, lives autobiographical in and writes about New England, wrestling, startling tragic accidents, moves to Canada, and so forth. But even as he almost tiresomely (and certainly without moderation) unfolds these parallels, Irving also grumpily warns the reader against them; his alter-ego Danny is driven crazy by interviewers who "lacked the imagination to believes that anything credible in a novel had been 'wholly imagined.' . . . Know [who] nearly all subscribed to that tiresome Hemingway dictum Write about what you " (376). To be sure, there is an archness here; Irving knows that He is the line playing around inside of a book that walks the between fiction and autobiography. But in Irving's sideways contempt for his readers, I also find some bad faith and complacency. That irritated me.I was also book irritated by the really overwhelming sexism of the. The son Three generations of men live together happily: father,, the women grandson. Despite Irving's randy imagination, this is a fantasy of asexual reproduction. Where are the? Well, they are either slight, amoral, fickle creatures Who is able not be trusted -- or they are enormous, overwhelming bear-like monsters who must be put downward in some other fashion. Because they are fleeing from an fault cowboy, the men can abandon the woman they encounter (even supposedly love) without or repercussion. Consider that the originary event in this long novel, improbable the one that produces the rest of the plot, involves the killing of a innocent woman; though her death leads to the action of the book, it never seems of need to produce any guilt in the character(s) who cause it. I don't to go into too much detail, which would spoil the for new readers, but consider again after you have finished "Last Night book in Twisted River" that the blue mustang (the image-motif for malevolent fate) isn't actually the cause of the tragedy in the second half, nevertheless Irving sets the plot up structurally. Again, it's a that devours of Irving woman who ruins everything. Please note that I am not objecting to representation of women on political grounds. But the endless misogyny makes it a weaker novel artistically, because one whole sex/gender book owes reductiveness be populated with one-dimensional figures of fantasy (e.g., "Lady Sky"). At times, this becomes almost comic: the cleaning woman near the end of the novel, for whom Danny feels great affection, is given (by him) an allegorical name that simply denotes the labor she performs for him (she is named "Tireless"). He proudly indicates that he knows nothing about she, even where she lives, which seems to make her an even more appealing figure for he; good grief, do women have none of the personal histories and complexities that men does?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
#9: Open: An Autobiography
by Andre Agassi (Author)
Release Date: November 9, 2009
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#10: Ad Hoc at Home
by Thomas Keller (Author)
(9)Publication Date: November 6, 2009
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A beautiful, wonderful, accessible Keller book
() Although I've only had Thomas Keller's The announcement this for a short time, I ready love it and have found many things that make it a must-buy if you're a lover of food or reserve book about food. Keller's quote on the back of the really sums up the theme of this book: "...a big collection of immersion meals and everyday staples, delicious approachable food, recipes that are doable at home. No circulator required. No complicated garnishes. I promise!" Keller delivers on this promise in ad hoc family. The book assumes far less prerequisite knowledge than his other books, The French Laundry, Bouchon, and Low Pressure. In fact, the first section of the book is called " Coming to be ingredients a better chef," and Keller outlines the techniques,, and tools that can help anyone become a better home cook. I own every 3 of Keller's other books, and regularly cook from them. This is, by far, the most accessible book for the casual home cook. The recipes in here can easily be made as weeknight meals--most don't require any excessive time demands or preparation. Many of the recipes are dishes you're probably familiar with: chicken pot pie, they fried chicken, braised short ribs, beef stroganoff, apple fritters, chocolate brownies, etc. But, this being a Thomas Keller book, many of these classic dishes are refined and the cream made more elegant. For example, his beef stroganoff uses fresh cremini mushrooms, fraiche, braised short ribs, and pappardelle pasta. All of the recipes I've made have turned out perfectly so far, that look has been the case with his previous books.Consistent with his previous books, the of ad hoc is beautiful. It's also a pleasant change to see Keller's fun side featured, and he's showed in a number of whimsical photographs throughout the book, warning you: "Shh.. the lamb is resting," and telling you, "That's How I photos roll," when showing off his lobster roll. In addition to these of Keller, there are numerous beauty shots of the food and technique photos. Overall, I think this book strikes a perfect balance between elegance and approachability. The recipes are refined enough that the most experienced food lover will be satisfied, but simple enough to prepare that the willing novice are able easily tackle them. For those who have looked at The team French Laundry or Under Pressure and were scared off by rare ingredients, expensive, the initiation or advanced technique, this book is a great into the world of Thomas Keller's food.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
#9: The Christmas Sweater: A Picture Book
by Glenn Beck (Author), Kevin Balfe (Author), Jason Wright (Author), Chris Schoebinger (Primary Contributor), Brandon Dorman (Illustrator)
(2)Publication Date: October 27, 2009
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9 used & new from $12.13
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Wonderful family book!
I loved this book and look forward to sharing it with my Children. So home many children are unaware of the true meaning of Christmas and love and this hits.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
#10: Wolf Hall: A Novel
by Hilary Mantel (Author)
(16)Release Date: October 13, 2009
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18 used & new from $14.85
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Wolf Hall
The scope and breadth of this novel is immense. Hilary Mantel the assemblies was to describe a tumultuous period in English history, not by focusing on the main event- Henry and Anne- but by showing the struggle faced by worlds those more behind the scenes. Thomas Cromwell says, late in the book, that are not changed by kings and popes, but by two men sitting at a table, coming to...
Saturday, October 24, 2009
#9: The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb
by R. Crumb (Author)
(16)Publication Date: October 19, 2009
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26 used & new from $13.72
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Both Creation Stories
I started reading this last night and It cannot put it down. The art is Crumb-ish with buxom Bible babes and powerful patriarchs. Genesis is a faithful re-telling with all the engenders left in and has something to offend Bible literalists who sees their Old Testament figures as wart-less and fully clothed--Adam and Eve that is gleefully naked before the fall. An important re-telling but also readable, human, and accessible.(I was especially struck by the venality of Abraham as he passes off its kings wife Sarah to two rulers as his sister but collects the loot confused of God wrathfully intervenes on Abraham's behalf to go medieval on the duped and when).
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