The March Up : Taking Baghdad with the 1st Marine Division
by Ray L. Smith, Bing West
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (09 September, 2003)
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Reviews (43)

Back in the Saddle Again
Bing West and MGen(ret) Ray Smith do an excellent job of conveying the excitement and angst of the 1st MarDiv Marines making the rush on Saddam Hussein and Baghdad.Their commentary is raw, witty, and precise, their knowledge immense, and their compassion immeasurable.And I'm not just saying this because I'm the wife of one the many Marines mentioned in this book.Thank you Mr. West and MGen(ret) Smith for taking the time to bring our Marines' stories to the world.

Ho hum
Having been with 1st Recon at Reasoner in 67-68 I naturally gravitated toward Recon literature.I picked up 4 books, fortunately they were paperbacks at alocal bookstore.(Should have got them at Amazon) Anyway, the first one I read was Generation Kill.Generation Kill was a lot of first person accounts about 1st Recon Racing up the eastern side of Iraq to get to Baghdad and 50 kilometers beyond.It was gripping and difficult to put down from the first page.You knew who was in each platoon and each team.You knew their feelings, their backgrounds, and their first person accounts.While Evan Write who wrote the book was too graphic it tore the unit apart.After that book was published the entire Battallion was sent packing to different units.A couple of the officers got out.
The book was truly well written evan at the expense of the unit being disbanded.I guess being in Recon myself I was able to relate fairly well.I could relate to being wounded and the near misses.I could relate to the hurry up and wait the corps is famous for.After finishing the book, I settled back down,gave it a couple days and picked up "The March Up"(Check Generation Kills ranking Vs. The March UP)I started reading the March up and it took me about 40 pages to get interested in reading or even relating to this book.As one reader stated, it read like a news item from CNN.It is accurate, it probably is for the most part what had happened on the way up, especially when you are moving that many men and equipment.I found too many "this battallion did this, this general said that, and oh yeah, 2/7 came up from the rear and sped ahead.It read like a tactical book coming from generals and upper echelon officers.
More about troop movements and deploying same.If you or one of your family members were there, I am sure you had to be disappointed their particular team, company or Bn had not even been mentioned.If it were, very few actual names of Marines had been used.This is simply a book of the 1st MarDiv going north to Baghdad.It describes its trials and tribulations.It was probably no different then (Gasp) the 3rd I.D. venturing into the same thing.My heart is always with Marines, and this review is not to put them down but the writing more of an overview then what your indivudual Marine encounters, what he thinks, what he feels and fears.Again, this is not any less important than what any other Marine did, but leads to the writers.During my four years in the corps there was a definite disparity over what officers thought vs. what enlisted felt and knew.I gave it a one star, not because of how the Marines conducted themselves or what they went through, but for the writing.It was and is boring.In none of the reviews did I read anyone comparing Generation Kill to the March Up.Do yourself a favor and order "Kill" from amazon. Thenwrite a review.There is no comparison.Being a Marine and author myself, I could have made a journal, gone to Iraq for free and wrote the same thing.The unit was so big, there was no time for first person accounts.Sorry.I have to take the authors word for it that what he wrote was accurate, but as far as a good read, it was,Ho hum......

Some Guy's Daily Journal
I thought this would be a good down-to-earth, you-are-there commentary on the subject. I guess I was expecting something like Blackhawk Down.

What it really is is a daily journal of Bing & the General's time with the Marines. There is very little in the way of information from troops, so descriptions of firefights and action is done first-hand through someone who was not in the action.

I also expected a lot more substance from someone who has fought with the Marines in the past.

A lot of time is spent on strategic issues. I think the author was trying to put everything into perspective, but it didn't work for me.

I wasn't entirely dissapointed, as there are some great anecdotes. And, it is pretty easy to read. ... Read more

Isbn: 055380376X
Sales Rank: 16114
Subjects:  1. General    2. History - Military / War    3. Iraq War, 2003    4. Marine Corps    5. Marines, 7th    6. Military - Iraq War    7. Military - United States    8. Personal narratives, American    9. Political Science    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Regimental histories    12. United States    13. Current Events / Military   

Absolutely American : Four Years at West Point
by David Lipsky
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (04 July, 2003)
list price: $25.00 -- our price: $15.75
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Editorial Review

Individuality would not seem to be a highly prized virtue at West Point. After all, new cadets arriving at the military academy are not required to pack anything more than a toothbrush and some underwear since they will be issued everything else. But despite their uniformity and disciplined bearing, the cadets profiled in David Lipsky's Absolutely American are still college kids who have moved away from their hometowns to figure out what to do with their lives. Lipsky was given unprecedented access at West Point and spent a full four years following a class from wide-eyed arrival through graduation. The most fascinating cadets are the ones who don't fit the gung-ho West Point stereotype. George Rash faces expulsion on a regular basis but persistently hangs in, "Huck" Finn just wants to play football but becomes more enamored of the military life than he ever expected, and Christi Cicerelle stays perfectly coiffed and, as she says, "girly," even while becoming a highly skilled soldier. Lipsky's tenure came at a pivotal time in the institution's history: hazing had recently been discontinued (part of a series of reforms referred to with both gravity and a little remorse as "The Changes") and the attacks of September 11, 2001 placed the United States in a war which the cadets would have to fight. The academy, in Lipsky's portrayal, demands much of its charges, its standards are high, and the possibility of being "separated" from West Point looms large for any cadet not up to par. Yet the cadets are shown as largely happy people, using the harsh demands of a West Point experience to find the kind of structure and purpose that other college students would envy. Lipsky, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, creates portraits that are, by turns, hilarious, touching, harrowing, disappointing and joyful. As his subjects finally graduate and launch their careers, readers may feel like a proud parent or friend standing in the crowd and cheering their accomplishments. --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (63)

good storytelling, but shameful journalism
From a purely storytelling point of view, Absolutely American is a fine piece of writing, which reads like a compelling coming of age story. This is a fast read with compelling characters, enough of a human touch to keep us interested and bite-sized adventures that take us through a four year period. Not bad for a non-fiction book. There are some gaps here too - one cadet's personal transformation is never really explained, academics are hardly ever discussed - but the book still holds together and holds a reader's interest. (This is a great read on a plane).

Unfortunately, Lipsky is not writing light fiction/adventure but a piece of journalism about an important U.S. institution. And in this the book fails completely. It is astounding that in his acknowledgments, Lipsky sites a former editor for teaching him the value of good journalism, because there is not evidence of any such thing in this book. Even the Lord of the Rings has more social commentary and analysis of the place of violence and politics in society.

There are many issues Lipsky could have taken up in this book. What are the implications of taking bright, idealistic teenagers and systematically desensitizing them to violence, so that they think it's fun to shout "stack `em (your enemies) like cordwood!" How are these young smart kids taught to be blindly patriotic and to obey authority without questioning it? What happens when so many human and financial resources are fed to the war machine, while institutions that may reduce the need for war are underfunded or ignored altogether? What are the deeper causes and implications of the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent "war on terror"? (Lipsky was at West Point during this momentous time).

I'm the reader can see my own biases here, but, regardless of your beliefs on any of these issues, these are important questions that must be addressed. It was Lipsky's job, as a reporter (the FIRST reporter to gain such unprecedented access to West Point) to examine at least some of these questions and to challenge the reader to think in new broader ways. Instead, Lipsky seems so enamored of West Point that his journalistic training goes right out the window. It seems that once the author discovered that the military wasn't made up of evil people and had some genuinely positive and admirable qualities, he decided it was ALL good. No need to ask hard questions.

The most disturbing manifestation of this is the fact that Lipsky gives President Bush, secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and others a free platform from which to tout their policies (or propaganda, depending on your view) with NO ANALYSIS and no broader context. In the wake of 9/11 he snaps into formation with the cadets and presents the speechifying about good and evil, terrorism and freedom more or less verbatim, unquestioned, no background or wider perspective presented. Instead, he uses his considerable writing skills to airbrush the slogans some more - e.g Americans were proud once again of their men and women in uniform as they watched them defending freedom on their television sets. Ah... excuse me? In the old days, this kind of thing was called yellow journalism.

uneven effort
This is an interesting book, if only because it is highly improbably that it was written.The author, a self-styled intellectual Jew from New York City's Greenwich Village has had about as much to do with military culture as the Pope has had to do with porn.Which is to say that, prior to writing this book, Lipsky knew no soldiers, had no soldiers in his family, and probably was never on a military base.

Thus, it is interesting to read an account of military culture and life from the perspective of someone wholly foreign to the culture.

One of the hallmarks of military culture is its insularity and its differences from civialian life.The military uses all sorts of jargon that is completely foreign to those of us in civilian life, and Lipsky's repeated use of this jargon gets a little tiresome after a while.It would have been nice to have a glossary so that I could remember the difference between a "yuk" and a "firstie" (these are names given to different years of the West Point experience).

Appreciation of New Cadets
Our New Cadet (Class of 2008) writes:

"I write this letter . . . as my friend read Absolutely American out loud to us.We have sat together listening to it for a lot of free hours. . .It's been really good for squad unity and a good way to occupy our time." ... Read more

Isbn: 061809542X
Subjects:  1. Higher    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. Individual Institutions Of Higher Education    5. Military    6. Military - United States    7. Military Science (Specific Aspects)    8. United States Military Academy    9. History / Military / United States   

Tales from Shakespeare : Children's Classics (Children's Classics)
by CHARLES LAMB, MARY LAMB
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (17 August, 1999)
list price: $6.99 -- our price: $6.99
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Reviews (14)

A Treasure Book
If you want to learn as a novice the tales of Shakespeare, then this is the book to read. A children's novel of his famous plays. Now to the English Shakespearean scholar this would seem like Shakespeare for dummies, but I would only partially agree. This is a great book to be introduced and gives a general framework before reading him. Even after reading this, its not an easy task trying to read Elizabethan English, which even the experts argue on some of the terms and expressions used. And so, this book lets you understand and I find its written rather well in Charles and Mary Lambs authorship.

After reading this book, which also make good for second, third and fourth readings, I found it much easier to absorb a recent bio on Shakespeare which was very enlightening, Will of the World by Stephen Greenblatt and also other books which attempt explanatory meanings of Elizabethan English to his plays and sonnets. Now you know what the plays are about and go from there. This is a great book, I treasure it.

Read it as a child and now use it as a professor
I remember my father giving me this book when I was young.He was a junior high school english teacher and used this book in class.Together we read the stories and I loved them.Now I am a college professor and use the book in class myself. While some of the summaries are "dated," they are still useful in communicating the basic action of the play to students and the very fact that they are "dated" allows the book to serve as an illustration of how interpretations of Shakespeare's plays have changed since the Lambs' time.

I recommend this book heartily.

A nice read for children
As a younger person in the nineties, I dipped into the plays of Shakespeare, and this book let me get into the classic stuff. It was interesting, put into kids' stories so as not to intimidate the younger enthusiast, and altogether, it was a good book. I suppose you have to be in to Shakespeare to enjoy it wholly though....

A gentle, relaxing dip into Shakespeare. I'll give two stars. ... Read more

Isbn: 0517205742
Sales Rank: 15622
Subjects:  1. 1564-1616    2. Adaptations    3. Literature: Classics    4. Plays / Drama    5. Shakespeare    6. Shakespeare, William    7. Shakespeare, William,    8. Juvenile Fiction / Classics    9. Subject: Sale Children - Children's Books - Ages 9-12   

The Arms of Hercules (Book of the Gods, Volume 3)
by Fred Saberhagen
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 November, 2000)
list price: $25.95
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Reviews (6)

a delightful journey
I've enjoyed reading Fred Saberhagen's novels for almost twenty years now. He is very talented, having the ability to breathe life into the worlds which he creates, worlds which become, for all intents and purposes, real, and which many of us would love to live in, no matter the dangers to be found there. Fred's stories always have so much depth to them that they are a delight to read - they are so vivid that they allow you to feel as if you are right there watching the events unfold before your eyes. His new series, Book of the Gods, is highly imaginative and thought-provoking.

The Arms of Hercules is the third novel in this Book of the Gods series, and it differs slightly from the previous two, in that it is more of a first person narrative. Much to the amusement of my editor and friends, I have had a little difficulty with this review. As I read the book, it seemed that the voice which was relating the tales of this incredibly strong son of Zeus was actually that of Kevin Sorbo. Okay, maybe I do watch too much television, or perhaps it is just that there was so much hype surrounding Hercules and Xena. Either way, this is the voice which told the tale.

Fred's Hercules is very different from the character Kevin Sorbo portrayed. This Hercules is younger, and of a much more average build. He is nothing more than a teen when he is sent with his cousin to herd sheep, and his adventures begin. Being the son of an almost completely omnipotent father and a human mother has got to play havoc with one's body and mind, but Hercules seems to deal with it better than most human boys would. He is logical and tries to reason out his emotions where his lineage is concerned, and does quite well.

As is to be expected when there is any tale concerning the legendary Hercules, there are a number of monsters and giants, and other sundry opponents which he must face. Killing is not something which Hercules really enjoys, though, and he would also prefer to remain cloaked in anonymity while his cousin basks in the glory.

This is a subject which has, in my mind, been done to death. However, Fred manages to breathe just enough new life into it that I wasn't bored. I knew what was to come to a certain extent, but there were a few changes of drastic import which added to the adventure. And of course the "god faces," translucent half-masks which imbue the human avatar with that particular god's attributes, are very prominent.

Hercules is mortal, and has no need of one of the "god faces;" however, there is now talk between Daedalus and Haphaestus of attempting to make one. During the course of this story Hercules is brought together with his father, Zeus, and the rest of the immortals as they battle for their very existence against an ancient foe. Not exactly the reason for father-son time that Hercules had desired, but he will still take what time he can get.

I recommend reading this novel, as well as the previous two, The Face of Apollo and Ariadne's Web. It is a delightful journey through classic literature made even more interesting by Fred's prodigious imagination and writing skills.

Review Originally Posted at LinearReflections.com

Not bad
This was actually alot better than the previous one. I read it clear through. Its a good read. And educational too..

Another Solid effort by Mr. Fred Saberhagen
As an avid reader of the genre fantasy, i have come upon the books of Fred Saberhagen. I have read some other books by him like the "Lost Swords" books and "Merlin's Bones".Having read books 1 and 2 of "The book of the Goods" Book three is another interesting and exciting episode in this solid series by Saberhagen. ... Read more

Isbn: 0312867743
Sales Rank: 625614
Subjects:  1. American Science Fiction And Fantasy    2. Fantasy    3. Fantasy - Epic    4. Fantasy fiction    5. Fiction    6. Hercules (Roman mythology)   

Spiderman and Fantastic Four Wreckage (Doom's Day Book, 3)
by Eric Fein, Pierce Askergren, Steven Butler, Pierce Askegren
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 November, 1997)
list price: $6.50
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Reviews (4)

Good Book To End The Doom's Day Trilogy
This book starts off with action as Doctor Octopus is freed from prison. Then it declines and picks up with an exciting finish. Spider-Man Readers will love this book for its fast-paced action.

Good Book
I have read this book and I think it's great. Although I think there is a hole in the plot because Dr. Doom is the kind of guy who would not ask for anyone's help regardless of their expertise, he probably would have knownthe stuff himself

Good Book but it was slow in some places
Although this last book in the Doom's Day trilogy was good for the most part, some of the story slows down in a few places like when Doom's plan is finally revealed and when the final battle takes place.It seems the lastfight took forever to resolve and it is somewhat disapointing, but theepiloge makes up for it.Still for the most part, it was an enjoyablebook. ... Read more

Isbn: 1572973110
Sales Rank: 591971
Subjects:  1. Fiction - Science Fiction    2. Science Fiction    3. Science Fiction - General   

The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 10)
by Lemony Snicket, Brett Helquist
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (23 September, 2003)
list price: $11.99 -- our price: $9.59
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Editorial Review

What would you do if you found yourself trapped in a runaway caravan hurtling down a precipitous mountain slope? Fourteen-year-old Violet, the oldest orphan of the three Baudelaires, decides to try to slow the velocity of the caravan with a drag-chute invention involving a viscous combination of blackstrap molasses, maple syrup, maraschino liqueur, peanut butter, etc. If plummeting to their death weren't scary enough, Violet and her brother Klaus have been separated from Sunny, their baby sister who is in a car headed in the opposite direction up the mountain with the "facinorous" Count Olaf, his "villainous and stylish" girlfriend Esmé Squalor, and their creepy sidekicks. Do Violet and Klaus find Sunny on the mountain? How will they survive the treacherous, snow-covered peaks with not much more than a ukulele and a bread knife, especially in the face of the "organized, ill-tempered" snow gnats? Will they finally unearth the mystery of the V.F.D.?Will they find out if one of their parents is alive after all? The suspense! As ever, the Baudelaires' unfolding tale of woe is sprinkled with Lemony Snicket's ridiculous, hilarious observations such as "Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant with odd waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like." The tenth book in The Series of Unfortunate Events takes readers through the Mortmain Mountains to the churning waters of the Stricken Stream with all the coexistent horror and silliness a Snicket fan could hope for along the way. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (177)

Not up to par with other recent books in the series.
Lemony Snicket, The Slippery Slope (Scholastic, 2003)

As we approach the end of the Series of Unfortunate Events, I don't want to say that the quality of the books is slipping. After all, books eight and nine showed Lemony Snicket going in a new, and very interesting, direction. Unfortunately, The Slippery Slope does nothing more than coast on the coattails of the smash hit series.

It's not that The Slippery Slope is a bad book, it's just a predictable book. The sense of delight and wonder that has been a hallmark since the series' beginning seems to have lost a deal of its lustre, and while it's just as readable as the other books in the series, this is the first time one of them has really left me wondering if the series is going downhill since The Wide Window. Well, it picked up after that; I have guarded hope that The Grim Grotto will see the Baudelaire children back to being, well, the Baudelaire children. ***

Two thumbs way up!!
In the tenth book of "A Series of Unforuntate Events" Violet and Klaus Baudelaire are immediatly stranded in a runaway caravan heading down a steep slope,while their kidnapped sister is traveling in the opposite direction! Once out of the caravan and on their way to rescue Sunny from Count Olaf,they hope nothing can go wrong,but they can only hope. The two Budelaires run into snow knats, and a good friend to the Baudelaires named quiegly Quagmire who was presumed to be dead.They Also encounter a burned down libary with more clues that lead them to belive that atleast one of their parents may still be alive. While Violet is inventig tools to try and save their baby sister, Klaus and Quiegly search for more information about the mysterous VFD.
My thoughts about this book:
It always left me interested in more and never left me on just one subject. I recommend this book to anyone who likes books that have alot of events that continue into other books.

-
The storyline is fascinating as it reveals a greater amount of information regarding V.F.D. The part I enjoy the most is where Violet and Klaus flee from the snow gnats and take shelter in the Snow Scouts' cave. It is extremely interesting to read about the elder Baudelaires and the "sweatered scout" communicating with epithets such as "Voracious Fierce Dragon", "Vain Fat Dictator" and "Vinegar Flavoured Doughnuts".
It was also pleasant to read about Quigley Quagmire's explanation of how he recovered from the usually fatal affliction of death in the Quagmire mansion. I find it touching that he volunteered to help the Baudelaires before searching for Duncan and Isadora, although I suspect that it was not out of an especially kind feeling but more out of personal reasons. However, for whatever reason he chose to assist the Baudelaires, it is nice to know that there are still people who are generous and selfless.
Unfortunately, I felt that it was not Klaus who orchestrated the mental gymnastics of this book, but Quigley. This is not so good, as it is usually the Baudelaires' intelligence that makes the storyline charming.
The only thing which I feel spoils the tale is the author's refusal to describe what exactly happened between the third Quagmire triplet and the eldest Baudelaire on the icy ledge. I do not know whether Quigley really was talking to Violet, or if he was describing the wall or something else as quite lovely indeed.
I marvel at the author's ability to tangle a simple plot into an extremely confusing puzzle -- the existence of fire survivors in the Baudelaire, Snicket and Quagmire households; the identity of Beatrice; the relationships of the characters. I am confident that the end of the series will be innovative and witty, and I hazard a guess that someone will die (or else the ending will be too happy, and it also cannot be too depressing, and therefore will be bittersweet). I hope that the victim will be Quigley, to make for more drama, although I presume that it will leave the eldest Baudelaire broken-hearted. ... Read more

Isbn: 0064410137
Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Brothers and sisters    3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Family - Orphans & Foster Homes    6. Family - Siblings    7. Fiction    8. Humorous Stories    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Mountains    11. Orphans    12. Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories   

The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2004 (World Almanac and Book of Facts (Paper))
by William A. McGeveran
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (05 December, 2003)
list price: $11.95 -- our price: $4.78
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Reviews (19)

not a WORLD almanac
First of all, this will be a great almanac for you if you are focusing only on US studies.This book contains everything from main events to average teacher salaries, and many other useful (and weird) facts of the united states.However, when i tried to look up information on India and Argentina, it contains very few information.I'll guess that 97% of the book focuses only on America and have minor out-of-date information on other countries.Two stars is for the indepth info on united states, and the missing three stars are for naming the book "world" almanac even though it does not focus on the world.May as well be the United States Almanac for the hunnger-for-weird-facts.

The Almanac and the Internet
I have for years been a purchaser and reader of the World Almanac. As a child I loved to read 'facts' and this provides much reading of that kind. Consider for instance its lists of distinguished writers painters spiritual figures. Or consider its country portraits with statistics on basic characteristics of political life and economy. My sense however is that with the coming of the Internet the ' Almanac ' is not quite as vital a tool as it was once felt to be. My sense is that the Information given in the Almanac can be found in the Internet in a quick search. And that for those people who sit and work with their computers a good part of the day , the Almanac would be much less looked at. This does not mean it should be discarded and that many including myself will not continue to purchase it. It is after all much more pleasant to shlep around with a book than with a computer. But the Internet and the 'Information Age' have made ' facts cheap' and made much of this information so easily available and readily duplicable that the resource simply is not the kind of special value it used to be.

The World Almanac of 2004
This volume is an excellent compilation of relevant facts pertaining to comparative statistics at the turn of the new century. There are comprehensive lists of the Congress,
Executive and Judiciary staffs and functions. There is a
country by country analysis of economic and demographic data.
Important historical facts and events of 2003 are noted;
together with the historical timeline. There is a section on
measurements and instrumentalities thereof. Cultural events
and people are noted in great detail. This work is a noted authority for the classification of information contained in it.
The work is valuable to a wide constituency of academicians. ... Read more

Isbn: 0886879108
Sales Rank: 23510
Subjects:  1. Almanacs    2. Almanacs, American    3. Reference    4. Reference / Almanacs   

Mirra Images
by Dave Mirra
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (30 September, 2003)
list price: $15.95 -- our price: $10.85
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Reviews (1)

Perfect For A Fan
The book Mirra Images tells the story of Dave Mirra's life and thankfully told by Dave Mirra. This is a very in-depth book on Dace Mirra's life, the book sorta starts out like a photo album of his with pictures of him and brief but well-written notes on how it bmx came to him and what pushed him to do better. In this book Dave Mirra lets us take a look at his music and film tastes, horrible yet humorous accidents(...drunk driver), sponsors, achievements, records, goals, friends, medals. The book also shows what its like out on the road when touring. Aside from his writtings the book contains photos in more than half of the pages in the book with Dave Mirra doing some of his most daring and explosive tricks such as wallride-to-tailwhip(nuf said) and his groundbreaking record-setting of 19 foot air. The only thing maybe Dave Mirra could discuss more would have to be his school-life and how he helped out with the videogame otherwise this is a thrilling book for all fans. As for some reminders, don't expect any how to's in this book and for those wandering how many pages there are there is 191 pages including pictures. Fans you must buy this, however those new to bmx or have never heard in this daring sport may be interested. ... Read more

Isbn: 0060989165
Sales Rank: 105371
Subjects:  1. 1974-    2. Bicycle motocross    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Cycling    8. Cycling - General    9. Cyclists    10. Mirra, Dave,    11. Photoessays & Documentaries    12. Sports - General    13. United States    14. Biography & Autobiography / Sports   

This Year It Will Be Different
by MAEVE BINCHY
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (06 October, 1997)
list price: $6.99 -- our price: $6.99
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Reviews (16)

Predictable
What I am at a loss to explain is why I finished it.Ever hopeful, I guess.These are the basic formulaic Binchy-craft, and just how many women can keep justifying their existence as the mistresses of married men, and why are the men so shallow, and why does it always take a handsome single stranger to lure poor, misunderstood mistress back to righteousness?

Read it over each holiday season....
I bought this book the year it came out, and was slightly disappointed in the dismal tone some of the stories begin with.But Binchy is at her finest with characters that are full of flaws and concerns just like all of us.I have read it again and each year the characters become closer to me and I appreciate her writing more fully.Not heartwarming holiday faire, but insightful.Quietly thought provoking.Details make it rich.Thanks Maeve.

This Year it will be Different
I recommend that you sit down by the fireplace or Christmas tree and read this book during the Holidays. It will make you feel great inside. The stories are short and heart-warming to the soul. ... Read more

Isbn: 0440223571
Sales Rank: 68985
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. General    4. Holidays - Christmas    5. Short Stories (single author)    6. Short stories    7. Fiction / General   

Batman: The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight
by Scott Beatty
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 September, 2001)
list price: $24.99 -- our price: $10.00
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Editorial Review

If you're already well versed in Bat-trivia, you probably won't find The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight anywhere near ultimate enough. But as a broad history of Batman's friends, foes, and high-tech hardware and hideouts, this oversized, illustration-filled DK guide just can't be beat.

Just as DK did with the people and paraphernalia of Star Wars in Star Wars: Episode I: Incredible Cross-Sections and Star Wars: Episode I: Visual Dictionary, this guide pulls apart and pokes at the many gadgets and backdrops found in the Dark Knight's world. Exploded diagrams reveal the innards of the new and old Batcaves, and stat-packed tags and captions spell out everything from how the Bat-Signal works to where Catwoman stashes her bullwhip. Batman scholar Scott Beatty has compiled hundreds of excellent panels and covers from the original comic, and he displays commanding knowledge cataloging Gotham's most colorful characters in big, splashy spreads. (And no doubt future historians will appreciate his capsulized, 1939-on Batman timeline as an uncanny window into American pop consciousness.)

Die-hard fans will find much lacking here, though, like the near-omission of Frank Miller's genius Dark Knight Returns series and not even a passing reference to Batman's poignant love-hate relationship with the Man of Steel. But what DK's Ultimate Guide does, it does well--examining neat Bat-minutiae and providing a primer on the post-no-man's-land comic continuity. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Batcool
In the press materials, DK Publishing claimed "unprecedented access to DC Comics' archives" to produce this coffeetable title. The author works in the comic-book industry, and the book hits all the high notes: origin of Batman, origin of Robin, first meeting with Ra's al-Ghul, death of Jason Todd, crippling of Barbara Gordon (known, of course, as "The Killing Joke" and the most disturbing Batmoment to this fan!), Bane's crippling of Batman and Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns."

The pages are lush and full-color throughout, and there are page-spreads on Batman's suit, weapons, Batcave (nice diagram), Wayne Manor, Batmobile and other vehicles. Gotham City is profiled, as is every major character. This book is not comic reprints; it's a who's-who and what's-what in the Batlegend. I enjoyed it.

This is not the Bob Caine Batman....
Well everyone seems to think that Batman was created by Frank Miller in the 1985 Dark Knight Returns story, and forget that the character goes back to 1939, as created by Bob Caine and Bill Finger. Those stories are largely over-looked in this new book that basically treats Batman in the post Miller era as a masked lunatic who is distrubed very greatly.Shows no emotion, very reluctantly allows Alfred and Dick Grayson into his world.He comes off as colder then useual and no better then the villians he fights. The pre-Miller stories may have seen a more camp take on Batman, but he behaved more human and was a bit more that you could like about him.Almost every movie that they have done recently as shown Batman as a lunatic and I'm going against popular viewpoints here to say that it does not work.It;s a clear example of a writer who destroyed a character and DC still has not corrected this mistake to this day, Oh well, at least Hal Jordan will be back as Green Lantarn.

A Celebration of the Modern-Day Caped Crusader
This book is a blast to read. I wished this book had come out sooner when I was just finding my way around the modern Batman comics. Nevertheless, better late than never.

A word of caution. If you are looking for the DEFINITIVE guide to everything Batman, I wouldn't recommend this book to you. Les Daniels' book on Batman is by far the most comprehensive treatment on the whole history of the Batman from his pre-conception in the 1930s up till the recent stuff (including his incarnations outside the comicbook - TV, toys, cinema, etc.). Also, if you're interested in analyzing Batman as a pop-culture icon, you should check out Will Brookner's "Batman Unmasked" book. Finally, if you're interested in reading a one-volume collection of the definitive Batman - I'd recommend Frank Miller's "Dark Knight Returns" and/or "Year One" along with the "The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told".

What then is this book by Scott Beatty about? It's about the modern day Batman. THIS Batman is as different from the classic Bob Kane/Bill Finger creation as the Tim Burton movies are from the Adam West TV show. For your information, THIS Batman is the one from Frank Miller's "Year One" (1986) and it includes the later revisions by Dennis O'Neil and Chuck Dixon up to today. In other words, this is the Batman of "Knightfall", "Contagion", "Cataclysm" and "No Man's Land". And in my opinion, this is the most exciting and rich version of the Batman since his conception in 1939. This book is not so much a guide but more a celebration of this modern-day Dark Knight of the comicbooks.

The book is neatly divided into sections. The first section is about Batman/Bruce Wayne and Gotham City. The second section covers his allies and loves (Alfred, Gordon, Nightwing, Oracle, Robin II, Robin III, etc.). The third section focuses on the many colorful villains in the Bat-mythos. Finally, there's also a foreword by Chuck Dixon, the man who, under the editorial-eye of Dennis O'Neil, pretty much shaped the direction of the Bat-books throughout the 1990s. Note: Dixon also teamed up with the author Scott Beatty on some other great works like the recent "Robin: Year One" and "Batgirl: Year One". ... Read more

Isbn: 078947865X
Subjects:  1. Batman (Comic strip)    2. Batman (Fictitious character)    3. Cartoons and comics    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Comic books, strips, etc    6. Comics & Cartoons    7. Fiction - Fantasy    8. Humor - Cartoons & Comics    9. Humor - General    10. Juvenile Nonfiction    11. Juvenile literature    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / Humor / Cartoons & Comics    13. Entertainment