Reviews (4)

Intellectual Mystery
This is a well-written, intellectual mystery by a noted literary writer. The characters are thoroughly developed and believable, the plot filled with hooks and surprises.
"Change was insidious, creeping up on you as though you were playing a game of statues."
Wow! I love Atkinson's writing
I had read Case Histories and could not WAIT to get another book by Kate Atkinson. I was not disappointed. But don't take my word for it...Stephen King called this the BEST mystery of the decade (that is written on the back of the book cover) and it got superb reviews in The New York Times.
Read more

Subjects:  1. English Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - General    4. General    5. Millionaires    6. Mystery & Detective - General    7. Mystery/Suspense    8. Policewomen    9. Women novelists    10. Fiction / General   

Editorial Review

Reviews (848)

Well Crafted Hilarity
I am sad to admit that I'd never heard of this book until I was loaned it by a roommate, but fortunately it was well worth the wait and one of the best literary surprises I've read recently. The main character, Ignatius J. Reilly, is a larger than life, disheveled and slightly deranged man who haunts the French Quarter of New Orleans and the rest of the cast, each an absurd caricature in their own right, mingles with each other in very funny and unexpected ways.
Funny, + something else.
Stick with the story to the end, and you will find that it is not only a comic novel, but something else, too.

The greatest comic novel ever written
There is nothing that can be said about this book that has not already been said, except that I laughed until my valve shut. I wish I could give it six stars. Or six hundred. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Humorous    4. Humorous stories    5. Literary    6. Mothers and sons    7. New Orleans (La.)    8. Young men    9. Modern fiction   

Reviews (53)

I Really Enjoyed This One!
Most of the Gabriel Allon books are very good, but I really like this one. Gabriel's crew is really turning into a little family, and it looks like Sarah will be the newest member.Give it a read. You won't be disappointed.

Post Cold-War Spy Novel Worth Reading
With the dissolution of the Soviet Empire and the end of the Cold War, the international spy novel has suffered from a lack of compelling story lines. Daniel Silva has remedied this deficiency by making Israel as the epicenter of his provocative novels. With a haunting past defined by the Holocaust and a present preoccupied by terrorism, there are storylines aplenty.
Gripping, but a bit predictable.
A good read for my recent getaway, but I found the story somewhat predictable. I did enjoy the art connection to the story. On balance, I'd say I'd rate "The Messenger" a notch behind the trilogy --"A Death in Vienna", "The English Assassin", and "The Confessor". Still I recommend it to fans of the genre. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Espionage/Intrigue    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    4. Thrillers    5. Fiction / Thrillers   

Editorial Review

In this splendid retelling of the biblical story of Hosea, bestselling author Francine Rivers pens a heartbreaking romance between a prostitute and the upright and kind farmer who marries her; the story also functions as a reminder of God's unconditional love for his people. Read more

Reviews (370)

simply the best
This book is simply one of the best books I have ever read!!Echoing the reviews of so many others for this book, I could not put it down and read it through the night.Francine Rivers has been blessed with the ability to create characters we can connect to immediately and cry with throughout the book.She includes topics that so many are embarrased by or ashamed of; she not only makes them interesting but she teaches compassion through them.I would not recommend this book to the young due to the sexual implications but those same implications are part of the hook that connects you with the characters so I would recommend it to everyone else.

audiobook
I had listened to this book on audiotape a few years ago, and it touched
Eye opening
A wonderful book, it brought me to tears numerous times. I highly recomend it to anyone in search of a good book to read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Romance    3. Popular American Fiction    4. Religious - General    5. Romance - General    6. Romance: Modern    7. FICTION / GENERAL / ROMANCE    8. Fiction / Romance / General   

Reviews (170)

I Hope You Don't Need to Eat or Sleep...
...because you won't, when you take up this engaging and delightful novel.I found it so difficult to believe it wasn't a true story that I turned to the introduction and read it again and again--trying to concentrate on what the author plainly tells us is complete fiction.How could it be?May Dodd was the most real person I've ever known!I was riveted by the (very accurate) portrayal of the historic events; entwined masterfully as they were with this wonderful tale--therefore making the story so hard to deny as truth.As it concerns the Plains Indians, you can bet it does not have the bodice-ripper "fairy-tale ending".However, the culmination of the story was so poignant and moving that you could scarcely mourn, only sigh with deep satisfaction. And THEN you will mourn, that it was not twice as long!Do not plan to stop reading this book until you finish it--it will take most readers about six hours.Plan on it.

A Mixed Medicine Bag(Beware of Spoiler)
I came close to tossing this book fairly early on.By page 64, May Dodd,
A real gem!
My book club buddy recommended this book to me. Aside from Lonesome Dove, one of my all time favorite books, I have not read too many westerns and began reading this with some skepticism. I could not put it down!
Read more

Subjects:  1. Cheyenne Indians    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Historical    4. Historical - General    5. Interracial marriage    6. Little Wolf,    7. Westerns - General    8. Women pioneers    9. d. 1904    10. Little Wolf   

Reviews (8)

A disappointing effort...cliche' and formulaic.
Unlike the rich, epic world of her Chalion series, what Bujold presents here a cliched fantasy that you can read in an afternoon.
so that's why this book felt unbalanced
one reviewer wrote that the sequel, to be published more than six months from now, was apparently part of this book. if so, the decision was, as most american business decisions seem to be, a way to gouge the customer and make more money for people who already are rich beyond the dreams of avarice. at least with bujold, the reader is guaranteed language that is grammatical as well as elegant, and a vocabulary that is accurate, brilliantly used, and assumes intelligence in the readers.
More.I want more.
LMB is one of only 2 authors that are on my hardback buy immediately list.Other authors have made the list in years past (Lackey. McCaffrey, Weber among others) only to be dropped to the wait for paperback list or even (in the case of L.K. Hamilton) wait for the library list.I'm happy to say that LMB's spot on the hardback list is quite secure.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Fantasy    2. Fantasy - General    3. Fantasy fiction    4. Fiction    5. Fiction - Fantasy    6. Love stories    7. Fiction / Fantasy / General   

Reviews (94)

I try to give a 5 star sparingly
I picked this novel up from my wish list while, interestingly enough, staying with my younger sister after the birth of her second child. I read this novel so quickly it surprised me!
Tyler never disappoints
and she does not with this latest novel. I love her writing, her characters, her eye, her voice. And her gentleness. The author just amazes me with the kindness of her eye. I don't think I have ever read an author who has the impact of me that she does.

Typical Tyler Magic
This book is a little unusual for Tyler.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Assimilation (Sociology)    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - General    4. Intercountry adoption    5. Iranian American women    6. Literary    7. Psychological    8. Tyler, Anne - Prose & Criticism    9. Fiction / Literary   

Subjects:  1. 1937-    2. American - General    3. Fiction - General    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Humorous    6. Karon, Jan,    7. Literary    8. Literary Collections    9. Literature: Classics    10. Mitford (N.C. : Imaginary place)    11. Mitford years    12. Sagas    13. Fiction / Literary   

Reviews (10)

Interesting story spoiled by overwriting
This is an important story: the depiction of first contact between white settlers and Australian Aborigines. Unfortunately I found Kate Grenville's telling of it unsatisfactory because it gets bogged down by heavy-handed writing.The plotline is cliched, the characters are two-dimensional, and the whole just doesn't come together.It's as if the story was a pastiche of bits and pieces that weren't sufficiently reworked before publication.What a pity!

Hard times in colonial Australia
William Thornhill doesn't have it easy growing up at the turn of the 19th Century. So when he becomes an apprentice to a Thames River bargeman, his life starts to look up. He finishes his apprenticeship, marries the bargeman's daughter, and even has his own riverboat. But it's too good to last, and before he knows it, he and his little family are plunged into poverty. The only way to make ends meet is to resort to thievery. He gets caught and faces death by hanging, but instead his sentence is to be transported to Australia.
Eloquent and captivating!
Glenville's book is sad, provocative, and well written.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Historical    3. Historical - General    4. Literary    5. Fiction / Literary   

Features

• Unabridged

Reviews (57)

It's a Good buy
It is a nice audio book.It does have it's flaws though.
Brilliant, and well worth the money!
I am not a "Total Ringophile", like some out there, but I have read the books three times and loved them. I lashed out and purchased this 46 CD set as I spend a lot of time on the commute to work. It is brilliant!Each CD has approx 15 "tracks" on it so that if you miss a bit as your mind wanders (as it does in the car..) you can just bounce back one track and hear that bit again, no problems. Rob Inglis does a great job, no question. It has added a new dimension to my experince of Tolkien's masterpiece, and I highly recommend it to all. BRILLIANT !

Ingles does a fantastic job
I did not realize what a wonderful job that Ingles had done in this reading until I began listening to other audio books. Ingles manages to give each character a distinct voice and as you proceed, you recognize immediately who it is that is speaking.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Fiction/Religious    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Classics    4. Fantasy - Epic    5. Unabridged Audio - Fiction/General   

Editorial Review

Everyone in town thinks Meg Murry is volatile and dull-witted, and that her younger brother, Charles Wallace, is dumb. People are also saying that their physicist father has run off and left their brilliant scientist mother.Spurred on by these rumors and an unearthly stranger, the tesseract-touting Mrs Whatsit, Meg and Charles Wallace and their new friend Calvin O'Keefe embark on a perilous quest through space to find their father. In doing so, they must travel behind the shadow of an evil power that is darkening the cosmos, one planet at a time. This is no superhero tale, nor is it science fiction, although it shares elements of both. The travelers must rely on their individual and collective strengths, delving deep within themselves to find answers.Read more

Reviews (940)

Enjoyable by young and old alike!
The earth is surrounded by a sinister presence - a dark, foul fog that is the tool of an ultimate evil - whose ambition is to enslave the planet with the complete removal of free will. Three magical beings, Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who and Mrs Which - witches, angels, demigods perhaps - appear to Margaret and Charles Wallace Murry and their friend, Calvin O'Keefe, to persuade them that it is their destiny to battle this evil on its own turf and to rescue Margaret and Charles Wallace's father. Dr Murry has been missing for some months and the kids learn that he has been captured by the evil while he was "tessering", traveling time and space in the course of his scientific research.
A Wrinkle in time
At first my teacher read it. She read the first chapter to us. It had me very excited to read on. So, this book taught me a lot. It kind of keeps you in suspence to.

Hated it.
It seems that people either love it or hate it andI belong to the latter category.How did this become a classic???Having forced myself to read to the end I'm not going to waste anymore time - just read the other 1-star reviews - poor kids forced by their teachers to read this over-rated garbage. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Fantasy    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Classics    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    7. Science fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Reviews (105)

Best of its kind.
I recently came across the title as cited by several different people as a book that was important in their life, and I'm grateful that I did. It encompasses all of the ideas expressed in many other books of its type, however it doesn't leave anything out, while addressing each topic in a succinct way. It is not new, and a few of the examples given will be dated. That doesn't lessen it's messages in anyway.

worth every cent
Written around 50 years ago this book still holds true. It is incredibly easy to read and will help your gear your mind towards success. Like most 'success' based books the concepts in here won't make your jaw drop in shock and awe as they are all essentially pretty simple - Think Success and Gain Success. The belief in your ability to achieve something is the first and most important step towards success. Believing you can, will spur your mind to support your belief with reasons, it will find a HOW so you can achieve your goal. Conversely, if you believe you can't, your mind will find reasons to support your claim,
Opens up door to success
This book has made a huge difference in the way I react, work, play and think about things that come up all the time.The highlighter flowed throughout and my inner lightbulb glowed regularly when reading this timeless marvel. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Psychology    3. Success    4. Fiction / General    5. Self-Help & Practical Interests   

Editorial Review

Read more

Reviews (522)

Much more than what I was expecting
"Gates of Fire" is not, singularly, a book about the 300 Spartans who fought at the Battle of Thermopylae.Moreso, it is a look into the individual men who made up this group and the quality of character that makes a Spartan.This is one of the best "historical" novels I have ever read.I have been intrigued with the Battle of Thermopylae for awhile, and bought this book several years ago, but never got past the first few pages because it was a little boring. Thankfully, I struggled through them, because by page five, "Gates of Fire" really takes off and sets the pace for an incredible story.
You won't read a more vivid combat account...
I've read this book twice, and both times was awestruck at the vivid accounts of Spartan combat thousands of years ago.Further, Pressfield does a remarkable job of capturing the Spartan ethos, the manner in which they lived and ultimately died.An outstanding read for action fans and history buffs alike, this is one you will not be able to put down.

When Men Were Men
At a time when some want to appease or even capitulate to our enemies, it is refreshing to read of an era when men stood shoulder to shoulder and fought against impossible odds to defend their country. In about 490 BC a force of up to 7000 Greeks anchored by 300 Spartan "hoplites" (heavy infantry) fought a suicidal holding action against at least 200,000Persians under king Xerxes. They did this in order to give the rest of the country time to prepare for its defense. This Alamo-like stand at a place called Thermopylae-literally the "Hot Gates"- is related in fine detail by Steven Pressfield in his novel Gates of Fire.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Historical    3. Historical - General    4. War & Military    5. Fiction / Historical    6. Horror & ghost stories   

Reviews (242)

The original theory of constraints story
A particularly easy, menorable read -- I still refer to it in my engineering discussions in the business place.A must read whose applicability goes beyond manufacturing engineering.
A Classic!!!
I was required to read this book as apart of my MBA program.Boy am I glad I was!!!This is an excellent book that uses the favorable fable approach to get points across.There are excellent principles that are presented in a way that seems more like reading a NY times best seller.Very easy read!!!

Still effective after all these years.
Even though the first edition of this book was 1984, the message is still applicable.The Goal of the business is to make money, and Goldratt tells us how in a very entertaining read.Subsequent books by several authors still mimic his theme of continual process improvement through the reduction of bottlenecks which uncovers still more areas for improvement.This is one book I always buy for new managers when they start their corporate journey.I bought this one for a new CEO friend of mine.He thought it was great! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business/Economics    3. Didactic fiction    4. Fiction    5. General    6. Organizational Behavior    7. Production & Operations Management    8. Structural Adjustment   

Reviews (201)

How on earth does DG continue to write such a great saga?!
ABOSAA is a very richly woven saga that was an enjoyable read from page 1 all the way through page 979. I continue to be in awe of DG's ability to write so much detail and to portray characters that are so believable. The Outlander series isone that I can immerse myself in and actually feel as if I am walking in Claire's shoes. Description is so authentic that you can almost "smell" what she is describing. Just when you believe a scene is too intense or disturbing, DG breaks up that emotion shortly after with something so witty that you laugh out loud! There are very few authors that can do that.
Fantastic
Oh my God!!!I had trouble putting it down!!!When does the next book come out??I want to know if Brianna and Roger come back??Or do Jamie and Claire go back to the future???

yet another guilty pleasure from Gabaldon
Although its quite an undertaking at nearly 1000 pages, "A Breath of Snow and Ashes" is a must-read for Jamie & Claire fans. They're back and in perfect form...with all the requisite tender love, devotion and sacrifice of previous Gabaldon tomes. In Jamie and Claire Fraser, the author has created two of the most clearly defined and memorable characters in current fiction. Gabaldon really shines in her ability to convey emotion so vividly that the reader can't help but become deeply invested in the series, despite its faults. Like all the Outlander books, the dialogue here fairly crackles off the page with wit, humor and visceral feeling. The author's trademark overstuffed cast of characters and extensively detailed descriptions of the minuteia of life (great for history buffs) is also present, but seems much more compelling in this novel in comparison to recent books. I must agree with other reviewers that the characters of Brianna and Roger have become decidedly lifelike and interesting in this novel, which was a pleasant surprise. One major problem is the author's rush to resolve storylines in the final chapters of the book. The ending seems to indicate that Gabaldon intends on continuing the series, so why give short shrift to such major plot points? Additionally, one question I'd have for the author is: Did women really get abducted so often back in the 1700's? Nary an Outlander book passes without Claire and/or Brianna getting abducted several times, just so that Jamie and/or Roger can ride heroically to their rescue. I believe these issues, along with the clear lack of editorial guidance during the making of this book, are simply symptoms of the author's ego, popularity and the hungry devotion of her fans to hearing anything at all about these characters. (And I am among those fans.) If you are picking this book up as a new reader, do yourself a favor and at least read "Outlander" first. Otherwise, your suspension of disbelief may not make it too far in this story. That being said, I consider "A Breath of Snow and Ashes" to be another enjoyable, yet guilty pleasure from Gabaldon because I simply cannot stop myself: I MUST know what happens next. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 18th century    2. Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Romance    5. Historical - General    6. History    7. North Carolina    8. Revolution, 1775-1783    9. Romance - Historical    10. Romance - Time Travel    11. Fiction / General   

Reviews (14)

Read About the Power of Print to Change Lives
Books change lives and the stories in this title bear repeated witness of this fact. In each chapter, a well-known author talks about the power of the printed page to transform life.Each story is different and unique to the individual. I love this book and discovered new insights into several authors who I appreciate.

YOU'VE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK!55 PEOPLE TELL THE STORY OF THE BOOK THAT CHANGED THEIR LIFE
This book is one of the best I have ever read, I too could not put it down and finished it in 3 days!I was sad when I finished it.The stories were all so exciting.I couldn't wait to read some of their recommended books!I do hope there will be more editions of this book to follow.

An Interesting Look At What People Read And Why
I've read a number of books and articles about reading. I love to read and find it fascinating to see what others read and how the books have influenced their lives. More often than not, the list includes the same titles. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and THE CATCHER IN THE RYE are usual favorites. GREAT EXPECTATIONS and THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV are often mentioned by more adventurous readers and of course, a work of Shakespeare has to be included on such a list. I planned on passing by YOU'VE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK since I figured I already know what's going to be in it, but when I looked in the back of the book, glanced at the titles, I was impressed by the variety of contributors, the wide array of books selected, and the stories that followed. Each contributor selects a book, tells a personal story and the way the book impacted their life.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Books & Reading    2. Books And Reading    3. Inspiration & Personal Growth    4. Inspirational    5. Life change events    6. Literary Criticism    7. Motivational & Inspirational    8. Personal Growth - General    9. Self-Help / Motivational   

Reviews (94)

Great Read
America's hero Mitch Rapp returns for another superb encore. CIA Director designate Irene Kennedy is in top form as is President Robert Hayes who seems to be much more decisive in this book than he has in other parts of the series. The bad guys are there: Senator Hank Clark, RepresentativeAlbert Rudin,Jonathan Brown, a former judge and envious contender for the position of CIA Director as well as Ben Fiedman Director General of the, Mossad, a loyalist to his country but still greedy for himself. Sadam Hussein is close to having three operational nuclear devices. A daring mission inside Iraq ensues. Plus, the bad guys are taken care of. Excellent!

an excellent,diverting thriller
a very nice page turner with more than enough depth,detail
Series hits a brick wall
This is the third installment in the Mitch Rapp series and the author's fourth book overall. (I'd suggest reading the previous books both for chronology reasons and that they're better reads.) Mitch is America's #1 "go to" guy when it comes to fighting terrorism. In "Separation of Power" he is faced with cleaning up some open issues from his last mission (someone tried to kill him), the political "in-fighting" surrounding the naming of a new CIA chief, rogue Mossad agents, Iraq gaining nuclear weapons and falling in love. One could be forgiven in thinking this last issue would make for a pleasant diversion while our hero prevents WW III. Not so. Mitch's romance takes a front and center position and in a word is well ... comedic. The "action" threads of the plot - which this author has worked so well in his previous books - is hinted at in the first 100 pages, doesn't really begin until after 200 pages - and then proceeds in fits and starts. There is an inordinate amount of "character development" - self-serving, amoral, scheming politicans & our world weary, battle scarred reluctant hero Mitch, who must once again pick up the sword to do what no other man can do - which like the "romance" impedes the plot. The book hastily concludes, (20+ pages), in an unsatisfying and simplistic finale. Hopefully this book is an anomaly in the series because the author's previous books were great roller coaster rides and provided entertaining reading at the beach and in airports. Unfortunately the much rushed conclusion and Mitch's "new" situation doesn't guarantee that. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Espionage/Intrigue    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    4. Political    5. Suspense    6. Thrillers    7. Fiction /