Reviews (7)

good overview, but as a whole seems to lack a little vision
I continue to count myself a Haruki Murakami fan and will continue to pick up every release and peruse literary magazines for his name.My interest in Murakami started from a brilliant collection of contemporary Japanese fiction called _Monkey Brain Sushi_.The story, "TV People," led me to pick up _The Elephant Vanishes_, and from there I was hooked.
Poor aunts that stay on your back
Murakami is an author unlike many other i have encountered. Words for him are not the end, but a means to it. Wind-up bird, Hard boiled wonderland, Wild sheep chase have established this recluse as the master of the 'bizarre.
Absolutely Strange
I hope I can make it clear that for me to describe a book as strange is not necessarily a condemnatory dismissal, and also not automatically complimentary: in the past I've used it both ways. In saying in my title that this anthology of short stories is "absolutely strange" indicates my slight recoiling from subject matter that is so outside even the most extreme confines of the norm I don't as yet know quite how to take it. In truth I probably should have allowed this material to "ferment" a bit more before attempting a review.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Literary    4. Short Stories (single author)    5. Short Story    6. Fiction / Literary   

Reviews (17)

4 3/4 stars
I was hooked from the very first page. Ted Bell has written a very enthralling, action packed thriller. This is my first Bell novel and it reminded me a lot of Clive Cussler's writing style. Great escapist fiction. I did have a tendency to get annoyed with the numerous editing errors. Other than that, this was first class entertainment.
I hated myself in the morning
As much as I hate to admit it, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The source of my enjoyment was not the adolescent characters, the many typos and grammatical errors, the improbable deus ex machinae, or the inconsistencies (like counting nine days from Sunday to Sunday). I enjoyed it because the story is so intense that I literally could not put the book down. If you're looking for some mindless fun, you'll find it here.

"THIS BOOK IS INTENSE!"
A sensational read! There is so much tension and suspense you just go with it,
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Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    5. Hawke, Alex (Fictitious character)    6. Intelligence officers    7. Terrorists    8. Thrillers    9. Fiction / General   

Reviews (1)

An absolutely delicious anthology...
I purchased this book for a class, but was delighted to discover that I will definitely want to hang onto it afterwards.The translations chosen for the 'Ancient World' portion are, for the most part, delightfully vivid and capture the spirit of the original language.I also like the layout - the margin size is just perfect for taking notes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Collections    2. General    3. Literary Collections    4. Literature    5. Literature (General)    6. Literature - Classics / Criticism    7. Literature: Classics    8. Reference    9. Rhetoric    10. Collections & anthologies of various literary forms   

Editorial Review

Mr. Kapasi, the protagonist of Jhumpa Lahiri's title story, wouldcertainly have his work cut out for him if he were forced to interpret the maladies of all the characters in this eloquent debut collection. Take, for example, Shoba and Shukumar, the young couple in "A Temporary Matter" whose marriage is crumbling in the wake of a stillborn child. Or Miranda in "Sexy," who is involved in a hopeless affair with a married man. But Mr. Kapasi has problems enough of his own; in addition to his regular job working as an interpreter for a doctor who does not speak his patients' language, he also drives tourists to local sites of interest. His fare on this particular day is Mr. and Mrs. Das--first-generation Americans of Indian descent--and their children. During the course of the afternoon, Mr. Kapasi becomes enamored of Mrs. Das and then becomes her unwilling confidant when she reads too much into his profession. "I told you because of your talents," she informs him after divulging a startling secret.Read more

Reviews (411)

Tales of Two Countries
Nine short stories, told in so natural and transparent a style that at times one forgets that what one is reading has been exquisitely crafted by its author. But she is there, all right, in her choice of subject matter, her acuity of observation, her sensitivity to minute disturbances of the emotional field. Most of the main characters are of Indian descent but, except in two stories set entirely in India, they are people making a new life in America or already established here. While their ethnicity is always present in references to food, dress, and customs, we nonetheless recognize them as people like ourselves, leading everyday lives and struggling to define themselves. Most of the events are quite small -- a power-cut, the problem of finding a child-minder, moving into a new condo -- but they shine light on deeper, less transitory human issues. A particular joy is the way the collection is framed between two stories, one pinpointing the loss of love in a spontaneous marriage, the other celebrating the birth of love in an arranged one.

One of my all time favorite books
This has to be one of my favorite books.I first read this several years ago. At first, I wasn't drawn to it, since the stories are told from a very specific immigrant point of view.However, the stories go well beyond the ethnic voice in which it is told. The characters and their stories are universal in nature and help enlighten our human condition.The writing is powerful, evoking a wide range of emotions...sadness, regret, hope, joy, longing.Some of the images in the book have lingered with me for years(e.g. the lonely woman's cocktail dress falling off thehanger in her closet).I can't wait for more books from Ms. Lahiri!

Astounding depth in small packages
To think that this is a book on immigrants is to completely miss the point.This collection of short stories paints the lives of different people in different stages of their lives, and subtly yet so effectively portrays the discovery (or rediscovery) of love, or better yet, the unearthing of meaning that we are forever struggling to find.Some find it through compromise, some through complacency and others simply need to be reminded.
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Subjects:  1. East Indian Americans    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - General    4. Literary    5. Popular American Fiction    6. Short Stories (single author)    7. Short stories    8. Fiction / Short Stories (single author)    9. Modern fiction   

Reviews (228)

not for the faint of heart
Hard as a New Yorker who was there, but this book I actually found more rewarding than Foer's first, "Everything is Illuminated".Perhaps this is because the characters where so real to me that I could look at my window and se their real life counterparts,

Oskar is an Aspie
Hasn't anyone noticed that the narrator has Asperger's Syndrome??I don't know if this was Foer's intent, but it seems clear to me: the literalism, the odd phrases, the brilliant mind, the lack of social skills...

Heavy Boots and One Hundred Dollars....
I love Oskar and his grandparents. I fell in love with all of them. I laughed out loud. I cried multiple times. Some parts were incredibly sad- hence the heavy boots. I'm still thinking about this book days later. That's one hundred dollars right there.. Thanks Jonathan ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Witness Stephen King's triumphant, blood-spattered return to the genre that made him famous. Read more

Reviews (651)

Dropped call....
As a huge Stephen King fan I really looked forward to reading this book but was quickly disappointed.There's no real character development.I would like to know who Tom was before the pulse or what Alice was like before the pulse. It started off very strong but towards the middle it started to lag and then eventually stopped.I didn't feel like I was reading a true Stephen King book at all. This felt like a third rate 'The Stand' with cell phones instead of a flu virus. 'The Stand' was a much better read.

Sorry, Wrong Number
What happens if one day everyone within hearing range of a cell phone were to suddenly go insane?What if that insanity caused those afflicted to attack everyone within sight?Stephen King asks these questions in this book.Unfortunately, our protagonists never find why and King makes me wish that he had picked the protagonists that located the source of the pulse.
Not one of Stephen King's best
The idea behind this book is a good one, like many of King's book: what if at one point in time, every person in the world who talks on or listens to a cellular phone receives some "signal" or "pulse" that acts like a "reset" button on a computer, erases his or her personality and leaves only primal madness, aggressiveness and eventually a sense of flocking with others of their kind? And what if a few people who were smart or lucky enough not to receive that "pulse" and have been able to figure out that the cell phones are the cause, get together and set off on a journey towards possible sanity?
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Subjects:  1. Cellular telephones    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - General    4. Fiction - Horror    5. General    6. Horror    7. Horror - General    8. Horror Fiction    9. King, Stephen - Prose & Criticism    10. Murderers    11. Fiction / General   

Editorial Review

It has been said that a mystery novel is "about something" and a literary tale is not.Read more

Reviews (15)

Fascinating Historical Thriller.
This is one outstanding read if you are a New Yorker who enjoys historical thrillers the way I do!With uncanny precision, Jed Rubenfeld accurately and colorfully describes turn of the twentieth century New York City at a time many historians consider to be the `incubator period' of what has shaped to become the modern day city of the world, while providing us with a fascinating thriller filled with some of the most interesting and unique characters ever to shape the pages of the fictionalized world: true life mentor/teacher soon-to-be nemesis Dr. Sigmund Freud and Dr. Carl Jung!
A decent debut, but lacking
When I heard of the premise of this novel, I was very interested in it.Historical fiction is not an easy genre to conquer and I was intrigued by this particular author's take on Sigmund Freud and his American visit.
A Book Lover's Dream
I congratulate Mr Rubenfeld on a magnificent first novel. It is intelligent and erudite. Comparisons with the similarly themed "The Alienist" by Caleb Carr is inevitable and apt. For me, the style and plot also echoes Umberto Eco.I particularly enjoyed the references to Hamlet.Some of my fellow readers have been quick to criticise the author for his portrayal of Jung.That is a not-invalid point but Iam no apologist for the author, and would beg my fellow reader to enjoy the novel for what it is - a novel.It is another building in the City of Invention - to borrow the phrase from Fay Weldon's Letters to Alice - and it is a worthy edifice. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1856-1939    2. American Historical Fiction    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Freud, Sigmund,    6. Historical - General    7. Manhattan (New York, N.Y.)    8. Mystery & Detective - Historical    9. Mystery fiction    10. Thrillers    11. Fiction / Thrillers   

Editorial Review

An affectionate, sometimes bashful pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. A prancing, playful bloke, Wilbur is devastated when he learns of the destiny that befalls all those of porcine persuasion. Determined to save her friend, Charlotte spins a web that reads "Some Pig," convincing the farmer and surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary animal and should be saved. In this story of friendship, hardship, and the passing on into time, E.B. White reminds us to open our eyes to the wonder and miracle often found in the simplest of things. ... Read more

Reviews (373)

A fine work of literature that can stand alongside any in English
I just reread it recently as an adult. I had this boxed set of three hardcover E.B. White books when I was a kid - Charlotte's Web, The Trumpet of the Swan (which I remember as my favorite of the three, though I hardly remember it today), and Stuart Little.
Charlotte's Web
I've purchased this book for my daughter who is almost 9 years old, I end up reading it before her.This book is great for growing up kids; how wonderful and variable it is to have a friend he/she can depend on and be with to share fun, sad and so so stories to one another.
A classic, and for a good reason
This book, though it may seem to be just a cute story about a pig, is actually quite sad.The first time I read this book I was in first grade and I liked it, but it was only when I just recently read it again that I realized how good it really is. This book, through its simple plot, reminded me a lot about how selfless some people are and also about growing up.No wonder it's a classic; even though it's written for little kids, it can remind a lot of people about their own lives and bring back a lot of fond memories. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Farm Animals    2. Animals - General    3. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 4-6    6. Classics    7. Fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Lifestyles - Farm Life & Ranch Life    10. Pigs    11. Social Issues - Friendship    12. Spiders    13. Juvenile Fiction / Classics   

Reviews (328)

Great book about individuality
This is a great book about the importance of self expression and individuality, it was way ahead of her time. 'The Awakening' is about a ninteenth century woman named Edna, and through seeing the restrictions of marriage, and the expression of art, seeks independence, but as a consequence becomes isolated.The Awakening is a sad story. Sad because of the conflict Mrs. Pontellier is having. Sad because of her lonliness. Yet it is also alluring because Edna does eventually break away from her pre-determined role; because she finally does awaken and free herself...I loved this book alot, it is a must read for anyone who can read.Another story that I recommend is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald -- I mean in case there are still any souls that did not read it...

The "Blinding"
I wish I could give this book a 0 rating. I have yet to understand why this world figures that a woman (or man) must be immoral in order to make a name for herself, or discover her soul. The only thing I enjoyed about this book is how it brought me back to a darn near picture perfect example of the immoral woman written about in the Book of Proverbs as compared to the woman of wisdom. The main character was so selfish in this book. I did feel sorry for the character because of her lost state but, ultimately I found my self very detached from this woman. This book is more about being blind and decieved rather than "awakened." I can now conculed I am not a fan of Mrs. Chopin or her incoherent character Edna! I understand the concept of equality for women, but come on, is this piece of literature really desired as a voice for feminism! In all my encounters with that which is labeled as dealing with the feminist cause/ feminist literature/feminist ideals, I have yet to be persuaded that is someting worthy of association with.

A beautiful and sensual Victorian classic!
I'd never read Kate Chopin before, but The Awakening seemed like a good place to start. The premise of this book seemed interesting. Set in turn-of-the-century New Orleans, this classic tale tells the story of Edna Pontellier, a proper wife and mother who lives a rather passionless life with her husband in a cottage near the beach. She becomes rather aware of herself and that there has to be more to life than what she has experienced. And so, she experiences a sexual awakening when she has an affair with a younger, unmarried man. And that is just the beginning of her journey, which includes getting rid of her husband and children to continue on her route to self-discovery. But will she find happiness in a world where women are oppressed and an uninhibited nature is considered wrong?
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Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction    3. Literary    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Literature: Classics    6. Psychological    7. Fiction / Literary   

Reviews (1)

Dark Knight - Absolute
I still remember with stunning clarity when Dark Knight burst (and it did burst, big and bloody) onto the comic book scene. I bought the original 4 issue Prestige Format mini-series, bought the soft-cover collection, bought the hard-cover (a rarity in those days), and was lucky enough to win a signed-and-number special edition of the hard-cover as well. Even had the poster.
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Subjects:  1. Comics & Graphic Novels    2. Fiction    3. Graphic Novels    4. Graphic Novels - General    5. Graphic Novels - Superheroes   

Reviews (114)

A Gift to Me!
After seeing his video, The Seven Decisions, I had to have the book.It is entirely different, but with the same message.I then bought three to give as gifts.Andy is a great story teller, and very entertaining.I highly recommend this book, and you'll want to get another one to share (keep your own).

Am I a Voice in the Wilderness?
I bought this book based on the blurbs, and the fact that I enjoy an occasional Steven Covey - type read.
An excellent book
I really enjoyed The Traveller's Gift which was recommended to me by one of my very successful friends.I am a huge student/trainer of Personal Development information, and what I liked most about this book was it's freshness.
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Subjects:  1. Christianity - Christian Life - General    2. Conduct of life    3. Fiction    4. General    5. Inspirational    6. Inspirational - General    7. Personal Growth - Success    8. Success    9. Personal Growth    10. Self-Help / Success   

Reviews (3)

Welcome BACK Phillip Mercer!!!
I have been saying for several years now that Jack DuBrul IS the Heir to the Cussler Action Throne, and his last 3 novels have helped cement my opinion, but 'Havoc' has in fact cast my opinion in solid titanium.One other reviewer noted that since there has been a much longer wait for this novel than in between the Mercer novels of the past, it MAY have helped to propel 'Havoc' into a better status than it otherwise may have received, but I tend to think that DuBrul earned it the hard way: Through good old fashioned great storytelling.
the adventures and escapes never stop
In 1937 Chester Bowie makes a startling discovery about how Alexander the Great conquered the world.He realizes the emperor had a weapon of mass destruction millennia before anyone heard of nuclear energy.However, on his trip from Europe to the United States to further his work, Chester dies on that fatal Hindenburg disaster, but he leaves clues about his discovery.
Welcome back, Mercer!
For fans of Jack Du Brul and his series character Philip Mercer, the wait for the latest book has been far too long!At least Mercer is returning to us in a fashionable hardback edition.And it's possible that absence has made my heart grow fonder, because I found this novel a joy to read from start to finish.
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Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    5. Geologists    6. Technological    7. Terrorists    8. Thrillers    9. Fiction / Thrillers   

Subjects:  1. Education    2. General    3. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    4. Reading    5. Research    6. Teaching Methods & Materials - Reading    7. English    8. English language: reading skills    9. Teaching of a specific subject   

Reviews (5)

At the Heart
Dave and Clarice Johnson have been married for twelve years.In that time they have drifted apart, but they share the same house and same bed.Yet their dreams and goals are so different.
Heartwarming and Real!
T.D. Jakes' book is timely and engaging!Each page will have you yearning for more.Not Easily Broken book proves how, no matter how earth shattering the struggle, God is still a God of healing and restoration within marriages.I highly recommend it; excellent read!
The plot keeps you moving!
I can count on one hand the number of fiction books I've read in the last 10 years, but I couldn't put this one down! It captured my attention from the very first page, and I could relate to the characters immediately. I read it in two evenings. You'll want to keep going to see what happens, especially after the book takes a surprise turn. The other reviewer is correct...it's real without being preachy. And it should speak to the hearts of married women, esp. those of us with good men that we sometimes take for granted. Grab the book, light up the fire, get a cup of coffee, get the kids to bed, and have at it! A great book!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African American Novel And Short Story    2. Christian fiction    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. Fiction - Religious    6. General    7. Marriages    8. Religious - General    9. Fiction / General   

Reviews (179)

not worth the time
The writing is pedestrian and the plot makes no sense.I thought something might change, that it might become an interesting ghost story, or there might be moral issues, or maybe even a character would grow or change.The heavy-handed ending is, perhaps, intended to demonstrate how the intense oppression and suppression of women in Amish culture forces them to violence against their loved ones...but that's a pretty heavy message for a book that seems full of meaninglessness.Are we supposed to take everything that Ellie says about the Amish in court (peaceful, gentle, incapable of murder, loving, child-centric, willing to accept an out-of-wedlock child into the community) as lies?The ending belongs to a much darker book.My biggest complaint though is the bad writing and editing, I kept stumbling over inconsistencies and that always inhibits my enjoyment of a story.

ANOTHER GREAT BOOK FROM JODI PICOULT!
I have read several of Ms. Picoult's books and I think this was the best yet.The writing was so great, I was taken right into the Amish countryside. The Truth About Jodi Picoult
Like all of the Jodi Picoult novels I've read to date, this one slides down as easily as ice cream. She is a masterful storyteller, with the ability to pull you into a time and place, and an extraordinary family situation. Plain Truth tells the story of an Amish girl by the name of Katie Fisher and the lawyer, Ellie Hathaway, who defends her in a murder trial. Katie is accused of neonaticide, killing a baby she refuses to admit she delivered even though it is a medically indisputable fact that she has just given birth.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Psychological Suspense    3. Legal    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery/Suspense    6. Psychological    7. Crime & mystery    8. Fiction / General   

Editorial Review

While the Bible may be the word of God, transcribed by divinely inspired men, it does not provide a full (or even partial) account of the life of Jesus Christ. Lucky for us that Christopher Moore presents a funny, lighthearted satire of the life of Christ--from his childhood days up to his crucifixion--in Read more

Reviews (353)

A Messiah and miracle worker with a sense of humor
Moore created a tough challenge for himself as a comic writer by putting a fictional spin on the life of Christ, especially the years between His childhood and ministry that are a wide gap in the Gospels. Yet he succeeds brilliantly in giving the iconic Messiah and miracle worker a human personality with a trait some of His most dour, so-called followers centuries later still lack - a sense of humor. The number of grammatical errors and occasional factual goof (in his epilogue Moore refers to the Book of Revelations, instead of Revelation) are disappointing. Yet, overall, his research is meticulous. For me, the narrative stalled in the middle - where Moore has the Messiah in the Middle East learning Eastern philosophy from the three wise men. Still, "Lamb" is memorable and thoroughly enjoyable.

Delightful and fun!
I couldn't put it down! The scene in the garden, where Joshua first encounters the procrastinating angel, had me laughing so hard.. and then, every time I thought about it. Biff and Joshua are typical boys, growing up and venturing forth in the world. Biff knows his buddy is special and he's always there to cover Josh's back, to encourage and protect, and to discuss those things universal to young men. It's a fun book you'll want to share.

Tooo funny for words!
Are you tired of all the depressing news in the world today? Well, now you can escape for a while by reading Lamb:The Gospel According To Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. I was leary about purchasing this book because of my staunch Catholic upbringing. However, I trusted the Amazon reviewers and once again was rewarded with a fantastic read. Christopher Moore is my kind of nut case. His imagination is incredible and this book was almost impossible to put down. I have already ordered another one of his books and will most likely read every one that he has written. It feels so good to laugh...thanks Christopher! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible.    3. Fict