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Review Date: 5/16/2007
Helpful Score: 16
An extremely quick read that's a bit difficult to get into, initially, because of pronoun use. It's completely understood by the end, though, and serves to emphasize the point of the book. However, if you're familiar at all with Rand, you probably know what she's getting at before you read it.
This is perfect introductory book for anyone interested in Rand who has not yet worked up the courage to tackle _The Fountainhead_ or _Atlas Shrugged_.
This is perfect introductory book for anyone interested in Rand who has not yet worked up the courage to tackle _The Fountainhead_ or _Atlas Shrugged_.
Review Date: 11/17/2006
Helpful Score: 11
Cleanly written. Nicely introduces words such as "portable" and "grafted" into a child's vocabulary and allows him/her to contextually grasp the meaning even before explaining the definition. Includes an interesting summary of the appearance of apples throughout Greek myths and other historical tales.
Review Date: 6/11/2007
Helpful Score: 14
This book was certainly not what I expected. The majority of it is literally about war - terrains, combatants, spies, etc. Of course, much can be gleaned from the more general statements about leading a group, treatment of a group, discipline, etc.
In all, it is worth the read if you're managing a group, in the military, or simply want to understand the dynamics and inner-workings of approaching an enemy (in any sense of the word). There is, after all, much wisdom to be gained here.
In all, it is worth the read if you're managing a group, in the military, or simply want to understand the dynamics and inner-workings of approaching an enemy (in any sense of the word). There is, after all, much wisdom to be gained here.
Review Date: 7/20/2015
Fantastic follow-up to the first book. Todd and Viola are played against each other - lies upon lies - and many people die. The Mayor is just plain evil. None of this should come as a shock to someone who has read the first book. There are images to slavery and misogyny and Nazi rule. I simply cannot believe the cruelty toward women (not graphic, just mentioned). Again, this ends on a cliffhanger - what the heck are the Spackle doing?? - I need to stop wasting time writing this review and find that third book righ
Review Date: 9/25/2006
Helpful Score: 12
I tried three times to read this one and each time I cringed at the saccharine-sweetness of the little, perfect town. Perhaps I'm not the target audience for this one.
Review Date: 8/5/2006
Helpful Score: 18
Dismal and bleak, this depicts the story of an introspective woman struggling through adolescence with only part of a face. The writing is strong, the observations keen and telling. I felt the last 1/3 could have used the same detail and storytelling as the first 2/3.
Review Date: 4/17/2006
Helpful Score: 11
Lyrical and poetic (would you expect anything less from a Canadian poetess?), this novel is lush with prose and story, chronicling the personal, invward journey of a woman who moves _closer_ to who she is, not away. However, she does pull from those around her in order to do this and involves many other characters in her life who are touched by her "absence." If you enjoy the rich prose in "The Shipping News," give this one a try.
Review Date: 12/13/2006
Helpful Score: 14
Quick read. Charming coming-of-age type story of a teenaged boy during the Maoist re-education of China. Literature lovers will especially appreciate this one.
Review Date: 3/28/2014
One would almost never believe this charming novel centering around three women was authored by a man. I believe the one action that gave it away for me was that grown women stick their tongues out at each other far less than is depicted here. Nonetheless, the relationship between newly-widowed Charlotte, newly-pregnant Chloe, and flinty Grace seamlessly came together.
I enjoyed reading Charlotte's descriptions of archaeological digs and how one learns about another person long gone. So many fantastic parallels there. Beautiful prose, too. I enjoyed the act of reading this one; the pacing and language reminded me of Linda Olsson or a slightly-livelier Sarah Stonich.
Coomer employed a plot device I'm not fond of: the story growing along with a pregnancy, as well as a predictable ending. That's why I take off a star. But if you can deal with that, read this little gem; it's touching in a comfortable way.
I enjoyed reading Charlotte's descriptions of archaeological digs and how one learns about another person long gone. So many fantastic parallels there. Beautiful prose, too. I enjoyed the act of reading this one; the pacing and language reminded me of Linda Olsson or a slightly-livelier Sarah Stonich.
Coomer employed a plot device I'm not fond of: the story growing along with a pregnancy, as well as a predictable ending. That's why I take off a star. But if you can deal with that, read this little gem; it's touching in a comfortable way.
Review Date: 10/20/2007
Helpful Score: 5
This book would have been better had it not been so predictable. Because one could easily discern the direction everything was headed, all of the events and actions of the main character seemed to drag. Of course, for what it was, it was entertaining. I felt like I knew Ridley, the main character, quite well; and Ms. Unger did a good job of fleshing out Ridley's love interest. It's recommended if only for the characters.
Review Date: 8/7/2007
Helpful Score: 11
Halfway through the book I watched an interview with Naomi Wolf on PBS where she wore make-up! -- the very same "evil" she'd been condemning throughout this. After I finished reading, though, I understood.
I disagree with many of her arguments, but I found the book entertaining and informative. Personally, I love curling my hair and putting on make-up, but not because I've bought into the male-driven visual culture. I think she redeems herself at the end and gives a well-thought out conclusion. I also don't think it would hurt women to be aware of what she suggests.
However, coming from a knock-out like Naomi Wolf, it's a bit hard to swallow her idea that beauty shouldn't be that important to women. There's a reason she's classified as a "Do-Me Feminist."
I disagree with many of her arguments, but I found the book entertaining and informative. Personally, I love curling my hair and putting on make-up, but not because I've bought into the male-driven visual culture. I think she redeems herself at the end and gives a well-thought out conclusion. I also don't think it would hurt women to be aware of what she suggests.
However, coming from a knock-out like Naomi Wolf, it's a bit hard to swallow her idea that beauty shouldn't be that important to women. There's a reason she's classified as a "Do-Me Feminist."
Review Date: 4/15/2007
Helpful Score: 14
Well-researched and well-written, this novel just doesn't grip as well as it should. It falls flat in many places - particularly why Eliza is drawn so much to spelling in the first place. It's atypical of a girl her age. Goldberg doesn't explore this.
The ending leaves much to be desired, too. Not everything needs to be wrapped up, but at least something does.
The ending leaves much to be desired, too. Not everything needs to be wrapped up, but at least something does.
Review Date: 4/13/2013
I picked this one up because it was on the "Hot" list for book clubs and I am inherently interested in what other book clubs are reading. (That's a lie; I'm interested in books, period). I was not disappointed; this one riveted me and yes, the ending contained the customary twist that was unexpected in how the author presented it. I enjoyed this one cover-to-cover and by the time I finished the first section I knew I wouldn't be able to put it down.
Christine's life has been essentially taken from her because of a traumatic event that happened twenty years ago and she tries desperately to piece together the missing years, the missing people, etc. However, there is a huge problem: she forgets everything she's learned once she falls asleep. This problematic situation does seem to have a remedy and she pursues it and that creates another problem and things get complicated and discoveries are madeyou'll love following Christine's story as she learns to love her husband again and little memories slip back here and there. And she learns there is more to her story than she thinks or remembers or is told - or is there?
What this story does for the reader is even more interesting - and somewhat traumatic, too. For me, it made me think about the process of forgetting and things I'd like to forget and it made me remember things I thought I *had* forgotten. But you can't make yourself forget things. It doesn't work like that. Instead, we forget the things we don't want to. Memory clouds the thrill of first time we met the love of our life, the surreal moment our love proposed, our first kiss, the time our love first told us he/she loved us. Why do these memories get fuzzy but the painful ones are crystal clear? Is it because we wear them out from repeated recall? It doesn't seem fair. Is it apparent, now, why this book is a hit with book clubs?
Christine's life has been essentially taken from her because of a traumatic event that happened twenty years ago and she tries desperately to piece together the missing years, the missing people, etc. However, there is a huge problem: she forgets everything she's learned once she falls asleep. This problematic situation does seem to have a remedy and she pursues it and that creates another problem and things get complicated and discoveries are madeyou'll love following Christine's story as she learns to love her husband again and little memories slip back here and there. And she learns there is more to her story than she thinks or remembers or is told - or is there?
What this story does for the reader is even more interesting - and somewhat traumatic, too. For me, it made me think about the process of forgetting and things I'd like to forget and it made me remember things I thought I *had* forgotten. But you can't make yourself forget things. It doesn't work like that. Instead, we forget the things we don't want to. Memory clouds the thrill of first time we met the love of our life, the surreal moment our love proposed, our first kiss, the time our love first told us he/she loved us. Why do these memories get fuzzy but the painful ones are crystal clear? Is it because we wear them out from repeated recall? It doesn't seem fair. Is it apparent, now, why this book is a hit with book clubs?
Review Date: 4/15/2006
Helpful Score: 15
The writing and plot certainly kept me going and made me want to finish, but as others have stated, the ending fell flat. Just as the ending can ruin the most beautiful piece of music, this did. It put me off of Patchett for a while, as I felt the end and epilogue were tacked on ... but for no reason I could possibly think of. Made me consider the rest of the story "unreal" in retrospect.
Review Date: 10/1/2006
Helpful Score: 6
A satisfying ending to a great series. I loved following these characters through their journeys and discoveries, and education, of their own, elemental talents.
Review Date: 10/16/2007
Helpful Score: 6
Engagingly written book that explores the mental break-down of a young woman. This is semi-autobiographical, as Plath and her main character have some strong similarities. In my opinion, I think this describes quite well the fusion of mania and depression in a bi-polar person. Not the up-up-up mania, but the irritable and angry mania - a perfect "mixed" state. The title is an analogy to the isolation and separation the main character feels - everyone can see what's in a bell jar, but no one can hear what's going on inside.
Review Date: 10/13/2011
This shouldn't be categorized as a novel; it's a collection of four, somewhat-related short stories. All four stories entertained me and kept my interest, the last three, especially. I found the writing good - not great - and at times insightful, albeit somewhat neurotic. Park should be commended for his talent of creating three-dimensional characters, as each main character seemed as real as you or me.
It took me a while to warm up to the final, titular story, as the characters were not the types of characters with whom I ordinarily connect; however, once I became engrossed in the story, I couldn't put it down. The ending was a bit of a let down, but I couldn't really expect a group of stories to go out with a loud bang in the midst of so much dampening snow. I must consider it appropriate.
It took me a while to warm up to the final, titular story, as the characters were not the types of characters with whom I ordinarily connect; however, once I became engrossed in the story, I couldn't put it down. The ending was a bit of a let down, but I couldn't really expect a group of stories to go out with a loud bang in the midst of so much dampening snow. I must consider it appropriate.
Review Date: 5/30/2006
Helpful Score: 16
Although the ending fell flat with me, by and large I enjoyed this tale of art and politics in Renaissance Italy. Most especially, I appreciated the way Dunant weaved in the treatment of women during this time. No doubt the heroine was a smart, classy woman, but I loved that her slave was the one outwitting everyone. Not a fast read, but full of good, researched, historical information about the time.
Review Date: 6/13/2007
Helpful Score: 14
It is difficult me to separate this book from its author, as Sheri was my writing professor in college. I know she completed this novel while finishing the M.F.A. program. I also know it was extremely emotional for her to write.
That said, I *did* love the book and found myself empathizing with the main character even though she made decisions very different from what I would have made in her situation. Essentially, this book chronicles the story of an abused girl, her journey to create her own life, the way she copes, and the way she eventually comes to terms with her life. She's extraordinary and not your typical character. Recommended because of its unique approach to creating a character.
That said, I *did* love the book and found myself empathizing with the main character even though she made decisions very different from what I would have made in her situation. Essentially, this book chronicles the story of an abused girl, her journey to create her own life, the way she copes, and the way she eventually comes to terms with her life. She's extraordinary and not your typical character. Recommended because of its unique approach to creating a character.
Review Date: 8/19/2010
What a delightfully palatable book! Ouellette makes difficult physics concepts easier to understand by using cultural references as analogies. From literature to movies, this series of essays speaks of X-rays, string theory, and time travel.
I don't rate it five stars because the chapter on the quarks and bosons shouldn't have been included. The concept is amazingly difficult, itself, but I thought it wasn't adequately explained, not like the other subjects, anyway. I guess you can't really ignore something as important as the discovery of a quark, but I was hoping for a clearer definition, like Ouellette gave in all previous and subsequent chapters.
I was floored that she could actually explain the necessity of having 11 dimensions in order for String Theory to hold. I had never understood the importance of the other seven. The chapters on neutrinos and the expanding universe unnerved me in a big way. You start thinking about the world in an entirely different way once you realize how simultaneously large and small it is.
I don't rate it five stars because the chapter on the quarks and bosons shouldn't have been included. The concept is amazingly difficult, itself, but I thought it wasn't adequately explained, not like the other subjects, anyway. I guess you can't really ignore something as important as the discovery of a quark, but I was hoping for a clearer definition, like Ouellette gave in all previous and subsequent chapters.
I was floored that she could actually explain the necessity of having 11 dimensions in order for String Theory to hold. I had never understood the importance of the other seven. The chapters on neutrinos and the expanding universe unnerved me in a big way. You start thinking about the world in an entirely different way once you realize how simultaneously large and small it is.
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