Independent Books

Loved this book. Funny and insightful look at breaking into Hollywood. Read it & watch El Mariachi.

Fun and easy reading book about a young man making a movie on the cheap just so he can get his first ten bad movies out of the way before making a good one. Fancy this first effort to hit it big in Hollywood! Inspiring stuff, and especially inspiring considering he never expected this el-cheapo B-rate Spanish language movie, made with volunteer actors in a border town, to amount to anything but a practice run for the Mexican video market if he was lucky. Get it, read it, write down that script you have in your head and go dust off the old camcorder and start shooting!

This book also has lots of cool hints as to how to make expensive looking scenes!

Well written, full of fun and wit and most importantly a damn fine blueprint to gain inspiration from should you wish to go out and make your own movies. Best non-fictional book I've read on the making of films in a long while. Up there with Roger Corman's 'How I Made One Hundred Movies In Hollywood And Never Lost A Dime.'

This book is mostly a tale about making a particular film. It is entertaining but it lacked the nitty gritty details I was hoping for.

Great book, a must for those interested in filmmaking . a perfect example of how an outsider can make it in hollywood

Charles Dickens' David Copperfield is said to be Dickens' favorite book that he ever wrote. Copperfield's and Dickens' childhoods were classically the same and many critics believe that David Copperfield was actually a Charles Dickens autobiography. He modeled many of the characters in this novel after people he knew; for instance, Micawber was modeled after Dickens' own father who was sent to debtors prison. However, Micawber becomes a humorous, amiable character who was quite different from Dickens' own father. This book is definitely of 5 star quality and I will teach it in my College English classes when I begin teaching.

What could be more prosaic? A physically abused child surmounts all obstacles through diligence, devotion, goodness, and terrific good luck at key moments. But within this simple frame Dickens paints a tapestry of pity and terror and epiphany. To encounter such a broad spectrum of good and evil - the pure femininity of a lover, the earthy sweetness of a nurse, the generosity of a mentor, the frivolity of a sweetheart, parental naivete and cruelty, the destructive arrogance of a best friend, the viciousness of a Uriah Heep - would be an object lesson in Humanity. But we encounter all this each day. This dawns on you with each passing chapter - and that you are confronting yourself as you confront them: Your own evil and your own goodness rising above the shadows. Copperfield is a quick course in religion and philosophy and psychology. By the end, you're transformed vicariously and like David Copperfield dismiss the shadows: "Thus I leave them; thus I always find them; thus they wear their time away, from year to year".

Please note: Dickens is not my favorite author. His style at times is too melodramatic. But David Copperfield is wonderful. If we had only this, it would be clear Dickens was a master who walked the talk. Highly commended even for those who are not Dickens fans.

I have read and listened to many of Dickens' novels, and this is, without a doubt, my favorite. In fact, this is my favorite audiobook bar none.

This BBC Radio adaptation is the perfect introduction to Dickens and to David Copperfield in particular for those who may be dissuaded from reading Copperfield because of its length. It is impossible to imagine that the BBC could have found better performers for the roles--I can easily hear their voices in my mind as I recall the story. Although the story is abridged, you don't get the sense that you are missing any of the important points of the story. In fact, it's a much more satisfying "read" than most books in their unabridged version.

"But one face, shining on me like a heavenly light by which I see all
other objects, is above them and beyond them all. And that remains. I turn my
head, and see it, in its beautiful serenity beside me. My lamp burns low,
and I have written far into the night, but the dear presence, without which
I were nothing, bears me company."
[David Copperfield]
Timeless, full of plastic characters, entertaining, colourful, warm. Imagine Dostoevsky, but with more optimism and respect and deep love for humans. Kind regards, Mario.

For the price of the Everyman edition, one would expect the pages to be cleanly printed. Instead, the letters are faded and weak on many pages. On many pages, parts of some letters are missing altogether.

It is funny how several reviewers criticize the author's recommendation to "not lose money", while that is the number one rule from the richest person on the planet, Warren Buffett.
They miss the fact that there is more to that statement that its simple basic message.
I too have read a number of investment books and I found this one to shine above the rest for a simple reason: It covers a wide range of basic investment options, without equivocating, and goes into just enough detail to explain the investment without bogging down the reader with unnecessary details. If the reader wants more info, they can certainly continue researching.
I really like the fact that the author gives definite thumbs-up or thumbs-down to certain investment vehicles (and gives good reasons why), where other advisors hem and haw about even the most ridiculous ideas such as annuities.
Some reviewers claim this book is for beginners while others say that it's NOT for amateurs. I think it requires some basic knowledge but overall is a great reference and guide to get the average investor on track to a good solid foundation in investing and well on their way to a respectable portfolio. Any expectations beyond that are totally misguided.

I found this book very readable and full of excellent information. Although not all the latest vehicles are included, the information is useful for the typical investor. It is easy to read and understand by the beginning investor.

This is a good read for those of us looking to improve our financial health and know only a little about investing. No magic solutions here: save money and invest wisely. But what does investing wisely mean exactly? Read this book for more. The author reviews concepts we know about the benefits of compound interest and the wisdom of index funds, and he does this by using his own stories to make this dry subject a bit more fun. The version I read didn't have a section on ETFs so you'll have to look elsewhere for that information.

Great book to have on the shelf as a reference. Easy to understand and full of pertinent information. My daughter will graduate from college next month and she will receive a copy of this book as a graduation present.
rich berman

I'll admit it. I'm pretty much a cynic. I've read a few finance books, and they often make me feel more daunted. Everyone comes across as all-knowing, that their advice is the best. The thing that makes this book different than many of the others, is because (as I believe he says in the intro) other books tell you how to play the game, but not whether or not you should be playing it at all. In this book, Tobias gives you perspective as to what kinds of investments you should be making, if at all. I really appreciate that aspect of the book. He really takes a birds-eye view of investing and personal finance. It was so good I thought I would buy a few copies and give them to my family and friends. This is the first review I've ever written on Amazon, and wouldn't spend my time otherwise, but it's a first-rate book. I wish he wrote some more books that followed up on this to go into more detail on related topics. I felt like I could trust his advice, which perhaps sounds dangerous, but at least that's how I felt. Great book, hope you learn something form it if you purchase it.

The most fascinating part of the book was the chapter on the murder weapon. Mr. Fuhrmann is convinced that a 3 - 3 1/2" Swiss Army pocket knife was used, not a 6" stiletto. One can only wonder what became of the knife. An excellent read.

this poor man was made the scapegoat for the murders just by virtue of being called to a murder scene and doing his job. he presents the facts in a very detailed and concise manner, but his anger and frustration (completely and totally justified) is peppered throughout. when the true criminal goes to trial for his most recent crimes in las vegas, i hope he is found guilty and goes to jail. i hope johnny cochran is not only turning over in his grave, i hope he's rotating!

It was good to see the actual evidence trail. There is so much evidence that the public never knew about that is revealed in this book. It is so terribly disturbing to see how many mistakes the police made. Mark Fuhrman made mistakes. The other detectives on-scene made mistakes. However, you can tell from Fuhrman's notes, that he is a highly skilled detective. His notes were flawless and methodical. Things that come from years of experience. If you were a follower of the OJ Simpson trial, you will find this book very enlightening. You will find your eyes wide and your attention glued to the pages. The only reason I gave this a 4-star instead of a 5-star rating; It would have been an easier read if some of the repetition had been left out. I found myself skipping over parts of the book that had already been covered in other chapters.

Mark Fuhrman is a brilliant writer and was a brilliant detective. Unfortunately, 'they' made him the scapegoat in OJ's murders and ruined his police career but those that are aware, realize what the truth is. Mark Fuhrman has made a great life for himself and his family, in the second chapter of his life. I am so grateful to him for writing all these books (check out "Murder In Greenwich" book, it is awesome too). This book about the slaugher of Nichole Brown and Ron Goldman goes into minute detail as to the forensics and all the other evidence that should have convicted that murderer. It is sickening to see how badly the other detectives bungled the case and it is more than sickening to see how Mark got blamed for it. It is a MUST-READ book for all who care about the Truth. Thank you Mark Fuhrman!

Of course we have all heard of OJ Simpson and Mark Fuhrman. For many of us our opinion of Mark Fuhrman is as a prejudiced detective - based on what we saw on TV. This book provides a detailed look at things the general public didn't see or hear about on TV. In fact there is so much specific evidence pointing to the guilt of OJ it makes you wonder how this could happen.

Mark Fuhrman clearly lays out the facts and what happend behind each one including errors that were made during the investigation, unknown details of the trial, and other interesting information. This book is easy to read - even my husband, who is NOT a book reader, picked this one up and read it nearly cover to cover.

The book was in excellent condition and great buy. I would order from this site again. Thanks

This trash is some of the worst reading matterial produced in the Western Hemsiphere in this entire century. How anyone can be duped into believing such a ridiculous pack of lies is beyond me. The tragdedy of this story is not that it's real, it's that so many people actually believe it really happened. This woman was either cooerced into saying these things by way of hypnosis or she was delusional and hallucinated these stories. If schizophrenia really did run in this woman's family isn't it plausible that she suffered from the delusions and hallucinations that are common with schizophrenia? Further more, MPD has never actually been accepted as a genuine diagnosis and there are some who question its validity. I did some reasearch on it and discovered that a psychiatrist who was taking over for her dr. while she was out of town felt that this woman was lying as well. It's up each person to make up their mind on this. But for me, this story is a made up pack of lies.

I think that if you read this book believing it to be the true story that it claims to be, it is so heart wrenching and powerful, that it would no doubt be reviewed as a well deserved 4 or 5 star book. HOWEVER, finding out after the fact that it is actually in large part fictional, it loses ALOT of its power. Speaking for myself, it would have been better to simply publish it as a novel. I read it twice. Once, years ago when it was still believed to be true, and it had much more of an impact on me then. The second time it sort of left me feeling duped. In any case, Sally Field was wonderful in the movie adaptation. (This was the Million Little Pieces of the 70's.)

I have a friend who is a multiple personality disorder. Regardless if you have seen the movie version of this book, Sybil, with first rate performances by Emmy Winners Sally Field and Joanne Woodward, multiple personality disorder is a lot more complicated. Sometimes, the person who has it can't integrate all the personalities together. Sometimes, a person who has the disorder may not realize that they have it. Of course, sometimes they talk as children in their personalities but most of the time, their personalities emerge without witnesses who would notice that there is something wrong. Sybil was not a rare case but she is a terrific example of how somebody overcame horror at the hands of her own mother who was obviously mentally ill herself. The scenes that horrified me most in reading were the kitchen scenes where Sybil is raised and her mother does unspeakable things to her vaginal areas as well as locking her in small quarters. Child abuse has been around since the beginning of time. Some children like Sybil have other ways of coping with it. In her case, she developed fragmented personalities to overcome and handle the situation. Slowly, the personalities emerged because the good doctor welcomed it. In most cases, it may not be that welcoming. Sybil was or is still an artist and she was completely creative in developing the way to cope by becoming somebody else. You wonder how people like Sybil cope with such horror and now you will know that our minds are quite powerful tool in helping us deal with our pain.

This book is the allegedly true story of Sybil, whose name was changed for the story to protect her privacy. Almost from the time she was born, Sybil was subjected to horrific physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of her schizophrenic mother. As a toddler, Sybil learned that she would be severely punished for getting angry, or for crying, or for exhibiting a wide variety of other normal emotions. In order to cope with her situation, her mind broke apart and comparmentalized her personality, eventually creating fifteen other "selves." Each separate personality was assigned a specific role in Sybil's life, such as Vicky, the outgoing and worldly one who could be at ease in social situations, Peggy Lou, who got angry and smashed things, and Mike and Sid, who handled construction and handyman duties.

Although the created personalities were aware of each other and able to communicate with each other to some degree, Sybil was completely unaware that they existed. What she knew was that there were many things she couldn't remember from her childhood, that seemingly ordinary objects and situations had the power to fill her with absolute terror, and that there were long periods of time she'd somehow blacked out. The most dramatic example of lost time was after Sybil's beloved grandmother's funeral, when Sybil was in third grade. She blacked out and returned to herself in a fifth-grade classroom. Her Peggy Lou personality had controlled her body for over a year.

This novel covers the course of Sybil's psychological treatment, leading her toward coming to terms with her childhood abuse and toward integrating her personalities into one complete self.

Although the validity of this story has been challenged, it is a compelling read even if treated as fiction. I was fascinated by the different personalities and the duties they adopted. I like the thought that the human brain is complex enough to put into effect this unique coping mechanism in order to save a child from completely falling apart.

The Wealthy Barber presents an exceptional explanation of the intricacies of financial planning told from the chronicles of an unlikely millionaire barber. For those seeking guidance preparing for retirement and ensuring your financial house is in order, this book is a superb foundation. This book will be especially rewarding to those that find difficultly traversing through bland financial books as Chilton's distracts you from the boredom via his story telling. The stories on their own merit might not rank high; however, just as using salt and butter to get your vegetables down (those of you with an affliction to certain vegetables will understand), the story serves a purpose and successfully will ease you through the material.

My version of the book was purchased in Canada and I am not aware of whether there is an American version, so I should note that in my book it deals with Canadian Investments such as RRSPs (the US equivalent to a Roth IRAs). However, all the financial advice is fully relevant across the board thus any confusion in semantics will be easily clarified.

The financial information explained in The Wealthy Barber is impeccable. The purpose of the book is not to educate one on the particulars of reading financial statements and deriving internal rates of return; the function is to provide a solid understanding of how to plan for retirement. Chilton does an outstanding job explaining the virtues of dollar cost averaging and compounding interest so that even the most non mathematical people will easily grasp the content. The information is flawless and the book is read effortlessly thus I highly recommend this book.

Everyone should read this book. It is an enjoyable read. It gives the reader valuable information in a way that is not confusing or induces boredom. I am giving copies of this book as Christmas presents this year to family members who are joining the workforce for the first time.

Get rich schemes are out of control today. Beyond the schemes, many people seem to use the lottery their own personal retirement plan.

This is not a get rich quick book, but a common sense guide to becoming wealthy over time. Told though thoughts of a "wealthy barber," this book goes back to basics to teach wise saving and investing techniques. It also reinforces ideas that many have learned over time.

There are several powerful concepts to investing in the book. One of the most important concepts is: Pay yourself first. Although simple, it has profound implications on becoming financially secure.

Another powerful concept is how to invest wisely. The Wealthy Barber talks about the good and bad sides of stock market investing, real estate investing and more. The book also exposes some of the wasteful ways of spending money such as buying cash value life insurance as opposed buying term insurance and investing the difference.

I found the book refreshing and insightful. Great for the beginner as well as advanced investor, these ideas should never go out of fashion. I try to apply many of these principles in my own life and encourage others interested in doing the same.

Overall, this is an excellent book to re-discover common sense and learn the basics of saving, investing, patience, and the magic of time to become wealthy. Highly recommended!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

"The Wealthy Barber: Everyone's Common-Sense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent" by David Chilton is an enjoyable read that introduces basic personal-finance habits that can lead to wealth if practiced and implemented as taught.

The lessons are taught in story fashion by a "wealthy barber" named Roy to a few disciples over a few weeks of visits. The lessons are basic, but that does not mean they are not important. In fact, for many people, these basics are all they will need to better their finances while preparing for a better financial future. This book will not prepare you to become the next Warren Buffet, nor will you be a market genius. There are many more things you can learn on this subject as well, but this book is a nice little primer. Some of the dialog between the characters is a bit corny, if not irritating, but then you can also look at it and laugh at Chilton's use of light humor to teach important topics.

As I mentioned, the lessons are basic, but they are sound. The strategy of paying yourself at least ten percent of your pay first is not new, and is taught in many ways by many people. That does not make it less important, and most people would be better off if they implemented it. I also liked that there was discussion on wills, life insurance, and responsibility. Pointing out that some people do not need certain types of insurance is as important as pointing out that some people do.

We have all heard that social security may not be around in the future. And those receiving only social security now are barely making due. It is in all of our best interests to plan for retirement. The lessons taught in this book serve as a good reminder of things we should be doing and looking at, and hopefully will encourage many people to start planning and seek out more information on this important topic.

While "The Wealthy Barber" won't teach you the path toward the Forbes 400 list, it does provide some excellent basic advice on personal finance. Considering the debt that many have, combined with the lack of savings, compounded by the dim outlook for social security, following the advice of this simple little book could make a huge difference in many people's financial futures. I recommend it highly for anyone that needs a head start on planning for their future. I also recommend it for those that want a quick enjoyable read on some basic financial strategies to motivate you to learn more.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author, speaker
Hard-Won Wisdom From The School of Hard Knocks, Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, and The Lock On Joint Locking series, and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer

The writing is as bad as the financial advice is good. Page after page of cringe-inducing prose. A tragic parade of verbs attempting to take the place of "said." Dialogue, characters, and scenes so phony that the whole embarrassing exercise is called into question. Yet...

...the financial advice is perfectly sound. In some cases it's even insightful and, depending on the reader's background, potentially life-changing.

One might wish wholeheartedly for a better executed narrative, but at the end of the day, Chilton deserves credit for what he does accomplish: Those willing to slog their way through his material can definitely benefit, in some cases greatly.

John Kotter is a business professor at Harvard University who writes "Leading Change" as a guide to business leaders, helping them to transform their stagnant, ineffective, hierarchical companies into more effective, responsive, team-oriented ones. To help companies and leaders make this transition, he presents eight sequential steps that must be followed in order and done well.

These eight steps are:

1. Establish a sense of urgency (fight complacency)

2. Create a guiding coalition (both influential leaders and effective managers)

3. Develop a widely inspiring vision and strategy for achieving it

4. Communicate the vision, communicate the vision, and communicate the vision even more.

5. Give the employees authority to creatively experiment concerning how to best make the vision a reality

6. Make sure you point out things to celebrate as you make progress toward your goals; it rewards appropriate behavior and, besides, people need to celebrate once in a while.

7. Understand Bowen Family Systems Theory--that when you change one thing, everything else changes with it. Systemic change is difficult work that produces a whole lot of anxiety and unintended consequences.

8. Make sure that, once the changes are made, they become engrained in the new culture of he company; make them "the way we do things around here."

Kotter does get credit for being comprehensive and for being among the first to write a leadership book of this sort (copyright 1996). He appears correct in all of his arguments and this reader has difficulty finding flaws in his eight steps. He appropriately balances task-orientation and relationship-orientation and distinguishes between leading and managing. Furthermore, he is the only author I've come across that understands how Family Systems Theory plays out in an organization undergoing change.

However, the book is outdated. Newer authors like Jim Collins, John Maxwell, and Kouzes & Posner have refined Kotter's ideas and presented them in a more readable, more applicable, and more modern way (again, 1996 copyright).

Kotter limits his ideas and examples to the large, highly structured business world; other authors deliberately address leadership within smaller businesses, schools, non-profits, and other environments. Kotter writes before the internet was widely used; other books keep rapid communication advancements in mind. The obligatory quotes from people I've never heard of who praise the book say over and over again how highly readable Kotter's prose is; I found the prose dry and could cite many examples from this genre which are much more readable.

The ideas Kotter presents are not bad; in fact they're quite good and have blazed the trail for other leadership books. However, "Leading Change" could certainly use an updated edition. Other authors have taken many of Kotter's ideas, refined them, re-worked them, and present them in a manner much more helpful to a wider audience.

I neither recommend this book nor do I contest it. You would do well to read "Leading Change," but you would do better to read some of the authors listed above.

Very well written book and easy to read and follow. Since change is a modern requirement for any business, it simply makes sense to focus in on what it takes to provide the necessary leadership to do so.

This book is phenominal! An excellent guide for the leader experiencing change. If I had no other resource, this book would be enough for survival in the business world of change. Definitely worth the investment.

The book came right on time, and was delivered in the best of conditions. It is always very good doing business with you. I can trust that my books will arrive on time and the shipping is done with the urgency they deserve. Thanks once more. Teresa

The book I bought is a new copy.
It is in very good condition and also delivered in time, as mentioned.
When coming to the content of the book [It is a prescribed book for our course], It is good, worth reading once atleast.

The book was in great condition and arrived super fast. I would order from this seller again and again! The contents in the book are great!

This book makes you think the way we should each day. eye opener and enlightening.

Written by Lynnette Haygood because I was unable to list review under my own account. I found John Maxwell's book "Developing the Leader Within You" a very helpful tool for anyone interested in developing personal leadership skills or trying to bring out the leaders in their employees. Being new to the studying of leadership roles I found Maxwell's concept of everything rises and falls on leadership to be extremely true. I personally feel that this book is going to be a great tool in my future success in the business world. I have always considered myself to be a leader, in every position that I have been in I have always been considered a "go to" person, but always struggled with obtaining that management position. I am currently struggling with the next step in my career as a college student that has years of experience in the same field with the same position. Throughout my reading of Maxwell's book I started to learn valuable lesson in the difference between leaders and managers. I have been able to evaluate more clearly the types of managers that I have had, and have came to the conclusion that I have not had many leaders in my life who have been able to assist me with growing my own leadership abilities. I really enjoyed the way that Maxwell was able to clearly relate his knowledge and experience to real life situations that allowed me to grasp his concepts much easier. I especially could relate to the analogy that he gave in regards to the Sandhill cranes and their distinct leadership qualities and how they rotate leadership, and choose leaders who are able to handle the turbulence and how they all support the leader by honking in affirmation. After reading this book I am particularly excited to take my turn as the leader instead of constantly "honking in affirmation". Great book!

Powerful Attitudes

John Maxwell has outlined the specific traits on what is required to be an effective leader. He then gives you the step by step instruction on how to acquire and adapt those traits. If you read and study leadership, this is book is a must read.

Michael Murphy
http://www.positiveattitudes.com

The leadership principles from John Maxwell are timeless and always work to bring greater insight and rapid change for people who want to rise to a new level of leading others. I wore out my cassette tape player listening to Dr. Maxwell's leadership resources, (at least :15 minutes a day for years), because I realized they were so practical and useful to 'move to the front of the line' as a stronger leader in my personal and professional life. If you want to grow stronger as a leader, John Maxwell can take you there faster than you ever thought possible. Listening to John personally coach you, (he always does his own audio presentations), with enthusiasm and power in his voice will encourage, equip and empower you to achieve greater success.

I am in the 2nd section of this book (Business), and thoroughly enjoyed the first (Arts and Literature). Great 'useless' information and trivia, which will come in handy at a cocktail reception. The problem is that in the 2nd section, for about 20 pages, every other page is shuffled with the one behind it (making it essential that you flip back and forth a couple pages to read each chapter - all around pages 60-70, and beyond). This is incredibly annoying, and I've never seen it in 30+ Years of Reading. From Random House, no less, how did this happen?
I can't tell if I don't enjoy the Business section because of content or layout, so I'll give the book 4 Stars, and deduct 2 for a terrible layout (giving me a headache, it is).

There are some interesting things in this book. But some might be a stretch of facts, half truths and some just not true. Best example is when he is talking about the origin of the expression "rule of thumb" He says its from old English. That you were permitted to beat your wife but with a stick no bigger then your thumb. This has been a favorite false story of feminsts for many years. Fact is the exression has been around much longer than that and is of unkown origin. Also there is no evidence of this in any English law. This book is for entertainment but not be considerd facts.

An Underground Education


Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Sigh, just another 98 times and then I have to go home and start my history homework. I guess my teacher didn't like some of my more creative answers to the exam. What does she know? She is totally oblivious to Area 51, Tesla's death ray, or that Hitler's Brain is hooked up to a supercomputer and is the president of Brazil. I love reading, but she makes history soooo boring. She just teaches us what we are supposed to know. Nothing I'm not supposed to know, nothing quirky or surprising, or interesting. I mean, why did Napoleon really lose the battle of Waterloo? * Textbooks can be so plodding, far too logical and way too orderly. History is messy and it can be amusing and not so serious, and even a little bizarre...

I want to know the good stuff and that's why I turned to An Underground Education: The Unauthorized And Outrageous Supplement To Everything You Thought You Knew About Art, Sex, Business, Crime, Science, Medicine, And Other Fields Of Human Knowledge by Richard Zacks. Forget what you learned in school, and the teacher's angry red marker. Zacks debunks many popular cultural myths and gives new life to old history. Zacks has divided the book into ten different sections: Arts & Literature, Business, Crime & Punishment, Everyday Life, Medicine, Religion, Science, Sex, World History, and American History.

Zacks covers a wide variety of topics, but he keeps the writing simple and attention grabbing. His emphasis, however, is definitely on the strange and often perverse. So, if you are easily offended, and a bit conservative you should probably skip this book. I mean the title does have business and sex in the title, so that should tell you it's not for the thin-skinned. For example, you might read today's headlines and get the impression that Iraqi War profiteering is something new, but the unfortunate soldiers of the Civil War often wore shoes with no soles, slept in disintegrating tents, and fired weapons that blew up in their hands, all due to the greed of America's great capitalists.

Surely you would have paid more attention in English class if you knew the Bard was so bawdy or that Chaucer made sly jokes about sex. Sure, you knew Edison was credited for inventing the incandescent light bulb, but did you know he secretly helped develop the electric chair in a devious scheme to have the death-dealing device named after his archrival, George Westinghouse? There are lots of interesting facts and tidbits, though it's far from complete. For example, he joyfully explores the evolution of the codpiece, but skips over the symbolism of the long-toed shoes, or poulaines. European folk beliefs equated foot-size with penis-size (think also of noses...) and the tips of the poulaines were thus phallic symbols. The tops of poulaines were also often painted with images of male genitals. You just can't make this stuff up!

Yes, history is way more interesting, and vastly more complicated, than the dried-out sentences in high school history books that leave me feeling deeply unsatisfied. Perhaps great men and women should be pushed off their pedestals. They do not stand on the shoulders of giants (not an admission of humility by Sir Isaac Newton, but rather a bitter insult to a hunchbacked dwarf he was feuding with); they are human, like you and me. Made of flesh and blood and sometimes just a little strange-the famous Mari Hari was no master spy, Cleopatra was ugly as sin, and Pope Innocent III authorized a holy quest for Jesus' foreskin. I guess history can be entertaining, warped and worth remembering. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it...

*Theories abound, but the brilliant strategist had a raging case of hemorrhoids, which prevented him from riding out and surveying the troops. Ahh, but for a nail...

History, condemned repeating it, or seeing if we can escape it? [...] Miss a column? Our archives are available at [...] read the history of Hobo in "Hobo Finds A Home" A charming story about a barn cat who wants more out of life. Don't miss the in depth documentary about Hobo the cat, soon to be aired on the History Channel!

It's okay....but the author certainly only see the dark side. If you are looking for a chuckle keep looking.

An Underground Education


Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Sigh, just another 98 times and then I have to go home and start my history homework. I guess my teacher didn't like some of my more creative answers to the exam. What does she know? She is totally oblivious to Area 51, Tesla's death ray, or that Hitler's Brain is hooked up to a supercomputer and is the president of Brazil. I love reading, but she makes history soooo boring. She just teaches us what we are supposed to know. Nothing I'm not supposed to know, nothing quirky or surprising, or interesting. I mean, why did Napoleon really lose the battle of Waterloo? * Textbooks can be so plodding, far too logical and way too orderly. History is messy and it can be amusing and not so serious, and even a little bizarre...

I want to know the good stuff and that's why I turned to An Underground Education: The Unauthorized And Outrageous Supplement To Everything You Thought You Knew About Art, Sex, Business, Crime, Science, Medicine, And Other Fields Of Human Knowledge by Richard Zacks. Forget what you learned in school, and the teacher's angry red marker. Zacks debunks many popular cultural myths and gives new life to old history. Zacks has divided the book into ten different sections: Arts & Literature, Business, Crime & Punishment, Everyday Life, Medicine, Religion, Science, Sex, World History, and American History.

Zacks covers a wide variety of topics, but he keeps the writing simple and attention grabbing. His emphasis, however, is definitely on the strange and often perverse. So, if you are easily offended, and a bit conservative you should probably skip this book. I mean the title does have business and sex in the title, so that should tell you it's not for the thin-skinned. For example, you might read today's headlines and get the impression that Iraqi War profiteering is something new, but the unfortunate soldiers of the Civil War often wore shoes with no soles, slept in disintegrating tents, and fired weapons that blew up in their hands, all due to the greed of America's great capitalists.

Surely you would have paid more attention in English class if you knew the Bard was so bawdy or that Chaucer made sly jokes about sex. Sure, you knew Edison was credited for inventing the incandescent light bulb, but did you know he secretly helped develop the electric chair in a devious scheme to have the death-dealing device named after his archrival, George Westinghouse? There are lots of interesting facts and tidbits, though it's far from complete. For example, he joyfully explores the evolution of the codpiece, but skips over the symbolism of the long-toed shoes, or poulaines. European folk beliefs equated foot-size with penis-size (think also of noses...) and the tips of the poulaines were thus phallic symbols. The tops of poulaines were also often painted with images of male genitals. You just can't make this stuff up!

Yes, history is way more interesting, and vastly more complicated, than the dried-out sentences in high school history books that leave me feeling deeply unsatisfied. Perhaps great men and women should be pushed off their pedestals. They do not stand on the shoulders of giants (not an admission of humility by Sir Isaac Newton, but rather a bitter insult to a hunchbacked dwarf he was feuding with); they are human, like you and me. Made of flesh and blood and sometimes just a little strange-the famous Mari Hari was no master spy, Cleopatra was ugly as sin, and Pope Innocent III authorized a holy quest for Jesus' foreskin. I guess history can be entertaining, warped and worth remembering. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it...

*Theories abound, but the brilliant strategist had a raging case of hemorrhoids, which prevented him from riding out and surveying the troops. Ahh, but for a nail...

History, condemned repeating it, or seeing if we can escape it? Email me at frommyshelf@epix.net. Miss a column? Our archives are available at www.frommyshelf.blogspot.com read the history of Hobo in "Hobo Finds A Home" A charming story about a barn cat who wants more out of life. Don't miss the in depth documentary about Hobo the cat, soon to be aired on the History Channel

Stepping Off the Edge: Learning & Living Spiritual Practice
Halldor Laxness won the 1955 Nobel Prize with this one. It's the story of Bjartur, an indentured servant who purchased his freedom with 18 years of hard work. Bjartur sets out to be truly independent by owning his own farm-- which happens to be cursed. This saga dissects the Icelandic social system, Bjartur's psyche (& those of all other characters), & illustrates the effects of war and greed on both. E. Annie Proulx, Jane Smiley & I agree: It's one of the best books ever written. Don't read the Introduction. Its author gives away too much. R rated for Explicit Poverty.

I dont know that thing of reversing the scandinavians back to be catholic..
but man...man!!!!
this genius won that Stalin's literature award for The Atom Station and The Nobel as well...
and between a couple of hundered sheep and an iclandic state of mind (nature )..the iceland state of mind better say..
there is a leftover priest sitting on turgenev's grave
saying..
what did u say again...
can't hear ya..what did u say..

Dude..what a killer book...
absolutely outstanding..

no I mean really..
what to say after this..

just please dudes..

dont write anymore if u don't have to..

God Bless u Lexness..

U were really something around here

love ya

Even Iceland had its problems with ignorance and fear of progress. No knowledge of Iceland, except that it is an isolated northern island, is necessary to appreciate this marvelous story. It's a book about people more than place. Having read it, I do want to learn more about Iceland, though.

The main character is very unlikable. His single-mindedness is what drives the entire book. His treatment of other people, including his family, compared with his treatment of his sheep is the critical focus of the book.

I don't know if I would have preferred another ending, but will accept what Laxness gave us. Highly recommended and I have ordered more Laxness books (from Amazon of course).

This is a great novel. The story is engrossing and the characters are convincingly human. However, I would recommend that the reader find out something about Iceland before tackling it. It is very helpful to have a feel for the Icelandic landscape and a little bit of knowledge of the country's history before picking up this book. It also helps to read a few of the Icelandic sagas first. "Egil's Saga", "The Burning of Njal", and/or "Hrafnkel's Saga" would be good ones to read. They are readily available in English translation.
If I hadn't read several of the sagas first, and found out a bit about Iceland, I would miss a lot of what Laxness is talking about in this novel.
The book needs a better translation. The translator's use of archaic and uncommon English words is distracting. For example, the word "bigging" is used on the first few pages to denote the ruins in the valley. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines this as an "archaic" word meaning "building." It comes from the Old Norse and is close to a Modern Icelandic word meaning 'settlement, habitation'. Maybe the translator chose 'bigging' because it was close to Laxness' original Icelandic word. He also uses 'ling' instead of the far more common word 'heather'. 'Ling' is another word from Old Norse which is probably close to Laxness' original Icelandic, but most English readers won't understand it. Bad choice for the translation.
There is a man called "the Fell King" (Most English readers wouldn't know that Fell = mountain. I wonder why the translator didn't call him "the Mountain King".)
There are probably many other significances to the names of people and places which I never caught on to. Some of these could be relayed to the reader by the translator.
The book needs a fresh English translation to make it more accessible to the average reader.

Brad Leithauser, in his well-penned Introduction to my copy of this novel, writes that when asked what his favourite book (this one) is about, he replies, "Sheep." - Very droll, but also accurate to a surprising degree - Leithauser, of course, goes on to expand in the Introduction. The reviewers here have done an excellent job of mapping the novel out and covering its themes, so that there seems little for me to add. I will say that this book is unlike anything else you'll ever read, save for the concluding pages, which bring to mind The Grapes of Wrath or some of Jack London's lesser read books such as The Iron Heel. This is a deeply poetic book about sheep and a particular man's, Bjartur's, struggle to be independent by means of them. What exactly this "independence" entails is material for a doctoral thesis. I think I'll just let Laxness do the talking here:

"Forenoon, noon, and afternoon are as far off as the countries we hope to see when we grow up; evening as remote and unreal as death..." p.139

"Few things are so inconstant, so unstable, as a loving heart, and yet it is the only place in the world where one can find sympathy." P.147

"...there is much comfort in the thought that time effaces everything, crime and sorrow no less than love." P.226

"...two human beings have such trouble in understanding each other, there is nothing so tragical as two human beings." P.301

"In its own way misery no less than revelry is varied in form and worthy of note wherever there lurks a spark of life in the world," p.303

These are just a few of the gems in this singular tale. Only four stars, because, well, aside from a few shining poetic passages of hopefulness (quickly crushed) the world portrayed here is mind-numbingly (for this reader anyway) bleak. And a reader cannot live on bleakness alone.