Celebrities Books

Jacqueline Kennedy, nee Bouvier, was one of the most singularly beautiful women ever to grace the American scene, and this collection of excellent photographs is an affectionate photo album of her young years. The composure and obvious self-possession of the young Jackie shines through in every photo, where her gaze invariably meets the camera as equal, if not an entirely welcome interloper in her rarefied world of privilege.

Jackie is one of those people whose adult features were pretty much perfectly formed as a child; her face would change little in the intervening years, lending an air of otherworldliness to these remarkable photographs. There is much presecience here of the woman she would become, and curiously little given away about the kind of child she was. Her beauty was as opaque as it was breathtaking, perhaps never more so than when she was young and did not yet know quite how striking she was.

If you are a fan and admirer of Jackie, this book may be the very best of its kind on the market, and really belongs on your bookshelf. It's definitely in mine!

I got the inside-scoop about MySpace celebrities... in every genre from Film and Music to Models and popular MySpace Friends. What I like the most about it is the fact that Steve Monas chose to write it in an interview format (and he asks a lot of very well thought-out questions, too). It preserves the whole realness of what MySpace is about. Instead of trying to tell us about MySpace celebrities, he let's *them* tell us in their *own* words. Cool.

After reading YourSpace Volume 2, I'm inspired to showcase my talents on MySpace, too. Hey, why not? It's about people just being themselves and doing what they love to do the most and sharing that with the whole world. Hey, I can do that. Why not?

Another great thing about the book is that it clued me in to a lot of really talented MySpace.com people that I didn't even know about. You know how every single profile is a window into a wonderland of visual and audio stimulus? Well, this book kept me busy for a while... Needless to say, my addiction to the website has grown considerably.

I always wondered about the stories behind MySpace celebrities. Now I know!

It's a year since I read 'Holes' so the characters Armpit and X-ray felt like they were almost new to me again. Although the characters are in both books and there are references to Camp Green Lake, you don't really lose anything from not having read 'Holes'.
That said, it's nice to see what happens when the boys are back in society, and how apt their jobs are!! :)

Running alongside the story about Armpit and X-ray is another, the day to day life of pop star Kaira DeLeon. She's as confined by her lifestyle and entourage as the boys were when they were back in Camp Green Lake, and is desperate for a little teenage normality.

Ginny is a great character, she is ten, has cerebral palsy and lives next door to Armpit. Stereotypes in general are given a gentle bashing in this book, which is a good thing and makes you question your own unintentional prejudices or behaviour.

I'm not the target audience for 'Small Steps' but still found it enjoyable.

Braden W. Review of Small Steps by Louis Sachar, March 18, 2008.

Small Steps is a book by Louis Sachar. It is a sequel to his previous book Holes, telling the lives of armpit and X-Ray after "Camp Greenlake." Armpit is trying to take small steps in order to get his life on straight. The two of them are attending a high school in the slums of Houston. When X-Ray tries to convince Armpit to join him in a get-rich-quick scheme Armpit is reluctant. Once X-Ray suggests ticket scalping, Armpit finally gives in and gets into a real mess. It just so happens that the tickets are fake and Armpit is caught by the police. Armpit's eternal conflict is keeping his life on straight and out of the hands of the law. Eventually people (Including a celebrity) start to realize he is a good person that he didn't do anything wrong. It is hard not to root for Armpit in this story of struggle after "Camp Greenlake."

Great book - well worth reading. Written for kids, but adults will enjoy it too. A warning to parents that some mild adult language is used. The book will be most enjoyed if Sachar's earlier work, Holes, is read first.

Sachar is a good writer, regardless of the style or level of writing (geared to Young Adults as the 10 to 15-year-old tweeners that libraries aim his books toward are known).

He succeeds (at least as well as I can tell being a 48-year-old father of three kids who went through that stage a few years back) at hitting the sweet spot of that market with smart, funny, insightful, writing that makes good reading even for adults.

This is a followup to his smash title Holes, which I also read and reviewed and became a very good Hollywood movie (Holes (Widescreen Edition) starring Shia Lebouf, Jon Voight, and Sigourney Weaver. In Small Steps, Armpit and X-Ray, two of the delinquents who have graduated from Camp Green Lake (neither green, nor a lake, the boys were punished and "reformed" by digging holes day after day looking for buried treasure; read the book or see the movie) and the legal system and trying to return to law-abiding society. Armpit has grown into a strong, handsome African-American man of 17, working as a landscaper while taking summer classes to catch up and and be able to graduate from high school. While he has served his legal penalty, he still faces scrutiny from his parents, uncertainty from his classmates, and fear from the society around him; Sachar frankly talks about the casual racism Armpit (real and preferred name Theodore) faces on a regular basis. Theodore is taking the small steps of the title toward his life goals, while best friends with his duplex neighbor Ginny, a 10-year-old white girl who has cerebral palsy.

When X-Ray approaches Theodore with a scheme to make money buying and scalping tickets to the local concert of the latest sultry teenage singer, Theodore's small steps start veering off the track, and threaten to derail his plans. While Sachar is clear that Theodore makes some bad choices, he is also sympathetic toward the pressures he faces.

Theodore convinces X-Ray to save the last two tickets so that he and Ginny can go to the concert, a fun trip that goes awry when this odd couple is accused of having counterfeit tickets. This sequence of events drives the story to its climax, and Sachar does a good job of bringing the book to an exciting, believable, and (yes!) happy ending.

This book was amazingly great. It was completely different from Holes. In my opinion I thought it was way better. When I started this book I thought it would be good just like Holes. I was way wrong. It was so much better. I started reading it and I just couldn't put it down. I'm 13 and I loved this book. I think it's a great book for anyone.

Fantastic book that proves that you don't need to starve to be lean. Great advice and my favorite- a "cheat day" built in to the program.

As a bride-to-be looking to get in better shape before my wedding, I picked up 5-Factor Fitness after reading positive reviews online. I have been doing the fitness program for several weeks now and highly recommend it for people who are short on time and still want to get in a well-rounded work-out. Like other reviewers have experienced, I used to work out for an hour at a time and rarely break a sweat. With 5-Factor Fitness, I can really tell my body's getting a work-out.

That being said, there are a couple of things missing from the exercise program. First of all, as others have mentioned, there is no discussion of stretching, which definitely extends the work-out a few minutes when done properly. Also, given the metabolism of the average person, I highly suspect that additional cardio is certainly necessary for significant weight loss to occur. This program is really right for people who lead active lifestyles already and are just looking to "shape up" a bit. Given that this is what I was looking for, I have been highly satisfied so far.

In terms of the food plan, I was somewhat disappointed. First, the claim that the meals take only five minutes to prepare is absolutely false. Secondly, Pasternak says that you won't have to buy "special" or expensive foods. I'm sorry, but no-flour bread products are a) not easy to find in all locations, b) expensive, and c) tasteless! He also makes other contradictory claims, such as discouraging dependence on artificial sweeteners but including Splenda in multiple recipes. In addition, he mentions the negative impact of eating high G.I. foods and gives the example of dried fruit, and then includes dried fruit in his recipes as well. I'll stick to my standard low-fat, well-rounded diet, thank you!

All in all, I'd give this book a 4 1/2 for the exercise plan and a 3 for the diet plan. But, in my experience, it's well worth the buy for exercise plan alone!

I like this book! The exercises will get you into top shape, whether sedentary or fit (it took a while for me to break out of the "more exercise, more fit" paradigm) - and the eating guidelines will also improve your dietary habits, from junk food addicts to health food nuts. I haven't struggled with weight but have found maintaining a healthy, fit lifestyle over the long term very challenging. He doesn't bombard you with too much information and also doesn't come off as being overly-strict. It results in you making informed and reasonable decisions that become intuitive and instinctual over time. I now live by his guidelines, abide by the no flour gospel and feel great!

I loved this book! I don't think there's anyone who would disagree that exercise is good for you. The problem is finding the time to do it. So what usually happens is, I start a fitness program and stay with it at first, but then I miss a day here and there and pretty soon I'm not doing it anymore.

That hasn't happened with "5-Factor Fitness." What makes the program so easy to stay with is that it only takes about 25 minutes a day, and you get Wednesdays and Sundays off.

The supersets really work every part of your body. Also, Harley Pasternak not only includes pictures of the exercises and a description, but he uses "mental cues" to make sure your form is correct. For example, for the DB pullover, his cue is "imagine throwing a ball in slow motion into the sky with your arms only slightly bent."

In addition to the workouts, he also includes 5-factor recipes which are healthy and can be made in 5 minutes or less.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has had trouble staying with a fitness program. It's easy to fit it in, and more importantly, it works!

Finally, a book that is for real life! It was very refreshing to read about the right way to get into shape! No fads or "quick fixes" his program is what are bodies were designed to do - move (exercise) and eat balanced, healthy meals without going overboard.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is seriously about getting in shape and STAYING is shape.

Writing about oneself is an extremely difficult task that requires both daring and self-criticism. I don't know how many times I wanted to destroy my own writing because, with time, I realized how naive and stupid I was in the past. This is not the case with Howard Stern's autobiography here. He's a very brave man who does not fear to be criticized neither for who he is nor for what he does. Perhaps, the greatest anxiety of being ignored or under-appreciated drives H. Stern to put his "private parts" into unusual and fascinating language codes. And in this creative process, he is probably to be compared to such great names of the past as Giovanni Boccaccio ("The Decameron") and Francois Rable ("The Life of Gargantua and Pantagruel").

Moreover, H. Stern's "Private Parts" is a great representation for the recent immigrants like me of the unofficial American life in the second half of the 20th century. I'm reading this book along with Peter Novick's "The Holocaust and Collective Memory" and it's a great combination so far that allows me to see what's considered history and by whom.

Leaving the critical reflection for people who don't understand that critical concepts and theories are not weapons to discredit an artwork or an artist, just want to say, "I really loved this book!" I did love it even though as an average woman I was constantly measuring myself up to who H. Stern considered "hot" or "nice" or important. On the other hand, reading "Private Parts", I've never felt alone in my self-oppressive thoughts and unrealistic dreams. Howard Stern also indulges into both unimaginable self-appraisal and genuinely scary self-criticism.

I'm still just half-through his book, but I think I won't change my mind about his talent and daring even if he wrote at the end that every reader of the book is an idiot. So far, I don't even care what the book ends on. H. Stern has already put the culmination at the beginning - a very feminist gesture... If you are easily excited (sexually I mean) I'm not sure you'll be able to continue reading after the first 10 pages. You'll surely need to pause... for a while... Enjoy the reading!

I could actually hear Howards voice as I read this great book that tells the story of Howard Stern from a child until present day(1994)Also check out his follow up book Miss America(its also great)

a rather interesting bio. pretty much the whole book is half bio and half satire and commentary. it definitly give's you a tour into the demented mind of howard stern and as you progress through the book even as raunchy as it get's you finish by saying to yourself "well that made sense"

not for the uptight and not for the easily offended,,,read with an open mind!

I work in radio in Chicago. Yes, in radio, the battles for number one are intense. I used to hate Howard only on hear say. And since being in radio, and Howard claiming to be the king of all media and just the fact that the both the book and film are radio based (somewhat) I saw the film first. And I tell you, after I saw the film, I LOVED IT! I began to put all negative thoughts on this genious in the trash. Then I read the book. I laughed so hard that I could not put it down. I was beginning to have a new found respect for him. Even though he may be vulgar on the air, he really knows what he is doing. And not only that, you really saw how much he cares for those closest to him, from his parents to Alison (Too Bad to hear they got divorced) to everyone on his radio team. So all in all, the book and the film gave me a new found respect to the true king of all media. Good luck to him with Serious radio.

This is one of those books you can pick up anywhere, read a few pages, enjoy it, and put it down again. Perfect for, er, certain rooms in the apartment.

If you get Howard, you should get this.

I found this book to be pretty dull, unrealistic, and just overall boring. generally I can get through a MHC book within days, but this one took weeks. Not the best from Clark.

This is one of MHC's best titles. This is a wonderful story full of characters that make you want to never get the end and have to put them away! The plot of captiving and intriguing and manages to scare you good at the end! While some of MHC later work, this is class Clark at her best.

Weep No More My Lady follows the Clark formula for her stories. The suspense and guessing part is to find out who amongst the people surrounding the principal players is the killer. Clark was okay, but is now beginning to be a "read one, read all" type.

Yes! one of my fav ones from Mary higgins clark my oh my i finished this book in 3 days! that's how interesting it was! loved the end!!! WOW!

I can see why this book is as popular as it is: we all would like to be one of these characters. From the Cinderella's sister profile of Elizabeth Lange to the downhome practicality of Alvirah Meehan, or even the momentum of masculinity that is Ted Winters, these people are something we'd like to be - to reach for - yet, we recognize that they're idealized archetypes more than realistic characters. Where literary characters may be this distinctive and beautiful, they have depth of character; here, people are exactly as they seem. It does not ruin the story. The mystery is a B+ for mainstream fiction, meaning that it is not obvious until the last third of the story, and the tale is artfully told with simple but pleasant language. Of the mainstream mysteries I've read, this would be one I could recommend to others.

This book has the perfect title, and is a great book for anyone who wants more exposure for themselves or their business. A great marketing book for anyone who wants to market themselves online. It focuses on the entertainment industry but is a good marketing book overall.

absolutely love this book and I will probably read it several more times. I am awe-struck at the inspiration this book evokes. It is about much more than just making money, it is about being a complete person and going forward with a purpose and a passion. If you want to achieve wealth and still keep your priorities in check, this is definitely the right book for you....

Easy to read and a must for anybody interested in internet ad/marketing!
Dean Allen

Concord, New Hampshire

After Ms. Swinton's speech, I've received numerous phone calls from colleagues and friends alike asking me, "Who is Sonya Swinton?" and thanking me for the introduction. Allow Sonya to will impress you with her style. Only buy this book if you want to succeed.

Jeff Zeiger
Carson City, Nevada

.......read this book, now!!! I had the pleasure to read some of the best information I could get my hands on in years. The beauty of this book is that it contains experience and wisdom ready for you to use NOW. I enjoyed this book so much that I've actually taken the liberty to ask Ms. Swinton to speak to my marketing class.

Julian Ross
Phoenix, Arizona

As a huge Howard Stern fan, I bought this book with my expectations set very high. All of my expectations were completely fulfilled and I would recommend this book to anyone, whether you are a Stern fan or not. It is an amazing look into an amazing and prolific man's life. I think this book is even better than Private Parts.

It's next to the worse book I've read yet, "Private Parts," is the worse. My gosh, you'd think with all his money he could write something worth reading except about his ham life; this guy has got to figure out what a plot and theme is, there is none. And just run on sentences going nowhere. He must sell them to his followers, becasue there is nothing of interest in it just talking and talking and talking of the FCC, and how he did this and that, where ever he ends up, he does. It was not a disappointment in that, I figured it would be something along that order, especially after I read the dirty mouth garbage and seen the pictures in "Private Parts."

First off, I would like to state that I never read Private Parts by Stern, which I was told was a better book. I personally was disappointed in this book. After reading this book, I felt like he was just writing another book because Private Parts did so well. It had some parts that were funny, but for the most part, I felt like it was a book for Stern to insult everyone that he could in a book. I believe that Stern is one of the smartest men in radio, and that he does what he does very well. I am not part of that audience, and perhaps that is why this book did not appeal to me very much. After having read this book, I felt like I had gained nothing by reading it. It left me with no good feeling, and I really wasn't any more educated because of it. I was quite disappointed to say the least.

It would be far too easy to dismiss this book as "just more of the same from the author of Private Parts" because by and large it is just that. But if you do write off (no pun intended) Howard's second novel, then you will truly miss out on discovering the real Howard Stern.

What Howard does in Miss America that he did not in Private Parts, is take his time to think. In his second novel he does not seem in such a mad rush to blurt out every intimate detail of his existence and of those around him. This time we discover a slightly older and more thoughtful Howard Stern. Don't get me wrong he has not seen any error in his ways, nor does he intend to change them. But he does stop to consider why and it makes the whole reading experience far more enjoyable.

Howard has still not lost his rapier wit and it is still delivered with a sledgehammer. Nor has he lost his love of naked females and that is sort of reassuring, for if he were to change at this point, we would know he was a phoney.

In Miss America Howard does go back over some old territory, but this time gives us another perspective. For Example we see the World of Howard, from Robin's eyes and it is an eye opener. Howard also has fun exploring and analysing his friendship with Fred Norris and this all makes for great reading. But the fun really begins when he gives us full chapter and verse on how he totally destroys a rival DJ and it is then that book becomes (to use a cliché) a real page turner.

Miss America is not as funny as Private parts, but a more thoughtful and enjoyable read as once again we are get another look at the world through Howard's small and very dark glasses.

as private parts, if not better. i can't say enough about the two howard stern books. the man puts out perfect art!

I have the three series of books that include the Baxter family, its so easy to get involved with their lives and compare them to your own the way Mrs. Kingsbury protrays them. Thanks for all your work, They will
make you stop and take stock in your own life.

This book had to much religion in it. It is a good book but it was not like her other books that had belief in God, but not as strong.

I always enjoy her books. It was good to see Katy and Dwayne get married'
in the romantic Cancoon on the beach. I would love to see Karen's books in the movies.
'

Karen Kingsbury has done it again..This book is AMAZING....I laughed, cried & now look at the sunrise in a different way..

I enjoyed Sunrise immensely, probably because I became familiar with Dayne and Katy in Kingsbury's book Fame. While Kingsbury does a great job slipping in the back story a little bit at a time, sometimes it's just not as good as reading it for yourself. I loved Fame and I loved Sunrise. (Nothing like going straight to the wedding.) Actually, there were four books after Fame that led up to this point, so if you like soap opera drama in the sense that every book makes you crave the next "episode" then you'll love Sunrise as a prelude to the exciting things yet to come.

The wedding scene was also the most beautiful and romantic that I've ever read. You can't help but love Dayne and Katy and want great things to happen in their lives. Especially after getting a feel for all that they went through even without reading the previous books. Their love is rich and deep and based on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Kingsbury is unabashedly Christian in that respect. She always emphasizes the importance of salvation in the lives of her characters. I love that. The subplot regarding the perils of drinking and driving was well done as was the budding romance between the senior Baxter, John, and his long-time friend, Elaine.

Kingsbury is also the queen of secondary characters and subplots. Just like in the soaps, there are always several stories going at once. Of course that makes me crave the next book in the series--which I thankfully have--so I can immediately continue on. Kingsbury writes fast enough to make it possible to go from one story to the next. I've probably done myself a disservice by not reading everything in order (I plan to jump back to read Forgiven (which comes after Fame) and I still need to read Redemption, which was the book that started the last two series. But no matter which way you slice it, each series containing the Baxter family is addicting. I'm glad to be getting my next fix.

Loved this book. We need more inspiring books like this. Too bad E.D. left Fox and Friends in the morning. Loved the way she balanced the show in the mornings.

This is a must for children to see how people got to where they are and how they got there.

Excellant book. Great airplane reading. She's thoughtful and funny. How wonderful to have met and interviewed such great people.

I enjoyed reading E D's book, Going Places. It's perfect for younger readers, especially for ones trying to establish themselves, as well a relaxing read for older folks. E D Hill is not only attractive and kind; she may be the best news anchor on Fox.

The book is about well-known people talking about their experiences that help them become successful in life.

I read some of the previous comments and will note that proceeds from the book went to charities and not all in her pocket!

A word to E D Hill would be, write an autobiography, it may be better than Going Places!

This book will probably end up under my coffee table or on my decorative book shelf. It's a good book to have around for a few minutes of upbeat reading, but is by no means a self-help book. It includes pictures and thoughts from many well-known people, and although I personally did not know a lot of them, the ideas were still honest and true.