Anne Heche Books

As always, Tess Gerritsen never fails to captivate me. The strength of her work is her ability to grab you from the very beginning. I was hooked as soon as I started Chapter 1 where Mila tells her journey. A rather disturbing detail about her experience (and I was glad I was reading fiction). Vanish is one of those story where coming to America is a dream come true. Unfortunately for some, their dream is shattered the moment they set foot in this great land of freedom. That smuggling episode where young girls are flown to Mexico, then cross the border is a very creative one. I never thought of that.

As always, Tess' writing style is superb. I like how she started and ended Vanish. It was very dynamic. "My name is Mila and this is my journey..." Cold Eyes

In Vanish, Tess Gerritsen does an admirable job of painting a picture of the horrors of white slavery in the United States. The first focus is on the heart-wrenching story of one of the young women lured to our country under false pretenses to become imprisoned as a sexual slave. The second focus is on the two admirable protagonists from other Garritsen novels, the feisty detective Jane Rizzoli and intense medical examiner Maura Isles. The comfort provided by these familiar characters helps to offset the truly disturbing experiences of the young woman, and those who seek to murder her to keep secret a hideous crime she witnesses. Tension mounts and provides the reader with a good deal of excitement, up to the last page of the novel, a talent Gerritsen has displayed many times. She is skilled at weaving the back story of the young girl Mila with the efforts of Rizzoli and Isles to get at the truth of the situation. As in The Bone Garden, the author does well in moving from the present to the past and back again, to gives clues for the reader to both understand the story and be caught up in the momentum of non-stop and fast-moving events.

This is the second 'Rizzoli/Isles' book I've read...but the first one must not have been very memorable, since I quickly forgot it! This one stands out a bit more, anyway. A 'change of pace' thriller, which takes Rizzoli out of her usual 'street crime/serial killer' element, and endangers the lives of her entire family. The 'crooked defense contractor' and 'Russian prositute' angles are not exactly original, but at least Gerritsen manages to make them seem less cloying than other authors might have. I do prefer 'cop dramas' to be just that, and stay away from the convenient 'terrorism and in-fighting government agencies' stories that have proliferated in crime fiction since 9-11.
Maura seems like too much of a background character, as Jane and Gabriel get most of the action. Mila manages to rise above the cardboard cutouts of the other prostitutes, making this an above-average read.

Excellent book, suspenseful, a definite page turner. This book is among the many well written books by Tess Gerritsen. I first became introduced to her writing last year when I read "The Surgeon." I have absolutely loved every book since then! Tess Gerritsen will always remain one of my favorite authors. Her stories are riddled with mystery, and the twists and turns keep you guessing. Highly recommend "Vanish," and I cannot wait until the next book comes out. Received in perfect condition, and quick and easy transaction.

Another entertaining read in the Jane Rizzoli series. It starts with a shock and the suspense doesn't end. While some of the content is graphic and the subject matter is pinful to read, the book is worth the read.

Excellent book, suspenseful, a definite page turner. This is the fourth book in the Jane Rizzoli series that I have read by Tess Gerritsen. As expected, the story is filled with intrigue, the characters come to life, and I have not yet been able to guess the ending. Highly recommend "Body Double." Received in perfect condition, and quick and easy transaction.

Although I've not read any earlier Gerritsen novels, I found the characters likable and don't feel that I've missed out on any past histories by starting with this book.

There were two concepts I found especially interesting throughout the novel. What it must be like not to grow up having a twin, but to discover in later life that there is someone who is just like you...even down to operational scars! Many people find the idea of identical twins fascinating and the idea of watching a post mortem performed on 'yourself' was definitely creepy.

The other idea that captured my imagination was that a certain kind of career may be determined by your genes. Add a sinister plot, interesting characters and you have a great page turner!

The book starts with Dr. Maura Isles touring the Catacombs of Paris and contemplating her own mortality. That is just the beginning! She returns home to her house to find that her front yard is a crime scene, and the police and her coworkers are looking at her like she is a ghost. That is because they all thought the dead woman in the car in front of her house was Dr. Isles. The book is downright scary at times, and had me feeling really claustrophobic in parts the descriptions were so real. I won't give anything away, but pay close attention to the prologue in this one. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Yes: the sexy cover, plot synopsis, and rave reviews littering the dust jacket of "Body Double" don't necessarily stand out to a distinguished reader of suspense fiction. I, personally, walked by Gerritsen's novels in the bookstore thinking "more dull medical thrillers." But I am so happy that I finally picked up this novel (my first by Gerritsen) because - in all honesty - it's quite good.

Once you get past the initial far-fetched premise (a medical examiner discovers a murdered woman who happens to be her long-lost twin sister) the story is more plausible than you'd expect. The motives of the characters (and villains) are completely believable and Gerritsen doesn't resort to cheap thrills to keep the story going.

What I liked best about the novel was Gerritsen's way of developing the story. Instead of stuffing the novel with red herrings, she allows the mystery to complicate itself and grow into something very compelling. Three-fourths of the way through, you'll be asking yourself not only "whodunnit?" (as with most suspense thrillers) but "why?" and "how?" And what's more, the pay-off is exciting (without being over-the-top) and plausible (the revelations are air-tight).

All in all, you can't go wrong with "Body Double" - - a better-than-average adventure in suspense that avoids the trappings of its genre.

I've been told that you can give an artist the most hackneyed, the most overused, and the most simple idea and they can make something new of it that's worth looking at. I don't know that everyone can do that, but there are a select few that can.

Most writers are told there are only a handful of plots in the world. Literary professors seem convinced that every plot that has ever come out in American novels can be found within Mark Twain's HUCKLEBERRY FINN. I'm not going to disagree with that assessment, but I am going to doubt it a little.

One thing for certain, Tess Gerritsen's fourth Boston Police Department Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli novel at first appears to be a writer in search of a plot. Medical Examiner Maura Isles came to the forefront of the last novel, THE SINNER, and she remains the focus of this one.

The idea of a "mysterious twin" or "dark twin" is one of the oldest plot tricks in the book. Mark Twain performed his magic on the plot device in THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER. Before that Alexandre Dumas did it with THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK and Anthony Hope used it in THE PRISONER OF ZENDA.

Just as these other masters of fiction pulled successful rabbits out of their hats, Gerritsen does the same with Dr. Maura Isles and her murdered twin. During the course of this novel, Jane Rizzoli is sidelined to degree while in her eighth month of pregnancy. Her relationship with FBI Special Agent Gabriel Dean continues to grow and this one, although they have problems back and forth.

Isles's provocative relationship with Father Daniel Brophy (barely touched on in THE SINNER) looms larger in the series as both Isles and Brophy have to fight against temptation and old feelings that haven't gone away.

The story opens in a gripping fashion with Isles arriving back at her house after a forensic conference in France. Police cars and Rizzoli are already at her address. When Rizzoli reveals the dead woman, Isles is blown away. The woman looks just like her.

Enough to be her twin.

In fact, subsequent forensic investigation reveals that the dead woman has to be Isles's plan. Their blood work and even their DNA matches. Isles was raised as an adopted child and had no clue that she had a blood family, much less an identical twin.

After digging into the dead woman's background, Isles and Rizzoli discover that sheet - like Isles - was adopted. In fact, the same lawyer attended to the placement of both children.

Driven by her need to know who she really is and who her family was - not out of curiosity, but out of self-preservation - Isles begins the painful search for her true roots. The trail is twisted and filled with a lot of unpleasant surprises. More than that, Rizzoli becomes convinced that Isles is tracking a serial killer whose work fantasies involve killing pregnant women - which makes Rizzoli a prime target.

BODY DOUBLE is a compelling experience that drags the readers through the pages at a frantic gallop. Although some of the plot at times feels familiar, Gerritsen brings so much to it that is new. This novel is definitely one of the most tense of the series and delivers a slambang ending.

Gerritsen's newest novel, THE BONE GARDEN, is a stand-alone and not a Rizzoli and Isles book. However, from the description it sounds like a roller-coaster ride waiting to happen. Unfortunately, fans of Rizzoli and Isles are going to have to wait at least one more year for another tale.

George Bernard Shaw's ARMS AND THE MAN (original production: 1894) continues to entertain audiences a century later. Considered one of his "Pleasant" plays by the author (one might say, Comedies) this amusing
parody on War and Love is set in distant Bulgaria in the 1880's. Throughout the piece we witness curious interpersonal relations between the daughter of the household and her handsome officer and a gentleman
fiancé. But the small cast engages in almost farcical surprise developments: there's a saucy maid with upper-class pretensions,
and a dignified fellow servant with her best interests at heart. Raina's parents are the prototype for modern sitcoms, with their behind-the back finagling and opposing motivations.

As if the war between Bulgarians and Serbians were insufficient to provide dramatic chaos, Shaw introduces a literary wild card (THE MAN)
into this volatile mix: one Swiss mercenary named Bluntschli. As a fugitive from a ferocious calvary charge, the desperate man makes a nocturnal entrance into the heroine's bedroom, fleeing immediate death by climbing up a drain pipe--begging pathetic sanctuary from the
impressionable young woman. Should she hide and protect him--an enemy of her country, or turn him in? What begins as a potentially serious situation gradually devolves into delightful comedy and ends in romantic farce.

Shaw's sardonic wit mercilessly spotlights the manly art of war, false appearances (bravery, courtliness, obedience, social pretension), plus marital attempts to hoodwink the gullible spouse. Women's hearts seem fickle, while only the Man remains true to his original feelings. Despite the subtle themes of the hopelessness of being In Service and the superficial reputations of soldiers and maidens, this play offers moments of humor interspersed with wonderful opportunities for Stage Business. Regardless of the verisimilitude of the denouement women readers should take up arms to defend their men--no matter their rank. In the end it is Women's arms which prove stronger than Men's.

Comedies are often stuck with the unfortunate reputation of having little real depth. Arms and the Man, however, is one of those comedies that proves that notion to be false. Shaw's play is quite the masterpiece of comedic drama, combining an utterly entertaining plot with true philosophical depth.

On the plot level, Arms and the Man is a successful, and somewhat unique, romantic comedy. The young, melodramatic, and rather superficial Raina comes from a military family deeply involved in a war, her fiancé and her father both being officers. She is surprised, though, one night by the arrival of an enemy soldier. She rescues him, knowing that she'll have to keep the episode a secret from her family forever, and the soldier eventually leaves. Of course, once the war is over, that soldier comes back, forcing each of the primary characters to reevaluate their values and their relationships.

It's really quite surprising how Shaw layers meaning within the somewhat standard comedic plot. Shaw manages to comment philosophically on class constructs, on the absurdity of war, and even on the nature of love. And, of course, he does so quite wittily and within a satisfying plot. A lot of times, Arms and the Man is thought of as one of Shaw's lesser plays, but that's really not accurate. There is so much here to think about that I think a lot of people miss. Arms and the Man is truly a masterpiece of comedic theater and is definitely one of Shaw's very finest works.

The book I am going to talk about is the book Arms and the Man By Bernard Shaw. I really did not like this book because it was hard for me to understand. The reason I didn't like it was because it was challenging for me. The English was hard to understand. I liked how the writer wrote the book and I would probably look for another one of his books. This book was more like an opera with out music. If I could have and known to I probably would not have this enthusiastic about the book. One reason I picked the book was because it was dealing with war and I thought it would have been cool to read about war, but when I got more in to the book it was really not about war it was more about a love at war. If you're an older audience it would be a good book, or if you're looking for a good love-war story.

One of the most important times,if not the most important,in English literature history was the 19th. century when a plethora of genres of fiction writing were flourishing with gay colours. Victorian literature was perceiving society and its swelling decay from various perspectives,stretching from Charles Dickens's depiction of destitutes and middle-class people to George Eliot's rustic illustration and even as far as Anthony Trollope's revelation of the dark end of the parliamentary tunnel. But a major fraction of the myriad distinguished novelists employed humour and comedy to focus on the social unstability and on conventions and traditionalism. Be it Jane Austen in "Pride and Prejudice" or Oscar Wilde in "The Importance of Being Ernest",humour always plays a distinct role in taming reality and simultaneously mocking it when other means of attack prove futile.

George Bernand Shaw might not be the most serious of prechers of the application of comedy to prove a grave point but in this drama,"Arms and the Man",by the late Victorian playwright,there's a vivid usage of sardonic humour and playful comedy to convey the futility and harm of old-fashioned social analysis. The theme is effectively that of war and love---and by extension marriage---and a combination of both. "Arms and the Man" is a short play of three acts that endeavours to decipher te compatibility between love and war and to portray how these apparently diametrically opposite truths of life are interwoven with each other.

The action takes place in Bulgaria in 1885 against a backdrop of war between bulgarian forces and Serbian and Austrian coalition army. Raina Petkoff is the young,beautiful and dreamy daughter of the Bulgarian Major Petkoff and is engaged to Major Serguis Saranoff who is out in the battles. She is standing on the balcony of their house near the Dragoman Pass and is conjuring up heroic images of her lover and seems to feel the "romance" of war and heroism herself. But then an enemy soldier,Captain Bluntschli,takes refuge in her room and this is what makes the whole drama happen. Bluntschli and Raina at first exchange certain comments of sceptism towards each other between them but then Raina's sympathy and compassion overcome her nad she protects him from his enemies. Next morning she and her mother Catherine see him off but consequences of sheltering an enemy soldier are not to be waved off so easily.

As the play shifts from one act to another,so does the focus;from war to love and then to the amusing connection between them. Raina's "hero" Serguis comes back from the war with the aura of heroism and gallantry and victory firmly round his head,and so does her father,Major Petkoff. And from this act onwards other characters of the play,namely the servant maid Louka and the manservant Nicola---who's actually engaged to Louka---are called into action and the plao now commences to branch out. the numerous dimensions of human nature are poignantly penned down into words and the characters's masks are exposed and each one of them is stripped down into imperfect and susceptible individuals. Serguis is proven to be a flirt andfar from a contented happy model of a soldier;Major Petkoff is discerned to be a man allof of anything beyond the battlegrounds,a man who cannot translate his nous on the military front to daily household activities;Louka and Nicola bring valuable import of snobbish humility of servants in to the story;and even Captain Bluntschli,who makes a dramatic and eventually crucial entry into the plot again,is transgressed from a mere "professional" Swiss soldiers to one who shatters the veil that society,and the individual in the realm,wares.

"Arms and the Man" then is both an amusing and thought-provoking play that retains its relevance even today,more than a century after it was first conceived. George Bernard shaw mocks at the popular theories on war and love and coalesces a military satire with a taunt on love and family structure. The play is replete with brilliant dialogue,flashing wit,buoyant humour and bitter sarcasms which reach their acme in this statement of Captain Bluntschli to Serguis:"I'm a professional soldier:I fight when i have to,and am very glad to get out of it when I haven't to. You're only an amateur;you think fighting's an amusement". Indeed as a Swiss hotel-keeper's son,Bluntschli had no reason whatsoever to get involved in war and it's in this absurdity that Shaw questions patritic sentiments. Shaw explores the whole concept of war and military both from the victors as well as the vanquished's angles and in the end shows that the feelings surfacing in both the camps aren't different at all.

The precision of language,piecing and biting mockery on the common notions of life are entangled with a gentle assurance of the gradual movement of the story towards a fairytale gratification. The end where all charactes are rendered happy and lovers change and love shifts is what underlines the essence of this drama as a comedy. First published in 1894,"Arms and the Man" is also remarkable for its explicit treatment of sexuality which was either denied or shyly elucidated in early Victorian literature and in this feature George Bernard Shaw paves te way for other writers to make their respective marks. This is a play that sustains its image of possessing a universal appeal and of the hopelessness of misconceptions of the basics of life and is apt in this modern day culture when the concepts of war and patriotism and love and marriage have taken massive blows. George Bernard Shaw's "Arms and the Man" would maintain its ambition and relevance as long as there're things like love and war.

First staged in 1894, ARMS AND THE MAN might best described as a comic opera without music. The story concerns Raina Petkoff, a young woman given to melodramatic displays of emotion who has recently seen both her husband and her would-be husband off to war. She is most disconcerted to find an enemy solider hiding in her bedroom following a decisive battle--but fancying herself in the role of romantic heroine, she elects to help him escape. Trouble is, he comes back.

This is in some ways among the least of Shaw's work. Still, the nonesensical situations, witty dialogue, and delicious ironies of the situation make for a memorable package, a package which Shaw ties up in ribbons of ideas about the illusions of romance, the realities of love, and the practicalities of war and peace. The result is a delightful confection with unexpected depth, and the combination has caused ARMS AND THE MAN to be among Shaw's most often revived works. Not among Shaw's great masterpieces, but worthy reading all the same.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

I could not stop listening to this CD!!! I could not believe how much Anne has been through and I applaud her honesty and bravery...she left no stone unturned and it takes alot of courage to tell a personal story like this. Especially about being molested. I hope that her speaking out about this will help others some forward who have been abused.

This is quite literally one of the best books I have read in years. I believe that ALL of us have at least some level of "issues" we need to deal with from our past. While mine are not as severe as Anne's this was one eye opening experience reading her book. I usually pass most of my books on to charity for someone else to enjoy but this one will stay on my bookshelf for the rest of my life. I know that I will re-read it many times throughout the rest of my life. If you want to laugh and cry and in the process learn something about yourself GET THIS BOOK.

I have just finished my second listening to Anne Heche's powerful memoir of her short but troubled life. At times I winced, at times I gasped, at times I even laughed. This is a riveting story, all the more so hearing it in her own voice. - - - Some of the negative reviews preceding attack Heche for revealing the reality of her childhood. Is this the 'bell curve' of life, e.g. one persons pleasure is another person's poison. Or does her honesty strike a chord in the lives of those who listened long enough to eventually recoil in pain. Their own pain which they do not want to be reminded of?

ok i can understand the mental anguish from having such a painful childhood and being molested by your own father....
But hey I was molested by my grandfather from birth to age 14 and I never saw any stinking spaceship!Yes I can joke about it now, and still no spaceship. Should I feel cheated? LOL

It takes courage to open up like she has about her experiences. Having grown up in a very stable, normal household, I found it moving that this young lady has not allowed bitterness to overwhelm her life and bring her down. She has evidently provoked some extreme negative reactions in some of the other reviewers. I don't agree with them. If you have any interest in this talented actress, or in the experiences of "dysfunctional" families, Anne Heche's book is worth looking into. Also, In my opinion, she performs it very well in the book on tape.

One of the few King novels in the horror genre that maintains a logical consistency throughout, this work contains one of the most remarkable extended descriptions of the American wilderness ever attempted in literature in English. A masterful work, and probably the only King novel I will read more than once. Oh, and by the way, it's scary as hell. Far and away King's best work.

I enjoyed this book and I wish that people who don't normally care for Mr. King would read this one. This one is well written without the gore, terror and intensity that so many of us love. ( myself included ) If I am being honest though I must say that my rating was probably a little affected by the Red Sox theme as I am a hard core YANKEES fan. Even considering that I would recommend this one.

Serena D. review of The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King, March 20, 2008.

On a six-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail, nine-year-old Trisha McFarland quickly tires of the constant arguing between her older brother and newly divorced mother. But when she wanders off by herself, and then tries to catch up by attempting a shortcut, she becomes lost in the never ending, terror filled wilderness.
As the days wear on, Trisha decides to make a move and follow a stream to civilization, not knowing that she's actually going deeper into the forest. The only thing that keeps her going is her Walkman. She follows the outstanding performances of her hero, Tom Gordon, the relief pitcher of the Boston Red Sox. As her Walkman's reception begins to fade, Trisha imagines that Tom Gordon is with her. He protects her from an all-too-real enemy who stalks Trisha, leaving a trail of slaughtered animals and mangled trees wherever she goes. After poison ivy, starvation, more bug and bee bites than she could count, thirty lost pounds of weight, vomiting, coughing up blood, fevers, and extreme exhaustion, Trisha realizes she is going to die in these woods. After nine days, the creature finally decides that she has ripened enough and comes to get her. Her imaginary Tom Gordon gives her the strength to face the bear and not just collapse. It just so happens a man was illegally hunting deer and recognizes Trisha from the television news reports. He shot the bear as it ran away and carried Trisha to safety. Just like her hero, Tom Gordon, Trisha got the save. Game over.

To be 100% honest, Stephen King isn't really my kind of writer. However, I needed to pick a book to read for school, and I was trying to reach out of my comfort zone. And there was a Stephen King book, and it was fairly short and most likely easier to understand than any other King book, so I decided to read it.

If I were to rate this book on how much I liked it, I would have given it three stars. However, as it is... it wasn't a bad book. It's just, like I said, not my thing. It was good and interesting, but at parts it seemed slightly repetitive. I also didn't like the way the whole book (plus or minus a few small parts) was written all about Trisha in the woods. It would have been interesting to have an outsider's perspective, either at the beginning or the end, at least. But still, it was pretty well written. I liked it.

Dying in the woods: not a common fear in 10-year-olds. But for Trisha McFarland, this is an all-too real problem. In the fictional story The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, by Stephen King, Trisha is on a not-so-peaceful hike through the wilderness with her bickering divorced mother and older brother. To get away from all the arguing, she takes a few steps off the trail, and soon finds herself in the scariest situation of her life: being totally lost. With primitive survival instincts, and the friendly voices broadcasting the Red Sox games, Trisha fights her way through miles of forests. Soon, her imagination takes control, and she pretends that she is traveling with her hero (and crush) Tom Gordon. Unfortunately, Trisha eventually realizes that she is not alone in the woods as she thought...
I enjoyed this book. I felt like I was there with Trisha because of the great descriptive words and setting. I found that her reaction to what was going on around her was more mature than any fifth grader. Being lost in the wilderness is a very scary thing, and though I've never given it much thought, the characters made me feel like I was going through it, too. I recommend this book for anyone who likes survival stories, because Trisha has to find ways to live in the woods. Also, anyone who is interested in the way the mind works when we are in a weird or strange situation would enjoy this. It's a little unnerving how Trisha's mind tricks her into believing that Tom Gordon is there with her. In conclusion, this story is a must-read and you wont be able to put it down!

I have always enjoyed reading anything James Patterson has written, but this such a switch from his normal writing, I really didn't know what to expect. Boy was I surprised!!! This is one of the absolutely best written stories I have ever read. It was heart-wrenching, hilarious and a true love story. James Patterson has certainly outdone himself. Hopefully these marvelous stories will continue along with all of his wonderful mystery writings. Five stars aren't high enough ratings for this book.

My mom passed this book on to me with the words, "it's a quick read." And I will give her proper credit, it was a quick read. Unfortunately, the plot is far from subversive and the characters are two dimensional at best. The plot while slightly outlandish (woman loses husband and miscarries, then meets a man that is also dying) could technically happen, but I was not emotionally invested in any of these characters. And sadly, I think that is what this book is missing, characters that the reader knows or indentifies with or some sort of level. When I read, I like to think well I know someone like that or I can picture that character. I didn't do that at all in this book. Patterson seldom gets behind typecasted characters to actually create anyone real. I am honestly not sure what could have saved this book, more exposition or details maybe...not a total write off...but nothing spectacular.

Jennifer is still mourning the death of her husband, Danny, when her beloved grandmother, Samantha, goes into a coma. Jennifer goes to stay in Samantha's lake house, a place she loved to go as a child. When she arrives, she finds a bundle of letters from her grandmother who has written things about herself that Jennifer never knew. This is a tear-jerker, love story which has the obligatory love, death and illness scenes as part of the plot. When I was reading it, I felt that as if I'd "been there and done that" in other books I'd read. Patterson attempts to write the kind of love story that Nicholas Sparks and Charles Martin write, but it doesn't turn out nearly as well.

This was an o.k. book, something to read that isn't to deep or involved. It's a sweet story probably something "Lifetime" would make a movie out of.

I read Suzanne's Diary to Nicholas in one sitting and enjoyed it. I hadn't read any other book that used that sort of style (diary interspersed with present day happenings). It was a nice change from reading 'regular' stories or ones written solely as a diary or series of emails, letters, etc. It was a sad, bittersweet story. But I liked it.

In Sam's Letters to Jennifer (the gender-ambiguous name is intentional), I thought I would find a similar type story, which I did but I didn't really like it. It reminded me too much of Nicholas Sparks (who is a much better author than this) and at the same time the always-tragedy-stricken characters in the Lurlene McDaniel stories I read as a teen. It's still a sweet story. I did enjoy reading Sam's letters and wished there were more of those thrown in. But the book was very short and rushed feeling. Patterson could've bulked it up without too much effort and would've had a better book as a result. Instead we're left with the sappy story of Jennifer, who has lost her husband, baby, and now her beloved grandmother has suffered a stroke. There is way too much tragedy going on in her life;- it almost doesn't feel realistic- does anyone really have such bad luck?

Overall a fast-paced read good for a boring afternoon but I'd recommend checking it out from the library before paying anything for this mediocre story. After reading this book and a couple other pretty blah Patterson books, I'm not that interested anymore. Too bad- there were a lot of things I liked about his stories- the suspense, quick pace, intrigue, romance- but there's becoming too much that I can't stand (i.e. predictable, mediocre writing).

I will tell you up front that the vast majority of disaster movies have a hard time holding my interest. Most are so soaped down with romances I could care less about, that I shut them off after about fifteen minutes. This movie does not suffer from that movie killer affliction and in fact it is one of the few I actually like. Tommy Lee Jones is a great part of the reason. Cast in the lead as the FEMA Director trying to control a Volcano that has erupted in the city, it is well handled and with the normal available resources. Nothing over the top and therefore it earned my respect. Granted they probably could not have handled the real deal as well as they do here, but it didn't seem so outrageously ridiculous as most disaster movies. The action mainly involves Jones, Anne Heche, and their assistants trying to predict the path and scout areas to see if they have been hit and change the flow when necessary. I found the movie moved at a good pace without the undue buildup found in so many disaster movies. This one felt like it moved along from beginning to end. If you enjoyed this be sure to catch "Dante's Peak" and "Twister". Good quality DVD with decent replayability.

I have seen this movie more than once.Everyone in my family likes this movie.It keeps you watching.

i think this movie is seat gripping, filled with action -drama-down to earth kind of movie

Sure it is cool to see the filthy city of Los Angeles get cleaned up by some hot molten lava, but c'mon now this is too far fetched. You got these Chevys driving around on asphalt that is melting from heat but the tires don't pop...yeah right.

Tommy Lee Jones is running around like he is Carl Lewis on a bad day, yet is never out of breath...yeah right.

Some kid shows bravery and actually minds his dad, instead of telling his dad and the co-workers to take a hike while he goes joy riding in the suburban...yeah right.

Fun disaster film but you know...yeah right.

You know what I am talking about. Twister Volcano Hurricane Tsunami Earthquake you know they did like every single one now so there cannot be another. oh wait...Tornado? Yeah right.

In 1997 there were two eagerly anticipated volcano movies released. Dante's Peak was more of a blockbuster hit, but not very accurate from a geologist's standpoint. Volcano was more realistic and accurate. It was nice to see a disaster movie depicted as it would naturally happen.

Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche were wonderful to watch!

I will tell you up front that the vast majority of disaster movies have a hard time holding my interest. Most are so soaped down with romances I could care less about, that I shut them off after about fifteen minutes. This movie does not suffer from that movie killer affliction and in fact it is one of the few I actually like. Tommy Lee Jones is a great part of the reason. Cast in the lead as the FEMA Director trying to control a Volcano that has erupted in the city, it is well handled and with the normal available resources. Nothing over the top and therefore it earned my respect. Granted they probably could not have handled the real deal as well as they do here, but it didn't seem so outrageously ridiculous as most disaster movies. The action mainly involves Jones, Anne Heche, and their assistants trying to predict the path and scout areas to see if they have been hit and change the flow when necessary. I found the movie moved at a good pace without the undue buildup found in so many disaster movies. This one felt like it moved along from beginning to end. If you enjoyed this be sure to catch "Dante's Peak" and "Twister". Good quality DVD with decent replayability.

I have seen this movie more than once.Everyone in my family likes this movie.It keeps you watching.

i think this movie is seat gripping, filled with action -drama-down to earth kind of movie

Sure it is cool to see the filthy city of Los Angeles get cleaned up by some hot molten lava, but c'mon now this is too far fetched. You got these Chevys driving around on asphalt that is melting from heat but the tires don't pop...yeah right.

Tommy Lee Jones is running around like he is Carl Lewis on a bad day, yet is never out of breath...yeah right.

Some kid shows bravery and actually minds his dad, instead of telling his dad and the co-workers to take a hike while he goes joy riding in the suburban...yeah right.

Fun disaster film but you know...yeah right.

You know what I am talking about. Twister Volcano Hurricane Tsunami Earthquake you know they did like every single one now so there cannot be another. oh wait...Tornado? Yeah right.

In 1997 there were two eagerly anticipated volcano movies released. Dante's Peak was more of a blockbuster hit, but not very accurate from a geologist's standpoint. Volcano was more realistic and accurate. It was nice to see a disaster movie depicted as it would naturally happen.

Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche were wonderful to watch!

Strangely unsatisfying tell-all. I distinctly felt that the book was more the writer's attempt to heal than a piece of literary work.

Heche shares much of her oddball therapy work, self-spun theories of her case, and dredged-up memories of abuse in her utterly messed-up childhood, but strangely enough reveals little of her SELF. I felt I was pushed into the psychiatrist's own chair, not allowed to be merely a reader or (in the best case of autobiography) a kind of temporary confidante and friend.

I gotta hand it to her, it took some guts to own up to some of this (psychotic episode under influence of Ecstasy, for one), and I am sorry for her suffering as a child. But perhaps SHE should have paid ME to read her unsavory chunk of insanity.

This book was a real page turner for me. To read the openness that Anne Heche used in the telling of this book. She put herself out there to be judged (as you can see by these reviews), but yet she still chose to tell her story. She uses the writing as a way to excorcise her demons and to let people know how she got to where she is. Coming from religious upbringing and abuse is like pulling you in two different directions. I believe she adapted the second personality to deal with the abuse and denial that she was facing at home. It's a well documented fact that people are all the time creating different people in their minds to help them make it out alive. I give her kudos for making it out in one piece. She has had to make peace with her past and I believe this book helped her. I very highly recommend it. It is very insightful into how Christianity can be taken and manipulated to suit the individual whims of many.

An in-depth look into Ms. Heche's life. I've been begging for this book for years. Ask my mum. Anne's honesty is refreshing and her choices are brave and simulataneously courageous. I hope that everyone who has spoken to God like Anne and I have, gets a chance to read this book before Ms. Heche's star dims in Hollywood. Not likely! Thank you Anne for not being afraid to be courageous and simultaneously brave. Not all of us have that talent, but you didn't let that stop you, did you?

They say there is a thin line between insanity and genius. That line, I say, is brilliance. The words leap off the page in a dance of brilliance as Heche courageously seeks, finds, and shares the truth of her existence. It's an interesting read, a well written albeit agonizing journey that had me turning the pages fast, to see what happens next, and then slowly, to savor the crafting of each sentence. The book is controversial in that it throws light into the darkest corners of our lives, and our culture. It is painful in that it is so true. It is exhilirating in the way one human being finds her way through the darkness, facing her demons, to conquer any residual shame and humiliation. The shame is not hers. It belongs to people who can hear a child cry in the night, laugh, and look the other way. Heche's mother is concerned with what everybody else thinks, and how she, as a mother, appears in the face of Anne's herstory. It's no wonder Anne has had to work so hard to take care of herself.

If you're looking for well formed writing, no this book is not for you. If you're looking for Anne Heche to present herself as some amazing woman without problems, then stay away BUT if you want a very entertaining read about one of Hollywood's least celebrated, interesting people then BUY it!

I absolutely adore this book. Some say it is far fetched and couldn't be true but I love that Anne Heche really opened herself up to this project of writing a memoir. There is nothing worse than reading a "guarded" autobiography and this is as far from that as you can get.

From incest, to LSD therapy to being one of the first openly gay ladies of Hollywood...and then changing her mind this book never has a dull moment.

I just can't say that I was as enamored with this show as so many have been. In the end it struck me as kind of cheesy actually. I won't lie, when I saw it performed, the one twist in the show is really good but I still felt like I was reading something that was made to appeal to 20 year olds who are looking for something they want to think is deep. Just didn't work for me but I do realize that I am in the minority on this one.