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The intriguing title does not seem to have a connection with the excerpt. Other than this, this excerpt promises an interesting tale told by an expert storyteller.

Some samples of the beautiful prose that shows the protagonist Wendy's troubled relationship with her mother.

"Childhood was supposed to be a carefree time, but I did not find it so--any more than the characters in novels did. No tooth fairy visited our apartment, and Santa Claus, Jasmine told me when I was four, had been killed in a sledding accident"
"There was so much about my origins that I did not understand, but did any child understand where she had come from--any more than where she was going?"

And this, about her relationship with her father, who is unable to acknowledge her as he is a priest, but neverthless loves her and spends the weekends reading with her.

"When we finally said good-bye standing in front of St. Laurence's Cathedral, he would sometimes reach out a hand to touch me, but it never quite landed. He always walked away quickly, but although he was walking fast, his steps were small, as though he were trying hard not to reach the giant red door of the church, which would open like a clam shell, then snap back shut, leaving me standing on the flagstones alone."

Vivid writing with shades of magic realism. I would love to read the rest of the book.

Hitler's Vegetarian Cookbook by V. Hurley hooks the reader with the strange notion that Wendy O'Hegarty has been in-utero for two years. Conceived of an affair between her mother, Jasmine a by-your-own-bootstraps beautician, and father, Father McCrory, Wendy's life feels like anything but normal.

In the front area of the Mane Attraction beauty parlor, Wendy passes much of her time out of school. Listening to the gossip of the women's lives, she realizes that the salon is more than a place where one comes to get a perm, it's a place where women can feel free with their emotions. For as much as Wendy too would like to be free to exchange feelings with Jasmine, her mother's standard response of "Buck up, girl" all but leaves Wendy convinced of her mother's lack of interest or affections.

Wendy's father, however, has a strange half-relationship with Wendy as he reads with her every Saturday. They go from ice cream sodas and walk together as any father and daughter would, but all this comes at the price of neither of them being able to acknowledge their real relationship.

The presentation of Wendy's story is definitely quirky, while at the same time endearing and engaging. It certainly isn't your standard approach to a memoir style novel, but despite the humor of it all, it still feels like your reading about a real someone's life. A very enjoyable read.

Hitler's Vegetarian Cook has a beautiful, stunning beginning excerpt available right here! This book is sure to go far; it is very well written and this excerpt held my attention every step of the way.

This is essentially a story about Wendy O'Hegarty, a misfit overweight child born out of wedlock to a Catholic priest and a hard drinking, somewhat crude beautician. Wendy chooses to start her story in utero--this very creative tactic by the author works so well.

We are soon introduced to Wendy's parents. Jasmine, Wendy's cold and distant mother who works as a beautician, isn't exactly the nurturing type. Jasmine expects Wendy to run errands for her at the tender age of eight; and Father McCrory, her biological father can't publicly admit to being her father because of the trouble it would cause him in the church. He could be reassigned and he doesn't want that. It also seems that Jasmine and Father McCrory are essentially content with their relationship even though it's not perfect. In addition, my heart went out to Wendy because Jasmine, her mother, is really rather cold toward her.

I also like the way Valerie Hurley writes about Wendy's insecurities. Wendy's lack of true moral support from her parents gives her troubles at school. This excerpt does a fine job of illustrating that.

I must agree with the reviewer who writes that I can't see the connection between the title and the excerpt available here; perhaps that becomes clear later on in the book.

I wish the author every bit of good luck and success with this effort. Valerie Hurley writes beautifully and she deserves recognition for this fine work.

Wendy's the child of 'illegitimate parents': Father McCrory, the parish priest, and Jasmine, hairdresser and owner of The Mane Attraction.

"Jasmine whispered her sins to Father McCrory in the confessional on Saturday afternoon, received the communion wafer from him on Sunday morning, and settled into a creaky bed with him each Wednesday afternoon."

The excerpt tells the tale of a child who doesn't fit in. Her mother sees her as an errand girl and her father won't even claim her. Because of her differences, the children make fun of her and the nuns who teach them use her as an example for showing kindness. ("when they're not hitting children with rulers and locking them in closets.")

There are just too many good lines and too much to remark about in "Hitler's Vegetarian Chef." This excerpt is beautifully written and sadly overlooked in this competition. The writing is of professional quality. I believe it should advance to the next phase of this competition. I wish much success to Valerie Hurley.

... Or maybe I should begin "A beautician walks into a confessional booth".

Whichever opening you choose, this is the story of Wendy O'Hegarty, a young girl who shares the tale of her improbable birth and her unlikely parents.

Jasmine, her mother, is a red-headed beautician with a drinking problem, and is described as "a connoisseur of delicatessen food--coleslaw, Oreos, and lukewarm French fries smothered with Cheese Whiz." Dad, on the other hand, is a Catholic priest who listens to Jasmine's sins on Saturday afternoons, blesses her communion wafer on Sunday mornings, and wears out the creaky bed springs with her on Wednesday afternoons.

You'll soon see that this is an excerpt with a difference, as the first part is told by Wendy in utero, having been in that particular location for more than two years. The rest of the excerpt deals with Wendy's relationships with her parents. Neglected by her mother except when required to run errands, and sharing quality time with a man she dare not acknowledge as her father, it's no wonder that Wendy is considered a weirdo at school -"a frizzy yellow-haired girl who was tall, plump, shy, and clumsy, wore thick eyeglasses, and was most unlikely to defend herself."

Although I'm still in the dark regarding the connection between the title and the excerpt, this one is very well written, with a catchy first paragraph and a wonderfully imaginative concept. Tell me more!

Rated: 4.5 stars

Note: This review is based on the excerpt submitted for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, and awarded a place in the semi-finals.


Amanda Richards, February 14, 2008

Okay, I'm not a mental case. BUT this story will sound like I am. I started "I'll watch the Moon" and could not put it down. I read the entire book in 7 hours, I was completely engrossed with the family. Here's where I may seem crazy. When I went to bed that night, I included the characters on my prayer list. I had never done that before, but they became so real to me. Ann Tatlock is amazing.

This is a wonderfully told story of life, death, despair and hope, in uncertain times of the post WWII era. The relationships between young Nova and her family and friends is realistic and endearing. I was struck by the closeness between her and her older, teenage brother. She idolizes him and he truly loves her. The most touching moments for me, however, are between Nova and Josef, each providing a source of comfort and encouragement to the other. The story of hatred, loss and forgiveness are entwined in a heartwarming lesson of God's love.

This is an incredible story of love and forgiveness. I will recommend this book to everyone I know! I can't remember the last time I read such a moving, touching story.

This was one of the best books I've read in a long time. From the first page, I couldn't put it down. It's excellently written and the characters are people I'll forever remember.

I enjoyed this book so much! A warm story of family relationships and caring friends. I will recommend this book andthis author to all my reading friends.

I am currently very interested in learning everything that I can learn about the Jewish Faith. This particular book was absolutely wonderful!!! It explained everything in perfect detail. I learned so much! I couldn't put the book down. Once I started really getting into the book, I found the Jewish Faith to be very interesting. I can guarantee anyone that buys this book will enjoy it. Gina

Give a copy of this book to every kid whose Bar or Bat-Mitzvah you attend. It's a terrific reference for all those nagging little questions. A true classic and a great companion to your monetary gift. I'd also suggest it as a good gift for any non-Jew who'd just like to understand their Jewish friends a little better.

The book provides basic answers to the thousands of questions on Jewish relgious matters.
Its explanations are most often clear and insightful.

This book's question-and-answer format makes for easy reading, and should be of equal interest to both Jews and non-Jews alike. Want to know about Jewish marriage, divorce and family life? How about holidays, rituals, differences between orthodox and reform branches, or after affects of the Nazi holocaust? The answers are found here in this slightly dated book, one that was soon followed by a sequel (the Second Book of Jewish Why). This is an informative and nicely readable reference - one can only hope that authors from other religions and traditions will write books with a similar format.

I really like these books and the way they are written. The question and answer format make it easy to use it as a "reference" and also allows one to read a few pages at a time.

The question and answer format is also wonderful because alot of what Judiasm is about is questions. "Question Everything" must have been the eleventh commandment.

What is missing are important topics. I wrote to the author in 1996 and he was kind enough to repy to my question. I wrote:

"I enjoy reading your book . . . However, there is a major omission that I need to ask about. Why is the subject of War (and violence) not covered?

Your biography says you were/are active as a military chaplain. I imagine that your role as chaplain and advisor to chaplains would put you in a great position to speak to the question of war and Jewish Law.

Perhaps your wrote about this in another book? If so, could you direct me to that source or perhaps some other Jewish writer has expanded on the subject."

A week later I got this reply from Mr. Kolatch; "I wish I knew how to answer your letter of February 7th. The best I can say is that the subject of war did not fit the theme of The Jewish Book of Why. No, I haven't written anything on the subject, nor is there a book I can recommend."

So you can see, this very important subject was left out, even though Mr. Kolatch was surrounded by military people for most of his career. What a lost opportunity. How sad for us all. His revsions in 2000, didn't answer my questions either.

I hope Mr. Kolatch will write about this concern in his next book. AS I said in my letter to him: "What learning about violence is there to pass on to my 5 sons?"

First of all let me tell you that this book is not an easy reading, it has to many characters and to many stories, to be exact it has six stories, at first all of them separately but in the middle of the book they will be as one big story. Of course the main story, the story of Lucky and Lennie is the must important, but you are really interested in all the stories at the same time. When you end a chapter of one story you want to skip the next chapter to see what happened in that specific story, but when you start to read about the other story you forget about the first one and you will want to know what happened to this one.
The end of the book is not so good, but the book still keep 5 stars

Yes, I should be reading something with more substance, but I love Lucky Santangelo's story! This is like watching your favorite soap opera, but with better characters, and a faster, tighter storyline. Very hard to put down once you start it! I especially loved how Lucky planned to make her studio more receptive to female stars and women's stories. If only there was a Hollywood studio like that for real!

I am not normally one to ready "trashy" novels. Ms. Collins has set up a great list of characters (Bridgett, Charlie Dollar, etc.) in the Lucky Santangelo series. This is perhaps the best of the bunch. Feisty Lucky Santangelo purchases a movie studio from one of the old time owners (kind of a Louis Mayer personna) and becomes the boss of the studio. This causes a lot of friction with her husband Lennie Golden, who feels cheated of his right to win roles on his own merit.

I read this one really fast!

Nothing comes remotely close to this series.

In LADY BOSS, Lucky has finally found the love of her life in comedian/actor Lennie Golden. Not only are the two different as night and day, but they are both as headstrong as ever causing them to sometimes bump heads, but the love that they have for each other surpasses all of that.
Who would've thought that Lucky would find love again after her beloved Marco? Three marriages later, and she has finally got it right this time around. So like any loving wife, Lucky tries to make her husband happy. When Lennie nags and complains about the goings on in his workplace -- Panther Studios, Lucky decided to eliminate his frustration by buying the studio so that the pair of them can have complete control. But nothing wanted in life comes easily. Before Lucky can take full control of the studio, she has to go undercover, and expose all employees who pretty much aren't "getting the job done". This is where the adventure begins.
Meanwhile Lennie is oblivious to this plan. Lucky has to cover up her whereabouts because she wants to surprise him with this after the plans flow accordingly. This situation brings on strain that the two were not prepared for. Will Lennie appreciate the gift Lucky is working on presenting him with? You'll have to read and find out!

I recently finished 'LADY BOSS' the third book in the Lucky Santangelo series and I absolutely loved it! Where 'LUCKY' was good 'LADY BOSS' was great. In this third installment Lucky goes to Hollywood in hopes of acquiring a major movie studio, however, just before she closes the deal she finds out that there is a catch. She has to work undercover at the studio for six weeks as a plain Jane secretary! At first Lucky is reluctant but soon the idea of surprising her husband movie star Lennie Golden with his own studio coupled with the sheer enjoyment of being able to spy on all of the studio executives is too much for Lucky to pass up. But as Lucky soon finds out Lennie is not too thrilled with her surprise, which puts their marriage in serious jeopardy.

There are so many enjoyable story lines in this book that it makes it hard to put down. An example of this is the story of Venus Maria and Martin Swanson the movie star and the billionaire. Swanson is a business tycoon who is married to Dena Swanson a woman who became famous by using the Swanson name and refuses to let anybody take that away from her including the Madonna like movie and recording star Venus Maria. But Venus is determined to have Martin all to herself that is until her brother Emilio shows up and stirs up trouble for the couple.

I found this book to be extremely entertaining and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. Lucky is powerful, demanding and independent a true example of a strong woman. 5 Stars!

Scott Hahn has been leading a double life. While writing numerous popular books on Catholicism for a mass audience and gaining a wide following, he also has published scholarly papers for Catholic theological journals. He is not the only author to have had this scholarly/popular dichotomy in their work - Anglican bishop N. T. Wright is perhaps the greatest in this regard - but until now Hahn has made no attempt to bridge the gap between the academy and the pew.

In Letter and Spirit, Hahn states at the outset that this book will be different. While steering away from an overly technical presentation, there is no doubt that he is seeking to raise the bar on the conversation he normally has with his popular audience with this discussion of one of his favorite topics: the connection between Holy Scripture and the Divine Liturgy of the Church. This theme has appeared often in his books - most notably in The Lamb's Supper - but now he devotes an entire book to an exposition of the subject that is steeped in the patristic understanding of the role of Holy Scripture and the Church's liturgy.

After an introductory chapter on the importance of the ancient witness of the Church, Hahn explains three terms that appear throughout the patristic witness and form the foundation of his exposition in the chapters to follow. The first of these is `economy' - the divine plan of God's revlation and communication of Himself to mankind. The study of God's economy differs from theology - whose subject is the innermost life within the Blessed Trinity - but each informs the other.

The second term Hahn defines is `typology' whose subject is the discernment within God's work in the Old Covenant of prefigurations to what would be accomplished in the fullness of time through Jesus Christ. Events in the life of key Biblical figures such as Abraham, Moses, and David are seen as types pointing to their fulfillment in Christ and those men themeselves are seen as having roles that will find their perfection in Christ. Similarly, the Bblical people of Israel are seen as types pointing to the Church as its fulfillment as God's people. As Hahn points out, the exegesis of Holy Scripture by the Apostles and the Fathers was steeped in typology and any proper understanding of the books the Church determined to be canonical must take their view of these books into account.

The last of the three key terms `mystagogy' whose subject is the liturgy of the Church. Hahn's portayal of the role of mystagogy to liturgy to be analagous to that of exegesis to Holy Scripture. Mystagogy is said to reveal the mysteries hidden in Scripture and celebrated in the liturgy by the people of God who are called to worship God in spirit and in truth. The worship of God's people - whether it be Israel under the Old Covenant or the Church under the New Covenant - understand the Holy Scriptures and the liturgy to be intimately linked. In this context it is thus to be understood that Scripture is not to be considered as something separate from worship but rather to find its greatest meaning in the liturgical act.

Having set the basis for the discussion, Hahn then builds upon this by then discussing in more detail the interconnectedness of Scripture and liturgy. The Biblical texts in their words and even their structure are intrinsically liturgical and the liturgy is itself formed from and by the Holy Scriptures. Hahn goes into detail on the liturgical and sacramental nature of particular Scriptural accounts and notes that for most of history, it was in the corporate liturgical acts and not in private reading that the people of God would hear the Scriptures and learn their meaning. Moreover, the primary factor in determining the canonicity of the Scriptures was its universal acceptance within the liturgical context.

Having given notice to the relationship between Scripture and liturgy, Hahn then goes beyond the surface to explore the reasons for this connection. He points to the relationship between God and His people given in the covenants throughout the Old Testament and culminating in the New and everlasting Covenant between Christ and the Church. The covenants establish a relation of kinship that is based upon God's promises and sealed with a liturgical action. Thus the accounts of God's actions in Holy Scripture and the words and rubrics of the liturgy are necessarily interwoven.

Hahn then discusses how the reading of the Scriptures functions within the liturgy. The Scriptures have power within the context of the liturgy that does not depend on the people's response but by their hearing the Word of God proclaimed. The interaction of Scripture and liturgy is one of announcement and actualization.

Turning next to the idea of corporate memory, Hahn explains how liturgical actions serve to make present past events and unite God's people through time. The believer is drawn by the liturgy as a participant in the divine economy of salvation and allows the discernment of the typological structure of God's plan as it is worked out through salvation history. The liturgy unites the preaching of the Word with the mystery of the Sacraments and transforms the believer and the world.

Hahn then asserts that the connection between Christ and His Church through the proclamation of the Gospel in the liturgy includes the His presence in the Eucharist. This type of coming or parousia, though different in nature than his earlier coming in humility and his eventual coming in glory, is none the less real and has always been held to be so by the Church. This is the great mystery that is the apex of the liturgy of the Church and unites Christians past, present, and future to those in eternity and looks forward to the heavenly banquet.

The Scriptures and the liturgy, Hahn goes on to say, are themselves placed within the larger context of the Church's living tradition from which they are properly understood by the faithful. In order to fully realize the meaning given in the proclamation of the Word and the celebration of the mysteries, each must be read with the Church's eyes and take advantage of the fruits of its typological exegesis, its mystagogy, and its understanding of the divine economy.

Hahn then asserts the liturgical act as one that not only is connected to the past but also to the future end of days and Christ's eternal offering in the heavenly realm. Centering this part of the discussion on the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Book of Revelation, his exposition makes clear the liturgical fabric that is at the heart of the two books. The patterns of the Church's liturgy are themselves a reflection of the heavenly liturgy and the knowlege of both are requisite to the proper understanding of their message. Economy, typology, and mystagogy are basic to the Church's understanding of the liturgy and through the liturgy the faithful experience the veil between the temporal and eternal opened. Heaven has come to earth.

Hahn closes the book on the nature of the proper understanding of Holy Scripture. Exegesis of the Biblical texts should proceed in a trajectory from the literary sense to the historical truth to the divine meaning which is the goal of Scriptural interpretation among God's people. Such an exegesis does not take place in a vacuum but is to be guided by the Church's tradition which preserves the richness of its thought and, of course, includes the understanding of the faith preserved in the liturgy. It is an understanding woven around the themes of economy, typology, and mystagogy and is etched into the Christian tradition.

Overall, Letter and Spirit is one of the better books on the place of liturgy written for a popular audience in recent memory. Given that much of Hahn's previous popular work has relied on a somewhat folksy approach, this book may give a bit of a jolt to his readers. However, the investment of a little more contemplation of the ideas presented is certainly a worthwhile investment. Those concerned with Hahn's standing as a Catholic apologist need not be put off as his approach as any partisan concerns are put on a short leash. Whether one accepts all of Dr. Hahn's conclusions or not, any Christian with an interest in the historic worshio of the Church will find it an important and challenging read.

Wow! By the grace of God, I was blown away by this book! In these pages, I was given great insight into the profound relationship between Scripture and Liturgy and how we participate in the saving grace of Christ. I am astounded by the fact that the Liturgy makes present "the works brought about by God in the history of salvation." (p. 101 quoting John Paul II) and that I'm able to share in their graces today!

In my opinion, this is the best work by Dr. Scott Hahn so far. It is warmly written coming from his heart as well as his mind. I enjoyed how he interwoven the themes of covenant, tradition, economy of salvation, typology, and mystagogy.

This book helped me to revitalized my knowledge and participation in the sacraments. I am very grateful to God and to Dr. Scott Hahn.

To say that this book is simply a continuation of what Dr. Hahn began in The Lamb's Supper is inaccurate. Yes, he does treat on the book of Revelation in this book, and yes he does deal with the Mass, but this book is a tour de force in its own right. It is perhaps one of his denser and more challenging books; gone are the cutesy "punnish" section headings and it its place is much more scholarly language. This is not to say though that the book is inaccessible, rather it is very rich and nourishing. Dr. Hahn's main focus in this book is to explore the fact that the scriptures are most at home in the heart of the Church; liturgy illustrates scripture and vice versa. Again he makes frequent reference to the Church fathers and prove that rather than being a "Romish" innovation, such an understanding of the relationship between Liturgy and scripture has been with the Church since the beginning.

In this detailed study, Dr. Hahn takes us on a biblical and historical journey to discover the preeminence of liturgy in the Christian's life. The Protestant accusations of vain repitition crumble under the weight of importance scripture provides for liturgy. As with so much, it seems, we have thrown out the baby with the bathwater - becoming so blinded by our doctrinal presuppositions as to miss a key theme in scripture and history. Dr. Hahn has done a great service in regaining our attention. Very well done and very well-reasoned call to the liturgy and sacraments in worship and as part of our daily lives.

This is a very interesting and inspiring book. If you ever wanted to know how the church fathers determined which writings would be included in the approved group we call the New Testament and how our understanding of their meanings developed, this is a good book to read. It is involved enough to be interesting, but not so involved that you need to be an academic to enjoy it.

I love all of Robert Witlow's books and this one was excellent!

Robert Whitlow's second in this series of two books, Life Support and Life Everlasting,grabbed this reader's attention in such a way that I completed the book in one day. The story was captivating and the spiritual message throughout the book was inspiring. I will be looking for more books like this one.

You can tell that the author is getting more comfortable in his writing style with Life Everlasting. Where Life Support was a very good but often not fluid work, the story of Life Everlasting wound its' way around intricate characters and a complex setting.

One would probably need to have read Life Support to appreciate the plot and some of the references in Life Everlasting, but it could be enjoyed on its' own.

Life Everlasting is a great book, and I am looking forward to more from Whitlow.

This book was truly awesome. In the first book Life Support, I enjoyed the story and the characters. This book was so riveting I could not put it down. I stayed up late every night because I never found a spot slow enough to put it down. Now I'm catching up on my sleep. The characters and story have stayed with me and I look forward to finding more gems from Robert Whitlow.

Whitlow is a master at peeling back the secrets and layers of Southern settings and characters. After one of his best books, "Life Support," I was thrilled to see a sequel. To be honest, though, I wasn't sure what material he had to work with. Others may disagree, but I loved the open-ended conclusion of "Life Support."

Once again, we are pulled into the psychotic world of Rena, a woman living with guilts and secrets. She begins seeing mysterious visions, and unwinds before our eyes. Whitlow portrays her with perfection. Along the way, Alex, her lawyer, begins to look for ways to disengage herself from this nightmarish client, while also looking for ways to build a deeper relationship with Ted Morgan, a Christian music minister. Their relationship goes through ups and downs, but they are drawn closer as the troubles of Rena's past loom larger.

The ending provides some satisfying emotional moments, even if a few of the mystery aspects are wrapped up a bit quickly. Although the book didn't hold the same sway over me as the first in the Santee Series, it's definitely a must for Whitlow fans.

Moles abound.


The last book in this trilogy is probably not quite as good as the other two, you could call it a 3.75 if you like, but there is some entertaining commentary on what goes on in the spook office with the whole clueless management versus the footslogging hardworking spy in the field.

MI6 is still a bit worried about Benard because of his traitorous spouse, so when he finds out about what he thinks is yet another mole, he isn't looked on too favourably, particularly as it might just be one of the higher-ups.

People who like the others should still enjoy this.

This book can standalone as a good spy story, as can the others in this trilogy, but the storyline attains excellence when read in series - Berlin Game, Mexico Set, and London Match. The tension ebbs and flows throughout the trilogy, but it isn't until the climax of London Match that we see the full scope. I honestly think this is the best book of the three, but maybe that's just because all the threads finally come together. Highly recommended!

This is the third of the Bernard Samson trilogy set in London, Berlin, Mexico and East Germany. I think that Mr. Deighton possibly felt that the first of the series was meant as a solo effort. Perhaps not. Both Berlin Game and Mexico Set stand on their own and could have been solo efforts; London Match is possibly the weaker of the three, but leaves us with that gritty taste in our mouths that recalls the anti-Bond stories of Harry Palmer, Bernard and the others.

The office wit characterized by working with management types unfamiliar with the "field" is not uncommon to many of us who spent time in the military or big corporations. We toil for those who have never experienced what they ask us to do. Hence Dickie Cruyer and Bret Rennselear. Of course for most all of us the result of the inequity of working for management is several antacid tablets; Bernard is quick to point out for him it may be death.

Len Deighton writes wonderful stories about the Cold War a long time ago. Or was it? 5 stars. Larry Scantlebury

It's one of those hall-of-mirrors British spy stories in which the puzzle is to figure out who is working for whom, and who is double-crossing whom.
I was rereading my Len Deightons, partly to see how much impact they still have post-cold war, and I picked this one up out of order. After the first few pages I remembered that this was third in the Bernard Samson series, set in the 1970's and 80's, but it has close affinities to the Harry Palmer series of the 60's, especially Funeral in Berlin. (This has a 1985 publication date). If you're completely new to Len Deighton I'd start with those, and of course you should read Berlin Game and Mexico Set before this.
Some people think Deighton deteriorated in the later spy books. They contain fewer wisecracks and less descriptive scene- setting. In compensation there's a lot of subtle humor in the portrayal of the Dilbert-like atmosphere of office politics, and the plots are more sharply focussed and draw naturally to a climax. The earlier books tend to jump from episode to episode with a tidying up of plot in the last chapter.

The best of the game, set and match trilogy. Exciting, lean and suspenseful.

This is the first online book review I've ever been moved to write.

The story is sophisticated (few kids' books I know of dare first-person narration; fewer still go beyond a neatly-put-to-bed ending), yet it is both accessible to a young audience, and engaging for the adults.

The Lost Thing is cinematographic in its detailed, industrial-style illustations. The matter-of-fact storytelling about an extraordinary experience somehow add to the magic.

This is one of the books my kids will examine for ages, "reading" long before they can really read.

Wonderful.

The eerie illustrations are strangely appealing. However, I found the end to be anti-climatic.

The lost thing is about isolation and indifference. The hero of the story is a bottle-top collector that suddenly finds a very interesting thing and decides to help it find its place. It makes funny of our busy and boring day-to-day life, of how indifferent we are to what happens around us. I laugh aloud every time I read the book; Shaun's humor is so unique!

The story is told in a very special way, with lots of details in the graphics that must be observed carefully. The drawings are just wonderful; Shaun tan mixes the grey and yellow of the cities and adds a touch of color in the lost things. I believe that the book is a great adventure to children and adults alike, every reading brings new discoveries.

As the sub-title of the books reads: "A tale for those who have more important things to pay attention to".

Words could not describe the brilliance of this book...if only i could convey it through the wonderful images that Shaun Tan creates to convey much of his emotion. One of the best picture books I have ever seen. Shaun does it again!

I discovered Shaun Tan in my small town local library. I live in a rural farming community in Upstate NY. I found his book The Viewer and took it home. It wasn't long before I purchased my own copy of The Viewer and then went out to seek what else I could find that Shaun Tan had a hand in. I now own Memorial, The Red Leaf, The Viewer, The Lost Thing, and The Rabbits. I can sit for hours and look at these books. The Viewer invites me into the illustrations as if it was the actual viewer to the boy in the story. Shaun Tan has buried treasures hidden throughout. I have held 12 year old boys entranced when reading it to them.As for The Lost Thing, it is another of his marvelous books with illustrations that beg to be poured over and a text that begs to be pondered. I have shared this book and the others with children and adults. All of them become involved in the books.

Always a great read. Good Dog, Stay brought tears to my eyes. This collection of articles is very good. Parents and grandparents will love the comments about parenthood. Articles are short enough for a quick read from time to time.

i finished the book today. it has been a wonderful companion, all 288 pages of it. the book features 65 of quindlen's previously told tales, formerly featured in her new york times and newsweek columns during her journalism days.

i loved reading the book--and, starting with the least important reason on my list of important reasons i loved this book--her columns were all of similar lengths, retold in the book in about 4 pages each. because i have a limited attention span, and spend various amounts of time waiting in the car for kids and their activities to begin or end, the book is a perfect front seat companion--helping me make good use of the otherwise wasted waiting time.

i loved the book for lots of other reasons, too. i got to know more about an author i've come to treasure--and discovered a number of things that made me feel proud of her for being the things, and me, for liking her books. turns out quindlen is a catholic mom, feminist trailblazer, democratic idealist in the practical sense. she was the first woman more than a dozen times. she noticed the best, and wrote about it.

I am utterly amazed at how well Anne writes and is able to say the things that should be said. This book was so very thought provoking. Even if you don't agree with everything you certain will come away with a deeper meaning. Man, I wish I could write like she does!!!

As with all her other books of essays, Ms Quindlen doesn't sugarcoat her feelings--you know where she stands. And whether you agree with her take on a subject or not, she always provides opportunity for thought, some nuance or different angle you may not have considered. I enjoy packing the book in my tote or purse, so if I have to wait for an appointment or am grabbing a bite to eat by myself, I can read some Anna Q.

I am living proof that one need not agree with Anna on politics to enjoy her writing. As a Republican, I find myself at odds with just about every political stance she takes, but I so admire her style of writing that I want to read on to see how she is going to present her ideas, and I am never disappointed by that presentation. I recommend this book to all aspiring writers as a guide to the craft of essay writing.

heard good things about this book but have not had time to read it yet.

"Making Love Last Forever" by Gary Smalley is a helpful tool for couples who wish to have a stronger and more intimate marriage. The title is about 270 pages and contains 16 chapters. Some of the topics are:

1. How to Address Unresolved Anger.
2. Balancing Expectations With Reality.
3. Five Vital Signs of a Healthy Marriage.
4. Better Communication.
5. Understanding Personality Types (this was my personal favorite, more about that later).
6. How to Bring the Best Out of Your Mate.
7. Dealing With Conflicts.
8. Divorce-Proofing Your Marriage.

I particularly liked the chapter on the different personality types. According to Smalley, there are four basic personality types that can be characterized by animals. While each person probably has characteristics of each, one or two most likely dominate:

1. Lion - likes to be in charge and can be a bit too pushy.
2. Otter - enjoys being with people but can lack focus.
3. Golden Retriever - loyal but can be too easily hurt.
4. Beaver - consistent but can be too critical.

Smalley takes the four types, describes their strengths and weaknesses, and suggests how to deal with each type and how each type can address their own negative tendencies. A very interesting chapter.

Read the book and be encouraged and challenged to work at having a better marriage. Highly recommended!

Gary Smalley's books will help every couple who reads them.

For more help with your marriage, take a look at these also:

The Man of Her Dreams The Woman of His 2 - Livin' It and Lovin' It! (Volume 2)

and

The Man of Her Dreams The Woman of His!

This is an excellent and useful book for married couples or engaged couples or anyone who is planning on getting married.

Garey Smalley presents a grand way to preserve a marriage: Develop a spiritual relationship with your spouse that outlasts ephemeral physical desire. While this is not a new idea, Smalley's personal presentation keeps the reader interested and tuned in.