Titles Books


Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Celebrities-->R-->Raimi, Sam-->Titles-->27
Related Subjects:
More Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250
Titles Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Titles
Slow Walk in a Sad Rain (A Fresh Voices Title)
Published in Hardcover by Warner Books (1993-02)
Author: John P. McAfee
List price: $18.95
New price: $14.95
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $18.95

Average review score:

"Janitorial Duties"
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-03-23
Simply put this book should be mandatory reading for anyone that feels the American military should always have a "world presence" in the various political quagmires. Both young & old & in-between will benefit from a book that can make you laugh & cry often within the same paragraph.

Best book about Vietnam I've read!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 1999-05-10
Very Dry humour... I LOVE IT

"Slow Walk in a Sad Rain" makes my list for great books
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-10
This has to be one of the funniest, well-written, smartest books I've ever read. You can find the time to cry and laugh at the same time - it is an example of others in a horrible situation that can find some security in laughing and making their experiences funny to a certain point. I love this book and I intend on having my friends read it.

A book that fully captures the mind-set of a soldier
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2000-06-20
I was given this book by a friend who raved about it. I expected yet another terrible "Vietnam was hell-don't you feel sorry for me" books. Instead I got to read a book that transcends that conflict and all others. The story and mood could easily be transplanted to any other conflict in history and thats what makes this book so compelling. As a former enlisted infantryman, I rarely read any accounts that accurately portray the bizzare and often irrational logic that one has to adopt to deal with the situations faced by a soldier. Most stories and recollections make soldiers clear-thinking and rational and are usually from the perspective of an officer or high ranking NCO who seem almost to enjoy the experience. Any bad decisions are made "out-of scene" by politcally motivated officers or out-of-touch politicians. They imply that things would be fine without these busybodies. McAfee throws away these stereotypical conventions and gives us the hazy and almost absurdist reasoning that governs a man in times of unrelenting stress and deprevation. Each character in this story clings to each other, and in one case a mortar, to try and ground themselves in an environment of chaos and incoherence. This book should be a classic and the fact that it is out-of-print is a disgrace considering how much junk out there should never have been printed in the first place. However you can swing it, get this book. You will not be disapointed.

To the Author
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2000-01-17
Dear Mr. McAfee,

I read your book. I have sent copies to friends. I never understood why it did not become an American classic. Finally, I saw your on-line comments and I understood.

You have done a marvellous thing for veterans and civilians alike. You have captured the essence of the Vietnam conflict. You "Get" it. You also made me weep for the first time in thirty years.

Thank you

Titles
Snow White and Rose Red : A Modern Fairy Tale
Published in Hardcover by Bethlehem Books (1997-08)
Author: Regina Doman
List price: $15.95
Used price: $64.12

Average review score:

The Best Book!!!!!!!
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-07
I am fifteen years old, and this is my ultimate favorite book!The characters are believable, and the plot is fascinating. It is a mystery/adventure/romance book that, without being preachy, teaches strong morals and christian virtues. I find it refreshing to read a book that has the courage to do all that.

A Fairytale Come To Life!
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 17 total.
Review Date: 2001-02-11
After reading this excellent book a few times each year since it has come out, I have finally decided to read the Grimm's version and may I say that Ms. Doman is one really acurate writer. I really hope she DOES continue the story of Blanche, Bear, Rose and Fish as she mentioned at the end of her book. Also, after reading a book like this, I feel so lucky to be a homeschooling Catholic, Ms. Doman makes every reader feel proud of her religion and so VERY proud of Bear and Fish for their courage. I hope everyone who reads any of these reviews will find the hear(and the time!)to pick up this book and read it and read it and read it, over and over and over and over....

A fairy tale made believable!
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-02
I love reading fairy tale novelizations, because I'm the one who always wants to know the why behind characters' actions. Novels offer a much better glimpse into fairy tales than a simple story book. This novel knows what it's doing.

The main characters, Blanche and Rose, are well-drawn and believable; their personalities are distinct but both likable. Doman also does a good job drawing Bear as a sensitive hulk. The swing dancing scene is one of my favorites! The plot flows smoothly and quickly, with heroic adventures along the way, but nothing that a real person couldn't handle. Sometimes, even if you like a fantasy book, the characters seem superhuman (well, I suppose they occasionally are!). But in this real-world adventure, all characters are true to life.

My one complaint is that Doman resorts to the Nancy Drew technique of having the villain explain his plot to his victim, so that the reader figures out what's going on. Still, it's only her first book (written at age 23 or so), and it's remarkable! I can't wait to see what else Regina Doman has for us.

Incredible!
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-04
AKA Shadow of the Bear.

Some books just fall into your hands, and instantly become treasures you want to share with all you know. This is one of those books. It is a modern retelling of the story from the Brothers Grimm, of Snow White and Rose Red. It is the story of two brothers and two sisters, all of whom have lost much in life and are not fully what they at first appear. The sisters have lost their father and had to move back into New York City. The brothers have lost their mother and have both been convicted of drug charges. Then one fateful night their fates become somehow intertwined.

The sisters are Blanch and Rose, two girls who grew up in the countryside, and who now reside in the city. They live with their mother and attend secondary school. The first of the brothers we meet is named Bear; he has dreadlocks, is big and tough, yet upon spending an evening with the Brier sisters and their mother he reveals different parts of his past. He has a passion for life, loves poetry and takes the girls on outings. But there is always a dark side to a Bear and this one is no different. He has secrets and his story and journey are still unfolding. The mystery revolves around a murdered priest, an abandoned church and the school the sisters are attending.

This story is wonderfully told. The author draws you in and keeps you captivated from first page to last. Each chapter begins with a quote from the original fairy tale, and foreshadows what is coming, yet in New York the mysteries and magic of a fairy tale are very different from the German countryside. Regina Doman is a true storyteller, not just an author. His skill with the pen makes you see the action as it is taking place, and you feel so drawn into the story that you feel like a character sitting on the sidelines waiting to see what will happen next.

This is the first book in a trilogy and I cannot wait to lay my hands on books two and three. This story was so captivating that it left me wanting more immediately. If you are looking for some great summer reading this term, give this book a try.

An all around Perfect Book
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 1999-10-25
The book is about two sisters, Blanche & Rose, who live in N.Y.C. They are new to the city, and they do not have to many friends. They are well read in poetry and other peices of liturature, they are also christian. They meet a boy, who calls himself "Bear", and then there adventures begin. I won't go into detail, because that might spoil it, but I will say that it is loosly based on Grimn's fairy tale, of the same name. I hope that everyone who reads it will love it as much as I did, (all 7 times) but I don't think it's a book that guys would get into. Regina Doman, where ever you are, thank you for writing a book with intelligent, christen characters, that's still exciting.

Titles
Star Mother's Youngest Child
Published in Hardcover by Topeka Bindery (1980-10)
Author: Louise Moeri
List price: $14.40

Average review score:

High praise
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-25
I knew exactly what I was getting. This is a very touching story, with illustrations that match the images in my mind. I've known the tale by heart since first I read it. It's nice to hold it in my hands, to share with others, too.

Sure to gladden your heart.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-31
This is a quiet little Christmas story, subtle, a fable for adults and older children. I first purchased a copy 30 years ago and was delighted to see it was being re-released. I sent 17 copies to friends and sharing this little story was a highlight of the holiday for me.

It has wonderful dense illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman, an illustrator of hundreds of books, and also a founder and frequent contributor to "Cricket", a quality magazine for children.

The story tells of a lonely woman who is unexpectedly visited by an "ugly child" and how that experience slowly opens her heart. Who hasn't felt a bit grumpy, been cheered by a visit from a friend, or longed for the feeling of "enough"? Really, you must read it!!

Simple pleasures are the best...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-08
This is a timeless tale that transcends the hype and materialistic madness that have ruined Christmas. The gentle and simple message of this story can be read and heard over and over again with fresh delight each time. I'm so very happy that this book is still in print. It is my all time favorite holiday read-aloud. I have given the book to everyone in my family and many close friends as well.

Holiday Favorite
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-11-08
For as long as I can remember, every Christmas Eve my family would gather around my dad as he read this story to us. Although we are all adults now, and two spouses have entered the family, we all still look forward to hearing this story read aloud. We practically know it by heart. It captures the warmth and beauty of the simplicity of sharing, with humorous characters and perfect illustrations to match. And I know the tradition will continue on in our own families.

A Christmas Tradition
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-04-23
If you want to start a Christmas tradition for your children, their children and following generations...this is THE book to have. It's a story about giving, sharing and all those important ideals we want our children to carry with them into adulthood.

Titles
Stargate Atlantis: The Official Companion Season 2
Published in Paperback by Titan Books (2006-07-01)
Author: Sharon Gosling
List price: $14.95
New price: $3.00
Used price: $2.91

Average review score:

loved it!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-07
well written synopsis of each episode will bring
you up to speed if you have missed episodes.
excellent show shots and behind the scene looks.
the personal thoughts of the actors explain much
as to how their chactors have grown and adapted.

good reading for all.

I love Stargate Atlantis....
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-02
...and this book is the best completion for this great show.
It's a complete and very detailed review for each episode and it's very useful for a SGA fan.
A must!!

Wonderful Companion for SG Atlantis
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-05
This makes a wonderful addition to my Stargate Atlantis DVD collection. It pretty much explains all of season 1; the story lines, the characters, etc. I really like this book.

Stargate Atlantis Companion Book Collection
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-20
If your a fan of the series then you will want this book. I have all of the Stargate SG-1 series and found them very interesting to read and to having in my collection and you will to want this in your collection.The photographys and illustrations you can't get any where else.
As a fan of the series this book will help you learn some of the lingo.
I've enjoyed all of the SG-1 books and just started my collection with the Atlantis and I'm sure you will as well.

Stargate Atlantis
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-19
Great book. It fits in well with the Stargate SG-1 series. Lots of good insider information and pictues.

Titles
Still Sexy After All These Years?: The 9 Unspoken Truths About Women's Desire Beyond 50
Published in Paperback by Perigee Trade (2006-02-07)
Authors: Leah Kliger and Deborah Nedelman
List price: $14.95
New price: $1.26
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $14.95

Average review score:

A good read.....
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-12
This was a very good read for the type of book that it is...there are many women out there who would enjoy it...it is very informative and true to form...not all about sex but rather about women after 50 in general...it is good to know what other women yhink about the second half of their lives....thank you.

finally good information
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-24
This book has changed so many of the assumptions I grew up with. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Plus this is a "fun read" all the while telling the real truth from real women's stories and lives. I think the authors have shown how much they care about the lives of women everywhere by doing the actual research to write this great book. Thanks from all of us!!!

Delightful!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-31
I found this book to be well written, informative, and delightful to read. The stories and comments from so many diverse women made this book one for all women to incorporate into their home library and share with friends.

Down to earth
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-27
Still Sexy opens the doors to the range of possiblities for sex and aging. It's a down-to-earth book, easy to read, useful and well researched.

A must read for men
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-04
Men who want to develop or maintain a loving relationship with women over 50 will find this book essential reading. A major strength of the book are the quotations from women who were either interviewed or who participated in group discussions. The quotations have the same poignancy as those in the play, "The Vagina Monologues." Like the play, this book has some feminist perspectives that are annoying but they do not detract from the helpfulness of the book overall. The book also has some great jokes!

Chapter 3 has one of the great jokes but overall it is a downer. The rest of the book is quite up beat so I recommend skipping Chapter 3 until you have read some of the other chapters. Men should not skip Chapter 6 on lesbian relationships since it contains very wise quotations that apply equally to heterosexual relationships.

Of the 400 diverse women who responded to the authors' non-random survey, 57% said they were either passionate or satisfied with their partner as a lover. Only 10% said they were either uninterested or resentful toward their partner. 22% said they currently did not have a partner and 11% did not answer the question. That is very encouraging news. The book provides lots of useful suggestions on how men can help their lovers stay in the passionate or satisfied category.

Titles
The Sun King
Published in Paperback by Penguin (Non-Classics) (1995-08-01)
Author: Nancy Mitford
List price: $24.00
New price: $84.95
Used price: $4.25
Collectible price: $80.00

Average review score:

A truly enjoyable book--
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-20
Ok, I will freely admit that this may not be considered by some to be a scholarly historical assessment. I have been interested in the reign of Louis XIV since childhood when my mother purchased for me a coffee table book of photographs of Versailles. I wondered what could possibly have taken place at such a monstrous and wonderful palace. Since then I have read at least a dozen books on the period which tend to focus on the development and impact of absolutism in 17th century Europe. But this little book is a gem because of its author. Nancy Mitford was the daughter of an English Baron and spent her life as both an academic and a socialite. Her telling of the lives that swirled around Versailles palace is authenticated by the impression one gets that she would have been completely at ease in that setting. This book was written in 1966, just 7 years before her death. Her style sounds more like gossip than history, but is generally regarded as very well-researched. I warn you that if you read this book or one of her other historical biographies, you are in danger of becoming hooked on Mitford and will probably seek out some of her other well-loved books. This was a very enjoyable book and I find myself going back to certain chapters from time to time. One of the most memorable portions is the end where she describes a ghoulish sacrilege; the looting and desecration of the tombs during the revolution. As any good book will, it fascinated me and left me wanting to know more.

Elegantly Entertaining
Helpful Votes: 15 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2004-10-24
Nancy Mitford is best known as an author of witty, elegant novels like The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate. In the 1950s and 1960s she also produced a number of historical works, of which The Sun King is one of the best.

The Sun King is a personal biography of Louis XIV. It does not deal in great detail with the political, military, or economic issues of Louis XIV's reign but primarily focuses on his personal life and that of his family. Louis married his double first cousin Marie Therese of Spain (she being his genetic sister for all intents and purposes, the reader is amazed that his family turned out as strong and healthy as they did). He also had three major mistresses and a string of casual acquaintanceships which produced a number of illegitimate children. His numerous relations also produced a quantity of children and had many extramarital relationships.

A major part of the book deals with the construction of Versailles. Indeed the book seems almost to be a biography of the chateau. The profuse illustrations, including many photographs of the chateau and its grounds, add immeasurably to the pleasure of reading this work.

But the most compelling reason for reading The Sun King is to enjoy Mitford's elegant, witty, prose style, which is as much in evidence here as in her novels.

Witty and personable, good introduction to the subject.
Helpful Votes: 17 out of 17 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-04
Here's "Lifestyles of the Obscenely Wealthy and Powerful"! I admit I'd never read much about this period of history (I'm fond of joking that my in-depth knowledge of politics and history more or less ends with Elizabeth I's death), but the bit I read at the bookstore made this book irresistible. I passed up an Alison Weir for this, but I don't regret the choice at all. It is both charming and knowledgable, with a witty, personable, almost gossipy tone.

There's a lot of information here, packaged with lots of pictures and glossy pages. It is a lovely book to look at purely on an aesthetic level. But do take the time to actually read it! Though sparse in areas, it is a rich look at the life of Louis, and at the lifestyle of a courtier of his day. The creation of Versailles is gone into in much detail, as are sexual politics and wartime attitudes. Mostly this focuses on Louis' personal life and that of his court and how Versailles came about, so there isn't much here about actual wars or about international politics. But what there is is just stupendous. I'd call this a must-have for a beginner in French history. I'm very glad I got it.

The Sun King
Helpful Votes: 17 out of 18 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-20
Nancy Mitford came to me by way of this book and, ignorant of the incredible talents that lie with her, her sisters and the aristocratic family into which she was born. Since then, I have devoured Nancy's fiction, her personal history and I have much more to learn. However, it is her talents as a biographer and historian, perhaps best exemplified with this book, that I believe she achieves the realization of her greatest gift; that is to send life into the dead hand of history. In "The Sun King" history comes alive as I have truly never experienced. Here is a book that takes heretofore one dimensional characters and fills their frames with humanity, giving them dimemsionality, life. She uncovers the perspective that sheds light on each characters good and bad side, turning Louis XIV, Monsieur, The King's wives, his children, in fact the whole of the court at Versailles into a vision in one's head that makes it easy to understand why the Ancien Regime in France can still provide relevance to a contemporary world that approximates it so little. Relevance and topic interest, to be sure, is the most amazing feat for a historian to achieve. Nancy Mitford with "The Sun King" stands among rarified company in such an achievement.

My Favorite Book, Perfection!
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-27
This book is an absolutely amazing piece of work. I was introduced to it while looking for audiobooks on ITunes. The audiobook was so enjoyable that I felt compelled to purchase the actual book to read along with it.

Mitford makes each of the historical figures come alive, and makes an opulent and enclosed society accessible to readers of any age. The work is gossipy enough to be interesting, but not to such a degree as to detract from the historical accuracy. I would recommend "The Sun King" to anyone who wishes to learn more about the age of France's greatest king and the people that surrounded him.

The only drawback is that for one to fully appreciate the book, they should have a very basic knowledge of French and European history (at least as far as names and dates are concerned). Having long been interested in history, I did not find this a problem, but I can see how one who was not familiar may find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Otherwise, this book is about as close to perfection as I've seen.

Titles
Three Little Kittens
Published in Audio CD by Clarion Books (2005-11-01)
Author: Paul Galdone
List price: $6.00
New price: $2.44
Used price: $3.22

Average review score:

A favorite old classic...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-23
I bought six of my favorite childhood books for my great-grandson..."Little Black Sambo", "The Three Billy Goats Gruff", "Henny Penny", "Chicken Little", "The Three Little Kittens", and "Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit". My great-grandie is 2-1/2 and I can't wait to read these wonderful stories to him.

Family Favorite
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-29
Three Little Kittens was my favorite book as a child and now that i have a son of my own I am able to pass on a favorite to him. He loves the vivid images that this book offers, there are so many different pictures in their that at 16 months old he likes to point and hear me say the name of an object.

Cute for preschoolers....
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-03
My three year old daughter loves this book. It has cute illustrations and an easy to follow story line, just like I remember. This is great book for both boys and girls.

Excellent service
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-04
The book was in perfect shape and arrived very quickly. A pleasure to do business with.

Good child reading material
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-12
This is one of the best books for young children. I read it to my daughter as a child and she loved it.

Titles
The Thrill of the Grass (Penguin Short Fiction)
Published in Paperback by Penguin (Non-Classics) (1985-04-02)
Author: W.P. Kinsella
List price: $13.00
New price: $1.08
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $13.00

Average review score:

Kinsella is a master of short fiction
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-23
W.P. Kinsella is an excellent writer of short fiction. Many will know him as author of Shoeless Joe which became the movie Field of Dreams (Widescreen Two-Disc Anniversary Edition).

Kinsella also has written a number of short stories, relying on baseball as the theme, but with themes that are universal. This isn't the "get the big hit to win the game" story, but rather baseball as a metaphor.

With any collection, the question of best and worst short stories come up. Particulary strong is the opener "The Last Pennant Before Armageddon" which deals with a prophecy that the next pennant that the Cubs win will be the last pennant that any team ever wins -- a prediction that still hasn't been tested since this piece was penned in 1984.

The collection also closes strong with "The Thrill of the Grass" dealing with the baseball strike and a populist secret revolt against artificial turf -- a methphorical return to purity.

Excellent work. Kinsella is truly a master writer.

Baseball Dreams
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-17
W.P. Kinsella writes fiction that is a reflection of his true love of baseball. His devotion to his topic is evident to his readers in each of his works of fiction that often seem too realistic to be fiction. Particularly in this collection of stories, the line between fact and fiction is blurry.

"The Last Pennant Before Armageddon" is the highlight of the set as other reviewers have noted. As one might guess based on the title, the plot involves the Cubs winning the pennant. Though some countries, playoff alignments, and even teams from the story no longer exist, the end of the world would seem to be the logical conclusion to a Cubs pennant victory. The swerve at the end of the story may or may not surprise some readers.

Other highlights in the set include "The Night Manny Mota Tied the Record", "The Battery", and "The Thrill of the Grass". In a plot that preceded anything written by Mitch Albom, "The Night Manny Mota Tied the Record" explores the feelings after the death of Yankee catcher Thurmon Munson. Would a hardcore (non-Yankee) baseball fan give his life to save Munson's? "The Battery" takes readers to Santo Domingo where a wizard created in the vein of author Terry Pratchett sees the birth of baseball playing twins. While at least one twin excells in baseball, the wizard is the star of this story. "The Thrill of the Grass" is set during the 1981 players' strike, though the same scenario woud apply to 1994. The narrator breaks into an empty stadium as the story begins. Though he dislikes the lack of activity, he is most appalled by the artificial turf.

Though not all of the stories were gems, baseball fans are certain to enjoy this collection just as much as Kinsella's other works.

Kinsella's best collection of short stories
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-17
My brother told me about W.P. Kinsella in 1984 and I've been a huge fan ever since. I've read everything I can find by him, starting with "Shoeless Joe" and this might be my favorite book of his. He has written at least three collections of baseball short stories and this is easily the best.

Most of the stories are not so much about baseball, it's more a case of using baseball as a background and common thread to tie the stories all together.

These are the kind of stories you can read over and over again. One of my favorites was the story about the fans who decided to turn the latest player's strike into a chance to replace astroturf with real grass. With the stadium shut down for the strike, they came in and returned the field to a natural state. I've always thought that when the players strike they should strike to get rid of astroturf; a cause many fans could get behind.

I don't know of any baseball fan who would not enjoy these stories.

Some gems (diamonds, actually)
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-06
A collection of baseball stories - or rather, stories involving baseball and baseball players in some way. Kinsella is at hist best when he stays close to earth - hopeful bush leaguers, women trouble - but tends to go way over the top when he tries to involve more "magic" (in his own words) to the game and the story. The Iowa Baseball Confederacy suffered from this problem, and so do a few of the stories in this collection. But when his "stories aren't about events, they're about the people they happen to", he has a wonderful touch. Some of my favourites in this collection are "Drive me to the moon", about a Rookie leaguer and his affair in a one-horse town in Canada, "Barefoot and pregnant in Des Moines", about a big league star and his marriage. Some of these stories are true gems and fully warrant the five-star rating; others are filler, but then even the most classic games have their straightforward 6-3 groundouts.

Classic baseball fiction, especially for Cub fans
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-17
W. P. Kinsella writes with poignance and wit, capturing both the humor and the occasional tragedy of the game. This collection displays some of his best work.

My alltime favorite among this collection is "The Last Pennant Before Armageddon." In the wake of the Cubs' collapse this fall, a work like this has real prescience and is somehow reassuring that there was a higher purpose behind it all.

Still, there are other strong stories in the mix. In one, the narrator is offered the chance to trade places with the recently-killed Yankees catcher Thurman Munson. Another, more whimsical story takes you inside the clubhouse of the 1951 Giants, as a surprisingly literate team debates whether The Greaty Gatsby is an allegory.

For me, "The Last Pennant Before Armageddon" is reason enough to buy this book. In the wake of the 2003 NLCS, I feel a dire need to read it . . . repeatedly.

Titles
To Full Term: A Mother's Triumph Over Miscarriage
Published in Paperback by Berkley Trade (2007-06-05)
Author: Darci Klein
List price: $14.00
New price: $0.31
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

A book best for those past the grieving stage
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-15
I recommend this book primarily for women in the determined phase after their miscarriages, who want to hear a strong, steady voice describing one mother's search for answers to her recurring losses.

Interweaved in the story are background facts, statistics about loss, the National Institutes of Health's woeful funding on miscarriage, and what she feels is the incriminating lack of chromosomal testing on early miscarriages to separate women into those who had "bad luck," and those who have a problem that can be treated to save pregnancies.

Klein's story is passionate and clearly told. She was adamant that she not lose any more babies and demanded medical intervention to save them.

I do think, however, that her mixture of stats and story is not very helpful in the early days following your first loss. It's hard to feel emotionally involved in her journey when you are constantly being fed facts in an order that might not be what you want to know, when you want to know it. Her writing is very edgy and strong, a voice that might be difficult to relate to during your saddest days.

But for those of you who have had two losses or more, those of you who are determined, frustrated, and maybe still a bit angry at your lack of answers or your care, then this is a solidly written and researched book about the journey.

Read a full review at www.pregnancyloss.info

Moving and Informitive Story
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-29
This book was an emotional journey with the author through her struggle to educate herself about the available testing and available treatments for "all possibilities" that were causing her to deliver pre-term and miscarry. Very informitive. A great read for husbands who need a little insight....

Excellent Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-01
This is an amazing book. Darci Klein paints an extremely powerful and realistic portrait of the anxiety and anguish of pregnancy after miscarriage. She also writes about the strain of loss on relationships, especially between spouses, and how these strains can be repaired.

Her story is interwoven with medical information that makes it an essential guide for women who face the same problem: needing to know more than your doctor tells you and to be stronger enough to overcome the many obstacles to becoming a mother and building a family.

Very easy to read, but with a depth & heart that only someone who lived this pain could describe.

A book that bring tears to my eyes ...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-30
It is a great story that I think all women should read, especially moms. I had a fairly easy and smooth pregnancy with my little girl, i didn't realize how lucky i was until i read Darci's story. I admire her determination to complete her family, she is a brave woman.

Heartbreaking and encouraging
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-06
This book really educated me and helped me to understand the struggles many women have in carrying a baby to term. Darci's story is heartbreaking at times but also empowering and uplifting, esp. when she educates us on how to better manage our obstetric care. I also enjoyed the style, which blended personal accounts with research and fact. A must read for anyone who has had a miscarriage and for those who have not, because chances are you know someone who has had one who could use your support and understanding.

Titles
The Trial of the Templars
Published in Paperback by Cambridge University Press (1993-07-30)
Author: Malcolm Barber
List price: $18.99
New price: $2.68
Used price: $0.23

Average review score:

Would make a great Hollywood Movie...
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-24
This is the historically true account of the execution of the Templars and the political circumstances surrounding it. If you have read books about the Salem Witch Trials then you will like this one too, but be warned Barber is a historian and so you will get the full blow by blow account of what went on.

Basically in the year 1307 King Philip 4th arrested the Knights of the Templars and a pseudo-trial followed in order to smash the Templars. Much like the Salem Witch Trials many where falsely executed while others survived the ordeal to tell the tale. Basically this book is all about the destruction of the Templars.

Again if you like books about "Witch Trials" then this is a must for the bookshelf and certainly Barber gives us the best historical rendition of any "Witch Trial" to date although the Templars where not treated as Witches but as anti-christian (when is fact they where a "White Order").

Good historical depth to this one and highly recommended.

Excellent work centring on the trial of the Templars
Helpful Votes: 15 out of 17 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-31
I own many books on the Templars, but very few deal primarily on their downfall on the Friday 13th, and the gruelling, protracted trials afterwards. The Templars have always fascinated me, an order founded on a vow of poverty that rose to become one of the richest and most powerful organisations of their time, a religious order, yet it was politics and money that sealed their fate and brought about their destruction.

Very well written, it is rich in detail, but in a witty narrative that keeps the reader enthralled and forgetting they are reading history, which is usually dry and stale. High Recommended. Anyone interested in the Templars needs to add this one to their collection.

A Must Read
Helpful Votes: 19 out of 21 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-12
Barber's 'The Trial of the Templars' is the best and perhaps only serious academic study of the political machinations of French King Philip IV, "the Fair," which resulted in the trial and suppression of one of the most noble and powerful of the Medieval crusading orders.

The wealth of source material in the book makes it indispensible.

One would hope that Barber's work would go a long way towards debunking the myths of the Templars as neo-New Age adepts possessing secret occult wisdom, since, as Barber demonstrates, many of the Templars at the time of the suppression were uneducated, illiterate old men from preceptories in Europe, most of whom who had never even set foot in the Holy Land and were thus incapable of the occult practices ascribed to them. Of 115 Templar depositions resulting from the hearings in Paris, sixty-nine brethren stated that they were forty years old or older. The average age of these 115 men was 41.6 years. Most of the accused Templars were serving brothers and seargeants (41); seventeen were priests and only fifteen were actually knights. The average length of service of deposed Templars was 14.2 years. Hardly the stuff of which powerful occult magicians are made.

Definitely add this one to your library.

Barbers' view of the Templars
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-10
Malcom Barber looked at the entire organization an came to the following:
1. The orginal purpose of the group was to protect pilgrims however the
intent soon changed - the outside population of the European nations so
saw a chance to gain "power" for themselves.
2. The rulers became jealous of the "carte blanche" given by the Pope -
thus the Templars had to answer to no one and became very wealthy.
3. Soon those same rulers previously mentioned had to come to the Templars, and others as well, inorder to obtain money.
4. As a result the banking system was established. When Phillip V realizd he was in debt to the Templars, he "manufactured" charges inorder to seize their money and their land holdings. Phillip soon became aware of how mch his seizing had accomplished for him - death.

In-depth study, with references and bibliography. Everything!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-22
Barber has accomplished a very difficult task. He has compiled scattered accurate information regarding the Templars and laid it down in an easy to read fashion.
Despite the title of the book, this book covers more than just the trials surrounding the Templars. It is a concise timeline of the time period including political powers, church rulers, allies and enemies, detractors and benefactors.
Barber has given a balanced view of the Templars, their rise, fall, trial and destruction. He offers a plethora of footnotes and references and a daunting bibliography which would be the envy of any medieval history, Templar history, catholic history, french history or crusades history lover.
Also offered by Barber is another book covering the Templars ( The New Knighthood : A History of the Order of the Temple )which goes even further in depth regarding the actual successes and failures of the Order, again offering a huge list of historical references.
Barber, it appears, is the foremost historical expert that is publishing works regarding the secretive but ever-popular Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon.


Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Celebrities-->R-->Raimi, Sam-->Titles-->27
Related Subjects:
More Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250