V Books


Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Celebrities-->V-->65
Related Subjects: Veidt, Conrad Van Damme, Jean-Claude von Sydow, Max Van Outen, Denise Velez, Lupe Van Dien, Casper Visitor, Nana Voight, Jon Van Dyke, Barry Vosloo, Arnold Van Peebles, Mario von Trier, Lars Vartan, Michael Visnjic, Goran Varney, Jim Vaughn, Vince Van Der Beek, James Vorderman, Carol Voight, James Haven Van Doren, Mamie Vickery, John Vanous, Lucky Vaughn, Robert Vieira, Meredith Valentino, Rudolph Verdon, Gwen Valley, Mark Vansier, Nathalie Vickers, James Venora, Diane
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
V Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

V
Compassion: A New Philosophy of the Other (Value Inquiry Book Series 134) (Value Inquiry Book)
Published in Paperback by Editions Rodopi B.V. (2002-11-03)
Author: Werner Krieglstein
List price: $58.50
New price: $52.45
Used price: $26.09

Average review score:

Compassion...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-05-27
There is only one word to describe the author and the book, simply amazing..the book was very informative and very detailed and covered many important different aspects of life. The book opens your mind and thoughts to things you wouldn't even thought of. Very impressive!

WOW
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-05-27
There is only one word to describe the author and the book, simply amazing..the book was very informative and very detailed and covered many important different aspects of life. The book opens your mind and thoughts to things you wouldn't even thought of. Very impressive!

Compassion
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-03-16
This book succinctly explains how lack of emotion is affecting our world in negative and destructive ways. This book explains how compassion and cooperation gives hope for our world. One of the first steps we must take is to acknowledge that differences exist and to respect the differences even though we do not all think in the same way. We must feel comfortable with ourselves and with others even if they are different from us. This will lead to better communication which can only lead to better lives for us. Finally, we also need to realize that communication is not just between people, but also between people and the world we live in

Dr. Krieglsteins book; I am a student in his class
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-02-29
I have recently read compassion: a new philosophy. It has opened my eyes to other religions and religious thoughts. Although not converting me to perspectivism the book was insightful. It also made me think about the cruelty to animals.

Very well organized and informative
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-03
Before reading this book I thought I knew alot about everything, this book has helped me to see things from many different points of view. There is so much information in the book that I found facinating. Reading this book has changed the way I think about history and other cultures.

V
The Complete Life's Little Instruction Book
Published in Hardcover by Thomas Nelson (2000-10-19)
Author: H. Jackson Brown
List price: $19.99
New price: $10.17
Used price: $6.72

Average review score:

Deeply sightful, easy to read...overall, pragmatic.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-31
I enjoyed reading each and every single advice contained in this book. Some of them are quite simple, even obvious. Some are more complex and profound. Nonetheless, everyone deals with those little details, the small things that can be a huge problem, or a great blessing. Awesome choice for a gift...you can hand-pick some of them to make them more giftee oriented or even write a Hopscotch in the manner of Julio Cortázar famous novel. Hope this helps. Worked for me.

Complete Life's Little Instruction Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-08
H. Jackson Brown, Jr. is among the best advice givers in today's world of literacy. This book is the best gift for anyone starting a whole new lifestyle. I recommend this book to all young adults, especially those who will soon go on to College. For the game of life is always a hard game to play for young and old alike, and we can ALWAYS use a little or a lot of motivation every now and then.

Great advice to give college students
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-02
I purchased these books for a group of college students that worked together as a staff. Some graduating, some still studying. I can only hope they do take the time to read it (here and there - not all at once) and it helps each one of them be better people. I believe this book has the ability to create role models and help people to treat others with kindness.

A delightful thing to have lying around...
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-02
I first found this book on a bargain shelf at my local bookstore and picked it up for just 4 or 5 dollars. It really was a good buy.

It really is not a book that one would want to pick up and read but rather a book that you would want to have lie on your desk at work or on your coffee table at home so that visitors (or clients) can pick it up and turn to a random page and find any assortment of good philosophical sayings.

Each time I pick it up I find myself smiling at the fact that it gives something new each time you open it. With over 1500 entries, it really does give advice on everything. It gives advice on the things that we ethically know, but not necessarily are written down anywhere.

I bought a second copy not long ago for a friend of mine for a Christmas gift. It's a simple little thing that can make a big reaction.

Everybody should have one of these!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-14
I loved this little book! This is the result of a dad sitting down to write out a few words of wisdom and advice for his son who was going off to his freshman year at college. The first list was 511 entries, and then, he mailed his son a new collection every two years.

There's some great advice all through this book! And no long stories attached either. Short and straight to the point, each numbered piece of advice is no more than a few lines long. The suggestions cover a broad range, some are serious while others are funny or trivial, but all are honest and good advice, and many are just interesting. Like #841: "When your dog dies, frame his collar and put it above a window facing west" -I've never heard of that before.

I highly recommend this little book as a gifts for anybody in your life and for anything from birthdays to graduations or just because. Would also make a good coffe table or bathroom book too.

V
The Complete Poetry & Prose of William Blake
Published in Paperback by Anchor (1982-04-16)
Authors: William Blake and William Golding
List price: $24.95
New price: $14.91
Used price: $8.67
Collectible price: $35.00

Average review score:

Soothing
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-14
It's amazing how soothing just reading William Blake's poetry is on the troubled soul. I always look for his work to ease my mind and lift my spirit. Everyone should treat themselves to his work. Peace be with you.

Complete works of William Blake
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-09
A wonderful paperback edition, containing all the works of
William Blake, with a excellent introduction
of Harold Bloom. An priceless tool for students
and teachers

outstanding
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-23
This is an outstanding resource for anyone interested in the works of William Blake. It's well organized and easy to work with. I'm very pleased with it.

SAYONARA......IT'S BEEN FUN!
Helpful Votes: 20 out of 22 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-22
What to write for my last review? That was tough. Since I was a little boy I have always been one of those who had his face in a book. Books, books, books. When I began my jobs as a paperboy, and later at the grocery store, I began buying books. This hobby grew so large, that my father made our rumpus room a library for me. And it grew ever larger. By the time I enlisted in the Air Force, I had amassed quite a large number of volumes. While in Europe and the Middle East, I would scour book stores and began purchasing leather books. Some very old, and many in foreign languages. Since the Air Force only allowed for a 5,000 lb limit, I spent a fortune sending books home. When I left the service my house looked like a library. Running out of space, I began to make my garage a library. However, it grew ever larger. Therefore, I made use of my brothers garage, then my mothers, and eventually even had to make due with having to rent a few storage spaces.

Yes, it's that large. I was hoping to make a large home library some day. Books have been my life: Even though I write mostly about Asian films. And I was glad that VHS films came into vogue, as they afforded me the opportunity to begin amassing a large collection of Japanese films which I have a soft heart for. That got real big too! Anyway, back to the question as to what to write for my last review? Well, I just happened to stumble across this book last night, one of many. There is a poem by the gifted and enigmatic poet, engraver and painter William Blake. I do recommend the book by the way. Events in my life have gone in a very negative way, therefore, I have decided to impart a poem as my last review. Hope you like it. It's one I have remembered from my childhood. There are too many great things to write about, and I figured this would not be a bad goodbye. It is William Blake's "THE TYGER"

THE TIGER

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? What the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?


William Blake (1757-1827)

It has it all
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-03
It has all his writings: letters, anotations scribbled in the margins of other people's books, everything. Only downside: it doesn't show his illuminated printing.

V
Creating the Worlds of Star Wars : 365 Days
Published in Hardcover by (2005-10-01)
Author: John Knoll
List price: $29.95
New price: $15.54
Used price: $7.19

Average review score:

This is a great book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-12
While it's size may seem like overkill, this book packs a punch! Once you open it you'll see that it is definitely worth the money you'll pay for it. The photographs are really great and they give you a really cool behind the scenes look at the sets of the entire Star Wars Saga. Many of these pictures have never been published, so that alone is a very neat feature! And this book is more than just a pretty picture as it has some really well written and informative bits that I had very little understanding of before I read it. I now have a better grasp of set building and computer animation and special effects. I recommend this to any Star Wars Fan!

Packed like a WOOKIE PUNCH!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-29
WOW - photos I've never seen anywhere else! What a fun non-read this is!!!! For sure a book to talk about and keep on a coffee table! Small, packed and colorful!

The perfect gift for a star wars fan
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-16
This book offers a very nice mixture of inside views to the making of the original Star Wars movies as the new series Episode I to III. Each day (or double page) is showing one aspect of this amazing series with lots of pictures and information waiting for you.

Only downside in my opinion is that it is a bit too much focused on the new Episodes even though there is tons of information about the original movies too.

On the other hand you have a CD with 360-degree-views of some sets and some rare pictures on your PC!

All together this might be the perfect gift for a Star Wars fan like me ;-) 5 Stars!

Excellent book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-04
This book is not the same old thing. It features pictures I'd not see anywhere else. Its a very heavy, very thick book full of great behind the scenes stuff. Worth every penny. I just wish John Knoll would make an equivelant book for Pirates of the Caribbean.

Great Star Wars Book
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-19
This book is really cool for most Star Wars lovers. It shows you how they filmed the movie. You can see who played the Wampa. I think the coolest part is Mustafar because you can see the lava river bank. You can also see on one page all the Astromech droids. You can also see alot of cool other stuff.
You should buy this book if you're a Star Wars fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

V
Director's Third Dimension: Fundamentals of 3D Programming in Director 8.5 (With CD-ROM)
Published in Paperback by Sams (2001-10-17)
Author: Paul Catanese
List price: $49.99
Used price: $169.95

Average review score:

The Bible of Director 3D. Period. BTW: It is current.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-20
This book teaches with extreme clarity everything you need to know to program for Director/Shockwave 3D. A rarity amongst programming books due to the didactics, organization, and clarity/accuracy of code. It is current with Director MX 2004 and I suspect it is current with Director 11 given the information Adobe just released. You cannot go wrong with this one. The only problem is that it is hard to find, I had to buy my copy from a reseller.

Best Book Hands down for Interactive 3d Development
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-19
I have every book publish about developing interactive 3D using director. This is the best one of the bunch. After reading this book I wish I hadn't purchased any of the others. Although the book is for director 8.5 it still the best book for Director 3D +

As anyone knows reading this review knows Director is the only program that will allow you to create 3D games and programs for the web. Hopefully Adobe will update it rather than let a very powerful program fade away.

Great Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-16
This is an excellent book for Director and Director 3D. It is very in depth and involved, although a bit hard to understand at times. This book is not for beginners and requires a lot of hard work to obtain its end results, but they are very much worth it.

This is THE book for 3D in Director MX
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-08
Other reviews have captured the gist of this wonderful, accessible, and thorough treatment of Director's 3D functionality. What I would like to add is that Catanese's book is just as current with Director MX as it is with Director 8.5.

If you plan to do 3D in Director MX, either games or presentations, you owe it to yourself to read this book.

I got A for my project !
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-23
I'm an IT student and possessing VB & C/C++. I have never learn about 3D and Director before. So when I want to make a Director project (game), I need a book!
And this book is the great answer. Everything you need about Director 3D is in this book! (although this book doesn't cover about Havok Physics Engine).

This book tells you WHAT and HOW, I mean, this book not only tells you HOW to make something (ex: primitive object) but also explains about that thing. (ex: what is a primitive object). So, you're not only able to programm but also understand about WHAT are you doing.

This book explains from basic and the last page explains advance technique. So, if you start from first page and finish the book, you'll become an advance 3D Director programmer (even before you read this, you're nill in 3D Director).

OK, I'll tell you what I get from this book, here is my project: a Multiplayer First Person Shooting (FPS) game! (like Counter Strike, Quake, etc). Notice that this is my FIRST 3D Director project! And I got A!

NB: if you're NOT a programmer and don't WANT to possessing 3D Director programming SERIOUSLY, I don't recommend this book, for this book is code heavy, full of code programming, just try "Macromedia Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio for 3D: Training from the Source" (by Phil Gross).
Just a note: I learn about Multiuser form Director 8.5 Studio (you won't find about Multiuser in Director's Third Dimension).

V
Eating Heaven
Published in Paperback by (2005-09-06)
Author: Jennie Shortridge
List price: $12.95
New price: $6.65
Used price: $6.31

Average review score:

Glimpse of Heaven
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-24
Jennie Shortridge introduces Eating Heaven with a quotation by Karen Sunde: "To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven". But instead of setting her novel in the clouds and giving us a glimpse of heaven, Shortridge sets her novel in Portland with erratic weather, and unpredictable imperfect human life. Her characters are as far from heaven as we are, with secrets and obsessions like our own.

Ellie (Eleanor Samuel the protagonist) is a food writer who experiments making traditional recipes into low-cal delights. Her love/hate relationship with food, which has sent her to a food-issues therapist, is a continuing thread of the novel. Her conflicted relationship with food is not the only difficult relationship she encounters. She struggles with romance--the men in her life: Stefan, her editor; and Henry the chef, her heart throb. She struggles with the identity of Uncle Benny--why is he so important to her family? And finally Ellie struggles with complicated female relationships in her life: her sisters, Anne and Christine, Yolanda, Benny's wife, and more importantly her narcissistic mother Bebe whose life is full of secrets.

Shortridge employs flashbacks to narrate Ellie's past. The flashbacks provide the reader and Ellie with a way to uncover family secrets. Uncle Benny, the beloved neighbor, more a father to Ellie than her own distant father, is often in her childhood flashbacks. Uncle Benny supports and cares for her in a way her own parents did not. But some memories of him with her mother alarm her: a memory of herself as a child, sick with the flu and covered with vomit, seeing her mother and Benny in the car in a hot and heavy embrace. What is the connection between this complex man whom Ellie loves and her mother?

When Uncle Benny gets terminal cancer and Ellie becomes his chief care-giver, she finds an old photograph album in his house, which reveals surprising new understandings about her paternity, her mother, and the lies her family has been living.

Shortridge knows the human condition. She displays its imperfection in the lives of Ellie, Bebe, Uncle Benny, Henry, Anne and Christine. Mother/daughter conflicts, death and dying, sibling rivalry, and out-of-control personal obsessions are part of the story. Through Ellie, Shortridge suggests love is the most appropriate response to this human suffering. Ellie, who expresses love by feeding those around her, learns to love her imperfect self, her imperfect mother and sisters, Uncle Benny and Yolanda, and Henry. The food she serves them is an opportunity for a taste of heaven. Rainy Portland, with its imperfect life, is not heaven, but it is transcendent. "To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven": a fine quotation for this very human novel.






Reading pleasure
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-13
Eating Heaven is a great book. I could not put it down. It was just what I was looking for.

Twists and Turns
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-23
Set in Portland, Oregon it's fun to read about real locations. The book details the struggle of the main character who is caring for and dealing with the terminal illness of her uncle. Humorously she is a food writer who has her own issues with food and weight. Of course, her mother is a skinny minnie who is concerned with appearances. The book has some great twists and turns and things happen that keep you wondering. Don't want to say too much about this because I don't want to ruin the ending for readers. Well worth the money to buy this book.

Pleasantly Satisfied
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-22
When I bought the book I was on a book buying frenzy. When I finally got around to reading it I had wondered why I had ordered it. I guess my preference choices had changed since the purchase date. Since I love to read and it was next up, I thought I would give it a try and I am so glad I did. What a wonderfully entertaining book. The main character was likeable, funny and real. Uncle Benny was lovable and his life, loves and losses left me with a heavy heart and tears. Each character was brought to life as if I knew them personally. The laughter, smiles and tears left me glad I gave this wonderful book a try.

A novel that feels real at all times. Charged and exceptionally written.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-20
Eating disorders, tense mother daughter relationships, affairs, and cancer are a powerful mix and yet so real that life pours out of every paragraph. What a combo, I enjoyed the book and finished it in a few days savoring it even when I had to go brush my teeth.
This is the kind of novel that makes me want to stay home with a blanket tucked in my own world and living the world of the characters.
Ellie the main character is lovable, insecure, bulimic, and has problems with her mother and father, and well with her sisters, as well as, with food.
She loves to cook and her dishes are unique. You will love her and you will feel for her and with her the pain she experiences when her uncle Benny is diagnosed with Cancer and she takes on the role of care taker.
The author uses food as a catalyst for feelings, moods, and even eras, its very creative and I can say I will not forget her characters anytime soon.
Splendid, deep and utterly real.

V
Families Like Mine: Children of Gay Parents Tell It Like It Is
Published in Hardcover by (2004-02-29)
Author: Abigail Garner
List price: $24.95
New price: $6.64
Used price: $6.48

Average review score:

Read this book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-26
Whether you're a gay parent or the child of gay parents (or neither!), you'll want to read this wonderful book. I found it compelling and engaging. It's comprehensive and thoughtful, addressing issues you're wondering about and questions you didn't even know you had. It's beautifully written, thorough, and comes from the heart. Get one for yourself and give one as a gift. You'll be glad you did.

A Must Read for Virtually Everyone
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-14
I just finished reading your book, and it made me cry. (And I don't cry easily.) Your insights and perspective were profound, for me, and I'm sure for countless others who have read, and will read, your words.

I am a gay dad, and my son is currently three years old. It took my partner 15 years to convince me to adopt, and I did so reluctantly. I grew up in the 60s and 70s and was led to believe by all I heard and saw that my sexuality not only defined me, but limited me. I did not believe I was worthy, capable, allowed or justified to raise a child, or children, even after having mine placed in my arms the day he was born. I've come a long way as a parent in the past few years. But there remained lingering doubts about my ability to prepare my son for his unusual road ahead.

After reading your book, I'm relieved, hopeful, and mostly thankful to have such an eloquent reference tool. As a GLBT person, and now parent, I cannot satisfactorily tell you how meaningful your book is, or how fortunate I feel to have you as an advocate.

This really should be required reading for everyone in our society.

Not truly about "families like mine"
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-05
I'm a lesbian mom raising a son, so I was excited to find a book that claimed to be about families like ours. Unfortunately, I found the book quite a disappointment. The author does explain in the prologue that, since she was interviewing people in their 20s and 30s, most of them predate the "gayby" boom and are actually children of heterosexual marriages, with a parent later coming out as gay or lesbian. This would explain the big emphasis in her book on topics like how to come out to your kids, custody issues and contention between the gay parent and the straight one, break-ups in general, problems amongst extended family with new partners, etc. Most of it would be irrelevant to gay or lesbian people that come out before conceiving or adopting children, whether as couples or on their own.

Also, while the book was published in 2004, the author spent 8 years researching it, and most of the folks interviewed were in their 20s or 30s. So most of the experiences these grown children talk about it -- issues at school, with friends, with parents dying of AIDS, and society in general -- would have happened from the 1970s to the mid-1990s. Where I am, in Massachusetts in 2008, the landscape looks pretty different. Kids may still make nasty cracks at school, but the teachers are very unlikely to. Kids don't assume that if your mom is a lesbian, you might give them AIDS. When I introduce my partner at church, people don't think we're in business together. And while the whole chapter on parents dying of AIDS is probably invaluable to the grown children who had to deal with that, I don't know any gay or lesbian families with young children who struggle with that now.

It was mildly interesting from a general historical/sociological point-of-view. But I didn't find it at all helpful from a parenting point-of-view, and it's not a book I would want my 10-year-old son to read, since I think it paints a far gloomier picture of society than what he is likely to encounter. As far as the book's title goes, instead of "Children of Gay Parents Tell It Like It Is," maybe "Children of Formerly Straight Parents Tell It Like It Was," would be more accurate. Judging by the research the author has done, clearly there's a sizable demographic there. But neither my family nor my son is part of it.

More than an invaluable resource
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-30
This book is a heartwarming panorama of the viewpoints and experiences of kids with gay parents. I am the adult daughter of gay fathers, and as I grew up I did not really have the luxury of knowing there were others like me. That I was a grown and married woman before I discovered this does not detract from the immense value of the lesson.

When I received this book, I read it from cover to cover in one day, relentlessly devouring the many pearls of wisdom and insight shared by those like me, these fabulously different queerspawn with that one silvery, similar skein woven throughout their lives. It was a wonder to hear these voices in their choir, flawlessly directed by Abigail Garner, finally allowed to sing and sing well of their lives without fear of reprisal, without shame. Too long had I lived without the knowledge contained within; each paragraph had me nearly shouting affirmations. It is far too easy to believe that you are alone, and the stories recorded here are a blessed reminder otherwise.

There is tremendous worth in the accessibility of these anecdotes, and they all reveal a vital part of the larger picture of our lives. It is often difficult to speak of these issues with friends or even family, but the freedom of these stories is infectious. I cannot begin to express how much that alone helped me in my own journey. These stories show most sweetly that we are normal, we are zany, we are troubled, we are compassionate, that we are the legacy of the parents who raised us, and we are much, much more than just the sum of these things.

For long and long, we have been invalidated, conveniently ignored or pushed aside for the sake of political and social agendas. This book purposes to change that. There is no agenda here, just the timeless, often hilarious, often tragic stories of the children of gay parents. Families Like Mine should be a staple in the literary diet of anyone whose life is even remotely tangential to queer culture. Moreover, I daresay that anyone who is involved in the great debate about children and LGBT parents should be required to read these pages and glean wisdom from the stories within, to see that we are really no different than any other children raised in a more traditional manner. But then, what could be more traditional than love and stability and a family that rallies with pride and care around its members?

Helped me understand my kids
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-16
I just came out Aug '06. The book taught me that kids have to "come out" about their parents (or may choose to hide it) and it's okay! Also, my multi-sexual eldest does not want to be categorized, and it's okay! Glad to have it on my shelf.

V
Fruits Basket, Vol. 6
Published in Comic by Tokyopop (2004-12-14)
Author: Natsuki Takaya
List price: $9.99
New price: $1.98
Used price: $2.50

Average review score:

So cute!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-25
Really, there isn't a better way to describe this series (especially this volume). The characters are cute, the situations (minus the dramatic parts) are cute, and their reactions... CUTE! While that may not be enough for some readers, it's enough for many of us. And to be honest... the ones who aren't into cute really would never get into this series in the first place.

In this volume we meet a rather persistent admirer of Kyo & get a little more of his background before Tohru. It's great development & is sure to please fans of the series.

Sugoku tanoshii wa yo.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-05
I own this series in Japanese, and it is a wonderful read! It has all the important elements of a good shoujo manga: it is romantic, twisted, with a shoujo (in the traditional meaning of the word) involved in finding a new family and love triangles galore. It is just a very fun read, no matter the language!

I looooove Fruits Basket!!! You HAVE to buy them all!!!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-23
Yes, the "Best Manga Ever According to Me" award goes to.. FRUITS BASKET!! It's absolutely WONDERFUL!!!! I loved it so much, I've read it 5 times already!
I must admit, sometimes I love Kyo so much it scares me, and this book didn't help.. now I feel bad for him too! This book has lots of character development for Kyo. It was good timing on the writer's behalf. I find myself drawn to the pages where Tohru encounters Kyo in the forest, it's such a perfect scene for him and Tohru.... oh, it makes me want to swoon.....

Fruits Basket=LOVE!!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-18
Alright, now i've been reading manga for about 2 years now and i haven't been hooked on one as much as Fruits Basket! It's amazing, it combines romance with comedy, it's a definate page turner! This one may in fact be my favorite one out of the series so far...it's absolutely amazing! You get to see a side of Kyo you haven't seen yet and this particular manga has alot of character developement in it. It's a definate buy for anyone that wants a good romance/comedy! Not only do you get to see an emotional side of Kyo you haven't seen before, but you also get to see his "true form." Overall, the 6th volume of Fruits Basket is a must read! Kyo is personally my favorite character and you really get to see a side of him you don't normally see and you get to see the relationship between Kyo and Tohru deepen and become alot stronger! Definatly a 10/10!
~alexis~

Worthwhile, but still difficult.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-27
I'm continuing with Fruits Basket since I have been enjoying the character interaction. Now that I've gotten to volume 6 it's getting easier to recognize the characters, but there's still a lot of cross-cultural stuff that eludes me. The most irritating part to me is...I don't even know how to explain this, but here goes:

Someone (usually a Sohma) is thinking about something. So the words are on the page, not inside thought bubbles or anything, just words on the page. But the pictures are of other people (usually Tohru, or Tohru plus other Sohmas). The thinking person is not always present at the scene being shown. For example, the book has Hatori and Shigure in a conversation. Then we have a few pages of this "someone's thinking" with pictures of Tohru et al. having a fun time. Then at the end of these 5-6 pages, we find that it was Hatori doing the thinking. So I have to go back and reread from the point where he and Shigure were talking, so that I understand what is intended. These books really are a lot of mental work to process at times.

I have picked up the first volume of Ouran High School Host Club to see if it's a problem with me, or a problem with manga in general, or a problem with Fruits Basket. I'll report back after a few more volumes of Fruits Basket!

V
The Gluten Connection: How Gluten Sensitivity May Be Sabotaging Your Health--And What You Can Do to Take Control Now
Published in Paperback by Rodale Books (2006-11-28)
Author: Shari Lieberman
List price: $16.95
New price: $20.23
Used price: $16.83

Average review score:

enlightening
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-25
The Gluten Connection is so informative! I am currently reading it for a second time. Have purchased copies for my family and have recommended it to others.

A must read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-09
I owe my good health today to the information that I gained by reading this book. The Gluten Connection: How Gluten Sensitivity May Be Sabotaging Your Health--And What You Can Do to Take Control NowIt is a must read for people who are experiencing digestive difficulties as well as young parents deciding what to feed their children to insure better health.

A Must Read!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-31
Very enlightening even if you don't suspect gluten sensitivity! Read it! This book contains a lot of worthwhile information that will open ones eyes to the hazards contained naturally in our foods. My mother has celiac disease and even a trace amount in a nongluten food (i.e. oatmeal which becomes contaminated when produced in a facility making flour) will create extreme pain. This book will have you reading all labels! The Gluten Connection: How Gluten Sensitivity May Be Sabotaging Your Health--And What You Can Do to Take Control Now

Enlightening
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-25
Excellent resource for anyone who is concerned about gluten and wheat. This book is easy to follow, it provides excellent tips and guidance to see if you have intolerance or sensitivity to gluten, and provides excellent information on where to find gluten free products. It also provides receipes that are easy to do! It is a valuable source of information.

Great book for new learners
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-08
This book is essential for those of us who are learning the gluten free lifestyle. I recommend this book and Gluten Free Living for Dummies. Beware of other books that contain factual misinformation. You have to be careful about everything in this lifestyle, including the books you rely on!

V
The Good Journey
Published in Hardcover by (2001-07)
Author: Micaela Gilchrist
List price: $24.00
New price: $9.49
Used price: $5.09

Average review score:

historically accurate and entertaining
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-13
When I was young, my history-buff Mother had my siblings and I visiting every old fort she could find. I did not enjoy it. However, I found that reading Micaela Gilchrist's novel was a lot of fun and added a whole new perspective to the historic vacations of my youth. Her characters are entertaining and she shifts persectives -- from Army wife, to Army officer, to Native American -- with ease and wit. Well written, entertaining and a good journey through our past.

Slow start but worth the effort
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-19
This novel gets off to a slow start. I think the prologue kept me reading. Initially, the author's characterization of Mary Bullitt is unconvincing. Happily, as the character ages, so does the writer's depth in portraying her. Stay with the novel through the first bit, and you'll enjoy the journey. Lots of action and opportunities for speculation about the General's romantic interests.

The Good Journey
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-17
Excellent reading. I didn't want to put it down. This is also a
part of my husbands' family history so it was very interesting to read and also to update our family records. Will keep as a reference book.

This is one of my top two books now-
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-04-29
I have never tried to read a book so slowly before. When I finished, I closed the book and was completely speechless. If you like historical fiction, this will soon be one of your favorites. The author paints a picture without overdoing it with flowery language. I had to turn around and buy a copy as soon as I finished.

An excellent journey through time!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-28
This is perhaps one of the most intense historical fiction novels I have read in a long time. It is so well-written, that I keep glancing through my Native American Indian history books to gather more information about Black Hawke and General Henry Atkinson. This novel really has renewed my interest in Native American history.

Mary Bullitt agrees to marry General Henry Atkinson after knowing him one day. She moves from Louisville, Kentucky, to St. Lois ~~ at that time, a frontier-town in what was known as the West. This novel is based on Mary's journals. It is also a novel rich in details of life in the early 1800s to the mid-1800s. It also explores the question of Indian rights that were being violated at the time and other people's misconception of the Indian Wars.

Mary and her General kept me riveted through the pages and transported me back to the early beginnings of this country. It reminds me of man's greed ~~ to conquer all he sees and how others fight it. It brought me to the realization that life was tenous during those times ~~ as well as being more intense as well. The scenery descriptions and actual lifestyle habits of the times are so well-researched, that I actually felt like I was there as an observer.

This is a beautifully-written novel ~~ one to keep in your personal library. If you know of someone who is tenative about reading historical novels, start with this one. It is a guarantee to bring history alive in the reader's mind.

1-27-04


Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Celebrities-->V-->65
Related Subjects: Veidt, Conrad Van Damme, Jean-Claude von Sydow, Max Van Outen, Denise Velez, Lupe Van Dien, Casper Visitor, Nana Voight, Jon Van Dyke, Barry Vosloo, Arnold Van Peebles, Mario von Trier, Lars Vartan, Michael Visnjic, Goran Varney, Jim Vaughn, Vince Van Der Beek, James Vorderman, Carol Voight, James Haven Van Doren, Mamie Vickery, John Vanous, Lucky Vaughn, Robert Vieira, Meredith Valentino, Rudolph Verdon, Gwen Valley, Mark Vansier, Nathalie Vickers, James Venora, Diane
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