D Books

This was a really "DaVinci Code" esque page turner! A terrific read and a spell binder. The characters were great as well. I couldn't put it down.

I really enjoyed this one! I travel a lot and read a lot. This is one of the better reads. I compared it to The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown.

This was a fantastic book. I enjoy books that have both excitement and character development and this book supplied both. The beginning was what got me hooked; it was a book similar in some respects to the DaVinci Code. The mystery of what it was all about was revealed bit by bit and this was the compelling part.
The book was also well written and descriptive of the events, people and the mystery.
Thank you Mr. Nagle

A thrill ride and a page turner, this book reads like the ultimate action/whodunit movie. Nagle effortlessly hooks his reader then leads him/her through clever plot twists, across continents, and into the dark corners of the criminal mind. In Libra he has created a heroine worthy of our respect and our interest. She alone deserves an encore, though her supporting cast in this novel (Sam, Mario, Figlio) are also richly textured and expertly crafted. The only thing I wanted was a map to help me follow Sam & Libra's adventures--but hey, an atlas works, too. Bravo, Mr. Nagle, I eagerly await your next literary gem!

Knowing I am an avid reader, my assistant put this book into my hand as I left the office for a cross-country flight, armed with my laptop and a pile of spreadsheets. Having never heard of Nagle or his work, I shoved the book under my arm to be polite and forgot about it.... until my battery fizzled. Frustrated as only a non-technical type-A professional could be, I fished the Augustus Conspiracy out of my briefcase and started reading. Here's where the reivew starts:

HOT DAMN! What a pleasant surprise to find an unknown author who hits the mark--again and again--on his first try. Within minutes I was so engrossed in the lives of Mario, Figlio, Sam and Libra, their journeys, their perilous predicaments & etc. that I was actually DISAPPOINTED when my flight landed and I hadn't finished the book. After checking into my hotel I put down my bags, sat on the edge of the bed and didn't move until I wrapped up the last pages. A great, great, read. Engaging and intelligent, alternately nail-biting and a crack-up. It will be a shame if Nagle has to wait until his later novels to get the recognition he deserves (like Grisham, Dan Brown, etc.), but it will be well-placed when it comes. Get this book. You won't be disappionted.

Scott Olivieri does a great job of describing what it means for a lifelong fan to move to the inner circle of the Red Sox. While baseball fans will find plenty of stats and baseball analysis, the casual baseball fan will not feel bogged down in numbers and technical terms. The human story of a young college grad having a chance of a lifetime is compelling as well. Particularly amusing is the story where he can't cash a check from Roger Clemens. Can't wait for the next book!

I loved this book! I had a hard time putting the book down. The book was interesting, funny, well written, and a quick read. The club house and personal stories were hilarious. The thing I liked best was that Olivieri brings you through the process of what it's like to go from being a fan, to a stranger in the club house, to a part of the team. After reading it, I bought one for my Father in-law,(a fellow believer)for Christmas. You'll love this book too.

Olivieri has an exceptional talent for telling a story. Put that together with a storyline that brings the reader right inside the Red Sox clubhouse - and the result is a book that makes you thirst for more. The dialogues, descriptions, and insider's look make you feel as if you were in the clubhouse yourself. This book was a great read - I did it in one sitting. I certainly hope that Olivieri continues the story - I will be first in line to get the next book(s) - and perhaps that is the greatest review of all. You don't have to be a Sox fan to enjoy this book but, if you are, it will become one of your favorites.

Since my daughter has been living in Boston for the past 10 years, and I get to travel there to visit quite a bit, I have become a rabid Sox fan (but just in the American League; the Phillies are my team in the National!). I love their storied and star-crossed history, and this book gives me new insights into the baseball culture and system. It's told from the perspective of a fan who gets the "once in a lifetime" job to mingle with the players on his hometown team. There are tremendous locker room scenes, and the players appear to be more human than we really see them when they are just on the field. Even Roger Clemens appears likeable, which is almost amazing! A close read of the book reveals that the writer was not too thrilled with the front office Sox organization, but it's the old story that familiarity breeds contempt. This is a book all baseball fans, and those who enjoy a well written book, will love! Read it, you won't be sorry.

In 1991, Scott Olivieri, then aged twenty-one and a passionate Red Sox fan, lived the dream of every member of the Red Sox Nation, spending the entire season in the Red Sox clubhouse, hoping quietly to improve the team's hitting. Until that year, each batter had had to rely on a pitcher's stats and his own experience in trying to anticipate pitches. Videotape existed, but using it to show a player his individual at-bats was a prohibitively time-consuming process. By 1991, however, Pete Olivieri, Scott's father, had developed a computer program which would not only record each at-bat and each pitch but would allow individual players to call up at-bats instantly so they could be reviewed and studied. Players could also use multiple screens to compare and contrast swings and hits. Without fanfare, the computer suddenly became an essential part of the game.

Olivieri's lifelong love of the team shines through here as he describes being a child growing up a few miles from Fenway Park, playing Little League with Jim Rice's number on his back, memorizing locker combinations by associating the numbers with Red Sox players' numbers, and watching or listening to every game. Even as a youngster, however, he realized that "the Red Sox, ultimately, are a symbol of disappointment." Time after time, he watched a team "with superb talent losing in ways screenwriters couldn't script." His chance to make a difference, using a home-grown computer program to give an edge to the batter, not only allowed him the chance to meet some of his heroes but actually to help them to improve their hitting--and maybe the team's record.

Olivieri's descriptions capture both the romance the game and the tedium of the locker room, the camaraderie of the players and the excesses of the press, locker room "etiquette" and the public missteps of some of the players. He himself is a respectful, "background" sort of person, careful not to call attention to himself so that the players can discover for themselves his program and its opportunities. His opinions of Wade Boggs, Ellis Burks, Mike Greenwell, Phil Plantier, Roger Clemens, and the unfortunate Jeff Gray ring with truth and personal insight. Red Sox fans, computer specialists, and lovers of baseball should be fascinated by this behind-the-scenes look at the interface between the computer and baseball--the beginning of a new era. Mary Whipple

A wonderful book. Helpful information for both newbies and experts alike. Written with a lot of humor and flair. And the pictures are lovely as well. Highly recommended!

I LOVED THE BEANIE INVASION. Your online reviews made me decide to purchase it, and I've never regreted it! This book is fun, informative and an easy read! I did not put it down until I read the whole thing! Mrs. Daniels stories are unique, and cleverly written. The poem on the back cover was a great tribute to TY. I hope she writes another book soon. I strongly encourage everyone to purchase this title. It's NOT a pricing guide, it's not negative, it's not boring or hard to read, it's WONDERFUL! It's a book full of stories which all of us can relate too that includes humor, love and passion. I could only give this title 5 stars but it deserves 10. When I received my copy it came signed. I felt so special and then learned that she signs all of her copies, something else that proves she is a people person who cares about us the collectors. Mrs. Daniels - YOU GO GIRL!

Ms. Janie has written the Beanie Invasion to inculde all of the collectors. Read this information packed book and laugh along as I did. This book will allow you to recall events you may have forgotten. I recently met Ms. Janie at a show, what a sweet woman. Not only was I impressed with her knowledge, I also loved her table setup which was geared towards children. I attend many shows and have never found any table to be packed with freebies for kids. Thanks Ms. Janie for remembering the kids are just as important! Keep writing and keep smiling, you are a beautiful person.

This is a great book! If you love beanies, you'll love this book! It's da bomb!

If you want first hand encounters of the Beanie world! If you want researched articles with humor and truth! If you want to read from an HONEST Beanie expert, then you need to read the Beanie Invasion. After purchasing The Beanie Invasion, my family reads all of Ms. Janies articles. Ms. Janie is well respected and loved by the Beanie community. She apears on many websites and is a inspiration to us all. I would guess the reason why Ms. Janie is so popular, is because she tells it like it is and still remains human and kind to all. Ms. Janie is a fair reporter and we love her.

This is a lovely book, fantastic illustrations and a wonderful theme throughout. "Where are you going bear, please wait for me". Follow the bear and the boy through different places real and imagined. Suitable for 12 months - 3 year olds.

After reading it a few times to my son, I was surprised to hear him reciting the rhyme text back to me. We enjoy reading it together. The text is very simple but is perfect for a toddler. We learn names of different fruits, vegetables, and animals, as well as different ways of traveling. As all the Barefoot books he has, he loves it.

this book has vivid color. when you read to your kid. they love it too.

The illustrations are absolutely fantastic! they are beyond vivid its truly a feast for the eyes!
The story is simple and cause the illustrations are so perfectly done for a toddler it's very self-explanatory, Bear is traveling through the entire story on different means of transportation he goes to an island on a boat, to the market on bike, to a grand ball in a carriage and through the story the little boy is trying to keep up with bear but he just keeps missing "the boat" so to say. It's a very fun rhyming journey to introduce to little ones! This is our favorite of Stella Blackstone's Bear series its by far her best book!

We recently got this book out of our public library and I must say that it is a big hit with all of us. We (my son, my husband, and I) absolutely love the pictures and the text. I think this is a wonderful book that will get lots of mileage.

I wish that I had read this book before surgery #1 of #15 (before age 36), most of which caused complications.

Excellent reference book on the latest cosmetic surgery procedures for face and body. Does not include reconstructive procedures.

Beauty in the Balance is a wonderfully written book covering a wide range of topics in cosmetic surgery and treatment. Dr. Rosen and Dr. Ablaza reveal the many options available using every day language. The decision to select cosmetic surgery is often confusing and frustrating, this book tackles the many issues and answers the questions those considering surgery often have. This is a must read for anyone considering cosmetic surgery.

Karla L. Hall
National Organization of Vascular Anomalies
[....]

I was truly impressed with "Beauty in Balance". It gave me a clear understanding of the procedures and this in turn helped me to have realistic expectations. I would recommend this book for anyone contemplating cosmetic surgery.

I'm so impressed with this book. It contains clear-detailed information in a professional yet easy to undestand manner.

Eye-opening read that explains very clearly why and how the political "system" either co-opts or sidelines the Congressmen you hoped and expected could be the honest ones who would effect "change..." This gives the reader a very good understanding of the problem we face today.

Dr. Coburn is one of only a few congressmen who "gets it". Future generations of Americans will look back with anger at how the baby boomers ate their seed corn and saddled them with trillions of dollars of debt. Hopefully, they may appreciate the efforts of Dr. Coburn, who was one of the few who argued against all of the fiscal insanity going on in Washington today.

This is truly inspiring. It will open your eyes to the world of Washington and inspire you to make a difference. Please visit the the web site for Americans for Limited Government in which Sen. Coburn was chair

This book, based on the reviews here, is self-righteous pablum with little factual substance. A better, book, one that I've actually read, is Chris Edwards - Downsizing the Federal Government (Cato).

This is one of the most rewarding and enlightening books I ever read. It was a real sleeper as far as publicity goes, but everyone should read this book. Liberals who just scrunge up their faces when they hear Senator Coburns name, should think again and read this book. Senator Coburn is a very conservative republican, but he does not rail against liberals or democrats in this book. He must have rightly figured to do so would tag the book as a typical partisan effort. Instead he exposes what the Republican party establishment does and goes after Republican leaders. He only mentions Democrats when he has to in relaying information about any particular congressional bill. He surely didn't win any friends in congress when he exposed the inner workings of that body. Politicians quickly (if they didn't sart out that way) transform into playing the power game. Everything becomes about power and not what is best for the people. The bribes, strong arm tactics, threats, play along to get along, we'll do the right thing later, gotta secure power now kind of shenanigans. You definately do not have to agree with Tom Coburn politically to appreciate this book. It's great to get a birds eye view on why our government does not work. I can see what congress is doing and not doing now and understand why thanks to having read this book. The establishment doesn't want you to read this book, but do yourself a favor and read Breach of Trust. We need to shake things up in Washington and elect new people. In fact Mr. Coburn talks about the 20-25 in congress who stick to their principles and truley work to do the right thing. It's good to know who they are. Let's get a majority like them. To get a feel as to how to do that it helps to read this book. This is eye opening stuff. Thank you, Senator Coburn.

This is a fabulous dual-language collection of some of the most sensual, passionate poems written in modern times. Whether he imagines himself as an insect making a journey "from your hips to your feet", traveling to distant places with his beloved by his side, or as a soldier who must leave but whose love will "go on singing until the end of life", Neruda writes with exquisite simplicity, and great beauty.

I find this to be the most accessible of Neruda's books that I have read, perhaps because its subject was a central part of his life. As explained in the introduction of the book, these poems are autobiographical, and written about his wife, Matilde Urrutia. First published anonymously in 1952, they were released in 1963 under his own name, but only after much thought, because of their "intimate birth".
The translations by Donald D. Walsh are superb. He has captured the fluid rhythm, the emotion, and the fire.

He was fortunate to have had this remarkable relationship, as well as the ability to express his feelings with such uncommon depth, but for those men who lack Neruda's poetic genius, and who would like to melt the heart of the woman they love, this might be the perfect gift to go along with that bunch of flowers.

This is quite possibly the most beautiful book of poetry that I have ever read.

An excellent gift to one that you love passionately.

The most amazing and sesitive book that I ever had read about Pablo Neruda.
Pablo es capaz de modelar como nadie las imagenes y meterte en un libro tan hermoso y poderoso. "La muerta" es un claro ejemplo de la belleza y la fuerza de su poesía.

I bought this book because for the long time I wanted to read something by Neruda, and this bilingual edition offered an opportunity to read the original Spanish alongside with the English translation. Since I know a bit of Spanish, this was an opportunity to practice it and improve it, as well as get exposed to some of the most sensual and inspiring poems in any language. Neruda's idiom is rich with metaphors, and he takes everyday objects and situations and imbues them with poetic and emotional undertones. This fascination with common objects is particularly useful for someone who is learning Spanish - it provides a great and enjoyable vocabulary-building opportunity. However, be warned - some phrases and words are a bit risque, and you shouldn't be too liberal at trying to impress your Spanish speaking friends at parties. It may lead to some interesting situations.

I had heard about Pablo Neruda a few years before and I wasn't too fond of his poetry. When I opened "The Captain's Verses" in a bookstore a few months ago, I knew that I had to have it. Since then this has become my most treasured book of poetry. I don't even know how to describe Pablo Neruda. When you read his poetry you just become entranced by the way he is so accurately able to convey such passion in his simple words and beautiful imagery. Even now after I have read each poem in this book at least a hundred times I am still amazed by the way he does it. I have not yet found another book of poetry that can evoke such feeling as "The Captain's Verses." I believe that this is essential to any poetry lover's collection of poetry and that those who are not big fans of poetry would enjoy the love poems of Pablo Neruda.

The Children of the Lens are the culmination of the Arisian breeding program, and are to be their weapons in the final assault on Eddore.

Kimball Kinnison and Clarissa MacDougall have had four children. Born with the abilities Kim possesses, these kids will become the 'third stage' with an ability to join their minds in an all-powerful gestalt.

They are talented enough that they can shadow the Second Stage Lensmen without them knowing, and help them out. Each of the four has a favorite among the Second Stage Lensmen, even if they won't admit it.

This book has a different feel, in that it is a tiny bit focused on family, and the mental war part of it means the insane space battles are a much smaller part of the whole thing.

The end is the final battle between the Arisians and the Eddorians, with the third-stage Kinnison gestalt as an important part of the assault.

Afterwards, what the Arisians tells the Children comes as a bit of a surprise.

All six books went fast and furious...but what reading!!! Terrific stuff! Smith definitely had the jets to tell one of the best yarns in all of science fiction. All the other reviewers citing how later movies, series, and stories were influenced by these books...WERE RIGHT!!! One of the best science fiction series you will ever read. Period.

Galaxies wide adventure. This is the last book of the Lensman series. While the book can stand alone, the earlier Lensman books lead up to this conclusion where the combined mind powers of the Lensman children, together with super science manage to defeat the super villains for the victory of good over evil.
E.E. Smith wrote these books around the middle of the century, and some of the writing style appears less sophisticated than current authors. However, I enjoyed the extremely positive depiction of the human nature and future - similarly to what the author did this in the Skylark series. Highly recommended..

Having started the six book series with Triplanetary and ending here, I thought the series started to trail off after Galactic Patrol. Triplanetary has been heavily criticized as giving away too much of the series and of the pro- and antagonists too soon. However when the Eddorians are finally confronted here I didn't feel as much as a build up to their powers as Triplanetary instilled. In Triplanetary you really felt that the Eddorians were almost omnipotent beings and the task before the Arisians in seeding planets, including Earth, preparing for the eventual confrontation to save Civilization. Galactic Patrol really carried on the beginning of the series with Kimball Kinnison, but I thought the quality dwindled starting with Gray Lensman and the dated 50's slang really picked up then. It's not just because it's written in the 50's, I've recently read several works by Alfred Bester, Arthur C. Clarke, and others written in the 50's and they have no where near this level of 50's slang.

Another thing I started to find unappealing is Smith's heavy regard for the `wide girth' of Kinnison and of his space-ax swinging cohorts. In reality, strong ambition comes often from those that have not been so physically gifted in life and so have to fight their entire lives against people's initial reactions to their appearance. Lois McMaster Bujold's Mountains of Mourning of a diminutive protagonist's personal battle against his grandfather's attitude, and possible disgust, of his physical stature comes to mind. So it is with irony that I can picture some skinny kid sitting outside in the 50's reading this book and `barrel-shaped chests" as the big neighbor kids come up to him and say `hey poindexter, whatcha reading...' or something.

However, the originality, and impact this series had upon science fiction cannot be understated and is why I am giving it a respectable four stars. Several reviewers have mentioned that they can see scenes from Star Wars lifted from this series. What I see even more so is what Star Trek lifted from this series. Even down to small details such as a ship having to lower shields in order to fire a weapon against an enemy. And many other movies, tv shows, and books influenced comes to mind including Alien, The 5th Element, Heinlein, certainly the original Star Trek as well as the Next Generation and Deep
Space 9, Wing Commander and others.

255 Pages, Publ 1954.

I have read this series at least 4 times. If you like SCIFI, you will cherish these books and buy the whole collection (as I did).

I have to say that this is a true classic. It gives a very nice treatment of what is NP-completeness in a fashion that really defends the topic well. It gives nice illustrations to show different situations and how to deal with it. But after the first couple of chapters it does get a little out there with the proofs it does. It is still approachable, but it assumes that the reader is already familiar with the basics of combinatorial complexity, especially in reductions. I would only recommend this book to readers who has gone through such books as Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen et al. or Combinatorial Complexity by Papadimitriou and Steiglitz. Those two books are more for beginners and this book should be one to help anyone interested in NP-complete problems to get more practice and depth understanding. Overall a great book for anyone interested in the topic. The grand challenge is to reduce everything to at least something within the 150 problems listed on your own.

The book is excellent in explaining NP-completeness problem. Take it as a reference if you would like to do research in this field.

This is a rare example of a textbook where the authors actually go to the trouble of considering the fact that the intended reader is a non-expert. Published in 1979 and still the best.

The book arrived in time, in good condition, and adequate packing.

This is among the most eloquently written books that I have ever read in my life. Highly recommended.

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book as a gift!
Just like Clint, this book is not for everyone. But if you have an open mind, you should really enjoy it!

Clint has an amazing way with words that draws the reader in. Full of emotion & very moving... I finished this book with a quickness & now I am ready to read it all over again.

This review does not do Cottonmouth Kisses justice, you simply MUST read it!

xo

"Don't judge a book by its cover!" they scream as I hang my head in shame. Once again I have proven to myself how narrow minded and judgmental I can be. This brilliant little book is packed full of surprises especially for those who have developed some preconceived notion as to what it's about. Starting with the title which, now that I know what it means, I think is brilliant. I was picturing two pot heads making out with a sort of latte-esque foam covering their mouths which I'm sure is exactly what the author wanted me to believe. Then turning past the table of contents I came upon the explanation of the title and was immediately transported back to my youth in Florida and my fear of the tall grass. I won't say more about that in order not to ruin this very pleasant little surprise for others.

Then the first story "Some new kind of kick" is pretty much exactly what I was expecting. A very dark and seedy tale of Goth clubs, speed and sex, although one thing I didn't expect was to really like it. Something about the way Clint Catalyst casts his penetrating stare into this so called "Goth" scene is so incredibly revealing of not just the Goth scene, but any scene that's gotten old and tired. And it's in this first story that I began to realize that the scenes and the players are all the same. It doesn't matter what scene you were in, because we all got tired and we all ended up alone. The scenes all lacked something, or as the author so eloquently points out, we ourselves lacked something in ourselves that our "scenes" or distractions could not replace; well, not for long anyway.

So I guess it's clear that I'm not a "Goth". And while I did think they were cute in the mid eighties when they were still known affectionately as "Death Rockers" I've never been into things "Goth". I've also never been into speed of any sort. Of course I've done speed and had so called "Speed Sex" which contrary to the name takes hours, but I've never been into the whole "gak" experience if you know what I mean. So despite hearing the rave reviews of "Cottonmouth Kisses" I put off actually reading it, thinking it was fifty percent Goth and fifty percent homoerotic speed induced sex. Not my cup of tea exactly.

But from that first story Clint Catalyst just blew me away. His insight into moms, wanna-bees, punks, straight boys, art school girls, alleged bisexuals, strippers, bag ladies, in fact everyone he encounters and most importantly himself is nothing short of stunning. This book is crammed with fascinating stories which in and of themselves are great but without which you would still be left with an incredibly insightful book about people and our inner truths and fears.

Stories I particularly like are "Party Favors", "Conversation with what once was a friend", "To Push Away or to Clutch" and "Taking Care of".
Poems I particularly liked are the beautiful and charming "First Person Third Person First", the dark and direct "Guess I should talk about sex", the dark and funny "Truth about Modeling", the grim foreboding "Inky Bloater" and my favorite, "At the Edge" which to me was like an updated and slightly more optimistic take on Langston Hughes' "A Suicide Note".

Overall, I read this book too fast and have had to re-read it twice to catch up with the brilliant and still racing mind and prose of the enigma that is Clint Catalyst.

This is a great selection of essays and poetry from Clint Catalyst. They deal with gay relationships, adolescence, and out of control drug addiction. These subjects are dealt with in such an honest, clear and edgy way. The lives of these unconventional characters are brought to the page so intensely with all their flaws clearly exposed. You'll feel their thoughts and feelings. The artistic language used in this book make it a pleasure to read right through to the last page. No matter how dark and trashy these characters get you'll want to read more.

This was my first introduction to the author's writings (thanks,Sheldon) and I truly enjoyed this book. I think what really made this book special was the poetry in-between the essays and fiction. These poems were so easy to read and what I mean by that is they were very understandable. You don't have to spend all day figuring out what the author is trying to say. They are a joy to read. I look forward to this author's future work. Highly recommended.

which I deem:

1) "What is Goth?" by Voltaire
For spelling out the basics to looky-loos, kinderbats, or insiders who aren't afraid to laugh at themselves (for fear of exposing the adhesive-stripes along the gumline of their fake fangs)...

2) "Cottonmouth Kisses" by Clint Catalyst
For its sinister and gorgeous first-person account of life within the nightclub netherworlds. I've known many a Goth girl over the years who's had her share of Clint "pin-ups" and "shrines," and the fact that he's lived a life so far beyond the margins of Hot Topic and mainstream acceptability (and SURVIVED it) is more "Goth" (i.e., barbaric -- i.e., AUTHENTIC) than any paint-by-numbers impostors out there...

3) "21st Century Goth" by Mick Mercer
For its role as an informative compendium of the international scene in all its varied shades of shadow. There is no easy answer, no singular attempt in this book to pigeonhole Goths -- in fact, it does the opposite. Plus, I mean, it's MICK MERCER, who's been reporting on the scene longer than most batpackers these days have been alive. Pay your respects to the grandaddy of Goth!

And ALL HAIL THE TRIUMVIRATE!

Mr. Clint has really let all of us, no matter what stage of life we are in, what planet we are from, or the aumont of zeros on our paycheck, look inside his world and gave us a whole new realm of thought. I loved this book. I read it in two days. AND thats with two kids under the age of 4, a hubby and a big white dog. I couldnt put it down. Its an awesome book. I can not wait for his next wonder in print... keep up the good work clint. This is definately a must read!