E Books

I would say outright the easiest billiards book I have came across. It goes from the basics to the strong techniques. A step by step program to improve your game. My game has increased dramatically using the simple guidelines in this book.

I bought this book for myself last year. It is an excellent reference for everyone from the beginner to those who would like to learn and refine more complex shots. It explains the physics of pool, and best of all, there are links to a web site where you can see every shot demonstrated. That was invaluable to me, as I can see exactly where the cue is positioned on the ball, how the stroke is delivered, and the end result in cue ball position. I highly recommend this book, and bought it this year for my brother-in-law, so he can be better competition for me (smile).

Win at Pocket BilliardsRack Up a VictoryRunning the Table: The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last Great American Pool Hustler

I'm returning to pool playing and found this book helpful. It's a lot more informative then the books from the 80'. I learn something on every page. Even stuff that I already thought I knew about pool after reading 99 Critical Shots.
I would recommend "rack up a victory" for kicking and banking and "Running the Tables" about Kid Delicious's life as a Hustler.
I'm looking forward to purchasing "Win at Pocket Billiards" for more information on Kicking and Banking.

I was surprised at the rather low price being asked for this book, but after receiving it, it became perfectly clear that I had been mislead into believing that all instruction was included with the book, including a CD.
If you don't have a High Band Width computer hook-up, your really going to be surprised that the only way to get what you thought you had paid for is to send an addition $18 to $24 to get the CD or DVD.
The book was fairly well written, but the CD/DVD business left a bad taste in my mouth.

THis is very good. Dr Dave complements the reading with videos posted in a web site, you can also write to him, and he will answer within hours. great book great help. Perhaps not the best for banking methods, but good.

I recently purchased this book for my granddaughters who recently moved to Japan. The book arrived very quickly and in excellent condition. The book has very colorful and fun artwork and the stories are very interesting. Was great to see a different style of storytelling.

My grandparents, who had lived in Japan, had this book at their house and I loved reading it everytime I visited. It just was a wonderful escape where the stories were so foreign, unique and amazing to a child - and still appear so in my adulthood. I'm convinced it's what made me a world traveler.

This book was a good book for younger children. It had wonderful illustrations, and the morals were Wonderful. It's a book that young children would put at the top of their favorite book list.

This book, in my opinion, should get 4.5 stars because it is interesting but also a bit confusing. It was fun to read the first few times, but after awhile the stories seemed predictable. Occasionally, the stories were random and confusing. The pictures aren't very detailed, but they show the point of what they are discribing. I also like the book because of the creativity of the authors. I know that as a writer you must construct creative and understandable stories and I am almost overwhelmed by the uniqueness of these stories. I recommend this book to younger children who enjoy reading simple fantasy stories with adventure.

This book is very special to me as it was a dear part of my childhood growing up in a Japanese American household in the early 1960s. When I was about three years old, one of my "uncles" gave this book to me with a pink hardcover and it has stayed dear to my heart since. I was quite delighted to see it still in print and being offered here on Amazon. What's even more amazing, is that from what I can tell by the image previews for this newest edition, the illustrations are the very same ones as my forty-some-odd year old book. This collection of stories would be similar to a Japanese Grimm's Fairy Tales and were also part of my father's childhood in 1920s Japan. Overall, they are quite simple and to the point and have a cuteness typical of Japanese stories. In recent years, my ex-girlfriend had enjoyed listening to me tell her these stories at bedtime even from my 40 year memory. I'm sure I've mangled some of them and combined them into a hybrid monkey, ogre, old man, cookie tale. I've been meaning to find my original copy, but now I know I can relive my childhood with a fresh new copy.

Oover the last fifteen years I have been meaning to read certain authors. H.E. Bates, Anthony Trollope, P.G. Wodehouse, E.F. Benson and the like.

Last week I succumbed to a nasty bout of influenza and E.F. Benson. I had grabbed the slender volume of "Mapp & Lucia" from the library shelf and it had rested in my bookcase for almost a week. Not wanting to dull my brain with endless hours of television, I cracked open "Mapp & Lucia".

Ten pages into the book and I was hooked. Lucia, her period of mourning almost over is looking to regain her iron control on her hometown. First action, regain her star role as Queen Elizabeth in the village fete.

As I read Lucia's plots and plans, a strange thought hit me. Lucia is the creature Hyacinth Bucket (the main character of the BBC's Keeping Up Appearances) secretly dreams of being. Having taken over the fete from her dazed and confused friend, Lucia goes onto greater pastures, the hometown of Miss Elizabeth Mapp, reigning social goddesss.

Miss Elizabeth Mapp (known as Mapp) plots with her friends to rent out their respective homes a profit. Lucia and her best friend (a gentleman who brings to mind a cross between KUA's Richard and AYBS Mr Humphries) move and slowly begin to take over the town. Mapp is not pleased and a genteel war of one-upsmanship begins between the two ladies.

Drawings are rejected from the art exhibit, parties given, ownership of produce and fruit desputed with the poor town in the middle. Matters come to a head on Boxing Day (December 26) when Mapp decides to steal a longed for recipe that Lucia refuses to give to her.

Lucia stumbles on her rival in the kitchen and both women are swept out to sea on Lucia's kitchen table (yes, Lucia's kitchen table, this is a not a mis-type). The town mourns the two ladies as lost and the Great War of Mapp-Lucia as over.

Okay, enough said. You'll have to succumb to the collective charms of the ladies Mapp and Lucia yourself and find out all the bits I've left out. Now, I'm off hunt down and read the rest of E.F. Benson's wonderful books.

"Mapp & Lucia" is like reading Trollope's "Barchester Towers" with the gloves off. The teacup may be small, but the battles rumble like thunder on the bay. Lucia is incredible. She combines absolute self-absorption with ironclad charming resolve to succeed in her every endeavor. She really is wasted being queen of Society in a small English village when fulfilling the duties of Lord High Admiral would not cause her so much as a tiny frown.

Lucia is a newly minted widow in this hilarious outing. Her fires have been banked, and she is anxious to get back in the swing and show her mettle. She rents a house for the summer from the formidable Miss Elizabeth Mapp of Tilling. Miss Mapp is clearly the leader of society in Tilling and revels in her role. Lucia eyes the situation, and the lines are drawn in the most charming but resolute way possible Lucia is the richer of the two and possibly more clever, but Miss Mapp has some powerful advantages of her own. She has pride of place, a town full of quaking allies, and indomnable perseverance. When these two square off, the fun begins and doesn't let up.

This is a delightful read, a mood lifter of the first magnitude. "Mapp & Lucia" is my introduction to Lucia, and I cannot wait to further my acquaintance with this fascinating lady.
-sweetmolly-Amazon Reviewer

This is the first book I've read in E.F. Benson's "Lucia" series, and it is fun-filled ride indeed. For Benson novices, Lucia Lucas is a middle aged, recently widowed (in this novel), perfectly nice upper middle class woman who just happens to have the mind of Machavelli. Missing her obvious calling for World Domination, she is instead content to rule the social life of her small English village with an iron fist. As "Mapp and Lucia" begins however, Lucia has long since deposed any serious threat to her social dominance in her immediate vicinity, and decides fresher pastures are in order. She packs up her things (including , of course, best friend and right-hand-man Georgie) and moves to Tilling, where she expects she will be made society Queen in no time flat. Unfortunately for Lucia, Tilling already has a Queen, one Elizabeth Mapp, and she has no intention of relinquishing her crown.

The scene is thus set for a true Battle Royal, only in Tilling the battelfields are luncheons and dinner parties, and the weapons fruit gardens and lobster recipes. The results are very very funny, as the genteel of Tilling spend a breathless year thoroughly enjoying each swipe, snub and put down. The hilarious climax has our heroines floating out to sea on an overturned kitchen table, with Lucia's last audible words promising delicious gossip just as soon as she gets out of her current mess.

Benson draws his characters exquisitely well, I found myself flat out liking her. She is an Englishwomen of the 1930's, past her prime but still youthful, who just happens to be blessed (cursed?) with the personality of an Alpha Male. The resulting battle of wits with the formidable Mapp is fascinating; Mapp is clearly not her intellectual equal but through a mixture of deviousness and and cunning manages to pull the carpet from underneath Lucia's carefully laid plans time and again. The supporting characters are equally well written, with best friend Georgie and Mapp's crony Diva especially amusing.

All in all, a funny, entertaining and biting satire that is well worth reading whether you are already a Lucia fan or are picking up a Benson novel for the first time. Highly recommended!

Read these books and discover the truth. It's all there -- the vanity, greed, passion, jealousy, and exultation. Don't let the objects of all these towering emotions fool you (lobster recipes, psychic bridge, red currant fool, babytalk Italian, dead budgies, suspect gurus, the Moonlight Sonata), it is the stuff of life!

E F Benson's characters are just sublimely and achingly funny, it seems with Mapp and Lucia he was aiming to scrutinise and satarise the nosensical heirarchy and rivalry of bored and over privelaged upper middle class folk.
This aspect of the British Class system was one he knew well and which was breathing it's last in the times in which Mapp and Lucia live, witness the somewaht irritating coldness with which the Ladies treat their Maids, Drivers and Shop staff.
Lucia is the dominant character, lithe, fashionable and razor sharp while Mapp is clumsy, mumsy and opts for bulldog tactics.
The two appear in many novels, Lucia more often and one cannot help wonder if she was based on a Lady whom Benson was ever so slightly in love with, but here they meet for the first time, as Lucia moves to "Tilling" for the summer in Mapps rented out home "Mallards". The array of colurful charcters they surround themselves with and draw into their delighfully bitchy and cunning war agaisnt each other, are of equal delight, of particualr note are Quaint Irene and Georgie. Perhaps seen as little more than bohemian in their day but doubtless these characters would now be seen as obviously Lesbain and Gay; with the former being in love with Lucia. A daring inclusion in Benson's time but subtle and beautifully inclusive one.
Fans of these deliciously naughty pair should see the 1986 TV series which is available on DVD. Geraldine McKewan (of current Miss Marple fame)is petite, pretty, acid and simply perfect as Lucia while Prunella Scales (Cybil of Fawlty Towers) brings Miss Mapp to dusty, dowdy and bullish life! Excellent stuff!
The series was filmed in Rye in Sussex, home town of Benson, it used many locations close to his home (Lamb House), such as the lovley houses of Watchbell Street (My favourite being No 11 which was used as Godiva's house) and "Twistevens" shop on Mermaid Street, actually a Tea Room in reality.
WELL WORTH A VISIT! Literature fans may also wish to know that Lamb House was once home to American novelist, Henry James before Benson's time. One can also visit Benson's Grave in the town. Benson was Lord Mayor of Rye for a while and the river "Tilling"-ton flows through the town.

I enjoy Kathy Hogan Trochecks books, although when I was reading this one, once I reached page 54, it then went to page 295. I was able to pick it back up again at page 88. I'm sure a printing error, But I did miss out on 34 pages of the book.

I love all of the Callahan Garrity books, and I own the entire series. This was my favorite out of all them. The suspense and twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat, but the humor and heart are the backbone of the books. I love that the Callahan books are set in Atlanta; it's so much more refreshing than the typical New York or LA settings that many books use. I wish Ms Trocheck would write more Callahan books, but from what I can see, she has moved on to romances (written under the name Mary Kay Andrews) which are still good, but not as good as Callahan.

I adore all of Callahan Gerrity Mysteries and this one was the fiest de resistance. I could not put it down. I ate, slept and drank every word and loved it....Kathy Trochek is a master of description and weaver of mystery. Just loved it.

It's a few days before Christmas, and sometimes disorganized Callahan Garrity, actually has things under control for a change. That is, until her deadbeat brother, Brian, shows up after 10 long years, with a toddler, Maura, who he says is his daughter. Callahan is always used to trouble following Brian, so when she finds out that he's actually kidnapped Maura from his estranged wife, she's not surprised. But, when Brian's ex-wife is found dead, the lead suspect is Brian. And though Callahan knows that he's many things, she knows that he's no murderer. So now it's time for her, her hilarious mother, Edna, and the employees of the House Mouse Cleaning Service to do some serious detective work around Atlanta, before Christmas is ruined for everyone.

This was my first Callahan Garrity mystery, and I was not one bit disappointed. Callahan, and her mother Edna are two hilarious characters, and the mother/daughter relationship between the two of them is absolutely fantastic. Whether you're a mystery lover, or a fan of family drama's, this is a must-have this holiday season.

Erika Sorocco

I deliberately waited over a year to purchase and read Midnight Clear by my favorite mystery author, Kathy Hogan Trocheck. I've always paced myself with her books because there aren't that many to begin with plus it's been over 3 years since KHT last wrote one. I hope that she is working on something new, because all of us Callahan Garrity fans are anxiously awaiting the next mystery featuring Callahan, Edna & the rest of the House Mouse cleaning crew! As for Midnight Clear-it just doesn't get any better than this. Kid brother Brian, who had been in absentia for 10 years suddenly shows up at Edna's doorstep with a surprise in his truck-a 3 year old girl named Maura. There is a major murder mystery for Callahan to solve, but it looks like Brian is the prime suspect-his ex-wife is found murdered in her bed. You'll find yourself rapidly turning the pages until you reach the surprise ending, KHT pulls out all the stops with this one. Once you reach the very end, however, you realize you want more books to come out featuring Callahan Garrity & co. As the previous reviewer mentioned, if only Ms. Trocheck would write as often as Sue Grafton does! Very highly recommended-along with all of her other books. Enjoy!

It looked like chick lit, so I picked it up last week. I have been drawn to lighter fare since losing Nat. My mind is wrapped around so many other things, that it is harder to attach myself emotionally to a story. However, this book wasn't exactly chick lit. I had never read the Weetzie Bat books, or anything else by this author for that matter, so I went in blind. It was a fabulous trip. Block's story winds through reality but includes magic at every turn. This book has a captured mermaid, changlings, floating brides, magic spider weavings... It was like a grown up Oz. And, from me, that is high praise. I was so sad to read the last page and close the book. I picked up the first of the Weetzie Bat books from the library and am reading that now. I will let you know what I think when I have finished reading.

I fell in love with weetzie bat about 8 years ago. I was searching for books and i ran across this one and bought it instantly. I was taken back to weetzie's beautiful world but this time filled with mermaids and drag queens. I finished it in a few days and needless to say I totally fell in love with it. I'd always felt a little incomplete at the end of dangerous angels and this finished it perfectly.

all in all...it is amazing. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Weetzie Bat is an adult now--just turned forty, with her children in college, and her relationship with her secret agent lover man Max falling apart, Weetzie packs a suitcase, leaves her cottage, and moves to a hotel--an unusual hotel, where she meets a blue receptionist, a room-service faun, and an invisible cleaning lady, among all of the equally unusual guests. She plans to stay there until she rediscovers kisses: the passion, goodness, and love in her life. Continuing the wonderful YA series of Weetzie Bat books in a new adult text, Block writes in her usual style, creating a magical, authentic, and truly approachable, enjoyable text. The setting is fantastic, the writing is at the same time straightforward and quirky, and the characters are vivid and their lessons learned are meaningful. This is a fitting sequel to the Weetzie Bat series but aptly modified for a more mature audience, and a wonderful, meaningful, and ultimately uplifting read. I highly recommend it.

The Weetzie Bat books are young adult classics--magical, enchanting, and in many ways uniquely realistic. To my great pleasure, I found Necklace of Kisses to be an apt adult continuation of the series--it preserves both the magic and the enchanting atmosphere of the YA books, and (while many of the issues in the YA books are mature), deals with more adult topics in a similarly honest, respectful fashion. The original Weetzie Bat series may be YA fiction, but it is a worthwhile read for all age groups; I'm pleased that this novel continues the series in a way that is authentic to the original texts yet still modified to speak and appeal to a more mature audience. In fewer words: if you loved the original Weetzie Bat books and are interested in reading a more mature version, then you will enjoy Necklace of Kisses.

Beyond anything, Block's writing style is magical, transporting both characters and readers to a world that is increasingly delightful and vivid. Don't let the unusual cast of characters fool you: the story is actually all the more realistic and meaningful for for its fantastic elements. Block's visual writing style and fantastic setting and characters make the experiences and messages in the book magical (and so more engrossing and more enjoyable to read) and also more vivid (and so stronger and more meaningful). The otherworldliness gives Weetzie's journey an ethereal, universal sense without ever becoming obvious or preachy. This is a delightful book and easy to get lost in, and Weetzie's journey and the conclusions she comes to are satisfying and meaningful. It is an intensely original coming-of-middle-age novel, and Block storytelling and writing is exceptional.

There are a few minor issues with this book (I found some of the characters unappealing, some of the plot points are predictable, not all of the life lessons are meaningful to all readers), but those issues are minor in comparison to the greatness of the overall text. It may not be perfect, but Necklace of Kisses is wonderful. It's a respectful and authentic continuation of the series, it is well adapted to an increasingly mature audience, and Block's writing style excels here, engrossing the reader in Weetzie's magical world and bringing her new knowledge to life. I was delighted by this book, truly glad to have picked it up, and I highly recommend it. It is wonderful.

A friend gave me a copy of "Weetzie Bat" in the late 90's and told me I must read it because I was very much Weetzie. Unsure what she meant, I took the book and devoured it in one brief sitting. Since then, I've read all the books in the "Dangerous Angels" series, as well as other non-Weetzie titles, and go back to them often. Block's word pictures and fantasy scapes thrill me to no end. Her imagery moves me.

I recently purchased "Necklace of Kisses" and was totally blown away by this book. After recently turning 40 myself, I found I could relate to Weetzie's search for self at the beginning of midlife. This book reinforced the truth that life doesn't end at 40...in some ways, it begins anew.

To anyone contemplating this book (especially those hip New Wave/punk grrls from the 80's who are turning 40 soon) please take a chance on it. It will show you that you can still be you as you are, no matter what age you may be.

Here's to the Weetzie in us all!

How comforting to know how Weetzie and her family are doing! I thought this book was excellent. I read it quickly, telling my husband to shut up when he tried to interupt.
Some of the reviews mentioned the 9/11 thing was a little heavy but I didn't get that, it was mentioned once- and Max always was a little intense.
God, I hope there's more!
I loved Weetzie before, but now... Wow!

Practical and effective. A balanced book with an understandable writing and depth of analysis.

At the peak of the dot-com bubble, buying Internet stocks was momentum investing at its most pure - get in when a new stock or sector is on its upswing, and get out while the gettin's good. But Peter S. Cohan has created new criteria for Internet investors to apply in the traditional method of fundamental analysis. Instead of looking to old-line gurus like Graham or Buffet for advice, Cohan draws on the business strategies of John D. Rockefeller to come up with fresh e-commerce attributes like economic leverage, closed-loop solutions and adaptive management for investors to measure. We [...] recommend this book to executives, employees and students with equal vigor, although consider yourself forewarned that Cohan's extended barking-dog analogy will grate on your nerves. Nevertheless, anyone who invests in Internet companies or even traffics in Internet commerce for business or pleasure will gain insights from this book, regardless of whether Cohan's investment criteria prove to have staying power.

This is the most lucid, sensible analysis I've read thus far of the likely implications of engaging in e-commerce from different strategic perspectives and business models. Cohan provides a valuable framework and applies it to scores of real cases. I find myself returning to his book time and again to apply his methodology. His only off-base advice: don't invest in companies led by folks over 35. I'll forgive him that one. The rest of the book is a real gem. It should age well.

I enjoyed the book tremendously, and think Peter's done a fabulous job dissecting the Internet investment frenzy, providing the logic to the momentum everyone else seems to have missed.

This book is good for Newbie to the internet but certainly don't worth a look for someone looking for insight.

The framework is nothing new but more or less a simplified business plan.

In Chapter 13, Advice for Internet Management and Investors sounds like a common sense and existing strategy using by most of the dotcom. Common Sense: Strategy 1 of those advices is moving the company into a more profitability region in short. (It dividies the market into 3 levels of profitability. so called Lossware, Brandware and Powerware. Well, no matter if it is New or Old economy, there is always different degrees of profitability.)

Existing strategies: Selling out of a porfolio builder, deep pockets and restructuring. We are seeing consolidation in the market a long long time ago and a lot of big or small players already know it is the way.

This book is more like a news reporting and a lot of newly invented words cannot make this book a standard of new economy rules but disappoint me only.

This is an informative and creative handbook aimed at the occasional to frequent presenter who may be nervous, unpolished, or just looking to improve. Kevin and Cyndi write colorfully, keeping your attention by using stories and short chapters devoted only to a narrow topic, intentionally making it easy to flip to what you need to know right now. The simple fact that they make the best of what could be dry material is enough to convince me that their suggestions have merit.

If your job includes speaking to audiences for the purpose of departing meaningful information, then you must add this book to your list. Every once in a while it is a great idea to polish your skills with the latest and greatest information. "Present like a Pro" is a well structured book that departs from clichés and goes into detail around the art of public speaking - from conquering the butterflies, to really impacting messages that stick!

I had the pleasure to meet Kevin a corporate training day a few week sbefore purchasing the book. I found him to be one of the most relevant, grounded and effective speakers I had ever attended. Once I found he had co-authored this book, I bought it within days.

This book is one of the finer books on public speaking I've ever reviewed. The beauty of it is in it's ability to be used in many ways. For instance, if you just want to hit key chapters relevent to your particular engagement it even offers which ones to read. It also offers a end-to-end approach which I think flows well for those who need a complete point of view in their speaking.

I would take issue with a previous review noting the lack of A\V embesshiments to speaking such as powerpoint... This is a book on building successfull tactics to speaking. It offers key strategies to prepare, connect and flow with your audience.

I have always dreaded speaking myself, not out of phobia, but out of a lack of confidance to think on my feet. This book really identifies why a good presenter has made themselves good and how we can use those same techniques.

I have attended a few "be a better speaker" workshops which focus on a few of the ideas presented here. The difference in this book is in it's completeness and relevence. I will bring it with me to every speach I make from now on.

Maxey and O'Conner's experience with public speaking provides the reader with useful tips and concrete examples without being "gimmicky". Their book is easy to read and allows you to pick and choose what applies to your particular 'speaking' circumstance. The authors give you lots to think about as you prepare your own speeches, presentations, or lectures. As a university professor, I really got a lot out of the book.

What a great book!!!!!! This book covers every tip anyone needs to know to be successful in speaking infront of a group. The way the book is designed, you can take whatever chapters you need and use it as a resource or reference everytime you speak. Great to read when you don't have much time but need a lot of infomation. It doesn't get any better than this!!!

Author Carol Pogash does something miraculous: she reinvents the true crime genre to such a degree that other authors will find it difficult to match her! From the first page to the last, you're riveted to this real life drama of a psychotic and dangerous woman--Susan Polk--who butchered her husband--and then tried to blame it on that favorite alibi of many female killers: the battered wife syndrome. We first find Susan Polk puttering around her kitchen while the body of her psychologist husband rests in a river of blood in the nearby pool house where she forced him to live. She waits for one of her sons, Gabe, to find the corpse and then shows no emotion when her son tells her the news. With this introduction, you're led through their lives in fascinating detail--from Susan's mentally disturbed childhood up to the reasons she finally decided to murder her husband. Pogash creates each of the leading characters in colorful detail--and you're taken through the various psychological fads--such as the satanic child abuse craze of the 70s and then through the repressed memory cycle. Susan threw herself into each of these crazes--first, convinced that somehow that one of her sons was abused in satanic rituals. Then she was convinced through repressed memory that her husband, Felix, had hynoptized her and used drugs to seduce her as a teenager aganst her will. She became convinced he was a Mossad agent of death and that he knew 9/11 was going to happen. Yet, she's shown as being aggressively involved in the seduction of Felix. Pogash then goes into an even more fascinating part of this saga by covering the murder trial of Susan Polk. You're introduced to the attorneys, the witnesses and the courtroom junkies. Susan ends up representing herself and her madness is now seen by the public and jurors. Her bizarre courtroom antics--laughing, crying and shrieking at the prosecutor and judge--turned her case into a circus sideshow. While she claims to have been severely abused as a wife, you realize that her poor husband was forced to live in the pool house and was terrified of this woman. Yet, until the end, Felix told people how much he still loved her-even after she warned him that she was returning from a vacation in Montana with a shotgun and that she was going to kill him. This is what is so mystifying about this man. Even after continual threats against his life by his wife, he refused to move out and proclaimed his great love for this woman who now hated him. During the trial, one son, Eli, never wavered in defending his killer Mother. Two other sons depicted her as evil, psychotic and a relentless trouble-maker both in their home and to the neighbors and school staffs. I dreaded coming to the end of this book because it was so brilliantly written. Bravo to the author for breathing new life into the true crime genre which, unfortuntately, consists of too many books that are badly written and consist of nothing more than a cut-and-paste job by hack writers.

"Seduced by Madness" is the biography of Susan Polk, who stabbed her psychologist husband to death one night.

This book raises as many questions as it answers, and many of them are troubling questions indeed. Susan Polk became the patient of the wealthy and well respected Felix Polk when she was 14. By 18 they were lovers, and shortly after, married.

How could Felix have seduced his young patient? In the late 60s, close relationships between patients and therapists were not considered immoral.

How could Felix have wanted to marry a woman so clearly troubled? Soon Susan convinced Felix to see satanic abuse everywhere. Susan and Felix were convinced that their sons had suffered abuse from a vast satanic cult that was nationwide and killed babies and children in sacrifice to their dark god.

Later, Susan and Felix were part of the craze for recovered memories, another fad in the therapy movement. Susan eventually believed she had recovered a memory of being drugged and raped by Felix when she was 14. But then, she also thought Felix was a Mossad agent who had known about 9/11 before it happened.

Susan was delusional, clearly. But how much? Was she able to tell right from wrong? And why, why was her husband so in love with a woman so flawed? When she kept threatening to kill him, why didn't he run away? Why did he become so involved in her delusions? And what does it say about the field of psychology that it went from one fad after another, and that one of its most respected therapists had a family life most people would call insane?

A fascinating read.

I had to put it down...but only because I did not want to reach the end of this book. The prose by the author is so far above what one typically finds in the true crime or courtroom drama genres. Ms. Pogash has a depth to her writing style that was so compelling I found myself marveling at nearly every sentence. When the superb writing is coupled with the intriguing story of life at the Polk house, the reader is left with a feeling of knowing the parties involved, and even caring about each and every one of them. It was clear to me from watching the news reports during the trial that Susan Polk is a fascinating yet complex and difficult woman. Felix Polk was equally enigmatic. The descriptions of Dr. Polk were interesting to anyone who lived in Northern California during the 1960's and 1970's, especially those who had any contact with the psychotherapeutic community. Felix's professional endeavors exemplified that era and his lack of professional boundaries was never updated or modified to meet current standards (right up until his death). When you read Seduced By Madness, it's like watching sausage being made. The path, the events and the results all make sense, but it feels like something you should not be privy to, and yet you will not want to stop. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Veteran journalist Carol Pogash writes so well you forget this is a true crime non-fiction account of real people living real lives. They say truth is stranger than fiction, and even I couldn't make this up--and I tell lies for a living---but this particular account has it all: seduction, mental illness, sex, violence, power trips and a great account of our near history among privileged people with too much of everything. If you're looking for a fast paced, well-written read---look no more: order this book today!

Let me start off by saying that I picked up this book not knowing anything about the real-life case and the events surrounding it. I simply looked at the inside flap of the book and thought this could make for a fun read. Boy, was I in for a ride!

In "Seduced by Madness: The True Story of the Susan Polk Murder Case" (354 pagers), author Carol Pogash basically brings us two separate (but related) stories in one book. The first half of the book paints a vivid picture of Susan Polk's background, how she met and eventually married Felix Polk, a man 25 years her senior, how they raised their 3 sons, and how the marriage started to unravel, leading to the tragic end. The second part of the book brings an account of the trial, with all of its characters. The main character is of course Susan Polk, a delusional woman who claims to be a victim of a conspiracy. According to Susan, everyone, including 2 of her kids, but also the police, the judge, the prosecutor, the forensic experts, her own lawyers, etc. had it in for her. One might simply think that it's sad, were it not of course that someone died, and many people around her, first and foremost her kids, are forever tainted.

The author does a terrific job in keeping the reader's interest. The book clearly does benefit from the author's daily presence during the months of trial. I, for one, had a hard time putting the book down, even once it becomes clear in which direction this all is ultimately going to. This book also proves once again that you can't make this stuff up and that real life is stranger than fiction!

(UPDATE--if you don't want to know what is currently happening, then don't read on!) Subsequent to the author finishing work on this book, Susan Polk filed a Motion for a New Trial and Motion to Modify Verdict. The motion was denied by the court in February, 2007.)

My third grade teacher read this book to us in class and I was completely enchanted with it. My bus passed Mason Lane where numerous Mason families lived and I was sure the farm house across the highway was THE Mason home. I think maybe I have confused the Mason name with the name of the family in the book. Forty years later I still think about the family.

I can only add to what others have written here! I read and re-read the book as a child from a British/Armenian background growing up in Iran in the mid-sixties. I loved the story of a family and a place, changing and growing across generations. I can still see the hardback blue cover of the book in my mind's eye and remember the feel of it in my hands! It made a huge impression.

I read this book many times as a child being raised abroad. Since I had no grandparents, uncles, cousins, or aunts in my life, this book built for me a sense of American family and Place. I also really appreciated the generational connections, with the charming illustrations aging the characters from children to elders. This book was so precious to me that when my home burned down in 1996, this book was one of maybe ten items I was able to rescue. I still have it; smoky, charred and brittle, but intact enough to be sharing with my third grade students studying western expansion. I hope to someday be able to afford a 'smoke-free' hardback copy.

I read this book in 3rd grade. In fact, I had the book out of our class library all year - I kept renewing it over and over. 45 years later I decided to look for it to read it again and am delighted to find used copies listed here. I've added it to my Wish List. It's nice to see how popular it was.

For over 50 years, I have remembered the experience of reading this book in the two-room school I attended. It was in the bookshelf filled with volumes we were allowed to read when we'd finished our lessons. The realistic accounts of life of settlers are a wonderful window into the history of our country and the resourcefulness human beings have been given by our Creator!
For years, I had the lingering impression that home builders still operated with the same care and sound judgement that the people used in selecting the site for the farmhouse on Smiling Hill Farm.
I've been wanting to find the book to share with my almost-6 granddaughter, who has just begun to read.

First the good. The book's main point is that broad broad diversification is the best way to invest. Broad enough to include small cap foreign passive investments, along with a bunch of domestic passive equity investments.

The trouble is that one gets the sense that only Mr. Buffet has ever made money buying individual stocks. Apparently everyone else has failed. This book seems to cherry pick studies to make its point, but in the end it contradicts itself. One of the main reasons the author provides for the fact you will not make money buying individual stocks is the you are fighting an efficient stock market. Apparently if you believe you think a stock is priced too low, the efficient stock market proves you wrong. Everyone else has voted with their money as to the price of the stock...and therefore you will lose.

In making this point the author overlooks the points he makes in the latter part of the book that contradict his earlier "efficient market" theory. He talks about the herd mentality of the market, which makes the herd head in the wrong direction. Well, I guess the market is not so efficient after all. Everyday we see the market overreact to good news and bad news, causing wild swings in stock. If a stock is worth $48 one day, and $31 dollars the next day, then climbs back to $43 dollars...then the market is not so efficient.

Recently we've seen Apple fall from $190 to $120 and climb back to $150 in the span of 4 or 5 weeks. To me this means the market is not efficient. Yet that is one of the central contentions of the book.

I think you can ignore the gloom and doom about investing in individual stocks...as it is based on a mixture of good points intertwined with drivel. But the authors advice concerning the strength of index funds and diversification is very sound. So if you only get that point from the book, than the author has done well.

Larry's books are about "passive" investing, which if you are going to put your life savings to work is the ONLY way to do it. The biggest benefits of passive investing is the reduction of volatility and increased non-correlated diversification. It also removes the "noise" of the Wall Street hawkers.

Larry has strong feelings about his subject, so if you're not doing his way, he will tell you about the "loser's game" you're playing. Hopefully you'll get it.

More people should tune in passive investing.

Excellent book on the unpredictability of investments and investors.

It essentially says investing in individual stocks is speculating (gambling), not investing. Over the long haul, individual investors (event the top fund managers) don't beat the overall market.

Invest in the S&P 500 or other major index and you will build a fine nest egg for retirement, according to the book.

This is not a book for someone who wants to double their money in 2 years. It is for the person who wants to turn $100,000 into $800,000 in 21 years (assuming 7% returns that double your money every seven years). Not a bad end for an extremely diversified and responsible investment plan.

So if you are 44 years old, and you have $200,000 to invest, you could safely build it to $1.6 million when you turn 65, if this book is correct. I think it is.

I am a big fan of Larry Swedroe's writings - his books, his posts on the Vanguard Diehards Forum, his articles. I've read all of his books, and I have to rate this as his best book.

He distills and presents a lot of Finance research in this book in a very very readable form. The advice in this book is timeless. Among many other things, this book has the best discussion of the equity value premium.

For around 10 bucks, the price of 2 (maybe three lattes), the average (even advanced) investor can get an education that will serve him/her well for the rest of their investing lifetime.

Looking forward to Larry's next book.

I was very impressed with this book and give it an A. Swedroe's investment advice is excellent and the writing style is very easy and fun to read.

I read all 4 of Larry Swedroe's stock investing books in the last few weeks, and although they are excellent books and I agree with most of his recommendations, he tends to re-use the same information in each book. To keep this book straight in my mind, compared with the other 3 books, this review is structured along his Outline of the book.

Truth 1: Active Investing Is a Loser's Game: It Must Be So

Larry lays out the case why active investing always loses to passive investing.

Truth 2: The Past Performance of an Actively Managed Fund Is a Very Poor Predictor of Its Future Performance

He does a good job of citing many studies demonstrating that past performance is not a good predictor of future performance.

Truth 3: If Skilled Professionals Don't Succeed, It Is Unlikely That Individual Investors Will
Truth 4: The Interests of Wall Street and the Financial Media Are Not Aligned with Those of Investors

He points out why passive investing is not promoted by Wall Street and the financial media.

Truth 5: Risk and Reward Are Related: Great Companies Provide Low Expected Returns
Truth 6: The Price You Pay Matters
Truth 7: The Most Likely Way to Achieve Above Average Returns Is to Stop Trying to Beat the Market
Truth 8: Buying Individual Stocks and Sector Funds Is Speculating, Not Investing
Truth 9: Reversion to the Mean of Earnings Growth Rates Is One of the Most Powerful Forces in the Universe
Truth 10: The Forecasts of Market Strategists and Analysts Have No Value, Except as Entertainment
Truth 11: Taxes Are Often the Largest Expense Investors Incur
Truth 12: Knowledge of Financial History Is Critical to Successful Investing
Truth 13: Adding International Assets to a Portfolio Reduces Risk

Although I agree with the author's claim that foreign stocks help reduce portfolio risk, I do have trouble believing or following his recommendation of 20 to 40% asset allocation in foreign stocks. I feel more comfortable with a 10 to 20% allocation to foreign stocks.

Truth 14: There Is No One Right Portfolio, but There Is One That Is Right for You

He points out that investing is not an exact science, and the optimum portfolio is difficult to achieve. Each person must get comfortable with the risks and complexity of their allocations. He also gives a convincing argument for skipping mid-cap stocks in favor of only small and large cap stocks.


Conclusion
A: The Enron. Debacle: Lessons to Be Learned

It was interesting to see how some of the supposedly smartest brains in the investing world loaded up on Enron stock, including the Janus funds.

Appendix B: More Investment Truths You. Must Know to Be a Successful Investor
Appendix C: Investment Vehicle Recommendations

Great list of investment choices to implement you asset allocation plan.

D: The Home Financing Decision:To Borrow or Not


Nice analysis of an issue than many investors struggle with. He combines a nice financial analysis with the "able to sleep at night" test.



All-in-all, a great book for serious investors who manage their own portfolios. To me, his four books are very similar. If you choose one of the four books to read, I think you will get 90% of his message versus spending the time to read all 4 books.

I would suggest companion books to supplement this book including The Richest Man in Babylon, Bogle on Mutual Funds, The Millionaire Next Door, The 4 Pillars of Investing, A Random Walk Down Wall Street, Index Mutual Funds: How to Simplify Your Life and Beat the Pros, the Coffeehouse Investor, and the Bogleheads Guide to Investing.