V Books

After reading some glowing published reviews of this book, I got the idea that the story focuses on participants in the HUAC hearings of the 1950s. The first third or so of the book does just that, exploring how the heroine, Dinah, is affected by a lie. However, the plot doesn't end there--Frank is so skilled at creating believable, complex characters that she seemed unable to stop them from continuing to tell their stories even after her points about HUAC were made. By the time I got to the end, I was wondering what exactly was the main purpose of the book. The author apparently could have followed the characters until each of their deaths, and the novel ends up as a sprawling portrait of a disturbed family, rather than the meditation on integrity and political ideas that it starts out to be.

The characters are generally well-rounded and believable, and Frank includes memorable personal details in even the minor figures. Characters who might have come across as merely villainous are more thoughtfully explored here. For example, Jake Lasker, a Hollywood writer and grossly philandering husband, might have been portrayed as the standard piggish cheater. But Frank makes him by turns horrible and sympathetic: brutal to his son, yet endearing in his aspiration to write Clifford-Odets-style plays that glorify his working-class roots.

A weaker character, in my opinion, is Veevie, the heroine's sister. Because Veevie is incredibly beautiful, she is loved by all who meet her, leaving her sister feeling in the shadows. But Veevie is never in the least likable to the reader, who cannot see her; she is pathologically self-involved. It seemed implausible to me that other characters in the story wouldn't eventually realize this, as well. Yet much of the book is concerned with the relative status of the two women, with Veevie usually coming out on top in the eyes of the other characters, but never in the eyes of the reader. Frank seems overly concerned that the reader too might disloyally prefer the better-looking woman, so she rarely lets Veevie appear sympathetic. And the meditation on beauty and status feels undeveloped--the reader just has to sit by in frustration as Dinah is treated unfairly by most people around her, and rarely fights back.

Despite all these issues, I am in awe of Frank's writing talent. I just hope her next book has a tighter focus.

This is possibly the best book I've read in many years. It carried me into the lives of Dinah and Jake to the point that I felt like I was living with them and feeling their laughter and pain. Elizabeth Frank may well be one of the best writers of our time. Although it took place in the 50' it is truly a timeless work of art. Bravo and Encore!!!

Elizabeth Frank is a superb writer. Yes, the plot lines are a little soap opera like, as other reviewers mentioned, but that only highlights Frank's ability to turn predictable events into fascinating commentary on adult life. Her insights are fresh and her details delicious. I was so sad to see this novel end. It took twenty five years to write - I'll be too old to read her next novel! I'm tired of Hollywood stories and yet I found Cheat and Charmer to be a true star.

I bought this book because the cover looked intriguing -- very F. Scott Fitzgerald. As with The Great Gatsby, I was not disappointed, though for very different reasons. I immediately was drawn into this world of secret Communist gatherings and flashy Hollywood soirees. The characters were definitely memorable, though not always likable. In fact, I found myself wanting to learn more about them, even those I believed them to be morally repugnant. Elizabeth Frank is a wonderful storyteller. I'd read anything else she'd write! I highly recommend this book!

with deeply nuanced characters who are not espcially likeable. The thing I loved about this book is that there are no easy answers. All of these characters make choices that have long reaching results. If you believe that ethics are situational; that choices are neither morally good or bad (in and of themselves), this book will make you pause. The author does an outstanding job of showing the emotional consequences of seemingly simple choices. The history of LA in the 50s (I lived it), the blacklist and the movie business all ring true. This is one of the best books I have read this year. I literally read it in a 24 hour period and was sad to see it end.

I love the "Chicken Soup" series, and this is like the others. Great storeis and good for all of your emotions! I'm getting married soon, so I was so happy to get this book and I loved reading it!

I got this book for my niece, soon to be married. She LOVES the Chicken Soup series, and, who can't use some soup for the soul, to sooth the nerves on such an important day!

Upon reading this book, I am immediately reminded of how strong the bond between couples in love must be, and how they can be. The stories in "Bride's Soul" consistently serve to regenereate and reinforce the fact that a lifelong love becomes a relationship in which the importance of the individual's existence gladly takes a back seat to the value of the couple's happiness together.
Love is a matter of respect, understanding, admiration, loyalty, strength, honor and commitment; and this book exemplifies all of these grand qualities in a language anyone could understand. I recommend this heartwarming book to any person who wonders about love, and all the power that it holds.

Thank You

This great book had me laughing and crying with touching stories on every page. It is not only a great gift for any new bride, but for anyone who has ever been a bride. An excellent anniversary gift idea. This book puts the important things in life into crystal clear perspective. If you like a good love story you will LOVE 101 of them in one book!

I saw this book advertised online and I bought it at our local book store when I became engaged. If you are a bride to be or in love or just love romance? This is the book for you the stories will tug at your heart strings, make you laugh,cry and even think about your new love. I am getting married this Nov 04 and the stories are AWESOME!

When you get busy with life's details reach for this book and find a comfortable chair and get cozy. You will not be sorry that you bought this book.I'm glad I bought this book it's fantastic.

wow at first i thought this book sucked but after i looked at the tabs and listened to some of the songs again i realized it caught alotta notes that i never even heard before. good tabs

Besides being a bargain price; this book, The Latter Day Of Led Zeppilin
and you basically have all of their best songs in a set. Being a collector of thousands of guitar tab books, I've learned the difference between professional quality and someone doing a quick job. If you're on a budget and can't buy each songbook indiviually this one save you money, by buying the 5 book set. It's like getting one free..and most importantly the tabs are accurate!

This is without a doubt the most complete, most accurate set of Zeppelin tab I have ever seen. Comes w/ bound books(not stapled), & a sturdy slip case, every bit worth the price. If you're a Zep fan & a guitarist, you're not yet a man (or woman) until you own this set!

WOW! This book is amazing. If you own a guitar, buy this collection right away. If you don't have the money then steal some. This collection has every guitar part, including those immortal solo's, in detail, for the first five Zeppelin albums. It contains all the correct turnings for the song's. It is broken up into five seperate books for easier use. The books give a brief synopsis on how the song's came about and some explainations to how Jimmy played them. This collection shows you what great guitar playing is really about. Don't delay, buy it now for your own good.

This set comes with 5 books with accurate transcriptions of the first 5 Led Zeppelin albums. All of the solos, fills, mandolin, alternate guitar tunings, and in some cases organ/synth parts are transcribed as well. From album III - V there are detailed notes on each song in the beginning of the books that give insight into how the band recorded the song and sometimes some pointers on how to play the song when there are guitar parts being played through several tracks at once. All of this collection comes in a sturdy box that holds the 5 books together nicely. This set should keep one challenged for years, and will provide great insight into one of the greatest bands ever. Highly recommended.

I am currently studying medicine and got this book to help get a handle on the renal system and acid-base topics. I found it easy to understand, with good detail and lots of extra information. The case studies are a great way to illustrate the different conditions. I would definitely recommend it if you are keen to get a handle on (or master) acid-base and electrolyte physiology and disorders.

An impressively lucid and detailed account of renal physiology, with a close focus on the clinical causes and implications.It is intensely practical, with up to date references (at time of publication) and sifting exerecises at the end of each chapter.

It is precisely what far too many 'nephrologists' have all but forgotten in their obsession with immunology, studying the aetiology of injury is all well, but without a text like this it's difficult to appreciate the intricacy, beauty and sheer majesty of renal physiology. Can you tell the difference between tubulo-glomerular feedback and glomerulotubular balance? - shame on the 'forensic pathologists' who can't! This book will provide rapid relief.

FOR RESIDENT AND FELLOWS AS STAFF TOO, THE FIFTH EDITION OF BURTON ROSE IS EXCELLENT, COVERING BASIC CONCEPTS AS WELL AS ALL THE RECENT RESEARCH MEDICAL NEWS IN FHE FIELD OF FLUID AND ACID BASE PHYSIOLOGY.IT SHOULD BE RECOMENDED FOR PRIVATE AND PUBLIC MEDICAL LIBRARY.

I found this book to be very useful in understanding the subject of acid base and electrolyte disorders. I recommend it for all physicians especially those working in emergency room, intensive and cardiac care units. In fact it is very helpful for all doctors working in the different clinical fields. It is simple and easily digested.

No doubt, this is a terrific textbook and is a great resource for Nephrology fellows, ICU fellows and general physiologists. However, for the med student or housestaff who would like to digest the basics of renal electrolyte handling and acid-base homeostasis, I'd like to recommend "Renal Pathophysiology the Essentials" by B.D. Rose and H.G. Rennke (ISBN: 0683073540). It is from 1994 and may lack some of the molecular details, but is an even more "readable" text.

A clearly written book, which employs a simple language. Another beauty of the book is that all loose ends are tied up. As sentences unfold one will realize why a particular phrase was used earlier and so on. That makes a big difference for an engineering text book.

It is the best book that I know for fundamentals. Hence, it will be useful for years to come.

Must have for all embedded systems people.

Helped me in my undergrad (older version). Helped me when I gave subject GRE recently. Covered Pipelining superscalar, out-of-order execution processors, caching and secondary storage, combinational and sequential ckt review etc real well. No computer architecture book covered them all so clearly, and in one book.

This was the assigned text for my junior year computer engineering course on computer organization. I loved it. The explanations are clear, progress logically, and are clearly presented. I find myself picking it up from time to time, both to read the more advanced chapters out of personal interest and to look up details needed in more advanced coursework.

After reading this book do not believe you'll know everyting about computing , but you'll know more than others do.

I had a chance to recommend this to a colleague just last week. It is easily twice the price of the "competing" books on the market, but you get what you pay for. With this book plus (perhaps) a hands-on course in the microprocessor laboratory--interfacing various logic families to output devices, e.g., or whipping up a robot of limited capabilities--the student gains the ultimate understanding of what makes computer systems "tick," from the loftiest levels of software, through the details of instruction set implementation (microprogrammed control, prefetching, cycle-stealing DMA transfers) and even the detailed digital logic circuits that underlie the CPU.

I dare say the student who aces this course is all but prepared to build a simplistic CPU on his own--"simplistic" because, though the concepts can be understood quite completely, it's an intricate challenge. Notably, the book has kept pace with the times: while the PDP-11 instruction set is didactically wonderful--clear and easy and even sporting reasonable opcode mnemonics--you don't see lots of PDP or LSI (or, for that matter, VAX) minis floating around nowadays. So, HV&Z moved on to the 68000, the Power PC, perhaps even the Pentium in the latest (of five or six) editions. (Good move, gentlemen: you've actually done your homework rather than just changing "happy" to "glad" and reprinting with a new version number!)

I used this book as a junior, but (a) I went to Cooper Union, which operates at an extremely high intellectual level [let's put it this way: I took a number of graduate-level computer science electives--compilers, OS, etc.--taught by Bell Labs MTSs as a junior and senior; and some "doctoral" courses that I took at Case were--honest Injun--watered-down versions of similar courses I had taken at Cooper], and (b) I graduated more than twenty years ago, and requirements always creep downward: a few credits fewer, a few tangential courses eliminated, perhaps one fewer humanities elective necessary to matriculate, etc. By 2006 standards, I would reluctantly have to reclassify HV&Z as a postgraduate text.

(A little puzzle for the reader: we had to build--from NAND gates--a microcomputer featuring two three-bit registers, and my squad was the only one that implemented an "exchange registers" function that required only one cycle and used no auxiliary storage registers. How did we do it? Tick ... tick ... tick ... time's up! The circuitry compared corresponding bits from both registers. If they matched, it did nothing; if they differed, it flipped both! So, there was no literal "exchange" operation: rather, each was simultaneously reset to the value of the other.)

EXCELENTE LIBRO, FACIL DE LEER Y ENTENDER, ESCRITO CON MUCHA PROFECIONALIDAD, ME ENCANTO LEERLO.
TE HACE ENCONTRAR A TI MISMO, NO PIERDA MAS EL TIEMPO.
TE LO RECOMIENDO. !!

TODOS LOS PAISES DEL MUNDO O DOMINAR MUCHAS CIENCIAS SI NO TE CONOCES A TI MISMO
Y ESTE LIBRO ES LA LLAVE PARA INGRESAR A TU INTERIOR !

DE FREUD...
Porque cualquier psiquiatra te puede analizar, PERO ENCONTRARTE CON ALGUIEN QUE TIENE LA SABIDURIA Y LA PENETRACION PARA ENSEÑARTE A QUE TE ANALICES TU MISMO...SOLO ESTA MUJER EN ESTE LIBRO !

Y FACILITO !
Si todos lo leyéramos, te juro que los siquiatras se morían de hambre !
CONOCETE: NO VIVAS CON UN EXTRAÑO EN TU INTERIOR.
Te garantizo que eres super agradable !

and he was right !
How can you deal with others and take the right decisions if we don't know exactly WHO WE ARE ?

A terrific read in the tradition of C.S. Lewis. If you liked Narnia, you'll enjoy this. My son is only 5 - a bit too young to understand the plot - but I'll save this book for him, and in a few years, I'm certain we can read it together. I'd recommend the book to both teenagers and adults.

It was great. Better than CATS! I would read this book again and again.

My son and nephew, both in their early teens, received this book for Christmas; it was one of those books they just couldn't put down. My son has read it several times and has inquired if there will be additional books to follow. This book illustrates traditional virtues and the conflict between good and evil. As a parent, it does my heart good to see that a book with a good message still exists out there. We all look forward to reading more books written by Dr. Clyde Manning.

Great read. A must add to the summer reading list for pre-teen and teen readers.

Author's Description: The possibilities for excitement in the land of Cyon seem nearly boundless for two newly retired soldiers and best friends: Captain Gustavius Snaggletooth - a small, debonair Maltese with madly misaligned teeth; and Sergeant Oslo Redbone - a massive Doberman known as a soldier's soldier. Setting out on the first day after their retirement from the service of King Leopold II, the friends discover that adventure is easier to come by than they had expected. In fact, it seems that adventure may be impossible to avoid. ((Recommended ages 10 to adult.))

Author's Comment: There seems to me no reason why a book shouldn't be edifying, educational, and tell a good story all at the same time. To this end I have tried to write an adult book for children and a children's book for adults. I've not shied away from using some adult vocabulary, but have provided a glossary at the end of the book to help with words that younger readers may not know and would like to learn. The definitions are simple and targeted to fit the context in which the word is used in the book. For adults, hopefully the story will be a refreshing break from too-adult-by-half contemporary fiction. It may be that I have failed to meet any of these objectives, but I hope that you will have found at least some value by the story's end.

The story is a fantasy/adventure that illustrates various traditional virtues and the conflict between good and evil. It probably best fits the reading capabilities of a just pre-teen to early teen audience, but is designed to appeal to adult readers as well. The illustrations should sit well with readers too young to read the book themselves but happy to have the book read to them.

I'd been hearing GREAT things about this book, and couldn't wait to read it. Mary Pearson is a gifted, humorous writer who can successfuly blend serious topics into a light, fast-paced FUN book. David goes on a school field trip but a wrong turn lands him and his classmates in Heaven. Then it's up to David to debate his way out of this life and death situation. The ending was perfect!

Pearson's outstanding first novel is witty and clever. I couldn't put it down. From the first paragraph Pearson hooks the reader with punching detail, David's hip teen voice and an unconventional and amusing vision of both heaven and God, who sends David a series of notes on yellow paper offering assistance in the debate David has challenged him to. David refuses but finally reads one of "God's Journals," the book of Genesis, and find the strategy he needs to win his way back to life. The book is thought-provoking while entertaining, and respectful of God's power and love despite the unusual portrayal and humor.

"David v. God" is an excellent YA with a stunningly original plot. The book centers on a debate between a teenager who believes his time on Earth is not yet up, and God, who apparently feels it is. Past the boy's anger and denial, he comes to a different understanding of God and of what life means. Brava, Ms. Pearson, for this unique and entertaining novel!

David is the kind of student who is always clowning around. One day he takes it to far and is forced into joining the Speech and Debate club. After being in the club for a couple of days they go on a trip and get in a car crash and the whole club dies. When they go to heaven everyone sees a real nice scenery, but David and another girl, Marie don't see a thing. Marie is the president of the club and the biggest nerd at the school. They think they don't belong in heaven and should go back to earth. After a long discussion with God's assistant, they decide that David will face God in a debate. He debates to see if he can go back to earth. David knows nothing about debating, so he knows he can't do it without Marie. They try going to the library and reading some books God gave them but David and Marie just couldn't find any mistakes God has made. When the debate finally comes David doesn't have the slightest idea what to say. He has to think of something fast because his life and Marie's depend on this debate. I really liked this book because it was one person's point of view about what heaven would be like when you die. this book also shows that sometimes people aren't what they are made out to be. Marie was the biggest nerd, but when David finally spent time with her, he saw that she waqs the same as everyone else on the inside. These and many other qualities come together to make a very good book for people of all ages.

Every so often a book comes along that makes you laugh and makes you cry and after the last page has been turned makes you think. David V. God grabs you in the opening scene and doesn't let you go even long after you have finished it. I highly recommend this one for all ages.

Yes, Deidre Lovecky writes in an academic style. I appreciate books that don't talk down to parents, but allow us to share in the data the experts have developed without dumbing it down.

If you have a gifted child, know that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The chances are very good that you are gifted, too. If you truly have a need for the wonderful information in this book, I suspect you will have little difficulty absorbing the concepts that will help you help your child.

Having encouraged parents to boldly go and read this book, I must also comment that whatever you find here that should be acknowledged and coped with by your child's teachers, school administrators, or psychologist, can be easily communicated by getting them a copy with appropriate passages marked. The book IS written professionally and for the benefit of other professionals as well as parents.

I first met Dr. Lovecky 14 years ago, and I was impressed then with her insight and interest into children who were gifted and demonstrated difficulties such as ADHD, Asperger's, etc. Her depth of clinical experience and observation has enabled her to develop and share keen insights that will help any parent or professional recognize and help a gifted child with an added exceptionality.

This book was informative, but written in a tedious and academic style, like a textbook. I think it would be more useful as a reference for professionals than a guide for parents. In some respects my son would fall into one pigeon-hole, but in other traits he would fall into quite another. And it left me quite confused as to how to handle his difficulties. Many of the recommendations are oriented toward young children, but a teenager is a different matter entirely. It also ignores many of the other pressures on teenagers that are part of the equation. We're going to go to a therapist--hopefully he will be able to figure something out.

If you modified Dr. Lovecky's "Different Minds" to carry the normal amount of information per page as is found on average in books of this genre, it would weigh at least a 100 lbs. As a parent and a professional, I have found Dr. Lovecky's book to be the one I turn to time and again to explain the compexities of twice-exceptional children. Her clear understanding of how different "alphabet soup" issues interact is priceless. Dr. Lovecky offers sound, practical adivice for bringing out the best in almost any child. As a fairly high-level trade book with an abundance of complex material, the text is sometimes slow going. But it is worth the effort! I would recommend this book to parents who already have a basic knowledge of the subject matter. I would make it mandatory reading for all school personnel who place or interact with the children Dr. Lovecky describes. For those who need to start with more basic material, I would highly recommend Tictionary by Becky Ottinger. Although the use of the word Tic implies it is about Tourette's Syndrome, it actually presents a clear explanation of most things related to TS, ADHD, Aspergers, Autism, OCD and more. The Appendix of Ottinger's book is a gold mine.

I am so thankful to Deirdre Lovecky for writing this amazing book. It is a thorough analysys filled with insight and practical wisdom for parents and professionals. On the surface, I was worried the book would be too dry for me to get through. But I find myself turning to it time and again to help me with my 8 y.o. profoundly gifted/ADHD son. Just when I think I've got things figured out and I know how to handle him - BAM! Something else happens and we find ourselves flung into confusion. Different Minds is a go-to reference for those moments: the sticky social issues; the behavioral ups and downs; his moments of unusual, mature insight following a toddler-like tantrum. This book makes me feel like we are less alone and gives me as a parent, a resource to turn to which supplies me with ideas for acting in my child's best interest.

This book helped me to understand my twice exceptional children better. I read it with a yellow highlighter in hand! I was so impressed with Dr. Lovecky that I sought her out to conduct an extensive assessment for my son. She is a true advocate for gifted children; especially those with labels such as ADD, AS, etc.

Bill and Sandra McGee have authored a fascinating account of an almost forgotten era of the Old West. The old days of the romantic Nevada dude ranch unfold in a format reminiscent of "The Love Boat". Told through the eyes of real life cowboy, Bill McGee, we see east coast patrons come and go through the gates of the famous Flying M E Guest ranch. The dude guests are mostly women arrived to establish a six (6) week residency before securing a quickie divorce. And while lounging at the Flying M E, who could blame a girl for romancing a handsome cowboy? The wonderful photographs alone make this coffee table book well worth its purchase. Fans of the old west should seriously consider adding this fine book to their collection.

The McGees have pulled together a remarkable historic and pictoral event in Nevada history. Nevada's easy divorce laws attracted the rich and famous to well known Divorce Ranches, complete with horses and swimming pools. Bill McGee was a wrangler at one of the better known "ranches". McGee introduced divorcees to horses and the spectacular Sierra Nevada Mountains. As the daughter of a former owner of one of the nearby smaller divorce sites (we didn't offer horses or a pool), I was impressed with the results of the McGee's research. Many of the photos have not been produced before; they interviewed many of the ranch's former "guests" and provided information not available earlier. This book is truly a collector's item. The Divorce Ranch years brought many new residents from the East who subsequently enriched northern Nevada's cultural community. Before the McGee's this Nevada saga was largely overlooked.

A great and very personal account of the times when everybody who was anybody spent six weeks in Reno to cut the bands that had bound them in their homes,churches, cities and states. Provacative text supported by even more provacative photographs.

Biographer:Adriana and veteran attorney: Tom Williams, San Francisco

New from 20th Century Fox - View a clip from the special feature WELCOME TO RENO: AMERICA'S DIVORCE RESORT. Visit www.bmcpublications.com and click on CHARLIE CHAN IN RENO.

Then check out THE CHARLIE CHAN COLLECTION, VOL. 4 Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 4 (Charlie Chan in Honolulu / Charlie Chan in Reno / Charlie Chan at Treasure Island / City in Darkness) (4DVD)

I'm honored to appear in two special features, WELCOME TO RENO: AMERICA'S DIVORCE RESORT and RENO MEMORIES, the latter about my years in the 1940s as a dude wrangler on the Flying M E, an exclusive dude ranch outside of Reno catering to wealthy divorce seekers.

The producers wanted someone who could give a firsthand account of life in Reno during the 1930s and `40s, the heyday of the Reno six week divorce when Reno was known as the Divorce Capital of the World. They found me through my book, THE DIVORCE SEEKERS, a chronicle of my years on the Flying M E.

CHARLIE CHAN IN RENO is set at a swank Reno hotel catering to divorce seekers (inspired by Reno's famous Riverside Hotel). However, the similarity in character types rings true. As the movie opens, the woman, on her way to Reno (the Mary Whitman character), could have been any number of divorce seekers who came to the ranch. She looks the part, believe me. The dialogue for the Cab Driver is pretty authentic, too.

CHARLIE CHAN IN RENO may be the perfect Reno divorce movie!

If you love history, Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and cowboys, this book is for you. Being from Minnesota and working at Lake Tahoe in the mid-70's and now being a resident of Reno, I found this book to be a lot more than it's title indicates. Yes, the Reno area was known for being the Divorce Capital of the World, but Bill McGee takes the reader into the back mountains of the Sierras, into the world of New York socialites settling in Virginia City and into what must have been a unique place to live and work - the Flying ME Ranch. The Flying ME was located in what I think is one of the most beautiful spots in Northern Nevada today - Franktown. Even before I knew of the dude ranch, this spot between Carson City and Reno is one of beautiful ranches with white picket fences, Ponderosa Pines and mountain views second to none.

Bill and Sandra take the reader back to a time that was unique and one that will probably never exist again. The photography is wonderful and probably tells a story all by itself.

This is definitely a worthwhile read and a great coffee table book!

D. Geraghty
Reno, Nevada