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Puzzles Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Puzzles
All In: The (Almost) Entirely True Story of the World Series of Poker
Published in Paperback by St. Martin's Griffin (2006-09-19)
Authors: Jonathan Grotenstein and Storms Reback
List price: $14.95
New price: $0.03
Used price: $1.00

Average review score:

Almost All In
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-13
When the Worlds Series of Poker started, the best poker player was chosen by a vote! Tidbits such as this make this an essential guide to the history of the burgeoning event. A lack of hand records makes some of the reconstruction of questionable reliability, however.

There is very little analysis of the hands, although the match-turning decisions are recounted well enough. There are insightful bios into some of the players, including Stu Ungar, who had won three tournaments during the time the increasing size made this an incredible feat. Recommended for those with an historical interest in the event and the growth of the popularity of poker.

Finally an Inside Look at the Professional Sports Bettors
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-10
I have always been interested in seeing a behind the scenes look at a professional "wiseguy" sports betting group. Michael Konik, a top gambling writer, excuse me, a top writer...period, has done a tremendous job of showing exactly how a big-time, big-money betting team operates. Konik shows how they bet into the Vegas casino sportsbooks and later with the large offshore bookmakers. How did he write this excellent book? He was recruited and became a member of a wiseguy group and later formed his own group. I pretty much knew how these outfits operated but did not know who did their actual handicapping, and how. Now I do know. Great job, Mike.

Fun, Informative Read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-30
Anyone who has an interest in not just the World Series but poker in general will enjoy this book. All In provides a thorough and detailed history of the World Series of Poker and the fascinating characters involved.

All In: What's there is very good, What's missing is too bad.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-12
This is a nice, though incomplete history of the World Series of Poker. What's ther is well written and engaging. It is an interesting read but is far from comprehensive.

I didn't really expect much coverage of the secondary tournaments, but I did expect a more complete coverage of the main event. With a lttle more this would be well deserving of 5 Stars. As it sits, it is more like 3.5-4.

A fun, historical ride of the World Series of Poker.
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-14
Nope. There are no discussions of how to play poker here. But whether or not you play poker you will enjoy this book. As the title says, it's (almost) the entirely true story of how the WSOP got started, the bumps along the way, and of course, the characters involved. It takes you from the humble beginnings to the behemuth that it is today.

And such stories...like the 1972 WSOP had 13 entrants, but only 8 of them played because they would rather play in the lucrative sides games than the WSOP. 1972 is also the year that Benny Binion made it a $10,000 buy-in...but paid half of it for the players who entered.

You'll watch the rise of the Binion family only to see it implode along the lines of a "Dallas" script. You'll read where a tournament director was fired because he refused to move old grumpy Johnny Moss who didn't want to sit by the railbirds during the tournament. Stories of great poker players like Jack Strauss, Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim and others fill this book. Read how Jessie Alto, who made the final table 6 times, went on a full tilt after he was bluffed out of a pot.

It's a fast read and I definitely recommned it to anyone who has a passing interest in poker.

Puzzles
Bummy Davis vs. Murder, Inc.: The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Mafia and an Ill-Fated Prizefighter
Published in Hardcover by St. Martin's Press (2003-11-01)
Author: Ron Ross
List price: $26.95
New price: $5.85
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Average review score:

This book is a gourmet meal to be savored
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-23
I seldom reread a book; this book I have read twice and bought three copies to give away. I will read it again; the writing is so funny, so dazzling. The characters are so real, their stories so poignant. Jewish readers will especially love this book; we know these people though we have never met. I fell in love with Bummy Davis and when he died, I felt a loss. My gangster imagination loved reading about all the mob characters, though I am not a fan of violence or boxing for that matter. I read this book as my husband lay dying of cancer; it kept me uplifted during this difficult time. I loved that it was long and hated that it had to end. This is such a special book, and I haven't even mentioned the awesome research it must have taken to write it.

Boxing--The Sweet and Sour Science
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-15
This book is a very satisfying trip down boxing's memory lane. Ron Ross resurrects here the color and drama of a very fascinating, tough NY prizefighter with a heart of gold--Bummy. Ross gives us in this welcomed work, devoted research, clearly a labor of love, and fine writing. Clearly, I see this book being optioned in Hollywood. Boxing translates to the screen in a big way and I see this book making a million bucks for some talented film maker.

A refresher for a 89 year old
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-16
The authur Ron Ross is at his best. I could not stop reading amd I recommended the book to all my sons.I lived in East New york during those days.Fascinating.
Harry Keller

Classic factional story about the Mob and a boxer
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-07
Fantastic account of the life and career of Al 'Bummy' Davis, during the time of Mob rule in New York. Fascinating look into the ways and troubles of immigrant communities and their exploitation by gangsters.

Whether you are looking for a boxing or mafia book, this will do the job.

A Must Read
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-30
For anyone who loves a good story, written with wit, humor, and style, this book is for you. I couldn't put it down, and found something to chuckle about or a phrase to admire or an ironic comment I loved at least once on each page. I finished the book today (March 29, 2007)and did something I never did before (and I am 80 year's old). I noted from the book jacket that the author divides his time between Oceanside, LI and Boca Raton, Fl, and even though it is 4 years since the book was written and the author's name is a relatively common one, I called information for his Boca Raton number and took a chance that it was the right Ron Ross. I left a message that if this Ron Ross was an author, would he please call me, and I left my number. A few hours later I received a call from Mr. Ross and we had a delightful conversation for 10 minutes or so. For me to have taken the time to locate Mr. Ross and call him is an example that actions speak louder than words. Believe my action and go out and buy, read, enjoy, and love the book. It's cheap enough, and you'll thank me, and more so, will thank Ron Ross.

Ed Gold

Puzzles
Diary of a Mad Poker Player: A Journey to the World Series of Poker
Published in Paperback by Russell Enterprises (2005-03-10)
Author: Richard Sparks
List price: $14.95
New price: $3.99
Used price: $0.05
Collectible price: $14.95

Average review score:

A Witty, Insightful Romp Through the Landscape of Contemporary Poker
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-06
Richard Sparks' "Diary of a Mad Poker Player" is a wonderful read. It reaches out to the reader on so many levels.

It's the quest of a dedicated amateur poker player to win his way in to the World Series of Poker through a combination of online satellite tournaments and satellites held in brick and mortar casinos. Richard Sparks is an extremely witty man and a great teller of tales, and along the way he interviews everyone from legends of the game such as Doyle Brunson, Chris Moneymaker, and Sammy Farha, to unknown players who are hoping for glory after winning their way into the World Series of Poker through an online satellite.

I'm not sure there's another writer out there who could combine his quest for winning a seat in poker's richest event with the make and model number banjo played by Earl Scruggs, classic Monte Python sketches, and a few quotes that William Shakespeare might have authored, had the bard been born a few centuries later, instead of in his own, unfortunate time, before poker was invented. Not only does he combine all this irreverence, but somehow it works in masterstrokes of wit and wordsmithing.

Sparks also tells the story of how online poker came to prominence and how it led to the incredible growth in tournament poker in general and the World Series of Poker in particular. After all, at the turn of the century, the World Series of Poker was happy to have slightly more than 300 entrants pony up $10,000 each to play in its main event. In 2006, nearly 8,000 played, a number no one would have dared to imagine just a few short years ago.

He delves deeply into the legal status of online poker, as well as its safety. So just while you're having fun with Sparks' madcap romp through poker's highly textured landscape, you find yourself on a knowledgeable ride through the underpinnings of contemporary poker.

There's even some good poker advice tucked into its pages. Though it's not an instructional book by any means, the advice that bubbles up to the surface is sound and solid.

There's actually nothing about "Diary of a Mad Poker Player" not to like. It's authoritative, informative, insightful, wildly funny, incredibly witty, and a book you can go back to time and again. If Richard Sparks represents everyman in his quest to play at the WSOP, this is everyman at his best, and funniest. I highly recommend it.

Laughing Without Losing
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-30
"Diary" is terrific for learning the inside game of poker and laughing. There are very entertaining characters behind those reflector glasses and grain feed caps. I discovered important plays and strategies while enjoying the author's Monty Python-esque humor. Finally, my knowledge of "tells" has exceeded waiting for a gasp, heave or howl. I don't think amateurs or experts will be disappointed.

Memoirs of an average player.
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-16
This is a sad poker book. (I have not read the Stu Ungar bio which must be even more poignant.) He gives a lot of the gritty details of his poker play. Don't get me wrong: the tone isn't sad, but the game play is.

In fact, he admits he never does very well at the tables, and I can't tell if that's due to bad beats or his own bad play.

Instead, try the Moneymaker book which at least has an upbeat poker ending or Aces and Kings, about several well-known players.

Or read Positively Fifth Street by James McManus about his adventures in the WSOP Main Event. It's not just upbeat; you can tell he understands the game.

P.S. Sparks has a new book out, Getting Lucky: the Education of a Mad Poker Player. In it, the author admits his game needed help when wrote this book. (As he was coached by Tom McEvoy before he wrote his new book, I'm sure his game has become much better!) For those who think I was too harsh with Mr. Sparks, I did buy his new book.

excellent
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-12
Great book! Sparks uses each chapter to capture different aspects of poker today. The book is very fast moving and hard to put down. I would definately recc it to anyone interested in either big time or online poker today.

Truly Unique.
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-01
This is an extremely novel book as it is a first hand account of a journalist's obsession with poker and of his online attempts to procure a seat for the 2004 World Series. The narrator, Richard Sparks, spends the first half of the diary talking about the game in general and providing us with accounts of his own efforts to gain a seat. Sparks is a good writer and possesses a creative mind. One would never describe him as boring. Overall, it's an average+ book, although it could have been a better. Sparks pastes in too many conversations from online poker chat boxes, and does not devote enough pages to the 2004 WSOP event itself. There is, however, one section in which Diary transcends, and that is where we are made privy to the transcript of the interview he had with Sammy Farha. It's absolutely excellent. We learn more about the man in those few short pages than we do over the course of all his ESPN human interest moments. There are other titles to buy ahead of this one, but it's still enjoyable.

Puzzles
FINAL FANTASY Tactics: The War of the Lions Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames))
Published in Paperback by BRADY GAMES (2007-10-11)
Author: BradyGames
List price: $16.99
New price: $10.66
Used price: $11.08

Average review score:

It's a whole new game with this Bradygames Strategy Guide
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-20
I played this game quite a while ago, and when it came out again on PSP, I decided to grab this strategy guide for the second time around. With in-depth how-to and covering all the side quests and jobs, I clocked in 70+ hours of game play, as compared to my original 40 hours when I played without the game. This guide gives out no spoilers, but shows you how to get the most out of FFT. This really helped me get all side characters & showed how to get my characters up to speed with "job placement". Bradygames never lets me down, and in this instance it really improved the game. I'm passing this on to my other gamer friends and would recommend these strategy guides to any Final Fantasy fan.

An excellent guide
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-08
I recently purchased FFT: the war of the lions for my PSP, and decided to get the guide to have the set.

The guide has everything you need to get going, and keeps it up to the end, even helping you out on the new Ad Hoc additions to the game. I'd like to point out that i do own the original PS1 version, and it's guide, also, and there is no doubt the SE and Bradygames have decided to keep up the top notch work for this title and guide.

The ONLY glaring difference is the PS1 guide had a star method of suggesting the best job abilities. The PSP guide only suggest what works best for each job. Not a big difference, imho, because after playing a while, you should be able to discern which abilities help the most.

All in all, an enjoyable guide to have if you need a nudge in the right direction.

Great and Complete guidebook of FFT psp version
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-12
I really like this book, because it contains all of the details, of course, not only the walkthrough. But, more importantly, it also tells us the invisible factors in the calculation of achieving something, for example, to achieve rare item after the melee mode. Other than that, it's standard; details walkthrough, nice printed, easily-to-look format, and great paper quality (if this counts,lol).

Only one thing is bad, after my great great experiences purchasing items at Amazon, I received this book in a defective condition. It's torn (I don't want to return it since i couldn't wait to receive and use this book right away, yet another book). I don't know if it's because UPS or from Amazon. But, it's no big deal. The shipment is a very lightning fast shipment (This is what i like from Amazon). Anyway, great book.

Excellent
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-12
It has everything from pictures to guidelines. Everything a "strategy guide" needs. Well organized and easy to follow.

FFT Guidebook: good and worth it
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-05
Well it covers everything you need in the game, and not just the basic walkthrough of each mission. It gives some really good tips on jobs and skills, some combinations I haven't used before that are really good.
Also it covers all the secret missions and how to beat them and also how to get all the secret characters, and it's no big secret Balthier from FF XII is one of the guys you get.

The book gives an in depth chart on all the missions, all the maps, all the items/weapons/armour you can get. And also guide for the Deep Dungeon (one for the hardcore with time to spare) to tackle.

Aside from it being a great guide... you will be happy to know the artwork is great too. Not like some guidebooks that are so fnctional I may as well read it from gamefaqs.com... this one is lovely. As you can see from the cover, you get a few bits of eye candy. And on a small note, the pages aren't fragile thin as they are plastic coated/filmed.

Puzzles
Guide to the Technocracy (Mage: The Ascension)
Published in Hardcover by White Wolf Publishing (1999-06-25)
Author: Phil Brucato
List price: $25.95
New price: $129.95
Used price: $28.14
Collectible price: $49.95

Average review score:

A good start for Technocracy campaigns
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-09
The Guide to the Technocracy presents the Ascension Wars from the Techs' perspective, making them defenders of reality from the horrors of egocentric and irresponsible Reality deviants. Welcome to the "Men in Black" vision of reality, to protect the masses of humanity from the hordes of crazies.

The book is charged with much source material, history, perspectives and how to run interesting Technocracy players and games. The weaknesses are more in the game mechanisms, which do not truly give away a Technocracy feeling.

Rotes and equipement are a weak part, but the greatest failure is that Technocrat 'mages' are still described in game mechanisms as typical mages fooling themselves in using technology. As such, techies are less powerful than other mages. Moreover, the usual White Wolf left-leaning anarchist worldview remains omnipresent, and the reader can't help getting the overall feeling Technocrats (except perhaps for Void Engineers) are the bad guys after all, however just their cause. This is something weak, more emphasis should have been given to portraying Tradition mages as terrorists and roving maniacs.

What magic?
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2002-03-26
I love this book. Any player for mage should at least browse through this book. It breaks down the 2nd major mage faction, and proves that at least two of the four sides aren't bad guys. The book infact makes one see the Traditions as the guys without the plan and who are wrong.

The first Chapters talk about who the Technocracy is. They aren't the monolith that the Tradition mages make them seem like. They are orginized enough to seem like a monolith but they aren't. Neither is the Technocracy people, their are people higher up in the Pyramid who are evil but most people are what would pass as normal people.

The next rules chapters are full of all types of treats. Tons of new backgrounds including Modifications (Cybernetics and Bioengineering), Patron and Requisitions. These all can lead to story ideas in themselves. Their are tons of technocratic rotes, that help a person to think of "magic" as anything but Magic. Tons of Devices, aka Talismans, are included with a wide variety of uses, and other odd "crunchy" statistical things. On the whole this book is very interesting and is almost as essential as the corebook if you want info on the other major faction of mages.

Fighting for reality and for Technocracy
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2001-10-01
Guide to the Technocracy is an excellent book, it tells pretty accurately MUCH things about Technocratic Union, something else than "Big, monolithic and faceless organisation". If you want to play Sci-Fi in Mage: The Ascension, this book is recommended.

Very good
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-08-03
Probably one of the better WoD books ive read, it makes the technocracy very playable; taking away the stereotype of them being stoic, evil and always using Star-Trek speech. Good buy.

The real guide to the good guys/gals...
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-20
When I was first introduced to Mage:TA, I wondered why everyone thought the Technocratic Union were the antagonists. After reading a few of the first convention books I could see why. As much as I loved the group from the beginning, I had to admit they weren't suitable for play.

With the release of Guide to the Technocracy, it seemed as though the whole Union had been reorganized. Not only are the Technocrats more human, their goals are geared more towards the protection of humanity from the horrors of the unknown. White Wolf did a really good job with this book. It succeeded in making a former faceless monolith into a living entity with a feel of humanity. The Technocracy tries to be the good-guys, but like with any group, there are always those who are in the gray areas. The Technocracy is not better or worse than the Traditions. They are just another group of mages who believe in science and reason.

The history of the Union was a fascinating read and the art is alright. The book has all the information you need to create a Technocratic agent along with info on a handful of procedures, cybernetics, and devices. The information on the various conventions is detailed enough so that the previous guides are not really needed, though they can still be helpful.

This book is a must for any fan of the Technocracy. It flows smoothly and really improves on the once monolithic and inhuman Union. It is perfect for players who want to play secret agents, cyborgs, deep space explorers, space marines, or any other modern or sci-fi character.

Puzzles
I Spy Gold Challenger (I Spy)
Published in Hardcover by Cartwheel (1998-10-01)
Author: Jean Marzollo
List price: $13.99
New price: $2.25
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $14.95

Average review score:

Couldn't put it down
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-09
I was so involved in this book I neglected my friends and family until I could finish finding EVERY SINGLE THING on the lists! I loved it, and even though it's almost useless to ME now that I've found everything, I'll keep it on the shelf and show/lend it to others who come to visit. Maybe in a few years I can pick it up again and start over; my senior moments are becoming more frequent, and I might just forget where everything was hiding!

I spy .. AWESOME
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-11
This was another great I spy book. Keeps the kiddies interested.
I loved it too.

Excellent seller and product
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-13
Item as described and received in a timely manner... an excellent buying experience!

Gold Challenge
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-08
Very difficult book, but one you can't stop playing. Great person that I bought it from.

Tons of fun
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-04
My grandson and I spend hours on these I Spy books. What I love is that even if we finish finding everything in the book (which we haven't on this particular book in the I Spy series), a couple months later, we have just as much fun doing it all over again!

Puzzles
Kill Everyone: Advanced Strategies for No-limit Hold 'em Poker Tournaments and Sit-n-go's
Published in Paperback by Huntington Press (2007-09-30)
Authors: Lee Nelson, Tysen Streib, and Kim Lee
List price: $29.95
New price: $22.99
Used price: $23.93

Average review score:

A Must Read
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-02
I think this book will help anyone. From a beginner to someone who has played in tournaments. It's more appropriate for those with some knowledge and strategies of their own, but really anyone can benefit from this book.

Same level as Harrington's books
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-25
This is a great tournament book! They discuss so many new concepts that hasn't been mentioned before in book form. These concepts can be found in different poker forums as in 2+2 forum. One of the concepts that is mentioned is bubble effect. They will discuss how to calculate the real value of your chips in different situations in a tournament and how it will effect your decisions. Many of the concepts are very helpful for sit and go as well, especially when you want to squeeze in to the money often. I highly recommend this great book. The authors have done a great job writing this.

If you play poker seriously, you need this book!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-17
I was a little skeptical, if not curious as to what would be written in this book and as to how useful the advice would be. I had read Kill Phil and thought that the ideas were very basic and not very applicable to intermediate and advanced players. When I spent my money on Kill Everyone and read I could not stop reading. Why? Because the 2008 Aussie Millions main event was coming up and the book focuses on bubble play, equilibrium strategies and prize pools and equities; concepts which are very important in the major events. All the money in poker is to be made in or around the bubble and when approaching the final table. Kill Everyone is the best for these situations and therefore very much worth the read. Part one of the book shows how to accumulate chips early on and I found a particular example useful for me in the 2008 Aussie Millions Main Event. For No Limit Hold'em Tournaments this book sets the new precedent. Lee's latest book Let's Play Poker is brilliant for sit and go's. Use these books to improve your skills and reach your poker playing potential.

Essential addition to the library of every tournament player
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-29
If you play freeze-out tournaments (Anything else played today?) you'll find this book to be an essential source-book and reference. An understanding of the concepts and examples presented will give any player a better foundation from which to make decisions - and from which to approach the optimum decision at critical points.

The discussion of play on the bubble is alone worth much more than the price of the book. For example the authors present analysis of how often you should push as a function of your bubble factor (ratio of equity loss from losing to equity gain from winning the confrontation) and your opponent's calling frequency. Most players know intuitively that you should push more frequently when (a) your bubble factor is greater and (b) your opponent is more likely to call. But a chart showing the results of the calculations gives insight that can't be gotten otherwise.

One short section attacks the myth that the big stack should call liberally to knock out small stacks. That discussion alone can make the difference between just finishing in the money and making a big win. If you have ever called or raised a bit loosely to knock out small stacks only to find that you've doubled up one or more and made them into real competition while crippling yourself then this section is must reading.

I could continue with examples, but the book is only 348 pages - probably shorter than my examples would be.

I do have a single criticism. The authors (properly) use the Independent Chip Model but without fully explaining the assumptions on which it relies. Like most other authors they do explain that it assumes equal skill for all players. However, they neglect to mention that it also relies on two other assumptions: (1) that all players will receive equivalent hands over the limited time of the tournament, and (2) that play is based on only your hand and statistical behavior of your opponents. If you're in the middle of a tournament, assumption (1) probably doesn't apply for the limited number of hands remaining, and in any given hand other things - tells for lack of a better word - frequently become more important than either of these assumptions.

Do yourself a favor and buy this book. But, be prepared to study rather than just read for it contains more, much more, than a list of starting hands and advice to play a tight aggressive game.

Great Book for Aspiring Tournament Winners
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-07
After reading Kill Phil, I knew this book would be really good. What amazed me was the amount of theory and math loaded in this book. Aside from 2+2 books, I have never seen a poker book with so much indepth analysis. The book has solid advice for all stages of any types of tournamenets. The calculations and decisions that have to be made very quickly will likely become second nature over time. I know it didn't take me long to get very comfortable with the KILL PHIL system and it worked out really well.

There are a number of study groups and Q & A forums on the web to help people understand parts of the book. It will probably not be the easiest poker book you've ever read. A lot of people are taking their time to ensure they understand each chapter before the go on to the next chapter. We can always use more books where the authors take the game and their writing seriously in an effort to help the readers. With effort on your part, you will see improvement in your game using the concepts explained in Kill Everyone.

I'm in agreement with the other reveiwers here, this is a 5 star book and is definitely worth your consideration if tournaments are your thing.

Puzzles
The Missing Peace of a Heritage Puzzle: A Memoir Uniquely Set in a Vanished Sudetenland
Published in Hardcover by iUniverse, Inc. (2005-03-29)
Author: Frank Koerner
List price: $26.95
New price: $26.14
Used price: $26.87

Average review score:

Do You Know Where Sudetenland Is?
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-07
Frank Koerner has brought to life a little known true story that took place in Europe after World War II. The author's parents had been evicted from their home in Moravia in order to create the country of Czechoslovakia from a region that had previously been the loosely defined area of Sudetenland. The big story is not that they were evicted by themselves, but along with 3.5 million others! Occasionally a great movie is released at about the same time as a movie of similar subject matter, only the latter stars the hot celebrity of the day and the former one was done by a little-known production company. It may not have mattered much at the box office that the big movie was not as nearly well constructed as the lesser-known one. This is what happened to this story of 3.5 million displaced ethnic Germans: The Holocaust happens to be the big story everybody knows. This fact does not make Mr. Koerner's story of any lesser consequence.

New Jersey native Frank Koerner and his wife left their warm home in California in 1992 to visit the somewhat bleak, semi-deserted landscape of Sudetenland to seek intimate knowledge of the event in 1946 that had so altered the lives of many. Armed with ancient b&w snapshots and a modern camera that would add to their photo album, Frank and Elke sought to capture the essence of a small bit of property that should have been theirs to inherit. The property was no longer in Moravia or Sudetenland because those regions as a whole no longer existed. Many other descendants of the natives of this area have visited in recent years, too, but mostly from nearby Germany. Frank and Elke took on the expedition from a much more distant perspective. Missing Peace will take you through the process in an enlightening, delightful manner. Both the old and new photos are included within text that is a lot more lighthearted than you would expect from such somber subject matter. Grab your camera and go on vacation with Frank and Elke. You'll be glad you did.

You can easily relate it to you!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-03
It is amazing how you can easily relate the stories to you, especially if your family has some recent background in Europe. The author transformed a trip to Europe into a very interesting sequence of little stories that keep you imagining the scenarios, picture by picture. You can realize how much he values his family background and the challenges they faced coming to the USA.

A Memoir That Serves To Right a Long Ago Wrong
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-29
As a descendant of Germans from the vanished Sudetenland, I was thoroughly fascinated with Mr. Koerner's account of his parents homeland -- or should I say lack of a homeland. I admire the painstaking research that was involved in compiling this book, which represents what a true memoir is supposed to be: a story of discovery based on fact. In this book, Mr. Koerner tells a touching story about his family's Americanization and his own youthful lack of understanding and confusion about his family's sad history. His parents spoke German, but their passports were Czech because hundreds of years earlier the Koerners had migrated to that region. Then, the book explains that after World War II, the German people who had lived in the area for centuries were summarily deported as undesirable foreigners. Hence, the book does more than just reconnect with his roots; it reveals a seemingly great and long-overlooked injustice. The book says that the German people of the region lost their livelihoods, their homes and their centuries-old way of life not for wrongful acts, but for their ethnicity at an awful time in history. I recently visited the region, and while this story of a forgotten people is little-told here in the U.S., it is an issue that is still very much alive in the newspapers in Prague. Mr. Koerner's book is a contribution to the ongoing battle for recognition of a wrongful government act committed in that world long ago.

A Most Unique Memoir
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-11
This is an extraordinary story, well documented and researched. The story of his father's lost homeland becomes the author's suprising story of personal discovery. The author's dogged research, his trip to the Sudetenland and the subsequent uncovering of family mysteries provide a meaningful family history, as well as lessons in European history, geography, and politics. This book is a very good read.

Most interesting are not just the historical facts about the displaced people of the former Sudetenland, but how the author went about finding out more about his heritage, his family, and answers to some confusing stories and recollections from his youth.

Although the chapters are formerly published articles, together they create an interesting story line. Each chapter reveals a little more of the mysteries and discoveries the author makes about the area, people, relatives, and even old friends of his father.

This memoir is very unique. Mr. Koerner has created a very vivid and interesting book.

A Piece of this Heritage Puzzle
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-19
From the front cover through to the final page, Frank Koerner held me captive - for fear of missing a clever, playful treatment of wording or phrasing. What a fantastic, easy, interesting, and fun way to learn about a virtually unknown part of history. When we learn the magnitude of the deportation, I wondered if I missed that week of history class. On that issue and so many others, Mr. Koerner made me feel like a part of the story - no, I didn't miss class, this historically significant event is largely ignored. I loved the vignettes so much that I limited myself to a chapter or two each night, so that the book would last as long as possible. The joy in accompanying Mr. Koerner was exceeded only by the fun accompanying unexpected chuckles (often accompanied by a groan) that popped up with deftly managed wording and phrasing. It's a great read!

Puzzles
Mus of Kerbridge
Published in Paperback by Wizards of the Coast (1995-05)
Author: Paul Kidd
List price: $4.95
New price: $9.98
Used price: $0.59

Average review score:

Where Have All the Good Adventures Gone?
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-14
It's been a long time since I have enjoyed a great adventure story such as this! With this book, I recaptured the same experience I had when I first read the "Hobbit". I sincerely hope Paul Kidd,if possible, would consider a second book! Kudos to the others reviewers who have been more eloquent than I!

I can't believe it's out of print
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2001-06-13
Mus is one of my favorite books, so I thought I'd share it with a teacher at my school; little did I know it would take a lot of effort to find a new copy of my own. This book is one of the best examples of fantasy I can think of, and I just adore it. It's on my top 5, and that's saying a lot. Let's get it back into print! It deserves it a lot more that most books out there now.

the return to an old friend
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2001-04-16
I have already left a message here, but I feel that something else is necessary. After I left a review here, the author was kind enough the email me and thank me. I was too shy to email back and thank him. But I would just like to say that I love this book and that I hope it returns to print. It should,it really should. Even after a couple of years, It is stil my favorite book, and I have read many books. The other people here have reiterated their wonder in the quality of this novel so I will not be redundent. But, let me say that I find the book a sort of sanctuary where I can return to after I grow weary or depressed. Not that I am obsessed or anything. I only read it about 6 times :0)

A wonderful children's book but suitable for all ages
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-17
When I first saw the cover, I thought it was Reepicheep from the Dawn Treader, the talking mouse of Narnia. It had a feather on its head, a needle of a sword and it stood on its hindlegs. This book deserved better attention, unlike blood and gore and cynical world weariness which seemed to pervade most fantasy books today.

Mus of Kerbridge is almost like one of Grimm's or Han Christian Anderson's fairy tales - of knights and castles, ladies and love, magic abound and courage renowned.

In a magical world which was not named, centaurs, humans, satyrs and harpies dwelt together within the same kingdoms. A political intrigue led to an accident which created another sentient race - the mouse of which Mus was the first. Mus was forced to infiltrate the chamber of Miriam, a centaur lady. Turning against his tormentor, and swore to protect his lady.

As war threatened the kingdom, Mus became the source of inspiration to battle-weary soldiers to rally against the invaders.

This book is very much written to relate to children, but cynical adults could learn a lot from it, if only to open themselves to the possibility of beauty and kindness.
Paul Kidd managed to re-create the fantasy feeling of childhood days in an expanded puss-in-boots fantasy.

Coming back into print!...?
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2001-10-17
From the website of original publisher TSR regarding Paul Kidd: "Up and coming novel releases may include... Mus of Kerbridge (2nd release by Streamline)..."

Those of us who have taken immense pleasure from reading and re-reading "Mus of Kerbridge" will be glad to see a second printing hit the shelves. Notice the quote says "may include" - it would be helpful if Mus fans wrote to Mr. Kidd via TSR and to Streamline to help facilitate this reprinting!

Perhaps it was the cute and rather silly picture on the cover, but "Mus of Kerbridge" didn't sell nearly as well as the story inside the cutesy cover deserved. I bought it when it first came out, in spite of the cover... and loved it! The story is as enjoyable for adults as it is for children; it has been a well-received and well-read gift many times. It has certainly kept my attention throughout the years and I still enjoy it quite as much as I did the first time!

The dialogue is occasionally a bit overdone in my opinion, but can not detract from the overall charm of this well-told tale. The plot is well-woven and the characters have substantial personalities and emotions. They are admirable people, even the enemy queen, showing strength of spirit and courage and a great lesson in appreciation for life.

Puzzles
Pokemon Pokedex Collector's Edition (Prima's Official Pokemon Guide)
Published in Hardcover by Prima Games (2004-09-21)
Author: Eric Mylonas
List price: $24.99
New price: $83.69
Used price: $2.00
Collectible price: $163.89

Average review score:

Pokemon Pokedex is tops with my kids
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-10
My kids love game-boy, my kids love pokemon, if you have kids who love pokemon, they will love this book, it is hard-cover and had great info and illustrations about all the pokemon, KIDS WHO LOVE POKEMON WILL LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!

Pokemon pokedex Collector's Edition
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-16
My son is in absolute heaven with this book. He can read it over and over, each time discovering something new. Thanks!

The book on Pokemon
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-23
This is a terrific source of information for anyone interested in Pokemon.

Not bad.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-25
This is pretty useful for checking out movelists for the various Pokémon. However, the information they give on stats is shaky, and sometimes actually incorrect when you do careful comparison between base stats for each creature. In general, the information is still in the ballpark, but the system they use can sometimes make it difficult to get an accurate comparison between two creatures without actually going in the game and leveling them up.

Also, the book really needs a list of the various Natures and their effects.

Overall, it's a nice purchase, though, and the hardcover is a great plus.

It's a WINNER!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-04
I bought this book for my 8 year old nephew who loves Pokemon. He reads this book religiously and often carries it around with him wherever he goes. He has memorized an incredible amount of information that he has learned from this book. At the very minimum, it is highly entertaining. At its best, it is good exercise for his mind.


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