Ford Books

I like Frank Corso, but I miss Leo Watermann.

This is the second in the new Frank Corso series. I have to allow for the fact that I liked the absence of Meg Dougherty for awhile. She just seems to COMPLAIN SO DAMN MUCH. This could be me. I feel the same about a Parker book when Susan Siverman has to take an extended vacation. I am kind of relieved.

In Black River, we meet the Russian mobster Nico Balagula. Brrrr. Nasty man. Reminds me of the hit man-drug marketer 'Vassily' in Michael Crow's Luther Ewing novels.

Well you know the plot. Frank gets to attend the third trial of Balaguls, who faked samples of concrete strength on the building of a hospital which collapses, killing dozens.

With the earlier trials witnesses kept disappearing, their corpses discovered later. Hmmmm. This is a bit of a stretch. Nonetheless, Mr. Ford puts together a rivering story of revenge and retribution, always a sure fire page turner.

I like Corso. He's a tough hombre, a writer making a lot of dinero from the sale of his crime novels. We don't know a lot about him which I imagine is part of his cachet but for the reader, it becomes a little irritating. We know a lot about John Rain (Barry Eisler) and the aforementioned Ewing. There, it makes us understand why they do the things they do.

Still a highly recommended crime novel. Why the 4 stars then? The ending shows a relationship between Corso and the State which is so improbable it makes you wonder what was Mr. Ford thinking. I firmly believe that the reader will accept any ending a good writer gives them, as long as the characters act in their own context. It doesn't work here. 4 stars. Larry Scantlebury

If you are looking for a writer who churns out well-crafted mystery novels with believable characters, G. M. Ford is one of the best. "Black River" is the second in a nw series with Frank Corso. I just finished it last night and am anxious to read the next. Ford's Leo Waterman series is equally good.

While better known for his Leo Waterman series, G. M. Ford has begun an interesting new series featuring the reclusive Frank Corso. First seen in Fury, Frank Corso is back and as dark as ever. Since this novel picks up approximately seven months after events depicted in Fury and refers to those events repeatedly throughout this novel, I would strongly urge prospective readers to read Fury first before reading this novel. It simply isn't possible to review this novel without giving away a few details, which would be better covered in their entirety in Fury. Having said that, I am simplifying greatly the plot and storyline to keep out as much as possible for those unfamiliar with the previous novel.

For years, the government has chased the Russian mobster Nicholas Balagula through one trial after another with no success. Balagula sees United States justice as a game-a game where he has always won by jury tampering, violent intimidation and the murder of witnesses. Now, he is on trial once again. This time, he is being tried for the deaths of 63 people who lost their lives in a hospital building collapse. The trail has been moved from California up to Seattle and extraordinary measures are being taken to protect the safety and integrity of the jury and the case.

Frank Corso is the only non-participant allowed to attend the murder trial of Balagula. His well-publicized notoriety and connections gets him unlimited access and he hopes to turn the project into another one of his true crime books. While he wants another success on his hands, he also wants the government to win. At the same time, with a grandstanding golden boy of the United States Attorney's Office in charge, Warren Klein, he has his doubts whether they can do the job. It looks like his suspicions are correct as from the beginning the trial things begin to go wrong and like most golden boys of one stripe or another, Klein blames everyone else for his mistakes.

While his suspicions concerning the case have been initially confirmed, Corso isn't really paying attention. His old flame and very special friend, Meg Dougherty, is in intensive care in the hospital. Apparently in her occupation as a photojournalist, she witnessed something so horrendous that she drove her car under a parked semi in a desperate attempt to get away that nearly resulted in her death. Corso wants to find out what she saw as well as clearing himself from the suspect list as the police seemed convinced that he had some hand in her near death.

Frank Corso is an interesting and hard to define character. This novel reveals a little more about his personality and what drives him while at the same time managing to hide a tremendous amount behind his darkly complex personae. As in his other books, a certain sense of darkness and moral decay pervades the work. Full of interesting complex characters, tight writing and multiple themes make this another good read. Once again, he provides a journey where justice is not an absolute black and white stereotype, but shades of gray. G. M. Ford's books are never simplistic stories with two-dimensional characters but complicated stories featuring multidimensional characters and shades of moral nuance. As always, this is another one of his books well worth reading.

One of the pleasures of reading Ford's books is the sheer strength of his writing. This is true whether he is being deadly serious or wryly humorous, as he was in his previous series. While he is a 'no frills' writer, he accomplishes his goal by having an unerring sense of the proper word or construct.

In this story, the sequel to Fury, we again meet up with Frank Corso, a journalist who lost his cachet when he wrote a story based on falsified evidence. Since that time he has moved to Seattle where his determination has found him a new job and let him reestablish himself as a newsman and a writer. He has been allowed to sit in on the trial of Nicholas Balagula, a ruthless crime boss who has never been brought to justice. But when photojournalist Meg Dougherty, Corso's closest friend is suddenly attacked and very nearly killed a different kind of trial emerges, with Corso sitting in the judge's seat.

A tangled web of loose connections sends Corso down the dark side of the city, tracking down hired killers, builders, and janitors to find what Meg saw that put her in a hospital. Corso isn't a genius, but a determined seeker who can eventually work his was through the toughest knot. Although this time what he doesn't know very nearly kills him.

As always, Ford's characters a gem-like. While the bad guys are 'bad,' the good guys aren't angels, and individual idiosyncrasies bring them all to life. The main characters do develop, but slowly. It has taken Corso two novels to move from his initial bitterness to a dark cynicism. For all that Meg is unconscious for most of the book, she has changed the most, which brings out the best and the worst of Corso's character.

Like a typical shallow fan, I wasn't all that comfortable when Ford switched from Leo Waterman. I had gotten used to the humorous antics of the alcoholic bums who made up Waterman's investigatory team. But Corso is a compelling character, and this new series may very well be closer to what Ford really wanted to accomplish. In any case, I think you will find Black River great entertainment.

this of little use for anyone who needs indepth info.
most of this is in may car books with better detail

Very informative book. Covers the history of fuel injection on Fords from the years 80 thru 87. If you have a newer Ford than 1987, I would suggest you buy the newer version of this book namely the 88 thru 93 version.

DO NOT let anyone ship your merchandise by DHL! DHL does not have a clue as to how to find the destination! Then DHL winds up mailing it via the Post Office and the whole process takes forever!

If you're a 5.0 owner (88-93) this is a perfect book to help decipher what controls what and how. I particularly used it to measure and test voltages from various sensors to verify proper operation and resolve some issues. Nice book & definitely worth the read...

But if you want a solid understanding of how everything works, so you can fix it, this is the single best book on the subject. It answers many of those those arcane questions that crop up when you're really digging into a problem. As many of us have learned, the error code is NOT a recipe for a repair. It is simply the place to start.

As an example, my F-250 4.9 started stalling when warm. I had also noticed an occasional gassy smell & my mileage had dropped noticeably. It also failed emissions on NOx. Later, I pulled a code pointing to the engine coolant temperature sensor (ECT). Since the problem only occurs when the engine is fully warm, I checked that strategy & saw that the ECT is indeed involved in managing engine performance. Probst describes the effect of a low or high reading, provides a table of expected voltage and resistance values at specific temperatures, and the pin locations on the connector.

If the ECT isn't the exact problem, there's enough meat in this book to figure out what is.

Last time I had to take my car into Ford, I found I knew more about oxygen sensor operation than the service writer. It saved me $150.

No matter what you want to do with the Ford EEC-IV computer (88-93) this is the book for you. This is a very indepth book that dosent just tell you how to do somthing but it also shows you why it does what it does and why it will do somthing else if you mess with it. He explains how everything works, from the sensors to the computer and then to the acutators, he explains how the work together and he writes very clearly so it is easy to understand and to put into action.

We ordered the book on July 25th, and to date (August 27th) have not received the book. I have written 4 emails, and the fourth email finally got a response. How do you contact someone to help you find your book if the method you have is not working!!!!!

This is the most quickly referenced guide for MLA, APA, CBE, Chicago and CGOS documentation! A must have for all college students!

This manual is great for any piece of writing. It is very helpful even when editing or proofreading. You won't regret having bought this book.

My daughter used the 4th edition in high school English class and loved it so much that she wanted the next version for college. It seems easy to use and a good reference.

I purchased this book for an English course three years ago. Unfortunately, sometime in the last year or so, I lost it. I actually had to buy it again because I keep going to the bookshelf to reference it, and then remember it's not there. This book is just as useful in my everyday life as it once was in college. You probably need it too.

The Klutz Book of Magic (Klutz)

Klutz makes great products an this is no exception. My son has gotten hours of enjoyment so far A+

This is for an 8 yr. old. His birthday is not until Nov. This is a special surprise for him. He loves watching magic tricks. Now he can do his own! Thank you,the book is easy to read and good tricks for him to do!

This book was very helpful. It contains a total of 31 tricks, 10 or 11 of which are actually worth it. This book however does come with one of the best gaggets you need as a magician, this gagget will help you dissapear hankercheifs and etc. when you show themm to an audience. A good book for the begining magician.

This is a great book for anyone that wants to learn magic. It comes with a ring that you can use for many magic tricks (It is my favorite prop). It comes with easy tricks, and very hard tricks. And one more thing...Don't use the orange string for the "Cut & Restored Rope" trick, you lose a bit of rope with that trick. Five stars well earned, with great illustraions and well worded tricks this is the best!

I just became interested in doing magic and this book was absolutely fabulous. Some really great basics and some cool stuff that is unique and very appropriate for beginning magicians. The explanations were clear and I love that it came with the props I needed. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves magic. I have friends who have been doing magic for years and still find this book fun.

When both of their parents die in close succession, Magdalene and Norah Vanstone are shocked to find themselves left with no inheritance, due to fact that their parents were not actually married at the time of their birth.

"No Name" is a good book, albeit a bit too long for my liking, but not a book that I would ever read again. Although I found it fascinating to learn of how illegitimate children were treated back in the 1800's (a topic that must have been close to Collins's heart, considering that he never married the mother of his children), this tale of a young woman's descent and torment at the hands of uncaring relatives, was just too depressing for my liking. Yes, it does have a happy ending, but having to wait over 700 pages to get to that ending wasn't much fun at all. I much preferred Collins's two, better known, works, "The Woman in White" and "The Moonstone".

It should be obvious when a sinner by the name of Magdalen is rescued by a gentlemen named Kirke that there is more than meets the eye going on in the novel. On the surface, the story is a solid (but not spectacular) offering. With the exception of a couple of places, the story never drags or becomes cluttered with exposition.

The depth of the novel can be found just below the surface. This is the story of the fall and redemption of Magdalen Vanstone, and the more closely you look, the more there is to find. The weather and locations take Magdalen from a lovely Country estate to the heart of London, to a coastal town being consumed by the sea, to the swamps of England, and finally to the depths of the poor district in London. Magdalen's behavior, and her life, can be seen by a "look out the author's window."

For its humor, its philosophy, or its humanism, this a highly recommended book.

I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that until recently I had never heard of this book. However, I saw it on Harold Bloom's list of books comprising the "Western Canon" and, since I like Collins, I decided to read it. What I find! I am at a loss to understand why this book is not better known, because in this book Collins truly rivals Dickens in plot development and characterization. "The Moonstone" and "The Woman in White" are classics, but "No Name" is better. Yet it is almost unknown, and I understand that for a long time it was out of print.

The less you know about this book the better. This is because it is one of the most ingeniously plotted books I have ever read, so it is best to be taken by surprise with the plot twists. Suffice it to say that it is about two sisters in a well to do Victorian household who discover, after both their parents die in fairly short order, that they are illegitimate and have no rights of inheritance. Norah, the older sister, passively accepts her fate and finds work as a governess, but Magdalen, the younger sister and the book's central character, becomes obsessed with revenge and with getting back the fortune which is rightfully hers. In this she is assisted by a charming rogue named Horatio Wragge. Read the book and see what happens! I think you'll agree that it is one of the best reads of your life.

Wilkie Collins, best know for "The Moonstone" (which I have read and loved) and "The Woman in White" (which I have not read yet) is at his best in "No Name". I do not compare it to the "Moonstone" for the "Moonstone" is a great mystery for which the reader must wait to the end for it to be revealed. "No Name" is not a mystery but one great chessmatch, that oddly enough is not played by Magdalen and Noel Vanstone. It is played by the wonderful character of Captain Wragge and Mrs. Lecount. Reading and seeing the game as it is played out is one great ride.

Although many, at the time the book was published, were shocked at the ending. I found it to be very good. It was shocking to those at the time that Wilkie would allow a woman who had done the things Magdalen had done to find happiness. As a reader, I was very much glad that she did find it (one litte bit of the ending revealed) for she deserved it (in my opinion).

In the beginning of the book, I came to very much like Magdalen and wished her success in her quest to regain her rightful inheritance - although I knew what she was doing was wrong. I also found that I very much liked Captain Wragge, for all of his "moral agriculturalism", he had a soft spot for Magdalen which came through in the story. For her part, Magdalen, trying her best to be unemotional and strong, kept her soft side when it came to Mrs. Wragge (even though she was her downfall).

All in all, this was a very good book that kept my interest through the 700 pages. For those of you that liked the "Moonstone" and the "Woman in White", "No Name" will no disappoint and I recommend it to anyone that enjoys Wilkie's style of writing.

P.S. I did not write too much about the story line for I did not want to give too much of it away.

4 1/2 stars, but I rounded up.

No Name is the story and portrait of Magdalen Vanstone... or as Wilkie introduces his novel in the preface, "Here is one more book that depicts the struggle of a human creature, under those opposing influences of Good and Evil, which we have all felt, which we have all known." It's a fairly accurate description as throughout the course of the story, we see the evolution of the character of our heroine; we see her heading down a shady path, but yet somehow from a 21st century perspective, Magdalen manages to make it seem not so immoral. Often times I see her trying to act as morally as she can in the unmoral situations she chooses to involve herself in. Part of No Name's strength, arises from the deftness in which Collins creates Magdalen. She posseses such an enormous range in character and emotion that if No Name were ever to be made into a movie, actresses would vie to have her role.

When Magdalen and her sister's inheritance are taken away due to unexpected familial circumstances, Magdalen resolutely follows a reckless path of revenge. While not exactly your Victorian equivalent of your "Kill Bill," the novel seems closer in spirit to Alexander Dumas's novel: The Count of Monte Cristo. Of course it doesn't have the swashbuckling quality of Dumas's novel as there are no fight scenes to the death. Collins's novel is set in a domestic scene with a female protagonist and the action is far tamer. It is equally gripping though because it's the chase of the revenge that's the fun part; the deceit and swindling involved, the careful measuring of your enemy's abilities that is part of charm. Collins was genius to embroil a female in a revenge type of plot and I'm just amazed at how much free agency Collins bestows upon Magdalen - a female living in Victorian times. He completely cuts her off from the ties of society and gives her free reign.

While I was reading, I felt that the novel could be loosely separated into 3 quite different parts - each with it's own distinct pacing and mood. It goes quite well with the divisions of the triple-decker novel they had long ago. I'm not spoiling much because the novel covers such massive ground, but the first part covers the idyllic times of the Vanstone family and we come to see how the inheritance is stripped from the Vanstone daughters. The second part (the best and my favorite) follows Magdalen as she pursues her revenge with the superior help of the rogue Captain Wragge, a self-proclaimed, "moral agriculturist" (I'll leave you to discover what he means by it). Wragge is one of Collins' best creations (he even beats out Count Fosco in my mind). A short, brown eyed, green eyed creature with enormous talents and verbal abilities, he is very resourceful, calculates very well, and is able to adapt quickly to whatever is needed in each situation. One of the highlights of No Name resides in Wragge's chronicle describing Magdalen's progress. The other crowning achievement is the cat and mouse game played between Captain Wragge and Madame Lecount (the housekeeper and keeper of the interest of Magdalen's victim). Both are directors of people and there is a large amount of plotting and counter-plotting that goes on that keeps the pages turning. It is here that No Name rivals that of The Woman in White, and if Collins had continued to write in this vein, No Name could have been on an equal footing to Woman in White.

However it is in the third part -dealing with the fallout of the revenge- that No Name becomes more flawed. I would say especially so in the ending. Quite a lot of Victorians found the ending distasteful, but the modern reader might find it a little dissatisfying for a completely different reason.

As No Name was delivered right after Collins's magnum opus, The Woman in White, there was a possibility of being in its shadow. However, Collins more than safely overcomes such a hurdle. He's crafted an entirely different story. Although in a way, I almost see No Name as an inverse of Woman in White. Think of a story looking and rooting from the side of Sir Percieval and Count Fosco--the nefarious plotting to take away an inheritance--and in a way, it is the story of Madgalen and Captain Wragge. Of course our sympathies are on completely different sides and this is due to the strength of Collins's characterizations. But that said, the books feel almost nothing alike.

In the end, although not as tightly plotted as The Woman in White and a bit more flawed, No Name is more ambitious, covers more ground, more character development, a lot more stories, introduces way more secondary characters, and is pretty amazing as a whole. It's a massive novel in which Collins fleshes out so many people (and for Collins that usually means, so many people to like) and Collins is able to accomplish a measurable change and growth in the character of Magdalen. The more I reflect on the novel, the better it gets for me, and the more amazed I am at all that Wilkie attempted and accomplished.

I recommend reading the Oxford World's Classics edition for its excellent introduction by Virginia Blain. It hits spot-on about everything that is good and bad about the novel as well as going into the themes of acting and of plotting (both human plotting and writer plotting).

This is a work of art, full of breath taking men, and also a good deal of commentary on a plethora of aspects of gay male life. Reminds me of a coffee table book, can easily be read in a few hours, but has packed within its covers a lot of useful material. It appeals to gay men of all ages, and offers a lot of useful photoghraphical examples of aspects of gay male sexuality. An excellent gift for any gay man!

I was extremely disappointed when I purchased this title. While the book is indeed full of wonderful full-color photographs, the actual information in the book is useful only those who really need an introduction to gay life. Otherwise, the sex portion of this book, especially, has absolutely nothing in it that two teen boys with a tiny spark of imagination couldn't come up with. I would not recommend this book to anyone who has ever had sex before, since you've probably done everything that Ford discusses.

If you wanted to know anything it is in the book and dam it has great pics and websites referances to let you see more

Beautiful images are paired with extensive information about homosexuality. Tasteful pictures on the cover will allow you to read this book in public.

This book is so beautiful and the images so artistically done and enticing it's worth it for that alone. The information is clear and easy about homosexuality as a whole, tho not a kama sutra or for those only interested in sex. The killer is this book is large and the cover and rear with such large and tasteful images between men it can be read many places letting others know you're gay in a very non-invasive way. Cruising I hardly found anyone (at least without ticking off some straight guys) but just reading this LARGE book with LARGE and tasteful homosexual cover in public caught the attention of men from quite some distances and I was approached a great deal when reading it and created quite some cool relationships.

Great book, great read, fantastic photos.

I could not put this book down. The suspense that breathes through these pages kept me at the edge of my seat. I highly reccommend this book to any fan of a good suspense or horror novel.

Brandon Ford has pieced together a pretty good tale of evil, lust, and undying love. His married couple Gage and Beth were well thought out and planned. They love each other completely, and it definitely shows throughout the story. Even when Gage goes away for the summer seeking inspiration for his novel, Beth supports him even though it kills her to be away from him. Gage finds inspiration fairly quickly in Amanda when they have a run in at a local dive bar. She's beautiful, outgoing, and wicked as hell. She takes Gage on a ride that leaves him bursting with inspiration for his book, but also leaves him forgetting everything about his real life back home.

Amanda needs Gage in order to get what she wants, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her immortality.

This story had a nice flow and went from scene to scene smoothly, and the points of view were believable. I was only left wishing that I knew more about Amanda, and where she got her witch craft. I understood her motives for wanting immortality, don't we all, but I felt I needed more background on her in particular. This is the only area I felt was lacking.

Crystal Lake is full of suspense, and I look forward to seeing what Brandon Ford will create next.

I read in Brandon's Blog (on MySpace) where his goal is to have a bestseller by the time he is 35 years old. (he is 26 now) Based upon this book, I think that Brandon's goal is definitely attainable!! I have no doubt that, in the future, Brandon's name will be right along side of those already Masters of the Genre.

This book was absolutely Fantastic!! (Well worth the $13.95 Price Tag!)
This is one of those books where you will want to set aside a day with no interruptions. Brandon has created characters that you instantly like (one has to wonder how much of Brandon's story is in the character of Gage) and he then sets a rapid-fire pace where the suspense does not let up. As you get further and further along in the book, you are gripping the book tighter and tighter and turning the pages faster and faster, until you arrive at the superb ending, which leaves you wanting more!!
(I certainly cannot wait to read Brandon's next novel and I really hope that one day he will again decide to visit Crystal Bay. . .)
I also hope one day to see this book made into a movie! :-)

All of us have a watched at least one movie at the theater and walked away wondering, "What was the point?" Weak characters, a meandering storyline and empty scenery never capture our interest. This often leads to an ending so predictable that you often walk out, angry that you wasted ten dollars. These are the fatal flaws that define a bad movie. Unfortunately, they are the same flaws that define a bad book.

Crystal Bay follows Gage, an English teacher who is tired of grading papers and wants to write his break out novel. To do this he plans a trip to his childhood lake house to spend some time alone and let the creativity flow. There he is confronted by a gorgeous woman who aggressively seeks to steal his youth through numerous sexual encounters. Meanwhile Gage's wife, Beth, is frantically calling because she misses him. Gage is caught between two women, and under the grip of duel jealousy, he starts to write like he never did before. So does he continue the affair in order to finish his book? Or will Beth find out the truth?

Within the plot is the potential for limitless drama but to my dismay it is never fully explored. If anything took center stage in this book, it would be the affair. Having been in a similar situation, I know what it feels like to draw inspiration from a tempting but damaged woman. Gage displays this conflict well by exhibiting the appropriate emotions for a man in that position. Other than that, Gage is a classic stereotype. He's an English teacher who never lived a real life but assumed that he had the ability to craft a great novel without so much as breaking a nail. Apparently, the author had the same idea because Crystal Bay takes no chances. It doesn't teach or explore any ideas at all. It doesn't compel or reflect. It doesn't chill or romance. After a sleepy and laborious read I was left wondering, "What was the point?"

In the modern marketplace, as thousands of new titles hit the shelves, every author must ask themselves a simple question: "What do I have to offer that is unique?" Brandon Ford was unable to answer that question and because of that, his book is likely to accumulate more dust than sales.

Gage is an English teacher who has wanted to write a novel as far back as he can remember. He agrees with his wife Beth that as soon as classes are over, he will go away to his parents' summer home in Crystal Bay to pen his masterpiece. Beth reluctantly agrees, not wanting to stand in the way of her husband's dreams. On the way there, Gage stops for a bite to eat and meets a dazzling woman by the name of Amanda. A few words are exchanged, and he is on his way. Imagine his surprise when he finds out the next morning that Amanda's got a house right next to his. One thing leads to another and before he realizes what's happened, he's in bed with her. What has he done? He could be throwing away his marriage. Suddenly, the writing comes easier and words flow on the page. Then he sleeps with Amanda again as if he were spellbound by her. What is wrong with him? In the meantime, the words keep pouring out of him, but he is ridden with guilt. Amanda has her sights on him, but there is more to her than meets the eye. Will Gage be able to resist her charm and save his marriage--and finish his novel? Amanda's got plans for him and she won't--can't--take no for an answer.

Crystal Bay is Brandon Ford's debut novel and what an introduction it is! It is a far better book than the average first novel. He shows a lot of maturity and avoids many of the trappings of a first novel. There are echoes of Richard Laymon in his writing, but Brandon's voice is very much his own. His dialogue is sharp, the tension constant throughout, and the few characters we encounter are very credible. These are folks you know and you've met many times in the course of your life. Buddy the annoying neighbor who's got a crush on Beth and doesn't let a trivial detail like the fact that she's married bother him. Tina, Beth's best friend and business partner, who's still single and a party animal yet would do anything for her friend. Gage and Beth are extremely well developed and you feel and worry for them.

I kept turning the pages and telling myself "one more chapter" until my eyes were too tired to go on. The story unfolds at a very good pace, moving back and forth between Gage at the summer house and Beth back in the city. The more you see what Amanda is about, the more you want Gage to get the hell out of there. Only he can't--even when everything around him is threatening to fall apart. This mysterious muse isn't that easy to leave.

Crystal Bay is a strong debut, one which I highly recommend. If you're a fan of Laymon's twisted stories or if you've ever been tempted to get away for a few months to write a bestselling novel, then you should definitely pick up this book. It is the perfect summer read.

Alan Draven,
Author of Bitternest

I had a nice review written just a couple minutes ago and it seems to have not posted. I cannot retype it all, but I will say that I highly recommend this story! This was one of my first Christian fiction reads and this book prompted me to read more! I am a Christian, but I have been skeptical about the genre. I was not disappointed by Aisha Ford's novel. Great storyline, great character development...it was all here. It's levels above some books I have read.

Life for Sabrina Bradley is not going well. Still reeling from a recent broken engagement, Sabrina makes her way through the pain by working tirelessly at her job. She work as the assistant to Darci Oliver, the host of the talk show Daily Dose. Darci seems oblivious to her demands on Sabrina and her quirks make Sabrina's life increasingly more difficult. Darci especially turns up the heat when she notices the producer (also her ex-boyfriend), Avery is obviously attracted to Sabrina and making efforts to pursue her.


In a fit of desperation, Sabrina fills out her resolution list with the last item being, "Do not fall in love." In search of content for the show, Darci unwittingly gets her hands on Sabrina's list. With the promise of a bonus and a promotion, Darci encourages Sabrina to place herself as one of the participants on the "resolution" show. Soon the attention and pressure to keep the resolutions start to take a tole on Sabrina. In the midst of the chaos, Avery continues to pursue her and that "Do not fall in love" resolution becomes the hardest one of them all to keep!


This was second novel I have read by Aisha Ford and I love how she develops her characters. There were so many times during the read I wanted to give her advice or just pray with her. Through the humourous and often dramatic storyline, readers get a chance to see how impulsive decisions made out of pain and frustration, can truly backfire. Through Sabrina readers will be reminded of a valuable lesson which involves us letting go and letting God heal us. We need stand through out trials and wait patiently for what He has for us on the other side. Not wanting to give the ending away, I love the way things worked out for Sabrina!

Ford offers a good read. The setting and plot appear predictable but offer some juicy turns and twists. The characters are not super original but do bring something to the plate that makes them interesting enough to follow. The storyline is well written and delivers a good read go to the library and check this one out you'll have a relaxing time which is why it was given a Bronze rating..

This was my first time reading anything from the author but best believe it won't be the last. The author hit some very important facts about God, work-place, employement, relationships, etc. The two most important ones to me: be careful who you talk to in your work-place b/c they might not be who they say they are, they might end up being the one to save your job and always put God first when making a decision and you can't go wrong. Please pick this book up and enjoy every page from beginning to end.

This was a fun romantic story with lots of interesting supporting characters. At the heart of the story is Sabrina. She is a sweet, single Christian who is looking for positive changes in her life and her walk with Christ for the fast approaching New Year. One of those things she hopes will change is her frustrating relationship with her boss, talk-show host and diva extraordinaire Darci. Sabrina's convinced that Darci is standing in the way of the promotion that she deserves. In addition to a few other changes like losing weight and staying far away from distracting romantic relationships, Sabrina is sure that making these changes will lead her to the more fulfilling life she wants

The interesting twist of this story enters when Darci mistakenly gets a hold of Sabrina's New Year's resolution list. Having become suspicious that her ex and the show's producer Avery has a burgeoning interest in Sabrina, Darci decides to make a deal with Sabrina that will hold her to her resolutions and keep Sabrina away from Avery in the process. The promise of getting the promotion and financial gain that she desperately wants is just too much for Sabrina to turn away from. So she decides to participate in Darci's scheme - in front of television cameras no less as Darci decides to track the progression of Sabrina's New Year's resolution for a ratings boost on her talk show.

Sabrina's journey is fascinating - even as she starts to kick herself for swearing off romance - especially as Avery is looking better and better.

Ms. Ford's writing blends humor, drama and romance very well. The stories that develop about Darci and others only add to the interest in the main story line surrounding Sabrina, Avery and Darci.

Fast snappy chapters with neat titles. All in all, a good read. Oddly enough, not only did it win an Edgar for Best Original Paperback, it was also a finalist for the Nebula. It's a strange world.

I picked this book up because the author did a blurb on the back cover of Vellum: The Book of All Hours, and I liked that book so much I decided Ford was worth a try.

It is nothing like Vellum, let me start by saying that. It is a coherent, logical, thought-provoking and often-surprising read, a mystery of sorts with anti-heroes worth loving. It made me long to be a part of the group.

I hope more stories of these rascals are being written as we speak.

[***** = breathtaking, **** = excellent, *** = good, ** = flawed, * = bad]

... rip off grieving rich people uncover a bizarre plot involving eugenics. Longer review at ImpatientReader-dot-com.

This is the story of three con men working the rich but gullible in the depression years of 1930s Long Island: it is told through the eyes of seventeen year old Diego who, along with his mentor Schell and sidekick/bodyguard Anthony, provides séances to contact their recently departed loved and not so loved ones. During a routine scam in some millionaire's mansion Schell actually does see the `ghost' of a girl gone recently missing and puts their 'normal' work schedule on hold while he and his two accomplices set out to solve the mystery of the girl's whereabouts.

Ford has conjured up a wonderful confection with echoes of Faulkner's The Reivers; evoking the time if not the place. It's a funny, sad, lyrical but above all beautifully written coming of age tale that also manages along the way a quick detour into the heart of darkness! No mean feat! This book could quite easily be read in one sitting - if you ever decide to give yourself a real treat - buy it, take the phone of the hook and lock yourself away!

Girl in the Glass drew me in from the first paragraph and kept me engrossed till the end. Few novels of late can boast of doing the same with me. Jeffrey Ford not only creates/recreates a time period and a very distinctive subculture, he tells one heck of a story utilizing this setting.

Every character in this book comes to life. Antony in particular is a character that will live for a long time in my memory. I sometimes find myself in situations where I would not mind having an Antony handy.

The butterfly motif here would shame even Nabakov.

All in all, I find myself not wanting to say too much to ruin this book for you. I will say this--you should read Girl in the Glass. You will not be disappointed.

I give this book a full recommendation.

It's a great book with TONS of Information and in Wonderful condition which I received in a very timely manner and MY HUSBAND LOVED IT!

This is a review of the condition of the book - not the content of the book.

I purchased this because I enjoy biographies of iconic American figures - and at 7.99 this book is hard to pass up so I figured I would add it to m y collection.

This book came wrapped in celephane as a new book would - with a tight binding and inexpensive material for binder cover. The pages at the end of the book did not line up as the same width along the edge where you open the book. It looks like a 100 year old library book where pages could be falling out.

The paper quality for a hardcover book is also below what one would expect. Most of my paperbacks have a better quality more durable paper than this book does.

I guess I'll chalk this up to " You get what you pay for " but If I paid full price for this book - I'd definitely send it back for anohter copy.

I'll try and update the content review of this book later after I read the book. But I'm currently reading another title.

How interesting. Henry Ford was the Bill Gates of his day and changed America forever. But he was kind of a nutcase!

This book gets bogged down occassionally by too much information on his social positions. And he sometimes repeats himself. But all-in-all it was a good read and an eye-opener about one of the men who made the American Century. I would recommend it.

Here was this supreme industrial genius, Henry Ford, with a dark side which was hard to understand. Do read the two professional reviews above. They cover some very good ground about this book between them. Beware that, like many overly-highbrow reviewers, both are guilty of the "but" syndrome: they will tell you that Henry Ford was the premier genius of the 20th century, BUT his personality wrecked a lot of things. That implied "but," as any negotiator or linguist will tell you, says that the reviewer didn't mean any of the good stuff before the "but." That's unfair. Reading this quite lengthy book cannot help but let the reader conclude that Ford muscled this country into the modern age we all have now.

The author often brings in Ford's own version of what a modern society ought to be. This is interesting, but not key to U.S. history. It is surprising that this very detailed book does not seem to distinguish the differing importance between: Ford's gifts to manufacturing technology and philosophy - decisive; and his wishes about how people should act in a society - irrelevant. The book makes this point indirectly many times, although the author seems not to catch on himself.

The only really troublesome aspect of "People's Tycoon" is the wandering too freely through time in telling the Ford story. Like many histories in print, the author follows a thread of thought through years, then comes back to other threads of thought (think back to some of our confusing 6th grade history books). If this drives you crazy, then pick another biography of Ford. This may not cause a problem for many readers, but it is understandable that it could be for some, and this is a cautionary note. For example, as Henry Ford lost his intellect slowly through the decades, one might want to know if these losses were happening at the same time as, say, when he was shamefully ranting about races and cultures, or about his misunderstandings with son Edsel Ford. Still, this large work is well researched, and very well worth the time.

While the facts are presented in a more or less historical fashion (Watts jumps from one year to the next and then back again with dizzying speed) the author continually and exhaustively repeats himself. He resorts to quoting newspapers of the day (make that ALL of the newspapers of the day) to reinforce his already over-stated and rambling views. In fact, one wonders how much of this book was actually written by the author. Three out of four paragraphs on every page are nothing more than quotes from newspaper articles. The title of the book should be something along the line of, "Henry Ford -- According to the Newspapers -- With a Smattering of Left Wing Collegiate Opinion Thrown-In for Good Measure."
A long-winded, anti-corporate, pro-Marxist-Unionist perspective by a college professor obviously hoping for PBS to turn this voluminous sleeping pill into an equally borish mini-series.