Adamson Books

William John Bates, who wrote the review titled "Jesus will!!! Come again" on September 24, 2003, is obviously a conservative, fundamentalist, right-wing activists who calls himself a Christian, and yet berates "bleeding-heart do gooders" and doesn't realize that Jesus was the original Bleeding Heart Liberal.

To me it seems rather arrogant of him to be calling Real Prophecy Unveiled "rubbish" when he admittedly hasn't even read it, and obviously hasn't even read all the reviews. If he had merely done that, he wouldn't have made the absurd statement he makes in his first paragraph.

Real Prophecy Unveiled fully discusses the terrible tribulation that we are going through as a result of man's vain folly, and it clearly states that things will only continue and possibly get worse unless and until enough people get the message.

As for the rest of Mr. Bates' review, it is typical of those who believe in the man-made dogma created by the Nicene Creed in the 4th Century to establish the foundational doctrine of the "Holy Roman Empire." Of course, many Christians of good will believe in somewhat similar things, but the "Christian" Right of today carries it to extremes to justify their religious bigotry and right-wing political aggression. They use it to berate all other religions and all other Christian denominations that don't hold the same beliefs.

Real Prophecy Unveiled exposes the myths and false beliefs that have led those and many other Christians astray over the centuries, and even today leads them to hypocritically thump their Bible while doing things that are very un-Christian. Not that Mr. Bates is one of them, but he is just as misguided.

Before you buy this book, ask yourself this serious question: Would the real "messenger of the Spirit of Truth" be writing and selling books for profit?

I have no doubt he may have some interesting points in this book, maybe even be correct about some things. But the sheer fact that he claims himself to be this messenger and stands to make a profit on it should be your first clue that he's far from it, and possibly an unstable individual. Also consider that anyone who would be the "messenger" would be speaking through the Holy Spirit, and wouldn't have to write follow-up books to get his point across.

One sure way to tell if this man is who he claims is to check for a single error in prophecy. According to the the age-old test of a "messenger", Dueteronomy 18:22, "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him." If any one of his predictions doesn't happen as written, write him off, he's a phony... And try to get your money back, too.

I have NOT read the book and have no desire to, however from the reviews it appears to me that the author is another of these bleeding - heart do-gooders who believe (and try to foist this onto the rest of us)the world is getting better all the time and when we get to the right place for God then He will come and live with us mere mortals, what a load of rubbish!

If the world is getting better, as these people assert, why is crime of all types becoming worse all the time? Why is terrorism becoming more prevalent? Why is....?

God / Jesus said things will only get worse, He also said that some from within the church will be wolves in sheeps clothing, who will attack and sow doubt and discord among the church members. Surely here is some proof of this.

The Bible is the revealed and written Word of God. It has been this way for many, many years. Man has tried to destroy it and has failed miserably. The Bible needs no other textbook or additional works to help it along. It does everything it needs to, i.e. mainly telling people how lost they are and how to find salvation in The Lord Jesus Christ. And that one day He is coming again for his believing remnant. Until that day we have to be patient and preach the Gospel.

The difference between Christianity and the other main religions (in this I include pseudo - christian organisations) of the world is this: All the religions of the world are looking for God, and doing good works to try to 'buy' their way into heaven.

Because God is Holy and Perfect, He sent Himself in the person of Jesus. Christ came down from Heaven and paid for our, that is yours and mine, sins, by dying on the Cross of Calvary, for us, so that we may get to heaven at His expense, because we as sinners, cannot get there. This is true Christianity!

This book adds no glory to Jesus and in fact is likely to detract and turn people away from Christ and Christianity, not add to it, because of the personal views of the author. This is not a helpful book at all.

The author presents a powerful and well-deserved rebuke of the poor leadership (false shepherds), and the ultra-rich in our culture and presents a wonderful vision of how things can be for the future. The day I got this book I stayed up late reading as much as I could and finished it the next day and was so impressed and excited that I ordered the author's next two books (both of which I am currently reading, more or less at the same time because they are also very interesting).
The author demonstrates a very broad and keen awareness of both politics and religion and he is right on about how people have been led astray by wolves in sheeps clothing in both spheres.

Accusers and critics will try all kinds of ways to try to discredit the author of Real Prophecy Unveiled. I noticed one negative reviewer quoted Dueteronomy 18:22 in an attempt to claim that the author-messenger is not a prophet. But in fact, he is a prophet. More importantly, he is the messenger for the Spirit of truth that Jesus said would come.

He delivers the message commercially because he fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah, who wrote that the servant and witness of God would not make his voice heard in public. (Isaiah 42:1-2) Accordingly, he has to write anonymously, and says his anonymity is also because the world does not need another servant of God to either idolize or crucify. The world needs only the truth that shall set us free of divisive and self-serving leadership, and liberate us from myths and false beliefs.

And, by the way, the books can be browsed for FREE at the iUniverse.com bookstore.

I have found that the worst accusers and critics are usually right-wing conservative religious hypocrites who can't bear to admit that the real testimony of the Christ and the Spirit of truth goes against their political ideology.

I had originally bought this book as a 'Joke' for my daughter. After it arrived, I paged through it and found it to be very good. Ruined my joke, but I went back and bought six more for Christmas presents. Nothing what I had expected. Very, very good book.

If you eat like this then you will substantially increase your risk of heart disease, and you'll likely wind up overweight like most Americans. I don't care what it tastes like, you'll find yourself in the cardiac ward. The non-scientists who wrote this book do not realize that good cooking starts only with a serious study of the science of nutrition.

If you want a book about cooking for non-dummies, then you should check out the books written by Prof. Willett of the Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public health. In particular, try out the recipies in his books "Eat, Drink, and be Healthy: the Harvard Medical School guide to healthy eating" or "Eat, drink, and weigh less." If you're really hard-core then read his medical school textbook "Nutritional Epidemiology" or some of the 1000 journal articles that Prof. Willett and his underlings have co-authored.

This book is exactly what it claims to be, a basic reference book for an inexperienced cook. It begins with the basics of what all those mysterious things in the kitchen are and then proceeds to explain how to use them safely. Various food items are then discussed, with an emphasis on selection and storage. Cooking techniques are introduced moving from the very basic to more advanced. As each new concept is introduced it is thoroughly explained and then used in a recipe.

The recipes range from the very basic (rice, mashed potatoes) to the more advanced (risotto, roast leg of lamb with vegetables). Information on grilling and planning entire menus are included. There are even suggestions for entertaining, both last minute and special occasion.

Long after the cook has moved on to more advanced cookbooks this one will be in use as a reference work.

For someone that isn't that experienced in the kitchen, Cooking for Dummies is amazing. For the simple recipe to make scrambled eggs most cookbooks have gourmet recipes. When I looked in Cooking for Dummies I found out how to make scrambled eggs without the pretty stuff. It does a great job explaining what you need and how to prepare your meal. Cooking for Dummies has made me become less afraid of getting in the kitchen. Having a book that is easy to understand and simple has actually encouraged me to want to cook more. I definitely recommend this book to the first time cook!

Though the recipies in this book sound delicious this book is far from written for dummies as it claims. Being a beginning cook I find it hard to follow what would seem to be the basic instruction for each recipe. I get lost figuring out just how to cut an onion "coursely" as I've never done it before. There is even a figure missing from chapter 5 that is supposed to show a key ingredient for Braise Endive (what the heck is endive?) This book is obviously written for someone who has basic knowledge of cooking and its very frustrating to read. The instructions are too vague for beginners and the descriptions of techniques leave me wondering what the author is talking about. Not to mention each recipe expects that you have an entire kitchen full of gadgets at your disposal to prepare these fancy dishes. I think I'm going to have to find a different book to teach me to cook before I can dive into "Cooking for Dummies" and understand whats going on. Look for a different book!!

The book was informative, I only wish the print was a little larger.
I was able to understand the principles of the diet. Some of the recipes were tried, and enjoyed.

This is a review of the paperback version of this book. Author is a registered dietician. Basic recipes are a small part of the book.
If you've never heard of the components of the Mediterranean way of eating and are interested in basic nutrition, you might like this reading. If you are interested in cooking, search for a cookbook.

What bothers me about this book is the dietitian bias of the authors. Although they tout the Mediterranean diet, they incorporate non-Mediterranean foods such as salmon and the highly toxic canola oil. There is NO canola oil in the traditional Mediterranean diet!! In fact, canola oil is a toxic substance. Further the authors have a problem with saturated fats, because this is drummed into dietitians as being bad, yet it is the very enigma that is behind the French paradox. It pays to take a very close look at the major industries that back the dietetic association to understand the bias of these authors, including sugar growers, big pharma, the margarine association, Sarah Lee desserts, and so forth. The authors don't even have the guts to claim that sugar is really very bad for you. These biases make for sloppy work and off-the-topic comments and endorsements. Very disappointing. They do not represent the Mediterranean diet as well as could be.

After the title of The Mediterranean Diet, is a subtitle that says "lose weight and feel great with one of the world's healthiest diets". A word of warning. The emphasis of this book is not on losing weight and the so-called Mediterranean ways that the authors advocate are not quite authetically Mediterranean.

The book begins with an introduction on what is wrong with Western diets. It then goes on to present an exotic, "magical" Mediterranean setting. Luckily, the authors didn't get carried away and are quite scientific in their analysis and presentation of how the Mediterranean diet works.

Interestingly, the first few chapters have a Q&A section at the end. What I like most about this book is the relatively balanced views held by the authors. Their moderate recommendations are all supported by research and not just guru "science" that advocates strict, impractical practices. I've managed to learn quite a bit about olive oil, bread, couscous and the nutritive value of various fruits, nuts and vegetables.

For alcohol, meat, sugar, eggs and dairy products, the authors advise moderation. Nothing extreme. However, the authors seem to be doing further injustice to the title when they recommend things like soy milk, canola oil, tumeric and various Indian spices. Are they still talking about the Mediterranean diet?

There is also only one chapter on losing weight. Hence, the title is misleading. At the end of the book, are various Mediterranean recipes. It makes the book great value for money unless you're expecting some serious weight loss book.

The Anti-Aging Solution: 5 Simple Steps to Looking and Feeling Young

Renewal: The Anti-Aging Revolution

If you are looking for a book written specifically for losing weight, this is not the book for you.(There is one chapter on losing weight.) If you are looking for a book to help you determine the best diet for good health, this is the book for you.

Pros:
Very well organized
Very well researched
Very detailed
Interesting
Includes the Mediterranean lifestyle as important as the diet

Cons:
Although the author, a dietitian, says the Mediterranean Diet is the best for health, she chooses to change it by adding canola oil and decreasing the amount of eggs allowed.

One needs to do research on canola oil before using it as freely as olive oil. Canola oil is a modern phenomena, unlike olive oil that has been used successfully for centuries.

The author discusses a study that showed, along the Mediterranean coast of Spain, eggs were eaten at almost every meal, but heart attacks were a rarity. But, still, the author suggests eating no more than four eggs a week. Modern science has determnined that eggs do not affect cholesterol levels and if eggs high in omega-3 are chosen, they can be beneficial.

I think the book would have been improved if she had just reported the research that shows the Mediterranean Diet to be healthy instead of adding her own "knowledge" that contradicts this historically healthy diet.


There are a few recipes at the end that I have not tried yet, so can't review that portion of the book.

I totally agree with the one and two star ratings. The book is tedious and unsatisfying and at times gross. I don't know how this book comes out with a 4-star rating. Wouldn't waste my money on this. Don't waste yours.

I just wish I had read all previous reviews. There was no depth to this story. The "widow" was a contradiction. One never really understood what motivated her. Her brothers-in-law, hell bent on bringing her to justice, just petered out in the end. There were no heroes in this book.

This superb novel will be at the top of my list for best books of 2008. Set in the wilderness of Western Canada in 1903/1904, the story follows the travails (in the main) of a young widow who is on the run from dispensing rough justice of her own. Finest-kind reading; terrific story, gorgeous writing. A beaut of a book and then some. Goes on my list of books to give everyone I (barely) know.

After stopping several times to read aloud particularly powerful passages in Gil Adamson's "The Outlander," I suddenly recognized that every page had passages that I wanted to read aloud to others. Adamson's language is stunningly beautiful, and her details of ordinary and extraordinary life in the mountainous West of 1903, are sometimes totally surprising while perfectly natural. More particularly, I can't think of another work that so perfectly captures the looks and behaviors of horses. The characters are involving and the setting dramatic, but it is the glorious language that sets this novel above most others.

Mary Boulton murdered her husband and is being pursued by his two brothers. That is the plot of this book in a nutshell. She suffers all sorts of hardships and deprivations and the story proceeds in an unrelenting and, to me, an uninteresting fashion. I was numb at the end of the book and wondered why I'd bothered to finish it. Bits and pieces of her past life were included throughout the novel, but there were still some unanswered questions about her past which I would like to have had answered. Many of the other reviewers enjoyed this book, but I kept waiting for it to get better and it never did!

Overall this is not an excellent book to use as your main study guide, but I would also suggest using another source of information. The Enterprise exam that I took had several indepth questions relating to the IIS 3 as well as other topics that were gone over only briefly in the book.

Overall a good purchase, as long as it's not your only source and not expensive to own.

I bought the New Riders as a boxed set and up to Enterprise the books appeared adequate. Luckily, I combined my studies with Exam Cram materials as well as company supplied Transcenders. In this case my study techniques paid-off because if I just used this book ...I would have blown the test. It skims over many of the most important concepts that are tested on the exam..the testing software supplied was way too light. This is one test I might push for the actual M$ study guide.

Overall this is an excellent book to use as your main study guide, but I would also suggest using another source of information. The Enterprise exam that I took had several indepth questions relating to the IIS 3 as well as other topics that were gone over only briefly in the book.

Overall a good purchase, as long as it's not your only source.

I purchased this book and passed 70-068. The exam is tough. Ialso used cramsession and Microsoft TechNet

I wouldrecommend using this book. If you read the entire book and use the exercises and practice hands on.

This book may be an adaquate study guide for preparing for Exam 70-068, but I don't think it's an excellent one. You'd need use Exam Cram or Transcender exams to get an idea of how the questions would look like in the real test because the Exam Questions at the end of each chapter in this book are too weak and too few.

The contents are not very well organized and some errors are presented in an authorative tone that they are not easy to spot if you don't try it out. Try its comments on the "Forcibly disconnnect remote users ..." option in Account Policy.

I read Sybex (stay away from them) and Dennis Maione's books on Server and Workstation as supplements to Microsoft ILT. Maione's books are an excellent source for a comprehensive knowledge of NT (not just for the sake of passing the test). Though suffering from the same type of Exam Questions, they are very insightful and tell more about "why" rather than "just-do-this-and-don't-ask-why" (which is the impression I got from the labs in MS MOC). In contrast, the chapter on network monitoring in this book is just like repeating what Microsoft says in its Training Kit on the subject (and without the sample exercises in Training Kit). The author's lack of insights, or unwillingness to share them, on the subject are shown in the absence of those Exam Tip and Warning boxes in the margin. However, at least, this is the only study guide I used that covers the subject, which is not a favorite of the real exam but is something that you could be tested on. I had a question on analyzing a sample frame in the real exam.

One reason I use the study guides is to see what insights an author can share with you drawing on his/her experience and expertise and to obtain a perspective different from Microsoft. I don't benefit much this way from this book, although it does cover what you need to study for the exam.

This book has some interesting tips and tricks. It would probably be a good read for developers that aren't too deep into the Swing framework, because most of the examples provide quick ways to accomplish various tasks without having to know the swing framework inside and out.

It met my test because what I needed to know was easy to find and I was able to make a quick fix while maintaining Java software and I knocked out a couple of problems that way. It was easy to read, a good index and had sample implementations. The only problem I found is that it seems out of date and I would gladly purchase a more recent edition.

This book had ways of implementing all the useful features that users expect such as drag and drop, transparent/non-rectangular frames, and lots of other things. Well worth the money

This book gives a good set of more in depth approaches to building GUI in Swing. While reading it I had a lot of 'that's interesting' moments. However, a lot of the examples feel more like an idea of what needs to be done to achieve something rather than a complete (and robust) implementation. What is more disappointing, I found that some advice in the book is misleading. For example Hack #57 demonstrates how to use the glass pane to intercept and riderect mouse events. Unfortunately, as demonstrated, this approach doesn't work at all in the applications that use any components that have menus. A very significant shortcoming, in my opinion, that is not mentioned in the book.

Lacking some up-to-date information is usually not a problem that impacts most books. You can usually pull out one or two decent tricks, methodologies or pieces of information you didn't know before. This book, however, falls flat on its face.

Filled with completely useless "hacks", use of extremely common knowledge/practices and general lack of content make this book a complete waste. Beginners may find the information interesting, but in terms of use in their professional lives, useless. Advanced users will find that other methodologies and "hacks" out there are much more useful and function much more efficiently.

Aside from the uselessness of the information provided for use within enterprise GUI front-ends, what bothered me most was the inefficiency of the data provided. With some simple tweaking, complete rewrites based on the ideas presented, etc. you can come up with much more efficient and powerful components and component extensions yourselves.

Don't waste your time.

I think an erotic book should first be sexy, and second be a good story. This book tried for plot, and missed both that and any semblance of erotic. I'd definitely skip this one!

The first of the classic series. A must read for anyone claiming to know anything about "BDSM" erotica. Filled with complex characters and interwoven plots which leave you with questions you pant after, this is truly a masterpiece. There is something here for every orientation!

This is the story of four submissives sent for training in a hidden underground organization, the Marketplace. Each submissive has excelled in the mainstream BDSM scene and have been selected for their potential to join the ranks of those that do not play at D&S but rather live it. Put in the services of the enigmatic trainer, Chris Parker, the four slaves are pushed to their limits and molded into the epitome of true servitude.

For those readers that fell in love with the BDSM classic, the Story of O, there has finally come a series that treats BDSM as more than just a cheap trick to sell poorly written porn. This book is well written, has identifiable characters and an interesting premise. Lara Antinou is a frequent guest at many BDSM conferences. I believe that her premise taps into the desire of many of BDSM scene (whether they go the events or just dream at home) that there is a group of people out there that take the leather scene a little more seriously than your average S&M aficionado. It is just a little exciting to think that if you can shine as a truly powerful Master or well behaved slave, that you may be allowed into a special clique of true devotees.

In addition to her well conceived premise, the characters in the book are well developed and interesting to read about. And while you may or may not identify with the disciplined Chris Parker or the powerful Grendel, they sure would be a lot of fun to meet in the proper setting.

Just one note of caution, if you are not comfortable with bisexuality then you may not enjoy this book. Otherwise I think that you find it is a welcome break from aggressive, badly written fare that passes for BDSM novels.

Whether a novice or veteran, you will enjoy The Marketplace. The characters are well developed and their backgrounds are explored in just enough detail to explain the psychological experience unique to each. The characters not only have to deal with their trainers, visitors, guests, etc., but also with each other. Vulnerabilities and emotions are well mixed into the day to day grind. There are no guarantees for a certain ending to each character's fate; each will stand and/or fall on their own. A real page turner and well written.

This particular title, and its sequels, are a few of the better BDSM works of fiction out there. More contemporary than the Beauty books, and less romanticized, it weaves its premise into reality enough to make the idea of a 'Marketplace' plausible irl. While parts of the book(s) might be a bit unpalateable and even foreign to the more vanilla crowd, those in the lifestyle will recognize and often relate to the drive, motivations and actions of many of the characters. Others may not relate to the characters and especially the mindsets and so may not get a comparably high level of enjoyment out of the book(s). Definitely a "must read" for people in the scene.

The best thing about this exhaustively researched and jauntily written critical biography is the anecdotes: Groucho once "attended a spritualists' meeting and answered a call for questions to the Great Spirit by standing up and asking, 'What's the capital of North Dakota?'"

Adamson, a college professor, brings an academic's seriousness of purpose and breadth of knowledge to bear on the Marx Brothers' lives and work. He also brings -- and this sets off this volume from most Hollywood hagiography -- an irreverent and entertaining prose style. He is serious but never stuffy.

Although he touches on every stage of their career, Adamson wisely concentrates on the '30s, when the Marx Brothers were at their creative peak. He examines almost scene by scene such movie classics as "The Coconuts," "Animal Crackers," "A Night at the Opera" and "A Day at the Races," demonstrating how and why the comedy team was funny.

Adamson also records their decline, more in the style of a documentary than a Hollywood expose. The book is packed with photographs and movie stills and dozens of excerpts of the madcap dialog that made them famous. And more anecdotes: Groucho "was probably not aware of everything he was saying when a 'You Bet Your Life' contestant stated that she had 13 children and could explain it only by proclaiming, 'I love my husband!' 'I like my cigar too,' said Groucho, 'but I take it out once in a while.'"

There's a lot of great material in this book; there's no denying that. There are wonderful sections on not only the brothers' movies and vaudeville shows but also the people who worked behind the camera, the screenwriters, and details on the original drafts of some of the movies, showing the changes they went through before they became the final movie versions we know and love today. However, all of those great things can be overwhelmed at times by a number of things, such as Adamson's insistence on trying to be really funny and witty. This was also a problem with Simon Louvish's more recent 'Monkey Business' (although that book had far more of a professional approach to the material apart from the at times annoying writing style). You don't really have to have a funny writing style or constantly make jokes when the people you're writing about are funny enough on their own already. This book could also stand an updated edition; since it was published in 1973, many of the people being talked about (including Groucho, Gummo, and Zeppo) were alive and well, and so are referred to in the present tense. Adamson also describes a number of things, events, or remarks as "recent" and "current," and over 30 years later they're obviously no longer that recent or current! However, those are really minor quibbles in comparison to the overwhelming problem with this book, or at least how Adamson chose to present the material.

It's perfectly alright for a writer to occasionally work his or her opinion into a work of nonfiction. However, Adamson does it so often that it just comes across as biased and unprofessional, like he couldn't put aside his own prejudices or views in the interest of writing a balanced neutral account. He presents so many of his opinions as undisputed authoritative fact, which really isn't fair or professional. For example, my own favorite Marx Brothers movie is 'A Day at the Races,' which he constantly makes cutting comments about, saying the jokes are limp and feeble more often than not, it doesn't start the way it should, the boys are too out of character, none of the musical numbers are necessary, and on and on. He also leaves out a number of important scenes in the film. It's quite ironic, since earlier he had mentioned his disdain for critics who overanalyse comedy and what makes us laugh. From here on out he criticises their films more and more, engaging in that very overanalysis. Chances are, if you talk to people who either came to the team through their post-1937 films or who saw them without being aware of the general consensus on them being not quite up to par with their earlier work, you won't find nearly as many complaints. Who cares if they've become softer around the edges, if there's more of a plot and less constant joking, or if jokes aren't followed up by the punchlines you were waiting for? Just because he thinks these later jokes and movies don't work means everyone feels the same way? He also waxes disbelief when he quotes someone who actually has a positive opinion of these later films, like it's outrageous anyone would actually find them funny and worth watching. And only three pages to discuss 'Room Service'?! I don't think anyone would argue that these later films are of the same quality that their earlier films were, because of how they lost a lot of creative control and were forced to put a romantic/musical subplot in each picture, but I think a lot of people are missing the point. They had to change and grow as artists; they couldn't have constantly gone on remaking 'Monkey Business.' When they moved to MGM, a new formula was put in place, and it saved their careers. Adamson seems so busy bashing their post-1937 films, with more criticism and less amount of space reserved for each succeeding one, that he can barely find anything good to say about them. For example, just take this one sentence about 'The Big Store': "It's hard to tell whether the rest of these scenes are supposed to be funny or not, so let's just get on to the climax." What a professional approach. The Marx Brothers only made 13 films together, and to only like half of their recorded output really calls into question one's qualifications to write a book about their film career. Come on, who would dare to write a book about, say, Laurel and Hardy, who made a lot more than just 13 films, and admit one only cares for half of their work? I really think their post-1937 films are due for a positive reevaluation; they're really not as bad as a lot of people have long made them out to be.

There are also a number of factual errors he makes (e.g., giving Gummo's year of birth as 1897 instead of 1892, giving the wrong release years of the films 'Seven Years Bad Luck' and 'Blockheads'), as well as a bias against a number of other comedians and comedy teams, whom he makes dismissive remarks about (particularly Abbott and Costello). Because I'm sure no fans of these other comedians will be reading this book and feel offended that their other favorite comedians have just been mocked. Adamson also makes a number of comments displaying bias against silent films, such as, to use just one example, saying no one knew the names of silent screenwriters, not even those who knew the people. Yeah, because no one had ever heard the names of people like June Mathis or Frances Marion.

Really, this was an interesting book with a lot of good material, but ultimately Adamson's unprofessional comments and biases get in the way, along with his overanalyses of their movies. Whether or not he thinks a certain joke isn't funny or that a scene isn't effective doesn't mean that everyone else feels that way too.

There are two ways to write about comedians. The way which sometimes works is to play straight man and let the funny people be funny. The way which always fails is to try to be funnier than the material. Adamson has the annoying habit of doing this, and it ruins an otherwise well-researched and otherwise decently written book. Tons of pictures, lots of great Marxist dialogues, a great (if slightly obsolete) bibliography.

This exhaustively researched, well considered and very funny book is exactly what the Brothers would have said if they hadn't been so busy making the movies that are examined here so thoroughly. Adamson displays a keen sense of humor and a clear-eyed view of the work of these comic greats. If you only want one book on the Marx Brothers, make it this one. You won't be disappointed.

So he should stop trying, at tedious length throughout the book, to be one. Yes there's an admirable wealth of research here but it's constantly obscured by the author's tiresome sense of humor. It feels like he's watched all the movies again and then felt like he could reprocduce their humour.

He fails.

His writing style is annoying and obstructive. His analysis of the films is pedantic and often misjudged. But the biggest crime of all is making it too much a book about how funny Joe Admason thinks he is and not enough of just letting the Marxes brilliant comic voice shine though. Try Simon Louvish's "Monkey Business" for a better read on the boys or Richard Anobile's controversial but hugely entertaining "A Marx Bros Scrapbook".

'Hokkaido Popsicle' is a like one never ending inside joke on how a American expat in Japan views the ultra modern and totally wild popular culture of Tokyo. I was such an expat in Tokyo several years ago and the author's observations are extremely keen, and are expressed with tongue-in-cheek humor. He also provides loads of humorous tidbits that only someone who has lived in Japan would appreciate, ... it's like on big inside joke.

Now as for the story, it works ... mostly. We have our young American journalist in Japan investigating the murder of a Japanese pop icon. He runs into all sorts of improbably situations and totally wacked-out characters. The story is completely unbelievable. Fortunately the author's deftness at writing readable prose and embellishing some of the more interesting characters make up for all the overly contrived bits.


Bottom line: more of a back door satire on modern Japanese culture than a memorable mystery novel. Recommended.

after barely getting thru tokyo sucker punch, i was leery of even picking up another one, but, since I'd already bought them on the cheap... yea I didn't get thru the first chapter. Again, if I was about 13 I probably would have enjoyed this better but as an adult... bleh.

This series by Isaac Adamson is brilliant -- hip, fast-paced, hilarious.

It has been about eight months since I read Hokkaido Popsicle. I bought it on a cheap rack at the campus bookstore thinking it may satiate my interest and experience in Japan and be a nice way to kill a few days with plot and little substance. I read it, I guess I enjoyed it, but I have to admit I do not remember much from the plot. But that is just the plot. I do remember the basics of the story. The narrator of the story is a rather smug and confident American with a penchant for Japan. He makes no bones about it and sports his life by writing about Japan's pop culture for some teen magazine. Not something he is too proud of, so he tries to make himself more important. Which is not too hard. This is after all a whodunit thriller book so the main character is bound to be sent on crazy adventures that no person who makes a living writing for a teen magazine could ever dream of.

And as a thriller, I guess this book does work. Plot heavy and perhaps a little too esoteric to the extreme. I spent the better part of two years recently in Tokyo and so many of the references to places and words clicked with me, but I wonder if it would loose people who have little to no knowledge of Tokyo locality. The main character is smug to the point of me rolling my eyes. A James Bond of the teen foreign pop culture lot who talks a lot of hot stuff but seems to always leave the steamy stuff on a missing page.

Even though it immerses itself in the comings and goings of the Tokyo underworld and pop culture the book neither purports to be an accurate or reliable guide to such. (Thank goodness!) Instead I would have to say it tries capturing the zeitgeist of that world. Whether it does is iffy.

As a thriller with a tongue-in-cheek edge that is a quick read, Hokkaido Popsicle does its job. Good for a plane ride or two, or to kill some other time between importtant things. That is why I give it three stars plus. But as an accurate or even respectful view of Japan and the life that one can live in it, the book is a joke. (Minor case in point: colloquialisms. The conversations play in the book way too well in colloquial English for them to have been originally in Japanese as the story would have it.) Abounding with cultural fetishes, as another review has said, may just be the right way to explain it. But as I said earlier I am trying to overlook that. It could make me upset, but not everything we read has to be Lafcadio Hearn now does it? But it should be kept in mind.

Isaac Adamson's dead Japanese rock god is so obviously and poorly based on hide it's shameful even to fanfiction. His crazed Tokyo mystery are the cliches of an orientalized Japan. Someone else was very right: it's a lot like the hyperfetishized worlds of James Bond, but precisely because neither is real.

I really understand that many readers aren't going to care if this is the authentic Tokyo or that Adamson's flat characters and lifeless dead rockstar cult trash is based on beautiful and much better 3-dimensional characters. If all you are looking for is a standardly western contrived mystery with a different setting from what you normally read, I have no doubt you will find an interesting book.

However, if you're an ex-pat or have any knowledge of Japan I think you'll be dissapointed, as I really was.

A wonderful book featuring high restaurant style for Mediterranean foods. There's a great 7-day meal planner that emphasizes portion control. If this book is too 'high style' for you, the 'down home' Mediterranean cooking featured in Mary El-Baz's "Easy and Healthful Mediterranean Cooking" may round out your cookbook bookshelf.

Chef Kelly has wonderful and interesting recipes. Given the glut of "diet" books on the market, it's hard to see this as a serious or innovative diet book. Ms. Kelly exults so in down to earth living that writing a book about being sexy and fabulous seems to contradict the persona she promotes. I picked up her book because I wanted to read her ideas about preparing Mediterranean food. This book is fun but not comprehensive by any means. I especially liked her recipes for various condiments to be used to perk up dishes.

There is a lot of condescension and stereotyping in her writing, as an earlier reader commented. Why does she assume her readers are reluctant to try new foods or haven't heard of certain ingredients, or don't eat with their families, or subsist on fast and other fake foods? It's naive to think families with working parents are going to prepare little plates of yummy things for a meal just after arriving home from work, helping with homework, and before leaving for Little League, ballet and music lessons.

Also, it may seem to boost her "diet" concept to remind us how slim she is, but her mantra is simplistic. I kept wondering: Has she experienced any of the real life issues which which make being thin difficult (travelling for work, childbirth, health issues, middle age, hours spent serving others and not oneself, heredity, etc). Wow, I found myself thinking, I too would like to live in a small town, have a huge garden, put up produce and create new recipes - what fun! But alas, I grow flowers and herbs in an exurban plot, try a new recipe on the weekends and will have to look forward to visiting one of Ms. Kelly's wonderful sounding restaurants in my travels....

This book absolutely changed the way I think about eating. If nothing else, Kelly's straight forward and easygoing approach will have you slowing down at mealtime and appreciating your food in a new way.

While the scope of the book is very broad, that is exactly what I liked about the book. The recipes and way of eating are not limiting but more of a guideline. Much of the text is a bit repeptitive, but the principles are worth repeating.

The medical community's been telling us for a long time that the Mediterranean way of eating--lots of fresh veggies and fruits and whole grains, not so much meat, and olive oil--is good for the heart and for longevity. In her book, Mediterranean Women Stay Slim, Too, chef Melissa Kelly reminds us, with exuberance, that we eat not only for sustenance but also for pleasure. We like to eat!

James Beard Award-winning chef Kelly takes readers on a tantalizing journey through the tastes of the Mediterranean. Far more diverse than being Italian or Greek, the recipes of the region are not bound by the borders of countries. Rather, they draw from the rich resources of all the lands that border the Mediterranean Sea and from the sea itself.

With chef Kelly's recipes and guidance, I can make elegant, sophisticated dinners for guests or simple, serve-yourself meals for my family. I'm not likely to sell my 15 year-old daughter on braised rabbit, but she's a big fan of salmon (three recipes in the book) and wants me to prepare the Pomegranate-Glazed Pork Tenderloin so she can buy the pomegranates (fruit that's always fascinated her). And she can make a number of dishes by herself, even shopping for fresh ingredients at our local Farmer's Market.

Enjoy your food! Eat what you like! Such simple concepts, yet ones that have lost context for us in our crazy lives where meals are often an odd junction between science and haste--counting grams of this and calories of that jumbled in the rush to get something to eat. If we are what we eat, as the saying goes, then I'm all for eating to be sexy, fit, and fabulous. Aren't you?

This book is an inspiring addition to food and lifestyle books--Chef Melissa Kelly offers wise advice on what--and how--to eat, noting the flawed and dysfunctional relationship many Americans (myself included) have with food. Some of her key points are obvious: eat fresh, quality foods that are well-prepared, and slow down long enough to enjoy them (and realize when you've had enough). Fresh really is better--I've tried several recipes from the book, and find them easy to manage (though not simple), beautiful to look at, and delicious. My children (ages 6 and 3) are hooked on Kelly's pasta alla puttanesca recipe (I did cut down on the red pepper flakes). Kelly encourages a small glass of wine with dinner--the book is big on flavor, and low on restriction. I feel like I'm learning about food all over again, and I'm inspired by Chef Kelly to eat to be sexy, fit, and fabulous.