Bloom Books

Dear Amazon:

Thank you for your services the past two years.

At this time, I request that you remove the listing of my book, "Labyrinth: Libyan Odyssey" from the Amazon.com website.

Thank you,

David Bloom, Author

This book was poorly written. I read it as a book club selection.
It was misleading about content and purpose in the description. The characters were not developed, the plot ( if there was one) wandered all over the place, aimlessly, and the ending was to lead to a sequel no one will want to read.

This author was not helped by his editors and is not a good writer. The author, and probably the publisher, was playing on the popularity of books about "secret societies", and middle eastern cultures, and oil, with all the makings of a good story, hidden in a a non exisitent prophecy, to encourage purchase of the book. What should have been a well written and crafted story, was instead poorly written with an obvious sequel at the end. The publisher is one I will be leary of in the future and the author will not be one I purchase again.

I was gravely disappointed.

I just returned from a book club which read this book after seeing it had 4 stars in a "book club newsletter." Not one of the 8 of us liked it. We all felt it was poorly written. An historical, informational piece of work attempting to be a novel; having poorly evolved characters, spagetti plot lines, etc. The ending falls flat while playing out as the potential for a sequel - but not in a way that any of us would care to read it.

From the beginning, this story begged a coherent plot line. It rambled off in all directions with one-dimensional characters lost in the desert. The reader is promised a story about Standard Oil and its connection to desert cultures and instead is offered a hodge-podge of vague symbolism which never gets explained. A teasing glimpse of tribal customs provides a hint of the author's knowledge, but his writing skills never match the potential for a great story these could provide. The ending suggests a possible sequel. Please don't...

This fast-paced yarn of adventure based on contemporary events set against a backdrop of ancient cultures cries out for a screenplay! It would make a terrific movie.

For a student just taking one course on Virology, it is a fairly good text. The basics are all there. The organization and readability is expected for any college student with a solid scientific background.

Learning about virology beyond just a beginning course would obviously take a more in depth text, but as the title suggests, it is BASIC VIROLOGY.

This text was a real disappointment to me. Having taught microbiology for a number of years and looking for something to expand my understanding and knowledge of the field of virology, I was sorry that I added this book to my reference library. All in all, I found it to be poorly written and only slightly informative; at least from my perspective.

The information presented in this book was very helpful in my understanding of virology. The text was very easily followed and subjects presented in a straightforward manner. Basic Virology is a must have!

This is a great book! The method at which the material is presented rivals that of medical textbooks. The graphics and illustration are great! Go UC Irvine! Spcial Events Parking Rocks!

The information is not coherent and is scattered all over the place. Points that could be made in one sentence are stretched out over many paragraphs. Furthermore, the usage of words are often inappropriate in many cases (looks like the authors just ran a thesaurus check) which makes the text very confusing. This book is definitely not recommended for someone without a background in Virology.

Harold Bloom himself has long disowned this novel ... but it's definitely worth reading, for all that it's wildly uneven. He's exploring some knotty ideas here, sometimes to the detriment of the story, sometimes to illuminating effect. You can't take it as a straightforward novel, though. This is his attempt at visionary literature, which often has a dreamlike, quicksilver quality to it -- and can also become ponderous if the author can't control it.

First & foremost, you MUST read David Lindsay's nightmarish classic, "A Voyage to Arcturus," a novel highly praised by Bloom. This is crucial, because Bloom's own narrative is essentially a retelling & a sequel of sorts to that genuine original. Oblique reference is made to the previous journey of Maskull, Krag, and Nightspore, although not by name; but readers of Lindsay will recognize it & realize where they stand here.

It's not entirely successful, as Bloom's remarkable talents in literary criticism don't translate as well to the task of writing fiction. Yet if it's a failure, it remains a compelling one. Not many writers would be willing to tackle such a project in the first place. You can sense Bloom struggling & toiling to make the novel cohere as you read, and you can see him falter at times. But there are also moments where everything works.

You'll notice that I'm not going into the actual plot. Beyond saying that it involves a flight to another world, one in which Gnostic philosophy is explored & lived out by the characters, I'll remain silent. Read Lindsay's "A Voyage to Arcturus" first -- and if that strikes a mysteriously resonant chord within you, then give Bloom a try as well. If nothing else, it'll be quite an experience!

I read this book out of curiousity. Harold Bloom is undoubtedly one of the great literary critics of recent times--what would his own fiction read like?

Ugh. This book is cast in the mythological prose of a Dungeons and Dragons enthusiast. This is low quality fantasy. The real star of the book is Bloom's eccentric philosophy of Gnosticism and no thought at all is given to characterization or euphony of language. I think Bloom is trying to write a new testament here, not a novel. He fails. This is an embarrassing piece of work.

Do try his criticism, though. When Bloom is on his home court, he's engaging.

Great read and thought bending proposition.

"The Flight to Lucifer" is a fantasy, nothing more, nothing less; set on a distant world where time and space shift back and forth and where the conflicts of first-century religion are still being played out. Harold Bloom's story begins with an Aeon, Olam, descding to earth to bring two men, Valentinus, a reincarnation of a Gnostic prophet, and his young warrior escort Perscors, back to Lucifer on a quest to help Valentinus recover the call that motivated his previous life. For Perscors, the quest is a search for a transcendental principle, but to reach it, he has to do battle with enemies both divine and semi-divine, to finally reach his inner discovery of his own uniqueness.

If you're looking for an in-depth study of Gnosticism and other religions that flourished during the early Christian era, you'll be disappointed because you won't find it here. You'd be better off perusing Elaine Pagels' "The Gnostic Gospels". But as an unusual adventure story, "The Flight to Lucifer" is interesting and absorbing. Bloom subtitled his book "A Gnostic Fantasy", and on that level, it's a good read.

Utter nonsense, lacking any shade of imagination!

Although I had unfortunately seen a movie version before reading the book, it could never have been ruined. The romance between Jane and Mr. Rochester was so passionate and moved me so much that I cried when they cried and was happy when they were happy. The beginning of the book is cold because of the subject matter and at a few moments can seem tiresome , but at Thornfield it is alive. I loved the book!!!!

this novel is considered a classic. I do not share this opinion. I was required to read this book for an A.P. literature class. Some people say I dont like it because it was long. thats not true. I have read books that have been 1200 pages. this book was simply terrible. It had no meaning to the male portion of my class. the only people that liked it were the girls. if you are a man try not to read this book. avoid it at all costs.

After reading this book as part of a school assignment, I have found it to be one of my favourite books of all time. What impresses me the most is how Brote managed to show everyone her feelings about true love, and what it is all about. She emphasises the fact that love should be the most important thing and happiness is always gained as a result if you are with someone for the right reasons.

A novel about a young girl named Jane Eyre who who falls in love with Mr. Rochester. The over-detailed environments and the pointless conversations do not contribute to the reader's entertainment. I don't really care about the meaningless conversations which persitently appear throughout this story. I had to fight the overwhealming boredom of this novel, and once fell asleep reading the tale.

I love this book. It's the best book about Orlando. It gives you all the information you need to know about him. I read it in three hours.

"One day Orlando Bloom was a cute English kid reciting poetry to his neighbors." While not particularly verbose or grammatically correct, this - the first sentence in Orlando: An Unauthorized Biography - is haunting in its utter simplicity.

I have read Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, Jane Austin, and others. I play chess as well. This is my favorite book.

I got this book for free and it was still too expensive. The information is taken from substandard websites, now deleted yahoo groups and tabloids. Much of it is untrue. I do not recommend this book.

This book has Andre 'The A**hole' Schneider's lies in it! Horribly researched! Terribly written! This book is an insult to Orlando Bloom and an offence to Orlando Bloom fans! Don't waste your money! Ionly gave this book one star because it wasn't an option to give it zero stars!

As a soon to be lawyer as Mr. Horrow, this is a very informative book as to the world of Sports Business. He really provides insight into all aspects of Sports, including the political battles. This book is very encouraging and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to get into the business aspect of sports.

This book is somewhat entertaining and informative, if you can swallow Rick Horrow's HUGE ego and soapboxing. I don't know what's become of Rick since he wrote this book, but if he's still active in the professional sports community, it would amazing. He is so full of himself that mostly every page has some mention of all the great things he did. He chastizes and bad mouths mostly everyone he has ever worked with...the only exception that comes to mind is Bud Selig. Overall, Rick tells some interesting behind-the-scenes stories and explains in a vivid way the power playing that goes on with the rich egomaniacs in the world of professional sports, but if you're like me, after reading through the fluff and overdramatized exploits with Rick's so-called partners, you won't be able to finish this book. I couldn't.

For readers who like to know what goes on behind the scenes in the business of sports, this book is just the ticket. What struck me is the readability -- like a novel -- and I learned a great deal about the characters involved in high-profile decision-making, and how power is wielded. Highly recommended.

Horrow's self-grandizing in this book is unbelieveable. I didn't know he was so great until he wrote this book. According to him, he was the sole reason why the NBA came to Miami -- gee, over 2.5 million potential fans, and lots of moula had nothing to do with it. Oh, and he gives "insightful" testimonials about several big-name sports celebs, including Nicklaus and Al Davis (they both have big egos) what a revelation! Did anyone check out Horrow's credentials to see how many failed sports ventures he has been involved in? Plenty. And now we're all supposed to turn to him for insight? Horrow's book offers nothing new, on the subject of the sports/entertainment industry as it exists today, or will project into the future. Amazon.com should be embarassed by the industry-written "positive" reviews that it allows up on its web-site to promote the sales of this book. Don't ever buy it if you want to learn something new, or read something from someone who has had success in the sports industry in the past. Look for it in the discount bin soon, to keep open your windows, or for a doorstop.

A full-size, 12-block quilt, five wallhangings, and a table runner are among the features in this selection of quilting projects that use applique and color patterns to incorporate flowers into quilting. From finishing touches to discussions of quilting tips and techniques for blending styles and flowers, DELIGHTFUL QUILTS IN BLOOM is a special pick for quilters and gardeners alike.

This is an attractive book, but, in my opinion, not a great value. Potential buyers should be advised that this book only contains patterns for one full sized quilt, plus a small project. Also, all the block patterns must be vastly enlarged before they may be used. When I pay this much for a book, I expect full size patterns. It is not convenient, or inexpensive, for me to get to a proper copy machine. For what it's worth, I returned my copy as soon as I saw it's format.

The cover of this book is very misleading and does not represent the majority of the patterns that are actually in this book. Most of the patterns are very basic baskets of flowers -- similar to many other patterns already available. I feel I was mislead and will be returning this book.

I must reluctantly agree with "A Customer" that this collection does not exactly shine against the rest of Schwartz's work. I should point out that I have quite the library of Judaica, including just about everything penned by Schwartz, Ginzberg, Patai, Frankel, Noy, and whomever else. This book feels like Schwartz is starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel and is resultantly coming up with tales that are--how shall I put it--dull? vapid? lackluster? trivial? Granted, one cannot always "discover" yet another several hundred breathtaking tales (one is reminded of the clever Zipes playing impresario to the dubiously prolific Gonzenbach), but I really get the impression that Schwartz just permitted his discard pile to grow until there were enough snips and snails to whip up a "book." No, feel quite free to pass on this minor entry: you won't miss it.

WONDROUS WORLDWIDE JEWISH FOLKTALES: A REVIEW OF MIRIAM'S TAMBOURINE
by Cherie Karo Schwartz
Storyteller, Author, and Educator

MIRIAM'S TAMBOURINE, in its several printings thus far, provides an excellent, entertaining, enlightening foray into Jewish folklore. These retellings of worldwide Jewish folktales by master storyteller and honored author Howard Schwartz (who recently won the National Jewish Book Award for TREE OF SOULS), are imaginatively spun, carefully annotated, and thoughtfully sourced. They are a treasure trove for storytellers, educators, clergy, families, and are for story readers and storytellers of all ages. The fifty tales in this stellar collection of Jewish folk tales from around the world exhibit the range and depth of the Jewish experience. There are tales from such disparate Jewish communities as Kurdistan, Eastern Europe of two hundred years ago, Afghanistan, India, France, Palestine of five hundred to a thousand years ago, Egypt, Italy, and ancient Babylon. Each story embodies a facet of Jewish life: traditions, aspirations, and challenges.
The forward by Dr. Dov Noy (founder fo the Israel Folktale Archives) and the introduction by Schwartz provide a rich and enlightening overview of the world of Jewish folk tales. Each of the tales in MIRIAM'S TAMBOURINE brings a particular culture, time period, and series of events brilliantly alive for the reader. There are tales of fantasy ("Daniel and the Dragon"), destined love ("The Maiden and the Tree"), animals ("The Donkey Girl", "The Stork Princess"), and miracles ("Miraculous Dust"). And, there are tales of compensation and justice, such as "The Wise Old Woman of the Forest", a Moroccan prototype of The Wizard of Oz theme!
One of my favorite tales in this noteworthy collection is "The Staff of Elijah", from the oral tradition of Rumania. It employs the symbols of seeker, Elijah the Prophet, a magical staff, and the Holy Land to create a beautiful tale of return. The story stands powerfully on its own as an enchantingly told tale. For those seeking the story beyond the story, Howard Schwartz' masterful endnote sourcing and commentary brings the interwoven history, characters, and theme of reunification into clarity
The stories in MIRIAM'S TAMBOURINE are treasured resources for storytellers, educators, and parents. And, they are great stories for young and old to enjoy for years of reading pleasure. Howard Schwartz's vast knowledge, his imaginative creativity, his expansive in-depth endnotes, and his storyteller's keen eye for retelling tales make MIRIAM'S TAMBOURINE a delight-filled journey of discovery of the worldwide tapestry of Jewish folk tales.

I couldn't stay awake through a single one of these brief folktales. The writing is absolutely leaden. The book claims that Schwartz has done a little bit of research -- though most of the stories are retold in much livelier fashion by other writers. I was looking for a book to use in a course on world folktales. It certainly won't be this brick. It would be enough to make a student drop a course.

As a master student of Agatha Christie's work I expected more from this book. The book contains essays extracted mainly from books of the 70s easily found and bought, such as the ones from Anne Hart, Gillian Gill, Charles Osborne, Julian Symons, Robert Barnard, Pam McAllister and a chapter from her own autobiography. Unfortunately, Prof Bloom's one-and-half-page essay does not add much to the critical fortune on her.

Harold Bloom's Agatha Christie blends biography with a literary coverage of Christie's extensive mystery works. From her poetry and short stories to a posthumous autobiography, Christie produced far more than just the mystery genre: this outlines her works and provides essays by many notable literary analysts.

Tracy Bloom's first book is a hit! Of all the Betty Spaghetty books I've read, this is my favorite. Keep you eye on Ms. Bloom...I have a feeling this is only the beginning for the talented author!

Betty Spaghetty is such a cute doll (my favorite set is the Betty's Closet series) why do all of the books about her have to be so nerdy?