Bryan Books

I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK CONCERNING THE DOWNFALL OF WCW. THIS BOOK TAKE US FROM GEORGIA WRESTLING NWA AND FINALLY WCW. THE DETAILED SOAP OPERA AND STORY LINES BROUGHT BACK THE GREAT MEMORIES I HAD OF THIS ONCE GREAT WRESTLING ORGANIZATION. AT ONE TIME IT'S MONDAY SHOW OF NITRO DOMINATED THE WWE. ONLY TO SEE IT FADE AWAY DUE TO STUPID SPENDING, OVER USED PERSONNEL AND A LACK OF FRESH STORYLINES AND NEW FACES. THE BOOK GIVES A GREAT DEAL OF DETAIL OF WHAT WENT ON BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE THIS ALL HAPPEN. FROM DUSTY RHODES, TO ERIC BISHOFF TO VINCE RUSSO THE AUTHOR POINTS THE FINGER TO ALL THE ABOVE PLUS MANY MORE LIKE HULKSTER, SCOTT HALL AND KEVIN NASH. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR ALL WRESTLING FANS AND MOSTLY FOR THOSE WHO REALLY ENJOYED THE WCW AND NITRO. ONE THE BEST BOOKS ON PRO WRESTLING.

This is my favorite wrestling book. The best I've ever read. Thought I should start by saying that. I've read it well over 5 times(I'm actually in the middle of reading it a 6th time).

Anyway, like the title says, its a book detailing the Death of World Championship Wrestling(WCW). Not only that, but it also documents the birth, and rise of the company based in Atlanta Georgia.

Bryan and RD Reynolds do a great job of not only dissecting WCW as a whole, but also going into detail about some of the more sublte snafus the company made, some of which helped with its demise. And if you've ever heard either of these two's respective radio shows, or read their writings, you know that it has to be full of humor. And it is. It brings out a lot of humor in a situation so sad that it almost HAS to be laughed at.

5 stars, easily. Also, do yourself a favor and read RD's two other books.

I bought this book a few years ago and have read it 3 times. I am a fan of RD Reynolds as a writer and his Wrestlecrap web site. I thought this book was good when I first read it at the time it came out. However, it has not held up well over repeated readings as time has passed and a lot of the so called facts in the book have been disproven.

Here is the good and bad about this book.

The Good

This book does at least attempt to provide some facts and information to back up its opinions, which is more than most wrestling books do. It is very funny and clever in the parts written by Reynolds. The subject matter of the destruction of the second largest wrestling organization in the world is an important subject. If you are a long time fan of wrestling, then this book is a good trip down memory lane.



The Bad

The pseudo journalism in this book is fairly sloppy and the book is basically a collection of internet wrestling fan fantasies that can be read any place on the web. The book has fun bashing the people the authors personally dislike, such as Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, the leaders of AOL / Time Warner, et cetera, but the authors never bothered to talk to any of these parties for their views. The so called sources the authors use are mostly unnamed (which is always a sloppy journalism tactic) and mostly consist of small time under card wrestlers who are just bitter at their lack of success. The personal favorite wrestlers of the authors, such as Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Chris Benoit, et cetera are lauded and applauded without receiving any criticism for their roles in the fate of WCW.

The book makes unsubstantiated, unsupported, conclusions about how Vince McMahon mishandled his purchase of WCW and how they think professional wrestling should be. As with WCW, the authors did not interview anybody in the WWF or any McMahons, so the portion of the book at the end where they are rambling about the WWF is misinformed and uneducational. Outside of the first chapter, very little is written about WCW before the birth of Monday Nitro in 1995, which is a huge omission. The book basically ignores the internal strife within AOL / Time Warner, which almost led the entire company to bankruptcy and the economic and business factors that were the real cause of the death of WCW (such as having no no DVD releases and weak overall merchandising and sponsorships).

Wrestling Organizations rarely die in such a fantastic fashion as WCW did in the early 2000's, but when it's IP was bought up by WWF, it was a lightning rod moment for the change of the US wrestling industry. RD and Bryan in this book did a fantastic job summing up post 1990 wrestling's history (for more on the pre-Bischoff era, RD's other book Wrestlecrap: the Worst of Pro-Wrestling covers it more in detail) and then going into depth on the numbers and antics of how WCW first pushed ahead of WWF, and then sank to nearly nothing.

I don't give five stars, only because I find the book slightly inconstant in tone - you can tell definitely when the two authors are writing, as RD's tone is nearly silly, and Bryan's much more serious. I found it disjointing and occasionally pulled me out of the experience of reading the book. Some more polish with an editor might have helped this issue. There are a few minor factual questions, but nothing that disrupts the flow of the book's story. I can also say I totally agree with the conclusion, but I think more time could have been given to the aftermath. If the book is ever re-printed, another chapter with more fallout might be a welcome addition.

Those few things aside, both are entertaining and informative. Both have been part of the Internet wrestling community for years, and we hope for a long time more. I can only say it's unfortunate wrestling has been so completely boring in the last 5 years, as a book about the post-WCW history would read like a diner menu of loathsomeness.

(I truly hope RD or Bryan look at this, find "loathsome" in a review, and get worried before they read the context. Sorry guys, just yank'n your chains!)

Also note RD has a new book coming soon with his Wrestlecrap Radio cohost Blade Braxton, which will be a full-on wrestling comedy book called Wrestlecrap Book of Lists and will be released in Nov. 2007.

This is a tough review to write. On the one hand, I enjoyed this book immensely. It was a fun trip down memory lane reviewing all the twists and turns of the Monday Night Wars in terrific detail. In fact, this is probably the most detailed book you'll find out there about this period. The authors also have a wonderful sense of humor, and the book is a quick and fun read.

What immensely frustrated me, however, was that almost no effort was made to provide sources for the voluminous amounts of information presented. While there is a very short bibliography at the end of the book listing a handful of sources organized by chapter (which probably do not account for most of the information in the book), no indication is given as to which pieces of information came from which source. To me, this is a major issue because the wrestling industry is rife with unfounded internet rumors, and it's important for the reader to be able to distinguish documented facts from unfounded rumors or speculation.

For example, the authors make numerous allegations about WCW's financial status at different points throughout its history with no citations or any other indications as to where this information purportedly came from. In his book, "Controversy Creates Cash," Eric Bischoff lamented the fact that internet writers often made unfounded and inaccurate claims about WCW's profits and losses since the company's information was proprietary and was allegedly unavailable to anybody outside of WCW. Of course, Bischoff could be lying through his teeth, but there's no way to tell (at least from this book) because Alvarez and Reynolds give us no way to determine where their figures came from.

In addition, the book is replete with allegations of conversations and happenings that occurred backstage with, again, no citations provided to allow the reader to verify any of it. This became especially frustrating when the authors wrote about promoters' and wrestlers' INTERNAL motivations for certain actions. The authors write about these internal thought processes as if they were mind-readers. Hulk Hogan got the worst treatment, as he was frequently accused of internally plotting to put his own interests above those of WCW. A notable example occurs on page 139, detailing what allegedly led to the July 6, 1998 match between Hulk Hogan and Bill Goldberg:

"As the date drew near, Hogan, the wily veteran, came up with a plan. Aware that all the Turner bigwigs would be at the show, he offered to take Goldberg on in a non-title, non-televised match in which Goldberg would get the win and and send the folks home happy. All the company execs, seeing the huge house, would obviously assume that Hogan drew it, and his standing as WCW's top dog would be cemented."

How do the authors know this was Hogan's motivation and thought process? Did they interview him? Did they rely on his book or something else that he wrote? Not according to the bibliography. In the bibliography, the only sources listed for the chapter on 1998 were a Prodigy Chat with Eric Bischoff CONDUCTED IN 1997 and a personal interview R.J. Reynolds conducted with Bobby Heenan (which is also listed as a source for the chapter on 2000). Since the Heenan interview is never referred to in the text of the book, it's entirely unclear which pieces of information (if any) actually came from that interview. Even assuming that Heenan provided the authors with information about Hogan's "plan", at best that's hearsay about another individual's internal thought processes from somebody who may or may not have an axe to grind. The reader is left to wonder whether Hogan's "plan" is a documented fact, the result of hearsay from Heenan (or somebody else), or completely unfounded speculation by the authors.

That's just but one example of the unfounded allegations that arise throughout the whole book. In sum, while this book is an immensely enjoyable read, the facts presented in it, other than what we saw on our TV screens, simply are not reliable. And that is a shame.

Well, this is certainly an interesting presentation of these DNA findings. I am persuaded that the DNA differences between the Scots, Welsh, Irish, and English are not significant, but I'm confused about most of the other issues he raises. For example, my surname would indicate Anglo-Norman ancestry yet my tests indicate what Sykes describes as Oisin(R1B). Okay. Yet, I look at maps of continental Europe and Scandinavia on other websites and see differing levels of R1B all over the place. I'm not sure that there's any way to sort out ethnic identity based on DNA. Not that it matters that much to me. His account of Irish mythology is worth the price of the book. I also think he should have matched up his "nicknames" to the conventional haplogroup identification.

After having paid for genealogical DNA testing for both myself (both Y and Mt) and my wife (Mt only, obviously), having received the results, and having developed some understanding of them, I looked forward to this book, since our ancestors are thought to have come from the British Isles.

Unfortunately, the author is completely caught up in his proprietary fanciful naming structure for haplogroups -- the "Seven Daughters of Eve" stuff.

He completely ignores all the other research being done in genetic genealogy -- and the hundreds of thousands of people who have had their DNA scientifically tested -- to the extent that he does not even offer a translation table (which could have easily been done in appendix) from his fanciful names to the scientific names of the haplogroups. In this sense this book will confuse more than it enlightens.

At several points in the book he announces that he will spare us all the science -- at at least one point I had the feeling that he was saying "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" and that I was in some sort of Oz. I'm sorry, but I didn't want to be spared the science, and I've worked hard enough understanding genetic genealogy that it's a little insulting to be "spared the science".

If you want to kill some time, and you've read all the Tolkien and Harry Potter books, this is an easy read. You'll even get a little travelogue, and some pre-history of the British Isles thrown in. Any preconceived notions you have about your British Isles roots can survive unquestioned.

However, if you're interested in really finding out where your own genetic genealogy fits in the British Isles, you'll be alternately bored and frustrated. Mostly frustrated.

I am only now starting to enjoy this book. The author needs a good editor. He apparently is quite a scientist, and quite a scholar, but at least for me it take a lot of reading to get at the facts. Skip to the chapters on the DNA evidence, and then come back to his description of the history.

I am a science fan. My degrees, such as they are, are in chemistry. I have worked in science for a very long time. But I've never really been a biology buff.

I do read a good deal of science, but I could not make my way all the way through this. The historical parts were extraordinarily interesting. I enjoyed how the author showed how others had tried to put together data to figure out where the peoples of the British Isles came from. I was stunned at how racism was supported by "science". And I really liked how the author gave credit to those before him and their endeavors.

But when it came to the biology, I was lost in the details. I realize the author did a great job of dumbing things down for those of us who know none of this. But it really just didn't catch my attention.

I think perhaps you need to have a good interest in this field before picking up this book. I was hoping this book would spark my interest in molecular bio, as I am into history and science. It just didn't.

(*)>

This is the book I've been looking for! I found Bryan Sykes to be a thoroughly engrossing author and storyteller as well as an accomplished scientist.

His overview of British history (as well as the occasional personal anecdote) coupled with the story of collecting samples in the various regions of the Isles is entertaining and sheds much light on who we are as a people. I came away with a feeling of connectedness to all around me and a burning desire to know my own ancient ancestry.

I loved not only the succinct stories of conquest and migration but also the simple explanations of current genetic anthropology. I was sorry to see this book end and look forward to reading his other books as soon as possible.

Perhaps the funny thing about all this is that I am not a scientifically minded person at all. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in history or with a family that hails from the Isles. Or, to anyone with a desire to know how we are all connected biologically.

Perhaps the most intriguing 'side benefit' of this book is a feeling that most of the conflict among peoples today could be seen in a different light when we finally come to understand that on the level of DNA we are all so remarkably the same.

Dogs are easily motivated to respond to stimuli. Cats aren't so cooperative. Potential buyers used to behave pretty much like dogs--responding to advertising by running out to buy a product. Even in the B2B world, a sales rep or an ad campaign could move prospects easily toward a purchase. Today, buyers prefer to make their own informed brand choices. They are as difficult to herd as, well, cats. The solution: The authors have invented a `persuasion architecture' that enables sellers to provide an information experience that's individually meaningful to buyers. It marries the two-sided buying/selling process with the marketing communications flow. "Its focus, always, is persuading the customer to take action." To keep buyers moving toward a positive decision, sellers must ask again and again:

* Who are we trying to persuade to take the action?
* What is the action we want someone to take?
* What does the person need in order to feel confident taking that action?

Successful marketers guide prospects toward informed decisions through touch points, such as the web, print or television ads, and in-person contacts. The buyer's voluntary participation is required, because "you are always the equivalent of `one click' away from goodbye." Pervasive Internet usage for pre-purchase research creates marketing opportunity. For example, the shift to flat screen TVs enables savvy sellers to become your new best friend. Buying a TV with a tube was easy. Who understands flat screens? If you can guide us gently toward a positive decision, you win. Implementing persuasion architecture will help position your organization as the provider of choice for:

* Relevant, reliable information
* An enjoyable buying experience
* Products and services that precisely meet client needs

In fact, persuasion architecture as a core component of content marketing may be just the competitive advantage you need to succeed with those hard to herd clients.

I thought this book was one of the most inspiring books I read in 2006. It doesn't present any groundbreaking news, but it does make you eager to get out there and improve your marketing. I put up quotes and drawings based on the book by my workplace -- to get the inspiration from the book to last longer.

An astonishing feat, amazing accomplishment. Putting forth the vision of a structural framework in understandable terms. Concepts that can easily be envisioned by the small business or the Global 500.

Stunning economy of scale. Presenting a coherent grid map to the future of marketing in under 250 pages.

You don't need magic or voodoo or hyper intelligence. This is a map, a process - not simple - not quick, but a entire end to end process that when worked through and completed, filling in all the appropriate blanks beginning with 'Uncovery', will give you a measurable response to your challenge which can in itself be tweaked and refined through all iterations in your 'Marketing Cycle'.

Pavlov used a dog. Would the same experiment have worked with a cat. Enticing a cat is only a little easier than herding cats. Mass Media is dead. You've heard by now of 'Longtail'. This is the road map for the next phase.

The first half through Chapter 13 lays a ground work to support the vision with known concepts and practices and a quick run through of the history of commerce. Customer's perceptions and responses have changed and some of the subtleties are highlighted here. The 'what's in it for me' outlook of the new consumer is addressed.

Yet this is only the beginning. These ideas have been in the heart of every marketer / sales person since time immemorial. Now they're presented in terms and visuals that can be presented to the newest greenest recruit in your team in a fashion that can be built upon through a lifetime career or avocation.

The concept of a *(Magic, secret, special, hidden, lost) Framework that only needed the proper application of known and knowable facts and procedures to produce the 'Answer', has long been a goal of civilization - The Abacus, The Analytical Engine. As your minds eye begins to perceive the illumination thru chapters (14 - 23) you can see that the authors have articulated a vision in more ways than one, The 'Visual' of the 'Framework', 'the matrix'. 'The matrix' in multiple dimensions is priceless and will be remembered. The Authors recognize that their new concepts are just a beginning.

This book shows you the tools to answer those three questions that should be asked throughout your operation.
1. Who are we trying to persuade to take the action?
2. What is the action we want someone to take?
3. What does that person need in order to feel confident taking that action?

Persuasion Architecture, Persona-lization, Uncovery, these are terms you will use for the rest of your life.

This a 'Must Read' for every serious marketer.

The book comes with a CD containing an 80 minute Q&A session with the authors, a PDF full text copy of the book, and a $50 credit on Yahoo! Sponsored Search (new users only).


Waiting for Your Cat to Bark?: Persuading Customers When They Ignore Marketing

Nearly every business book has at least one or two good ideas. However, every so often you get a book that's really just a piece of what's often called Spiral Marketing. Sprial Marketing is a technique in which you use a book, pamphlet, website or other low-cost entry point to capture an initial group of customers. Although you make some profit on the initial entry point, the main goal of that entry is to get you to purchase the next level, usually a set of videos or seminar. There is profit built into this second level as well, but even that's just a front to capture the big fish into longer term consulting. This book contains a smattering of theories, concepts and ideas (most of which are lifted from other sources such as Maslow, MBTI and general advertisting), accompanied by some professional looking illustrations. You have to admire the way it is able to continually flirt with the answers while never quite giving them away - you'll have to commit to the $150 consulting fees for that. And if you are interested in the consulting, I'll save you some money on that as well. Judging from the almost immediate mentions of Yahoo keywords, the foreward from a Yahoo executive and the $50 credit towards the service I'm guessing Yahoo keywords is pretty much the heart of what they call "Persuasion Architecture."

In terms of selling "themselves" and why you might want to use their services, this book barks loud. In terms of persuasive customer techniques, this book is a bit light on real content.

A good book on how to truly engage customers is Lois Kelly's "Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word of Mouth" marketing. She understands customers don't ignore marketing, rather they demand marketing that has meaning and engages them authentically. Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing

I bought this product a while ago. I get to LV once a year and Atlantic City 4 times a year. Most of the LV coupons are for the downtown casinos which I rarely have time to visit. I did use a few of the Atlantic City coupons, which about paid for the book. I did find some of the articles in the book interesting and informative.

used a bunch of these coupons already, it's a must have for a vegas vacation, probably saved over 100 bucks over the week using the 2 for 1 buffet coupons at places like The Silverton Casino (great place) The Sahara, New Orleans Casino, The Rio, Texas Station and several others. If you buy this book and use just 2 coupons it will have paid for itself in savings! Highly recommended.

Do NOT buy this book used. I did and when it arrived a good portion of the pages had been torn out. I sent it back and NEVER received my refund.
BUYER BEWARE!!!

LOTS OF FOOD COUPONS FOR VEGAS,,, PAYS FOR ITSELF WITH JUST ONE VISIT. LOTS OF 2 FOR 1 HOTEL NITES...

The American Casino Guide is well worth the money to use in Las Vegas. There are a few other out of state casino coupons but this is mainly for Las Vegas. Great buy one get one free buffet, shows and hotel offers. The only problem with this book is the binding. It's coming unglued in the middle, not a big deal though. A lot of info for new table gamers. Highly recommend this book!

I swear I really want to like her books, but sometimes it's just so painful. I don't know how this book got so many great reviews. I feel like I'm being generous giving it 3 stars. There were some good points about the book, but I found I had to stop myself from reading it on more than one occasion because my mind was starting to go numb. The sex scenes were great, I'll give her that.

I'll buy any Lori Foster book. Great reading. Can't get enough of her books.

I loved Shay's personality and her actions. I did not like how the author separated Shay and Bryan after they got together. The plot was ok, but nothing surprised or delighted me. I can't put my finger on what was missing, other than the feeling that the author was just churning out another book, similar to her prior work.

Story brief: Shay is a wealthy contributor to charitable causes. She is in a seedy part of town one evening, and the rain makes her clothes appear see-through. Bryan sees her and thinks she is a prostitute and takes her to a nearby safe house. Bryan is a bounty hunter, pretending to be his twin brother, Bruce, who is a preacher. Bruce had been beaten up, and Bryan is trying to find the bad guy. Bryan lets Shay think he is a preacher. Shay initially lets him think she is a prostitute. Shay wants to stay in the safe house for awhile to see how she can help the other women.

CAUTION SPOILERS:
I loved Shay's honesty and directness. Initially she lets Bryan think she is a prostitute, but soon after she tells him she is not. When he asks her name she says "I can't tell you." He asks why. She says "Because if I told you the truth, you'd hate me. And you were being so nice to me, I didn't want you to send me away. I wanted to get to know you better." Later, when he asks again, she says she will tell him later. To me, this is honorable. She is not lying. She is simply telling him that she chooses not to tell him for awhile. I loved it.

What I did not like was the author's method of separating the couple after they had sex. A reporter called Shay by her name in front of Bryan. Bryan was mad and said "You lied to me." (because she hadn't told him her name.) However, per the previous paragraph, she had been open about not telling him. Besides, he had gotten to know the real person who was different, wonderful and much better than the Shay negatively and incorrectly portrayed by the media. Bryan then left her and stayed away from her which was wrong and illogical. She grieved because of this.

I loved Shay's directness. From the very beginning she was the one to initiate the first kiss, and later kisses and to say that she wanted him. Toward the end, she was the first one to say "I love you." She said it matter-of-factly without expecting any words back from him. She was a neat lady.

Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: four. Setting: current day Ohio and Visitation, N. Carolina. Copyright: 2004. Genre: contemporary romance with a little suspense.

After reading "When Bruce ment Cyn" I was looking foward to reading "The Secret Life of Bryan" by Lori Foster. Byant has switch places with his twin brother Bruce when Bruce is beaten up for trying to help former ladies of the night Shay Sommer has called by press the "Crown Princess" for all the good works that she does. When Bryan mistakes Shay for a hooker, she decides to stay to try to help others. Bryan wants Shay, but he can't believe he wants her and his confuse by this.
I really wanted to like "The Secret of Bryan" but I found that is was a struggled to finish it. This book just didn't see like a Lori Foster book, it lacked the romance of other book by Ms. Foster, I sorry that I spent the money I did for this book.

The book was ok but I liked the previous book for this series better.

Hi,
This is great book if you want to learn Java Servlet API. If you have little bit experience in Java then this is the best book to start with Servlets.

Thanks,

This book is well put together, and is a good reference for Servlets and JSPs. The first edition was a bit outdated and irrelevant, so this book is much appreciated. The source code is still not up on the publisher'ssite... .

I was pleased to learn so quickly about server-side Java. This book is called servlets but also handles interesting topics like JSP, RMI and Corba. Those topics are very brief, though. Otherwise this book would have been ten times the size.

It does have mistakes that only attentive readers might catch. It was a bit annoying that all these re-usable components were explained, Chpater 4 about the HTML Objects could be completely skipped without harm. A CD-rom containing this code could be handy. Perhaps they can do so when re-printing.

I quickly learned to make servlets so it's a good book for it. It does require you to have some expertise in Java, but if you want to write servlets then you should already have that.

I have 5 books about Servlets and/or JSP's including the disapointed JavaServerPages and Java Servlet Programming both from o'reilly.

This is the best of all, all you need to know is Java, that's all. If you need to develop a Servlet project this book puts you on the road in the first 130 pages. Then if you want to have a better understanding you can read the rest of the book. The book has 24 chapters and 7 apendix and each chapter covers a topic in a very easy and comprehensive way with out confusing references like the o'reilly books that make you feel stupid.

More over this book has three complete JSP examples so well written that you can use part of the code for your own projects.

I was pleased to learn so quickly about server-side Java. This book is called servlets but also handles interesting topics like JSP, RMI and Corba. Those topics are very brief, though. Otherwise this book would have been ten times the size.

It does have mistakes that only attentive readers might catch. It was a bit annoying that all these re-usable components were explained, Chpater 4 about the HTML Objects could be completely skipped without harm. A CD-rom containing this code could be handy. Perhaps they can do so when re-printing.

I quickly learned to make servlets so it's a good book for it. It does require you to have some expertise in Java, but if you want to write servlets then you should already have that.

This book laid out the facts about Bush, his administration, and the way the media has played into all of his spin and "misleading" facts. This book takes an objective look at the tactics used by the administration spinkled with a few anti-bushisms. If you are looking for an angry anti-bush book this is not for you. Even when presenting infuriating facts about the lies and deciet found in the media and our presidency the authors do not present an angry public anywhere in the book. A book everyone should read if they care about their government and it's use of the media to get their own agendas in place.

The authors make a decent case that Pres. Bush sometimes stretches the truth a bit. Though when push comes to shove, what he says, they admit, is generally correct. That the media doesn't do its job very well is hardly new or unique to the Bush Admin. It is somewhat laughable that the authors choose to focus on Bush's sometimes picayune distortions (e.g., when the basic point he is getting across is correct, and what he is saying is also factually correct -- on taxes for example -- yes, those he picked to highlight his tax plan make the plan look good, but it did cut taxes for all taxpayers, which was his point: 'This cuts taxes, it is a tax cut.'), and choose not to cover Clinton's far greater mendacity. Only one of these presidents was found to have lied under oath and sanctioned by a federal judge amd then later disbarred for doing so (Not to mention lying to the entire country numerous times by his own admissions.). To preserve their alleged neutrality, and to make this book a more fair look at spin that would have supported the purpose of their website and made this a truly nonpartisan book, that would have been read by a broader cross-section of the electorate, the book should have focused on Clinton AND Bush. Since this largely focuses on a President in office, the Kerry portions would have been better replaced with an expand Clinton sections. Especially in light of the fact that the whole phenomenon of spin came into the public eye during the '92 Clinton campaign, with J. Carville and G. Stephanoupolous spinning (and being spun by Clinton & Clinton - see GS' ALL TOO HUMAN) madly to deflect bimbo erruptions they swore up and down had no factual basis. As later events and Michael Isikoff's excellent and fair book, UNCOVERING CLINTON, make clear, this was all spin, and the dawning of a new age of degraded political discourse. Also, if I'm not mistaken on this point, I must point out the irony of the authors' attempts at "spinsanity", unbiased analysis, here and at their website - 2 Democrats, no Republicans - what could be more fair!?

This book BARELY scratches the surface of the lie machine that is the Bush administration. They cause a ten car crash and say they are working on recycling scrap metals..what is missing from this book is the OUTRAGE any decent journalist should feel- they lament that the media sits on its haunches and is spoon fed, but thats where the story ends and begins. Someone needs to get to the bottom of this and find out why major corporate media is allowing this load of manure to be fed to the public- whose pocket is being lined? What ever happened to unbiased, unpaid, investigative journalism? A free press is the foundation of liberty and our media has been patted on the head, given a sucker and told to wander on home. It doesn't take rocket science- listen to the interviews where they just repeat their point regardless of the question- its obvious manipulation- and the mass of America is swallowing it without looking at it.
We should have serious works by the media decrying this, but they just sit and whimper or say nothing to keep "access" open.
No government should be able to pull this!

SHOULD BE READ BY ALL AMERICANS WHO STILL BELIEVE THEY LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY

In a time when 99.9% of media criticism consists of people saying "I don't like what you are saying therefore you are wrong," Fritz and Co. actually use facts and reason when critiquing the media. Shocking, but effective.

The first X-Men movie novelisation is a lot shorter than the third, and suffers a bit because of it, and it looks like the writers were told to play it straight, and not given the license or room to extrapolate and throw in embellishments to improve the book as a whole. Otherwise, it is a solid retelling of the Wolverine and Rogue saga, as the learn of the X-Men and finally realise what his plan is.

This leads to the confrontation at the Statue of Liberty to prevent a whole bunch of world leaders turning into genetic goo.

This book was awesome. It is, however, somewhat different from the movie, but it's still a good read. I really recommend this book it's one of the best Comic Book based movie novelization i've read.

X-Men: A Novelization arrived in perfect condition and was an excellent book to read.

If any of you have read my reveiw for Daredevil you know what i mean. I hated the Daredevil Movie Tie-In and i did not like this one that much either. For starters I am a huge fan of the X-Men ( Wolverine is my favoerite! ) In the book Wolverine has four claws that come out of his nucles. Well and body who has seen the movies, or read a comics knows that he only has three claws that come out from in between the nucles. After reading that the book just wasn't the best for me. Too much was changed from the movie.

Overall: Well...It is an easy read, but not up to par.

I like movie novelizations where both the movie and the book are good, but in different ways. The things that happen in this book are almost exactly the same as the things that happened in the movie - I was impressed that it could be this accurate and still be such a short book. There are a few things in the book that weren't in the movie at all, such as, at the beginning, parts that explain what it was like for Cyclops and Storm when they first got their powers. That was nice. Still, it felt like this book managed to leech all the excitement out of the story. It was a faithful book, but not a very fun one.

Bought this book for my son who is an attorney. I admire Judge Scalia and hopefully my son will find this book informative.

I'll be brief (no pun intended). If you are a lawyer or law student who wants to write better and more persuasive briefs - buy or borrow this book! I've completely changed my legal writing style after reading Judge Scalia and Garner's book.

Justice Scalia is one of the most controversial justices of our time, and is not shy about sharing his views, whether you like it or not. I don't agree with him on most of his points, but I do enjoy his writings and speeches. He spends time thinking about what he believes in and why, long before he speaks. So even if you disagree with him, his reasoning is clear, well thought out, and thought provoking.

Having said that this book is flavored by Scalia's personality, but what he is saying is often correct. This is a book that law student should read, unfortunately this book has been written in response to the actions of practicing lawyers. Reading it makes me wonder what it is that law schools are teaching lawyers, the advice in this book seems to be common sense.

The book is an easy read and any person, layman, student, lawyer will be able to read this book and gain a better understanding of good writing, speaking, and research skills. I found my self even laughing out loud at some of the stories, and comments. I love all the quotes from prominent lawyers, and justices which are found through out the book.

I only gave this book four stars because I felt that although it is a well written, it fell short of the skill and depth that Justice Scalia is capable of. I have no argument with those who give it 5 stars, for all most anyone else it would be a 5 star work.

This book is written for the first year law student and not an average lay reader. Reads like a textbook.

If you are a practitioner seeking insightful wisdom from a Supreme Court Justice to improve your advocacy skills, this book is not for you. Those who have taken a basic legal writing and/or moot court course will not find any new information here. Essentially, the authors have compiled highlights from a legal writing textbook, added a few quotes from famous judges and a few examples from their own experience, and billed this as a book of wisdom. It appears that most of the book was written by co-author Bryan Garner, drawing on the material from his past publications on the same subject, with Justice Scalia merely placing his name on the cover in order to sell more copies. This is evident by comparing the writing styles of the co-authors when they disagree at a few points in the book. Garner's entries read like the rest of the book; Justice Scalia's entries read like one of his court opinions. Overall, if you are a practitioner, you likely already have a legal writing book stashed away in a box from law school that will serve you just as well.

Personally, I found "Jewtopia" to be laugh out loud funny. As a professional comedy writer, I know how subjective "funny" can be. That's why the funniest movies and plays, before final release, have had umpteen "sneak previews"-- to gauge-- and re-write or edit out those lines that fall flat before an audience. Like most of my discriminating friends in this crazy, predominantly Jewish "business"-- most of us are a "tough laugh" in regard to what is "funny."

The Axiom of Comedy-- If it makes you laugh, it IS "funny"; if it doesn't make you laugh, it is NOT funny.

As a neurotic, "twice a year" Jewish kid from Brooklyn, New York, who grew up (from 1953-1965) in a small, anti-Semitic town in the South (with a synagogue, the local "Jewish church"), I was exposed early on to all the Jewish stereotypes and Conspiracy Theories-- which my Yiddish-speaking parents and I found more hilarious than offensive.

For any reader interested, I sublimated the painful humor of my bizarre Jewish boyhood into a "more than semi-autobiographical" mini-website at the URL-- http://richardlorber.homestead.com/Richard.html

Richard Lorber
rlorber@dslextreme.com

For gentiles and Jews alike, the scholarly, well-documented doctoral dissertation of Professor Kevin Macdonald is tremendously insightful-- and was ultimately published by the prestigious publisher, Praeger. It is referenced below--

[ASIN:0595228380 A People That Shall Dwell Alone: Judaism As a Group Evolutionary Strategy, With Diaspora Peoples]

BTW, I thoroughly disagree with its few negative reviews, written by people who, in my opinion, completely miss Macdonald's central thesis of a Jewish "Evolutionary Strategy"; clearly, to me, at least-- emotions and stereotypes cloud the objectivity of these Reviewers.

...but it was uneven. While it was well-written, certain passages made me wince. Among the wince-inducing was the claim that Jews don't give to charity. Jews are among the big donors, both to Jewish and general charities. Also, the (mis)use of the term "Reformed" to refer to a denomination of Judaism. The authors, or at least their editors, should know by now that it's Reform. No "ed". Could take it or leave it. Certainly wouldn't recommend it.

This book is funny. Really, really funny. But, there's something else to Jewtopia, and that is that it puts you in touch with your Judaism. Yes, you're going to laugh out loud over and over, but you're also going to feel proud to be a Jew, you're going to feel righteous anger at the bigotry we've sustained for freaking ever, and you're going to feel a sense of power in the rightness of who we are.

I recommend this book to everyone, but especially to the other chosen people out there.

L'Shalom

Jewtopia is a good read even if you aren't Jewish. The insights into the Jewish mindset are priceless and will have you laughing out loud. You will moe than likely recognize yourself if you are a Jew or if not then you'll recognize your Jewish friends.

Fogel, Bryan and Wolfson, Sam. "Jewtopia: The Chosen Book for the Chosen People", Warner Books, 2006.

Funny Jewish Humor

Amos Lassen

One of the great traits of the Jewish people is our ability to laugh at ourselves "Jewtopia" gives us just that outlet. The book is somewhat based on authors Bryan Fogel and Sam Wolfson's play which they created in 2003. They look at Jewish life and at themselves and have great fun laughing. The jokes are over the top and totally irreverent but that seems to be what makes them so funny. In the nine chapters in the book, you get a look at everything Jewish in a way that you have not looked at the Jewish religion before. I had a hard time turning the pages because I was laughing so hard. The first two chapters of the book deal with Jewish history in a very unhistorical way. If what us written in the book is, indeed, the history of the Jewish people than I should have paid more attention as a kid. The historical survey contains maps and insets and vocabulary as well as valuable little tidbits that are not taught at Sunday school.
Chapter 3 is a guide to the Jewish holidays and I guess I have been celebrating them wrong all of these years. In fact there are some new holidays that I never knew about such as Blachahbarchooeschai Day. I also learned that the things that I thought we were begging forgiveness for on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, were all wrong. There is a whole new list of things to atone for like telling a homeless guy that I had no cash right after I had just withdrawn money from the ATM about 20 feet away. An entire new explanation of the Seder plate used on Passover further enlightened me as did the section on Christmas vs. Chanukah.
Chapter 4 enlightens on the subject of food. There is a list of things to do in order to keep kosher like not eating fruit with mites and not drinking wine that has been touched by a non-Jew. There are also some interesting rules for eating such things as bagels and smoked fish.
In chapter 5 we have the Jewish guide to life--"from bar mitzvah to bowels" and that seems to be pretty inclusive just as is chapter six which deals with travel: "planes, trains and diarrhea". Chapter 7 looks at the stereotypes within the Jewish religion with a great deal of emphasis on the Jewish nose which is something that really needs no extra emphasis. We are all certainly aware of Jewish conspiracies and this is the subject of chapter 8, subtitled "Do Jews Control the World?" (Notice please the question mark).
We finally get to the last chapter with our sides hurting from laughter and are presented with the final exam, "How Good a Jew Are You?" I am proud to say I passed. Throughout the book there are eight phone conversations with Jewish mothers which are sure to give you new insight into the Jewish religion.
I especially love the note in the travel section which stated that if you are tired of living with Jews then you should move to Arkansas. I can identify with that.