Burke Books

An excellent introduction to "naughty French", this book contaons phrases and words that are both considered insulting as well as just those that are common in informal speech. Chapters on sexual terms, body parts, put downs, and so on make this book very useful as well as amusing to read. This is not only for the vulgar minded; a certain skill in understanding certain profanities is necessary so that one does not intentionally say something inappropriate. the author gives an example in the introduction: an American teacher teaching English in France tells her class that she "kisses" her husband everyday in the doorway of her house. However, the word that technically means kiss, in the case mentioned, can also mean "to screw". So you can understand how knowledge of such terms are used is a necessity if one is to communicate effectively in French.

French is different from American English and not just in the obvious way.

In America and Canada, we speak a version of English in our daily lives that can be understood by more than 300 million people, from coast to coast and from the arctic circle to the Florida keys. It is, basically, the language we hear in our schools, on television and in the movies. Sure, there is a lot of crude language that the teacher doesn't use and that you wont hear on Fox News. But essentially, we all speak the same English.

In France, all French people can understand the French they learned in school. But most French people speak another language in their daily lives that is incomprehensible to anyone who only understands correct French. It is, properly speaking, a dialect of French. Think of the most arcane black English you can imagine and multiply it by 1000 and you have popular French.

And the popular jargon gets outdated fast: "Titine aussi sec elle l'a remouché: elle y a cloqué une sévère va-te-laver!" Not completely impossible but try to parse twenty of those sentences, spoken very fast by someone with cigarette a hanging in his mouth and half drunk.

Virtually every word of correct French has a corresponding word in the spoken language: voiture-bagnole, maison-baraque, garçon-mec, fille-gonzesse, and the list goes on and on. And on.

I have the first version of Street French which is dated 1989. More Street French is dated 1991. The versions will never end because Street French will never stop changing. I imagine that a Parisian of 1937 would have as much trouble understanding a Parisian of 1973 and 2007 as they would have understanding him.

This is not a criticism of Burke's tapes, simply a heads up so you will know what is going on. But if you try to speak this way in any official capacity in France, especially if you can't speak correct French, the French will turn their back on you and not even give you the time of day. ("This is a fuckin cool headquarters ya got here mon. Have can I a drink wine?") They are not even remotely tolerant of foreigners who can't speak correct French even though they rarely speak it themselves.

With those caveats, buy the tapes but don't trash your French teachers. They are fully aware of this problem and the consensus of many years is to teach correct French and leave the rest to your discretion.

One last comment. Burke uses his own voice in his tapes. We are accustomed to television announcer voices but Burke's voice is closer to what you will actually hear in France so it is better that you get used to it. I suspect, in the final analysis, it was not ego or cost considerations that led Burke to use his own voice but the recognition of that fact. Don't curse him for it, thank him.

Merde!

Well, I'm not French, but I'm a certified francophile and I enjoyed the feeling of knowing what a typical French person knows, supposedly. Although there are some words that are probably region-sensitive, because one time, my friends and I wanted to have fun during a birthday of a French friend and he couldn't get the joke! Just like his other books Street French 1 and 2, Burke tries to give a close translation to the words--not an easy feat. This book is definitely for those who might want to keep a vocabulary of naughty things for fun.

If you are hoping to get clarification of the meaning of slang, vulgar and obscene terms in Spanish this dictionary & thesaurus is a great intro to this vocabulary in Spanish. As in any language this is usually hard to learn and understand without exposure and because Spanish is so broad whether you are a native speaker or not it is sometimes necessary to consult a reference to clarify the meaning of a word or expression. An everyday word in one country can be considered vulgar and totally unacceptable in another.

This book contains data from Street Spanish 1,2,3 and a thesaurus of terms thematically categorized. If you wish to understand these terms as they are used and terms more specific to a particular Latin country or region, this thesaurus will prove beneficial. I also recommend the Mcgraw-Hill Diccionario del Argot: El Sohez. It is very advanced but is thorough and helpful if you wish to explore the world of idioms and slang in Spanish.

I think this dictionary/thesaurus is deifinitely worth purchasing for those who like to expand on their knowledge of Spanish. I like how David Burke gives explanations on how certain idioms and words came about. I also liked the fact that at the end of the book, he put in some of the "Naughty Spanish" from his other book, Street Spanish 3: The Best of Naughty Spanish. I musn't forget, either, about the illustrations because they are so hilarious. So anyway, you guys, compren el libro. Uds. pueden darme gracias mas tarde!!

As the owner of Toni Roman's LearningSpanishVideoReviews web site, I am more than happy to have this opportunity to post my review of this wonderful resource for learning to speak and understand everyday Spanish.

If the closest thing to Spanish slang that you know how to say is "Que Pasa Amigo?," you should seriously consider investing
in this book. It has over one thousand alphabetically arranged Spanish slang terms, ranging from actual slang words, to
idioms, to proverbs, colloquialisms and obscenities. Street Spanish Slang Dictionary & Thesaurus also has plenty of regional usage tips. The only thing that I did not like about this book is that it only has a Spanish alphabetical listing so you'd have to know the word already in Spanish in order to look it up in this book. And if I already knew the word in Spanish there would be no need for me to have to look it up.

If you find that this book is of interest to you, Streetwise Spanish is another book that you may like.

I disagree with the previous review, although I agree that this is an excellent book. Personally, I was glad to have studied Irigaray under the tutelage of an excellent professor, otherwise I would have, and I think many readers could, misread her drastically. Irigaray is simply not a clear and easy writer.

Simply put, Irigaray's writing falls under the category of "difference feminism", rather than egalitarian feminism, like most of the liberal feminists we, particularly in North America, are used to. Instead of trying to subsume male and female experience under the same account, Irigaray plays up the differences between the embodied experiences of men and women-- she is not an essentialist, it is more that she doesn't attempt to separate gender from sex in lived experience.

Her work is provocative-- some find it sexy, some off-putting. She attempts, for example, to redefine the ways males and females experience their sexuality, by challenging the central position of the phallus as an organ of domination. Her psychoanalytic language can be difficult to get through if you aren't, as I'm not, well-versed in that particular method.

A must read for those interested in Femenist Theory. Travelling across Freudian and Lacanian perspectives, this book seriously explains, with accesible language, the female sexuality. It simply expresses very difficult theories, and guides the reader with accesible terminology from the outset. In my opinion, after reading this text, one can be said to be fluent in femenist issues. I also think it is an extraordinary and seamless translation.

This is Irigaray's best known book. Although at times her linguistic approach is difficult (namely when she discusses Lacan), I found these essays & interviews fascinating and meaningful. Essentially she presents a critique of Freud's conclusions on feminine sexuality; in his view, women exist only in relation to men; pretty much to provide pleasure and birth (hopefully male) babies. Irigaray describes how this notion came to be--not because women are intrinsically passive and masochistic, but because historical, linguistic, and social conditions construct this situation. She asks how women can be defined/seen/thought of just as women, not because of sexual capabilities. How can phallogocentric structures of language and commerce (basically our whole worldview) be revised or destroyed to allow women to exist without being objectified and commodified? It is unclear how optimisitc Irigaray is about this possibility, but her questioning has proved significant for many fields of study. In my opinion chapter 4, The Power of Discourse and the Subordination of the Feminine, is the most succinct summary of her main ideas.

This is an excellent read, as is Paul Burke's earlier book Father Frank.

I suppose I would enjoy it even more than the average person having had a very similar upbringing to Dave Kelly in the same part of London. Only real difference was that the boys in the book are around 8 or 9 years older than me.

There is so much of everything mentioned that I can relate to, epecially the 'fictional' St Bede's School the two attended. Rest assured that St Bede's is anything but fictional. The name and location of the school and names of teachers have been changed, but the school and characters portrayed are very real. I know because I attended the school concerned and spent two terrified years in room 26 - 'doc's' maths class...

Despite my own familiarity with much of what the boys go through, it is Burke's storytelling abilities that make his books such an enjoyable read. His ability to put the experiences of growing up into words set him apart. I sure wish I had his ability.

I'm very much looking forward to Paul Burke's next book, whenever that may be. In the meantime, if you have not yet read Father Frank and Untorn Tickets, then I suggest strongly that you do.

I tracked this book down after reading Father Frank, Paul Burkes first book which was a gem.

This is even better. Two teenagers who become friends by working in the same cinema (even though they have gone to the same school for five years previously), soon become adept at lining their pockets with a few perks of the job.

Both are from strict Catholic families, although with a difference -one is Irish Catholic and the other Polish Catholic. Their Catholicism shapes their childhood lives but they are both on the brink of adulthood -both very keen to break away and form their own lives and opinions.

This book is beautifully written, the author really sets everything up well, with great detail regarding the boys, their backgrounds, their tyrannical teachers at school, where they live and the girls they fall in love with.

I found this to be a really good book and am on the hunt for more by Paul Burke.

A nice little book about two friends from a dodgy part of London who bond at their grammar school, go on to work in a cinema where they soon start conning the corporate owners out of cash to fuel their extracurricular activities.

This book won't change the world, but has some nice observational humour about relationships, 6th form college and the 70s music scene. A nice light read for Anglophiles in their mid thirties.

The title of this adventure is WE DARE TO SAY--but first we are dared to READ! At the top of each purposely un-numbered page (you can start anywhere!) one is drawn in by a brief, spirited, well-crafted reflection. Nudged by the unexpected found there, the reader is all but impelled to write, to probe, emote, journal; to allow challenge, delight, new insight flow from pen to page in word and poetry.

This journal is an adventure for those who have the courage to journey more deeply inito life, its mysteries and meanings. There are many references to the Christian story, but the reflections open the reader/wrier to a more inclusive sense opf the Sacred. Without hesitation I would invite anyone to journal your way through this 21st century Book of Proverbs.

Rev. William Burke, a priest in the archdiocese of Chicago, supplies the only extended text in this book, a "Welcome" introducing the work and author Ken Trainor, whom he has known for several years.

Trainor is a journalist and student of contemplative living, who has made annual retreats at a Trappist monastery for more than a dozen years. We Dare to Say is made up of seven named sections consisting of a title, quotation from Scripture, and between 8 and 24 pages, all lined for easy journal writing, headed by a short reflection from Trainor. Further Scripture passages appear at the bottom of some pages.

A number of the reflections take the form of personal questions, as Where do you store the sadness you can't let go? and Does it terrify you that you might be wasting your life? Does it terrify you enough? Others are more like aphorisms, as "Prayer and meditation: the ultimate in single-tasking.... Rain is just a cloud lightening its load.... Life is like a good night's sleep. At the end of it, we wake up." There are also sections on re-visions ("Don't grant me easily the serenity to accept what I can't change") and comparisons ("The passage of time is merely eternity changing its clothes"). Reflections in the confessions section relate to Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8, parts of which grace the bottom of 16 pages. Trainor writes, "Whether I succeed or fail, I may inspire someone else to try. Eventually, someone is bound to succeed" to complement the opening phrase of the passage, "For everything there is a season...."

In addition to its use for personal journal keeping, We Dare to Say would be a good resource for leaders of faith sharing groups and retreats.

For writers, the words of Epictetus ring clear, "If you wish to be a writer; write!" Sometimes the words flow as effortlessly as the cascading water over a waterfall. Other times, however, writers cannot seem to make words appear on paper. It is a delicate time--a story wants to break through but will not. Sadly, many great stories are lost forever when discouraged writers discard the pen and paper in a fit of frustration.

If you find yourself in such a position and cannot seem to get your words on paper, Kenneth Trainor's We Dare to Say: An Adventure in Journaling is worth a look. The author's background has taught him the importance of reflective thought to awaken the creative genius. Furthermore, We Dare to Say is a masterful blend of quotations guided by Scripture.

One such quotation is: "We are either the by-product of erosion or the work of a master sculptor. One way or the other, life will have its way with us." Each blank page of this journal includes a quote, which will help the writer ponder issues worthy of writing. Trainor allows Scripture to work along the bottom edge of the paper, guiding writers to the best source of inspiration.

The biblical authors wrote when they were inspired by God--literally being given the "God-breathed" the words to record. The written word is an investment in this visitation of the Holy One as He guides the pen on the paper. Seeking inspiration through reflection and openness to God will allow your story to emerge.

Epictetus' famed words could aptly be revised: "If you wish to be a writer; journal first - and you will be a better writer!" Kenneth Trainor's work is an apt resource to help authors let their stories break out.

Armchair Interviews says: Anything that can help writers write...and write better, is worth a read.

Joyce Lohse brought back many memories of wonderful days working on the Yellowstone. Reading her book took me along with her as she visited the many places Yellowstone Park has to offer. Through Joyce's eyes you get a different view of the Park and all the fun people who worked along side of her. If you have worked in the Park then you know the pull it has and a life changing experience Joyce reviews. If you have only visited the Park then you get another perspective. But if you are about to make a decision to work in the Park please do and join the thousands of people who have as Joyce did. You may find yourself rereading her book from to time. Super book !!!

Joyce has captured the essence of Yellowstone with the story of her adventures as a Yellowstone Savage (ie. employee). The tales that she tells are written in a prose style that really draws you into the story. This is a book for anyone who has a passion of outdoor adventure and how it relates to the simple joy of human interaction! I recommend it to any past, present, and future Yellowstone employee as well as anyone who enjoys prose about our First National Park!

Being a former Yellowstone Savage myself, I couldn't put this book down!! I felt as if I could have written this book because so many of Joyce's experiences were shared by me and my friends! For anyone that has felt the love of the incredible land of Yellowstone, this is an awesome book! She shares her insights on her experiences of living in this beautiful land so if you want to know more about Yellowstone, it's a personal guide to the park from an employee's perspective. If you worked in the Park - you'll enjoy reliving those fantastic memories!!

A fine addition to your "livres du macabre". This book informs you to the sensational facts of the Burke and Hare case, without being sensationalistic.

I own this and several other books on these two "gentlemen;" their exploits are less exploited here than in others- "The Murderer's Comanion" for instance. William Roughhead is so busy showing his superior morality (and vocabulary) that he bogs down in his own righteousness.

If you want to get to know the facts, the players in the case, and more of the circumstances surrounding these body-snatchers, give Bailey's book a read. You might also get the Hugh Douglas book, which goes into WHO they were more effectively than most of the other books.

However, if you want to roll in the revolting nature of their acts (and see them as melodramatic bad guys rather then seriously-flawed humans) purchase "Rest Without Piece", a tawdry, necrophila-friendly bit of fiction based on Burke and Hare. The depth of the characters in Ms. Byrd's work are as thin as each page of this trifle you turn.

1828 and Edinburgh is one of the leading places for studying medicine, which requires dead bodies. But the only bodies legally allowed to used were dead criminals, so the story of Burke and Hare is a story of two enterprising men who saw a profit opportunity. The book spins facts into a great story: The horrific conditions of poverty are as startling as the gruesome crimes of murder, placed against a backdrop of ethical questions. Well done, a ripping good read.

Few books have caused such anxiety as this one. It brands some people as socially unworthy (basically, if you're not in it!), and raises others to great worth. If you read VANITY FAIR (the novel, not the magazine) by William Makepeace Thackery, you'll see the characters rush home after a party to consult BURKE'S PEERAGE to see if those they've just met are of proper lineage. Arianna Huffington (who is Greek) recently said that, when she got to America, she was relieved she could make social progress there. She went there from London, where she said, "You had to be in BURKE'S PEERAGE to make it socially." Imagine a book having such social influence in both the 19th and 20th Centuries!!

This latest edition of the famous bible of the British aristocracy takes a robust attitude to such touchy subjects as money, illegitimacy and snobbery.

Those requiring remotely useful information on the who, what and where of British society will be obliged to update their now dog-eared 1970s vintage editions - this new volume, while bemoaning the vanishing English Country House, has scores of entries for the would-bes, might-bes and has-beens of showbusiness.

No expense has been spared in researching the sons, daughters, lovers and sisters-of-cousins of the rich, the titled and the famous.

For some entries, the claim to fame is merely to have been born of the right seed (with, or without, benefit of clergy). Elsewhere, a meritocratic approach is evident, with the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis and some hundreds of other screen sirens, British and American, finding their way in. However, a Bourke's tradition is maddeningly maintained in appearing to favour some achievers over others, with little apparent regard for talent, longevity or importance. If nothing else, this gives us all a stick with which to beat the book, and adds to the general sense of the surreal and the dotty which characterises this distinctly British, and quite obviously insane work. Read it with relish.

A superb party game involves reading part of an entry, and challenging your guests as to whether the person concerned entered the Peerage on merit or thanks to an accident of birth. Skilled players edit their extracts to gull the susceptible. Enjoy.

Intended as a companion volume to _Burke's Guide to the Royal Family,_ this product of the "new Burke's" follows the familiar indented-outline format and is very easy to use. The early history of each House is only summarized, but is complete from the sixteenth century or so. Families that are "temporarily out of business" make up the bulk of the book, including portraits of the current pretenders (up to c.1980, anyway). Much readable anecdotal material, and the Introduction has some salty comments on the observed results of replacing hereditary monarchy with "mob democracy." An excellent and trustworthy source for ready-reference.

This is one of the finest research book set available. All the world's royal families are at your fingertips. Includes photographs & geneological tables. Highly recommended. Please look at this book.

I have to say I enjoyed this book as it put names and voices to one of the most interesting and tumultuous times in baseball history. Everything from the emergence of Latin players, to the players union to the current import of players from Asia is well covered. Some of the voices are quite interesting such as Marvin Miller who is always a fascinating man and is someone who should be in the Hall of Fame.

The only downside that I see to this book is the format. I do not believe that the personal history is the best format. I believe a number of short paragraphs would be more ideal. Otherwise, any baseball fan with a love of the game would like this book.

Baseball today is a different game than it was 50 years ago. And, even though it has changed drastically in some ways, we have a tendency to forget the impact the changes have had.

Authors Larry Burke and Peter Thomas Fornatale compile an interesting oral history of eight key events that shaped modern baseball. The selected events are:

The Latino Wave
The 1962 Mets (expansion)
Ball Four
Birth of the Players Union
The Designated Hitter
The First African American Manager
Cal Ripken's Streak
Ichiro Comes to America

Some could argue whether or not these are the eight most important changes, but none of them can be readily dismissed.

Even if you have lived through the changes (as I have), you will find the chapters informative, insightful and interesting. The authors interview a good mix of players, executives and sportswriters. Change Up is a book all baseball fans should read.