Burr Books

I asked a well informed friend what philosophy book he might recommend for me to read for a contemporary view of philosophy today. I have had only introductory courses in philosophy. He recommended this book and I was most satisfied with his recommendation. It is a splendid anthology that shows us how philosophy adds to our understanding of the world around us and how to think about abstract and complex subjects. It sheds light on the most fascinating subjects and it inspired me to read more on some of the topics. It covers general topics, each with about a half dozen well written article, in six chapters. Freedom and determinism, God and Religion, Morality an society, State and Society, Mind and Body and, lastly, Knowledge and science. Both sides of each argument are treated when appropriate.
I think the book does the job of making philosophy interesting quite well.
It is well organized, suggests further reading in each chapter, has a glossary, but no index.

While another review on this book points to the fact that it does not cover "the classics of philosophy," I found it to be an interesting introduction to the discipline. This book was required reading for a Master's level philosophy course, thus I was "forced" to read it. But, I found it to be enlightening due to its nature.

I have tried to circle through some of the "classics" and often have a difficult time relating them to the modern world. This book, in using modern writers, does a great job of connecting the basic problems of philosophy to the modern day.

I used this book in my Philosophy 101 class a few semesters back. Having taken a lot of Philosophy in my private high school education, I was expecting to be re-introduced to Plato, Buber, Kierkegaard, and other dead geniuses. Instead, I get this book and I'm given about 30 or so short essays on various topics by mostly modern authors. "The Apology" is there, but few other classic essays are. This book would make for an interesting read for the already initiated, but it will be a terrible introduction to philosophy for those who are new with it.

A Secret Eye was a huge disappointment. The characters were not as developed and colorful as one might expect. The diary/journal form became ho-hum after the first few entries. The dragging subjects and subject matter made the 470 pages difficult to wade through. Augusta has always been my home and I did enjoy some of the local history. I am certain a more interesting story could have been told about my hometown.

I totally diagree w/ the review above because apparently the reader did not understand that this diary is not a novel.

It is true however that the diary does not reveal too much of Ella herself. This is not surprising to me since she states that she is not going to open up to her diary and tell her innomost feelings. Unfortunately!
However, after she gets married, has children and is much more matured she does reveal a great deal about her life, feelings etc.
One can only thank that someone took the trouble to record personal information during the antebellum time and afterwards for the readers of the 21st century to read. Thank you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! How often does one get to read someone else's diary? (Set during the Civil War, no less.) The author was a well educated, intelligent woman for her time and she is an excellent writer. So many aspects of this diary are completely fascinating. Her pampered southern lifestyle, her views on slavery (she calls herself a liberal re: slavery and yet, she is such a racist.), her feelings on male superiority and her longing to do more with her talents. The entries during the war and after are the most interesting... but DON'T read the introductory notes written by the editor...unless you want to spoil the ending! I wanted the diary to unfold one day at a time without knowing what was coming just as it did for Gertrude. After reading the diary I went back and read the editorial notes which add insight into the author's life. This is a story of a very strong woman enduring unbelievable hardships. If you enjoy history at all you will love reading this diary!

The book was in good condition but I was disappointed that is was a book club edition.

Mr. Fast has produced another book in the series of Lavette family histories. It is a fine assemblage of interesting characters and vignettes, though somewhat struggling to keep the generations moving into the post-1960's world.

An additional aspect of interest is its attempt to understand life in California. The fictional format offers the reader glimpses into understanding the unique history, economy, sociology, demography, and politics of the state. Mr. Fast brings together the melting pot of California -
Yankee, immigrant, Chinese, Chicano, and Jew. It is worthwhile to note the distinctions and rivalries between the North (San Francisco) and the south (Los Angeles). It provides a view of its politics and power circles, eager to assert their power as demonstrated in their support of a native son, Richard Nixon. And it tries to portray the state in transition in the second half of the Twentieth Century.

It is a worthy read for the genre.

Nice movie. This book has the script (118 pages), a few pages of black and white stills, and the production notes. There's also a two page intro by the film's writer/director, to tell you what it's about, in case you don't get it.

"Igby Goes Down" is the sort of first movie that most directors dream of -- cast of stars (Claire Danes, Susan Sarandon, Ryan Phillipe), sharp polished story, and just enough surreality to keep it from being dull. This warped coming-of-age tale is shown in its original screenplay format here.

Igby has flunked out of virtually every prep school his elite, rich family has sent him to. Now he's being sent to military school -- but he has no intention of staying. So he flees to the heart of New York, living in the loft where his godfather's mistress lives and hanging around with a beautiful college bohemian called Sookie. But Igby's life begins to unravel when his secret is found out, and Sookie falls in love with his brother.

Burr Steers certainly had a good thing going when he wrote "Igby Goes Down." It's a bit hard to follow if you haven't watched the film, since the movie has only a vague sort of plot. But Steers keeps it interesting with lots of witty dialogue and intricate details (he even describes what kind of shirt Sookie should wear in one scene). It's hard to believe that this was his first screenplay -- the end result is that polished.

That isn't to say that the screenplay really comes alive by itself. Without the vibrant sullenness of Kieran Culkin, Igby seems a lot less interesting and sympathetic, and Ollie seems much less cold without Ryan Phillipe's deadpan performance. And there are some scenes (like a freakish dream Igby has about Mimi) that never made it to the screen.

Adding to the interest is a series of black-and-white stills from the movie, and some production notes at the back. The notes include the origins of "Igby Goes Down," information on Steers, and what the actors have to say about their characters. It makes for interesting reading.

Lovers of teen rebels will probably like "Igby Goes Down," and people who loved the film will enjoy getting a behind-the-scenes look at the screenplay and production.

I found this version to be very trite and the voices did not match the depth of the characters. I was quite disappointed compared with other audiobooks that I have listened to.

As an unabridged edition, all of Alcott's words are there. The narrator, Sandra Burr, takes us through the classic work in a style that takes the listener inside the story. Voices for the different characters are all created, but never in a melodramatic fashion. Listening to the story is like watching a fine and faithful production

As acknowledged in the preface, "this book alone will not present an integrated coverage of the subject." It just focuses on a few areas and delves into them in great detail, without really providing any sort of overview or anything to help you complete the whole picture. Not the book to go to if you are expexting a comprehensive overview of wills and trusts. I was very disappointed with this nutshell, because isn't that what a nutshell is supposed to be? I would recommend trying to see if another line, such as Examples and Explanations, has a book on the area.

I liked this book when I was in law school. It "cut to the chase" and made the concepts of wills and trusts understandable. Although wills and trusts are separate courses in law school, I found the book has value for both courses by making difficult concepts understandable. Now that I am an instructor teaching wills and trusts for paralegals at a local college, I find the book valuable. I must admit that I made the mistake of lending it to a student. She won't give it back! She likes it better than the textbook we are using. That in and of itself is a strong statement of endorsement for this "Nutshell" title.

This novel tells the story of the down-and-out Fermoyle family. Living in Vermont in the 1960s, Marie Fermoyle and her three children live in poverty and desperation, for more money, more security, and more affection. Marie Fermoyle, a hardened cynic, is so desperate for all of the above that she falls victim to the wiles of a con man. The Fermoyle children are blatantly aware that their mother is being fleeced, but the emotional distance of all the family members makes it difficult for any of them to communicate or to trust one another. As Marie falls deeper under her now-boyfriend's spell it is the Fermoyle children who feel this lack of communication most acutely. The most difficult character in this book is Marie Fermoyle: cold, cynical, and emotionally abusive towards her children, Marie is clearly a woman who has been deeply wounded and is now striking back, albeit at the wrong people. In this book Morris has crafted a deeply complex narrative with fantastic character development. Truly, she has created a whole world in this Vermont town. The characters' lives are richly interwoven with one another, and actions by one reverberate to affect the whole. This is a deeply moving and engaging novel.

I am an avid reader and I just loved this book - it was hard to put it down in order to work all day. I found myself daydreaming about the characters during the day- they seemed so real to me. It bothers me that so many are describing the characters as unlikable - Yes maybe Omar is but the rest seemed so real to life and I felt empathy toward all of them and their struggles. Growing up as the daughter of an alcoholic father and single mother myself the book just resonated so deeply. I appreciated the authors showing these characters flaws and all, as opposed to these glamorized portraits we get in todays politically correct world. I am sure I will be thinking of these characters for a long time to come.

Songs in Ordinary TimeI read this book several year ago, and I loved every page. Even the first 200 pages, which set everything up. I was very shocked by the people I know who said they did not like the book, and found it disturbing and depressing. Get a grip, its just a book. An excellent, well written, and very life-like story. The book is unique in that it communicates the complexities of social life in a small town. I'd give it 10 stars if I could. Don't miss out on this book.

I enjoyed the way this book was written. It was very descriptive, especially of the characters; they all just "came alive" to me. It was easy for me to get caught up in their intertwined stories, and I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next. I found it to be a difficult book to put down. I think the underlying message was that people will do what they have to, to keep going, to keep surviving, in spite of their circumstances and even if what they are doing is hurting themselves and others. I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's books.

Life isn't alway easy and there are probably lots more people struggling through it than there are those who are sailing smoothly from day to day. Mary McGarry Morris's books are about struggling through life. Some of her stories are about struggles more difficult than one could imagine, but Songs in Ordinary Time had such a ring of truth for the time and place that I could not put it down. Her prose is easy to read; smooth and well written. The story has a good plot, is believable and, holds your attention. I've always found Morris's books a good read. Songs in Ordinary Time was my first read of Morris's books and I keep looking for more.

Once again Ms. Coulter has kept me on the edge of my seat. I have all the F.B.I. series books and everyone is teriffic.

Let me start off by saying that the ratings on this book says something. I've seen items where the five stars and four stars well outweigh the lower rankings. On controversial books, the sign of it being effective is a lot of five stars and a lot of one stars, with little in between. While I'm in the largest group (I'm #22 of the five stars), the smallest group (the two stars) has a respectable number.

What does this mean? If you are one who relies on reviews to decide whether to get this book, read ALL the reviews. Don't base your decision on just mine unless you happen to be a fan of my reviews and consistently trust my opinion.

This is the third Catherine Coulter FBI thriller I've read. It is not Pullitzer prize writing, but it keeps my interest. I like the characters in her books, though for some reason I picture the leading men (Judge Ramsey Hunt here, James Quinlan from "The Cove", and Miles Kettering from "Blindside") as all looking the same, and I just realized I see them all looking like Barry Van Dyke (Dick's son) from Diagnosis Murder.

This book is more disturbing than the other two I read because of its child molestation story-line. Also, one thing I'll give away is that the molester is a former priest. This is the first Coulter novel I read that does not have a protestant minister as one of the bad guys -- this time it's a former Catholic minister. (I wonder if Coulter has any books where a minister is a good guy, or at least, where none of the villains are connected with Christianity.) Maybe the preachers she knows are all child molesters and child kidnappers and murderers, but most real preachers are nothing like that.

Also, this book does have some erotica which I skimmed over, and which is not necessary. Also, there is some cussing which I never consider a positive, though I'll add that it is not pervasive in this book.

One thing that cracks me up is the long distance mob battle between Mason Lord and Rule Shaker. With names like that, I wonder if Coulter read Dick Tracy comics or watched James Bond movies for research.

In her plot description, she promised a twist at the end that even the best mystery solvers would not expect. I don't consider myself great at solving mysteries, but I successfully guessed what that twist was. Maybe I would have been surprised if she didn't warn me of the twist.

This is not a perfect book. Many have pointed out the illogical way the judge acts in the situation, though if he did what he was supposed to there wouldn't have been a story. Having completed a novel, I noticed that Coulter is not always consistent with the point of view. But if you want to entertain yourself, this would work.

One other note. The other two books I've read in the series (and I'll add Hemlock Bay, which I started and decided to read later, maybe) had two different stories going on ("Blindside" had a third little situation unrelated to the other two); this one focuses on the main story.

I will conclude by saying that I do like the way the book ends.

When a kid is smarter than the adults fiction is in trouble. Kidnapping and child abuse are tough subjects, but a Judge who doesn't notify the police and a mother who isn't hysterical are hard to swallow. I've enjoyed Coulter's stories in the past but THE TARGET never worked for this reader.
Savich and Sherlock do stop by for an encore, but without their normal punch. If you are a fan of her writing you may enjoy it, but for others pass this one by, Ms. Coulter can construct a better story.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

This book had a refreashing plot. It keep you thinking. But,I really don't think men are that mesmerised by a woman that easily. I give them more credit than that. I received it in great shape.

I have read several of the reviews and everyone has their own thoughts but I liked the book but not as much as The Maze. I think I liked the humor and romance between Sherlock and Savage more than the characters in The Target. One Reviewer talked about Ramsey being obsessed with Emma and even said he touched her too much and etc. I didn't see that. He saw her at the worse time right after she had been beaten and abused by this horrible person. I thought he handled it well, gaining her trust and protecting her. If police and therapists had been brought into it at the beginning, she would probably have been more terrified. Ramsey and Molly did seek professional help later. I thought the author's idea for Ramsey was a sensitive caring man and he was devastated by the ordeal of Emma. He indeed did love her and was protective of this little girl who had been wonded physically and mentally. I think Ramsey did love Molly but the author leaves you thinking he marries her just to get Emma, but still think he was in love with her and she him. I have noticed in Catherine Coulter books, she seldom has the romantic characters say "I love you". I kept looking for it in "The Maze" and believe I saw it once from Sherlock. The characters have other ways of dipicting they love the other person but kept wondering why they doen't just say it. Interesting! If I had a problem with the book was a Federal Judge being able to accept the Crime Lord's way of killing and getting away with it. I'm sure that is the way of real life but I had a hard time dealing with that. However, I found the book a "Thriller" and kept my attention from the beginning to the end.

I didn't even know about Sara Paretsky until I stumbled on my first V.I. Warshawski novel in the used book section of a library. Now I'm hooked! Blacklist doesn't disappoint!!

An interesting story - if you can wade through the left wing harangue. It is quite monotonous and makes the counterpoint of the plot almost an afterthought. I got about 2/3 through it and quit!!

Sara Paretsky is a master in the action thriller. Her heroine is engaging, and her plots have more twists and turns than a old country road. I thouroughly enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it to others.

I listened to the audiobook unabridged version. It was over 15 hours long. What a long drawn out story. The subplot of the "Egyptian boy" served no purpose other than give the writer an opportunity to give her feelings of the Patriot Act. It is troubling legislation and I am fearful of the abuse that can happen. I think she is a skillful writer who could have gotten more thoughtful attention to the Patriot Act with less rhetoric.

I had to force myself to listen to the last quarter of the book to find out "who dun it" because at around chapter 35, I no longer cared. There were a lot of characters. I had to make notes to remember who was who. I just can't understand why this book was so wordy-the characters were not that complex (just too many), and didn't require added insight. This is my second V.I. Warshawski novel, and probably my last.

isn't it interesting to read the reviews and notice that what made me like this book is what others critized. My question here is- why is Paretsky supposed to leave all politics out of her novels? I enjoyed her drawing parallels between the patriot-act/ post 911 era and the Mc Carthy era. It was a fun entanglement of past and present in every way, couldn't put it down.

I was going to write a fairly long review about this incredibly shallow and poorly-written book -- but I then discovered the review by General Crystal Starr Light "Galactic Empire". Every word that reviewer took the time to write is, as we used to say, "right on".

I would add one more stupidity -- when the police visit the apartment of Valerie Stryker, they enter her living room and see a white couch splattered with what appears at first to be brown paint -- but is later recognized as blood. Then her body is found behind the couch -- and she's been strangled. Hmmmmm. Where'd the blood come from, one wonders.

The incredible inconsistencies, lack of continuity and awful, awful childish dialog make this book good for little more than adding weight to a shelf.

I enjoyed the book as I do all her books, but I wouldn't say it was her best. However it was worth the read and money.

kept me in suspense; had to keep turning that page to see what happened next no matter how tired i was!

Wow , what a book . A priest is killed and his twin brother is the FBI agent that is out to find his killer . A homeless lady (whom is really a college professor ) is the witness to the murder so Dana Carver (the FBI agent) has the pleasure of protecting her as hard as it is .

It is like the author weaves 3 different stories into 1 with this book and she does it wonderfully . There is other murders and they are all connected to a TV script but you will have to read the book to get all the great details and to see what happens between the FBI Agent and the homeless woman/college professor and to see why she was pretending to be homeless when she saw the priest get shot . A GREAT READ !

I am not usually a reader of this genre of book, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Catherine Coulter grabs you right from the beginning of this novel and takes you along for a good ride. I haven't ever read one of her novels before, but I most likely will in the future. The reason I am giving it three stars is because this reviewer felt that the story fell apart at the end, and I always appreciate a good ending, in my estimation this one fell a little short. I will however try another CC novel if it comes highly recommended.