Ferguson Books

Bruce Ferguson does a good job of quantifying the current state of the art of pervious surfaces development. This is a largely anecdotal study of current installations, and collection of data from many discrete sources. At $140+, this isn't a bedside reading book, but a necessary addition to your technical library for engineers, stormwater managers, and landscape architects.

This is the first and only definitive, complete treatment of the subject I have been able to find, written in understandable, useful terms.

PURE JOY! If you have to -- and with children, you do, indeed, have to -- read a book over and over again, you want one that brings joy each and everytime to both the audience and the reader (how often have you tried to turn two or three pages together at the same time and your child reminds you, "No, you skipped a part!"). But the illustrations of Robin Preiss Glasser, of FANCY NANCY fame, always keep you entertained and the breezy copy in this new book by the Duchess of York, are a joy read. It's a manners book, sure, but it is a romp, with a charming ending and a lot of laughs as Ruby -- based, I'd guess, on high-energy Sarah Ferguson herself as a little girl -- learns the proper way to behave when she's invited to tea with the Queen.

Young Ruby is a bit of a disaster. She doesn't mean to be, it's just that she believes fingers were made before forks. So, it's easy for food not only to wind up in her mouth but also in her hair. She doesn't have much use for napkins, and she talks with her mouth full.

Nonetheless, she is adorable and absolutely over the top when she receives an invitation to have tea with the Queen. Obviously, Ruby's manners need some polishing before sitting down with her majesty. So, everyone who knows her has a bit of advice- "Ruby, I hope you won't interrupt...I hope you'll sit up straight...I hope you won't shout," etc. All of this is a great deal for her to absorb.

Finally, the big day arrives. Young readers will be surprised at what it's like to have tea with the Queen.

Robin Preiss Glasser's illustrations are irresistible, filling every page with color. She's a generous illustrator and exuberantly captures all of Ruby's preparations.

Gail Cooke

Joanie and Teddy have a cat, a dog, and a parrot. The house is just the right size for all of them. One day, they bring a baby home. The pets are confused at what type of pet this is. They finally figure out it is a baby, but they still feel left out. They try anything to get attention. Read this and find out what finally gets it.

I reall enjoyed this book. When my younger siblings were born, I felt left out and just wanted attention. This book made me feel like I could relate to the animals. If your child is feeling left out, I would suggest this book.

The book was fun to read! I hope that you like it as much as I did. It didn't take that long to read and it was intertaining. The characters at first didn't really like the change and they were cerious to find out what it was. They didn't know at first but soon would find out. It kinda suprised me, because I thought that it was going to be something else. If you read this book, you will then find out what the new pet is!
Brandon M.

I recently came across this bird identification book and almost passed it by until I thumbed through it a bit. Just because it deals with birds from Britain and Europe ,don't let that sway you because many of the birds covered are also found in North America.
This is one of the most unusual " Bird Books" I have seen;and I own around 1000 of them.It is certainly not the book to get if you are just starting out in identifying birds; although anyone,regardless of their skill level,would find it interesting.
This book will bring a gleam to any Birder's eye;especially if he thinks of the times someone walks up and asks; "What bird is this feather from?" , "What bird made these tracks?"," What kind of bird's eggshell is this?,What kind of owl pellet is this?", What kind of bird made this nest?", "What kind of bird's skull is this?",and on and on. Usually the person asking,thinks that since you "know a lot" about birds;that he is asking a very simple question.When he receives a blank stare and a hunch of the shoulders,he is surprised.
The reason for this is that most Birders that you run across in the field,simply don't pay that much attention to this sort of stuff. The identification marks that Birders look for are those found in guides such a the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America ,and similar field guides. One of the main reasons for this is that Birders are looking for birds and listening for soundsd ;but when you come across the things covered in this book;the birds are usually long gone.
However,this book is still a very interesting source for studying detailed aspects of bird anatomy ,plumage ,evidence and habits.
The book would be fascinating to any Birder with a lot of experience and wants to do some detective work in finding the source of evidence he comes acroos in the field.
On the back of the book is a comment that it "is an essential companion for all birdwatchers" .This is a stretch, because most birdwatchers ,who have spent a lot of time becomming adept at field identification;do so with very little of the details in this book.
If you doubt what I'm saying ;think about this. You're out in the field ,the group leader or guru,is "on" a bird. He is trying to sort out an ID point. He turns to the group and asks;"Does anyone have a Bird Guide with them?" Reach into your knapsack and hand him this book;and watch his expression!
There you go;but it is still a very interesting book to add to your collectioon.

A very good illustrated book, plenty of informations about all the signs you could find in a wood, a beach, a street.. Just open the book and you'll be able to find out which species of bird flown on your garden, which one eat your loved flowers... Very nice and veru useful!

Do not purchase a psychiatric drug without owning this book first!! Everyone who has taken or is considering taking a psychiatric drug or has a friend or a family member who is taking or thinking about taking one of these drugs must own this book. Even if you simply want to learn more about psychiatric drugs on the market, this book is a must have. It is fabulous and definitely the most comprehensive and informative book of its kind.

This book is a terrific primer, not just about psychiatric drugs, but on psychiatric illnesses, their classification and symptoms. Additionally, the authors include a number of case histories, some successful, some not. Numerous questions are asked and answered in an easy-to-read, concise format. The first 363 pages are on these generalized topics and are extremely well done. The remaining 248 pages are on specific drugs, with two pages devoted to each medication. The glossary and index are complete and well done. My only disappointment is that the book was published in 1992. If the authors updated the book for newer drugs and increased knowledge of psychiatric illnesses, I would purchase the revised edition in an instant. Still, the original book is the best I've read on the subject and is "must" reading for anyone who wants a better understanding of psychiatric illnesses and medications.

A long time fan of O'Reilly books, the CD bookshelves and this deluxe edition are one of the best ideas I've seen from a publisher. If you don't mind reading onscreen these will save you money. If you do pick this up in addition to the hardcopy simply for the search capabilities. A great reference tool from any serious programmer.

JAVA IN A NUTSHELL (THIRD EDITION) is one of those computer science books that I had always been told was excellent. Professors, friends and co-workers all recommended it to me so many times that I eventually bought it soon after I began programming in Java. Having used this book as a reference on numerous occasions, I must say that it doesn't quite live up to its hallowed reputation, although it does have a number of positive points in its favour.

The opening few chapters of the book are really good at setting the stage for the beginning Java programmer. While it probably isn't simple enough for someone who is a complete newcomer to the language, it is excellent for people who already know a little bit and require more information. The sections on Java syntax are quite thorough and understandable. The Object Oriented Programming portions are readable and informative, without bogging the reader down with endless detail. The background information on Java (the structure, the way methods/variables work, the flow of programs, etc) is all handled brilliantly. Part One of this book is definitely something you'll want to treasure.

Part Two, the bulk of the book (Chapters 9 though 29, and covering a staggering three hundred, seventy-six out of six hundred, forty-eight pages), is devoted to what is referred to as the "API Quick Reference". It's the self-proclaimed "real heart" of the text. Unfortunately, this is the portion where the book really falls flat. What David Flanagan has done is to go through the most common Java packages/classes/APIs and cut them down to a bare listing of all their methods, exceptions, hierarchies, etc. While this covers a broad amount of information, it does not cover it deeply at all. I agree with his choice of most-used APIs, but he doesn't go in to nearly enough detail about them. Almost all of the methods are given no description; they're just named. If you are using this to look up the precise spelling/capitalization of your favourite methods, then this will do nicely. However, if you're curious as to what each method actually does, you won't find any enlightenment here. When one boils down the Java documentation this far, one finds that there really isn't much left at all. Certainly nothing that's actually useful.

The first part of this book is first rate. It's easy to understand, well-organized and great for beginners learning the language as well as for experienced programmers who require reference material. The second part of the book is not so good. For any detailed information you require, you'll find yourself forced to consult other sources (probably Sun's own API specifications which are available for free on their webpage). Make sure you know what you're buying. The first half of this nutshell is excellent, but you'll need something else to go with it to have a completely worthwhile reference.

Avoid this book. Although there is no indication on the cover, it completely skips major sections of the language, such as everything pertaining to Sql and databases. It is organized around package names, which makes it difficult to look anything up. The index is incomplete and doesn't indicate what pages classes are actually defined on.(...)

I've read the first 4 chapters as my introduction to Java. It was a struggle, but worth it.

I'm now taking a college class and find Java a slippery beast to get one's hands around. Our text introduces snidbits that create so many unanswered questions my head swims. Reading these chapters layed a great foundation for understanding where Java's creators are coming from and why.

There were many very insightful tips that lifted some very dense fog for me. He builds one's knowledge from the ground up. If you manage to get through it (ie: you have had lots of prior programming experience and about 5 days to read 165 pages) you are left with a pretty good idea of why the syntax and practices are the way they are. I'm sure other books are equally insightful, but this one sure says a lot in only a few words.

Buy this book if you like to know that each sentence was written because the author had something to convey, not just because he wants another crack at clearing up the confusion he just created. Mr Flanagan (the author of Nutshell) says it crystal clear the first time. (note: He does bother to repeat a few very important concepts, but its rare).

The remainder of the book is a library reference of selected Java packages. I'm not sure the usefulness of the list other than to see the headers and method signatures that are available. I would liken it to having a pocket dictionary - sometimes its all you need and sometimes the definition isn't useful and you have to break out the Webster.

However, the presentation in the initial 8 chapters is so outstanding that I would give it 5+ stars if allowed. This is where to find the magical explanation to clear the smoke.

it is much better to use a jdk documentation which you can download instead of this reference book.

Niall Ferguson has given us a new way of looking at International conflict, not only in the 20th Century, but as we embark in the 21st Century. We see the borders of major powers in a new way, as a fault zone requiring much more thought and analysis. As World War I was started by the pressure on the meeting of the borders of the three empires of that time, Ottoman Turkey, Austria-Hungary, and Russia, we now face a similar situation as the US pushes the boundaries of NATO closer to Russia. When I started to read this book I wondered why so many young men would go to war for nationalism in what was a more enlightened time. That question was pretty well answered, as were so many more. There are so many myths that have been exploded by Mr. Ferguson in this book that it is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand why we keep doing the same things over and over again. In the end, it is a very cautionary account. Only by such an education will we be able to resist those among us who continually want to go to war against the "next Hitler."

Ferguson uses H. G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" as a pattern for the 20th Century "War of the World"--the period of world-wide violence that spanned approximately the first 50 years of the century. The causes: ethnic assimilation of closely allied ethnic groups and increasing economic volatility (both positive and negative) in a world of shrinking empires.

He uses demographic, historical, and cultural data to show that, contrary to what many take as a given, Germany in the 1930s was a country with a small but well-assimilated Jewish population and a growing economy, and shows how these facts were causes and not inhibitors of Hitler's rise and success.

Interestingly, this book was originally intended to be a sequel to Ferguson's history of the First World War, but in researching the origins of the Second, he was led back to his data and the conclusion which he draws from it. This is not, then, a traditional history of WWII, or even of the origins of WWII, but in fact traces the descent of Western democracies into world-wide conflicts.

Ferguson in the final chapter brings history forward to the end of the century by showing how the dynamics of his formula continued beyond WWII into the "Third World's War": war by proxy, often bloody civil war, that was anything but Cold War. He considers the possibilities for tension in the 21st Century as Western Europe, during a period of rapid economic growth, is demographically shifting toward a Muslim majority, that is (mostly) well assimilated--for now.

Not light reading, but fascinating in its use of a broad range of data beyond the usual political and battlefield reports of military history to draw sound and profound conclusions.

Overall, Ferguson's book is an entertaining read. However, he starts by asserting that bloodshed in the 20th century was a result of economic volatility which was the trigger mechanism for ethnic persecution, then in the appendix he claims that it is impossible to compare the 20th century to others due to undependable resources in the past. The book has many interesting moments, but is riddled with boring economic explanations that would only interest an economist. Ferguson also seems to really fast forward the final two chapters after WWII and spends little time on the Cold War and what he calls 'The Third World's War'. While I agree with much of his points, I could only find it in my heart to give this book 3 stars.

From Chapter One: "The hundred years after 1900 were without question the bloodiest century in human history, far more violent in relative as well as absolute terms than any previous era."

From the Appendix: "This statement is by no means beyond dispute". (Mentions the Taiping and Lushan rebellions in China, the European conquest of the Americas, and rates of violent death in Stone Age societies.)

Then what the #*%! were the intervening eight hundred pages about?!

Even on the more limited subject of the causes of war in the last century, this book fails to say anything useful. Ferguson claims that technology, economic crisis, and ideology are not sufficient, instead proposing his own trinity of ethnic hatred, the decline of empires, and economic volatility. In other words, when one bunch of people doesn't like another, when a big power is becoming weaker (which since power is measured in relative terms is happening all the time), and when the economy is doing either better or worse than average. That should cover pretty much any imaginable contingency.

His argument that the Cuban missile crisis showed the inadequacy of MAD is also flawed. It is true that Curtis LeMay and Fidel Castro were willing to court nuclear holocaust, but it is equally true (and far more significant) that they were overruled by Kennedy and Kruschev. Can he really believe that it was the different ethnic, imperial or economic situation in 1962, rather than the simple fear of the mushroom cloud, that caused both sides to step back (unlike in both world wars)? Similar comments would apply to the lack of escalation in Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East and Afghanistan: would such proxy wars have stayed as proxies in any previous era? Would the USA and USSR have admitted defeat by such weak countries without them being, in the final analysis, under nuclear protection from the other superpower?

It is almost impossible to read a book this length without learning something new and interesting, such as the similarity of Hitler's and Roosevelt's speeches on the economic situation when they came to power. But you could say the same about a random walk through Wikipedia. And on the details, Ferguson is less reliable than Wikipedia. In one memorably bad paragraph, he misidentifies the P-39 fighter as a "tankbuster" (presumably confusing it with the Il-2 Sturmovik), lauds the IS-1 heavy tank (an early model of which barely 100 were produced, armed with the same 85mm gun as late T-34s) as a match for the Tiger and Panther, and makes erroneous claims about the superiority of the T-34 over the Sherman. Elsewhere, he gives the ridiculously low figure of 8000 deaths for British Commonwealth prisoners at Japanese hands, a figure that would barely cover Australians alone.

This is more than just a bad book. It is dishonest. Ferguson's MO is to make a bold, provocative statement, inundate the reader with oceans of irrelevant and dubious detail, then quietly back away from his most outrageous claims, hoping no one notices that there is really nothing left. He has followed a similar pattern in other books (Empire, The Cash Nexus) but never quite so blatantly.

Ferguson should move to an island where he can set up his utopia of fair war since the USA is such a vile place.
I'm glad we bombed Hiroshima, Dresden and couldn't give a wit's care about what we did.
Ferguson couldn't hold the chin strap of one of the Rangers that went over the cliffs at Point Du Hoc nor any of the thousands of B-17 crews that never made it to Dresden.
War is hell, Mr. Ferguson but we didn't start it and we sure as heck found a way to end it sooner.
In Mr. Ferguson's world, we should have stopped bombing and sacrificed another 100,000 on the beaches and rice paddies of Japan just to satisfy the "fairness" of our tactics.
It is this revisionist thinking that is the primary reason that we home-school and will continue to refer to that group of young soldiers, airmen, rivet-drivers and victory garden growers as the "The GREATEST GENERATION."

If this was the first book of inspiration I had ever read, I might be a bit more impressed. I got as far as the first two chapters and then tossed the book into my pile of stuff to sell at a garage sale.
This collection of weight loss tales is pure formula non-fiction. What to expect:
My name is _____. I overeat because _____. I realized I had to lose weight when _____. Then I joined Weight Watchers. My tip to lose weight is _____ (typically something like don't eat before going to bed - yawn).
Folks what I'm saying is there is nothing new here. If the concept of losing weight is not 100% new to you, you've heard all of this before. Each fluffy tale of weight loss success is only about two pages long, and to me, said nothing substantial. The book "Body for Life" provides much more genuine inspriation to make lifestyle changes.

Its good to read about people weight-losses and how they achieve. That is an inspiration for me.

This is one of the best weight/diet books I've read yet.

The stories are from real people who are very honest with their struggles. No rah-rah pep talks from enthusiastic people who make me feel tired just listening to them--these people are authentic, down to earth.

The stories themselves are very encouraging and motivational without seeming canned or falsely cheerful. I really enjoyed hearing people's stories about their weight loss struggles.

The best part is the short practical tip at the end of each story, outlining a different tip for weight loss. It makes the book not just encouraging, but also useful for my own weight loss struggles.

The short stories are perfect for reading on the go, for when I have only a few minutes to kill in the car or waiting for something on the stove or in the oven.

The stories are also varied enough that it's nice to only read one or two stories a day, for that little pick-me-up in my attitude about my weight loss program or just something encouraging to carry me for the next few hours.

I especially liked that the stories applied to me even though I do NOT belong to Weight Watchers myself.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a bit of daily motivation for weight loss.

I ordered this for my husband who is struggling to lose weight but likes filling out his weight watchers form on line each night (which is an excellent way of tracking how much you eat, and showing you where you are falling short!)
He liked it and read it, finding it encouraging. It's not deep, and you can dip in and out of it, like a magazine, but it's much better for you than a candy bar, and that's how he avoided fattening treats at the airport, he sat and read this instead!

START LIVING, START LOSING - Weight Watchers
Rating: 4/5 stars

April 12, 2008


START LIVING, START LOSING is a collection of short inspirational pieces written by people who have had success with Weight Watchers and lost and kept off the weight. What I especially liked about this book is that it gave me ideas on what I was doing wrong with my own weight loss program, as well as help motivate me to change my current eating habits and try something different. A lot of the advice is common sense and obvious but I think to have it written down on paper makes it all more valid for me. Stories came from 'average every day people' to celebrities such as the Duchess of York, and the amount of weight loss varied from 10 lbs. to hundreds of pounds.

So for those who feel that they only have to lose 10 lbs. and yet feel bad that it's not what is considered conventional in terms of joining Weight Watchers (many in this book had hundreds of pounds to lose), this book will make you feel that it's all relative. It's just as hard to lose a measly 10 lbs. as it is to lose 100. It's a matter of eating right and exercising. And for those who have to lose hundreds of pounds, START LIVING, START LOSING is what can motivate you to change your bad habits and find inspiring ways to lose the weight and be healthy. It's not all about looks, but it's an issue of healthy living.

I recommend START LIVING, START LOSING to anyone trying to make a life change and wanting to lose some weight. There are a lot of great ideas in this book. It's fast reading, too, so for those who aren't big readers shouldn't be intimidated by it. Read a chapter a day, if that's what it takes.

Charles Ferguson is smart. Charles Ferguson knows he's smart. But Charles Ferguson thinks he's smarter and more important than he really is, and this makes this otherwise interesting book sometimes painful to read.

The chapters covering the formation through eventual acquisition of Vermeer Technologies are an interesting education in the ways of VCs and hi-tech startups in the mid 90's. However, the last three chapters of the book are pretty worthless. These contain Ferguson's analysis of the industry and predictions for the future, and suffer because of Ferguson's worldview that he and Vermeer were far more important to the industry than they actually were. Ferguson lacks an understanding of large IT operations, and it's unfortunately evident in these chapters.

Ferguson's pronounced hostility towards certain actors in his book - including former subordinates - also makes for uncomfortable reading. Some things should simply be kept private.

Buy the book if you want to learn about VCs and hi-tech startups early in the Internet era, and don't mind wading through Ferguson's ego eruptions. Otherwise, skip it.

Charles Ferguson, an MIT PhD, was the founding CEO of Vermeer Technologies, a company that developed one of the first web design tools. Vermeer sold the company to Microsoft for a boatload of money and lived to tell the tale. It's a fasinating story of what its really like on the inside of a high-tech startup replete with politics, hard-ball negotiations and strange bedfellows. Ferguson may be arrogant, but he's smart and tells it like it is. Anyone thinking of building a startup should read this book.

Yes, Charles is brilliant, arrogant and is lightening-fast in seeing the failings of others and himself and is willing to take ownership of them (rectifying the situation and doing something about it is another story completely...). However, he also has a massive inferiority-complex when up against anyone with more brains, more money, more privilege or more power than himself hence his complete disdain for anything Microsoft-related (never mind that it was the hand that fed him and he continues to bite it). He also fails to see that you can attract a lot more bees with honey instead of vinegar. It's not a coincidence that everyone from Vermeer, except Charles eventually landed a job at Microsoft, I suspect Gates was smart enough to see just how insanely jealous Charles must be of him. As for his acidic portrayal of many of the players in the book, I'm fairly sure Charles really reserves his most toxic rage and disdain for those persons who display A)either negative qualities he has and sees a lot of himself in and wished he did not have (i.e career opportunism, uppity-ness) or B)positive qualities he wished he had but is too nasty to ever take time out to acquire and attract (i.e Gates with his greater reserves of intelligence, power and wealth). Gates also has a quality and understanding that Charles doesn't: that life isn't just about accumulating stuff, but about the quality and integrity of the relationships around you. Gates is no innocent either but at least I've never heard any stories about him running around on his wife and kids and the people he surrounds himself with have been with him for years. Charles, on the other hand goes through people like toilet paper, he even admits that he's so impossible that people either dislike him right away or shortly thereafter - as exemplified in this book.
I've actually dated him and yes, his character does come out in his writing very strongly. So yes, he is a real jerk, and can be an even larger jerk especially when you've outsmarted him in any slight way. That being said, he also has a very warm, human, giving and honest side which for some unknown reason he hoards jealously (and glimpses of it come out here and there in the book), which is why in the book he skewers just about everyone and their dog. It's really too bad - with a talent and intelligence like that, he could have gotten a lot more for Vermeer, a lot more for himself and he'd be a happier human being instead of a 50-ish, balding, lonely, bitter software millionaire in a Mazda Miata.
A+ = for writing, use of wit and humour as well as quality
A = for relevancy of content
B = for character portrayal
C = for overall importance in the grand scheme of things

OK, If I could I'd give it 4.5 stars or so -- there are flaws. But basically, the book has a lot of great info, especially for geeks who work in the software business. There are very few books on the business side of things.

The author is incredibly blunt. Perhaps a bit nasty. But it is clear that he had to do it so that he didn't get fleeced. Also, it is great to see someone with a backbone.

The step-by-step evolution of stuff is great. You really get a feel for what happened, when it happened.

I'd say it is required reading for geeks.

Mr. Ferguson's book is the only narration I have so far encountered (including Mr. Michael Lewis' THE NEW NEW THING, Mr. Po Bronson's THE NUDIST ON THE LATE SHIFT, and Mr. Randall E. Stross' EBOYS) that may actually represent what goes on in the entrepreneur world, and it does so in a straightforward tone with a whole lot of humor- and some cynicism- thrown in, making the book an enjoyable read.

What's amazing about this book is its age: although the book is from 1999, much of what Mr. Ferguson concludes about where the industry is headed has come true or is slowly being recognized by the mainstream line of thought (this is quite an accomplishment in case you do not understand the rarity of such occurrences). Mr. Ferguson actually understands the technology and business underlining his startup as well, and he isn't afraid to admit when his comprehension falls short. Ask any engineer- this personality attribute in leaders of the entrepreneur world is becoming increasingly uncommon, unfortunately.

If you're looking for a book that is written by someone who has been there and has also stood the test of time in terms of holding its conclusions intact, this is it for the late 90s era. If you're looking for a book by an outsider who doesn't seem to understand what's really going on and that romanticizes Silicon Valley or Route 128, look for something else. I especially recommend this book to anyone who is frustrated with the herd mentality in the tech world and would like to read something that has a refreshing independence to its views.

(Actually, on second thought, if you're looking for a book that humorously shoots itself in the foot with its free-wheeling conjectures and hasty exclamations prior to the stock market correction, check out those books I listed above).

Well, it had to happen sooner or later (didn't it?). With the onslaught of self-help books on the market, I've always wondered what would happen if one actually worked! Will Ferguson's novel HAPPINESS has showed the world the shattering consequences of just such a feat. Written with a scathing wit, totally merciless in portrayal of both the characters and the industry in which they inhabit, and a sort of "Oh my GOD" sense of unavoidable peril, the book is a delight to read and an utter horror to contemplate. The added bonus being, of course, that it's always wonderful to discover a new author, especially one with other works to delve into. I am looking forward to Mr. Fergusons other offerings.

What if self-help books really worked? More specifically, what if one self-help book came along that fixed everything? That's the premise of Will Ferguson's comedic novel, Happiness TM, and it works. To a point.

Writers, editors and others involved in the publishing world will experience particular delight in Ferguson's barbed assault on the industry, and the first half of the book is generally wonderful fun. Unfortunately, like too many other examples of humorous fiction, the hilarity peters out well before the end of the story and one exits the final chapter vaguely disappointed. (c.f. my review of Zanesville: A Novel, by Kris Saknussemm).

I started this book with enthusiasm. The opening scenes are well written, inventive, promising. The premise, too, is interesting: what would be the result of publishing the ultimate self-help book? However, the writing, although never bad, wobbles unevenly over the course of the book, mixing nice images and metaphors with clunkers that make the reader scratch his head. How can a writer produce clever prose in one paragraph and then tedious cliches the next? It seems as though the book were written in two stages: one to get the story and characterizatin down, and then one to go back and fill in some paragraphs for length. The result is a very uneven read that goes . . . on . . . for . . . far . . . too . . . long. Ferguson could have snipped a good 75 pages easily. Also, he seems to have thought that, if writing a satire, he didn't need to worry about creating well-rounded characters about whom the reader might care. Ultimately, you don't really care about anyone in this book. If a reader wants satire, he or she might do well to try What the Shadow Told Me by Kurtis Davidson, a novel with real characters who actually have histories, have real conversations instead of trading cliches and pronouncements, and about whom, ultimately, readers care. And it's funny, too.

This book was almost satisfying. Almost! I loved the pace and the little bits of wisdom sprinkled throughout (my copy is quite dogeared for those little bits) are right up my alley. The area that was lacking for me was depth for the characters. But it was a fun ride overall, and as I am sending it along to a friend I must admit that I recommend it! Because in books, almost counts.

A humorous and cleverly written book, whose simple message is that Happiness is not Happiness at all. We need imperfections and valleys to contrast those divine moments on the mountains! Comforting stuff, and a reminded that all experiences are good for us and enhance our lives in some way. Constant happiness would be insipid and boring in this life and therefore by definition unachievable.