George Books

If you are from the South or just enjoy reading Southern fiction this series is a must read. I heard about Anne George because she was my husband's eigth grade English teacher - and she is definitely a hidden gem. The humor reminds me of the Stephanie Plum series - so if you like wacky, murder mystery fun - dig in!

The best of the series. Very interesting and fast moving. Keeps your interest. I liked it.

Our two favourite southern sisters get up to more hijinks in this book when they run across a travelling preacher who also handles snakes. We also finally get to meet Cousin Puke Lukey! Cousin Luke enlists the aid of Patricia Anne and Mary Alice to help track down his missing wife who has run off with a preacher. And while they are doing this, they end up in more trouble than you can shake a stick at. Of course there are dead bodies as these two girls always seem to be stumbling over, but oh what fun as we read about their antics. I absolutely love these two old dears, and am really sorry that there is only one more story to read. Ms. George was definitely taken from us too soon.

I laughed the first time I heard Patricia Ann and Mary Alice refer to their cousin in that way simply because he used to get car sick as a child. I laughed even harder when they referred to him as "Puke." Ann George not only has a refreshing and bluntly witty writing style, but her characters really come alive from page to page. In fact these two 60-something southern sleuths are so youthful and vibrant, one often forgets their ages and imagines them to be 20 years younger.

Poor Luke. His wife of 40 years, Virginia, has taken off with a house painter who is also a reverend, and when the sisters go with him to find his wife, they find a dead woman in "Monk's" church instead, and the reverend is discovered dead in Virginia's car--all full of snakebites. The reverend was a snake handler to boot. Add this, a bunch of suspicious characters, a romance between sister Mary Alice and the sheriff, lots of snappy sparkling dialog, and you have the makings of a fine and entertaining mystery that echoes a cross between Murder She Wrote and The Golden Girls. This was my first Southern Sisters novel, and I definitely wouldn't rule out more. I laughed and kept on guessing who the killer was up until the last 2 chapters. I hope you are as amused and intrigued as I was. Southern charm has never been more irresistible.

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the books in this series so far and this one may well be the best of the bunch. Just where else could you find a story about a guy nicknamed Pukey Lukey whose wife ran off with a snake-handling preacher who was painting their house. Mary Alice (Sister) and Patricia Anne (Mouse) are always hilarious but with a plot line like this anybody could be funny.

Readers of this series will be familiar with Pukey Lukey and his wife Virginia from previous books. Cousin Luke got his nickname because he was prone to carsickness as a child and he has yet to live the name down. Out of the blue he contacts his cousins to inform them that Virginia has run off with the above-mentioned preacher and he enlists their help in finding her. The preacher lives on Chandler Mountain north of Birmingham and so off the sisters and Lukey go on a mission to at least find out if Virginia is okay. They find the preacher's home and church with little problem but there is nobody at home so Luke checks the church. When he fails to return to the car the sisters go in to investigate and find Luke bleeding on the floor and worse yet they find a dead body.

The search for Virginia and the killer are the stories that make up the mystery in this book and the mystery remains surprisingly in focus when you consider the characters that are involved in this story. As if the snake-handling, house painting preacher wasn't enough there are some of the most memorable characters I have ever come across to be found in these pages. From the hillbilly professor who is also a collector of books to the county sheriff who falls for Mary Alice and from the professor's snuff dipping mother to the Chandler Mountain Booger this book is just overflowing with characters with character. If the Booger and the sheriff aren't enough for you, well the Pope himself is actually involved in this book as is a new baby and to some extent George Wallace.

As usual this author displays her gift for dialogue in this book and her imagination must have been running in overdrive when she wrote this one. It is hilarious how Sister keeps tempting Luke by promising that she will let him ride in her Jag while she knows full well that the Pukey one will never set foot in her car. In the end of course the mystery is solved and as usual the sisters almost get killed once they figure out who done it. As with most cozy mysteries this one has a happy ending, at least for the sisters. Pukey Lukey on the other hand might ought to learn to be careful what he wishes for.

This is a very informative book and a must read for anyone interested in understanding why the Bush administration is so prone to launching wars in the oil-rich Middle East region. The author, a renowned economist, is very knowledgeable about the economics and domestic politics that support such warmongering efforts. He identifies the pro-Israel Neocon movement and its alliance with the lunatics of the religious Right as important forces in the push toward involving the U.S. in wars abroad. The military-industrial complex and the strategic importance of Middle East oil are represented by Vice President Dick Cheney in the Bush administration, and are also prime movers of war.

Probably the most original part of this book is its chronology of empires and how Western civilization started its ascendency after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. This chapter (chap. 16) is worth buying the book in itself. The author's style is direct and pulls no punches. An excellent book.

As an amateur student of American foreign policy, I am appalled by the wave of anti-americanism it has generated over the last few years. The policy of systematically meddling in the internal affairs of other countries, especially in the Middle East, has been most counter-productive.

There is no doubt that unbridled interventionism, often done illegally and under murky influences, is the root cause of why there is so much anti-americanism around the world. And case in point is the gratuitous violence imposed on some Muslim countries, i.e. Iraq and Palestine. This is creating tons of resentment all over the Muslim world, turning many to hatred and some to terrorism.

Tremblay's book offers a way out of this circular dilemma: Apply to the Muslim world the same treatment given to the Communist world with the 1975 Helsinki Accords. As he puts it (p. 152-53), the Helsinki Accords, signed by 33 Eastern and Western European countries, the United States, and Canada, played a fundamental role in opening up the communist bloc to liberty, freedom and reforms. I doubt that bombs would have brought the same result.

Former President Mikhail Gorbachev has said that the Helsinki Accords opened the door to reforms that would not have taken place otherwise. Why can we not adopt a similar approach with the Muslim world, instead of jumping all the time on the war wagon? This is a well-written and well-researched book. It is highly recommended.

People who want a condensed introduction on how the Bush administration walked into a quagmire in Iraq should read "The New American Empire". I don't agree with all of Tremblay's arguments, but in my opinion he hits the nail on the head when he identifies the real reasons why Bush II invaded Iraq, i.e oil, Israel, military bases and domestic politics. By the way, the same scenario seems to be repeating itself with Iran, with the same deception about the real reasons for intimidating Iran.

So, even if you do not agree with everything the author has to say, this book is worth a ton of newspapers articles or hours of TV reporting. The chapters on `Oil' and on the `History of Empires' are worth buying this book.

Among the many books written on the Iraq war and the Bush administration's fixation with militarism, this book by economist Tremblay is one of the most readable and most informative.

The fact that George W. Bush was planning a premeditated attack on Iraq to secure 'regime change' in that country, even before he took power in January 2001, should make people pause and think. So should the Neocon blueprint for a complete American take-over of the Middle East ("Rebuilding America's Defenses"), drafted in Sept. 2001, by Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Jeb Bush and Lewis Libby.

Now that Iraq is a mess, that thousands and thousands of people have been killed, and hundreds of billions of dollars have been wasted, the American people are entitled to know the real reasons why the Bush administration launched an illegal war of aggression against Iraq, with no provocation but with a lot of bad faith. All the official reasons have been proven false. After reading this book, one knows the real reasons behind one of the most foolish enterprises ever undertaken by a U.S. government abroad. I have learned a lot also from prof.
Tremblay's new blog: http://www.TheNewAmericanEmpire.com/blog.

The truth shall set you free!

Dr. Tremblay is right on target with his assessment of the direction the U.S. is heading, along with his critiques of the politicians we have in this country. It is amazing that more people don't "see through" the false facades these people present to the public, and that so many people believe the lies doled out to unsuspecting voters! I would recommend this book as a very timely read....particularly in view of the upcoming 2008 Presidential Elections

This is often the first book I read to my upper elementary student children. Many have not been read to or for some other reason do not know the JOY and FUN of a good book.

We act this one out. From getting their muscles "kneaded" and arms "stretched" like dough. I get their permission first. Sigh... that is the decade we are living in.

We "shake" flour (really a salt shaker.) And sprinkle oil (in a firmly sealed vial.)

We whirl and twirl a stuffed animal in the air. Next the checkers (pepperoni)

Then the children "cook" in the oven. (actually under a desk.)

This is one book the children ask for and moan when I tell them it is at my other school.

It makes believers of them that books are exciting.

What a fun book! Our 3 year old loves being made into a pizza with all sorts of toppings made from paper or play food. Great activity that ends with a nice hug!

This is a wonderful and exciting book for all family members of every age. It's sturdy, nicely illustrated,easy to hold and to read. Talk about love in the family, this book illustrates to parents the importance of communicating, touching, and just having a good time with our children. Pete's a Pizza brings out the child in adults and keeps the child in children.

Cheer your kids up by turning them into pizzas. A cute book for any collection.

Petes's in a bad mood because he can't go oult to play with his friends on this rainy day. To cheer him up and pass the time, his dad invents a fun and unique game. He is going to make a pizza out of Pete! The book is very amusing as the dad rolls the dough (Pete) and sprinkles cheese (paper) and tomatoes (checkers) on the pizza. This could be a wonderful game to play with your own children. Loads of fun to be had.

This review is written eight years after the publishing date because I just discovered Mr.Martin's books. Now that I have read all of them I believe that this is his masterpiece- so far. Mr. Martin's meticulous research and portrayal of Washington gives the reader a very intimate look at his life, loves, politics, military work, and steadfastness in the face of adversity. The author's "bird's eye view" (as if an eagle were narrating) of the countryside and the military clashes provides a scenic description as well as another viewpoint from above the action.
From Washington's youth to his death, this book allows the reader to become an aquaintance and confidante of one of our greatest patriots- his humanity, his frailities, his faults and his immense sense of patriotism and integrity. This book is not only entertaining but highly educational. I learn and appreciate more history from Mr. Martin's books than I ever
did from formal classes. I highly recommend this book as well as all Mr. Martin's other books and I can't wait for the next.

This fabulous book starts with George Washington's death and a plan "to humanize the demi-god". A rookie reporter is sent to find out why -- after his death -- the first thing Martha Washington did was burn letters. What was in them?

The story is then presented as narratives written by various characters: slaves, Indians, wives, friends, enemies. Although each entry was labeled, each of the writer's voices was distinctive and some included Washington's take on himself. And from the getgo, the reader learns that George Washington was determined to mold himself in an honorable fashion and to rise as best he could. With practical determination, he made his life happen and his wisdom prevailed.

So, in chronological order and with varied dialects and writing styles, one learns quite a bit of history. The years 1730-1800 involved Indian skirmishes, matters of property (human and otherwise), and Revolutionary War's battles, namely: Brooklyn, Jersey, New York, Valley Forge, Monmouth, Philadelphia. The scope of Washington's life included presidential happenings and delicate handling of temperaments.

Among other things, I read about war strategies, politics of the times (Federalists, Republicans), the youthfulness and inexperience of officers, ideologies of those in power, how power was manipulated, and how greater powers overturned those egotists trying to wield power unbecoming our nation. I learned a bit about the British Generals Howe & Cornwallis and the French General the Marquis de Lafayette. And, I now know that not only did Washington have rivals, but John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were far from "shoe in" Presidents, too.

It was ALL exciting! In "Citizen Washington", I loved digesting all the aspects of all the players. I looked forward to each moment as it arrived. And as John Britain, known as Silverheels said, "I knew it was true, even if it never happened."

I highly recommend "Citizen Washington" by William Martin. Have fun!

Remember back to the early '50's (I was 6) and the program This Is Your Life hosted by Ralph Edwards? Now you know the premise of Citizen Washington. Imagine yourself sitting front row of a darkened theater. On stage are, say, 10 chairs in a spotlight. Behind the chairs is a huge painting of.....YOU! You look up and sitting in the chairs are 10 people that have been involved in your life - intimately and peripherally. They begin to spin a tale of your life, your personality, your looks, your mannerisms, demeanor and emotions --- as THEY saw it progress through their individual eyes. You are exposed in all your foibles and abilities and judged, individually, by these people. Frightening but fascinating. Martin plies this technique on George Washington and exposes him as no history book can. This is an eye-opening read. From his military underlings, his slaves, his peers, his wife, and his decendants we see his every movement laid bare to the reader. Where was Martin when the nuns were cramming dusty, throat choking historical facts into my reluctant brain? This work is interesting as history and a novel and will hold your attention to the last period of the last paragraph. Buy, read, learn and enjoy!

I just read Citizen Washington and enjoyed every page. A page turner that gives you a different look at Washington and the revolution.

Wonderful book!

The audiobook runs 6 hours and is surprisingly fun to listen to. Other reviewers have covered most of what you need to know so I will just add a parental advisory: contains rough language of a creative sort that boys of a certain age may like to quote, so if you are looking for something educational for a family car trip, this may not be suitable. Otherwise, I certainly recommend this book as an enjoyable piece of historical fiction.

If you know Wodehouse, you love Wodehouse and this book will just confirm your feelings. If you don't know Wodehouse, read this or any other book and you will fall in love with him. Every book you read is like going on vacation.

I had only read one or two Wodehouse comedies, so long ago I don't recall precisely which ones. They were good. "Leave It to Psmith" is great. It won't be years until my next. (And my copy of "Leave It to Psmith" now goes to my 90-year-old mother.)

In addition to wonderful, loveable characters, laugh-out-loud narrative and dialogue, and a marvelously convoluted plot that almost defies summarization, the book also features semi-serious but still wryly and deftly expressed observations, such as: "What I like about the English rural districts * * * is that when the authorities have finished building a place they stop. Somewhere about the reign of Henry the Eighth, I imagine that the master-mason gave the final house a pat with his trowel and said, 'Well, boys, that's Market Blandings.' To which his assistants no doubt assented with many a hearty 'Grammercy!' and 'I'fackins!' these being expletives to which they were much addicted. And they went away and left it, and nobody has touched it since."

Yes, this is sheer entertainment, brain candy. But it also is superb and masterly. It is narrative comedy at its best.

This is an early sort of try-out version of his later masterpieces on Jeeves and Wooster. It was absolutely hilarious at times, with that wonderful upper crust stilted language Wodehouse was such a genius at, but at other times could be a tad plodding. Some romance here, which he would totally discard later. You can see Jeeves blooming in PSmith, and Wooster in Freddie Threepwood. Also Aunt Agatha in Lady Constance. But a marvelously convoluted plot, with all sorts of interwoven characters. and The Drones Club is here already.

In my opinion, this is the best of Wodehouse, and I was pretty surprised at it.

"Leave It to Psmith" was originally published in the U.K. on November 30, 1923 by Herbert Jenkins, and in the U.S on March 14, 1924 by George H. Doran. The edition I am reviewing is from "The Everyman Wodehouse" series published by Everyman's Library in the U.K., and for those in the U.S., you may be able to find the equivalent quality in "The Collector's Wodehouse" series which is being published by Overlook Press.

I did not have high expectations for this book, because I didn't think "Psmith in The City" was very good, but Wodehouse's writing clearly improved greatly over those 13 years, and the merging of the Psmith character with the cast at Blandings Castle was great chemistry. The character of Ronald Eustace Psmith (formerly known as Rupert Psmith and in both cases the P is silent), was much more interesting in this book than I found him before. He fits right in with the other Blandings characters such as Lord Emsworth, Freddie Threepwood, and a great foil for Rupert Baxter.

In this story, we have a diverse set of characters, all converging on Blandings Castle, and more than a few with the idea of stealing Lady Constance's necklace. Their motives are rather diverse, but whether they want it for money, freedom, or love, there is no shortage of people out to get it. As one would expect in any Wodehouse story, there is a fair amount of assumed identities and amazing coincidences which drive the story forward. Psmith, himself takes on the identity of Mr. Ralston McTodd, a poet from Canada in his pursuit of the beautiful Eve Halliday. The best part of the book, in my opinion, is the flower pot scenes, which is some of the funniest writing I have read in a long time.

As the second of the Blandings Castle novels, and the last of the Psmith novels, this was a great improvement on both of those series. The Blandings series would continue to grow from this point, and there are many more great stories in that series. I do not believe the character of Psmith appears again in any of Wodehouse's stories, but the fully developed Psmith that appears in this work does foreshadow such characters as Jeeves and Uncle Fred. If you didn't care for Psmith in the previous works, you may still want to give this one a try. This is Wodehouse at his best.

I was expecting some good, useful information from this book. Oh yes, it has that and much more, with an eye toward stout, functional and practical boats and building methods. What surprised me was the wit and excellent humor while the author spins the occasional yarm or tale about this or that method and why he will or will not use them, a few sea stories and history through his eyes. Hillarious, informative and immensely practical. I'd have it on my shelf even if I never touched a boat.

RadioRay ..._ ._
s/v Milenka
Virginia - USA

Buehler's Backyard Boatbuilding is a magnificent guide to thinking about the craft of boatbuilding, and a paen to the days of self sufficiency. There's a gleeful contrarian bent to this book, and Buehler's muscular 'sticktoitiveness' is nothing short of infectious. Halfway through the book I was levitating off the couch shouting, "You gotta believe!"

Buehler is a delightful pain in the arse. He recounts the various sins of modern boat designers, who, in the pursuit of creating a "boat for everybody" succeed in designing breakdown-prone 'hangar queens' that cost a fortune and satisfy very few. Buehler believes in designing them stone-simple and rock-solid. In his engine spaces you will actually have space to replace a secondary fuel filter in a seaway--try that in a modern production boat! A Buehler boat is built around the people (usually a couple) who will actually sail and use it. Buehler has harsh words for designers who compromise their interior spaces to fit around the visiting Hendersons and Joneses.

His designs, by his own admission, lack polish. I would more charitably say that he asks prospective builders to re-imagine polish. Yes, he uses loads of plywood and hot-dipped galvanized steel and home-grade lumber. This isn't "polished" in the traditional sense. But it does harken to the days of wooden ships that got their crews of iron men home safe in greasy weather, fresh winds, and foul tides. Survivability, maintainability, mean times between failure--those are elements of performance. Performance is its own polish!

I can't recommend Buehler enough. I've read and re-read this book and it's fueled more than one fantasy boat. For my money, this is the best money you can spend. Even if you don't buy into his particular designs, you'll be armed with a whole new attitude and know what to look for when you build someone else's boat.

The content of "Buehler's Backyard Boatbuilding" provides a structured, step by step, method for the construction of a single-chine workboat. The construction methods tend to focus on less expensive materials and methods for builders with relatively little experience. It effectively outlines virtually all elements of construction, from laying a keel and casting a concrete ballast, to rigging and wiring. The book provides an extremely important reference material to any boat builder; even, to a lesser extent, those constructing round-bilge boats. With a multitude of pros, excellently identified in the other reviews posted here, I will address some of the shortcomings I encountered with the materials.

Mr. Buehler included an in-depth treatment of concrete cast ballasts, however, he did not introduce other techniques, namely lead casting, in any significant detail. For the majority of his designs and builders, concrete ballasts work just fine, however, this may not carry through for some builders, other non-Buehler designs, and those using this book as a reference material.

I noted a few examples of his boats posted for sale and noted, as pointed out in other posts, that the boats do not appear to sell for much more than the cost of their materials. While you should not expect a valuable yacht quality result, their design employs massive timbers and does produce an extremely sturdy vessel.

He addresses the lofting process in an incredibly simple and brief manner. It provides an excellent introduction to the process and, unlike most other treatments, won't scare a first time builder. Unfortunately, the description does leave out a lot of advanced techniques. For the projection of the transom, frame curves, and bearding lines, etc. turn to Howard Chapelle's more difficult treatment in "Boatbuilding", as Mr. Buehler suggests.

The single most significant shortcoming I find in Mr. Buehler's work involves the exclusion of smaller boats. He includes plans for a 28' and 35.5' cutter, a 43' schooner, a 42' marconi cutter, 34' basic powerboat, 30.333' powerboat, 50' 3 or 1 mast sailboat, and finally a 55.333' powerboat.

He provides excellent and complete, although small, plans for all of these vessels; an outstanding value. Unfortunately, many builders turn to Mr. Buehler's book for a simple and straightforward construction method because of amateur/intermediate experience. The large boat designs frequently run directly counter to this. While Mr. Buehler does an excellent job of encouraging builders, many newer builders cannot justify an expenditure of several thousands of dollars on something without near certain success. A simple remedy for this would include a simple 15-20' design, allowing builders to hone their skills and make their mistakes on something far less expensive.

This said, he does include a full set of building plans, complete enough for a first time builder, for the "Happy Camper of Pogo Pogo" a beautiful 16' schooner on his site. Unfortunately, a recent, massive increase in their price, from $195 to $395, will likely place them out of reach of many first time builders.

While I focused primarily on the few shortcomings in "Buehler's Backyard Boatbuilding", I believe that all, but the most advanced builders will find the information invaluable. The inability to find lower priced plans for a 15-20', chine, heavy displacement boat might force a newer boatbuilder to some of the instant, keel-less, light displacement boat designs promoted by Harold Payson and, in particular, Jim Michalak.

This book is just what it says a book on building a boat at home yourself. If your interested in building a boat you need this book. He directs most of this book towards large boats 30 to 60 feet but you can apply alot of this to smaller craft. He explains how you can build cheap and substitue materials to save money.

This is fine reading and a must for all considering building your own boat. As we say in the Elevator Trade, "That man know more tricks than a two-dollar ho!", ho ho Merry Christmas. Book is full of useful info and the book list in back is also how I found Harold "Dynamite" Payson's book 'Boat Modeling'...for building small versions from any plans using real boat building techniques. Buehler is a winner.

Julie was about an Eskimo girl who got lost in the Alaskan tundra. Julie, the girl learned to live by wolf ways. She followed the wolves and they accepted her. Amaroq was the pack leader and Silver was his mate. Nails was Amaroq's best friend and Jello was the lowly puppy-sitter. Kapu, Sister, Zat, Zing, and Zan were the puppies. Amaroq got shot by a helicopter flier and died. Kapu was also shot but was nursed back to health by Julie. Julie then found her father, Kapugen (Kapu was named after Julie's father.) near by. Kapugen had stopped following the Eskimo traditions and married a gussak (white) woman. Julie was not at all thrilled about this. Then she saw flying goggles hanging in the house. Julie then realized that Kapugen had shot Amaroq. Julie learned how Kapugen had changed. Then, she found out how Kapugen had started an industry in musk oxen. The caribou which is sort of like a moose or deer is one of the most eaten animals on the tundra. The wolves also eat caribou. The caribou was not going through Kangilik, where Julie was now living or where Kapu and his pack were. The wolves were very hungry and needed food to live off of. What will Julie do to save the wolves?

This one, in my opinion, is a bit better than the first one. Since this one has more social interaction, it makes time seem to fly by much quicker. It also contains the same friendly wolves, which also makes it exciting for anyone who read Julie of the Wolves.

This book is very amazing, it is just as good as it's original, 'Julie of the wolves'. I really loved reading this book, and I'm sure you'll love it too, if you love animals. Don't waste your time on another 'tundra imitation' book, get Julie of the wolves, Julie, and Julie's wolf pack now!

This book is about a young girl living in Alaska, in the village of Kangik trying to get used to her new home. She hears that her father will kill her wolf pack if they kill another oxen. She then goes back out on the Tundra to find her pack and lead them to Caribou. This book is wonderful and teaches us about Eskimos and their traditions. It is a fantastic novel telling how one girl is so in touch with all other living things. If you love learning about other cultures or love Julie of the Wolves and want to see what happens next, then you have to read this amazing book!

Julie was a fabulous book. It begins when Julie pointed her boots toward Kaugen. In this book Julie now lives in Kangik. She also learns the true meaning of love. I think you will love reading this book. If you like adventure books, then here is one you will enjoy again and again.

I first read this book when I was 17, and have reread it more than once; I loved it the first time, and it gets better each time. Perec can be a bit frustrating, and the book is not necessarily the easiest to get into, but if you give it time, by the end you'll be absolutely hypnotised. What I love especially is his attention to small things, everyday things, insignificant things: these are, after all, what make up life, and by portraying them with such loving care, Perec creates something very beautiful indeed, something like a love-song for ordinary life (though this is not to say there is no drama in the book - there is).

If you read Bellos's wonderful biography, a lot of things in the book become clearer, but you don't actually need to follow the various tricks and games (I hadn't a clue when I first read it, but that didn't interfere with my enjoyment). Another reviewer compared Perec to Glenn Gould; it would be equally apt to compare this work, I think, to Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier (so wonderfully performed by Gould): both take the basic elements and carefully show how they are things of profound beauty.

This book is really a rare one. If you are not ready to spend a long time with a complex book, find another one. This book takes time and patience. But as stated in the title, I think this not only my worst but also my best read.

If you are to read the book, it is nice to know that Perec was a member of the Oulipo philosophical group in France, who believed in constrained writing. Constrained writing means that by adding a constraint, the story will be "easier" to write, because you have ruled out many options. In this book the story revolves around jigsaw puzzles and this is the main theme & constraint in the book. Each chapter is like a little piece: in itself almost completely incomprehensible, but the more pieces you see, it suddenly seems to make sense. Until you understand the even greater motif and (metaphorically) see that the sea you thought you were matching together was actually a painting on the wall.

The book is very intelligently written, and very enjoyable. But at the same time is it not written in a way to make it nice to read, but written to follow the set of rules constructed.

To summarize: if you are into COMPLEX but REWARDING literature - READ THIS BOOK!

Book arrived in on time in excellent condition. I am very satisfied with this bookseller and highly recommend them.

[This book still ranks as one of the greatest novels I've read, so I'm re-publishing the review I put on this site nearly ten years ago. The bracketed text has been added to the original review.] This is the second most fascinating novel I've ever read [my favorite was The Possessed by Dostoyevsky], the best one I've read in twenty [now thirty] years. If you revel in complexity, this book is for you. [Check out the edition of Perec's sketches for this book, published by the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris.] Perec prompts introspection on many levels. The plot(s) are some of the most intriguing anywhere. The human condition is probed to the greatest possible depth. Despite certain minor [really minor] infelicities, Bellos has done an excellent job translating, consistently capturing the atmosphere (and there is a lot of atmosphere) of the original. (The title is one of the few translating gaffes. The original French does not convey the image of a computer manual and the term "user's manual" was not in general use in English until after the novel was written.) Once you've read it you will be on the constant look-out for others who know Perec. [Read all of Perec and try Harry Mathews.]

It is possible to fall in love with this book. As an intellectual exercise it is a triumph as it is never stuffy and self important but infinitely compassionate, humourous and inclusive. Little touchs like the index of all the different stories contained in the book are delightful and enable you to dip back into a particular moment.
Life a User's Manual is a description of one moment in time. Perec takes you through all the rooms of an apartment block, leads you to scenarios and objects and then into their histories back through other stories and objects as if you were a ghost moving through time and space.
If you enjoy quirky eccentric characters that have been created with a rich original imagination this is the book for you. I would also recommend The Manuscript Found in Saragossa by Jan Potoki for further enjoyment.

also; I was enchanted, and when it was done, asked her if I could borrow it. It was her personal copy, and very old (to me), and I loved the smooth, thin pages and the illustrations.... She let me take it home to read, and I felt so special. I still feel special when I remember how much she trusted a second grader to keep her own book safe. I loved it and wanted to find it for my second grade daughter. Too bad there are no copies available here that are under $100 :-)

My 3rd grade teacher in New Jersey read this book to us too! I thought of it all of a sudden today after a long time and I'm so excited to find it is available.

My 2nd grade teacher was the first person to share this story with me. I heard it again on an audio tape in 3rd grade. It's such a cute story, and I'm glad to see that it's in stock. (Must run to go ask dad if I can get it!)

I first had this book read to me by Mrs. Frohning, my 3rd grade teacher. She helped bring this wonderfully descriptive book to life! I can close my eyes and be back in her class eagerly awaiting the next adventure of Nancy and Plum. My grandmother remembered that I loved this book and searched for this book and gave it to me in my twenties. Now in my thirties, I have two copies and am searching for a third to give to my sister, who also had Mrs. Frohning. My step-daughter and I read the book together and will return to this book time and time again. For all those who want a magical experience that will last a lifetime, buy this book!

I never had anyone read this to me. I stumbled upon it during library time at good old Woodmore Elementary in Bowie MD. I bet it's still there. I loved this book from the moment I opened it. I loved the story, the hard cover, the size of the book, the way the old brittle pages felt as I turned the pages, and even the way the old pages smelled in 1974 (the book had been out for about 20 years by then I guess). I checked it out over and over again and now I hope to read it to my 7 year old. I know she'll love it too. I'm thrilled to see it available on Amazon because you can't get it in our local library and even the used book store in town has given me the shrug. Yay Amazon.

I first read of the novel from the Foxy 88.5 FM review of the Toronto Connie Francis Concert. I am a long time fan of Connie.I thought that any person who could write such a great review of the legendary singer must really appreciate her significance as the top selling female singer of all time.I decided I wanted to see what his novel says about her influence? The novel is not really about Connie, but her influence is enshrined within its plot. I would recommend the novel to all Connie Francis fans, all fans of the golden age of Rock and Roll and all romantics!

This novel of enduring love depicts an extradordinary day in Robert Mascaux's life; December 12, 1997! December is the month to read it! The romantic novel makes a great Christmas gift for anyone who appreciates receiving a love story, a story that reveals the influence of legendary entertainers, or stories that simply warm the heart. The last chapter describes a December wedding - everyone is invited! Thanks for a great read.

With Connie, With Love contains all the key ingredients of a good romance novel and lovers of the genre will feel this to be a good read.

Purchased a copy of the novel as a gift for a friend; but had to get my own copy to discover who these "bouquet sisters" and "manor residents" were and how the music of Connie Francis could be a theme of a novel. Normally I hate flashbacks, but they worked in this novel. Loved the major characters, fascinated by Trevor.I highly recommend the novel to anyone who enjoys a good plot and memorable characters.

Reviewer: from Nova Scotia
To some degree, there is comfort reading a novel that allows you to comfortably predict what's on the next page. For many chapters, I was right on target, Felt great. Then the surprises began in this novel. No one could have predicted the ending. Very clever writing. --.