Simmons Books

I'm not planning on analyzing the plot or anything of the sort, merely commenting on its descriptive characteristics. Although, in my opinion, it takes a couple tales to really grasp your attention (as most stories do), once this book gets rolling it is nearly impossible to put down. Pages fly by with out you even realizing it. For me, half the time this did not seem like reading a book at all. It seemed more like the pages past by as a movie played in my mind. The whole Hyperion Cantos as well as the Endymoin Omnibus set a bar quite high as far as descriptive quality. I certainly recommend it to anyone and in fact already have. None of them have been disappointed.

I just finished Hyperion and was amazed. I've read one other book by Dan Simmons - The Terror, which I absolutely loved - and I'm going through the rest of his books, starting with this one. The most powerful story has to be The Scholar's Tale - I was reading it during my lunch hour and had to choke back tears.

Admittedly, after reading Father Hoyt's tale, I almost quit reading. That tale alone is perhaps the most disturbing piece of "horror" fiction (from a philosophical perspective) that i've ever read. However, i'm grateful to have stuck it out because Hyperion did not disappoint. I found the book absolutely BRILLIANT in the way it slowly wove together pilgrims' tales. Some were heart-warning, some tragic, some vastly disturbing like that of Hoyt. All were meaningful in some way. However, the brilliance of Hyperion rests on the fact that it does not rely on simply an intriguing story...

While entertaining the reader, Hyperion also tackles age-old philosophical issues such as the meaning of life, the problem of pain & suffering in our world, the place of religion & church, etc. The book does not seem to be shoving any agendas so much as exploring several of them with a fair hand. For a religion major such as myself, I found it nothing short of fascinating. However, as I explained above, the book delivers on a human level as well & you won't find yourself short of horror, intrigue, suspense, and even a warming heart as the pilgrims journey on.

There are only a few noteworthy faults. 1 - Some may be turned off by the widespread use of profanity throughout the book. I'm quite used to language myself but Silenus disgusted me on multiple levels. The profanity does further the character development though & therefore serves a purpose. Also 2 - after 500 some pages, I was amazed to find that there was simply no conclusion. While i'm grateful for a sequel, having not realized its existence until far into the book, I have to admit the suspense nearly killed me. I just hope that Fall provides a sufficient answer to my many questions.

I originally ordered Hyperion 10 years ago here in Amazon. When I first read it, I found it slow and pondering and finished it without really absorbing it. I re-read it again, and with the added knowledge of 10 years, I found it enlightening, profound and exciting. Hyperion is basically the set-up to a Sci-Fi Universe imagined by Dan Simmons. It introduces the seven main characters of the Hyperion Cantos and by telling their tale, the reader learns about the Hegemony, TechnoCore and the Ousters. Each tale is an opportunity for Dan Simmons to show his mastery of different literary genres - from Kassad's military sex-fi to Brawne Lamia's noirish cyberpunk tale to Sol Weintraub's heartbreaking story to Silenus' anarchic and comic saga. However, Hyperion ends up like that - Simmons' showing off. From the way it is structured, it seems contrived that each Pilgrim gets to tell their tale and too coincidental that each detail is revealed depending on the order of the pilgrims, considering they drew lots. It lessens the suspense since you'll know further information about a galactic conspiracy will be revealed in the next tale. In this case, the strings behind the curtain is simply showing. Still, Hyperion is a good read and an infinitely better start for an excellent tetralogy. Just get past the sum, since the parts are good in their own right.

Yeah, I'm gonna be that guy. I understand that this book won the Hugo...and that it is "neat" because it uses the Canterbury tales as a "model". But so what? Yeah, I guess it was pretty cool having it split up into a bunch of different narratives, but I felt like the stories were longer than they needed to be. I know I know...I'm supposed to think it was super-cool that all these different stories were "woven together", and I can see that...but I just don't think it was done all that interestingly. Ok so they all had something to do with the Shrike and Hyperion, etc etc. It just didn't impress me. Simmons as a writer seems fine.

I do think, however, that he's one of those authors whose prose often falls victim to "over-describing" things. I dunno if this is just something that's changed about my own tastes or what, but I'm starting to get tired of authors who will spend 4 lines of a paragraph describing a sunset, something like "and the orange glowing soft ball of the sun settled behind the soft green curve of the hills, like a blahl blahblhalbha". I mean yeah...I can appreciate someone's ability to elaborate on a description like this, but why do it just to do it? Do we really have to do it for every sunset? Every scenery? This kind of stuff can really over-stretch the narrative when it doesn't add anything to the story. And what's even funnier to me is that more often than not, people take it hook line and sinker and assume that it's "good" writing...I'm not saying he isn't a "good" writer by the way.

But don't get me wrong...the book is a fine piece of "space-opera" scifi, but unless you're going to fall for the "it's cool because it's like the Canterbury tales" line, you probably won't find it earth-shattering. I'm just overly skeptical about stuff like this. If you want me to really be skeptical when reading a book...tell me it won the Hugo, then show me a bunch of screaming 4 and 5-star Amazon reviews about how great it is because of the fact that it's broken up into short stories. I didn't dislike the book, but I probably won't read it again. In fact the most positive thing I can say is that it did leave me wanting to know "what happens next" which...yes, a good story should do that, but a great story should do a lot more...and this just doesn't, not for me anyway.

Summer of Night

Dan Simmons novel takes us to a small midwestern town nestled in the cornfields of southern Illinois. A group of young boys are confronted by the darkest of evils and not only of the supernatural kind.
A coming of age novel; yes, but also a good horror yarn which manages to combine things that go bump in the night with the monster that lives in every young child's closet, and the evil that lurks beneath every child's bed.
This novel does have its flaws; once or twice I was left scratching my head and asking out loud " How can that happen?" However I would quickly conclude that this is speculative fiction and continue reading allowing myself to enjoy the book for what it is: good clean fun!

"Summer of Night" by Dan Simmons is a page-turning thriller that will entertain longer than it needed to.
The story centers around a group of pre-adolescent boys growing up in a rural, corn-growing town in Illinois. When summer starts and their old, spooky school shuts its doors for the last time the terror starts.
While investigating a boy who went missing amidst the depths of the schools basement the boys uncover an evil in their town that has centered itself in their eerie school. The more they learn the closer they get to a regrettable death.
"Summer of Night" really scared the hell out of me at certain parts. Actually made me a little scared of my own basement when I had to go down in the dark. However, at 600 pages I think it was just too needlessly descriptive, (Describing an unimportant Barbecue for 7 pages stuff like that) and just too long. I can usually read a 600 page novel in 3-4 days, especially if it keeps me turning the pages, however this took me nearly 2 weeks.
I would actually probably give it 3.7 stars if I had the option I figured I would round up for the creepiness that you just get that often. Bottom line, this is definately worth reading if you like this sort of book.

It's about 175 pages too long.There's pastoral accounts of the boys,their hometown,the neighbors,streets,;enough already.I found it a struggle to get through the first half of it.The second half is much better and almost makes up for the fact this puppy is 600 pages long.

By that I mean I read it when it originally came out. I've been re-reading some of my faves from the past and this was one of the best. I guess with time things change. I just couldn't stick with it. Much too much descriptiveness as in: Joe Schmoe, who had blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a Lucky Charms tee shirt with faded jeans and beat up old green tie dyed Keds, pedaled his blue bike with the rusted chain and Smurf stickers, at break neck speeds, over Elm Street and through the park over to the old drainage ditch, down Route 66, past Mrs. Miller's house, waved to Mr. Blue, skinned his knee on Maple Street, avoided the abandoned factory on Main Street etc., etc. I found myself wishing I had a photo of every character and a GPS system. Pages and pages go by with really nothing happening. Too confusing and quite annoying. I kept flipping back to see if I missed something and it really started to become a chore for me to read. I ended up abandoning the book after about 200 pages.

Wow, this is one good horror novel. It's been a while since I gave a 5 star to a book, but I think this book deserves it. I don't have many complaints, and the one complaint I do have actually is good in a way too.

This book is similar to the famous Stephen King novel IT in that it's about a group of young children ages 8-12 set in a small town in the 1960s. But don't be put off by that, it is only a superficial similarity, the story itself is far different and just as good in its own way.

A group of young friends have begun to sense an evil menace hovering around the old school (called Old Central) that eventually encompasses the entire town of Elm Haven. The disappearance of a classmate on the last day of school causes the group of boys to investigate his disappearance on their own.

Okay, the one thing that exasperated me about this book was the slow build-up of the story. The suspense killed me, I couldn't put down the book because I had to know what happened next. In the first half of the book, there are only glimpses of the evil in the town the boys encounter (things flying in the trees, a cold wind that smells of death, big holes in the dirt that smell bad, the big red roadkill truck that shadows them, etc). I felt like I was being teased with all these glimpses into what the evil is, but not enough to tell me the whole story, which made me keep reading. So while the slow pace may be frustrating, it was in a good way in that the tension and gradual build-up of suspense was very effective in keeping with the mood of the story. Hence, what I meant about the one complaint I had actually being good (so I suppose it really isn't a complaint? LOL).

I felt Simmons was very effective in creating a foreboding and dark mood with his very detailed descriptions of the scenery, he really set the scene so I could feel the apprehension, nervousness, and fear of the characters. At one point when I was reading at night, I got nervous and scared too and it's been a while since a horror novel could do that to me!

Some might be put off by the details he puts into his descriptions of the scenery, but I think it only helped me picture Elm Haven and the characters much more clearly in my mind so I thought it was a good thing.

Anyways, I thought this was a great horror novel and if you're looking for a good scary read I'd recommend you try it.

Maybe since it goes back to a more usual structure, I was able to follow the story about the fall of humanity, the search for God and the fate of the Pilgrims. Again, Simmons shines as he shows he can blend cyberpunk, space battles, politics, literary apocrypha, poetry, philosophy and more into one exciting stew. The Fall of Hyperion actually made me care about the Fall of the Hegemony and its repercussions.

My advice to those who have given up on Hyperion's rather contrived structure, read Fall of Hyperion and I promise you, you'll appreciate Simmons' universe even more.

Sorry Hyperion Cantos, we are through. I had high hopes that Simmons' second Hyperion novel (of 4) would tie of up all the dangling, half-explained threads of the first. This did not happen. I don't understand why an author with such strong prose, scope, and characters can fail so utterly at delivering a cohesive, connected story. Too many things happened for no particular reason other than to advance the plot. Too many other things regularly hinted at a purpose but fell flat. There were great moments, yes, but not enough to clear the bad taste in my mouth. Since I won't be continuing the series, I've read reviews and plot summaries for the remaining novels. From what I can surmise the problems the plague the first two books never quite work themselves out. A shame.

This book, along with Hyperion, is a masterpiece of writing. This is written by a man who has a deep passion for science fiction and he brings it to a literary level seldom reached. That Nicholas Sparks junk novels end up in the literature section and This book doesn't is a crime. Stephen King said it best and I agree..."I AM IN AWE OF DAN SIMMONS."

For those readers who reveled in the emotional and intellectual heights of Hyperion, the Fall of Hyperion is quite a let down. In Hyperion, I found the short-story format set within the evolving mystery of the Hyperion war to be among the most engaging styles I have ever read in a novel of this kind. The emotional impact of Sol and Sarai watching their daughter grow young before their eyes, the painful sorrow of Siri's tale and the destruction of Maui-Covenant - just brilliant. In Fall of Hyperion, we see a return to a more conventional style with multiple complex plot lines the reader is forced to alternate between. The use of Severn/Keats as a narrator is puzzling and in my mind detracts from the story. I am still not sure why I should care about Keats, why he was chosen to play such a significant role by the AIs, why we have to read through a detailed descripiton of Keats' return to Rome to die of TB. Then, Keats is used to intervene in critical ways in the lives of the pilgrims - it cheats the storyline of precious credibility. We see the disembodied Keats persona somehow taking physical form by finding symbiosis with the Templar's erg in order to prevent the Shrike from taking Rachel off to some unkown fate? Come on! Pretty ridiculous. I also am not very impressed with the religious philosophizing about the nature of God, but maybe that's just me.

On balance, however, the book works, and I will be moving on the Endymion.

The Fall of Hyperion picks up the Hyperion Cantos where it left off, but with a unique twist: the story switches to a first-person narrative told from the perspective of Joseph Severn, the cybrid reincarnation of the poet John Keats. This point of view allows Simmons a great deal of freedom, as Severn can directly narrate the compelling story of tragic Meina Gladstone, he can keep the reader informed of the Shrike pilgrims through his unusual dreaming capabilities, he provides a link to the cryptic but critically important Ummon in the Core, and finally his own experiences make up a large part of the slow, sad denouement to the tale.

While all of the Hyperion stories are excellent, in retrospect this might have been the one that engaged me the least. After the incredibly engaging, intense, and well-crafted "Hyperion", "The Fall of Hyperion" feels a little bit rough around the edges. There is a lot of action and dialogue that are confusing to follow. The comings and goings around the Time Tombs tended to unfurl in a relatively slow fashion--like martial artists fighting in quicksand. The Shrike resumes its role as the mechanical bogeyman, but its actions shift from indiscriminate killer to more nuanced plot facilitator ... making its motives as friend or foe unclear. Much of the dialogue involving Keats' poetry or especially the Zen koans seemed indulgent in a "look ma, allegory!" kind of way, without adding much to the story itself. Fortunately, Simmons seemed to sense a need to "translate" the intended meaning of the poetry into verse so nothing was really lost, but it made deciphering the text a bit tedious at times (I grew to have a strong dislike for Ummon for this reason!).

Ultimately though, this is a successful tale of the descent into chaos for the decadent but decaying Hegemony of Man. We see the downfall of the Hegemony through the eyes of the elegantly portrayed Meina Gladstone, triggered in large part by a critical insight about the subtly sinister TechnoCore provided by Ummon. We see the fall of Hyperion itself at the hands of the enigmatic Ousters. Finally, we see several deaths, "rebirths", and a pregnancy that will play a critical role in the subsequent stories.

In many ways, "The Fall of Hyperion" was probably the most challenging story of the Cantos for Simmons to write because it needed to fill two roles: as both the "conclusion" of "Hyperion" and the segue to the "Endymion" stories, Simmons needed to wrap up certain story lines, continue others, and start yet several more as the foundation for the Endymion books. He returned to a more conventional (less innovative?) narrative style than Hyperion, and the writing seemed to suffer a bit from this novel's broader scope (this is where a talented editor should've stepped in). For me at least, Severn is the weakest of this series' many narrators, as his status as a somewhat enigmatic copy of a copy of a 19th century poet makes him feel more like a plot device than a flesh-and-blood character that the reader can make a connection with. Still, "The Fall of Hyperion" serves as the necessary and still largely-successful bridge between the outstanding "Hyperion" and the concluding Endymion tales so if you have made it this far, dear Reader, continue on!

Rachel Simmons shines the light on girl aggression/bullying and it can no longer slip under the radar in our schools. When and how are we doing to stop girl bullying in our schools? Simmons writes about her own familiarity with bullying. She also includes a variety of stories from different girls/women's experiences with bullying. There is no pretty pink coating to go over the reality of what is happening in our schools and from what I have come to understand, will continue at an intensified level in the future.

I saw myself in several of the different side stories included in the book. It would probably be hard for any woman to read this book and not relate to at least five or six of the small stories held within. This book would be a great read aloud for a group of older girls or you could pull some parts to read to a younger group of girls in order to start a discussion on bullying. Mothers and fathers may also find this book to be helpful when confronted with bullying in their daughters lives. Not only does this book give detailed examples of how some girls were/are bullied, it also provides ways to tell if your daughter or loved one is being bullied. It helps a person look for signs and then explains how to address the issues of bullying with girls. As a teacher, I was able to reflect at how I can better handle girl aggression in my classroom. Simmons gives great advice on how to talk to a group of girls about bullying in the classroom.

I would be interested if Simmons decided to write a follow up on how some of the girls interviewed are doing in 10 years and to see what they have to say in the future about bullying.

Odd Girl Out- the Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls by Rachel Simmons is a MUST-READ book for teachers and parents of girls. "Girls can be mean" is a common statement that is made when observing girls interacting with each other. Odd Girl Out helps identify why girls can be so mean without the typical outward signs of anger. Rachel Simmons provides an illustration of the many alternative aggressions that typically "nice and sweet" girls use as they grow-up. After reading this book, as a female teacher, I was reminded about bullying that I had encountered throughout my education, and I was able to see examples of the bullying that has and is taking place in my classroom. As females, we typically do not recognize that bullying is occurring because of the use of alternative aggressions. In fact, after listening to a guidance lesson, the alternative aggressions that are explained and illustrated in this book are even typically ignored.

After one reads this book, you feel better prepared to create a safer and more understanding environment for any of your female students. Since I have read this book, I feel better about intervening on the behalf of some of my students. I also see where in the past I have excused the bully for the same reasons that Rachel Simmons discusses in her book.

As a parent, I could see the need to eventually share my own stories with my daughter. Many of the girls in this story mentioned being ashamed and alone while they had to deal with the bullying. Being aware of what your children are experiencing will help you become a better and more-informed parent.

This book is not an easy read; you cannot sit down and read the entire book within a short amount of time without some heavy thinking. The way the author set up and shares the different stories throughout the book gets a little confusing. However, the multiple stories easily allow the reader to personally connect to the book. Reading this book is not a quick-fix solution, but more-or-less allows the reader to gain insight into the aggression that girls show other girls. Teachers and parents are given some feedback and potential ways to help the students who are at the center of the aggressions.

Every girl from age 1O up and her parent should read this book so they understand what is in store for them in middle, junior high and high school. Rachel Simmons beautifully describes the unique bully culture of girls present on every school campus. It is so important for girls to understand this phenomenon so they are prepared and don't unknowingly become victims.If you have a daughter...it is a must-read for a parent. It provides an excellent understanding of how to prevent it and intervene to stop it. It is a must-read for parents of all kids who are about to enter school.

I bought this book a few years ago and had to force myself to finish it. It's definitely not as great as it is made out to be. A lot of it is common sense, and Simmons repeats things over and over as the book goes on. There are a few good little anecdotes, but other than that this just isn't worth it.

i'm not sure how i missed this book. it was published in 2002, and is absolute must reading for EVERY youth worker (male or female) and every parent of a girl.

it's a tough read and an easy read. easy, because simmons is an excellent writer and fills the book with real stories of real girls. tough, because the real girls she profiles reveal a profile of aggression (almost universally experienced) that is so painful, so destructive, it's difficult to read (especially if you care about teenage girls).

i had a great chat with my 13 year-old daughter, liesl, after reading this book. she was very open about how girls treat each other. i may be fooling myself, but i do think that liesl's private school (a waldorf school, which is particularly nurturing and has no tolerance for mistreatment) protects her from the fullest extent of what this behavior would look like in the vast majority of schools. in fact, i could easily see liesl being the aggressor (the rumor-creator, the silent treatment-giver, the "we don't like you" club-originator), were she in a different context.

the book talks at length about why this alternative aggression is so commonplace amongst girls. it also talks about why schools are so poor at addressing it. it's a bit light on suggestions for what we all (who care about girls) can do about it - but there is some of this, especially near the end of the book.

given my passion for early adolescent ministry, i was intrigued to read that this behavior is at its peak during the young teen years. the author focuses all of her research on girls from 5th grade through 9th grade, with the "sweet spot" (bad choice of words, i suppose) between 11 and 14.

here's one particular paragraph i found fascinating:

at first glance, the stories of girls not being allowed to eat at the lunch table, attend a party, put their sleeping bag in the middle, or squeeze inside a circle of giggling girls may seem childish. yet as carol gilligan has shown, relationships play an unusually important role in girls' social development. in her work with girls and boys, she found that girls perceive danger in their lives as isolation, especially the fear that by standing out they will be abandoned. boys, however, describe danger as a fear of entrapment or smothering. this contrast, gilligan argues, shows that women's development "points toward a diffrerent history of human attachment, stressing continuity and change instead of replacement and seperation. the primacy of relationship and attachment in the female life also indicates a different experience of and response to loss. the centrallity of relationship to girls' lives all but guarantees a different landscape of aggression and bullying, with its own distinctive features worthy of seperate study.

This book is amazing and it's very insightful. C.S. Lewis is very honest in this book and states clearly his view on pain. I truly enjoyed this book and recommend anything written by him.

This is an awesome book. I cant say anymore about it or I would take away from it. If you are struggling to understand why a loving God would allow pain and suffering, then you need to read this book.

On a recent trip from Europe to Australia, I re-read "The Problem of Pain" and was - as several years before - once again pulled in by Lewis' exquisite prose.

He starts off with a bang by describing how he used to see the world when he was an atheist, painting a bleak picture of the kind of universe we live in.

Most of it is empty space, he says, dark and cold. The heavenly bodies are really no more than a little dust in this great emptiness. Even if every speck of this dust were inhabited with happy creatures, "it would still be difficult to believe that life and happiness were more than a by-product to the power that made the universe."

As it is, however, so far Earth is the only speck we know of that is inhabited at all, and it is far from being a happy place. It is arranged in such a manner that every creature can only survive by annihilating other creatures. Lower forms of life are caught in this vicious cycle as much as higher forms, except that higher forms are so unfortunate as to experience years of pain before annihilation.

The most complex creatures of all - human beings - are beset with yet another curse, namely the ability to foresee their own suffering and death, which extends their physical pain into the mental arena. It also enables them in this vicious battle of mutual annihilation to come up with many cruel devices to inflict even more pain, both on one another and on less complex forms of life.

The conclusion of the old, atheist Lewis: "If you ask me to believe that this is the work of a benevolent and omnipotent spirit, I reply that all the evidence points in the opposite direction. Either there is no spirit behind the universe, or else a spirit indifferent to good and evil, or else an evil spirit."

Today's atheists such as Christopher Hitchens still make this same point, so "The Problem of Pain" has not lost its applicability in our times. It addresses a timeless theme.

But does Lewis succeed in providing an answer? That, I am not entirely sure of. Yes, I did feel myself being convinced by Lewis' force of writing, but I also couldn't help wondering whether that was due to his ability as an author or due to the actual points he was making. If you put down Lewis' main arguments in an unadorned list, would they still be convincing? Some, probably, but I fear not all.

Lewis himself said in a letter years after publishing "The Problem of Pain" that he wished he had known more when he wrote the book. It is, therefore, by Lewis' own admission, far from being a perfect work. For me, even after reading the book more than once, there still is a problem of pain.

But the book should be applauded all the same for its attempt to address the problem of pain and evil honestly, and it is definitely worth reading and re-reading.

- Jacob Schriftman, Author of The C. S. Lewis Book on the Bible: What the Greatest Christian Writer Thought About the Greatest Book

The question or 'problem' that C.S. Lewis sets out to answer in "The Problem of Pain" is one that has confounded believers and non-believers alike: if God is good and loves his creation, why does he allow such pain and suffering to exist? How can that be good and exist within his creation? While Lewis' ponderings may not seem like straightforward answers to those questions, he paints a picture of a God revealed through his creation where even pain and evil can exist.

C.S. Lewis is perhaps the best person to examine this topic: a former atheist, he commences the book by speaking of what his former answer to that question would've been. It is only through his eventual conversion to a belief in Christ that he is able to see the order behind the seeming chaos. Lewis examines an array of issues, covering commonalities between religions but what sets Christianity apart, the Fall of Man, and why Heaven and Hell must exist. Moreover, he examines the distinct individuality that plays a role in our relation to our Creator.

Lewis' prose has the contradiction of being both dense and enlightening. His examinations are not necessarily for the ordinary reader, nor are they too lofty either, but they require a great deal of thoght and reflection. Therefore, "The Problem of Pain" is best read perhaps a chapter at a time, allowing the reader to meditate on what has been presented. The ultimate irony of human suffering might be that as believers, we have had every opportunity to not experience suffering, since Christ has already suffered supreme - but because of how God created us, we have the will to choose, no matter what that choice might be.

Punctuated with a thin veil of lyricism and argued from a Christian perspective, C. S. Lewis does not only explore the psychological ramifications of experiencing pain (suffering) but also provides an intellectual discussion geared at reconciling theological tenets about the relationship between God as the essence of love and individuals stricken by sorrow. His views are very theoretical since the book was written many years before his beloved wife died. However, the book raises interesting questions relevant to the role of pain in our lives and misconceptions of what happiness and love are. During his compelling analysis of the Christian dilemma, Lewis journeys from atheism to Christianity with masterful clarity and empathizing inquiry into the Christian doctrine of a loving God in a world plagued by suffering.

This book opened my eyes that storytelling is not only office gossip or stories told at sales presentations to entertain people. Storytelling is a powerful tool that can inspire, influence, and get your mind to open up. I thought it was well written and not like the dry reading many textbooks offer. It was entertaining and helped me to fully understand the impact storytelling has on us all.

One Day She'll Darken: The Mysterious Beginnings of Fauna Hodel

Stories are necessary in selling. Sometimes that's all that's necessary. This book lays out a great many interesting stories that are somewhat corny, but at the same time work very well under certain circumstances. I wanted to know new stories and this book does deliver on that account. It's an easy read, but a thought provoking book as well. We don't realize how often we are persuaded to do something, just because we heard of someone else doing it. I recommend it to anyone who is in the business of selling - which is all of us.

How can you highlight the importance of telling stories ? "Well ... by telling stories !" says Annette.

This book not only tells you "Why stories are important", but also tells you "How you can use them". There are enough stories in this book to sustain your interest. I bet, it will be hard for you to gobble through the material. Take time to read the material to assimilate the wealth of information.

Will this book make you an overnight story teller? NO. Will this book put you on the right path towards improving your story telling skills? YES. The author persuades you to use stories to get the attention of audience. However, storytelling is an art. You'll need lots of practice to master it.

This book's sole focus and theme is to prove that stories are the best way to influence others. Subjective statements are used to prove this point...over and over again.

The sample stories in the book are too contrived or not very practical to use at work/meeting/home settings.

If you already use stories to influence people, or if you agree that the best way to influence someone is through stories, then you do not need this book.

NOT a book for people who want to know HOW to create and tell a good story. If that's what you want, pay more attention to co-workers who are good storytellers. Or find storytellers at your library/school, or go online and find professional storyteller videos.

If you want to learn the art of storytelling for the sake of the art itself (and not because you are trying to "influence" others), a good place to start is Jack McGuire's Creative Storytelling...it's centered on storytelling for children, but provides useful info on the process of creating, crafting, and telling stories.

I bought this book based on its great reviews, but I have to say that I'm very disappointed. The book focuses on why to tell a story rather than just repeat a bunch of facts. The problem is, I was already convinced of this. Moreover, the book is largely just a continuous string of reasons to tell a story. Wouldn't it have been better to tell a story about creating a story? The stories that are listed in there are pretty good, but are lacking in number and not all that connected to the rest of the chapter.

I wanted to know how to create and tell stories. The book only spends a few pages addressing these issues. I say look for another book.

Katrin made a believer out of me in just a few pages. I have been using Photoshop since 1991 but, like other reviewers here, I was "freehanding" it and some of my methods were somewhat less than efficient. Within minutes of opening this book I realized there was so much more than I knew, and quite frankly I was enlightened by this book where others offered shortcuts to less-than-relevant issues. In this book you are sometimes offered multiple solutions to the same issues, which is SO how Photoshop works insofras a pathways to resolutions can be so various, so there's room to incorporate what you already know. This was the first volume of hers that I bought but not the last. I strongly recommend this book and this author to anyone who's serious about photographic restoration.

Too many mediocre Photoshop books haunt the market. RESTORATION & RETOUCHING ain't one of them.

High praise: I've reached for this book over and over again when faced with new Photoshop challenges.

Only just noticed I have the First Edition and not the Third... Clicking-through now to purchase the latest edition. I know it'll be worth it.

Kirtland Peterson

I've been thru this book, was not able to put it down. After going throught the tutorials and reading through the chapters I feel very confident that I will be able to really bring poor pictures back to justice. Katrin really knows how to explain the subject along with showing very good examples of work done, this is a must have for anyone wanting to step their feet into photo restoration and retouching, and not just switching a monkey head for a real one. I have actually read through this book twice since I've had it.

I will admit it. Many of my photos have flaws. Many have not been preserved properly.

They represent memories, however, so I am reluctant to toss them in the trash. Katrin Eisman's book equipped me with the skills to restore them to a state to which I can be proud. This book has helped me take my well-intentioned, yet poorly executed photos, correct the color, contrast and tone. Mold, cracks and torn edges mystically disappear.

The moments I attempted to preserve were precious to me. The beautiful images that result from her easy to find, easy to follow, step-by-step instructions are a gift.

I'm a novice who wanted to restore a whole bunch of all photos from family that my grandmother had in her atic, so I decided to buy Photohop by recomendation of a friend of mind. I have no previous experience in this field, but this book was everything I needed it.
The author is so detailed and the practices so well prepare that it took me no time to hands of it, and look like a profesional in front of my entire family and friends. I would recommend this book to anyone, experts or novices like me.

There are hundreds of books trying to sell a success formula out there, what makes this one stand out?

Intrigued by the background of the author, I picked up the book expecting, if anything, a different perspective on what it takes to climb the ladder of success. But going through the chapters, I was pleasantly surprised to find all the familiar concepts we've heard of in the past, albeit with different and very hands on examples from Russell Simmons' life and upbringing.

The book is written in a conversational and easy to read tone, there are a few repeating and prolonged passages on religion, yoga, and vegetarianism that may not agree with everyone, but an enjoyable read nonetheless. A small warning: watch out for the language in a few places.

...and then got preachy, irrelevant and boring. Going on about how bad African immigrants are treated in France. Yes, we know how much better they were treated in the old country. Going on about "reparations." So write a check.

i enjoyed listening to his book. it did help me to realize some things, to become spiritually and emotionally stronger. and to believe that there is hope, as long as you put your mind body and sould and your believes into what you are doing. just hoping and playing is not enough, but fighting and trying and hoping and believing is what it takes. i mean people may say he is cheesy, but i just think he is real, spiritual. for those that ever think that its cheesy, learn to listen between the lines. at leas i didnt fall asleep listening to him, unlike other books lol. ok

This would have been absolutely great, something I would have shared with many many young people EXCEPT for the use of the F word and even the N word. Totally unnecessary, takes away from the positivity of the message. Young people should be the target of this message but the language makes it not suitable. It is a shame because other than that it is inspiring.

c the world as a place of love, happiness, and peace. use positive energy to break down negative energy surround yourself only w/ people who r going to lift you higher. THere is something good in all seeming failures. You are not to see now. time will reveal it. be patient. when we do good in the world, we come to happiness. we r here to awaken from the illusion of separateness. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. You have to take it. Support what supports you back. "after feeling and seeing what is good accept it and live it.

I have the first version of this book and find it a good mix of both authors with the full intent to bring out the best in the stones for health, happiness and power.

My husband loves this book and uses it as a companion to The Crystal Bible by Hall. There is a lot of information packed in the book and it is very easy to read. There are quite a few pictures if you need help identifying a stone as well. This is a large book and well worth the money we paid.

I have been working with stones and making jewelry for about 5 years, and have struggled to find a book that covers the physical, geological, emotional, and spiritual aspects of stones. I used to use the Crystal Bible, which is not very complete, and after drudging through Melody's Love is in the Earth for years, I was so overjoyed to find this comprehensive, beautifully illustrated book by two lovely authors. Each stone has a natural crystal formation photograph and a cut stone example, which helps both hardcore rock hounds and jewelers alike. I highly recommend this book as do some of my spiritually minded jeweler sisters! Each author offers their own take on the stone, and between the two, you are bound to resinate with some of the information. There might be a few stones missing here, but frankly I'm tired of Melody making up names for stones that have no picture identification. This book rocks! ;)

Easy to read, good pictures, lots of good imformation. This was a good choice for me as a resource book on healing stones.

The Book of Stones: Who They Are & What They Teach
I bought this book because I already have the first printing of it. This is the updated on. There is a lot more information in this book than the first one. I use it all the time with my stones for a lot of reasons. I cross refreces this one with other ones that I have. Since it is written by two people with basicly very different write ups on each stone. You get two conpleat different look at the stone. There are still a few stones in this book that I don't have. This book is a great one to have, I have quite a few books on stones written for different reasons this is one of those must have books for those who love stones of any kind. The book have wonderful pictures of all the stones, great deal of work when into putting this book together. I enjoy it very much.

It's a naseauting example of our twisted popular ideology to see so many people relieved, elated, that DMX is now "redeemed" or relieved otherwise.

Spiritually yearning? You bet. But spiritually satisfied.... "out of the woods," if you will? Nuh uh. Go read the book of 1 John.

I pray for this man; though accepted into the beloved of THIS WORLD, there is not one reason to believe his soul has yet come to God's waters.

Please pray for him, especially through Isaiah 55, and examine yourself according to Ephisians (and 1 John) that you also are not plummeting toward Hell at terminal velocity.

I am a Christian minister of the true God. That said, go ahead and judge me- call me all the names a sinful unregenerate lost person calls God's servants. I've heard them before. Then accuse me of doing what you do; you always do.

But after all that, stop bowing to the god of fame and money and worldly success and go to the Bible, or men and women who know the BIBLE, and "count the cost" beloved!

I picked this book up in a used book store. Although I am not a huge fan of his music I picked the book thinking it may be interesting. I was actually surprised to find out how good this book was to read. DMX discloses so much of his personal life in this book. He is very candid and does an excellent job telling his life story from his passion for pitbulls to his problems with drugs.

There aren't many people who possess the energy and resilience that DMX has. He connects with his audience in ways beyond belief. I met him at a recent performance, was on stage with him the whole time, and was literally blown away. He is one of the greatest performers in the industry today and should be recognized as such. I appreciate his honesty in his book and in his life. What a great man!!

I just grabbed this book out of curiosity. I knew of DMX and his music but no fan. Wow, was I impressed. To be completely honest, I figured it wouldn't be so good because frankly, how good of a story can a ghetto playa bring to the table?
Well, a very good one in fact. My favorite part of it was that he didn't restrain himself from sounding intimate. He would describe how he was living with nothing and then he had bought a little bouncy ball and that was the shiznit! lol I love that. He appreciated the small things. He still had a heart and needed love no matter how roughed up he was. I got mad respect for him and I feel his story was genuine. DMX did not try to make the projects seem cool or anything. I had a picture the entire time reading it. Dark, gloomy, dirty streets and bad vibes. I recommend this book. Seriously, just read it with an open mind. WOW.

This book offers nothing positive at all. DMX lived a negative life and he speaks negative rap. He robbed people (mostly women) as a youngster. He robbed other kids by using his dog. He stole cars. He stole for the thrill and because he wanted nice things without working for them. And he didn't care who he stole from. He stole a chain from his friend (TQ). He would offer his home made tapes for sell to people, take their money and not give them anything. He promotes violence. He spent most of his life victimizing people in and out of jail. At one point in the later chapters and in one of his raps, he implies raping men in jail. He summarizes quickly what his jail time was like, he avoids going into alot of detail about those years. He's showing you the slice of his life that he wants to show.

He spends too much time on the earliest years of his life which are uninteresting. He doesn't really cover the parts of his life that most people are interested in. He doesn't talk much about the actual business of music. He doesn't talk about how his life changed with the music business success. He doesn't talk about how he grew as a person or what he learned from his incarcerations. Did he spend his time in jail doing anything positive? Or was his jail time just fighting people and rapping about it?

I do appreciate his talent, but not his messages. There were alot of DMX songs that I used to listen to. After reading this book, I see him more vividly now. I see him as a horrible person who I would want nothing to do with. He isn't a person that should be celebrated, he should be ashamed for the life he has led.

You shouldn't buy this book. You shouldn't even borrow it. It's a waste of time to read, there are much better, more positive things that you could be doing with your life.