Windsor Books

Pern has fallen into disrepair. Because there has been no danger from the terrible "threads" that threaten the planet with destruction every few hundred years, traditions are being lost to the wind like dust. The people of Pern no longer understand why they should bother to remove the greenery from their homes, why they should have to give gifts of food to the Dragonriders. They don't do anything except leech. The "threads" are a thing of the past.

One of the leaders of the Bronze dragons feels differently. The Threads have been too long absent, and the death of their useless Wyerwoman, the companion to the queen dragon, leaves room for improvement. A search is called and Lessa, a kitchen maid who had her lands taken from her birthright is spirited away to the Wyer, the home of all dragons to see if she is fit to be companion to a queen.

Ok, you can shoot me now. Get it over with. Because you're going to want to kill me once I say this next sentence: I didn't like "Dragonflight."

I know, I know! It's a classic, the basis of most modern dragon books, blah blah blah. I'm sorry, I STILL didn't like it. I don't know why I just didn't get it. The plot is simple enough: girl becomes bound to a dragon, together they have great powers, must save the world. That part I get. I suppose the plot was a little TOO simple. There was no real adversary. Ok, yeah so the "Threads" have the potential to destroy the world...but essentially the Dragonriders are fighting against nature, not exactly an exciting adversary that you can love to hate.

I also didn't love McCaffery's characters. I tried to like Lessa, I really did, but I just couldn't get over the fact that she was a brat who thought that it should be her way or the highway. She was in no way loveable or relatable, and the main male character left the same things to be desiered.

Towards the end McCaffery jumps off the deep end by messing around with time travel. I had enough to keep straight with all the scheming and mystery going on and then she throws a wrench in the mix by adding in time travel? I was so confused. I still am to tell you the truth. Just thinking about it makes my head hurt.

The bottom line is, McCaffery failed to make me CARE at all. I didn't care about the characters, I didn't care about Pern and its destruction, I didn't care that the space time thingy was going to be messed with. I felt no love or concern for any of "Dragonflight's" characters including the dragons (and I love dragons!). I just didn't get any emotion out of "Dragonflight," and in my book that just doesn't...well...fly.

Two stars.

I can't review this without a minor spoiler, so here it is...
I don't like time travel as a plot development. First of all, I find the concept unbelievable, but beyond that you always end up with the same concepts (ooh, look, we have a paradox here). I liked the story at the beginning and think that the ideas of dragons that need to fight interstellar 'threads' was pretty original, but it just gets bogged down with the jumping between times. Also, I didn't find most of the characters very likeable. Maybe I would have liked it a bit more if I had read it closer to when it was written.

I wished it would be over. A lot of names were used, almost too many. It was a little stressful trying to keep track of so many different characters, names and places. The author's writing style was wordy making some events hard to follow. I've been spoiled by the writing styles and creativity of J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer, which this book did not have.

Story Brief: Fax fought and took over the Ruath lands and killed all of the ruling family except Lessa who disguised herself as an old dirty woman for about ten years. F'lar comes searching for a woman who could be the Wehrwoman (female ruler). He senses Lessa's power, finds her and brings her to the wehr (home of dragons). When the new queen dragon egg hatches (Ramoth), the dragon chooses Lessa as its partner. F'lar's dragon Mnementh mates with the dragon Ramoth which makes F'lar the new male ruler. Threads are spores which come from another planet about 200 years apart and eat all vegetation on the planet. The dragons kill off the threads. Currently, they are short on dragons. Lessa comes up with a solution.

Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: none. Setting: unknown time on the planet Pern. Copyright: 1968. Genre: fantasy and time travel fiction.

It's been 400 years since the world of Pern has had to deal with deadly Threads falling from the sky to destroy whatever organic life they come into contact with. Many no longer believe that the threat exists any more and the dragon riders responsible for destroying the threads before they hit the ground have fallen into ill repute. Enter F'lar, the new leader of dragon riders, and Lessa, who bonds with the newborn queen dragon. They struggle to get ready so that humanity can survive when the Threads begin to fall again.

Lessa and F'lar are the main characters in Dragonflight but there is a large supporting cast and nearly all are well portrayed. Lessa's and F'lar's romantic relationship definitely has an adolescent tone to it, but it still makes for an enjoyable read. This is not a long book (less than 300 pages) and the pace moves along smartly as a result. The stakes are high and the story compelling.

I read this book roughly 25 years ago and enjoyed it at the time but wasn't sure that my slightly older self would find it as engaging. I must say that it was a pleasant surprise how well Dragonflight has held up and it was a very enjoyable read. I fully recommend it to established fantasy fans as well as newcomers to the genre.

As an avid reader of Science Fiction/Fantasy/Sword and Socery books, I was quite disappointed with this first McCaffrey dragon series tale. This book outlined a story of the planet Pern and its age-old battle with the Threads - material that fell from the sky and would ingest all organic material on Pern. Needless to say, the dragons played a major role in the defense of Pern and there were other interesting human characters; but the bottom line is, the overall story was quite boring, not very interesting, and definitely did not generate enough excitement nor incentive to read the next book in the series.

I had never heard of Tess Gerritsen prior to Amazon offering a free Kindle download of "The Surgeon." It sounded interesting, so I gave it a try. I'm so glad I did!

As another reviewer stated, it was similar to the style of "Silence of the Lambs" or "Hannibal." Each of the main characters are fully fleshed out, and their individual personalities are very distinct. I found myself empathizing with Detective Moore, disliking (at least initially) Jane Rizzoli, and fearing for Dr. Cordell.

The medical terminology was over my head a few times, but it lends credence to the scenes in the ER. The author effectively places you in the midst of all the action, and you sometimes forget you're reading a book.

There aren't many books that I have difficulty putting down, but "The Surgeon" kept me up way beyond my bedtime.

Although I found the narrative generally compelling and suspenseful, I was relieved to come to the final page. At times it seemed that Dr. Gerritsen was repeating a procedure for her surgery residents; "Watch this again, students." And again.

As a newcomer to Gerritsen's books, I never realized that this was part of a Jane Rizzoli series. Although that character was nicely developed, she was far from the most engaging character. The italicized "thoughts of the creepy villain" seemed unnecessary interruptions of the flow; he was at no point sufficiently interesting to deserve all that space.

If you enjoy gruesome and scary, but don't require an exciting love angle, you may love this one. I found it somewhat unsatisfying.

This was a free download, and I was pleased that this was not a second-rate novel. Fast-paced, detailed, and suspensful.

The ending is a blatant rip-off of the climax of The Silence of the Lambs. A very well-written rip-off, but a rip-off all the same.

Otherwise, I thought this was a great book, well developed characters, good backgrounds on all of them, and avoidance of most cliches. The only thing I really didn't like was the characterization of Jane Rizzoli. She's the book's other female protagonist, someone we should be empathizing with, and to me, she just came off as a grade-A, you-know-what. Defensive about everything and uber-hostile to Catherine Cordell because she's attractive, and generally in need of a good smackdown.

I was very anxious getting my hands on this book after I had read all the reviews. The book started out very tense, and I liked the pace. However, towards the middle of the book I had this sneaking suspicion that the "killer" would be somebody the reader had never actually "met". It turned out to be a anonymous person who is always "hidden from the reader" until the very, very end. Unfortunately, that's what spoiled the book for me. I felt let down by the author who decided to drop the suspect right in front of me over the last 20-30 pages without any prior introduction.

I picked this book up on the recommendation of strangers who said that it was one of those must read American novels. I'm always leery of these recommendations as they Ayn Rand usually appears on them and as a someone once told me "Friends don't let friends read Ayn Rand". This was a surprisingly good book, I can't say how accurately it portrays New York City in the late 80's early 90's but it feels real, and the tensions and issues it deals with (race/class inequalities, the purpose of wealth) are ones we've yet to overcome or even recognize they need to be dealt with... Highly recommended.

Although I have enjoyed some of Tom Wolfe's early nonfiction work, Bonfire languished on my shelf, unread, for several years. For some reason, I had dry and boring in mind for this book, which turn out patently untrue.

To the reader who expects a true picture of gritty life in a big city, or a real picture of relations between groups of people, as other reviewers have called this, look elsewhere! Bonfire is satire...it is exaggeration...it is a farce.

Great truths, however, often lie in humor. Wolfe has created a world where the reader manages to despise just about every character. You may be at least indifferent to the cops, or Fitzgibbon, the assistant DA who still seems to have his head on straight, but these characters just provide enough temperance to remind you how you hate everyone else.

Wolfe's use of the English language is something like Shakespeare meets tabloid journalist, and his verbiage never fails to trigger an emotion, or two, often laughter and anger or despair at the same time.

I often found I could not put the book down, but unfortunately,it seemed at the moments of highest suspense, the wordiness begins to drag, slowing the pace to a crawl, when you'd most like to fly.

Great Book. Very enjoyable. The writing is probably better than the story. There are sentences in this book which I think are probably the finest ever written. An absolute treat.

Tom Wolfe captures the essence of big-city racial and class conflict, plus greed, ambition, and self-serving hypocrites. His story concerns high-living banker Sherman McCoy, whose accidental exit from the New York freeway into the crime-plagued South Bronx leads to his mistress running over a young black man (who may have been looking to rob McCoy). Enter a questionable black leader, an unscrupulous vote-seeking district attorney, and a sleazy tabloid reporter, each of whom seeks to manipulate and play off events for their own aggrandizement. The story has few admirable characters at any level, not in the Park Avenue mansions, the courts, nor the tough streets. Equally lacking are social codes of decency and honesty. The story covers New York in the mid-1980's but one senses it applies today as well.

Wolfe provides a powerful tale, one with some parallels to the Tawana Brawley hoax that occurred not long after this book arrived. The book drags a bit in a couple places (thus four stars and not five), but Wolfe provides a powerful message.

On the plus side, The Bonfire of the Vanities compares well with Balzac's stuff. I mean, the methods are similar. The story follows several very different characters living in New York, and each scene is detailed, particularized, analyzed, painted with a very fine brush. Many layers of New York's society are represented. There are no moral messages, no lessons to be learned, just life in New York in the late 'Eighties or early 'Nineties at its most intense, presented as "business as usual," with corrupt politicians, lascivious prosecutors, moronic members of the jury, conceited stock market honchos, cynical lawyers, less-than-bright policemen, political opportunists, socialites, priests, opera singers, real estate agents with five thousand dollar manicures, rich faithful wives who deserve to be strangled, only it never occurs to anyone to strangle them, mistresses on the make, petty criminals, silly immigrants, bone-headed journalists, feminists of both genders, racial and ethnic tension - and on and on. The book is really a lot of fun.

On the other hand, the opus falls just short of making its author, well, "the Balzac of our time." No scene is picturesque enough to be called cinematographic, and for a novel 800 pages long that's a bit, well, loquacious (on the author's part). The author tends to explain too much, and fits people and scenes together in such a way as to promote his own outlook, leaving the attentive reader no choice but to examine it. Upon closer examination, one realizes that Mr. Wolfe's main purpose is to show that people in general are vile, selfish, obtuse creatures (without exception); that life is a pretty ridiculous affair; and that any joy a person ever derives from living is brief, accidental, and usually comes at the expense of others. To put it plainly, THERE IS NO GOD in this novel. It was written by a fierce atheist. There is neither faith, hope, nor love in it. None. Life is algebraically plain and tedious.

(I realize I said earlier there were no moral messages in the book. There aren't any. The above is an OUTLOOK, not a message).

Literature thrives on extraordinary situations in which characters are inspired to perform extraordinary acts. The element of surprise in Wolfe's novel is purely circumstantial. Folks have no fre will in this story. (All atheists are determinists more or less by definition, I suppose).

In the past, I've had some interesting experiences related to the publication of this novel. Two years after it came out (in the early 'Nineties, I believe), the news finally reached the Philistines, and by Philistines I mean those representatives of the middle class (and, sometimes, the upper middle class; I have nothing to say about the actual upper class since no one, not even the representatives of the said class themselves, can figure out what the hell they're up to, what it is they do all day, and what their problem is) ... uh ... where was I? ... Philistines ... those representatives of the middle class that once in a while make a half-hearted effort to appear CULTURED, which, in their view, means catching a program on the History Channel once in a while and telling others that they're reading "this book, it's actually pretty good." They never seem to finish this book. I mean, they sort of struggle through the first twenty pages, and then skim through the rest, and make plans to read it properly when they visit Aruba next year, or some such. They're always too busy, they never have any "free time." One gets the impression that if they stopped being busy for a moment, civilization would just collapse and never recover. Anyway, this dude had a copy of "Bonfire" in his briefcase and was telling me (his colleague) how everybody had recommended this book to him. He was going to read it when he had some free time. He actually DID take it to Aruba (there was also a wife involved, I believe). He came back, I believe, without having finished it. A year later he died. He was a good guy, too. Reading just wasn't "his thing," as Philistines like to say.

Anyway, when "Bonfire" came out, the hype was considerable, which for me is nearly always a turn-off. And then the movie came out (which, incidentally, was far more politically incorrect than the book, and the choice of actors and actresses was just UNBELIEVABLE; I loved it). So I put off reading "Bonfire" until, oh, I don't know, maybe after 9/11. By that time, home video games had become astonishingly popular, and crime rates started dropping everywhere across the nation, including New York (for which then-Mayor Giuliani took all the credit, of course). When I finally got to read it, the novel struck me as a bit dated. Not that any issues described in it with a flourish, social and otherwise, had become a thing of the past. The overall societal set of problems had shifted a little since the novel's publication, that's all.

The story is constantly balancing on the edge of political correctness, even though it never goes beyond the boundaries, not once. Even so, few other authors would dare show a book that probes so many "untouchable," "sacred-cow" issues to an editor, and few editors would touch a book of this sort with a hundred-foot pole. The advantage of being Tom Wolfe, I suppose, is that during the decades he spent being a journalist and creating his own style (starting back in the '60's), the man gradually accustomed everyone to the fact that he says outrageous things and gets away with it. The degree of outrage has increased over the years, and today Mr. Wolfe can get away (I would imagine) with saying pretty much anything, because he knows that no one will take it (or him) seriously.

It is worth remembering, while reading this novel, that its author belongs to the glorious school of Southern authors with New York careers: the crux of American literature. God bless.

I got this at an airport and wasn't exoecting anything but nI was surprised at how good it was and compares better to the author's whole series of Arthurian legends. It is good.

Probably Cornwell's finest work - the Arthurian legend brought to life as it was, or as it would have been, had it been true. Set in Britain circa 490AD Cornwell paints a magnificent picture of a mediavel fantasy transplaced into the gritty reality of the Dark Ages. There is no classic Camelot and knights of the round table, but a grittier tale using a familiar host of characters that makes for an absolutely gripping read. I challenge any one to read this book and not feel compelled to purchase and read the whole trilogy.

How can I say this without revealing too much detail? One thing that really touched me about this book is how incredibly real the narrator is. Derfel Cadarn, a very real man now in his last days of life, telling the story of a very real Arthur. A man who I believe many will be able to relate to. Of course the unique style of Cornwell shines. He has a knack of painting a beautiful mosaic and then desecrating it with the harsh reality of tyranny, war and life in a harsh period. The Winter King gives a very vivid and convincing vision as to what fifth century Britain was like. A Britain plunged into turmoil with religion, war and savage barbarism. A post-Roman Britain seeking some way of resolve and peace. A Britain that saw the real Arthur.

I finished this book late last night after a very quick, very intense tear through the novel; I could not put it down. I will be starting book 2, Enemy of God, of this trilogy today.
This is definitely not your typical Arthur. Oddly enough, there is little proof that Arthur existed in the great way he is now known in legend to have been. Obviously, the magic, Excalibur, Camelot, the Round Table and the 'Holy Grail' type additions were very well used literary tools to create a legend bigger than itself in many tales. What Cornwell has accomplished in this novel is to bring the story back down to earth in a very real and incredible way; this is an Arthur who lived in a real world, with superstitions and gods of many religions, but no magic to speak of, rather just man's overwhelming ability to allow fear and misunderstanding to create belief in magic, spells, wizardry and monsters. To be fair, that may disappoint Arthurian legend lovers of the mystical tale. This is not the stylized Arthur that we read about in most literary works or, in more recent years, we see on film.
The tale is told by an elderly monk who, before becoming a Christian, was an orphan raised by Merlin (not a Wizard in this tale, rather a Druid leader of Britain). He, our storyteller, was Derfel Cadarn, Derfel 'the mighty', and he was a fierce and feared warrior, a Lord of war, a leader of men, a sworn man of Arthur, and a mighty killer. He is also an excellent storyteller who weaves a tale of 5th century Britain, a land at war with itself whilst also being invaded by the Saxons (who the author Cornwell also writes about in his excellent Saxon Chronicles which I highly recommend). This was an island of many nations and many kings, before it was England, just after the departure of the Romans and just as the island was at its lowest point in history, the beginning of the dark ages.
The fact that not much is known about the people that became so legendary in myth and tales of magic, allows Cornwell to weave a book of fiction that represents the period very well and freed him to create a tale that he did not have to meld in to history. In other words, Cornwell was able to create an entire story, using famous names that have no story, thus allowing us to experience a completely different version of the tale.
I avoided this trilogy for a while because the Arthur tales are a little too fantasized for me; I prefer more historically based fiction. Thankfully, I came to my senses and read this book. It was excellent. I read a review below that stated that someone struggled with this book because of all the characters, a claim I don't understand. Cornwell kindly provides a list of ALL the characters and a short summary of who they were, at the beginning of the book so you can always flip to the front if you don't remember a name. A detailed map is provided in the back to give you an understanding of where the many characters are from and where they go.
I definitely recommend this book. Although our storyteller does tell Arthur's tale, the book does tend to be more Derfel's tale and how he experienced life as a sworn man of Arthur. It follows Derfel to Amorica (Britanny, France) where he spends years fighting in Arthur's place for the kindom of Benoic (which reminded me of Jonathan Swift's kingdom of Laputa, the floating island where everyone was more interested in learning and beauty, where, in this tale the king spent all his money on knowledge all his money on knowledge and allowed the kingdom to crumble around him). This is Derfel's tale of Arthur and it is a wonderful story.
Enjoy!!!

Now, you self annointed internet police can begin yelling at me for not posting a real review.

Kindle editions of his Saxon series were great, can't understand why not these?

At this point, mostly everyone knows the story of what happened to Jean-Dominique Bauby as well as the story of his life, so it's pointless to rehash what's already common knowledge, but one thing that needs to be said (or reiterated) is that it's absolutely amazing that the late Bauby dictated this book to his therapist by blinking one letter at a time.

"The Diving Bell and The Butterfly" is a pretty quick read, but what's contained within is, at the risk of sounding cliche, deeply moving and powerful. To think that someone was patient enough (in this day and age of minus zero patience and even shorter attention spans) to take the time to transcribe his thoughts one letter at a time defies description.

As always, some details were changed in the adaptation from the book to the movie, but the message remains the same - and it will remain with you long after reading the book and/or watching the movie. - Donna Di Giacomo

Interesting book. I'm left a little stranded when deciding how I feel about it. Jean-Dominique, a 43 year old editor of the French Elle Magazine, has a massive stroke and is left trapped in his own body. His brain, his wit, his intelligence are still there, but his only communication with the outside word is the blinking of his left eye.

The writing is lovely and touching and very sad as he describes things as varied as the day of his stroke, his dreams, a Father's Day at the beach with his kids, and the letters his friends send him. I did not finish it feeling inspired though. What I did walk away with, was a big question of `why.' Dictating this book letter-by-painful-letter, why did he chose the topics he did? And is the choice of those topics the portrayal of who he is as a person?

I don't know. I can't help but wonder what I would chose to do, be, write, if I were in his situation. It is his answer to the question that I find so interesting.

omg
this book
as i said, i read this in 1 evening
guzzling coffee, carrying the book to the kitchen along as i refilled my mug, reading, underlining, scribbling quotes down for later meditation, i immediately lent it to a friend, and left voicemails on phones for others to read it, like yesterday, this is a must have for anyone, but especially for you if you sometimes wonder why life is special, just as it is.
please get it
that will make me happy
and you know that's what its all about
:)

I learned for some men passion and lust is more important than love no matter how painful.

Jean-Dominique Bauby's "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is a truly moving and inspirational memoir by a man rendered incapable of any communication except for the blinking of his left eye and very slight head movement. Bauby had suffered from a stroke, which led to what is so aptly known as `locked-in-syndrome'.

Bauby, a distinguished journalist who had been editor-in-chief at Elle, famously used his one book contract with a publisher (signed before the stroke) to write this memoir by recounting his story through blinking his left eye to spell out every letter of every single word to an interpreter/assistant who would recite a special frequency arranged alphabet to Jean-Do.

This fascinating and unbelievable pretext sticks with the reader throughout the memoir, with it so often seeming amazing that such lucid and vivid metaphors and accounts of life could be communicated by a man in such an imprisoned state.

From his refusal to pity himself or lament his situation, to his heart-wrenching yet moving description of his plight as that of being trapped in a "cocoon", with his inability to move any part of his body being likened to being forever imprisoned by an old-fashioned diving suit, Bauby constantly moves the reader with his courage and heightened state of awareness. By declaring his situation as not a burden, but instead an opportunity to free his mind and let it take "flight like a butterfly", Bauby delivers a memoir that is so precious for demonstrating a man's noble minded acceptance of fate, and embracement of opportunity.

Jean-Do's memoir recounts his time at the hospital in France where he is left to try and rehabilitate following his stroke. There is a constant strong sense of humour evident from the author, with Jean-Do wittily noting that seeing as his original idea for a novel (conceived prior to the stroke) had coincidentally involved a victim of locked-in-sydrome, he had considered making the new hero of his book "not a paralytic but a runner" in the hope of achieving another coincidental turn of events. This sense of humour and ability to look at the bright side of things underlines Bauby's ability to connect with the reader, putting them at ease whilst at the same time discarding the possible misconception that a person in his state would be incapable of retaining their wit, or any sort of personality.

Throughout the book, it is Bauby's amazing strength of will and spirit that remains at the forefront of the readers mind. Despite the tragic and disheartening situation that he remains in, Bauby shows no hesitance in opening up a new chapter in his life. Despite such huge emotional challenges like being unable to hug his own child, or shake a fly off his nose, Jean-Do finds a way to live his life in a fulfilling way, avoiding the depression and grief that would be so tempting to succumb to.

What makes this memoir so great is that it provides an example for all of us to follow. The inspirational message underpinning Bauby's work is inescapable, and leaves the reader with a far greater appreciation of their life, reminding them to enjoy the numerous simple, yet joyful pleasures we so often take for granted.

Lots of details about tactics and also about the author's thought process. Very honest; the author is pretty humble, which is nice. Lots of action and adventure, all of it true.

This book was given to me as a birthday present and it was certainly a very sobering read. A mission behind enemy lines goes pear shaped from the get go and our highly specialised SAS team is straight into a fight for their lives.

The bulk of the book is around the capture and subsequent torture over a long period and you have to wonder just how much the human body can endure. Andy witnesses and experiences incredible brutality at the hands of his captors and loses close friends.

If you want to read something that is a small snapshot of a greater scenario, still true to life but not bogged down in any politics of the situation, then give this a go. But I hope you have a strong stomach.

Eight men with relatively low-tech equipment and minimal planning go out into the desert to destroy a communication cable and Scud missile launchers. Although their preparation is detailed, the mission itself is vague - go blow stuff up.

Like Spartan graduates of the Agoge, they are adept at improvising and eager to take whatever they need (especially if it is something new and shiny). These are great attributes for people in this profession, but it comes across as these skills were also necessary to obtain basic materials needed to accomplish their mission instead of having basic materials issued by their government.

Some of the mistakes are difficult to comprehend, especially since the British have a long history in the Middle East. Anybody who has been to the desert knows that it can get very cold at night and inadequate cold weather gear caused them a lot of unnecessary hardship. Having the wrong radio frequencies is completely inexcusable.

Overall this is an outstanding book about an amazing group of soldiers that many will breeze thorough very quickly. The abuse they took from the Iraqi troops after their capture is terrible, but their sense of humor was unfazed. As they said, "at least they can't make us pregnant".

Whatever you believe about the amount of fiction vs. fact in this book, there is no diputing that it's an entertaining page-turner. The incredible account of the endurance that it took to survive this event makes you really appreciate just how unique special forces servicemen are. I'll be reading some of the other books about this event just because I enjoyed the tale and I'd love to get the other perspectives, but if you are reading for entertainment you won't be let down. I just wouldn't necessarily base a factual report solely on this one work.

This is a well known story and there's no point reviewing events. It's pretty well written and does tell the story of a patrol that certainly went wrong.

Some other SAS folks disagree with this description of events and especially don't like that two of their friends died avoidably. But stuff happens, the SAS are not gods on earth, though they do have an outstanding reputation.

There are details in this book which are probably fabricated, mistaken or overstated but it is one view of the action that occurred and should be read in context with the books of the other patrol members, their disagreements are relatively minor really.

The plot was completely unbelievable; far beyond willing suspension of disbelief. I read it as fast as I could to see what happened to get it over with. It's a shame Steel took such an important subject matter, child abuse, and created a book that is pure misery to read, not because of the subject matter, but her poor craftsmanship. Gabreilla's innocent years in the convent and the beginning of her romance with Joe were classic Steel, but the horror of the end of that romance and the subsequent plot line will make you cringe if you've read some of her best such as Jewels or Crossings.

This book is just great. I have to admit for the first 100 pages it was very depressing and I am so glad the book really took off after that.
I didn't know how much I would care for a danielle steel book since it is unlike most of the books I read. I was so plesantly suprised.
I am now reading another one of her books and have bought more to read that I just can't wait.
I am now a DS fan.

The Long Road Home was my favorite Danielle Steel book yet. I felt very connected to the main character and couldn't put the book down. Unfortunately, I am still looking for a Danielle Steel book that can live up to standards of The Long Road Home.

The Long Road Home is one of the most touching books I have ever read. I absolutely loved this book and it goes to show that there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel. Gaberiella never gave up hope, no matter what came along she always found a way to overcome the obstacles . This book has a tendency to get you right in the heart. The Long Road Home was definitely an inspirational novel that left me speechless.

Normally I enjoy reading Danielle Steel books but I found this one to be way off base and I could barely stand to finish it. I found that the romance between Gabbie and the priest to be awful and the fact that he killed himself over it to be worse. The priest and Gabbie were both weak and that would not happen like that in real life I do not believe. Their whole romance was one of the worst things I have ever read. Then the ending of the book was horrible also how can she fall in love with someone whom she hardly knows and has never seen outside of a hospital talk about a violation of the doctor patient relationship! The ending of the book left a lot to be desired I would not recommend this book to anyone after reading the whole book.

Any question that you may have, the answer is in this book! Whether this is your first or tenth baby, there is always something new to learn. Great advice and easy to understand explanations. This is a must have for any parent!!!

This is a great book filled with wonderful information for new parents who have no clue what your life will be like with a new baby. Awesome book. I just bought the Toddler 411 for my 12 month old daughter. Love these books.

This book got me through my daughter's first year without freaking out over every little thing! Its informative, easy to understand, and funny at the same time. I think there is a new edition out now with some updates. Coming from a nurse - take it from me, this is one MUST for the new parent's libraary. I loved it so much I won't give it up even though we are now into the toddler version!

I bought this book while I was pregnant and read it cover to cover. When my son was born I think I referenced this book several times a day. It answered just about every one of my questions in a clear and concise manner. My son is now 6 months old and I still refer to this book at least once a week. It is like having your own pediatrician at home with you. I look forward to buying Toddler 411.

This is the bible of what you need to buy for your new baby. They are right on everything and I think they should change the name of the book because it's not just about bargains, it's about the safest things too -even if it might cost you a bit more. They cross check with consumer reports and have a website with updates. I thought it was invaluable. I tell everybody to buy it and buy it for others as a gift!

I have read many of Michael Crichton's books and for the most part I have not been disappointed by his works. In Disclosure Mr. Crichton does a super job educating the public about sexual harassment.
The book covers the story of Tom Sanders, and the sexual harassment threat at the work place he is charged with against his boss, and former lover, Meredtih Johnson. The story relates the constant fear men have of being accused, of sexual harassment because even if they win the case their reputation is ruined. The novel moves along at a nice steady pace, relating all the difficulties that Tom encounters. It shows how sexual harassment is a sensitive area in corporate politics while giving plenty of insight into the way corporations work. The characters are great, full of personality. I highly recommend this book. It's a great read.

Will all the guys stand up.
Thank you.
Now to your left is guy who doesn't like to be molested by a sexy superior.
He saves himself by accidentally recording it over the mobile phone.
I just love technology and scandals.

Fairly ordinary mundane sf thriller, with the main element being a nutso boss sexually harrassing one of her tech manager types. After getting shagged and being dumped she then goes way too Fatal Attraction on him. Meant to be a bit on the titillating side, I suppose, but pretty tame for all that.

DISCLOSURE isn't Michael Crichton's best novel, but it's still a gripping read. I read a lot of thrillers, and Crichton does an excellent job in this novel of generating suspense. Although I didn't find this story entirely believable, it is nonetheless highly entertaining and had me rapidly turning the pages. If you enjoy Joseph Finder's corporate thrillers, this novel is very much in the same vein.

Crichton deals with a lot of sexual politics in this story, which may turn off some people. But I thought he raised some interesting issues, and I agree with his general thesis that a claim of sexual harassment can serve as a formidable political weapon (as an attorney, I have seen this a few times myself).

Overall, DISCLOSURE is a fun and thought-provoking read by one of the best thriller writers out there.

I read this book after watching the movie. Usually the books are more enjoyable than the movie. In Disclosure, the movie is much more enjoyable. Don't get me wrong. The book is fun to read, too. Cold Eyes

this book was just what i ordered, however the packaging (which is REALLY important for all the books i order) was terrible for Amazon!!! Both books i ordered here came loose is the cardboard box, leaving them damaged on the corners. This is a first in my experience with Amazon!

I was reimbursed for 40%, however the books stay the same.

Maeve Binchy never appears on the "100 Best Writers of our Time" type lists and I wonder why that is. Perhaps because she is ghettoized as a "women's writer" or pigeon-holed as a local-color-type Irish author. Her millions of readers know better. Circle of Friends is rightly seen as her best (though every book she has is worthy of multiple reads). The emotional density, rich complexity of plot and the depth of the characterization will stay with you for the rest of your reading life.

and you don't want to leave. That's, I guess, why I read this book over and over again. One of my favorite books ever, hands down. Also, in my opinion, Binchy's very best one.

Making friends doesn't come easy to everyone, and Maeve Binchy, knowing in the ways of the human heart, shows how it can be done from ages ten to sixty. Binchy's strength is her detailed portraits of everyday Ireland, particularly well done in Circle of Friends, set in the 1950s. First we get to know the small town of Knockglen, a one-hour's bus ride from Dublin, where we peer into the lives of the doctor, the nun, and the various shopkeepers. Then the action shifts to University Dublin, both the lives of the students and their parents from various socioeconomic strata. Binchy conveys the Irish dialect deftly and without a lot of fuss, including in the narration.

Eve and Benny (Bernadette) became friends as ten year olds. Neither have other friends at school. Though very different, they complement and support one another. At University (the Catholic University, since it's a sin to attend the Protestant Trinity College), they witness a fatal traffic accident on the first day of classes. They form an instant bond with the other first-year students who witnessed the tragedy. The normal drama of student life is a counterpoint to the changes that are taking place in Benny and Eve's hometown as the twentieth century catches up with Knockglen. Contrary to Benny and Eve's expectations, their Knockglen and Dublin lives become intertwined. Their bond crystallizes other friendships, with them and because of them.

If you haven't read any Maeve Binchy, I envy you because you have some great reads ahead of you. Circle of Friends is as good a place to start as any. You don't have to be a fan of things Irish to appreciate her writing and her insights.

When best friends Benny and Eve leave the small town of Knockglen in country Ireland, they embark on a journey self-discovery. Both girls have lived relatively sheltered lives and their move to Dublin, to study at university, gives them an opportunity to play at being grown-ups. Together, they develop new friendships and find love, but this exciting adult world presents them with all kinds of grown-up problems. Issues such as sex and alcohol, which were considered highly controversial in old, staunchly Catholic Ireland, are addressed by the author with humour and sympathy. Benny, who struggles with her weight and low self-esteem, plays the more central character of the two, and you can't help but love her sweet determination.
For those of you who have seen the movie Circle of Friends, but never read the book, please take the time to do so (the ending is different!).
Maeve Binchy's gentle style of writing reminds me of a cosy fire and a warm blanket. So find a comfy spot to read, grab yourself a hot chocolate, and settle in with Circle of Friends - this is escapism at its best.

Zara Stevens (Author - Boy Meets Girl: A Pocketful of Wedding Stories)Boy Meets Girl: A Pocketful of Wedding Stories