X Books

Ah...Sluggy Freelance. One of my many, many, MANY addictions. For those who don't spend at least part of every day checking out the latest adventures, SLUGGY FREELANCE: IS IT NOT NIFTY? is the essential reading. Our heroes are Torg (blond, dumb, web-site designer) and Riff (blond, ponytail, trenchcoat, builds stuff). Our heroines are Zoe (brunette neighbor of Torg and Riff) and Gwynn (Zoe's best friend, wears huge eyeglasses). Then boy (Torg) buys cute fuzzy-wuzzy bunny (Bun-Bun)...things get interesting...be prepared to laugh, giggle and wanted to post photocopies of strips in your cubicle.

Bun-Bun! Read Sluggy! Even just for Bun-Bun -- he's the best! Sluggy is entertaining -- the plots are really in-depth and easy to get into, and ... spoofs! Spoofs are the best. XD

Ahhh, Sluggy!...This is the first book in the Sluggy universe, where demons are summoned for beer, a mini-lop carrys a switchblade and a glock and your neighbours travel to other dimensions to bring aliens back with them, and well, let me check my notes . . .
The writing is sharp, funny, clever, funny, and lots of other words for funny. Sluggy Freelance is compelling, with the neverending storyline that makes you rave more. As Torg and Riff battle and befriend aliens, and try to fight off their pet bunny you become so much a pert of it that you can't let go... This book is bound for a title as not just a comic classic, but a classic comedy/tragedy/soap opera/addictive drug.

Ah...Sluggy Freelance. One of my many, many, MANY addictions. For those who don't spend at least part of every day checking out the latest adventures, SLUGGY FREELANCE: IS IT NOT NIFTY? is the essential reading. Our heroes are Torg (blond, dumb, web-site designer) and Riff (blond, ponytail, trenchcoat, builds stuff). Our heroines are Zoe (brunette neighbor of Torg and Riff) and Gwynn (Zoe's best friend, wears huge eyeglasses). Then boy (Torg) buys cute fuzzy-wuzzy bunny (Bun-Bun)...things get interesting...be prepared to laugh, giggle and wanted to post photocopies of strips in your cubicle.

The first-ever Sluggy book! Introducing our cast of characters: Riff: an inventor and freelance bum who summons Satan on the Internet. Torg: a mild-mannered web designer. Bun-bun: Torg's pet rabbit, a cute talking mini-lop with a dark past. Zoe: innocent college student, neighbor, and straight-woman. Kiki: the friendly ferret who says, "Don't plan Torg's death! Stay good, Sam!" Including parodies of Star Trek, X-files, and a bonus story not found on the Internet: A Day in the Park with Bun-bun and Teddy Weddy.

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.

Never could have imagined what a rough life DMX had. He has truly defied all odds!

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.

Anytime I order from Amazon, I throw one of these in my cart for a last minute new baby, birthday or teacher gift. It is a wonderfully diverse selection of poems, often read by the poets themselves. How cool is it to hear Robert Frost in a scratchy rendition of "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"?

My 4th grader was thrilled when his class read a Janet Wong poem, and he could tell them about how she came to write it, (track 29). I was thrilled that I could then give his teacher a gift she could use in class -- they were all thrilled to hear the poem read by the poet. With 95 poems from 73 poets, the book is a great value, but add the cd with the poets themselves and it is, well, priceless.

I am an amateur poet and love poetry so I'm a natural audience for this book and companion disc. My wife is not a lover of poetry and she loves this book. My eight year old daughter loves to read the poems and listen to them recited on the disc during road trips. My nineteen year old daughter LOVES this book - in fact she asked for it for Christmas last year and was delighted to recieve it!

I gave this book/CD to my daughter for her 6th birthday party. After the party while she played with the neighbors I was exhausted and just wanted to take a nap. Before I did though I put this 68 minute CD of poetry on and found it to be very entertaining and relaxing. 29 of the readers are the poets reading their own words.

Now my daughter has been listening to it every night before bed and often I play it early in the morning to gentle wake her before kindergarten.

There are some classic recorded poems here such as "The Raven" by Poe, "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll, "The Tyger" by William Blake and "Casey at the Bat" by Earnst L. Thayer.

There are also some very nice multicultural poems recorded such as "Eagle Poem" by Joy Harjo, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes, and perhaps my favorite poem in the collection "Okay, Brown Girl, Okay" by James Berry which is reassuring, touching, and can speak to everyone about what it's like to be different among other people.

Not all of the poems are included on the CD--some are just included in the book. Familiar poems and poets in the book only are "from Macbeth" by Shakespeare, "The Tale of Custard the Dragon" by Ogden Nash, "Frodo's Song in Bree" by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Land of Counterpane" by Robert Louis Stevenson, from "The Bed Book" by Sylvia Plath, "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod" by Eugene Field, and "Letter to a Bee" by Emily Dickinson among many others.

In all there are 95 poems. Some of them recorded and/or published for the first time. The illustration are delightful and done by three different artist with different styles. They are Judy Love, Wendy Rasmussen, and Paula Zinngrabe Wendland.

This book/CD combo is a winner. It's very educational, fun, and will be enjoyed by the whole family.

My child is 3 1/2 and loves this book, as do I. While she's not into the CD YET, she loves sitting w/me and exploring the poems which are neither too complex or too simple. There are classics and more modern works and they've done a wonderful job finding an assortment that represent various ways that poetry is used in other literary works (ex. excerpts from Macbeth and "Lord of the Rings"). I'm not a poetry expert, so I love that there are poets and writers of whom I recognize such as Robert Frost, Nikki Giovanni, Sylvia Plath, Edgar Allen Poe and that it introduces me and my child to others who I don't recognize. A great way to introduce poetry to your kids.

Elise Paschen (ed.), Poetry Speaks to Children (Sourcebooks Inc., 2005)

A collection of poems written to, or about, children with an accompanying fifty-track CD (most tracks are of the poems themselves, though a few are the poets talking about the inspiration for one piece or another). While a number of these fall into bona fide chestnut status, kids who are being exposed to poetry for the first time won't be aware of that, and that old black magic should work just fine on them. For older readers, it's fun to have a whole bunch of this sort of thing compiled into one volume (with its whimsical illustrations, sometimes almost as fun as the poems themselves). Recommended. ****

Spock's family background.


This is definitely an example of a more interesting Star Trek novel.

Spock, as we know, is a hybrid, and humans don't live as long as Vulcans - his mother is dying.

He returns to visit and try and talk to his father.

Definitely interesting to see the background of this family, and if you are interested in less of the ship solves a mission type Star Trek plot, you could try this book.

Praxus, a klingon moon has exploded, due to overmining, or possibly sabotage. The Klingon empire's food production has been threatened, as tidal forces have been disrupted and weather currents change; massive shortages of resource seem eminent.

Chancellor Azerbur continues to work with Federation president and the federation responses with medical aid and food supply relief. Azerbur has issued in a new era of peace and commerce with the Federation. The war with Klingon has been official announced, over.

The hardliners don't want peace. Trayne, alias Saren, a Vulcan, secret plans are to use Kamarg, the Klingon ambassador, to attack federation colonies and turn the federation against Klingon. Kamarg is part of the militant group and believes that Klingon survival depends on warfare and land conquest. The Freelans (Romulans) are using Vulcan slaves, as mind control agents and are manipulating the minds of the Klingons and humuns against the federation and Vulcan. Trayne specifically uses Savel's telepathic power, specifically against Kamarg, causing him too hate the federation through vulcan mind control.

Kamarag manages to draw support of many high-ranking Klingons, in his cause. The hardliners want a military solution, centralized control of the federation, and capture of vital federation agriculture, mineral resources, and technology. Klingon invasion plans are brewing followed by Romulan.

The Romulan empire will wait until the federation is significantly weakened from the war conflict and then swoop across the neutral zone and capture federation territory. The Freelans report to the Romulans Lords. Over the last seventy years, the Freelans have been taking Vulcan hostage and converting them to slaves. The plan has been slow in the making, but all the key elements have been put in place. Millions if not billions of lives are at stake.

Sarek has been correspondence with the Freelan ambassador, Trayne. Sarek seek conclusive proof and infiltrates the Freelan data system with the aid of Soren. Freelan lists are discovered but not accessible for download. Sarek and Soren escape detection just as the Freelan security beams into the data center. Later, Sarek will confined in Spock, about his discoveries.

The Vulcans remain strongly dependant on Federation computer and military technology. Vulcan has strong military technology and leads the federation in scientific research. KEHL design was too weaken Vulcan resolve to stay members of the federation.

The Idol cult sect called the Gol is the oligarchy controlling Vulcan society. Sarek's first wife, T'Rea joined this evil sect and divorced Sarek. Sybok was born. Sybok rejected T'Rea's.

Amanda tells Sarek that "life after life" will happen or not happen. Sarek fight tradition and listens. Vulcan's believe in spirit essences encapsulation and that the new host inherits the spirit essence; this idea is similar in falsity to the idea of reincarnation.

Sarek soon after found Amanda, his true love. At the time of the Freelan crisis, Amanda was 93 and suffering from a rare blood disease. Spock was called home. Sarek was force to leave to negotiate the freedom of orion colony hostages on Kadura held by rouge Klingon warriors, under the command of Keraz. Amanda has Sarek promise, he will read her journal before he leaves. Spock warns Sarek that Amanda is about to die. Sarek manages to reach Amanda with his mind before she dies. Sarek shares with the reader Amanda's life, Spock decision to join the federation, Spocks outcast, Amanda's separation from Sarek, and reuniting.

No one had ever seen a Freeland, until Sarek. Freelans lived a secretive life. 70 years early, Sarek discovered the Freelan were Vulcan during the Pon Farr incident. The freelans said nothing of the incident. Sarek kept the secret seeking proof.

Now, on earth, Sarek is meeting with the Vulcan consult and discovers that Induma, the KEHL leader, is being Vulcan mind controlled. Induma is leader of the Keep the Earth human league, who chant, "Vulcans go home". Peter Kirk, nephew to Jame Kirk becomes entangled with the KEHL group. Peter alerts Kirk, to the KEHL movement against the Vulcans. Lisa tells Peter that she fears the Vulcans because they have weapons of mass destruction. KEHL leaders start accusing the Vulcans of espionage, selling out to "Vulcan interests". KEHL has linked to a clandestine Vulcan operation (Freelan), conspiracy proof of the Vulcan consultant being manipulated. KEHL discovers Peter and take him hostage. Kirk wants to talk with Peter and discovers he is not on the planet. Spock deduces were Peter's abductors will take him. A rescue plan is put into action.

While Peter is a prisoner, he falls in love with Valdr. Valdr is bethrothed by Karamag to become Karg's wife. Valdr despise Kargs. Valdr feeds Peter each day. Peter falls in love with Valdr. Valdr plans and executes an escape plan. Kirk, McCoy, and Spock find Peter and join in his escape planning to reach a space port for a trip off the planet. Karg intercepts the group and surrounds the group. Karg stabs Valdr with a knife. Valdr declares Peter, her mate. Peter challeges Karg and defeats him in a duel, but does not kill him. Peter reveals that Karg is Chancellor Corkon's murderer.

Sarek prevents Freelan terrorist from starting a war between the Klingon empire and the federation. Sarek and Spock beam on Traynes bridge, after Sarek predicts correctly the new position that the cloak bird of prey will emerge. Sarek has realize Trayne pattern as a chess move used by Trayne. Conclusive proof of a Romulan conspiracy is established. Sarek challenges Trayne to a duel. Trayne acknowledges the challenge and remembers his early childhood fears, at the time his parents were killed. Sarek and Trayne fight against each other with poison blades, both are injuried, but McCoy manages to save both. Sarek returns to Freelan to liberate the Vulcans. Trayne returns to Romulus to report failure. Trayne's second in command aid Kirk in stopping the Klingon invasion and Azerbur troops arrive crushing the rebellion. Peter Kirk abandons Valdr for his career. Azerbur recruits Valdr to become a staff member. Spock formulates the reunionification theory.

Two words discribe my feelings about Sarek by A.C. Crispin: Good Times.

I really enjoyed this book, and in cadence with the other reviewers I couldn't put it down for the last 3rd. Literally, I hid in a closet and a stairwell at work just so I could get a few more pages in. I laughed and cried and gasped in shock many times during my reading. Every one of the characters acted as I thought they should and gave me new insight into those characters that I know so well. Even though officially it is not, in my eyes this is canon since everything jives so danged well and I love the story. And my word is law in some local bowling clubs.

I loved this one, cause it really delves into Spock and Sarek's relationship, plus you get to see Amanda's point of view on things. It also show's a lot of her relationship with Sarek, shows the sentimental side of him that while loath to show it since it would be a emotional display it also makes you understand that they were truly in love and how they were able to make it work...because love is certainly not logical and humans are rather emotional about these things. I also enjoyed how it explained the falling out that Sarek and Spock had when Spock went into Starfleet. I've enjoyed the other books that I've read also that delve into the father/son relationship:

The Vulcan Academy Murders
The IDIC Epidemic
Spock's World

Definitly read this one

As any Trekkie would do, I got this book that's about one of my favorite Vulcans.

This book is the heart-wrenching story of Sarek's deep love for Amanda, their courtship, marriage, and now his agony and fear at the realization of her terminal illness.

A.C. Crispin has a great way of representing the personalities of the characters, as well as the emotions. The anguish Sarek goes through, as well as other emotions, are well represented and touch the heart.

This is a MUST READ for any Star Trek Fan!

Usually, when I read a book on a programming technology, I expect to see some source code somewhere. This book is surprising in that regard because it only contains plain english from the first page to the last. There was a hint on the cover page by indicating that managers are included in the targeted audience. This feature has some merits but is also a pain at some other places.

When presenting software to programmers, the most straight to the point way to present the material, it is with source code and I feel that at some occasions, a function definition would have replaced pages of explanations. On the other hand, it is easy to get lost in pages of source code filled with error condition handling code where a simple paragraph of plain english would have been enough to communicate the general idea behind a software module.

With these remarks in mind, this is why, as a programmer, I did not like the first few chapters describing COM basics and really appreciated the last chapters covering OLE compound documents, ActiveX and the usage of COM by MS Internet Explorer.

If you are interested in COM this is a must read. Clear, easy to follow, accurate explanation of the concepts. If you are interested in code look at Don Box "Essential COM" book, but read this one first.

This book is a deep survey of COM within 300 clearly written pages, and many many pictures and schemes. If you are looking for code examples etc. it is NOT FOR YOU. But if you want to understand what is COM, what are COM related technologies; if you are looking for best introduction, it has no rival.

This is an all around good book. However you will not be able to produce any code after reading it. It will give you an introduction to COM, OLE, and ActiveX technologies. You will especially not be able to use the OLE interfaces after reading this book, you will just have an idea of what they are. Buy it, I recommend it, just know what you will gain from it.

This is one of my favorite books. This book gave me an excellent understanding of COM architecture. It's concise and has just the right amount of info. If you are looking for a ready made set of code sample to cut & paste in your project or if you are more interested about 'how' than 'why' of COM then this book is not for you. I have recommended this book and also lent my copy to many. I couldn't keep the book down. An excellent read. David Chappell has done a great job!

...I cried. Like a baby. And just...

CLAMP, you are too mean.

That last line without the "kun" in it just felt... slightly upsetting, but all in all, the translations were pretty decent.

"That line" made me cringe a tad, but I suppose there's worser ways to translate it.

If you're a Tokyo Babylon fan, or X fan, or Subaru and Sei-chan fan, read it.

And yes, you will most likely cry.

Four words: Cried like a baby. Through pretty much the entire volume, to stop briefly during the cute fluff girl-talk moment between Yuziriha and Arashi, then to start anew during Seishiro-san's side story.

Anyone who has ever belived that there was anything other than blank emotions or hate between Subaru-kun and Seishiro-san will shed at least one tear in this volume. Anyone who read Tokyo Babylon will be bawling. Without the honorifics, I admit, i did shift a little in my seat and definitely lessens the impact of "that line", (but my convoluted mind changed it into the intimate lack of honorifics, instead of Viz being dumbasses) but it still makes me cry.

We once again see Hokuto, Kakyo of course, angsting over her. man i love this girl, she rocks, of course. she makes a speech, in her dying moments to Seishiro-san (Kakyo's dream, of the past) about love and how there's hope, and how she could never hate him and puts her trust in him, and oh man, it made me cry.

DoE Kamui's talk with Kakyo is worth seeing too. The use of the word "special" causes confliction with me. In this context, it should be something much stronger than "special", but it strikes a memory of a TB scene where Hokuto-chan tells Seishiro-san that he is "special" to Subaru-kun, and there, the word is supposed to be "special", so confict on word choice there.

This volume is dedicated to my two all-time favorite CLAMP characters, Subaru-kun and Sei-chan, and their story, which began in Tokyo Babylon, continued in various volumes, which always made my heart clench, and finally ended here, in a very tearful moment, and lots of sakura petals (what else?) during the fight. (their story "continues" in a way in later volumes, you'll have to read 17 and 18 to know what i mean)

Even though their aren't any really happy moments (though the goofy smile never leaves Sorata's face...), and evil!Hinoto makes my skin crawl, and the majority of the book made me cry (Subaru-kun sitting in a dark room clenching the blood-spattered jacket around him, and kissing the marks on the back of his hands...*cries all over again*), this is definitely my favorite volume of the 18. Anyone who has made it this far, whether reading it w/o buying it, or buying all the volumes, one by one, has to own this volume. Any Tokyo Babylon fan should own this volume. period.

Being a huge X and Tokyo Babylon fan, I find that this book is simply gold. No X fan can deny that this is one of the most memorable books from this series. They can't deny that it is heart-wrenching and very moving.

Luckily, I do not see a need to attack Viz for their translation. Others may see things differently depending on how Americanized or directly translated they like their manga to be. X is my favorite series, so I will not deny that I tend to be harsh on Viz. That having been said, here's what I thought:

Content-wise, this book couldn't be better. While it does center on just two characters, it is very worthwhile and doesn't drag on in the least. The overall mood is out to get you shocked and crying (and darned if it doesn't succeed), so don't expect tons of fluffy stuff here.

Translation-wise, this is, as I said in the title, passable. Not horrible, but probably won't meet the standards held by hardcore fans. Allow me to say this: the dialogue is much less ambiguous. The sound effects kind of seem to be mocking the artwork, but maybe that's just a recent revelation of mine. Finally, one page is left unflipped and if you're observant/know the pages of this book like the back of your hand, you'll notice and probably cringe.

There are some good points, though. As I said, I'm biased against Viz, so I'm being tough. After reading this book twice, I only found one minor grammatical error and as far as I know, the dialogue is mostly translated correctly. Of course, the artwork is just brilliant as always (and, may I argue, better than usual?).

To be honest, I rather like Viz's translation of "that line" (for those who don't know what I'm talking about, you will and how it's translated probably won't matter). Overall, I'm satisfied.

Final word: Go out and get this volume. It's a must-have.

I found this manga to be one of the best I have ever read. I am 12 years old and just cant stay away from it. The fighting scenes are great. I really love the english translation and I love being able to get into the character. It is great to be able to get into the main character and in this book I found that you really could get into the character. I think that all anime lovers will love this manga. When you are watching the series and you dont read the manga dont watch episode 0 you'll ruin it all for you. You want to know the plot before you watch episode 0. So even if you havent read it and you just want to watch and ruin the plot go right ahead. But if youre one for reading and not ruining the plot then get the manga and read. Im sure youll enjoy yourself even if you dont like reading. It isnt hard to enjoy this book and even if you dont like anime I beleive you will love this series. THE END

Apparently, the image for this sucker isn't working. However, this IS the link that came up when I went to my order and selected good ol' volume 16 of X.

How to review it....

Let's simply say I sobbed like a baby all the way through. Viz finally did a decent translation job, keeping all the heart, feeling and utter and complete angst that makes this the greatest of all volumes of X nearly as fabulous as it was in its original printing across the pages of Asuka comics.

From the trauma that graces the pages (no, not a single freaking happy moment in this one... save Sorata's goofiness at the end. He's a great spirit-lifter, even though after Hinoto's cameo you just shudder seeing his grin. GAH!) to the beautiful detail splayed across every page, this one's always been impossible for me to put down.

SEE what I mean that the fight in the anime should've been MUCH longer, seeing how many pages it takes up in this volume? Their fight went on forever across the comic's pages! Yeesh.

And such a horrible, yet fitting end... *cries herself silly*

To enjoy - Kamui smiling (WOW!), Sorata flopping his hair like mad, Nokuro looking very very bish, Girl-talk between Arashi and Yuzu that's so sweet it nearly made my teeth rot with its sugary goodness in a fine way, Kamui at Subaru's feet gripping his hand like the uke onna CLAMP's all but turned him in to, wind-caught trench coats EVERYWHERE, Seishiro's best-ever defense against ofuda, HOKUTO-CHAN! in her final moments, Kamui jumping off the roof of a Geo Metro (I'm a Metro owner, so I laughed myself silly seeing that. Thanks for the giggle, CLAMP!)...

Seishiro's side story with all of its incest and wrongnes with its pretty flowers and snow...

And the unforgettable conclusion on the drama that started with the very first pages of Tokyo Babylon.

Sayonara, Sei-chan.

And as for Subaru... no worries. We'll be seeing him again. *runs off before she blows spoilers everywhere*

I met Larry Flynt once. It left an impression on me. It wasn't good. The man just seemed to have sleeze permeate out of his pores. And he seemed all spaced out, like way too many drugs had interacted with way too much debauchery, intermixing in a personality that was pretty degraded right from the get-go. What must it be like to work for such a man?

Allan MacDonell knows, and he tells all the dirt in PRISONER OF X. An inside story of the man who rose to top of the pond scum at Larry Flynt Publications, it is a story well worth reading, boys and girls. Well worth reading.

For some quirk of personality that would require years of therapy to explain, MacDonell had always wanted to work for a smut mag when he finally landed the job at Hustler. What he found was a work environment that was akin to a school of piranhas, with each fish trying its hardest to eat the flesh off of anyone higher up the ladder. And with Larry himself often enjoying the spectacle, like a Roman emperor enjoying the modern day gladiators of smut trying to take one another down. Amazingly, the dude lasted 19 years.

During that time, MacDonell met his share of pornstars, celebrities, and, of course, downright degenerates, many of whom were on the payroll. But many were more famous, and no details are spared. Even if you are familiar with the Godfather of Soul's reputation with the ladies, you wil still be really, really alarmed at what you read here. MacDonell also was there for some of the high times, like when Hustler took down Congressman Livingston, who was set to become Speaker of the House, or the offer to Jenna Bush to pose naked for a cool $10 million.

Often hilarious, often mermerizing, PRISONER OF X also often leaves you with the same feeling as you have after looking at porn. You known, all empty inside and a bit embarassed. But for some reason, you keep going back, don't you? Yeah, you know you do. And you want to check out this book, too. Don't you? Well, do it. It won't leave any permanent damage.

This is an interesting book by a writer who worked his way up the ranks at Hustler magazine for twenty years. He's brutally honest about the inner workings of the magazine including his descriptions of the pedophile Dwaine Tinsley and the sociopathic Larry Flynt, as well as about his own moral and social failings. This is good reading for anyone interested in the history of the magazine or in learning about what it was like working inside the porn magazine industry during the latter part of the Twentieth Century. As to be expected it's sexually explicit so if that bothers you, you might want to skip this one. The sexual descriptions were not gratuitous and I felt they were necessary for the honest story-telling this book provides.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wish that once in a while you had actually read some of the articles. This book is as hilarious as Hustler often was during Allan's tenure. A common misconception about this book is that it is about Larry Flynt. This book is not about Larry Flynt--it is about Allan MacDonell. If you want to learn more about Larry Flynt, you should probably visit his website. If you want to learn more about what it is REALLY like to oversee the day-to-day operations of America's most notorious stroke rag--penile scabs and all--then this is the book for you! My only complaint about Prisoner of X is that Allan has not yet recorded an audio-book version, but that's coming up next, right Mr. MacDonell?

Is it possible to write a book where the main character is yourself and you are the hero only because everyone else is insane, a sleazebag or just generally unpleasant? The author, MacDonell, at least, proves that you can. I kept thinking, "Boy, this guy's a jerk," at the same time I feverishly sped through his 20 year memoir of working at Hustler magazine. The stories he tells are at times shocking, sad, hilarious, occasionally boring (but these bits pass quickly), titillating and raucous (hey, kind of like Hustler magazine itself!). One can't help but feel for the guy at the same time one might not want anything to do with him.

The first half of the book is probably the toughest on his character (and interestingly he doesn't spare himself much). He was abusing drugs, women and himself, paranoid that he would be fired on a daily basis, and basically existing hand to mouth on his low wages (dating a girl at one time because she owned a VCR!). At a certain point time (after a particularly scaring DUI incident) he gets cleaned up and doesn't even drink. It's somewhat downplayed, but his success at the magazine soars at this point.

While he bashes almost everyone, (name dropping Dennis Hopper, Frank Zappa, who at times were friends of Flynt or connected to the magazine, and he cares for neither), he is particularly nasty to his fellow inmates at the asylum and of course hardest on his pyscho boss, Larry Flynt. (Once again these people probably deserve even worse criticism), but it would be nice to hear a more good tales (he admits at one point that his staff - when he rises to power - was actually a good one).

Comparison's have been made to Hunter S. Thompson, and while I think these are somewhat accurate as far as characters and subject matter, that should not indicate that the writing (and or editing) is nearly in that league. The book feels a little flabby (and repetitive near the end), and probably could have been 50 pages shorter.

Another complaint is no photos - it would be nice to know what some of these people looked like. The great cover art is by Daniel Clowes but there are no further illustrations (that would have been better than photos!)

Besides all the juicy gossip about the mag there is also some poltical stuff that is very fascinating (as they destroy one Republican senator's career, defend Clinton and try to trash Bush (Jr.). If you've ever read the magazine this book will be of interest to you. Even better on the porn industry itself is "The Other Hollywood: The Uncensored Oral Histroy of the Porn Film Industry" by Legs McNeil (also reviewed by yours truly).

Although the prose is a little self consciously rich at times, this is the most laugh out loud funny book I have read since Howard Stern's Private Parts memoir.The most inside look at not only Flynt and Hustler but the entire porn scene from the 80's and 90's. His description of porn legend Tori Welles on page 118 is uncanny-"Complexion the color of cinnamon or bourbon, brunette mane of body and bounce, flaunting the defiant cheekbones and chin of an urchin empress, the sublime Ms. Welles stepped with the self-assurance of the lifelong stone fox." (See what I mean about the prose?) When he's done describing her, you will know exactly what she looked like and what her sexual magnetism was all about even if you have never seen her. Hilarious, insightful, sarcastic. Would make a great movie.

Definitivamente estoy muy satisfecho con mi compra. Amazon.com siempre es muy puntual y eficaz en cumplir sus ordenes. Gracias! Cortázar es uno de los mejores escritores de Latinoamérica y el mejor en el género del Surrealismo y el relato del "sueño orínico." Sugiero que todos los buenos conocedores de Literatura Latinoamericana estudien este texto ya que nadie puede componer un laberinto imaginario mejor que Cortázar. También sugiero su libro de cuentos "La autopista del sur y otros cuentos."

Fascinating experiment with words, literary structures, feelings and emotions, Rayuela, in the words of its author, gives a chance to the reader to take an active role in the reading process by freeing up his or her own creativity to choose how to go about this game, what pages to jump to, what chapters to skip, in a stream of consciousness in which many will see themselves reflected.

Una novela que marca a todo el que la lee... el lenguaje en su máxima y más hermosa expresión.

La historia con Bèrthe Trépat, la carta de La Maga a Rocamadour, Talita pasando por el tablón y, claro, el capítulo 7 (toco tu boca...). Este libro me deja sin aliento. Nunca, pero NUNCA he leído nada de semejante belleza.

It has taken me years to sit down and finally make a serious commitment to read Julio Cortazar's "Hopscotch/La Rayuela." I cannot think of a better companion to devote a few weeks to, maybe even longer - hey, whatever it takes! It depends on your reading speed and the time you take to truly savor the poetry of the author's language. So, be willing to make a small personal investment in this very special novel, and the reward you reap will be a worthy one. Julio Cortazar will take you to places you have never been before in literature, and may never experience again. I read "Hopscotch" over this past summer, after a thirty year delay. I can be very stubborn about putting off what is good for me!! The author's imagination is boundless, his prose rich and luminous, his wit and sophistication rare, the dialogue brilliant, the plot...I won't attempt to describe that with a few adjectives. Wander through the extraordinary labyrinthine plot on you own - the way is yours to discover. I promise, you won't get lost!

I was introduced to "La Rayuela" about thirty years ago, when a close friend, with similar reading tastes, gave me the book. Enthused after just reading the novel, he told me that I reminded him of one of the characters, La Maga. (What a compliment...I think!). I was living in Latin America at the time. With personal interests at stake and much curiosity, I bought a copy in Spanish, which I read with some fluency back then. After experimenting with which way to approach the novel, and trying both ways, I gave up...and just read the parts about La Maga. I had little patience at that point in my life, and needed to acquire some, and to read slower, with more of a sense of play and participation. Cortazar wants his readers to participate - to make reading his book an interactive experience, not a passive one. I was and still feel touched when I remember my friend's comments regarding La Maga. She is a magnificent character and Cortazer's prose, his language, (Spanish), is exquisite. So, about a year later, I thought I'd give it another try, in English, perhaps with better results. None! I just wasn't ready, I guess. That happens to me with fiction occasionally. I have to be open to the experience. Yet, after all these years, I still thought of Horacio Oliveira and La Maga from time to time. And why not? They are truly unforgettable. As I wrote above, I did make time, at last. For an adventure of a lifetime, I recommend you do the same.

When Julio Cortazar published "La Rayuela" in 1966, he turned the conventional novel upside-down and the literary world on its ear with this experiment in writing fiction. He soon became an important influence on writers everywhere. "Hopscotch" is considered to be one of the best novels written in Spanish. The work is interactive, where readers are invited to rearrange its text and read sections in different sequences. Read in a linear fashion, "Hopscotch" contains 700 pages, 155 chapters in three sections: "From the Other Side," and "From This Side" - the first two sections are sustained by relatively chronological narratives and so contrast greatly with the third section, "From Diverse Sides," (subtitled "Expendable Chapters"), which includes philosophical extrapolation, character study, allusions and quotations, and an entirely different version of the "ending."

The book has no table of contents, but rather a "Table of Instructions." There, we learn that two approved readings are possible: from Chapter 1 through 56 "in a normal fashion", or from Chapter 73 to Chapter 1 to... well, wherever the chapters lead you. The instructions are all in your book and are extremely clear. At the end of each chapter there is a numeric indicator to lead the reader to the next chapter. One never knows where one will be lead. Due to its meandering nature, "Hopscotch" has been called a "Proto-hypertext" novel. Cortázar probably had this work in mind when he stated, "If I had the technical means to print my own books, I think I would keep on producing collage-books."

Horacio Oliveira, our protagonist and sometimes narrator, is an Argentinean expatriate, an intellectual and professed writer in 1950's bohemian Paris. He and his close friends, members of "the Club," do lots of partying, drinking, and intellectualizing, discussing art, literature, music and solving the world's problems. Oliveira lives with and loves La Maga, an exotic young woman, somewhat whimsical, at times almost ephemeral, who leaves behind her, like the scent of a light perfume, a feeling of poignancy and inevitable loss. La Maga refuses to plan her encounters with Oliveira in advance, preferring instead to run into each other by chance. Then she and Oliveira celebrate the series of circumstances that reunite them. Eventually, he loses La Maga, who loses her child. With her absence, Oliveira realizes how empty and meaningless his life is and he returns to his native Buenos Aires. There he finds work first as a salesman, then a keeper of a circus cat, and an attendant in an insane asylum.

As Oliveira wends his way through France, Uruguay and Argentina looking for his lost love, "Hopscotch's" narrative takes on an emotionally intense stream of consciousness style, rich in metaphor. Back In Argentina, Oliveira shares his life with his bizarre double, Traveler, and Traveler's wife, Talita, whom Oliveira attempts to remake into a facsimile of La Maga.

The game of hopscotch is only developed as a conceit late in the narrative. It is first used to describe Oliveira's confused love for La Maga as "that crazy hopscotch." The theme develops as a metaphor for reaching Heaven from Earth. "When practically no one has learned how to make the pebble climb into Heaven, childhood is over all of a sudden and you're into novels, into the anguish of the senseless divine trajectory, into the speculation about another Heaven that you have to learn to reach too." The variations on the children's game are described as "spiral hopscotch, rectangular hopscotch, fantasy hopscotch, not played very often." The allusions continue and include some beautiful passages.

"Hopscotch" is much more than a novel. Ultimately, it is best left for each reader to define what it is for himself/herself. Pablo Neruda in a famous quote said, "People who do not read Cortazar are doomed. Not to read him is a serious invisible disease." I don't know whether I would go so far. Remember, I put off the experience for many years. But this is one novel that should be read during one's lifetime. It is brilliant and it is fun!
JANA

I could run out of superlatives in describing this wonderful, moving book. It's the best I've read within the past few years. What an authorial vision! And when Mr. Carney cranks it up, he writes like a god. An awesome achievement.

This brother cooks over a very high flame! A riveting, entertaining and enormously instructive tale. The protagonist is a kind of black Everyman, which makes this book resonate at all levels. Everyone to whom I've recommended Swiss Movement has loved it. Guaranteed to move you!

It is amazing that people find that this is a book that "black men can relate to". Carney and his victim mentality are tiresome. His "wit" is not something that cannot be respected. He is not a man of character and that which he writes is a reflection thereof.

Like many attorneys, his arrogance and feeling of superiority are balanced by his lack of intellect and closed-mindedness. The results are one that is worthy of your pity. He is a repugnant individual who wears the cloak of a victim.

Avoid this and any other "works" of this revolting "author".

BTW
please note that all of the reviews are from "a customer" save two. Mr. Carney was probably the "customer" that gave his pathetic work all of the 5 star ratings

This book should be a movie. The dialogue, plot and action are masterfully blended to produce a fascinating story. The very first line of the book grabs the reader by the lapels and pulls him/her into the tale. I couldn't put it down.

I cannot recall exactly how SWISS MOVEMENT came to appear on my inexhaustible list of books to be read. My suspicion is I discovered it during perusal of some other (but more astute) reviewer's recommendations after yet another disappointing experience with the stylings of a contemporary Black novelist. Be assured, I have commensurate misgivings with mediocre offerings from writers of all ethnicities who inexplicably manage to get book after book of barely literate drivel into publication, the point here was what precipitous event brought Vaugh A. Carney to my attention.

Among the back cover hyperbolic platitudes, John A Williams, who incidentally is another author who never received the level of acclaim warranted by his body of work, proclaims SM is "Ellisonesque," well-intentioned praise I find to be a huge boulder no Black author should be obligated, inadvertent or not, to lug up the mountainside. Carney's novel of a Harvard educated Wall Street attorney who is pointedly reminded on a daily basis that he is Black and out of his assigned element does share some thematic similarities with INVISIBLE MAN but that is where the comparisons end. Mr. Ellison was a great writer; in this first novel Carney demonstrates he is a talented one. Ellison's book is a challenge to read and interpret. Conversely, SM is easily approachable, primarily devoid of the oppressively complex grammatical structure and deeply contemplative metaphors endemic to the earlier work. That is neither denigration of Carney's style nor an inference he assaults the reader's intelligence, he simply does not attempt to cloak his ideas in literary erudition.

At it's core, this is the story of the Black man's perpetual struggle to achieve pyschological balance and socio-economic security in an often openly hostile environment. With a backdrop of jazz, Carney unfurls a story of relationships and the determinism of true love. Franklin D. Moore, the protagonist is on a journey to self-awareness bordering on existentialism that commences at age 14 in 1963 and continues to evolve *after* the book's denouement in the late 1970s. The trials, tribulations and epiphanies he encounters and experiences are equally as relevant to the Black individual of the present as they were in the 70s, 50s, 30s or 1870s. However, unlike the INVISIBLE MAN where the protagonist ends up enlightened but inextricably encumbered, Franklin Moore is cognizant of the encumbrances yet optimistically enlightened.

All in all, a book not to be overlooked.

The good thing about this book is that it gets just to the point. Unlike other books, which tells every detail of this and that drawing tool, this book instructs you how to make nice and stunning graphics in a short time. With only a beginners knowledge of CorelDraw I started up following Shane Hunts carefully written instructions and succeded in making some spectacular images for my Website - graphics that I could never have done myself, without the help from a professional designer: Metallic looking 3D objects and so on... I found it relatively easy to learn tricks from examples and then adjusting it for my own purpose.

There is only one thing I would ask for in a new edition: A little more on Web-graphics. I can recommend a couple of other books with almost the same approach as this one: "The CorelDraw Wow Book", by Linnea Dayton, Shane Hunt and Sharon Steuer and "Corel Studio Techniques", by David Huss & Gary Priester. They are also great.

Prior to reading Shane's book I had pretty much given up on being able to learn the program...I was stunned to see how easy he made it to create stunning images in coreldraw...I learned techniques I truely did not feel capable of learning prior to reading his book and enjoyed the process...His enclosed cd alone was worth the price of the book ...He does not guard his techniques ...he shares them openly and wants you do know all he knows...very well organized and writen and simply turned my graphics life around!

So many computer related books written in the last several year look like they've been thrown together. They're full of typos or the content is just incorrrect or incomplete. It's apparent that a lot of time and effort went into this book. The book is full of great examples, the insruction are complete and it's interesting to read. I was a relative novice with CorelDraw and this book allowed me to create some great designs quickly. It showed me tricks that I probably would have never figured out on my own.

Highly recomended!

I've even had a Corel novice use the book with no problems. She liked it MUCH better than another one in the standard style. It's an easy to use book written in a fun and useful style. Look at the many positive reviews..

Somewhere in this long list of raves you will find my first review of this book. I gave it four stars. That was very high praise from me...back then when I had just finished the book and thought 5 stars was fawning. Now I know I was wrong. I finally put another book in the space CorelDRAW f/x was supposed to occupy on my shelf. It sits by my computer while I work, and frequently comes with me when I need lunchtime or waitingroom reading. I use this book constantly. I can't let my first review stand any longer. If you have any doubts about this book forget them IT IS WELL WORTH MANY TIMES THE PRICE! I intend to add the new version to my computer desk and book bag when I upgrade to CorelDRAW 9. And probably 10 and 11 and...