Montana Books

I found it interesting for the first half of the book but then it became redundant and tedious.

This is the gripping story of three generations of women. It is not only an autobiography; it is the story of China's past. This book, told in story form, is a first- hand account of the many changes and horrors endured by the Chinese people. The Author's beautiful grandmother, whose feet were bound at age two, became a concubine to a famous general in the warlord government. Her parents were high officials in the People's Republic. But their positions did not prevent them from torment. The Cultural Revolution and other historical movements impacted every member of Jung Chang's family in life altering ways. They suffered intolerably. The author describes the life of her mother who raised her children without emotional support from her husband or from the Communist Party, to which both parents at the time belonged. Jung Chang is the third generation daughter of China in this personal story. The reader will learn about the Kuomintang under Chiang Kai-shek, the Japanese invasion, the famines, land reforms, denunciations, Red Guards, Chairman Mao (who made such declarations as the burning of books and art, pulling out grass, destruction of temples, etc.) and Mme. Mao who made cruel commands of her own. There are lessons to be learned in reading about masses believing whatever their leaders tell them and following their dictates unquestioningly. It is frightening and compelling at the same time.

Although many of the author's accounts of atrocities perpetrated on the populace are difficult to comprehend and uncomfortable to read, it is a valuable book for those who want to know more about the history of a country where a fifth of humanity lives in our shrinking globe and now has one of the fastest growing economies; China currently holds a trillion dollars in U.S. securities. Reading Wild Swans is a good way to understand the Chinese culture in the 20th century and the generations who endured great hardships at the hands of those described in this book. It is uplifting to see the influence of Chang's parents in her decision making and read of her own acts of bravery and compassion. I won't divulge the ending, but Chang does find happiness.

It was inspiring to read about the personal integrity, ethical standards, courage and moral values in the face of incalculable brutality, degradation and mindless destruction of real people, not fictional characters. Jung Chang spared no detail in describing these virtues and vices in telling her story. If you want better insight and understanding of China, for a firsthand account -Read Wild Swans! This is a very significant book and I highly recommend it.

Spanning three generations of Chinese women, this 508 page tour de force is breathtaking in its scope. Each of the characters in this book is fully developed. The reader learns about life in communist China. It is almost too much to bear reading about the severe hardships endured by these brave women. My only criticism, and a minor one at that, is that as the Cultural Revolution squeezed out all of the old, beautiful and the traditional from society, it also made it difficult, if not impossible, for the author to convey the truly raw emotion that must have been experienced by members of her family and their friends as they suffered through the years of Mao. Nevertheless, as China continues to evolve and play a larger role on the world stage, this book helps us to understand how far the Chinese have come.

Stephen Ira Tamber

Wild Swans is an amazing, eye-opening look at China's past and reveals much about why China is the country it is today. I spend about 6 weeks in China (in manufacturing) per year, yet never began to understand what some of the people I work with with have been thru until I read this book. People my parents age being tortured, being starved, seeing arbitrary violence and murder of their children, their families, entire villages. Compared to Mao, Hitler was a nice guy. So few people seem to know or care about the needless starvation, violence & sadistic political game-playing that was inflicted on China by it's own government resulting in deaths of millions of people. I couldn't put this book down. Jung interweaves her family's history with the history of the country in a matter of fact way, documenting China as I have never seen it before. This is a must read.

I've had this book on my shelf since published in 1991 and decided this week to read it. I am sorry I waited so long. Beautifully written and an invaluable insight into the Chinese mind. In my opinion it goes a very long way toward explaining the historical distrust between Chinese and Western peoples. Chinese people could not/were trained not to express their thoughts (and in many instances were encouraged to not even have thoughts) and this lack of ability to communicate directly is perceived as untrustworthy by Westerners. I did have to laugh when I read that Chinese told their children to be grateful for their food as children in the capitalist West were starving! (Being of an age where when I said "yuck" I was told children in China were starving and I should be glad I wasn't.) But many did starve and many more were starved of spirit and individual thought. An outstanding and extremely readable history of a period of relatively recent political events and the results therefrom. Alas, the philosophy and practices of Mao have permeated many other parts of the world.

This book truly is a "miniature edition." It could serve as a coaster - BUT if you ever decide to use it as one, make sure you read the inside from cover to cover. The contents are hillarious. You could read this entire book from the time you start a load of laundry and finish it before the timer to the dryer goes off ... AND ... it would be one of the most enjoyable loads of laundry you'll ever remember doing. I ordered three of these books - one for myself, and one for each of my sister's (best friends)! Great gift idea for the girls!

The read was cute. I got a few chuckles out of the book. But when ordering I didnt notice that it was a miniature and was so very disappointed in that fact. Whether it was an over sight on my part or misleading by Amazon, I'm not sure. So as far as that is concerned, only a mid rating.
I did enjoy the mini enough to order the "REAL" book and have started reading and enjoying that.

I have been meaning to read this book for years, because it sounded so funny. When I finally ordered a copy, I was a bit let down.
I expected a funny take on being a southern woman, with a lot of teasing about being an improper southern belle ("fallen").
What I found was a lot of cliches and stereotyping---not of the female southerner, but more sitcom-style. The author relies heavily on traits that we females supposedly tend toward, but I don't find most of them to be true. I also don't see the behavior of the Queens as very funny--mostly snarky to their aquaintances, rude to outsiders, condescending to men, and uncreative. I also don't get the heavy reliance on sexual jokes and innuendo. My friends and I don't talk like that, yet we are not prudes.
It would be funny if the author didn't appear to belive in her own dogma, but she says she does, so I guess I'll have to take her at her word. No matter, I've got this one up for swap and won't finish it.

Fun take on life from a woman's perspective, great recipes and the straight skinny on how to get men to behave. If you haven't read the Sweet Potato Queens you are missing out on a good time and some great advice on men and life in general.

Jill, if you read your own reviews and I hope you do: this is for you.
First, the world in general is right: you are hilarious You have a gift, sister. And I would have given you five stars just for that. But honestly Jill, you know darn well that when humor becomes degrading it is not really humor at all.
There are a lot of us out here who may be "young and hip", but we're not stupid. Your mother and her friends were right: private bedroom experiences (whether right or wrong) do not need to be publicly hashed over and laughed at.
Apparently this sort of thing used to be referred to as "trash". Now it's "what's for dinner"-everywhere...
You seem to have a whole lot more to offer. Skip the trash, keep the hilarity. God gave you your gift for a reason. Use it with intelligence and you can change the world-for good.

A stunning story of a man who survived the horrors of concentration camps. He is a psychiatrist and developed his own theories and method of therapy called logotherapy. The book covers his experience in a concentration camp and the second half of the book explains his philosophy of logotherapy. Frankl says that the meaning of life is found in every moment of living; life never ceases to have meaning, even in suffering and death. He encourages his patients and readers to live a full life by looking to the future rather than reliving the past.

Quotation: "Self-transcendence of human existence: Being human always points, and is directed, to something, or someone, other than oneself - be it a meaning to fulfil or another human being to encounter. The more one forgets himself - by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love - the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself..."

Excellent read. Highly Recommended.

Just in case, if one wants to ascertain the level of endurance human beings possess, he needs to go no further than read through the experiences at concentration camps as recalled by a survivor - Viktor Frankl - in this book.

And considering that a will to survive does not manifest only in situations where life is at stake, physically, but at various stages in life, where even smallest of problems can seem mammoth and wreck havoc in making life miserable at psychological level, the lessons contained in this book have vast practical applications, when it comes to understanding our survival instinct.

The basic principle which differentiates a survivor from a loser is well highlighted by the following quote, which is often cited by the author in the book - 'The one who has a why to live can bear almost any how.'

I would highly recommend this book and would suggest re-reading it a few times because it would better enable on to grasp and internalize the importance of the subject addressed in this book and appreciate the viewpoint of the author.

I first read this book in college many years ago as I was working on my degree in psychology. An excerpt from it is in John McCain's autobiographical book, Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir. I was glad to be reminded of this book which I had not read in years. I found my old copy on the shelf but I am also glad to learn it is still available.

The comparison between Frankl and McCain as prisoners is striking. Both of them emphasize the basic human need for meaning and purpose. Both share incredible horrors of prison camp as well as the human ability to look beyond present circumstances, to keep the horrid memories from continuing as sources of torture years after the actual experiences.
We can apply this ability to many of the unfortunate experiences in our lives. It is not only an attitude of forgive and forget, it is the need to keep the horrors or smaller angers from continuing to torment us.

It is more than a little frightening that there are people who deny that the Holocaust even happened. I hope you read Frankl's book. Fully grasp the reality of his day and apply it to today's needs and problems.

This is a wonderful book to read merely because of it's main message. Read it and find out the meaning of the title.

I bought this book because I was searching for yet another book on workplace bullying and another book came up in my search based on Frankl's book. I read the customer reviews on that book and one reviewer said something to the effect of, "If you want to read a book based on Viktor Frankl's opinion of how to get along at a bad work environment (like a Nazi death camp), why don't you just read Frankl's book?" So, that's where I started. I read it. Twice. Then I got out my computer and typed in passages that had meaning to me so I could re-read them during difficult times. I compressed the entire book down to about 10 pages, single spaced. I must admit that I consider myself a negative, often depressed sort of person, mostly because my work situation is so demoralizing. I was amazed by Frankl's coping mechanisms on how to get along in a difficult situation; every day meant multiple incidents of having to choose the correct path to avoid death or worse, making the choice to give up on your own life (suicide). He went through 5 years of that and lived to tell about it. It is a must read for everyone, particularly when you are having the hardest time of your life. I could tell that if I had read it as a college student, it wouldn't have the same meaning as now, when I am 50 and have had many ups and downs. I see everything at such a deeper level and appreciated this book so much more than I would have if I were younger. Briefly, the lessons in the book written 50 years ago still apply today. Here they are: Let luck be your guide. It's not what you know, it's who you know. Network with the equivalent of a one-step-up lateral (not your own) middle manager and they will help you when they can. Schmooze. Be kind to others. Don't complain, it doesn't help. You can't fix, deal with or appeal to a sadist, so don't try. Avoid sadists at all costs. Keep your mouth shut unless asked for your opinion and then be short and to the point. Praise, even when praise isn't deserved. Keep criticisms to yourself. Be inconspicuous. Work hard for the sake of doing a good job. Fantasize for escape. Everything can be taken away from you except for your past, so relish in it. When something good happens to you, write it down (keep a gratitude journal). Don't do anything that compromises your own values so you won't have regrets. Be careful who you abuse today because tomorrow they may be your master. You are not your job, your title or your position. You are a unique person loved by others. The only thing in life that really matters is the people you love and the people who love and need you. Love shared is eternal. Treat everyone with respect. The meaning of life is not what life can do for you, but what life expects of you; how you make the world a better place with your presence. The purpose of life is not happiness. The purpose of life is discovering what you can contribute to it. Save a slice of bread (or whatever is the only material thing that matters to you when there is nothing left) for later when you are really depressed and it's the only thing left that can get you through that difficult moment. (For me it's chocolate and a dark beer at the same time.) Apathy is the signaling of the beginning of the end of one's life. Everyone that you respect and look up to has human failings. Even tough guys cry. Suffering without purpose is meaningless. The larger the suffering, the bigger the lesson. There's lots more in the book for you to discover and it's an easy read.

This is the best self-help book I have read. It is down to earth and so right on the button. It helped me right away and I continue to read it and work on more. There is something in it for everyone. If you are stressed about everything or a few things, this book is for you. I got one for every adult on my Christmas list.

This book should be a must read for everyone, and I mean everyone on this planet. There is not a person alive who could not benefit from it.

GET IT GET IT GET IT YOU NEED IT FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY FRIENDS ENEMIES

No matter what your mood, or what's going on in your life, this book has a section to bring a smile to your face. Guaranteed!

This book has brief every day narrations of every day life situations and gives you advice to stay calm or take the best out of the situation.
I think that it is helpful to read the authors point of view and realize that you dont have to choose to get angry about dirty dishes in the sink, and many many other indexed toppings.

This is NOT a book I typically would have picked up. But I was sitting in a coffee shop/used book store and saw it sitting there. I picked it up, took a look at the first page, and before I knew it, it was 4 hours later and I was completely in love.

This is an incredibly amazing book. After reading the back, I was not sure I wanted to purchase the book, but decided to do so. From the moment I opened the book, I didn't want to put it down. Sheri Reynolds made this book and religious cult come to life in every page.

This is probably going to be one of my top 10 most favorite books. I loved every single part of the book. The ending was soooooo great!

I liked this book a lot. It was very easy to read, a lot of descriptions to give you a good picture in your head. The story was great.

I enjoyed this book enough to finish reading, but I just didn't find the characters believable. The book started off pretty engaging, but really sputtered about 3/4 of the way through.
The main character is a young teenager who has been endoctrinated her whole life into this "cult" however even at a young age her doubts are louder then her faith.
Grampa Hermen leads the congregation and executes punishments however even own wife doesn't care for his leadership and expecially not for the punishement he delivers, she doesn't really listen to his sermons, however she seems to be totally in love with him. huh?

If you love to read books with vivid character descriptions, character you grow to care about, leave this book on the shelf.

If you just want to escape with a quick read you might like this book.

I was absolutely charmed by the setting and description used in this book as the Baudelaires find themselves in yet another horrid predicament. The author continues to use some incredibly clever humor that is at the same time very serious even as it is goofy--fantastic and intelligent combination. I was also very impressed at the insertion of riddles to reveal the story's mysteries. One of the best additions to the series.

'The Wide Window' is the third book in the Lemony Snicket "Series of Unfortunate Events". The Baudelaire children are put in the care of a distant relation, "Aunt Josephine", who is a grammar freak. Shortly after their arrival, they run into their foe who this time is masquerading as Captain Sham, a renter of sailboats. Aunt Josephine is gone soon, and was forced to leave a note giving the children to Sham. This would be too predictable, but the children know who he is immediately and we are told. Mr. Poe, tho, doesn't believe the children and the excitement is on as the orphans must take one of Captain Sham's sailboats, battle a hurricane, and figure out a rescue device before their boat sinks into the huge lake, full of leeches. Fine reading that entertains and keeps one at the edge of their seat.

The book I have read is called The Series of Unfortunate Events, The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket. This book is a fantasy.

This story begins with the three Baudelaire children. Klaus, Violet, and Sunny are three of the main characters. One day, the Baudelaire children got into a cab to go to their guardian, their Aunt Josephine, who has many fears. She lives by a lake and her house is high in the air. The Baudelaire's went to the store once with their Aunt Josephine to get some food, and right then and there Violet ran into Count Olaf. For those who don't know Count Olaf is trying to kill the children because of their fortune their parents left behind when they died. No one believed the children though, because Count Olaf was in disguise as Captain Sham. Later on in the story, the Baudelaire's find out that Aunt Josephine has a library, but only full of grammar books. The children wonder why there aren't any books about the lake or anything else. Aunt Josephine told them that her husband had drowned in that lake because of the water leeches in the lake, and she ever wanted to look at another book about the lake again. So one day Aunt Josephine was eating dinner with the children when the phone rang, It was so called "Captain Sham" really Count Olaf. Violet answered the phone since Aunt Josephine was scared to. The next thing you know is the children are in there beds when all of a sudden they hear a big CRASH! It was the wide window in the library! Aunt Josephine had jumped out the window leaving a note though, it said that she had decided to leave the children in the hands of Captain Sham. The letter had many grammar errors though, that was unusual about Aunt Josephine too! The many errors it had left a message for the children saying Curled Cave. This probably meant that she was hiding there. So the children looked up about the Cured Cave, and got on a sailboat to go and get her. The children barely got in the sailboat because of one of Count Olaf's helper, but they managed. They got to Curled Cave, but Aunt Josephine would not leave. He finally left when Klaus said that realtors would come. When they were in the boat they were over the part where the leeches were located. Aunt Josephine was horrified since she had just eaten. Leeches attack people down by food! When they are getting attacked by the leeches Count Olaf comes. And the rest you will have to read to know the ending.

I liked this book very much. It just might be the best book I have ever read. I like this book because of all of its details and actions! It was a very interesting book! Something you will want to read. I think this book is suitable for a 4th , 5th, or a 6th grader.

Tim Curry does an excellent job at reading through this book. He is very dramatic, and makes the characters believable. :)

His appearance in this book is my favorite disguise, although the next one is groan good. The kids go to their Aunt Josephine's house over Lake Lachrymose and is extremely agoraphobic and paranoid of anything bad happening. This one is the first book to truly put a sad set of events in place and make the entire setting feel gloomy. I feel bad at Aunt Jospehine's demise, not because she's nice, but because I hoped she would get better by being around the kids. My favorite moment has to be when the orphans are going to borrow a boat from the harbor and must get around Olaf's associate whose look is ambiguous and it makes the children pause when discussing him.

After years of fighting the battle of the bulge (my weight was always up and down), my wife and I decided to try this "diet" back in 2000.

I put "diet" in quotations, because that word usually implies that you eat a certain way for a while, lose the weight, and then go back to the way you were eating before.

WRONG!

"Sugarbusters!" is not a "diet" per se, but it is (or should be) a lifestyle choice.

After trying many diets and weight-loss schemes, I had pretty much resigned myself to fate and genetics (my father has been obese most of his life). After buying and reading Sugarbusters, my wife and I cleaned out the pantry of all the "no-no's" and went shopping using the Sugarbusters dos and don'ts. We adhered to the rules and guidelines laid out in the book.

The weight MELTED off of us.

I was surprised at how quickly the weight came off. We didn't only lose weight, we lost inches as well (sometimes we lost either weight or inches, sometimes we lost both).

In the first 4 months, I lost a total of 50 pounds and my wife lost 60; and here's the amazing part.....

....we did it WITHOUT exercise.

I am not saying that exercise is not important, but at that particular time, we were both very active in our careers and had little time (practically none) for a workout routine. We did exercise OCCASIONALLY by walking mostly, but our dramatic weight loss resulted mainly from changing our eating habits and lifestyle.

Yes, you do have to make some sacrifices, but you can substitute things you once ate that were "forbidden" foods with something similar. For example, I loved peanut butter; sop instead of eating the "regular" kind (loaded with sugar and other additives), I eat Smucker's All-Natural peanut butter which contains only peanuts and salt (it does have a bit of fat and too much salt is not good for you, so rememeber that moderation is the key). Yes, the taste is somewhat different, but you get used to it.

I never once felt "starved" or that I was missing out on something. Sometimes I felt like I ate too much (portion size is VERY important) only to step on the scale the next day to discover that I had lost more weight. If you eat the right things in the right amounts (don't go back for seconds - wait an hour or two and have a "legal" snack) and avoid the "forbidden" foods (corn or corn-based foods, anything with any kind of starches or "enriched" ingredients, switch from regular pasta to whole wheat, from regular rice to brown rice, switch from white bread to whole wheat, eat only "natural" sugars or sugar substitutes, and stay away from potatoes (except sweet potatoes in moderation)), this "eating lifestyle" works.

READ your food labels!!!!!

Just because a loaf of bread says it's "wheat" bread, doesn't mean it's OK to eat. If the ingredients say "enriched wheat flour", DON'T EAT IT! It has been "enriched" with complex starches (sugars) that turn to fat when you digest them. Don't worry about this too much. The book teaches you how to read labels and what these "ingredients" really are.

Well, here we are 8 years later and I have kept the weight off for the most part. I have strayed somewhat form the Sugarbusters lifestyle and have gained some of the weight back, but I am nowhere near as large as I used to be.

This eating plan works, but you have to stayed focused and committed and it's something you have to stick with for the rest of your life.

It's WORTH it!!!!!

This book is fantastic! I started following this program in 2005 and I lost 84lbs without exercise. Due to health reason's I couldn't exercise. I have kept off the weight because it isn't a diet you are modifying you eating behavior and it's easy once you start. Just stay focused and take it day-by-day. I used to eat sugar like crazy and after I started this book my body stopped craving it. I eat it every now and then, but I use Splenda instead since it's made from sugar. Just remember, we are worth it to feel good! Good Luck!

This book, written by Doctors who were not happy with popular diets that patients had tried, really tells you what you can and can not have. That's it! You either accept their philosophy and embrace it totally or don't bother wasting your time reading past the first chapter. Does it work? WOW YES. Is it expensive to implement? More YES THAN NO. Is it easy? WOW YES.
Is it healthy? WITHOUT A DOUBT. Find out why you haven't lost weight..read
this book to find the answer.

I've read the book and adopted many of its principals. The key in my mind is eating truly whole-grain, high-fiber foods, lots of protein from trim meats, lots of vegetables, and fruits. Just don't get carried away: you need to eat small portions (controlling caloric intake), eat more frequently (if possible, 6 smaller meals a day), and get plenty of exercise.

I should note that I am relatively young (27). I'm probably about 15 pounds overweight but the real issue to me is body fat percentage, which is about 24%! I'm not about to delude myself into thinking I can just sit around at eat the Sugar Busters way and have a material effect on those two body stats I gave. Neither should you.

Doctors and health experts have been telling us for a very long time that moderate eating and getting plenty of exercise should be priorities for healthy living. I think eating many of the recommended foods on Sugar Busters--more importantly, illuminating many forms of sugar as recommended--combined with exercise and moderation is the most sound approach.

We will see. I've been on this plan for about 2 weeks and I've been exercising again after about 6-7 sedentary years getting a professional degree (not medicine). I monitor my body fat closely and my weight. I seem to have lost a pound or two and about .5% body fat. Is it the foods or the exercise? I don't know but I do know I was eating foods devoid of nutritional substance before and now I'm not. I'm willing to stick to the Sugar Busters diet principals just for that reason alone.

Despite some of the nay sayers out there who use big words like pseudo-science, may I say that this eating plan does work.

It is easy to understand what foods you should and shouldn't eat, although one reviewer seemed to think there was some mystery involved; the authors express, in a very clear way why it works (eating less sugar helps your body avoid insulin spikes), and they guide you through a two week menu plan to help you on your way.

I did Atkins some years back and lost 35+ pounds. But, I found Sugar Busters! much more enjoyable in its application.

Take the time to read this book, live by its principles and live better.

Low glycemic eating, as presented in Sugar Busters!, has been the most convenient, and healthiest way I have found to stay slim.

I loved the movie and I loved the book, although in differnt ways. The book has a slew of minor characters that would be too confusing for the movie. If you are a fan of Southern fiction, this book is a must. Even if you're not, check out this title.

this book is awesome. read it in like 2 hours. i loved the movie and the book surpassed my expectations!

'Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe' is the charming story of two women in 1986, one of whom, old and oracular, soothes the angst of the other, middle-aged and depressed, by telling her wonderful stories of her youth in a railway podunk. I'm sure you know all that already. I heartily recommend this novel: it's witty yet meaningful, the characters are sympathetic and easy to get attached to, and the writing is spot-on. There are quite a few typos and errors in my text; perhaps they've been rectified in further editions. Let these not distract, however, from the fact that FGTATWSC is perfect for a swift and entertaining, yet meaningful read. Fannie Flagg, I salute you!

This book is a refreshing cool mist in this southern summer heat that I am currently living in
It's a whooping 99 degrees here is Savannah Georgia but that's beside the point
Fried Green Tomatoes... is such a heart warming book, based upon friendship ,courage and the strength to just keep on living. I enjoyed the movie and watch it when it's on the t.v. but the book holds the prize the blue ribbon so to speak the best hog in the fair the best pecan pie and so on down the list of southern talk. I recommend this book 100 percent

I read this book maybe 10 years ago and saw the movie version again (not as good as the book) this evening on HBO. So I picked up the book again and remembered how I love this book and considered it as one of my favorite. I love the 4 main characters (esp. Ruth & Idgie) as well as the secondary characters, Big George & Sipsey. You could really feel the love, devotion and depth of their friendship. This is a must read. A classic!

The book was in very good condition and arrived promptly. I'm so pleased I may order additional copies.

I am going to Beruit in August and I find the book fascinating. Sandy Tracey

I now have such a better understanding of this area, geography, cultures, religions. A great read...very well written. A must read prior to travel in this part of the world.

This book is so amazing, just for the neutral opinion that the author has throughout all its chapters. Well of course, its been written as an eyes of an American, but none the less it is quite absorbing. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is intrigues by the complexity of the region.

This book brings back to life the question I always asked myself, 'how come Yaseer Arafat received the Noble peace prize' which proves the fact that' one persons terrorist is other persons freedom fighter!!!!'

Definitely read it, you will not be disappointed. The humor in the book all through is outstanding.

I have always admired Thomas Friedman as an insightful writer of truth. Although a Jew his writing is impartial. He clearly states that he has friends both Israeli and Arab, and has been criticized by his American countrymen. I have often wondered why his opinions are not solicited by U.S. government officials, but perhaps no one wants to face the truth that on all sides of the Middle Eastern difficulties there are human beings whose opinions need to be heard and their concerns recognized.

In an spellbinding anecdotal presentation of the facts Mr. Friedman treats the reader with substance often lacking in the usual reporting that at best presents a few highlights of daily events.

Kenneth Ray Taylor author of Standup Comedian: The Secret and Beyond

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.