Arts Books

The story line was interesting, but the writing is greatly lacking. This could have been so much better in the right (write) hands. A disappointment.

From all of the glowing reviews, I wanted to like this book, but I was greatly disappointed. The characters were flat and the story was mediocre at best. I didn't care about the characters or their conflicts. As for all the five star reviews, most seem like put-up jobs by the author since they all seem to sound alike.

I very much liked your book, but was left with the correct or mistaken idea that there is something more. Am I right? I figured you would have to let people know what happened to Nadine & Jules and how better to do that than with a follow-up book. If I'm wrong, then I'll eat hay, but I don't think so. I left my email in your mailbox, could you let me know? Barry

Good book. It was interesting and got me wondering about stuff like this. Nice book from a big reader. Do you like Stephen King? He is my favorite author. Any more books?

I usually don't write reviews for books on-line, but I did want to let you know that my 7th grade class was given a book report project to do and many went to our local library to find a suitable book. Your novel, The Ice Pick Technique, was not one of the books on our list, however when it was submitted for my approval by one of my students, it opened the door for a lengthy discussion in class and a class report on lobotomies as a whole subject. I wish to thank you for a very well-written novel as well as the opportunity for my class to learn about things that are not known or discussed these days. Thank You.

This piece of work created by the editors of Vibe Magazine could easily be appropriately titled "Essence of Tupac." In this collection of previous interviews and vivrant photos you truely get the feeling that you are holding a conversation with The ledgendary Tupac Shakur. This is a must have for all Tupac fans and for anyone wishing to know more about Pac's Life. Good job by the folks at Vibe Magazine.

I my self am not a very big fan of rap music however i was intrigued to read this book after looking into some of the lyrics of 2pacs singles they seemed very in depth. After reading the lyrics i felt that his words had a lot of depth and soul attached to them which intrigued me to find out more about the rap star.

I myself have a genuine interest in politics, philisophy and poetry similarly to 2pac and i felt that i could relate to some of the lyrics he wrote. This book on tupac gives a deeper insight to the rap artist not only his music and talent but to his life it shed light on many differant topics from differant aspects and i found it very inspirational. What i particularly liked about this book was the way it presented both sides of the story (with the rape case) and i felt this ruled out any bias.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has a love for reading regardless of whether they have a genuine interest in rap this book not only looks at his career but looks at his inspiration, ambition, life and above all recognised him as more than a rap artist but as a human being and who he actually was!!!

When I discovered that my 3rd graders knew who Tupac was, even though he died the year they were born, I felt that I needed to know more about Tupac. This book is published by Vibe, the official scribes of hip hop. It is a collection on interviews and articles that appeared in Vibe and they document the rise and fall of Tupac.
Tupac had "Thug Life" tatooed on his stomach and he lived the life of a misogynist thug. He was disrespectful to everyone around him. Perhaps, as Quincy Jones suggests in the forward, Tupac could've changed into a positive force had he lived past 25. However, this book, and his own words, show him to be a negative influence on everyone he had contact with. It is very sad that he died at such a young age. It is even sadder that so many youngesters know who he was but cannot tell you about the lives of people who have accomplished great things with their lives. I have my work cut out for me next school year.
Mark Gast

As a massive fan of the late great Tupac Shakur, there are few publishings that capture as much information and insight into his life and career as this amazing book from the good people at Vibe Magazine. Consisting of every Vibe article and interview written on Shakur between 1994-97, this gives even the most casual of Pac's fans more information than they could ever dream of. With features on his early career, his signing to Death Row, and his infamous interview with Kevin Powell from inside Clinton Correctional Facility where he denounced "Thug Life", it's all here. This book also contains some of the most informative material on the feud between Death Row Records and Bad Boy. You'll get everyone's side of the story on the Can-Am Studio shooting. You'll hear what both Suge and Puffy had to say about the East vs. West saga. You will also get to hear Pac at his rawest and most candid. If you are even the least bit interested in the amazing story of Tupac Shakur, you should pick up this book.

2pac is a legacy of our generation..he is and will always be the best, not only was he an awesome rapper, but he was also a good actor and poet. This book is very well done and covers so much. When he was shot the first time 5 times..and leading up to his unjustly death..i recommend this book to anyone if they want to learn about 2pac, he wasnt a bad man or a gangsta like most assume, he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time..or he just got involved with the wrong ppl...and like he said live by the gun..die by the gun..and that is exactly what happened to this man...may he rest in peace

I recently bought the Ashely book of knots because I thought it would tell me how to tie every knot on the planet. I found it a bit confusing because it did not use colors to illustrate the knot ties. It was hard to follow most of the knot patterns. Also it did not have climbing knots used by most rescue people. I found a great site that does animation and colors: http://www.animatedknots.com/doublefishermansrescue/index.php . Perhaps if the book came with a DVD it would be better. I know it is an old book...but come on...we have new technology now!

If you need to learn knots, or just enjoy knot tying as a hobby, this book is essential for everyone.

this is a classic, the definitive resource on all manner of knots, easy to follow and full of "old world" charm

This book is everything I hoped for! I previously purchased Graumont & Hensel's Encyclopedia of Knots, but as I did more research kept hearing about Ashley. I finally got it and it does have material about most every knot known. I would recommend it as an anchor for anyone who does fancy work, research, or uses rope on a daily basis. There are other web sites and books that have better details for tying the knots, but nobody has all of them in one place like Ashley. I would have liked to have purchased the first ed., but did not have the money and this edition does have corrections or clarifications. Anybody who buys it should be well pleased with their purchase.

Firstly, I want to chide all those whose lame counting of the book's contents parrots publisher information, such as "The result of Mr. Ashley's research was a significant collection of 7,000 drawings of 3,900 knots" -- this is nonsense: Ashley numbers every **illustration**, culminating with "#3854"; and among these there are both a great many duplicates (a quick look in the Index will show many occurrences for "Two Half Hitches", "Clove Hitch", & "Constrictor", e.g.), and there are many illustrated items that most folks won't regard as "knots". A more realistic figure for hitches, e.g., is around 100-200, and likewise for loopknots & bends.

People who are fascinated by knots refer to this book as "the bible", and often refer to particular knots by some Ashley illustration number -- which is a good step towards removing the typical ambiguity of knot names!

More than most knots books, Ashley gives historical and practical information about his subject; and, also more than most, his information is more reliable. I.p., this book is VASTLY superior to the seemingly competing knots tome, _Encyclopedia of Knots & Fancy Ropework_, which seems to be mostly a product of silly imagination by authors unconcerned with reality or good sense (to put it mildly!).

But Ashley wrote in a time preceding modern synthetic fibres such as nylon, polypropylene, and polyester (to say nothing of HMPE, aramids, composites, and coextruded fibres), and his inventory of knots reflects this -- perhaps most especially regarding anglers knots. Someone interested in learning about arborists' climbing/friction hitches or rockclimbers belay and anchor rigging or fishing knotting/rigging will find little or no help here.

By far this is the best book yet! Packed with
mystery, action, romance, and revealed secrets about what a travelor is really capable of. This book will keep you entertained.

The Rivers of Zadaa is the sixth installment to the Pendragon series. I loved this book it had adventure and it has mystery in it. This book was the best of the Pendragon it gave me everything that I wanted in a book. This book starts with a tragic death then ends very surprisingly. Saint Dane has gone to the territory of Zadda were he is influencing two warring tribes now Bobby must stop him with the help of the traveler Loor.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes an adventure book that is also a fantasy. This book now had to be the best because you had no idea what was going to happen next. I absolutely loved this book I just never wanted to put it down. I definitely would put this book in my top 5 of favorite books.

DJ, you keep me waiting too long. I want you pumping these books out faster.I can't get enough!!!

Hands down the best series I have laid my eyes on.

This book is packed with twists in the plot, and suspense that make you feel as if you are on a roller coaster. With two different stories filled with adventure and sprinkled with love, you feel like you're with the characters. Whenever you think you have the answer to what's going on, you want to shout it out to the characters, but each time you are soon to be proven wrong. Once you start reading this book, it will be torture just to put it down. Whenever you aren't guessing what's going to happen next, you are cheering for Bobby because you think he's going to win, or worrying because he's going to lose this battle. He is always changing position in this battle, so you feel like you're on a roller coaster, just like what I said before.

After five battles against the shape-shifting demon named Saint Dane, Bobby Pendragon is swept into another battle yet again. Saint Dane's main goal is to destroy Halla, all places, planets, and times, for a still unknown reason. Using flumes, the connection between places in time in the universe called Territories (there are ten), Bobby chases Saint Dane into the next territory, Zadaa. As a Traveler, the only people who can use the flumes, Bobby must stop the evil Traveler, Saint Dane, from reaching his evil goal. On the dessert planet of Zadaa, people are facing famine, and two tribes who were once at peace are getting close to a quick and deadly war. The aggressive tribe, the Batu, suspect that the clever tribe, the Rokador, are holding all the water from the underground rivers. Bobby, with help from Loor and Alder, the Travelers from Zadaa and Denduron, must thwart Saint Dane's plans to push Zadaa into chaos, or else Halla will be one step closer to destruction.
Meanwhile, on Bobby's home Territory of Second Earth, Bobby's friends are facing the strangest problems. Mark Dimond, pure geek, has joined a club called Sci-Clops. Things are going great for him until his enemy, Andy Mitchell, joins the club. After joining the club, Mitchell has been nicer to Mark, and Mark is getting suspicious. To add to Mark's problems, he is also worrying about how Bobby is doing on Zadaa, and how Bobby's other friend, Courtney Chetwynde is doing. Courtney has gone to a boarding school, and has gotten a new boyfriend. Of course, her boyfriend and the new Andy Mitchell turn out to be someone else...


Notes:

-This is actually my book report.

-For people starting the Pendragon series, you should start at the first book.

-It has a plot very similar to the first Pendragon book, The Merchant of Death.

I hope you enjoy this book, it's a real Tum-Tigger!

Htmlgoddess@gmail.com
a 7th grader

C. S. Lewis is not only one of the 20th century's finest minds, he's also amazingly perceptive of human behavior. This well-written description explains so clearly the four kinds of love and with such accessible illustrations from real life. Most eye-opening for me was the chapter on "affection" where I began to understand for the first time why we moms think we are so misunderstood; in actuality, our "affection" (storge) for our family has gotten out of hand! You'll need to read in order to understand. I highly recommend this book.

This is in my opinion C.S. Lewis's best nonfiction work. The premise has been done before, but rarely with the sort of insight given here. His overviews of Affection and Friendship are much too often overlooked and glossed over as unimportant, but here they're given a status they really deserve.

The section on friendship, and the idea that people are bonded through mutual passions, and his grim statement that people who are just looking for a friend will never find one, was spot on. Friendships are formed as an extension of a passion for something bigger than the individual. A mutual cause drives people, whether they be sports fanatics, a tribe pining for survival, or art critics.

The pitfalls he explains for the loves such as lust, bigotry, elitism, etc. are self explanatory, but it's also practical. Friendships are exclusive by their very nature, and there's nothing intrinsically wrong with such a thing. Eros is most certainly exclusive. He emphasizes that we can't be friends with everyone, love everyone with Eros, but we can love everyone with Charity, the final section of the book.

One could write a book three times longer and not come close to the depth portrayed in this little book. Strongly recommended.

CS Lewis does a wonderful job defining the four Greek words for Love. I would recommend this book most highly to the man (women are less likely to make this error) who thinks he needs no friends. Lewis shows the importance of friendship to a good life.

It Is One of those books that should be sitting on a coffee table. It defines the various types of pure love: agape, venus, and storge to name some. It truly defines where the 'heart' is and perhaps defining the brotherly love, the parental love, or the true love...



Susan Saige

Within this work, Mr. Lewis is quick to point out the inherent difficulty with regard to the concept of love facing individuals whose native tongue is English. That is, it is easily recognized that there exists an extreme deficit when one applies the same word to describe the sentiment shared with one's spouse, as well as their favorite food. In such extreme cases of difference in terms of the word's application, clarification is hardly needed and might be written off as an embellishment about that which one feels about, say, strawberries or chocolate. However, other instances are more difficult to write off as a poor choice of words; such as, love for friends, family, a spouse, and God. One must surely agree that the sentiment in each of these instances of love can exist and be experienced in significantly different ways. While love is the umbrella under which all of these sentiments rest, they are, as far as most people can tell, very different things. That being said, it is lucky for the reader that Mr. Lewis, almost immediately, circumvents the language barrier and begins to illustrate the foundational understanding which must be apparent for further exploration of the concepts of love to proceed. For those who have struggled with this, even the simplest concept of love's significance, as this reviewer has, the first chapter alone is worth the price of this work's purchase.

Building upon a necessary base of knowledge, Lewis begins to explore the nature of love beginning with that love which might be the gray area between the words love and like, or either of the two, as spoken in the English language. Lewis continues his endeavor by tackling what people often consider the more significant forms of love such as friendship, erotic love, and the love of and for God. While no attempt will be made here to convey the significance of the final chapter regarding actual Love in fear of diluting a brilliant message, each of the chapters leading up to that point share common threads. That is, Mr. Lewis illustrates the difficulty which can be had with love in any form if left to our own devices. This illustration is achieved in the author's typical fashion of profound analogies and appeals to common experiences. One can be certain that while this recognition of the volatility of human love is of extreme importance, it is the overriding concept that only by surrendering these loves to Love that one can achieve happiness, solace, and purity in Love which makes this work unquestionably valuable to those that are fortunate enough to read it.

I think that this book can be very helpful to any writer that wants to sell his/her book. I am using several of the ideas that I recieved in the book to sell my book 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques and collectibles. it has increased my sales. Daryle

I've never read a more informative book. It not only points out what you should do to promote, it actually gives you the tools to do it. Both phone numbers and websites that will really help you. It is the first self help book that doesn't tell you what it is going to tell you, IT JUST TELLS YOU. How novel. It will take me weeks to implement all the information, but each step is clearly presented. If you write to sell you need this book as flowers need rain.

The position of a first-time self-published author is not an enviable one; you've already written your manuscript, invested money in typesetting, cover design and an initial print run, you've purchased an ISBN number and your book is in Ingram's database, so it can be ordered in stores. You wait a week, and then another, for book sales to start coming in. Finally, realization begins to set in - just because it is possible for someone to walk into a book store and order your book, it isn't very likely that it will happen, because nobody knows about it.

Marilyn and Tom Ross have written an excellent resource for self-published authors and small publishers who want to get their book sales going, and their techniques are considerate of the budgets that most self-published authors are constrained by.

If you successfully self-publish your book, there are three steps for you to follow:

1. Write a solid, clear and engaging book that people will enjoy reading. Refer to books about clear and effective writing.

2. Work your way through the publishing process. Refer to Dan Poynter's "Self-Publishing Manual".

3. Get the word out about your recently published work - this is exactly what the Marilyn and Tom Ross show you how to do in "Jump-Start Your Book Sales".

In short, if you are a self-published author, are considering self-publishing, are a small publisher, or even if you're a traditionally published author who wants to take a more active role in the promotion of your book (which most publishers will expect you to do anyway), you should read this book.

Danny Iny
Author of "Ordinary Miracles - Harness the power of writing and get your point across!" (ISBN 1-4116-7252-6)

through the self publishing process of my new book. More than a notion, self publishing is very rewarding but extremely time consuming, and SUPER hard work. I thought writing the book was hard. Ha! That was the easy part!!! Thank goodness I bought this book, as its given me many great ideas for marketing and promotion. It's wonderful to have written the best book in the world, but it doesn't mean anything if no one knows about it! Thanks Marilyn!!!!

Do you know when you should start marketing your book? Marilyn Ross does, and in "Jump Start Your Book Sales" she reveals the answer. (Hint: It's before you start writing it!)

Before, during, and after -- in fact. Regardless of where you are in the writing and publishing process, book marketing should be at the forefront of your thinking. Is your book even marketable? What is the market? What length of book are those people used to buying? Why would they buy yours instead of (or in addition to) all the other similar books on the market? What will differentiate yours? These are the kind of questions you should be asking yourself even before you put pen to paper, or fingers to keys, as the case may be.

These strategic concepts are the bread and butter of the pages comprising "Jump Start." Don't be surprised if you find meat in the middle that you can really sink your teeth into. This isn't another rehash of duplicative information available for free from countless websites. This is the real deal, written by the co-founder of the Small Publishers Association of North America. Highly recommended reading before you start writing, before you start publishing, and after you think you've marketed it all. - Brent Sampson, author of Self-Publishing Simplified

This is a beautiful book, and from my experience, you will not find it in stores for less than $60. It was delivered on time, in perfect condition, and cost a lot less (including shipping), than it was in stores. This makes a beautiful gift or addition to a personal collection.

C.S. Lewis was certainly 1 of, if not the most, thought provoking theologist of the last century. As a former atheist/current agnostic, I will say, his is the only sensible argument for Christianity I've ever come across. Of course his prose is as always thoughtful, intelligent, & often humorous.

the seller got the book to me promptly - i have not had time to read it yet - it's in the to be read pile...it appears to be in good condition.

The detail and depth of arguments is incredible. The presentation is equal and fair to both sides but leaves no doubt of the ultimate truth. I especially enjoyed the allusions by the author to time period events and situations. ie. WWII and English manners.

To have in one place the works of one of the greatest minds of the Twentieth Century is to have a treasure in ones hands. The logic of Mere Christianity is so close that it leave little wiggle room for the deepest of intellects. The satire of Screwtape Letters is hilarious but pointed and so true to life. Miracles is another apologetic as well as the Great Divorce. One needs this volume at hand and needs to read its content from cover to cover to even start to say that they are an educated person. For me Lewis is one of the greatest writers of all time, and a theologian without all the trappings of obscurantism. Enjoy the exercise of mind and heart in reading these classics.

This book is the best book of advice for aspiring novel writers I have seen. Lots of practical examples and some good techniques to try out. Even has a chapter-by-chapter system to go from nothing to a novel by the end of the book (if you want to use it).

It is also engaging to read and is not boring or "text-booky" at all.

Higly recommended.

I purchased his book after attending a class Mr. Bell gave at a writer's conference.

The book is invaluable, it will save countless hours of re-writing, and make the entire effort easier. Plot is perhaps the most important element of a book.

Just as a house has a kitchen, bedroom, front door, etc, a well-crafted book should contain certain elements as well.

There are time-tested techniques and pointers, this book lists them and makes their application much easier.

We all have at least a dozen books on the craft of writing, this should be one of them. It is worth the investment and the time it will take to digest it.

Dan Elliott Jr.

This book, as it says on the title, focus on plot and structure. He gives an introduction to each then delves into them for the rest of the book. The concepts are solid and anyone who want to know how to write but doesn't (or thinks they can't) owes it to themselves to pick this and the other "Write Great Fiction" books. There's a criticism that the author just reuses the same information that's been out there for a long time, which is like criticizing a history book on the Romans. There's only one set of history out there, so of course it will have the same information! Besides, since it's the SAME INFORMATION as other "how to" books, and since this book is clearly written towards those who want to know how to write, the criticism is again made completely moot. On that same note, if someone got this book, then why would they buy another book on plot?

The author's use of the "LOCK" system and the "doorways" is excellent and helps a new would-be writer more easily conceptualize the elements that are needed for a good plot. That was what he intended to do, that was what he did, and so that is why this book is worth the money.

This how-to book actually delivers! So many books give definintions of writing terms, but this book explains HOW TO DO those things. Intellegent, useful, and sometimes even funny.

Buy this book. The excercises are even good- and I HATE writing excersises.

Best of all- this book is ENCOURAGING. The author's you-can-do-it spirit flows from every page and his clear explainations make you believe him that you can.

The author did a fantastic job with this book. It is a must-have for fiction writers.

Incredibly insightful, informative, and fascinating. Terry Irwin turns out to be a fabulous author who truly writes from the heart. You can hear her telling the stories of her and Steve's adventures. A love story for the ages. Of course, we all know the incredibly sad way the story has to end, but their story is definitely worth reading. Would recommend it to anyone who loves "The Crocodile Hunter", Steve Irwin, wildlife, love stories or believes in soul mates. Didn't want it to end. Loved it!!

I had always been a fan of Steve Irwin, but this touching tribute by his wife, not only showed how deeply they were in love but what a family man and true Wildlife Warrior he was. Excellent read.

This book is a wonderful glimpse into the personal life of the Irwin family. It shows the passion and drive of not only Steve, but of his wonderful wife, Terri. It also shows the strength he instilled in her, and her amazing ability to cope with this tragedy, for herself, and her two young children.
I feel honored to have read it, and to have been invited into this very personal and loving family.

Anyone that loved Steve Irwin will love this book. Terri did a great job writing this and I could actually feel her emotion for this man. We miss you Steve. Cricky!!!

This is truly a beautiful modern day love story about not only the love of two people with the same passion combined with the love of family and friends. But also, the love of nature and all its diversity.

This is such a fun concept. Cross stitching seems inherently to be such a lady-like hobby, but these patterns are anything but lady-like. The book is very easy to understand, too; I hadn't cross stitched in about 10 years, but that was no problem.

Subversive Cross Stitch makes a good gift for the cross-stitch enthusiast with a quirky sense of humor. The book includes patterns for cross-stitch projects with a twist, as well a helpful guide to making your own projects.

A word of caution, however, this book may not be appropriate for young viewers as it does contain some profanity. Otherwise, it's rollicking good fun!

The best thing to ever happen to cross stitch!!! Easy, cute, and most importantly, funny designs! Might not be appropriate for little kids or Grandma. I'm just waiting for her next book, hint, hint!

If you're easily offended, surrounded by people who are, or simply lack a sense of humor entirely, this is simply not the book for you. Clear, informative instructions and patterns make this a great book for a beginner, while the freedom to change the charts as you please will make the adept smile. Then there's the content: Oh lord, how I have suffered through the ghastly aisles of Precious Moments and sappy angels and babies! Finally a book for those of us who need a little salt with our otherwise wholesome obsession with stitchery. And it's so cute, sitting there on your table, and your mother-in-law will pick it up, and wonder, and then read, and then howl (perhaps in delight?)...

(New Hallmark slogan)
"If it's good enough to send to Ann Coulter, that's good enough for me!"
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/1127071coulter1.html
(the police report mentions this book, because some fool sent a card to her!)
(on pages 3 & 4)