A Clockwork Orange

Book Description

"Anthony Burgess reads chapters of his novel A Clockwork Orange with hair-raising drive and energy. Although it is a fantasy set in an Orwellian future, this is anything but a bedtime story." -The New York Times

Told by the central character, Alex, this brilliant, hilarious, and disturbing novel creates an alarming futuristic vision of violence, high technology, and authoritarianism.Anthony Burgess' 1963 classic stands alongside Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World as a classic of twentieth century post-industrial alienation, often shocking us into a thoughtful exploration of the meaning of free will and the conflict between good and evil. In this recording, the author's voice lends an intoxicating lyrical dimension to the language he has so masterfully crafted.

"I do not know of any other writer who has done as much with language as Mr. Burgess has done [in A Clockwork Orange]." -William S. Burroughs

Recognized as one of the literary geniuses of our time, Anthony Burgess produced thirty-two novels, a volume of verse, sixteen works of nonfiction, and two plays. Originally a composer, his creative output also included countless musical compositions, including symphonies, operas, and jazz. The author's musicality is evident in the lyrical and dramatic reading he gives in this recording. Anthony Burgess died in 1993.

Customer Reviews:

Skorry and Bezoomy!.......2007-09-12

Even though I knew this was supposed to be one of those "must be read in your lifetime" kind of books, I was always hesitant to pick it up due to the violence I knew lurked between the covers. Not because I feared it, but because I could never quite find the right "mood" to tolerate it (especially with the newspaper, Kiterunner and such one picks up these days!) However, the book came highly recommended (mostly by men, including the 30-something librarian who I checked it out from: "oh, you're going to love it!" I don't know how he knew, but he was right). I finally cracked the cover.

Lo and behold, what indiscernible argo did I discover on the first page! For such a short book, I told myself, this would be a long read. After two or three pages of the futuristic, Russian-based slang I found that, like reading Shakespeare, the reader adjusts to the rhythm of the language. It did not prevent the story from absorbing me, and I didn't need to know the definition of every word to grasp the meaning.

Alex, the charming teenage sociopath narrator, spends the first third of the book inciting nightly acts of "ultraviolence" with his hooligan friends. In the second part, he is caught, punished, and rehabilitated. In the third, he must deal with the consequences of his violent past, and his present as a man who can no longer defend himself from them. Although written in the 60's, it's hard not picture a 1980's London backdrop complete with the punks and hooligans bringing anarchy in an alternate socialist dystopia.

A quick word on the violence. Although the narrator gleefully partakes in some terrible actions, his use of slang to describe it actually keeps it rather slapstick and prevents it from becoming overly graphic (like Fightclub, for instance). What I didn't expect at all was the humor. Some of Alex's observations are riotously funny. I even got a few strange looks while reading in public, either because I laughed too loudly, or reacted to Alex's deepening predicament with an "aah!"--a pretty good sign that I'm captivated. This says something about the skill of the writer, that he had me empathizing with (if not exactly rooting for) a depraved character who I had no business liking under normal circumstances.

The only thing that didn't quite sit with me was the inconsistent (yet original) 21st chapter. Some say this ends the novel on a lighter, more hopeful note. I don't think it needed to. Without giving too much away, what Alex hints at maturing into was, to me, far more terrifying than his old hooligan self. Especially seeing how the other adults in this book, including his parents, have turned out in this fictional future. Give me the other, albeit more sinister, end.

Outstanding!.......2007-09-08

I've been on a little reading binge lately, and I found this book to be quite exilerating. I have never read anything like it! I would have to say that this is one of my absolute favorite books. I am so happy that they decided to publish the last chapter of this book in the States. It would be completely different without it!!

I would recommend this book to anyone, I checked it out from the library for the first reading. I am going to have to add it to my collection, that's how good it is!

great.......2007-09-06

fantastic once you get the hang of the language and slang. Suggestion--watch the movie first to put a face with the characters. The movie is but a fraction of the book, so it won't spoil anything. LOVE IT!!!

Literature as Art and Social Conscience.......2007-09-06

If you are looking for a simple and straightforward novel, then this is not it.

This is a piece of literature as art by the talented British writer Anthony Burgess (1917 to 1993). I got interested in Burgess from his non-fiction works on Shakespeare and Joyce.

Even the title here is complex, and According to Burgess himself, the title is from an old Cockney expression "as queer as a clockwork orange. Burgess wrote in his later that a creature who can only perform good or evil is "a clockwork orange -- meaning that he has the appearance of an organism lovely with color and juice, but is in fact only a clockwork toy to be wound up by God or the Devil; or the almighty state."

So, the novel is about good and evil and as a vehicle he uses a young man Alex, who leads a life of crime and random violence including rape. He sets the story in the future but using realism. Alex narrates the tale and does so in a language called "Nadstat" which is not English but a sort of street slang. That adds to the ambiance or flavour or setting of the story.

The novel contains three parts: the narrative on Alex and his illegal activity or street crimes, the imprisonment and attempted rehabilitaion of Alex, and finally the retribution of his victims.

What does it all mean? First and foremost it is a work of art so keep that in mind. It includes various themes such as the power struggles between old and young generations, the corruption of social institutions, and politics. It is supposed to make us think about the direction of society as a whole.

Mostly Good Book........2007-08-23

If you are a fan of the dystopian drama then look no further. This book has a wonderful and imaginitive plot with a good moral to follow. Burgess's unique storytelling abilities, combined with the "Nadsat" dialect which he himself adapted for this novella, makes it a great read for any type of reader!

The Thomas Guide 2007 Los Angeles & Orange Counties street guide

Average customer rating:

When MapQuest is not available...
great purchase
If you live in LA/OC, you need one
Easy to read
Too annoyingly large and detailed for basic navigation

The Thomas Guide 2007 Los Angeles & Orange Counties street guide
Rand McNally
Manufacturer: Rand McNally
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: 0528859382

Customer Reviews:

When MapQuest is not available..........2007-09-14

...there's Thomas Guide! I finally got tired of my son calling me from his cell phone while in traffic, totally lost and wanting me to help him find his way back on coarse. I would have to stop what I'm doing, MapQuest where he was suppose to be and figure out where he was. Of coarse, he was a moving target, so his exact location was constantly changing... making it difficult to guide him anywhere. I checked out GPS's but they were quite costly and I wasn't sure if there was a monthly fee involved for using them. Then I got smart and ordered him his own Thomas Guide and viola! Problem solved!!! And at a real reasonable price!

Thomas Guide, always there when you need it...

great purchase.......2007-06-27

timing delivery, package was in ship shape condition. i'd highly recommend this seller and product.

If you live in LA/OC, you need one.......2007-04-12

Everyone who lives here has one in their car for a very good reason.

Easy to read.......2007-04-11

Los Angeles and Orange County, California have some of the most congested and hard to navigate streets anywhere we have traveled. With Thomas Guide, the drive is easy. It is up-to-date, easy-to-read, and a must-have for travelers.

Too annoyingly large and detailed for basic navigation.......2007-03-12

This is such a huge book, it is really difficult to use for basic navigation to get around the area. You have to flip back and forth betweeen the overview map and the detailed one, and just has a lot more detail than I want for most purposes. I will have to buy another map that is easier to use.

Juicing the Orange: How to Turn Creativity into a Powerful Business Advantage

Average customer rating:

How Marketing Should Be Done
Fascinating.
Where's the juice?
Good Job
I Fell For The Cover

Juicing the Orange: How to Turn Creativity into a Powerful Business Advantage
Pat Fallon , and Fred Senn
Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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What Sticks: Why Most Advertising Fails and How to Guarantee Yours Succeeds
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Hoopla
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The Work: 25 Years of Fallon

ASIN: 1591399270

Book Description

Too many companies think creativity means throwing money into marketing efforts and giving lip service to "out of the box" thinking. But such efforts rarely have a positive impact on the bottom line. Pat Fallon and Fred Senn argue that leaders have more creativity within their organizations than they realize--but they inadvertently stifle it or channel it in ineffective ways. Juicing the Orange outlines a disciplined approach to building creativity actively into the organizational culture and leveraging that creativity into campaigns that deliver measurable results. Drawing from 25 years of successful marketing and acclaimed, award-winning work, the authors show that bankable, creative ideas come from zeroing in on the one key business problem that must be solved and then rigorously unearthing insights that will lead to a spectacular solution. Behind-the-scenes stories of successful and failed campaigns for companies in diverse industries reveal the core secrets of training for creativity: develop a proprietary brand emotion, offer big ideas without a big budget, and get customers to seek out your message. Illustrating the link between creativity and profits, Juicing the Orange helps industry players measure their success at the cash register.

Customer Reviews:

How Marketing Should Be Done.......2007-07-24

All good marketers know to talk about benefits rather than features, but here is a book that challenges us to dig deeper. The stories in this book are about articulating and exploiting insights that lead to great brands (and successful businesses). How does creativity become a powerful business advantage? When it is grounded in a comprehensive understanding of your organization, your competition, and your customers.

Fascinating........2007-06-19

Not only does this book dazzle with its advertising creativity, but it shows how Fallon carefully analyzed and devised the strategy it used. Before reading the book I was baffled by some of the ads I saw for Holiday Inn Express, for example. But after reading the book it all made perfect sense-- and clearly worked. The search for the nugget of product difference is absolutely fascinating. I've long been impressed by the company's creativity, but now I'm equally impressed by its ability to sniff out a winning strategy. It's inspiring for someone in marketing and enightening for everyone else.

Where's the juice?.......2007-06-07

I thought with such an attractive title and cover, the authors would get more into the dynamics. Instead, they tell us "their story" as if to convince themselves.
If ther orange had any juice, it sure did flow through another conduit.
I was delightfully disappointed.

Good Job.......2007-05-26

The book was shipped and arrived in a good amount of time. I am happy with my purchase. Still haven't read the book though. So busy

I Fell For The Cover.......2007-01-28

They are obviously a good advertising agency, because they got me to buy the book just by the appeal of the cover :)

I found the examples really enjoyable but I didn't feel like they ever really got into the "How To" part they claim in the title.

Average customer rating:

A cozy read.
Great new installment in the cozy tea shop mystery series
ugh...no, thanks
This Series Keeps Getting Worse Instead of Better
Where was the proofreader for this book?

Blood Orange Brewing (Tea Shop Mystery)
Laura Childs
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 042521057X

Book Description

When social darling Delaine Dish throws a lavish benefit for the restoration of a run-down Victorian home, Theodosia Browning donates tea and treats from her Indigo Tea Shop. But the grand unveiling of Theo's spread proves a gruesome scene when a beloved local politico falls dead with a jagged piece of metal in his neck. Anyone at the event could be the culprit, but the police have few leads-and no suspects. Try as she might, Theodosia can't help but wonder who the murderer is. But her investigation will lead her into places darker than the blackest tea ...

Customer Reviews:

A cozy read........2007-04-29

What a wonderful cozy read. I love Theo, Drayton and Haley. What starts out as a great mystery, falls flat in my opinion in the end. Just ended because we need to end the story?

I gave it four stars because I do love all the tea talk. Theo is asked to help who murdered Duke during the concert and starts snooping around. The murderer is not going to take that too nicely. Everywhere Theo goes she is on her toes looking for clues, but never would have guessed!

All in all a good book. I can't help myself. These are cute cozy mystery reads!

Great new installment in the cozy tea shop mystery series.......2007-04-17

Theodosia Browning and her Indigo Tea Shop are serving at the Candlelight Concert socialite Delaine Dish throws to raise money for a Victorian home donated to the Heritage Society. Everyone who is anyone is there as Delaine plans to hit them up to donate to restore the house.

Unfortunately retired CEO and beloved politician Duke Wilkes is murdered before refreshments can be served. Detective Burt Tidwell is on the case and in no uncertain terms tells Theodosia to stay off the case.

That's what Theodosia plans to do until Duke's widow begs her to look into things. Since everyone who was at the concert is a suspect, she has her work cut out for her. It doesn't take long before she finds herself in the thick of things and apparently getting too close. Can she solve this murder without putting herself and those she loves in danger?

I really enjoyed this book. The Charleston setting is always relaxing to me. The story kept moving and made me want to read another chapter and not put it down. Theodosia and her associates, Drayton and Haley, are such wonderful characters. I'm not a tea drinker, but I'd love to go to their shop just so I could meet them!

I can't wait to read the next installment in this series. I highly recommend this book.

ugh...no, thanks.......2007-01-23

I am loathe to pan a book in the review section, but I can't help it here. This is the first book of the series that I picked up. I was hoping to find a new series of the whole "southern mystery/women" genre to devour.

First of all, the book starts off slamming you with about 800 different names of people you have no hope of keeping straight in your head. Childs offers very little (if any) information to make each character memorable as they're introduced. Just sort of tosses them all out pell-mell and helter-skelter.

Throughout the book, the murder plot is dry, the dialogue is irritating and sometimes simply pointless, and I just could not bring myself to care. I want my two hours back. If this is an example of this author's writing style, I won't be grabbin' any more of her stuff.

This Series Keeps Getting Worse Instead of Better.......2007-01-18

I enjoy the recipes in the back of the book. The characters however, are extremely obnoxious, with the exception of Drayton. Theodosia is an unlikeable busy-body, know-it-all, arrogant character who seems to be in continual competition with the police in attempting to solve crimes. Haley is irritating beyond words. The books are full of sentence fragments and the way the characters talk is stilted. I've given up on this series and will go to the library, page to the back of the book and browse through the recipes.

Where was the proofreader for this book?.......2007-01-10

I have been a great fan of these teashop mysteries from the moment they appeared, but I was so very disappointed in the latest one. The plot didn't seem as well thought-out as in previous books, but what really drove me mad was the huge (and unacceptable) number of typographical errors in the book. I am always slightly addled by Ms. Childs' refusal to use the word "of" after the word "couple" (a couple pots of tea, as opposed to a couple OF pots of tea), but the excessive errors in this book simply showed a sloppy level of proofreading. Now that we are asked to pay for hardback editions of the books, I expect quality to be better, not worse. I may give the series one more chance, but I have refrained from recommending this book to other tea lovers, as I normally would do.

Average customer rating:

A troubling story, beautifully told
Fast and easy read
Sweet with a sharp sting
A 5 Star book if ever there was one!
Refuses to let go

Five Quarters of the Orange
Joanne Harris
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060958022
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Amazon.com

In Five Quarters of the Orange, Joanne Harris returns to the small-town, postwar France of Chocolat. This time she follows the fortunes of Framboise Dartigan, named for a raspberry but with the disposition of, well, a lemon. The proprietor of a café in a rustic village, this crabby old lady recalls the days of her childhood, which coincided with the German occupation. Back then, she and her brother and sister traded on the black market with the Germans, developing a friendship with a charismatic young soldier named Tomas. This intrigue provided a distraction from their grim home life--their father was killed in the war and their mother was a secretive, troubled woman. Yet their relationship with Tomas led to a violent series of events that still torment the aging Framboise.

Harris has a challenging project here: to show the complicated, messy reality behind such seemingly simple terms as collaborator and Resistance. To the children, of course, these were mere abstractions: "We understood so little of it. Least of all the Resistance, that fabulous quasi-organization. Books and the television made it sound so focused in later years; but I remember none of that. Instead I remember a mad scramble in which rumor chased counter-rumor and drunkards in cafes spoke loudly against the new regime." The author's portrait of occupier and occupied living side by side is given texture by her trademark appreciation of all things French. Yes, some passages read like romantic, black-and-white postcards: "Reine's bicycle was smaller and more elegant, with high handlebars and a leather saddle. There was a bicycle basket across the handlebars in which she carried a flask of chicory coffee." But these simple pleasures, recorded with such adroitness, are precisely what give Framboise solace from the torment of her past. --Claire Dederer

Book Description

In her bestselling and critically acclaimed novel Chocolat, Joanne Harris told a lush story of the conflicts between pleasure and repression. Now she delivers her most complex and sophisticated work yet, an unforgettable tale of mothers and daughters, of the past and the present, of resisting and succumbing -- an extraordinary work of fiction lined with darkness and fierce joy.

When Framboise Simon returns to a small village on the banks of the Loire, the locals do not recognize her as the daughter of the infamous woman they hold responsible for a tragedy during the German occupation years ago. But the past and present are inextricably entwined, particularly in a scrapbook of recipes and memories that Framboise has inherited from her mother. And soon Framboise will realize that the journal also contains the key to the tragedy that indelibly marked that summer of her ninth year....

Customer Reviews:

A troubling story, beautifully told.......2007-08-14

Despite beautiful and sensuous prose, this is not an easy read. It demands perseverence from the reader but in the end patience is rewarded: it delivers so much. Its structure is composed of two parallel tales, one set in the present and one comprised of 40-year-old memories of German-occupied France. Harris pulls no punches as she examines the actions and motivations of people living in times that often demanded troubling compromises ... and worse. Few are spared. The role of the good mother is turned on its head. A cold eye is cast on the myth of the noble Resistance. Provocative questions are raised about the innocence of childhood. But the stories inexorably move towards their united climax to show how wisdom and love require acknowledgment of the truth, which sometimes is slow in revealing itself. The ultimate message of "Five quarters of the Orange" is that wisdom and love have their own schedule and it's never too late for either.

Fast and easy read.......2007-06-20

This is a popular book--though it was more popular in Europe than the States. It begins with a mystery. As the mystery unfolds, it reveals character and culture. The main action of the book is told as back-story. A middle-aged woman returns to her native community in rural France. The story is wonderfully atmospheric. The atmosphere is created through an infusion of delightful food and wine and snippets of WWII era French culture. It is no doubt a popular book with the Martha Stewart crowd. But there is a more sinister story, the real story involves Nazis and a community lynching. The story itself is unique enough to keep the Better Homes and Gardens aspect from overwhelming the narrative.

I think the only thing that kept this from being a great book was the author's reliance on mystery. She holds back information. And though this technique did move me through the narrative, and the author did eventually deliver on her promises, I could not help but wonder if the strong mystery aspect was not in someway making up for something the book lacked. I hate to refer to that old American classic, Gatsby, but I will. Where Fitzgerald used the mystery only so long as it was necessary, letting the device fall away to reveal a narrative driven by characters and their actions, there is little beyond the mystery in Harris's novel. Once the mystery is solved, the novel ends.

Sweet with a sharp sting.......2007-04-29

After reading Chocolat (before the movie came out), I wanted to try another of Joanne Harris's novels. I picked up Five Quarters of the Orange at an airport and was impressed. The story is woven into a compact and powerful book that looks at life in Nazi occupied France. In the small village of Les Laveuses, you discover the small town life that stills continues even with Nazi occupation: farms, harvest, the change of people to the seasons, love, hate, gossip, etc.
Framboise Dartigen narrates this story, both from a child's perspective and as an elderly woman. The two stories slide back and forth and give a vivid and powerful feeling of what life was like on that small farm and in that small village. The interactions between the family are drawn richly and with precision. An incedence when Frambouse is younger drives the family from the town, and she only returns many years later and under another name. The story unfolds to reveal the secret but not to the very end of the book.
The story is dark and the amounts of cruelty between siblings, mother and daughter is drawn with a sharp, slicing knife. Harris' writing uncurls slowly, like the pealing orange on the cover, the sights, sounds, and smells from her wonderfully chosen words draws you in. I must admit that the book does slow a little in the middle but gets it upward momentum back again towards the end. Many who loved Chocolat may be turned off by the dark tone of this book, yet it is Harris' skill at words and character development that really lend you to appreciate the story that is being told. I would recommend this novel for both the beautiful and ugly imagery it conjures.

A 5 Star book if ever there was one!.......2007-04-15

An adroit, mesmerising novel. I could not put this down, so astonishing and gripping was this story and Harris's subtle, impactful writing. I wanted it to go on forever, couldn't wait to get to the conclusion; the sign of a great book.

Refuses to let go.......2007-01-13

A French widow recalls her girlhood in a village beside the Loire, as she tries to keep the secret that caused her family to be expelled from the town. Joanne Harris is a compelling storyteller; I think there are only a few, and possibly none, who are better. Her stories gently capture the reader and refuse to let go. Along the way, she seems always to incorporate descriptions of foods and cooking that make me want to spend more time with my own cookbooks! This novel grips and tugs and compels, and what more could you ask?

Orange County Choppers (TM): The Tale of the Teutuls

Average customer rating:

American Chopper
I love American Chopper
stupid mistakes mar enjoyable book
Orange County Choppers
The audio production brings their tale to life.

Orange County Choppers (TM): The Tale of the Teutuls
Paul Teutul , Paul M. Teutul , Michael Teutul , Keith And Kent Zimmerman , Keith Zimmerman , and Kent Zimmerman
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0446528013

Book Description

Each week, millions of viewers tune into The Discovery Channelto watch their favorite dysfunctional American family, the Teutuls. The hitTV show American Chopper features Paul Teutul, Sr., and his sons Paul, Jr.and Mikey, along with a supporting cast of mechanics and friends. Together,they create some of the most incredible and outrageous motorcycles in theworld. Now, in ORANGE COUNTY CHOPPERS, the Teutuls combine family historywith a behind-the-scenes tour of their renowned motorcycle shop--and theirnew lives as household names. Hilarious and heartwarming, fans of the showand newcomers alike will delight in this truly authentic America successstory.

Customer Reviews:

American Chopper.......2007-09-28

After watching the show since it was first on. It's safe to say that I love American Chopper and the Teutels. This book is a great look into the history of this family, and it's workers. If you like the show, you'll like the book.

I love American Chopper.......2007-09-07

I think a normal down to Hearth family you will not find after reading this book.
I love the dysfunctional family and that at the end what remains is their love for each other and the creativity on their motorcycles.

stupid mistakes mar enjoyable book.......2007-06-15

It's disappointing and disturbing that three Teutuls plus two Zimmermans and an additional army of fact checkers and editors at Warner Books could let obvious errors get printed.

On page 11, Paul Senior talks about his parents charging people to park in their driveway on Cooper Street in Yonkers, to watch horse races in Yonkers Raceway or baseball games in Yankee stadium, which were within "walking distance."

While the track is just a few blocks away, the stadium is about 8.5 miles south. The 17 mile round trip is not "walking distance" for most people. I hope he calculates more precisely while building bikes.

Twice on page 15, Senior mentions his house in "Muncie", New York. Muncie is in Indiana. The Teutuls lived in MONSEY (which is pronounced like Muncie).

There are probably more errors, but I just started reading the book.

Orange County Choppers.......2007-05-12

Eveything you wanted to know about Paul Sr, Jr. Mikey and the rest of the boys at OCC. Great pictures of the bikes and how they built them and facts and information about the rest of the guys that work there. Love the book.

The audio production brings their tale to life........2007-04-11

Paul Teutul Sr., Paul Teutul and Michael Teutul work with Keith and Kent Zimmerman in ORANGE COUNTY CHOPPERS, follows a dysfunctional family's family endeavors of producing artistic and striking 'choppers' in their shop, and receives the familiar and famous voice of Todd McLaren as it examines the Teutul's life story. You needn't have familiarity with the TV show to appreciate this autobiography of family members in conflict; but what does help is an affection and appreciation for 'chopper' bikes and family interactions, which spices the appealing story of a 'wild family' which comes together to produce outstanding bikes. The audio production brings their tale to life.

Average customer rating:

Parker is one of the best and this is one of his best
Left Me Breathless
Did I read the same book as all the folks who gave it 4 and 5 stars?
This is a really good book
a good murder mystery/police drama that makes you think

The Blue Hour
T. Jefferson Parker
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786862882

Book Description

T. Jefferson Parker returns with an explosive new thriller that pits an unlikely team of detectives -- who become an even more unlikely pair of lovers -- against a ruthless serial killer.

Customer Reviews:

Parker is one of the best and this is one of his best.......2006-08-02

Jefferson Parker is one of the most dependable writers working today. His books are full of memorable characters, and those characters drive the story -- the plot never feels imposed upon them (or upon the reader). Instead, the story arises out of the people; what drives them, drives the events. The primary characters in "The Blue Hour," Marci Rayburn and Tim Hess, are both flawed, idiosyncratic people, not necessarily likable on the surface, but Parker never stays on the surface. The story moves like a freight train at times and then slows to allow us to see these people even more deeply, and by the end of the book we not only know them but we also care about them. If you haven't read Jefferson Parker, this is a great place to start.

Left Me Breathless.......2006-06-18

A very disturbing serial killer is on the loose in Orange County, California. But that isn't what drew me into this story. It was the characters Parker has developed here. Tim Hess is an older detective who comes out of retirement to work this case while at the same time undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for lung cancer. Merci Rayborn is a young, prickly female detective who is Hess's superior for the case. It's a tense partnership that develops into a heartwarming relationship. The story moves along at a fast clip then explodes toward the conclusion. I was skimming words, trying to read as fast as I could. I found myself actually holding my breath at times. This was an exceptionally good read. I had this book in my embarrassingly large stack of unread books for too long. Now I have ordered three more of Parker's books to catch up. I am really looking forward to reading his more recent publications.

Did I read the same book as all the folks who gave it 4 and 5 stars?.......2006-03-13

I read the book first and then read the customer reviews. Lately, I've done the opposite, which has spared me from getting stuck with some really bad books. But it wouldn't have mattered with this one, which drew raves. I don't get it. I thought this book was ridiculous. I couldn't get past the 67 year old detective, who was dying of cancer and being treated with chemo, energetically hooking up with a much younger detective, not to mention his superman abilities of running, chasing, and breaking down doors, among other such feats. Every now and then, the author would throw in a sentence about how "tired" Hess was. Well, yeah! And at the end, there was that long soliloquy. . . Well, I won't spoil it for you, but all I could think was "For crying out loud, call 911 and stop with the blathering philosophy."

This is a really good book.......2005-07-25

`The Blue Hour' is in many ways a first-rate detective novel. Unlike so many contemporary thrillers, Parker packs in a trove of deductive reasoning by the protagonist team of Hess and Merci. So the whole novel feels like it is formed under the sure hands of an author capable of building an engaging puzzle. I say this with admiration because it has become very commonplace to find novels where supposedly great investigators really don't piece together clues ala Mr. Holmes or Mrs. Christie. Instead authors for the most part these days just allow for the protagonists to walk into breaks via chance. I for one often find myself cringing at the silly leaps of implausibility you might find in most thrillers. That does not occur here in Parker's novel.

I really just want to urge you on... give this novel a chance. It has a couple of faults, but it is still vastly superior to a lot of what is out there. My main beef with this novel is that it is written from the perspective of four different points of view... Hess, Merci, and two characters's that Parker throws in to confuse matters. I could have done without the two characters that Parker sets up as possible suspects. I think that this took much of the suspense away from the ultimate resolution of the novel. I found myself guessing the ending a third of the way through the book, though Parker did throw a few red herrings into the mix and I was never %100 sure if I was reading the signs correctly. One last thing that got me was the Hollywood ending. I think that this book did not need such a typical resolution.

If you have read this book and are looking for other authors to test, I constantly thought of early Patricia Cornwell novels while reading this. If you have not read her you might like her first five or so books. Another good author is Denis Lehane, I have enjoyed pretty much everything he has written; in fact he just might be the very best genre writer of our day.

a good murder mystery/police drama that makes you think.......2004-03-07

It was hard for me to decide whether to give this book four stars or five. The strong story and suspense as well as the drama which unfolded between two unlikely police partners in a search for a serial killer was about as good as one would expect from the genre.

The reason I finally decided to give this book four stars instead of five however, was because I really was not very fond of one of the main characters (Merci). Merci is a tough ambitious police woman who is partnered with a semi-retired hard-boiled cop (Tim Hess) who is dieing of cancer. I think the relationship between Merci and Tim is believable. But I just didn't find Merci very likable because it seemed as though she was just driven by rage and hate (nothing more). People like her undoubtedly exist in the real world (I've met some like her). I'll even go so far as to say that under some circumstances, I've had some characteristics of Merci.

Book Description

When Rachel and Kirsty arrive at Rainspell Island for vacation, they have no idea what kind of magical adventure awaits! The seven Rainbow Fairies have been banished from Fairyland by the wicked Jack Frost. If they don't return soon, Fairyland is doomed to be colorless and gray. The girls have already found one Rainbow Fairy, but now Amber the Orange Fairy is trapped in a seashell! Can they rescue her, too?

Customer Reviews:

Amber the Orange Fairy.......2006-05-29

I really liked this book. Ruby the Red Fairy is safe in 'the pot at the end of the rainbow', but now Amber the Orange Fairy is caught in a seashell! Can the feather they found in one of the bags that King Oberon and Queen Titania gave them get her out?

fairy madness.......2005-12-25

my (just turned) 6 year old niece loves these books- she's currently reading the rainbow magic "color" series, i bought her inky and preordered the next few. i have even created a wishlist just for all the books i'm going to order her in the near future. i'm a little confused about the different series, party fairies, weather fairies, jewel fairies etc... but she was VERY particular in telling me- she's reading THIS color series, she didn't express a very definate desire to read the other series. regardless of her interest i'm going to send her a few of each of the series. i'm a little afraid she's going to burn out of these books because there are so many of them. but then again i think i had a hundred baby sitters club books when i was a kid! but for those just as confused as i am----- i'm almost positive that if the kid is saying- "i want rainbow magic!" get them the color fairy's because they seem the most popular and well loved by my niece and all of her school mates. (she goes to an all girl school)

Great for early elementary school.......2005-08-06

Our 6 year old loves this series. She can't wait for the other books to be released.

LOVE IT!!.......2005-06-30

We started this series for our four year old daughter as a read aloud. She can not wait to get the next book and she has us reading the book again and again. We love seeing her soo excited about books!

Amber the Orange Fairy.......2005-05-01

Kirsty and Rachel already found Ruby...now they found Amber hidden in a seashell! But problem after problem happens...Jack Frost's elves come, and the pot freezes.

Your reviewer,
Lydia, age 9

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (Winterson, Jeanette)

Average customer rating:

Coming Out
Great introduction to Winterson
An Unwritten Story
"History is a string full of knots"
Her beginnings....

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (Winterson, Jeanette)
Jeanette Winterson
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802135161

Book Description

Winner of the Whitbread Prize for best first fiction, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a coming-out novel from Winterson, the acclaimed author of The Passion and Sexing the Cherry. The narrator, Jeanette, cuts her teeth on the knowledge that she is one of God’s elect, but as this budding evangelical comes of age, and comes to terms with her preference for her own sex, the peculiar balance of her God-fearing household crumbles.

Customer Reviews:

Coming Out.......2007-05-10

A girl faces the problem of coming out to her conservative family, along with their reactions to her less-than-traditional sexuality.

Great introduction to Winterson.......2007-03-16

This is not "Well of Loneliness" (Radcliffe Hall) and for that we can all be grateful.

An Unwritten Story.......2006-08-08

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit courageously tackles a topic not addressed often enough in real literature; the struggle between one's family and self as sexuality develops contrary to "normal" expectations. Jeanette Winterson deftly paints the story of a young girl's travails as she comes out to her devoutly evangelical mother with humor and pathos. The characters are all too real, especially to anyone with a background in deeply Christian communities.

Winterson is an adept enough storyteller, however, her narration leaves something to be desired. The fairytales interspersed with the main storyline are interesting and add a magical, childlike touch to the story, but aren't fully integrated into the novel. As a result, they distract from the book rather than further developing it. This novel is a good first effort and a worthwhile read, but not quite a literary marvel.

"History is a string full of knots".......2006-07-25

In her debut novel, first published in 1985, Jeanette Winterson managed to achieve two important goals: one, to impress the reader with her autobiographical story, and two, to create her own style and voice, which she developed in her later works.

At the level of the narrative, the reader is completely taken in by the life of an orphan girl raised in England of the 1960's by the strictly religious mother to be a preacher and a missionary. The world outside the church community, which, despite the presence of pastors, has a strong matriarchal feeling, and the men seems somehow obscure and dispensable, is for little Jeanette absolutely incomprehensible.

As a child, she does not have a reason not to believe her mother... but growing up as an intelligent child with inquisitive mind, she begins to ask questions. First quietly, only in her mind, then more openly, when she encounters other reality (at school and in her town), and finally, confronted with her own sexuality which is unacceptable by (although, as it appears, not unknown to) her church, she decides to step out of her life as she knows it, go beyond her very limited experience and start afresh (very brave; I could not help thinking though that her being lesbian seemed to be an obstacle but in a way was helpful because it was the real push to struggle for her own identity; for a girl who would marry it would be probably less difficult to settle down quietly and stop asking questions, like it was for Melanie, Jeanette's first love in the novel). The oranges from the title become the symbol of the forced limitations...
The book is full of general thoughts, and although there is no great philosophy, the discoveries of adolescence are put into great words. Winterson's voice sometimes sound incredibly bitter and she paints the characters with certain cruelty. Although the book if full of funny anecdotes, it is a sad kind of humor, I hope this was a catharsis to write it. The author admits that we create our own history and memories are what we remember and shape ourselves, therefore far from objective report of the past...

Formally, the novel is divided into chapters bearing the titles of the initial books of the Old Testament. There are also many religious metaphors and similes throughout. Winterson uses simple, short sentences which gives the book the clarity. Interchanging with the main plot are short tales, which remind me of things I imagined and put on paper when I was a child... They are a great insight into the mind, fears and fantasies of a sensitive girl and look very real, although are obviously conceived at the same time as the whole novel (although it would be nice to think that Winterson incorporated her real childhood creations) as they run in parallel with the plot and are inseparable from it.

I think that for anyone who wants to become familiar with Winterson's prose, this is the best place to start.

Her beginnings...........2006-05-18

You can see the author finding her voice in this one. It's jumpy with moments of sparking fire that characterize her later works. She dips a toe into the magic realism and fairy tale, and seeing these tentative steps should give all writers faith that they should pursue their weirdest ideas, mediated by the story.

I recommend reading this not first but after you've seen her at her best, as in The Passion.

Average customer rating:

Hilarious, Entertaining and Just Good Reading
"Who are you?"
Very Political Heavy Satire Compared to Dorsey's Other Novels
I have no idea how this guy's brain works, but it's one interesting ride
Sartorial, Monty-Pythonesque humor - don't miss this one!

Orange Crush
Tim Dorsey
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0061031542
Release Date: 2002-04-02

Amazon.com

Maybe you can't be too outrageous when the subject is Florida politics, but Tim Dorsey (Florida Roadkill, Hammerhead Ranch Motel) manages to go so far over the top in this satirical page burner that even diehard fans of Carl Hiaasen, Laurence Shames, and Dave Barry may find their patience wearing thin after the first couple of chapters. When Republican Governor Marlon Conrad is inexplicably called up by the reserve unit he joined for a reelection photo-op and sent to Bosnia, he suffers a midlife crisis that has his campaign staff totally flummoxed. Not that they're playing with a full deck either; Conrad's closest adviser is a crazed serial killer who happens to be an expert in Florida folklore, and the rest of the boys on the bus--the Orange Crush, Marlon's joyride across the Sunshine State--aren't much saner.

While Conrad's the main character, there are enough second-string oddballs to keep this road trip going until the denouement, a bizarre debate between the governor and his opponent, Gomer Tatum, whose idea of intelligent political discourse is a WWF death match. They include Helmut Von Zeppelin, a multimillionaire who owns most of the politicians in Florida; Jackie Monroeville, a trailer queen determined to get her man into the governor's mansion; and Gottfried Escrow, Marlon's chief of staff. There's plenty of mayhem but not much mystery in this comic novel that proves there can be too much of a good thing. While Dorsey keeps the belly laughs coming, he doesn't stop long enough for the reader to give much of a hoot about any of his characters, much less root for the good guys to win. --Jane Adams

Book Description

The Republicans' "golden boy" -- and a loyal, unquestioning tool of the powerful special interests -- handsome, unthreatening, Florida governor-by-default Marlon Conrad seems a virtual shoo-in for re-election. That is, until he undergoes a radical personality shift during a bloody military action in the Balkans. Now it's just three weeks before the election and Marlon is suddenly talking about "issues" and "reform" as he crosses the length and breadth of his home state with an amnesiac speechwriter and a chief of staff who turns catatonic in the presence of minorities. The governor's new-found conscience might well cost him the election, though. And it appears that pretty much everybody from Tallahassee to Miami Beach is trying to kill him...

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Customer Reviews:

Hilarious, Entertaining and Just Good Reading.......2007-10-08

Tim Dorsey is just great. His series of books about Serge and Florida are very entertaining and great for a laugh. If you take your life too seriously then Tim is not for you. Although there is much more drama in this novel than in his previous books (which I loved) the silliness is still there. Serge has no idea who he is and works for Governor Marlon as Pimento, his Press Secretary. People are popping up dead everywhere while Mahoney tries to track down the killer. Meanwhile Pimento, Escrow and Marlon are traveling around Florida trying to win the upcoming elections. As funny and wacky as ever this is a book you must read.

"Who are you?".......2007-08-02

That is the question that Dorsey's character Serge A. Storms asks himself constantly in this book while looking at the mirror. Serge has amnesia and therefore does not remember he is the craziest serial killer around. Instead he is working as press secretary for Marlon Conrad, the Florida governor, who is in a race to get reelected.

Dorsey's over the top humor has a lot more leeway when the subject matter is Florida politics, so if you have read any of the two previous books, you can imagine the level of insanity in this one. With a set of characters that only Dorsey can create, including corrupt politicians, serial killers, rich bullies, and plastic bimbos, this installment is a roller coaster worth riding.

I am aware that a lot of reviewers compare Dorsey with Hiaasen, and they pick sides. In my case, I think that both authors are worth reading and that the differences between the two are worth embracing instead of being used to discard one of the two. I am certainly going to keep reading both authors!

Very Political Heavy Satire Compared to Dorsey's Other Novels .......2007-06-01

A lot more American political satire than Dorsey's other novels made this a little bit less enjoyable for me than his other novels. Serge Storms the reoccurring character in this series plays a really minor word count in Orange Crush. I would recommend reading Florida Roadkill instead or better yet the book written after this which was a prequel to that first book called Triggerfish Twist.

I have no idea how this guy's brain works, but it's one interesting ride.......2006-12-28

It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did, I inhaled it. The first chapters introduced a lot of characters and background, and I was having a hard time getting into any of the stories. But once they started becoming intertwined, everything broke loose, and it was extremely enjoyable. I'm glad to have found this author and I'm sure that I'll be reading a lot of his stuff in the future. It is a little confusing, which is why I'm only giving it four stars and not five; but overall, it's hilarious.

Sartorial, Monty-Pythonesque humor - don't miss this one!.......2006-08-25

Marlon Conrad never had to do any real work in his life, being raised in the traditional Ultra Conservative Way ("Marlon Conrad learned everything he knew about life from his father . . . Rule Number One: At any given moment, poor people, somewhere, somehow, were screwing them. From this maxim all other rules flowed."), until - while running for Lt. Governor - a reporter uncovered the fact that he had not registered for Selective Service. In order to get some extra votes, his father decided he should join the National Reserve and get things set up so that he wouldn't actually be called to duty. However, in a remarkable chain of events, Marlon was not only called to active duty in the Balkans, but his unit ended up in bloody conflict. Initially refusing to have anything to do with the rest of the men in his unit, Marlon bonded with them one night over a bottle of vodka disguised as Scope that had been smuggled to him, and after they were attacked and most of his unit killed, Marlon returned to Florida a changed man, much to the chagrin and consternation of his former friends. Things just became worse when the governor was killed in a jet crash.

This book pokes fun at all things government, particularly having to do with the running of a political campaign. Even the character's names fit in with the satire - Jackie Monroeville is the rags-to-government crowd girl who is determined to see Marlon's competition (Gomer Tatum) win; Helmut von Zepplin is the ultimate mega developer and big money that everyone kow-tows to; Gottfried Escrow is Marlon's chief of staff, etc. Tatum challenges Marlon to a "smack-down" on live TV at "Raw is War!" to which Marlon remarks "So this is where we've evolved" only to have his press secretary reply "Actually, it can't help but add dignity to the process."

Dorsey's descriptions are a form of art, albeit occasionally more in line with surrealism than reality. The timeline tends to jump from past to present, which can be jarring at times, but it all ends up flowing seamlessly together. Marlon buys an RV with the Orange Crush logo and goes on the road, traveling Florida to meet the masses; he ends up having several people decide to kill him (unbeknownst to him), only to meet ignominous ends themselves. A homicide detective from Miami wanders along behind, following the trail of bodies and trading strange wise cracks with the local guys.

Each character that spoke was developed by his or her lines; even if they didn't speak, if they were there long enough, their actions developed them. Mr. Dorsey has a genius for characterization that goes a long way. I also loved that fact that fun was poked equally at all politicos - Albert Fresco, the independent party candidate, when asked what he thought about the need to increase staffing for child protective services, responds "No, no, no! I can't be bothered with that pointy-headed *issue* stuff! I've got common sense and I've had it up to here! . . . Did I already mention that I'm madder than a sumbitch? . . ." while Gomer Tatum readily switches his position on issues whenever he feels it will garner him more votes. Anyone who feels that this book is unfairly slanted against conservatives should take note - it is not, it is slanted against *professional politicians* and at the end, it is all about the attempt of the common man to rise about the pettiness of it all.

By the way, do not fail to read the HYSTERICAL piece at the end "A Note on the Type." I usually read the paragraph describing the typeface, so when I noticed how long this was, I was intrigued - don't skip this, you won't regret it!

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