An Infinity of Little Hours: Five Young Men and Their Trial of Faith in the Western World's Most Austere Monastic Order

Book Description

In 1960, five young men arrived at the imposing gates of Parkminster, the largest center of the most rigorous and ascetic monastic order in the Western world: the Carthusians. This is the story of their five-year journey into a society virtually unchanged in its behavior and lifestyle since its founding in 1084.

An Infinity of Little Hours is a uniquely intimate portrait of the customs and practices of a monastic order almost entirely unknown until now. After five years each man must face a choice: if they stay to make "solemn profession" they will never leave. But if they leave, they will be turning their backs on a journey to find God in solitude--their life's ambition. A remarkable investigative work, the book combines first-hand testimony with unique source material to describe the Carthusian life. And in the final chapter, describing a reunion forty years after the events described elsewhere in the book, Nancy Klein Maguire reveals which of the five made it to the top of the mountain.

Customer Reviews:

Many are called but few are chosen.......2007-09-03

I have to admit to an historic link with Parkminster (the location of this book) and the monastery in Switzerland through professional work not religious in the 1980s. My dealings with one of the monks named (Dom Bruno Sullivan) entailed a one day visit to Parkminster and the memory still lives with me (the bus trip into the middle of forest land from Worthing after a train ride from Victoria station and the long walk from the bus stop to the Carthusian abbey gate to ring the bell to gain entry are exactly as depicted in the book). The photo contained of the two floor library with all its old priceless editions of religious books was one of my fondest memories during my visit.

But this book is much more than just story telling - it is a well recorded journey of how five novices in the early 1960s took the step close together in time to enter Parkminster to see if they had sufficient spiritual vocation to be able to remain for life in a virtually silent contemplative religious order where monks, brothers and novices spend most of their time in their private cells praying or involved in solo activity, mainly leaving their cells to only participate in set daily services with the rest of the Order. The repetitive daily routines little changed from the Middle Ages with no major routine changes except in diet and religious prayer when holy feast days arise, would be a test of anyone's spirit. The fact few made it through the five years to becoming a monk did not leave any of those failing as bitter - rather they saw it subsequently when the author contacted them recently as the high point of their lives.

What makes this book so exceptional is that in covering a very private and personal approach to religious life where the inward thoughts and emotions are everything, is all accurately captured by the writer, herself a lady married to one of the ex-novices. Over the nearly seven years writing the book she was surprised at the level of openess and honesty she encountered both with the ex-novices and the monks currently still at Parkminster. She also is able to balance the personal stories with the history of the Order, the Order's approach and administration in their chosen life and the wider context within the Catholic church.

Overall she writes lucidly and keeps your interest - never once in the 240 odd pages did I find the lack of action or her coverage of the simple repetitiveness of the lifestyle boring.

As with the almost contemporary film release "Into great silence" on the French monastery at Grande Chartreuse, one wonders why the Order has decided to open itself up in this way at this point in time but we are certainly the richer for the knowledge gained as a consequence.

Much food for thought.......2007-08-21

Reading this book is like finding an oasis in our hectic world. It moves the reader to look at the pace of his/her life and distinguish the "worthwhile" from the "not as important as I thought" - a fascinating study.

Interesting look into the lives of 5 young men.......2007-08-21

I found this interesting as I learned more about the monk's structured society and the types of men they enticed to join them. The five young men that rang the bell that day had a path that most wonder about. This book helped explain how a person's seeking to get closer to God can influence others as well. Nancy has done a lot of research and it paid off.

A life of simple, quiet contempation.......2007-08-10

I concure with many of the reviews posted and would also recommend both the movie and the soundtrack as means of having a little quiet conememplation added to our already hectic modern lives.
By the way, Amazon has the BEST price I've found on the hardcover edition, it's even CHEAPER than most people want for the paperback edition.

A Beautiful Sojourn.......2007-07-22

A nearly perfect book, AN INFINITY OF LITTLE HOURS is one of the best non-fiction works I've read on any subject in some time. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, the book serves as a guide to the austere, eremitic Carthusian life as it was experienced prior to Vatican II. As the author, Nancy Klein Maguire, notes, there's not a lot available for the layperson to read about this order of monks cut off from the world, and whose way of life has changed little since the 11th century. We are truly fortunate, then, to have Maguire as our host for this journey.

Maguire follows the lives of five young men who entered the Parkminster Charterhouse in England in the years 1960 to 1961: three men from the U.S. (Chicago, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn), one from Germany, and another from Ireland. That they do not all stay in the life quickly becomes clear, but wondering who stays and who leaves is part of the charm. (Warning: the photos are spoilers for the ending.) What's really wonderful is how Maguire gives the reader a chance to experience vicariously these men's lives from the point they literally approach the door of the Charterhouse and enter into its life to the time they leave or become professed. We are seduced by the life, but also acutely feel its physical discomforts. We grow with the men as the initial romance wears off, and the political reality of divisions between the monks becomes apparent. In the end, we are enchanted by the monks who persevere in the life, but also embrace the men who leave, fully sharing their relief. Maguire is a gifted writer; her prose is like freshly made butter, smooth and delicious. I think I could read anything she chose to write next, and plan to.

What profoundly struck me in reading Maguire's book was how these men, in entering the Carthusian life presumably to stay to the end of their lives, were essentially preparing for their deaths. At first I found the notion bewildering, even suffocating. I mean, our culture celebrates youth and fears death, doesn't it. Reading this book really made me think a lot about death. Could I forgo all that the world offers, close myself off forever within stone walls, and search for God while awaiting death under the same routine for decades? Happily married and middle aged (the Carthusians don't accept candidates older than 45), I know that the question is moot--but would I have been able to accept the life at 21? And am I ready now to look straight in death's face? How deep is my faith?

If you have any interest at all in the Carthusians or in monasticism, you will want to read this book. It makes a nice companion to the recently released, splendid documentary on the Grande Chartreuse, INTO GREAT SILENCE.

Average customer rating:

I Say a Little Prayer: A Novel
Masterpiece - plain and simple!!!
Hot Little Book
How Much is True?
Affairs of the Heart

I Say a Little Prayer: A Novel
E. Lynn Harris
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385512724
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Book Description

Bestselling author E. Lynn Harris is back with another sexy, shocking, and immensely satisfying novel that explores some of today’s toughest and most timely issues.

Chauncey Greer is the owner of Cute Boy Card Company, a thriving company in Atlanta. As a teenager, he was a member of a popular boy band, but left in disgrace when word got out that he and his bandmate D were more than good friends. Chauncey is a free spirit, on the brink of forty with a body admired by both men and women. Not into being categorized, Chauncey’s been known to hook up with men and women, but now in the age of the “down low,” he’s found that women ask too many questions, so he’s just focusing on the fellas.

After one too many bad dates, Chauncey finds himself in church, where the minister’s message inspires him to follow his dream of a singing career once again. Although he’s lost touch with D, as he starts writing songs his thoughts inevitably turn to his former lover. Chauncey’s powerful performance at the church earns him a standing ovation and an invitation to participate in an upcoming revival. But Chauncey soon discovers that an ambitious fundamentalist preacher plans to use the revival to speak out against gays and gay marriage. Feeling angry and betrayed, Chauncey and other gay members of the church decide to take a stand against the church’s homophobia by staging a “Day of Absence” when all of the gay members and their friends and family stay home. Everything is going as planned... until D appears on the scene and Chauncey has to confront his past and make some hard decisions about his future.

I Say A Little Prayer is filled with the delicious plot twists, humor, compassion, and up-to-the-minute controversy fans expect from their beloved “E. Lynn.” Harris has returned with another gem of a novel that will rocket to the top of bestseller lists nationwide.

Customer Reviews:

I Say a Little Prayer: A Novel.......2007-09-17

Ive been a little down on myself lately, spending too much time worrying about career and family. I decided to pickup this book that I've had on my desk for about 6 months on Friday night. I didn't put it down until about 5 am Saturday morning with a new found sense of hope and peace of mind. Like the old people say "TAKE IT TO THE LORD IN PRAYER" Thank you Mr. Harris for reminding me of that thru this enjoyable novel, it was right on time!!!

Masterpiece - plain and simple!!!.......2007-09-04

Amazing!!! I Love how E.Lynn Haris keeps his readers up to date on all of his charaters. There is no one he won't touch with this novel. I was truely blessed by this fragile subject matter. "Does my love for God go away because I love men?" There are so many black men in churches all over the country wondering if God truely loves them. What if I like being BI sexual? Can I still live a life blessed by God? Harris, says yes!! Why not? When you think of all the young people in your church, ask yourself the same question.
This was a funny, endearing, supersing, and well thought out piece of life. HOLD ON, and Enjoy the ride!! You won't believe who you'll see along the way.

Hot Little Book.......2007-07-23

E. Lynn Harris is at again! It's been so long since his last book and again I wasn't disappointed...I mean the man knows how to pull you in and he keeps you there until your done...After that he has you wanting more from the characters he has introduced and I love the cross-overs from characters from his previous books...The only thing that gets me is why not write about totally gay characters and these so called men on the downlow or bisexual...We need more strong totally gay Black and Latino characters, so how about Mr. Harris can you deliver that to our community?

How Much is True?.......2007-05-10

Even though this novel is pure fiction, it seeks to shed light on lifestyle secrets often hidden behind a cloak of religion.

Affairs of the Heart.......2007-04-10

Chauncey Greer is the owner of Cute Boy Card Company, a thriving business in Atlanta. As a teenager, he was a member of a popular boy band, but left in disgrace when word got out that he and his bandmate D were more than good friends. Chauncey is a free spirit, with a body admired by both sexes. Not into being categorized, he's been known to hook up with men and women, but now in the age of the "down low," he's found that women ask too many questions, so he's just focusing on the fellas.

After one too many bad dates, Chauncey finds himself in church, where the minister's message inspires him to follow his dream of a singing career once again. Although he's lost touch with D, as he starts writing songs his thoughts inevitably turn to his former lover. Chauncey's powerful performance at the church earns him a standing ovation and an invitation to participate in an upcoming revival meeting. But he soon discovers that an ambitious fundamentalist preacher plans to use the revival to speak out against gays and gay marriage. Feeling angry and betrayed, Chauncey and other gay members of the church decide to take a stand against its homophobia by staging a "Day of Absence," when all of the gay members and their friends and families stay home. Everything is going as planned...until D appears on the scene and Chauncey has to confront his past and make some hard decisions about his future.

I Say a Little Prayer was an entertaining read. I loved the colorful cast of characters, especially Ms. Gladys and Skylar. This story will make you laugh out loud and cry at times. It exposes some the hypocrisy of "church folk." I think E. Lynn Harris did a wonderful job describing affairs of the heart, because love is universal. I also liked the element of mystery and suspense. I recommend this book.

Average customer rating:

Every kid should have it!

Mr. Men and Little Miss Treasury
Roger Hargreaves
Manufacturer: Dean
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0603562167

Customer Reviews:

Every kid should have it!.......2007-05-23

I have a four year old daughter and she loves the stories in this book. The pictures are bright and colorful. It is fun to read.

A Little Book of Manners for Boys: A Game Plan for Getting Along with Others

Average customer rating:

A book boys enjoy reading
Etiquette for boys
Worth buying for 6-8 year olds
Fab-u-lous Book to get Sons Interested in Manners. "What's manners, Mom?"
Leave this around the house

A Little Book of Manners for Boys: A Game Plan for Getting Along with Others
Bob Barnes , and Emilie Barnes
Manufacturer: Harvest House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0736901280

Book Description

Following up the popular title for girls, A Little Book of Manners, Bob and Emilie Barnes show special little boys in your life how good sportsmanship, table manners, and appropriate language create happy times. Lively illustrations by artist Michal Sparks will captivate your favorite little gentleman in the making.

Customer Reviews:

A book boys enjoy reading.......2007-08-14

My sons are now 9 1/2, and discovered this book in their home library recently. I bought it three years ago, but they weren't too interested in it then. They LOVE the examples of what NOT to do/say, and it helps them remember the RIGHT thing to do/say. When we encounter a situation mentioned in the book, they recite the wrong and right approaches. They each read it independently, and we have 'reading time' when I read one chapter to them each evening (at their request!). The book also points out that there are times and places when it's ok to be a little gross among friends, but warns to look out for signs that you may have gone too far. It's good reinforcement to have someone other than parents making the same points about how to get along with others.

Etiquette for boys.......2007-05-14

Very well written. This book is more than just "good manners," but how to get along with others. Boys tend to resort to tough talk & rough behavior to establish respect. This book provides so many other, more civilized and mature options. I am glad to see this effort being made to increase the repertoire of actions available to our sons. It makes me hopeful that it will help reduce the violence among young men. It swritten in a way that would appeal to a young reader: not preachy.

Worth buying for 6-8 year olds.......2006-11-16

Really taught great things for children 6-8. For anyone older than that, it was a bit too young.

Fab-u-lous Book to get Sons Interested in Manners. "What's manners, Mom?".......2005-11-10

I have sons and the oldest was five when grandma gifted this book to him. With little brother just 5 years behind him, we have another wave of 'what's manners?' inquiries. A Little Book of Manners for Boys is more of a picture book that just gets them started. It's a nice 'coffee' table book for boys. I set it out before their acquaintences come over- not for my boys. No, no! Mine are well versed in appropriate manners. It's for those monsters that they have decided to tame. HA! My sons shall certainly save the world- one boy at a time.

Leave this around the house.......2005-08-31

Although this book was met with moans and groans, I notice my 10 year old picking it up and reading it when I left it around the house. It is pleasantly presented and contains basic rules of courtesy and friendship that every child should know about. Even if they've already been told these things, or they've already sort of figured some things out, it's nice to have a little book around to support what they've heard or learned.

Family Men: Daddy's Little Helper/Because of the Baby (Midnight Sons Series 3-4)

Average customer rating:

It Takes A Lot To Become A Family Man With Scruples.
A great addition to Midnight Sons!
delightful
midnight sons 1 2 3
A realistic look at romance in Alaska

Family Men: Daddy's Little Helper/Because of the Baby (Midnight Sons Series 3-4)
Debbie Macomber
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0373834357

Customer Reviews:

It Takes A Lot To Become A Family Man With Scruples........2006-07-02

They are all "family men" because of the baby. It all starts out that way. Lois Lane had a boy but did not marry her son's father. Instead, she lets another man be his daddy. As "Midnight Sons," a bush plane charter business brings women to Hard Luck, Alaska, things start to boom again. Chuck had planned to cruise to Alaska for this year's birthday; as a family man, he changed plans to lead a group full of two buses around the Hawaiian islands, as it would be more profitable -- and that's what "Dolly" wanted. Claiming to be the loving father of two sons ("He's the best person I know." a starfish), he inadvertently entered into the other's nasty campaign. After all he is a family man. Nothing is private with that group of family men who can get attitudes, but won't accept a woman who gets on her high horse. "You've changed your attitude and now are the good ole girl we all know and love." Love? They love only themselves and no one else.

Little Chrissie, now nine, decided that her school teacher, Bethany Ross, would be the perfect wife for her dad, Mitch Harris, and mommy for herself. Matt used the age-old, reliable male way to conquer his ex-wife, Karen. This is America's "last frontier" full of proud, stubborn men desperate for the company of women, willing to take risks, those with the courage to change their sterile lives to involve a man, any man. They are recruited to move near the Arctic Circle to work at the Hard Luck Cafe, to entertain the male-dominated small population. Friendship is different from all other relationships. Unlike acquaintanceship, it is based on love ...free of jealousy, knows neither criticism nor resentment, and is freely entered into, freely given, freely exercised. Friendship is human. Perfect friendship is rarely achieved, however, with some disagreements inevitably occurring, at the most inopportune times. Some seek more than friendship, intent on becoming family men with power over those they choose and others.

A great addition to Midnight Sons!.......2006-02-27

I enjoyed this and all volumes of the "Midnight Sons" series.

delightful.......2003-10-17

Every now and then I feel the need to read a romance that is easy and fun to read. Macomber has written two books in one that is a double treat. They both are centered in Alaska so that one gets the additional gift of learning a little about that state. The first is about Bethany Ross who is the new teacher and Mitch Harris who is the law among other things in the town of Hard Luck, Alaska. Mitch is drawn to Bethany but fights his attraction because of the death of his first wife and he figures it won't be long before her bags are packed and she is heading for greener pastures. Bethany has come to teach, but her main objective is to find and learn what she can about a man called Ben. She isn't planning on leaving for a while, and of course she is drawn to Mitch but can't figure him out. She feels he is as attracted to her as she is to him but he acts the opposite-and then there is his daughter who tries to be matchmaker. The second story is about Matt and Karen who are now divorced. Karen grew up with a father who couldn't keep a job and the financial insecurity that resulted. Matt had begun to do the same thing and she decided she couldn't deal with it so she left him and divorced him. Matt buys and old lodge that needed fixing up and put everything into it, but he still loves Karen and she still loves him. His sister, who Karen has remained friends with, is getting married and wants Karen to be in her wedding. After getting Matt's okay that it won't bother him if Karen is in the wedding, her plans evolve. You guessed it, Matt and Karen have a one nighter and then Karen leaves. Karen finds out she is pregnant and because the pregnancy is making her ill she agrees to stay at Matt's lodge until after the baby is born, in seperate bedrooms, of course. The rest you will have to find out for yourself. If you want a nice relaxing evening reading a fun but not to strenuous book, this is right up your alley. I enjoyed the book.

midnight sons 1 2 3.......2001-09-24

I have read all 3 books and was glad I had all in hand before reading, I thought the outcomes were very predictable, I was disapointed that there was not more substance to the characters. If I had not had all 3 it would have been hard to follow. Hard Luck, Alaska was a great setting for these books, life is hard and time moves slowly when far removed from cities and family

A realistic look at romance in Alaska.......2001-08-19

It is obvious from the start that Ms. Macomber has done her homework as far as Alaska is concerned. She has the perfect mix of characters in the small Alaska town of Hard Luck and just the right number of inconveniences that one would encounter living above the Artic Circle.

The first short story about Mitch and Bethany is truly heartwarming. Equally sweet is the happy ending Bethany finds to another part of her life. That section of the book was hard to put down.

The second story about Matt and Karen was good, but the constant bickering and on and offs of their relationship got to the point of belaboring the issue. I think that with one or two of their arguments omitted, it would still would have worked. It got to the point in 'Because of the Baby', that I kept reading because I felt obligated to finish the book. Maybe looking for some redeeming quality.

Customer Reviews:

Great for classroom use.......2006-12-31

I am an elementary teacher and I use these books in my class to supplement our Character Ed program (which isn't the greatest). My students love the Little Miss and Mr. Men books. I have to keep them behind my desk and let them "check them out" like library books or they fight over them. The are excellent to use in a pinch if you have a book that pertains to a problem that has developed in class (especially rudeness or bossiness). It is easy to read the book and have a quick class chat about what is going on. I highly recommend all of the books for anyone who teaches, home schools, or children in general. They are a great asset.

Great.......2006-08-14

I enjoy this book very much. I had this book when I was a child and now I have bought it for my daughters so they can enjoy them as much as I did.

Love the Little Miss and Mr Men books!.......2006-02-28

We just love these books... my 8 year old reads them to my 4 year old and they just crack up. Of course, there's a good lesson in each of them!

Mr. Messy.......2006-02-24

I teach Kindergarten and my students love the Mr. and Miss books! They really enjoyed this one. It is a good way to talk about keeping the classroom neat and tidy.

Great Kids book collection.......2006-02-17

My children love these books.They are fun and silly.And we look forward to collecting all of them.

Average customer rating:

Nice Biography - Skips the minutiae and gets to the point
A little light on a fascinating man
Hef's little black book gives short and sassy glimpse of Hef.
Give this one to your son or nephew, and they will thank you
I Worked for Hefner

Hef's Little Black Book
Hugh M. Hefner , and Bill Zehme
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060585382
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Book Description

Fifty years after inventing the Good Life as no one else had dared, the Master Playboy of the Western World at last shares the secrets that have for generations made him the envy of all free-thinking men and women. Hef's Little Black Book conjures the legendary lifestyle of Hugh M. Hefner as never before, a treasure trove of urbane lore, wry advice, and time-honored wisdom spanning the realms of romance, hedonism, ambition, business, dreams, and, of course, sex. From the pursuit of Love to the politics of the Bedroom, from the inspiration of a single idea to the emergence of a sprawling international corporation built on self-belief, Hef provides an invaluable guide to anyone who has ever thought big.

Accompanied by tantalizing, never-before-seen photographs, the gateway to Hugh Hefner's Dream World of Cool awaits you. If you don't swing, don't ring.

Customer Reviews:

Nice Biography - Skips the minutiae and gets to the point.......2006-03-23

I bought this book because I thoroughly enjoyed the author's previous book "The Way You Wear Your Hat - Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin'". This book was much shorter, even though it could be argued that its subject is deserving of perhaps even greater coverage. The most fascinating thing I learned while reading this book is that Sinatra and Hefner did not really bond...Frank was kinda upset that Hef had all the girls. The Mansion was the one place to which Sinatra could go and NOT find it to be all about Sinatra.

I knew very little about Hef until I read this book. I still don't know as much as I would have liked. This book is much more akin to what we would find out if Hef had written a dating profile on match.com (favorite movies, favorite food, favorite drink, etc). We learn very little about his formative years, other than that Hef's first great love did not love him back (but visits him at the mansion from time to time, even to this day). The author assumes that we know that Hef is wealthy, but we never get an idea of the degree of his wealth. I know that there is a magazine and a cable network....but younger readers may not know that there was also a television show, nightclubs, and a whole history extending back into the 1950's. These are only glanced over. It would have been nice to see more homage paid to the influence of Playboy on the shifting cultural attitudes during the 1960's.

I look forward to the author's upcoming Johnny Carson book and hope that it takes on the same flavor as these other two. Then the "holy trinity of cool" will be complete.

A little light on a fascinating man.......2005-10-10

Hef's Little Black Book isn't some story of Playboy the magazine or the empire, a biog of Hef or anything more than really a kind of puff-piece valentine from Hef to himself. I say from Hef because he's listed as the author, though "and Bill Zehme" presumably did most of the writing, organizing, interviewing, and editing.

However, given its parameters, the book works surprisingly well. Zehme did a similar book - a better one, though - on Sinatra a few years back, and its organization by subject/theme, its adoring fifties-style prose and please-pass-on-your-wisdom-o-master tone which strangely enough worked very well on the Sinatra piece is used again here. It's sort of effective. The book is a mixture of Zehme's narrative in the above voice, quotes from Hefner mixed in, and dozens of excellent photos of all types.

Hef passes on pearls of wisdom regarding women, romance, enjoying life and games, business, sex and the like. The Bed is covered in detail, with blueprints and everything. Much of it is not especially deep or new or earthshattering. I don't know that it really touches on what makes Hef such a fascinating figure or so important a man in 20th century life. But it's not uninteresting to Hefner aficionados.

What is in fact the goods on Hef is that he managed to first define the upscale male fantasy life, and then proceeded to insert himself into the picture and live it, for fifty nonstop years of uncompromising hedonism. In doing so he became a living symbol of the sexual revolution, and in the magazine's Playboy Philosophy he defended and explained his thinking brilliantly. It could not have worked without tremendous charm, business acumen (including the knowledge of when to step down from day-to-day operating control and let more capable managers take over), and self-control exercised over himself, and he surely kept very good people watching his back.

This book doesn't tell that story. If interested, there are many out there that do; I particularily like Russell Miller's Bunny, from back in the troublesome 80s. But this book does have fantastic and rarely seen photos from the 50s, 60s and 70s which make up for a lot, and one does get a faint glimpse of an unusual man.

Hef's little black book gives short and sassy glimpse of Hef........2005-09-09

You have to hand it to Hef. Well into his twilight years he manages to surround himself with beautiful, nubile young women who cater to his every whim.

In "Hef's Little Black Book" little glimpses of Hef's life are shared. We learn that Millie (his first wife) cheated on him, thus opening the door for his dalliances. We discover that the gorgeous Barbie Benton broke up with him when she discovered he was double dipping with another. That movie night is a big time in Hef's life. That black silk pj's make for good outerwear etc.

If you are a diehard Hef fan you may enjoy this book. On the other hand if you want to learn more about the playmates with shocking insights into Hef such as the awful reality that he does NOT use protection read Jill Ann Spaulding's book, "Upstairs".

Overall "Hef's Little Black Book" is indeed all about Hef, and only for those who want nitty gritty details shared by Mr. Hefner about himself.

Give this one to your son or nephew, and they will thank you.......2004-06-29

From business acumen to bunny love, there is much more to know about Hefner than is seen at first glance. Part mogul, part romantic, Hefner is deftly painted in the broad strokes he deserves. The result is a deeper look at the man behind the magazine empire and a legendary icon who maintains a certain charm and innocence about what it all really means. Just the kind of insight we have come to expect from author Bill Zehme.

I Worked for Hefner.......2004-06-10

Long ago I went to work for Playboy in Chicago and it was a thrill to be a part of Hefner's World. This book reminded me of why it was such fun. There is a mystique about this man and what he was able to do, living life on his own wide-eyed terms. I'm reminded here that he has always been the opposite of jaded--just a sunny funny smart revolutionary guy. It's nice to see it all spelled out, lest we forgot. The pictures took me back to a simpler happier time. What a trip.

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You gotta love Mr. Bump
Poor Mr Bump
A Steadfast Tale
Mr. Bump does it again!
Mr. Bump

Mr. Bump (Mr. Men and Little Miss)
Roger Hargreaves
Manufacturer: Price Stern Sloan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0843178388

Book Description

Get ready for the second invasion of Little Miss and Little Mr. Men! That's right - those zany, pint-sized characters are back. Easy enough for young readers and witty enough for adults! Mr. Bump stumbles upon the perfect job!

Customer Reviews:

You gotta love Mr. Bump.......2004-09-06

If you have an accident-prone person in your life, this is the perfect gift. Poor Mr. Bump is always bumping into everything, and he can't keep a job because he is always breaking things. The story of all the many jobs he has had is very amusing, and you will love the job he discovers he would be best at in the end. Mr. Men and Little Miss books are fun for kids of all ages.

Poor Mr Bump.......2004-05-13

I grew up with these fun little books. I loved them so much, I used to carry at least one round with me wherever I went. It's nice to see that the Mr Men series is still around for little kids and their parents to enjoy.

Mr Bump is an accident prone guy. He's always breaking things or getting himself stuck. He can't get a job because he's always getting into trouble. He doesn't mean to, but he tends to have accidents whether he likes it or not. Will he find the job that's right for him?

The book has very colourful, cute illustrations. I remember as a kid thinking that even though Mr Bump had lots of accidents, he still had a nice, friendly town to live in. Roger Hargreaves' writing is easy for little kids to understand, while still often witty for the grown-up reader reading it to them. In a way, kids might be able to relate to Mr Bump, having lots of accidents and getting in trouble, even though he doesn't mean to.

I'd recommend this for any young children. If they enjoyed this book even half as much as I did when I was little, then it will have been well worth the purchase.

A Steadfast Tale.......2001-07-18

Mr Bump, quite frankly, is a clod. He can't seem to do anything without injuring himself or others. How can he get by in life with such a predilection for mayhem? Read it and see. Great for both children and adults.

Mr. Bump does it again!.......2000-06-16

Mr. Bump has a problem. He is always getting into accidents,bumping into anything and everything in his way! Although his bumpingdilemma causes him lots of problems in holding a job, after a not-so-bump-free vacation Mr. Bump realizes the perfect job for him. You'll have to read the book to find out Mr. Bump's job niche. This a clever little book great for all ages to teach the lesson that there's a bright side to every situation.

Mr. Bump.......2000-06-16

One of the delightful books in the Mr. Men series by Roger Hargreaves. Mr. Bump is one of the best. His trials and tribulations come about from his seemingly innate tendency to get into accidents. Bumping into anything and everything in his way! Although this problem causes him some problems in finding a job, after a not-so-quiet vacation to the beach, Mr. Bump realizes the solution to his job problem. To find out his ideal job you'll just have to read the book yourself. Great for kids and for kids at heart as are all the Mr. Men books!

Average customer rating:

#2 Mr. Men book....
Mr. Tickle does more than make you laugh unwillingly....
Great Books
Mr. Tickle My favorite Roger Hargreaves book
Thought Provoking

Mr. Tickle (Mr. Men and Little Miss)
Roger Hargreaves
Manufacturer: Price Stern Sloan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0843174226

Book Description

You'll laugh until it hurts when Mr. Tickle goes on a terrific tickling spree!

Customer Reviews:

#2 Mr. Men book...........2006-11-17

But BARELY #2.... (Mr. Strong being #1). For a while this was #1 though. Mr. Tickle is the hilarious story of a tickle (you didn't know that there was such a thing as a tickle did you?) on an adventure though town causing mayhem by tickling everyone! This is also a trip though memory lane for daddy as I grew up in England reading Mr. Men books. My copy of Mr. Tickle looks like in went through a war zone, lol.
The best part of the book is the game my son invented by asking me to tickle him every time someone in the book gets tickled. And by the last page he's ran of the bed hiding and giggling. You'll understand if you've got the book, it's got a GREAT ending!
If your kids like Mr. Men books and you don't have Mr. Tickle, what are you waiting for????

Mr. Tickle does more than make you laugh unwillingly...........2006-05-30

Mr. Tickle makes you laugh WILLINGLY.

I know, I know. You are saying, "But I don't like to be tickled. And I don't want my children to feel that tickling is socially appropriate."

I had similar reservations before approaching Mr. Tickle, but I ordered it anyway. Mr. Tickle gets his just rewards, let me assure you, but in the meantime, he seduces readers into the world of Mr. Men. He does not just Tickle the people in his town. No, that is more...Sesame Street (The Tickler, The Man Who Starts with the Letter T, Volume 13, I think, of The Sesame Street Library).

Mr. Tickle helps the people of his town BOND TOGETHER. He is that slippery sort of antagonist who acts as a protagonist. Britain called for a hero, and Mr. Tickle answered the phone.

Great Books.......2003-10-24

These books are great! I can remember 20 years ago when I was sitting on the floor of my 2nd grade class in Illinios, my teacher would read these books to us!!! They are really cute and I recommend them highly!!

Mr. Tickle My favorite Roger Hargreaves book.......2001-07-12

I loved reading this book to my grandchildren. Even my husband was listening and enjoyed hearing this cute story. I shared it with my neighbor and her grandchildren wanted her to reread it over and over. Little Miss Mischief mentions Mr. Tickle also in the story and a great follow-up book to go along with it. All of the Mr. Men books are great fun to read, and I will keep them on hand for any little one who will sit still to listen to me read it to them. I enjoy the stories as much as the children do.

Thought Provoking.......2001-06-30

Back in college I got a job as a summer janitor at the local elementary school. One of the things I had to do was clean up in the library. I took this time as an opportunity to catch up on some reading... in the form of the Mr. Men series. Mr. Tickle is a great book about a man who likes to tickle. If you like to laugh, this book is for you. If you like to tickle, this book is for you. If you are a mean spirited and grumpy person, perhaps you should try another book

Average customer rating:

Amusing
Was this alien BO?
Good God! Is Buckley the Greatest living writer?!
Don't Waste Your Time
I could almost believe it

Little Green Men
Christopher Buckley
Manufacturer: Allison & Busby
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 074900505X

Amazon.com

In Christopher Buckley's hilarious fourth novel, Washington, D.C., is naturally enough a place of sex, lies, and videotape. Unfortunately for Little Green Men's pundit protagonist, John Oliver Banion, it is also the HQ of Majestic Twelve, a very, very covert government project. Since "that golden Cold War summer of 1947," MJ-12 has had a single mission--to convince taxpayers that space invaders are constantly lurking below what's left of the ozone layer. "A country convinced that little green men were hovering over the rooftops was inclined to vote yea for big weapons and space programs," the author thoughtfully explains.

But one disgruntled operative wants out. Nathan Scrubbs is fed up to the back teeth with the art of alien abduction--not to mention his cover as a Social Security flunky--so when his request for a transfer is quashed, he drunkenly decides to take it out on ubiquitous ultra-prig Banion, who happens to be on TV at the time. The ensuing high-tech kidnap, at Maryland's Burning Bush Country Club, is only one of the thousands of convulsively funny scenes in Little Green Men. Not that the novel isn't a skewed morality play of some sort: as Banion comes to believe in Tall Nordics and Short Ugly Grays, he is quickly removed from every A-list in town. But oddly enough, social and political disaster turns out to be as liberating as the finest alien probe. Let's just say that long before Banion and Scrubbs have a close encounter at the Millennium Man March on Washington, this Beltway barrel of monkeys attains a truly extraplanetary level of amusement. --Kerry Fried

Book Description

In 1994, Christopher Buckley published one of the most acclaimed and successful comic novels of the decade, Thank You for Smoking. Now Buckley returns to the strange land of Washington, D.C., in Little Green Men, a millennial comedy of manners about aliens and pundits . . . and how much they have in common.

The reluctant hero of this hilarious novel is John Oliver Banion, a stuffy Washington talk-show host, whose privileged life is thrown into upheaval when aliens abduct him from his exclusive country-club golf course.

But were his gray-skinned captors aliens . . . or something far more sinister? After Banion is abducted again--this time in Palm Springs--he believes he has been chosen by the extraterrestrials to champion the most important cause of the millennium, and he embarks on a crusade, appearing before a convention of UFO believers and demanding that Congress and the White House seriously investigate UFOs. His friends and family suspect that Banion is having some kind of manic-depressive midlife crisis and urge him to seek therapy before his credibility as a pillar of the punditocracy is ruined.

So John Oliver Banion must choose: keep his establishment status or become the leader of millions of impassioned and somewhat scruffy new friends who want to expose the government's secret alien agenda.

Little Green Men proves once and for all that the truth is out there. Way out there. And it reaffirms Christopher Buckley's status as the funniest humanoid writer in the universe.

Customer Reviews:

Amusing.......2006-11-15

There are plenty of stories about contact with aliens, including a plethora dealing with government conspiracies to conceal such contact. In Little Green Men, Christopher Buckley offers his own take on these stories and has delivered a fun novel.

Little Green Men centers on John Banion, the most powerful man on television. He is an incisive and often nasty interviewer of political figures, and even the President accommodates him. Banion lives the good life until he is abducted by aliens and subjected to the standard probes and other tests. He almost shakes off this event, but then it happens a second time, and he becomes an avid crusader for exposing aliens. This, of course, makes him appear crazy to many and his reputation slides quickly.

What Banion is unaware of is that this whole thing was a hoax orchestrated by Majestic Twelve, a super-secret government agency that occasionally fakes abductions for its own reasons that dates back to the Cold War. Nathan Scrubbs, a disgruntled member of Majestic Twelve, in a drunken rage, had targeted Banion for abduction; this was strictly against the rules that prohibit prominent figures from being kidnapped. Scrubbs's actions put him on the wrong side of his mysterious employer, forcing the lowly bureaucrat to go on the run.

Unfortunately for Majestic Twelve, Banion does not either fade away or get dragged off to an insane asylum. Instead, he builds a new following of true believers in UFOs, and raises these folks to a much higher level of importance. Even as he threatens Majestic Twelve, he is himself in danger, all the while remaining oblivious to the truth.

This is a delightfully funny novel that is also well-plotted. Few people on any side of the UFO debate emerge unscathed in this satire. This may have been my first Christopher Buckley book, but I have a suspicion it won't be my last.

Was this alien BO?.......2006-06-07

This is the first book I have read by Christopher Buckley and I am pretty happy with it. At first I wasn't sure how I would like it when it started with the talk show and the Washington political scene. I am definitely not savy when it comes to politics. I thought I would not understand the plot, the theme, the characters, etc. But that's what made Buckley such a great writer for me. He write so well that I could both understand and enjoy this political satire.

Another aspect of this book I enjoyed was how both sides: government and UFO enthusiasts received comical attention. On the UFO side we had the UFO convention stories, how the "probing" started, Banion's groupies, Tall Nordiac singers, etc... On the political side readers saw how the government concocted this alien cultural belief in order to achieve their objective: funding to beat the Russians. The back and forth (most of the time silly )behind the scenes debates politicians go through during an election year, i.e. the President's and his staff's dilemna on if he should attend the shuttle lauch and it's final manipulative conclusion.

My favorite line "He noticed a smell, acrid and overwhelming at first, like ammonia, with a sweetish aftertaste, like...cinnamon? Was this alien BO?" I have to admit this little insigificant line made me laugh out loud. This book is full of Buckley's wry sense of humor.

Good God! Is Buckley the Greatest living writer?!.......2006-04-08

Reading this book is literally stunning. If there were any justice, the hacks ought to abandon their work (or at least rewrite it through a few times) before they sling it out the door- looking at James Patterson and Dan Brown.

The prose on every page is so carefully wrought it is amazing. He captures characters, organizations and Washington dynamics with such economy, with such perfect on-the-nose phrasing it, it really is amazing. Put your finger down on any page and you will find excellence. This is the league of Wodehouse and Waugh.

The book is both amusing and enteraining and worth the purchase because the reread value will be high, but I'll be damned if you dont come away with the feeling of resentment at other popular authors who's poor craftsmanship is so clearly shown up by Buckley.

"Banion took the call.

'Jack!' Bill Stimple was the Ur-corporate relations man. Each greeting began with an exclaimation mark. When the Grim Reeper came for Bill he'd probably bray, 'Death!', and ask how his golf game was coming."

Don't Waste Your Time.......2004-09-30

This is one of the most uninteresting novels I have ever read. There was nothing in the whole book that was worth reading. The characters are so 1 dimensional that from the get go you can see through them all and wish you weren't reading the book. I finished the novel, just to see if it ever redeems itself. Please don't waste your time.

I could almost believe it.......2004-09-23

This was a pretty good book. I found the beginning to drag a lot and a few times I really wanted to put it down but I went on and on the whole I am really glad I did. Once the book picked up it was hard to put down. The ending was cool and in this day and age really believable.

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