The Last American Man
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • The Last American Man
  • Limited portrayal
  • Modern Day Mountain Man
  • Next generation Ed Abbey
  • Not what I expected
The Last American Man
Elizabeth Gilbert
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142002836
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Book Description

In this rousing examination of contemporary American male identity, acclaimed author and journalist Elizabeth Gilbert explores the fascinating true story of Eustace Conway. In 1977, at the age of seventeen, Conway left his family's comfortable suburban home to move to the Appalachian Mountains. For more than two decades he has lived there, making fire with sticks, wearing skins from animals he has trapped, and trying to convince Americans to give up their materialistic lifestyles and return with him back to nature. To Gilbert, Conway's mythical character challenges all our assumptions about what it is to be a modern man in America; he is a symbol of much we feel how our men should be, but rarely are.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars The Last American Man .......2007-09-12

The lifestyle and ideals of Eustace Conway go against the current of modern life, yet it is the fascination others have with his lifestyle (if not his ideals) that carries him along. Disciples (he calls them apprentices) are as important to his way of living as is Turtle Island, the place in which he lives. This book is about his failures with people as much as his untiring pursuit of union with nature.

2 out of 5 stars Limited portrayal .......2007-09-05

Gilbert writes that she had "doubts about writing the book" but when someone said "wouldn't you rather make a mistake by doing something than make a mistake by not doing something?" she felt compelled to write Conway's story. And that's the sad part because had she listened to her own doubt she might have postponed writing this book until she became a little older and wiser. Although a gifted writer, I believe it would have been a different story. I can't help but think that because of her focus, Conway will be reluctant to allow another biographer such access. This is a man, who has lived an incredible life, little of which we are privileged to see in this portrayal.
How we like, in certain intellectual circles, to tear down people--to focus only on the defect not the accomplishment, not the journey--not comprehending that life unfolds in its own beauty. Very little, unfortunately, was written about the remarkable accomplishments this man undertook and completed. Traveling down the Mississippi River, hiking across Alaska, scaling cliffs in New Zealand and living with the Navajo of New Mexico, surviving in the wilderness--all are given short shift. Instead the focus of her book is on Conway's troubled relationships with family, later with staff at Turtle Island and through out the book, in great detail, with the women he tried to bond with along the way.
And then there's Gilbert's commentary--about politics, feminism, men's rituals, his family relationships--difficult at times to ascertain fact from tongue--in--cheek, admiration and pure condemnation. A powerful story tells itself--it doesn't need commentary. Let the readers draw their own conclusions. It sometimes felt as if Gilbert needed more pages turned out, thus the commentary--but come on--what a great story to tell, so many more things much more interesting to know . . .
Finally, people notice different things. Some pay more attention to feelings and things, others to nature, logic, art, science. Besides choosing different information to focus on (which often says more about ourselves than others), we also have access to different information. We tend to believe as if we have all the important information there is to know about another, but we don't and so what we choose to focus on is limited by what we see. Age often, but not always, expands what we are capable of seeing. And that's my main problem with this book.
Gilbert was young when she wrote it, most likely struggling with her own relationships, her own identity as a woman and thus the focus of her book. She repeatedly states, for example, that Conway's father was verbally abusive yet writes little concerning two extraordinary attempts of both father and son at reconciliation and yet, isn't this the more poignant story? Did she just have a deadline to meet? (And let me reveal my bias!)
Her portrayal is of a damaged man, not a man in the process of becoming. Becoming what? I don't know but from direct quotes of his conversations with her, a man willing to reflect upon his own life. This could have been a great biography and I'm not stating Gilbert shouldn't have delved into Conway's troubled relationships. I'm simply saying it is only part of the story, filled with commentary when the story could have been presented more powerfully and more simply merely by letting the story tell itself while including the extraordinary with the ordinary.

5 out of 5 stars Modern Day Mountain Man.......2007-06-19

Fascinating read. You will come away admiring Eustace's work ethic and self sufficiency and will also question his intolerance for "us." Good lessons about American Utopian societies of the past and some of the lesser known facts about Mountain Men like Daniel Boone and Kit Karson. It is also "cold water in the face" to any dreamer who wishes to give everything away and start a new life in the wilderness.

4 out of 5 stars Next generation Ed Abbey.......2007-05-31

In the end, Eustace Conway is no more or less human than the rest of us. He's got his own family issues and seems to be internally conflicted about what will bring him peace vs. what he should do. For those decrying Ms. Gilbert's awards, feel free to market the books you've written. The point of this book seems to be as much a reflection of her process to understand Mr. Conway as it is a description of his life. While her writing is more informal than "literature" (whatever that is), she effectively entices the reader to join in her journey. This book was enjoyable, as was Eat, Pray, Love. It provided a brief insight into living closer to the earth. Whether we agree is beside the point. Mr. Conway seems to be comparable to Ed Abbey in his view of the world, lust for life, difficulty in reconciling inner peace with changing other people's behavior, and inability to settle down with a family. We could all take away some of his respect for life (/nature) and our individual responsibility in recognizing how we each impact our environment. I'm looking forward to learning more about his efforts at Turtle Island.

3 out of 5 stars Not what I expected.......2007-05-23

A friend suggested this book to me, because of my interests in nature. Although the book can be interesting, it did not hold my interest as well as I had expected. Not to mention the ending was completely the opposite of what I expected.
Steve McQueen The Last Mile
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A Must for McQueen Fans
  • The Real Steve McQueen
  • Steve McQueen: The Last Mile
  • Fantastic!
  • BITCH"EN
Steve McQueen The Last Mile
Barbara McQueen , and Marshall Terrill
Manufacturer: Dalton Watson Fine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1854432265

Product Description

This is a Signed - Limited Edition book which comes with a 45 minute CD of Steve McQueen reviewing his scripts for the movie Tom Horn. This book covers Steve McQueen's final 3 1/2 years up to and including his untimely death from Cancer. Includes around 400 Color and Black & White Photos taken by Barbara McQueen.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Must for McQueen Fans.......2007-03-10

Wow, the photographs are beautiful and highly personal. It's like seeing a private photo album from this marriage. Plus the text is informative and revealing. I'm so glad this part of Steve's life is now so well documented.

It goes perfectly on my coffee table.

5 out of 5 stars The Real Steve McQueen.......2007-03-10

Intimate, touching, insightful, sometimes hilarious passages into the life of The King of Cool, Steve McQueen. We live in such a visual, media oriented world that we tend to get preconceived notions of who movie stars are, based on what we see. The world saw Steve McQueen as the ultimate man- handsome, macho, cool, someone they could spend their hard-earned bucks on back in the day and get their money's worth at the theater. Barbara McQueen, his widow, saw the real Steve McQueen. She got to know Steve, the family man; Steve, the man who loved the great outdoors and his morning constitutional; Steve, the great mashed potato guru, airplane and motorcycle enthusiast. "The Last Mile" shows how little we all knew of his kindness and philanthropy; how little we knew of his yearning for happiness and how he ultimately found it. The photos in this book will enchant you, leave you wanting more. One of my favorites is one where Barbara embraces Steve from behind. That photo alone is worth the book to me. Beautiful model, handsome superstar, real people worn out from what life has dealt them. You can see it in their faces. It makes me sigh everytime I see it because there's not one person I know who hasn't been to that point and had nothing left but an embrace. You will love this book and you will want more. I guarantee you.

5 out of 5 stars Steve McQueen: The Last Mile.......2007-03-10

This book takes you into the very intimate and private world of Steve McQueen between 1977 and 1980.

Consisting of approximately 150 color photos (most of which were taken by his wife Barbara McQueen) and accompanied by Barbara's recollections of their time together.

Unlike some other photobooks where you sense you are watching the star pose, this book shows you the absolutely unguarded and relaxed side of the man as he goes about his daily life, talking to friends, tinkering on his bikes, dozing in an armchair or washing down the pavement outside his airplane hanger.

These are the sort of photos you would usually never see of a movie star - Steve in the morning before he has showered, looking drowsily over a hot mug of coffee, househunting in Montana with Barbara, or lying asleep on the living room floor with his pet dog lying on top of him.

You really feel like you have stepped into Steve and Barbara's house, it is that personal.

The text accompaniment is also very entertaining and educational as Barbara shares her memories of how Steve wooed her, the initial problems he had to overcome in winning her parents approval of the relationship, his personal lessons to her on how to dismantle and rebuild a motorcycle (sadly unsuccessful) or a gun (successful), how he came to propose, and many other intimate and fun moments. Overall it takes you through their entire relationship and serves as something of an autobiography in itself.

All these photos are beautifully presented in a high gloss large coffee table book format.

Released with the first limited edition run of the book is a 45 minute audio CD of Steve verbally working through the script of the film "Tom Horn". It is fascinating to hear him talk about his vision of the film, rework the script and plan his character. You get a real sense of the epic film he wanted Tom Horn to be (but was denied due to the studio slashing the budget), and you realise just how insightful he was with film and acting. The amount of thought he puts into his role should forever dispel the notion that he just played himself on film.

Steve McQueen - The Last Mile is a very special book and no fans collection will be complete without it.

5 out of 5 stars Fantastic!.......2007-03-10

A fantastic book on the last years of legend Steve McQueen! Great job by Barbara McQueen and Marshall Terrill! Touching moments! Great photos!

5 out of 5 stars BITCH"EN.......2007-03-08

Just recieved "the Last Mile" in the mail. The photos and text are outstanding !! The book could have been twice as big. Great job Barbara and Marshall!!
Y: The Last Man Vol. 9: Motherland
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Pretty Disappointing
  • finally some resolution!
  • Change is coming.
  • Losing Steam, But Hinting At Great Things To Come
  • The SAGA has more twists
Y: The Last Man Vol. 9: Motherland
Brian K. Vaughan
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401213510

Book Description

Featured in The New York Times and on National Public Radio,Y: THE LAST MAN is the gripping saga of Yorick Brown, an unemployed andunmotivated slacker who discovers he is the only male left in the worldafter a plague of unknown origin instantly kills every mammal with a Ychromosome.Accompanied by his mischievous monkey, Ampersand, and themysterious Agent 355, Yorick embarks on a transcontinental journey to findhis long-lost girlfriend and discover why he is the last man on earth.This volume of the critically acclaimed series features Yorick and Agent355 preparing for their ultimate quest to reunite the last man with hislost love, while the person, people or thing behind the disaster that wipedout half of humanity is revealed!

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Pretty Disappointing.......2007-09-15

Although the premise of the series continues to hit creative paydirt with it's intriguing view on dystopia and commentary on the adaptiveness of humanity, Vaughan continues to wield his pen like a sledgehammer when it comes to character development and dynamics. Although this is not a comic about superheroes, everybody talks like Batman. The twists are predictable, and I tire of reading page after page of exposition justifying the actions of each and every character in the book.

Then again, it would be easier to read about them if any of the characters were actually interesting. Instead, this story suffers from a breadth of characters who sole identifying features are the fact that 1) character is woman and 2) character has tragic past.

I held back on previous issues because I wanted to see the finale. Though there's one trade left, this book is where we "learn" what happened to all the men. It was pretty disappointing. And seeing Yorick satirize the comic itself in the concluding scene of the story was intolerable. It was as if Vaughan were in that train car, saying, "Yeah, I'm pretty tired of this predictable BS too."

5 out of 5 stars finally some resolution!.......2007-08-22

I enjoyed Motherland tremendously - much more than the previous two collections. Finally, we are getting some real answers to the cause of the "gender-cide," and not just seemingly randome travels and flash backs, which I felt really bogged down the series. While it seems clear things are coming to a head, and I will regret the end of this well written series, I would rather that than have it drag on too long. Highly recommended for upper teen to mature readers.

4 out of 5 stars Change is coming........2007-08-01

Brian K. Vaughan, Y: The Last Man: Motherland (Vertigo, 2007)

Big changes for the crew in this volume. Rose has been exposed as an Australian spy, but what's anyone going to do about it when she's on her deathbed? And, in the opening scene, we get hit with the biggest upending in the series yet: the team plan to split up, with Alison staying in Asia to continue her cloning work while Yorick and 355 head for Paris to find Beth. But now they're not the only game in town, as Hero and the band from Kansas are trying to track Yorick down, while everyone's being pursued by the Israeli army... the volume ends with two stories not really related to the main storyline, "The Obituarist" and "Tragicomic". The former is about the gravediggers who plan Yorick's mother's funeral, while the latter concerns the first two comic book artists to arise after the plague. (A bit self-referential, that?) As usual, the series is great. Vaughan is doing work that stands out even during what seems to be the new golden age of comics. ****

4 out of 5 stars Losing Steam, But Hinting At Great Things To Come.......2007-07-25

In case you're not familiar with Brian K. Vaughan's Y: The Last Man, the premise is that a catastrophic plague has wiped every man on the planet but one, Yorick Brown. For an inexplicable reason, Yorick and his pet monkey, Ampersand, were spared. Now Yorick desperately wants to traverse a planet in chaos as women work to establish order once more so that he can reunite with his girlfriend. He travels with Agent 355, who has been charged with protecting Yorick, and the scientist Allison Mann, who tirelessly works to determine what made Yorick and Ampersand different from anything else with the Y chromosome.

Motherland is the ninth volume in this graphic novel series. When Y first started, it was unlike anything else I'd ever read in comic books. Action-packed with a real sense of plot and purpose, Vaughan broke barriers with every installment. However, on this volume, I feel things are starting to drag out a bit. Still an enjoyable read, but it's definitely treading water compared to earlier volumes.

But, be that as it may, I have every faith in the world that Vaughan will regain steam as he comes to the conclusion of this series. It was understood from the get go that this was a finite title, and I really think it will be a joy to read from start to finish once it's concluded.

For those of you unfamiliar with Brian K. Vaughan, he is a master storyteller in the world of comic books, but he's also the guy they brought in to get the television show LOST back on track when it waned a bit last season. Did you notice a discernable improvement in LOST towards the end of last season? You can thank BKV for that.

Please realize that Y is not your mainstream comic book such as Superman or Batman. It is a comic book, yes, but it is more like the HBO of the comic book world. There is adult language at times and adult themes. However, if you've ever been interested in seeing sequential art at its best, give Y a try.

3 out of 5 stars The SAGA has more twists.......2007-07-17

For those who have read the series this far this will be unnecessary. I love this series and highly recommend it to anyone. The only 'issue' I have is that it appears, to me, that they are now using 'filler' with a twist. I generally don't have problems with stories that are inserted just for their own sake, i.e. they are good stories (the story, text and graphics are as good as ever). However, belief can be 'suspended' for only so long before the yawn factor sets in and plot-twists (giving nothing away) can only take so many turns before you think you are watching a day-time soap.

In summary, fans and long-time readers will buy - because they have to - but casual readers COULD consider buying one 'particular' episode/chapter and not really miss anything. As to which episode to buy, well that would be telling.......

Jon
Y: The Last Man Vol. 8: Kimono Dragons
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Graphic SF Reader
  • Brian Vaughan takes on the world of Trevor Brown.
  • BKV at his best
  • Another excellent volume in the saga of the last man on Earth
  • Everything Starts Coming Together
Y: The Last Man Vol. 8: Kimono Dragons
Brian K. Vaughan
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401210104

Amazon.com

If you're looking for a comic book that falls outside of the usual superhero fare, Y: The Last Man is one of the top choices around. A creation of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerrera, it's a post-apocalyptic story in which a mysterious virus has wiped out every male on Earth, except a young man named Yorick and his monkey, Ampersand. In the eighth trade paperback, Kimono Dragons (issues 43-46), Yorick, Agent 355, Allison, and Rose are in Japan on the trail of the abducted Ampersand. Yorick and 355 find themselves mixed up with the Japanese mafia led by a former Canadian pop star named Epiphany, while Allison and Rose hope to find some answers in Allison's mother's lab. The remaining two issues (47-48) are standalone stories, "The Tin Man" and "Gehenna" (Goran Sudzuka takes over the pencils from Guerrera, with Jose Marzan Jr. still doing the inking), which explore the histories of Allison and Israeli solder Alter. Y: The Last Man is part of DC's Vertigo line and has some mature content, including nudity and graphic violence. --David Horiuchi

Book Description

If you're looking for a comic book that falls outside of the usual superhero fare, Y: The Last Man is one of the top choices around.A creation of Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerrera, it's a post-apocalyptic story in which a mysterious virus has wiped out every male on Earth, except a young man named Yorick and his monkey, Ampersand.In the eighth trade paperback, Kimono Dragons (issues 43-46), Yorick, Agent 355, Allison, and Rose are in Japan on the trail of the abducted Ampersand.Yorick and 355 find themselves mixed up with the Japanese mafia led by a former Canadian pop star named Epiphany, while Allison and Rose hope to find some answers in Allison's mother's lab.The remaining two issues (47-48) are standalone stories, "The Tin Man" and "Gehenna" (Goran Sudzuka takes over the pencils from Guerrera, with Jose Marzan Jr. still doing the inking), which explore the histories of Allison and Israeli solder Alter.Y: The Last Man is part of DC's Vertigo line and has some mature content, including nudity and graphic violence.--David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Yorick and his crew have finally arrived in Japan, and have tracked down the ill doctor's mother.

Elsewhere, the woman Yorick impregnated has given birth, and has taken the baby to the established hot zone to be safe. Not for long though, as the Israeli military show up, and they are not going to want to leave empty handed.


4 out of 5 stars Brian Vaughan takes on the world of Trevor Brown........2007-05-12

Brian K. Vaughan, Y: The Last Man: Kimono Dragons (Vertigo, 2006)

(Note: the following review contains spoilers for previous books in the series.)

Yorick and friends have made it to Japan and are on the trail of Ampersand. The news of Yorick's existence is out, though there's no telling how many people believe it, since the story showed up in the Last Man world's version of the Weekly World News. That's on the background, though; this installment in Vaughan's excellent series is all about finding the monkey. Of course, to do that, they have to get through all the wonderful weirdness that is Japanese culture; no one said Japan was going to sober up once all the men were gone...

If you're already involved in the series, you already know what's in store for you. If not, you shouldn't be reading this, 'cause I've just revealed some big plot points, but I'm still going to tell you to get your [...] out there and start picking up Y: The Last Man. This is good, good stuff. ****

5 out of 5 stars BKV at his best.......2007-02-22

Great work of Brian, it's a pity that Y is coming closer to its end. It will be surely missed.

5 out of 5 stars Another excellent volume in the saga of the last man on Earth.......2007-01-12

Brian K. Vaughan's submersive and addictive Y: The Last Man never ceases to amaze, and this eighth collected volume is no exception. Kimono Dragons finds Yorick, Agent 355, Dr. Mann, and Mann's lover Rose in Japan in search of Yorick's kidnapped monkey Ampersand, who may very well be the key to the fate of mankind. However, also on the trail of Ampersand is the skilled ninja Toyota, who drops her own bombshell as a missing link to what caused the plague is revealed, all while Yorick and 355 deal with a schizo pop-star who has her own plans for the poor monkey as well. As the volume comes to a close, we get a glimpse of Dr. Mann's past, including her tumultuous relationship with her parents, as well as a look at the past of Israeli soldier Alter, and a shattering conclusion that will leave you salivating to see what happens next. Vaughan's storytelling is still excellent, and he manages to reveal just a little bit at a time without going overboard with the suspense. Pia Guerra's artwork does the job as well, which is what veteran readers would come to expect. All in all, Y: The Last Man still manages to be the most addictive Vertigo series since Preacher, and you'll be left begging to see how it all ends.

5 out of 5 stars Everything Starts Coming Together.......2006-11-26

Brian K. Vaughan never fails to amaze. Whether it be with his political superhero book Ex Machina, his subversive teen book Runaways, his original graphic novel Pride of Baghdad, or his original hit, Y: The Last Man, he sure knows how to tell a great story. Though the previous arc, Paper Dolls, wasn't as strong as some of the other Y stories, it still had its good points, and as we learn in Kimono Dragons, Yorick's decision at the end is having some repurcussions. This story, as well as the two stand-alone backstory issues that accompany it, are amazing, and may be the best Y since the Safeword arc. That isn't to say that the stuff in between wasn't good, it was, but Kimono Dragons and Safeword are just that good.
Yorick Brown, the last man on Earth, Agent 355, his bodyguard, Dr. Allison Mann, a geneticist, and her lover, Rose Copen, have finally arrived in Japan. They have been journeying here ever since Yorick's pet monkey Ampersand was stolen by a ninja named Toyota. This was mere moments after learning that Ampersand was the key to returning men to the planet after the plague. Upon their arrival, Yorick and 355 go to search for Ampersand while Dr. Mann and Rose track down Mann's mother. Allison believes that it is no coincidence that the port city that Ampersand was delivered to was the same city that she grew up in with her parents.
Yorick and 355 have to deal with some Yakuza members on their way to getting Ampersand back, with some pretty humorous results (let's just say that the new leader of the Yakuza is a pretty funny look at a certain aspect of pop culture). We also see Yorick and 355 begin to show feelings for each other, which could complicate things between Yorick and Beth, his girlfriend/fiancee who is waiting for him in Paris.
Speaking of people named Beth, Hero, Yorick's sister, has successfully brought Beth II and Beth, Jr. (Beth II had a one-night stand with Yorick about a year prior to the events of Kimono Dragons) back to the "Hot Suite" where the first male born after the plague is being held until he can become innoculated against the plague. Their victory is short-lived due to the arrival of a character who has caused numerous problems for our heroes in the past. Elsewhere, the encounter between Allison, her mother, and Rose leads to some interesting revelations about Allison and the plague itself.
Following Kimono Dragons are two one-shot issues that show some of the history of Allison and Alter Tse'elon, an Israeli militarist who believes that it is her duty to bring Yorick back to Israel so that the Jews may be repopulated while the Muslims die out. The two stories are very interesting and show us some of the characters' motivations for doing what they have done throughout the course of the series.
As I said, Vaughan never fails to impress, and knowing that the wait for the next trade will be about six months is excrutiating. There were some good cliffhangers in these stories, and from what has been said about the following arc, not only is it very good, but we are finally treated to some revelations that have been nearly 5 years in the making.
Y: The Last Man Vol. 4: Safeword
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Graphic SF Reader
  • great
  • Safeword
  • great series
  • avoid...
Y: The Last Man Vol. 4: Safeword
Brian K. Vaughan
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401202322

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

The complete lack of information and accountability about the Culper Ring comes back to haunt Yorick here. Agent 355 thinks Yorick's mental state is not what it could be, so she sends him to Agent 711, for a bit of programming or reprogramming, depending on how you look at it. There is less of the yelling and more of the drugs and sex in her methodology.


5 out of 5 stars great.......2007-06-02

great series, great book. Buy it. you wont regret it... unless you havent read 1-3 then you'll just be like what the heck is going on....

5 out of 5 stars Safeword.......2007-05-26

I'm a big fan of Brian K. Vaughan's comic book work, so I jumped on this series recently, and although I loved the first story, I found myself disappointed by the second, and while the third trade did win me back over, I still felt like this book wasn't quite living up to my expectations--until Safeword. Both stories contained in this trade are excellent; the characters feel more real than ever here, and both stories have extremely serious ramifications for the future of the series. Pia Guerra is not an innovator, but her work is definitely solid enough to sell me on these stories. She knows facial expressions and anatomy, and considering the level of the writing, that really is enough. Absolutely recommended.

5 out of 5 stars great series.......2007-01-18

what's to say about this that hasn't already been said? this is a great concept with tons of interesting story arcs, compelling characters. i can't say that i like all the artists that have worked on this comic equally but still, overall, totally bitchin' and awesome and stuff yo.

1 out of 5 stars avoid..........2006-12-08

well vaughan's work is a double threat it is true:
1. the value for reading the words and looking at the pictures is 0/5 stars.
2. the value for using these pages to catch waste from birds in cages, or to be used as cheap tp...1/5 due to the less-than-optimal paper.

Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • 2 stars for compiling the information
  • needs work
  • 10,000 anecdotes don't equal history
  • challenging but rewarding
  • Capturing the Horror of Battle
Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man
Hugh Sebag-Montefiore
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0674024397

Book Description

In May of 1940, the armies of Nazi Germany were marching through France. In the face of this devastating advance, one of World War II's greatest acts of heroism would be a retreat: the evacuation of the British Army from Dunkirk.

In Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man, we are given an unprecedented vision of these harrowing days. Hugh Sebag-Montefiore has created a bold and powerful account of the small group of men who fended off the German army so that hundreds of thousands of their comrades could exit this doomed land. These brave troops, members of the British Expeditionary Forces and the French army, held a series of strong points inland, allowing the rest of the battered battalions to escape to the coast. Those that remained were ordered to fight to the last man.

Much has been written about the efforts of the Royal Navy in shuttling soldiers to safety, but here we are given an unparalleled look inside this massive operation and the invaluable role played by the BEF. Without the ferocity and bravery of the officers and ordinary soldiers on the ground, the German army would likely have encircled nearly half a million Allied soldiers. The loss of these battalions, Sebag-Montefiore argues, could have dramatically changed the direction of the war,and enabled Hitler to invade a weakened Britain.

This is military history at its best: a judicious analysis of the movement of the war, and a vivid feel of what it was like to be on the front line. Sebag-Montefiore brings these men—the forgotten heroes of Dunkirk—to life, and it is their valiant exploits and devotion to their brethren that form the heart of this important book.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars 2 stars for compiling the information.......2007-08-24

Sebag-Montefiore's book is a tedious chronology of the events leading up through (and a bit beyond) the evacuation of the BEF from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940. I would have thought that a press like Harvard would be more discerning, but apparently not.

History is the critical assessment and analysis of past events. It seeks to explain why things happened. This book is not history, but merely chronology. This too can be useful, if one needs a reference source to look up dates, names, places, and things. But reading a list of events that runs 500 pages is a long slog.

It does not help that Sebag-Montefiore's writing style is frustrating. There is no continuity whatsoever to the story. This is probably the result of not having a theme or point he is trying to make. Literally, the reader can skip entire pages of every chapter and not miss important developments or assessments. Any explanation of events that would provide some context are buried in the end notes, some of which are several paragraphs long. Explanations of locations and setting are dismissed with a brief command to the reader to look at the maps. The maps themselves are excellent, but no map can ever stand in for text.

In the end, the book reads as a vehicle for the author to quote the source material he found. What we're left with is 500 pages of diary entries and anecdotes with no obvious point to be made. The true contribution of the Sebag-Montefiore is indeed to have collected this material. Now all we need is another author to use it and write a better book.

2 out of 5 stars needs work.......2007-06-14

For my purposes, there are two types of books, those I want to read again and those I don't. Sebag-Montefiore's I won't read again. While the subject is interesting, the battle maps ample and detailed, and the notes copious, the author has no feel for telling a story or making multiple stories hang together. He can't describe settings, scenes, and characters, or plot the action. He can't write interesting sentences. It seems as if he used the maps and notes to remedy the deficiencies of his writing style. Rather than describe a setting, he says, "Look at the map." Rather than organize the story, he says, "See the notes." He's collated a mass of new primary sources--a worm's eye view of the war--but doesn't himself work very hard at making the material come alive. About the only time the author perks up and gets a pulse is when he describes some minor English aristocrat's cavalier approach to combat--and cavalier seems to be the approach to his job the author favors.

3 out of 5 stars 10,000 anecdotes don't equal history.......2007-06-01

This book tells how hard British troops often fought in the battles for the approaches and perimeter of Dunkirk. However, once the author has finished with the anecdotes, he gives NO ANALYSIS of the story.

If the Belgians and Dutch had given the British time to reach the "true" Dyle River line, could the British and French have stopped the Germans (not just the few troops sent through Belgium, but the whole German Army as anticipated)? An important question, and from the anecdotes the author has selected, I think the answers are probably NO and NO--the Germans were just too good. But I would really like to read the author's analysis on this issue.

And why couldn't 400,000 of the best British and French troops hold on to one strip of land (Dunkirk)? Were they totally out of ammunition and unable to resist? Since defense is supposed to be more powerful than offense, they should have been able to fight off the Germans for weeks, not days. Why? Again, no analysis.

Forgive me, readers, but I don't like the Martin Gilbert approach that "history is a million facts listed one after the other". I may disagree with the author, but I would like to know what he thinks!!!!

3 out of 5 stars challenging but rewarding.......2007-05-19

The amount of research done to produce the book is staggering indeed. It seems as if every British unit has been displayed, most in favorible, even heroic, terms, but a few do show up in disgrace. The French Army, from its chain of command to its troops actually facing the Germans, receives far fewer compliments. The author has placed his maps at the back of the book, requiring the reader to flip back and forth which sometimes results in a loss of place in the vast array of pages. It would have helped to have sketch maps throughout the text, especially for readers not that familiar with the geography of the battle zone. Some other terms were confusing to an American reader. The "carrier" referred to often was finally discovered to be a brother to the Bren Gun Carrier, just not ready-equipped with the Bren Gun. The Boys Anti-Tank Rifle is also a weapon with which Americans are not easily familar, especially for fending off heavily armored tanks. Among the watercraft, the "Drifter" is still a mystery, even in its common role in carrying troops out to larger vessels. Another mystery was the "Fairey Battle" fighter-bomber about which American readers would have heard very little since it was already obsolete when it was inserted into the fighting. This is not a book to undertake lightly. It details a number of the massacres done by German troops not only of surrounded and even surrendered soldiers, but also villagers uninvolved in the fighting. Overall, however, the picture painted by the author draws on extensive research of both old and newly discovered sources, It contributes much to a fuller picture of how close the Dunkirk Evacuation was to a complete disaster, and how many risked their lives to salvage enough of the Allied Forces to ultimately face-down Hitler and the Whermacht.

4 out of 5 stars Capturing the Horror of Battle.......2007-05-13

By piecing together war diaries, personal recollections and regimental after- action reports, Mr. Sebag-Monitfiore manages to capture the personal horror that was man to man combat in the Second World War. Although the story of Dunkirk has been told several times, this effort adds a lot of personal detail that is incredibly informative.
Last Man Standing
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • A lot of death
  • Don't Waste Your Time
  • A Birthday Present that turned into a Sour Read
  • Couldn't 'Stand' any more! (1.5 stars)
  • Incredible...
Last Man Standing
David Baldacci
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0446525804
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Amazon.com

Last Man Standing has the essential elements of a terrific David Baldacci novel: a tough but tender-hearted hero, dirty dealings in the nation's bureaucracy, and a roller-coaster plot. Web London, a member of the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team, froze up on a drug raid and thus became the sole survivor of a remote-controlled ambush that killed six of his compatriots. Now the only witness has disappeared and the inside man on the botched raid has gone underground.

As a pretty psychiatrist puzzles over the corners of Web's brain that kept him alive, Web himself stays on the move. He's certain that the ambush is connected to the prison escape of a neofascist leader, Ernest B. Free, whom he helped arrest five years earlier, and a series of new murders leads him to a Virginia horse farm and the driving force behind all the carnage. It may seem as though Baldacci gives away the mastermind too soon, but both the bad guys and the good guys are complex enough that there's plenty of punch all the way to the last page. --Barrie Trinkle

Book Description

Last Man Standing has the essential elements of a terrific DavidBaldacci novel: a tough but tender-hearted hero, dirty dealings in the nation'sbureaucracy, and a roller-coaster plot. Web London, a member of the FBI'sHostage Rescue Team, froze up on a drug raid and thus became the sole survivorof a remote-controlled ambush that killed six of his compatriots. Now the onlywitness has disappeared and the inside man on the botched raid has goneunderground. As a pretty psychiatrist puzzles over the corners of Web's brain that kept himalive, Web himself stays on the move. He's certain that the ambush is connectedto the prison escape of a neofascist leader, Ernest B. Free, whom he helpedarrest five years earlier, and a series of new murders leads him to a Virginiahorse farm and the driving force behind all the carnage. It may seem as thoughBaldacci gives away the mastermind too soon, but both the bad guys and the goodguys are complex enough that there's plenty of punch all the way to the lastpage. --Barrie Trinkle

Download Description

It took ten seconds for Web London to lose everything: his friends, his team, his reputation. Point man of the FBI's super-elite Hostage Rescue Team, Web roared into a blind alley toward a drug dealer's lair, only to meet a high-tech, custom-designed ambush that killed everyone around him. Now coping with the blame-filled words of anguished widows and the suspicions of colleagues, Web tries to put his life back together with the help of his psychiatrist, Dr. Claire Daniels. To do so, he must discover why he was the one man who lived through the ambush--and find the only other person who came out of that alley alive . . . a ten-year-old boy who has since disappeared.

Web's search leads him from inner-city Washington, D.C., to the rolling hills of Virginia horse country--while people connected to him are violently silenced. Acting on his instincts, Web believes he knows where the killer will strike next. Only this time, he may not survive the attack. Last Man Standing is an explosive psychological thriller about a man desperate to find answers--from the secret terrors he has kept from himself to his unbearable guilt. His fight to save himself and those he cares for will come at a high cost . . . and threaten everything he has grown to believe in. With vividly realized characters and a breathtaking pace, this is another spellbinding novel from David Baldacci, one of today's best storytellers.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars A lot of death.......2007-10-05

It seems that every chapter contains a death. As soon as a character becomes pivotal to the plot they get killed off in hopes that suspense is created. Come on, you have to be able to create suspense a little more emotionally and creative. It was a very fast paced book and I did want to find out who was behind everything. But I quickly got tired of being teased.

1 out of 5 stars Don't Waste Your Time.......2007-09-19

This review relates to the audio version of Last Man Standing. I listened to 22 hours of this book only find it had the worst ending ever. The budding romance that had been developing throughout the book, even up to the last chapters, died so suddenly that I was sure there was more to come, until the reader's next words were, "The End." It was as if David Baldacci got tired of writing this book and decided to finish it off quickly. This was my first attempt at a David Baldacci and I think it will be a long time before I get the courage up to read/listen to another. My sympathies to anyone currently listening to this story.

3 out of 5 stars A Birthday Present that turned into a Sour Read.......2007-07-30

I received this book as a birthday present many months ago, and the gift brought a grateful smile to my face since I have enjoyed many of David Baldacci's novels, i.e., Absolute Power, A Simple Truth and others and within a few days I was reading Last Man Standing. Overall, I thought the Web London character was boring and shallow. As an FBI hostage team assaulter he seemed more like a loose cannon rather than a team player which I suspect is the SOP for the FBI. The story is plastered with police that have nothing to fill their time with except to shoot bazookas like guns and love every minute of their destruction. Sometimes I had to laugh because some of the author's scenarios were so bizarre and far-fetched. I won't go into the constant splattering of foul, almost detestable language, which I didn't feel added much to the plot. There were few surprises and I felt I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what would happen next.

Anyway, in my opinion Last Man Standing doesn't seem to fit Mr. Baldacci's style of a thrilling mystery novel that is at least realistic to a degree and his intensive research into the subject matter that he noted for. One last thought I think the book could have been shorten by at least 50 or 60 pages. It's not a terrible novel, it's a good read and I wouldn't recommend purchasing a hardcover, but pick up a paperback.

For you Mystery fans I encourage you to take a look at the gripping novel The Monopoly Factor by Robert L. Saunders. I finished reading it a week ago and the incredible effort in which the author used in his style of storytelling bring this thrilling mystery to the forefront of an excellent page turning read. You won't be disappointed. It's absolutely a top-notch novel. Have a good day.

1 out of 5 stars Couldn't 'Stand' any more! (1.5 stars).......2007-07-19

My first(and probably last) David Baldacci novel. I gave it an extra half a star for at least starting off well, with an interesting premise, and some believable action scenes and character motives. Then, apparently Baldacci took a long lunch, and let that room full of monkeys bang away on typewriters until they'd finished the story!
Way too many characters, subplots and 'Bet you thought we'd forgotten about THIS!'-style twists and revelations tacked onto the end of the story. Most of the characters and their dialogue, are corny and forgettable. By the time I reached the end, I just didn't care how any of it fit together.
The guy who suggested that anyone who likes this book should try reading Harlan Coben was insulting Harlan Coben. As cliched as Coben's books are, Baldacci surpasses him in stilted prose, and stale cliches.

2 out of 5 stars Incredible..........2007-05-30

...in its mediocrity. I have a hard time believing that David Baldacci even wrote this. Having read and enjoyed several of his other books I at first guessed it was either a very (very, very) early work where he was still a "green" writer or it was a later book where he'd suffered Author Burnout.

The plot isn't too complicated. You have this super-Gman type who, in the opening chapter, freezes during an assault by his team and ends up being the "last man standing," or in this case, lying down. After that, it's basically a story of why his team was set up and why he froze, including a tremendously tedious visit to an - surprise, surprise - attractive psychoanalyst. Then there are some scenes with his coworkers that are trite to the point of agony.

This story has so many things wrong with it, besides what's already been mentioned. First, there are too many point of view characters which makes the story hard to follow. Then there are far too many areas of the book where nothing of interest happens. For example, if you're going to detail a therapy session in a book it'd better be a revealing one - Baldacci's wasn't. Calling the book dull is an understatement.

After the first chapter the story drags on and on with little or no build up to sustain interest. Compared with the rest of the field it deserves no better than 2 stars. Against Baldacci's other stories it merits less than 1 star. If you've never read Baldacci before, please skip this one.
To the Last Man: A Novel of the First World War
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • "To The Last Man"
  • Excellent. A history teacher's review.
  • Very dissapointing
  • to the last man
  • Key to understanding 20th century history
To the Last Man: A Novel of the First World War
Jeff Shaara
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345461363
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Book Description

Jeff Shaara has enthralled readers with his New York Times bestselling novels set during the Civil War and the American Revolution. Now the acclaimed author turns to World War I, bringing to life the sweeping, emotional story of the war that devastated a generation and established America as a world power.

Spring 1916: the horror of a stalemate on Europe’s western front. France and Great Britain are on one side of the barbed wire, a fierce German army is on the other. Shaara opens the window onto the otherworldly tableau of trench warfare as seen through the eyes of a typical British soldier who experiences the bizarre and the horrible–a “Tommy” whose innocent youth is cast into the hell of a terrifying war.

In the skies, meanwhile, technology has provided a devastating new tool, the aeroplane, and with it a different kind of hero emerges–the flying ace. Soaring high above the chaos on the ground, these solitary knights duel in the splendor and terror of the skies, their courage and steel tested with every flight.

As the conflict stretches into its third year, a neutral America is goaded into war, its reluctant president, Woodrow Wilson, finally accepting the repeated challenges to his stance of nonalignment. Yet the Americans are woefully unprepared and ill equipped to enter a war that has become worldwide in scope. The responsibility is placed on the shoulders of General John “Blackjack” Pershing, and by mid-1917 the first wave of the American Expeditionary Force arrives in Europe. Encouraged by the bold spirit and strength of the untested Americans, the world waits to see if the tide of war can finally be turned.

From Blackjack Pershing to the Marine in the trenches, from the Red Baron to the American pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille, To the Last Man is written with the moving vividness and accuracy that characterizes all of Shaara’s work. This spellbinding new novel carries readers–the way only Shaara can–to the heart of one of the greatest conflicts in human history, and puts them face-to-face with the characters who made a lasting impact on the world.


From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars "To The Last Man".......2007-10-06

My dad reads history books for fun. I'm sure many of you can relate, but I, however, have often found my dad's hobby perplexing. For Dad, the best books present the down-to-the-minute detail of battles, examine every word of a president's letters to friends, follow the explorer each painful step of the journey. Yes, it's interesting, but I'm talking 1,000 pages of details. A daunting task for even us dedicated readers.

When I was growing up, my dad, the lifelong history major, took us to battlefield memorials instead of to amusement parks. As a child, I drew pictures of civil war soldiers more than doodles of Mickey Mouse. I'm sure this pleased my dad, the way this interest in history soaked into me. What didn't please him was my desire to read historical fiction. I was enamored of the TV mini-series "The Blue and the Gray", and soon after, began reading John Jakes' "The North and the South" trilogy. Dad frowned upon this. Too many Southern belles with bosoms heaving and laudanum addictions, I think. Not enough "hard" history, not enough fact. The fact of the matter is, I still prefer fiction. Ironically enough, to make history most real to me, I need it connected to the stories of individual people, and no one seems to do that better than novelists.

Enter Jeff Shaara. My dad introduced me to him by way of the author's personal life history. Jeff's father was Michael Shaara, Pulitzer-prize winning author of The Killer Angels. Michael Shaara was at work on the second book in his trilogy on the American Civil War when he died. Not a writer or historian himself, Jeff vowed to finish his father's work. And the books Jeff finished for his dad are excellent, critically-acclaimed. But when he spread his wings and started his own work, with books on the American Revolution, World Wars I and II, and the Mexican-American War, he surpassed his father. I have just recently finished To the Last Man, Jeff Shaara's book on WWI. Mind you, it is, technically, historical fiction. But just barely. Bestselling history writer Joseph Persico praises Jeff Shaara's "rarest of writing gifts, making literature read like history and history read like literature. He brings ... [history] to pulsating life." His books are "fiction" only in that Shaara creates thoughts and dialogue for these historical figures, based on impeccable research, but ultimately, on his imagination.

In most of his books, Jeff Shaara focuses mostly on the events surrounding the major figures - the generals, the leaders of the countries involved. Shaara explains in his preface of To the Last Man how this book is different: he tells about WWI through the perspective of just four people. In this way, the story isn't comprehensive or all-inclusive, but it is incredibly powerful. The four people are General John J. Pershing, THE commander of all U.S. forces when America finally enters the war; Baron Manfred von Richthofen, "the Red Baron"; Raoul Lufbery, of the Lafayette Escadrille; and Private Roscoe Temple, U.S. Marine Corps.

Well, if you're like me, the only reference I have to "the Red Baron" is ... Charles Schultz's Snoopy fighting him from the Sopwith Camel. It turns out Richthofen's life, just his personal history and career alone shed tremendous light on the war and the time period itself. And I had never heard of the Lafayette Escadrille - the Americans who went to France to fly the airplane, just in its infancy as a weapon of war, way before the U.S. reluctantly decided to join the fray. Now, I'm hooked on every word I can find about these guys. (Yeah, go ahead and rent the movie "Flyboys"; the fight scenes in the air are quite realistic, I think. But then do yourself a big favor and read about the REAL people. As far as I can find out, all the characters from the movie are fiction.)

And there it is: did you see that? I crossed over. Maybe historical fiction isn't as engaging as fact, after all. Certainly, it depends some on who is conveying the story. I, obviously, give Jeff Shaara an enthusiastic recommendation. With him, Dad and I both win.

Editor, "Of A Predatory Heart"

5 out of 5 stars Excellent. A history teacher's review........2007-07-23

Shaara's writing just continues to improve as far as I'm concerned. Like many people, I was led to Jeff Shaara by way of his father's book "The Killer Angels." While he has never achieved that level of mastery, this is a very strong book - at times poignant, at times repugnant and always interesting.

Shaara's opening is strong and serves as a tremendous introduction to the vast devestation and inhumanity of the war. He focuses about half of the book on the new world of air power and the other half on an average foot soldier in the war. Pershing and other generals are thrown in from time to time to give the reader a wider view of the war. Those are essential as a plot device, but are not nearly as interesting as his portrayal of the fighting.

I give this one an enthusiastic grade of A.

1 out of 5 stars Very dissapointing.......2007-06-01

I expected a lot from this book, hearing so much about Shaara and how he makes history read like literature. This was not the case at all though. The characters are all so stereotypical, the plot is stereotypical. I read a quarter of the book and had to stop because it got so tedious. He is more concerned with the history of what happened, not exploring the minds of the men that fought in the war.

5 out of 5 stars to the last man.......2007-05-06

This is a not to be missed "novel", based on actual participants in the
Great War! I couldn't not put it down, I recommend highly this book to all who have an interest is the war or merely would like to learn more about the history of the war that changed the map of Europe

5 out of 5 stars Key to understanding 20th century history.......2007-04-26

I never read any of Jeff Shaara's previous works and I knew very little about the Great War beyond the basics. This book follows very different aspects of this struggle from the horrors of trench warfare to early air warfare. The evolution of the AEF's leader General Black Jack Pershing is also contained therein showing some of the complex politics involved in the relationship between France, England and the fledgling AEF. Real people are the focus and the contrast of brutality and chivalry as well as the unbelievable waste of humanity is mind numbing.
It testifies to an effective end game strategy in a conflict to truly conclude a war rather than to sow the seeds for future conflict.
The Truth About Love: The Highs, the Lows, and How You Can Make It Last Forever
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Read it for the first chapter
  • very good book
  • excellent, practicall and right on
  • A Life-Changing Read
  • Is the Magic Gone from Your 'Romance'?
The Truth About Love: The Highs, the Lows, and How You Can Make It Last Forever
Dr. Patricia Love
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684871882

Book Description

Don't break up before the breakthrough!

Have you ever believed that you have fallen out of love, or said "I still love him but I'm not IN LOVE anymore?" In this groundbreaking guide to the physiology and psychology of lasting love, Dr. Pat Love reveals that love has normal, predictable stages that include highs and lows, and that many couples mistake the lows for the end of love. The Truth About Love is an inspiring, practical guide that will teach you how not to break up before the breakthrough realization: You can create the true love you long for with the partner you already have.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Read it for the first chapter.......2007-09-04

This book gives you a good deal of information on the "infatuation" phase that I think many of us go through in meeting someone. I know that I have gone through it, and it helps in understanding where things go from there or why they end.

4 out of 5 stars very good book.......2007-03-30

I thing every body should read this book at least once every few years as a reminder... even if we think we know enough about love by now....

5 out of 5 stars excellent, practicall and right on.......2007-01-17

This book is full of good old common sense views on life and living with another especially in the context of having made a comitment to another. if your interested in the real basics behind maintaining and enjoying a comited relationship with another person, this is a great starting place.

5 out of 5 stars A Life-Changing Read.......2006-12-03

My marriage counselor recommended this book but I had already made up my mind that divorce was imminent. Then the book came in the mail and I read it in one day. It was like Dr. Love wrote about my relationship! It forced me to look in the mirror and realize that if I made changes, instead of expecting only my spouse to change, my marriage might be salvaged. It is an extremely easy and quick read, written using simple language. I cried tears of joy after realizing that hope was not at all lost. The exercises provoked thoughtful discussions with my spouse and we are both now committed to trying many of Dr. Love's suggestions. True love goes through many transitions and you must be able to adapt to the different stages (which takes work!) Buy the book - it shows you how to recognize when changes are needed and how to make them.

5 out of 5 stars Is the Magic Gone from Your 'Romance'?.......2006-11-10

Not enough pizazz in your relationship? No more thumpity-thump in your heart when it comes to 'romance'? Before you decide to dump your significant other, read this book. Both my husband and I can honestly say that the information went a long way in saving a perfectly good marriage - we just didn't know that we had one. Now we're pretty sure of it and hope to spend many more happy years together, truly in love.
Y: The Last Man Vol. 7: Paper Dolls
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Graphic SF Reader
  • A three-hour tour, with a stop in the outback.
  • Fantastic
  • captain of the very special forces vaughan...
  • Fun
Y: The Last Man Vol. 7: Paper Dolls
Brian K. Vaughan
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401210090

Book Description

The saga of Yorick Brown, the last man on Earth, continues in PAPER DOLLS, writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Pia Guerra's award-winning VERTIGO series. In addition to catching up on the adventures of Yorick's monkey Ampersand (whose body holds the key to stopping the male-killing plague) and telling the origin of Agent 355, PAPER DOLLS chronicles Yorick and 355's search for Yorick's fiancee Beth in Australia -- a search that yields a large dose ofunwanted publicity for the Last Man, and deadly consequences for those he cares for!

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Yorick has finally arrived and is a position to look for Beth. However, he runs into a big problem when a journalist from a less than broadsheet quality newspaper finds out he is still alive, and is a story she definitely does not want to lose. He does eventually find Beth, and he certainly gets a hell of a surprise when he sees her.


4 out of 5 stars A three-hour tour, with a stop in the outback........2007-05-12

Brian K. Vaughan, Y: The Last Man: Paper Dolls (Vertigo, 2006)

(Note: this review contains major spoilers for earlier books in the series. If you're not up to date with the series, and you plan to read it, don't read this review until after you've read book six.)

Vaughn's Y: The Last Man just keeps getting better as it goes on. Yorick and co. are on their way to Japan to search for the kidnapped Ampersand. This book focuses on a part of the trip where the crew stop in Australia to look for Yorick's missing girlfriend Beth. As always, Paper Dolls features almost nonstop action, but the action never gets in the way of character development. If the series stays this good, Vaughan will have created one for the ages. ****

5 out of 5 stars Fantastic.......2006-12-26

The beat ongoing Vertigo series since Preacher keeps rolling along with Paper Dolls, which gives the answers to some questions as well as opening a whole new batch of new ones. Yorick, Agent 355, and Dr. Mann have finally arrived in Austrailia in search of Yorick's girlfriend Beth, only instead to find a journalist who plans on making Yorick's existence the headline of the century. Also in this volume, Yorick's other Beth who he had a fling with, is in a bit of an unexpected situation. Not to mention that Agent 355's origin is revealed, and Yorick's kidnapped pet monkey Ampersand (the only other living mammal on the planet) makes a break from his ninja kidnapper in Japan. Fans of the series pretty much know what to expect here in terms of the story and art, with Brian K. Vaughan further orchestrating the ever evolving story while dropping hints of what is to come here and there. Pia Guerra's art remains the solid work that you'd come to expect as well, and at the same time it's nothing spectacular. All in all, Y: The Last Man continues to be pure comic gold, and here's more proof.

1 out of 5 stars captain of the very special forces vaughan..........2006-12-08

really the guy is the ultimate poseur. avoid at all costs.

4 out of 5 stars Fun.......2006-07-16

the whole series is great brain candy. Fun to read and leaves you looking forward to the next one!

Books:

  1. The Mahabharata
  2. The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare (Modern Library Classics)
  3. The Mayor of Casterbridge (Modern Library Classics)
  4. The Metamorphosis (Norton Critical Editions)
  5. The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Novels (A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Valley of Fear)
  6. The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Novels (A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Valley of Fear)
  7. The New York Stories of Henry James (New York Review Books Classics)
  8. The School For Scandal (Classic Books on Cassettes Collection)
  9. The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You (2 Volume Set)
  10. The Turn of the Screw and The Aspern Papers (Penguin Classics)

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