Book Description
In this latest installment in the internationally best-selling, universally beloved series, there is considerable excitement at The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. A cobra has been found in Precious Ramotswe’s office. Then a nurse from a local medical clinic reveals that faulty blood–pressure readings are being recorded there. And Botswana has a new advice columnist, Aunty Emang, whose advice is rather curt for Mma Ramotswe’s taste.
All this means a lot of work for our heroine and her inestimable assistant, Grace Makutsi, and they are, of course, up to the challenge. But there’s trouble brewing in Mma Makutsi’s own life. When Phuti Radiphuti misses their customary dinner date, she begins to wonder if he is having second thoughts about their engagement. And while Mma Makutsi may be able to buy that fashionably narrow (and uncomfortable) pair of blue shoes, it may not buy her the happiness that Mma Ramotswe promises her she’ll find in the simpler things—in contentment with the world and enough tea to smooth over the occasional bumps in the road.
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Praise for In the Company of Cheerful Ladies:
• National Bestseller
“Beloved Botswana sleuth Precious Ramotswe is back – and better than ever – in this sixth entry in McCall Smith’s bestselling series. . . . By turns laugh-out-loud funny and quietly profound, these life-affirming mysteries are fine company, indeed.”
–Booklist, starred review
“Like clove oil on a bad tooth, McCall Smith’s fiction acts on cynicism as an effective, old-fashioned balm.”
–The Globe and Mail
“May be the most compelling of the lot. . . . It begins with an incident that crystallizes McCall Smith’s skill. Ultimately it is a matter of petty thievery, but his handling of it dramatizes the moral underpinnings of these books. . . . [Mma Ramotswe’s] strength – and the source of her enormous appeal – is her understanding of the human heart, and her willingness to confront its perfidies.”
–New York Daily News
“These books offer a sunnily lit window into another world, along with a modicum of relief from certain aspects of modern Western culture. They never descend into mere escapism, though. A few hours spent with Precious Ramotswe and her friends is always time well spent.”
–St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“[The] sixth entry in McCall Smith’s consistently delightful series. . . Amid the hilarious scenarios and quiet revelations are luminous descriptions of Botswana, land of wide-open spaces and endless blue skies.”
–Publishers Weekly, starred review
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Continuing a tradition of great books..........2007-09-20
After a long string of mediocre or uninspiring books, it was such a joy to read Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith. I save these books for when I'm in such a rut because I know that they will be wonderful and I'll be able to linger and enjoy them and feel good about reading again. I'll be motivated and excited about reading again. I knew I'd want to pick up my next book right away. Somehow these books reenergize me.
In this installment we have Mma Romatswe solving a blackmailing mystery, she tackles a physician who is committing fraud against his patients, she confronts voodoo, deals with the fact that her traditionally built figure is causing problems. All they while there is an underlying tension between her and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. Mma Makutsi deals with feminism and her new fiance and Mr. Polopetsi practices being an assistant to the assistant detective Makutsi...and somehow those apprentices seem to be growing up.
As in his other books, Smith addresses the issues of the traditional Botswana ways and how they are being taken over by newer more modern ways that are eating away at a civilized and logical way of addressing the world. Mma Romatswe as the central figure, always helps everyone see how they have been attracted to shiny inconsequential things and need to be more focused on what is important. I love the way she is able to feel anger or frustration and then think through whether it is worth the energy--and usually it isn't. However, when necessary she confronts people gone bad and manages to help them come around--sometimes. There are those that are "uncurable"--People who are evil--and those she realizes she has to stop.
Smith did a good job of setting up the next book. I'm looking forward to finding out what this tension is between Mma Romatswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. I can't wait to see how Mma Makutsi's love of pretty shoes develops and how her relationship with Mr. Phuti goes. I'm also looking forward to seeing more of the children as well as the apprenticeships. Was the outburst from Charlie really an expression of his burgeoning maturity. I'm so glad that book #8 is published and on my shelf so I can read it immediately when I'm next in a slump.
Another good book in the series..........2007-08-13
Although these books will never end up on a list of significant fiction, as always they are a quick and enjoyable read. This book continues the delightful story of the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency.
Blue Shoes and Happiness.......2007-08-13
Not a very exciting story. Not fast moving. Cute, very simplistic story.
The principle of "Less is More".......2007-07-10
One of the oft-heard criticisms of cozy mysteries is that "nothing much happens." If one thinks in terms of high-speed chases and blood-spattered corpses, I can see the point.
The only corpse in this book is a much-maligned bird, but its death brought tears to my eyes.
Alexander McCall Smith has mastered the subtle undertones of gentle conversation, of deftly defined characters, of landscape portraiture. Saying that nothing much happens in his books is like saying that a panther is nothing but a big housecat.
The principle of "less is more" applies here. BLUE SHOES AND HAPPINESS is a perfect title for a very nearly perfect book. I say very nearly perfect because that's how one rates a magnificent diamond.
Excellent Author.......2007-07-05
Keeps your interest all the way through the book, in fact, throughout the whole series.
Average customer rating:
- Peanuts - the BEST !!
- Wonderful Piece of Childhood
- Happiness is these reproductions!
- A gem from the past
- Happiness Is Seeing This Back In Print.
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Happiness is a Warm Puppy (Peanuts)
Charles M. Schulz
Manufacturer: Cider Mill Press
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ASIN: 1933662077 |
Book Description
Happiness is Classic Peanuts!
These collector’s editions perfectly recreate the original look and feel of the best-loved Peanuts books—their paper, their ink, even their lamination. And of course, the heartwarming content that charmed the world, sold millions, and launched the career of Charles M. Schulz remains untouched. On every spread there’s a tiny tidbit of wisdom from one of the gang, along with one of Schulz’s irresistible drawings. It’s a trip down memory lane that every Peanuts fan will cherish.
Customer Reviews:
Peanuts - the BEST !!.......2007-10-01
I;ve followed the Peanuts gang ever since they first appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle. This book brings back happy memories of the gang & I'd recommend it to any Peanuts reader as a "must have".
Wonderful Piece of Childhood.......2007-03-31
It's great to have this book again. I had the first editions of all the small "square hardbacks" in the 60's, but lost them somewhere along the line.
They reflect the simplicity and warmth of PEANUTS in their very format.
Happiness Is a Book By Charles Schulz!
Happiness is these reproductions!.......2007-03-26
I thank whoever reproduced these little gems!!! I owned this in elementary school and saw it featured in a woman's magazine and flipped! This book is still as great today as it was then. I bought one for my neighbor's grandaughter and she loves it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
A gem from the past.......2005-03-23
I too loved this book as a child. The simple repetetive text helps the reader find simple pleasures in everyday life. I am a teacher now and I have been searching for this book to use with my kindergarteners. I searched in the local libraries to no avail. Of the numerous books I possessed as a child, only two stand out in my memory. One is Happiness is a Warm Puppy and the other, Never Tease a Weasel. For a children's book to make such a lasting impression on so many people is remarkable. It is a shame it can't be put back in print for another generation to enjoy.
Happiness Is Seeing This Back In Print........2001-12-20
This was my favorite book when I was little my Mom would read it to me all the time and when I learned how to read I read it all the time, the cute book just gave you a happy warm feeling! I wish I still owned the book but unfortunately it was given away but I would love to find this book again not only for me for sentimental reasons but also for my niece! Please reprint this book!
Book Description
Dan Savage is irreverent, irrepressible, and opinionated. He's held his own on Politically Incorrect, told tales on This American Life, continues to write a beloved nationally syndicated column-and he's had it up to here (my hand is higher than my head) with the moral, conservative scolds who proclaim America is slouching towards Gomorrah (to use Robert Bork's phrase). Are we really that bad?
Yes, we are! And in Skipping Towards Gomorrah, Dan Savage eviscerates those cynics as he commits each of the Seven Deadly Sins himself (or tries to) and finds those everyday Americans who take particular delight in their sinful pursuits. Among them:
Greed: Gamblers reveal secrets behind outrageous fortune.
Lust: "We're swingers!"-you won't believe who's doing it.
Gluttony: Dan meets gluttons with attitude at a pro-fat conference.
Sloth: Leave it to Dan to find a way to celebrate this sin that will get him in trouble with his mother.
Anger: Texans shoot off some rounds and then listen to Dan fire off on his own about guns, control, and the Second Amendment.
Envy: Meet the rich-then be glad you're not one of them.
Pride: You'll never look at a gay pride parade the same way again.
Couple all this sinning with a unique history of the Seven Deadly Sins, a new interpretation of the biblical stories of Sodom and Gomorrah, and enough Bork, Bennett, Buchanan, et al, bashing to more than make up for their incessant carping, and you've got the most provocative book of the fall.
Customer Reviews:
Telling it like it is.......2007-06-09
I would give the book four stars, but I LOVE Dan Savage...so five it is. If you enjoy Dan's witty and urbane brand of humor then I recommend this book!
A very thought provoking book.......2007-05-10
I bought this book back in the spring of 2004 after seeing it on the shelves at the local bookstore off and on for months and I'm glad I did as I'm first well familiar with his columns [...] I was familiar with his writing style and his refreshingly honest replies and he certainly doesn't dissapoint here despite his toning down some.
That toning down in many ways keeps the book from being too much of a soap box for his views and thusly less strident to boot, which is a good thing as while it still gets strident at times, it's not objectionable.
And having just read all 56 reviews (as of this review), one that is virtually missed by all of them is that some king actually came up with the seven deadly sins, I think loosely based on the 10 commandments. For starters, sloth (sleep) is something we all need to do, but too much of it is not always good for us. A fellow at my church who teaches theology at a local college said that the 7 deadly sins really should be a take it or leave thing, that is, you can believe in them or not since they do not really follow the teachings of the Bible and it's 10 commandments all that closely.
What I found as I read this book is how Fundamentalist thinking has permeated much of our society and that's sad and on the chapter of gluttony and Dan's trip to San Franciso for a fat acceptance conference revealed just that very well. Example, a nurse seems to be contradictory in her views when she says we've all exercised by moving our arms 3 times that morning! Also, how so many of the fat chicks who were supposidly accepting of their fatness could barely get around and many were wheelchair bound as a result and one group admitted they come for the socializing and nothing more and really do not eat much of the food that is there. "It's the old do as I say, not as I do" mentality that I saw through much of this book as Dan takes us on a journey to discover these so called deadly sins for himself.
And that's just what makes this book so well written is his individual look at each and every one of those 7 sins and reveals them for what they are, hypocritical in many ways, especially in how they are persued by many.
In the chapter on lust where he meets the swingers group, the parents do out and "wife" swap at these events and one thing that I noticed is how they do not discuss this around their children but gladly persue these activities themselves and at these events, I found a discrepency in and of itself. The men are told to dress appropriately, that is, shirt and shorts while the women can be as provocative as they want and in the minds of the organizers, to make women feel as safe as possible. I saw that as hypocritical and it's no wonder that many straight men feel hamstrung, it's this kind of attitude that seems to permeate society in many areas and that's the point Dan ended up uncovering in his quest and in the end, takes a sharp aim squarely in the space between the eyes of the "virtuecrats" as he calls them, the Borks, Buchannans, the Slesengers etc who want us to not have any fun, even if it's not harming others and in the end, exposes the hypocrasy of these activities at the same time.
I will contend some of the chapters could've been a little stronger in his conclusions but in the end, he's very honest about what he saw and experienced and that in and of itself makes it a good read. Definatly not for the faint of heart however.
It's best to err on the side of avoiding incestuous handjobs.......2006-01-23
Best quote, among thousands of jewels, from Dan Savage.
A couple of years ago, I went on vacation with a bunch of friends to a beach resort town in South Africa. Clear blue water, white sand, skimpy bathing suits on lovely people of both sexes. Should have been a wild time, right? Well, it wasn't, at least for the first few days, because I brought along Skipping Towards Gomorrah for my beach-book. I already knew I loved Dan, and thought I could just dip into Skipping whenever I felt like a rest. Ha! Once I started, I was way too into it to stop for much of anything. And, of course, all my friends were constantly running back from the ocean to see what the hell I was laughing at. The elevator scene in the Gluttony chapter can still send me into fits. I had to buy a new copy once I got back to the States, as mine "mysteriously" disappeared. I know whoever stole it from me enjoyed it as much as I did, and hope they're passing it round to everyone they know, and even some strangers.
Wildy funny, wildy intelligent, wildy inappropriate, wildy shocking, wildly fun.......2005-11-17
There's a certain audience for Dan Savage's tough brand of over-the-edge liberal humor, and if you are in that group, then this book is a delicious treat. If you wouldn't normally read his advice column, then avoid this book. Fortunately, I fall in the former category, and I adored his book!
Savage's opening chapter is a scathing and very intelligent attack on the morality of the right wing. It was so brilliant, I found myself wanting to underline every other paragraph as a memorable quote. It definitely had me pumped up for the rest of the book.
As for the rest...Savage's plan is to experience and explore every one of the seven deadly sins. Some chapters come off stronger than others. The gambling and lust chapters are absolutely brilliant. Savage plan to explore anger by shooting a gun was a little weak to me--not everyone who shoots a gun is angry. But the gun experience was so eye-opening for both Savage
and the reader that it was worth it.
One of the real winners is Savage's exploration of gay pride, why it exists, what it means for the participants and for the audience, and more. In his columns, Savage has repeatedly railed against rainbow-flag wavers, so his insights on the topic are fasnicating. He points out that St. Patrick's day parades are the original minority group pride event, an assertion of identity by a group everyone else wanted to be quiet. Is that so different from a gay pride parade? "Who knows? Maybe one day everyone will be gay on gay pride day, just as we're all Irish on Saint Patrick's Day."
Savage goes to some extremes to prove his point, but overall, this is an intelligent, funny, offbeat look at the topic of morality in America.
A grave threat to constitutional democracy.......2005-05-24
When Al Franken promotes Dan Savage, does he have any idea how much support this builds for putting Michael Savage in the White House? To encourage citizens to abandon virtue in time of war is an act of treason. The ultranationalist backlash fostered by such outrages may soon destroy our constitutional democracy.
Average customer rating:
- Backstage with Willie
- THE TAO OF WILLIE: A GUIDE TO THE HAPPINESS IN YOUR HEART
- Product review
- Fun to Read
- Delightful
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The Tao of Willie: A Guide to the Happiness in Your Heart
Willie Nelson , and
Turk Pipkin
Manufacturer: Test
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Songbird
ASIN: 0143058614
Release Date: 2006-05-09 |
Book Description
Country music's laid-back legend shares his greatest lessons from a lifetime of writing songs, making friends, and surviving untold challenges.
Unabridged CDs - 4 CDs, 5 hours
Customer Reviews:
Backstage with Willie.......2007-09-11
I deployed to Afghanistan in May 2006. The morning of my departure, I received a phone call from both of the authors of this book. Willie and Turk wished me luck and a safe return on my journey. It was a memory that has been with me ever since. Just this past week, I had the fortune of getting to see Willie Nelson in concert (The Last of Breed Tour) for the first time in my 33 years. It was an amazing show and I also had the pleasure of meeting him backstage as he proceeded to the stage to perform with Merle Haggard and Ray Price. What an experience!
While on deployment I was able to read this book. There is little happiness in Afghanistan these days. But every night prior to lights out, I could always count on a smile and a reflection of my life through the words in this book. It was a pleasure to read.
To Willie and Turk...Thank you!
THE TAO OF WILLIE: A GUIDE TO THE HAPPINESS IN YOUR HEART.......2007-08-31
I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK AND AM AMAZED AT THE WISDOM OF WILLIE. HE HAS CAPTURED GREAT DEPTH IN HIS INTERPRETATION OF THE TAO AND OFFERS IT IN SUCH A WILLIE-READABLE MANNER. THIS BOOK IS A TRUE JOY. DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED TO EVERYONE.
Product review.......2007-08-16
Book in pretty good condition but did have an inscription I was not aware of. Over all it was okay.
Fun to Read.......2007-02-13
This book is so much fun to read. Willie is such a wise man and has some great advice in this book. I would definitely recommend!
Delightful.......2007-01-06
I am a university professor and read many books, but I have not enjoyed a book this much for quite some time. It is a laugh out loud, down to earth book that brings one back to reality while having fun doing it. I put this book on my "read once a year" shelf, and sent copies to others. A quick read, and well worth it! Thanks for the good time, Willie.
Average customer rating:
- Accidental Happiness
- Disappointing!
- An amazing story, intriguing, involving and moving
- Wonderful Book!
- A Lovely Story, Beautifully Told
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Accidental Happiness: A Novel
Jean Reynolds Page
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0345462181
Release Date: 2006-09-26 |
Book Description
Someone once told me that groupings of objects should be displayed in threes. Three provides both tension and balance among items of varying size and heft. My sister’s accident made me an only child; my husband’s accident made me a widow. Part of me will always believe that Angel was the third, the one that left me with hope.
After her husband’s unexpected death at the age of thirty-six, Gina Melrose becomes a “live-aboard” on his boat, docked at a marina in coastal South Carolina, near the home she and Ben once shared. In this temporary, borrowed existence on the water, she settles into numb survival. But Gina finds her life taking yet another dramatic turn late one night when a woman named Reese disrupts her quiet world. With Reese comes a daughter: a charming girl named Angel.
After a rough start, Gina realizes that, strange as it may seem, she’s drawn to both Reese and Angel. Their sudden appearance shatters the stillness–and Gina is remade. She is fascinated by Reese, who seems both invincible and vulnerable–and whose past may hold the key to Gina’s future. Gina begins to realize that for the first time since Ben’s death, she’s getting her senses back. As both pain and joy reenter her world, Gina discovers that she is able to accept feeling in order to live fully once more.
But the biggest surprise for Gina is her relationship with Angel. After the painful loss of her sister during childhood, Gina had decided that she would never have children of her own. Struggling through conflicted emotions, Gina’s finds her life unexpectedly transformed by the precocious little girl who may be Ben’s daughter.
This tender, poignant novel movingly explores the bonds of family and the resilience of hope. In the accomplished tradition of the novels of Elizabeth Berg and Anita Shreve, Jean Reynolds Page’s Accidental Happiness is a lyrical, enthralling drama unafraid to examine complex relationships with a clear eye and an honest heart.
From the Hardcover edition.
Download Description
Someone once told me that groupings of objects should be displayed in threes. Three provides both tension and balance among items of varying size and heft. My sister’s accident made me an only child; my husband’s accident made me a widow. Part of me will always believe that Angel was the third, the one that left me with hope.
After her husband’s unexpected death at the age of thirty-six, Gina Melrose becomes a “live–aboard’ on his boat, docked at a marina in coastal South Carolina, near the home she and Ben once shared. In this temporary, borrowed existence on the water, she settles into numb survival. But Gina finds her life taking yet another dramatic turn late one night when a woman named Reese disrupts her quiet world. With Reese comes a daughter: a charming girl named Angel.
After a rough start, Gina realizes that, strange as it may seem, she’s drawn to both Reese and Angel. Their sudden appearance shatters the stillness–and Gina is remade. She is fascinated by Reese, who seems both invincible and vulnerable–and whose past may hold the key to Gina’s future. Gina begins to realize that for the first time since Ben’s death, she’s getting her senses back. As both pain and joy reenter her world, Gina discovers that she is able to accept feeling in order to live fully once more.
But the biggest surprise for Gina is her relationship with Angel. After the painful loss of her sister during childhood, Gina had decided that she would never have children of her own. Struggling through conflicted emotions, Gina’s finds her life unexpectedly transformed by the precocious little girl who may be Ben’s daughter.
This tender, poignant novel movingly explores the bonds of family and the resilience of hope. In the accomplished tradition of the novels of Elizabeth Berg and Anita Shreve, Jean Reynolds Page’s Accidental Happiness is a lyrical, enthralling drama unafraid to examine complex relationships with a clear eye and an honest heart.
Customer Reviews:
Accidental Happiness.......2007-07-23
This was a really good book. The story was very "different" than most chick lit that is out there, and the characters were very real. I enjoyed it, and would recommend it!
Disappointing!.......2006-03-14
I decided to read this book after I finished A Blessed Event, which I found quite good. This story is about Gina, recently widowed, and her husband's ex-wife who comes waltzing back into her life with a daughter in tow. I found that this book was better written than Page's first, but unfortunately I got really bored about halfway through the story. I don't want to spoil the plot for any reader, but let me just say that Gina and Reese are not consistent characters, are each as insecure as the other, and each time you think you got a pretty good idea of who they are, Page throws something in the story that confuses you. I didn't find the characters that well developed and after a while, I just wanted her to get on with things rather than move so slowly through the plot, which I found unrealistic at some points. Overall, I would not recommend this book.
An amazing story, intriguing, involving and moving.......2005-07-13
I couldn't quit thinking about "Accidental Happiness" for a long time after I read it. It's the kind of book that takes what you think you know, what you'd bet your life on, and turns it upside down. This novel is beautifully written and plotted, but to me, it also read like a wonderful mystery. (I love mysteries, my favorite kind of book.)Only the mystery here involves human emotions, tragedies and, eventually, the best kind of hope. That is, the hope that the future will be better. I've shared this book with many friends. One called me, even though she knew I was in another state on vacation, just to talk to me about the book. "I just wanted to tell you how wonderful it was," she said. She and I had both read Jean Reynolds Page's first novel, A Blessed Event, and we both agreed it would be a hard act to follow. Now we both agree that Jean Reynolds Page not only lived up to the promise of her first novel, she exceeded it on every level. Not an easy thing to do when "A Blessed Event" rated as one of my all-time favorites.
Wonderful Book!.......2005-04-22
I listened to this book on cd and it is just wonderful. What a wonderful story!
A Lovely Story, Beautifully Told.......2005-03-25
Accidental Happiness was that most wonderful thing, a great read, as substantial and satisfying as dinner at a five-star restaurant. The book was perfectly paced, beautifully plotted, with the authority and precision you only get with first-rate storytelling. It has an especially brilliant plot twist near the end, yielding a Tah-Dah! sort of moment when you smack your forehead and say, of course! It all makes sense now! How could I have not seen it coming? And yet, you don't.
I loved these characters for their flaws and their transcendent moments, something Jean Reynolds Page does through the kind of small epiphanies that happen to us without witnesses or guides. Gina and Reese are both vivid, real, and damaged in absolutely believable ways. There are no goddesses here, only people held together by love and a keen desire to do what's right, when it's not at all clear that there IS a right.
Page's excellent critical reviews are both well-deserved and well-earned. If you enjoy Accidental Happiness, than you'll also love the author's first novel, A Blessed Event.
Amazon.com
"The Age of Nice is at hand, and there's nothing we can do about it." But the protagonist of Will Ferguson's Happiness, terminally luckless book editor Edwin de Valu, does want to do something. In fact, he feels obliged to put a stop to the Age of Nice, because it's all his fault. Desperate to save a flagging career in the world of self-help publishing, Edwin has staked everything on a dubious, thousand-page manuscript bearing the motto "Live! Love! Learn!" Promising its readers endless wealth, effortless weight loss, and everlasting happiness, the book has become a runaway success. And that's where Edwin's problems really begin. There's the murderous cartel of drug and tobacco barons who want Edwin's head on a plate, as well as the fact that misery, cynicism, irrational hatred, draught beer--all the things that once made Edwin's life as an underdog bearable--have become outlawed. It's down to one man to save the globe from the tyranny of the group hug! But can Edwin do it before the world economy melts down and a bestselling serial killer called Dr. Ethics enacts his own deadly revenge?
It has been said--possibly by the sort of homily-peddling guru that Ferguson attacks so masterfully in his debut novel--that there are many routes to happiness. The general effect of reading this razor-sharp satire on the self-help industry is to understand that these routes lead us nowhere, except perhaps to a cul-de-sac called Hell. This would be depressing to realize, except that Happiness clubs its readers into submission with the sort of zany, almost otherworldly wit that makes us profoundly glad to be alive. --Matthew Baylis, Amazon.co.uk
Book Description
Why would there be a contract out on Edwin de Valu's life? Edwin -- the wiry low-level editor at Panderic Press. Why has rage disappeared from the roads and McDonald's gone alfalfa? How come everyone seems so damn happy? And most importantly, who, or what, is Tupak Soiree?
When an enormous self-help manuscript lands on Edwin's desk, it's headed for the trash. Edwin's cynicism of self-help books, coupled with his filthy mood that morning, results in him dismissing Tupak Soiree's What I Learned on the Mountain and using it as a doorstop. However, Tupak's manuscript is unique -- a self-help book that actually works. Before Edwin knows it, a chain of events begins that affects not only his own life but the world at large.
For those who choke on Chicken Soup for the Soul or have choice words for Dr. Phil, Will Ferguson offers up a killer dose of Happiness™ -- a masterpiece of comic fiction.
Customer Reviews:
Is It Over Yet?.......2006-11-22
I started this book with enthusiasm. The opening scenes are well written, inventive, promising. The premise, too, is interesting: what would be the result of publishing the ultimate self-help book? However, the writing, although never bad, wobbles unevenly over the course of the book, mixing nice images and metaphors with clunkers that make the reader scratch his head. How can a writer produce clever prose in one paragraph and then tedious cliches the next? It seems as though the book were written in two stages: one to get the story and characterizatin down, and then one to go back and fill in some paragraphs for length. The result is a very uneven read that goes . . . on . . . for . . . far . . . too . . . long. Ferguson could have snipped a good 75 pages easily. Also, he seems to have thought that, if writing a satire, he didn't need to worry about creating well-rounded characters about whom the reader might care. Ultimately, you don't really care about anyone in this book. If a reader wants satire, he or she might do well to try What the Shadow Told Me by Kurtis Davidson, a novel with real characters who actually have histories, have real conversations instead of trading cliches and pronouncements, and about whom, ultimately, readers care. And it's funny, too.
Almost..........2006-08-27
This book was almost satisfying. Almost! I loved the pace and the little bits of wisdom sprinkled throughout (my copy is quite dogeared for those little bits) are right up my alley. The area that was lacking for me was depth for the characters. But it was a fun ride overall, and as I am sending it along to a friend I must admit that I recommend it! Because in books, almost counts.
Happiness Debunked.......2006-05-21
A humorous and cleverly written book, whose simple message is that Happiness is not Happiness at all. We need imperfections and valleys to contrast those divine moments on the mountains! Comforting stuff, and a reminded that all experiences are good for us and enhance our lives in some way. Constant happiness would be insipid and boring in this life and therefore by definition unachievable.
All from a cache of used self-help books??? .......2006-03-18
Ok, this was a captivating, high energy narative that keeps you interested. A self-help book sweeps the nation off its feet, crumbling the self-serving/materialistic economy. People are left only a shell of themselves, without a drive towards anything.
I love an apocalyptic journey just as much as the next guy, but the story has a stagnant "Oh Come On" feel to it. A guy gathers up a bunch of used self-help books and combines them all (and a dash spite for the authors son) to create a 900 page novel that convinces 97.3 % of the nation to quite their jobs, drop out of school, and become opiously happy ?????
The entire time I was waiting for a more devious (or clever) explanation for the infectious spread of this "happy" message. Alas, this was an easy read.
If this sort of book is truly your speed, check out "Just A Couple Of Days" by Tony Vigorrito. Similar themes, but it comes with a much improved writing style, story, and message.
Two Thumbs UP!.......2005-12-28
This book was the first of Ferguson's novels that I've read. I bought it at a book store while vacationing because I was bored.... Happiness ended the boredom of the trip for sure! It's very funny yet surprisingly deep. Ferguson writes with a sarcastic humor that, as a writer, I wish I could match. I'm rereading it again, right after I get it back from the friend I lent it to. I've reccomended it to all my friends and now I'm reccomending it to you!
Book Description
Award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction Jewell Parker Rhodes is a master of her craft, under-standing how both real and imagined stories can serve as a pathway to enlightenment. Porch Stories is Rhodes's tribute to her beloved grandmother, a real account of the love she received and the lessons she learned.
Jewell Parker Rhodes was left in the care of her father and his mother when her own mother abandoned the family. Grandmother Ernestine's house in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was home to four other grandchildren as well. And while its crumbling bricks, lack of air-conditioning, and neighborhood rodents meant that life was anything but easy, the family house was filled with love. Everyone on their street knew and loved Grandmother Ernestine; men would tip their hats and children would rush up for a hug any time she was outside.
No one loved Grandmother Ernestine more than Jewell, who would pass up a movie with her cousins to sit outside on Ernestine's front stoop and listen to her stories and her words of comfort. Jewell would later move out West to live with her mother and father as they reattempted marriage. But that was a short-lived experience. Before long, she was back in the loving arms of her grandmother, whose wisdom and warmth gave all of her children the tools to overcome the ordinary and extraordinary challenges life brings. Porch Stories, described by Rhodes as "an intergenerational love song," is a loving tribute that is at once candid, courageous, and reverent -- a literary portrait of family love that readers from all walks of life can see in themselves.
Customer Reviews:
This Book is Meant To Be Savored .......2007-06-25
Jewell Parker Rhodes has delivered another winner with Porch Stories. She has penned a wonderful story about her relationship with her grandmother. Deserted by her mother before she could crawl always left her feeling insecure, but not unloved because her wonderful grandmother filled her empty spaces with a love that was rich and pure. The two of them spent time bonding while sitting on the front stoop of their house. It was then that her grandmother , Ernestine, used to tell her stories of the past. Not only were these stories of the past, but they also taught Ms. Rhodes a strong moral code, and values that she could use throughout her life. Whenever Jewell's behavior was not up to code Grandmother Ernestine had a story to tell that made her understand why her particular action was not wise." "Remember your name, who you be in love with your good self" was the number one message that Ernestine wanted to make sure Jewell understood
.
For a short time Jewell had to go live with her mother who did not share the same views in life that were instilled in her daughter .
This made the period of time during Jewell's parents attempt at reconciliation very hard for her. Living with her mother made her realize just how complex the world really is. It was her grandmother' s efforts that made her into the writer that she is today. Ernestine was determined that Jewell get the education that she herself had always longed for but was not able to get.
I truly enjoyed reading this book just as I have enjoyed each book by this author, it left me feeling good. Maybe you have a grandmother or a great- aunt in your life that has told you stories that helped you down life's path . If you did you will enjoy this book as it brings back memories of a time when the world was a lot less complicated. In fact I think that anyone who likes a book that lifts your spirits will enjoy reading this book. Just as usual Ms. Rhodes has delivered a winner.
Reviewed by Margaret Ball
APOOO BookClub
Miss Ernestines granddaughter.......2007-03-30
As one of Jewell's cousins reading this book was like taking a train ride back in time. I could see my Grandmother's face, hear her voice, smell her food and see her loving eyes. I thank my Cousin for reminding me and sharing with others how her loving Spirit lives on in those who know her words. My Daughter never knew my Gram, but can now know her Spirit through the words of this wonderful book.
Just Wonderful.......2007-01-26
The title of the book explains it all. It is about Jewell and her Grandmother just bonding as Grandmother's and grandchildren do. It's just little snippets of her life with grandma on the porch and the all the wisdom behind her grandmother's words.
Very touching novel...
It made me miss my grandmother even more...
Great Job Jewell
ENJOYABLE WHILE ENLIGHTENING.......2007-01-04
MS RHODES HAS AN INCREDIBLE ABILITY TO PUT FAMILY HISTORY INTO AN ENJOYABLE READING MEDIUM. THIS BOOK IS ONE I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ANYONE WHO'S IN TUNE WITH LIFE AND A BIT OF NOSTALGIA. I LOOK FORWARD TO READING ANYTHING ELSE THIS WOMAN HAS WRITTEN.
Average customer rating:
- What a great blast from the past...
|
Security is a Thumb and a Blanket (Peanuts)
Charles M. Schulz
Manufacturer: Cider Mill Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Happiness is a Warm Puppy (Peanuts)
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Home is On Top of a Dog House (Peanuts)
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Happiness is a Sad Song (Peanuts)
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Love is Walking Hand In Hand (Peanuts)
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I Need All The Friends I Can Get (Peanuts)
ASIN: 1933662093 |
Book Description
Happiness is Classic Peanuts!
These collector’s editions perfectly recreate the original look and feel of the best-loved Peanuts books—their paper, their ink, even their lamination. And of course, the heartwarming content that charmed the world, sold millions, and launched the career of Charles M. Schulz remains untouched. On every spread there’s a tiny tidbit of wisdom from one of the gang, along with one of Schulz’s irresistible drawings. It’s a trip down memory lane that every Peanuts fan will cherish.
Customer Reviews:
What a great blast from the past..........2007-06-27
Never have we known Schultz to be so prescient as he is in this book from the 1960's. As we yearn for a simpler time when security does not mean taking off your shoes in airports, Schultz gives us simple, cogent heart warming snapshots of life from a simpler time as a reminder of what may yet come.
Book Description
What does it take to be happy? How happy is happy enough? And what does “happy” mean, anyway? So asks Sally Farber–wife, mother, daughter, friend, working woman, and lover–in this wise and funny novel about a woman’s search for happiness in some of the right, and a few of the wrong, places.
Summer in the city looms long for Sally Farber when she sends her two daughters off to camp for the first time. Suddenly freed of her usual patterns in a city that becomes a grown-up’s playground,, she embarks on a journey unlike any she’s ever had–filled with guilty pleasures and guilty pains.
Caught between the past (cleaning out her childhood apartment as her demanding mother offers edicts from South Carolina) and the future (facing her first semi-empty nest), Sally finds herself unexpectedly involved with a powerful, unpredictable man.
And as she researches a book whose very topic is happiness, she must weigh the relative merits of prescriptions for its attainment offered by Aristotle and the Dalai Lama, Freud and Charles Schulz, scented candles and Zoloft, her mother and her best friend. The answer comes, in the end, from a surprising discovery, in this rich and original novel about how we can find, and ultimately embrace, both happiness and love.
Download Description
Advance praise for Whatever Makes You Happy
“Attempting to fool everyone, but especially herself, into believing that she’s only ‘researching’ the pursuit of happiness, Sally Farber searches for that ephemeral quality in all sorts of droll places–from the writings of Voltaire to the Laughter Institute to the bed of a famous artist. To no one’s surprise, she learns that what does not lie within remains elusive without. And as Lisa Grunwald’s odyssey of slapstick erudition unfolds, Sally seems stubbornly fated to remain without her heart’s desire, until the very last page is turned. This book comprises the best of both reads: a serious romp, and a saucy philosophical sashay.”
–
Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of
The Deep End of the Ocean
and The Breakdown Lane
Praise for Lisa Grunwald
“Her poetic gift for language, her sympathy for her characters, and her knowledge of how their emotions grow, shift, and collide all work together to help realize the large ambitions of this novel.”
–
Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times, about The Theory of Everything
“Beautiful, bizarre, and breathtaking . . . Harrowing in its pace, fearless in its depiction of the most tender emotions, this is a novel of exquisite grace. . . . A mesmerizing celebration of family love in all its sweetness and ferocity.”
–TK, Chicago Tribune, about New Year’s Eve
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Happiness is a Good Book.......2006-02-10
Books are our friends. We all know that or we wouldn't be here, reading reviews written by strangers, wandering around amazon.com looking for something new and interesting to read. This book is like it's written by a friend. I read an earlier book by Lisa Grunwald many years ago and never forgot how much I liked it. When I discovered WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY, I was excited by the prospect of it and was not disappointed.
A simple concept - the main character, Sally, is an author writing a book about happiness. This came into my life at a good time because I've been trying to understand the people who I am getting to know in this strange state I moved to a few years ago (New Jersey). "Are these people happy?" I was wondering. "Are they just moody?" The quotes found scattered throughout this book and the story of what Sally goes through didn't actually answer any questions for me, but it did make me believe that happiness really is found inside of us and if it isn't there, it won't be anywhere. OR maybe that's too simple, in and of itself.
This is a book that you will probably enjoy if you like reading about people's lives as I do. I don't need everything to be deep and moving, but I do like things that are honest and reflective of what's inside many of us and this book fits the bill on that.
Had to have my own copy!.......2005-08-30
I originally checked this book out from the library, because of an intriguing magazine review I had read. As another reviewer has said, the story is deceptively simple, but the author sneaks in the most moving profundities regarding what constitutes happiness. I was so enthralled that after returning the book to the library, I hurried to purchase my own copy, so I could refer to all the wisdom whenever I needed to be reminded what might make me happy!
Then I proceeded to read others of Lisa Grunwald's books, and each one has it's own profound message. I am amazed that a woman so young has so much insight into the human condition. Needless to say, she writes about it incredibly well. And one comes to truly love her characters and root for their quests for meaning in life.
This didn't make me happy.......2005-08-21
- Its hard to be emphathetic towards a protagonist who's depressed and decides to have an affair when she already has a great husband, two healthy children and no financial worries.
Two stars because the addition of the "history of happiness" (research for a book she is writing) was interesting.
This book makes you feel like it's an old friend talking to you..........2005-08-15
This book is very real and compelling. It's like it's an old friend sitting with you telling you a poignant tale while you both sip tea. Anyone who has ever struggled with what it means for you to be personally happy, what happiness means to you, will enjoy this book. I've had some of the same thoughts and feelings that the fictional Sally Farber has, but this is the first book I've seen to detail these issues in such a tangible, creative way. You won't want to put the book down and the reading is effortless. You also will learn about recent scientific studies on happiness, as Sally researches her book on happiness, which is great but doesn't at all feel like you're reading anything close to a textbook. It's a book about an author struggling to write a book on happiness as she struggles with the issue in her own life. This book is a true gem.
The title makes you think this is a lightweight summer book..........2005-08-10
but in actuality, this book is deceptively deep and insightful! Wrapped in a captivating story (which i won't reiterate as others before me have written good synopses of it) , with a truly interesting main character, are hidden gems, universal messages about the nature of happiness and the human search for "it".
I have struggled with this for years, trying to find, keep, hold, manage, control my own happiness and it was so special to find these fictional characters were going through the same issues. The people in the book were so real to me! I not only had 2 days of enjoyment ( happiness!) reading the book, but I felt so reassured and comforted , this search is part of the human condition. Lisa Grunwald is an amazing writer who can not only tell a great story with such vivid characters, but she can convey our human desires for happiness ,often looked for in places that aren't healthy...till we learn... This is a wonderful book and I can not recommend it enough,
one I want to buy for friends and family.
Average customer rating:
- happiness is... this book!
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Happiness is a Sad Song (Peanuts)
Charles M. Schulz
Manufacturer: Cider Mill Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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All 4-for-3 Deals
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Similar Items:
-
Security is a Thumb and a Blanket (Peanuts)
-
Happiness is a Warm Puppy (Peanuts)
-
Home is On Top of a Dog House (Peanuts)
-
Love is Walking Hand In Hand (Peanuts)
-
I Need All The Friends I Can Get (Peanuts)
ASIN: 1933662107 |
Book Description
Happiness is Classic Peanuts!
These collector’s editions perfectly recreate the original look and feel of the best-loved Peanuts books—their paper, their ink, even their lamination. And of course, the heartwarming content that charmed the world, sold millions, and launched the career of Charles M. Schulz remains untouched. On every spread there’s a tiny tidbit of wisdom from one of the gang, along with one of Schulz’s irresistible drawings. It’s a trip down memory lane that every Peanuts fan will cherish.
Customer Reviews:
happiness is... this book!.......2007-01-10
This is a great book to help you appreciate the little things in life. Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang have knowledge the rest of us seem to forget as we grow older, and grow up. Recommended for anyone needing a little boost!
Books:
- Break No Bones: A Novel (Temperance Brennan Novels)
- Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth
- Children of the Self-Absorbed: A Grown-Up's Guide to Getting over Narcissistic Parents
- Christine Falls: A Novel
- Cold Mountain: A Novel
- Cross Dressing
- Damsels in Distress: A Claire Malloy Mystery (Claire Malloy Mysteries)
- Dry Bones Rattling: Community Building to Revitalize American Democracy (Princeton Studies in American Politics)
- Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust
- Every Heart Restored: A Wife's Guide to Healing in the Wake of a Husband's Sexual Sin (The Every Man Series)
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