Christine Falls: A Novel
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Tough Read
  • Couldn't get into it
  • The only thrills are in the prose.
  • And a lot else falls...
  • Distinctive writing makes for outstanding "thriller"
Christine Falls: A Novel
John Banville
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
IrishIrish | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Banville, JohnBanville, John | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0805081526
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Book Description

In the debut crime novel from the Booker-winning author, a Dublin pathologist follows the corpse of a mysterious woman into the heart of
a conspiracy among the city’s high Catholic society
It’s not the dead that seem strange to Quirke. It’s the living.One night, after a few drinks at an office party, Quirke shuffles down into the morgue where he works and finds his brother-in-law, Malachy, altering a file he has no business even reading. Odd enough in itself to find Malachy there, but the next morning, when the haze has lifted, it looks an awful lot like his brother-in-law, the esteemed doctor, was in fact tampering with a corpse—and concealing the cause of death.

It turns out the body belonged to a young woman named Christine Falls. And as Quirke reluctantly presses on toward the true facts behind her death, he comes up against some insidious—and very well-guarded—secrets of Dublin’s high Catholic society, among them members of his own family.

Set in Dublin and Boston in the 1950s, the first novel in the Quirke series brings all the vividness and psychological insight of Booker Prize winner John Banville’s fiction to a thrilling, atmospheric crime story. Quirke is a fascinating and subtly drawn hero, Christine Falls is a classic tale of suspense, and Benjamin Black’s debut marks him as a true master of the form.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Tough Read.......2007-10-06

I gave it a hundred pages, just as I promised myself. Mostly, it was a chore to read. What annoyed me the most was that the author would switch to describing another scene with no transition other than a paragraph.

I truly hate this book.

2 out of 5 stars Couldn't get into it.......2007-10-02

I tried to like this book, but I just couldn't get into it. I read about half of it. It just never seemed to take off. Plus it didn't place me in the period. Some good books you feel like you are in the time that they are placed. This didn't do that for me. A big disappointment.

3 out of 5 stars The only thrills are in the prose........2007-09-27

The characters and the basic plotline are more than adequately summarized in many of the other reviews. John Banville (Benjamin Black) is an extremely talented writer and is, as reviewers have noted, quite adept at drawing characters and evoking setting. His talent as a writer of prose cannot, I think, be denied and this book is a fine example.

The problem, however, is that the plot is (a) not entirely plausible and (b) becomes obvious way too early to hold any real suspense.

As for the plot, again, there is no real suspense in discovering who is behind the various crimes. The motive is slower to emerge but, as it does, it does not ring true. My own opinion is that Benjamin Black has quite a bit to learn about this new genre. This book lacked any "aha!" moment, as revelations in the murder/mystery plot were never very mysterious. All opportunities for thrill were deflated before any real suspense could build.

On a minor issue and as others have pointed out, Black dispatched bad characters far too neatly to give any satisfaction.

Banville's skills have not yet translated to a satisfying Mystery/Thriller. At least, I was wholly unsatisfied when the book ended. Perhaps, my dissatisfaction was due to too high expectations.

The prose is worth the read, but the story comes up short.

3 out of 5 stars And a lot else falls..........2007-08-12

Not being familiar with Banville, I was drawn to this book by the reviews and my ongoing desire for a good mystery. The novel's premise seemed appealing. A young woman is dead. Pathologist Quirke becomes curious when he finds his obstetrician brother, Mal, going through the file. Quirke's own investigation unleashes violence and ultimately involves his whole adopted family.

Certainly the writing meets the standard of literary fiction. The structural contrast of Quirke and Mal frames the book. Quirke deals in death, Mal in births. One won his love, the other didn't. And so on.

The first 50 pages of the book held my interest, as Quire began snooping around. The viewpoints shifts form one character to the other - very smoothly done. But I began to get a sense of deja vue. The reasons behind the woman's death...we've seen this before.

Ultimately, despite the writing, I think you'll enjoy this book if you like novel about convolutd, politely dysfunctional families. I did't find the character interesting or sympathetic. Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder was a more appealing drunk.

The ending falters. It's like one of those farces where nobody is they seem. I found the rationale for the solution unbelievable, even given the power of the Catholic church. Ultimately the fictional plot pales next to real Irish stories, like the Magdalene sisters.

4 out of 5 stars Distinctive writing makes for outstanding "thriller".......2007-07-21

I read Untouchable a few years ago and recall it a difficult, dense albeit engrossing book. I had been tempted to read The Sea, but reviews focusing on the beautiful writing yet slow plot discouraged me. It was wonderful to find out Banville was deploying his talent as writer in a lighter form. Christine Falls certainly does not disappoint, to the contrary: it makes one wish that all "thrillers" were written with comparable skill and ingenuity

Christine Falls certainly does not thrill for pace or chases or plot twists. It does so through characterizations and through gradual revelation of long held secrets. The secrets matter and move because the characterizations make us care - I can`t recall a thriller (and can recall few other works) where the cast of main characters is so original and so carefully portrayed. Also, some parts are excruciatingly dramatic to the point of being painful.

The back flap indicates this is the first of the Quirke novels. I will be looking forward to the next one
A Framework for Understanding Poverty
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent tool for educators
  • Everyone should read this book
  • Beware Ruby Payne
  • A must read for any type of educator/counselor
  • Classist drivel
A Framework for Understanding Poverty
Ruby K. Payne
Manufacturer: aha Process, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Poverty | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Social WorkSocial Work | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1929229488
Release Date: 2005-05-15

Product Description

Fourth Revised Edition. People in poverty face challenges virtually unknown to those in middle class or wealth--challenges from both obvious and hidden sources. The reality of being poor brings out a survival mentality, and turns attention away from opportunities taken for granted by everyone else. If you work with people from poverty, some understanding of how different their world is from yours will be invaluable. Whether you're an educator--or a social, health, or legal services professional--this breakthrough book gives you practical, real-world support and guidance to improve your effectiveness in working with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Since 1995 A Framework for Understanding Poverty has guided hundreds of thousands of educators and other professionals through the pitfalls and barriers faced by all classes, especially the poor. Carefully researched and packed with charts, tables, and questionaires, Framework not only documents the facts of poverty, it provides practical yet compassionate strategies for addressing its impact on people's lives.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Excellent tool for educators.......2007-10-03

I just went to a one-day workshop on Ruby Payne's book and found it to be extremely valuable. I teach in a school of 2500 students, 30% of whom live in poverty. This book was an excellent tool to teach the concept that students living in poverty (especially generational poverty) often live by a different "code" than the middle class. With that said, our public educational system is largely based on the middle class code, which these students may have a hard time fitting into. Payne gives a great overview of the issues that impoverished students MAY be facing, and I don't think her work can be taken as an "all or nothing" view. Obviously, not every person reacts that same way to any given situation. However, Payne's information opened my eyes to the disparities in my classroom, and gave me a great deal of insight into students' behaviors.
This book does not perpetuate poverty--it gives educators invaluable tools to reach out to and engage our students who are living with the realities of poverty every day.

5 out of 5 stars Everyone should read this book.......2007-09-23

This book is almost a workbook. It presents the culture of poverty in a way that is easy to understand and helpful to all. This should be required reading for teachers.

1 out of 5 stars Beware Ruby Payne.......2007-09-18

This book perpetuates the institutionalized racism and classism that creates students who are unsuccessful in schools. Payne, whose "research" is anecdotal at best, completely unverified at worst, suggests that teachers teach to poverty, instead of fighting the social injustices that cause it. She works from the deficit theory of poverty, which has been widely discredited since the 60s, and her anecdotal examples are racist stereotypes.

This book makes white, middle-class teachers think they understand poverty, when in reality, the advice she gives teachers perpetuates poverty and does nothing to address the complex causes of it. Ruby Payne is laughing all the way to the bank.

5 out of 5 stars A must read for any type of educator/counselor.......2007-09-12

This book presents a comprehensive view of the way people in different areas of society think; what things are important to them, where their priorities lie. It has tools for working within the area the student or client lives and ways to facilitate movement from one area to the next.

1 out of 5 stars Classist drivel.......2007-08-28

I honestly can't believe that school districts pay a great deal of money for Ruby Payne's books and programs. While they may have slick packaging, scratch the surface and you will find damaging anecdotes that stereotype those living in poverty. Under the guise of helping to understand and improve the lives of these individuals, it serves to portray them as coming from a culture that is deficient and must be fixed to fit "our" mold. In addition, it proposes that there is a "culture of poverty". This theory has been disproved.

Save your money. Or, better, yet, by something by Jonathan Kozol.

BTW, there's a reason she self-publishes...
Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Check this one out of the library
  • Great Information
  • Shameless in its Amorality
  • Great book to change the way you think about making money!!!
  • Excellent philosophy and ideas and pretty good reading
Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!
Robert T. Kiyosaki , and Sharon L. Lechter
Manufacturer: Business Plus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Strategy & CompetitionStrategy & Competition | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0446677450

Amazon.com

Personal-finance author and lecturer Robert Kiyosaki developed his unique economic perspective through exposure to a pair of disparate influences: his own highly educated but fiscally unstable father, and the multimillionaire eighth-grade dropout father of his closest friend. The lifelong monetary problems experienced by his "poor dad" (whose weekly paychecks, while respectable, were never quite sufficient to meet family needs) pounded home the counterpoint communicated by his "rich dad" (that "the poor and the middle class work for money," but "the rich have money work for them"). Taking that message to heart, Kiyosaki was able to retire at 47. Rich Dad, Poor Dad, written with consultant and CPA Sharon L. Lechter, lays out his the philosophy behind his relationship with money. Although Kiyosaki can take a frustratingly long time to make his points, his book nonetheless compellingly advocates for the type of "financial literacy" that's never taught in schools. Based on the principle that income-generating assets always provide healthier bottom-line results than even the best of traditional jobs, it explains how those assets might be acquired so that the jobs can eventually be shed. --Howard Rothman

Book Description

Personal-finance author and lecturer Robert Kiyosaki developed his unique economic perspective through exposure to a pair of disparate influences: his own highly educated but fiscally unstable father, and the multimillionaire eighth-grade dropout father of his closest friend. The lifelong monetary problems experienced by his "poor dad" (whose weekly paychecks, while respectable, were never quite sufficient to meet family needs) pounded home the counterpoint communicated by his "rich dad" (that "the poor and the middle class work for money," but "the rich have money work for them"). Taking that message to heart, Kiyosaki was able to retire at 47. Rich Dad, Poor Dad, written with consultant and CPA Sharon L. Lechter, lays out his the philosophy behind his relationship with money. Although Kiyosaki can take a frustratingly long time to make his points, his book nonetheless compellingly advocates for the type of "financial literacy" that's never taught in schools. Based on the principle that income-generating assets always provide healthier bottom-line results than even the best of traditional jobs, it explains how those assets might be acquired so that the jobs can eventually be shed. --Howard Rothman

Download Description

A #1 New York Times bestseller, 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' is a true story on the lessons about money that Robert Kiyosaki learned from his two "dads." One dad, a Ph.D. and superintendent of education, never had enough money at the end of the month and died broke. His other dad dropped out of school at age 13 and went on to become one of the wealthiest men in Hawaii. 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' will . . .· Explode the myth that you need to earn a high income to become rich · Challenge the belief that your house is an asset · Show parents why they can't rely on the school system to teach their kids about money
· Define once and for all an asset and a liability · Teach you what to teach your kids about money for their future financial success. In 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad', Robert Kiyosaki explains how to make your money work hard for you instead of you working hard for money.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Check this one out of the library.......2007-10-06

I fail to see why this book is so popular. "Rich Dad Poor Dad" provides no guidance on how to go about doing the things Kiyosaki suggests. He is condescending, repetitive, at times contradictory, and a couple things he suggests are most likely illegal.

According to Kiyosaki there is one simple reason behind the wide income gap between the rich and the poor/middle class. The rich invest in income producing assets while the poor and middle class purchase liabilities.

He provides some advice that is true but most people won't want to hear. Such as academic success does not translate to financial success. Your house is not an asset. Live within your means and stop buying things you can't afford on credit.

While Kiyosaki may not have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, I think he has really lost touch with what it means to be poor or middle class. One example mentions how he borrowed $10 or $100k from a friend for a real estate deal and therefore without even investing any of his own money made x amount of profit with about 3 hours of work invested. I don't know about you, but I don't have any friends who have that kind of money to lend me, nor do I have that amount myself. And investing in real estate may have been a good idea when this book was initially published, but not so much right now.

My advice: While he does make a few good points, there are better books on the subject. If you feel you absolutely must read this book, get it from the library.

5 out of 5 stars Great Information.......2007-10-03

This book was everything that I heard it was. Great for anyone trying to become rich!

2 out of 5 stars Shameless in its Amorality .......2007-09-25

A book whose philosophy is near perfect in its amorality. In this self-help business book, Kiyosaki (a Japanese American who grew up in Hawaii) talks about his poor dad (his biological father, a public school teacher who tried to teach the values of honesty and hard work to his son during his life and who never became wealthy) and his rich dad (a local businessman who became his mentor and is probably something of a fictional figure). Kiyosaki admires his amoral rich dad: he even boasts how he paid less taxes than his biological father even though he was far richer. Many of this sort of pop business books end up claiming that personal greed ends up in a bigger public benefit, but this book doesn't even try to make this claim (because of this honesty, I rate this book two stars instead of a single one). As if that wasn't enough, Kiyosaki's business "advice" (mainly dealing with real estate) is vague and run of the mill (no one will get rich by following this book, but he did get rich rich from writing it, much more than from his business deals).

4 out of 5 stars Great book to change the way you think about making money!!!.......2007-09-23

I was told to buy this book from someone whom I skate with who has a house that looks like a hotel. Ok enough said on that.

This book is for the person who's lived their life believing that they have to work for someone else and get a salary and be productive their whole life. The average working way to think about making money. This book tells you how to think differently about whole the idea of making money. This book won't tell you how to make a single cent, but rather how to notice opportunities and strike when the average person would stand back and say "you're crazy for doing this". Notice a trend in thinking here, the crazy people who did stuff when no one else did are the ones who are usually wealthy in a short period of time compared to the one who's tied to their office hoping for a raise of some kind or recognition.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent philosophy and ideas and pretty good reading.......2007-09-19

I had to start this book 3 times because I wasn't too impressed with the beginning and kept putting it aside, but once I got to about page 34 I had gotten a couple of good ideas and by page 100 I was hooked. The beginning was a lesson that made sense later. I don't necessarily agree with everything in the book, but I think it has thought provoking ideas how different people think and gives excellent information and philosophy.
Rich Dad's Guide to Investing: What the Rich Invest in, That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not!
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Uri Gofman reviews Rich Dad's Guide to Investing
  • ANOTHER HOMERUN BY RICH DAD!!!
  • Make Kiyosaki Rich and Yourself a Little Poorer
  • Interesting read
  • Rich Dad's Guide to Investing is EXCELLENT! A MUST HAVE!
Rich Dad's Guide to Investing: What the Rich Invest in, That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not!
Robert T. Kiyosaki , and Sharon L. Lechter
Manufacturer: Business Plus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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GeneralGeneral | Accounting | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
IntroductionIntroduction | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Financial PlanningFinancial Planning | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0446677469

Amazon.com

The rich are different from the rest of us, if for no other reason than U.S. tax and securities laws allow them to invest in ways that keep us from catching up to them. That's why 90 percent of all corporate shares of stock are owned by 10 percent of the people. Kiyosaki believes it's possible for anyone to move up into that 10 percent, but it takes a different view of investing than most people have: it takes a plan to be a successful investor. And a plan is more than simply buying and selling, or collecting "assets" that bring in no cash and are thus more akin to liabilities. The way most people invest, "they might as well be pushing a wheelbarrow in a circle," he writes. A plan is "mechanical, automatic, and boring," a formula for success that has worked historically for most of those who've used it. Kiyosaki's "rich dad" (actually, the father of his best friend) tells him the simplest analogy is the game Monopoly: buy four green houses, trade them for one red hotel, and repeat until you become rich.

The overall message of Rich Dad's Guide to Investing is that this is an abundant world, full of opportunity for the sophisticated investor. However, it sometimes takes a while to find this point. Much of the book is told in dialogues between young Kiyosaki and his rich dad, and these conversations can ramble. There are rewards for the careful reader--for example, in the middle of a section on the basic rules of investing, Kiyosaki's rich dad compares investor education to toilet training: difficult at first but eventually automatic. But getting to these inspired metaphors means wading through a lot of repetitive dialogue. It's a bit ironic that someone who advocates investor discipline should show so little as a writer. But by the end of the book, even the rambling starts to make sense. By the hundredth time you read that the rich don't work for money, and that you don't need money to make money, both concepts start to make sense. It still looks difficult to apply these ideas, but Rich Dad's Guide to Investing certainly makes the case that they'll work for anyone bold and smart enough to practice them. --Lou Schuler

Book Description

The rich are different from the rest of us, if for no other reason than U.S. tax and securities laws allow them to invest in ways that keep us from catching up to them. That's why 90 percent of all corporate shares of stock are owned by 10 percent of the people. Kiyosaki believes it's possible for anyone to move up into that 10 percent, but it takes a different view of investing than most people have: it takes a plan to be a successful investor. And a plan is more than simply buying and selling, or collecting "assets" that bring in no cash and are thus more akin to liabilities. The way most people invest, "they might as well be pushing a wheelbarrow in a circle," he writes. A plan is "mechanical, automatic, and boring," a formula for success that has worked historically for most of those who've used it. Kiyosaki's "rich dad" (actually, the father of his best friend) tells him the simplest analogy is the game Monopoly: buy four green houses, trade them for one red hotel, and repeat until you become rich. The overall message of Rich Dad's Guide to Investing is that this is an abundant world, full of opportunity for the sophisticated investor. However, it sometimes takes a while to find this point. Much of the book is told in dialogues between young Kiyosaki and his rich dad, and these conversations can ramble. There are rewards for the careful reader--for example, in the middle of a section on the basic rules of investing, Kiyosaki's rich dad compares investor education to toilet training: difficult at first but eventually automatic. But getting to these inspired metaphors means wading through a lot of repetitive dialogue. It's a bit ironic that someone who advocates investor discipline should show so little as a writer. But by the end of the book, even the rambling starts to make sense. By the hundredth time you read that the rich don't work for money, and that you don't need money to make money, both concepts start to make sense. It still looks difficult to apply these ideas, but Rich Dad's Guide to Investing certainly makes the case that they'll work for anyone bold and smart enough to practice them. --Lou Schuler

Download Description

'Rich Dad's Guide to Investing' follows the New York Times bestsellers 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' and 'Rich Dad's CASHFLOW Quadrant'. Most of us know that the best investments never make it to market. This book discusses what the rich invest in that the poor and middle class do not. What follows is an insider's look into the world of investing, how the rich find the best investments, and how you can too. Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter show . . .· Rich Dad's basic rules of investing · How to reduce your investment risk · Rich Dad's 10 Investor Controls · How to convert your earned income into passive and portfolio income · How you can be the ultimate investor!

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Uri Gofman reviews Rich Dad's Guide to Investing.......2007-08-08

i happen to be a big fan of Kiyosaki. while light on specific acts to do or procedures to follow, this book helps one "think" in a manner that is compatible with creating wealth and success. it is unquestionably inspirational and inspiring. the next step is up to you!

5 out of 5 stars ANOTHER HOMERUN BY RICH DAD!!!.......2007-07-23

Robert Kiyosaki has done it once again!!! Being an avid reader of business/ personal development and finance books for years, I always love reading the Rich Dad books. Robert's style is straight forward, friendly, and highly coversational. Anyone interested in understanding the mindset that one needs to create before beginning their personal conquest down the roads to wealth and freedom should read every Rich Dad book they can get their hands on!

1 out of 5 stars Make Kiyosaki Rich and Yourself a Little Poorer.......2007-06-30

Make Kiyosaki Rich and Yourself a Little Poorer by buying this book. It amazes me how people buy the dream of becoming rich, yet make themselves poor. Kiyosaki certainly takes advantage of this by catering to greed and desire.

Case point: you are reading this book because you are poor. People rich in money and knowledge do not buy his junk.

3 out of 5 stars Interesting read.......2007-05-22

Pros:
- easy to read
- keeps you interested
- you find some good info here and there

Cons:
- too vague about the subject
- repetitive
- too situational to US market

Fine read for a holliday.

5 out of 5 stars Rich Dad's Guide to Investing is EXCELLENT! A MUST HAVE!.......2007-05-22

If you are wanting to find financial freedom, independance, would like to get rich, or just want to be educated on how to manage you finances, this book is for you.

I buy the whole series on cd,and you can fly through them and take notes. It is much easier to learn from the audio than to try to read a huge, long book. I listened to all of these books so far during car trips and during the drive to work. A great way to fill waisted time.
Simply Magic
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • I was sorry to have it end
  • Misleading Reviews
  • unreadable
  • Another magical story from Mary Balogh
  • Regency Mystery
Simply Magic
Mary Balogh
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385338236
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

On a splendid August afternoon Susanna Osbourne is introduced to the most handsome man she has ever seen . . . and instantly feels the icy chill of recognition. Peter Edgeworth, Viscount Whitleaf, is utterly charming—and seemingly unaware that they have met before. With his knowing smile and seductive gaze, Peter acts the rake; but he stirs something in Susanna she has never felt before, a yearning that both frightens and dazzles her. Instantly she knows: this brash nobleman poses a threat to her heart . . . and to the secrets she guards so desperately.


From the moment they meet, Peter is drawn to Susanna’s independence, dazzled by her sharp wit—he simply must have her. But the more he pursues, the more Susanna withdraws . . . until a sensual game of thrust-and-parry culminates in a glorious afternoon of passion. Now more determined than ever to keep her by his side, Peter begins to suspect that a tragic history still haunts Susanna. And as he moves closer to the truth, Peter is certain of one thing: he will defy the mysteries of her past for a future with this exquisite creature—all Susanna must do is trust him with the most precious secret of all. . . .

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars I was sorry to have it end.......2007-09-19

which is ironic when you consider that, first, I hesitated in buying it and, then had it for two months before getting around to starting it!

I was turned off by some of the lukewarm reviews which sort of echoed annoyances I felt with previous books (the never-ending presence of the Bedwins, the ever-recurring use of the the ducal quizzing glass, etc.) Yes, they were there but they didn't detract from the book at all. An imperfect Mary Balogh is still so much better than a perfect any-other-regency-novelist that it doesn't matter at all.

As is usual in her novels, the characters are completely believable: in character development, in their actions and reactions, in their time and place, in the balance between their imperfections, virtues and motivations, and in their passage through the plot from beginning to end.

Nothing wildly dramatic happens in the plot. This isn't an adventure, a mystery, a conflict, a comedy or a drama, at least not any more or any less than a slice of real life is any (or all) of the above. The plot is character driven and well-paced. It is not psycho-babble, but insights into the thoughts and feelings of intelligent and imperfect human beings who make and admit mistakes and try, as all of us do, to grow from our experiences and to try to do what is right when confronted with the temptations, challenges, and opportunities that this particular moment of their lives present.

It is sometimes hard to believe that these are not real people which explains why, after reaching into yourself and relating--with genuine interest, empathy, and warmth--to some part of each of them, it is so hard to let them go.

5 out of 5 stars Misleading Reviews.......2007-08-31

As a long-time Balogh fan, I was hesitant to buy this book after some of the extremely negative reviews. I'm glad I did. A self-effacing, kind, charming, cheerful hero and a buoyant, energetic, loving heroine, both intelligent and striving towards maturity, are lovingly portrayed in all their insights and lack thereof. Granted, the book is more a study of individual emotional evolution than action, but the couple is charming, their development believeable, and, as always, Ms Balogh brings it all together with the most complete of happy endings--something THIS reader of romances truly appreciates. Unless you just have to have serious threats, conflicts, crimes and mayhem in your romances, you'll enjoy it!

1 out of 5 stars unreadable.......2007-07-18

I am a long-time fan of Mary Balogh--but about three or four books back something went terribly wrong. So--got this from the library instead--and stopped about 30 pages in. Back it goes.

Read her old Signet paperbacks if you want to know why people love(d) her, not this wince-inspiring mishmash of recycled themes she did better 10 or 15 years ago.

5 out of 5 stars Another magical story from Mary Balogh.......2007-07-13

Mary Balogh's consistently high standard of writing is once again shown in "Simply Magic", the third of her 'Simply' Quartet ("Simply Unforgettable," and "Simply Love" precede this book). The events in this book take place largely at the same time as those in "Simply Love" and in fact some scenes are the same as we see the story from Susanna Osborne's view.

Susanna Osborne is a teacher at Miss Martin's School For Girls in Bath, having first attended the school as a pupil from age 12 when her father died unexpectedly and she ran away from being a burden to the family for whom he worked. Susanna's whole life has revolved around the school but when Frances, the Countess of Edgecombe and a former teacher (whose story is told in "Simply Unforgettable") invites Susanna to stay with her for two weeks Susanna agrees. On her first day at the Countess's estate she meets up with a group from the neighbouring house which includes a visitor, Viscount Whitleaf. The name Whitleaf is anathema to Susanna because of events in her past (which aren't initially explained) and so she treats him rather rudely. Besides, Peter Whitleaf is clearly a rather shallow young man, always flirting with young ladies and paying them lavish compliments but without too much between his ears.

However Whitleaf finds Susanna interesting, partly because she isn't flirting with him, and he strikes up a friendship with her. However at the end of the two weeks she returns to the school having turned down his offer to become his mistress and she and Anne Jewell, another teacher, tell each other about their love lives (this scene is also in "Simply Love"). Anne Jewell has to have a shotgun wedding and when the delayed wedding breakfast takes place Susanna is shocked to discover that Viscount Whitleaf is attending it. He stretches out his time in Bath, meeting Susanna on a number of occasions, and eventually persuading her to visit her original home.

Once again this story delves deeply into the emotions and histories of our characters. Whitleaf and Susanna are both attractive people who are much loved and yet their lives aren't as carefree as they might seem. Whitleaf has never been able to take mastery of his own house since his majority, being under his mother's thumb; Susanna has not been able to deal with the grief following the suicide of her father and her feeling of rejection. The two of them find that their stories entwine and their histories are significantly linked and work together to bring about some kind of resolution.

This is an excellent read, as usual with Mary Balogh. Perhaps the subject matter isn't quite as in depth as she sometimes offers (for example in "Simply Love") and the characters seem in some ways less complex but it is still a beautiful story with a genuinely kind hero.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

5 out of 5 stars Regency Mystery.......2007-06-23

If you like a well-told tale, open your mind and enjoy the mystery rather than just the romance here. If all heroes must be dark and disturbing, try another author.
The Intellectual Devotional: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Roam Confidently with the Cultured Class
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The Intellectual Devotional
  • Excellent Work
  • Awesome Idea!
  • Great for Families to Frame Discussion and Learning
  • Delivers on Its Promise
The Intellectual Devotional: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Roam Confidently with the Cultured Class
David S. Kidder , and Noah D. Oppenheim
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1594865132
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Book Description

Millions of Americans keep bedside books of prayer and meditative reflectioncollections of daily passages to stimulate spiritual thought and advancement. The Intellectual Devotional is a secular version of the samea collection of 365 short lessons that will inspire and invigorate the reader every day of the year. Each daily digest of wisdom is drawn from one of seven fields of knowledge: history, literature, philosophy, mathematics and science, religion, fine arts, and music. Impress your friends by explaining Platos Cave Allegory, pepper your cocktail party conversation with opera terms, and unlock the mystery of how batteries work. Daily readings range from important passages in literature to basic principles of physics, from pivotal events in history to images of famous paintings with accompanying analysis. The books goal is to refresh knowledge weve forgotten, make new discoveries, and exercise modes of thinking that are ordinarily neglected once our school days are behind us. Offering an escape from the daily grind to contemplate higher things, The Intellectual Devotional is a great way to awaken in the morning or to revitalize ones mind before retiring in the evening.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Intellectual Devotional.......2007-10-07

Indispensable refresher survey of classical education in daily small bites! Good discipline for the lazy and/or elderly mind!

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Work.......2007-10-04

I ordered between 10 and 15 copies of this work and have given several out to people close to me in life and others will get them for Christmas. It is in short enough parts to not loose the attention of the reader and provides all the "lessons" that we forgot since early education. I recommend the book for all teenagers and adults.

5 out of 5 stars Awesome Idea!.......2007-10-04

I love this book! It takes the old principle of a bedside religious devotional and makes constructive use of it for the purpose of self betterment. The thing is, heck, I love reading these sort of topics to begin with and had fun going through these eclectic pieces on wide ranging subjects. As it covers people, places, events, concepts, forumlae, the sciences and even some popular culture, and takes it all on in segments that fit into the idea of a few spare moments reading, the mind can't help but retain at least some of what is there to see. I hope this is just part one in what will be a long series of these devotionals.

4 out of 5 stars Great for Families to Frame Discussion and Learning.......2007-10-03


The Intellectual Devotional shares daily tidbits that will enhance your cultural literacy and introduce you to new things in a nugget-facts approach. Each day of the week has a different theme such as History on Mondays, Literature on Tuesdays, Visual Arts on Wednesdays, Science on Thursdays, Music on Fridays, Philosophy on Saturdays and Religion on Sundays.

When I saw this title I thought, "What a great conversation starter over breakfast with the family!" Seriously, breakfast is usually a no-conversation time or sitting in front of the TV watching morning news.

Why not be intentional and discuss Virginia Woolf or the Taj Mahal or Prime Numbers or Wagner's Ring Cycle?

I love that the topics are brief yet meaty and invite the reader into thinking about different sorts of topics rather than sticking with the usual stuff about the usual stuff.

This would make an excellent family gift or a great place for friends to continue their life long learning together.

4 out of 5 stars Delivers on Its Promise.......2007-09-23

This is a great book and basically accomplishes what it sets out to do. My wife and I read it every night together and have enjoyed the discussion it sometimes stirs up.

My only complaint is that the music topics are very poorly executed, almost to the point that we would prefer to skip them completely. With few exceptions, the music topics are not appropriate for beginners, especially when they delve into aspects of music theory. I graduated at the top of my college class, and some of the music material sounds like gibberish to me. It's just not accessible to the uninitiated, often retreating into jargon-dense paragraphs of meaningless explanation.

Otherwise, highly recommended! We'll buy the sequel if it ever comes out.
All I Need to Know About Manufacturing I Learned in Joe's Garage: World Class Manufacturing Made Simple
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Heere we go again...
  • Best Primer on Lean Manufacturing
  • Keep It Simple Stupid
  • Useful book
  • Simplistic but True
All I Need to Know About Manufacturing I Learned in Joe's Garage: World Class Manufacturing Made Simple
William B. Miller
Manufacturer: Bayrock Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0963043935

Product Description

ALL I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MANUFACTURING I LEARNED IN JOE S GARAGE explains basic principles of customer focused, high quality, low cost, on-time business management. This international bestseller is endorsed by reviewers from Business Week and other publications, and by numerous business and educational leaders.

ALL I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MANUFACTURING I LEARNED IN JOE S GARAGE is used by thousands of companies, large and small throughout the world, to improve profitability, performance, and employee satisfaction. The book uses a lighthearted short story that explains in easily understandable terms the concepts and techniques of 21st-century business management. It illustrates clearly how to forge a strategy for the future that will lead to outstanding personal and professional achievement.

...JOE'S GARAGE is a classic teaching fable valuable in all business functions. It is essential reading for anybody who wishes to understand how to succeed in today s environment of increasingly tough global competition. An annotated reading list and comprehensive glossary are provided.

Countless business leaders, educators, and publications agree that ...JOE's GARAGE is simply the best, and most cost-effective, roadmap for attainment of world class results.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Heere we go again..........2007-01-14

Another book fawning all over Toyota and the Japanese as being the absolute masters of production. No one but them can possibly produce anything properly. Oh, wait, did this book mention that it was AMERICANS who showed the Japanese modern production methods immediately after WWII? By golly, they left out that little detail.. you probably don't hear that too much, but look it up if you don't believe me. For all of the 1950's and most of the 1960's, "Made in Japan" was not a good thing to see on a product. Only in the past 30 years have they gotten good. I won't deny that American companies have gotten sloppy, and they need a cold hard slap to wake them up. But, I think that some of these books go a little overboard heaping praise on Japanese methods.

5 out of 5 stars Best Primer on Lean Manufacturing.......2007-01-14

This easy to read book outlines all the concepts of lean manufacturing in an entertaining and understandable manner. I make it required reading for all my Manufacturing Engineers, Department Managers and Supervisors.

5 out of 5 stars Keep It Simple Stupid.......2007-01-12

Many books on lean manufacturing today try to over complicate things by adding in a lot of jargon and so called smarts. This book doesn't do that, and the the beauty is the reader really gets to the heart and soul of lean manufacturing with being bogged down by some academic trying to tell you how smart he is about it.

Joe's gets all the major points of the Toyota manufcaturing, and the way it puts in context makes it clear and easy to understand.

5 out of 5 stars Useful book.......2007-01-05

This is a really simple, easy to read book for people who want to know things about manufacturing.

2 out of 5 stars Simplistic but True.......2006-05-07

This book is simplistic in its approach, but it illustrates very well our society's tendency to overcomplicate processes to the point the original objective becomes almost unattainable.

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Enjoyable addition to P&P library
  • Annotated text opens up your understanding
  • If you like Pride & Prejudice, you'll love this book
  • Great for a first time reader.
  • Annotating Jane Austen
The Annotated Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
Manufacturer: Anchor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0307278107
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Book Description

This first-ever fully annotated edition of one of the most beloved novels in the world is a sheer delight for Jane Austen fans. Here is the complete text of Pride and Prejudice with more than 2,300 annotations on facing pages, including:

Explanations of historical context
Rules of etiquette, class differences, the position of women, legal and economic realities, leisure activities, and more.

Citations from Austen’s life, letters, and other writings
Parallels between the novel and Austen’s experience are revealed, along with writings that illuminate her beliefs and opinions.

Definitions and clarifications
Archaic words, words still in use whose meanings have changed, and obscure passages are explained.

Literary comments and analyses
Insightful notes highlight Austen’s artistry and point out the subtle ways she develops her characters and themes.

Maps and illustrations
of places and objects mentioned in the novel.

An introduction, a bibliography, and a detailed chronology of events

Of course, one can enjoy the novel without knowing the precise definition of a gentleman, or what it signifies that a character drives a coach rather than a hack chaise, or the rules governing social interaction at a ball, but readers of The Annotated Pride and Prejudice will find that these kinds of details add immeasurably to understanding and enjoying the intricate psychological interplay of Austen’s immortal characters.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Enjoyable addition to P&P library.......2007-09-08

If you love P&P, as I do, and have the book and the films, this will be an excellent addition to your library. It was fun to read the story, slowly, following the annotations as I went. Mr Shapard brings in all kinds of pertinent information about dress, customs, manners, idioms, locations, methods of travel and distances, psychology, etc. Many of the comments are, of course, the editor's interpretations of behavior or thought but all are reasonable.

I may not reference the book again but I am delighted to have it in my P&P collection. It is a job very well done.

5 out of 5 stars Annotated text opens up your understanding.......2007-09-06

I won't bother to tell you that the text is wonderful, and Jane Austen a keen observer of human nature. You know that. I will say that the annotations in this edition are very helpful for those of us that don't know the differences between a chaise, a phaeton, and a barrouche, that didn't know that morning lasted until dinner, that tea was had between dinner and supper, or that quadrille was a card game, not a dance.

Yes, they are a bit repetitious. I don't see a justification for this, since no one is going to miss the first instance by dipping into the text randomly. And they do contain too many hints about what is about to happen. These notes could just as easily have been placed just after the scene as before it, and still be illuminating to the reader.

5 out of 5 stars If you like Pride & Prejudice, you'll love this book.......2007-08-16

It will become a truth universally acknowledged that this book is destined to be a favorite among the lovers of "P&P." The depth of understanding it adds to the novel is wonderful. It defines words and phrases which have changed meaning, untangles the sentences which, at least from a contemporary view, are sometimes difficult to grasp, and clarifies the social niceties of Miss Austen's time. BEWARE, SPOILER ALERT: if you've never read "P&P" you may wish to skip the annotations first time around, since some of them give away plot points.

5 out of 5 stars Great for a first time reader........2007-07-21

This book is the first Jane Austen novel that I have read. I found the annotations to be very helpful in understanding the cultural context of the novel, explaining antiquated customs and character motivations. Austen makes reference to other books of the era, and the editor elaborates on the background and significance of them.

Having the annotations opposite the text on the facing page is very convenient and it's easy to read every one. I did not find the annotations to be overly redundant.

I wish that the editor had more annotated Austen works, but having read this one, I'll have an easier time understanding the other novels.

5 out of 5 stars Annotating Jane Austen.......2007-07-17

Like many, I've read Pride & Prejudice a number of times. This annotated version forced me to slow down, and I noticed things that slipped by me in other readings (P&P is a "page turner" after all; like a good thriller you want to keep reading). Who knew, for example, that there was "cross-dressing" in Jane Austen? (Lydia and Mrs. Forster dressed Chamberlayne up as a woman and he "passed" for a lady until the ladies laughed). My approach was to read the annotations for a chapter before reading the chapter and then browsing through them again as I read the chapter; this helped me to avoid getting too headache-y from shifting between text and annotation. I would take issue with a few of his interpretations, but they are only minor quibbles. And I agree there was a lot of repetition, especially of word meanings. I especially appreciated the extra comments in the concluding chapter from her letters, on the future fates of Kitty and Mary and others. This is well worth reading if you are interested in a slightly deeper look at P&P. Too soon to say, but my hope is that the next time I read P&P (sans notes), I will enjoy it more than ever.
Learning Python, Second Edition
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • very good book for us noobs
  • teaches the language, but didn't convince me
  • This book is awful. Use the online tutorial instead.
  • Great for experienced programmers
  • "Learning Python" is right
Learning Python, Second Edition
Mark Lutz , and David Ascher
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0596002815

Amazon.com

The authors of Learning Python show you enough essentials of the Python scripting language to enable you to begin solving problems right away, then reveal more powerful aspects of the language one at a time. This approach is sure to appeal to programmers and system administrators who have urgent problems and a preference for learning by semi-guided experimentation.

First off, Learning Python shows the relationships among Python scripts and their interpreter (in a mostly platform-neutral way). Then, the authors address the mechanics of the language itself, providing illustrations of how Python conceives of numbers, strings, and other objects as well as the operators you use to work with them. Dictionaries, lists, tuples, and other data structures specific to Python receive plenty of attention including complete examples.

Authors Mark Lutz and David Ascher build on that fundamental information in their discussions of functions and modules, which evolve into coverage of namespaces, classes, and the object-oriented aspects of Python programming. There's also information on creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for Python applications with Tkinter.

In addition to its careful expository prose, Learning Python includes exercises that both test your Python skills and help reveal more elusive truths about the language.

Book Description

Portable, powerful, and a breeze to use, Python is the popular open source object-oriented programming language used for both standalone programs and scripting applications. Python is considered easy to learn, but there's no quicker way to mastery of the language than learning from an expert teacher. This edition of Learning Python puts you in the hands of two expert teachers, Mark Lutz and David Ascher, whose friendly, well-structured prose has guided many a programmer to proficiency with the language. Learning Python, Second Edition offers programmers a comprehensive learning tool for Python and object-oriented programming. Thoroughly updated for the numerous language and class presentation changes that have taken place since the release of the first edition in 1999, this guide introduces the basic elements of the latest release of Python 2.3 and covers new features, such as list comprehensions, nested scopes, and iterators/generators. Beyond language features, this edition of Learning Python also includes new context for less-experienced programmers, including fresh overviews of object-oriented programming and dynamic typing, new discussions of program launch and configuration options, new coverage of documentation sources, and more. There are also new use cases throughout to make the application of language features more concrete. The first part of Learning Python gives programmers all the information they'll need to understand and construct programs in the Python language, including types, operators, statements, classes, functions, modules and exceptions. The authors then present more advanced material, showing how Python performs common tasks by offering real applications and the libraries available for those applications. Each chapter ends with a series of exercises that will test your Python skills and measure your understanding. Learning Python, Second Edition is a self-paced book that allows readers to focus on the core Python language in depth. As you work through the book, you'll gain a deep and complete understanding of the Python language that will help you to understand the larger application-level examples that you'll encounter on your own. If you're interested in learning Python--and want to do so quickly and efficiently--then Learning Python, Second Edition is your best choice.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars very good book for us noobs.......2007-08-26

I'm an experienced C/C++ developer and needed to pick up python in a hurry for work. I ended up buying several python books to make sure I had all my bases covered. I've come to appreciate this book a lot.

It does two things very well. First, it gives you a good overview of the language. You can read the book front to back and it has a nice progression. You'll certainly know the basics if you do that.

Second, and probably more importantly, for those of us too impatient to read a book cover-to-cover, it serves as an excellent reference for beginners. When I started out there were all the little noob things that I found myself constantly having to look up. Like "how do you specify a comment?" or "how do you structure and if-block?" or "how to you get a substring out of a string". Very basic questions like this that many python books don't bother with because apparently they are too basic.

If there is a weakness, it's just that this book is rather small and only covers the very basics. So reading this book alone will certainly not make you a mighty python programmer, or even give you enough info to probably write something interesting. But this book definitely deserves a place on your bookshelf if you are starting out and need the basics.

3 out of 5 stars teaches the language, but didn't convince me.......2007-08-05

I took some time off of work, and I really wanted to just relax and goof off. I'd won a Safari subscription in the Perl Foundation auction, and I wanted to put it to use. I added Learning Python to my bookshelf and had at it.

It's hard to separate Learning Python from learning Python, but I'll do what I can: I felt the writing was a bit dry. It didn't flow the way the Camel and Llama books did, and the attempts to inject humor were really awkward. For example, the author is excited to explain that Python is named after Monty Python, and that "foo" and "bar" are replaced with "spam" and "eggs." This sounds silly. In practice, it's distracting. My brain is used to reading code with foo and bar, and knows how to skip over them. "spam" and "eggs" makes it harder to read.

I guess this is trying to help me become familiar with Python culture, but it just bugged me.

Learning Python (the activity) made me realize that Python's most immediate failings were not the ones I'd heard bandied about. The whitespace thing has serious ramifications, but it wasn't keeping me from coding quickly. Instead, I found that the lambda syntax and statement/expression division in Python really, really got in the way.

The book didn't see this as a problem. It didn't even seem interested in acknowledging that some people thought it was a problem. It just said "lambdas are anonymous functions! Isn't that great?"* and moved on.

One of the best programming language books I've read was AppleScript: The Definitive Guide. The thing that made it a great book was the author's willingness to say, "Look, this is where the language is most insane and horrible." If the authors think that Python is always great, they should at least provide explanations of what pitfalls are avoided by the constraints that leave many outsiders grimacing.

In the end, I learned enough Python in a week to get through all the exercises and then refactor some goofy code I had inherited, confident of what I was doing. Considering that I was also relaxing, drinking beer, and playing video games through that whole week, I think the book lived up to its job.

It just didn't convince me to convert.

(* OK, I'm paraphrasing.)

1 out of 5 stars This book is awful. Use the online tutorial instead........2007-07-28

I am an experienced Perl and C programmer who wanted to try something new, and everyone raves about Python. The language itself is great -- but this book is awful. Here's the really short form of why I think so:
- The point of Python (or any programming language) is to do things, not to marvel at how cool the language is. Reading the book, you can't do anything other than toy programs until you're almost all the way through. That's 400+ pages of reading before you can do anything more interesting than basic operations.
- The book isn't concise -- quite the opposite. The authors marvel at the implementation details of the language at the very start -- which takes up many pages and isn't really relevant for the beginning python programmer.
I finally just went to the online python tutorial[...]it covered most of the same topics with a lot fewer words, and was less confusing to boot.
- The reason I buy books rather than just use online resources is to use the exercises as a method of forcing myself to learn the language in a structured fashion. The exercises in the book are trivially easy: they're not about thinking and understanding, but regurgitating what the book said. Because you're not doing any real work until the 400-page mark, you can't do anything really interesting in the exercises or on your own (if you're just reading the book).

I've read a lot of "Learning XXX" books. This is by far the worst.

My recommendation is to skip this book and go straight to the online tutorial. You'll save trees, money, and time.

4 out of 5 stars Great for experienced programmers.......2007-06-17

Learning Python is an efficient way to learn python if you are familiar with one or more other programming languages. The book does a nice job of comparing and contrasting python's qualities with those of other languages (C++ and Java in particular) and provides many concise examples that highlight specific features well. For me, Learning Python was a great way to get going with software development in python.

If you are fairly new to programming, however, this book probably isn't for you. The first few parts try to be a more general introduction to programming, but they aren't enough for those truly new to programming languages. As an experienced developer, you will likely skim through the first few parts of this book quickly.

It's also not an exhaustive reference manual, and with Python 2.5 now released the book is getting a bit dated. But the core language features have not changed much, and there is plenty of online material describing that changes since version 2.2/2.3 that this book is based on.

4 out of 5 stars "Learning Python" is right.......2007-06-05

The title of this book says it all: "Learning Python" is a great book to read if you want to learn Python. Granted, Python is not the hardest language in the world to learn, and I'm not sure that this book goes into enough detail about Python's trickier features (generators, anonymous functions, etc.). Still, I was able to sit down, read this book, work through the examples, and walk away feeling like I really knew how to develop software in Python. Most learn-a-language books are too dense for you to learn the language from the book alone, but "Learning Python" definitely made it as easy as possible.
Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • This Book Explained SO MUCH about abusive relationships
  • I don't understand why he treats me this way. He say he loves me.
  • important information for victims and advocates
  • Best book on abusers - EVER!
  • Every Woman needs to Read This Book!
Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men
Lundy Bancroft
Manufacturer: Berkley Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Domestic ViolenceDomestic Violence | Abuse & Self Defense | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Sexual AbuseSexual Abuse | Abuse & Self Defense | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
AbuseAbuse | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Counseling | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
PersonalityPersonality | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GenderGender | By Topic | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Dysfunctional RelationshipsDysfunctional Relationships | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:
  1. philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0425191656
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Book Description

"He doesn't mean to hurt me-he just loses control."
"He can be sweet and gentle."
"He's scared me a few times, but he never hurts the children-he's a great father."
"He's had a really hard life..."

Women in abusive relationships tell themselves these things every day. Now they can see inside the minds of angry and controlling men-and change their own lives. In this groundbreaking book, a counselor shows how to improve, survive, or leave an abusive relationship, with:

€ The early warning signs
€ Nine abusive personality types
€ How to tell if an abuser can change, is changing, or ever will
€ The role of drugs and alcohol
€ What can be fixed, and what can't
€ How to leave a relationship safely

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars This Book Explained SO MUCH about abusive relationships.......2007-10-05

There were two messages that impacted me the most. First, that many things abusive men do to their partners are practically invisible due to the pervasive chauvinism and misogyny that is considered acceptable in our society. Second, the abusive and controling male needs to present himself as a puzzle that needs to be solved: it's a trick that keeps their partner occupied with guessing about what he'll do next instead of just leaving.

It was the hiding of their true agenda that kept me in a relationship with a couple of abusive males much longer than I should have stayed. I thought I could uncover what "really made them tick" by sticking it out with them. Then I figured that once I resolved the mystery of his disturbing, hostile and angry behavior we could live happily ever after.

This is the first book that helped me through my fantasy of believing I could "rescue" this kind of person from himself. I'd give it the highest rating for that alone. But there is so much more helpful information here that confirmed what I'd feared about them that I'd say this is a must-read for any woman confused about why she's not happy with her partner but feeling it's all her fault. Great as a gift!

4 out of 5 stars I don't understand why he treats me this way. He say he loves me........2007-09-23

If you've ever asked that question, then this is a book for you. It is very comprehensive in covering the multitude of reasons and justifications employed by abusive, controlling men. These types of relationships are killers, and getting help is critical to your well being.

Emotional and verbal abuse were areas of great interest to me and includes degradation, humiliation, keeping in control in all situations, withholding information to maintain control, deliberately doing something to make the victim feel diminished or embarrassed, isolating the victim from friends and family, and employing great guilt to paralyze and immobilize the victim from acting in a healthy way.

The confusing and detrimental thing in my life was that the abuser worked in a capacity which protected the rights of victims. The hypocrisy of it had me in denial for sometime. Ultimately it took others to tell me I was living in a hell created by an animal who said he loved me several times everyday.

This book was a Godsend to me. If you even think you are in one of these relationships, read this book.

5 out of 5 stars important information for victims and advocates.......2007-09-10

I work for a domestic violence provention and service program. I have given out hundreds of copies of this book. I refer to it often. One of the best books on the "why" that has been written

5 out of 5 stars Best book on abusers - EVER!.......2007-09-05

I have recommended this book to countless people and time and again, they are amazed at what they read. It validates the crazy experiences they have endured with partners or ex-partners and helps them understand that they are not the crazy one in the relationship. They are being systematically manipulated and beaten down, emotionally, mentally and perhaps physically, and their power is slowly being taken away from them.

Lundy succintly explains how abusers operate to gain power over their partners, using a range of crazy making words and behaviors. This book changed the way I look at and relate to abusive individuals and helped me have less compassion for them - which is/was a healthy thing.

The only problem I have with the book is that it focuses mainly on men as abusers b/c there tend to be more men who are abusers. In my experience women can also be mentally and psychologically abusive to their male partners (and others) although they are less likely to become killers of their partners- as too often male abusers can. Women are quite capable of becoming entitled, demeaning and threatening toward others when they don't get what they want.

Still, overall, this is THE finest book on abuse/abusers I have read and I have read a lot of them.

5 out of 5 stars Every Woman needs to Read This Book!.......2007-09-01

This is the BEST book yet on the subject of abusive men. The author knows and teaches about the BS abusers use to manipulate those around them and goes into depth (but not too deep) about their reasoning for such BS and helps the woman understand that she isn't imagining, making things up or whatever reason is given by an abuser to continue his nonsense. I'm buying many copies as presents for people I care about. The book worth every penny! Don't hesitate to purchase!!! My most heart felt gratitude to Mr. Bancroft for taking the time to write this important work.

Whether in an abusive relationship or not, EVERY woman needs to read this book if not for her own relationship, then to help a woman she probably knows who is in one or to avoid future abusive relationships. There should be a course in high school to teach students about this sort of thing and this should be the text book. I saw abuse already happening to young girls when I worked in our local school. It's time we got serious about stopping it instead of looking away. This book would go a long way to accomplishing that.

Books:

  1. Cold Mountain: A Novel
  2. Cross Dressing
  3. Damsels in Distress: A Claire Malloy Mystery (Claire Malloy Mysteries)
  4. Dry Bones Rattling: Community Building to Revitalize American Democracy (Princeton Studies in American Politics)
  5. Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust
  6. Every Heart Restored: A Wife's Guide to Healing in the Wake of a Husband's Sexual Sin (The Every Man Series)
  7. Faking It: How to Seem Like a Better Person Without Actually Improving Yourself
  8. Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, Book 4)
  9. Front-End Analysis and Return on Investment Toolkit (Learning and Performance Toolkit Series)
  10. Getting Our Groove Back: How to Energize American Jewry

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