Fab Five: Basketball, Trash Talk, the American Dream

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Fabulous Five Freshmen

No doubt.

The Greatest Basketball Team Ever Assembled.....

One of the best sports books ever

Unbelievable

Fab Five: Basketball, Trash Talk, the American Dream
Mitch Albom
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Basketball | Sports | Subjects | Books
College & University | Basketball | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0446517348

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous Five Freshmen.......2006-04-10

"What scares you Jalen? Death, said Jalen,... because I can't imagine a world without me in it." The cockiness that was the Fab Five is captured perfectly by Mitch Albom in his book the Fab Five; Basketball, Trash Talk and the American Dream. Like Albom's other books Tuesdays with Morrie and 5 People You Meet in Heaven, his story telling engulfs the reader and transforms a normal story into a legendary tale. Albom recognizes the important interaction between people in their actions and conversations and captures that in his writing. This story, the Fab Five, was a great book and one of the best for any sports fan. The "Greatest Class Ever Recruited", as Albom called them, is a great story that is told from behind the scenes, during the Fab Five's historic career at the University of Michigan. The Fab Five by Albom is the finest sports book because Albom's humorous and stylish writing brings to life the events surrounding five freshmen that transformed college basketball.
The Fab Five is a book about Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson, the fabulous five freshmen at the University of Michigan. A group assembled in many different ways, each contributing a unique story to what brought them to Ann Arbor. Albom takes his first few chapters describing the intricate lines that connected each player to Ann Arbor. Jalen and Chris were from Detroit and went to UofM because they were always best friends. Ray Jackson and Jimmy King are from Texas. Ray Jackson was noticed accidentally while scouts were in Texas recruiting other players. For Jimmy King, he came to UofM because Juwan Howard, his roommate on a recruiting trip, was going. And to put it all together, Juwan became a Michigan Wolverine because his recently diseased grandmother wanted him to go to UofM. Together they became the Fab Five and marched their way on campus and took the college basketball world by storm making it to back-to-back NCAA men's national championship appearances.
The caliber of talent that sounds this book is one for the history books. However, the Fab Five would not be the book it was without the writing and story telling ability of Mitch Albom. Albom has been voted the number one sports writer an unprecedented seven times by the Associated Press Sports Editors. He has hosted a TV show on ESPN and written many famous books as well as a sports column for the "Detroit Free Press". His ability to touch every reader regardless of background is rare. He makes people cry reading Tuesdays with Morrie and people stand up in cheer for the `91 Michigan basketball team in the Fab Five. Undoubtedly, Albom is one of the best writers in American and is writing about one of the best sports teams America has ever witnessed.
Albom accurately describes the sequence of events leading five high school seniors to main-stream college freshman superstars. But one of the things that makes this story one for the ages is that while on many teams today it is rare to see two freshmen starting a game, in 1991 the Fab Five were five freshman players who all started on a team that made it to the NCAA men's Championship basketball game. Having five freshman start a national championship game is unheard of and still to this day, unmatched. Albom predicts, "There will never be another group like the Fab Five." Through what brought them to Michigan, through every behind the scenes event, through every exciting and electrifying game, this book comes to life in front of the readers' eyes. As the book progresses the plot thickens for these young athletes as if Albom himself wrote the story. Every big game and tournament game was commentated as if live from the radio. Albom writes, "And with 21 seconds left, Michigan lead by just a basket, 71-69. `No three-point-shots,' fisher yelled." The games brought a sense of involvement for the reader taking them back in time to the game. With writing style that is clear and descriptive, and while combined with the dazzling games provided by the Michigan Basketball team, this leads to a suspenseful, well illustrated book that makes the heart pump and adrenaline rush. While watching the suspenseful games, Albom knew greatness at the very moment it happened and was there to preserve ever moment of history in his book; a book about kids who became "The Greatest Class Ever Recruited."
They had become the most popular names and faces in college basketball. In Ann Arbor, they sold jerseys and shorts for a hundred and fifty dollars total; "They sold out in a heartbeat," Albom wrote. Stories like these make this book different than any other sports book, a book written while the events occurred with detailed stories nobody else could get. He also wrote about that one game they all walked onto the court with their fashionably baggy shorts, black socks and black shoes revolutionizing college basketball, and he was there to catch every story and detail. Black socks, black shoes and baggy shorts all surprised people watching college basketball. Later looking back, people would contribute these five freshmen as revolutionizing basketball and creating its image today. Albom knew this and felt it was necessary to capture their uniqueness in this book. Mitch Albom, like the rest of the world knew greatness while it was happening and the passion and enthusiasm that he wrote with to illustrate that greatness he was witnessing is another example of why this book is so fabulous.
Albom also included inside stories, taking the reader to a place only a few were able to see. Inside the games, inside the practices and inside the family that was the Fab Five. When Jalen walked in the first day as a freshman and announced, "Freshmen verse ya'll," everyone in the gym was stunned. Where most freshmen come in to find themselves at the bottom of the barrel, these freshmen came in and ran right to the top. After saying, "Freshmen verse ya'll," the five freshman went on to win three scrimmages against the upper classmen. Albom wrote, "The Fab Five has been born." While many people could watch the televised games and see for themselves the spectacle surrounding these freshmen, he took this audience backstage and incorporated these stories that give the reader more than they could otherwise see. Stories about crazy pranks to trash talking rants and bizarre interviews to the baggy shorts and black socks and shoes, is why Fab Five gives the reader more than a sports book. It gives the reader a legendary, and even though no previous knowledge is necessary a substantial amount of time is essential because putting the book down once the readers starts if difficult.
The Fab Five is a humorous, entertaining and well written book, but furthermore, it is an inside look at one of the greatest college basketball stories. Mitch Albom, as one of America's most heralded writers, gives one of his best writing performances for his perfectly illustrated, historical tale of "The Greatest Recruiting Class Ever." He captivated my attention and sparked my interest in Michigan Basketball because of his urban style humor and story telling ability. While most other historical accounts tend to be boring, Mitch Albom captivates his readers and provides one of the best books about sports; a must read for any sports fan. Albom quoted Jalen Rose, "they'll be talking about us for 20 years." This is true about the Fab Five and the Fab Five will be talked about for many years to come

No doubt........2004-12-24

With all the kids going to the pros now this book just gets more and more interesting. College hoops may never be the same as it was when the fab five were together. Although it may be wrong to say they were the reason for so many changes, they were certainly style agents of the nth degree. No doubt about the power of youth and potential and Albom captures all of it with a lot of excitement and enjoyment.

The Greatest Basketball Team Ever Assembled............2004-03-28

This book is excellent by far. I read this book whenever I'm bored, and it still excites me to this day. I can just flashback and remember what I was doing during the time the Fab Five was wrecking havoc on the college hardwoods. I still believe dat dis book is the greatest book Mitch Albom has ever written. He's already my favorite sports columnist in the world. Just like another person typed, if you love basketball buy this book. If you don't still buy this book, because you will grow to love college basketball.

One of the best sports books ever.......2004-01-17

This is an amazing in-depth look at the most popular and ballyhooed basketball team ever, Michigan's Fab Five. As a huge maize-and-blue fan I have read this masterpiece countless times but it shows all the details of running a major basketball program, the troubles that Steve Fisher had to deal with, and talks about the complex lives that Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson led and lead. Pickthis one up now.

Unbelievable.......2003-12-17

Mitch Albom is supposedly a newspaper writer and journalist. Yet somehow he managed not to notice the fact the subjects of this book (The Fab Five) were paid over $600,000 to attend the University of Michigan.

This means that either:
A. Mitch knew about the payments and therefore all the material he wrote concerning the Michigan basketball program is suspect because he was in on the coverup.

Book Description

During the latter half of the 1980s and throughout the 1990s, television talk shows, infotainment news, and screaming supermarket headlines became ubiquitous in America as the “tabloidization” of the nation’s media took hold. In Tabloid Culture Kevin Glynn draws on diverse theoretical sources and an unprecedented range of electronic and print media in order to analyze important aspects and key debates that have emerged around this phenomenon.
Glynn begins by situating these media shifts within the context of Reaganism, which gave rise to distinctive ideological currents in society and led the socially and economically disenfranchised to access new forms of information via the exploding television industry. He then tackles specific daytime talk shows and tabloid newscasts such as Jerry Springer and A Current Affair, reality-TV programs such as Cops and America’s Most Wanted, and two different supermarket tabloids’ coverage of the O.J. Simpson case. Tabloid Culture is the first book to treat these diverse yet related media forms and events in tandem. Rejecting the elitist dismissal of sensationalist media, Glynn instead traces the cultural currents and countercurrents running through their forms and products. Locating both reactionary and oppositional meanings in these texts, he demonstrates how these particular media genres draw on and contribute to important cultural struggles over the meanings of race, sexuality, gender, class, “normality,” “truth,” and “reality.” The study ends by discussing how the growing use of the Internet provides an entirely new realm in which such material can circulate, distort, inform, and flourish.
This innovative and provocative study of contemporary mainstream media culture in the United States will be valuable to those interested in both print and television media, the cultural-political influence of the Reagan era, and American culture in general.

Customer Reviews:

A Very Illuminating Examination of What Others Fear To Touch.......2005-12-03

Please do not listen to the other review of this book: it is clearly written by someone who hasn't read Glynn's carefully argued, very interesting examination of "trash" television. "John Q. Public," as he calls himself in the review, seems to make it sound so simple -- networks play things because they get ratings. But what Glynn answers in a way that all of John Q's love for PBS can't is WHY they get ratings. The answer to this question has so often been astoundingly shortsighted and downright insulting: "People watch trash TV because they're stupid, don't know any better, and never will" or something as asinine and simplistic as that.

But Glynn digs into the populist in a very interesting way, and what he finds is that these shows frequently validate everyday experiences and knowledge of everyday, working class viewers in ways that many instances of "high culture" on television don't. Glynn's point is not at all about aesthetics or artistic value (as John Q. Public assumes, having not read the book, that it is), as he largely leaves this question for the reader to answer: his point is about not just disregarding all these programs AND all their viewers because one has made such artistic judgements. In "trash" TV, Glynn finds many democratic tendencies.

At times, Glynn can overdo it, and at other times, his enthusiasm to defend overlooks, or rushes through, disturbing political content of the shows (such as inherent racism or sexism), but most of the time he is remarkably careful to balance such tensions.

This is an academic text, and so may not be ideal for everyone, though it is reasonably accessible. So, if you want to go beyond complaining that such television shouldn't exist, and if you're actually interested in why it does, and why so many people turn to it, I highly recommend this book. I share the reviewer "John Q Public's" regard for PBS, though I feel it has turned its back on many Americans, and on the real John Q Publics, so to speak. Glynn's book looks at what those John Qs are watching and starts to ask the reasons why. (For more on PBS and "the masses," though, I'd highly recommend Laurie Ouellette's *Viewers Like You?*)

The Money Shot: Trash, Class, and the Making of TV Talk Shows

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Read if you're curious what's real & what's fake
Going Back Stage
Television Talk and Blow-by-Blow Commentary

The Money Shot: Trash, Class, and the Making of TV Talk Shows
Laura Grindstaff
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Reference | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Research | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0226309118

Book Description

He leaped from his chair, ripped off his microphone, and lunged at his ex-wife. Security guards rushed to intercept him. The audience screamed, then cheered. Were producers concerned? Not at all. They were getting what they wanted: the money shot.

From "classy" shows like Oprah to "trashy" shows like Jerry Springer, the key to a talk show's success is what Laura Grindstaff calls the money shot—moments when guests lose control and express joy, sorrow, rage, or remorse on camera. In this new work, Grindstaff takes us behind the scenes of daytime television talk shows, a genre focused on "real" stories told by "ordinary" people. Drawing on extensive interviews with producers and guests, her own attendance of dozens of live tapings around the country, and more than a year's experience working on two nationally televised shows, Grindstaff shows us how producers elicit dramatic performances from guests, why guests agree to participate, and the supporting roles played by studio audiences and experts.

Grindstaff traces the career of the money shot, examining how producers make stars and experts out of ordinary people, in the process reproducing old forms of cultural hierarchy and class inequality even while seeming to challenge them. She argues that the daytime talk show does give voice to people normally excluded from the media spotlight, but it lets them speak only in certain ways and under certain rules and conditions. Working to understand the genre from the inside rather than pass judgment on it from the outside, Grindstaff asks not just what talk shows can tell us about mass media, but also what they reveal about American culture more generally.

Customer Reviews:

Read if you're curious what's real & what's fake.......2005-06-15

I found this book very informative, and it answered my many questions about the truth behind talk shows. The author presents the industry from all angles, from studio audience to home audience to guests to producers. The only drawback is that I found some parts of the book overloaded with "big words" that are not necessary, and are distracting from the substance of the book. For example: "Such practices do not guarantee fireworks and drama, but they help because they locate the potential for dramatic interaction in the strategic juxtaposition of participants rather than (or in addition to) individual performative competence." I consider myself to be fairly skilled when it comes to vocabulary, but I found myself having to reread paragraphs on many occasions. If you're genuinely interested in the topic of talk shows, as I was, it will probably be worth your while to read. It will probably answer all of your questions, if you're willing to pluck the answers out from behind the excess wording.

Going Back Stage.......2002-10-23

I am, unabashedly, a talk show junkie. At some level my interest is undeniably scatalogical. Still, as a sociologist, my real fascination is with the culture of such programming and its impact upon American culture. Grindstaff's ethnographic exploration of two American talk shows answers many of my questions about how such programs are produced (the mechanics), the people involved ('ordinary' guests, 'expert' guests, those working behind the scenes, and the hosts), and offers insight into why we are hooked on this type of spectacle. Her treatment of the subject and those involved is even handed and avoids the obvious pitfalls of stereotyping and villifying.

For those interested in popular culture, American ethnography, issues of authenticity, and cultural studies, Grindstaff's text should find its way to your bookshelf ASAP.

Television Talk and Blow-by-Blow Commentary.......2002-08-24

Grindstaff has produced an excellent book exposing the underbelly of daytime talk show production. Her profuse detail gathered through extensive ethnographic fieldwork pays off in an effective account explaining the production process associated with the talk show. We see how the offbeat topics are formulated, guests recruited, and production secured on numerous talk show episodes. We are taken behind the scenes and understand that it is a small miracle that the television format manages to survive on a daily basis. The writing is precise and the volume is well annotated.
A fan of these talk shows will gain greater appreciation of how the process is structured and the impact upon producers, talk show guests, and studio audience members. This is a magnificent analysis that should be read by everyone curious about the talk show phenomenon.

Average customer rating:

Keeps you on your toes!

Trash: Evil Twin (Trash , No 5)
Cherie Bennett
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0425160874

Customer Reviews:

Keeps you on your toes!.......2000-08-29

This book is by far the best one of the series. It is suspenseful and a tear jerker. You find out a lot in this one. Be sure to read this one and the rest if the series

Sensational TV: Trash or Journalism? (Issues in Focus)

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Sensational TV: Trash or Journalism? (Issues in Focus)
Nancy Day
Manufacturer: Enslow Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0894907336

Trash Talk: An inspirational guide to saving time and money through better waste and resource management

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Trash Talk
Trash Talk : A call to conscientiousness
Book Review of "Trash Talk"
Save money and help the earth
Good for the Environment

Trash Talk: An inspirational guide to saving time and money through better waste and resource management
Lillian Brummet , and Dave Brummet
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Book Description

North Americans are overwhelmed by the immense environmental problems our world faces yet studies report that 66% would do more if they knew it had a measurable impact. Psychologists have long known that simply performing one small step will aid in defining a positive outlook on life and will inspire further participation from the individual.Trash Talk is about changing people's mind-sets by providing thought-provoking ideas that inspire readers to participate from the ground level in their waste reduction efforts. All the ideas are relatively simple and do not require any special skills or tools.

Customer Reviews:

Trash Talk.......2006-03-22

Trash Talk
by
Dave and Lillian Brummet

Waste Not, Want Not - Benjarmin Franklin 1706 - 1790

Reviewed

by

Ameasha

Brown

This book was written out of a labour of love for Mother Earth. Dave and Lillian Brummetco - wrote Trash Talk with the hope of reaching others. By giving of their thoughts, ideas and resourses to heal Earth, they share with the reader facts, percentages and studies that were so carefully tried and proven. The numbers will stun you and the immensity of these tasks gives one pause. The book has part one through four filled with a wealth of knowledge for those who want to learn how they can do their part in giving back to the world around them. The three R's (Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle) has been joined by a fourth R, Refuse. The fourth R is for refusing to buy fancy packaging and the process it takes to make them, which adds to our landfills. The three R's are certainly put into motion in this fasinating book. Dave and Lillian have gone as far as drawing diagram examples in their book Trash Talk. It is a great learning tool for youngsters to start getting involved in their ecosystem at an early age and discovering how they can do their part. I myself am very passionate about this topic and I was doing some of the same things that were mentioned, back in the 70's, but by reading this book I have learned many new things that I can put into practice today.

This book is one I strongly recommend to those that have the same endearment to Earth and can spread the word. Remember Earth is not ours ! We only borrow Her.

Authors of:

Trash Talk - An Inspirational Guide to Saving Time and Money through Better Waste and Resource Management. ISBN# 1-4137-2518-X

Towards Understanding - a collection of 120 poems on society, the environment and overcoming trauma. ISBN# 1-4137-9337-1 Release Date January 23, 2006

Members of: Seeds of Diversity Canada & The Recycling Council of BC

Trash Talk : A call to conscientiousness.......2006-03-02

Trash Talk
" North Americans account for only 8% of the world's population yet we produce 50% of the world's garbage and consume more than 35% of the its resources. Production processes in our society result in94% of the materials extracted turned to waste..." In light of such dire, disturbing statistics as this, the book Trash Talk by Dave and Lillian Brummet is a most welcomed resource for simple, easily assimilated time and money saving habits that actually make an appreciable difference in our planet's overall health.
Whether one is already a dedicated advocate of the 4R's of waste management, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, or a curious newcomer who appreciates conservationist ideals but has no real program in effect, Trash Talk is a detailed, well organized, thoroughly researched guidebook. The Brummets offer a wealth of information, not only about the harsh realities of how the rampant misuse of our natural recourses is rapidly depleting the world of its ability to support the excesses of the average North American lifestyle, but also provide many excellent suggestions as to how one might immediately start to effectively reduce one's own wastefulness and start enjoying the unexpected benefits of extra time and money to spend on more worthwhile activities.
Trash Talk is not the typical tree-hugger's tome commonly associated with the practice of conservation and recycling. In fact, Dave and Lillian place recycling at the bottom of their list of the 4R's, encouraging everyone to "shout with your dollars - demand to be heard." The Brummets recommend that the first step in reducing waste should be to simply refuse to buy products from companies that have wasteful processing policies, excessive packaging, and unnecessary energy expenditures. Buying in bulk diminishes the amount of packaging used, as well as, saving time spent shopping and traveling back and forth to the store. This is a very simple practice that a single city dweller or someone with a large family living on an organic farm could began to do and immediately realize the many benefits with the very first exercise.
Trash Talk is organized into four general sections, each one broken down into an extensive list of topics and items and how these everyday products not only waste limited natural resources but, for most people, limited resources of discretionary time and money as well. Drawing on their years of personal experience, Dave and Lillian generously share their ideas and suggestions based on extensive research and practical applications on how to reap the most benefits with the least amount of negative impact.
Part 1 offers suggestions on how everyday items found regularly in every household can be made far more economical and earth friendly through inventive and creative usage, minimizing the need for landfills and maximizing benefits. At the end of each discussion is a list of the immediate and long-term benefits that can be realized by implementing the simple but practical ideas outlined in the chapter.
Part 2 concentrates on the many opportunities that one has to make a positive impact on his or her immediate community as well on people they may never even meet through the wise and conscientious use of products that might otherwise be wasted. From donating items such as prescription eyes glasses to the Gift of Sight program to just basic good sense or good cents measures as Dave and Lillian call them such as turning off electronic devices when not in use and weather-stripping to reduce gaps around windows and doors, everyone can make a difference. Just by participating in these two projects communities can help the less fortunate and save a substantial amount of energy reducing the possibility of shortages and brown outs and the individual saves real money on utility bills. Good Sense earns Good Cents!
Part 3 is devoted almost entirely to reducing the wasteful consumption of paper products. "...62 million tress and 28 billion gallons of water were used to produce the U.S. mail - 50% of which was never even opened." The Brummets provide a list of contact addresses for direct marketers that can be used to effectively reduce junk mail by up to 75%. The savings in aggravation alone from all that unwanted mail clogging our mailboxes and littering our desks is well worth the price of this excellent resource book.
Part 4 is dedicated to instilling a sense of hope and inspiration, offering encouragement and empowerment to everyone attempting to make an effective contribution to the welfare of the world or, perhaps, just trying to provide a better environment for themselves and their families in their immediate community. Dave and Lillian provide an extensive list of websites to businesses, government services, and environmental agencies for anyone who wishes to have additional information on how they can become more active in promoting effective waste management programs in their homes, communities, country, or world wide.
Dave and Lillian have drawn from generations of practical experience and knowledge in compiling this extremely informative and helpful manual. Trash Talk is presented in such a practical and affable manner that this book is not so much a call to arms as it is a call to conscientiousness. Although the Brummets are passionate about talking trash, Trash Talk is a real treasure. Review by R. deVoll Fisher for deVoll Reviews Feb. 2006

Short review: Trash Talk by Dave and Lillian Brummet, PublishAmerica-2004,
Trash Talk
" North Americans account for only 8% of the world's population yet we produce 50% of the world's garbage and consume more than 35% of the its resources. Production processes in our society result in94% of the materials extracted turned to waste..." In light of such dire, disturbing statistics as this, the book Trash Talk by Dave and Lillian Brummet is a most welcomed resource for simple, easily assimilated time and money saving habits that actually make an appreciable difference in our planet's overall health.
Trash Talk is not the typical tree-hugger's tome commonly associated with the practice of conservation and recycling. In fact, Dave and Lillian place recycling at the end of their list of the 4R's, encouraging everyone to first "shout with your dollars - demand to be heard." The Brummets recommend the first step in reducing waste should be to simply refuse to buy products from companies that have wasteful processing polices, excessive packaging, and unnecessary energy expenditures. Buying in bulk diminishes the amount of packaging used, as well as, saving time spent shopping and traveling back and forth to the store. This is a very simple practice that a single city dweller or someone with a large family living on an organic farm could began to do and immediately realize the many benefits with the very first exercise.
Dave and Lillian have drawn from generations of practical experience and knowledge in compiling this extremely informative and helpful manual. They generously provide helpful advice and successful projects in Trash Talk in such a practical and affable manner that this book is not so much a call to arms as it is a call to conscientiousness. Although the Brummets may be passionate about talking trash, Trash Talk is a real treasure! Review by R. deVoll Fisher for deVoll Reviews Feb. 2006

(For the amazon.com editors, if you choose to reduce this review I wrote this review so that by using just the first paragraph and the last paragraph it still is a perfectly adequate review without compromising my basic ideals as you can see in the short review which I also encluded. I'll check back to see what is posted and design my future reviews accordingly thank you, deVoll)

Book Review of "Trash Talk" .......2006-02-02

Do you feel guilty when you throw away things like old brushes,
cloth, containers and soap? What...no guilt trip? Well, you may
change your mind after reading "Trash Talk".

I am amazed by the amount of research that Dave and Lillian have
don. This is a truly indepth study on dealing with waste and it
should be on everyone's bookshelf.

Trash Talk is full of wonderful ideas on how to re-use items such
as pieces of carpet, dryer sheets, nylons, plastic rings,
styrofoam and much much more, to make them useful again.

Besides saving money by re-using everyday items, the wonderfully
creative ideas in this book will be helpful to the environment by
producing less waste.

Each chapter ends with a special section on benefits from using
the ideas in that chapter by pointing out all the ways you've
saved money, improved on natural resources, saved time and
perhaps created a new gift.

This comprehensive, easy to understand, manual is recommended for
anyone looking to save money, improve their lifestyle and help
protect the environment. I know that I'll never again be able to
look at my used drying sheets in the same light! The money you
save by using some of these ideas will pay for this book many
times over.

Save money and help the earth.......2005-08-04

When I was very young, the authorities drained most of a small lake in the state park near my home. My mother took my best buddy and me out to the lake, and we walked around for hours picking up trash. It was a stewardship lesson I never forgot. To paraphrase Audrey Hepburn in "Roman Holiday," I will treasure that time cleaning up the lake for as long as I shall live.

But, it was one of many lessons about being a responsible resident of the planet. I grew up in a home where we already practiced much of the advice in Trash Talk. That made us unusual, in a positive way. As an adult, I continue those same practices--because they are good for the earth and good for my wallet. They simply make sense.

I did learn some new things from Trash Talk, which in itself was a surprise because I am noted for being able to stretch a buck and not waste things. I like the ability to live cheaply without being a cheapskate to do it. Not all surprises are good, but this one was. And I've already begun implementing some of what I've learned. Even very frugal, waste-conscious people are likely to realize monthly savings in excess of what they paid for this book. The average person could easily save that much each week.

As a professional speaker on time management, I was delighted with the way the Brummets organized this book. The "don't waste" philosophy of Trash Talk also applied to the actual reading of the book. That shouldn't be surprising, as planning and organization are key elements of reducing trash and cutting costs.

Trash Talk explains the three Rs: Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle. It then adds a fourth R: Refuse (as in, refuse to buy the wrong items). These principles form the foundation for the hundreds of useful tips in Trash Talk.

The book is organized into four parts.

Part One addresses commonly wasted items and explains how to reduce waste and extend the usefulness of each item. Every item has its own section, and each section ends with a bulleted list of the benefits from following the advice in that section. The items include such things as bags, carpets, cloth, containers, dryer sheets, furniture, glass, hangers, nylons, plastic rings, soap, and toothbrushes.

Part Two is less oriented around specific products and more around areas of concern. Each of these has its own section, as well (again, with those wonderful bulleted lists). Areas of concern include energy use, holidays, indoor air, infant and feminine hygiene, kitchen waste, organic gardening, and water use.

Part Three is really about saving trees. There's much more to this than most people realize. If everyone followed some simple steps, as outlined in Trash Talk, the benefit to our forests, streams, and air would be immense.

Part Four provides short examples of good things happening. The point of including these is to show that significant trash reduction is a reality for many corporations and other organizations. An extensive list of resources follows the examples.

Form is important and Trash Talk could use some editing. But even so, it was enjoyable read and easy to understand. This book is valuable, in many ways. First, remember that this book is a financial investment. It will pay dividends exceeding its purchase price, not long after you start putting it to use. Second, it provides badly-needed advice on how to be good citizens of the world. It's not a "feel good" book written by some politician or celebrity who wants to spout some politically correct blather. It's a practical "how to" guide written by people who walk the walk.

Buy this book for yourself. But also consider giving it as a gift to others. It may be one of the most durable gifts you have ever bestowed on another person. Your planet will thank you.

Good for the Environment.......2005-07-14

A great book on suggestions on how to reuse everyday household items instead of throwing them into the trash. If you want to do your part and help our environment, Trash Talk gives some excellent advice.

Average customer rating:

Great comedic novel - keep em' coming!
Who talks "trash" the best?
Very funny and fun to read!!!
Gussin had me laughing for days, even after I finished the book!
Laugh out loud funny!

Trash Talk
Robert Gussin
Manufacturer: Oceanview Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Shadow of Death: A Novel

ASIN: 193351504X

Book Description

The players were irate. Professional athletes from football, baseball, basketball and hockey revolted at the horrible imposition foisted on them. The idiot commissioners decided that they had seen enough behavioral problems so they invoked mandatory non-sports related education. What right did they have to force class and culture? But then the answer, the savior, appeared to the athletes. Not from heaven, but from a newspaper advertisement announcing a symposium entitled TRASH TALK, sponsored by the S.E.S. in Sarasota, Florida in May.

None of the athletes knew, or cared, what S.E.S. was, but trash talk was their specialty. Four days in Sarasota honing their skills. Those jackass commissioners couldn't have anticipated such a perfect opportunity. Word of the meeting spread among the athletes like wildfire. They could not apply fast enough. The annual Environmentalist Society Meeting, hosted this year by the Sarasota Environmentalist Society (S.E.S.) was going to be the surprise of a lifetime for many people. Judging by the numerous applicants, there seemed to be incredible interest in dealing with the trash of the planet.

Will the world of professional sports ever be the same if trash talk means recycling, compaction, purification and combustion? This humorous novel says "Maybe not!"

Customer Reviews:

Great comedic novel - keep em' coming!.......2006-11-21

I love great comedic novels and Trash Talk is no exception. This book was super funny and a nice, quick read... perfect for the weekend (before the game comes on, of course)! The pairing of pro athletes and environmentalists - two extremely different groups - is a great set-up for an interesting and entertaining story. Throw in some stereotypical but highly comical characters, and you've got yourself a wonderful concoction of hilarity. Plus, after a novel full of funny mistakes and misunderstandings, the two sides find a solution to their differences, adding a warm human element to the book. I enjoyed Trash Talk and will keep an eye out for more books by Gussin.

Who talks "trash" the best?.......2006-11-10

The Sarasota Chapter is hosting the Annual Environmentalist Meeting for the first time since 1957. Arne Schwartz has been given the responsibility to set up a weeklong conference and decide on discussion topics for the breakout sessions and workshops. Arne's committee chooses the theme "Trash Talk" because of the proliferation of garbage on the earth.

Basketball Commissioner David Kress is looking for a way to improve communication between warring athletes who rely on fists and trash talk. He develops an initiative instructing that all basketball athletes must attend a conference of their choice that is considered continuing education on culture and courtesy. This idea is so provocative that other sports commissioners, baseball, hockey, and football, have jumped on this in plan and are enforcing this directive to the athletes of their sport. And so the great miscommunication begins.

Trash Talk does not live up to its promise. There were so many opportunities for the author to develop the characters and the story. Instead it seems it became an opportunity to use multiple 'mother @*!%`^'s and other expletives to drive the point to ad nauseam, the athletes are boys with bad attitudes and thug behavior.

I think much more could have been done with this story line to make it more appealing to a wider audience.

Armchair Interviews says: Heed this reviewer's comments about content and story line.

Very funny and fun to read!!!.......2006-11-08

Robert Gussin, author of Trash Talk, has hit it out of the park with his
>debut novel. In a case of misunderstood advertising, hundreds of major
>league athletes show up at an environmental meeting entitled "Trash Talk"
>hoping to get additional schooling in on-the-field intimidation talk. When they realize the conference is more about waste removal than head games, tempers flare and it's up to the environmentalists and a few key athletes to redesign the conference in a way that will be appealing to both sides of this unlikely pairing. The result is a comedic and charming story of two very different groups working out their differences and having a great time doing so! It was a joy to read and very funny. Good work!
>

Gussin had me laughing for days, even after I finished the book!.......2006-11-08

As an avid sports fan and someone who is interested in environmental issues, the subject matter of Trash Talk got my attention before I even read it. I was very interested to see how these two groups would pair up and the outcome was hilarious! A quick and solid read, this book is full of laugh-out loud moments. In addition, I thought it made some good serious points too, both about the history of unsportsmanship-like conduct and environmental issues. I look forward to future books by Robert Gussin and applaud his first comedic novel!

Laugh out loud funny!.......2006-11-01

The setup for this hilarious charmer is deceptively simple. Environmentalists (complete with Birkenstocks, low bank balances, and geeky looks) and pro athletes (complete with brawn, bling and bad manners) make a series of mistakes that lead the two groups to share a convention in a small, unprepared Florida town. How the two collide is simply hysterical.

When I got to the phrase "tampons and live octopuses" I was laughing so hard I was almost asked to leave the Starbucks! A concerned waitress thought I was having a seizure.

Move over Christopher Buckley. This is THANK YOU FOR SMOKING territory for anyone who thinks jocks and tree huggers need tweaking. Buy a couple. You'll want to give it to your friends.

Average customer rating:

Trashy; 1st Book in Series
Cool!
I love this book!

Trash
Cherie Bennett , and Jeff Gottesfeld
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0425158519

Customer Reviews:

Trashy; 1st Book in Series.......2004-02-16

"My father was a mass murderer"--so begins another collaborative series between wife and husband team, Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld. The narrator is Chelsea Jenning, an 18-year-old Tennessean chosen for a summer intern job in New York City at Trash, one of the nation's sleaziest, hip new talk shows. Chelsea and two other female interns--Karma Kushner and Alyssa "Lisha" Bishop (an old best friend of Chelsea's from grade school)--are put in a great loft, just across the hall from three other great-looking guy interns: Nick Shaw (the guy Chelsea falls for, even though Jazz Stewart, the hostess of Trash, deems him her boy toy), Alan Van Kleef, and Sky Addison. (Note: Everybody in this book looks/sounds like some celebrity: Chelsea looks like Alicia Silverstone; Karma sounds like Fran Drescher; Lisha looks like Demi Moore; Sky looks like Keanu Reeves, etc.--hence nobody is ugly, which gives this book/series a rather superficial feel.)

Once on the job, Chelsea barely uses her brain or talent and has serious doubts about staying, especially when her past is threatened to be revealed on national TV: of her father going mental one day and shooting a restaurant full of people, then trying to kill her and her mother.

The title of this book/series does give a hint of what to expect, e.g., a hostess that almost bares it all on live TV, talk show topics like "Transvestite Teen Girls versus Real Teen Girls--who's sexier?" So, it's basically a tamer version of the Jerry Springer show for teens. The writing will appeal to young teens; it's humorous, light, and fluffy with some romance and drama thrown in for good measure. Certainly recommended to Cherie Bennett fans.

Cool!.......1998-03-26

Trash is sort of like a soap opera but cooler, because there is definitely a plot! I love it!

I love this book!.......1998-02-21

I just wanted to tell you that I love Trash! My name is Melissa and I started reading Trash about 3 months ago, and I love the books! One thing--I hate the way you end them not knowing whats going to happen cause then I have to wait till the next book comes out to find out!! That drives me crazy! -Melissa-

Average customer rating:

So TRASHy!
Definitely not TRASH.
hot trash!

Hot Trash
Cherie Bennett , and Jeff Gottesfeld
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Trash Talk (Trash)

ASIN: 0425201201

Book Description

Six girls and guys are about to have one hot summer. They've been chosen to move to New York City and be interns on the new reality talk show Trash. But the real drama is going on behind the cameras.

Features the first two books in the series:

Trash
Someone is making a secret video to expose the truth behind the Trash television show. Now, hard-nosed exec Rosanne is out for revenge--and one of the interns will pay.

Trash: Love, Lies and Video
Intern Karma is in love with the most gorgeous male intern at Trash, and he's crazy about her--or is he mistaking her for someone else?

Customer Reviews:

So TRASHy!.......2006-03-05

This book is not a super racy book like the cover and the title suggest.

This two-books-in-one book was such a great book. I finished it in about 3 days. I was hungry for the next two books. Luckily I bought both of them.

These books are just plain amazing. I think that words can not explain the goodness of Hot Trash.

So go ahead, spoil yourself and buy the book. You won't be sorry.

Definitely not TRASH........2005-02-13

These books were released originally in 97, but they're getting a new reincarnation as the first book in what looks to be a trio of two-books-in-one TRASH. I can honestly say I'd never heard of TRASH when I caught sight of it at a bookstore, but it's definitely not TRASH.

The first book, aptly titled TRASH, follows Chelsea "Jennings" whose secret is revealed in the first pages of the book. Chelsea's a Tennessee native, a valedictorian PREP whose ordinariness makes her such an unusual TRASH intern. Will she tell her intern friends this horrible fact? And will a crisis at TRASH that could out her forever ruin her budding TV career?

The second, LOVE, LIES, AND VIDEO, follows Karma Kushner, the shrimpy Korean who has fallen hard for Demetrius. When she and the intern buddies come up with a plan to expose TRASH for what it is--trash--will somebody find them out? Who's the freaky twin who's been spotted around NYC that looks just like her? And just what is going on with Lisha, who won't reveal any details about Europe?

These are pretty good books for fans of Gossip Girl, the A-List, et cetera. They're MUCH tamer, without some of the R-rated content. There's no foul language, but some situations are PG-13...good for the younger folk, but the cover tries to make up for the raciness the stories lack. All in all, a fairly entertaining book(s), if a bit far-fetched.

hot trash!.......2005-02-01

this book is really interesting! What happens when six teenagers get the chance to intern on the hottest tv show ever? TRASH! Chelsea, Karma, Lisha, Alan, Sky, and Nick are all thrilled to be interns.....until they get to the job. The truth about Trash is revealed as the interns go through the day to day behind the scenes. Instead of glamorous tasks, the interns run errands, walk and clean up after Jazz's (the host) queasy dalmations, spend hours in sicko-central transcribing the ideas the twisted viewers send in, and dealing with Roxanne, aka Bigfoot, the tyrannical second in command. As the interns try to survive in this world, they have to also deal with past secrets and present romances......this book rocks!

Average customer rating:

I love this book, but are they going to write an ending?
My favorite book!
Best Book in series

Trash: Truth or Scare (Trash , No 6)
Cherie Bennett
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Being a Teen | Social Issues | Teens | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0425161889

Book Description

The hip young adult series that's taking the talk show world by storm... Love, sex, power, revenge, scandals--it's all here on the set of TRASH!

* From the author of the bestselling YA series, Sunset Island
* #6 in the red-hot series
* Behind-the-scenes action, based on the TV talk shows everyone loves to hate

Customer Reviews:

I love this book, but are they going to write an ending?.......1999-04-19

I loved this book even though the whole series is a little TRASHY. Are they going to continue the series. I mean the ending of this one kind of left me hanging. What happens to Lisha? Will Lisha and Sky get together and stay together? What happens to Karma and D.? What about Alan? I am dying to know! Write some more Bennett!

My favorite book!.......1998-06-12

This is the best book in the series. The cliffhanger is leaving me in suspense. I was happy to see Lisha and Sky get together and I can't wait to see what happens. This is a great book that I think everyone would enjoy!

Best Book in series.......1998-06-02

Lisha is my favorite charcter so this is my favorite book in the series.I have loved all of the Trash books so if you like the others you'll love this one.

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