A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns
Average customer rating:

A vibrant, intense, and emotionally wrenching book

Tragic Journey of Love

terrific book, but left with some mixed feelings

Strong but disturbing

Afghanistan history

A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hosseini
Manufacturer: Riverhead Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Suite Francaise

ASIN: 1594489505
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Amazon.com

It's difficult to imagine a harder first act to follow than The Kite Runner: a debut novel by an unknown writer about a country many readers knew little about that has gone on to have over four million copies in print worldwide. But when preview copies of Khaled Hosseini's second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, started circulating at Amazon.com, readers reacted with a unanimous enthusiasm that few of us could remember seeing before. As special as The Kite Runner was, those readers said, A Thousand Splendid Suns is more so, bringing Hosseini's compassionate storytelling and his sense of personal and national tragedy to a tale of two women that is weighted equally with despair and grave hope.

We wanted to spread the word on the book as widely, and as soon, as we could. See below for an exclusive excerpt from A Thousand Splendid Suns and early reviews of the book from some of our top customer reviewers.--The Editors

An Exclusive Excerpt from A Thousand Splendid Suns

We have arranged with the publisher to make an exclusive excerpt of A Thousand Splendid Suns available on Amazon.com. Click here to read a scene from the novel. It's not the opening scene, but rather one from a crucial moment later in the book when Mariam, one of the novel's two main characters, steps into a new role.

Early Buzz from Amazon.com Top Reviewers

We queried our top 100 customer reviewers as of March 6, 2007, and asked them to read A Thousand Splendid Suns and share their thoughts. We've included these early reviews below in the order they were received. For the sake of space, we've only included a brief excerpt of each reviewer's response, but each review is available for reading in its entirety by clicking the "Read the review" link.

Joanna Daneman: "His style is deceptively simple and clear, the characters drawn deftly and swiftly, his themes elemental and huge. This is a brilliant writer and I look forward to more of his work." Read Joanna Daneman's review

Seth J. Frantzman: "Khaled Hosseini has done it again with 'A Thousand Splendid Sons', presenting a new, dashing and dark tale of two generations of women trapped in a loveless marriage, bracketed by great events." Read Seth J. Frantzman's review

Donald Mitchell: "Khaled Hosseini has succeeded in capturing many important historical and contemporary themes in a way that will make your heart ache again and again. Why will your reaction be so strong? It's because you'll identify closely with the suffering of almost all the characters, a reaction that's very rare to a modern novel." Read Donald Mitchell's review

Lawrance M. Bernabo: "All things considered, following up on a successful first novel is probably harder than coming up with the original effort and Hosseini could have rested on his laurels in the manner of Harper Lee, but as "A Thousand Splendid Suns" amply proves, this native of Kabul has more stories to tell about the land of Afghanistan." Read Lawrance M. Bernabo's review

Amanda Richards: "There are parts of this book that will have grown men surreptitiously blotting the tears that are on the verge of overflowing their ducts, and by the time you get to the middle, you won't be able to put it down. Hosseini's simple but richly descriptive prose makes for an engrossing read, and in my opinion, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is among the best I have ever read. This is definitely not one to be missed." Read Amanda Richards's review

N. Durham: "All that being said, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is a bit more enjoyable than Hosseini's previous "The Kite Runner", and once again he manages to give we readers another glimpse of a world that we know little about but frequently condemn and discard. However, if you were one of the many that for some reason absolutely loved "The Kite Runner", chances are that you'll love this as well." Read N. Durham's review

John Kwok: "Khaled Hosseini's "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is a genuine instant literary classic, and one destined to be remembered as one of 2007's best novels. It should be compared favorably to such legendary Russian novels like "War and Peace" and "Doctor Zhivago"." Read John Kwok's review

Thomas Duff: "Normally I'm more of an action-adventure type reader when it comes to novels and recreational reading. But I was given the chance to read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (author of The Kite Runner), so I decided to try something out of my normal genre. I am *so* glad I did. This is a stunning and moving novel of life and love in Afghanistan over a 30 year period." Read Thomas Duff's review

Charles Ashbacher: "This book manages to simultaneously capture the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years and how women are treated in conservative Islamic societies.... In many ways it is a sad book, your heart goes out to these two women in their hopeless struggle to have a decent life with a brutal man in an unforgiving, intolerant society." Read Charles Ashbacher's review

W. Boudville: "Hosseini presents a piognant view into the recent tortured decades of the Afghan experience. From the 1970s, under a king, to the Soviet takeover, to the years of resistance. And then the rise and fall of the Taliban. An American reader will recognise many of the main political events. But to many Americans, Afghanistan and its peoples and religion remain an opaque and troubling mystery." Read W. Boudville's review

Mark Baker: "I tend to read plot heavy books, so this character study was a definite change of pace for me. I found the first half slow going at times, mainly because I knew where the story was going. Once I got into the second half, things really picked up. The ending was very bittersweet. I couldn't think of a better way to end it." Read Mark Baker's review

Grady Harp: "Hosseini takes us behind those walls for forty some years of Afghanistan's bloody history and while he does not spare us any of the descriptions of the terror that continues to besiege that country, he does offer us a story that speaks so tenderly about the fragile beauty of love and devotion and lasting impression people make on people." Read Grady Harp's review

Robert P. Beveridge: "When I was actively reading it, the pages kept turning, and more than once I found myself foregoing food or sleep temporarily to get in just one more chapter. When I had put it down, however, I felt no particular compulsion to pick it back up again. It's a good book, and a relatively well-written one, but it's not a great book. Enjoyable without leaving a lasting impression." Read Robert P. Beveridge's review

B. Marold: "While the events in Afghanistan and the wider world create a familiar framework for the stories of these two women, it is nothing more than a framework. The warp and weft of everyday life, and the interaction of the two women and their close relatives is the heartbeat of the story." Read B. Marold's review

Daniel Jolley: "Khaled Hosseini has written a majestic, sweeping, emotionally powerful story that provides the reader with a most telling window into Afghan society over the past thirty-odd years. It's also a moving story of friendship and sacrifice, giving Western readers a rare glimpse into the suffering and mistreatment of Afghan women that began long before the Taliban came to power." Read Daniel Jolley's review

Book Description

After 103 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and with four million copies of The Kite Runner shipped, Khaled Hosseini returns with a beautiful, riveting, and haunting novel that confirms his place as one of the most important literary writers today.

Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.

Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.

A stunning accomplishment, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love.

Customer Reviews:

A vibrant, intense, and emotionally wrenching book.......2007-10-09

"A Thousand Splendid Suns" is a gripping novel that left me with a profound respect for women who struggle and flourish under restrictive regimes and repressive religions. I could almost feel the pain, fear, anger, frustration, hope and courage these women endure each and every day. The author faithfully delivers an emotionally taut epic that will strike a chord with many. I hated and loved this story all at the same time.

Tragic Journey of Love.......2007-10-08

A Thousand Splendid Suns is an absolutely wonderful story about the things that keep us going, even when our world falls apart. You will find yourself pulled into this tragic story, unable to put the book down. This book will touch your heart on a very real level. I can't wait to read it again.

terrific book, but left with some mixed feelings.......2007-10-08

I just finished this audiobook in a straight 10-hour period while I listened to my iPod as I refinished my deck. This book certainly does not leave your emotions untouched and most certainly gets you involved intimately with the characters that Hosseini develops. It is difficult at this point to catalog the full range of emotions that I felt while reading this book. Righteous indignation may be the main emotion I can recall from most of the pages. How much I, as a man, wanted to swoop in and solve away all of their problems with my western life of abundance. On examining this particular desire, perhaps the true message of this book comes out. It is written completely and totally in a worldview that is very different from us Western readers. The themes of survival, fate, endurance, are not ones that come to the fore in our minds. Concepts so important to us in this part of the world such as ambition, achievement, and discovery of dreams keep a place in the forefront of our minds.

This is particularly pointed in my mind, since I had just visited DisneyWorld days before reading this book. Their theme is that every girl wants to be a princess and at one point they had the audience chant that "Dreams come true" and remarked how every boy wants to be a pirate and every girl a princess. The interesting thing is what our dreams are. They are not the dream shared by the characters in the novel of independence, a motherhood, and freedom from fear. This disney dream is the idea that we will be exalted above our peers, that our extreme abundance will be greater than the extreme abundance of those around us. That our difference, our individuality will give us significance, only possible at the expense of others.

This is perhaps why the novel hit me as such an unfamiliar, foreign thing. I was depressed by how everything seemed to go bad for the characters on how there was not a hero -- not a constant juxtaposition of good and bad, of hope and disappointment, that is such a similar genre or phrase used in our modern stories. Eventually as the story waged on, it seemed that surely the scars created in the characters must be too deep, too unrecoverable for there to be a happy, Disney style ending. So at some point in reading this book I became very frustrated with the seeming desolateness of the emotional landscape, the lack of a knight in shining armor that I wanted to project myself in to the story.

In the end, however, I found that redemption was there. When Lila thought of Miriam as a young girl and I thought of the hopes and dreams of a young girl and how tragically shattered they were, this touched deep inside me and created a desire to be a father who nurtured and protected the sanctity of his child's dreams. Not dreams to be a princess, but dreams to be a mother themselves dreams to be free from fear and dreams to hope and a future. I closed the book resolute to make these dreams a reality for all daughters.

Strong but disturbing.......2007-10-07

After The Kite Runner, I looked forward to Hosseini's next book. From a literary standpoint, A Thousand Splendid Suns certainly did not disappoint. He weaved personal stories into the social and historic framework of Afghanistan, and the result was wonderful. This is a very sad book, though. Also, while the character of Mariam was strong and endearing, I couldn't feel quite as strongly about Laila.

Afghanistan history.......2007-10-07

A great story of Afghanistan's recent history and how Islam has affected this history. Eva-Christ

Average customer rating:

Review of The Kite Runner
good book
Plot device after plot device after plot device..
It Involves Afghanistan
Read with Caution

The Kite Runner
Khaled Hosseini
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Rayovac Reading Light: Pillow Light (Colors May Vary)

ASIN: 1594480001
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Amazon.com

In his debut novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini accomplishes what very few contemporary novelists are able to do. He manages to provide an educational and eye-opening account of a country's political turmoil--in this case, Afghanistan--while also developing characters whose heartbreaking struggles and emotional triumphs resonate with readers long after the last page has been turned over. And he does this on his first try.

The Kite Runner follows the story of Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman in Kabul, and Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant. As children in the relatively stable Afghanistan of the early 1970s, the boys are inseparable. They spend idyllic days running kites and telling stories of mystical places and powerful warriors until an unspeakable event changes the nature of their relationship forever, and eventually cements their bond in ways neither boy could have ever predicted. Even after Amir and his father flee to America, Amir remains haunted by his cowardly actions and disloyalty. In part, it is these demons and the sometimes impossible quest for forgiveness that bring him back to his war-torn native land after it comes under Taliban rule. ("...I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.")

Some of the plot's turns and twists may be somewhat implausible, but Hosseini has created characters that seem so real that one almost forgets that The Kite Runner is a novel and not a memoir. At a time when Afghanistan has been thrust into the forefront of America's collective consciousness ("people sipping lattes at Starbucks were talking about the battle for Kunduz"), Hosseini offers an honest, sometimes tragic, sometimes funny, but always heartfelt view of a fascinating land. Perhaps the only true flaw in this extraordinary novel is that it ends all too soon. --Gisele Toueg

Book Description

The timely and critically acclaimed debut novel that's becoming a word-of-mouth phenomenon...

Download Description

"Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to the present, The Kite Runner is the unforgettable, beautifully told story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan nonetheless grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan , the son of Amir's father's servant, is a Hazara, member of a shunned ethnic minority. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them. When the Soviets invade and Amir and his father flee the country for a new life in California, Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. And yet he cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him. The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship, betrayal, and the price of loyalty. It is about the bonds between fathers and sons, and the power of their lies. Written against a history that has not been told in fiction before, The Kite Runner describes the rich culture and beauty of a land in the process of being destroyed. But with the devastation, Khaled Hosseini also gives us hope: through the novel's faith in the power of reading and storytelling, and in the possibilities he shows for redemption."

Customer Reviews:

Review of The Kite Runner.......2007-10-10

The plot line of this novel is AMAZING however the author chooses at times to bludgeon us with language at the moments when he should pull back and let the horror of what he's describing speak for itself. Especially at the conclusion whichis the coincidence of all coincidences - I almost ended the book early as the writing fell apart and was so melodramatic. Howver the descriptions of daily life are vivid and sensitive and I recommend the book for this alone.

good book.......2007-10-09

i had to read this book back when i was in high school and i was really surprised to find this book to be good. I personally really like this book and finished reading it in no time. I don't know what it is, but this is one book you will always get mixed reviews. It all depends on what kind of books you like,There were some parts of the story that were overrated or unnecessary.

Plot device after plot device after plot device.. .......2007-10-08

The Kite Runner isn't "brilliant" nor it is a "work of genius" Rather, quite simply, The Kite Runner is good story about a boy named Amir and his "friend" Hassan. Oh, and Amir's father, Baba, too. Oh, and Afghanistan.

After hearing rave reviews about this book for years, I decided to pick up a copy to read while between classes. What I found was nothing more than a story that perhaps would have been better if it were told around a campfire or when your Afghani uncle comes over for a visit. The writing style I could let slide - hey we're all not Hemingway. What I could not let slide, however, were the ridiculous plot devices that the author employed (and the 5-star reviewers call "brilliant") to "move" the story along..

Soon after I began reading, it became painfully obvious to me that the author is well aware, I mean WELL AWARE of the plot device known as "Chekhov's Shotgun" (which basically states that if there is a shotgun hanging on the wall in one scene, it had better be used in a later scene).. It is an amateur move and the more I read, the more and more frustrated I became by this and the other unbelievable predictable "twists" that kept popping up. Eventually, I had to put the book down and walk away for a while because I knew what was going to happen - we all knew what was going to happen.

All in all, plot twist, prediit is a good story. But I don't believe it to be worthy of the critical acclaim that it received when first released. Perhaps there is a feeling of guilt because it is about a country we are not occupying that led to so many jumping on board the "brilliant" bandwagon.. The narrator is an unlikable wimp and it was completely ridiculous to think for a second that he would suddenly "man up" and face Assef (or even go to Kabul for that matter). I say this only because we as readers "knew" him from birth and all throughout his life nothing gave any indication that he would have it in him to do what he did. Ugh. I feel as though I need something to cleanse my reading palate.

It Involves Afghanistan .......2007-10-08

I read many books and write many Amazon reviews, but there's not much I can add that the previous 2,042 other reviewers have not already said. I picked up `The Kite Runner' a year ago at a used book sale for the local library, but put it on my stack of TBR's (to-be-read). Frankly, the gushing acclaim and high-powered publicity put me off the book (e.g. the back jacket has plugs from Diane Sawyer and People magazine, not sources I rely on for book suggestions). A debut novel getting that much praise put me on guard.

News of the movie adaptation's imminent release finally got me to give it a go. I finished less than 24 hours later. Few books grab this reader by the collar and demand absorption. `The Kite Runner' did and I simply can't recommend it highly enough.

I will skimp on a summary of the book - to paraphrase Woody Allen after speed-reading War and Peace, it involves Afghanistan. While Hosseini does wonderfully create a sense of place (or rather two Afghanistans separated by 25 years and a millennial view), this tale involves much more. `The Kite Runner' is a powerful roller-coaster of human drama: love, joy, hate, cruelty, fear, betrayal, abandonment, commitment, loyalty, pride, shame, happiness, pain. Hosseini delivers several powerful gut punches (perhaps not all of them entirely fair or necessary) along the way.

Tom Wolfe has commented that many good young writers only ever write one really good book because that first effort is largely autobiographical and they can only tell that's story once. Reviews of Hosseini's second book A Thousand Splendid Suns suggest he is the real deal.

Read with Caution.......2007-10-07

I agree with the vast majority of reviewers that this is an excellent novel - unique, well-written, and haunting. There is no reason for me to reiterate the praises. I am writing this review simply to warn people with delicate sensibilities like mine to be forewarned before buying this book: the "terrible incident" everyone refers to is the brutal rape of a young boy by a pack of sociopathic, privileged teens. Perhaps because I am the mother of a young boy, I found the scene totally gut-wrenching and utterly horrible. I couldn't finish the book. So, my point is simple: don't read the book if you might be upset by a graphic description of the rape of a young, sweet boy.

Backyard Ballistics: Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices

Average customer rating:

No more than common sense
Just Plain Fun
ZOOOOM!!
Backyard Ballistics
fun and easy

Backyard Ballistics: Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices
William Gurstelle
Manufacturer: Chicago Review Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Models | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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Whoosh Boom Splat: The Garage Warrior's Guide to Building Projectile Shooters

ASIN: 1556523750

Book Description

Ordinary folks can construct 13 awesome ballistic devices in their garage or basement workshops using inexpensive household or hardware store materials and this step-by-step guide. Clear instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build projects ranging from the simple—a match-powered rocket—to the more complex—a scale-model, table-top catapult—to the offbeat—a tennis ball cannon. With a strong emphasis on safety, the book also gives tips on troubleshooting, explains the physics behind the projects, and profiles scientists and extraordinary experimenters such as Alfred Nobel, Robert Goddard, and Isaac Newton. This book will be indispensable for the legions of backyard toy-rocket launchers and fireworks fanatics who wish every day was the fourth of July.

Customer Reviews:

No more than common sense.......2007-08-26

Nothing particularly creative in that book that anybody with some common sense wouldn't come up with.

Just Plain Fun.......2007-04-24

Being a parent and a science teacher, I really love this book. It takes me back to my younger years when it was fun to launch anything more than 10 feet and still have all of your hair intact. What fun this book is! Gurstelle is great!

ZOOOOM!!.......2007-04-13

If you like launching projectiles at incomprehensible speeds, making very loud noises, or launching more projectiles at lightning speeds then this book is for you it includes a few types of spud guns, a kite that you light on fire and the hot air slowly lifts it off the ground, three rockets two of which dont use fire making them relitively safe and some notes on safty (how not to blow yourself up) and a bunch of other stuff

great book!!!!!!!!!!

Backyard Ballistics.......2007-03-09

This an entertaing book. It would be excellent for anyone with kids. If more children and parents worked on these fun projects the kids would get an education, get out of the house and away from Video Games.

fun and easy.......2007-01-10

We have tried the tennis ball cannon from this book so far and had great success with it. It was a great weekend project that was cheap and easy with great results. Great for summer time fun with the kids.

Children of the Great Depression (Golden Kite Awards (Awards))

Average customer rating:

At least one in five was hungry

Children of the Great Depression (Golden Kite Awards (Awards))
Russell Freedman
Manufacturer: Clarion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Children of the Dust Bowl: The True Story of the School at Weedpatch Camp
Dust to Eat: Drought and Depression in the 1930s (Golden Kite Awards (Awards))
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The Forbidden Schoolhouse: The True and Dramatic Story of Prudence Crandall and Her Students (Bccb Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award (Awards))
Potato: A Tale From The Great Depression

ASIN: 0618446303

Book Description

As he did for frontier children in his enormously popular Children of the Wild West, Russell Freedman illuminates the lives of the American children affected by the economic and social changes of the Great Depression. Middle-class urban youth, migrant farm laborers, boxcar kids, children whose families found themselves struggling for survival . . . all Depression-era young people faced challenges like unemployed and demoralized parents, inadequate food and shelter, schools they couldn't attend because they had to go to work, schools that simply closed their doors. Even so, life had its bright spotslike favorite games and radio showsand many young people remained upbeat and optimistic about the future. Drawing on memoirs, diaries, letters, and other firsthand accounts, and richly illustrated with classic archival photographs, this book by one of the most celebrated authors of nonfiction for children places the Great Depression in context and shows young readers its human face. Endnotes, selected bibliography, index.

Customer Reviews:

At least one in five was hungry.......2006-08-03

I thought this was an excellent introduction to the Depression years for younger readers. Russell Freedman writes in a straightforward style and nicely avoids contractions ('did not' instead of 'didn't') popping up throughout his text. There are two stories in these pages, the Depression and life in the Thirties and the same years as they relate to children, so there are chapters devoted to 'In and out of school', 'Kids at work' and 'Boxcar kids' for example.

What really makes the book come alive for me are the excellent photos, all with captions including the date and photographer. Virtually all of them are from the now famous FSA files in the Library of Congress. Russell Lee, Dorothea Lange, Arthur Rothstein and Ben Shahn have the most and they perfectly work with the text. As well as great photos the design of the book is simple and elegant with the photos printed in a sepia green, there is a bibliography and index.

Another worthwhile childrens book about the same period is 'Welcome to Kit's world: 1934. Growing up during America's Great Depression' (ISBN 158485359X) beautifully designed with the story told as extended captions to the hundreds of photos and period graphics. This title is really aimed at young girls.

For a photobook of FSA children images have a look at 'Children of the Depression (ISBN 0253340314) a large format, one photo to a page book that probably has the best of what is available from the files. This book is mentioned in the bibliography of 'Children of the Great Depression'

All three books explore the lives of children in hard times with sympathetic words and powerful pictures.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

Civilizacion y cultura: Intermediate Spanish Series (Copeland)

Average customer rating:

Civilizacion y cultura

Civilizacion y cultura: Intermediate Spanish Series (Copeland)
Lynn A. Sandstedt , Ralph Kite , and John G. Copeland
Manufacturer: Heinle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Seagull Reader: Plays

ASIN: 0838457797

Book Description

CIVILIZACIÓN Y CULTURA, Eighth Edition, part of a complete intermediate series, offers readers twelve units that combine a thematic and historical approach which introduces students to traditional cultural topics and daily life issues found throughout the Hispanic world.

Customer Reviews:

Civilizacion y cultura.......2005-09-26

The dilivery time was great however, I didnt recall the specifics of the book stating that there was tons of writing in the book, to the point of not being able to read certain sections.

Average customer rating:

Ray is too easy to love
Holy Crap!
The quick and the funny ...
Funnier in the beginning
Extremely funny!

Everything and a Kite
Ray Romano
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0553108743
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Amazon.com

Ray Romano's Everybody Loves Raymond is the most important TV comedy since Seinfeld. Now he makes his debut as an author with a reported seven-figure book deal. Some of what makes his show great is captured between the covers of Everything and a Kite--it boasts the same affectionate, yet not cheaply sentimental, comedy that conveys actual insights about family life, an experience Martin Mull has likened to "having a bowling alley installed in your brain." The show is like Married... with Children with a heart or Home Improvement with a brain.

In book form, Romano is kind of like Dave Barry. Barry is funnier on the page, but Romano writes a good spritz-of-consciousness monologue. And Barry dared not utter the word prostate in Dave Barry Turns 50, but Romano provides a state-of-the-art prostate-exam reminiscence. There is no shame he shuns--not his fear of spiders, exacerbated when he splooshed one off his windshield with the washer button through the moonroof into the car while driving, nor his sexual-conquest count ("one less than the number of times I've been stung by a bee... greater than the number of times I've put a pet to sleep... exactly equal to the number of times I've been crapped on by a bird"). But Romano stole his title: when he asked his 4-year-old son what he wanted for his birthday, the kid said, "Everything and a kite." --Tim Appelo

Book Description

In a books that is at once laugh-out-loud funny and all-too-true to life, comedy-talent-turned-television-star Ray Romano goes home again, revealing that the source of his inspiration is heritage, hearth and family. As did his stand-up comedy and his present, top-rated CBS-TV program, Romano draws on his real-life experience as a husband, a father, a father of twins, a son with parents living very very close, and a brother, to make readers laugh and laugh harder.

Customer Reviews:

Ray is too easy to love.......2006-08-06

Book is very funny has some of the same material from the carnagy hall performance, but this is a classic piece and has a different spin when reading the material rather than hearing it. I want the hard cover addition.

Holy Crap!.......2006-01-29

This is a must read for Men everywhere! The similarities of experiences are incredible. I grew up in North Jersey. I am an Italian American and can relate to all of it. Great stuff.

The quick and the funny ... .......2005-08-27

I enjoyed this book partly because I happen to enjoy Ray Romano's comedic style. If you like the TV show then you will probably like this book.

I'd definitely recommend the audiobook over the paper version b/c it's all about the delivery! Do be forewarned though that there is so profanity in the book. It's not used flagrantly but if that sort of stuff offends you, you may want to take heed. If you buy the audioversion then just don't listen to it with the kids in the car unless you want them to repeat the bad language - it's promient enough for them to pick up on it. This is a very quick read and if you have kids you will certainly appreciate many of the stories that Ray shares with his audience. They are very funny. Worth purchasing.

Funnier in the beginning.......2004-12-02

Dry, sarcastic humor abounds...and if that's what you appreciate, then you'll enjoy this read. I didn't need all the swearing and sexual comments though. Still recommendable though.

Extremely funny!.......2004-12-01

Don't expect any detailed plots or intelligent twists and turns. This book is hilarious because it focuses on Ray and his view of life. If you like his kind of funny, you will love this book.

Recommended for Ray fans!

Literatura y arte: Intermediate Spanish Series (Copeland)

Average customer rating:

Okay but big rip-off
perfect condition

Literatura y arte: Intermediate Spanish Series (Copeland)
Lynn A. Sandstedt , Ralph Kite , and John G. Copeland
Manufacturer: Heinle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Conversacion y repaso: Intermediate Spanish Series (with Audio CD)
Civilizacion y cultura: Intermediate Spanish
En contacto: Gramática en acción (with Audio CD)
Spanish Grammar in Review (3rd Edition)
Intermediate Spanish Series Text/Audio CD Package: Conversaci?n y repaso

ASIN: 0838457819

Book Description

LITERATURA Y ARTE, Eighth Edition, part of a complete intermediate series, offers students twelve thematically oriented units with a balance of voices representing major literary contributions of the Hispanic world, and is the only literary reader to systematically integrate artistic content into every chapter.

Customer Reviews:

Okay but big rip-off.......2006-08-09

This book is okay. Most of the stories are pretty good. I really liked "Manana de sol" and "Un dia de estos." It has convenient explanatory notes in the margins. It features some very famous paintings, but they aren't presently terribly well. Most of them are crammed three to a page. My real problem with the book is the extortionate price. I personally wouldn't pay more than twenty dollars for it. Don't get this unless you have to for a class.

perfect condition.......2005-09-20

The book came right away, a lot sooner than I expected. Also, the book was in perfect condition. Great for the money! Thank you! :)

Average customer rating:

The Kite Making Handbook

Manufacturer: David & Charles Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Models | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Kites
25 Kites that Fly
Easy-to-Make Decorative Kites: Step-by-Step Instructions for Nine Models from Around the World
Kites for Everyone: How to Make and Fly Them
Building Kites: Flying High With Math ((Math Projects Ser.))

ASIN: 0715318551

Book Description

The Kite Making Handbook is an ideal first time buy for anyone interested in kites. It gives a concise insight into the kite flying world spanning the legend and history of kite flying in ancient China to ward off evil spirits to the modern day international kite-flying festivals and competitions. With over 400 illustrations this book is packed with detailed step-by-step instructions on how to make a whole range of kites including the materials and techniques needed to create the simplest of flat and box kites to the more complicated fighting and acrobatic flying models with names such as Box Delta, Nagasaki Hata and the Peter Powell. Once built, flying the kite is the next challenge and here the Italian authors have useful tips for getting the kite off the ground and dealing with varying wind conditions to avoid untimely landings. The various chapters are interspersed with anecdotes and factual gems on kites, making this book an enjoyable read as well as an informative hobby kite-makers guide.

Conversacion y repaso: Intermediate Spanish Series (with Audio CD)

Average customer rating:

Conversacion y repaso: Intermediate Spanish Series (with Audio CD)
Lynn A. Sandstedt , Ralph Kite , and John G. Copeland
Manufacturer: Heinle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Civilizacion y cultura: Intermediate Spanish
Literatura y arte: Intermediate Spanish Series (Copeland)
Intermediate Spanish Series: Civilización y cultura
Conversacion Y Repaso Student Activity Manual
Developmental Exercises to Accompany The Bedford Handbook

ASIN: 083845769X

Book Description

CONVERSACIÓN Y REPASO, Eighth Edition, is the core text of the Intermediate Spanish Series that has gained the reputation as the most complete grammar syllabus with in-depth explanations, while its three book format allows greater flexibility for any intermediate Spanish program.

Average customer rating:

Why no DVD?
J Holzhall Secrets of Kiteboarding
Secrets of Kiteboarding

Secrets of Kiteboarding
John J. Holzhall
Manufacturer: Kiteboard Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books
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REAL Kiteboarding Zero to Hero Instructional DVD
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Secrets of Kiteboarding
$Kiteboarding\'s Simple Plan$ Kiteboarding\'s Simple Plan
REAL Kiteboarding Evolution Instructional DVD

ASIN: 9889781913

Book Description

Riders of all levels can now learn the key knowledge, tools and techniques needed to control kite power. Products, like the Multiple Line Lengths (MLL), give riders the ability to dramatically alter power in the kite by decreasing the length of the line. Techniques like the Upwind Board-Drag (UBD) on the K.I.T.E.S. Entry Level Line lengths make it easy for riders to travel upwind while learning their wing. Entry-level riders can now spend hours in the water discovering how and why their kite works. In the past this valuable time was wasted walking back up the beach after three to five minutes of intimidating water time.

Advanced riders chase wind, when they find it, they need the K.I.T.E.S. Multiple Line Lengths (MLL) to manage it's power. Without a doubt, the most serious issue in kiteboarding is that virtually all riders launch on advanced line lengths all the time, not understanding that line length makes a huge difference in kite power.

Finally, real answers to safe riding.

Customer Reviews:

Why no DVD?.......2007-09-02

Strangely enough, the words "Book-DVD-Online Certification" led me to believe a DVD was included with the book. The associated DVD is sold separately, making the book/DVD combo cost more than $50.

J Holzhall Secrets of Kiteboarding.......2004-09-25

Excellent Book!!! Clearly written easy to understand. The GLL method is first rate and makes what can be dangerous a SAFE graduated learing experience. John's method of board dragging as a learning tool is also excellent!!! No one else promotes this; most talk only of body dragging. You CAN NOT go wrong with this book!!

Secrets of Kiteboarding.......2004-08-19

This is the bible of Kiteboarding! This book along with the DVD will give any level rider the confidence and more importantly, the common sense to enjoy this sport safely. Great job, John!

When in doubt, check it out!

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