Book Description
“One of the most admired men in the world of seduction” (The New York Times) teaches average guys how to approach, attract and begin intimate relationships with beautiful women
For every man who always wondered why some guys have all the luck, Mystery, considered by many to be the world’s greatest pickup artist, finally reveals his secrets for finding and forming relationships with some of the world’s most beautiful women. Mystery gained mainstream attention for his role in Neil Strauss’s New York Times bestselling exposé, The Game. Now he has written the definitive handbook on the art of the pickup.
He developed his unique method over years of observing social dynamics and interacting with women in clubs to learn how to overcome the guard shield that many women use to deflect come-ons from "average frustrated chumps."
His tips include:
*Give more attention to her less attractive friend at first, so your target will get jealous and try to win your attention.
*Always approach a target within 3 seconds of noticing her. If a woman senses your hesitation, her perception of your value will be lower.
*Don't be picky. Approach as many groups of people in a bar as you can and entertain them with fun conversation. As you move about the room, positive perception of you will grow. Now it's easy to meet anyone you want.
*Smile. Guys who don't get laid, don't smile.
Customer Reviews:
None.......2007-10-10
Good book. But they could have packaged it better for delivery. When I recieved it the corners where damaged. I plan on keeping this book so it would have been nice to have it delivered undamaged.
Hilarious and informative.......2007-10-06
I got this book from a friend after a recent divorce. To her it was a gag gift. It took me a while to finally get around to reading it. I was glad I did. It's not only highly entertaining, but I think provides a lot of tips for not only getting beautiful women into bed (God knows I need all the help I can get with even the not-so-beautiful women), but in general for being successful with people--sort of a modern day Dale Carnegie. If nothing else, you'll enjoy the read!
Really good book!.......2007-09-30
This book was great but the problem is that it is more of an explanation on the mystery method than a "how to" book. It gives few examples of gambits (conversations starters to disarm & attract targets). The reader is basically encouraged to go out & figure it out through constant trial & error. What I loved most is the explanations of differences between men & women & why women do some of the crazy things they do (this alone is worth the price of the book). I t tells you what attracts women & how to choose the right thing to say & what body language you express. Again it does not actually tell you what to say & only very few gambits (you must be able to switch from on story to another effortlessly without pause to keep target intrigued & wanting more). The reader is left to come up with their own material or purchase it from his website.
The Real Deal.......2007-09-30
I just finished watching "The Pick-up Artist" on WeTV with Mystery as its host and it really proved to be entertaining! I met my girlfriend being "cocky and funny" in that I showed humor, confidence, and flirtation which are the basics of what Mystery teaches. Overall, a great read! You'd be surprised how many men are clueless on how to approach women. Also, there are so many women who are intimidated by men approaching them if they have a boyfriend or husband. They freak out and don't take it as a compliment!
what a crock of crap!.......2007-09-29
Well, having read both books... I still say what a crock of crap. The book is more aptly named how to manipulate women and get laid.
Perfect for every guy who is having trouble getting laid and is in no real need of a relationship or has any desire on how to actually have a relationship... Just pretend your way from bed to bed...
I'm not saying that is a bad thing. For some men, and women or that matter, this works and he/she is happy with it. But this book should not be read with the idea that this is the way to find, build and have a lasting love based on anything trusting, vulnerable, or real.
Women should read this book, so they can spot these guys when they come around and make a decision knowing what is really going on.
So, why did I rate the book a 5? The book says exactly what it says it does... teaches exactly what it says it teaches. It is the responsibility of each reader to decide if that is the desired knowledge and outcome he is seeking.
Book Description
This 30-day course teaches you the easiest ways to meet ANY girl, ANYWHERE, ANY TIME. Includes diagrams, flash cards, and self-tests. The biggest problem most men have in getting dates is knowing how to approach attractive girls they see every day of the week (at the office, gas station, standing in line anywhere). Too many men rely on nightclubs, bars, and personal ads to get dates, ignoring the women they see e-v-e-r-y d-a-y. This book takes all of the guesswork out of meeting women, no matter where they are. From the moment you see her and the first few words you say to get her attention through getting her phone number (and actually looking forward to having you call her), this book teaches you how to do it in an easy to follow, step-by-step fashion. Read this book and change your life. Then read it again until you master every technique in this book. You will find yourself surrounded by beautiful girls all-the-time.
Customer Reviews:
Decent, but information overload dude!.......2007-04-10
Okay, so I liked the book - but if it were about 50 pages shorter I might have liked it a lot better. This guy starts off with how to pick up chicks wherever you see them every day, and he goes too much into why this approach works, and how this other approach is weak or strong (he sounds like my old professors), and then he has this cool section on how to read their palms (I have seen guys do this stuff - that and that trick where they tell your future by your handwriting). Anyway, that was all okay, and of course he has to spend a hundred pages telling you how to put all of this together; what to do if she says this, what to do if her boyfriend shows up, how to get out of a conversation with a psycho chick (I say just leave - don't even say goodbye), and then he has some tests, and experiences from people I really don't care about. No offense but I just ant to know how I can get laid, you know?
This book has a TON of information but I felt like I was back in school. I did try what he said over the past week and a half and it seems to be working, I got a few chick's phone numbers, but I think he could have saved me a lot of time reading by just telling me straight out how to approach hotties at the store, gas station (and so on), get the number and leave it at that. Once I have a girl's number in my pocket I think I know what to do. I don't know. Does it work? Sure. And it is funny at times. But it is pretty heavy stuff. look, if you are looking for something really quick, check out Seduce Me. The Mystery Method is also killer, but it takes a while to build up your game using his techniques. Mystery is out to turn guys into PUAs. A book like this or Seduce me is just about having some fun meeting hicks and getting dates when you want one.
A refreshing change from the standard.......2007-04-09
My son plopped down this book in front of me and said "Does this stuff really work?" This is not the type of book I would normally curl up with on a Sunday evening after stoking the fire in the hearth to a comfortable level. But as I do love my 20 year old son (almost as much as I love to read), I figured that it was worth investigating.
The text is set in a conversational tone that is almost chummy at times. The author it seems seeks to teach without the pretense of authority and command. It is a fun read, and it is indeed instructional, but I came away with a feeling of "advice from a friend." Please keep in mind that I am a happily married man of 24 years, and I have no intention of "scamming on hotties" but I suppose that if I was twentysomething and raging with hormones I would seek anything that would help me gain release - get a lot of dates. All in all I found this a fun little book with plenty of instructions and illustrations. There were even a few quizzes in the back, and a complete set of printable (you get to do that part) flashcards in the back of the book.
I suppose I could go on about the state of our society that we need instruction manuals on how to speak to each other, but the bottom line is that yes, these techniques do work (I have used several of these - and many others not mentioned in this book - in the past). The premise of the book is pretty straightforward. Approach women casually and with confidence (the author covers how to do this in sufficient detail, but you will have to obviously practice this on your own), and shows ways to get a girl interested in what YOU have to say.
Then he illustrates how to read a girl's palm and get her fascinated with you. I liked that part. That was unique. It is a strange fact that women love mysticism (palm reading, astrology, esp) far more than men ever will. I can see this working as even my wife goes to get her palm read once every few months. I told her once I could save her (me really) the fifty bucks and do it myself. That didn't work so well. She didn't talk to me for a week.
Look, I have seen over the years books that show you how to get dates with women using handwriting analysis, hypnosis, "being a jerk" (love caveman style - when will men ever learn?), insulting women, astrology, card magic, pretending that you are a psychic, something called neurolinguistic brainwashing or something like that, and numerous other tricks and gadgets. Who knows what works? You walk up and say hello. Say something interesting. I think that is what I liked best about this book. It gives you a solid starting point, and makes you laugh along the way. The author structured the whole thing in a 30 day course format. Personally I read the book and enjoyed it - for what it was - and didn't bother practicing what I learned the first time reading through (my wife would kill me!)
So is it worth the twenty bucks? Well, I guess if you are young and single, and want a date (or "a lot of dates" as the author promises), then yes, but my advice is read this, and read everything you can. Try out all kinds of different techniques on different women. After all, if you want "a lot of dates," then you should keep practicing your skills. As for me I had fun, told my son to follow the instructions and report back to me how well they worked (not too much detail please), and I am going to read the latest Stephen King novel.
An excellent guide for the average man.......2007-03-17
This book is hilarious - and it works. It is a step-by-step guide to meeting girls on the street (coffeehouses, laundromats, grocery stores, gas stations... you get the idea). We didn't really see much on funerals: the author did mention picking up girls at funerals, so we were hoping for a bit more detail on that. But what you will learn here is how to approach ANY girl casually, no matter where you are, and with no stress on you: no matter "how hot you think she is." Then you will learn how to transition from "hello" into getting the girl interested enough in you to give you a few minutes of her time to work your magic, and then get her number. Not to worry, the author even has a few tricks to show you how to do that as well. This book is a MUST HAVE, but it is far from the only book you should read.
This book will not make you a superstar PUA, but if you have any game at all, what you will learn here will definitely improve your performance just about anywhere. You will even learn how to pick up girls in front of your girlfriend, and how to pick up 2-3 girls at once (in front of each other). We tried some of these techniques and they were as easy as the author claims. Of course we have had some practice over the years, but even so, this is stuff any guy can - and should - master.
The price was reasonable enough - about 1/2 the cost of a cheap first date, and the laughs were pretty good as well. If you do get a copy of this book, **be sure to read the entire thing**. It is a 30 day home study course on picking up girls you see everywhere, but it is also a course on becoming more popular in general. It won't teach you game, but it will teach you how to use what you've got - even if you only have a little.
ITS ALL GOOD.......2007-03-15
Good always wanted to learn about seduction and palmstry, something different most men are not think about learning this to seduct women, they rather trick out the pocket lolllll I going to safe my money smile.
I wish I knew this stuff when I was twenty.......2007-01-07
It's a good book! What I liked about it was that it took all of the guesswork out. This should be taught in school. It's really not that difficult when you think about it. I wish math were this easy. If you ask me, try the book and if you don't like it send it back.
Book Description
You're at a party. You see a sexy, beautiful woman standing by herself in the corner. How do you approach her? What do you say? How do you get her attention--and keep it?
Packed with useful information, practical advice, and proven techniques for successfully picking up women any time, anywhere, this essential handbook tells men everything they need to know to score with the opposite sex.
The Guide to Picking Up Girls includes tips on how to:
€ Pick the right "wingman"
€ Develop a "master rap" for getting and keeping her interest (sample dialogues included)
€ Deal with guys who try to blow your rap
€ Build confidence-being nervous is not an option
€ Overcome the fear of rejection-no girl is too pretty to talk to
€ Learn to analyze a woman's body language and signals
...and much more!
Whether it's a crowded bar or a noisy party, a club or a wedding, a supermarket or a coffee shop...from breaking the ice with surefire opening lines to finding out whether she has a boyfriend, The Guide to Picking Up Girls gives men the rules to make it with today's women. Lively and engaging, it's the authoritative resource for meeting that major babe.
Customer Reviews:
the few tips I learned.......2006-07-29
don't put yourself down in anyway No girl has ever dumped you Dating history must be kept history You can get a date anytime you want Do not talk about other girls at all All girls like you Everyone looks good with a sun tan Always smile Carry mints, pen,paper, business cards, chapstick.
Great Book.......2006-02-02
This book is filled with great advice. My friends and I always use the tips from this book and we have been getting more numbers and dates. It is fun and easy to read. I highly recommend this book.
I want those 2 hours of my life back.......2005-10-29
I just finished reading this after reading "The Game". This book reminded me of those instructional films from the 50's that they made you watch in school.
If you take the word "rap" out of this book, it would probably only be about 10 pages. Don't waste your money. This book will only be useful if you are low on firewood.
Worthless.......2005-10-20
This book is, overall, worthless. It has some humor in it and some really basic knowledge (dress in clothes that fit you, exercise, eat well, etc.), but when it comes down to the basic approach of meeting women, it's incredibly vague. They call your pitch to a girl a "rap," and they divide the rap into three categories: beginning, middle, and end. The beginning is where you introduce yourself, the middle is where you build rapport and interest, and the end is where you close the deal with her number. These three sections are the most important parts of meeting women, yet they glaze over them in about 5 pages of text. Also this book recommends buying women drinks: this is a no-no, unless she buys you one and you buy her one. Supplicating a woman will not help your game.
In short, this book can be summed up in about a page of bulleted points. There are plenty of other books on the subject that are better and more worth your time.
Don't buy this book: it's worthless.
Bunch of common sense.......2005-09-03
This book is worthless. Just a bunch of common sense. Very badly written and with not much practical advice or practical examples.
Spends all the time talking about how important it is to have a "master rap" and almost no time explaining how to get one. The word "rap" becomes quite annoying after a while... it must be repeated a million times. Save your money.
Amazon.com
If ever a book on cyberculture wore a fedora and trench coat and leaned against a lamppost on a foggy street, this is the one. It is an unabashed look at the dark side of the Net--the stuff many other books gloss over. It's hard-edged, wisecracking, and often quite cynical as it pours over the reality of online scams, illegal activities, and simple annoyances.
Wang's stated goal is to open the reader's eyes about what's really there. He shows what's being done, how it's being done, and how to avoid problems or even strike back. He begins with a chapter about the news media, and his message is that no source is to be trusted completely. He examines issues important to Internet users: the cost of getting computerized (with tips on how to find the real bargains), who is using the Internet as a source of hate information, and how your privacy can be invaded and protected.
He shows you the secrets of malicious hackers and others and how some of them attack computer systems without the ethical mindset typical of the original, idealistic hackers. Wang shows you how you can set up your defenses against such an onslaught, discussing how to protect yourself and your kids from online stalkers and how online con games work.
Wang never claims that the Internet is the electronic den of darkness that the pop media make it out to be. But he makes it clear that something this big has its lowlights--it's own "net noir." His messages are "know your enemy" and "be careful who you trust," an ideology verified by the examples he provides. --Elizabeth Lewis
Book Description
National bestseller with over 175,000 copies sold!
If you thought hacking was just about mischief-makers hunched over computers in the basement, think again. As seasoned author Wallace Wang explains, hacking can also mean questioning the status quo, looking for your own truths, and never accepting at face value anything authorities say or do.
The completely revised fourth edition of this offbeat, non-technical book examines what hackers do, how they do it, and how you can protect yourself. Written in the same informative, irreverent, and entertaining style that made the first three editions hugely successful, Steal This Computer Book 4.0 will expand your mind and raise your eyebrows. New chapters discuss the hacker mentality, social engineering and lock picking, exploiting P2P file-sharing networks, and how people manipulate search engines and pop-up ads to obtain and use personal information. Wang also takes issue with the media for "hacking" the news and presenting the public with self-serving stories of questionable accuracy. Inside, you'll discover:
How to manage and fight spam and spyware
How Trojan horse programs and rootkits work, and how to defend against them
How hackers steal software and defeat copy-protection mechanisms
How to tell if your machine is being attacked and what you can do to protect it
Where the hackers are, how they probe a target and sneak into a computer, and what they do once they get inside
How corporations use hacker techniques to infect your computer and invade your privacy
How you can lock down your computer to protect your data and your personal information using free programs included on the book's CD If you ve ever logged onto a website, conducted an online transaction, sent or received email, used a networked computer, or even watched the evening news, you may have already been tricked, tracked, hacked, and manipulated. As the saying goes, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you. And, as Wallace Wang reveals, they probably are. The companion CD contains hundreds of megabytes of 100% FREE hacking and security-related programs, like keyloggers, spyware stoppers, port blockers, IP scanners, Trojan horse detectors, and much, much more. CD compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Customer Reviews:
This Book Is Basic. But very informative........2007-08-26
If you are looking to hack this book is for you. I found that visual basic is a good programming language. C++,Python,Java, and many more langs will have hacks. Its up to you to learn how to write them. You must learn the programming language before you start looking at hacking, because other wise you are wasting your time.Many hackers are self driven and want to create programs and discover flaws in programs. It is my personal experience that you will not find every thing you want to know from one book. If you are seriously into Networking and Security i sugeset learning from some one who will teach you and offers classes on it (this would be hands on learning) EcCouncil is a great reference and will teach you a lot.
Basic information.......2007-01-04
It's not bad, it just too basic. For some reason I had the expectation that it would be a more deep book about hacking.
Good overview.......2006-12-13
Good overview of network security from a very social perspective. If you are looking for tools based methodology this book misses the mark.
If you are interested in social engineering and social trends of hacking, this is right on.
I felt the book started off fairly strong but started to decline as the focus went more and more into social impacts of hacktivism.
Provides Concise Details.......2006-09-22
This book provides some pretty concise details for 370 pages. It's very pratical and entertaining to read. The writing style gives you a feeling of mysteriousness. However, the writer's insights are disputable; you may not agree with all of the comments he has on things. Of course that doesn't change the fact this book provides a lot of details on several internet topics one little book.
Am I Missing Something?.......2006-08-28
I don't understand the appeal of this book.
I've been around the internet phenomenon in one form or another for almost 20 years. I'm conversant with the history of many technical and cultural happenings on it. As a result, I'm probably not the best reader for an 'shocking truths' book because none of it is going to shock me.
I read this book thinking I might come across a few clever tactics I'd not heard of, and because it has been marketed as cynical and funny writing. We had a copy of Rube Goldberg's Steal This Book in the house when I was young, so I was hoping for something in that vein too.
Honestly, I struck out on all three. There wasn't anything new for me, which was fine. I didn't find the humor lame or bad. As a matter of fact, I simply didn't find it. Am I not reading it right? And finally, the irreverent I was looking forward to...well, I'm not entirely sure it's possible in this context. The book didn't deliver that premise for me, but I'm not sure it can really be done anymore. That time and those circumstances in our culture are different from this time and these circumstances.
Someone who is idly curious about how the internet "really works," likes a long read, and can get into being entertained on the topic might enjoy this book. For me however it was flatly informative, sometimes a little forced, and simply not a funny piece of writing.
Book Description
Stepping back into everyday life after having faced a life-threatening illness is not as simple as it sounds. Now what? How do you pick up the pieces of your life and put them back together again? There are no guidelines to follow once treatment for cancer finishes--no bridge from hospital to home. How do you discuss the variety of changes you are experiencing when you may not even know how to describe them? All you know is that you are confused and that you feel out of sync with yourself and with others.
Picking Up the Pieces will guide you through this difficult time. Reassuring, realistic, and insightful, this book presents a unique four-phase process with useful daily practices to support you along your recovery journey. Drawing on the inspiring voices of cancer survivors, the authors give practical advice on how to design your own unique Healing Plan, including suggestions on ways to handle physical side effects and stress, and how to connect with yourself, with others, and with a higher power. They provide informational and educational resources and professional support services, and they suggest ways that you may find healing through your own contributions and creativity.
For the more than 11 million cancer survivors in North America who have spent months and, in many cases, years, battling disease, this book is essential for reclaiming mind, body, and spirit to move forward with recovery.
Amazon.com
Fiftysomething Kate Rendlesham has spent the majority of her life keeping up appearances for the sake of her family and her powerful, if philandering, husband. After his death, however, she feels herself stretching toward a new identity that has nothing to do with being the wife of the late Oliver Rendlesham. Armed with her embroidery skills and some newfound courage, Kate embarks on a new life.
Though convincing herself of her abilities is her first trial, nothing is as difficult as overcoming the skepticism of her peers and the misplaced resentment of her daughter, Joanna, and her granddaughter, Harriet. Having relied on Kate as an ever-available babysitter, Joanna sees her mother's actions as an ill-fated and selfish mid-life crisis. And while Harriet understands Kate's motivations, she aches for a nurturing intimacy that the stiff Joanna cannot provide. Struggling to defend her new independence, Kate finds inspiration in an enchanted observatory and its handsome owner, Jack Morley.
Posing as the groundskeeper, Jack invites Kate to live in the observatory in exchange for her managing its renovation. Kate discovers in Jack someone "with whom it was so easy to communicate that she felt as if they shared their thoughts before they had even put them into words." But the intensity of their feelings makes her discovery of Jack's secret past deeply painful. Grappling with her mixed emotions, Kate offers little support to Joanna as her fragile marriage Crumbles and to Harriet before she drifts into angry estrangement. As Kate, Joanna, and Harriet each face broken relationships, they must learn to pick up the pieces and create a new future.
From the navel-piercing teenager to the exotic grande dame, Mary Sheepshanks shows a keen eye for human behavior in Picking Up the Pieces. Rich description and dialogue make the rural English setting feel familiar, even for those of us who don't own cottage farms or drink afternoon tea. Readers of all ages will be able to empathize with these three women as we follow them through life transformations, and the wit and humanity of this multi-generational story will endure through multiple readings. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien
Book Description
Kate is in her fifties, recently widowed, and coping with the difficulties--and occasional pleasures--of flying solo. But when her daughter Joanna's husband walks out, and Joanna instantly assumes that Kate will step into the supporting Granny role while she goes career and man-hunting, Kate realizes it is time to step outside her family's preconceived expectations--with devastating results. What follows is a delightful story of the relationships and unspoken power struggles between four generations of women.
Customer Reviews:
WOW!.......2007-01-10
My sister and I both read this book , not just once but twice and in the future would read it again, it really is that good. No wonder it is listed as being on Rosamund Pilcher's bookshelf. Super Read!
A Nice, Easy Read.......2001-06-10
"Picking Up the Pieces" is an unashamedly romantic novel set in modern-day England. There are a good variety of characters who all have their hidden secrets which the author uses to keep the reader turning the pages. I particularly enjoyed the main theme of the novel - that being that too many families assume that once a women is widowed, her life is basically over. Kate's family have a hard time dealing with the fact that a year after the death of her husband (who we learn has been far from the ideal spouse) she is out and about socially, has discovered a talent which she can translate into a profitable business, decides to move house and meets and falls in love with a wonderful man who can fill all the emptiness that is inside her. Kate really comes into her own at a time when others believe she should be sitting by the fireside with her knitting. This was a light read but a very, very enjoyable one.
Cozy English Novel of a Family Falling Apart.......2001-05-14
"Picking Up The Pieces" is a delightfully engrossing book about a 50ish widow named Kate whose life has fallen apart after the death of her husband Oliver. She is living in a woman's world where everyone including her hardnosed and uncompromising daughter Joanna, her sadly vulnerable granddaughter Harriet, and her delightfully wicked mother-in-law Cicely seems dependent on her.
What do you do when your life falls apart, Joanna asks her mom at one point. You pick up the pieces, Kate replies, and if the most important bit is missing you pick up what's left, reshape it, and make something new of it, like a patchwork quilt. And the reshaping of Kate's life is what this irresistible novel involving four generations of women is about. Kate first discovers her needlework skills can lead to a profitable business and then discovers that the handsome new millionaire in town is the love of her life.
This is a wonderful tale of a woman who was stronger than she ever realized, and of how she overcomes self-doubt and low self-esteem to become the woman she was destined to be.
Adding spice to this cozy English tale is a long-held secret involving paternity, a strained marriage on the brink of divorce, a car accident victim in America, and a teenager who shaves her head for attention. But it is the flawless writing of Mary Sheepshanks, her witty dialogue and wonderful characterizations, that will keep you reading to the satisfying conclusion.
Sheepshanks at Her Best.......2001-01-30
What is it about Mary Sheepshanks that makes it impossible to put her books down? It must be the enchanting blend of reality and humor that gets me every time. Like her other heroines, Sheepshanks' Kate is a no-nonsense, "let's get on with it and cope with life" typical British character. But beneath that strength lies a vulnerability that grabs the reader's heart.
Kate's reactions to her lovely son and daughter-in-law, her strong-minded, bird-watching mother-in-law, her difficult and sometimes nasty daughter Joanna, and her enchanting granddaughter Harriet, all reveal different sides of her complicated personality.
Just when we think she's a typical dull countrywoman, Kate reveals her penchant for design, and a strong artistic talent that makes her needlework highly prized. Just when we think she's something of a prude, whose sexual feelings died with her philandering husband, she becomes strongly attacted to Jack, a newcomer with his own secrets.
The mixture of pathos, romance, good old British common sense, and sometimes uproarious humor (I found myself laughing aloud on the commuter train home one night) make this a good, comforting, and delightful read, especially if one is feeling too beleagured to tackle something heavier.
A Delightful Piece of Fluff.......2000-01-13
This is a one of those truly enjoyable light novels -- especially for those who love stories about English "society" -- with lots of distinctive characters, juicy plot lines, and happy endings all around. While the genre is somewhat like that of Rosamunde Pilcher or Maeve Binchy, overall I'd say Sheepshanks' writing is livelier and fresher than some of her cohort. I definitely recommend this book for a fun, upbeat read.
Book Description
In UP BEFORE DAYBREAK, acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson captures the voices of the forgotten men, women, and children who worked in the cotton industry in America over the centuries. The voices of the slaves who toiled in the fields in the South, the poor sharecroppers who barely got by, and the girls who gave their lives to the New England mills spring to life through oral histories, archival photos, and Hopkinson's engaging narrative prose style. These stories are amazing and often heartbreaking, and they are imbedded deep in our nation's history.
Customer Reviews:
A fascinating book for kids -- and adults.......2006-10-10
Like the author's nonfiction book, Shutting out the Sky, Up Before Daybreak makes history come alive by focusing on the lives of real people. Hopkinson does not talk down to young readers -- instead, she encourages them to look at the past in ways that reach beyond a history textbook. If nothing else, the photos in this beautiful book are a reminder of why it is important that all of us make an effort to understand the past.
But I never picked cotton like my mother did, and my sister did, and my brother did, and my daddy died young . . ........2006-10-09
As a children's librarian, one of my jobs is to recommend non-fiction to kids that they'll actually read. Interesting non-fiction. Now when I was a kid you couldn't have bribed me with all the peanut butter cups in the world to pick up a non-fiction book that didn't deal with animals in some fashion. So with my twelve-year-old self planted firmly in the back of my mind, I set out to discover whether or not Deborah Hopkinson's, "Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People In America", would be something a child would find themselves voluntarily reading. Ms. Hopkinson had a very good 2006 publishing year, by the way. When she wasn't creating picture books like "Sky Boys" to celebrate the construction of the Empire State Building she was writing gripping historical fiction like "Into the Firestorm" for the young `uns. Of these three 2006 ventures, however, "Up Before Daybreak" is the trickiest. You have to talk about a staple, how it affected the economy, the toll on human lives and do all this in an engaging factual manner. Some parts of this book work better than others and some parts garner more interest as well. "Up Before Daybreak" is a worthy effort to follow cotton and how it changed America. I'm just not entirely convinced that it's the best of Ms. Hopkinson's non-fiction work.
King Cotton. It's one of those national products that made America what it is today. Tracing the beginning of cotton production from the birth of our nation onwards, the reader comes to understand how this fluffy white flower came to stand at the center of our nation's economy. We see the birth of the cotton gin and the rise of slavery in the South. We watch as the Civil War neatly dismantles the farms and sharecropping rises. At the same time, the history of the mills that spun the cotton and the birth of the American Industrial Revolution all work together to bring us a well-rounded picture of cotton in all its myriad forms and how it affected the people that came in contact with it.
The book is neatly divided into two sections. The first is all that happened with cotton before the Civil War and the second all that happened after. Not only does Ms. Hopkinson discuss at length the effects that both slavery and sharecropping had on white and black workers, but she answers some questions I myself had about the times. For example, why do we never hear about any black mill workers? Well, that may have something to do with the fact that blacks tended to be barred from mill work (always excepting housekeeping and hard labor). Though the text jumps back in forth in time depending on the subject, the reader never gets the feeling that the story is difficult to follow. And while the effect of all of this on children is certainly a large part of the book's focus, adults get just as much attention as well.
Which is maybe why I was a little baffled to find that labor unions didn't really get mentioned in the book. Unionism is reduced to a single paragraph on page 78 and a sentence on page 79, and even then it speaks of a unsuccessful attempt in September 1934. Other small mentions are made of unions, but none are more than a sentence or two here and there and a child reader could be forgiven for assuming through this book that all attempts to unionize mills were unsuccessful.
Yet the book is magnificent in its factual information. First of all, the photos in the book are top notch. Spottted regularly throughout the text they show cotton in different eras, to say nothing of different mill workers throughout the decades. I loved the Selected Bibliography which even went so far as to include "Articles, Oral Histories, Narratives, Bulletins, and Pamphlets". The Notes that go chapter by chapter are copious, and the Index easy to use. But the best part of the book, to my eyes, was the suggested "Further Reading For Young People". How many times have I gotten through a non-fiction book and found the author skimpy on helping kids find further information on a given subject? Well, Ms. Hopkinson is on the case. She even goes so far as to split this section into the books and websites on cotton in the fields vs. cotton in the mills. Manifique.
Sadly, this isn't to say that the book doesn't get a little bogged down in unnecessary facts. Take, for example, the cotton factor John Chrystie. While learning about what a "cotton factor" was is interesting, his story slows significantly when we get a physical description of the warehouse he worked and lived in. Kids reading this book may certainly be interested in the job of factors, but it seems a bit excessive to expect them to keep reading through sentences like, "In the evening we sit in our offices and play whist, or read papers when they come or write letters." I would have liked a couple diagrams to take their place. We hear that picking cotton was a nasty painful job, but we never see a diagram or picture of what a head of cotton looked like. Visualizing is all well and good but it would be nice to see a single head of cotton, if only to understand what the subject of this book even looked like. When a former picker says of cotton that, "When they open up, there's a little point on every one of those at the edge of the burs", you want to see what that means. There is one picture of cotton bolls, but they're not presented in a way that allows you to understand why picking them would be difficult. Ms. Hopkinson also assumes that we understand the history of the boll weevil, so it comes up casually in the text without any history. What is a "boll weevil"? What does it look like? Why did they suddenly appear en masse during the Great Depression? Kids like pictures and they like evil insects. To not include either in the book reduces the story's kid-friendly appeal, which is a pity considering the author's sheer wealth of information.
It would have been nice to hear what the current state of the American cotton industry was. However, it's difficult to fault how Hopkinson smartly ties in this story of slavery and human pain to the 246 MILLION children who work cotton fields all over the globe today. Kudos to Hopkinson then for the sentence in the book's final paragraph, "The next time you buy clothes made of cotton, take time to look at the label. Consider doing some research to see what working conditions are like where that cloth was made." Altogether, the book is a funny mix of good and bad. There were some elements unaddressed and excluded that could have made the title stronger as a whole, and I'm not entirely convinced that many children would read this for pleasure, but it's a fascinating topic and an interesting time in our nation's history. A good if slightly flawed book.
Richie's Picks: UP BEFORE DAYBREAK.......2006-07-14
A slave named Henry Kirk Miller was fourteen when freedom arrived with the end of the Civil War. Later he recalled how his former owner had needed money and had sold off one of Henry's sisters, taking cotton in exchange:
" 'I remember hearing them tell about the big price she brought because cotton was so high,' said Henry. 'Old mistress got 15 bales of cotton for sister...It was only a few days till freedom came and the man who had traded all them bales of cotton lost my sister, but old mistress kept the cotton.' "
I'm in touch with cotton on a daily basis. As a matter of fact, what could be closer to me? Closer than my plaid flannel boxers ("100% COTTON, Made in Bangladesh")? Closer than my Beatles Yellow Submarine Picture Book tee-shirt ("100% COTTON, Knit in U.S.A, Assembled in Honduras")? Closer than my Levi Strauss Relaxed Fit 550 Jeans (100% COTTON, Made in Mexico)? Or the soft pillow case under my head as I read this fascinating book (100% COTTON, Made in Bulgaria)? Yup, I've got some significant daily connections to cotton.
As noted by author Deborah Hopkinson, "Growing up, I never fully understood how important those old, run-down mills had been to our country's history. The evidence was right before my eyes, but I couldn't imagine the past. I couldn't see Lowell as a vibrant center of new technology or understand the forces that had left it broken and economically depressed."
Like Hopkinson's experience with Lowell, Massachusetts, I also have a bit of experience with run-down mills. In the mid-Seventies, during my years as an undergraduate student at UConn, I would frequently head down the road to the nearby mill town of Willimantic, whose nickname "Thread City" has since been memorialized by the giant spools of thread upon which the Willimantic Frog Bridge frogs sit. (Check out the bridge at http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/br-frog.html.) My destination in Willimantic was Shaboo, a cavernous club serving up big-name live music that operated -- of course -- in an old textile factory building.
As I learned through a bit of my own searching, the Willimantic Linen Company used to be Connecticut's largest employer. At one time they produced 85,000 miles of thread each day. Its modern-era successor, the American Thread Company, still had a presence in town during my collegiate days. And as I also discovered, another of the old buildings in Willimantic, which has recently been renovated as part of the development of a modern business and technology center, was the world's first mill to be illuminated by electric lights -- said to be Thomas Edison's first paying job!
Whether it be factories, farms, or struggling families, Deborah Hopkinson has done an exceptional job here of researching the various threads of the history of cotton in America, and of pulling them together into an engaging story that, in turn, reveals so much about the broader history of our country. What makes the story most interesting is her ability to repeatedly illustrate significant aspects by referring to the words of real characters she uncovered in her research:
"Laura Nichols from Connecticut wanted to earn her own money. She hoped to get more education, but her parents couldn't afford to help her. So Laura took a job in a mill near her home, determined not to give up her hopes for the future.
"Years later, Laura told her own children how hard she had been willing to work for her dreams. Laura believed there was 'something better within my reach and I must have it or die in the attempt. I began to realize that my future would be largely what I make of it, that my destiny was, as it were, in my own hands.'
"New England girls like Laura were part of a new chapter in American history. The early years in Lowell and other mill towns of New England marked the first time large numbers of women moved away from their families to cities to take jobs far from home."
But, as is seen repeatedly throughout the book, such manufacturing work was initially done for low wages, beginning at incredibly young ages, and was carried out at a rapid pace throughout obscenely long work days with no ventilation, and under conditions that frequently led to permanent injury. Very young people who grew old while literally spending the majority of their lives inside the walls of those mills were the victims upon whose tragic lives the modern era of child labor laws, compulsory education, safe working conditions, and minimum wages were eventually and belatedly built.
Of course, the mills were (and will be) seen by many as an improvement over the lives of sharecroppers and tenant farmers who always faced the possibility of working similarly long hours and of coming away without a cent to show for a hard year's work. For instance, Walter Strange, who began sharecropping in 1911 at the age of 12, and who was interviewed in 1938 explained that:
" 'Last year I planted seven acres in cotton and made only one bale. I used poison, too. But the boll weevil ate up the cotton in spite of it,' said Walter. 'The fertilizer cost me one hundred dollars. I sold the cotton for fifty-two dollars. The loss on the fertilizer alone was forty-eight dollars, not counting the work and the other expense. I had to sell something else to finish paying for the fertilizer.' "
Young readers will undoubtedly be intrigued by Walter's beginning as a sharecropper in his own right at such a young age. In fact, whether it be from the narratives she's uncovered, or from viewing the wealth of photographs included throughout the book, so many of the characters Hopkinson brings us face to face with are very young people.
Thus, UP BEFORE DAYBREAK is an excellent example of bringing American history to life.
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- How to pick up women
- For anyone seeking female companionship
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The Ugly Man's Guide to Picking Up Women (and Keeping Them)
Mark Patton
Manufacturer: BRG Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
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Love, Sex & Marriage
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ASIN: 0966114477 |
Book Description
The Ugly Man's Guide to Picking Up Women (and Keeping Them) is a laugh out loud, off the wall approach to improving the odds of even the most physically unappealing men in the world. It is packed full of useful real life information that's easy to digest and a blast to read. It takes you through the basics and gives you some great little tricks to help you along the way. It deals with meeting women, dating, relationships and even SEX. This book tells you how it is, holding nothing back. It's actually funny enough to read out loud at parties, yet serious enough to give you the edge over the better looking competition.
Customer Reviews:
How to pick up women.......2003-06-24
I don't think this book provides adequate advice, and may actually be dangerous to the average fella trying to pick up women. Here's some advice. remember, conditioning is important, go heavy on the squats and leg lifts to strengthen your lower back and thighs. I try hit the gym three times a week. Remember,always vary your workout routine with the size of the woman you are going to be picking up. And always stretch before and after you pick up a woman, they're heavier than they look sometimes. And fer christ sakes, lift with your legs not your back!
For anyone seeking female companionship.......2001-05-21
In The Ugly Man's Guide To Picking Up Women (And Keeping Them), author Mark Patton has written an insightful, effective, "how to" book on creating a relationship with a woman by improving a fellow's mating potential through improving one's personality, physical appearance, hold an engaging conversation, effective places to take a date, "making a move", sex tips, dealing with the "morning after", what to do about her kids and pets, gift giving, moving in together, the etiquette of breaking up, getting married, and much, much more! Written with wit, humor, experience, and expertise (Patton is (5'5 and himself "attractively challenged" but managed to woo, win and wed an attractive wive who adores him) The Ugly Man's Guide To Picking Up Women is "must" reading for anyone seeking female companionship whether its for an evening, a weekend, or a lifetime.
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Cyclone Tracy: Picking up the pieces
Bill Bunbury
Manufacturer: Fremantle Arts Centre Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
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ASIN: 1863681124 |
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Picking Up the Tab: The Life and Movies of Martin Ritt
Carlton Jackson
Manufacturer: Bowling Green University Popular Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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General
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ASIN: 0879726725 |
Books:
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- The Winner-Take-All Society: Why the Few at the Top Get So Much More Than the Rest of Us
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