Average customer rating:
- Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: What an amazing book!
- It makes me want to burn my bra!
- A Beautiful Story!
- Page turner!
- Book Club selection - Wonderful and rich
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Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel
Lisa See
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
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Binding: Paperback
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Suite Francaise
ASIN: 0812968069
Release Date: 2006-02-21 |
Book Description
In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s painted a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.
Download Description
Lisa See is the author of Flower Net (an Edgar Award nominee), The Interior, and Dragon Bones, as well as the critically acclaimed memoir On Gold Mountain. The Organization of Chinese American Women named her the 2001 National Woman of the Year. She lives in Los Angeles.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: What an amazing book!.......2007-10-10
My favorite book in my 2 year book club. I love the way she writes and describes a world and lives of strong women who have no choice, no love, no life but yet have each other, dreams, and and hope.
It makes me want to burn my bra!.......2007-10-09
I thought this book was very well written and the story was very interesting. However, it doesn't change the fact that it infuriated me to no end. I am so thankful I am an American woman, even a Western woman, where women are valued and important to society. It makes me sick to think how little value women have and that they see themselves that way, no better than a slave. And then whent these young girls move into their new home, their mother-in-laws treat them so abominably, even though they had gone through the same things. Women become subservient in every possible way, mentally, emotionally, and of course, physically because of that accursed foot-binding tradition. YUCK! This type of culture is just so alien to me. Wow! What a great story, though. It really got me thinking.
A Beautiful Story!.......2007-10-08
This book was effectively able to intertwine a story about lifelong friendship between two women and many historical details from Chinese culture such as food binding and the role of women in society. I loved how the author was able to look back on her life and point out her flaws, and the strengths of her friend. I highly recommend this book!
Page turner!.......2007-10-06
This book will make you both sad and happy and both love and hate the characters at the same time. Very interesting to learn about chinese traditions of arranged marriage and wrapped feet. I couldn't put it down.
Book Club selection - Wonderful and rich.......2007-10-06
I was put off by this book being another narrative. It seems like that's all I've read in the last few weeks. But it was a wonderful story, so intricate and filled with rich details. I saw some critisim about the lack of details abut the rest of their lives, like how they gave birth. but that kind of detail is not needed here. The lives of these women are so very interesting to me. I really liked this book. it had a valuable lesson at the end as well. Ok and the footbinding was awful but integral to the story.
Product Description
FROM THE BACK COVER: Are you caught up in the financial thinking of the last century? That's when we learned to buy a home and pay it off as quickly as possible. It made sense in the conditions that existed back then. It doesn't make sense today. How would you like to: 1) Safely leverage and compound assets you didn't realize you had? 2) Become your own bank and build family wealth? 3) Pile up stock market gains, but never take the losses? 4) Lock-in a rich, secure and carefree retirement? 5) Transform the IRS into your wealth-building partner? 6) Create real wealth, empowering you to help others? 7) Get to your existing retirement funds with little or no taxes? 8) Leave a fortune to your heirs? STOP SITTING ON YOUR ASSETS make these strategies crystal clear -- and you can apply them with security and ease. If you own a home, you owe it to yourself to know about today's new reality: You are sitting on a potential fortune that can safely and confidently be put to work to build a massively abundant financial future. A future so rich that -- before STOP SITTING ON YOUR ASSETS -- could have only existed in your dreams.
Customer Reviews:
don't waste your money on this book or its strategy.......2007-10-05
First of all, the author has enough material for a magazine article at best and she has padded and stretched it into a book. That makes for an annoying read.
Secondly, her math is deceitful. She says to borrow the equity from your home at 8% and put that money to work getting an 8% return and you will end up with a huge pile of money. What about the payments? Oh, yeah. She subtracts those as a lump sum at the end from your pile of money. Everyone knows the payments have to made every month so if you're borrowing at 8% and getting an 8% return you're simply going to break even. If you're as smart as a fifth grader you know that math calculations have to be performed in the correct order or you'll get the wrong answer. She also gives an example of someone who could pay cash for a house but takes out a mortgage anyway and invests the money. She conveniently ignores the fact that the person could simply pay cash for the house and then invest what they would have made in payments each month and that money would grow to almost the same amount as her "safety fund"
The third problem with this strategy is that the only way to get this 8% tax free, totally safe return is to buy a questionable insurance product that she or her friends will be happy to sell you. Then you'll have the IRS looking over your shoulder.
I'm not a big fan of a mortgage free house for a number of reasons but if you're going to harvest equity and invest it, you'd better know what you're doing. For the average person it's way too risky.
Start saving some money by NOT buying this book.
This book has been done before, called Missed Fortune 101.......2007-09-22
Sad to see people trying to ride the coattails of another book and rip it off so blatantly. The orignal book called Missed Fortune 101 introduces the world to these strategies. Well Stop Sitting comes in and basically changes a word here and a word there to try and be different. For example Missed Fortune 101 talks about "going down the highway of life with one foot on the gas and one on the brake" Ms. Snow talks about going down the highway with 4 flat tires and a broken windshield...Come on!
Read Missed Fortune 101 Missed Fortune 101: A Starter Kit to Becoming a Millionaireto read the real story first, Read Stop Sitting for a rehash, if you like that kind of stuff...
I know I'm gonna write a book called Elbib and have it start out with a guy named Aaron and a girl named Emily who live in the jungle, then get kicked out of the jungle for eating the forbidden vegetable...
Looking for answers.......2007-08-19
I, too, was in awe after reading this book. The ideas are presented in a simple, easy to understand way, and it seems to me to be very logical. I'm no financial genius, rather a former math teacher and the numbers seem to work on paper. But, really, after the awe has worn off and reality hits, what's the catch? This seems too easy. If this idea has been in existance for several years, then why hasn't it caught on with the "masses?" Why don't more financial advisors recommend this? Is there something I'm missing or does it really work that simply and just nobody knows about it? Somebody....give me the real scoop!
Very, Very dangerous book.......2007-08-02
As I began to read this book, my first challenge was to get over the unearned arrogance of the author. Marion Snow may have a "scientific mind" and have a little experience in the mortgage industry selling people mortgages, but she is no financial planner.
The book is absolutely full of errors and misrepresentations of how some very complex financial products work. She literally demonizes financial planning professionals who have spent years of their lives helping clients and studying the ever changing landscape of both financial planning, estate planning, as well as the Internal Revenue Code.
Some of her VERY dangerous errors are as follows:
First, nearly all of her calculations discuss saving taxes at a 30 or 33% tax rate. While this sounds good, the average American is nowhere near the 33% tax bracket. The 33% tax bracket does not begin for most married Americans until they have over $195,000 of annual income.
Secondly, the insurance products that she describe do not function as she indicates. On page 110, she casually mentions that her insurance strategy will work as "long as you are careful not to deplete your cash value." She does not mention that the "tax advantaged policy loans" she advocates are 1)charged interest by the insurance company, and 2) taxable if the policy lapses in later years. Additionally, she neglects to mention that Universal life policies have increasing costs which will cause them to lapse using her strategy.
Third, all of her calculations are "assumed and hypothetical." They do not address real numbers. About halfway though the book she indicates she "got her insurance license" just to verify her findings. Unfortunately, an insurance license is viewed by most credentialed financial planners with the same reverence that training wheels are viewed by Olympic bicycle racers...
Fourth, her mortage strategies advocate taking illegal tax deductions - the tax deductions she describes are not allowable to the degree the advocates, in the tax brackets she uses as examples. The deductions "phase out" well before a taxpayer can use them to the degree she illustrates. Simply put - the numbers are INCORRECT.
Ms. Snow should spend a few years in school and learn what she is talking about - and a few more years working with real world financial clients -before being arrogant enough to throw stones at those who do.
She is flat wrong in many areas and will hurt a great many people who take her cutesy approach to financial planning seriously.
Jon - CFP, ChFC
What's wrong with Stop Sitting on Your Assets.......2007-07-29
This book uses fuzzy math to reach predetermined conclusions.
No only is the math flawed, but what's worse is that the book ignores the tax code and 264(a)3 specifically (which dramatically affects the concepts discussed in his books).
There is no such thing as a tax free, money management free, expense free "side fund" as she discusses in this book.
It is clear that the author does not understand how money grows in the real world and does not understand life insurance (which is ironic since the book is about building wealth using indexed equity life insurance).
Of all the books in the marketplace which discuss Equity Harvesting, this is by far the worst one.
Book Description
Dread, yearning, identity, intrigue, the lethal chemistry between secular doubt and Islamic fanaticism–these are the elements that Orhan Pamuk anneals in this masterful, disquieting novel. An exiled poet named Ka returns to Turkey and travels to the forlorn city of Kars. His ostensible purpose is to report on a wave of suicides among religious girls forbidden to wear their head-scarves. But Ka is also drawn by his memories of the radiant Ipek, now recently divorced.
Amid blanketing snowfall and universal suspicion, Ka finds himself pursued by figures ranging from Ipek’s ex-husband to a charismatic terrorist. A lost gift returns with ecstatic suddenness. A theatrical evening climaxes in a massacre. And finding god may be the prelude to losing everything else. Touching, slyly comic, and humming with cerebral suspense, Snow is of immense relevance to our present moment.
Customer Reviews:
Snow, Slow, Slushy but Intriguing.......2007-10-10
The main hero, Ka, is someone who has no spine, no convictions, and sometimes comes across as a real whiny jerk; at the same time one can sort of relate to his whimsical and directionless way of drifting through life under pressures of a given moment. Is the author trying to tell us that Ka was only any good (or noteworthy) when he was in his homeland? Is there a message that Turks should remain Turkish and not strive so desperately to be European? Then why does his experience in Kars read like a dark comedy? The result of his life journey is foretold - there is nothing left after him short of his old rags, porn mags, and unpleasant memories of his existence. It was not clear to me whether the fact that the book of his alleged poetry was green, that each poem came upon Ka like a divine gift (i.e., dictated to him), and the fact that these poems survive only as an oral tradition have anything to do with Quranic tradition. There are many other allusions in the book that travel on a parallel track - the covered girls, religious school boys, the sheikh, Islamic political activists, plenty of history and of course the snow. Several love affairs also add a dimension to the book, which certainly enlivens the narrative. Overall, the book resembles a Turkish or rather a Persian rug with multiple repeating patterns, colorful vignettes, but something that you may be tempted to roll up and put in a closet after you are done looking at it for a while or spilt a cup of tea with cream and sugar on it. Good book, but slow, ethnically intriguing but slushy for lack of much structure. Enjoy, you will be tempted to read another of Pamuk's books.
Bound to be a classic.......2007-10-05
Most of the glowing reviews sum it up quite well; this is a brilliant and complex novel examining individual and cultural identity. Pamuk's piles (literally, with Snow) the symbolism on in so many different ways......The book flirts with magical realism and yet is an in-depth character study that questions who we are in today's society. Are we secular? Are we religious? The genius of this book is that is goes beyond the issues of being Turkish as it applies to all of us living in modern society. To those who think this is a confusing and rambling book all I can urge you to do is to hang in there with this effort, and to try and feel comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. That is one of the points Pamuk is trying to make. That is, when we look into who we are, we sometimes aren't so confident of our identity. In my humble opinion, this is one of the best books I've read in years, but I can see how it will not appeal to all readers.
Slow.......2007-10-02
I attempted to read this book and stopped half way because it was just so slow! The language was difficult to follow and the story did'nt seem to be going anywhere and I lost interest. Overall very boring.
Inspired by Snow.......2007-10-01
If you like political novels wrapped in a love story, then Snow by Orhan Pamuk is written for you. If you have an interest in what is happening in other countries of the world, especially Turkey, which straddles two continents, Europe and Asia, then you are ready to take a trip with the main character Ka, to the eastern city of Kars on the border between Russia and Armenia.
Snow is a story that revolves around the tension between the secular government and Islamic radicals. The head of the Islamist radicals, Blue, is hiding in Kars. Ka, short for Kerim Alakusoglu, is a 42-year-old exiled poet, who poses as a journalist. He has lived in Germany for 12 years during his exile. He has never been married and is still in love with his college classmate, Ipek, now divorced from her husband. On the surface, Ka seems to be only interested in the elections and the suicides of college girls, who refuse to uncover their hair in schools due to their Islamic faith, but deep inside, he wants to marry Ipek. His poem-less life changes since his arrival in Kars. He names his first poem in Kars "Snow," hence the title of the book. Snow, a poignant symbol throughout the novel, not only inspires him, but also reminds him of God. Although he has a spiritual hunger for God, he is not interested in the god of Islam, because following the rules of Islam seems unachievable to him; besides he indulges in drinking, which is against Islam.
When Ka arrives in Kars to investigate the suicides and report on the elections, all the roads leading to Kars are closed due to a blizzard. He finds a hotel to stay in and finds out that Ipek's father owns the hotel and lives there with his two daughters. He finds out from Muhtar, Ipek's ex-husband that there is a big event planned in a couple of days which will be broadcast to the whole city. It is a play named "My Fatherland and My Scarf", supposed to bring some attention to the head scarf worn by women who follow Islam.
Unfortunately the play turns into a military coup arranged by an actor who turns into a military agent. Many people get killed and arrested. A curfew is issued in the whole town. Ka is asked to identify the Islamist radicals and is protected because he has ties to the newspapers in Istanbul and in Germany. He has met the head of the radical movement, Blue (named after the color of his eyes) through a high school student. Blue wants Ka to publish a statement from the Islamist point of view; however, Ka persuades him to sign the statement with two other minority representatives.
During his stay, he proposes to Ipek, who is unsure of leaving all behind and move to Germany with Ka. Their love develops into passion with uncertainty lingering over their relationship. Will Ka be able to persuade Ipek to run away with him on the first train out of Kars? Will Ipek sacrifice her family to follow her passion into a land unknown? The verdict is waiting to be unraveled in the suspense and passion filled pages of Snow.
Although this novel may be hard to understand for people who don't have the background in the religion of Islam and the government of Turkey, those who are interested in the life of a poet and his love story will love the intricacies knitted in the novel by the talented story teller, Orhan Pamuk.
Lots about headscarves.......2007-09-15
I still haven't finished this book -- listening to it in my car. It is long, I am beginning to tire of all the discussions about headscarves. However, I am going to continue because it tells me about Turkey, about political islam (including the headscarf issue) and it is well-written.
Average customer rating:
- So far as I know, this is the last in the series
- Good ending to the series
- A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander)
- love, love, love, Diana's writing
- Expect withdrawal symptoms ......
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A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander)
Diana Gabaldon
Manufacturer: Delta
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The Fiery Cross (Outlander)
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Outlander
ASIN: 0385340397
Release Date: 2006-08-29 |
Book Description
Eagerly anticipated by her legions of fans, this sixth novel in Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling Outlander saga is a masterpiece of historical fiction from one of the most popular authors of our time.
Since the initial publication of
Outlander fifteen years ago, Diana Gabaldon’s New York Times bestselling saga has won the hearts of readers the world over — and sold more than twelve million books. Now,
A Breath of Snow and Ashes continues the extraordinary story of 18th-century Scotsman Jamie Fraser and his 20th-century wife, Claire.
The year is 1772, and on the eve of the American Revolution, the long fuse of rebellion has already been lit. Men lie dead in the streets of Boston, and in the backwoods of North Carolina, isolated cabins burn in the forest.
With chaos brewing, the governor calls upon Jamie Fraser to unite the backcountry and safeguard the colony for King and Crown. But from his wife Jamie knows that three years hence the shot heard round the world will be fired, and the result will be independence — with those loyal to the King either dead or in exile. And there is also the matter of a tiny clipping from The Wilmington Gazette, dated 1776, which reports Jamie’s death, along with his kin. For once, he hopes, his time-traveling family may be wrong about the future.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
So far as I know, this is the last in the series.......2007-09-22
I've seen some negative comments about The Fiery Cross - and there is an explanation for its being less than Gabaldon fans have come to expect. It's not my business to explain it and that's all I'm going to say. If you want more of Claire and Jamie, you'd better start over - I just did. AND, you can always buy The Outlandish Companion or the Lord John Grey novels.
Good ending to the series.......2007-09-14
Finally the last epic of Claire and Jamie, Diana G has compleded the series in a good way, I was satisfied with the completion, it was time for the end to come, after all how many war's could Jamie still conquer! Good read, recommend.
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander).......2007-08-24
Another really good read from Diana Gabaldon. It turns out I had already read this book but all her books of this series are worth a second or third read. I have already re-read the other books from this series and wish she would get the next book done and quit keeping us in suspense.
love, love, love, Diana's writing.......2007-08-02
I have absolutely fallen in love with this series! I read all six books within one month. I can't get enough of Jamie and Claire; other historical romance novels pale in comparison. The whole series is in depth both historically and emotionally. I can't wait until the next two books come out! Please continue writing Diana!!!!!!!
Expect withdrawal symptoms ...... .......2007-07-28
Before I read this volume, I held it in my hands and gazed at it feeling a little sad that I had come to the end of the series (so far). Because of this, I took this one REAL slow. Corny I know - you dont have to tell me, but still, I tell you no lies.
If your looking at this review I am assuming you have read the other books in the series, so my final statement below will be something I guess you could possibly relate to:
****
My belly was full to the brim with hearty chunks left over from The Fiery Cross, therefore, Snow and Ashes finished me of nicely, like good Port after a satisfying meal. Since I'm comparing it to a flavoursome drop, like all good spirits, I was left wanting more.
Actually, I would have sold a kidney for just one more drop, but as usual, Mrs. Gabaldon knows when you've had enough and how to make you want more (much more).
My advice with this one tho is: Sip it. Take your time with it's pages and let the story tell itself to you, rather than raking your eyes over the words. After all, it takes a few years for Diana to write each volume for the series, so if you're up to this part .... why rush.
If you do decide to pump through the pages, you'll risk feeling high and dry at the end. And since there is not another volume to follow YET, you will be waiting anyway, so you might as well take your time.
In closing, I absolutely loved it, as I have loved them all, and I sincerely hope you enjoy it also.
Until next time - Cheers Jo
Amazon.com
From the opening line of his breakthrough cyberpunk novel Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson plunges the reader into a not-too-distant future. It is a world where the Mafia controls pizza delivery, the United States exists as a patchwork of corporate-franchise city-states, and the Internet--incarnate as the Metaverse--looks something like last year's hype would lead you to believe it should. Enter Hiro Protagonist--hacker, samurai swordsman, and pizza-delivery driver. When his best friend fries his brain on a new designer drug called Snow Crash and his beautiful, brainy ex-girlfriend asks for his help, what's a guy with a name like that to do? He rushes to the rescue. A breakneck-paced 21st-century novel, Snow Crash interweaves everything from Sumerian myth to visions of a postmodern civilization on the brink of collapse. Faster than the speed of television and a whole lot more fun, Snow Crash is the portrayal of a future that is bizarre enough to be plausible.
Book Description
Only once in a great while does a writer come along who defies comparison--a writer so original he redefines the way we look at the world. Neal Stephenson is such a writer and
Snow Crash is such a novel, weaving virtual reality, Sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age.
In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo's CosaNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he's a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that's striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about Infocalypse.
Snow Crash is a mind-altering romp through a future America so bizarre, so outrageous...you'll recognize it immediately.
Download Description
Only once in a great while does a writer come along who defies comparison -- a writer so original he redefines the way we look at the world. Neal Stephenson is such a writer and Snow Crash is such a novel, weaving virtual reality, Sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age.
In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo's CosaNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he's a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that's striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about Infocalypse. Snow Crash is a mind-altering romp through a future America so bizarre, so outrageous... you'll recognize it immediately.
"Stephenson has not stepped, he has vaulted onto the literary stage with this novel."
LOS ANGELES READER
"A cross between Neuromancer and Thomas Pynchon's Vineland. This is no mere hyperbole."
SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN
"Fast-forward free-style mall mythology for the 21st century."
WILLIAM GIBSON
"Brilliantly realized... Stephenson turns out to be an engaging guide to an onrushing tomorrow."
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
Customer Reviews:
A Great Intro to Neal Stephenson.......2007-10-06
Snow Crash was the first NS book I read - but certainly not the last. He's simply the most intriguing, creative writer I've come across and one of my first recommendations for anyone who wants to read intelligent commentary on the human condition through fiction. My only critique of Neal's work is that he doesn't always seem to know how to end a book. But maybe that's because he's such a fine writer, I just don't want it to end. Start with Snow Crash, read The Diamond Age, then if you're hooked, take a shot at reading Cryptonomicon and the Baroque Cycle.
No-Holds-Barred Cyberpunk.......2007-09-16
Years ago, this book was all the rage with a group of my friends, and after hearing them talk so much about it, I had to check it out for myself. I wasn't disappointed; Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash is a superb cyberpunk novel with fun characters thrown in.
Hiro Protagonist (no, really...that's his name) is a sometime pizza boy in an America that has become fractured and conglomerated by corporations. However, his real a/vocation is his life on the net, wherein he is a sword-swing agent. When his net mogul friend, Da5id, is rendered brainless by a strange computer virus called Snow Crash, Hiro is thrown into an adventure with Mesopotamian mythology, mad mafia pizza moguls, a criminal whose weapon of choice is plate-glass spears, a massive floating island of refugees, and a cynical teenage skateboard courier. Stephenson has an eye for both satire and for enthralling description. Highly recommended for any fan of William Gibson.
Cyberpunk is my new love..........2007-09-16
This book had my heart after the first paragraph. I love the way Stephenson is so descriptive, using so many metaphors that your head spins. It was seriously like watching "The Matrix" for the first time. You remember how with just about every action scene you were able to mutter at least one "That was freakin' awesome!"? Well that's how "Snow Crash" is going to be for you. There's not one chapter that goes by where you aren't interested.
Even the less action-packed chapters are just as captivating, not only because Neal Stephenson can write a sentence so full of satire and humor that only weeks later while standing in line at the DMV will you break out in laughter at finally understanding it completely, but because the content is just so intriguing. I also must confess to loving the parts of the book that dealt with Sumerian mythology, as well as the Raft.
Anyway, without giving any more details, I definitely stand by this book as one of the best novels ever written. Even Time Magazine seems to agree, having put it on a list of "All-Time 100 Novels"(http://www.time.com/time/2005/100books/the_complete_list.html). So especially if you've been out of touch with a good book for a while, consider reading "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson. It'll make you fall in love with literature all over again, even if you don't know for sure what Cyberpunk means.
Stunning.......2007-09-13
The combination of technology and cutting edge concepts make this a watershed novel. A pleasure to read was actually sad when I realized only twenty pages were left. Think of that...
[[ASIN:0595681646 Gideon's Fall: When You Dont Have a Prayer, Only a Miracle Will Do]
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
A fabulous book, right from the very first life or death pizza delivery incident, and the adventure that flows from there.
Our recursive main character, Hiro Protagonist, must help out a girl, solve a conspiracy, and find out where he comes from, all with a little help and a lot of danger. An intelligent, clever and very funny romp from start to finish, although the humour is more prevalent in the beginning, before the Sumerian encounter.
Book Description
Written by two of the industry’s top Flash experts, this new edition of the best-selling classic has been revised and enhanced to cover the very latest release of Macromedia Flash. User-friendly, yet in-depth this is the book that serves as an indispensable reference for anyone -- from the web novice to the accomplished web worker -- and functions as the perfect, real-world guide to the workings and capabilities of this powerful program. The accompanying CD-ROM includes trial software, custom components and finished examples.
- Totally enhanced and revised edition of the all-time Flash classic reference!
- Everything you need to know to learn and master the Macromedia Flash 8 -- the most comprehensive Flash reference available
- Includes a CD-ROM packed with files from the book and valuable tryouts.
- Co-author Robert Reinhardt is one of the two or three top stars in the Flash developer community, speaking regularly at FlashForward, the Macromedia User's Conference, WebTEK, Macromedia's traveling user seminars, and major universities. No other title matches this one in both comprehensiveness and author reputation.
- Includes expert tutorials from the world's leading Flash gurus
- Includes tips for integrating Flash with other programs
- Includes unpublished tricks, techniques and time-savers
"When I'm planning the FlashBelt conference, Reinhardt is the first one I call. His knowledge reaches to the farthest corners of the software."
-Dave Schroeder, Director, FlashBelt conferences; Owner, PilotVibe Music and Sound Design
"Its range and depth make the Flash Bible a must-have for designers, developers and producers of Flash content." -- Matthew Carroll, designer, Wieden + Kennedy
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-09-03
The book arrived in perfect condition, However the CD that came with it was broken in half. I contacted the publishing company and in 4 days They had a new CD in my Hands. I would definitly purchase more books and plan to in the near future.
Jim L. A Satisfied Customer
Great Book for Great Software.......2007-05-09
If you are not already familiar with Flash then this book is going to be a thick read. The software itself makes the subject hard to learn. Macromedia does things their own way, so you'll be learning all kinds of new ways to do things. This book can help, but don't get in a hurry unless you've already got some experience with the software. For the experienced and expert Flash user this is a great reference tool. A bit overpriced, but then again I'm not sure there's a book of this type that isn't.
Up LATE with FLASH 8.......2007-05-07
haven't finished it yet. but i hope to. this thing is packed with tons of helpful information and sparks my creative juices which i had thought were dry.
Dont waste your money........2007-03-18
What a waste of money. Sure the book has absolutely everything you need to know about Flash, but so what. It is completely boring. Why put yourself through the painful process of reading this 1300 page book-stop. It has no hands on training, which is what really matters, especially for me. If you are new to Flash and really want to learn it, try Macromedia's Flash Professional: Hands on Training. it is a much better buy.
Great for beginners and wow great for advance.......2007-03-09
I am studying in a design school in Milano, they didn't provide me many information, lessons and tutorials of flash. Well, this book is lovely, absolutely the best book! Buy it and make it your girlfriend ! Its more than a bible! I am still reading the last pages and I am so much enjoying it that I am getting sad knowing that i am finishing to read it!
Its really a great book!
I want to say thank you to the autors !!!
Average customer rating:
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Infant Development (3rd Edition)
Charles W. Snow , and
Cindy G. McGaha
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Adolescent Psychology
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Psychology
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General
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ASIN: 0130481440 |
Book Description
This book provides a comprehensive cutting-edge overview of infant growth and development—from conception though the first years of life. Interdisciplinary in perspective and topically organized, it features balanced coverage of theory, research, and practical application, as well as a strong emphasis on the interrelationships between various developmental domains and the importance of the “whole” infant. Prenatal Development. The Birth Process and The Newborn. Physical Growth. Health, Safety, and Nutrition. Motor Development. Perceptual Development. Cognitive Development. Language Development. Personality. Social Development. Emotional Development. Infant Caregiving and Education. For anyone involved in infant care.
Book Description
This anthology is essential reading for elementary and secondary mainstream teachers of all subject areas. Conceptual foundations and best practices of teachers, influential researchers and experienced teacher trainers are presented for exploration and critical review.
Customer Reviews:
A decent anthology of recent scholarship.......2006-03-02
As a means to access critical references in the field of designing instruction with English Language Learners in mind (in other words, its nice to have all these bibliographies in one place) this is exceeding valuable. Also serves as a good overview of the literature. As a course book it suffers from its "collection of work" nature for those who might be looking for a more coherent plan of attack, but again this is a developing field and there is a lot to chose from in terms of how to design instruction, so I guess 'its all good'. Includes both very recent (2005) and some classic research.
Book Description
"The Well-Connected Dog: A Guide to Canine Acupressrue" is an easy to follow manual with lots of illustrations, photographs and charts. Acupressure connects you with 1000's of years of natural healing and has proven to enhance performance, health and overall well-being. This book gives you the tools to participate in your dog's optimal health.
Customer Reviews:
Good start, could be improved.......2007-01-07
This book contains very good information and is useful. It could be improved by adding an index, giving page numbers for specific techniques mentioned in the table of contents, and giving written descriptions of how to find the points. It is not possible to precisely pinpoint the acupuncture/pressure spot with just the dot on a dog diagram. There are some typos that should have been caught by the publisher. Over-all a useful book. I hope they come out with an updated edition that particularly contains an index.
I love this book.......2006-08-01
My copy arrived earlier than expected, and in excellent condition. Kudos to [...].
I have found the book to be easy to read, and the diagrams are very clear, and easy to understand.
I have already tried some accupressure on my little schnanuzer, and noticed some improvementin her pain level.I hope to improve on this, as I get more proficient with practice.
More than I expected.......2005-09-21
I am thrilled with the book the service was great and the amount of information in this book is overwhelming.
Thumbs up for a much needed canine acupressure book!.......2004-11-22
Well researched, superbly written and easily understood by the beginner, this is the primer for all dog lovers who are striving to improve their animal's health.
Traditional Chinese medicine is a difficult conceptfor most Westerners, and the authors explain the basic principles in a manner that allows we "newbies" to start affecting change in their dog's health immediately after reading their book.
I highly recommend this book to those who are searching for a more holistic approach to their animal's health care.
very enlightening and helpful.......2001-11-07
I found this guide to acupressure for pet dogs to be clear and easy to use. It is the only book of its type that I could find, targeted for beginners. I especially liked the lists of specific conditions or problems, and how to treat them. One of my dogs was treated for a hot spot using this book. The relief he got was immediate and evident to everyone in the room. Another dog has benefited from acupressure treatment for joint disease. Both my dogs and I have enjoyed a closer, more satisfying relationship using regular acupressure techniques described in this book. People with an open mind, willing to try something different for their pets, will love it.
Book Description
The year is 1502, and seven-year-old Bianca de Nevada lives perched high above the rolling hills and valleys of Tuscany and Umbria at Montefiore, the farm of her beloved father, Don Vicente. But one day a noble entourage makes its way up the winding slopes to the farm -- and the world comes to Montefiore.
In the presence of Cesare Borgia and his sister, the lovely and vain Lucrezia -- decadent children of a wicked pope -- no one can claim innocence for very long. When Borgia sends Don Vicente on a years-long quest, he leaves Bianca under the care -- so to speak -- of Lucrezia.
She plots a dire fate for the young girl in the woods below the farm, but in the dark forest salvation can be found as well ...
A lyrical work of stunning creative vision,
Mirror Mirror gives fresh life to the classic story of Snow White -- and has a truth and beauty all its own.
Download Description
"E-Book Extra: "Little Snow-White" by the Brothers Grimm (read the original version of the classic fairy tale)Think you know who's the fairest of them all? Think again. Bestselling re-imaginer of classic fairy tales sets the Snow White story in Renaissance Italy, where the madly vain Lucrezia Borgia plots a dire fate for seven-year-old Bianca de Nevada (a.k.a. Snow White).A lyrical work of stunning creative vision, Mirror Mirror is set in Renaissance Italy, where Gregory Maguire draws a connection between the poison apple in the original Snow White story and the Borgia family's well-known appetite for poisoning its foes. In Mirror Mirror Snow White is called Bianca de Nevada. She is born on a farm in Tuscany in 1495, and when she is seven, her father is ordered by the duplicitous Cesare Borgia to go on a quest to reclaim the relic of the original Tree of Knowledge, a branch bearing three living apples that are thousands of years old. Bianca is left in the care of her father's farm staff and the beautiful -- and madly vain -- Lucrecia Borgia, Cesare's sister. But Lucrecia becomes jealous of her lecherous brother's interest in the growing child and plots a dire fate for Bianca in the woods below the farm. There Bianca finds herself in the home of seven dwarves -- the creators of the magic mirror -- who await the return of their brother, the eighth dwarf, long gone on a quest of his own. In the evocative style of Maguire's earlier novels, Mirror Mirror is a fresh, compelling take on a beloved classic tale.
Customer Reviews:
Not my favorite Maguire book.......2007-10-08
I have read Wicked, Son of a Witch, Lost, and Mirror Mirror. I loved the other three (my favorite was Lost). I found that Mirror Mirror was very slow through the middle of the book. It picks up a little at the end, but I guess I've been spoiled by Maguire and expected miraculous books all the time. This one doesn't match the other three, but does have some interesting parts to it. However, I don't understand why the dwarves were stone-like creatures. Am I missing the symbolism (symbolism is not my forte)? Overall, I could have skipped this book. If this is your first Maguire book, please try another one. The rest are fantastic!
Disappointing and Dark.......2007-08-05
Having read Wicked, Son of a Witch, and Confessions, I was ecstatic to find the time to sit down with Mirror Mirror. I wish I had done anything else! While Maguire's cleverness is apparent, I found myself speedreading ahead to see when another inane description of something small and pointless would end, and skipping ahead at the frequent pepperings of bodily secretions and functions. While the ideas and approach to the Snow White fairy tale are brilliant, they are delivered with a cold darkness that paints the world in a light that I read to escape. The theme of the sexual situations left me feeling defiled and dirty, as if I had stumbled onto something hideously grotesque. And, as a woman, I was greatly insulted at the description of Bianca's first menses. Of all the research done for this book, Maguire couldn't ask one woman what menstruation is like? It reminds me of the ignorant descriptions of school boys who know nothing of the female mysteries and talk about it as though they are professors- much to the disgust of those surrounding their ignorance. Maguire has lost a great deal of my respect with this one. Inappropriate for children under 16.
Good idea, not delivered well.......2007-07-22
I feel that Maguire, in all of his novels, makes the reader think about different perspectives on classic stories in a way that is refreshing and intelligent. Unfortunately, "Mirror Mirror" was not as great as all of his other novels to me. It was choppy and I was often times lost. Time moved too quickly was was only explained by many-year-long sleeps. I found this irritating and unimaginative. I also feel as if Maguire has the idea in his mind, but cannot tell it effectively.
Overall, good story if you can look past the confusing word choices and broken story-telling.
Great book for Maguire lovers.......2007-07-20
Fun two-night read. Takes you on a quick surreal journey. Great book for Maguire fans.
Not Maguire's Best.......2007-06-15
Maguire has made himself quite successful spinning off fairy tales, but this variation on Snow White seemed lacking. His take on Cinderella in "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" was steeped in history, and "Wicked" was immersed in the fantastical world of Oz, while "Mirror Mirror" couldn't decide if it wanted to be history or fantasy.
"Mirror Mirror" changes perspective often. The lustful and incestual Borgias, the innocent and fair Bianca, her father on his quest for a limb from the Tree of Knowledge, and the mystical "dwarves" all take turns narrating. I often found it choppy and inconsistent. While I enjoyed it, I've enjoyed Maguires other books much more than this one.
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- Stephen King's Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #2 (Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born)
- The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Tested by Time: Those Who Followed Them . . . and Those Who Didn't!
- The Bluest Eye (Oprah's Book Club)
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
- The Da Vinci Code
- The Disney Princess Little Golden Book Library (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Cinderella, Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White)
- The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells: The Ultimate Reference Book for the Magical Arts
- The Giving Tree
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