Dead Men's Secrets

Average customer rating:

Dead Men's Secrets - An Overlay

Dead Men's Secret's

Book

gives no info

Interesting -- but skims the surface

Dead Men's Secrets
Jonathan Gray
Manufacturer: TEACH Services Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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64 Secrets Still Ahead of Us

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Secrets of the Lost Races: New Discoveries of Advanced Technology in Ancient Civilizations

Treasures of the Lost Races

Technology of the Gods: The Incredible Sciences of the Ancients

ASIN: 1572584033
Release Date: 2005-08-31

Product Description

Archaelogist Jonathan Gray stumbled upon something that shocked him!...a whole cache of "out of place" items that should not exist. And they weren't just in one place. There was a global pattern to them. This pattern showed a lost science and technology. That's when he knew someone had to speak up. This content was of tremendous value. -MACHINERY: Did you know that the Egyptians bored into granite rock with drills that turned 500 times faster than modern power drills? -ANCIENT AMERICA: Did you know that a Chinese mapping survey of North America in 2200 BC described a sunrise over the Grand Canyon, black opals and gold nuggets in Nevada, and seals frolicking in San Francisco Bay? This is the most amazing archaeology book you'll ever see! Dead Men's Secrets is an assemblage of astonishing discoveries..... A lost super science emerges from the sea floor, jungle and desert sands of our planet... over 1,000 forgotten secrets. It will SHOCK you. SEE this world as you've never seen it before. DISCOVER answers you never had. GAIN a new enjoyment. HAVE FACTS at your fingertips to amaze your friends.

Customer Reviews:

Dead Men's Secrets - An Overlay.......2007-09-18

This book provides a pragmatic view of the history of mankind and makes it main points within the first ten chapters (albeit short chapters). A historical timeline of mankind's progress on page 38 or so, an assertion by the author, is something that can be easily overlooked or dismissed, but is well worth studying and thinking about.

With the idea that mankind is struggling back from it's glorious past, it is not hard to imagine that societal structures like the church, ruling families and elected gov'ts, can(and probably did) withhold information of a previous high civilization, so as to retain power or guide society in certain directions; and at least the author brought this idea out and put it to paper for us all to ponder.

P.S. After reading this book, I find myself looking extra carefully at museum artifacts and routinely dismiss archeology articles citing we were half wits, fumbling around in caves, me cold, me find mate...ugh ugh (this still happens today but only after 5 or 6 beers at the local pub!).

Dead Men's Secret's.......2007-08-10

This book is the most complete book I've read so far on out of place artifacts. I gave it 4 stars due to a few spelling errors but it covers the so called out of place artifacts the world over. However if you have an evolutionary world view this book will probably give you nightmares.

Book.......2007-05-27

It had a lot of interesting ideas and info, but with out much actual evidence it wasnt that great a read. There was really no detal to any of the items brought up.

gives no info.......2007-05-06

for a book on discoveries, it gives almost no information on them. it simply lists supposed discoveries. exactly where, exactly when, and by whom? who knows? this book doesn't tell you. it's a real disappointment.

Interesting -- but skims the surface.......2006-08-17

Interesting -- but skims the surface

This book is mostly brief references to historical anomalies and odd findings of past civilizations. The actual references for the sources of the book are lacking detail, which takes away credibility.

The majority of the book is complied as a few paragraphs at the beginning of a chapter followed by a list of items which are suppose to back up the authors contention that a civilization much greater in technology than our own once inhabited the Earth.

Time might better be spent reading "Ancient Man: A Handbook of Puzzling Artifacts" by Wm. Corliss or "The Hidden History of the Human Race" by Cremo and Thompson.

Overall entertaining if you are looking for light reading on the topic of historical anomalies.

James the Brother of Jesus: The Key to Unlocking the Secrets of Early Christianity and the Dead Sea Scrolls

Average customer rating:

read Maccoby instead
Right Enough to be Revolutionary
Mere Conjecture, Little Sunstance
Interesting
Eisenman's Triumph

James the Brother of Jesus: The Key to Unlocking the Secrets of Early Christianity and the Dead Sea Scrolls
Robert H. Eisenman
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Religious | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered: The 1ST compl Translation intrptn 50 Key Documents Withheld for Over 35 Years
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ASIN: 014025773X

Amazon.com

Robert Eisenman, one of the most eminent researchers of early Christianity working today, has produced an exhaustive study of the historical milieu at the time of Jesus and come to the conclusion that James, rather than Peter, was heir to his teachings. Because the historical material regarding James is actually quite plentiful, a clear picture arises not only in regard to who James was, but by extension, who Jesus was also. Controversy is assured; still, given a patient reading, one will discover that Eisenman's research is meticulous, his arguments cogent, and his conclusions persuasive. This should prove to be a popular and influential book.

Customer Reviews:

read Maccoby instead.......2007-10-09

Many of Eisenman's ideas are anticipated by Hyam Maccoby's Revolution In Judea and Paul The Mythmaker. In particular, the appendix of Revolution In Judea presents the idea that the several New Testament characters named James are actually one and the same historical person. And Maccoby is sooooo much more readable than Eisenman.

Right Enough to be Revolutionary.......2007-09-25

Concede that Eisenman is dead wrong in his dating of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Concede that they predate New Testament times by at least one hundred years. Concede that Paul is not the "Lying Spouter" of the Scrolls, and that Jesus' brother James is not the Scrolls "Teacher of Righteousness." Concede that this book is tedious, overlong, repetitive and often incomprehensible. Has the sting in its tail been drawn? Not at all. What remains is a revolutionary understanding of the social, political and religious context which gave birth to the New Testament literature and from which Christianity came. Christianity is peculiarly dependent upon historical claims it makes in regard to events in Palestine in the first half of the first century C.E. "James, the Brother of Jesus" shakes those foundational claims to their very roots. The book convincingly demonstrates a radical disjunction between the Pauline Christianity we have inherited and the ministry and legacy of Jesus as embodied in the Jerusalem Church. Is that important? In his book "Why Study the Past" Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, says, "The New Testament sets out to show that Jesus' story is the key to all other stories of God's dealings with his people, despite the discontinuities, the newness of what has happened through him. It also has to display a unity within the life of Jesus and the life of the early Church." In Eisenman's book that unity between Jesus and the life of the early Church is demolished. I would like to add "once and for all" but that would be overly sanguine.

Mere Conjecture, Little Sunstance.......2007-06-11

I found Robert Eisenman's book "James the Brother of Jesus" to be a very lengthy and redundant work that makes big assumptions but proves very little. It is a study that raises many questions (over and over and over), but never does the author (in this reviewer's opinion) really satisfactorily prove any of his claims.

The narrative is a bear to get through. I try to completely read every book that I begin to read. Very rarely in my life have I put down a book and simply stopped reading to the end. I had to put this dull and lethargic work down several times out of sheer boredom and the author's tendency to repeat himself ad nauseum. When Eisenman feels he has a point to make, he insists on beating it into your brain again and again.

But that's about this author does in this thick book: he merely makes bold assumptions and then repeats the assumption numerous times. He never cross-examines himself, or states a question, but actually claims things which I have never heard anywhere else before in any other study of early Christianity before this.

I gave this book a chance because it was published by Penguin (whom I usually respect quite a lot for the books they publish). But this time Penguin miss the mark and back a hack writer who really doesn't prove anything and tries to discredit orthodox belief that's been established for well over two-thousand years.

Is the true story of James the actual cover-up that Eisenman claims that it is? I doubt it. We have no real way of knowing just who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls and when and for what purpose. Using the Dead Sea Scrolls as evidence is dangerous to any argument. We simply don't know enough about the Dead Sea Scrolls to use them for or against any proclamation.

I found the author's insistence that St Paul and the early diaspora Jews as being "pro Roman" and antisemitic as being a bit belligerent and intolerant. The author attempts to discredit the Christian faith and I found that distasteful and arrogant on his part. It's a free country and he is allowed the freedom of speech and the press, but we are also free to call him out in return. I found the author's entire thesis as being very much based on agenda, rather than merely a detached observation which began its life as a mere questioning.

There is no proof that the Righteous Teacher of the Dead Sea Scrolls is in fact the same James named in the writings of the New Testament and other early Christian texts. The author makes this claim many times, and I assume his strategy is that repetition will make the wary reader start to release all thoughts of skepticism and just start to assume that the allegation must be true. It's mere conjecture, not proof.

Other than the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are highly dubious writings that are very inconclusive, even today, there hasn't been any recent archeological discoveries that would back any of the arguments made in Eisenman's book. We simply don't know any more about the true identity of the so-named "James" than Eisenman does, or the authors of the early Church histories seem to.

I doubt this was an overwrite. More likely, the numbers of Jewish converts probably was never that numerous after Jesus' Crucifixion. The heavily Hellenized overtones of Jesus' thoughts and beliefs is most likely the explanation why there were so many diaspora Jews and gentile early Christian converts as opposed to purely Jewish ones in Palestine. Thus, it seems most probable that, like St Paul's and St Peter's travels according to Christian legend, Christian belief and conversion soon centered in the Mediterranean world of Alexander the Great and his successors rather than in the middle east. I doubt James was "written out" as much as the absence of mention of him and his role would indicate what it seems to indicate: and that is that whomever "James" truly was historically, he probably wasn't that important or significant a personage. The dominance of the Church in Rome was neither a political nor a racial plot, but most likely just a natural progression as tradition holds to this day.

Read Eisenman's book with an open mind, but always keep in mind that the author never fully backs his claims and most are unfounded. I cannot disprove his theories any more than he is able to prove them. They shall remain what they are: questions to ponder and little more.

Interesting.......2007-05-31

Very interesting thesis, but the evidence is so scant, it is difficult to judge the plausibility of specifics.

Eisenman's Triumph.......2007-05-28

Professor Eisenman has written a masterpiece. I demands work on the part of the reader; I am a physicist and expect good books to be demanding. Eisenman has smashed the old paradigm and presented a compelling alternative. Here we see the true followers of Jesus as rebels, pious Jews who were closer to Zealots & Essenes than Paul's fanciful neo-Greek folk tales about The Christ, that so influenced the Gospels. A must read!
Cypress Showley

Hell's Angels: Three Can Keep a Secret If Two Are Dead'

Average customer rating:

Yves. Again!
Lame but not all bad
If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand...
I had a personal inside view into that world in my teens.
fascinating.

Hell's Angels: Three Can Keep a Secret If Two Are Dead'
Y. Lavigne
Manufacturer: Lyle Stuart
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A Wayward Angel: The Full-Story of the Hell's Angels by the Former Vice-President of the Oakland Chapter
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Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang

ASIN: 0818405147

Customer Reviews:

Yves. Again!.......2007-08-16

This is sort of a weird book. Yves starts the book writing in the style of a wannabe Hunter S. Thompson and then decides that he may as well just start "writing". I would say that the abrupt transition starts in maybe the first 80 pages.

I believe that Yves Lavigne is probably the most knowledgeable author in the world about the major motorcycle clubs, other than insiders like Barger (or even Wethern) or undercovers like Queen or Dobyns (through authors), or in-touch contacts like Thompson.

But Yves has some sort of agenda that makes him report every myth and fantasy that has EVER been posited as if it is a FACT. It doesn't take long to tire of this book if you have read everything else, because you have to believe, based upon acquired knowledge, that 30% of what he says is suspect, at best.

I respect Lavigne for his obviously superior knowledge of the topic as a whole. But read every other account and determine for yourself if he has some personal agenda, even if it is as simple as money.

Lame but not all bad.......2007-01-19

The guy that wrote this book was really trying to show how cool he is. I mean the the way he wrote it was over the top. You can tell he was trying to prove something. I have read Sonny's book and others and they much better written.
This guy skips around, repeats things he's previously talked about in the book. And the way he talks to the reader is just crude. I mean, sure he's dealing with a rough subject, but come on, use better english.
And I know what I am talking about. I lived the underground life for many years. I knew people like this, and this writer is someone who has never lived this life. He writes like a person who has never been around the people he is writing about.
This book is an over the top, stereotypical view of the big red machine written by a total sidewalk commando, or rather keyboard commando.
This book could have been a much better or clearer view of the HA than it is, but the writer's crude "trying to prove how cool I am" vocabulary, unfocused chapter organization, and other poor writing errors make this book a real dud. I'm still reading it, it's not so horrible that I put it down, but it came close.
This book should have never been published the way it is. The publisher should be ashamed.

If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand..........2007-01-10

Long live the Big Red Machine! 8181818181818181818181.......

I had a personal inside view into that world in my teens........2006-10-27

I grew up in the the near west suburbs of Chicago from 55-73, when we moved to DuPage County. There were 2 large biker gangs in the Lyons,IL area called the Chicago Outlaws and the Hells Henchmen. I knew several of the Outlaws as acquaintances, there were a few members who I had casually met that were not very nice and I was afraid of them. One member of the Outlaws was my best friends boyfriends older brother, John Klimes. He was always very nice to both me and my girlfriend whenever we saw him. He was murdered in McCook, IL in 1981. There was a huge biker funeral for him and it was on the local news. They never arrested anyone for his murder,but rumor has it that they wanted to kill both John and his girlfriend. His girlfriend worked at a local strip club, Michael's Magic Touch, she could placed the head of the Outlaws as the last person seen with a young woman the night before she was found dead in Busse Woods. There was also speculation that the head of the Outlaws was afraid that John was going to take over the Outlaws Lyons chapter. The talk around town at the time was that "they" were trying to kill both John and his girlfriend. A bomb was planted under John's Bronco and when he went over train tracks in McCook,IL it exploded killing him, his girlfriend was not in the vehicle at the time. I was saddened at John's death because he had always been very nice to me and came to my defense when one of the bikers was threatening me. During the news footage I discovered he had been under surveillance by the FBI for drugs trafficing, prostitution and other illegal activites. That side of him I had never seen. His younger brother was anti-drugs and a very nice guy, we did not meet him until he came home from Vietman in 70-71. John "Burrito" Klimes murder has never been solved. If you go the the McCook Police department website, the open murder is posted there. This book filled in some of the information I was not aware of. Interesting read!

fascinating........2006-09-12

Pretty good read, it did repeat the info quite a bit over and over.
But still a very good look into the lives of the Biker gang.

Average customer rating:

Really boring
Who is Caver Doe and how did he die?
A Pleasant Surprise
Nonstop Action-- Oh, and The Snake Is Still Loose
One of the worst books I have ever had the misfortune to read

Dead Secret
Beverly Connor
Manufacturer: Onyx
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Dead Guilty
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ASIN: 0451411927

Book Description

When forensic anthropologist Diane Fallon discovers a trio of decades-old skeletons, she also unearths the key to a mystery that reaches back seventy years in a legacy of love, greed, and murder-and an unearthed family secret that still holds the power to kill.

Customer Reviews:

Really boring.......2007-09-30

I purchased this book because it has a four star rating. Imagine my disappointment when I finally managed to finish it.
It is the most boring book I have ever read. I am an avid reader. In my mental list of five worst books I have ever had the misfortune to read this one will go to the top.
There is no plot and the characters are pathetic. So a word of warning. Have something else on hand to read in-between so you don't die of boredom.

Who is Caver Doe and how did he die?.......2007-06-15

While mapping out a cave, Diane has an accident and discovers a skeleton which had been there for quite some time. She and her team set out to discover the identity of Caver Doe and how he died. Soon the remains of two more people are found. One is found in a car submerged in the water at an abandoned quarry. The other is buried in the woods.

Plus Diane is asked to analyze the bones of a witch, legend has it, that died in an English cave years ago. She is visited by people who want the bones and soon finds herself in a battle over them.

Diane uses both her crime scene investigators and her museum staff to uncover clues as to the identity of the bones. Many things begin to happen and soon Diane believes Caver Doe and the other two people may be connected. She just isn't sure how.

Can they discover the truth before anyone is injured or killed to keep the seventy-year-old secret hidden?

I love this series. It is forensic, but the author doesn't get really technical. Nor is it gory. I also like the caving. While it's not something I would do, I enjoy the adventure and reading about it.

Diane and her various staff people, both in the crime lab and the museum, are such great characters. They really add so much to each book.

The author does such a great job of intertwining stories through each book. I always know they're going to connect, but I cannot figure out how or why. I end up reading the books in this series in about two days as I have so much trouble putting them down. I highly recommend this book.

A Pleasant Surprise.......2007-03-17

I love to read. I love mysteries and crime dramas. I've been a fan of Patricia Cornwell for a while, but have been disappointed with her last few novels, so I've been expanding my library (when I say library, I mean it...I own more books myself than my parents, 2 sisters, 1 brother, and 5 nieces combined). I commute by way of the DC area Metro trains and spend a lot of time each week with a book, so they have to be good to keep me interested.

I picked up Beverly Connor's "Dead Secret" because the title caught my eye. The book description on the back isn't the most impressive I've ever read and the cover really didn't sell me the book. The title intrigued me though.

Beverly's writing style is similar to the old Patricia Cornwell style. The book grabbed me from the first moment and held onto my attention to the end. I won't give away any of the plot, but I will say this: I'm usually very good at figuring out the who-dun-it pretty early on, but this one kept me guessing right to the last page.

An excellent read for the mystery fan!

Nonstop Action-- Oh, and The Snake Is Still Loose.......2006-11-06

Frantic would probably be the best word to describe this mystery. Connor also has her usual high body count. However, in this case the reader also learns a little more about Diane Fallon's backstory.

Of course there are a lot of people who are giving a synopsis of this book so I will skip that part. What the faithful reader needs to know is that this book has all the virtues of her previous books in this series and avoids the worst pitfalls.

One of the worst books I have ever had the misfortune to read.......2006-04-06

Just how great is Diane Fallon? Let's see.... She's an experienced spelunker, director of a museum, and director of a crime lab (that happens to be in the museum - how convenient). She works two full time jobs. She had a 6 year old South American daughter who was murdered under mysterious circumstances. She's so brilliant and opinionated that her rich conservative family feels threatened by her and has made her a sort of outcast. Three men that we know of are in love with her, this includes her creepy ex-husband that her family FORCED her to marry, as well as the most attractive man at the museum.

In this book Diane falls through a rock floor, slams against a cave wall while suspended in the air, is stabbed, is drugged and kidnapped, is punched in the jaw, and has her stabbing wound manhandled by the creepy ex. She refuses to take a break and will only a take one Tylenol (no codeine, naturally).

What annoys me the most about Connor's writing is her dialogue. Everyone, except for a rich family's housekeeper, speaks like a robot. No one says "yeah" or "yep", always "yes." There are no exclamations, pauses, or slang words. The small amount of cursing seems awkward and out of place.

Do not pick up this book expecting something on the level of Patricia Cornwell's earlier works or Kathy Reichs' Tempe Brennan novels. It's terribly written soapy cheese with one-dimensional characters and a Mary Sue leading lady.

Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul

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Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul
John Eldredge
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Epic: The Story God Is Telling

ASIN: 078522663X

Product Description

Helping men rediscover their masculine heart, Wild at Heart, a guide to understanding Christian manhood and Christian men, offers a refreshing break from the chorus of voices urging men to be more responsible, reliable, dutiful ... and dead. God designed men to be dangerous, says Eldredge. Simply look at the dreams and desires written in every boy's heart: to be a hero, to be a warrior, to live a life of adventure and risk. Sadly, most men abandon those dreams and desires---aided by a Christianity that feels like nothing more than pressure to be a "nice guy." It's no wonder that many men avoid church, and those who go are often passive and bored to death. In this provocative book, Eldredge gives women a look inside the true heart of a man and gives men permission to be what God designed them to be---dangerous, passionate, alive, and free.

Cemetery Stories: Haunted Graveyards, Embalming Secrets, and the Life of a Corpse After Death

Average customer rating:

cemetery stories
Review of Cemetery Stories
Great idea, but that's all...
Great idea, but that's all...
Great stories!

Cemetery Stories: Haunted Graveyards, Embalming Secrets, and the Life of a Corpse After Death
Katherine Ramsland
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Occultism | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Mortician Diaries: The Dead-Honest Truth from a Life Spent with Death

ASIN: 006018518X
Release Date: 2001-10-02

Book Description

Never look at a grave the same way again

Admit it: You're fascinated by cemeteries. We all die, and for most of us, a cemetery is our final resting place. But how many people really know what goes on inside, around, and beyond them?

Enter the world of the dead as Katherine Ramsland talks to mortuary assistants, gravediggers, funeral home owners, and more, and find out about:

Stitching and cosmetic secrets used on mutilated bodies
Embalmers who do more than just embalm
The rising popularity of cremation art
Ghosts that infest graveyards everywhere

If you've ever scoffed at the high price of burying the dead, or ever wondered how your loved ones are handled when they die, or simply stared at tombstones with morbid fascination, then take a trip with Katherine Ramsland and learn about the booming industry -- and strange tales -- that surround cemeteries everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

cemetery stories.......2007-06-08

I enjoyed reading this book, and to me the best part were the websites listed in the back. Interesting..

Review of Cemetery Stories.......2006-04-07

It is interesting to read, however it did not have any pictures. National Geographic's television show called "Tabo" showed the body farm in Knoxville, TN in detail and how research there is help us to learn more about crime scene investigation. Some was described in this book. Also some of the crime investigation stories as seen on HBO, with Dr. Michael Baden are described. Some of characters for the movies "Pyscho" and "Texas Chainsaw" are described in reality. The book also talks about necrophilia, the funneral business, interesting stories by morticians, cemetery stories and more.

Great idea, but that's all..........2005-11-30

Katherine Ramsland has written about death, darkness, and the unknown before. She has, among other things, written biographies about Dean Koontz and the "queen of vampires" Anne Rice, investigated ghost phenomena, and produced a thorough exposé of the secret vampire scene in New York.

In other words; Ramsland is no beginner. She's a skilled writer, she's proven this again and again, however, Cemetery Stories is a low-water mark in her career. It's simply not a very good book.

Still, the topic in itself is perfectly fine. What is life like to a mortician and other members of the "death business", what really happens to a body that has been dead for days or weeks, how happens during an embalming, what's with man's fascination with death, what are some of the most famous ghost stories ever told; these things and much more are brought up to discussion.

But, throughout the entire book the overall perspective is very brief, and while reading one continually feels that there must be more to the stories, things that should and could be told, but are left out. It's very much written for an American audience - who have very different traditions compared to Sweden when it comes to open caskets, funeral homes, and other things of that matter (for instance, only 30% of Americans choose cremation) - but since the topic is global, then there is, in theory, a global audience as well. Too bad the book doesn't feel thoroughly done.

Put another way, there's a lot of potential, but that's all there is. Many of the stories told by Ramsland, stories she's been told by sources or looked up herself, will almost bore you to death, and more or less all her reports of haunted cemeteries or living dead are both pointless and most of all boring, because they all sound like your ordinary urban legend.

At the end of the book Ramsland starts talking about necromancy and necrophilia, but just as the book starts turning interesting it's finished. Considering all the energy devoted earlier in the book to pointless ghost stories, one could only hope Ramsland would spend as much energy on actual phenomena, but no. Instead she chooses to leave the reader high and dry.

The cover is beautiful, the topic interesting, the ambition admirable; but still, it's first and foremost a huge disappointment.

And finally, when Ramsland chooses to analyze traditional urban legends with the attitude "This type of incident has been reported so many times there's no reason to think it does not happen," (p. 174), it really makes one think how skilled she is in critical thinking.

Great idea, but that's all..........2005-11-22

Great stories!.......2005-08-31

Loved the funny stories shared by funeral directors. Gives you the behind the scenes details on funerals and prepraration of bodies, without being to gory!

Average customer rating:

a graet keyes advanture
"Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway" is dead-on!
you rock on wendelin!
Fun, but not the best in the series
Argh! Join Sammy and her pirate friends!

Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway (Sammy Keyes)
Wendelin Van Draanen
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Sammy Keyes and the Wild Things (Sammy Keyes)

ASIN: 0375823506
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Book Description

The bad news: Sammy’s made a deadly mistake.
The good news: No one knows she did it.
The delicious dilemma: Everyone thinks her archenemy Heather is to blame.
Now Heather’s in a major jam, and in some ways it’s only fair–Heather’s pinned more than a few crimes on Sammy. Besides, there are distractions galore to keep Sammy from confessing. Like the end of the school year. And the Farewell Dance. Especially the dance, because she’s going with Heather’s brother, Casey. But Sammy knows that the truth has an uncanny way of resurfacing, and when it does, the stench can be more vile than the junior high cafeteria. . . .

Customer Reviews:

a graet keyes advanture.......2007-05-02

I give this story 3 stars. Sammy Keyes is a quick read with a weak character description. The two main characters are Sammy Keyes and Heather, Heather is self centered and possibly a cheater. Sammy is a regular teen but she likes to solve mysteries and gets to the bottom of things.
The setting is the school and a small suburban town in current day. There's a train that is a house in the in side that's home for a woman and a dog that Sammy takes care of.
The plot is center on school popularity, cheating, and a dead bird. The mystery is Heather is cheating to be the most popular. Sammy kills the teacher's lovebird by accident. There is also a plot to steal a house from her neighbor.
The theme is about truth and lying and how the truth comes out.
I'll say all of you people out there that like mysteries and don't care about the character description would like this book. The thing I like about this book is the settings and the plot. The description of the settings explain it very simply, and make it seem like it was written about my school. This book is confusing. The confusing part is how she solves the conflict. At some parts that can make it challenging for some people but I think it's pretty good for me. :)

"Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway" is dead-on!.......2006-11-06

Have you ever had a big secret that you couldn't tell anyone? Maybe a bad test grade that you couldn't tell your parents about or a mistake that made you so embarrassed your cheeks turned scarlet red? Whether you're willing to admit it or not, we've all had skeletons in the back our closets at some point or another. In Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway, Sammy definitely has one- literally too!

Wendelin Van Draanan, the award winning author of Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway, is also the author of the other installments in the Sammy Keyes mystery series and other novels like Flipped. The main character in this novel and the other books in the series is, as you may have guessed, Sammy Keyes. Sammy is a 13 year old girl finishing up seventh grade and is like any other normal teenage girl who plays softball and wears her signature high tops, or so it seems. In reality, Sammy actually lives illegally with her Grams in the Senior Highrise because her mom went off to become a superstar in Hollywood and her dad's whereabouts are unknown. She's bullied around by Heather Acosta, the pierced archenemy of Sammy's since her first day of school at William Rose Junior High School. She's friends with a wealthy girl who does a special dance every time she gets nervous, a Dutch girl who goes by the name of Dot, and a young lady who used to live in a box. She is a clever, witty, and quick teen who knows how to push peoples' buttons. She has a 72 year old friend named Hudson Graham who loves to rack her brain when she is confused about a mystery she's trying to solve. Mysteries you ask? Yes, Sammy is a local super sleuth in the town of Santa Martina. She solves the crimes before the police and knows how to think outside of the box. In this suspenseful novel, Sammy is faced with a big internal secret. Not only does she feel like she's being chased down by the "Army of the Bird God" after she has an incident with her homeroom teacher's bird, but she also is trying to figure out how she can stop the city from disrupting the lives of the people who live on neglected Hopper Street. At the same time, Sammy still has to deal with the typical junior high school issues- boys, bullies, and school dances.

As Sammy is investigating why someone would want to have Mrs. Willawago, the elderly lady who has Sammy walk her dog, Mr. and Mrs. Stone, a strange dressing couple who gets checks from the government, a young lawyer, who might have his own personal agenda, and an unknown owner of vacant lots, removed from Hopper Street, she is distracted by her bird crisis. Sammy feels ultimately guilty for her teacher's lovebird's accident, especially after being scared into a closet when her rival Heather walks in the door. Not only does Sammy feel ashamed, but her nemesis gets blamed for the bird's disappearance! Continuing Sammy's life of a Shakespearean drama, her crush, and Heather's brother, is yet again trying to woo her. When he invites her for a night out on the town, Sammy is uncertain whether to accept his invitation or blow him off.

I would certainly recommend Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway. It is an incredible story with twists and turns that you wouldn't expect. The Sammy Keyes series is a great, modern version of Nancy Drew and is in keeping with a modern tone that is up-to-date with current issues. While it is a fantastic mystery novel that is a real page-turner, I think this book is geared more towards girls, as they will definitely understand Sammy's point of view more when it comes to girls' crushes. If you are a guy who is interested in a good mystery series without puppy love, I suggest reading the earlier suspenseful books in the series. I also advise for all interested readers that you begin this series with the first book, as it will be more difficult to follow if you start in the middle of the series. "If you like page-turning, cliffhanger mysteries, than you'll love the latest Sammy Keyes adventure," is just one of the great comments that people are saying about this series.

Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway is a chilling novel that I fully enjoyed. This book was an entertaining story filled with unexpected surprises and humor. I enjoy the whole Sammy Keyes series and think that it is a great chain of novels that will keep you wanting more, as it has me. Try the Sammy Keyes series now before you're the last one to be in on this incredible series. And maybe invite that skeleton out from your closet to a tea party. He might be getting lonesome!

Kyra S.

you rock on wendelin!.......2006-08-29

totally amazing, i think wendelin should be the new j.k.rowling!

Fun, but not the best in the series.......2006-08-07

This book is good, but not as funny as some of Wendelin's other books. Sammy is a strong character, as always, and I especially liked the way the teacher goes nuts after her bird disappears, Sammy feels quite guilty about that. It was a very pleasant read, but the mystery part itself wasn't all that compelling, and for me it wasn't laugh-out loud funny like the Art of Deception, but it's definitely at par with other Sammy Keyes books. It features a strong moral in terms of sticking up for what's right even when it's the tough choice. Wendelin's Shredderman series is hilarious and Flipped is also a really good book, whereas this book features some fun pirate talk but not much in the way of the funny and embarrassing teen romance scenes that cropped up in the Art of Deception, and the mystery bit is never tense or particularly exciting. Four stars is maybe even a bit much for this book, 3.5 is probably more like it.

Argh! Join Sammy and her pirate friends!.......2005-10-20

The Sammy Keyes series just keeps getting better. In this newest installment, we have a great twist. For once, Sammy ISN'T blamed for something that happens and Heather, her archenemy, is. This book begins and, as the others in the series have proved, has the reader along for a wild ride for the remainder of the story.

Sammy, as usual, finds comfort in telling Hudson her problems and also by opening up to Grams. Noticeably missing from this book entirely, however, was Officer Borsch. I don't know what happened to him, but when the police were summoned, we were introduced to two new characters, Squeaky and the Chick.

This book will be a must-read for fans of the series. In it, Sammy tells about her middle school life and how it's still hard to avoid that "Where do you live?" question that she often gets from the grown-ups around her. Sammy even joins Casey and his friends for the 8th grade dance (although she is a 7th grader). The first REAL date for Sammy, the boys have rented a black Hummer limo, which they designate "The Black Pearl". The pirate banter is hilarious and will have you saying "argh!" while trying to get the song "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!" out of your head.

Sammy is always TOPS on my list and this book is nothing to miss!

The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume 6: Glimpses of Space-Orderly Chaos-Secret Beyond Thought-The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Commentary-Transcending Madness-Selected Writings

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The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume 6: Glimpses of Space-Orderly Chaos-Secret Beyond Thought-The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Commentary-Transcending Madness-Selected Writings
Chogyam Trungpa
Manufacturer: Shambhala
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Book of the Dead (Tibetan) | Bible & Other Sacred Texts | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume 5: Crazy Wisdom-Illusion's Game-The Life of Marpa the Translator (excerpts)-The Rain of Wisdom (excerpts)-The ... of Mahamudra (excerpts)-Selected Writings
The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume 4: Journey Without Goal - The Lion's Roar - The Dawn of Tantra - An Interview with Chögyam Trungpa
The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume 2: The Path Is the Goal - Training the Mind - Glimpses of Abhidharma - Glimpses of Shunyata - Glimpses of Mahayana - Selected Writings
The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume 7: The Art of Calligraphy (excerpts)-Dharma Art-Visual Dharma (excerpts)-Selected Poems-Selected Writings
The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume 8: Great Eastern Sun - Shambhala - Selected Writings

ASIN: 1590300300
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Book Description

The Collected Works of ChÃ¶gyam Trungpa brings together in eight volumes the writings of one of the first and most influential and inspirational Tibetan teachers to present Buddhism in the West. Organized by theme, the collection includes full-length books as well as articles, seminar transcripts, poems, plays, and interviews, many of which have never before been available in book form. From memoirs of his escape from Chinese-occupied Tibet to insightful discussions of psychology, mind, and meditation; from original verse and calligraphy to the esoteric lore of tantric Buddhismâthe impressive range of Trungpa's vision, talents, and teachings is showcased in this landmark series. Volume Six contains advanced teachings on the nature of mind and tantric experiences. ChÃ¶gyam Trungpa's commentary on the Tibetan Book of the Dead explains what this classic text teaches about human psychology. Transcending Madness presents a unique view of the Tibetan concept of bardo. Orderly Chaos explains the inner meaning of the mandala. Secret Beyond Thought presents teachings on the five chakras and the four karmas. Glimpses of Space consists of two seminars: "The Feminine Principle" and "Evam." In the article "Femininity," the author presents a playful look at the role of feminine energy in Buddhist teachings. "The Bardo," based on teachings given in England in the 1960s, has not been available in published form for many years.

The Secret Initiation of Jesus at Qumran: The Essene Mysteries of John the Baptist

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A different kind of scholarly treatise.
The Da Vinci Code Companion
Another Good Read from Robert Feather

The Secret Initiation of Jesus at Qumran: The Essene Mysteries of John the Baptist
Robert Feather
Manufacturer: Bear & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

The Mystery of the Copper Scroll of Qumran: The Essene Record of the Treasure of Akhenaten
Jesus in the House of the Pharaohs: The Essene Revelations on the Historical Jesus
Christianity: An Ancient Egyptian Religion
The Way of the Essenes: Christ's Hidden Life Remembered
The Essenes: Children of the Light

ASIN: 1591430445
Release Date: 2005-08-08

Book Description

An examination of the early, mysterious Essene community at Qumran that links it with John the Baptist, Jesus, and the beginnings of Christianity

• Offers an eyewitness account of the final burial place of John the Baptist

• Makes the case that Christianity grew out of a form of monotheism first formulated by the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten

• Includes physical and photographic evidence never before published

In his earlier book The Mystery of the Copper Scroll of Qumran, Robert Feather analyzed the Dead Sea Scroll engraved on copper that is considered the work of the secretive, devout Jewish sect known as the Essenes, who lived at Qumran around the time of Jesus. To continue his research into the Essene community's way of life and how its beliefs may have influenced the beginnings of Christianity, he met with Father Jozef Milik, one of the scholars who worked on deciphering the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 1950s. Feather learned that during Milik's work somewhere near the Qumran ruins, he had excavated a headless corpse that he believed to be that of John the Baptist.

Feather presents persuasive, powerful evidence illustrating the strong link between the Qumran Essenes and New Testament teachings and showing that both John the Baptist and Jesus were intimately involved with this community at Qumran. He further supports the claim that early Christians continued a belief system centered on a form of monotheism first formulated by the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten and uniquely espoused by the Essenes at Qumran.

Customer Reviews:

A different kind of scholarly treatise........2005-12-24

I bought "The Secret Initiation of Jesus at Qumran" because I had read Robert Feather's previous book, "The Mystery of the Copper Scroll of Qumran" and I wanted to see where his research had led. I settled into the "serious reading" chair in my home office that is very different from my "fun reading" chair (which actually consists of lounging on the living room sofa). I figured that I would need intense concentration and I even had a notepad handy to try to keep the names and dates orderly.

Perhaps it would be best to describe what this book isn't. I was prepared for a typical, dry, academic study. That would consist of a brief statement of facts followed by a seemingly endless series of footnotes. The purpose of the notes would be to show how other experts agreed with the wisdom being presented. There would be long paragraphs that needed to be diagramed to keep my understanding from getting untracked. That was the reason for my notepad.

This book reads more like a novel. Mr. Feather provided me with a map, charts, a compass, and a flashlight. The preface warned that it would be necessary to understand the basic history before the conclusions would be apparent. But then I was introduced to a kind of adventure hunt/thriller. I first met a noted academic in a spooky apartment and all the facts changed from memory challenges to clues in a puzzle. Whenever there was an overload of facts coming at me from every direction, Feather provided a chart that made it all clear. The impressive thing about this was that he even made clear the reasoning of those who reached different conclusions from his own. You could easily choose which horse you wanted to bet on. I readily understood the evolution of the Hebrew/Jewish concepts of resurrection and afterlife. I could even tell you which historian had used what data to put a date and name on the Essene's "Teacher of Righteousness."

I enjoyed his unusual chapter titles, such as "Scribblers, Squabblers, and Scholars" and "Paul's Smoking Gun." After 224 pages of preparation, Mr. Feather went back to the spooky apartment and re-introduced all the prime characters. I felt as if I now knew them and how they might act. The book then became a rapid page-turner, hurtling toward the conclusion. Instead of dry prose, you read phrases such as "It was one of those nerve-tingling moments." I could actually feel the thrill of the discoveries.

The preface promised a trip of discovery. Feather shined light behind the curtains and into the caves. At he end, he delivered on his promise of an unexpected turn of events and the finding of someone he wasn't originally looking for. It seemed as if he set out not to prove something but rather to discover it. I felt as if I was there when he did.

The Da Vinci Code Companion.......2005-12-09

I whole-heartedly recommend this masterpiece to the "Da Vinci Code" fans, as well as to anyone who has ever curled up in front of a roaring fireplace to read a good mystery. Robert Feather is all about facts and logic, which might normally make it hard to keep one's fire, lit. But that's not the case with this fantastic story. Each turned page heats up more and more, making the book very difficult to put down.
It's a must read in today's world of religious uncertainty. It takes the reader behind the embryonic scenes of a new kind of Judeo-Christian-Islamic triangle, told in a way that only this author could, considering his background and extensive knowledge of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
As the pages were turned faster I could sense Mr. Feather's jubilant circumspection of the findings, which lead to this testament about missing (and perhaps deliberately hidden) links, within the corpus of those three religions. It's the stuff of Secret Societies and it may even be telling us where the bodies are buried! Until now, only by being a member of a select group or two, could one come to the same conclusions which Mr. Feather offers up for consumption by anyone who merely takes the time to read. "The Secret Initiation of JESUS at QUMRAN" is an easy and enjoyable path to enlightment.

Another Good Read from Robert Feather.......2005-10-28

You will enjoy the thorough scholarship in this engaging book more if you've already read Feather's Mystery of the Copper Scroll of Qumran. In this sequel, Feather builds on his research into the connections between Akhenaten and the monotheism that became Judaism.
For almost fifty years after their discovery, a small team of scholars prevented access to the Dead Sea Scrolls. What were they afraid of? What were they hiding? Did the Essenes practice a purer form of Judaism? Was this the path to which Jesus was calling people? For those who have pondered these questions, Feather's research provides a wealth of well-documented information.
Feather provides convincing evidence that the primary communities initially connected with Jesus's Way correspond to known Essene communities. This is exciting news to those who seek the truth and it clears up many previously inexplicable details in both chronology and doctrine. Some of the "hard sayings" that caused people to leave the Jesus movement could well be based on the stringent demands of the Essenes.
Be ready for lots of scholarly details presented in a highly readable format. Feather's interviews with Jozef Milik and his wife Yolanta gave him an inside track to uncovering some of the cover-ups of the Dead Sea Scrolls officials.
Though sources are cited in the extensive footnotes, the book could profit from a bibliography to make it easier for interested scholars to find related materials.
A great gift for those willing to leave their Sunday School paradigm behind.

Jesus & the Riddle of the Dead Sea Scrolls: Unlocking th Secrets of His Life Story

Average customer rating:

Lets make a buck
An Early 1990s Controversy
One of my favorite books, and it's still available!
Radical, but not backed up by evidence
an outstanding piece of research!

Jesus & the Riddle of the Dead Sea Scrolls: Unlocking th Secrets of His Life Story
Barbara Thiering
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Jesus the Man: Decoding the Real Story of Jesus and Mary Magdalene
Jesus of the Apolcalypse: The Life of Jesus After the Crucifixion
Jesus the Man
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The Ways of the Mystic: Seven Paths to God

ASIN: 0060682868

Customer Reviews:

Lets make a buck.......2005-09-04

It should be noted, as other reviewers have also pointed out, that `Jesus the Man: Decoding the Real Story of Jesus and Mary Magdalene' is the same book as `Jesus the man', which is the same book as `Jesus & the Riddle of the Dead Sea Scrolls'; all different ISBN's and publishers but essentially the same book; repackaging in trying to dodge the negative reviews of the past and trying to cash in on the Da Vinci $.

Thiering uses the pesher technique to try to prop up her works. A look at most other reviewers from those that have read her books, will tell you how flawed this technique is.

I think very little of the present author along with another writer, Laurence Gardner. They both contend that Jesus descended from the cross of which he was nailed and crucified to. Gardner goes that bit further and say's that Jesus Christ was drugged while on the cross until reviving post crucifixion. Both authors use this argument to then continue to say that Jesus lived the happy family life in begetting children. This then is Gardiner's cash cow, the power of the crucifixion to give the appearance of power via an imaginary blood line. Let's put the word 'Logic' on the cross instead. Even if you don't believe in Jesus Christ having been crucified, try to at least understand this. Crucifixion is a death sentence. You have a crowd of people watching and Roman soldiers doing the crucifying. You then have a body that is nailed to timber at the hands and feet. Added to all of this is the scourging that the Romans inflicted, coupled with the spear that pierced the side of Jesus, causing water and blood to gush out. According to scripture, Christ did return to walk this planet, but in a glorified state i.e. "Touch me not for I have not yet ascended". From an esoteric perspective, the mission of Jesus was an evolutionary pathway. According to esoteric wisdom, the need for a human partner would have been a necessity prior to Jesus sacrificial mission. To insinuate Christs return to father children is preposterous.

So what is it, there is no proof of Christ ever existing as most armchair internet theologians would try to tell you or inclusively try and pull the bible to shreds or Christ died and came back and fathered children; all equally trying to devalue the mission of Christ in the spirit of Antichrist; the continued voice of the masses, which still cries to this day "Crucify him and give us the murderer Barabbas instead". Hardly the middle ground of Christ came as a sacrifice to die for the sins of humanity. Christ gives us the example towards spirit and spiritual ascension, while the ego with its desires, passions and lusts, stands in direct opposition to this.

If I could give this book a 0 star rating I would have no hesitation. This is the worst book that I have ever read, a book full of unverified fabrications and outright lies. I usually keep most of my books, as I'm a bit of a hoarder. If I don't like a book or I've gotten what I wanted out of a book, I'll sell the book. With this book on the other hand, I thought I can't even stomach the thought of someone else wasting their time on this, so I trashed it.

If you're into the Da Vinci code stuff, do yourself a favour and look for a book and author with more credibility, so as to not waste your time and money, and to save filling your mind with useless dribble.

An Early 1990s Controversy.......2003-01-05

_Jesus and the Riddle of the Dead Sea Scrolls_ provoked quite a bit of controversy when it came out in 1992. In it Barbara Thiering made presentable in a very easy to read fashion her theory that the Teacher of Righteousness (found in the Dead Sea Scrolls) is actually John the Baptist, AND ... the Wicked Priest or the Man of lies is Jesus of Nazareth.

Crucial to Thiering's theory is her pesher technique as described in chapter four. Thiering explains that pesher as found in the Old Testament means an "interpretation." However in the Dead Sea Scrolls, a pesher is a word puzzle set up by the writer so that hidden historical meanings could be conveyed. Thiering goes on to apply this technique to the New Testament.

Her theory is generally criticized for one of two things. First, Thiering's pesher technique is backward with regard to the NT. Whereas a pesher is a method for reinterpreting previously written authoritative writings, in Thiering's view the NT was originally written in a codified form. One might note with interest that if this were in fact so, then no one has realized this for about 2000 years. For example, the subapostolic writers totally miss it. The second criticism that scholars generally raise against Thiering's theory is her redating of some of the DSS in order to make them compatible.

_Riddle_ was controversial when it was published in the early 1990s. However the theory has gained few adherents and few scholars give it much attention anymore.

One of my favorite books, and it's still available!.......2001-03-29

This book is available under the title Jesus the Man. If you like this book I recommend The Book that Jesus Wrote by Barbara Thiering

Radical, but not backed up by evidence.......1999-11-01

If this is the first book you read on the subject of the historical Jesus, you may well be impressed. It is a liberating experience to understand that the gospels, with all their contradictions, are political documents rather than 'the revealed word of God'. However, any examination of what the gospels actually are absolutely must be backed up with flawless evidence. This is the price of rejecting an interpretation upon which much of western history has been built.

The Pesher method is seductive. It offers a holy grail of meaning - a true understanding of what actually happened, something scholars have failed to uncover. But if you come to this book after researching the subject exhaustively, I'm afraid this book is an illusion.

Promising, even tantalizing, it signally fails to deliver on the promise. The explanation of the Pesher itself is rudimentary, and while some texts are given interesting twists, they are adrift in vast seas of speculation. It is no good hypothesizing that one verse has a new meaning, when those surrounding it bear no meaning as a result.

If Ms. Thiering really wants to convince, then she should apply her extraordinary scholarship to presenting a total picture, not one where every so often one verse can change everything. It can't. It doesn't. So that, ultimately, anyone with some reading on the historical Jesus will realize that this is one more chimera.

To be specific in one instance, if the early christians - Peter, Paul and Jesus (still alive) - had truly decided to hoodwink mankind into believing an untruth, i.e. that Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, it surely casts them in a doubtful moral light. Tiering discusses neither this, nor any debate among the characters themselves as to the morality of the method. If Jesus travelled around Asia Minor and stood to one side, listening while Paul preached the story of his death and resurrection, he was a lesser man than I have understood to date.

A lot of scholarship hovers around this hypothesis, but in the final analysis it is not enough.

an outstanding piece of research!.......1999-06-29

Beautifully written, painstakingly researched. Not a hurried interpretation just to publish a book, the writer researched the Scrolls for twenty-five years! The writer has a way of pulling the real truth from our mythologies and painting a factual picture of Jesus' history. After reading the book, I came away with more respect and understanding of the life of Jesus.

If I could, I would like to thank Barbara Thiering for her tedious research and for the well-written summation of the facts. The way she wrote kept the reader riveted. If you are on a quest for truth, this is a must read!

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