Brazen Virtue

Book Description

From Nora Roberts, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Villa and Carolina Moon, comes a classic tale — a searing novel of twisted passion and lethal cunning, available in hardcover for the first time.

Superstar mystery novelist Grace McCabe needs to unwind after a grueling book tour, and visiting her sister, whom she hasn't seen in months, seems the perfect solution. But Grace is surprised to find the fastidious Kathleen living in a grungy Washington, D.C., neighborhood. Kathleen, reeling from a bitter divorce and the loss of her son, is saving every penny of her teacher's salary to hire a hotshot lawyer for a custody battle.

Then Grace discovers that Kathleen is boosting her income with an unlikely profession: as an at-home phone-sex operator. Known as Desiree to the clients of Fantasy, Inc., Kathleen is living life on the edge. Yet how dangerous could it really be? With the ironclad anonymity the agency guarantees its employees, could anyone ever track her down?

Grace finds out one cherry-blossom-scented night when she comes home to find her sister dead, strangled with the cord of her "special" phone. Suddenly Grace's life turns into a scene from one of her own books — the horror, the tight-lipped police, the shattered survivor. Only this time the survivor is Grace herself.

But she isn't waiting around for the police to catch up with the killer. Instead she creates a daring trap to lure the killer to her. Her plan goes against every coolheaded instinct of Detective Ed Jackson, the lead investigator on the case. He's read all of Grace's books and might have been the perfect consultant for the one she's working on, though in this real-life murder, she's the last complication he needs.

He's determined to keep Grace out of harm's way, but it's too late. Her trap has already worked. She has aroused the attention of a brilliant madman, and now nothing may be able to protect her from the murderous lust that drives this killer down a path of ecstasy laced with death.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining Read.......2007-09-24

I just finished both Sacred Sins and Brazen Virtue, its sequel. I'm not sure which book I liked best. I thought they were both well written and good reads. I realize these are older books but hate it that Nora Roberts has her characters smoke so much. YUK! I wasn't sure the police would allow the women from both stories to put themselves in harm way to catch a serial killer. Okay it's fiction. Also I thought where there were serial killings the FBI is usually brought in but the local police force was handling it all. I liked both Ben and Ed. I didn't like Grace or Tess as much. I felt both characters always tried to upstage the men in the stories I'm all for independent women and etc but felt like it was over done. Here you have all these professional law enforcement and in both cases, the female lead in the story brings down the killer? Okay, whatever! I would also have liked a little more to the endings of the stories. Ben and Tess's story moves on into Brazen Virtue but Ed and Grace's story just ends as soon as the killer is bought down. I would have liked another chapter or epilogue wrapping things up better. Even though there were some things I didn't like about both books, they were still good reads.

another great book by Nora Roberts.......2007-08-29

Just like the rest of Nora Robert's books she has found a way to bring her stories to life. I have never read a Nora Robert's book that I did not like.

Another Best by Roberts.......2007-05-12

I loved this book because it involved murder, mystery and sex. My favorite. It has a lot of suspence which makes it unable to put down. I am a big Roberts fan, so I enjoy pretty much anything she writes. This is one of the very good ones. You will enjoy.

The sequel to Sacred Sins.......2007-02-06

While not quite as catching as Sacred Sins, this book was a pretty entertaining read. Being a romance buff, it was kind of hard to get into the idea of a big, mountain type man with red hair and a red beard being the hero but it was fun to see Ben come back with Tess and he was just as witty as ever. However, Grace and Ed made an fun enough couple, the storyline was interesting but like Sacred Sins, the ending didn't have any bang. Definitely worth a read, especially if you enjoyed the first one.

Par for the course.......2006-10-21

As usual, Nora Roberts has an interesting plot, one that keeps a reader's attention from start to finish. This alone makes her worthwhile, as most novelists today have dead spaces and plot padding that detract from the work. Her sense of place is remarkable. It is almost her trademark. One can picture exactly where the action is taking place. Her characters are well drawn, and their dialogue feels right.

If I have one reservation, it is with the R rated sex scenes. Read one in any of her books, and unfortunately you've read them all. A very attractive woman, about 28-33, is hot for a muscular chap who smells good. They fall into bed like cats in the alley, clawing and yowling with what one assumes is pleasure and passion. Perhaps there are readers who enjoy these scenes, who look forward to them eagerly, who just cannot do without them. But they are cloying. They are annoying, since they interrupt the plot action.

Crime fiction usually has the detective tracking clues and the reader guessing who is the criminal. Not so here at all. We know the rapist/murderer's name from the start. In fact, we see some of the action through his eyes. As in Columbo, the suspense is in how the perp will be caught. We know he will be, of course. And we know the main characters will survive intact. Given all this, there is still considerable suspense.

This would be a 5-star book--except for the formula and unnecessary sex scenes. I'd like to see Ms. Roberts write one book without them.

Some Like It Brazen (Zebra Historical Romance)

Average customer rating:

4 1/2 Stars - Brazenly Sexy!
delightful Regency romance

Some Like It Brazen (Zebra Historical Romance)
Deborah Raleigh
Manufacturer: Zebra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0821778579

Customer Reviews:

4 1/2 Stars - Brazenly Sexy!.......2007-03-29

Debra Raleigh continues her "Some Like It..." series in this sexy and fast paced Regency about a gentleman farmer turned Earl and the beautiful and brazen daughter of the Duke of Lockharte. Lady Bianca is considered the most beautiful young lady of The Ton. Strong and willful, she has played with the affections of many noblemen, earning the name of Ice Princess. When she discovers that her father refuses the marriage offer of Lord Aldron, a gentleman considered one of the biggest rogues, but the one man she feels finally excites her, she is enraged. He threatens her with an arranged marriage of convenience if she cannot find a more suitable gentleman. Just when she feels she will forever long for Lord Aldron, she meets the newly titled Edward Sinclair. Edward has spent his life as a gentleman farmer. Known as the Peasant Earl, he is shunned by society, yet ladies of The Ton long to be with the strong, bronze, handsome Earl. He is uncomfortable with his new title, but embraces it in order to work for reform in the House of Lords. Bianca immediately enchants him when he sees her across a crowded ballroom. Upon meeting her he discovers her inner beauty and strength and quickly falls in love. His dear friend Lord Badwell is concerned for his friend's heart and warns him against Bianca. But the more Edward sees and spends time with Bianca, he is consumed with desire. Lady Bianca is also immediately drawn to Edward, not only for his looks, but inner strength. Longing to break free from her father's control, the longer she spends time with Edward, she begins to see that she can have a much fuller life than being a simple society lady. Edward and Bianca continue to lust for each other and soon they meet for a night of passion. When he proposes marriage, Bianca is concerned about The Duke's acceptance, especially when he refused Lord Aldron's suit and now she has really found true love with the Peasant Earl who is shunned by society. But The Duke surprises her with his acceptance and when she discovers that he manipulated this very relationship, she is furious. Lord Aldron, upon hearing about the upcoming marriage, confronts Bianca about her most recent love for him. Edward overhears this conversation and is heartbroken, feeling that Lord Bidwell has been correct all along and that Bianca has played with his feelings. Heartbroken, he returns to his family estate, trying to forget the beautiful brazen Bianca. Bianca is determined to not lose Edward. She shows up at his estate and attempts to convince him that she can fit into his simple life and that her love is true. She takes over being his housekeeper. Edward has not stopped loving and longing for Bianca, and upon seeing her earning the love of his house staff and tenants, he is convinced more than ever that he cannot live without her.

Some Like It Brazen is a beautiful, sensual Regency Romance. All of the "Some Like It..." books are a joy to read. The prose flows and the characters are endearing. The problem is that they all end so abruptly, making the reader feel there should be so much more. It almost appears like the publisher has limited this author to 300 pages. Debra Raleigh has the capability to write as well or better than some of the top popular romance authors. Although with that criticism, I have enjoyed every book ever written by this author and look forward to further "Some Like It..." stories.

delightful Regency romance .......2007-03-11

Used to getting anything she wanted especially from her father, spoiled Lady Bianca Carstone is stunned when her sire informs her she will not marry the disreputable rake Lord Aldron. Deciding to teach her father a lesson and achieve her objective, Bianca sets in motion a plan to court Edward Sinclair, the new earl of Harrington.

Until the recent death of an unknown distant relative, Edward was a simple gentleman farmer. Now a highly ranked aristocrat the Ton still belittles him as an upstart Peasant Earl. When Edward meets Bianca for the first time he feels an attraction like nothing he ever felt before. While she plays her scam out using him, he realizes she actually uses a hedonistic shell to hide how much she cares about others less fortunate than her. As they fall in love, Lord Aldron returns with a scheme to split the pair for his personal gain. Unless Edward trusts his beloved, Aldron will triumph.

Regency romance readers will gain plenty of pleasure with this delightful tale starring two likable protagonists who on the surface seem a poor match, but deep inside both share in common plenty such as caring about others. The character driven story line is fast-paced gripping the audience all the way though the final confrontation seems a bit too hasty. Still Deborah Raleigh provides a wonderful tale of the Ton as her heroine proves SOME LIKE IT BRAZEN.

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:

Book Description
SJ's best!
SJ's best!
Steamy, but not her best
Well worth reading

Brazen
Susan Johnson
Manufacturer: Fanfare
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Forbidden
Wicked
Outlaw
Silver Flame
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ASIN: 055357213X
Release Date: 1995-10-01

Customer Reviews:

Book Description.......2005-07-27

Johnson once again delivers a passion-fired tale of romance and intrigue, when American adventurer Kit Braddock discovers in the famed blueblood beauty Countess Angela de Grae a soulmate in distress. In a moment of stolen pleasure, Braddock vows to give his very life to free her from her desperate plight. From the author of Pure Sin.

SJ's best!.......2003-03-13

This is THE HOTTEST Susan Johnson book I have ever read!! The story line is good, but let's be honest, any one reading her novels is more interested in the erotic scenes, and this book does not disappoint!

SJ's best!.......2003-03-12

Steamy, but not her best.......2003-02-05

Having read serveral Susan Johnson's books, I have found that I either really like them or I sorry that I wasted my time reading them. I really found "Brazen" really lacking. There were somethings that seem so unbelievible. Like how Kit and Angela so quickly fall in love. One would think with Angela's history that she would might be scared of men. But no, she has a past that might make some men of the day blush. The love scenes did live up to the erotic genre. If you are looking for a good Susan Johnson book ckeck out "Forbidden"

Well worth reading.......2003-01-01

I am a huge Susan Johnson fan! I have read most of her books, some I have liked more than others. This book is well worth it. I really liked the fact the characters seem to really like and LOVE one another. Sometimes I wonder if the characters really care for one another or not, when reading a romance. It is steamy, but that is one of the things Ms. Johnson is famous for. Happy Reading!

That Takes Ovaries!: Bold Females and Their Brazen Acts

Average customer rating:

Great book
Showing what is possible...
Yeah For Bold Women
WHAT AN INSPIRATION!
Grrrl power at its best!!!

That Takes Ovaries!: Bold Females and Their Brazen Acts

Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0609806599
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Book Description

Having ovaries: unabashed, gutsy, feisty, playful, challenging, full of chutzpah, mettlesome, naughty, victorious, straight from the hip, full-flavored, outrageous, righteous, loving, inspiring, bold as brass, self-assured, self-confident, self-possessed, daring, heroic, wild, wanton, crazy, optimistic, unflappable, pushy, unstoppable, impressive, rebellious, kick-ass, carefree, having moxie, having heart, having no fear . . .

“That takes balls” are words of praise usually reserved for a man who has done something tough, fearless, and maybe a little crazy—someone who pushes the boundaries or breaks a few rules. But when it comes to hotheaded courage, impassioned activism, quirky wisdom, or bold confrontation, women have got what it takes—and then some! That Takes Ovaries! is a lively, fun, and often touching celebration of women and girls doing their thing their way:

* Kathleen, who reduced a would-be burglar to tears by lecturing him about black pride (all while standing in her underwear)
* Elaine, a sky surfer who plunges from airplanes on a 30-inch surfboard
* Rachel, a high school junior who organized 100 high school girls to take on the boys who harassed them
* Denise, a teenage cashier who faced down an irate, gun-wielding gangbanger in an inner-city fast-food joint
* Joani, a public health educator who opened the country’s first women-oriented sex-toys store
* Eva, who made the dangerous, illegal journey from Central America to the United States in order to give her children a better life

Now that takes ovaries!

Customer Reviews:

Great book.......2007-01-03

Every woman should read this book. It will make you feel proud to be female.

Showing what is possible..........2005-01-30

Solomon collected stories from hundreds of women about their impulsive, taking charge, life risking, heroic, and in your face acts. These stories show women that do not always follow standards perscribed by our society. There is so much to learn from each story. They teach that it is ok to be unique, stand up for oneself, do something outrageous, and just be yourself.

Examples of stories include girls that outsmarted a pimp, a woman traveling through a war zone to understand the rebels and hopefully start the talks that would establish peace, a sky surfer, lesbian step mother, a fat girl that wore a tank top and was proud of her body, a woman who opened a vibrator store in the 70s, hardships of an immigrant woman crossing from El Salvador to the US, and many many more stories.

I would recommend this book to anyone, especially girls and women because these stories can inspire and show that it is ok to be yourself.

Yeah For Bold Women.......2004-03-02

The work Rivka Solomon put into this book is amazing. She breathed life into difficult topics such as abusive relationships, sexism, and racism, to name a few. I have attended "Ovaries" open mics where the pages of her book came to life and were told first hand by those who have experienced similar events, men and women. This book belongs in all womens study teachings around the world as it captures the raw essence of female empowerment. Rivka has forever made a positive impression on me and my life. Thank you!

WHAT AN INSPIRATION!.......2003-05-28

The premise of THAT TAKES OVARIES is excellent: an email is sent out by Rivka Solomon to women friends and acquaintances asking them to recount instances where they boldly crossed the barriers of gender conventions of how a `proper' woman should act and behave. Surprisingly this same email was forwarded to other woman around the country. Responses flooded her in-box and Rikva had enough material to publish a book. The short stories included in this collection are remarkable. I was pleasantly surprised on the varied topics covered from women of all ages. Not only was I entertained but I was also enlightened by many of these women's contributions. No story stands out as being my favorite as there are simply too many to choose from! I enjoy reading short story compilations and it's rare that quality is dispersed throughout the book as in THAT TAKES OVARIES. Simply put, this book is one of the best short story compilations I have read in a long time. But more importantly, after reading this book I am filled with a renewed urge to fight against the gender conventions that limit me every day. I celebrate my unique women-ness and strength to fight for the causes I believe in. Kudos to Rivka for publishing this book!!

Grrrl power at its best!!!.......2002-04-25

Rivka's book is a wonderful collection of stories of women and grrls who aren't afraid of: taking control, overcoming adversity and self empowerment. The raw emotion is heartfelt, moving and playful. I hope there is a place for this book in women's studies across the country as it shows the true spirit of women at their very best.

Five cheers!!!!!

Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success
Average customer rating:

Lost In The Forest

Half of this advice is good...but which half?

Trunk rules!

TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE ADVICE

Dangerous, Irresponsible Advice, Salted With a Few Gems

Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success
Penelope Trunk
Manufacturer: Business Plus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business Life | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0446578649

Book Description

Are you taking long lunches? Ignoring sexual harassment? Do you keep your desk neat to the point of looking like you don't have enough to do? The answer to all three should be yes, if you want to succeed in your career on your own terms. Penelope Trunk, expert business advice columnist for the Boston Globe, gives anything but standard advice to help members of the X and Y generations succeed on their own terms in any industry. Trunk asserts that a take-charge attitude and thinking outside the box are the only ways to make it in today's job market. With 45 tips that will get you thinking bigger, acting bolder, and blazing trails you never thought possible, BRAZEN CAREERIST will forever change your career outlook.Guy Kawasaki, author of The Art of the Start "Take everything you think you 'know' about career strategies, throw them away, and read this book because the rules have changed. 'Brazen,' 'counter-intuitive,' and 'radical' are the best three descriptions of Trunk's work. Life is too short to be stuck in a rat hole..." Robert I. Sutton, Ph.D, author of the New York Times Bestseller The No Asshole Rule"A delightful book, with some edgy advice that made me squirm a bit at times. I agreed with 90% of it, found myself arguing with the other 10%, and was completely engaged from start to finish." Paul D. Tieger, author of Do What You Are and CEO of SpeedReading People, LLC"Penelope Trunk brings considerable savvy and a fresh new perspective to the business of career success. Bold and sometimes unconventional, BRAZEN CAREERIST gives readers much to think about as well as concrete, practical suggestions that will help them know what they want, and know how to get it." Keith Ferrazzi, bestselling author of Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time "BRAZEN CAREERIST has the street-smarts you need to make your career and life work for you from the start. Read it now, or you'll wish you had when you're 40!"

Customer Reviews:

Lost In The Forest.......2007-08-27

The narrative traditions of most ancient cultures centered around the task of bringing awareness to adolescents and young adults of the wild and unpredictable nature of the world around them. These stories were a major part of the social survival strategy of cultures much stronger than ours. Elders today, though, do not tell stories. The elders in our society seem now to be either lost themselves, preoccupied, or just disinterested. People are not born with cultural sextants, thus when the elders abrogate their traditional role, it's left to a younger group of pathfinders to help the young find their way in the forest. Penelope Trunk is one of those younger pathfinders and she seems to relish the role.
Her book, "Brazen Careerist," is written primarily for her peers and her younger Gen Y cousins. A primer, not a pocket guide, this book could have been titled `Zen and the Art of Career Maintenance.' Trunk adopts the voice of an older sister in the guise of a Buddhist teacher dropping kernels in advance of the thirty-five or so million twenty-somethings in the U.S., many of whom, Trunk believes, need a trail map, especially in the work place.
Her style is startlingly direct. From the first page she goes right at it. Her straightforward approach has been honed writing her blog, also entitled Brazen Careerist. From page one of the Introduction, Trunk is on to bold claims, declaring that young workers are "revolutionizing" corporate life with a work style and world view that sets them apart from every other generation. From the outset she establishes a dynamic tension between the prevailing, but weakening, mores and norms of corporate life, and the needs and wants of younger people on a quest.
It is this quest that interests her. And she leaves not doubt in the reader's mind where her sympathies lie. "Flailing" is how she describes the seemingly erratic and unpredictable behavior of her younger generational cousins, the Millennials. What Trunk calls `flailing,' many in business might call `immaturity' or `irresponsibility.' Not so says Trunk. Flailing is but the necessary and rational response of a generation that senses the eroding boundaries, if not the crumbling pillars, of old social models. Predictability in corporate life, if not in life generally, is a thing of the past. The key to success now? Embrace the world of e-lancers, freelancers, free agents and contingent agents of all types, in a festival of permanent indeterminacy that offers a kind of radical freedom unprecedented in history.
In the era of the Great Transformation Trunks sees:
-The end of gender based pay disparity
-The end of the glass ceiling
-The end of the grind
-The end of consulting
-The end of the stay-at-home parents
-The end of hierarchy
And we're still in the introduction.
Brazen Careerist is a semi-autobiographical book. For those who follow her blog, it is clear that Trunk is no stranger to solid social science research. But this is not a book grounded in the sciences. As a pathfinder, Trunk is drawing on her own life story, along with the life stories of friends and family. While I admire her nakedly revelatory voice, at times the sweep of her assertions seems out of balance with the evidence she presents. The evidence is out there, starting with one of my favorite works `The Future of Work,' and I know that Trunk knows the literature. When it comes to the Great Transformation, Trunk is a disciple with the zeal of a convert. I don't have any real quarrel with the broad argument in this book, I just think it's going to take a while before chaos theory rules the Board Room. Twenty-five years of organizational consulting, much of it in the U.S. auto industry, leaves me with a very healthy respect for the resiliency of "old" structures, systems, and practices that constitute a firm or an industry.
The strength of this book is its grounded and pragmatic approach to what I call the Millennial Paradox. This is a generation, the Millennials, that demands and relishes choice (freedom). But as the philosophers have been trying to tell us for centuries, freedom, the awakening of the self to its own consciousness and the self's awareness of its capacity for independent action in the world, can sometimes be hard to handle. For most of human history this wasn't such a big deal. The urge to survive was enough to keep our minds occupied and out of troubled psychic waters. And if we did start to feel a bit full of ourselves, culture was ready to step in and pretty much tell us how to live our lives. The existentialist Albert Camus sort of dealt with this question a while back and more or less took the Jack Nicholson point of view that most of us cannot handle the truth - the truth of our own freedom that is.
But, here come the Millennials, with more choices than any other generation in history and Trunk tells them `hey, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, embrace the chaos and celebrate by trying on identities like Imelda Marcus used to try on shoes.' And here's the Buddhist part, Trunk also tells them to breathe. Relax. You see that giant buffet out there called the economy? Try as much of it as you can before you order off the menu. The path Trunk cautions against is the path of settling for a bad job, a bad boss, or unsympathetic coworkers. When in doubt, move on!
Trunk is a consummate list maker. Here are some Trunkisms:
-Be a Sponge
-Uncertainty is a Good Gift with Bad Wrapping Paper
-Grad School will not Save You
-You're Stuck, Take and Adventure
-And there is a lot more like this.
Who should read this book? Most Gen Y'ers' and more than a few Gen X'ers' will find something helpful. Parents of same. Maybe every parent for that matter. Whether your Millennial son or daughter is off doing research in Africa, taking those summer courses that will "get them over the hump", still sitting on your sofa watching South Park, or off to Washington or Wall Street set on a promising career, you can learn something about your offspring and have a laugh or two in the process. You might even be a friendly resource helping the apple of your eye off the couch and into the work force.
Who will cringe at this book? Recruiters and HR managers looking at the retention numbers. For you, these Trunkisms are like arrows aimed at your career planning tools. Or maybe not. Perhaps by taking the few hours that it might take to move through the fast-paced text, you can garner some additional insights into the mind and mood of the Millennials. And while you're reading take some of Penelope's advice ... breathe.
_______________________________________________
A few other thoughts and questions:
First thought/question.
The number of self-help books of this type, and "Brazen Careerist" is one of the better ones out there, are primarily directed at the younger college grads, or soon to be college grads. But there are millions, perhaps as many as thirty-five million, young people today in our work force, or soon to enter our work force, or unlikely to ever enter our work force in any meaningful way, who would find most of the advice in this book irrelevant. This is not a criticism, but a statement of concern - a concern I known is shared by many - about the long term economic and employment prospects for the less well educated, or worse, the poorly educated young people in our society.
Educators and politicians can and will debate the efficacy of policies such as "No Child Left Behind," but the truth is millions of young people are being left behind and their great adventure will be to stay out of prison, the poor house, or both.
This is unacceptable. On both moral and practical grounds our society cannot endure indefinitely if the opportunity gap and the income gap continues to widen.
Comment/question no. 2.
This may be related to comment no. 1. This book and books like it are expressive of the hyper-individualism that marks this period of time. Again, this is not a criticism of this book per se, we all need our own road maps and personal survival guides, but I suspect that a book or books about our collective or common purpose, buttressed with lists of what we can do in our communities, would not get nearly as much attention. One of the ways we can avoid getting lost is by sometimes venturing into the forest together and sharing the compass.
Our interdependence has been well established both in science and in everyday life. But to speak of this interdependence is still seen as either a quaint and nostalgic reference to the past, or a naively idealistic wish for the future. Many Millennials have already begun to adjust their personal definitions of "success" to account for the fact that it is increasingly apparent that a definition of success must extend beyond the purely private solution. A growing number of Millennials, and others, are taking their "great adventures" working for the environment, working with the elderly and the poor, in short trying to make a difference in their own lives by making a difference is someone else's life. Call me old fashioned, but I'd like to add this to our definition of success.

Half of this advice is good...but which half?.......2007-08-24

Marketing texts like to quote some famous person (the name varies) as saying, "I know my advertising works...but I don't know which half."

That's the challenge of Brazen Careerist. I love the concept: experienced career coaches and consultants know the old party line doesn't work and never did. Many of Trunk's off-beat suggestions actually make a lot of sense. But others should come with a warning label.

Take the networking for introverts chapter. Trunk suggests using email to blog, especially when congratulating someone who just got good press. Unfortunately, a busy person may respond politely but won't remember you -- and these emails tend to be more annoying than helpful. Parties? Unless you're really gifted and focused, you won't get much out of five-minute snatches of small talk.

Similarly, commenting on blogs and "helping others" must be undertaken with great care. One of my acquaintances likes to send me messages: "I hear you were looking for someone who can do this..." The problem is (a) she doesn't get what I need, so her recommendations miss the mark; (b) by the time she responds the need has been met; and (c) now I have to write a nice thank you note, acknowledging her efforts. Frankly, these offers to help are more of a nuisance than a networking ploy.

Trunk's dismissal of midlife crisis as driving a Porsche too fast (page 2) is a good example of cross-generation communication failure.

And I have a lot of question about happiness topping off at $40,000 a year. In today's New York, your entire take-home pay would go to a studio apartment! (In one of her blog entries, Trunk encourages us to avoid relocating to cities where we'll be lost among higher-earning residents. That's another story.)

Measures of happiness can be questioned, like any other assessments. Money can't buy happiness, but it saves a lot of misery. Try telling your child (or yourself) that you have to put your dog to sleep because you can't afford a $700 vet bill.

Sure, you spend more when you earn more. But you also have the option to save more. And when Trunk earned $200,000 a year, I doubt she secretly wished to go back to her bare bones budget, even though she was forced to spend big bucks to maintain her image.

But other chapters are gems, such as, "If you're stuck - take an adventure."

Trunk's own early career featured beach ball volleyball, which seemed a waste at the time. I'm not surprised she remembers this period of her life with fondness. When you're young it is important to experience success, fun and self-mastery. The exact form those qualities take is less important than the quality of your experience.

Chapter 7 says a cover letter is a piece of direct mail -- true. The resume advice is quite good, especially "Ditch the line about references on request" (p. 25).

The chapter on getting along with one's boss is good (though not really new to Gen X). I also liked the chapter on not working too hard (although I don't think you can avoid face time as easily as she suggests).

The chapter on using harassment to get what you want also is good but not really new. Sometimes you can get promoted but often you can get a quiet settlement that funds your new business or time off. I don't think the stigma is as strong as Trunk suggests. I know one female academic who filed three harassment complaints at three different universities, but never had trouble moving on to a new job.

And then there are chapters in the middle, like "Grad School Will Not Save You." True, grad school can become a time and money sink. You'll get greater payback from an MBA when you're younger. But I got my own graduate degrees when I was older than the norm, gaining opportunities that would not be open otherwise. Executive programs can lead to networking opportunities for mid-life career changers and I would think even more so for the Gen Xers.

Similarly, promotions are worth getting because they're markers -- evidence that you were well-regarded by your former employer. Small raises add up. You get the big raises (usually) when you change jobs.

Bottom Line: I recommend reading Brazen Careerists to challenge all your assumptions about the workplace. But unless you know you're a savvy corporate power player, do some reality testing before implementing anything that might be risky.

Trunk rules!.......2007-08-16

I actually HATE self-help books: too many, too much waste of paper and heavy on egotistical b.s. by crappy writers. I LIKE this one and your boss might not. I don't totally agree with it all, but we want a book to turn us on to new directions: this did.

BRAZEN?CAREERIST is short and sweet and to-the-point on so many life points (disguised as personal business plans) that it is an honest to God joy to recommend for everybody. In fact, I've given my copy to my boss just a few minutes ago: it can teach old dogs new tricks from brevity to smarter resumes to relationship support.

TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE ADVICE.......2007-08-09

This book is just a mish-mosh of Ms. Trunk's weekly column on yahoo, where she spews some of the most insane "advice" I have ever seen. For example, she recently advised her readers NOT to report sexual harrassment because it would look bad on the person being harrassed! In another column, she advised moving back home with the folks to save money. I don't think this is something most parents would welcome. She's also recently advised female workers that it's okay to "show some skin" at work; to not give priority to work projects that won't matter 5 years from now (hmmm...I don't think any boss would take well to an employee saying "Sorry boss, this won't matter in 5 years so I'm going to pass on it"), and other such dribble. Her message is always "appearance matters more than substance".

Ms. Trunk touts herself as a career "expert" but if you read her bio, there is nothing that gives her these qualifications. She worked for a handful of companies, all of which went bankrupt or otherwise folded (even the company she founded is out of business); she was a professional volley ball player (not sure how that enhances her as an "expert"); and for a while she modeled advertisements on her chest. And we're supposed to take her seriously????

I'm not even sure she has a college degree (nothing is mentioned in her bio, which leads me to believe she only has a high school education), and she certainly doesn't have any advanced degrees, nor has she published any serious studies on careers/career-related issues (everything is pretty much her opinion, rarely backed up by serious data). I don't even consider her 10 years as a marketing exec to be anything of substance. How can you possibly be an "expert" by remaining in one field for your entire worklife?

There are much better career-advice books out there than Ms. Trunk's. Look for those written by people who run exec search firms/job placement firms/employment agencies/HR depts/etc, and/or who hold advanced degrees in Organizational/Industrial Psychology and study these issues for a living. In other words, people who actually work on a daily basis with real companies and real employees and who understand the needs, requirements, limits, and expectations of both.

Dangerous, Irresponsible Advice, Salted With a Few Gems.......2007-07-31

Gen-Yers beware. This book may tell you what you want to hear, but it's not telling you what you need to know.

I'm not one of the Baby Boomers that Trunk so often chides in this book - I'm a Gen-Xer. And I will tell you that about half of what is in this book (long lunches, wearing headphones, vacation time faits accomplis) is stuff that I would fire you for doing twice.

I am not some doofus from a dying generation that doesn't comprehend changes in office culture. I'm from the generation that's employing your generation. There are a few tidbits of good advice here: don't worry about people stealing your ideas; learn to take criticism well and act on it; leave your ego out of things. But much of the other advice is a prescription for career suicide.

Perhaps Ms. Trunk is correct that office etiquette will change in 10 or 20 years. But unless you plan on not eating, wearing nice clothes or driving a new car in the years before those changes take hold, you're going to have to play the game as it's played *right now*. And outside of a few select hi-tech and software companies, that game is not the one Ms. Trunk describes. Not by a long stretch.

Think about this for a second: of all the "how-to book" authors out there, maybe one or two a year make serious money writing. If Ms. Trunk's theory of careerism worked, wouldn't she be out in the business world using it, instead of selling you books about it for an eighth of the money?

Posing a Threat: Flappers, Chorus Girls, and Other Brazen Performers of the American 1920s

Average customer rating:

Too Academic and Without Focus
Great cover and Illustrations ... but too academic
An interesting look at life for women in the 1920s.

Posing a Threat: Flappers, Chorus Girls, and Other Brazen Performers of the American 1920s
Angela J. Latham
Manufacturer: Wesleyan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 081956401X

Book Description

New definitions of American femininity were formed in the pivotal 1920s, an era that vastly expanded the "market" for sexually explicit displays by women. Angela J. Latham shows how quarrels over and censorship of women's performance -- particularly in the arenas of fashion and theater -- uniquely reveal the cultural idiosyncracies of the period and provide valuable clues to the developing iconicity of the female body in its more recent historical phases.

Through disguise, display, or judicious appropriation of both, performance became a crucial means by which women contested, affirmed, mitigated, and revolutionized norms of female self-presentation and self-stylization. Fashion was a hotly contested arena of bodily display. Latham surveys 1920s fashion trends and explores popular fashion rhetoric. Resistance to social mandates regarding women's fashion was nowhere more pronounced than in the matter of "bathing costumes." Latham critiques locally situated contests over swimwear, including those surrounding the first Miss America Pageant, and suggests how such performances sanctioned otherwise unacceptable self-presentations by women.

Looking at American theater, Latham summarizes major arguments about censorship and the ideological assumptions embedded within them. Although sexually provocative displays by women were often the focus of censorship efforts, "leg shows," including revues like the Zeigfeld Follies, were in their heyday. Latham situates the popularity of such performances that featured women's bodies within the larger context of censorship in the American theater at this time.

Customer Reviews:

Too Academic and Without Focus.......2007-05-22

I got this book and I have to say that I read the introduction off of Amazon and wanted to read more stories such as that of the author's Grandmother. The book was WAY too dry and academic which is not necessarily a problem but the author seems to have lost focus. By the closing of the book, the author seemed not to be sure just how to tie up the book. While some aspects of the book were interesting with very good illustrations within, other aspects such as the end chapters dealing with the bathing suit controversies and the chorus girl criticism seemed overwrought with angry feminist analysis from the author. It seemed as if one was trying to figure out if this was the author's own personal opinion or one based off of careful research into the topic. The author was trying to make the case that the 1920s was not an age of hedonistic freedom that is sometimes presented in other books on that time the fact is that from much of her illustrations and footnotes it can clearly be seen that in contrast to the age previous (the Edwardian) age the 20s was in fact an age of Hedonism which has of course been exposited in other books only to come to an end with the economic crash of the 30s. The author failed also to actually analyze the biographies of actual "flappers", chorus girls and others to actually posit her thesis which really failed miserably. Her analysis was simplistic.

Great cover and Illustrations ... but too academic.......2006-07-08

This book reads like a dissertation. It's a great topic, and the cover and title promise much more than it delivers. I strongly suspect this was the author's dissertation project. That's fine because it's well-researched, and the author definitely is an expert on women in the 1920s. But it's a wet subject, and the auther serves it up dry. There's good information in here, but it'll be slow going. On the positive side, there are many great black-and-white illustrations.

An interesting look at life for women in the 1920s........2002-01-05

The author's basic premise is that in the 1920s, women used display to resist, while at times seeming to conform to, those who would have squeezed them into the molds of how society would have them appear. In the first few chapters, she does a good job of this. Especially insightful is the example of her own grandmother, who as a young woman in this time period, disguised both her bobbed hair and her married state so that she could continue in her chosen profession as teacher.

However, in the latter two chapters of the book, the author seems to focus more on the exploitation of women by the theatre industry and it's effects. In this, she seems to stray too far from her theme. It would have been better if she had had more examples like that of her grandmother which supported her theme, rather than diverging off of the topic.

I really do recommend this book at least for the initial chapters, which are an interesting look at the attitudes of an era that has been very much stereotyped. It gives you an idea of the some of the restrictions that would have been felt by a woman who was, not a Gretta Garbo or Clara Bow, but an average person trying to live from day to day....

Average customer rating:

Disappointing re-release of old material
Fantastic
A great start to amazing career
Hot, passionate and exploration of true feelings
You can tell its one of the first....

Brazen (Hqn Romance)
Carly Phillips
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0373772890

Book Description

She's the perfect daughter . . . almost.

Samantha Reed is willing to settle into marriage as a trophy wife to a wealthy older man -- if it will help her aging father pay off his debts. But not before having her first, last and only fling -- cramming a lifetime's worth of lust into one weekend with the fist available guy she finds. And when her car breaks down near a roadside tavern, she sets her sights on the sexy bartender -- Mac Mackenzie . . . the perfect man for her love-him-and-leave-him fantasy.

Only, it never occurs to Samantha that she might fall in love -- or that Mac might have a few fantasies of his own . . .

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing re-release of old material.......2006-04-21

Ever the good daughter, Samantha has agreed to marry an older man that she does not love to pay off her father's gambling debts. On route to her destination, she decides that she wants to have a not strings affair as a last chance to be a bad girl. She goes home with sexy bartender Mac and the two share a passion-filled week, where neither realizes how deep their feelings go, and each is keeping a huge secret that could shatter the relationship.

"Brazen" is filled with the requisite sizzle you find in a Carly Phillips novel. But it really reads like a retread or re-release of an early novel. I had to check the copyright to see if maybe this was the case, and sure enough - it was. I amnot sure why she is releasing old material - it's not like she did not already release several books this year. If you are looking for depth in your romances, you may want to look elsewhere. What it lacks in depth, it makes up for in sex. There are so many better and fully developed romance novels out there.

Fantastic.......2006-03-23

I loved this book. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't set it down. It wasn't very deep, but it brought out the widler side that most woman don't talk about. I loved the characters, and the bar setting was perfect. Just enough humor to keep it light and the happy ever after ending that I prefer.

A great start to amazing career.......2005-11-13

'Brazen' by Carly Phillips is re-release of her 1999 first novel. This novel tells the story of Sam who is marrying for money but has one week of adventure before she becomes a trophy wife. She meets Mac that local bartender who is actually a wealth resort owner who is helping his friend run the isolated bar in Arizona. They spend a magical week together but will their lies get in the way. I am off to find more of Carly Phillips novels.

Hot, passionate and exploration of true feelings.......2005-04-18

Brazen has all of the ingredients for one hot and passionate love story. When the beautiful Samantha sets out for a one week fling before committing herself to a marriage to save her father's debt, she by chance meets the handsome Mac in an Arizona desert bar.

As their story enfolds, both characters not only learn about each other but also about themselves. Mac taught Samantha the meaning of love, the fairy tale type of love. Samantha taught Mac new things about himself as well, about his ability to love and give. Even though they only tell each other half truths and live in a fantasy, their love and respect for each other grows. Their journey is one you won't want to miss.

You can tell its one of the first...........2005-04-04

I have read all the Carley Phillips that have come out to date, including this one and I dont think this book is up to the standards of her other books. It did not flow smoothly, it was bumpy. And there was not enough emotional connection in hte book. There is plenty of sex and its all good, but in between there is not much in the way of connecting and growing together. Its an ok story, but I know what she is capable of and this is not even close. Ok, but not a winner.

Reading the West: Snippets from My Life and a Few Brazen Thoughts (Bedford Cultural Editions)

Average customer rating:

Reading the West: Snippets from My Life and a Few Brazen Thoughts (Bedford Cultural Editions)
Bill Brown
Manufacturer: Bedford/St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0312137613

Average customer rating:

Sexy and fun
Easy to see why it's an award winner!
Don't Expect Too Much
A first-rate romance set in the tumultuous French Revolution

Brazen Angel
Elizabeth Boyle
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0440224128
Release Date: 1997-07-07

Amazon.com

Lady Sophia D'Artiers plays a dangerous game. By day, she is the fragile and ailing Lady Sophia. By night, she is the Brazen Angel, who lures titled gentlemen into a dangerous game of seduction. Unfortunately for Lady Sophia, her aunt has betrothed her to Giles Corliss, Lord of Trahern, who is sure to put a stop to her midnight escapades. The Lord has no urge to marry either. His father's last request was that he marry and produce an heir, but he'd much rather be off on another dangerous mission for the Foreign Office. Alas, their wedding date is set and the preparations begin, but neither Sophia nor Giles could have prepared themselves for the breathless passion that erupts between them. --Lois Faye Dyer

Book Description

Giles Corliss, Lord of Trahern, races through the streets after the sapphire-eyed Brazen Angel, determined to catch London's most audacious thief. Unknown to the lord, the masked mistress leads a double life as the beautiful, fragile Lady Sophia d'Artiers...Giles' intended.

Customer Reviews:

Sexy and fun.......2000-05-02

Lots of action and adventure in Elizabeth Boyle's first book! This was a fast read with few problems! I really liked the development of the relationship between the two!

Easy to see why it's an award winner!.......1999-06-28

I have a stack of books always waiting to be read...how I wish I'd read this one sooner! A great story, charming characters by an author who is definitely going places.

Don't Expect Too Much.......1999-01-13

I love 'The Scarlet Pimpernel', so I bought this book thinking it would be just as romantic and exciting. Well, I was sorely disappointed. The characters lack depth and the story was rather thin. I would rate it as 'readable'.

A first-rate romance set in the tumultuous French Revolution.......1997-07-31

Giles and Sophia are at odds from the start. With the French Revolution as a backdrop, Giles is certain the thieving Brazen Angel knows what happened to a fellow foreign service operative and Sophia is determined to get enough money to free her aristocratic family from prison. They lead each other a merry chase from England to France and back. Giles is unable to catch and unmask the beautiful Angel, and she is determined not to allow him to find out that under her disguises she is his betrothed. Follow them through the dangerous alleys of Paris as their ultimate goal becomes "discovering" each other. A delightful first book.

Average customer rating:

Blazen
Paying Your Taxes On The Streets
Badd Ass Book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dirty & corrupt
Gritty tale of street life and bad cops

Brazen
Mo Shines
Manufacturer: Q-Boro Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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It's On and Poppin

ASIN: 0975306650
Release Date: 2005-04-30

Book Description

Sean Coleman is relatively new to narcotics but he and his partner are both dirty cops. He is hiding a secret that could bring down both dirty cops.

Customer Reviews:

Blazen.......2006-03-16

I had this book for awhile before I read it. The first time I started reading it I put it down. Then I picked it back up and didn't put it back down till I was done. Mo did a good job on his first book. Brazen was raw and it was a In to deep book.

Paying Your Taxes On The Streets.......2005-11-15

Mo Shines takes his readers to the streets of New York where we get a chance to look inside of the masterminds of the true criminals the dirty cops and how greed has over took them.

Sean Coleman was one of the good guys always looking to make the streets a better place but when Internal Affairs (IA) picks him up and put him into a deep situation he finds himself making decisions that could cost him his life but would allow his pride to shine.

Detective Jay Robinson was one of the dirtiest cops on the force but he wouldn't allow anyone to hold him up on making his cash. Between Jay & Warren (another dirty cop) they have done enough dirt to get them bury under the jail.

But the surprising end leaves you gapping when the reader realizes how Sean allows his angry to consume him especially when the big wig is exposed to him. Mo Shines defiantly gives the reader the nitty gritty of the streets of New York.

Badd Ass Book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-10-07

I'm not going to bore you with all that writing bout the book cause if I did then you wouldn't buy it. I've read alot of books but i have to tell you that this book "IS OFF THE HOOK" YOU MUST READ IT. It totally will keep you into it til the end. I read it in a day.

dirty & corrupt.......2005-09-26

this book shows how the corruption in the law enforcement agency is really true those cops where some dirty s.o.b. and the were worst than the so called criminals !

Gritty tale of street life and bad cops.......2005-08-04

In BRAZEN, the debut title of Mo Shines, the reader is presented with an urban tale of street life and the twisted minds of police officers entrusted to protect and defend. On the surface and to other police officers, Detective Jay Robinson is the model cop with a successful career to his credit, but upon closer inspection, he's not so great. Jay is fed up with the low pay and more than annoyed that drug dealers are living a better life than he is, so he's switched sides of the playing field. Though he still wears the NYPD uniform, he shakes down drug dealers, commits murder, and plants evidence as necessary to ensure his financial status, with plans to eventually retire and live luxuriously from his dirty money.

Sean Coleman is an undercover Internal Affairs investigator brought in as Jay's new partner to bring down Jay and his previous partner, Warren. Sean works to embed himself in their world -- gaining trust and learning more about their operation. Unfortunately, to do this he must be privy to and part of some of the horrific acts performed by Jay and his former partner and later learns of other heists and crimes committed by the two. As he deals with his undercover status and his moral obligations, he is also struggling through changes in his marriage. He's not at liberty to discuss his new position with his wife and is left to swim in his own thoughts of helplessness. During this time, they grow apart from one another and his wife drifts away from him and into the arms of another man. This act of betrayal, once discovered, shatters Sean's world, disrupts his balance between right and wrong, and causes him to lose everything -- all for revenge.

While the first portion of the book moved a bit slow for me and the book could use a good proofreading, I enjoyed the plot. The battle Sean fought to keep control of his pledge to society, and the subplot dealing with his relationship with his wife was intriguing. It definitely makes you think, and just as you're sure you have the book figured out, the author adds in a twist, which completely throws you off guard, but thrills you at the same time. I was intrigued by the storyline of BRAZEN and am glad to see a different twist to the many street fiction type of novels on the market. Mo Shines has written a gritty expose' that reads like a movie. It is one of those books you can see while reading. Those who like action-packed, suspenseful movies with explosions, street life, or even readers of crime thrillers will enjoy this title.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

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