The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature

Book Description

Referring to Lewis Carroll's Red Queen from Through the Looking-Glass, a character who has to keep running to stay in the same place, Matt Ridley demonstrates why sex is humanity's best strategy for outwitting its constantly mutating internal predators. The Red Queen answers dozens of other riddles of human nature and culture -- including why men propose marriage, the method behind our maddening notions of beauty, and the disquieting fact that a woman is more likely to conceive a child by an adulterous lover than by her husband. Brilliantly written, The Red Queen offers an extraordinary new way of interpreting the human condition and how it has evolved.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-03-27

I can't add very much to the excellent reviews already posted. I'll just say quickly that I enjoyed very much the fresh insight into mating practices among the "lower animals" and among humans. I've read a lot about evolution and biology and so forth, and still found much new material here. I really enjoyed learning about how scientists finally discovered the rampant adultery among birds and how incredible they are at hiding it.

Several reviewers warn about having to "make it through" the first part, and I certainly understand that if your primary interest is in the evolutionary origins of human sexuality. However, I really enjoyed the first part as well, because it provides a broad understanding of sex in evolution and give lots of fun examples about different behaviors and adaptations.

Although I didn't give the book 5 stars (I reserve that for the best of the best), it showed me that Mr. Ridley is a great writer and I'll check out his other books (I think I'll start with Genome).

Worth slogging through Part 1 to get to Part 2.......2007-01-30

Some of the ideas expressed in The Red Queen are brilliant, and their applicability to the nature of human sexuality are quite interesting. However, Ridley's very methodical approach to categorizing and cataloging the varieties during the first 120-150 pages can be painfully slow.

Once Part II kicked in, I was glad I persevered. After the first part apparently sets the stage for some descriptions related to human beings, I found myself unable to put the book down during second half. No need to add on to what has been written by others, but if I had to do it again, I definitely would have skimmed Part 1.

Still worth the effort and quite a conversation piece. In the month since I finished, I find I bring it up in casual conversation regularly, and even during the course of book club conversations about male and female perspectives to similar actions, perceptions, or mating rituals. Definitely recommended!

So interesting..........2006-12-14

I remember flying on an airplane 6 years ago and having the stranger sitting next to me highly recommend this book. It ended up taking me three years before I finally obtained a copy!

This book is phenomenal. Starting from the first organisms on the planet and building up to modern day human beings, this book gives a detailed account of evolution and covers numerous theories, supported in great detail, as to how humans are they way we are.

The only reason this book gets 4 stars from me is because it is written in text book language and it can be hard to follow at some points. But stick with it - the end of the book is where most of the interesting points emerge.

The implications to the future human civilization are staggering.......2006-11-10

Science writer Matt Ridley's book "The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature" is outstanding. I have read at least 20 other books by various authors on this subject, and yet Ridley's book contains a vast amount of original work and brilliant viewpoints.

His language is accessible, witty, and moving. His explanations and arguments are well researched, and elegantly written.

Ridley takes you on a journey, for those willing, into nature's infinite world of sexual evolution using existing species as examples. You'll end up realizing how constricted our society is in relation to our nature. The book opened my mind to how diverse our society can be, and how we limit and restrict ourselves. I find this book to be one of his best works.

Experts in every field of living systems should read this book, the implications are staggering. Although written entirely from a biological / genetic / nature point of view, anyone could use the material to develop an improved system. For example, improved political systems, draft laws that make sense, market products more successfully, understand the criminal mind-set, raise children better, better discern the cause of war and violence, etc.

In a nut-shell, if you want to understand the infinite possibility of human potential, this book gives you the "theory of operation" and should be considered the bible on how central sexuality is to the nature of humankind and our modern civilization.

Too serious / intense - Not for casual reading.......2006-11-06

This is interesting only if you want to do a very detailed study on Sex and Evolution of Human Nature. Not something I would recommend if you are just looking for some dating techniques or How to....type suggestions.

Charlie Bone and The Castle Of Mirrors (Children of the Red King Book 4)

Average customer rating:

A Very Satisfying Book!
The Balance Must Be Kept!
awsome book
Enjoyable But Flawed
A great read

Charlie Bone and The Castle Of Mirrors (Children of the Red King Book 4)
Jenny Nimmo
Manufacturer: Orchard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439545285

Book Description

Back in Bloor's Academy, Charlie's power takes on a new dimension. He meets a new gallery of characters, including Mr. Pilgrim's replacement, Tantalus Ebony, and the mysterious new student Joshua Tilpin, who appears to be magnetic. But not all is well. Billy has been adopted by the O'Gres, a child-hating couple, who carry with them a gray bag of oaths wherever they go, seducing Billy to sign an oath of obedience, before locking him up behind a force field in an odd place called The Passing House.

Customer Reviews:

A Very Satisfying Book!.......2007-06-24

This book was very good and I enjoyed it quite a bit! Charlie Bone is a likeable character with many great friends who help him in his quests to set things right. This book was very exciting and I would recommend it to readers ages nine and older.

The Balance Must Be Kept!.......2007-05-11

Charlie Bone, whose life has NEVER been easy, gets slammed with a whole new problem in CASTLE OF MIRRORS. Old Ezekial Bloor and Charlie's aunts, the Yewbeam sisters, have managed to resurrect a ghostly horse creature that they believe has the heart of an old, fierce warrior named Borlath. They indend to use the creature against Charlie and his other endowed friends at Bloor's Academy. However, something has gone drastically wrong.

Just as with the previous Charlie Bone books, author Jenny Nimmo keeps a lot of balls in the air. A lot of possibilities and threats dangle in front of the reader as they cruise through this tale. It seems as though disaster and defeat lurk around every corner.

Charlie is still looking for his father Lyle, whom everyone believe is dead but Charlie is certain is still alive. Poor Billy Raven still hasn't been adopted, but he gets adopted in this one--by the most evil people in the world.

More of the Yewbeam family lineage is discovered, as well as what happened to many of the Red King's children. The things that bind Charlie and his friends, family ties as well as personal stakes, grow even stronger in this novel.

I read these books to my nine-year-old, who enjoys them immensely and takes the tests on the Accelerated Reader program at his school. I enjoy how easy they are to read aloud, and the degree of history that Nimmo has put in each of her novels, building on what has gone on before. The plots do tend to be somewhat repetitive, but they are Charlie Bone books. They tell a certain kind of story with certain elements that the young readers require.

The Charlie Bone books are great escapist fiction for the Harry Potter crowd while they're waiting on the final book in that series. And Charlie Bone hasn't quite progressed to the level of darkness that the Potter books have. Charlie Bone still guarantees excitement AND laughs.

awsome book.......2007-05-06

this book is a pretty awsome book and i enjoyed it more then any of my other books (except my harry potter books)but this book is still pretty good.

Enjoyable But Flawed.......2007-01-15

Charlie Bone is worried about his friend, Billy Raven. Billy, an albino and an orphan, has longed for a family of his own and it seems like his wish has come true when Mr. and Mrs. de Grey agree to adopt him. Charlie is happy for Billy, but the de Grey's are friends of the Bloor family and Charlie doesn't trust them. Charlie is right to be worried - the de Grey's have powers that literally won't let Billy leave the house unless he is going to school. Charlie, his Uncle Paton, and his friends all try to find a way to get Billy out of the de Grey's house and to a place where he'll be safe. Charlie also wonders what is going on at his school Bloor's Academy. Piano teacher Mr. Pilgrim is gone and his replacement, Tantalus Ebony, is a bit odd. Charlie also wonders what's up with a new student, Joshua Tilpin, who seems to be magnetic. Charlie also wonders why his friend Olivia is acting so strange. On top of it all, Charlie keeps searching for his missing father.

"Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors" certainly has its good points. For one thing, some of the children grow as characters, especially Billy and Olivia. Author Jenny Nimmo also shows some increasing aspects of Charlie's ability to read the thoughts of people in photographs and pictures. There's a nice sense of humor throughout the book, with some punny word play and an especially funny scene at the Pet's Café. The fantasy elements are nicely done, especially the introduction of Alice Angel, and a wonderfully imaginative scene involving written oaths coming alive and attacking Charlie and his friends. The "flames" as always, add much to the fantasy elements.

However, the book has its flaws. While some characters are well developed, other characters aren't developed at all. Once again Nimmo awkwardly gets rid of characters without any real explanation as to why they are gone. New characters that are added are underdeveloped, especially Joshua Tilpin and Tantalus Ebony. With the exception of Uncle Paton, most of the "good" adults are once again useless, especially Charlie's mother, Amy. Charlie's life at school is not particularly well-written - it's not clear what classes he takes and what classes many of the teachers actually teach. One plotline - losing balance - was very interesting, but felt thrown in at the last moment and could have been much more developed. The ongoing plot line of Charlie looking for his father could have been plotted and written better since it's obvious who his father really is.

The Children of the Red King series is a quick, at times enjoyable read, but continues to be somewhat frustrating.

A great read.......2006-12-30

This was another installment of the Charlie Bone books and was as good as the others. Poor Billy Raven finally gets parents and they turn out to be horrible...as we knew they would. More of the history of the Red King is brought out in this book and some of the main characters are further developed. Charlie is a likeable character and it is easy to empathize with him, especially as he is so determined to find his lost father. The books are well constructed and enjoyable to read.

Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544 (The Royal Diaries)

Average customer rating:

A Forgotten Princess, A Queen Remembered
Red Rose of the House of Tudor
Ok Book
My review
A great book for those who love English history

Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, England, 1544 (The Royal Diaries)
Kathryn Lasky
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Royalty | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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

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ASIN: 0590684841

Amazon.com

"Do you know who I am? I shall tell you. I am Elizabeth, Princess of England, daughter of Henry VIII and his wife Anne Boleyn. I am eleven years old. My mother, once Queen, is now dead. Almost eight years ago, when I was not yet three, Father chopped off her head."

Daughter of a fallen queen, young Princess Elizabeth lives a complicated and dangerous life. She fears her father's famous temper but loves him dearly, noting that she would trade all her jewels just to be noticed by him. She also loves her brother Edward, heir to the English throne, but doesn't like her older sister Mary, who torments her and conspires against her. Kat, her governess, is so worried for Elizabeth's life that she spends hours checking their room for poison whenever they move to a new palace. Court intrigues swirl around her, the French are threatening an invasion, and Kat is clamoring for her to have another bath--that makes nearly six in three months! Through Elizabeth's diary, author Kathryn Lasky brings the Tudor world to life: glittering banquets of peacock, eel, and swan; palaces so stinky that "everyone goes about with their noses buried in pomander balls to hide the stench"; archery contests, where Elizabeth excels; and Latin and logic lessons... where she needs a little work. Some of the history is slightly flawed (a misplaced date or two), but readers will enjoy the great detail as they learn about the childhood of one of England's greatest monarchs. An epilogue, with Tudor family trees, paintings, and background information enhances this already excellent and entertaining book. (Ages 10 and older) --Sunny Delaney

Book Description

N/A

Customer Reviews:

A Forgotten Princess, A Queen Remembered.......2007-04-02

This book provides a unique look at what life may have been like for Elizabeth long before she was queen. It's easy for historical figures like Elizabeth to become so much larger than life that we forget they were real people, once. Elizabeth I recreates the emotions and thoughts of an adolescent girl in a way that shows that even a princess feels the universal emotions of loneliness, fear, and doubt.

Elizabeth I addresses two themes especially well: a daughter's longing for her father's affection, and a keen political mind's awareness of what it takes to be a successful ruler. Despite the fact that he had her mother beheaded, Elizabeth still loves her father and lives for the moments when he shows her favor. She is also an astute observer of the goings on in the world of royals and nobility, and early on comes to the realization that if she should become Queen, she must remain unmarried to retain her rule.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves diaries and memoirs and takes an interest in the intricacies of queendom.

Red Rose of the House of Tudor.......2007-03-27

This is one of the first in the Royal Diary series that I have read and It is by far my favorite. It gives a great insight in to palace life and into the life of a teenager. It is a great read for all Princess. This book also includes historical facts and pictures about Elizibeth the 1st and her family. I recomend this book for anyone who likes princess, drama and historical fiction. This is one of my favorites in an intriuging and educational series

Ok Book.......2007-03-06

I really like to read books about people and what happened in their life. I have read alot of diaries from different people in different time periods. I found as I was reading that this book starts out medium exciting. In the middle of the book it gets boring and I just felt like starting over on a different book, but by the end of the book I just didn't want to put it down. I really didn't know anything about Elizabeth 1 but after reading this book I would be able to tell you good, bad, and interesting things that happened to her. I found as I read the book that she is like me in many ways. She likes to be outside on sunny days, be around people, be adventurous and free, and she loves animals. It made it easier to read the book because I could look for more ways she was alike me. Even though there were many interesting things that happened in this book I wouldn't recomend this book to a friend. I wasn't really excited to read the book and I went really slow through it.

My review .......2007-02-25

I loved this book it made me relize that the world has changed alot from 1544to now (2007). The best part was that I felt like i was the one going through all the trials and challanges , That Elzibeth went through .

A great book for those who love English history.......2006-11-20

Having taken English History in a British school many years ago, I found this book to be very enlightening in reference to this period of time. This book gives a great insight into the formation of the Elizabethian period.

Average customer rating:

People were staring at me because I was laughing out loud!!!!
You gotta love her..
Easy, lighthearted read
Good light read
Really cute, fun and light hearted book

Tales Of A Drama Queen (Red Dress Ink)
Lee Nichols
Manufacturer: Red Dress Ink
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0373250630

Book Description

The only thing Elle Medina has ever been a strong candidate for is a department store credit card . . .

Application for Temporary Employment

Name: Elle Medina

Marital Status: I'm separated from my fiancé, Louis Ferris.

Occupation: He was a highly paid attorney.

Employment History: You mean mine? Technically I haven't exactly worked before. But I'm motivated and I work well with others. Most others. Usually.

Career Goals: I thought I was happy with Louis, but now I'm not sure. Ever since he dumped me for some floozy from Iowa, I've been thinking I should find out what I'm good at and pursue it in a formal job-type way.

Salary Requirements: I need my own apartment (currently staying on friend's sofa) and a car. And I've always wanted a dog. Oh, and I definitely need a shopping trip.

Elle Medina must be qualified for something other than shopping and causing trouble, but when she moved to Santa Barbara after the disastrous end of her engagement, just what she's suited for isn't clear. Bartender? Private eye? Phone psychic? It seems like everything she tries ends in humiliation or legal action -- or both. Her best friend is getting sick of her, her new boyfriend's a con artist and her creditors are on her trail. So why is this the happiest Elle's been in years?

Customer Reviews:

People were staring at me because I was laughing out loud!!!!.......2007-08-21

HILARIOUS!!!!

Elle Medina has never worked a day in her life and doesn't need to because her powerful, attorney fiance takes care of her just fine! At least until he breaks off the wedding. Elle is sent into an emotional tale-spin and is forced to find a J-O-B. Her delusions about work are fantastic! And her job choices, priceless!

I LOVE THIS BOOK!

You gotta love her.........2007-01-10

...or at least feel pity for her. I surely enjoyed reading about her!

TALES OF A DRAMA QUEEN is about Elle Medina who after being left by her fiance has to stand on her own feet for the first time in her life. She starts out crashing on her friends Maya's couch for a while until she finds shelter in a converted trolley. Not that her self esteem isn't low enough already, then she has to find out that her ex married the first best woman he found on a business trip.

Next she enters the working world as a shop detective and after she gets fired there she finds her new calling as a phone psychic which works out slightly better.

And of course all the time she's looking for a new love, with dates ranging from criminals she met during her detective days to the usually bar goers she meets at Maya's bar...

All in all this is a funny book, that has everything I look for in a novel: humor, drama, and romance.
The perfect book for a sunny Florida day at the beach!

Easy, lighthearted read.......2006-08-24

This book is such a good read when you need a good laugh. The story line makes you want to keep reading, not like a mystery, but in the sense you have to know what is going to happen next. I can't wait to read the sequel, True Lies of a Drama Queen. The other reviews are true when they say this character is very real, and quirky. You can't help but feel sorry for her. Definately recommend this as one of the great Chic books that is out.

Good light read.......2006-08-06

I read this book second, not realizing that this one was the first one of two Le Nichols books. No problem reading it secone...so I knew who was who and who got where... I liked the fact that it was very light and fun to read. It is nice to escape for a little while and this book does it.

Really cute, fun and light hearted book.......2006-03-11

I read it in 3 days. Some parts made me laugh out loud, just a fun book for easy reading.

Average customer rating:

Buy Sendak's book instead.
Feminist Fairytale
My What Big Eyes You Have
Delicate Defiance: The Red Wolf
Lush and different

The Red Wolf
Margaret Shannon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B000I0RS4I

Amazon.com

Locked in a tall, stony tower by her overprotective father, little princess Roselupin longs to venture into the "wild and dangerous" world. So when she receives a mysterious golden box full of yarn for her seventh birthday, Roselupin takes matters--and knitting needles--into her own hands. She knits herself a magical red wolf suit, and, suddenly grown gigantic, bursts out of her tower into the wild world. Free at last, our newly furry heroine dances "her wolfy dance" and howls "her wolfy howl." It's only when she heads deep into the forest that her adventure begins to unravel.

Margaret Shannon's tale has a deliciously Where the Wild Things Are flavor, with its own fresh twist. The image of a giddy, gigantic, cherry-red wolf frolicking over the trees near the kingdom is utterly unforgettable, as are the beautiful spreads showing Roselupin shrinking into the darkening forest, followed by a red thread. An understated surprise ending will either bemuse or gratify readers, who will cheer at the princess's hard-earned freedom, regardless. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Roselupin has had quite enough of being locked away in her tower room. Her father the king thinks he needs to protect her from the wild and dangerous world outside, but Roselupin knows better. So when she receives a mysterious gift on her seventh birthday, Roselupin uses it as her ticket out of the tower and into the woods, where she howls and dances all day longand surprises the kingdom folk right out of their socks. Twice.

Customer Reviews:

Buy Sendak's book instead........2007-06-07

I was disappointed with this book. I did not like that her father kept her locked away, how he mocked her when she recieved her "gift," and how she turned her father into a mouse. There are so many bad influences on children today, I don't need a book telling them that they don't need to listen to their parents. I am my childrens biggest advocate. Buy "Where the Wild Things Are." Altough the boy gets mad at his mother and runs away (in his mind) he comes home because he loves his mom and knows she loves him even when he has been bad. The illustrations in "The Red Wolf" are wonderful, but not good enough to make it worth the clearnce price I bought it for.

Feminist Fairytale.......2007-05-06

I first heard this story read on NPR and I loved it. The illustrations are big and beautiful. This story is about Rose Lupin whose father "TRIES" to keep her in a tower. I love this book because the princess frees herself! A copy of The Red Wolf goes to every new baby girl I know!

My What Big Eyes You Have .......2007-03-25

I have a 3 year old son, he likes the book, but his 5 year old cousin Lindsay LOVES this book. I tend to really get into it when I'm reading to the kids. You know a different voice for each character, whispering when something scary is about to happen etc... I swear, I had never seen her eyes grow so wide as I did with this book. Oh wait, I have seen them almost pop out when I've chased her acting like a hungry bear :-)

Delicate Defiance: The Red Wolf.......2007-03-11

Brimming with mystique and echoes of Sendak, this fresh fairy tale subtly, yet powerfully, casts light on the costs of safety and the value of freedom. Our whole family is entranced by this fabulous book.

Lush and different.......2003-07-31

I bought this book because I heard them review it on NPR. It was not a disappointment. The drawings do have a Sendak feel to them, but they are freer and looser than the tight ink drawings in Where the Wild Things Are. The story has a different twist to it. One thing I love about it is that instead of the princess being focused on getting a man, this princess yearns for freedom and a chance to play. That's a nice change of pace from all the Cinderellas and Sleeping Beautys and I think teaches a better lesson. This is my second copy, because my niece discovered this one day while playing here and fell in love with it immediately.

A Red State of Mind: How a Catfish Queen Reject Became a Liberty Belle

Average customer rating:

Laugh Out Loud for this transplanted Southern Girl
Excellent Book!!
Funny and timely
Hoping for Funny
Funniest book I've read all year

A Red State of Mind: How a Catfish Queen Reject Became a Liberty Belle
Nancy French
Manufacturer: Center Street
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1931722889

Book Description

The heartland's answer to Sarah Vowell and David Rakoff, Nancy French tells it like it is--one laugh-out-loud anecdote after another about a red state American's experiences living in the blue states.For the first 20 years of her life, all Nancy French knew of the world was Paris--Paris, Tennessee, that is. When the former homecoming queen trades in cow-tipping, big hair, and the Catfish Capital of the World for a new life in the Big Apple, she is in for a real education. With a keen sense of humor, French discusses everything from the South's obsession with church attendance to the blue-state notion that red staters think as slowly as they speak.

Customer Reviews:

Laugh Out Loud for this transplanted Southern Girl.......2007-01-15

It's been a while since I finished reading this book. I enjoyed it a great deal. I was 27 when I left the South and moved to upstate NY -- like the author I found that life was VERY different outside the South. A lot of her observations rang true and made me laugh out loud.

Very funny and a good read.

Excellent Book!!.......2007-01-11

A wonderful glimpse at the subtle (and not so subtle) cultural differences in our country. Mostly funny, but with some serious points, and relevant throughout. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Funny and timely.......2007-01-09

I loved this book. Nancy French is able to point out the cultural differences in our society through anecdotes which are very funny. Conservatives will be encouraged and I think liberals will see that conservatives aren't as intolerant as the main stream media portrays them.

Hoping for Funny.......2006-12-24

And this book didn't deliver it.

The author has a good voice and a lovely, light writing style. She knows how to set up a good domestic story and make it funny as sin. Unfortunately, she spends entirely too much time whining about the "liberal" North and complaining about how horrible things are in the Northeast.

As a transplanted Southerner living in Taxachusetts, I thought I'd enjoy this book. I stopped reading half way through, sick to death of her whining. She didn't finish her degree at NYU because all the liberals were soooooo mean to her. Her friends in New York froze her out just because she wrote a nasty article in the paper. Her newborn baby had to wear cloth diapers. Oh the pain. Oh the agony.

Poor upper middle class, suburban Republican stuck amongst the Democrats!

Jeesh. From her book, you'd think all Southerners are White, middle-class, right-leaning Republicans. Speaking as a Yellow Dog Democrat Evangelical from the deepest part of the South I can only say that obviously she sees what she wants to see and disregards the rest.

Funniest book I've read all year.......2006-12-14

This isn't the type of book I'd normally pick up, yet I found myself laughing with each and every chapter. Nancy truly has a gift for words. It doesn't matter where you live, or what your political and religious beliefs are, this book will make you smile. As a Texan who works in New York and lives in California, I could totally relate to just about everything Nancy wrote - her grocery store and garbage dump experience, her mother's cardboard box collecting obsession. I can't wait to read Nancy's next one.

Theatre Of Images: Pandering to the Masses : A misrepresentation/A Letter for Queen Victoria/The Red Horse Animation

Average customer rating:

Theatre Of Images: Pandering to the Masses : A misrepresentation/A Letter for Queen Victoria/The Red Horse Animation
Richard Foreman , Robert Wilson , and Lee Breuer
Manufacturer: PAJ Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1555540732

Book Description

The three plays collected in The Theatre of Images challenge the conventional understanding of performance. In Pandering to the Masses: A Misrepresentation, Richard Foreman creates a reality onstage that reflects his own reality--focusing on familiar, everyday events with the addition of recorded voice and projected image. A Letter for Queen Victoria, by Robert Wilson, is an opera without singers, with verbal declamations instead of arias. Represented in comic-book form, The Red Horse Animation by Lee Breuer demonstrates the play's reliance on cinematic techniques in its composition.

True Lies Of A Drama Queen (Red Dress Ink)

Average customer rating:

Fun, easy read and likeable characters
Pure entertainment
Great Beach Reading
True Lies Of A Drama Queen
Chick Lit

True Lies Of A Drama Queen (Red Dress Ink)
Lee Nichols
Manufacturer: Red Dress Ink
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Domestic Life | Women's Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0373895755

Book Description

Some true lies of a drama queen:

My name is Elle Medina.
(Absolutely true!)

I'm a professional psychic.
(Completely accurate. Except for the "professional" part . . . and the "psychic" part.)

I'm planning my best friend's wedding.
(Maya only thinks she's planning it.)

I'm a serious journalist.
(I cover crystal therapy for the local weekly rag.)

I live with my boyfriend, Merrick.
(I'm pretty sure he's still my boyfriend.)

She may be lovely and talented but Elle Medina's phone psychic business is sputtering, her boyfriend thinks she's attending graduate school (not exactly) and she's about to ruin her best friend's wedding. Things can't get worse. Can they?

Of course they can. (For example, her little striptease is currently playing on the Internet.)

Join Elle as she seeks out the culprit responsible for her unexpected unclothes star turn, strenuously avoids higher learning and discovers that coming of age is not a destination, but a journey . . . and she's having a hard time staying on the road.

Customer Reviews:

Fun, easy read and likeable characters.......2007-03-21

Loved this sequel to Tales of a Drama Queen. I couldn't wait to read this one. Lee Nichols is so easy to read because she makes you laugh and creates likable characters that you want to root for. I wish there were more to these two sequels!
Pick up both copies if you are looking for a good summer book, or a good read while at work! You wont want to put it down, I promise!

Pure entertainment.......2006-10-09

Both of Lee Nichols Drama Queen books are a lot fun. Light and fluffy with a great spacy main character. I love the silly drama, the crazy mishaps and of course the happy endings. The quirkiness of these novels is what makes them so great.

Great Beach Reading.......2006-07-24

I bought this for some light beach reading and absolutely LOVED it. I haven't read the first (store didn't have it) but it didn't matter. Easy to pick up on the plot. I will definitely be getting the first in series.

True Lies Of A Drama Queen .......2006-07-24

I loved it! The main character was great!

Chick Lit.......2006-06-15

I'm a big fan of Lee Nichols and love the fact that she's based 3 books in Santa Barbara, CA (where I am). I loved this story, which is a sequel to 'Tales of a Drama Queen'. Elle is a funny character and I can relate to her in a lot of ways. However, the thing which got on my nerves was how Goleta kept being put down throughout the book and was portrayed to be some slimey gross place. Since I live in the area, and grew up in Goleta, I know this isn't the case. I'd at least have expected things to be told how they are, even though this is a work of fiction.

The Red Hat Society(R)'s Queens of Woodlawn Avenue (Red Hat Society)

Average customer rating:

The Queens..
Do not recommend this book
Comfort Food for the Soul
amusing poignant read

The Red Hat Society(R)'s Queens of Woodlawn Avenue (Red Hat Society)
Regina Hale Sutherland
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0446616753

Customer Reviews:

The Queens.........2006-08-26

Ellie is told after many years of marriage that her husband has found someone else. A waitress from Hooter's who is years younger. So nine months later she has a house on Woodlawn Avenue. A far cry from her old life. But one day she receives a knock at the door; a lady with pound cake proclaiming she has to come to tonight's bridge game, because she is Queen #4, Queen of Hearts, because she has the heart arch in her house. Where the other members have the spade, diamond and club. She reluctantly goes, and soon finds out the bridge rules are paralleling her own life.

I gave this book 4 stars because all the bridge talk confused me a bit, as well as a tad bit boring. I am really not a card player. However, I do want to read the other books, so this was indeed a good read!

Do not recommend this book.......2006-08-05

This is a terrible book. It is poorly written and extremely predictable. If you are in High School it "might" be a good choice to pass the time.

Comfort Food for the Soul.......2006-06-13

Reviewed by Kristina Patton for Reader Views 06/2006

Tea parties and endless chatter about the weather and men is what comes to mind when I think of a Red Hat Society get-together. Boy, did I have the wrong idea. Regina Hale Sutherland shows us that these get-togethers are all but boring. With mystery, blossoming friendships, heartache, and life lessons through a game of cards, "The Red Hat Society's Queens of Woodlawn Avenue" is a fun, heartwarming read.

Now, personally, I've never sat down to a bridge game, or even watched anyone play. But, by the end of this book, I learned that the rules of bridge and the rules of life are almost one in the same. Sutherland's elegant writing had me looking for a double meaning around every corner. For example, all of Ellie's lessons are the titles of the chapters. My favorite of those lessons is called "Becoming a Captain". Jane, the Queen of Diamonds, tells Ellie that "now that he's revealed his hand, you can become the captain." So, this quote refers to 1) the point in bridge where your partner makes her bid, which limits her hand, and you can take the lead, or become the captain with your hand, and 2) when someone you know reveals a secret that you can use to your advantage. Yes, even the Queens resort to blackmail when they feel it necessary.

Sutherland's cozy characters became my best friends for the weekend. This storyline shows the way that I would want my life to turn out if I were in the same situation as Ellie. Because in the end all the good things were definitely worth all the bad. I found myself hoping for the best and wondering what would happen next. I will definitely be a frequent reader of Sutherland's upcoming Red Hat Society books. Whether it's mystery, romance, or friendship that you are seeking, I would recommend this cozy read to anyone who needs comfort food for the soul.

amusing poignant read.......2006-05-25

Without ever knowing it, Ellie Johnson became one of the Queens of Woodlawn Society when she moved into a house on Woodlawn Ave. By moving there she automatically became a member of the bridge club along with Grace, Jane, and Linda. Each of the foursome have an arch in their home designed in the shape of a card suit with Ellie being the queen of hearts. The others take the recently divorced Ellie under their wing. Grace teaches her how to repair her garden; Linda helps her regain her place in Nashville society; and Jane assists her with a new business start-up.

Ellie remains bitter over her marital break-up due to her husband playing with a Double D bimbo after twenty fives years together. She soon learns that she is considered attractive by men when her first client, a suave Frenchman pursues her and a police officer wants to date her. Her former spouse keeps calling and over time their contacts become less acrimonious. However, Ellie remains uncertain as to what she wants especially from him and whether she can forgive him. He becomes her rock when she wants to host a society event and when one of regal peers is jailed. Ellie knows she still loves the rat, but doubts she can ever trust him again.

The members of the QUEENS OF WOODLAWN SOCIETY belong to the Red Hat Society, a women's group that is a combination social club and helping hand to one another. Ellie learns to accept what happened and to move on with her life applying the rules of bridge to making decisions. Readers will adore Ellie and her friends as this deep character study is an amusing poignant read.

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:

So interesting to read
Unsympathetic protagonist
Read the original memoirs
sounded interesting but.....
Interesting read but not a book you couldn't put down.

The Red Queen
Margaret Drabble
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0151011060

Book Description

Barbara Halliwell, on a grant at Oxford, receives an unexpected package-a memoir by a Korean crown princess, written more than two hundred years ago. A highly appropriate gift for her impending trip to Seoul. But from whom?

The story she avidly reads on the plane turns out to be one of great intrigue as well as tragedy. The Crown Princess Hyegyong recounts in extraordinary detail the ways of the Korean court and confesses the family dramas that left her childless and her husband dead by his own hand. Perhaps it is the loss of a child that resonates so deeply with Barbara . . . but she has little time to think of such things, she has just arrived in Korea.

She meets a certain Dr. Oo, and to her surprise and delight he offers to guide her to some of the haunts of the crown princess. As she explores the inner sanctums and the royal courts, Barbara begins to feel a strong affinity for everything related to the princess and her mysterious life.

After a brief, intense, and ill-fated love affair, she returns to London. Is she ensnared by the events of the past week, of the past two hundred years, or will she pick up her life where she left it? A beautifully told and ingeniously constructed novel, this is Margaret Drabble at her best.

Customer Reviews:

So interesting to read.......2007-08-01

This is based on aspects of a real story and fascinating. I gave it four stars only because the transition in the middle jarred me a little but I quickly was able to forgive it because the storytelling is terrific.

Unsympathetic protagonist.......2007-02-10

Sent to me by a family member as a recommended good read, I barely think it qualifies for three stars. The first section, narrated by the dead queen's spirit, was culturally and historically interesting. The second section, marked by a dry, removed narrator left me cold...cold to a learned but never profound and totally unsympathetic Babs Halliwell.

Read the original memoirs.......2007-01-23

I read this book and also have read the original, THE MEMOIRS OF LADY HYEGYONG, translated, annotated and introduced by historian and scholar JaHyun Kim Haboush. The first half of Drabble's book, which is a fictional representation of the actual memoirs, seemed like an enormous theft, and a disappointing and cheap Anglicized version of the actual MEMOIRS. True, the original MEMOIRS can be less accessible than the fictional treatment, but the true voice of the past presents a reality that cannot be imitated regardless of the attempts at clever conceits meant to engage Western audiences.

Like seeing the tragedy unfold with one's own eye versus hearing it from a storyteller from another time and another world, If one desires a gripping cultural experience of historical Korea, and especially of this infamous event, I recommend going to the source, rather than reading someone else's observation, experience and subsequent fictionalization of it, especially as this fictional account condescends to describe a world that is better understood by the unspoken and taboo: what wasn't said, what wasn't allowed to be spoken of, what words were forbidden, and how the utterance of words mattered so.

I give this book 2 stars because if nothing else, this book could spur interested readers on to the original MEMOIRS, and that alone raises its worthiness.

sounded interesting but............2006-12-31

As someone who is fascinated by Korean history and culture, I couldn't wait to read this book . It sounded so interesting, and was in fact in the first half which recounted Price Sado's time in Korean history. Once the second half started, it became a total bore, and before long I had to put it down. I just couldn't read anymore. How can a writer go from a story of historical intrigue to never-ending rambling about a boring medical conference she's attending in Korea.

Don't bother.

Interesting read but not a book you couldn't put down........2006-07-08

The book starts off very interesting as a 18th century Korean Princess narrates her life story. How she became married to Korea's nortriously famous Prince Sado whose mental illness caused great suffering to himself and others. Then the story loses momentum as it moves to present day and centers around the life of Barbra Halliwell a Proffessor on her way to a conference in Korea.

The first part of the book I really enjoyed the second half was simply not as interesting. It was exciting to learn more about Korea's Royal family.

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