In the Company of the Courtesan: A Novel

Average customer rating:

A Masterpiece of Accuracy

Richly Descriptive Period Piece.

Diluted Sexuality in the Company of the Courtesan?

Audio to text: Bravo!

In the Company of the Courtesan

In the Company of the Courtesan: A Novel
Sarah Dunant
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Historical | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Birth of Venus: A Novel

The Constant Princess

The Boleyn Inheritance

Leonardo's Swans: A Novel

The Other Boleyn Girl

ASIN: 0812974042
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

My lady, Fiammetta Bianchini, was plucking her eyebrows and biting color into her lips when the unthinkable happened and the Holy Roman Emperor’s army blew a hole in the wall of God’s eternal city, letting in a flood of half-starved, half-crazed troops bent on pillage and punishment.

Thus begins In the Company of the Courtesan, Sarah Dunant’s epic novel of life in Renaissance Italy. Escaping the sack of Rome in 1527, with their stomachs churning on the jewels they have swallowed, the courtesan Fiammetta and her dwarf companion, Bucino, head for Venice, the shimmering city born out of water to become a miracle of east-west trade: rich and rancid, pious and profitable, beautiful and squalid.

With a mix of courage and cunning they infiltrate Venetian society. Together they make the perfect partnership: the sharp-tongued, sharp-witted dwarf, and his vibrant mistress, trained from birth to charm, entertain, and satisfy men who have the money to support her.

Yet as their fortunes rise, this perfect partnership comes under threat, from the searing passion of a lover who wants more than his allotted nights to the attentions of an admiring Turk in search of human novelties for his sultan’s court. But Fiammetta and Bucino’s greatest challenge comes from a young crippled woman, a blind healer who insinuates herself into their lives and hearts with devastating consequences for them all.

A story of desire and deception, sin and religion, loyalty and friendship, In the Company of the Courtesan paints a portrait of one of the world’s greatest cities at its most potent moment in history: It is a picture that remains vivid long after the final page.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

A Masterpiece of Accuracy.......2007-08-09

a well researched, documentary quality history, entriging, believable charcters, engaging story.

Thank you Sarah Dunant, another good read.

Richly Descriptive Period Piece........2007-07-30

This book has most everything you would want in a period piece. It contains unique richly developed characters, intrigue, humor, & a deep plot. The sights, sounds, smells, & ambiance of 16th century Venice are almost lifelike. There is a fine mingling of social mores & politics that leads to many types of betrayal that keep the reader guessing. The author tells Fiammetta's story through the eyes of Bucino, a clever dwarf who shares her lodgings. He eventually will be the main character. The story begins in 1527 with the sacking of Rome. Fiammetta, is ravaged by the invaders & flees the city with Bucino{a loyal caretaker, & sardonic, resourceful spy}, with little else but the clothes on their backs, & some swallowed jewels. They reach Fiammetta's deceased mother's home in Venice. Soon La Draga, a mysterious, blind woman comes into their lives to nurse Fiammetta back to her original health & beauty. After a long recuperation she sets out to be the highly desired Courtesan she had been back in Rome. But, clearly she has not recovered as she gets more businesslike & cold as the book advances. Her lovers & friends are well done 7 most have an impact on the general theme. The most interesting relationship in the book is between La Draga & Bucino. their relationship will eventually put Fiammetta into the background, while these two characters play out their dramatic fates. The only minor flaw is that it was a too long, had it been a bit shorter in reaching the end I would have given it 5 stars.

Diluted Sexuality in the Company of the Courtesan?.......2007-07-25

Dunant is a brilliant and poetic writer, which makes the book well worth the read. However, I agree with other reviewers that, for a book about sexuality and intrigue, it certainly lacks passion. While "The Birth of Venus" was provocative, this book was disappointingly tame. The most beautifully written passages of the book concern Bucino's thoughts and memories, and he also happens to be the only intriguing character. Fiammetta, who was supposedly so charming, certainly failed to impress. Only in the first chapter was she as mesmerizing as the author wanted her to be. The ending was rather anticlimactic, abrupt, and unsatisfying. These criticisms aside, the book was still entertaining, yet not quite as memorable as "The Birth of Venus."

Audio to text: Bravo!.......2007-07-09

I have to say the audio of this fine book is the first book I've listened to on CD, and I had a fine time of it! So much so that I bought the hardcover book and am now immersed in that. I didn't just want the abridged version. I wanted the whole cake.
--James Conroyd Martin, Author of PUSH NOT THE RIVER Push Not the River and AGAINST A CRIMSON SKY Against a Crimson Sky: A Novel

In the Company of the Courtesan.......2007-07-04

I had just read "Birth of Venus" by this author and decided to try a second one. That period of history in Italy interest me, and I think she does an outstanding job of weaving history and fiction into both novels.

Against Tall Odds: Being a David in a Goliath World

Average customer rating:

A MUST read!
Why did they make a 2 sentence review a Spotlight review?
Matt Roloff RULES!
Worth Reading
A Total Inspiration!

Against Tall Odds: Being a David in a Goliath World
Matt Roloff
Manufacturer: Multnomah
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Little Family, Big Values: Lessons in Love, Respect, and Understanding for Families of Any Size
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Never Sell Yourself Short (Concept Books (Albert Whitman))

ASIN: 1576735834
Release Date: 1999-07-07

Customer Reviews:

A MUST read!.......2007-04-25

This is one great book! If you are a fan of TLC's "Little People, Big World" or just want to read a good book, this is for you. I've read it two or three times and I never do that. Personally, this is one of my favorite books. The Roloff family is a very cool family.
Enjoy!!!

Why did they make a 2 sentence review a Spotlight review?.......2007-04-19

You've got to get this book. That being said, can I be a spotlight review too?

I think little Matt Roloff is one of the most impressive guys I've ever seen. When his trebochet (catapult) almost killed his son and farm worker, he decides to build a bigger and better one when most people would dismantle the thing and burn it, never wanting to see one again.
This is a metaphor for his life. If something is a disaster, do it over bigger and better.

I find his attitude so inspiring that I intend to never whine and complain about my physical problems again. In fact, if anything, after watching him go after everything he wants with gusto, I want to charge out into the world and make my dreams come true in spite of feeling pretty horrible physically most days.

The book is a fantastic read about Matt's life. He faced such enormous physical problems that no one could have blamed him if he ended up a couch potato, but he didn't. Look at what he's done with his life!
You've got to get this book.

Matt Roloff RULES!.......2007-03-13

I first heard of Matt Roloff when my family got addicted to watching his family on their television show, Little People, Big World. I googled Roloff Farms and found his book of which I immediately read. I was so inspired by this man's story, I have made it an Official Pulpwood Queen Book Club Selection and his first book, Little Family, Big Values a Bonus Book Club Selection. I give it our highest honor, 5 diamonds in our Pulpwood Queen TIARA!
Tiara wearing and Book sharing,
Kathy L. Patrick
Founder of the PUlpwood Queens Book Clubs as seen on Good Morning America and The Oprah Winfrey Show, (though briefly)!

Worth Reading.......2007-02-24

I actually bought this book for my wife's birthday. She is a huge fan of the show and absolutely devoured the book.

I found Matt's story very interesting. His writing style doesn't appeal to me greatly but it wasn't a grind to get through the book; some of the material is a little redundant and at times I felt a bit bored with his narrative.

If you are a fan of the show I have little doubt you'll enjoy the book. There is a lot of informational material as well as inspirational and spiritual content.

A Total Inspiration!.......2007-01-24

If you like Little People Big World you've got to have this book. You will understand why Matt is bigger than life and why he has become successful against all odds.

Average customer rating:

One of my all-time favorite books
Not Maupin's best work
Surprisingly fantastic
Fantastic
Oh, triple wow

Maybe the Moon: A Novel
Armistead Maupin
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Night Listener, The tie-in: A Novel (P.S.)
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ASIN: 0060169478

Book Description

Maybe the Moon, Armistead Maupin's first novel since ending his bestselling Tales of the City series, is the audaciously original chronicle of Cadence Roth -- Hollywood actress, singer, iconoclast and former Guiness Book record holder as the world's shortest woman.

All of 31 inches tall, Cady is a true survivor in a town where -- as she says -- "you can die of encouragement." Her early starring role as a lovable elf in an immensely popular American film proved a major disappointment, since moviegoers never saw the face behind the stifling rubber suit she was required to wear. Now, after a decade of hollow promises from the Industry, she is reduced to performing at birthday parties and bat mitzvahs as she waits for the miracle that will finally make her a star.

In a series of mordantly funny journal entries, Maupin tracks his spunky heroine across the saffron-hazed wasteland of Los Angeles -- from her all-too-infrequent meetings with agents and studio moguls to her regular harrowing encounters with small children, large dogs and human ignorance. Then one day a lanky piano player saunters into Cady's life, unleashing heady new emotions, and she finds herself going for broke, shooting the moon with a scheme so harebrained and daring that it just might succeed. Her accomplice in the venture is her best friend, Jeff, a gay waiter who sees Cady's struggle for visibility as a natural extension of his own war against the Hollywood Closet.

As clear-eyed as it is charming, Maybe the Moon is a modern parable about the mythology of the movies and the toll it exacts from it participants on both sides of the screen. It is a work that speaks to the resilience of the human spirit from a perspective rarely found in literature.

Customer Reviews:

One of my all-time favorite books.......2007-07-30

My title says it all. I'm not going to write a long, involved review. Suffice to say, I read a lot. A LOT. And this one is definitely in my top 5.

I noticed below under "tag suggestions" that it has "gay fiction" and "gay classic" (I assume because the author is gay), and I want to point out that (from what I remember) there is no homosexuality in this book. (Not that there's anything wrong with homosexuality, yada, yada, yada...)

It's funny and touching. I've read it several times over the years, and it's always stayed with me.

His "Tales of the City" books are great too, but this one just stood out for me as an all-time great.

Not Maupin's best work.......2005-10-17

I did not care for this work about the drarf although I imagine she like so many people who are different had a very difficult time in life the suibject matter was not my cup of tea as to reading material. It's a well written piece of work if you're into dwarfs' life stories.

Surprisingly fantastic.......2004-12-05

Received this book out of the blue from a seller on Amazon who bundled this with an order I placed. Tossed it aside for half a year before I sat down to read it last night and did NOT put it down until the last page -- then went back to the beginning once more. Touching, warm, creative, full of personality. At worst, it's entertaining. Do read it.

Fantastic.......2004-02-01

This is one of the best fiction books I have read. As an average sized person, I found this extraordinarily enlightening as to the difficulties and prejudices that little people go through each and every day. It was one of the most unique love stories ever and it really, truly made me feel the full gamut of emotions. If you buy one fiction book in your life, this is the one.

Oh, triple wow.......2003-12-13

Armistead Maupin has been one of my favorite writers since way back when his Tales of the City was serialized in the San Francisco Chronicle. I read all of them and then just kept going, reading everything he's ever written. Maybe the Moon is one of his most poignant and one of his best.
For this masterpiece, we have a change of venue from SF to LA, and instead of the broad humor with which Maupin painted the characters in the Tales series, he's delved deeply into the development of his protagonist, Cadence Roth, a dwarf. Although teensy, there's nothing small about her personality, a personality that is thwarted only by the fact that she rose to movie fame wearing a highly-recognizable costume in a famous sci-fi movie - and by contract she's forbidden from revealing her real ID. We follow her from one career disappointment to the next, and her personal life isn't very hopeful, either. In spite of a bit of a shocker ending, Maybe the Moon (great title, very apt) is really a paean of hopefulness for people who are different, and you end up smiling thru your tears.

The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 4)

Average customer rating:

The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 4)
Series improves as it goes on.
ironwood tree
spider wick the iron wood tree book 4
AMAZING BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!

The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 4)
Holly Black
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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

Twins | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

The Wrath of Mulgarath (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 5)
Lucinda's Secret (Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 3)
The Seeing Stone (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 2)
The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1)
Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You (Spiderwick Chronicles)

ASIN: 0689859392

Amazon.com

After a brief breather in book three (Lucinda's Secret), the Spiderwick Chronicles heat up with doppelgangers, then dwarves, then a dastardly double-cross, as this five-part series approaches its dramatic end.

The Grace kids (9-year-old twins Simon and Jared, and 13-year-old Mallory) might think that things have finally quieted down for them, but the nefarious faerie world has many more surprises in store. In the second chapter, titled, "IN WHICH the Grace twins are triplets," a mysterious and menacing shape-shifter shows up at Mallory's fencing match--and before Simon and Jared can suss out what's up, their sister disappears, presumably kidnapped. Eager to recover Mallory, the two descend into a strange subterranean world beneath a nearby quarry, only to find themselves prisoners and then privy to a wicked (and almost unbelievable) plan. The twins do end up tracking down Mallory, but only in very peculiar circumstances--not the least of which that she's wearing a dress.

Author Holly Black once again skillfully manages to weave in plenty of creepy details (including a bloody final chapter) without whitewashing or leaving young readers feeling too creeped out--and she gets able assistance from Tony DeTerlizzi's ever-evocative pen-and-ink drawings (especially in the looming menace of the Mulgarath). Fans of the series will have a hard time waiting for the final installment, titled fittingly, ominously, The Wrath of Mulgarath. (Ages 6 to 10) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

First a pack of vile, smelly goblins snatch Simon. Then a band of elves try to entrap Jared. Why is the entire faerie world so eager to get their hands on Spiderwick's Guide? And will the Grace kids be left alone, now that the Guide has mysteriously disappeared? Don't count on it.

At school, someone is running around pretending to be Jared, and it's not Simon. To make matters even worse, now Mallory has disappeared and something foul in the water is killing off all the plants and animals for miles around. Clues point to the old abandoned quarry, just outside of town. Dwarves have taken over an abandoned mine there. And the faerie world's abuzz with the news that a creature with plans to rule the world has offered them a gift to join with him -- he's given them a queen...

Customer Reviews:

The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 4).......2007-01-16

We love this book. The series is so much fun. I have enjoyed it as much as my seven year old.

Series improves as it goes on........2006-12-14

Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, The Ironwood Tree (Scholastic, 2004)

The fourth installment in the Spiderwick series continues bringing the storyline together. Once again, character-building is dispensed with; the plot's the thing here, but by the fourth book in a series, you should know everything you need to know about the characters. And to be fair, you do know everything you need to know about what the main characters can do; you just haven't gotten to know them very well over the course of the series. But that's not the fault of The Ironwood Tree.

Things hit kind of a lull in the series' third book, but heat up again in The Ironwood Tree, where the Grace siblings encounter their nemesis, Mulgarath, the driving force behind all of the (unfortunate) events that have driven the series so far. Mulgarath's minions, the dwarves, have kidnapped Mallory to install as their queen, and Jared and Simon have to find a way to get her back.

As with all the Spiderwick books, the action is fast and furious, with Black's writing well-complemented by DiTerlizzi's drawings. The series is getting better as it goes on; if you'd previously given up on it, give it another try. The books are short (easily readable in one sitting), and everything points to a satisfying conclusion. *** ½

ironwood tree.......2006-12-07

I DIDN'T LIKE THIS BOOK CALLED IRONWOOD TREE IT'S AABOUT A GIRL THAT IS MISSING FROM SWORD TOURNAMENT.BECAUSE IT WAS HARD TO GET INTRESTID IN THE BOOK AND IT WAS SLOW TO READ.

spider wick the iron wood tree book 4.......2006-11-17

This is about 2 brothers going through a fantasy world to save there sister. This is a wonderful story of adventure and I think you will really enjoy it. Jared is the older brother and he is very mischievous. Chris is the younger sibling and he is just an innocent little thing. Mallory is the oldest and she is a very experienced fencer. She is kidnapped and taken to another world. That`s when Jared and Chris have to rescue her from the evil elves. Also Jared and Chris are taken as prisoners. Then they escape and rescue Mallory.

ONE of my favorite parts is "come on! I can't be late," Mallory said, smoothing her hair back unnecessarily." It's my first match "!

And my response was these few sentences really lead me to keep reading because I want to know what's going to happen next.

Just jump to the rocks, I'll give you the flash light.

I felt he said that just like it was nothing, so if he feels that way he should do it.

Mallory said shut up your so loud.

I think that's so mean and harsh to say to your own siblings.

AMAZING BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-10-02

The spider wick chronicles have five adventures books!!!The books are about three children always getting in some trouble.There names are Jared,Mallory and Simon!!!In book four they loose there sister and have to go find her but there are dwarves procting here case!!!

The Wrath of Mulgarath (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 5)

Average customer rating:

Excellent book
The Wrath of Mulgareth(Spiderwick Chronicles #5
SpideWick Book Review
not about spiders
My son loves this book

The Wrath of Mulgarath (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 5)
Holly Black
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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

Monsters | Obsessions | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 4)
Lucinda's Secret (Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 3)
The Seeing Stone (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 2)
The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1)
Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You (Spiderwick Chronicles)

ASIN: 0689859406
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com

Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi pull off an impressive five for five with Wrath of Mulgarath, the satisfyingly dramatic conclusion to their series, The Spiderwick Chronicles. After the gory conclusion of the The Ironwood Tree, we don't get even a moment's reprieve before the action picks up again, in a starting chapter entitled, fittingly, "IN WHICH the World Is Turned Upside Down." Thirteen-year-old Mallory and nine-year-old twins Jared and Simon return to the Spiderwick Estate only to find their home in shambles, with trash and broken furniture scattered across the lawn and Simon's griffin chasing a "goblin" across the roof. The faerie world that the Grace kids have so slowly probed in this series has finally come home to roost. Black and DiTerlizzi pack a lot into the finale of this beautifully produced series, with dragons and goblins and elves--and even a magical cameo by Arthur Spiderwick (the long-lost author of the disappearing-reappearing Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You). We get a dramatic rescue, a clever end to a fearsome foe (with some thanks to Hogsqueal from book two), and a long denouement that leads to a final cryptic note from the author and illustrator: "Are there more ogres / and dragons to slay? / Is there more mayhem, / perhaps, on the way? / Ask Tony and Holly. / They'll swear that it's true. / But you still won't believe / what's coming for you!" (Ages 6 to 10) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

Three ordinary kids, Jared, Simon, and Wallory Grace, have entered another world -- without leaving this one! Two remarkable talents, New York Times best-sellers Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, have risked everything to bring this remarkable account to light. Five books -- one thrilling adventure -- the Spiderwick Chronicles!

Their world is closer than you think.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2007-09-29

My son loves the series of this book and was so glad to hear it came out with a new one. I bought it for his birthday and he actually loved getting this book as a gift.

The Wrath of Mulgareth(Spiderwick Chronicles #5.......2007-08-10

I think the ending to this book was very good. I love the entire series and I'm looking forward to seeing the movie when it comes out next year.

SpideWick Book Review.......2007-04-17

Spiderwick Book
By: Tony DiTerlizzi

This book is called Spiderwick. It is about a single mom raising twin boys and a daughter. They have just moved into their new house on the edge of the forest. They start to encounter weird and strange things in the house, such as fairies, goblins, and horrible creatures.
They find a secret attic that has strange items, and they find a fairy. He helps them on there journeys and explains what they are encountering.
Eventually the twins get kidnapped so there sister goes out and tries to find them. But will she succeed? It is a great book for kids in about fourth to fifth grade. If you like surprise, adventure and suspense than read Spiderwick and find out if the brothers get saved or experience their worst nightmare.
I like this book because every time you think that everything is ok something bad happens and it keeps you thinking. I also like it because of the reaction of the characters when something strange happens. I know I like this book and you will too.

[...]

not about spiders.......2007-03-13

3 Kids save the Day
This is a book review on the book of Spiderwick The Wrath of Mulgarath, by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. The story mostly takes place in the town of Spiderwick Estates.
Mom Dad We Are Home!
"Mom dad we are home" is what the main characters said in my book when they got home from school. But there was no answer. Then they ran upstairs, and saw that the place was trashed. And all they found was a little rhyming guy on the table, his name was Hogsqueal. And Hogsqeal told them their parents had been taken by the goblin army of Mulgarath. Then they go to the junk yard where Mulgarath's lair is. And fight for their mom and dad to be free. On the way they fight tons of goblins.
Favorite Book
I loved this book! It was really action packed. I think it is a great book for boys, maybe girls too. I loved this book because you can learn lots of lessons. For example, always go for what you want. And the kids don't care if something seems impossible, they will just do the best they can. They are not scared if it looks like they don't stand a chance against goblins, the will either figure out how to beat them or get out of it. Another thing I like was that when the authors put the pictures on the side, I felt like I was in the book with them.
Lost Someone
I can really relate to the characters in my book because they only lost their parents and found them but I lost my great uncle Lloyd for ever. So if you feel like you have ever lost someone go to the nearest bookshelf and read it.
Read It
If you like to travel to different imaginary places, would be a great book for you

My son loves this book.......2007-02-17

This book is part of a set that I purchased for my son. He read it in one sitting so I know he enjoyed it. The illustrations are fun.

The Complete Guide to Dwarf Seahorses in the Aquarium (Complete Guide)

Average customer rating:

everything you need to know
A good reference
Glad I bought it, but not as complete as I'd hoped.
Very complete
EXCELLENT BOOK!

The Complete Guide to Dwarf Seahorses in the Aquarium (Complete Guide)
Alisa Wagner Abbott
Manufacturer: TFH Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Fish & Aquariums | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

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Seahorses, Pipefishes, and Their Kin (Animals in Order)

ASIN: 0793805341

Customer Reviews:

everything you need to know.......2007-08-09

This book was amazing! I have purchased many books on seahorses and yours was the most knowledgeable and understanding with great tips. Thank you so much!

A good reference .......2007-05-30

This book is a nice, thorough, easy to understand, reference for the beginner. Short, well-organized with pictures. Not very detailed for the experienced marine aquariest.

Glad I bought it, but not as complete as I'd hoped........2007-03-27

I'm so glad this book is available and it will be a regularly referenced book in my library. I missed having an illustration that showed the anatomy of seahorses, however, when I was looking at one of my new dwarf seahorses anal fin yesterday, thinking it was a parasite (doh). I had to get on the internet to see an anatomy illustration. There are lots of photos of healthy seahorses, but none of what diseases look like, etc. (Although there is one of hydroids). There are no photos of tank set-ups either. I guess mainly it's the illustrations that are lacking in my opinion. But, lots of kudos & thanks to Alisa Abbott for her research and for sharing it with us, saving us from the things she learned the hard way.

Very complete.......2006-08-05

This touches all the bases. Very informational, but easy to read. If you want to own dwarf seahorses, get and read this book BEFORE you buy them! I wish I had!

EXCELLENT BOOK!.......2006-01-11

I purchased some seahorses, foolishly, when I had no information. The pet shop helped some but no one knew much. I purchased 3 books on the internet on seahorses and this was the only one that was ENJOYABLE reading! Very informative, factual, lots of good information and insight. Give her 10 stars! My tank became infested with aptasia (bad stuff), something her book told me all about and how to treat. Thanks!

Is Pluto a Planet?: A Historical Journey through the Solar System

Average customer rating:

Greetings from the Four Worlds
Great for Educators...
The Long View

Is Pluto a Planet?: A Historical Journey through the Solar System
David A. Weintraub
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Solar System | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Dark Side of the Moon: The Magnificent Madness of the American Lunar Quest
Pluto and Beyond: A Story of Discovery, Adversity, and Ongoing Exploration
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Stars
Celestial Mechanics: The Waltz of the Planets (Springer Praxis Books / Popular Astronomy)
George Gershwin: His Life and Work

ASIN: 0691123489

Book Description

A Note from the Author

On August 24, 2006, at the 26th General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in Prague, by a majority vote of only the 424 members present, the IAU (an organization of over 10,000 members) passed a resolution defining "planet" in such a way as to exclude Pluto and established a new class of objects in the solar system to be called "dwarf planets," which was deliberately designed to include Pluto.
Click here to read more

With the discovery of 2003 UB313--an outer solar system object thought to be both slightly larger than Pluto and twice as far from the Sun--astronomers have again been thrown into an age-old debate about what is and what is not a planet. One of many sizeable hunks of rock and ice in the Kuiper Belt, 2003 UB313 has resisted easy classification and inspired much controversy over the definition of planethood. But, Pluto itself has been subject to controversy since its discovery in 1930, and questions over its status linger. Is it a planet? What exactly is a planet?

Is Pluto a Planet? tells the story of how the meaning of the word "planet" has changed from antiquity to the present day, as new objects in our solar system have been discovered. In lively, thoroughly accessible prose, David Weintraub provides the historical, philosophical, and astronomical background that allows us to decide for ourselves whether Pluto is indeed a planet.

The number of possible planets has ranged widely over the centuries, from five to seventeen. This book makes sense of it all--from the ancient Greeks' observation that some stars wander while others don't; to Copernicus, who made Earth a planet but rejected the Sun and the Moon; to the discoveries of comets, Uranus, Ceres, the asteroid belt, Neptune, Pluto, centaurs, the Kuiper Belt and 2003 UB313, and extrasolar planets.

Weaving the history of our thinking about planets and cosmology into a single, remarkable story, Is Pluto a Planet? is for all those who seek a fuller understanding of the science surrounding both Pluto and the provocative recent discoveries in our outer solar system.

Customer Reviews:

Greetings from the Four Worlds.......2007-05-14

Dear Puny Third-Object aka Earth Inhabitants,

Here on the Four Worlds, we greet your squabblings with derision. We do not even bother to name the pitiful objects including your insignificant third-object aka Earth home that orbit sunward of Jupiter. If we wished for amusement, we would toss your tiny pebble into Jupiter's red spot to see if it will float. But I digress.

Our scientists have determined that by definition there are four planets in our star system. As every school child knows, these are the Four Worlds, the ones you call Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune (Jolly Savants Understand Notation). That you bother to dispute whether Neptune's Dog, the rock you call Pluto, is a planet or not is a laughable matter. Your third-object aka Earth home does not qualify either. It is merely the largest of the Sub-Jovian Clutter.

For an object to be considered for planethood it must have at least thirteen natural moons, a presentable set of rings, and an atmosphere of hydrogen, helium, or methane. If you think that you can meet these minimum requirements, you may contact our Four Worlds Planetary Status Committee for an application form.

Best Regards,
Elzar of Neptune

P.S. Nice book.

Great for Educators..........2007-01-14

As a professional astronomer, one thing I find students of all ages to be extremely interested in is the question of little Pluto's planetary status. Maybe Pluto evokes images of the adorable Disney character or maybe people simply have an affinity for the underdog, for whatever reason the smallest and most remote planet of our solar system holds a special place in the hearts of many school children, even grown up school children. As a result, when Pluto's membership among the ranks of other planets in the solar system was questioned and eventually withdrawn, students of all ages had a very emotional reaction to poor Pluto's demise. David Weintraub, in anticipation of the most recent furor over little Pluto, has compiled an excellent account of the development of our understanding of the solar system. In language accessible to all lay readers, Weintraub recreates the discoveries of a variety of solar system objects, including several of which you have not heard much. Eventually, he turns to the question of Pluto and argues very convincingly that this is indeed a scientific question and should not be answered by a majority vote of the International Astronomical Union. So, if you are a science teacher at any level or are just interested in learning more about the confusion over Pluto, don't think twice about getting this book. In the pages of this book, there is much to be learned about the nature of science, scientific discovery, and what it means to reach a consensus. Oh yeah, there is also an answer to the question...

The Long View.......2006-12-11

"Is Pluto a Planet?" provides valuable historical context for the recent IAU decision to demote Pluto from planet status. The book's main point is that the progress of astronomy has forced several previous mutations in our definition of 'planet'. Several times newly-found objects have been accepted as planets, until it was realized they were just too different and represented a new class of objects. When we first discovered objects circling Jupiter they were first called planets, until it was decided that a planet had to have its own orbit around the sun, and thus these objects were redefined as moons. When we first found asteroids they were first called planets, since they did indeed have their own orbits around the sun, but then it was decided that asteroids were in a class of their own. And when we first found Pluto it was thought to be much larger than it turned out to be, but now it too seems to be much less typical of the other planets than of a new class of smaller bodies on the outskirts of the solar system. The author clearly holds the opinion that Pluto sneaked into planethood through historical accident and didn't deserve it, but he does try to offer the 'pro-Pluto' viewpoint. Readers should be aware that this book was written before the IAU decision and doesn't contain any account of it; for readers seeking a Pluto-specific book the long discussion of our evolving concepts of the solar system may be more than they wanted. But this book is also a unique study in astronomical and intellectual history, showing how people from many times and places have conscientiously tried to deal with the tension between old habits and new information.

Dwarf Rabbits (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)

Average customer rating:

Should definitely read before getting a dwarf bunny
Dwarf Rabbits
Unfortunately I was late!
This book helps you get started with your rabbit.
A most informative read!

Dwarf Rabbits (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Monika Wegler
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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Rabbits for Dummies
The Guide to Owning Dwarf Rabbits (Guide to Owning A...)
Dwarf Rabbits As a New Pet (As a New Pet Series)
Lop Rabbits As Pets
Rabbit Handbook, The (Barron's Pet Handbooks)

Product Features:

Full Color Pictures
Covers a Variety of Subjects

ASIN: 0764106600

Product Description

Here is information on how to distinquish purebred dwarf rabbits from mixed breeds, as well as information on caging, the advisability of giving dwarf rabbits free range throughout the house, breeding, feeding , detecting health problems, teaching children to handle these pets safely, and much more. All titles in Barron's large selection of Complete Pet Owner's Manuals provide basic information on pet care for new and prospective owners. Each book contains many valuable facts that are new even to more experienced owners and breeders. All books have many handsome, full-color photos, instructive line art, and easy-to-read tables and charts. Paperback / 64 Pages / 6 1/2 x 7 7/8 / 1998

Customer Reviews:

Should definitely read before getting a dwarf bunny.......2004-12-25

The book's design and photos are very pleasing (& very cute!). The author offers much useful and easy to understand advice. If you're looking into getting a bunny or just became an owner of one, I highly recommend this book because it will make you & your bunny's lives easier. It gives you tips on how to bond with your bunny, what to do and what NOT to do with him/her. I made the mistake of not having read this book before raising my bunny. I did things that I thought were completely normal to do (I have 2 very small dogs & have had many animals before) but were totally inappropriate when it comes to rabbits. Just being caring and loving is not enough. You need to learn to care and love the right way to ensure a happy and enjoyable life for the both of you.

Dwarf Rabbits.......2002-06-11

I read the paperback edition, which I enjoyed immensely. The information is presented in a way that is easy to read and understand. The pictures are precious! The cutest rabbit in the world is on page 9, a purebred Thuringian dwarf. I wish I could find a rabbit like that one! If you read this book, you will definitely want a rabbit for a pet.

Unfortunately I was late!.......2000-01-26

I am sorry that I did not buy this book before I bought my rabbit. I wish I had read it before doing so many mistakes. I recommend you to read this book before buying this lovely creature, at least not to hurt it against your will.

This book helps you get started with your rabbit........1998-12-10

This book helps you get off to a great start with your new rabbit, great clor pictures and easy to read. I loved the pictures and the information was valueble to me I am now looking forward to buying my first rabbit this has helped me feel more confident about my decision.

A most informative read!.......1998-11-14

The color pictures are lovable and this book is simply brimming with information about how to take care of dwarf rabbits. Each section is informative and comprehensive. It certainly provided me with plenty of tips on rearing my dwarf rabbits.

The Puppet and the Dwarf: The Perverse Core of Christianity (Short Circuits)

Average customer rating:

philosophy rock star
Remember 11. Thesis
What can one say about Zizek?
Christianity as the original atheism?
Slavoj Zizek and Perverse Christianity

The Puppet and the Dwarf: The Perverse Core of Christianity (Short Circuits)
Slavoj Zizek
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Psychoanalysis | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

The Fragile Absolute: Or, Why is the Christian Legacy Worth Fighting For?
The Parallax View (Short Circuits)
Saint Paul: The Foundation of Universalism (Cultural Memory in the Present)
On Belief (Thinking in Action)
Interrogating the Real

ASIN: 0262740257

Book Description

Slavoj Zizek has been called "an academic rock star" and "the wild man of theory"; his writing mixes astonishing erudition and references to pop culture in order to dissect current intellectual pieties. In The Puppet and the Dwarf he offers a close reading of today's religious constellation from the viewpoint of Lacanian psychoanalysis. He critically confronts both predominant versions of today's spirituality--New Age gnosticism and deconstructionist-Levinasian Judaism--and then tries to redeem the "materialist" kernel of Christianity. His reading of Christianity is explicitly political, discerning in the Pauline community of believers the first version of a revolutionary collective. Since today even advocates of Enlightenment like Jurgen Habermas acknowledge that a religious vision is needed to ground our ethical and political stance in a "postsecular" age, this book--with a stance that is clearly materialist and at the same time indebted to the core of the Christian legacy--is certain to stir controversy.

Customer Reviews:

philosophy rock star.......2007-01-09

i love it. liberalism is akin to nazism in it's refusal to question it's dogma of questioning dogma. and other gems. this guy is the forefront of philosophy today.

Remember 11. Thesis.......2006-05-22

Firstly, the book is really full of interesting quotations, comments, reasonings and critiques. Secondly, very much badly organized and scattered in terms of argumentation. It gets sometimes very hard to follow the author's points. Thirdly, the main theme is in no way can be taken as more than an intellectual exercise of an intellectual pop star. The idea that chiristianity has a hard kernel which grasps the real human condition (the split inherent in the subject) is not even a pseudo-marxist or pseudo-lacanian view. What lacan borrows from Hegel's dialectic, his concept of divided self or marxist analysis of history is not in any way in conformity with chiristian idea of fall of man or the idea of trinity as such as the book puts forward. It just seems to be the cultural prejudice of a man from post-communist Balkans who has very litle real say in postmodern era but repeats very old euro-centrist teological stuff. We must remember marxist hard kernel in what Marx happened to say in "11. Thesis on Feurbach": "the critique of religion as essence is over". So is praise of so-called religious hard kernels.

What can one say about Zizek?.......2005-02-06

Okay, so what can one say about Zizek?--at times brilliant, infuriating, outrageous...yes, all of the above. If you are looking for the secrets that unfold time and space itself, then, this is not the book for you. But, if you are looking for a fantastic read of applied Lacanian theory on religion and other cultural arenas, then, by all means this book is worth the buy. It is almost getting trite to hear people complain about Zizek's style, analysis, originality, etc...After all, he is only a man. Rather, to focus on the strengths of this book: it does a good job of introducing one to some interesting Lacanian issues, such as the the super-ego, the idea that the Other does not exist, Lacan's interesting thesis that God is not dead but unconscious, just to name a few. Also, many of the jokes that Zizek loves to tell are put into footnotes instead of the body of the text which gives the text more focus. Also, if one has been keeping up with Zizek's interventions into Christianity versus Judaism, then, one may be interested in this book because he does change some of his positions. All in all, this book represents some of Zizek's best work since "Ticklish Subject."

Christianity as the original atheism?.......2004-12-01

You're either gonna read Zizek -- because you have to or because you just love this guy -- or you are not, regardless of any review. So I'll keep it brief: Yes, the rambling style can be distracting as well as entertaining when he gets it right.

The book is not so much about Christianity as it is about what Zizek claims to be the very core of it, where there is another dimension. And in discussing the core as such, the book takes off as a reading of the symbolic structure (Lacanian) that made it possible for the transition from Judaic Law to Christian Love; and St. Paul's role in it. Jesus' "Father why hast thou forsaken me?" is one of the loci of Zizek's defense of the "ex-timate" kernel of Christianity: 'Imitatio Christi' as sharing Jesus' own doubt -- not of God's existence but rather of His Impotence. And after taking some very general swipes at Buddhism for (supposedly) aiming for that state (Nirvana) in which all differences are leveled, Zizek presents the genius of Christianity as the religion of Difference in which the very separation between God and Man is God-as-Man. Zizek argues against the idea that the Fall and Redemption are polarities but that the Fall IS Redemption, the Opening of the very space of Redemption.

The crux of Zizek's "argument" boils down to what he says in the last page: "...It is possible today to redeem this core of Christianity only in the gesture of abandoning the shell of its institutional organization (and even more so, of its specific religious experience). The gap here is irreducible: either one drops the religious form, or one maintains the form but lose the essence. This is the ultimate heroic gesture that awaits Christianity: in order to save its treasure, it has to sacrifice itself -- like Christ, who had to die so that Christianity could emerge."

The basic attitude of the book is fueled by contempt for opportunistic liberals, academics, and intellectuals, in short, the Last Man, who drinks decaf and jogs to stay fit, and make a habit of demanding the highest ethical ideals from society KNOWING full well society cannot possibly deliver. Zizek's venom is aimed at the fact that this very impossibility allows intellectuals without any real moral commitment to wallow smug their safe, cushy university jobs and still feel good about themselves for having demonstrated a nobler social conscience: A life devoted to speaking dangerously with all the possibility of danger (and caffeine) removed.

Zizek's enlistment of G.K.Chesterton -- who was, himself, perverse enough to speak (and very convincingly too!) of the "Thrilling Romance of Orthodoxy" -- to kick off his argument is a brilliant move and that alone makes this book worth reading.

Read this book like it was a clearance sale where everything is 90% off: the only thing is, some very fine finds come attached to a lot of junk you don't need. So, keep the baby and throw out the bath water -- even if you know Zizek can convince you that it's really the bath water you should keep.

Slavoj Zizek and Perverse Christianity.......2004-10-10

Zizek puts forth the view that Marxists can no longer make a frontal attack on Imperialism therefore they should carry on under the cover of Christianity which has a "subversive kernel". In fact, he says "to become a true dialectical materialist, one should go through the Christian experience." I hope the Chinese get the message! Is this what happens to you when you read too much Lacan? There are more Christian sects then Trotskyist groupings and Maoists put together, which one should aspiring dialectical materialists join? Nevertheless, this is an interesting book to read as Zizek makes lots of interesting connections between Lenin, St. Paul, Hegel, Marx, Chesterton and others so give it a shot.

Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: An Art in Its Making

Average customer rating:

Coffee Table Book with Substance
Gorgeous artwork; good intro to animation process

Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: An Art in Its Making
Martin Krause , and Linda Witkowski
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cartooning | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

TOY STORY: THE ART AND MAKING OF THE ANIMATED FILM
WALT DISNEY'S BAMBI: THE SKETCHBOOK SERIES (Sketchbook Series)
BUG'S LIFE, A: THE ART AND MAKING OF AN EPIC OF MINIATURE PROPORTIONS
DISNEY VILLAIN, THE
Fantasia 2000

ASIN: 0786861444

Customer Reviews:

Coffee Table Book with Substance.......2001-01-26

This book offers a clear and concise introduction to the development of Walt Disney's first full-length animated feature. The book's use of stills, roughs, and concept art vividly illustrate much of the "magic" that goes into making an animated film. Not only that, but the book's incorporation of technical details provides enough "insider information" to appeal to those wanting to know more about the how of animation. In fact, I used the book's section on the multiplane camera to introduce the invention's importance to an introductory class in animation. It worked wonders!

Also nicely developed in the book is how Snow White set the production and narrative standards for the Disney's subsequent films. It's nice to see a coffee table book with substance!

Gorgeous artwork; good intro to animation process.......1998-05-03

I loved the artwork and descriptions of the animation process. (The display of the art is organized to also help explain the process.) Also "behind the scenes" recollections of how the movie was made as well as a discussion on how to conserve, and prepare for sale, animation artwork. This can be equally appreciated by those with serious or casual interest in animation art.

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