Amazon.com
Impressively modern in design, The No-Grain Diet brings a realistic viewpoint to the problems of weight loss in a genuine effort to improve the health of an ever-growing number of obese Americans. Offering a variety of "food plans," along with a set of techniques aimed at controlling emotional eating and cravings for "bad" foods, Dr. Joseph Mercola clearly understands how to motivate us--in one section, he suggests that rather than "living by the scale," we measure our success in relation to the fit of our favorite pair of slightly-too-snug jeans. Many recipes are included, most of which are free of the boring flavor substitutes so common in diet books. The diet itself combines several familiar concepts. The "no grain" model emphasizes organic vegetables and quality protein, with limited fruits and absolutely no simple carbs. Mercola's idea of "quality protein" is somewhat startling--he is deeply concerned about toxins, and urges grass-fed beef over potentially mercury-filled fish. His main point is frequently reinforced: refined grains of any type are basically deadly and eating them should be viewed as an unhealthy addiction. Here, the book veers off in a new direction: rather than gently nudging our habits in a new direction, he suggests we break what he insists is an addictive cycle with a method called "EFT," or "Emotional Freedom Technique." As a way to avoid surrendering to desires, his system of tapping acupressure points and repeating affirmations is used to overcome them. While repeat dieters will understand the necessity of examining emotional ties to food, Mercola's voice becomes a tad strident, and possibly downright offensive to those with a different opinion on what constitutes an addiction. --Jill Lightner
Book Description
A leading osteopath and natural wellness physician unveils a three-step program for losing weight-and keeping it off.
In this revolutionary guide by the director of the Optimal Wellness Center in Illinois who has a wildly successful natural health care Web site, www.mercola.com, readers will discover how to shed those unwanted pounds-healthfully and nutritiously.
According to the latest research, the current USDA food pyramid is misleading and incorrect: It is primarily carbohydrates, not fats, that contribute to increased weight gain and lead to a variety of illnesses and disorders. With Dr. Mercola's grain-free diet, readers will discover the key to permanent weight loss and healthy living, beginning with:
* The 3-Day Diet-Eating every two hours to rid the body of grains, sweets, and starches
* The 50-Day Diet Plan-Eating four to six meals a day to normalize cholesterol levels
* The Lifelong Maintenance Plan-Following specific food guidelines that allow certain grains to be slowly brought back into the diet
* Plus: The Emotional Freedom Technique-a craving-busting tool for eliminating carbohydrate cravings and addictions once and for all.
Forget the pain and frustration of high-protein, low-fat diets that don't work and aren't even good for you. You'll watch the pounds come off as The No-Grain Diet takes you to the next level of health, fitness, and well-being.
Customer Reviews:
Mercola and his products.......2007-05-22
I do not own this book but it appears that people believe it has more receipes than nutritional info (particularly compared to the information on his website). Moreover, a lot of the info on this book can be accessed from the website. So one has to ask himself...do I like to read and upload page by page on the website and spend hours looking around or do I like to flip through a book quickly? I've done the spending hours looking around his website already so this book may not be as "needed" for me. But it's still a great item to have in my library and/or to give/show to my friends and family. I've learned so much from him in terms of nutrition and to start thinking critically about what the mass media "feeds" me. Of course, you may not agree with everything he says but then it's up to you to continue your research isn't it? Also, I've enjoyed many of his products that he recommended.
Thinking about buying it but changed my mind - READ THE TRUTH!.......2007-04-04
I read most of the reviews on here and I also read enough reviews on other sites, including Mercola's to get an idea of what this book is about.
When anybody says "Don't Eat This..[ insert a natural food here ] " I tend to go hum-.. Grains as well as seeds, nuts, vegetables and fruits, animal flesh, have been around since the beginning of man.
Yes it is true that grains contain phytic acid which is a strong chelator of important minerals like iron and calcium, among many others. However, incorporated into a complete diet with some calcium-rich organic dairy, whole grains supply nutrients and can help buffer excess calcium and minerals.
The problem is, the industrial revolution allowed people to over consume all types of foods. We became gluttons by our own devices which set in motion this belief system that huge meals are the norm. That is so, totally wrong! In our past, and in many poor countries today, people walk around and pick berries, hand-harvest grains, kill their own meat and so on. People ate smaller because things had to last longer and their weren't machines to supply foods to grocery store shelves so we could stuff or faces at all hours of the day.
I believe even a natural food source if eaten in excess can have some negative consequences. Did you know that cruciferous vegetables like broccoli when eaten raw and in excess can block thyroid function? Who knew that something so good for us, when eaten in excess could be so bad for us. BUT this does not mean that natural, wholesome foods should be totally eliminated from our diet.
A portion of grain is about the size of your clenched fist, but how many Americans eat just that amount? The problem is not eliminating grains, but eliminating over consumption and living by portion control.
I read a review on here from a doctor who claims that a vegetarian diet is the most healthiest. Don't believe that folks. Vegetables are extremely healthy for us, but not exclusively. I was a vegetarian for almost 10 years and I was not at my healthiest. Most of the vegetarian groups and friends I knew were also skinny and sort of gaunt looking. It was only when I started eating a balanced diet including some animal foods AND high in vegetables, did I start to feel and look better.
Living long and being healthy is not rocket science...
- Eat lots of vegetables, include raw and raw juices. (lightly steam cruciferous vegetables to deactivate the thyroid-hampering properties)
- Organic, raw fruits.
- Nuts and seeds (raw), grains, legumes.
- Organic chicken & wild salmon. Organic beef 1-2 times a week at the most, (if you like beef that is)
- Plenty of fresh, clean water
- Most important, PORTION CONTROL!
- Cardio vascular and weight-resistance exercise each day. If you don't use it, you'll loose it!
- Quality sleep. 6-10 hours a day, depending upon the quality of your sleep and physical needs.
- Avoid stress as much as possible.
- Stay away from cane sugar, salt, tans-fats (hydrogenated oils), and junk foods, white flour products.
- Avoid all types of alcohol.
- Don't smoke and avoid second-hand smoke. Yes this includes cigars and chewing tobacco.
The reason people have such a hard time with food and diets is the fact that they don't understand and live by portion control. For example see how many of these do you over eat...
A portion of nuts is about 5-10. How many of you have eaten handfuls?
A portion of fruit is one small apple (not the huge softball sized red delicious type). Berries about a handful.
A portion of grains is about 4 heaping spoonfuls or the size of your fist. How many of you eat a huge bowl of cereal? or eat all that bread, or tortilla chips at restaurants before the meal is served?
A portion of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. That is pretty small by American standards. How many of you are a glutton at BBQ's? or eat those big slabs of steak they serve at restaurants? - That 'aint a portion folks!
How many of you go to All-You-Can-Eat restaurants?
The Standard American Diet, stands for S.A.D. And sad it is. It's no wonder so many people are over weight and sick.
The key is-.. moderation, diversity (i.e. nutrient diversity), staying away from junk food, and most important... Portion control of our meals.
If you found my review helpful, you might enjoy reading other reviews by me. Just click on the: "See all my reviews" link at the beginning of this review.
Truth Lies and Simplicity.......2006-05-07
Perhaps Dr. Mercola has some valuable insights; however, this book is way too convoluted in its writing. Who wants to trudge through the verbiage to get at the significant kernels? In addition, it is clear that anyone who cuts out grains and sugars is likely going to end up cutting out calories in the deal - that is probably the basic truth of this eating plan. The rest is hype-like. Are you willing to devote an immense portion of your time to food planning and preparation in pursuit of the demands of this diet? Just think, time you don't spend in the kitchen or in the grocery line is time you could be spending out exercising. When he writes, somewhere in the middle of the book, that if you are following the diet religiously and still not losing weight, then you should consider limiting your calories to 1000 per day. OKAY! What just happened here? We've been switched to a low-calorie diet, only without grains! So, if you have a weight problem that just doesn't like to budge and a metabolism that just drags you through life, you may end up on the 1000 calorie diet plan, where you've been many times before. So try it, but save wasting your precious $$$$ on the book. It goes like this: no grains, no sugars, no simple starches (potatoes, carrots, etc.), certain fruits only, most vegetables unless very starchy, meats, fish and poultry - preferably organic, butter, cream and cheese (all within reason, I suppose): you'll need to read the book if you want more detail, certain good oils and no bad oils, almond butter sometimes, walnuts sometime, etc. Hey folks, it really is just plain old horse sense, you know this stuff anyway!!!
This book needs to be read!.......2005-12-05
There is a huge amount of resistance to the idea of eliminating grain from the diet, because one visit to the grocery store reveals that most of its contents are comfort foods based on grain. Who wants to give up all those goodies? I sure didn't. I was addicted to all sorts of things which I had on a daily basis in small amounts. But a lot of health things were increasingly bothering me, some of them digestive, and I had gotten to the point where I thought nothing agreed with me. I have had about 15-20 excess pounds I simply could not get rid of, even though I'd eliminated most sugar, ate very little bread and cereal, minimal dairy, exercised 5-6 days a week. The excess weight just would not go. I think I've tried every diet known to man, and oddly, the only one where I lost weight was Atkins, which I only stayed on for about 6 weeks. But I never put 2 and 2 together when I did that diet.
After a scary dizzy incident a few weeks ago on a day where I had eaten a LOT of wheat things, I started researching gluten sensitivity (celiac disease) because my mother has it....and I found two very valuable books "Dangerous Grains" and "Going Against the Grain." Everyone should read those two books, by the way! I had this "No Grain Diet" book in my vast library of health/diet books, but had initially rejected it as too extreme for me to consider, and well, I was resistant to his ideas.
Now I'm reconsidering. Two weeks ago I implemented a diet very similar to what Dr. Mercola suggests: strictly no gluten/grain, no dairy, no sugar, increased veggies and low-glycemic fruit in limited amounts, lots of water, and somewhat increased lean protein intake. After just this 2 week period here are the results: bloating & gas gone, weight coming off, asthma symptoms and chronic cough GONE for the first time in 20 years, all digestive problems gone, headaches gone, joint aches and pains gone, and tons of energy. I feel better than I've ever felt, with virtually NO cravings for any of the junk food that I used to love. Did I say the bloating went away and the weight is dropping off at a very good clip!!
Now there have been some naysayers reviewing this book as junk science, but the fact is, there are many of us out there who cannot digest grains. PERIOD. One negative reviewer said most people don't get whole grains, so that's not the issue. WRONG! I actually reacted WORSE to refined grains....cakes and white flour things would make me sick and nauseated. I don't know why that is, but I always knew such things would give me great digestive upset for a day or two. Another naysayer mentioned the Egyptians eating grains....in "Dangerous Grains" the author discusses who the Egyptians started having obesity and all sorts of health issues which coincided with the grain consumption in their societies. The connections are too strong all over the world to dismiss them.
I'd actually suggest reading the two books I mentioned above and then read this one. You'll find your resistance to these ideas melting away very fast. Just because so many bad foods exist on the supermarket shelves certainly doesn't mean they are good for you. And the parallels are too strong to ignore when you look at the rates of increased grain consumption in the U.S. compared to the increase in obesity, heart disease, diabetes and many other disorders. You can put your head in the sand or you can read to educate yourself. Finally, the "proof is in the pudding" so to speak. If you have the courage and willpower to go on a restricted diet for a couple of weeks, you'll see--you'll FEEL for yourself what the results are.
As for Dr. Mercola's "sales" of items, a whole boatload of nutritionist writers do this, virtually all of the big names. I find this a bit irritating too, but you don't have to buy any of the products, and you can always find similar enough items for less $$. I wouldn't hold it again them necessarily or deny the information they provide. Everyone has to make a living.
Working for me!.......2005-09-27
I have a biochemistry background and his explanations made total sense to me and I appreciated the full explanation of why even a bit of wheat or sugar, etc. was detrimental to one's efftors...in just a couple weeks, I've lost 10 pounds and that included a weekend trip away where I was still able to virtually stay on the diet...easy to do and really working for my body type anyway...and I am soneone who has been on thyroid meds for 25 years so do not lose easily.
Average customer rating:
- Awesome book! Highly recommend.
- My Life is Changed
- The Mediterranean Prescription: Meal Plans and Recipes to Help You Stay Slim and Healthy for the Rest of Your Life
- Very good book
- Great Diet - Great Recipes!!
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The Mediterranean Prescription: Meal Plans and Recipes to Help You Stay Slim and Healthy for the Rest of Your Life
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Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: A Delicious Alternative for Lifelong Health
ASIN: 0345479246
Release Date: 2006-04-11 |
Book Description
LOSE WEIGHT, STAY FIT, AND FEEL GREAT WHILE EATING SOME OF THE MOST DELICIOUS AND HEALTHIEST FOOD ON EARTH.
Renowned for its dazzling beauty and delectable cuisine, the Mediterranean island of Sicily has historically one of the healthiest diets in the world. Now all the succulent flavors and myriad benefits of Sicilian cooking are yours to savor in the very first weight-loss program that will not only help you effortlessly shed unwanted pounds but will become a prescription for a lifetime of nourishing, palate-pleasing fare.
Created by respected physician Dr. Angelo Acquista, who has successful counseled his patients on weight management for years, The Mediterranean Prescription starts with a two-week weight-loss stage that includes simple, delectable recipes to help you lose eight to ten pounds right away. Still convinced that all diets leave you feeling deprived? Imagine eating Baked Zucchini with Eggplant and Tomatoes, Sweet-and-Sour Red Snapper, Chicken Cacciatore, Pasta Fagioli, and Baked Onions. Dr. Acquista culled his Sicilian mother’s recipe box for the most mouthwatering recipes–plus he includes meals from famous chefs at top Italian restaurants, such as Cipriani and Serafina. If you follow these lifestyle-changing suggestions, you will enjoy
• long-term success: Eat the foods you love and enjoy–bread, pasta, and all your favorite Italian dishes–while adopting healthier eating habits.
• no more addictions: A two-week “tough love” stage helps you kick the habit of sugar, junk food, and preservatives.
• zero deprivation: The Sicilian way of cooking and combining foods means less snacking in between meals, and less temptation to fill up on desserts.
• family-friendly recipes: Children will love and benefit from the dishes as well, so you can share the good eating and the good health.
Plus you’ll find vital information on how being overweight affects each part of your body, including the skin, brain, heart, liver, joints, back, and breasts.
Most people don’t realize that many of their health problems derive from unhealthful weight. Discover the Sicilian secret to a happy life. Capture a pleasurable way of eating that will bring all the blessings and bounty of the Mediterranean to your table, to your life, and to your health!
Customer Reviews:
Awesome book! Highly recommend........2007-09-14
Started following the diet as outlined in this book three weeks ago. I've lost 13 lbs. and my wife has lost 15! The recipies are fantastic. And this is coming from someone who LOVES food. You're not actually dieting, just eating better. It's healthy and was actually recommended to me by a cardiologist.
My Life is Changed.......2007-08-27
After going on the master cleanse I wanted to view food in a different light and this book almost fit exactly with what I needed. Whole grain foods, lots of veggies, stay away from the red meat and sugars. The recipes in this book are SO good and relatively easy! I've been on the Southbeach diet, but the empasis on meat is not good for you. The natural elements of the Mediterranean diet are the way to go. Happy Eating!
The Mediterranean Prescription: Meal Plans and Recipes to Help You Stay Slim and Healthy for the Rest of Your Life .......2007-04-19
TODAY is the First DAY of the rest of our LIVES!!! Can you think of a better reason to celebrate...This is the first book to take the anxiety out of the word Diet and make it a Delight. The recipes are DElicious. I lost 12lbs and have the energy of a teenager. Plus, it makes me feel like everyday is a mediterranean vacation..... a special treat to myself and escape from the big city..... did I mention that my need for chocolate has diminished.....I guess it melts too quickly in warm climates.....
Very good book.......2007-04-02
Great explanation of the basis of the eating plan. Lots of recipes that I intend to try. My dad was recently diagonised with heart disease and this was the suggested healthy eating plan. I want to get started now!
Great Diet - Great Recipes!!.......2007-03-31
My husband and I have done them all -- Atkins, South Beach, etc. but this one by far is the best diet. What's not to like - you're eating very very healthy!!!! The recipes in this book are great! There was not one recipe that we did not like. My husband, who hates to each fish, now eats it at least 3 to 4 times a week. He's lost 10 pounds and feels great. There is a two week beginner diet plan and then the maintenance plan which a lot of the other books did not have. I recommend this diet and most specifically this book to EVERYONE who wants a good healthy diet.
Amazon.com
Like a spectral presence, a hand clutching a gold piece emerges from the ice of a calving glacier near the small town where Alaska state trooper Liam Campbell is investigating the brutal murder of a 74-year-old woman. The hand belonged to an army soldier killed with his crewmates in the crash of the World War II army plane entombed by the glacier a half century ago. Although it takes several long and occasionally tedious pages before Campbell and pilot Wy Chouinard make the connection between Lydia Tompkins's murder, the source of her family's mysterious wealth, and the secret mission that led to the crash of the old C-47, fans of this series won't mind. A skillful chronicler of Alaska's extraordinary landscape and its eccentric inhabitants, Dana Stabenow does a competent job with a plot that lacks much drama or suspense; what little there is comes from Liam and Wy's on-again, off-again romance. --Jane Adams
Book Description
Just when his personal life starts to heat up, Liam Campbell must put it on hold...after the grisly discovery of a dismembered hand leads him to a crashed World War II Army plane frozen precariously in a glacier. Stretching back more than sixty years, the case will pit Liam against his Air Force colonel father, whose very presence makes Liam question what secrets the glacier holds-and who exactly was on that ill-fated flight...
Download Description
"Alaska's finest mystery writer" (Anchorage Daily News) has given readers a hero to cheer for. Alaska state trooper Sergeant Liam Campbell is the representative of law and order in the fishing village of Newenham-yet struggles to keep his own life on an even keel. Now, just when his future is starting to heat up, he delves into a case of a downed WWII army plane found mysteriously frozen in a glacier.
Customer Reviews:
Recycled.......2007-08-08
A perfectly acceptable mystery, whose characters and plot have largely been recycled from the Kate Shugak series. If you don't feel cheated by the author's efforts to change the names and very little else, you may enjoy it.
Better Than I Expected!.......2004-12-17
I am such a huge fan of Dana Stabenow's "Kate Shugak" series that I really wasn't much interested in starting another Stabenow series, I guess out of loyalty or something. But I picked up this book while waiting for somebody, and couldn't put it down.
Alaska trooper Liam Campbell is just wonderful, very much like the regulars in the Shugak series. And in fact, there is a very sly reference to Kate herself--not by name, but by inference ("I know somebody who carries a hand-carved otter in her pocket")--that just thrilled me!
Campbell's sweetie, Wy the pilot, is a typical Stabenow female: no-nonsense, tough, competent, and deeply in love with her man without wanting to reveal just how much.
The plot was a bit thin...a glacier melts enough to expose the remains of a World War II plane and its occupants...and a myserious gold coin. The discover may or may not be related to two terrible murders in town. It's a confusing plot, but as always, the Alaska lore of which Stabenow is a master far outweighs the story itself.
I plan to read all of the Liam Campbell books now, and just am happy that Stabenow is so darned prolific!
Light, fun reading.......2004-06-22
Better to Rest is a nice addition to Stabenow's Liam Campbell series. The story is light and interesting, as is usually Stabenow's way, and contains a few good twists and gives readers a bit of insight into Alaska's culture and history.
LC is an insult to law enforcement professionals.......2003-01-08
I've enjoyed the Kate Shugak series as I used to live in Alaska & the novels are well written. So I thought I'd like the Liam Campbell series as well. It was slow going the first few chapters and then Liam returns to the murder victim's house to continue his investigation and search for clues. He shows what an unprofessional excuse for a law officer he is (zzzz)and subsequently finds himself in an even more absurd situation. This jerk is an insult to all law enforcement professionals (fictional as well as real)and especially to the state troopers serving the state of Alaska. I couldn't find anything admirable about the Campbell character.
Look what I found in the glacier, Ma!.......2002-12-28
Dana Stabenow's Liam Campbell is on the case of the mysterious glacial crash of a WWII Lend-Lease cargo plane and current-day foul play. Is there a connection?
The Stabenow oeuvre (Campbell and Kate Shugak ) serves up fun geological, geographical, environmental and historical morsels and moving verbal snapshots of Alaska along with ice-cracklin' good "Whodunnits." At times, this one tilted too much toward Harlequin bodice-buster for my tastes. And, Hello? Is anyone listening? "Doing the box thing" (Campbell's diagramming of people and interrelationships involved in a case) would be much more effective if, like Ed McBain's 87th Precinct books, the author and publisher actually visually (not just a verbal description) SHOW the reader the document to which they refer.
I prefer Shugak's saga over Campbell's chronicles- so far Kate has more substance and less bodice-busting - but both series are good for cozy winter nights in front of a warm fire. They are best read in order to follow the escapades of this interesting, entertaining, and quirky bunch of inhabitants of the Land of the Midnight Sun. Reviewed by TundraVision
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Resource.......2003-01-23
Jack Sprat, Low Fat is the best healthy lifestyle book (including a very conscientious 28-day example complete with "wart hog days"!) that we have ever found (I am the mom, not the 12 year old!). The authors masterfully reveal the culprits that create un-healthy eating habits, and address the issues as they pertain to the informed middle-class American culture. They soundly convince the reader of the dire importance of eating right. Even with a health background, I find that the older we get, the less time there is to committ to even our best lofty intentions of healthy changes! Bryant Stamford and his co-auther R.N. Becca Coffin do NOT endorse or promote any quick-fix or product, but prevail with undisputable common sense and digestable physiological facts the importance of living healthfully. I applaud this book! If you are an informed individual, but still looking for that perfect healthy-lifestyle resource, then look no further. You will find this book in a class of its own. I hope that you will appreciate it as much as I do.
It is well written, very readable with clear explanations........1999-05-06
This no-fat cookbook/diet plan/informational book is full of useful information presented in a way that is easily understood. There is a light-heartedness to the approach that keeps the information from being tedious or dull. A good guide to more heathful eating and overall lifestyle.
Average customer rating:
- A Travesty
- Alleyn reimagines a classic Dickens tale...
- ghastly
- Step back in time....
- Fluff
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A Far Better Rest
Susanne Alleyn , and
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Soho Press
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ASIN: 1569471975 |
Book Description
A brilliant retelling of Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities.
A Tale of Two Cities is the story of Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette, but Sydney Carton is the hero who makes the ultimate sacrifice for love. Sydney disappears from the novel in London and turns up years later in Paris to bring the story to its heartbreaking end. A Far Better Rest imagines his missing personal history and makes him the center of this tragic tale.
Born in England of an unloving father and a French mother, Sydney is sent to college in Paris, where he meets Charles Darnay and the other students who will have enormous influence on his life and alter the course of French history-Robespierre and Camille Desmoulins among them. The beauty and kindness of Charles's wife, Lucie Manette, affects Sydney so deeply that he secretly devotes his life to her happiness.
Sydney becomes a major participant in the formation of the French Republic at the end of the eighteenth century and a witness to one of the most gruesome periods in history, as the significant people in his life fall to the guillotine. A Far Better Rest is a novel of passion, identity, and history that stands fully on its own.
Customer Reviews:
A Travesty.......2006-11-17
Anyone who knows and respects Dickens as a wonderful author should avoid this work. I cannot speak for Alleyn's other works, but "A Far Better Rest" is nothing but a cheap parody of "A Tale of Two Cities." This book was painful for me to read as Sydney Carton is, in my opinion, one of the best characters ever created, and this book butchers him. Every other page I found myself wondering if Alleyn had ever even read Dickens for anything more than a vague timeline of the book's events. If you love "A Tale of Two Cities" don't bother with this one, it's not worth it.
Alleyn reimagines a classic Dickens tale..........2004-12-28
Susanne Alleyn pulls off a feat that not many writers can do. She takes a classic of literature "A Tale of two Cities", and she reimagines the story from the point of view of Sydney Carton, and she manages to add a completely different story on top of the events of "Two Cities" from Carton's perspective. Alleyn seemlessly weaves the unforgetable fictional characters of Dickens(Charles Darney, Madame Lafarge, Carton, Lucie Manette) and grounds the story using real historical characters(Camille Desmoulions, Robespierre, Charlotte Corday), and Alleyn adds a few of her own(Eleanore "Leo" D'Ambert). The full tragedy of the French Revolution is portrayed here, using historical details Dickens didn't bother with. Alleyn's work is great fiction, and a reason why some great works should be reimagined by those who know what they're doing.
ghastly.......2000-11-07
The plot is moderately interesting but the writing is too contrived. It reads like a Regency romance novel with literary asperations.
Step back in time...........2000-10-21
This story is worthy of sitting next to "A Tale Of Two Cities" in your library. This author places you on the threshhold of the French Revolution with such savvy, you'll feel like you have been transported there. The characters are richly portrayed, and lead you through the events of this bloody era as if you were a compatriot. If you like historical works, I highly recommend this book!
Fluff.......2000-09-20
I bought this book because occasionally I do the same thing Alleyn did - I continue stories begun by others. But I never submit them for publication, and I'd never trifle with one of the masters, as she did. For what it claims to be, this book is entertaining, but for someone who was really gripped by "A Tale of Two Cities," this is annoying fluff. I can't believe any of the romantic revelations about Carton that she spins, from the existence of an illegitimate child to Lucie's preferring him over Darnay. (There is more than that, but I don't want to give it all away.) She also makes Carton a central figure at the heart of the Revolution's beginnings, placing him just below Robespierre in influence and notoriety in Paris. I disbelieved this book so much that I almost stopped reading it - but had to see what other nonsense was part of the story. There are some interesting holes filled in - why does Carton resemble Charles so much? why was he in Paris anyway? and so on - but even these seem contrived.
It's a well-written book, grammatically (except her unconventional use of Msr. for Monsieur is a bit jarring, as is the constant use of the contraction "tho'" throughout - the only contraction I noticed in the book, it's liberally sprinkled throughout the pages). It is entertaining *IF* you do not consider "A Tale of Two Cities" to be a masterwork. I do consider it such, and therefore this book is merely a trifling ripoff of Dickens' vision. Not worth the price, especially since it wasn't available in paperback.
Product Description
Five Tape Set; MSRP $56.00.
Review: Like a spectral presence, a hand clutching a gold piece emerges from the ice of a calving glacier near the small town where Alaska state trooper Liam Campbell is investigating the brutal murder of a 74-year-old woman. The hand belonged to an army soldier killed with his crewmates in the crash of the World War II army plane entombed by the glacier a half century ago. Although it takes several long and occasionally tedious pages before Campbell and pilot Wy Chouinard make the connection between Lydia Tompkins's murder, the source of her family's mysterious wealth, and the secret mission that led to the crash of the old C-47, fans of this series won't mind. A skillful chronicler of Alaska's extraordinary landscape and its eccentric inhabitants, Dana Stabenow does a competent job with a plot that lacks much drama or suspense; what little there is comes from Liam and Wy's on-again, off-again romance. --Jane Adams--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Average customer rating:
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Better Than a Rest
Pauline McLynn
Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Mystery & Thrillers
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Right on Time
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Summer in the City
ASIN: 0747263981 |
Average customer rating:
- Better that the rest
- Reprint this book!!
- Better Than The Rest Review
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Better than the rest
Rowena Boylan
Manufacturer: Follett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Children's Books
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ASIN: 0695800787 |
Customer Reviews:
Better that the rest.......2003-02-08
I have been searching for this book for years! Thank you so. I read this when I was in Emementary school in the 70's. This book got me through my adelscent years. Thank you Ms. Boylan,
Reprint this book!!.......2001-03-19
It is unfortunate that this author does not receive more acclaim and recognition for her writings. This book is one of several that I have read by her (her other books include Medic in Love and A Dream in Every Heart). Better Than the Rest is very well written and should be given to all teenage girls, especially those who may be shy and on the fringes of the high school cliques. I would like to see her work reprinted and made available to today's adolescents. Also, it would be wonderful if some enterprising publisher would reprint all of Boylan's works and let everyone enjoy her wonderful writing ability.
Better Than The Rest Review.......2000-06-03
Although this book was written in 1970, the trials and tribulations faced by the overweight,shy, female protagonist is still applicable to today's society. The novel follows a shy outcast named Robin Miller who is shunned by her classmates because of her lack of social skills. Boylan gives us insight into the protagonist's beliefs about herself and shows how Robin's social problems are not due to her excess weight but can be attributed to her low self-confidence and her shyness. Adolescents who feel shunned by their peers or anyone who has bouts of shyness and low self-esteem will identify with Robin's plight. Better Than The Rest is a sort of forerunner to Judy's Blumes novel Blubber and makes a good read for adolescents and adults.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from American Scholar, published by Thomson Gale on March 22, 2006. The length of the article is 1144 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Foreign aid failures: do small-scale experiments work better than grand schemes?(The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good)(Book review)
Author: Carol Lancaster
Publication:
American Scholar (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 75
Issue: 2
Page: 140(2)
Article Type: Book review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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