Book Description
Cloistered as a faculty member at a small college, beautiful Hannah Jessett can almost forget her family heritage. Few know she's the niece of Elizabeth Nord, the legendary anthropologist who stunned the world with her revolutionary work--until her aunt dies, leaving Hannah in sole possession of her priceless unpublished journals.
But Hannah has other matters to contend with. Her brother's company is about to be destroyed by Gideon Cage, a wealthy entrepreneur with a notorious reputation in the boardroom… and the bedroom.
When she confronts Gideon, all she sees is a powerful man with a fast smile and soft eyes. Yet before she can catch her breath and really understand this puzzle of a man, her whole world is suddenly threatened: her brother, her aunt's legacy, her heart--and her life!
Customer Reviews:
Typical JAK elements in this reissue.......2007-04-19
Although she is still recuperating from a serious auto injury, college guidance counselor Hannah Jessett travels to Las Vegas to try to save her brother's company from businessman Gideon Cage. Cage has been at the top of his game for years and doesn't have much time or use for leisure and frivolity, but he periodically goes to Las Vegas for a few days of gambling to unwind. Hannah offers Cage the opportunity to decide the fate of her brother's company on the draw of the cards. If he wins, she hands over her stocks, easing his way to a takeover. If she wins, he backs off entirely. Hannah thinks she has a trick up her sleeve. What she doesn't know is that Cage does, too, and he's playing a different game altogether.
Hannah (seemingly) wins the game and returns home to have more surgery on her injured leg. Cage returns to his business pursuits, but is distracted by Hannah, as well as the efforts of the vengeful son of an old mentor and rival to ruin him. Before long, Hannah finds herself involved in the situation between Cage and Hugh Ballantine (the deceased rival's son). She's also dealing with the estate of her aunt, the renowned anthropologist Elizabeth Nord (a sort of Margaret Meade character). Hannah just wants to decamp to her aunt's island home to recuperate, but Cage follows her, intent on furthering his relationship with her.
Even as things start to heat up between Hannah and Cage, the business situation between Cage and Ballantine continues to escalate to a potentially devastating conclusion. Additionally, Hannah herself has some strange and threatening experiences that lead her to think there may have been more to her auto accident and that her life may be in danger.
TWIST OF FATE is pretty standard JAK fare for this early period in her career; however, it does have some interesting characters and some interesting subplots, including the story of Elizabeth Nord and the choices women face in trying to have both fulfilling personal lives and careers. This book was initially published in 1986, but, sadly, many of JAK's points are on this topic are still relevant today.
The character of Cage is a little more the product of that era. Although he's not as scary as some of her early "heroes" with their controlling attitudes, he is too overbearing at times. Hannah also fits into a standard JAK mold--blithely optimistic and excessively perky. At one point, Cage tells her, "Christ, lady, you're an idiot. But an amusing idiot." Personally, I thought that Hannah was the weakest element in the book and quickly found her more annoying than amusing. Readers were reminded over and over and over that she was, in fact, a guidance counselor, which apparently gave her permission/authority to lecture other people about their lives and choices. (And I got really sick of hearing descriptions of her ugly Banana Republic, safari-style outfits.)
While TWIST OF FATE isn't a terrible book, it's not a good one, either. For most JAK fans, the interest will lie in experiencing something from her backlist to compare to her later works. For my part, I'm glad I can check it off my list, but I won't be revisiting it. I'm giving this book a scant 3 stars just because I like JAK so much, but it honestly should be closer to 2 ½ stars.
Better than Gambler's Woman.......2007-02-19
This was a far better novel than Gambler's woman. I enjoyed this novel mainly because of the suspense and the ending wasn't typical. But basically it is the same formula.
delightful lighthearted contemporary romance .......2007-02-10
Though she needs a cane to walk since the recent car accident and will require surgery, Seattle guidance counselor Hannah Jessett comes to Vegas to try to persuade ruthless business shark Gideon Cage from taking over her brother's firm Accelerated Design. She offers the predator a game of chance, high card; if he wins she hands over her shares of stock while if she wins he backs off. He agrees and she draws the higher card.
Gideon cannot get Hannah out of his mind as she brought to him is first refreshing event since he was betrayed by his mentor years ago. Though he must contend with his late teacher's offspring Hugh Ballantine, Gideon decides to go after Hannah. She, in turn, is looking at the journals her late Aunt Elizabeth Nord; a renowned but controversial anthropologist took when she visited Revelation Island. The shy counselor steps out of character for the second time in a short period to follow up on her aunt's revolutionary work. Gideon joins her.
TWIST OF FATE is a delightful lighthearted contemporary romance with some suspense elements mostly late. The tale stars a likable seemingly naive heroine and an apparent business predator; readers will quickly decide that perceptions and images can be deceiving. The support cast enhances the fun story line starting when Hannah pulls out her deck of cards and Gideon keeps them as a souvenir and never slows down until the final confrontation with Aunt Elizabeth's legacy.
Harriet Klausner
Same writing and plot.......2000-05-16
I don't know how she does it, but Jayne Ann never manages to get out of the same old rhythm: girl meets boy (usually in business). Girl likes boy, finds out about ulterior motive, tries to change boy. Fight, make up, and are threatened by someone out of one of their pasts. Usually the recent past. I find Jayne Ann getting flatter and flatter as she writes, get the older books, because their stories are better and more realistic. Reissues are the way to go, ignore the new ones.
Book Description
They didn't trust each other . . . and couldn't resist each other.
When Kane Webster buys First Puget Bank, he knows he is buying trouble. Someone is embezzling funds, and the evidence points to Erin O'Toole. Kane is determined to see her incriminated -- until he meets her. He never expected to feel such an intense attraction to Erin -- or to fall in love with her.
After her divorce, Erin has no desire to get involved with anyone -- especially not her new boss. But she can't resist Kane Webster . . . even if she doesn't always understand his mysterious manner. Before she can help it, she's swept into a passionate affair with a man she barely knows . . . a man she already loves. But when she discovers Kane's suspicions, she must decide -- can she stay with a man who suspects her of criminal intent?
Customer Reviews:
An early era Jackson novel..........2003-07-10
Erin O'Toole brought herself through the pain and humiliation that her ex-husband put her through by having an affair with a collegue. When the bank she works for is bought out, Erin isn't prepared for the feelings that her new boss envokes in her. But she can tell something is off, for though he looks at her with desire, he also looks at her with caution.
Kane Webster bought the bank on the coast of Washington because he thought a change of scenery would help his daughter heal. After an accident that left her mother dead and Krista paralyzed, Kane knows that he has a chance left with his daughter and means to make the most of it. When he finds out that someone is embezzling funds from the bank, he knows that there has to be an accomplice. The choice is obvious, but Kane never counted on his attraction to Erin.
As one of Jackon's earlier works, this book lacks the emotion that her newer romances have as well as the suspense. As I knew it was a reprint, I didn't go in with high expectations, which is a good thing. This book is a fast read, but if you want more emotion and get really tangled up in one of her books, I'd try Intimacies or The Night Before.
Happy reading!
early Lisa Jackson.......2003-07-04
This is one of Lisa Jackson's early books, not a bad book, but I like her most recent books better, If you like a quick read on a rainy day this is the book for you.
Customer Reviews:
A Twist of Fate .......2007-03-12
Life was great for Camille King until tragedy blindsided her. In the blink of an eye, she became a grieving widow, however, there is hope for Camille. A few years before, her husband had preserved his sperm at a fertility clinic. Now, she can still fulfill one of her dreams by conceiving her husband's baby. Now, she is going to have part of him.
Misfortune happened to be something Nicholas Cardoneaux also knew. After many years of him and his wife trying to have a baby, their dream was always trampled with one miscarriage after another. Nicholas had lost all hope of ever having a child after his wife divorced him. That is, until he receives a call from the fertility clinic where he and his wife went before they lost their last unborn child. Because of an error by a technician, Nicholas' dream still has a chance of becoming reality after he meets the mother of his future child, Camille King.
However, things were not as simple as they seem because of major problems blocking Nicholas and Camille's path to true blissfulness--race, money, and most of all disapproving family members. Will this couple overcome their obstacles or is a baby, all they have between them?
A Twist of Fate is a highly emotional novel that made this reader take a step back and think. This is something that could really happen to anyone...even me. I applaud author, Beverly Clark, for writing such a wonderful, heartwarming, interracial story; although, there were a few moments where I thought that the issues were a little too predictable. Overall, I was very pleased with this book. Ms. Clark definitely displayed a touching, somewhat surprising plot filled with many twist and turns that enthralled my interested until the very end. The love scenes between Nicholas and Camille, while tastefully written, didn't have heavy eroticism in them. A Twist of Fate is an excellent book that I would recommend to all fans of interracial romance, or even those who just want a good intense read.
Nikita Steele
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
Please don't waste your money!.......2006-11-14
The premise of this story and the book cover were nice, and those are the only things I can say nice about this book. This story was poorly written and edited. The dialogue was trite, the font was much smaller than normal, and there were paragraphs and words missing so the reader couldn't even follow what was going on.
For those who would read this for the romance...the way the author described intimate scenes was both off-putting and funny (without meaning to be). Please...it you're interested in IR romance read Seressia Glass. Her covers are ugly, but she's a much better writer.
1st A Comment Then A Suggestion.......2006-06-06
A Twist of Fate is quite predictable but still readable.
The best interracial story I ever read was An Infrequent Pairing by SaFiya Dalilah. An Infrequent Pairing is a synergism of fact and fiction that takes the reader on a journey through the lives of a young interracial couple- Naomi Jones (Black) and Dillon Brady (White/ Irish American). It examines their beginnings and unlikely meeting at an HBCU (Howard University) to romance and marriage. The story is not without life's tribulations. Death, adversity and triumph. Naomi and Dillon exemplify resilience in the face of opposition from family and public scorn. Their love is enduring and contagious. This novel can truly be appreciated for its real life references and insight into a couple based on the author's true life experiences.
Interesting Concept.......2006-06-04
An interesting twist to the typical romance novel with the issue of a mistake at a fertility clinic resulting in Camille (black) carrying the child of Nicholas (white...maybe) rather than that of her dead husband. The author dealt well with the fallout from that mix-up leading to love between Camille and Nicholas. This book did not get 5 stars because I felt the reactions by Renee's brother Jamal and Nicholas's mother were a bit extreme, despite the mother's secret about her true identity.
Good Read, Not Typical IR Book.......2006-03-07
I enjoyed reading this book. This is a BW/WM story and unlike it's follow-up Beyond the Rapture.
I thought that the situation was very believable (mix-ups do happen at fertility clinics) and I loved the fact that the 2 main characters did not dwell on race as a central obstacle. The editor did a good job, and the typos were very few and far between.
Like most healthy relationships, their love focused on a mutual attraction and the reasons for that attraction. The sex scenes were good but not lewd and the length of the book made it worth the price.
The main characters were sympathetic, kind, and sensitive to each other's needs and their families. Plus I wasn't left pulling my hair out screaming at the lead female character for being stubborn and hard-headed.
I highly recommend this book!
Book Description
An in-depth look at the creation of one of Bob Dylan's most celebrated albums, Blood on the Tracks.
In 1974 Bob Dylan wrote, recorded, reconsidered, and then re-recorded the best-selling studio album of his career. Blood on the Tracks was composed as Dylan's twelve-year marriage began to unravel, and songs like "Tangled Up in Blue" and "Shelter from the Storm" have become templates for multidimensional, adult songs of love and loss.
Yet the story behind the creation of this album has never been fully told; even the credits on the present-day album sleeve are inaccurate. Dylan recorded the album twice-once in New York City and again in Minneapolis, with a rag-tag gang of local musicians, quickly rewriting many of the songs in the process.
For A Simple Twist of Fate, the authors have interviewed the musicians and producers, industry insiders, and others, creating an engaging chronicle of how one musician channeled his pain and confusion into great art.
Customer Reviews:
Great for Dylan Fans, Not Necessary if You Are Not a Fan.......2007-05-12
A Simple Twist Of Fate is a fascinating look behind the scenes of the making of one of the greatest of Dylan albums, who is one of the greatest singer-songwriters ever. However, the book includes many technical details of the recording sessions which border on the arcane to boring - I mean, how many people really care about the make and model number of the microphone used?
An interesting exclusion in a book about the making of an album is that the book does not include the complete lyrics of the songs (maybe they thought anybody buying book already knows all the lyrics)?
If you are a true fan of Dylan, you will want to read the book. If you aren't, you can avoid this and still lead a productive life (although you may not read this far unless you were already a fan).
Behind the Scenes.......2007-01-02
Throughout his songwriting career Bob Dylan's creativity knows no bounds. Dylan effortlessly swings back and forth from folk to rock-a-billy to gospel to blues. In 1974, Dylan was looking for a new sound, but at the same time to get back to his roots. The album "Blood on the Tracks" was the successful culmination of this effort, and the album continues to be Dylan's most popular. "A Simple Twist of Fate" gives the everyman's version of the making of this album. Most Dylan fans know that "Blood" was recorded once in New York City and once in Minneapolis. It is clear that the authors favor the Minneapolis sessions not only because one of the authors played on the tracks, but because the sound that was produced seemed crisper. One of the leading gripes of the New York session musicians is that they did not have time to practice or warm up before Dylan went right in to the music. Besides that Dylan kept changing around the chords without any warning to the musicians. Eventually, those same musicians realized that Phil Ramone (the New York producer) "was only interested in getting Dylan on tape. It didn't matter what any of us played. That could be dealt with later.' Because of the various problems with the New York sessions, Dylan went back to the mid-west where his brother set up another session. This session, according to the authors, was a much more successful endeavor. As a result, the album itself is a mix between the relative confusion of the New York session and the more temperate Minneapolis session. Throughout the book, the authors attempt to offer contextual analysis of the album but almost wholly concentrating on the vagaries of Dylan's break-up with his wife. The last third of the book drags itself down with various gripes of the Minneapolis session musicians who did not receive credit for their input. This is the principal weakness of the book and takes away from the strength of the very interesting behind the scenes narrative that the book offers.
Slight.......2006-03-30
A pretty entertaining, minor work in the Dylan-analysis cannon. The making of this album is pretty fascinating, and it gives you a view into Dylan's psychology that it's often difficult to get, but as music journalism it doesn't really hold up. Long periods are direct quote from session men, and the analysis is just weak. I'd go for Invisible Republic (aka The Old, Weird America) or Positively 4th Street if you haven't read those yet.
simple twist of fate:bob dylan and the makeing of blood on thr tracks.......2006-03-26
hi! a nice read of the makeing of a classic album. the songs being either improved or ruined,as other have commented on is a matter of individual taste. the book however is a afternoon well spent.
A Most Rare Book from Masterful Musicians All 'Round.......2006-01-27
First, I must apologize for not quite "getting it" (this book) at the outset. It is a most rare book not only because it is about Bob Dylan's creation of arguably his best album ever; but the authors have written from the masterful point of view of "the musicians" who worked with Dylan all 'round. One not only learns about how "records" back then were engineered and produced but the most fascinating material like why Bob Dylan never used a capo on guitar; why Graham Nash and Steven Stills thought these miraculous songs in the raw were not up to their expectations; why the musicians had difficulty keeping up with Dylan and ultimately gained a deeply profound respect for not only his songwriting ability but extremely complicated musical gifts on a variety of instruments. You will be thrilled to read this especially if you have ever attempted to seriously play solo, or as part of a band and "the gig" let alone - anyone aspiring to do so...now. A great book.
Book Description
In a moment of chivalry, Lord David Winterbrook comes to Madeline Graves' rescue, and finds his true heart's desire. But will he be able to convince her of his sincerity when she's been hurt so many times before?
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing.......2005-08-26
I read this book because two reviewers I like gave it 5 stars. But for me it was way to mushy and had a story plot that could have been done in 10 pages or less. I finished the book hoping that may be, at some point, something exciting would happen, but when you are three-fourths the way through the book and there are still only two characters and they are still in the same place they were about 4 pages into the novel, it gets to be a bit tiresome. It really could have been good if they would have encountered some turbulence or something to add excitement. Sorry,but it barely got 1 star in my opinion.
Great new voice in the Regency genre.......2004-04-27
Susannah Carleton is a real treat for all fans of traditional Regencies! "A twist of fate" is the sequel to "A scandalous journey" and tells the story of Lord David Winterbrook, the brother of the hero from "A scandalous journey".
For three generations the Winterbrooks recognized their soulmates at first sight. But David gave up any hope for real love, after a disastrous first marriage, till he met Lynn (aka Madeline). It will not be easy to win her love, because she also has bad experiences concerning marriage. Will real love win at the end?
I also recommend Susannah Carleton series about "The Six", which started with "A scandalous journey". Her books have a special place on my Keeper shelves!
mixed feelings about this book..........2003-09-23
"Twist of Fate" sounded like my kind of book: a hero who is sensitive and who's not an over-sexed woman hater with an enormous ego, paired with a heroine who's not overwhelmingly beautiful and high spirited, in a grown-up romance novel all about true love and second chances at happiness (no spy or jealous ex-girlfriends lurking in the bushes, in other words); and yet it took me week to finish this book! And that was because, unfortunately, in spite of all these promising premises, "Twist of Fate" got stuck in one particular groove (Madeline's feelings of unworthiness) and just never really came unglued enough to become interesting.
Lord David Winterbrook is riding hard through the wintery Berkshire landscape when he comes across a lady stranded in a gig. Being the gentleman that he is, he at once offers to help, only to fall in love with this charming stranger as soon as he claps eyes on her -- apparently there is a legend about Winterbrook men being able to recognize their true loves at first sight. And Lord David is sure that he has met his destiny. But how to proceed?
A series of circumstances sees to it that Lord David spends some time at Madeline Graves's (the lady he assissted) cottage. And everything he learns about her convinces him of her nobility, compassion and sweetness of nature. But Madeline is a lady who has been treated badly both by her father and her dead husband, and she's also partially deaf and suffers from low self-esteem. Can a lord who was sure that he was doomed to spend the rest of his life alone, persuade a skittish lady to grasp for that second chance at love with him?
There were two reasons why I persevered with "A Twist of Fate" -- 1) because two reviewers I rather admire have touted Susannah Carleton's previous novels as worthwhile reads, and 2) because, at first glance, both the principal characters and the plot premise really appealed to me. However, without getting into the realm of plot spoilers, because there was very little plot-conflict to be overcome, there was practically nothing to anticipate. This is a romance novel and we all know how things will eventually end, but reading about the many (or few) obstacles in the paths of the hero and heroine is what makes reading romance novels so irresistible and compelling (take Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" for example). Whatever obstacles that lay in Lord David's and Madeline's paths were quickly and summarily dealt with, and this left me with mixed feelings -- I liked the adult approach to the novel but felt that things could have been slightly 'meatier'.
So, was the novel a worthwhile read? Character-wise, yes; story-wise, perhaps -- depending totally on what your expectations are. I felt that there could have been a little more plot conflict. But that's just my conclusion. Your reaction may be quite different.
A touching story of love & recovery.......2003-09-15
When Lord David Winterbrook first lays eyes on Madeline Graves, it's love at first sight. He knows he'll love and cherish her for the rest of his life. Poor Madeline in stranded on the road in snowy weather, and chivalrous David is there to offer his assitance.
When they arrive at her cottage, there's a blizzard. Because of this, David cannot travel. So he ends up staying with Mrs. Graves for several days, doing chores for her and learning more about her.
David Winterbrook is a widower, and Madeline is a widow--and both of them have very turbulent pasts. As the days go by, their secrets slowly unfold, and their feelings for each other grow. More than anything, it's a story about Madeline's trust and recovery (her husband was a tyrant). Susannah Carleton gives us a story that is mature, tender, touching and... almost enlightening. Both characters possess a lot of depth, and the author helps us understand their feelings. I adored David Winterbrook. He was so gentle, charming and understanding--he was almost saintly.
Strangely enough, the climax seemed to occur toward the middle of the story. The rest of the novel is spent resolving the unresolved. (But it's not necessarily a bad thing). I thoroughly enjoyed "A Twist of Fate", and would definitely recommend it. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Carleton's work in the future.
Book Description
Throughout history, many speeches and documents were prepared for events that might have happened, but never did. Almost History includes more than eighty selections, many supported by photos of the actual documents, and each is introduced with the story of how they came to be and where they fit in history.
Download Description
Almost History is a fascinating collection of speeches, memos, and other archival material that reveals how our government would have handled historic moments that never came to be: JFK's prepared address justifying his bombing of Cuba during the 1962 missile crisis; Abraham Lincoln's plans for post-Civil War Reconstruction; the authorization for the use of American nuclear weapons in the Vietnam War; the FBI's memo on deporting John Lennon, and much more. The book is not based on supposition; the text is illustrated with actual documents which offer a focus and insight into alternative history that is truly unique. These events were close to reality, but twists of fate and sudden changes stopped them from becoming our destiny.
Customer Reviews:
Could have been better..........2005-03-19
There were a lot of things in this book that were interesting (Churchill's near-death by taxicab), unusual (Losing the Astronauts) and virtually unknown (The American Revolution Truce Plan) but the book failed to reach out and touch more profound and strange episodes in U.S. history. What about the Confederate Constitution? Aaron Burr's plans in the Northwest Territory? Reconstruction proposals that would have remade the South into entirely new states? The Olympic Plan for the invasion of Japan?
Perhaps it is nit-picking as to what was picked for the book and what was not but when you have to include a chapter on urban legends you're probably not hitting all the key points.
Readable, but not that fun.......2002-03-02
Almost History is based on a great premise, and I opened it expecting to smile a lot. A book like this should give its reader a sense of how spontaneous and alive history really is; I expected to realize that a bunch of seemingly inevitable events weren't really so ponderous, that the world of the past is fresh -- full of fallible people making the best choices they could.
The book didn't quite do that for me. It's readable, it includes a few gems, but it's just not that engaging. I didn't smile that often.
Partly this is just a collection of marginalia. Sure, it makes you raise your eyebrows to see Nixon thinking about a speech in case the astronauts die on the moon. When you consider it, though, any president probably would have prepared for the worst there. Whether he wrote the speech or not doesn't really get to the heart of the event -- it doesn't affect whether events happened. The book also includes the speech J.F.K. would have given on the day he was killed. That speech didn't affect whether he was shot. We can maybe hint at ways his future policies might have gone based on its text, but you know, that's hardly a lynchpin on which history turned one way or the other. (It was a fairly platitudinous speech about foreign policy through strength, by the way.)
In some cases the chosen tidbits don't really even fit the premise. For example, Teddy Roosevelt's speech after he was shot during a campaign appearance is included. That IS history, it happened. There's an excerpt about the use of Navajo language by the U.S. marines in World War II. That's interesting, but how does it fit this book? The marines DID that.
I guess what I'm saying is that this is a pleasant little browse, but it didn't hang together well enough to really grab me and get me staying up late.
If you want a book that's lively and fun and that really airs out your sense of American History, two fantastic titles by James Loewen will do the job: "Lies My Teacher Told Me" and "Lies Across America." Loewen's basic approach is to contrast the bland, textbook history we all learned with real, live, primary sources about the same events. "Teacher" examines a bunch of high school history textbooks, and "Lies Across America" looks at those historical markers your Dad always stopped at. Loewen's books both made me smile and laugh out loud. I felt like reading them out loud to other people, you know? Almost History, even in its better moments, just isn't quite in their league.
A mixed bag of "what-ifs".......2002-02-01
One of the great games of history is the what-ifs: What if Lee had won at Gettysburg? What if Burgoyne had won at Saratoga? What if the New York City traffic accident that seriously injured Winston Churchill had killed him?
This book is a documentation of myriad such what-ifs. As such, it's a good but mixed bag. The best items are genuinely poignant or thought-provoking. These include the speech that William Safire wrote for Richard Nixon in case the Apollo 11 astronauts were stranded on the moon, notes that Eisenhower wrote to himself in case the Normandy Invasion was a failure, and Ulysses S. Grant declining Lincoln's invitation to join him at Ford's Theater.
Less interesting ones tend to be sidelights, items that aren't all that interesting in themselves: Nixon's application to the FBI, an FBI memorandum on deporting John Lennon, and the speech Kennedy would have given in Dallas if he hadn't been shot.
A few are already famous items: Einstein's letter to President Roosevelt recommending the undertaking of research into the atomic bomb and Eleanor Roosevelt's letter resigning from the DAR after it refused to allow Marian Anderson to perform at Constitution Hall.
Overall, though, it's an entertaining and thought-provoking collection, with the best section ("failed predictions") saved for last, in which the New York Times chides Robert Goddard for thinking that rockets can work in a vacuum, Scientific American (in 1909) believes the automobile is fully developed, and Popular Mechanics looks forward to the day when computers might weigh only a ton or so.
Lots of fun stuff: interesting reading and probably another good bathroom book since the sections are short.
Fascinating.......2001-09-10
This book takes several key events (lunar landing) or people (John Lennon) in history and gives an unknown fact about what almost happened. Mr. Bruns backs up his writing with documentation which makes it all the more interesting. He also does not get bogged down in consequences if the almost event did happen.
For example, he writes about John Lennon and the consideration of deporting him. He provides the documentation to back this up and does not get stuck in the trap of trying to explain what would have happened if John Lennon really had been deported. The assumption is the reader is intellegent enough to thing through many of the consequences of this. He also provides a snapshot of what is happening at this time in history that places this consideration in perspective rather than leaving it as an isolated event.
I enjoyed this book a lot.
Lightweight but interesting look at key historical events.......2001-02-23
One of the great games of history is the what-ifs: What if Lee had won at Gettysburg? What if Burgoyne had won at Saratoga? What if the New York City traffic accident that seriously injured Winston Churchill had killed him?
This book is a documentation of myriad such what-ifs. As such, it's a good but mixed bag. The best items are genuinely poignant or thought-provoking. These include the speech that William Safire wrote for Richard Nixon in case the Apollo 11 astronauts were stranded on the moon, notes that Eisenhower wrote to himself in case the Normandy Invasion was a failure, and Ulysses S. Grant declining Lincoln's invitation to join him at Ford's Theater. Less interesting ones tend to be sidelights, items that aren't all that interesting in themselves: Nixon's application to the FBI, an FBI memorandum on deporting John Lennon, and the speech Kennedy would have given in Dallas if he hadn't been shot. A few are already famous items: Einstein's letter to President Roosevelt recommending the undertaking of research into the atomic bomb and Eleanor Roosevelt's letter resigning from the DAR after it refused to allow Marian Anderson to perform at Constitution Hall.
Overall, though, it's an entertaining and thought-provoking collection, with the best section ("failed predictions") saved for last, in which the New York Times chides Robert Goddard for thinking that rockets can work in a vacuum, Scientific American (in 1909) believes the automobile is fully developed, and Popular Mechanics looks forward to the day when computers might weigh only a ton or so.
Lots of fun stuff: interesting reading and probably another good bathroom book since the sections are short.
Average customer rating:
- Disappointing
- Made my sour mood even worse!
- Save your dollars
- Excellent learning/guiding ROMANCE book
- A preachy polemic, not a romance novel
|
Twist of Fate
Mary Jo Putney
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Putney, Mary Jo | ( P ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
Romantic Suspense | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
-
The Spiral Path
-
The Burning Point
-
A Kiss of Fate: A Novel
-
The Bartered Bride
-
Uncommon Vows
ASIN: 0515135453
Release Date: 2003-07-29 |
Book Description
Rob Smith is the kind of guy--and lawyer--Val Covington knows she should avoid: mysterious, handsome, haunted. But when he tries to help her save a man from being executed, she discovers long hidden secrets-along with an irresistible passion.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing.......2006-05-25
I love Putney's historical novels, but this book fell flat. Like other reviewers, I was turned off by the constant preachy tone in regards to capital punishment. The dialogue also felt contrived and stilted. This book was lacking in humor and warmth, and I never felt an emotional connection to the main characters. In regards to the romance department, there was very little to recommend it. When I finish a romance, I like to feel as if the characters have a binding love that will stand the test of time. However, I wouldn't have been surprised if this couple broke up a month later. All around disappointing.
Made my sour mood even worse!.......2006-02-18
I am reviewing the unabridged audio version of this book. And, in all honesty, if I hadn't paid so darned much for it I never would've finished it.
The heroine is a corporate lawyer who is feeling burned out and fears she's going to die inside if she doesn't give up fighting for the "fat cats". As luck would have it, she inherits a windfall of a million bucks (how come this stuff never happens to ME?) and decides to give up the high paying partnership for "do-gooder" work. She takes along her trusty paralegal who just so happens to have an ex-lover in the clinker facing death-row. Ah huh! This is heroine's chance to do some good. So this corporate lawyer immediately takes on this difficult criminal case and hires a carpenter who was a marine in his younger days to assist her. Huh? Did I hear that correctly? It simply did not make any sense to me.
I've enjoyed Mary Jo Putney's work in the past which is why I bought this book and was surprised at the lack of connection I felt to any of these characters here. The love story took a back seat to a whole lot of preachiness about the death penalty and the importance of finding spiritual happiness. That's all find and good in real life but here it was boring. I felt like I had been wholloped upside the head about the evils of our justice system and was rather put off by the whole thing. The only part I somewhat enjoyed was the relationship between the heroine and her "little sister" but even that developed a little too quickly as the heroine managed to break through the girls' defenses in what seemed like only two visits.
This isn't a book I'd enjoy re-reading as I felt very bored throughout most of it.
Save your dollars.......2006-01-21
this mystery book got 2 stars because it had a decent ending, but it was so slow and painful, I'm surprised I even made it to the end. i didnt like the characters and i was especially unconvinced with their no chemistry romance. save your money, buy something else.
Excellent learning/guiding ROMANCE book.......2004-11-23
I was fascinated by this book due to the great value for me personally, in the way MIP discussed and analysed the purpose of life and the directions one may choose at certain time of one's life using her characters. As it's major heroes, I feel at the crossroads, trying to find and recapture the values of my youth and to find out what I am to do with the rest of my life. No matter how little (as other reviewers who are probably much younger than I am claim) "romance" there is, this is a deep, helpful, and wonderful book. You cannot evaluate the book on the descriptions of lovemaking only: you have to learn from it as well, and this is one that can gives you both. I wish the author would consider the continuation, something in the way Suzanne Brockmann does to hook up her readers. *** If there a chance to contact MJP personally, I'd love to.
A preachy polemic, not a romance novel.......2004-07-05
Val Covington, a workaholic city lawyer, decides to break away from her corporate law fim and start her own practice; a windfall from her actor friend Raine Marlowe allows her to decide that she will take on pro bono clients. In leasing her first premises, she meets good-looking Rob Smith, ostensibly a carpenter, and they start an affair. But Rob is not the carpenter he appears; he's a former Marine and former owner of his own computer business, gone into hiding after a family tragedy. They start to work together when Rob offers his investigative skills to help Val in her quest to prove a man on death row innocent of the murder of a cop.
The romance in this book is very flat. Val and Rob have sex - wham bam - and then they have sex again, and again, and then Rob is suddenly talking moving in and even marriage. Wait a minute... where's the wooing? Where's the heartfelt discussions? Where, for heaven's sake, is the *romance* which Putney includes in spades in other novels? Val apparently has a problem with commitment, but this is told to us - in fact, we're beaten over the head with it - rather than it being shown. And a two-year-old could have worked out why she has this problem; yet it seems to come as a massive discovery to both Val and Rob. Well... duh! I felt like saying.
Sorry - there was really no romance in this book worth talking about. At least, not between the two main characters. The love story which does provide some interest, however, is that between Kendra, Val's assistant, and the man on death row, Daniel, the father of Kendra's now-adult son.
As for the preachy part, this book is a polemic against the death penalty. Now, I should have no problem at all about that, since I am vehemently opposed to capital punishment and find it abhorrent. Putney should have been preaching to the converted here. And yet I felt patronised, lectured to and bored by this part of the book. Sure, all her arguments resonate with me - but that's not why I buy a Mary Jo Putney romance novel. I did find the plot itself, as regards the attempt to prove Daniel's innocence, interesting but, again, I didn't buy a crime/detective novel. I thought I was buying a romance novel.
I have now read three contemporary novels and one novella by Putney, and in every case they failed to live up to the standard set by her historical romances. Put this next to Thunder and Roses, or The Rake, or The Wild Child, and it pales drastically by comparison. Dull characters, next to the vibrance of Nicholas or Reginald or Clare. Preachy plot, next to her emotional, heartrending plotline about the effect of alcoholism in The Rake.
This was a huge disappointment. And, since I see that Putney now appears to be venturing into paranormal in her latest novel, I am not sure that she will be on my auto-buy list any more either. Such a shame, when about a year ago I'd have rated her as one of my top three favourite authors.
wmr-uk
Average customer rating:
- A Masterful Write
- a pretty good start
- Sorry. I don't think so
- A Highly Insightful Book
- "Interesting"
|
A Wicked Twist of Fate
Ronald Dondiego
Manufacturer: Authorhouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1587212382 |
Book Description
A chilling drama in the noir tradition, "A Wicked Twist of Fate" is the tale of Jerry Brenner, an intelligent, strong young man whose lust for power turns to torment as he grapples with philosophical and spiritual thoughts about religion, women, love and friendship.
Customer Reviews:
A Masterful Write.......2006-03-19
I've read this book three times already. It's amazing. Dondiego is edgy and has some amazing hooks and plot twists. Plus the ending was totally outrageous. If you're into film noir this book definitely captures the noir atmosphere of the late 40's when those movies chilled the blood of American movie goers.
a pretty good start.......2004-03-29
I bought this book and enjoyed reading it. Hopefully, this writer will go on writing, because I noticed that this was published in the year 2000. Why did I like it? It was fast paced, terse, and he got right into the story without having written one superfluous word. And that's a good thing in this age of overly written, self indulgent fiction. Also, it was edgy and at times down right disturbing.
Sorry. I don't think so.......2004-03-23
This book was recommended to me by Amazon, so I took a chance on it and was very disappointed. The writing is juvenile and overflowing with cliches; the narration is self-conscious and bombastic; the dialogue is uninteresting and unrealistic; the ideas and descriptions are redundant, superfluous, and unimpressive.
A Highly Insightful Book.......2002-12-29
I would say that Dondiego is a writer with a burning ambition to write what he sees and experiences into his fiction. This is a dark novel if ever I've read one, and trust me I've read many. If you're into the strange, the twisted, the off-beat, and the horror of reality, than Dondiego's books will hold you spellbound. Yes, spellbound! Because his writing is powerful it can even overwhelm a reader. Emerson said, "Beware when God lets a thinker out in the world." I say, "Beware, Dondiego will throw your universe into question." And of course for certain readers that's a disturbing prospect. Read him if you dare!
"Interesting".......2002-10-26
"Ron Dondiego, a passionate writer, whose style is as unique as the stories he writes about...full of stark realism that home and has the power to jar a reader out of his/her complacency." (A direct quote from the "About The Author Section." I could not have discribed this writer or his style in writing any better myself!
"A Wicked Twist Of Fate," is a thrilling read, from cover-to-cover...following a man in his life's quest for power. The characters in this most enjoyable story are deep and compelling, the dialogue flows at a nice pace, and, the plot is interesting, a very appealing combination. Nice Job by this very fine writer!
John Savoy
Savoy International
Motion Pictures Inc.
Customer Reviews:
"I have something for you...to celebrate our being together.".......2006-01-06
In this second volume of the Blackstone Chronicles, author John Saul continues his account of the chaos that results when the abandoned Asylum in the small New Hampshire town of Blackstone is sold for development into a shopping mall. A lone, mysterious figure re-enters the Asylum one night and finds the personal artifacts which long ago belonged to the inmates. Distributing these objects to people who have some connection to the long-ago inmates, the mysterious figure ensures that their lives change--and not for the better.
(No spoilers.) After celebrating the engagement of his daughter Celeste to Andrew Sterling, Jules Hartwick, head of the Blackstone Bank, finds a package wrapped in pink paper on the seat of his car, with no card indicating the sender. Opening the package, he finds an antique locket, which he immediately believes has been sent to his devoted wife Madeline. When an image comes to him of Madeline in the arms of another man, he immediately suspects she has lover and goes to great lengths to try to prove it.
As in the preceding novel, An Eye for an Eye: The Doll, the author juxtaposes scenes of horror at the Asylum with present day scenes from the lives of Blackstone's inhabitants, the same characters appearing and reappearing throughout the series. In this novel, the opening scene involving Lorena, a paranoid woman at the Asylum who comes to possess the locket, is far more horrifying (and gory) than any previous Asylum scenes have been.
Oliver Metcalf, the editor of the local newspaper, connects all six of the novels. Oliver, subject to blinding flashes of pain as he uncovers old photographs and records for a commemorative piece on the history of the Asylum, suffered the same pains when the wrecking ball broke through a wall of the Asylum in the previous novel. Born in the Superintendent's Cottage, he is the son of the previous Superintendent, though at this point in the series the reader has few clues about the Asylum and its administrators, other than incidents of cruelty exhibited toward the inmates by unnamed people.
As in the first volume, the story moves along quickly and inevitably, the primary question being how far Jules Hartwick will go in his accusations of infidelity. Once again, the characters are not developed fully enough to make this a "character-driven" horror novel, the Gothic shock evolving more from the amount of cruelty than from our knowledge of the individuals and our surprise at their behavior. n Mary Whipple
Part 2 in The Blackstone Chronicles.......2004-01-01
"Twist of Fate: The Locket," the second part in The Blackstone Chronicles, begins and ends with gory eviscerating scenes, the prologue being more shocking, in my opinion, of a mental patient at the Asylum being gutted to remove a silver locket, which later comes into play. The middle part of the story is bloodless, as it closely follows Jules Hartwick, president of the First National Bank of Blackstone, as he stresses over an audit, then becomes severely paranoid after finding the above-mentioned heart-shaped locket that he believes is a sign of his wife's infidelity. This is a good serial addition to the six-part Blackstone Chronicles, preceded by "An Eye for an Eye: The Doll" (#1) and succeeded by "Ashes to Ashes: The Dragon's Flame" (#3), "In the Shadow of Evil: The Handkerchief" (#4), "Day of Reckoning: The Stereoscope" (#5), and "Asylum" (#6). As a whole, "The Blackstone Chronicles" is one of my favorite John Saul books.
Twist of Fate: The Locket.......2001-05-23
A new curse has come upon Blackstone. Jules Hartwick finds a locket in his wifes car. He becomes very jealous and nervous thinking everyone is after him. Could the locket have something to do with the way he is acting or did he just have a nervous breakdown. Is Jules so insane he might kill? To find out you should read this book. It is one part of a great mystery unfolding in Blackstone. Who will be the next vivtim to this insanity that has befallen Blackstone.
This one was *even* better than the first (also good!)........2000-06-20
I read this in a couple of days, and I must say that the schmuck who wrote the review below ("Not Again!" was the title) was full of it. This book is only similar to the first because it has another gift being sent out to someone. Otherwise, it is *totally* different than the first, and is even pretty *scary* at times. I eagerly await #3, which I take will be even better. I can tell newcomers to this serial book this much: DO NOT LISTEN TO THE BAD REVIEWS OF BOOKS!
Refreshing, yet repetitive.......2000-06-19
Judging from the Chronicle that preceded "The Locket," I was prepared for another "unscary" tale. I was pleasantly suprised. Unlike the first tale, this one built the intriguing plot beautifully, and I was very often in suspense. The idea of jealously driving a person to murder is terrifyingly worth reading about. However, this story is almost identical in nature to the first one, and I found some of the characters being a little too ignorant of their surroundings, and that made the story a bit unrealistic. But all in all, "The Locket" is a very refreshing tale.
Books:
- What Color Is Your Parachute? 2007: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers (What Color Is Your Parachute)
- When Lightning Strikes (1-800-Where-R-You)
- White Devil: A True Story of War, Savagery And Vengeance in Colonial America
- Windows Presentation Foundation Unleashed (WPF) (Unleashed)
- With This Ring, I'm Confused (Ashley Stockingdale Series #2)
- You Belong to Me
- 1, 001 Gardening Secrets the Experts Never Tell You About
- A Gentleman By Any Other Name (Romney Marsh Trilogy)
- A Question of Intent: A Great American Battle With a Deadly Industry
- A Sport and a Pastime: A Novel
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Covenant/The Betrayal/The Sacrifice/The Prodigal/The Revelation
- Into The Labyrinth
- Biodiversity Dynamics
- Bleak House
- First Impressions: Creating Wow Experiences In Your Church
- How Doctors Think
- English Toy Spaniel Champions,1952-1982
- Brush with Acrylics: Painting the Easy Way
- California Colonial Homes: Case Studies With Prominent Architects
- Canistropsis: Bromelias da Mata Atlantica
Gambler's Woman
Dangerous Magic
White Lies (The Arcane Society, Book 2)
Silver Master (Ghost Hunters, Book 4)
The River Knows
