Book Description
The book spares no one. Politicians, sports stars, celebrities, corporations, publishers, crossing guards––all fair game. If you are a scumbag or just somebody who they find annoying there is a fair chance you will be on the list.
Politics has long been a passion for Jackie Mason and he is well known for his tough and outspoken position on many issues. He is not one to sidestep an issue no matter how sticky. Together with his friend and collaborator, the well–known divorce attorney Raoul Lionel Felder, he has hosted a weekly PBS talk television series "Crossing The Line" and a BBC radio show "The Mason–Felder Report", and currently he has a weekly talk show on the Comcast Network.
Customer Reviews:
Cheap Awful Jokes and simply stupid.......2007-10-07
I guess I thought it would give me a laugh or two based on some of highlighted phases, "Jews for Jesus" etc. However, it was yet another comedian trying to join the Lewis Black, Daily Show or Bill Maher bandwagon of political humor. Too bad this comedian is not as funny nor has diverse content.
After the first few pages the book simply turns into a complaining/vent session of everything which the authors deeply disagrees with - let me summarize:
Any Jew who is against Israel
Any political organization against Israel politics
Any person who remotely supports the Holocaust
Any non-Conservative
and silly jokes to those in media which require teasing (ie. Al Sharpton, Michael Moore, Jesse Jackson, Britney, etc.)
There are many other comedian with similar content and jokes but they are really funny whereas this book just takes a small segment of its victim and highlights it as their basis for existence.
Save yourself money and time. If you want something funny watch a truly funny comedian. Allow Jackie to perform on Broadway and advise him to keep the stand-up act going but stay away from the typewriter.
Useful in only one regard.......2007-09-26
Perhaps I'm just getting too old... I can vaguely remember back in the early days of television when some of what Jackie Mason said was actually funny.
But the only way this book could been any worse would have been if Alan Derschowitz had done the editing and Ann Coulter's face had been on the cover. (Although, to be fair, Neither Mr. Mason nor Mr. Felder is very much less unappealing to behold than Ms. Coulter)
Still, this book did add something to my store of knowledge. Based upon the definitions given in the introduction, I can now state with some authority that:
1. Anyone who either buys a book written by a faded borscht belt comedian and a celebrity divorce lawyer for more than 39 cents on a remainders table OR takes seriously anything contained in said book - is a schmuck.
2. Anyone who actually writes such a book as this one AND puts his own name on it - is a putz.
okay read.......2007-08-24
It is an okay read, but I won't recommand buying it. Borrow it from the library or something.
The incessant whine of the privileged has never been so shrill.......2007-07-12
Imagine if you will that you are at a dinner. Your host is a rather amusing Republican; and he may have been a liberal in his youth, but that only makes his current political stance all that more forceful. He begins with a few light jokes, some witty repartee and then drags you into a longwinded and ultimately self-righteous sermon about everything that is wrong with America. Now imagine that he's Jewish or at least knows enough Yiddish to fake it. That's the essence of this book.
As with Goldberg's 39 People Screwing Up America, this is one of those books from the Republican Shriek Factory. Forget about Bush committing us to a fruitless war and practically legitimizing torture. Forget about the blank check that Bush got from a Republican Congress to keep this war going. Hell forget about Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, FEMA or Ken Lay from Enron. No, in this world, the worst human being is Al Gore (who is lying - so sayeth the ancient Jewish comedians without humor) and Al Sharpton. Oh and of course we can't have a book like this without slamming on Barbara Streisand.
Even Goldberg threw in a few personalities that we could all agree on - like Barbara Walters dumbing down the news.
But this book is just a combination of smug and defensive from beginning to end. And even better, it's new but it reads like an old NY Post article. These guys still think that Bill Clinton's sex scandal is more odious than Bush's war. Only no one died in that sex scandal and at this point I thought no one cared. ANd Bill Maher? Yep, he said that the 9/11 terrorists weren't cowardly. The factg that bravery and cowardice have really nothing to do with their actions is second nature. Nope, you have to call your enemies cowardly. The words "evil" or "vicious" are only accurate; so why bother with them?
This is a book that was old before its time. Had it been published in the early part of the decade when Bush could do no wrong and his willing cheerleaders sang his praises, it might have been a hit; especially among those who think that throwing in a Yiddish word or two is the height of comedy (ie. goyim). Now it's just sad.
Milding Amusing At Best.......2007-06-09
Lighthearted approach to some heavyweight topics. It's a very quick read about dozens of people, places, organizations, countries, governments that don't measure up to he way Mason and Felder's look at the world and the way it oughta' be. Mason does comedy standup about world events, so maybe he's qualified in his contributions to the written slam fest. -But who's this Raoul Felder? -A "celebrity divorce lawyer," reads the book jacket. One might ask: "What's his world-view expertise?"
In any event, the book's stacked with truly cutting opinions and soft-touch humor about personalities from Barbra Streisand, Barry Bonds, Bill Clinton, Ray Nagin, and even Pablo Picasso...to entities like the NCAA, Afghanistan, the French, and the New York Times. Plus criticisms about automatic toilets and sinks? True, this topic has not been overlooked. The casual funniness balances the biting lampooning in ways that only Mason can effect...without venom or hate. You can sort of tell which parts were Mason's and which were Felders.
Regularly, they parlay a compelling "Jewish" flavor to the work by including references to Jewish events or people or words. The authors often pepper in terms like feh, meshpucha, yenta, et. al. I don't exactly know the meaning of these words; but somehow, they worked for this reader. Ah, but, then, too, the title of the book is "Schmucks!" What should we expect? Is it light Jewish humor packaged for Gentiles. [The copyright for this book is by Krapatakin? Might there be some kind of hidden humor here only the writers would know about... (!?)]
Mason and Felder confront the notion that "...just because a person is absolutely first-class in one field does not mean [he/] she should be respected in another," the point of a couple of pages on Susan Sarandon. Maybe this says it all, as "Schmucks!" is all over the board, definitely overly-political [however lite] in its scope, and is only marginally amusing. It's Not at all "material that will leave you crying with laughter," as the dust cover promises; but it is interesting, with a lot of "yeah, I agree with that" reader reaction.
Book Description
The best organizations have the best talent. . . Financial incentives drive company performance. . . Firms must change or die.
Popular axioms like these drive business decisions every day. Yet too much common management “wisdom” isn’t wise at all—but, instead, flawed knowledge based on “best practices” that are actually poor, incomplete, or outright obsolete. Worse, legions of managers use this dubious knowledge to make decisions that are hazardous to organizational health.
This practical and candid book challenges leaders to commit to evidence-based management as a way of organizational life – and shows how to finally turn this common sense into common practice.
Customer Reviews:
No 'one size fits all' solutions here.......2007-08-21
In this well written book, Stanford Professors Pfeffer and Sutton demonstrate the dangers of copying others, blindly applying conventional wisdom, or accepting ideologically based fables without understanding how the underlying human behavioral principles and fundamentals apply to the situation at hand. It asks us to look at the underlying assumptions about how people think and operate - are people really motivated only by the stick or the carrot? Is the relational model for the `rest of life' really different than the relational model for our `work life'? If neither assumption is a fundamental truth, should we be using policies and practices that make these assumptions?
It encourages leaders and organizations to constantly `be in learning' rather than looking for `the answer' in a best practice book or seminar. Simply put, `copy & paste' of someone else's answer is seldom, if ever, your answer on a performance improvement test. If you are thinking that evidence-based management means, "show me who is using this practice", or "show me where this policy is working"; read the entire book. What at first sounds like a declaration that only statistically proven, historical practices should be accepted as the basis for future practices is in itself a dangerous half-truth that will limit the future to a repeat of the past. Hard Facts is recommended for leaders who will read the book in its entirety. Dennis DeWilde, author of "The Performance Connection"
A balanced, practical look at management "beliefs"..........2007-07-12
Pfeffer and Sutton take a hard look at a few management beliefs that have seemed universally accepted in one form or another. Of the ones presented, I have heard and read the most about 1) best organizations have the best people, 2) strategy is destiny, and 3) change or die. The authors have done a very good job at showing that some beliefs are not always true under all circumstances and, in fact, quite often false or at least "half-truths". I also found the financial incentives chapter particularly compelling as it seems that a more balanced reward system is better for most companies in the long run.
I found most of the advice for handling these beliefs to be very sound although a recurring theme is just take a step back, look at hard evidence, and not necessarily follow "the crowd". This book would be best appreciated and most easily "implemented" by executive management but is also a very interesting read for anyone who wants to build out their general management knowledge. Overall, a pretty insightful and practical read.
Finally ... A Management Book Worth Reading.......2007-07-09
The problem with the puffed up, presumptuous world of management literature and reasearch is that it is neither. Most books are an appalling mixture of presumed truths, mishmashed ideas set up, many times as a "science." In fact it Management is much more a dismal art than Economics ever was a dismal science.
But now enter the duo who wrote this book... the true essence of the book could be:
1) lesson of wisdom... wisdom in the Platonic sense -- knowing what you do not know and being smart enought to admit when you do not know and brave enought to continue on using;
2) evidence-based management. This means empirical management, hard facts, not preconcieved notions of how the world is or should work.
Evidence-based management is based upon a scientific approach and this book take evidence-based medicine as its template for how to arrange business. In evidence-based management there is no immutable truth -- science and the socratic method of inquiry mean that the playing field is level. Poeple are able to challenge preconceived ideas, but they must also be willing to submit their ideas to the scrutiny of analyse. Pfeffer et al, give good examples of preconcieved ideas that are either not true or half-baked. Incentive pay is one -- it works in simple, non-dependent environments where individuals control results. It does NOT work in highly structured environments where results depend upon complex interactions with others... ie. Cold-callers should be incentivised by pay-for-performance, but doctors and teachers clearly should not -- and all the imperical evidence supports the above assertion.
So why do people have such a knee-jerk reaction and assume that everyone only needs to be incentivised to spur them ever onwards to better results...? Pfeffer et al, suggest that it is popular culture and sort of presumed ideological supposition that is never challenged.
Other ideas challenged in this book by Evidence-based Management tecniques are:
STRATEGY: Its nowhere near as important as knowing what to do. In fact concentrating only on strategy is most often wrong. What is much more necessary is having a process to implement changes little by little.
LEADERS: Not as important as billed. Change at the top has almost no correlation with corporate performance. Leadership does matter to a degree, but not as much as good systems of work. Here again is the banal overwhelmed by the sexy presumption that someone who is in power of a company must "actually control results" -- as Pfeffer et al show... they clearly do not. Good process, good middle line managers who implement well and who know and listen to process management determine which companies will succeed more than good leaders.
This book was one of the few management tomes that I actually looked forward to reading when I picked it up. I have already ordered "The Knowing-Doing Gap." A very refreshing change and real wisdom for a wretched genre.
Find your company in this book and squirm.......2007-06-19
This excellent book lays out why and how companies fail to drive their business based on evidence, and instead "miracle cure" advice and personal reactions - largely to the detriment of everyone involved. The book quickly lays out why you should take an evidence-based approach and some guidelines on how. The meat of the book comes in chapters on various half-truths that are dangerous in terms of managing people and organizations:
- Is work fundamentally different from the rest of life and should it be
- Do the best organizations have the best people
- Do financial incentives drive company performance
- Is strategy destiny?
- Is it change or die
- Are great leaders in control of their companies (and should the be)?
They wrap up with a call for evidence-based management. The book is well-written, funny in many places and slightly depressing (if you don't see yourself or your company in any of the "how not to" stories I will be astonished) but very worthwhile. Some of my favorite quotes include:
"If doctor's practiced medicine the way many companies practice management, there would be far more sick and dead patients, and many more doctor's would be in jail"
"If you think you have a new idea, you are wrong. Someone problably already had it. This idea isn't original either; I stole it from someone else
Sutton's Law"
"Treat your business as an unfinished prototype"
"No brag, just facts"
In particular they recommend making sure you have identifed cause and effect when considering past successes, taking account of changing circumstances and establishing why something was effective before adopting it. They emphasize the importance of attacking assumptions and establishing which are pre-conditions for success. The book lays out plenty of evidence on the importance of narrow testing of new ideas before rolling them out, especially in ways analogous to the double-blind study used in medicine. They discuss the importance not of individual leaders being great but of them building a structure within which people can be successful (think Toyota) and they conclude by reminding us that wisdom is knowing what you know and what you don't know while still acting on the best available data and being willing to change as new data becomes available.
I would also recommend three other books I have reviewed recently:
Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning
Tom Davenport's book shows one aspect of evidence-based management - driving company behavior with analytics - and uses some of the same examples (Harrah's, for one)
Making Robust Decisions: Decision Management For Technical, Business, & Service Teams
David Ullman's book is a great discussion of decision-making in the face of uncertainty, a key skill in evidence-based management
The Halo Effect: ... and the Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers
Phil Rosenzweig's book disses many of the same business trend half-truths with even more wit than this one. If you are cynical about fix-everything-with-technique-X books, and you probably should be, this is a great book
Lastly if you are more technically minded and enjoy this book, you might enjoy the one I have just finished:Smart Enough Systems: How to Deliver Competitive Advantage by Automating Hidden Decisions
Hard to Believe.......2007-06-04
Pfeffer & Sutton's book is all about how bias and incorrect "common sense" can lead us astray in making management decisions. They show how a great deal of what passes as business management advice is just not all that good. In fact, some of it is, as the title says, total nonsense.
That said, it was far less of a book than I wanted it to be. The title, you see, has this really bold lettering for HARD FACTS. In smaller type underneath is the rest of the title. In fact, on my copy the Total Nonsense is in bigger type than the Half-Truths part (the latter even being gray on a black background). Yet, as I read the book, I kept looking for the HARD FACTS and found a lot of references to Half-Truths. The basic premise seems to be that while most advice is correct in some settings, it is only when it is taken as truth for all time that it becomes dangerous.
I wanted graph after graph of facts from all the studies people mention but never put into digestible form. I wanted to get the translation of management studies into facts that I can use. However, what I did get was basic management book stylistic convention: assertion of some truth followed by an example from one of seven (plus or minus two) case studies. Not that this is all bad, far from it. But it seemed sad given the large HARD FACTS on the top. In fact, I find the convention easy reading. But it doesn't really give me the HARD FACTS. I guess I would have to go into the footnotes (ugh), read all the studies mentioned (ugh, ugh), and then draw the graphs, charts, and summaries (ugh, ugh, ugh). That is what I thought this book would do and doesn't.
So I think it becomes another interesting book that will be put aside for another interesting book in about five months. Are there good insights? Sure. Do I trust all their sources? I don't know why I should since they never explain why they do (the "lots of studies" logic). So maybe they are right, but it is hard to believe.
Average customer rating:
- Dangerous Games
- Site Rating: 4 1/2 - Ms. Arthur Has Penned Another Smart and Sassy Paramornal!
- Good, but not as good
- Loved It !!!
- Dangerous Games
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Dangerous Games (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 4)
Keri Arthur
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0553589598
Release Date: 2007-03-27 |
Book Description
In Melbourne’s urban underworld, there’s a nightclub for every fantasy and desire. But for Riley Jenson, one such club has become an obsession. Riley, a rare hybrid of vampire and werewolf, hasn’t come in pursuit of pleasure but of an unknown killer who’s been using the steamy nightspot as his hunting grounds.
Leave it to Riley to find the only ticket into the heavily guarded club: Jin, a deliciously hot-bodied bartender who might just provide the key to unmasking a killer unlike any other in the Directorate’s experience. Taunted by a former colleague turned rogue, distracted by an ex-lover’s attentions, Riley follows Jin into a realm of pleasure she could never have imagined. And as danger and passion ignite, a shocking mystery begins to unravel—one where Riley herself becomes the ultimate object of desire....
Customer Reviews:
Dangerous Games.......2007-06-21
I think this is her best book yet. She did tone down the sex.Book one had alot more sex. now if this upsets you don't read.It is about werewolfs
and their desires with every full moon.The only thing that i don't like
is Riley seems to fogot that she is only half werewolf.So All the things she wish for are things that werewolfs would desire.I think if she look into her vampire side she could be very happy.Also what ever Quinn might have done to her. I don't think he meet any harm.I do think he is maddy in love with her and was thinking she might get hurt.I don't think Kellen is her soulmate.I think he will show his ture colors when she tells him her job.But as we wait for Riley&Quinn together again. I think it would be fun to see her with cole.
Site Rating: 4 1/2 - Ms. Arthur Has Penned Another Smart and Sassy Paramornal!.......2007-06-10
I am soaking wet, and then I run into Gautier, smelly vampire. It is time to take that creep out, but damn he is one scary dude. Later, Quinn takes me out to dinner and we are followed by something I have never seen before. Well, to be honest, we could not see them at all, like in nothing there. Quinn and I block-in the car, running up to it and it is empty. Then I find out: Yes, Virginia, there is a hell and there are demons... That should have been my first clue that my life was going straight to hell in a hand basket and naturally I would be right in the middle of said basket.
DANGEROUS GAMES is by authoress Keri Arthur. In the fourth book of the Riley Jenson Guardian series, Riley is once again knee deep in Guardian business fighting, killing, and sexing her way through a multitude of characters. Snappy dialogues, descriptive language and a brilliant premise makes this a must read book. Ms. Arthur is the ultimate storyteller with a bite!
Riley finds herself embroiled in a mage of trouble, literally. She finds herself in a VIP type club and meets a sexy bartender that totally turns her sexual crank. But there is more to him and she knows it. It is Riley's job to find out how demons have been brought into her world, and heaven knows, a Guardian's job is never done. She will find out more than she ever wanted to know about magic and spells. Who is behind all these evil doings? She has a feeling Gautier might be tied into all this, but is he?
Are you a fan of Ms. Arthur's? If not, you will be when you get your hands on this series. Riley is a heroine that we all want to be: tough, sexy, and smart as a whip. This reviewer highly recommends DANGEROUS GAMES!
Reviewed by Janalee Ruschhaupt, 2007
Courtesy of Love Romances and More
Good, but not as good.......2007-06-07
I rated the first 3 books in this series with 5 stars and had high hopes for this one as well. It sounds strange to say I was disappointed in a book that was "only 4 stars," but I was.
The ongoing saga of the clone labs through the first 3 books kept the action going. The interactions between Riley and the other main characters added to the story and really gives a feel for the characters, beyond being just words on a page. Plus, the sex in those books was HOT!
This one seems to drift a little, like the author had to come up with a plot and just threw a bunch of ideas in a bowl, mixed it up, and looked at what fell out. The only secondary character who plays much of a role is Quinn, and he's a total (fill-in-word-here) in this book. (Riley finally gives him the boot.) The story came from nowhere and when it was over, it hadn't gone anywhere. Riley's verbal sparring with Jack's new secretary were stupid. And finally, with the exception of Riley's one scene will Kellan, the sex scenes were all filled with pain and darkness.
I will buy book 5 when it comes out. I just hope that one gets back to what made the first 3 so good...
Loved It !!!.......2007-05-14
So far i've read all four of Keri Arthur's "Riley Jensen series" and loved them all. Each is packed with action, romance and intrigue. I would highly recommend this series to anyone who is interested in paranormal romances.
Dangerous Games.......2007-05-13
I enjoy the Riley Jenson series and find her an interesting mix of a traditional and modern woman. Am hoping that she and the vampire love in her life are able to sort their differences. Looking forward to her next adventure and learning more of her 'tribe'. It is always good to find new authors as I read very quickly and prolifically.
Book Description
A mysterious plane crash . . . a dangerous trek through the Idaho wilderness . . . a smoldering attraction . . . and a deadly game of cat and mouse. In her latest tour de force of romantic suspense, New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard blends these elements into a gripping story that will keep readers breathless–and leave them begging for more. For in Linda Howard’s world, trust can be a weapon, a kiss can be a threat, and intimacy can be deadly.
Bailey Wingate’s scheming adult stepchildren are surprised when their father’s will leaves Bailey in control of their fortune, and war ensues. A year later, while flying from Seattle to Denver in a small plane, Bailey nearly dies herself when the engine sputters–and then fails.
Cam Justice, her sexy Texan pilot, manages to crash-land the aircraft. Stranded in the wilderness, and struggling to douse her feelings for the ruggedly handsome man by her side, Bailey begins to wonder whether this was a mere accident. Who tampered with their plane? Who’s trying to reunite Bailey and her husband in the afterlife? Cut off from the world, and with little hope of rescue, Bailey must trust her life–and heart–to Cam, as they battle the harsh elements to find a way out of the unforgiving wilds and back to civilization . . . where a killer may be waiting to finish the job.
Sexy, suspenseful, and lightning fast, Up Close and Dangerous showcases a beloved author at her dazzling best.
Customer Reviews:
Actually, it's better than she's been lately.......2007-10-09
I have been SEVERELY disappointed in Linda Howard's books lately, but I actually enjoyed this book....for the most part. The ending came rather quickly and was a total surprise....and it was disappointing that some characters didn't get what was coming to them....the story just ended abruptly.
Will Seth grow up and get his own novel with his own strong woman???
not one of my favorites.......2007-09-27
this was not one of my favorite Linda Howard books and I have read them all.
The Plot was unbelievable and the characters were weak...
Hoping for a better story next time around..
Survivor story in eastern WA.......2007-09-27
I liked this book. And as some others have said, it's also a course in survival. Who would think that pine needles in hot water tastes ok as a tea? Or perhaps being able to eat the pine nuts for protein? It was a great story, exciting, probably based on tried and true survival methods and a love story as well. It was entertaining, kept me reading and very interested in what would possibly happen next. And I was surprised by the ending. So to me, it's a good book. Not the best or greatest---but good. I'd suggest it to anyone needing a book to read at the beach or on a plane.
Surprisingly good book.......2007-09-25
I made a huge mistake before I read this book. I read the many reviews on it, and many of them panned Up Close and Dangerous. Pish tosh! The reviewers need to get a review clue. Howard gives her readers a tightly plotted book. She lays a trail of crumbs for readers so that they can understand both Cameron and Bailey. Howard's point is that we can't judge people without knowing them. So Cam and Bailey come to know each other under adversity caused by a plane crash. She is more than a rich man's darling. He is more than some macho jock who despises her. Being thrown together as a result of the crash helps Bailey and Cameron to build an enduring relationship in which each has a full gauge of what the other is capable of under pressure.
Another aspect of the novel is how Howard tosses dust in her reader's eyes but casting suspicion on and then clearing Bailey's stepchildren. Though they both hate her, her stepson, because of the accident, learns to channel his hate to achieve a positive objective. In this way, he realizes his father's ambition for him. Though he learns about Bailey and understands why she is his stepmother and is in control of things, he openly acknowledges that he prefers to have the status quo remain in place in order to continue his growth and development as a responsible human being.
Howard's novel even has a surprising twist at the end. Perhaps it's not so surprising. Anyway, the novel's plot is a good one, and it works.
The reader should not expect the usual heat that can burn up characters in a Howard novel. Instead, one sees an eventual growth in relationship that comes to be based on trust rather than sheer heat. Besides, it's somewhat difficult to flame out when a guy's injured for good part of things.
I liked this novel very much, and recommend it to other readers. I read it as a library borrow, and will purchase it when the paperback comes out. Good for you, Linda. Good read, worth the money.
Stock Howard.......2007-09-23
I've been a Linda Howard reader for some time but I've seen a steady decrease in quality with a corresponding increase in price. Howard seems to sleepwalk through the novel. Three fourths of it consisting of a survival guide on what to do if you're in a plane crash in the mountains. I'm sorry but this isn't what I'm looking for in romantic suspense, especially when it doesn't advance the plot (what little there is). The main characters are barely sketched in and the ending gotcha (in the last 3 pages no less) seem an afterthought. I really don't think any of her recent novels should be hardcover with the accompanying hardcover price tag. I don't begrudge Howard making a profit on her work but really, at least make the work worth it. If you want to read an author with real character development and great plots pick up the Dirk & Steele novels by Majorie M. Liu.
Book Description
Navy SEAL Clint “Iceman” McIntire didn’t earn his nickname by being a coward. Or a quitter. Having crushed an infamous drug cartel in Colombia, Clint was nothing short of an American hero. Now he’s home, on a much-needed leave, but instead of some R&R, he finds himself neck-deep in trouble with his best friend’s little sister, Morganna Chavez, the only woman who has the power to bring him to his knees. . .
Morganna has been secretly working with the DEA to uncover a thriving date-rape drug, which leads her to a shadowy faction that is more deadly than anything her team has ever encountered. Now it’s up to Clint to keep this beautiful, determined agent out of harm’s way, even while the passion between them threatens to consume them. Soon Clint’s greatest mission will be not just keeping Morganna safe, but getting her into his arms and never letting go.
Customer Reviews:
ALPHA MALES sigh sigh...............2007-09-10
wow i have only just discovered Lora Leigh a couple of weeks ago and have only read 4 of her books, 2 being erotica & 2 from this SEAL series and i have to say i'm sooooooo glad i found her!!! i love the SEAL/Special Forces/Cop action romances with steamy sex & alpha males, and Dangerous Games fitted right in smack bang with EVERYTHING mentioned. I thought Genita Low's Shadowy Assassins series was great but Lora Leigh's SEAL series is that next notch up for the steamy & very exciting sex scenes. It was very much a turn on & fitted very well the alpha male characters. It's not as explicit as her erotica books but definitely way more exciting than many other suspense romance authors out there. The novel length was just right too and the storyline line was everything i expected. Many suspense romance novels tend to focus too much on the suspense plot (ie what the bad guy was thinking & who he was gonna do next etc...)than the relationship between the hero/heorine but Dangerous Games was much about the romance & love aspect with the action as a sideline story. I love that protectiveness all these heros have for their woman. I've also read her newest SEAL book - Hidden Agendas which is also very good but Dangerous Games Clint is so my alpha male hero. Great book had to finish in one sitting and can't wait for Ian & Kira's story. now i just have to go find Reno/Raven story.
Loved It.......2007-08-03
So far I've read all but Hidden Agendas in Lora Leigh's Tempting Seals series. So far this is my favorite (but all are wonderful). I enjoyed Clint's story and wished the book was sooooooooooooo much longer. =)
Lora Leigh puts together some hot steamy scenes. No matter what she writes it's a good read.
Clint will remain one of my favorite heros in a romance book.
The hero and heroine in this book had me needing to read more. A page turner from the get go.
If you love to read hot romance this book will give you that.
Best book in the Tempting SEALs series.......2007-07-30
After reading all four currently available stories in the Tempting SEALs series, this is by far the best book in the series. I didn't want to put the book down! Book 4 wasn't quite as engaging as this book, but I look forward to reading book 5 when it becomes available.
Tempting SEALs #2; The series is worthwhile.......2007-07-23
The second Tempting SEALs is a novel, "Dangerous Games". As we learned in Tempting SEALs #1, Raven is the sister of Reno's best friend, Clint. Reno's sister, Morganna, is Raven's best friend. And just like Raven grew up loving Reno, Morganna grew up loving Clint. And Clint loved her back. But Clint had some dark secrets that he shared with no one, and he felt very strongly that he would be very, very bad for Morganna. So once Morganna was a grown woman, Clint concentrated on staying as far away from her as possible, hoping she would find someone else and be happy. Like Reno, alpha-alpha male Clint was a SEAL, and much of the time he spent away from Morganna was spent in the hot spots of the world doing dirty, dangerous work. What he didn't count on was that his little spitfire, Morganna, would join the DEA and get involved in a domestic mission that would eventually catch her up in an unresolved international bust in which Clint was instrumental. In spite of his best efforts, Clint was thrown together with Morganna for an extended period of time -- just the opportunity Morganna had been looking for.
Note: Explicit light BSDM, implied heavier BSDM. The erotic passages are fewer and briefer than in Leigh's Ellora's Cave books, but no less effective or explicit.
Even if you're put off by the BSDM in this book, please try the others: The novella "Reno's Chance" in Honk If You Love Real Men (Tempting SEALs, Book 1), the novella "For Maggie's Sake" in Real Men Do It Better (Tempting SEALs, Book 3), and Hidden Agendas (Tempting SEALs, Book 4).
Voracious Reader.......2007-06-09
Initally this book was hard for me to really get into. Which is unsual for me with her books. I like the story line (Seals) and the BDSM/Erotica that I have come to expect from Lora. I think reading the other reviews that there were some discrepancies but when reading the story I am not trying to pick the book apart. I like the hero more than the herione. They have known and loved each other since childhood. He is the hard bodied sexy Seal and she the smart mouth rebellious girl interest. I think the struggle Clint went through was too long and I had to read portions regarding the drug cartel twice to understand who was who. I already have book three and will get four when it comes out. I have been a fan of here work since the Bound Hearts series.
Book Description
Chuck Klosterman IV Consists of Three Parts:
THINGS THAT ARE TRUE
Profiles And Trend Stories: Britney Spears, Radiohead, Billy Joel, Metallica, Val Kilmer, Bono, Wilco, The White Stripes, Steve Nash, Morrissey, Robert Plant -- All With New Introductions And
Footnotes.
THINGS THAT MIGHT BE TRUE
Opinions And Theories On Everything From Monogamy To Pirates To Robots To Super People To Guilt And (Of Course) Advancement -- All With New Hypothetical Questions And Footnotes.
SOMETHING THAT ISN'T TRUE AT ALL
This Is New Fiction. There's An Introduction, But No Footnotes. Well, There's A Footnote In The Introduction, But None In The Story.
Customer Reviews:
Good for the NEWBIES.......2007-08-21
If you are just getting into Chuck Klosterman's writing, this is the book for you. I was given his previous book, SEX, DRUGS and COCOA PUFFS by a friend and found it to be one of the most entertaining and interesting books I had read in a long time. His insight into pop culture and his take on what is all means is fun and sometimes thought-provoking. I hadn't read any of his previous work, so this anthology of his previous work was a great way for me to catch up. I have since read KILLING YOURSELF, and am about to start FARGO. Enjoy!!!
Great Summer Read.......2007-08-09
The latest Chuck Klosterman, Chuck Klosterman IV:A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas, has come out in paperback, so I picked it up. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been reading this mammoth book on the Algerian war and have been reading some lighter stuff in between for a break and this totally fits the bill. That being said I had read a lot of the essays before, since I use dot regularly buy Esquire magazine, but it was nice to re-visit many of the articles. Love or hate Klosterman, he has a unique perspective on life and pop culture. However, I have to admit that I am a little bit more skeptical about some of his opinions like his defense of McDonalds in "McDiculous"-in which he comes across as a libertarian apologist for capitalism. "The Amazing McNugget Diet" was a mere week and has nothing on the film Super Size Me-a week isn't long enough to do anything to the body. I also found his hypothetical questions, that preceded several of the pieces, tedious.
That being said there are some real gems in the collection. Some of my favorites include:
a profile of Birtney Spears ("Bending Spoons with Britney Spears"-possibly the least self-aware celebrity alive), a profile of Val Kilmer ("Crazy Things Seem Normal, Normal Things Seem Crazy" -possibly the most self-aware celebrity around), a Johnny Carson obituary ("Here's `Johnny'"-the collapse of the common pop culture), a mediation on your nemesis and archenemy ("Nemesis"), the pop culture concept of Advancement, which I still don't quite grasp ("Advancement"), the problems of rooting for your country in the Olympics ("I Do Not Hate the Olympics"), fashion ("Three Stories Involving Pants," pop opinion vs. your opinion ("Cultural Betrayal"), the problem of monogamy ("Monogamy"), the significance of reality TV ("4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42).
All in all, it is extremely entertaining, thought provoking, but not too taxing. I guess that's the definition of a perfect summer read.
Make it past the opening chapter and you're in for a long, strange trip.......2007-07-30
Chuck Klosterman's fourth essay collection, consisting of things that are true, things that might be true, and something that isn't true at all, is a snarky, intelligent collection with an absolutely terrible opening essay. I listened to the audiobook version, and during the opening piece, a dreadfully long, directionless anecdote about a junior high school basketball game, I nearly turned the audiobook off for good. There mere fact that Klosterman thought this was not just good enough to publish, but worth of opening his self-titled fourth book, cast doubt about the quality of the work as a whole.
Was he testing us? Would only his true fans make it past that opening chapter?
Fortunately, the next chapter, a 2003 article in which Klosterman deconstructs Britney Spears, was so riveting that I promptly forgot the painful moments of my life I lost to junior high basketball. Klosterman interviews Spears and observes her lack of self-awareness, eerily predicted her early 2007 meltdown under the media glare. He also takes us inside Val Kilmer's New Mexico buffalo ranch, to Dublin with Bono, and to certain celebrity interviews that were never published. Learning the story behind the unpublished pieces is almost as much fun as reading the essays themselves.
Klosterman also treats us to philosophical logic puzzles and his authoritative personal philosophies--the nemesis vs. arch-rival iconography, frustrated at people who are "betrayed" by the cultural mainstream, and his take on artists who are overrated, underrated, and perfectly accurately rated.
The concluding chapter is a long, ambling pseudo-autobiographical tale (with bonus angel dust use and a badass slacker narrator who happens to be a pop culture journalist at a Midwest paper) that succeeds in all the ways the first chapter fails. It's a long strange trip, indeed, with an ending open to interpretation.
Klosterman wins on most all counts..........2007-07-27
If you are familiar with Klosterman's work in such fine publications as Esquire or Spin, you know that his one article alone can sometimes make the longest lasting impression of that month's read. His fourth book, which is partially compiled from those essays, shows why many believe Klosterman is perhaps America's greatest critical/cynical observer of the modern life since guys like HST and Lester Bangs roamed the earth. (without the drugs of the former.) CK's stand-back-and-see what's-really happening take on everything from a Britney Spears photo shoot (is she just not self-aware or really extra savvy?), to a Dublin spin in Bono's Maserati, to senseless Olympic 'faux-patriotism' fandom, reality TV and the myth of monogamy, seriously questions one's own thinking with it's detached analysis and an overwhelming sense of "Oh, really?". (Plus, He's the only guy I know who bothers to make a list of bands that are 'accurately rated.') Of course, whether trying to be or not, this self acclaimed Gen-Exer is often dropkick hysterical. The book is divided into three sections - "Things That Are True," "Things That Might Be True" and "Something That Isn't True at All" the latter of which is the author's attempt at short fiction. What is true is that Klosterman wins on most all counts. Whether you agree with him or not, he puts his views front-and-center (or not) and let's you know that he doesn't necessarily look at life through the same filters as everyone else. In short, Klosterman rocks. - BlogOnBooks
Hilarious.......2007-06-02
I'm a big fan of Chuck Klosterman's writing, and he did not disappoint with this book! It wasn't quite "Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs" but I like it better than "Fargo Rock City". The last section of the book was my favorite.
Book Description
What's beyond Freemasonry? That's the question investigators have pondered for decades and Craig Heimbichner furnishes fascinating answers as he probes deeply into the sooty arcana of the Ordo Templi Orientis --or "OTO" -- the higher secret society to which elite Freemasons emigrate as part of a process of occult succession.
"Blood on the Altar" pursues the shape-shifting trail of this successor group, on the Left as the pillar of a libertarian ethos, avant-garde drug culture and radical hedonism; on the Right, as the pillar of aristocratic preference for authoritarian rule and classical culture.
Heimbichner has deconstructed not just a Janus-faced secret society but a method of operation so deceptive, the reader can hardly believe that such audacious and far-flung duplicity and misdirection could possibly succeed for so long without exposure. But succeed it has, until now.
The head-spinning trail of the OTO leads from the US government to the NASA rocket program, from the Hollywood film industry to Right-wing "patriot" groups, from the New Age craze for the Kabbalah, to an attempt to control the conservative enthusiasm for traditional liturgy.
The OTO has marched from triumph after triumph, as the spectre of its "Great Beast", British Intelligence officer Aleister Crowley, cast its Thelemic spell over a double-minded populace alternately seeking freedom-and-contraint, sex-and-repression, magick-and-Christendom, science-and-superstition. "Blood on the Altar" shows the OTO to be the signature secret society behind the most dazzling--and puzzling-- charades of the modern Cryptocracy.
Customer Reviews:
Get the facts.......2007-09-08
I was a member of the OTO for a number of years and even was the head of an Oasis. This fellow hasn't got a clue about the subject which he claims to be an expert on. I have gotten others ro read this book with a great enjoyment of the humor (unintentional). There may be a secret society running the world but this fellow has it all wrong. Anyone who knows the subject will find humor anyone looking for knowledge will only find confusion.
If only.......2007-07-24
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
I've been a member of the OTO for nearly 15 years, so it may suprise many readers of this review that I would give 4 stars to an expose of my dastardly doings. Boy, don't I wish. When I finished the book, I went waving it at my girlfriend, saying, "Where is THIS organization? I want to join THIS OTO!" Sadly, despite Mr. Heimbichner's efforts to assist our recruiting drive, the reality on the ground and the glamorous mystique he weaves around the Order are often very different things. Grant's Typhonian OTO, Bertiaux's OTOA, Motta's SOTO, McMurtry's
"Caliphate" OTO (to which I proudly belong), the "Swiss" OTO, et al, are mostly working with entirely different objectives. We are, unfortunately, too busy squabbling amongst ourselves to mount any sort of organized offensive on the status quo. This is not, as Heimbichner suggests, because the higher ups of the Order have nefariously sought to present the illusion of confusion. I can assure you that the confusion is quite real.
Nonetheless, I think that Heimbichner would be suprised at the number of places where he and I agree. While I repudiate his racist blood-libel bit, (or, rather, not being Christian, I don't care who's fault it is that his imaginary friend, Jesus, was crucified), I share his criticism of Zionism and the excesses of the State of Israel. I also agree that the Thelemic teachings are rather edgier than perhaps most self-identifying Thelemites are willing to admit to themselves. I also agree that Vatican II was tragic in many ways for Catholicism.
Further, while I can't speak for other Thelemites, I'm willing to acknowldge that Heimbichner was correct that I have a love/hate relationship with the Catholic Church. Protestanism is not very impressive. The mushrooming of suburban shopping mall style mega-churches, where a consumer culture passively consumes the yammering of ill-qualified preachers responsible only to themselves, is the logical outcome of the protestant ethic. At least the Catholic Church is a worthy opponent. I love the tradition, the art, the architecture, the mystery of the Catholic Church. At the same time, I find the ideas of original sin and vicarious atonement repugnant. The Church's clinging to Biblical questionable doctrines forbidding birth control at a time when over-population threatens our planet is irresponsible, to say the least. In fact, the Church's mania to control the sexuality of it's adherents is perhaps its most objectionable characteristic.
The problem, really, with this book is that Heimbichner's One United Conspiracy theory makes him fail to appreciate what, to me, should particularly be noted; which is this -- that, despite competing value systems, often, similar goals make for strange bedfellows. He misses a great deal of nuance and complexity that would have made this book a serious historical inquiry. While Heimbichner laments our media manipulated society, he fails to note that Aleister Crowley, whom he blames for this state of affairs, was complaining about "The Black Lodge" trying to "stop people from thinking" as far back as the 1940's (see Crowley's Magick without Tears for more on this issue.) The real menace today is the military-industrial complex. This is true whether you are a "right wing nut" or a "left wing nut," an occultist or a Catholic. In our own ways, esotericists and students of conspiracy like Heimbichner, although he doesn't realize it, are actually after the same enemy. Talk about strange bedfellows.
I could go on in this vein, but to return to the original question, why would I give this book 4 stars? The answer is that, frankly, Heimbichner traces alot of connections that are helpful to members of the OTO. His comments on the Palladium are particularly interesting. He highlights other connections that, although they are hiding in plain site, are hiding nonetheless. Alot of this same interrelationship is traced, less prejucially, in Joscelyn Godwin's "The Theosophical Enlightenment," and should be studied there. Author and occultist, Allen Greenfield, recently recounted on a podcast interview a comment made to him by one of the great modern adepts, Martin P. Starr. The comment was (and I paraphrase, here) that more important than following the papertrail of occult orders, is to follow the transmission of ideas. Heimbichner seems to believe that he is tracing a "papertrail" from one organization to another, but what he actually traces is the transmission of ideas from generation to generation of seekers after the Light.
Perhaps the the Light of Initiation is a "darkness visible" to those beyond its pale. Even those of us who have set out in search of that light often only catch a few glimpses of it. While the Bible cautions that Satan may disguise himself as an angel of light, it is, perhaps, also true that the angel of God may clothe himself in darkness. Perhaps it is this darkness that the cowan experiences when he confronts the adept. Men like Heimbichner will never see the light within. They are stopped by the terrible form of the Dweller of the Threshold, repulsed by the darkness visible, when the light invisible dwells just beyond its terrifying shroud.
I should probably end with the disclaimer that, while I have spoken of my own affiliation with the OTO, I am in no way deputed to speak on its behalf, and these opinions are my own.
Love is the law, love under will.
yes, Virginia, there is an OTO.......2007-07-04
One of the lynchpins of Graham Lincoln's dismissive review is the supposed authority of The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements. I guess it's fine from an Anglophilic point of view, but most serious scholars turn to the work of J. Gordon Melton. Sure, even Melton agrees that there are (at least) four competing OTO's, but would one argue that there isn't some agreed.upon vision that identifies each as "OTO"? Do the many dominations of Christianity not agree upon certain basic principles? And given the involvement of L. Ron Hubbard in the Pasadena chapter of the OTO (pre.Scientology), how can the organization not be considered significant in any comprehensive study of ... post.ancient religion? Lincoln, whether he intends it or not, takes an unseemly puritanical approach to Heimbichner's book. For Lincoln, the Masonic Order - unlike practically everything else in American society - is above criticism.
A must read for the informed........2007-05-08
Very informative regarding the Masons and their aims for the new world order. Their power and influence in history and today, is indeed scary.
An underground classic destined to live on.......2007-02-20
This book is jam-packed with information and gores just about everyone's sacred cow with wit and insight as it shines a spotlight on the vermin-infested corner of occult Masonry. The campaign to slander this book on Amazon run by Masons and Thelemites (members of the OTO, subject of this book) is proof that the author struck the proper nerve. The lies posted below would be amusing if they weren't the (illiterate) product of such a campaign. For example, one recent reviewer mocks the author's statement that vampirism belongs to the upper levels of the OTO, but surely knows that the "Mass of the Phoenix" of the OTO is also known to initiates as the "Mass of the Vampire," and for good reason. Kenneth Grant not a member of the OTO run by Bill Breeze, which is "legally recognized?" What a joke. Take a trip to Peter Koenig's OTO website in Switzerland and you will find a document from Aleister Crowley authorizing Grant to run the whole bloody organization. That Breeze "won" something in the U.S. court system is another joke; in fact, followers of Marcelos Motta in the Society of the OTO claim the whole operation was run by the CIA through the courts. And the author never, ever claims that all of these individuals are members of the "same" OTO, but highlights the different and various individuals and branches of the OTO phenomenon.
These OTO reviewers are so full of contradictions that they praise the glossary and the research while saying it is "ridiculous." Really? They also pull out accusations and "tags" which are inaccurate, such as "racial bias" or mentions of UFOs (utterly absent from the book) in an attempt to attack the author or the book itself. As for the mention of infiltration by the OTO, the author never states how vast it is, but instead actually documents from OTO internal "libri" their own intentions to do so. This is never discussed in these reviews--for obvious reasons.
Buy the book and hang on to it. It will be worth serious money in a few years.
Book Description
From the author of the immensely influential and best-selling Of Paradise and Power—a major reevaluation of America’s place in the world from the colonial era to the turn of the twentieth century.
Robert Kagan strips away the myth of America’s isolationist tradition and reveals a more complicated reality: that Americans have been increasing their global power and influence steadily for the past four centuries. Even from the time of the Puritans, he reveals, America was no shining “city up on a hill” but an engine of commercial and territorial expansion that drove Native Americans, as well as French, Spanish, Russian, and ultimately even British power, from the North American continent. Even before the birth of the nation, Americans believed they were destined for global leadership. Underlying their ambitions, Kagan argues, was a set of ideas and ideals about the world and human nature. He focuses on the Declaration of Independence as the document that firmly established the American conviction that the inalienable rights of all mankind transcended territorial borders and blood ties. American nationalism, he shows, was always internationalist at its core. He also makes a startling discovery: that the Civil War and the abolition of slavery—the fulfillment of the ideals of the Declaration—were the decisive turning point in the history of American foreign policy as well. Kagan's brilliant and comprehensive reexamination of early American foreign policy makes clear why America, from its very beginning, has been viewed worldwide not only as a wellspring of political, cultural, and social revolution, but as an ambitious and, at times, dangerous nation.
Customer Reviews:
Chickenhawk.......2007-09-15
Another pudgy think tank blowhard advocating war and military adventures while he has not and would never put himself in danger in the esame way. Disgusting. there is nothing military people, especially those with combat experience, detest more than a chickenhawk.
A very different review of U.S. foreign policy.......2007-09-11
Dangerous Nation, by Robert Kagan, has a brilliant premise, namely that, rightly or wrongly, the United States has always had an expansionist policy - in spite of our own belief that we are essentially isolationists, or even have been so at times. Kagan sums it up best. "Americans have cherished an image of themselves as by nature inward-looking and aloof, only sporadically and spasmodically venturing forth into the world. This self image survives, despite four hundred years of steady expansion and an every-deepening involvement in world affairs, and despite innumerable wars, interventions, and prolonged fate. Even as the United States has risen to a position of global hegemony, expanding its reach and purview and involvement across the continent and then across the oceans, Americans still believe their nation's natural tendencies are toward passivity, indifference, and insularity. (But Americans) have not anticipated, therefore, the way their natural expansiveness could provoke reactions, and sometimes violent reactions, against them."
Kagan makes some great points about U.S. expansion despite our national belief of the opposite. His writing in this volume (which ends at the Spanish-American War, with a second to follow on the 20th Century) is erudite. Often, however, the reader is led astray and wonders where the author is going - and the answer is really nowhere, simply making sometimes quite long winded comments that are off message. In essence, Kagan is a brilliant thinker, has a very sustainable premise but is only an adequate writer. A book for those highly interested in a fairly radical view of American foreign policy, over a long period of time.
Dangerous: may change your perspective on American history!.......2007-08-25
This text should be used in our schools to teach the political-military history all Americans should know. An excellent chronological overview up to the dawn of the 20th century--I can hardly wait for volume two!
Comprehensive and an eye-opener.......2007-06-14
I cautiously approached this book having read some other professional reviews in fear that it might be too much a literary essay and hence non-readable. I have been very pleasantly surprised and recommend it to anyone who might like to look at where we (American) have come from in terms of getting involved in "other people's business".
I thoroughly enjoyed the way Kagan shows the contrasting opinions, often in the same founding father's mind. I too am often in a quandry as to where we should mind our own country's business and where our responsibilities as citizens of the world come into play.
Kagan does a good job of examining how we've come from the world of the Monroe Doctrine (not exactly what I thought it was) to policemen of the world (actually only up to the turn of the Spanish American War).
Now I'd like to see a similar appraisal of the past 100 years.
"Foreign entanglements" are the American Way.......2007-05-03
In our current public debate, intellectual laziness often causes us to support this or that position with certain favorite quotes from the Founding Fathers, stripped of their historical context. How many times do we need to hear about Jefferson's "wall" separating Church and State brought into a discussion about a woman's "right to choose"? How many times has Washington's exhortation "to avoid foreign entanglements" -- in his 1796 Farewell Address -- been quoted to us when the topic is "what to do" in Bosnia, Kosovo or, lately, in Iraq?
Clearly, Robert Kagan is tired of these quotations, which stop all argument, too. The fulcrum of his book is Washington's Farewell Address. He spends the first 120 pages of his book preparing the historical context of this speech from the French-Indian War to 1796, and spends a full 20 pages explaining all of the foreign entanglements a fledgling America had already involved itself during 1796. In effect, Kagan modifies Washington's "rule" of foreign policy by making the case that Washington argued not to eliminate all foreign entanglements, but only those, which were not in America's "interest." The trick since then has been to decide, which entanglements were in America's interest and which weren't.
It is instructive to know that Kagan began this book in 1996, before publishing "Paradise and Power." Not only was 1996 the 200th anniversary of the Farewell Address, but also a special moment in American history when Americans were so tired of "history" and "foreign entanglements" that it looked like we would never want to or have to "entangle" ourselves again. At the same time, we were forced to watch the genocide in the Balkans go unstopped by both a "weak" Europe and an "indifferent" America.
Of course, this moment in history is explored in depth in "Paradise and Power," but it informs "Dangerous Nation."
While I must admit that I still have 100 pages to go in Kagan's book, the reason is twofold: on the one hand, the book is exhaustive in detail and in creating context; and, on the other hand, the book is somewhat exhausting to read, such that I can only manage about 30 pages per day.
Nevertheless, the book must be read due to it's unique perspective on American history. Kagan definitively demonstrates that the American mission has been messianic, interventionist, and idealistic from its Founding.
Amazon.com
The seemingly impossible Zen task--writing a book about nothing--has a loophole: people have been chatting, learning, and even fighting about nothing for millennia. Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea, by noted science writer Charles Seife, starts with the story of a modern battleship stopped dead in the water by a loose zero, then rewinds back to several hundred years BCE. Some empty-headed genius improved the traditional Eastern counting methods immeasurably by adding zero as a placeholder, which allowed the genesis of our still-used decimal system. It's all been uphill from there, but Seife is enthusiastic about his subject; his synthesis of math, history, and anthropology seduces the reader into a new fascination with the most troubling number.
Why did the Church reject the use of zero? How did mystics of all stripes get bent out of shape over it? Is it true that science as we know it depends on this mysterious round digit? Zero opens up these questions and lets us explore the answers and their ramifications for our oh-so-modern lives. Seife has fun with his format, too, starting with chapter 0 and finishing with an appendix titled "Make Your Own Wormhole Time Machine." (Warning: don't get your hopes up too much.) There are enough graphs and equations to scare off serious numerophobes, but the real story is in the interactions between artists, scientists, mathematicians, religious and political leaders, and the rest of us--it seems we really do have nothing in common. --Rob Lightner
Book Description
Charles Seife traces the origins and colorful history of the number zero from Aristotle to superstring theory by way of Pythagoras, the Kabbalists, and Einstein. Weaving together ancient dramas and state-of-the-art science, Zero is a concise tour of a universe of ideas bound up in the simple notion of nothingness.
Customer Reviews:
Zero and infinity.......2007-08-07
Babylonians invented it, Indians worshipped it, Greeks abhorred it. Zero has been a problematic number for a long time. European mathematicians followed Greek footsteps, until they finally realized how important thing zero was for advanced mathematics.
Seife presents us the history of zero and its sister concept infinity, not only in mathematics, but also in physics and quantum mechanics. Zero is an entertaining book, if a bit light. For quick popular science entertainment purposes it's a good choice. (Review based on the Finnish translation.)
A facinating read.......2007-06-05
The first part of this book walks through all the history and philosophy of the concept of zero (and infinity) of the past few thousand years, explaining who did what, when, where, and most importantly, why. The later chapters are devoted to delving in to the more technical aspects of zero (and infinity).
The history is simple, not dry, and a suitable read for anyone. The later chapters require some math background. Although the author explains a lot of the math, you appreciate it better if you have a higher than normal math education.
Heresy within Numerology.......2007-04-24
Heresy within Numerology
"Zero" falls into a very narrow category of books that can be considered a work of art. From the cover, to the interesting last name of the author (near to that of Cypher), to the chapter titles to the way that each consecutive chapter integrates with their predecessors. Do not be fooled by the deceptive size of this book, as the thoughts it inspires may fill the notebooks and empty the ink from pens you keep nearby.
The book centers on the twins--Zero and Infinity. These two heretics are abhorred by nature, yet have been sirens to many of the greatest minds this world has ever known. Our story begins with the chapter "Null and Void," when the implosive power of Zero disables the USS Yorktown. Once the book has opened with such a display of power, it immediately travels backwards in time to when mortals first discovered these two forces, then follows a trail of those lunatics and bodies that dared seek the twins.
Even the non-numerically oriented should find inspiration and insight buried between the lines and diagrams of this book. The admixture of mathematics, physics and philosophy--even alchemy--leaves open this book's audience to varied membership.
My son loved it.......2007-03-20
He's a math dude, age 12. LOVED the book. He also liked the Story of PI.
One of a kind.......2007-03-18
Very enlightening, I couldn't put it down. People who love numbers will enjoy the numerical calculations. The ones who don't will easily understand. And when you finish reading it you will feel like you actually have learned something from it. Zero is not just another book!
It should be required reading in schools.
Average customer rating:
- very good
- Good to the last page and beyond
- Warriors: A Dangerous Path
- Dog Pack Escapes
- A Great Book from a Great Series
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A Dangerous Path (Warriors, Book 5)
Erin Hunter
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0060525657
Release Date: 2005-05-24 |
Book Description
ShadowClan has a dark new leader, but will he be satisfied with his power now -- or does his desire for revenge burn even more strongly? Fireheart fears that there is a connection between the rise of Tigerstar and the terrible dreams of danger that haunt his nights.
Meanwhile, a mysterious threat has invaded the forest, placing every cat's life in peril. Fireheart's beloved leader has turned her back on their warrior ancestors, and Fireheart can't help but wonder if she's right. Has StarClan abandoned them forever?
Ages 8 - 12
Customer Reviews:
very good.......2007-09-30
this book was a very good read. i would highly reccomend the series to any cat lover. you should always read the books in order, and NEVER read the backs or the character lists of a book ahead of you!!!! I found out something that you will find out in book #6 when I was reading book #4. it kind of ruined book #5 in a way. This book is definately good
Good to the last page and beyond.......2007-08-26
As will all the Warrior series, I loved this book as well. It is leading up to the big finale of the 6th book and many dangers face the cats in this book. As usual, it kept me up at night reading to find out what would happen next and how the cats would ever get out of each new situation they found themselves in. A great read as always. Can't get enough of the Warrior books. Love each and every one of them and you don't have to be a "kit" to enjoy them. I am 48 and look forward to the next book whenever I finish one.
Warriors: A Dangerous Path.......2007-06-06
Fireheart is leading his clan through the dark times. He used to be a kittypet and others still tease him. It's hard for him to be a deputy when his leader is going crazy. It's also hard for him to believe other cats sometimes, but he will have to in order to save his from an evil Shadow clan leader.
I would recommend this book because it's very exciting. Sometimes it's sad, sometimes it's happy, and sometimes it's a little bit scary. This is a great book for anyone who loves animals, especially cats.
Dog Pack Escapes.......2007-06-06
In this amazing book of the series Warriors, Fireheart finds out that Tigerclaw, the former deputy of Thunderclan that tried to kill Bluestar, became leader of Shadowclan and got his new name (Tigerstar) and nine lives from Starclan. Thunderclan's leader, Bluestar, is still dealling with the fact that Tigerstar betray her. When Fireheart learns of a dog pack on the loose, Bluestar thinks that they are just strays and will go back to their home soon. When Fireheart finds out that all this connects to Tigerstar, he relizes that he will have to save the Clan. But will it be to late to save his own leader? I recomend this book to kids that love books full of suspence and adventure.
A Great Book from a Great Series.......2007-01-08
A Dangerous Path by Erin Hunter is the fifth book in the original Warriors series. The main character, Fireheart, Thunderclan deputy, is at head of the Thunderclan cats at a Gathering when he finds out that the new Shadowclan leader is his enemy, Tigerclaw or Tigerstar now, the former Thunderclan deputy. When it is reported back to Bluestar, Thunderclan leader, that the cat who had earlier tried to kill her, was now a clan leader, her already troubled mind worsened as she declared war with the cat's ancestors, Starclan, and she believes the cats in Thunderclan are going to betray her. So Fireheart is trying his best to hide Bluestar's condition from the rest of the clan. But on top of all of this, Fireheart gets warnings from Starclan about a 'pack' that threatens the lives of Thunderclan.
I enjoyed this book because of my love for cats, but it was also frustrating and sad at times. Erin Hunter did a good job describing the events in the book. I got really frustrated with Bluestar when she thought she was at war with Starclan. But I could kind of see how she could read events that happened to her and her clan and how they could make her think that they meant that her ancestors where abandoning her. I do not see how she thought that her cats were traitors, especially Fireheart; he was the one who saved her from Tigerstar when he tried to kill her. Because she thought the Thuderclan cats would betray her, some very sad events took place. The end is sad as well but not all was bad.
I recommend this book, and all of the other Warriors books.
Books:
- Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the People's Temple
- Shadow of the Dragon: Dragon's Fire (Book 2)
- Spell of the Highlander
- Springwater Seasons
- Springwater Seasons
- The Baby Name Wizard: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby
- The Blood Books, Vol. 2 (Blood Lines / Blood Pact)
- The Blue Edge of Midnight
- The Bromeliad Trilogy: Truckers, Diggers, and Wings
- The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell (Cat Who...)
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