Book Description
Johanna Lindsey presents a sparkling, passionate Regency-era novel in which
a beautiful but ruthless gossip meets her match in a dashing rake who sets
out to change her wicked ways. Featuring two enthralling characters from
the unforgettable bestseller The Heir, The Devil Who Tamed Her
is a spirited new tale about the transforming power of true love.
Ophelia Reid is an incomparable beauty with a reputation for starting
rumors and spreading them. Having purposely wrecked her engagement to
Duncan MacTavish, a future marquis, which her social-climbing father
arranged, Ophelia wants to return to London's marriage mart and make her
own choice of a wealthy husband. But on her journey home, something
unexpected happens....
The heir to a dukedom, Raphael Locke, Viscount Lynnfield is -- in spite of
his disinterest in marriage -- the most sought-after young lord in England.
He instantly disliked Ophelia when she caused a scandal to avoid marriage
to his friend MacTavish, but having comforted her in a tearful moment, he
begins to wonder if she's not all bad. So when MacTavish claims that
Ophelia will never be anything but a spiteful beauty, Rafe bets his friend
that he can turn her into a kindhearted lady who will one day make a good
match, just not with him.
With her parents' blessing, Rafe commandeers Ophelia's coach and whisks
her -- chaperoned, of course -- to his remote estate in the countryside.
There, as he tries to show his furious, sharp-tongued "guest" the error of
her ways, he discovers the surprising reasons for her bad behavior. Soon
his daily lessons with Ophelia take effect and he finds himself
irresistibly attracted to her. When Rafe champions the new and improved
Ophelia's re-entry to London society, marriage proposals pour in. Only
then does Rafe start to wonder whether he hasn't gone and fallen in love
with Ophelia himself.
Wondrously romantic, passionate, and delightfully humorous, The Devil
Who Tamed Her is proof positive why Johanna Lindsey is among the most
widely read and best-loved authors of our time.
Customer Reviews:
Not worth the purchase.......2007-09-18
I'm a big fan of JL, but this was a disapointment. The plot was ok, but the characters were not as interesting as the one in The Heir(where this story picks up) Glad I got it from the libray instead of buying it.
Horrible.......2007-08-31
Oh Lordy, this has to be one of the worst Romance books I've read. The characters are all hollow and lifeless, which makes the plot - character driven as it is - even worse off then the characters.
The main character, Ophelia, was a Mary Sue. The most beautiful woman in all of england, maybe even world, more beautiful then any other woman who'd ever existed? Come on now... And the whole "I'm so beautiful, everyone hates me" is so cliche it makes me choke.
Even that, though, I can understand and go along with. Romance novels don't have to be the best plot driven things. Just believable, I can make up the rest. Rafe was equally and utterly stupid for someone who is supposed to be smart. The abduction was laughable. The "change" was laughable.
The author made no attempt to breath any life into these characters. The plot was crystal clear and see through, utterly boring because it wasn't supported; the characters stupid, dull, and dead; and to add insult to injury, she wrote the characters speach in some kind of butchered english accent instead of trusting that we can fill that in for ourselves.
Don't read this book. If she's a best seller, then this can't be more then a "need to fulfil a contract" book and nothing else.
The Devil who tamed her. .......2007-08-28
I enjoy reading Johanna Lindsey romance novels. I was excepting a delightful story of the Malorys to reappear. But this Book was very enjoyable and very entertaining. Good read.
Lukewarm at best.......2007-08-07
I usually like this author's work but there were several problems with the book that did not allow me to enjoy it. First, the hero was not likeable and the fact that he fell in love with her was not believable. He also was not sympathetic to her and did not seem at all sorry for his not so nice treatment. Secondly, the love scenes seemed rushed and poorly written. The sexual tension was non-existent and inadequately explained. Overall, story line has potential but the story is lukewarm at best.
Very Refreshing Read!!!.......2007-07-29
The book was fun and refreshing. A recommended light and easy summer reading.
Although, there are much better historical romance writers nowadays and the last few novels of Ms. Lindsey have been hits or misses, this one delivered a good entertaining, finish-as-soon-as possible quality.
Looking forward for a new one next year.....
Amazon.com
Richard Dawkins has an opinion on everything biological, it seems, and in A Devil's Chaplain, everything is biological. Dawkins weighs in on topics as diverse as ape rights, jury trials, religion, and education, all examined through the lens of natural selection and evolution. Although many of these essays have been published elsewhere, this book is something of a greatest-hits compilation, reprinting many of Dawkins' most famous recent compositions. They are well worth re-reading. His 1998 review of Alan Sokal and Jean Bricmont's Fashionable Nonsense is as bracing an indictment of academic obscurantism as the book it covered, although the review reveals some of Dawkins' personal biases as well. Several essays are devoted to skillfully debunking religion and mysticism, and these are likely to raise the hackles of even casual believers. Science, and more specifically evolutionary science, underlies each essay, giving readers a glimpse into the last several years' debates about the minutiae of natural selection. In one moving piece, Dawkins reflects on his late rival Stephen Jay Gould's magnum opus, The Structure of Evolutionary Theory, and clarifies what it was the two Darwinist heavyweights actually disagreed about. While the collection showcases Dawkins' brilliance and intellectual sparkle, it brings up as many questions as it answers. As an ever-ardent champion of science, honest discourse, and rational debate, Dawkins will obviously relish the challenge of answering them. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
The first collection of essays from renowned scientist and best-selling author Richard Dawkins is an enthusiastic declaration, a testament to the power of rigorous scientific examination to reveal the wonders of the world. In these essays Dawkins revisits the meme, the unit of cultural information that he named and wrote about in his groundbreaking work The Selfish Gene. Here also are moving tributes to friends and colleagues, including a eulogy for novelist Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; correspondence with the evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould; and visits with the famed paleoanthropologists Richard and Maeve Leakey at their African wildlife preserve. The collection ends with a vivid note to Dawkins's ten-year-old daughter, reminding her to remain curious, to ask questions, and to live the examined life.
Customer Reviews:
Dawkins addresses some myths.......2007-08-27
Some excellent essays. A touch too close to being a bit racist here and there, but perhaps that was inaccuracy of language. For the first time I think I actually understand something about evolution. His point about the 98% figure of genetic similarity with chimps was well made. He cited the fact that if you compare two books, there will be a lot of common letters and the figure would suggest similarity. But if you were to compare them sentence by sentence, they would probably share only a tiny fraction of commonality.
What I still don't understand about theorists on evolution is how they still discuss superiority or desirability for breeding in terms of strength, speed, size etc. After many hundreds of thousands of years during which human cooperation in agriculture, shared civilisation and eventually technological change has transformed the success rate of the species, why are qualities of cooperation, constancy or intellect now not also included in the factors that influence natural selection? Perhaps they are. Maybe I should read late Darwin.
The idea that atheists just go one God further was also a point well made. Many of us would admit to being atheists when it comes to Mithras, Zeus, Thor, etc etc. Of all the Gods, most people who claim not to be atheists probably only admit a belief in one and thus reject thousands of other. It's a bit like claiming to be a vegetarian on the grounds that you don't eat duck, but do eat all the rest of the animal world.
The point about cloning and identical twins was made a few too many times, I think, but then it was a collection of essays. It is a point, however, that the non-scientist would find it hard to relate to, since for someone from that starting position the twins are "natural" and the "clone" is not, despite the fact that genetically they represent identical concepts. The position would be really interesting, however, if the twins, or triplets or quads etc arose as a result of in vitro fertilisation and then implantation, and hence were not "natural".
Nobody does it better, but . . . .......2007-05-27
Richard Dawkins is more eloquent in explaining biology and more forthright in disparaging its critics than anyone else writing in English today. However, the Greeks said even Homer nods, and I want to pursue a thread in this collection of reviews, prefaces and articles where I think Dawkins does not follow his own argument.
A recurrent proposition in these essays is that humans evolved in Africa (even Dawkins haters could be charmed by his essays on his return to Kenya) to meet African conditions. Surprisingly, he does not then inquire: How does it come about that a genetic armamentarium designed for camping on the plains of Africa produced a species capable of both inventing absurd religions and working out, through direct observation and indirect, abstract arguments, what stars are? What possible selective value could having a brain capable of either have to a caveman?
The answer, of course, is that the mental function evolved for reasons unrelated to stars or spooks but once evolved proved to have other capacities. In medicine, it is not uncommon for physicians to discover that a drug selected for one organ or syndrome has a completely unexpected, positive effect on some other organ or syndrome. (And, of course, it is even more common for it to have an unexpected, negative effect elsewhere.)
The significance of this is that it opens the door to a special status for humans. Dawkins does not want to concede this, claiming, for example, that if we were aware of the continuous genetic gradient between us and chimpanzees, we would not countenance any fundamental difference between us and, therefore, would not `sacrifice' chimps in medical experiments.
This is very strange proposition for a professional zoologist to be making. What are species for?
The genetic continuity is present, obviously, and, as Dawkins himself sometimes says, goes right back to an ur-organism. So, where does the quantitative difference become qualitative? If it is unthinkable to torture chimpanzees (or, to put it positively, as Dawkins does, if it should be thinkable to imagine interbreeding with them), why not object to eradicating mosquitoes that carry the malaria plasmodium that kills a half a million African babies each year (or maybe a million, who's counting?).
One barrier is to claim for humans a soul. This is nonsense. No one has ever seen such a thing. But another barrier is the capability of being moral actors, and everybody has observed that.
It is not obvious that moral action has selective advantages for inclusive fitness. Dawkins himself worries that having too many babies risks famine. Indiscriminate breeding, without worrying about moral consequences, is likely to leave more descendants, at least in the nearest subsequent generations, than discriminate, morally driven breeding -- or non-breeding, as the case may be.
Surely the evolution of a trait that confers voluntary selective unfitness on a species makes that species qualitatively different from all other species that cannot do it?
I expect this deviationism is a result of Dawkins's desire to see certain outcomes. Very natural it is, too, but it needs to be struggled against. Evolution up to us was non-deterministic. We should keep it that way.
Otherwise, this is a marvelous book.
Dawkins revealed.......2007-05-21
It's pity about the title: the subtitle is slightly more informative. Dawkins defines the book himself in the first sentence of his introduction: " ... a personal selection from among all the articles, tirades and reflections, book reviews and forewords, tributes and eulogies that I have published (or in some cases not published) over 25 years." This would be a better title but it's a bit long.
If you want to learn more about the things Dawkins writes about, this book is not the best book to read. If you want to learn about genetics or evolution or the God Delusion, this is just an appetiser. But it's a good book to read if you want to get to know Dawkins and his way of thinking.
It's a well-chosen anthology of 32 of Dawkins' "minor works", grouped in seven sections, each with a common theme and an explanatory introduction. Dawkins is a prolific writer, and sometimes he must write in a hurry: you get the impression that in his "tirades" he is using a dictating machine while waving his arms about. But the same passion that makes him do this can, a few pages further on, emerge as language so carefully and economically crafted that it will make you cry or laugh out loud, as probably intended. And make you think, too.
You don't have to read this book in page order. It's a good book to dip into. The memo for Tony Blair is a gem; every politician should be given briefs like this and made to read them. The eulogies are both moving and funny. The book reviews will make you want the books. The last essay is a letter Dawkins wrote to his daughter: it's personal and revealing and rather sad; I suspect the letter wouldn't have worked; he doesn't say. (I'm older than Dawkins and have had more children.) Look for the other personal bits, the anecdotes scattered through these writings: for each anecdote, you get one insight.
This is a great book for an atheist to own and lend.
A Devil's Chaplain.......2007-05-08
Of the several books by Richard Dawkins that I have recently read, this is my favorite. I read it forth in my list, and have since read six more of his books. This one is especially poetic and answered a majority of my questions in one reading. In my opinion if you are only going to read one of his books, this is the one to grab.
Having explored a variety of studies on religion, I decided to have a serious look at the opposing views. I spent many years trying to make sense of the contridictions in creation based beliefs. I had not until recently considered evolution as a serious consideration of belief. I found reading Dawkins to be a serious, yet sensitive presentation of his reasons for not believing in a personal God. I particularly like his respectful, detached approach to the subject. I personally can't imagine anyone taking personal offense to his way of sharing his point of view. . His writing style is witty, intelligent and engaging. He is practical and respectfully present in his dialogue. I will read anything he writes and I highly recommend his work to anyone who is looking for answers that makes sense of a complicated subject. I have greater respect for those who choose to practice religion now than before I read Dawkins' work on the theory of evolution. The The Meme Machine, by Susan Blackmore is my second favorite read so far~
Refreshing and Thought-Provoking.......2007-03-30
Richard Dawkins tells us not only why the Emporer has no clothes, but tell us how he knows - by discussing his logical processes for making his determinations. It's nothing short of brilliant, and offers much to contemplate.
If you enjoy a series of 'articles' on an array of different subjects, as I do, you will find that Dawkins manages to pack a lot of punch into each and every one of his selections on topics that range from Ethics to Public Education to Cloning with a seemless thread that makes it hard to put this book down.
It's my first book by Dawkins, but definitely not my last.
Book Description
A woman's desire...
With dreams of a great romantic love, Abigail Carrington sails to England to marry the man she has loved since childhood, Michael Ingram, Marquis of Darfield. She believes her betrothed is a generous and noble man who has been longing for her. But the handsome man waiting for her at the altar is a dark, brooding stranger who rushes her into marriage, then abandons her at his country estate. Only the passion of Michael's kiss gives her hope that theirs can be more than a marriage of convenience.
A man's need...
With scandal shadowing his past, Michael, the Devil of Darfield, had no need for a wife. Remembering only the little hellion who made life miserable for him aboard her father's ship, he resents the agreement he made to marry her so he could save his ancestral home. Though determined to ignore her, he cannot stop thinking about his lovely violet-eyed bride. Her beauty tempts him. Her charm bedevils him. He tries to drive her away until he almost loses her. Then he vows to regain her love--before it is too late....
Customer Reviews:
I couldn't like either of the characters.......2007-08-15
My first try of this author, and probably my last.
I don't mind recycled/formula romance plots, provided that the author can breathe new life into them. But that didn't happen here. Granted, this is the author's first novel, and I recognize that the first usually isn't the best. But even though I was trying to cut the writer some slack, I still wasn't able to force myself to finish this book.
I just couldn't like either the hero or the heroine. He was really mean to her. Maybe there was an explanation later as to why he was so tortured, but I never got to it, and found him just awful. There's an alpha male hero, and then there's just a domineering jerk. I found the hero to be the latter.
And the heroine! She was so immature. She can never see the truth, even when it's right in front of her. Even if you're able to swallow that she believed that the hero was in love with her, even though all his supposed gifts and letters came through her father (and that she hadn't spoken to him directly, even through a letter in 12 years), why did it take her so long to figure it out after they finally came face to face? And why did she not stop the wedding when it became clear that the hero was not just "bluffing"? I hated that she was constantly smiling, even when he was being so mean to her. It made her seem weak and a little dim-witted.
And I got really, really sick of reading about people spinning on their heels before walking away. Why do so many writers overuse this phrase? And does anyone actually do that? (I tried, and almost fell on my backside!) I've spun around to stalk away from someone before, and it was never on my heel. Yes, I know I'm nitpicking here, but every time I read this phrase I ended up rolling my eyes.
This book also needed some better proofreading. There were cases of missing words (missing the word "the" can totally botch a sentence), or misused words (for example, using two intead of too). I don't blame the writer for this one, since it's an editor's/publisher's job to catch these things, but it was still annoying, as it jars the reader out of the story.
I would only try this author again if I find her books at the library. Likeable characters are essential for an absorbing romance, and that just didn't happen here. I know I'm in the minority, but THE DEVIL'S LOVE is not recommended by this reader.
Loses Steam.......2005-08-15
This is my first Julia London book and I picked it up because of the stellar reviews. I loved the way she rights her dialogues. The characters were both loveable and funny. However, I felt very little sexual tension between Abbey and Michael. When they did finally get to it, it was lukewarm (but tender).
The conflict was so-so and a bit ponderous towards the end.
With that said, I saw much promise in this first book I've read and will definitely pick up another by this author.
Now this was a romance!.......2005-01-15
I absolutely loved this story. I love dark heroes and Michael certainly was that. But for so many good reasons - everyone either had betrayed him in his life or those he cared about had disappointed or he lost them. Thus, when he finds he must marry a certain young lady who he remembers as a hellion and waif you will not find Michael being pleased. An agreement he signed when he was much younger finds him in this predicament - and if he does not marry Abbey he will loose a substantial fortune and Abbey will loose her entire dowery. Abbey on the other hand thinks falsley that Michael has loved her his entire life as she has forever loved him. So she arrives in England with a romantic notion and Michael is anything but. He is dark, resentful and within hours she is married. Of course Abbey is nothing like Michael expects and of course he finds himself captivated and falling in love. But since he is always expecting the worst he totally balks when a small lie from Abbey sends him into a tailspin and a downword spiral of their marriage that almost seems impossible to correct. This is a strong emotional tail that kept me turning pages through the night. London makes these characters very real and you will not be disappointed in the development of their great love story! Much much better than the later book Wicked Angel!!! Highly recommend this book!!
Sweet.......2004-10-13
Just had to note: I agree w/ the reviewer who compared her writing to Judith McNaught, but definately not w/ the reviewer who compared her to Julie Garwood. I love JG and few compare w/ her. Sorry but; no way.
Sweet story. Not very steamy but I would recommend it.
A delicious arranged marriage gone awry!.......2003-07-19
This is my second Julia London book. Both have been great stories and have each received a 5 star rating from me. London has a particularly charming ability when it comes to writing alpha males that are forced to reign in their strong personalities, grow up, and give of themselves. Her heroines are pleasant, innocent, and naive although a little too sweet for believability.
Michael Ingram, Marquis of Darfield, had sailed the seas at the age of nineteen, upon Captain Carrington's ship as a member of the crew. Also sailing on that ship was the captain's young daughter, Abigail (Abbey), known to all aboard as a wild, undisciplined yet charming child. Abbey had not seen Michael since that voyage twelve years ago. But she had held, in her heart and mind, dear memories of Michael and had eagerly awaited their future marriage.
Abbey's father, taking advantage of the young future marquis's financial problems, had loaned Michael, at that vulnerable age of nineteen, a large sum of money to repay his father's creditors. Michael's father was gambling away all the family's ancestral fortune and lands - thus Michael was desperate for the Captain's financial aid. Included in this financial contract was a betrothal agreement between Michael and the captain's daughter. This betrothal clause would be evoked only if Michael had failed to repay the Captain in full at some future specified date. Since the signing of that agreement, at least ten years ago, Michael had amassed a fortune himself and had repaid all of his father's debts. Michael, now Marquis of Darfield, had essentially forgotten the old agreement since all debt had been paid off. However, Captain Carrington had not been totally upfront with the young man all those years ago. The captain had hidden a large portion of Michael's father's debts from him and, prior to the his death, had evoked the betrothal portion of the agreement. No matter what Michael attempted to do, he discovered he was truly bound by the contract and - most unhappily - was forced to marry the captain?s daughter, Abbey.
Abbey, blissfully unaware of Michael's hostility and hatred of the marriage agreement, sailed from America to England believing herself totally in love with her future husband. Her father had told her, through the years, how much Michael wanted the forthcoming marriage and the love he held for her. Abbey discovered, much to her horror, that Michael was not the willing bridegroom. Not only was he unwilling - he treated her terribly - hoping that she would break the agreement. However, idyllic in her belief that Michael would someday love her, she refused to break the betrothal and they married.
All of the above happenings occur within the first 57 pages of the book. Immediately after the rushed wedding, Michael leaves Abbey at one of his country estates and travels to another for an indefinite period of time. He is determined to make Abbey suffer tremendously for the enforced marriage. During this period of the book, Michael is a really mean guy. He treats Abbey with contempt, suspicion, hatred, and is out for revenge. Abbey, conversely, is an extremely naive young woman and seeks happiness despite Michael's attempt to make her life a misery. Not only is she naive, she is also sweet - a little too sweet. One of my two complaints about The Devil's Love is her character is too sugary. She is seen as such an innocent and draws everyone to her with her never-ending optimism and enjoyment of life. It makes her character appear as unrealistic - she is too super-sweet with too many talents for one person.
The interaction between the leads is excellent although they are at odds a lot of the time. Just when we think Michael can get no meaner, Abbey begins to stand up for herself and he begins to reluctantly respect her and more reluctantly finds he is strongly drawn to her. Yes, love develops even in this big mess of an enforced marriage. However, I began to get uncomfortable about halfway through the book. I saw all of the signs of The Big Misunderstanding lining up and dreaded it. This was the second complaint that I mentioned earlier. The Big Misunderstanding was very, very big and it took a lot of the pages for it to be resolved. However, this book does deserve it's five star rating because London does a wonderful job of writing this portion of the book. I was caught by surprise, more than once, as the events unfolded. Although I was able to sense the upcoming misunderstanding, I was not able at all to guess how it would eventually be solved. The story is vastly entertaining. I eagerly consumed each page and every time I had to put it down - I enthusiastically resumed reading.
You will find this love story at times heartbreaking and at other times exciting and fresh. You will want Michael to get his comeuppance more than once as well. The chemistry between the leads certainly is vibrant and warms the pages. The actual sensual scenes, although fairly frequent, are somewhat tame and rate about a 3.0 to a 3.5 out of 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines).
The Devil's Love is the first in a series followed by Wicked Angel. I read Wicked Angel first and although I probably would have preferred only slightly to read them in order, they are truly stand-alone books. I loved each book on it's own merits although I could have picked up on a few situations a little more quickly in Wicked Angel if I had read The Devil's Love first. However, in order or not, this is a great two book series that I wholeheartedly recommend.
Book Description
"How Do You Know He's Real? God Unplugged," the second book in the successful "He's Real series," shares the profound real life journeys and dramatic encounters with the living God by young celebrities from the worlds of sports and music. The book addresses issues that young people deal with, like insecurity, anger, peer pressure, addiction and self-esteem. Always inspirational and often miraculous, "God Unplugged" is a must-read for those who desire to go deeper in their relationship with God.
Download Description
Between the covers of this book are testimonies from Christian role models from the worlds of film, sports, and music. The stories are real and powerful, and are presented in a way that believers and seekers alike will find compelling.
Customer Reviews:
People teens admire talk about God.......2007-04-13
Author Amy Hammond Hagberg wanted to help teens--her own and others--answer questions about God, including the big question: "How do you know he's real?"
Hagberg wrote to sports stars, recording artists and other celebrities, asking them to reflect on their life experiences and share how the reality of God was making a difference to them personally and professionally. The responses she received--from NBA players, Christian musicians, 'American Idol' contestants and others--are honest, revealing, and often compelling.
The resulting book is a collection of celebrity essays: mini-bios that focus on the reality of God in the midst of media attention, success and failure, and broken relationships. Contributors include Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic basketball team, quarterback David Carr of the Houston Texans, and popular Christian recording artist Clay Crosse.
Some of the interviews are especially helpful for Hagberg's original target readers: teens. Among these, Chrissy Conway of 'Zoe Girl' talks about her parents' divorce, the party scene, and the twists and turns along her personal career path in ways that connect with teens and with anyone who has ever considered attempting a career in music.
Hagberg is a gifted and skilled writer who keeps readers turning the pages as she unpacks celebrity affirmations of the presence of God in their lives. A great gift book for readers from teens through Gen X, but the stories here will interest readers of any age!
Note: Reviewer Dr. David Frisbie is an author and Executive Director of The Center for Marriage & Family Studies in Del Mar, California.
Armchair Interviews says: Anything that can help teens understand their role in living a good life is good.
Celebrities share their faith.......2007-03-11
This is an ideal book to give to people who have questions about becoming a Christian, and who love sports and music celebrities.
44 extreme sports and music celebrities tell their stories in this book, from Jonny Lang (recording artist), to Barlow Girl (rock group), Kimiko Soldati (Olympic diving), CJ Hobgood (surfer), Dwight Howard (NBA player, Orlando Magic), Mick Hannah (downhill mountain bike racer), Jimmie McGuire (professional motocross rider) and more.
They share hard times they faced, how they became Christians and how their paths are more joyful due to their faith. Being a Green Bay Packer fan I turned to Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila's story of growing up in South Central Los Angeles with a tough background, a Muslim dad and a Christian mom, and how his becoming a Christian led to his current happy family life and NFL career. Christian Hosoi, professional skateboarder, after serious drug problems, is now leading a skateboarding ministry.
The two page "God's Road Map" at the end of each celebrity's story contains perceptive questions and Scriptures. Sports and music lovers will enjoy this book, and it can even be a "past watchful dragons book" that will steer doubting people on a new clear path.
god unplugged.......2007-02-02
God Unplugged by Ammy Hagberg was very interesting. It is 403 pages long and was published in 2006 by Destiny Image. In the story top athletes, musicians, and also stars tell how god helped them get where they wanted to be and changed their lives.
In the story there were 44 celebrity reflections on true life experiences with god. Many of these celebrities have been extremely low in their lives and god has pulled them out of them. Also in some cases they have had no luck in there lives and finally achieved their goals after they gave there lives god. All of these people believe that god has either given them opportunities or even the strength to work through where they were to get to where they want to be.
I thought that this was a good book. I enjoyed reading it and seeing how god has changed all of these people's lives. The strengths of this book are that it has top named celebrities that people actually want to read about. The weakness of this book is that there is nothing to find out nest so you don't have a reason to keep reading. I did like how god actually gave them the strength to continue and succeed in life. The writing was very boring to me, but I liked the idea.
The book gave a lasting effect on me because I have a saint Christopher necklace that my grandma gave to me before she passed away and that keeps me safe when I race motorcross. So, I think that god has a great power on us. I would recommend this book, it will make you think.
After reading this, you certainly KNOW he is real!.......2007-01-25
Truly, this, and the book before this, are really awesome books!
** Why?
Because they give some very good insights into other peoples way to God. Not only that, if you don't know the Bible inside and out (and even if you do, actually!), there are quotations from the Bible explaining the why and hows, depending on the story of the person interviewed.
All this, with Amy Hagbergs very nice way of writing (down to earth serious mixed with a nice blend of humor) makes this book a pleasure to read!
Personally, I strongly recommend this book to everyone. It might be those who Seek, or those who have found, it doesn't matter, in my opinion! :)
Fantastic book!.......2007-01-24
What a great book! Amy Hagberg has gathered some of today's biggest sports and music celebs to talk about how they know God is real. This book is in stark contrast to so many of today's depressing, tragedy-focused headlines. And the list of celebrities is impressive! [...]
Average customer rating:
- a dark, feminist fairy tale
- Funny and insightful
- Stalker
- brilliant novel of revenge!
- A very dark story
|
Life and Loves of a She Devil
Fay Weldon
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0345323750
Release Date: 1985-08-12 |
Book Description
This is not a book for everyone, but its admirers are vigorously enthusiastic. For example:
Rhoda Koenig in New York Magazine, who calls it ". . . a novel of blazingly hot revenge, one that amply illustrates the saying about heaven having no rage like love turned to hate, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."
Or Rosalyn Drexler, who said on the front page of The New York Times Book Review, "It affords a scintillating, mindboggling, vicarious thrill for any reader who has ever fantasized dishing out retribution for one wrong or another."
Or Carol E. Rinzler, who wrote on The Washington Post Book World's front page, ". . . what makes this a powerfully funny and oddly powerful book is the energy of the language and of the intellect that conceived it, an energy that vibrates off the pages and that makes SHE-DEVIL as exceptional a book in the remembering as in the reading . . . . a small, mad masterpiece."
Download Description
A scathing satire of an image-conscious society, Fay Weldon¿s The Life and Loves of a She-Devil is the story of Ruth, an graceless, unattractive woman. Trapped in a loveless marriage with a cruelly indifferent, philandering husband named Bobbo, Ruth finds herself sinking under the weight of crushed expectations and neglect. But rather than simply accept her lot in life, Ruth decides to embrace the feelings of evil that are welling inside of her and transform herself into an avenging she-devil. The result is an often hilarious black comedy with a powerful message about love and superficiality.
Customer Reviews:
a dark, feminist fairy tale.......2006-11-05
"The Life and Loves of a She-Devil" is the second book by Fay Weldon I have read , after "Remember me", which I had reviewed - rather unfavorably. I liked it much more than "Remember me".
The novel is about Ruth, an ugly, big woman, a housewife with two children, who is left by her husband Bobbo for a tiny, pretty Mary Fisher, a successful writer of trashy novels.
Ruth is devastated, but undergoes a mental transformation and sets off for revenge... All her actions are concentrated on destroying Bobbo's new life (and Mary's, too) and getting him back. The plan requires a lot of effort and suffering, and using other people. Because of all the people involved, almost each social group is depicted and criticized with precision.
The whole story is presented in a convention of a fairy tale (an adult fairy tale!), and thanks to this trick the most absurd actions sound almost plausible.
The novel is funny, easy to read, but at the same time tackles serious matters and makes the reader think, sometimes being scary in its frankness (after all, Ruth's plan is not what all the betrayed women do, but it certainly is what many of them want to do). And what more can the reader want?
Funny and insightful.......2006-10-17
The only problem I have with this book is either that Fay Weldon made a lot of mistakes in the American setting (judge in a wig, the California coast and Park Avenue seemingly within driving distance) or else the book that I have is an Americanized version of the original Brit. novel, and did not have a particularly careful American editor.
Fay Weldon deals vey well with modern-day divorce, in which anyone who wants out can leave with few consequences, and never mind the family unit.
Stalker.......2006-07-21
Ruth's husband, Bobbo, is Mary Fisher's accountant. Mary Fisher is a romance novelist. He is infatuated with her. The narrator knows the financial details of Mary Fisher's life because Bobbo carries the accounts home. There is self-deception and there is wishful thinking. The narrator is not pretty and she is clumsy. The evening Bobbo's parents visit he stays home. He has claimed that he doesn't intend to leave Ruth, he is just in love with Mary Fisher. He does leave Ruth and the two children when the couple quarrels in the presence of Bobbo's parents.
Subsequently Ruth, the narrator of some of the chapters, burns her residence and delivers the children to Mary Fisher and Bobbo at Mary Fisher's tower. She masterminds the release of Mary Fisher's mother from her spot in an old people's home. She is the founder of an employment agency and uses it to put people into contact with Bobbo at his accounting firm. She acquires accounting skills and surreptiously enters his office at night and moves client money in and out of his personal accounts. She becomes the housekeeper and lover of the judge handling his criminal case which results in a long term of incarceration for Bobbo. She connives with plastic surgeons to change her appearance to that of Mary Fisher.
This is rollicking good fun. It is droll. It is a nice critique of stereotypical thinking.
brilliant novel of revenge!.......2006-03-28
This book "The Life and Loves of a She-devil" by Fay Weldon is about a woman who doesn't look good and she wants to revenge her husband who left her with other woman. She gives up her children, love, and even her own body in order to revenge her husband......
This is a wonderful novel that completely reflects to the relationship between wife and husband in today society and the situation of women's lives. After you start to read more and more, it's really hard stop it and keep you turning pages until the end .I do not recommend this book for everyone because this book has a unrelenting dark side and not everybody would like it, but I think this book is good for the woman who has faced hard luck caused by other man or have the same situation as the character of the book does.
A very dark story.......2006-03-22
I got this book because I loved the movie (1989's "She-Devil," staring Roseanne Barr). But the book isn't as good as the movie. I think the character of Ruth is much more cynical and hateful in the book. There isn't a lot of comedy or lightheartedness. Moreover, the book has somewhat of a "dark" feel and has some underlying messages in it about revenge. I did not enjoy this book.
Book Description
New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman is one of the world's most popular writers, with tens of millions of his books in print in two dozen languages. He has brought his expertise as a child psychologist to numerous tales of suspense, including fourteen critically acclaimed and bestselling novels featuring child psychologist sleuth Alex Delaware. Now, for the first time, here are two of his popular Alex Delaware books in one volume. Taunt, penetrating, terrifying, Devil's Waltz and Bad Love are Kellerman at his best. From the hospital to the street, Delaware follows mysterious killers in two of the most suspenseful works ever, tracking them down through a combination of keen perception and psychological expertise. In Devil's Waltz, Delaware explores a dark side of parental love. In Bad Love, Delaware follows the twisted logic of a stalker's mind games, aware that next the stalker may be coming for him. In both, weaving a web of disturbing events that will thrill and captivate as he reveals their stunning conclusions.
Customer Reviews:
Very good read........2007-08-31
As usual Mr Kellerman kept me glued to the pages. I couldn't put
the book down.
Jonathan Kellerman- Devil's Waltz/Bad Love.......2007-08-03
Both of these novels are wonderful. I could not put the book down! I recommend Jonathan Kellerman to anyone who loves mysteries. He's the best!
two for one.......2007-07-20
This was a good read made even better since it was two books in one. Glad I got it!
Book Description
Between the covers of this book are testimonies from Christian role models from the worlds of film, sports, and music. The stories are real and powerful, and are presented in a way that believers and seekers alike will find compelling.
Customer Reviews:
Review: How Do You Know He's Real?.......2007-06-14
In the book, How Do You Know He's Real, you'll get an inside look into the spiritual lives of 34 celebrities. Hagberg has compiled testimonies ranging from Kirk Cameron to Rudy Sarzo (former bass player for Ozzy Osbourne). Each story is remarkably different and it's amazing to read how God has worked in the lives of each of these well-known people.
Celebrities Share Their Christian Faith.......2007-05-31
The author has collected very readable stories telling how celebrities have become Christians, and they share their low points and their joys here. This is a welcome peek into the lives of well known people who typically are more secretive.
Ricky Skaggs, Kirk Cameron, Gloria Gaynor, Bethel Johnson (34 people in all) tell about their struggles and their early days as new Christians.
Billy Ray Cyrus tells of singing in his grandpa's Pentecostal church when he was 4, and includes the touching lyrics to the song he wrote "The other side."
Jackie (Jacklyn) Zeman, star of General Hospital, advises that when you are at a crossroads "cry out to God and ask for His guidance."
Al Kasha's story resonated with me; this Academy Award winning songwriter overcame agoraphobia, and talks about how Hollywood is a tough place for a Jew who came to Christ, and how he started a Hollywood Bible study group.
There are stories here for anyone to enjoy and find spirit lifting.
Celebrities talk about God in their life.......2007-04-27
(Hagberg has written a companion book with the same title, subtitled God Unplugged)
How Do You Know He's Real? is a collection of celebrity essays about God acting in their lives. The contributors include athletes, musicians, and actors. Their stories often follow a familiar pattern of fame leading to drugs and alcohol before hitting bottom and being turned around by an encounter with God. That's not to say the accounts are all stock and cliched, but rather that God meets each person in their need--and for celebrities that need will be similar. And many of the tales include growing up in stable Christian homes, but still needing to make personal decisions about God and Christ and how that decision impacted their careers.
The stories are collected alphabetically but Hagberg has provided a topic finder so a reader battling discouragement or frustration can find offerings from Billy Ray Cyrus, Nancy Stafford, Zorro, Gary Burghoff or John Schneider.
Each essay begins with a picture and short biography of the contributor, listing their accomplishments. Following the selection is God's Road Map, a few sentences about the issues raised by the author, with Bible verses for teaching and encouragement.
The essays themselves are as varied as the contributors. Some of them read as if they were written to be given as speeches. Several sound like the writer could be sitting at your kitchen table, chatting over the coffee pot. All of them are honest and share from their heart how God has acted in their life and how they know He's real.
Reading the accounts of God acting in both miraculous and mundane ways reminds us that no matter what a person does for a living, each of us are created beings who need a loving Savior and merciful God.
Armchair Interviews says: Up close and personal stories from celebrities.
COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!!! Terrific Read!.......2006-05-18
I received this book as a gift and once I started, I couldn't put it down. Ms Hagberg has captured the beliefs of these well known and respected celebrities, sports figures, and musicians. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in the series and can't wait to give copies of this one to all my friends. Order 2!
The book of a lifetime!.......2006-04-18
This is a book that you will no doubt want to share with everyone you know! (I certainly am!) It was so hard to put the book down - but worth it - just to extend the time and joy of reading it! GREAT content! GREAT author! I can't wait to read the next books in the series!
Average customer rating:
- Even Devil won't care
- Good writing, dumb plot
- Great Read
- Funny but disappointing ending
- Odd but entertaining.
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Devil May Care : A Novel
Sheri McInnis
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0743464842 |
Book Description
Do you think you could resist temptation? Not a piece of cheesecake. Or another martini. Or a one-night stand. Real temptation. The kind they warn you about in the Bible...
Sally Carpenter is a struggling actress in New York City. She hasn't had a real gig in two years, her agent has stopped returning her phone calls, and she hates her day job. She's just about ready to go home to Wisconsin and finish her psych degree. Then she meets Jack Weaver. Jack's rich, charismatic, gorgeous -- and the president of one of the biggest TV networks in the country. When he starts showing an interest in Sally's career, she's grateful but wary. She's heard rumors about Jack -- he's a bit of a womanizer and ruthless in business. Even so, when he asks her out to dinner, she doesn't say no. Almost immediately, Sally's luck begins to change. Producers are scrambling to hire her, her biggest professional rival lands in the hospital with a mysterious illness, and, best of all, Sally's falling in love with the most wonderful man she's ever met. For the first time in her life, she is happy. Yet she can't shake the feeling that things seem too good to be true. When a series of bizarre coincidences and grisly accidents start happening, Sally finds herself wondering: Has she really met Mr. Right? Or has she fallen for the Devil himself?
Loaded with dead-on comic timing and pitch-perfect dialogue,
Devil May Care stars one of the most exuberantly realized heroines in recent years -- not even Bridget Jones had it this bad. Newcomer Sheri McInnis takes us on a journey that will speak to anyone who's ever had to choose between doing what is right and what feels right.
Download Description
"Do you think you could resist temptation? Not a piece of cheesecake. Or another martini. Or a one-night stand. Real temptation. The kind they warn you about in the Bible... Sally Carpenter is a struggling actress in New York City. She hasn't had a real gig in two years, her agent has stopped returning her phone calls, and she hates her day job. She's just about ready to go home to Wisconsin and finish her psych degree. Then she meets Jack Weaver. Jack's rich, charismatic, gorgeous -- and the president of one of the biggest TV networks in the country. When he starts showing an interest in Sally's career, she's grateful but wary. She's heard rumors about Jack -- he's a bit of a womanizer and ruthless in business. Even so, when he asks her out to dinner, she doesn't say no. Almost immediately, Sally's luck begins to change. Producers are scrambling to hire her, her biggest professional rival lands in the hospital with a mysterious illness, and, best of all, Sally's falling in love with the most wonderful man she's ever met. For the first time in her life, she is happy. Yet she can't shake the feeling that things seem too good to be true. When a series of bizarre coincidences and grisly accidents start happening, Sally finds herself wondering: Has she really met Mr. Right? Or has she fallen for the Devil himself? Loaded with dead-on comic timing and pitch-perfect dialogue, Devil May Care stars one of the most exuberantly realized heroines in recent years -- not even Bridget Jones had it this bad. Newcomer Sheri McInnis takes us on a journey that will speak to anyone who's ever had to choose between doing what is right and what feels right. "
Customer Reviews:
Even Devil won't care.......2007-09-24
I really enjoyed reading this book at the beginning. Sally is an aspiring actress has no luck getting any roles, her personal life is boring as she is stuck in a relationship without love. Suddenly her luck changes when she meets gorgeous Jack, who happens to be a president of TV network. She unexpectedly gets a role she really wanted...then a part on soap opera. Sparks are flying and she finds herself successful and in love with Jack. While their relationship advances, the series of unfortunate events continue to happen. Accidents and death of people she gets involved with. At this point our main character becomes delusional. She starts questioning her luck and tragic events, associating them with work of Devil. This book started out with a great plot and an interesting style of writing. I was turning pages, waiting for a great development of the story and to find Sally laughing at her accusations, and hopping for "happily ever after" end. Instead I found myself in a mind of delusional character and a very disappointing end.
Good writing, dumb plot.......2006-07-10
I enjoyed Sheri McInnis's writing and style, and up until the "Jack's the devil" bit, I was enjoying the book. Where did that idea come from?? I'd be more inclined to believe that Sally was the devil-- it was the people connected to her who suffered the odd twists of "fate." There really was no plausible reason why she'd go off on that tangent- unless she suffered some kind of a mental breakdown or took some bad drugs! It didn't make sense.
I wish her editor or agent or good friend would have insisted that the "Jack's the devil" bit be changed, or if that's the best plot going, then give me a real solid reason to tell me why she'd think he was. I ended up thinking that not only was Sally a nutjob, but she also lacked the decency to break up with her long-haired loser boyfriend.
The ending was a huge disappointment.
I won't say here how it ends but I was let thinking: That's it? THAT'S how it all ends???? WHY she believed Jack was the devil was never really addressed, and that ruined it for me.
Great Read.......2006-04-16
This is an excellent first novel that goes from laugh-out-loud funny to serious and sinister without effort. The premise that Sally's new love interest might be the Devil himself leads both protagonist and reader to speculate on the true nature of right and wrong.
For me, this was a compelling read--I could hardly put the book down! Rarely have I encountered a novel that touches upon such serious subjects as suicide, death, and evil while simultaneously being great fun and sexy, too. It's a bit like "Rosemary's Baby" mixed with "Bridget Jones' Diary."
The descriptive passages are evocative; for example: "The sky is a strange grayish orange color; it's a color you don't often see, as if a storm's moving in, the kind of color that makes farmers lean on their hoes and peer worriedly up at the sky and say things like "Looks like she's gonna be a doozie."
The Catholic nun Sister Ruth "...had a large jaw and a broad, thin mouth with stiff white bristles above the top lip....Her breath smelled like old-lady things. Hard peppermint candies. Mothballs. Coleslaw."
The love scenes also are nicely written: "Then he pulls out his ponytail, shaking his long hair free. Oh, oh. David always takes his ponytail out when he wants to have sex. The thinks his hair is so irresistible, it's equivalent to foreplay. It's not."
The author's knowledge of the entertainment industry adds welcome realism to the scenes involving agents, auditions, and actors. I enjoyed reading about the ultra-chic restaurants and parties that Sally attended, peopled by real-life stars and made-up ones like "Sabrina Calliope-Clark."
Unlike some reviewers, I found Sally's character likeable and sympathetic. Her tragic childhood and imperfect family help illuminate why she is so anxiety-ridden today. Still, she courageously pursues her dream of being an actress, working in a grimy bookstore to pay the bills while continuing to go to audition after disappointing audition. Her relationship with her boyfriend, a fellow actor, is lukewarm, and she has few close friends or confidants. With all her flaws, she struggles to be a "good" person. Then along comes a powerful man who treats her like a princess, and, understandably, her feelings and loyalties quickly become conflicted.
I do agree that the ending was a little weak, leaving some questions unanswered, which is why I gave the book 4 stars rather than 5. But overall, this is a very worthwhile work of fiction.
Funny but disappointing ending.......2006-01-06
I laughed out loud reading this book until the middle part. I too had hoped that her boyfriend was not the "devil" but from what I gethered in the ending he was. Truly disappointing ending. I would have given it a five had it not been for the ending. How could such a light read become so heavy in the end.
Odd but entertaining........2005-11-20
I enjoyed reading this book up until she thought Jack Weaver was the devil. Every chapter after that was her trying to convince that he was or wasn't the devil. The whole thing revolved around that ans not her career as much as it did in the beginning. Basically the book went from a great read to trash.
Book Description
This book explains in depth the non-dualistic metaphysics of "A Course in Miracles," and its integration with living in this illusory world. It demonstrates how the Course resolves the paradox of an imperfect material universe seeming to come from a perfect immaterial Creator. The study is carried out in the context of the Platonic and Gnostic themes that have run through Western intellectual and religious history, and the contrast of these with the Course.
Customer Reviews:
Not Beach reading.......2007-07-21
Very well researched and clearly laid out. Exactly what one would expectfrom Wapnick. Very illuminating.
The Big Picture.......2006-11-10
After reading the Nag Hammadi Library, I became aware of "The Course in Miracles" and became a student. I was looking for a book that captured the higher perceptions of the gnostics and measured them against ACIM. Dr Wapnick did it again. It is a real treasure and one I will keep as part of my library. Basically anything that I have read of Dr. Wapnick's has helped me tremendously. This is not an easy read. It is technical and very deep.
Excellent Work.......2006-05-19
Even though I'm not an "A Course in Miracles" follower, this book is really a gem. Although this book is directed to Course students, it explain very thoroughly and rationally the relation between Ancient Christianity, Platonism, Neo-Platonism and Gnosticism. There is only one small flaw in all of this: it looks at "A Course in Miracles" as Jesus' original message, and hence he views Gnosticism very close to Jesus' original message in its metaphysical level. It is very interesting that he looks at the Gnostic's own mistakes as those which Course students frequently fall into.
Other than that, he chooses Bible translations very well; he chooses the appropriate Bible scholars, he chooses good authorities on the issue of Gnosticism, he shows the pertinent passages of philosophy authors (Plato, Aristotle, Philo, Plotinus), and shows the historical, social, political, religious realities of Christianity, Ancient Philosophy, Gnosticism and how they are related to each other.
I have an MA in Philosophy, and not a scholar. However, although I'm not a scholar, I would dare say that it is a reliable source to know these ancient movements.
The most scholarly book on the Course ever published.......2001-07-06
Although many books on A COURSE IN MIRACLES have now been published, this is the first volume to seriously address some of the theological issues raised by the Course teachings. It is a superb piece of scholarship. Specifically, this brilliant book relates the Course's thought system to that which underlies many of the Gnostic movements of the early centuries of Christendom, along with Platonism and Neo-Platonism. Dr. Wapnick has done students of the Course a great favor by providing this information, which can only serve to enhance the Course's credibility in the years to come, not least in the face of the growing dysfunctionality of "orthodox" Christianity.
Buy It.......2001-05-17
This is an outstanding work! The scholarship bringing together the threads in the early Church and A Course in Miracles is wonderful. For those who enjoy Ken Wilber's work (thinking types), you'll love this book.
Books:
- The Edge Effect: Achieve Total Health and Longevity with the Balanced Brain Advantage
- The Honorable Imposter/The Captive Bride/The Indentured Heart/The Gentle Rebel/The Saintly Buccaneer (The House of Winslow 1-5)
- The Impact Zone: Mastering Golf's Moment of Truth
- The Laws of Thinking: 20 Secrets to Using the Divine Power of Your Mind to Manifest Prosperity
- The Lost Gospel of Mary: The Mother of Jesus in Three Ancient Texts
- The Man of Her Dreams The Woman of His!
- The One that Got Away: My SAS Mission behind Enemy Lines
- The Power of One (Young Reader's Edition)
- The Pursuit of Marriage
- The Rising Tide: A Novel of World War II
Books Index
Books Home
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- Alberto Giacometti: Myth, Magic, and the Man
- Watercolour Patterns: Aquarellmuster/Motifs D'Aquarelle/motivos Con Acuarelas/Padroes Com Aguarelas/
- A Dragon Lives Forever: War and Rice in Vietnam's Mekong Delta
Someone to Love
The River Knows
Captive of My Desires (Malory Family)
The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever (Avon Historical Romance)
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