Book Description
Whether you're a beginner, power user, or seasoned professional,
Windows Vista: The Definitive Guide has everything you need to customize the operating system, master your digital media, manage your data, and maintain your computer -- regardless of which Windows Vista edition you're using.
Why this book and not some other resource? Bestselling author and Windows expert William Stanek doesn't just teach you the steps you need to follow, he also tells you how features work, why they work, and how you can customize them to meet your needs. You'll learn how to squeeze out every last bit of power out of Windows Vista, and how to make the most out of its features and programs, including how to:
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Set up, customize and tune Windows Vista - Optimize its appearance and performance; install, configure and maintain software; customize your hardware; and install printers, scanners and faxes
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Manage your files - Search your computer more efficiently; secure your files and data; share and collaborate; and get the most out of accessories such as the Mobility Center
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Master your digital media - Create media libraries with Media Player; manage digital pictures and videos with Photo Gallery; make DVDs with DVD Maker; and create movies with Movie Maker
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Get connected and start networking - Set up a home or small-office network; learn to use Windows Mail, Calendar, and Meeting Space; conquer Internet Explorer 7; and master on-the-go networking
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Protect your computer - Keep your family safe while on the Internet; set up parental controls and content ratings; navigate the computer security maze; configure Windows Vista's security features
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Manage and support Windows Vista systems - Deal with user accounts, disks and drives; handle routine maintenance and troubleshooting; and resolve advanced support and recovery issues
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Learn advanced tips & techniques - Manage the Windows boot environment, explore Group Policy, discover keyboard shortcuts, and much more
Customer Reviews:
Better than "Vista Missing Manual".......2007-10-09
Vista Definitive Guide is a 922-page Vista bible, much better than Vista Missing Manual in my opinion. I got this after having excellent success with the author's other computer books. Extremely complete and full of answers. Kudos to the author for writing such an excellent book!
An Excellent Guide and information source.......2007-08-12
I have been using windows at home now for 14 years and with each operating system upgrade there's more to learn. I consider myself pretty savvy when it comes to Windows. So what if some people say "it's not definitive by any means," I find that it covers so much and even some things I won't need. I LOVE this book. It is not hard on your eyes, has plenty of diagrams and something I found especially interesting is how virus's, malware and all the nasties can enter your computer and the damage they can cause. I'm the type of woman who is not just satisfied with the "just do it this way" kind of help. I want more meat in the WHY I should do it this way. I use this book along with "Windows Vista: The Missing Manual" That books gives lot's of tips and stuff that has saved me much work and headache. These books work well together
The Only Book Most Windows Vista Users Need.......2007-06-28
Windows Vista: The Definitive Guide is an excellent book. Every Windows Vista User should purchase this book to learn Windows Vista. The book covers everything most users want to know and should know about Windows Vista.
This book is clear and to the point with comprehensive coverage of Windows Vista. It covers all versions of Vista and the many included programs and utilities as well as new security features. It covers Internet Explorer 7 and how to make your own audio CDs and DVD movies. There is an extensive discussion on installation and advanced issues. At a hefty 921 pages it makes a thoroughly detailed reference.
Plus this book is written for easy reader understanding and for enjoyable reading. Great book if you really wish to learn Windows Vista. For administrators, I'd also recommend Stanek's Windows Vista Administrator's Pocket Consultant.
920 pages packed with excellence!.......2007-05-29
William Stanek's pocket consultants are excellent - I've been a reader for years. In looking for a large reference for home, I saw this one - the definitive guide and chose it over Vista Inside Out and Vista Missing Manual. Stanek has a better style, and he understands the software better.
He once again is able to take technical topics and infuse clarity and depth while staying clearly focused. I have been running Vista since beta one, and this book is an excellent reference for those of us already familiar with the Windows operating systems.
In my opinion, this is an excellent book for all skill levels. Beginners will appreciate Stanek's ability to clearly and concisely explain even the most complex topics. The fact the book jumps right into the most important topics for home and office users doesn't hurt either.
Advanced users will find this book makes it easy to quickly get up to speed and to learn the new topics fast. Plus he writes in a friendly easy to understand language, so that you don't get lost in computer jargon. At the same time, he has a very organized and clear style. His details are never off topic and that's refreshing. His sense of what's important and what's not makes it possible for you to actually read the whole book and get all of the useful information out of it.
Pro users will find this book to be an excellent reference and regular reference. This isn't a book for administration though. Stanek's Vista ADministrator's Pocket Consultant is the best one for that.
This is THE MUST HAVE VISTA manual for the home and office. Thank you William Stanek for helping me get the most out of Vista!
Truly the definitive guide.......2007-05-25
Should be the #1 choice for all user levels from beginner to pro! Stanek's Windows Vista Administrator's Pocket Consultant is the book I use every day for admin work. When I'm wanting to play with Windows Vista's multimedia features or tweak the interface, this is the book I reach for. I have a copy at home too. At 900+ pages, it is the best all-around guide I've found.
Average customer rating:
- The Messenger really delivers!
- Excellent, Believable Thriller
- Silva In Top Form
- The Messenger by Daniel Silva
- A very predicable plot
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The Messenger
Daniel Silva
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0399153357 |
Book Description
Gabriel Allon, art restorer and spy, has been widely acclaimed as one of the most fascinating characters in the genre and now he is about to face the greatest challenge of his life.
Allon is recovering from a grueling showdown with a Palestinian master terrorist, when a figure from his past arrives in Jerusalem. Monsignor Luigi Donati is the private secretary to His Holiness Pope Paul VII, and a man as ruthless as he is intelligent. Now, however, he has come to seek Allon's help. A young Swiss guard has been found dead in St. Peter's Basilica, and although Donati has allowed the official inquiry to determine that it is suicide, his instinct tells him that it is murder-and that his master is in grave danger. He has trusted Allon in the past, and he is the only man he trusts now.
Allon reluctantly agrees to get involved, but once he begins to investigate he concludes that Donati has every right to be concerned, as, following the trail from the heart of the Vatican to the valleys of Switzerland and beyond, he slowly unravels a conspiracy of lies and deception. An extraordinary enemy walks among them, with but one goal: the most spectacular assassination ever attempted.
Filled with remarkable characters and breathtaking double and triple turns of plot, The Messenger solidifies Silva's reputation as his generation's finest writer of international thrillers.
Customer Reviews:
The Messenger really delivers!.......2007-10-05
Daniel Silva's book, The Messenger is a great thriller that could come out of tomorrow's headlines! Great action and the characters are wonderful. This one kept me going to the end. This was my first experience reading Silva. I'll pick up more of his work!
Excellent, Believable Thriller.......2007-09-25
This is a very well-done thriller by Daniel Silva. The blurb on the book's rear cover compares it favorable with the Bourne books, but Silva's effort here is superior to the Bourne books, because he keeps things under control. Other spy story authors let the inevitable pursuit scenes get out of control and become ridiculous. Silva keeps things realistic and believeable. The characters, though exagerated, are always believeable. And about half way through the book, Silva sinks the hook deep into the reader and it becomes almost impossible to set the book down. A worthy, exciting, suspenseful, authentic read.
Silva In Top Form.......2007-09-18
Gabriel Allon returns with much excitement as he tracks down and eliminates Saudi terrorists who have planned to kill The Pope and The President of the U.S. in daring plots. Sarah Bancroft is a beautiful CIA operative who infiltrates the world of middle east terrorists. This was a great page turner.
The Messenger by Daniel Silva.......2007-09-16
The story line started out a bit slow, but after a few chapters I really got into the plot. Nothing like kicking "terrorist" butt or atleast thwarting their fiendish plots & plans!! All in all a good read. This is the first novel I have read by Daniel Silva and will certainly look for more of his books.
A very predicable plot.......2007-09-03
The Messenger is the firt novel that I have read written by Daniel Silva. The story was entertaining, but the plot was very predicable with very few surprises. A quick read, which when finished, didn't leave me with a desire to read any other Silva novels.
Book Description
In just the last few years, the increase in worldwide photovoltaic (PV) shipments has grown from 15 to 25 percent per year. Grid-connected applications have surpassed stand-alone applications, system components have realized significant improvements, and major efforts are underway to build a quality control infrastructure for PV systems. Such rapid growth and evolution continues to put engineers skilled in PV systems at a premium. Thoroughly updated, Photovoltaic Systems Engineering, Second Edition offers a practical engineering basis for PV system design. It provides quick exposure to all system building blocks, then examines both the whys and hows of the electrical, mechanical, economic, and aesthetic aspects of PV system design-why certain designs are done in certain ways and how the design process is implemented. Students mastering the contents of this book will have the engineering judgement needed to make intelligent decisions based on a clear understanding of the parameters involved in PV systems. Highlights of the Second Edition: Y Complete updates to each chapter that incorporate currently available system components and recent changes in codes and standards Y Increased emphasis on design trade-offs and the design of grid-connected systems Y New discussions on site evaluation, and battery connections Y A new section on array mounting system design Y A new section on utility interactive residential PV systems Y A new section on curve fitting using Excel Y A new appendix that presents a recommended format for submitting PV design packages for permitting or design review purposes Y Examples and exercises replaced or modified to incorporate contemporary components, such as the Linear Current Booster
Customer Reviews:
Ok but I passed.......2007-05-16
This book only gives one a cursory look at designing systems but does not get into any practical depth. Most dissapointing was the complete lack of discussion as to the limitations of inverters in regard to their specific input voltage parameters and the matching of modules to inverters. It's a good overview for one who is serious about learning what PV systems are all about but is not detailed enough for practical design and implementation of a functional PV system.
Unique book.......2005-09-01
As with the first edition, this update by Messenger and Ventre is very well suited for a one-semester upper division course in EE or Engineering Technology, or for self study if one knows basic electric (mainly DC) circuit theory. As the title suggests, it's an applications-oriented book, with semiconductor physics (appropriately) relegated to the last two chapters. There are very few derivatives or integrals in the text, and basic algebra is sufficient for the end-of-chapter exercises. Reading 20 pages per day and answering a dozen or so questions from the exercises will get the self-study student through the text in less than a month. PSE is also one of the few books recommended by the NABCEP for the Solar PV Installer Certification Exam. There are a number of excellent PV physics books available today, but this is the only complete and up-to-date systems engineering text I know of.
Photovaltaic by Dr. Messanger from FAU.......2000-08-15
This book has a lot of good information on setting up a photovaltaic systems, I was forced to use it in his Photovaltaic course at FAU in FL. The book has lots of examples on different systems. The problems in the book are a bit to difficult and the answer could not be found in his book.
Book Description
London, 1931. The night before an exhibition of his artwork opens at a famed Mayfair gallery, the controversial artist Nick Bassington-Hope falls to his death. The police rule it an accident, but Nicks twin sister, Georgina, a wartime journalist and a infamous figure in her own right, isnt convinced. In Messenger of Truth, Maisie once again uncovers the perilous legacy of the Great War in a society struggling to recollect itself. But to solve the mystery of Nicks death, Maisie will have to keep her head as the forces behind the artists fall come out of the shadows to silence her. Following on the bestselling Pardonable Lies, Jacqueline Winspear delivers another vivid, thrilling, and utterly unique episode in the life of Maisie Dobbs.
Customer Reviews:
A Little Off-Balance.......2007-07-26
"God, he's just a little off balance," thought Maisie Dobbs about Officer Tucker while he was questioning her. For Maisie is investigating the death of an artist who supposedly accidentally fell from a scaffold while he was preparing to mount his mysterious triptych (3-piece art work) in a museum in England. Off balance is right, and Georgina Bassington-Hope, a famous journalist in her own right, is convinced that her artist brother, Nicholas, was pushed off the scaffold to his death. Hired by Georgina, Maisie sets of to slowly, methodically investigate the Bassington-Hope family, friends and acquaintances. Her method is fascinating reading as she quietly intuits each vital step in this formidable process, punctuated by significant opposition from the police and some smugglers.
The reader through Ms. Winspear's carefully detailed presentation meets these characters and gets to share in the intimate knowledge about their finer and gauche personality aspects. A psychologist as well as Investigator, she's got the talent with which one is born and that which can't be taught! Astute and compassionately honest she is!
Depression England and the awful World War that preceded it are frankly and carefully presented, leaving no doubt how these events created suffering and incomparable struggle for all who are surviving both. Indeed these characters somehow manage to thrive out of some deeper fine qualities that slowly emerge as Daisie continues her exploration into the seamier side of men and women of both the upper and lower class British citizens.
This is a fine, fine novel that will thrill the true mystery lover who really doesn't want to figure out the puzzle on page 1 or 100 but wants to relish the truly intriguing art divided into successive canvases of a classic, wonderful mystery!
Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on July 25, 2007
Messenger of Truth: A Maisie Dobbs Novel.......2007-07-24
The book is well written, a good story line and makes for enjoyable light reading.
A Maisie Dobbs Novel .......2007-07-18
Some books you read as a main course dinner others you save for the dessert. This book could fall into either category. A top read when you
choose to read. The person of Maisie Dobbs has been building for the past three books, and has proven to be a top notch detective and a business person. Be prepaired to find that you will have a hard time putting this book down.
Maisie Dobbs #4.......2007-07-14
I love this series! A thinking woman! Looking forward to the continuation of the series.
A dry watershed.......2007-06-24
This is Jacqueline Winspear's fourth novel about Maisie Dobbs, "psychologist and investigator." Fans of the series may be slightly disappointed, but should still enjoy it. First-time readers will wonder what all the fuss is about. For, as I suspected already in the third novel, PARDONABLE LIES, the narrative span is becoming difficult to sustain over four books.
But Winspear's sense of period seldom lets her down, and there are still many interesting things here: her view of the vibrant art scene between the wars or the heady night world of jazz clubs and cocktails, contrasted with the effect of the Depression on the out-of-work poor and the lamentable state of public health. And those parts of the story which have to do with the rags-to-riches rise of the heroine (housemaid, war nurse, Canbridge graduate, private investigator) are mercifully shorter -- though Maisie's emotional problems would mean very little to those who had not read the earlier books. But Winspear seems caught on a difficult watershed: on the one hand, continuing to write about the legacy of the First War, which no longer has the resonance that it had in her first books; on the other, exploring the life of a nation moving inexorably towards the Second. There are aspects of both here, but they do not blend easily. If she is to continue, the author needs to move forward rather than back -- and also develop the inner life of her heroine so as to make her interesting for who she is now, rather than as the product of previous books in the series.
Readers who want to read more about the role of artists in the first War -- an important element in this book -- might be interested in REGENERATION by Pat Barker. Although Barker's novel deals with poets (Sassoon and Owen among them) rather than painters, it tackles head-on the conflict between war's brutality and artistic sensitivity, which has been a persistent theme in Winspear's books, and a moving one.
Book Description
In every PC user's life, there's a point when desperate measures must be taken. Some push their PC off a pier or chuck it into a landfill. Others turn their former computing ally into a planter box. But don't give up on your PC yet--help is at hand. This easy to read, accessible book from PC World expert Steve Bass covers the waterfront of PC gripes and gremlins, with fixes for everything from Windows glitches to browsers that won't browse. Each fix is served up in bite-sized portions for quick reading--and even quicker fixing. A revised version of its best-selling predecessor, the 2nd edition offers 50 additional pages and over 120 new fixed annoyances. This reader-friendly book tackles problems related to a wide-ranging number of topics:
- Windows--King of Annoyances! learn how to kick Windows in the rear, overcome glitches, take charge of the interface, live with the dreaded Service Pack 2
- Hardware--wake up your DSL, tame your notebook, silence your PC's fan, work wonders with your scanner, and save paper
- Email--from Outlook to Eudora! Defeat spam, avoid mailing list hassles, send big files, manage folders
- Microsoft Office--learn workarounds for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint that help you back up the unbackable and automate data entry
- Internet--shake up IE, stop Flash, outsmart defaults, control Favorites, add the Google toolbar to Netscape
Plus, you get access to more than one hundred utilities that will help you squash bugs, enhance your email, untangle a system snarl, and much more. If your PC has ever annoyed you (do we see several billion raised hands?), PC Annoyances is for you. With the flip of a page or two, you can fix that faux pas and have your PC purring again.
Customer Reviews:
Worth the money.......2007-02-25
I was so impressed by this book when I checked it out from the library I realized I had to have a copy of my own for those times when problems crop up that drive me toward the deep end. This book does what it claims. Though it won't answer all of your problems (what book would), it's easy to understand and can provide simple solutions to what seem like complex problems. It also gives the reader various references and free helpful programs on-line. I highly recommend it.
Not a technical manual.......2007-02-03
OK for the nontechnical XP users. Most of these hints have been published elsewhere but it is a nice collection.
Would recommend this book.......2006-08-15
I love the format Steve Bass uses while writing
about computer annoyances. Many of the tips and solutions
can save you frustrations that are always there even in
a minor way because you may not know how to fix them.
Very Practical,Funny,To the Point........2006-07-17
After slogging through books on W2KPro/XPPro that are painful to read and no help unless your running 100+ PC's this book was a welcome relief in it's smarts,humor,and direct approach to fixing many of the challenges presented by the above mentioned OS's. Having one of my usual sleepless nights I started tallying up all the money I spent trying to keep MS software running,protected from hackers,bots,spyware,virii worms and it's own predisposition to fail and I realize that with an entire industry built around sloppy software as the norm and a gov't asleep at the antitrust wheel we're not likely to see a real improvement any time soon. When you hear words like regulation stifles innovation reach down and make sure you still have your wallet because it's about to be plundered. It's always about the money. If I had to spend another $25 to have this book included in the box that MS/OS came in then I would've saved hundreds on books that did'nt meet my needs and priceless amounts of lost time.
PC Annoyances.......2006-02-28
This is not the usual boring computer book. Just the opposite.
I'm reading it the second time with a felt tip marker. After reading a chapter I go to my computer, explore, and make changes. I've learned more reading this book than any other computer book I've purchased. And it's written so the average computer user like me can understand.
Average customer rating:
- I am the Messenger
- Ordinary Heroism
- Yes -- a Bad Ending CAN Cost You a 5-Star Review
- Curious
- When Life Deals You a Bad Hand...
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I Am the Messenger
Markus Zusak
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Inexcusable
ASIN: 0375836675
Release Date: 2006-05-09 |
Book Description
Meet Ed Kennedy—underage cabdriver, pathetic cardplayer, and useless at romance. He lives in a shack with his coffee-addicted dog, the Doorman, and he’s hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence, until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery. That’s when the first Ace arrives. That’s when Ed becomes the messenger. . . .
Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary), until only one question remains: Who’s behind Ed’s mission?
Winner of the 2003 Children’s Book Council Book of the Year Award in Australia, I Am the Messenger is a cryptic journey filled with laughter, fists, and love.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
I am the Messenger.......2007-10-09
I am the Messenger
By: Marcus Zusak
This book is a realistic fiction/mystery. This book is about a under aged cabbie driver named Ed. Who has done pretty much nothing meaningful in his life in till one fateful day when he stopped a bank robber. From that day forward his life got very interesting. He started to receive aces in the mail. On each card there were clues. Ed is faced with a difficult task he has to first solve the clues on the card and then he had to help a person. His best friends Marv, Audrey, and Ritchie give him advice along the way. Ed has to complete five cards in order to finish. Can Ed and his three best friends figure out the clues? If he fails he will be killed. Ed makes a lot of new friends and enemies in his adventures. He also realizes things about his friends he never knew before. This is Ed's time to shine but is he up to the task?This book related to my life because it showed me that any normal Joe can step up to the biggest obstacle and defeat it. That somehow affects my life because it taught me that lesson. I read this because it sounded like a great book. I loved how the author made the characters interesting and real. The plot was very original and exciting. The connection between the characters was very believable. The setting description is pretty vivid and the plot wasn't all that great but on the whole it is a very good book. It was truly a book that I couldn't put down until I finished it. I do not recommend it for younger kids because it is a mature book but I do recommend it to teens and young adults.
Ordinary Heroism.......2007-09-20
Though many people dislike the book's ending, I found it quite fitting. Zusak inspires readers with his creation of an ordinary hero. Ed motivates adults and teens alike to save the world. Just as Ed receives minimal information outlining his mission, we too must emerge from our lives of self-absorption and extend ourselves.
How does Ed save others? He watches, waits, and delivers. Though the action may be small, the kindness is powerful. This taxi-driving youth's understanding of people's need is astounding. Telling a young runner she possesses beauty. Bringing an old woman a past love. Reuniting a friend with his lost child. And, ultimately, giving himself the greatest gift of all.
This book is a fast read, not only because of the simple writing style, but also because of my lack of patience in awaiting Ed's next mission. Few can read this book and not be encouraged to create their own lives full of LIFE.
Yes -- a Bad Ending CAN Cost You a 5-Star Review.......2007-09-20
A very good concept, tight writing, interesting characters -- and an absolutely awful ending. That's a shame -- the idea of a young man being forced by a mysterious stranger to engage with the people around him and become an active participant in his own world is marvelous. The characters are crisply drawn, the plot is novel and charming, and the prose is quite well executed. So: the author couldn't sustain it, and didn't really know how to end it. Big deal? Yes- when the cop-out is of this magnitude. Don't bother with this one -- it's just too long a book and too compelling a mystery to invest your time in for such a terribly misguided denouement.
Curious.......2007-09-07
I really enjoyed "The Book Thief" by Zusak. I was curious about this "I am the Messenger" and really enjoyed it. I am always pleased to see that an author is diverse and not writing the same book over again. I am not sure why his books are classified as YA. There is a lot of sex in "Messenger" for a 9th grader. I like his style and ability to insert prose.
I thought is was a good ending - one to discuss with others.
When Life Deals You a Bad Hand..........2007-09-03
Australian YA author Markus Zusak's I AM THE MESSENGER is a likable little production wherein lovable loser, Ed Kennedy the Taxi Cab Driver, ultimately makes the fare of his life by figuring out, then fulfilling, the strange missions left in his letter box. These cryptic tasks are written on playing cards -- the aces, to be exact -- and all involve helping others to find their Frank Capra moments (It's a Wonderful Life meets Oz). Ultimately, "the messenger" (the original title, by the way), delivers a moral which is uplifting, even if the plot used as a vehicle is not entirely believable. Nevertheless, endeared readers will willingly go along for the ride and feel all the better for it once they arrive.
Strengths of Zusak's novel include characterization and suspense. Among Ed's card-playing band of not-so-merry losers are Marv, a money-hoarding loner; Ritchie, a ne'er-do-well, lazy, professionally-unemployed type; and Audrey, the requisite, sad-eyed beauty who calls Ed her best friend while calling many other males her lovers. Man's best friend is amply represented by the Doorman -- Ed's smell-to-the-high-heavens German Shepherd -- and heavies Keith and Daryl, who put the hurt on him in their own inimitable style, giving the novel a twisted comic kick. Ed's mom? She loves to hate him. His brother Tommy? He gets all the girls and attention. And his alcoholic father? Alas, he took his last mortal swig a year before the story's first page.
Zusak pulls the ensemble together for a predictable conclusion (though you best leave logic at the door when it comes to the "mystery character"). Young readers will love the book's brisk style which includes many, many one-sentence paragraphs. And teachers will want to stock this for classrooms of high schools only -- despite the cheerful life lessons, the book is heavy with the sort of profanity that might raise all but the most liberal middle school parents' (or the school committee's) eyebrows. Adults as well as teens can enjoy the book, however, as its winsome style and free-wheeling protagonist will make all but the most hard-hearted reader want to cheer Ed on as he finally plays the winning card...
Average customer rating:
- I'll pretend it never happened
- Messenger
- The Exciting Book I Read
- The Madness of Matty the Messenger
- A Must Read!
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Messenger (Readers Circle)
Lois Lowry
Manufacturer: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0385732538
Release Date: 2006-08-22 |
Book Description
For the past six years, Matty has lived in Village and flourished under the guidance of Seer, a blind man, known for his special sight. Village was a place that welcomed newcomers, but something sinister has seeped into Village and the people have voted to close it to outsiders. Matty has been invaluable as a messenger. Now he must make one last journey through the treacherous forest with his only weapon, a power he unexpectedly discovers within himself.
Customer Reviews:
I'll pretend it never happened.......2007-08-31
I don't think I'm alone in saying that the ending of "The Giver" was perfect. It left the reader with just the air of mystery and made it possible for ANYTHING to be possible.
So why, so many years later, are we thrust with a less-than-satisfactory story in place of our imaginations? "Messenger" seemed to me first and foremost a sequel to the interesting "Gathering Blue". "Gathering Blue" had little if anything in common with "The Giver". I didn't really associate the two with each other, yet here Lowry clearly draws a line between the two, one I'd wished she'd have left alone.
"Messenger" is not a bad book. It's just not particularly good either. It was simple, the plot absolutely calm, and there just wasn't a spark. If it was just a slightly bland story then it might be okay, but by trying to tie "The Giver" in with this book, Lowry has made it difficult to accept this book.
"Messenger" does have some positive sides to it. It was very fun to see Matty again, though I'll admit that he seemed a bit more bland here than he did in "Gathering Blue". He lacked fire and emotion, like he'd been tamed and dumbed down. He was more fun as a crazy, spirited kid, but it was still nice to see him again. It's also a thoroughly readable book, written in very simple language that means that just about any age group can read this and understand it.
In the end, though, I'm left with the feeling that Lowry has ruined something for me. I liked how all these years I was allowed to decide what happened at the end of "The Giver". Instead, Lowry has decided for me, and I'd really prefer she wouldn't. I'll pretend it never happened.
For fans who don't mind that "The Giver" is given an ending and really liked "Gathering Blue", "Messenger" may be a good book for you, especially if you like a simple style. There are aspects to this story that make it very good. On the other hand, if you loved "The Giver" as much as I did, I'd suggest avoiding this book and just accepting "Gathering Blue" as a standalone.
Messenger.......2007-06-30
This book continue with the character Matty and Seer at a villiage that accept everyone no matter what the disability. People in the village start acting differenecely and Matty can't figure out why. The people want to close the doors of village. Matty wants to hurry and get his name, but Leader tells him he has to wait. Matty has a speical gift and does something really special for the people. Read the book to find out what Matty does. this would be a good book to read for the content areas, you could study aobut other cultures, economics system, health issues and you can always write about diffence subjects in the story.
The Exciting Book I Read.......2007-06-04
The book I read was Messenger. The author of this book is Lois Lowry. This book is about a young boy named Matty taking mail to people from forest. This story takes place in the past. Matty called himself a name. I am not going to tell you that name because I will ruin the story for you. The plot of this story is that this boy wandered into a forest and found something he did not know existed. The author did a good job showing how Matty helps people through forest. For example Matty helped seer's daughter go through forest.
I would recommend this to many middle schools. This book is a great book for a class to read. Over the last paragraph I told you some reasons I liked this book. Maybe if you read this book you will feel the same as me.
The Madness of Matty the Messenger.......2007-06-04
I read the book Messenger by Lois Lowry. A young boy named Matty is living with an old man named Seer, in a utopian society, in our future. Everyone in this village is named by their gifts, or their powers. Some can see beyond like a man named leader, or some have other powers. The book is about a man named Mentor who wants to close the village to new comers. Seer's crippled daughter named Kira is living on the other side of a dark and fierce forest. She promised she would come live with them, but with the village closing so fast, she might not make it. Matty set out to go bring Kira home, and with their powers they are fighting the crewel forest to get back. The forest is trying to kill them both as it killed many others. They're going as fast as they can, but it might be too late.
I believe the theme of the story was that things may get hard or tough, your challenges may be unbearable, but in the end your friends, family, and people who care about you really matter, and everything is worth it in the end. I think people who like fiction and adventures should read this book because I wanted to keep turning the page. I really enjoyed the suspense. I believe that Messenger was an excellent book!
A Must Read!.......2007-05-31
I read the novel Messenger by Lois Lowry. The main character is a young boy named Matty who has an unexplainable power. He escaped from his homeland community through Forest to Village. He lives with a blind man who is quite old named Seer. Everyone in Village, once they show wisdom, is given their true name. Matty is hoping his will be Messenger because he runs errands through Forest who has not shown him any warnings. Once a year a Trade Mart takes place. Many of the people have traded away their "innerself." Now people who have traded want to close Village to newcomers. Now, Matty must convince Seer's Daughter, Kira who is crippled, to go through Forest. Forest has become hostile. This makes it harder for Kira and Matty to get back to Village before it is closed to newcomers. The story takes place in a utopian society in the future. This community usually takes pride in welcoming newcomers. What has changed?
The theme of this novel is always welcome new ideas, but trust your conscience. Adventure seekers should read this book because it has a page-turning ending. It also has great morals. This is a must read!
Average customer rating:
- The GIver
- Great Trilogy
- Connections galore
- Giver
- They should make movies!
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The Worlds of Lois Lowry 3 Copy Boxed Set (The Giver, Gathering Blue, The Messenger)
Lois Lowry
Manufacturer: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0385733895
Release Date: 2006-08-22 |
Book Description
When Jonas turns 12, he is singled out for special training from The Giver. Now, it's time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.
*
Kira, an orphan with a twisted leg, lives in a world where the weak are cast aside. When she is given a task that no other community member can carry out, Kira soon realizes she is surrounded by many mysteries and secrets--and an extraordinary power of her own.
*
Matty has always been proud to be Village's Messenger. But now that Village is closing its once-welcoming doors, Matty must make one last journey through the treacherous forest, and must make a great sacrifice to save the place he loves.
*
The Worlds of Lois Lowry are brought to life through three extraordinary characters, and the unexpected connections among their lives.
Customer Reviews:
The GIver.......2007-07-26
Great trilogy. Haven't read the 2nd 2 yet, so this review is just for The Giver. I bought it for myself and my 9 year old. We both really liked it. It is written in such a way, that you envision a black and white world devoid of emotion and color which is what the author wants. It really was a great book for discussion with my child as it explores having personal choice, love/nuturing/emotions, and individuality. The back of the book has questions that help explore these areas even more. It was interesting to see a child's perspective vs. an adults. This book makes us all think about how society is and how it can be. Recommended.
Great Trilogy.......2007-07-03
This box-set is one of the most enduring trilogies I have ever read. The first book is an instant classic, The Giver. I actually read this book back in 1994, when I was in the 4th grade. I read it now again, and I am still just as enamored with it. I didn't even know there were two other books that followed until I did some research. The next two books are just as good, and the best part is that are not carbon-copies. One could actually read them by themselves, but it's so much better when you know the stories before them.
Connections galore.......2007-06-21
I had read "The Giver" some time ago, but had never read the other books in the series. I always wondered what happened to Jonas. This clears things up for me. He came into the community on the sled and became the Seer. I really enjoyed putting the pieces of the puzzle together and realizing who was who in former books and what role they play in "The Messenger." The only thing is that I wondered what happened to Gabriel...could he be the teacher? They only mention one coming in on the sled, but at the end of "The Giver," there are actually two people on it.
Giver.......2007-05-21
It's beautiful book for all family. I had a big pleasure when I red it.
They should make movies!.......2007-01-31
They should make movies of this trilogy. I adored all three of these books, though at times, they left me with a few unanswered questions. "How does Kira change her world without being killed?" for example, in Gathering Blue. Who exactly is Trademaster in Messenger and where does he go in the end? I guess Lois Lowry wanted her readers to use their own creative gifts and answer these questions for themselves. I wonder where one reviewer got the idea that Leader in Messenger arrived in Village "with an older boy who didn't survive the journey." There is no mention of a dead boy in Messenger, and it is clear to me from the descriptions given who Leader is.
Buying these books in a box set and reading them in order gives a reader the chance to see the common theme they share of society gone bad or in the wrong hands (or both) and the desperate need for things like love, compassion and creativity. Buy this set; you won't regret it. And bring on the directors and screen writers!
Book Description
While dogs get more credit, cats have perennially proven themselves to be every bit the equal of their canine brethren as humankind's best friend. Angel Cats, inspired by a contest authors Allen and Linda Anderson ran to find the "Best Angel Cat" story, shows the often extraordinary ways in which these fascinating creatures have responded to human need. Stories feature Paprika, the kitten that may have saved a little Hungarian girl from Russian soldiers; the cat who helped a woman make friends in a hostile workplace; the cats who acted as "pacemakers" for a sleeping woman with undiagnosed heart problems; and many more. Interwoven with the stories are brief meditations as well as fun facts about cats, such as that cats purr at the same frequency that increases bone density and strengthens and heals fractures. An "Ask Cuddles" section answers frequently asked questions about the fabulous feline.
Customer Reviews:
Angel Cats: Divine Messengers of Comfort.......2007-04-11
what a heart warming book with great stories in it.
A True Blessing.......2006-11-17
A friend gave me this book a week ago today. My wonderful cat (my companion of nearly 14 years), Trouble, died last week of kidney failure and my friend thought I could use a little comfort. I haven't read the entire book yet, but the last section on how animals say good-bye to us was truly touching to me and helped me to see that I'm not crazy for feeling so blue. Reading sections of this book allowed me to see that Trouble's desire to be held that last night he was with me was his way of saying good-bye and trying to let me know that he knew it was time and that he (and I) would be ok.
Angel Cats: Divine Messengers of Comfort.......2006-09-06
This book has some great stories which are heart warming and meaningful for the soul. These stories are way for people to see that animals can truly love there human. I would give this book out for gift to people who are lonely and think that nobody can love them.
COMFORT FOR THE CAT LOVER'S SOUL.......2006-08-14
In these uncertain and harrowing times, those of us who share life with cats have the advantage of being able to reach out and touch softness, comfort, unconditional love and loyalty whenever we stroke our cats. ANGEL CATS: DIVINE MESSENGERS OF COMFORT by Allen Anderson is a prosaic comforter and provides much-needed balm for the soul by illuminating stories of cats' singular love for their chosen humans, each other, and other living beings. I heartily recommend this book for all cat lovers, most especially those who wish to understand their relationships to their cats on a spiritual level, and for all who look forward to meeting beloved feline family members "at the Rainbow Bridge" and beyond.
Angel Cats: Devine Messengers Of Comfort.......2005-09-13
I highly reccommend this book to animal lovers, and especially cat lovers. We are not in this world alone. God has blessed us with cats who can teach us patience, humor, compassion and unconditional love if you will let them. My cats have always been a comfort to me and a reflection of the eternal.
Book Description
With a well-earned reputation as man's — as well as woman's — best friend, dogs have an uncanny ability to sense exactly what their human friends need. Gathered from thousands of stories Allen and Linda Anderson have received, as well as their own experiences, Angel Dogs demonstrates that dogs are not only faithful companions but also spiritual guides. Stories include the four-legged speech therapist who helped a scared boy find his voice; the dog who came “special delivery” through the mail at just the right moment in a family’s life; the dog who helped guard Air Force One; dogs from the canine corps; service dogs; and many others. The book also details new scientific findings on how dogs can save lives, sniff out cancerous tumors, and warn epileptics of impending seizures. Each story is followed by a short meditation that helps readers focus on the messages of love that dogs bring to their lives.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book Seller.......2007-07-04
My book arrived quickly was as described and I am very pleased. Great book seller. Will use again! Thank you.
I loved this book.......2007-03-29
As a dog lover I enjoyed every page. Everything was as advertised.
Angel Doggies.......2007-02-20
This book was so good to read. I laughed and cried as I read each of the stories. I am now passing it around my job so others can enjoy it too. Anyone who loves dogs, lost a dog will love to read this book. This is a must buy and read book.
Dog lovers must read.......2006-12-30
Recently we lost our Chocolate Lab "Moose" who was 13yrs old and reading this comforted me!
Great Book!.......2005-10-31
Talk about a warm, fuzzy, heart touching book, this is it. Authors Allen & Linda Anderson have touched on the very core of the existence of our beloved pet, the dog.
Taking accounts from numerous people they share with us stories of courage, love,loyalty, sacrifice and more that our four legged friends have bestowed on humans. After each story we have a short meditation that enhances the read.
I am a dog lover so for me this just re-enforced their need in our world and helped me appreciate them more. Are they indeed sent from our Maker as messengers of love? I believe that may well be true. If you love dogs, or even if you just want to understand their unique service to man; this book is for you.Written in a tender, honest, interesting and absorbing way; you will find it difficult to put this book down. I recommend "Angel Dogs" highly. Absolutely amazing insight!
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