Book Description
The critical struggle between Shia and Sunni for the future of the Middle East.
To most Western eyes, all Islamic movements look alike, and the central conflict in the Middle East is one between religion and secularism. Shockingly little has been written about the bitter divide between Shia and Sunni. Yet without understanding their ancient conflict—and its modern embodiment in the power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia for political and spiritual leadership of the Muslim world—it is impossible to comprehend events across the so-called Shia Crescent, from East Africa through Iraq and Pakistan to India.
The provocative rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini, the Saudi pressure on the United States not to unseat Saddam Hussein in 1991, the critical role of the Ayatollah Sistani and the religious establishment in Najaf (Iraq), the volatility of Pakistan today, and the consequences of the shift toward Shia power through American intervention—all this and more is explained in the light of the Shia/Sunni divide.
Customer Reviews:
Understanding the Middle East.......2007-09-19
This book is one of the most important books written for understanding the current situation in the Middle East - both current and past. Many books about Islam do not even mention the differences between the Shia and the Sunni branches of Islam. This book give a consice history of Islam and the early division that broke apart these two branches that continues to divide people throughout the Middle East. It is the root cause of the conflict in Iraq and the lack of understanding of this great divide by the US government has led us into the quagmire we are in today. This piece should be essential reading for anyone who wants to understand Islam and the Middle East.
Exceptional, Must Read for any American .......2007-09-02
This is a remarkably important and well written book about that argues that the primary force unleashed by the American invasion of Iraq was not one of democracy vs. authoritarianism or the West vs. Islam. Rather it is the sectarianism of Shia vs. Sunni. Of course, the tension between Islam and the West has been a front and center issue since post-WWII. Through the Cold War, various crises erupted to bring the issue to the fore -- Suez Crisis, 67 War, 73, the Iranian Revolution, Lebanese civil war and Soviet invasion of Afghanistan -- prior to 9/11.
However, most Americans have limited knowledge about the internal conflict likely to define the course of Islam in the next 50 years -- the struggle between Sunni and Shia. Nasr presents a succinct and easily digestible overview of the roots of the conflict between these two branches of Islam. Traditionally the main western view of Shiism is that of Iran, the largest Shiite nation in the Middle East. With the overthrow of Saddam and American push for a democratic Iraq, the majority Shia was now poised to extend and be the dominant voice in an Arab country. Given American policy since the overthrow of the Shah in 1979 to not engage diplomatically with Iran, a significant void existed in our understanding of Shiites, especially given the discrimination of them across the rest of the Arab world. This has been a major problem since the overthrow of Saddam and de-Baathification. The US was very adept at taking advantage of al-Sistani's initial guidance to his Shia followers not to engage in violence and allow the political process to unfold. With "one person, one vote", it was inevitable that the influence Shia would exert. Sunni's would not accept such an outcome and began a wave of violence that continues to this day -- Sunni and Shia death squads vying for power and control -- while regional powers Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia provide support for their faction respective factions.
Nasr highly readable and informative book is a must read for all Americans looking to understand why the violence and escalation in Iraq is so hard to control and poses such risks for the US and the region going forward. While we live in a time of 15 second sound bites, the reality is a situation so complex and deeply embedded that sound bites and easy answers will not solve any problems. While this book may not provide the answers to any of the problems that exist, it will help one better understand the multi-faceted nature of the problem, the stakes involved and why the sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shia is likely to impact the rest of the world for the foreseeable future.
A Book Worth Reading.......2007-08-11
I picked up this book after I saw Nasr on TV. I must admit it lived up to its top billing. It is an easy read that explains history and complexities of the Middle East in a compelling manner. Among much else written on what went wrong in Iraq this book stands out for its prescience and wisdom. Everyone interested in knowing what happened and what may yet happen in Iraq should read this book.
A Bright Light.......2007-08-10
Vali Nasr shines a bright light on the Muslim sectarian conflicts in the Middle East, both as they existed in the past and as they exist today. Both our citizens and, particulary, our government representatives need such a light as we grope our way into the future.
In his concluding chapter Nasr writes, "The lesson of Iraq is that trying to force a future of its liking will hasten the advent of those outcomes that the United States most wishes to avoid."
Also, "The most salient threat from the extremist interpretation of Islam now wears Sunni garb...If the Shias are emerging from their dark years of ideological posturing, revolution, and extremism, the Sunnis seem to be entering theirs, or at least passing into a darker phase."
He looks to the future: The Shias and Sunnis are adjusting to a new balance of power, and "those forces that are most dangerous to Western interest and to the peace of the region are likely to thrive during this transition."
A Fantastic Book.......2007-08-05
This book is a delight to read. It is well-written and smart, and also very insightful. Among all the books that I have read on the background to the Iraq war none better explains how and why sectarianism has become so important than this one. Nasr provides a good primer on Shiism and the Shia-Sunni conflict, and discusses the Middle East in a whole new way. I recommend this book. You will enjoy it.
Average customer rating:
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The Devil Unleashed
Ali Vali
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Average customer rating:
- Golden Crown Literary Society award nominee finalist
- Real Page Turner
- Must Have More
- Buy this book!
- Amazing for the First Book!
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The Devil Inside
Ali Vali
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Customer Reviews:
Golden Crown Literary Society award nominee finalist.......2007-08-08
Fascinating, Riveting Novel! Fast paced and utterly readable. This is an immensely entertaining book. Superior writing.
This is a page turner and makes an excellent beach or airplane read. Be prepared this is a bloody and violent story, chock full of unforgivable actions. The thirty-something leads are unforgettable.
Cain Casey is a New Orleans Mafia Crime Boss and makes a fascinating anti-hero. The fantastic supporting characters include 11 year old Hayden who is amazingly mature due to circumstances beyond his control.
This is a hugely popular book, I don't know anyone who has read it and not loved it.
I really enjoy this author's writing and look forward to reading her next novels. My favorites are the author's two romances 'Carly's Sound' and 'Second Season' - don't miss them!!
The sequel 'The Devil Unleashed' is available now.
Real Page Turner.......2007-01-12
This is a wonderful first novel. I have read earlier reviews and do generally concur. More detail/attention should have been paid to their physical features. Cain had lush, dark hair and blue eyes. Okay. Emma had blonde hair and green eyes. Okay. I was also keenly aware of something being missing though and finally realized that the physical relationship between Cain and Emma hadn't, for me, been sufficiently grounded from the beginning of the book. The earlier flashbacks were done well but failed to address what was missing, the history of/longing for their intense sexual attraction/desire. There was one scene and it was very nice but there was no volatile sexual chemistry woven throughout the story. I am not bemoaning a lack of explicit sexual scenes, but near the end when Emma felt a bolt of sexual energy/arousal when Cain touched her in the hospital room - there should have been more of that. And Cain was so completely shut down. What a soldier! Even when we believe she's bad for us, our feelings, emotional and sexual, will disagree with our brains. I didn't get any of that turmoil from Cain. Hayden was a very engaging youngster of 11, but smart or not, no 11 year old can sustain the depth of conversations and demonstrate the insight he did. He was just too young to be credible. Even Hannah at 4 was too young to be completely believed for some of her dialogue. I had trouble with those three areas. That distracted me throughout the read. But, I have already ordered the sequel because I really, really loved the story. It was engaging and entertaining and there are many fine lessons for all of us in there. Ali is a talented storyteller and I recommend this highly!
Must Have More.......2007-01-02
Like all of the other reviewers here, I absolutely loved this book. It is a must read that grabs your attention from the very beginning and holds on tight to it until you finish. Which won't take you too long as you will find yourself unable to put this book down. The only drawback that I see is in waiting for the next book in the series. I truly recommend buying both books together so you don't have any down time in between. Kudos to Vali for her vibrant writing.
Buy this book!.......2006-11-16
Kudos to Ms. Vali! Her characterization and style of writing is superb. I felt very connected to Mama Bear Cain, and although I could never imagine leaving my child, I felt equally strong about Emma and her choices. It takes real talent for a writer to make this reader tear up and feel like I have a stake in the characters' decisions. Truly a joy to read, I've already recommended this book to every person looking for a page turner. Did I mention I work in a bookstore?? :)
Amazing for the First Book!.......2006-08-31
Ali Vali has an amazing talent! I could not put this book down! The Devil Inside was an easy and very enjoyable read. For this being her first attempt at a novel, I think the work rates Vali up there with the likes of Radclyffe and Gerri Hill. I can not imagine anyone not liking this book and the great characters. Derby Cain is a tough and powerful woman with a soft side that lets you fall in love with her. Cain's family comes first especially her son Hayden. In the begining you doubt Emma, Cain's wife but by the end of the book you find yourself rooting for her. As the story unfolds Emma's character is transformed and it makes you wonder what level she will be taken to in the sequel.
I enjoyed the humor in this book and the way it flowed the whole way through...no stumbling here! Vali is a very talented writer with a bright future! I look forward to reading more...actually I can't wait!
Book Description
Today Iran is once again in the headlines. Reputed to be developing nuclear weapons, the future of Iraq's next-door neighbor is a matter of grave concern both for the stability of the region and for the safety of the global community. President George W. Bush labeled it part of the "Axis of Evil," and rails against the country's authoritarian leadership. Yet as Bush trumpets the spread of democracy throughout the Middle East, few note that Iran has one of the longest-running experiences with democracy in the region. In this book, Ali Gheissari and Vali Nasr look at the political history of Iran in the modern era, and offer an in-depth analysis of the prospects for democracy to flourish there. After having produced the only successful Islamist challenge to the state, a revolution, and an Islamic Republic, Iran is now poised to produce a genuine and indigenous democratic movement in the Muslim world. Democracy in Iran is neither a sudden development nor a western import, Gheissari and Nasr argue. The concept of democracy in Iran today may appear to be a reaction to authoritarianism, but it is an old idea with a complex history, one that is tightly interwoven with the main forces that have shaped Iranian society and politics, institutions, identities, and interests. Indeed, the demand for democracy first surfaced in Iran a century ago at the end of the Qajar period, and helped produce Iran's surprisingly liberal first constitution in 1906. Gheissari and Nasr seek to understand why democracy failed to grow roots and lost ground to an autocratic Iranian state. Why was democracy absent from the ideological debates of the 1960s and 1970s? Most important, why has it now become a powerful social, political, and intellectual force? How have modernization, social change, economic growth, and the experience of the revolution converged to make this possible? Gheissari and Nasr trace the fortunes of the democratic ideal from the inchoate demands for rule of law and constitutionalism of a century ago to today's calls for individual rights and civil liberties. In the process they provide not just a fresh look at Iran's politics but also a new understanding of the way in which democracy can develop in a Muslim country.
Customer Reviews:
A Good Primer on Iran.......2007-08-11
Will Iran be a democracy? Gheissari and Nasr gives a good overview of history of Irania history with one point in mind: why has there been so much debate over democracy but no real democracy. This is a serious book with a good deal of history. A must read for all those who discuss future of democracy in the Muslim world and Iran.
Recommended.......2007-08-05
This a serious and smart book about the history of democracy in a Muslim country. It shows that democracy is not a new idea for Iranians. They have debated and experimented with it, and why they have failed to become democratic has more to do with political developments in that country than any other issue. The authors do a good job of explaining the weight of historical developments in how democracy develops and why its succeeds or fails. A good news in this book is that despite its harsh government there is more debate and interest in democracy than at any other time in recent Iranian history, and more Iranians now see it as a practical idea than before.
A worthwhile read.......2007-05-26
This a sweeping history of Iran. It shows how democracy has been debated over the years. What comes form this text is that Iranians have a rich history of debating democracy, and its is not just religion that accounts for absence of democracy in that country. It is a worthwhile read for everyone as these days talk of Iran and its government dominate the media.
Very Useful; 4.5 stars.......2007-02-25
The heart of this short book is a precis of modern Iranian history with an accompanying analysis of the social and political phenomena responsible for important events. While the authors go back to the early 20th century, most of the discussion focuses on the birth of the Iranian revolution and its aftermath, leading right up to recent events. This is very well done with insightful analysis of the major trends in recent Iranian history. The authors, however, try to present their interpretation with the major theme of efforts to build a democratic Iran. This interpretation is belied by their own narrative which seems to present the recurrent theme of trying to build a modern state under considerable external pressure. Nonetheless, this book deserves wide readership because it displays an objective view of Iranian history uncontaminated by popular cliches and with a lot of interesting detail. Gheissari and Nasr argue that the residuum of historic efforts to democratize Iran and unexpected consequences of the Iranian revolution has resulted in a state with a strong democratic movement and a number of democratic practices. Unfortunately, this book probably won't reach a broad audience because in the interests of concision, the authors have had to leave out a fair amount of relevant historical background. For example, it will be hard to understand the authors' discussion of 1930s Iran unless you know what "Kemalist" means. The quality of writing is generally good but the authors sometimes fall back to academic cliches. It has an excellent bibliography.
While Geissari and Nasr make a very good case for the potential strength of democractic practice in Iran and opportunities for conversion to real democracy, they don't discuss a real danger of this situation. Authoritarian regimes under domestic challenge from strong domestic democratic pressures have a tendency to resort to reckless foreign policies to distract domestic attention and to build domestic legitimacy.
A quicksand of sentences and words ..........2007-01-07
... A book filled with facts, names, figures, and great perspectives on the before and after of the Iranian revolution.
This book was read in a household where the readers have between them five advanced college degrees. The book was not for us and certainly not for the general public, but written for colleagues of the authors - very pompous (i.e., snobbish) and arrogant (i.e., superior) in its style.
The authors spend the majority of their energy trying to impress the reader with their vocabulary and onerous (i.e., tiring), sentences, one piled on top of the next. It made each paragraph a torture to read and the whole book laborious (i.e., difficult) to follow.
The book would have been much more powerful if it had been written with the broader audience in mind, focusing on clearly communicating ideas and thoughts, as opposed to patting themselves on their backs showing off their command of the English language and its least commonly used words (e.g., millenarianism, insouciant, polity, etc.)
Book Description
Policing is a consuming profession with incredibly high elements of stress. Research suggests that police divorce rates are more than double the national average of ordinary marriages. The spouse's fear of physical danger, adjusting to shift work, transfers and changes in the officers' personality are only a few of the contributing factors, but the most crucial problem is the breakdown of communication within the relationship. From the beginning of the officers' careers they are trained to control their emotions, and thus are accused of being cold-hearted. Spouses agree that law enforcement officers grapple with the real-life horrors on the job and that the bitter belief that 'cops don't cry' is sadly untrue.
Customer Reviews:
Great advice and encouragement........2007-08-21
This is great advice and encouragment for a police marriage I recommend this to everyone!
boring.......2007-06-15
not what I expected at all. So boring it is hard to read.
Excellent.......2006-06-28
Absolutely worth reading. Both as the officer or the spouse. I've read it and the future spouse is going to be reading it next. Lots or great tips and knowledge on how the job is.
Good for new police wives/families.......2005-09-29
I have been married to a police officer for 8 years. I finally decided to read a book dedicated to police families to try to make sense of some of the issues that only a police family will have to deal with. This book was terrific!
a readable useful book.......2003-05-18
For COPS DON'T CRY, Canadian Vali Stone conducted interviews from which she has quoted extensively & surveys & added them to her own personal experience within the distinctive lifestyle of the police community, to bring together her information & insights into how to sustain a supportive & enduring marriage & family life.
Vali Stone makes no bones about it: When your spouse is presenting symptoms of job-related stress, she repeatedly urges you to get help immediately, as she did. Doing nothing about it will not make it "go away" & will, ultimately, ensure defeat of your marriage.
COPS DON'T CRY is a serious & good book, no matter which profession you or your spouse is in. Listening to what spouses have said about being married to a policeman, is both engaging & eye-opening. It is a look at how couples live together, through better or worse, & what those old-fashioned attributes such as loyalty, compassion, & living a public life can be.
Well done! Highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
- The Best of PKD
- ONE OF HIS BEST BOOKS - BUT - DON'T BUY THIS EDITION OF IT!!!!!!!!!!
- Not a story and not very interesting...
- Looking for God in All the Wrong Places
- Not for the Religiously Timid
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Valis
Philip K. Dick
Manufacturer: Vintage
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ASIN: 0679734465
Release Date: 1991-07-02 |
Amazon.com
The first of Dick's three final novels (the others are Divine Invasion and The Transmigration of Timothy Archer). Known as science fiction only for lack of a better category, "Valis" takes place in our world and may even be semi-autobiographical. It is a fool's search for God, who turns out to be a virus, a joke, and a mental hologram transmitted from an orbiting satellite.
The proponent of the novel, Horselover Fat, is thrust into a theological quest when he receives communion in a burst of pink laser light. From the cancer ward of a bay area hospital to the ranch of a fraudulent charismatic religious figure who turns out to have a direct com link with God, Dick leads us down the twisted paths of Gnostic belief, mixed with his own bizarre and compelling philosophy. Truly an eye opening look at the nature of consciousness and divinity.
Book Description
Valis is the first book in Philip K. Dick's incomparable final trio of novels (the others being are The Divine Invasion and The Transmigration of Timothy Archer). This disorienting and bleakly funny work is about a schizophrenic hero named Horselover Fat; the hidden mysteries of Gnostic Christianity; and reality as revealed through a pink laser.
Valis is a theological detective story, in which God is both a missing person and the perpetrator of the ultimate crime.
"The fact that what Dick is entertaining us about is reality and madness, time and death, sin and salvation--this has escaped most critics. Nobody notices that we have our own homegrown Borges, and have had him for thirty years."--Ursula K. Le Guin, New Republic
Download Description
Valis is the first book in Philip K. Dick's incomparable final trio of novels (the others being are The Divine Invasion and The Transmigration of Timothy Archer). This disorienting and bleakly funny work is about a schizophrenic hero named Horselover Fat; the hidden mysteries of Gnostic Christianity; and reality as revealed through a pink laser.
Valis is a theological detective story, in which God is both a missing person and the perpetrator of the ultimate crime.
"The fact that what Dick is entertaining us about is reality and madness, time and death, sin and salvation--this has escaped most critics. Nobody notices that we have our own homegrown Borges, and have had him for thirty years."--Ursula K. Le Guin, New Republic
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
The Best of PKD.......2007-08-07
Disclaimer: If you happen to be one of those readers who only reads sci-fi to experience planets exploding and space-ships throwing laser blasts back and forth, this is definitely not a novel for you. For everyone else, read on.
Valis is arguably one of PKD's best novels, if not the best. It is the story of a lonely, troubled schizophrenic, Horselover Fat. Worry not, there is a brilliant explanation for the name late in the novel. Horselover Fat, much like Philip K. Dick, is a substance-abuser who, while going through a bout with depression after the suicide of a good friend, starts having very strange visions and aphorisms of information downloaded into his head. Horselover basically believes that God, in the form of a pink laser, shot this information into his head.
The information, which turns out to be subjective (or objective) truths about the nature of existence, is written out in bold throughout the book and then summarized again at the end of the book. I sometimes open up the back few pages and read them as they are some of the most brilliant and imaginative things to come out of science fiction.
What I find utterly amazing about this novel is the fact that, beyond being a completely unmiraculous loser, the protagonist is an utter basket-case who happens to be one of the only people alive in possession of the veiled knowledge of human existence. Ideas throughout the novel allude to concepts that Horselover lived a previous life during the first century A.D. as well as ideas regarding an entity that causes the neuroses of every human being.
Essentially, this novel is a true testamony, according to PKD, of an experience that happened to him shortly before his death. Dick was an eccentric of a truly rare breed and I am thankful that he put his thoughts down in black and white.
ONE OF HIS BEST BOOKS - BUT - DON'T BUY THIS EDITION OF IT!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-03-14
This is one of my favorite PKD books, so as far as a review of the story itself, it is incredible. A must have for every seeker in the cosmos.
Now, having said that, I bought this edition, and was saddened deeply that it is unreadable. There is a huge portion of the story which is missing altogether, (perhaps 10 - 15 pages?), and in it's place is some modern political essay about the European economy. A publisher's mistake, I'm sure, but I can't have the only one like this. If you can find a different edition or version of this book, then by all means buy it. Then it would be 5 stars rather than 0 stars.
Not a story and not very interesting..........2007-02-07
VALIS is PKD's quasi-autobiographical crazy mystical science fiction speculations about God. This isn't a piece of fiction as much as it is a bunch of nonsensical fantasies about the nature of god pulled from nowhere. This work is nowhere near the quality of PKD's *actual* science fiction, and I don't recommend that anybody bother reading this book. Stick to the earlier stuff.
Looking for God in All the Wrong Places.......2007-01-16
Emotionally crushed by the death of a friend, California dreamer Horselover Fat has a (borderline) religious experience that convinces him that reality is not what it appears to be. Is he teetering on the brink of insanity, or is he the only who really understands what's actually going on in this world, and either way, how will he know? Perhaps a good movie will clarify things...
The first half of this book is not so much a science fiction story as an exercise in obscure theosophical speculation. Dick obviously incorporated a lot of autobiographical material in this volume, but one wonders if he ever believed half of the ideas he espouses here. And as to Dick's myriad theosophical references, one assumes they're largely the product of the author's invention, but it doesn't really matter much either way. Unless you're looking to this novel for answers to the big questions, the points being made here don't add up to much more than some fairly tedious reading. Of course, as is typical of Dick, the book takes a totally unexpected turn about halfway through, with some major surprises, which is why this book merits four stars despite its many weak points. Dick's fans will certainly be pleased, and readers open to radically new conceptions of religion may find it thought-provoking, but it's not really for science fiction fans, and skeptics may be inclined to dismiss the whole book as hokum.
Not for the Religiously Timid.......2006-10-16
Philip K Dick experienced something profound in 1974 after a long battle with drug addiction, depression, and paranoia . . . what that experience was can best be described as a hallucinatory encounter with God. This book may be fiction as it's labeled, but more likely it's as close to autobiography as Dick could remember of his life from 1974 to 1978.
Many people consider this to be an unreadable volume because of its surreal journey through the mind of one with some sort of severe psychosis, and of its wild switches from first to third person, not to mention the confusion with which Dick puts himself in the plot as both the protagonist and narrator, but those being two different people. Add to that a heavy dose of gnostic gospel and widely varied obscure theological elements from many cultures, and you have a book few can even understand in the first reading.
That said, I loved it. Why? Because its actually a journey of awareness through a universe where time doesn't really exist, chaos reigns because the creator is insane, and Philip K Dick has trouble keeping it together yet manages to birth an entire religious awakening at the same time.
Before reading it, please familiarize yourself with Taoism, Buddhism, Gnosticism and even Jungian Psychoanalysis as well as various creation mythologies - perhaps a little light reading in the Joseph Campbell library - then dive in and see what can happen when this is all revealed to one man in a beam of light.
- CV Rick
Average customer rating:
- A superbly told tale
- A sensitive book
- Heart and Soul Returned!
- Touching, Heartbreaking, Intense... Ali Vali Does it Again...
- Romance on the Caribbean
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Carly's Sound
Ali Vali
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ASIN: 1933110457 |
Customer Reviews:
A superbly told tale.......2007-01-11
Ali Vali has written another wonderful story. Her characters are thought provoking, well scripted and easily identified with. Her story line is intriguing, entertaining and heartfelt. It is easy to be swept up in her story telling. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
A sensitive book.......2006-10-02
Carly's Sound is a sensitive story about loss and renewal. Ali Vali shows a masterful use of the language in the way she deals with Poppy's feelings. There are no long tortuous passages about how much she misses Carly. Instead, Vali uses her words and actions to show how much Carly meant to Poppy and what a devastation her loss was. Vali doesn't bludgeon the reader with sadness, but the feeling is still there. One of the best devices used in the book is to have Carly's ghost appear in the story. Whenever Poppy's misery threatens to become too strong, Carly pops in and provides some comic relief. The great affection between the two characters is obvious, but so is the fact that Carly is ready for Poppy to move on. The reader can also feel Poppy's confusion as her feelings for Julia begin to develop and she feels that she is somehow betraying the relationship she had with Carly. Julia provides a perfect character study as the woman who wants to love Poppy, but is afraid she will never be able to live up to what Poppy had before. Vali shows herself to be a talented writer in how she tells her story and presents her characters. Whether or not the reader has ever experienced such a loss, you will feel empathy with the characters and know that you've read a good book.
Heart and Soul Returned!.......2006-08-27
Carly's Sound is a wonderful book! You feel for all of the characters that lost part of themselves the day Carly died. I can't imagine loosing the love of my life, let alone through suffering and pain. Ali Vali paints a very real picture of the pain and sorrow that a person would go through.
I loved all of these characters... The love that is shared between Poppy and Carly is wonderful but the friendship that builds and becomes love between Poppy and Julia is a love that everyone wishes for themselves. I love the strength these two women showed throughout the book. And Lizzie, Carly's daughter, is great. A step-parents dream! Lizzie is a part of Poppy's life forever and that is exactly the way Poppy wants it!
Along with the loss of a great love, this book containes hope, humor, and the finding of an even greater love! I cried and laughed out loud throughout this amazing journey to find happiness again.
Ali Vali is an amazing writer. She really makes you feel what the characters are feeling. This booked flowed and I couldn't put it down! I can't wait to read more from this great writer! Thanks for sharing your talent and story with the rest of us!!
Touching, Heartbreaking, Intense... Ali Vali Does it Again..........2006-08-25
Poppy Valente is a self-made, wealthy woman who lost the love of her life, Carly, to an aggressive form of breast cancer two years prior to the start of this story. Deciding it is time to rejoin the living world, Poppy takes an active part in the opening of her newest resort, Carly's Sound. In the meantime, Julia Johnson poses as her brother's wife and comes to live in the employee housing at the resort. Poppy and Julia become fast friends and eventually find it hard to resist the growing feelings between them.
Poppy is devastated and unsure how to proceed with these new feelings due to her love for Carly. Add to that, Poppy still thinks Julia is married to her brother (she doesn't think they're brother and sister, but husband and wife). Carly's spirit helps guide Poppy through this difficult time and helps her let go of the past and embrace her future.
Vali uses flashbacks often in her writing. Many writers fail to do this well, by Vali is a master with the technique. The reader is never confused about the time frame or the relevance of a given scene. Vali's characters are multi-dimensional and complex. They have families, pasts, feelings, and insecurities.
This reader loves her writing, `Carly's Sound' being among her best work. Highly recommended. Make sure you have a few hours to dedicate to reading, because once you start you won't be able to put it down until it's finished.
Romance on the Caribbean.......2006-08-22
Carly's Sound is a resort that Poppy Valente has built to honor her late wife. Carly has been dead for two years but it seems to Poppy that it just happened yesterday.
Julia Johnson is a young Mom who is at Carly's Sound for reasons of her own.
The women meet and begin to feel an attraction for each other but both are reticent. Poppy out of loyalty to her dead wife and Julia because of a secret she has kept from Poppy; a secret she fears will end their relationship.
Poppy is a wonderfully drawn character to whom you are immediately drawn. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a feel for Julia's character at all. Carly, the late wife, is more well-drawn than Julia and her character animated the story with her wit, her charm and her love.
The secondary characters are interesting and well-drawn.
This is a wonderful romance with a slight twist but I won't spoil it for you. It is magical and mysterious. It made me cry and laugh, sometimes at the same time. I recommend it highly.
Customer Reviews:
Nice book.......2005-10-23
It's a nice book and easy to understand. There are some problems with the explanations. I would recommend much comprehensive vedic mathematics book for advanced readers.(Ofcourse this book was for children of ages 6-12 i guess)
A good book.......2005-08-01
This book explains fast techniques for doing number work. It covers subtraction, multiplication, special techniques for squaring and finding square roots and cube roots.There are excellent techniques for maniulating fractions. It also covers the conventional techniques for percentages, rounding, finding proportions, sequences,etc. Great chapters on simple equations and simultaneous equations too. With many examples and answers at the back. The many techniques for number work in this book would serve as a good starter or introduction to lessons in this subject. A good resource for teachers and parents. Smart children with an interest in speedy number crunching will find it beneficial too. A good book which is relatively easy to follow. However, be prepared to spend a few weeks to master the different techniques before you start showing off your new mental arithmetical skills!
Excellent Book.......2005-07-27
I found this book has some amazing arithmetical techniques. You can do some really fast mental arithmetic. A good technique for solving simultaneous equations too which I have never seen before! This is a great book on speed mathematics which is well written.
Book SUCKS!!!!.......2005-07-17
Why doesn't the author use proper English? Don't even waste your time on this one. It is not really the complete Vedic system. His ordering is also confusing. He does not cover Vedic geometry, Vedic calculus, Vedic trigonometry, and Vedic algebra. So, why would any of us out of elementary school be interested in reading his pitiful book? Well, that answer my friend is blowing in the wind.
About the book.......2004-12-02
Speed Mathematics using the Vedic system makes learning basic mathematics more rewarding. The average pupil will be able to work out calculations such as 46X44, 95X95 and 116X114 mentally, often faster than a calculator. Pupils will understand how to work out squares,cubes, percentages,fractions,and equations with ease. Paper and pencil will still be required for most questions, but the speed and accuracy of calculations will improve significantly. This in turn motivates pupils to learn more. This book provides smart strategies for mastering basic Number work and Algebra. These two areas are the building blocks in mathematics. Once pupils can master these aspects they will feel confident to tackle other branches of mathematics. This book is suitable for children from 10 to 16 years of age, but adults who want to improve the speed of mental calculations will also find this book useful.
Customer Reviews:
Poorly Edited.......2001-03-01
Philip K. Dick was a brilliant man who, like many brilliant men, has been posthumously mishandled by editors, biographers, etc. In Pursuit of Valis, I believe, is a further example of this. The editor's introduction is poorly written and riddled with assumptions and errors. The material in the book is choppy and poorly edited. Phil Dick never intended this material to be sold, he never will see any profits on the sale of this book, so who profits from its sale? The editor? His estate? His fans? I don't know. I am sure Sutin is getting his cut. Some of us wish that he would leave Phil Dick alone. But, that aside, if you are going to publish works not written for public consumption, at least do it properly. Surely, the volume could have been edited so as to make the material easier to comprehend? And what of the sloppy printing? Fans of PKD will buy this and enjoy it as they should, because at least we get a glimpse of the man. But at what cost?
Unforgettable, albeit confusing in parts........1997-10-09
From the author responsible for "Bladerunner" and "Total Recall" comes this very personal record of schizophrenia, conspiracy and hallucinatory mysticism. The bulk of "Valis" deals with Dick's attempts to understand the teachings of the ancient gnostic Christians - a quest which took on new urgency as Dick came to believe that the Roman Empire was using technology supplied by evil aliens to keep time frozen at 70 A.D. Unforgettable, albeit confusing in parts.
Average customer rating:
- Second Season
- Almost perfect
- Season Rocks!
- Vali Keeps on Ticking
- Save A Day . . .
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Second Season
Ali Vali
Manufacturer: Bold Strokes Books
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 193311083X |
Book Description
A romance set in New Orleans amidst betrayal, Hurricane Katrina, and the new beginnings hardships and heartbreak sometimes make possible.
Tully Gaston Badeaux might be successful in the courtroom, but at home her relationship with her partner, Dr. Jessica Badeaux, and their children are falling apart. In one life changing moment precipitated by a cup of spilt coffee, the world Tully had so carefully constructed comes to an end.
As Tully struggles to pick up the pieces, two women add to the complications--Dr. Kara Nicolas, the woman who stole her wife, becomes a professional adversary in the courtroom, and Libby Dexter, the young woman who moves in to assist with the kids, offers more than a helping hand.
Customer Reviews:
Second Season.......2007-09-25
This was my third book by Ali Vali and the best in my opinion. I loved the story and characters so much I reread it immediately. It is very powerful and an enjoyable read. Recommend it all who enjoy a nice romance with a good storyline. Can't wait to read others by Ali Vali.
Almost perfect.......2007-09-16
I really liked Vali's latest book. The writing is crisp, the characters are engaging, and the love story is believable. The only reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of a few nit-picky things.
First, the book takes place during hurricane Katrina, but nothing bad happens to the main characters. No flooding, no loss, no emotional issues to deal with. The book could have been set in St. Louis for all the emotional impact Katrina had on the characters. That seems unrealistic. Second, Tully's daughter is 16, but never mentions driving once. Vali did an excellent job with the teenagers in the book otherwise. (I said this was nit-picky.) Finally, attorney Tully suddenly becomes an action hero during hurricane Rita. The scene where Tully fights the storm was well-written, but didn't fit with the rest of the book's tone. It was a bit like dropping a car chase into "Sleepless In Seattle." No matter how good the car chase is, it doesn't work in the story. The hurricane Rita scene would have worked just fine in one of Vali's "Devil" books, but not in this one.
Without these problems, I'd have given the book a very enthusiastic 5 stars. Instead, it gets an enthusiastic 4 stars. It's still definitely worth your time & money.
Season Rocks!.......2007-09-14
Ali Vali has created another fantastic story! In my opinion Vali gets better with each book and with each book comes another passionate romance. Second Season is well written and the characters are well developed. As the reader, you can feel each characters emotions throughout the book. This book is full of love,loss,lust, budding friendships, wicked humor, and a little what goes around comes around. Throw in passion, romance, and a little sex...you have a great story by Ali Vali! I can't say enough about this amazing writer...she is well worth the read! I read this book in 2 days and loved every minute of it. It will stay in my collection to read again. Keep up the great work Ali!
Vali Keeps on Ticking.......2007-08-28
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The high quality writing, multi-dimensional characters and phenomenal premise are what I've come to expect from Ali Vali. The talented author has a gift which keeps this reader hungry for her next publication.
Here, Vali introduces four women whose lives are intertwined. There is Kara Nicolas, a surgeon who is being sued for negligence in the death of a child. Kara, who isn't fond of children, is having an affair with Jessica Badeaux - mother of two. Jessica is married to Tully Badeaux, the prosecuting attorney in Kara's lawsuit. Tully buys coffee every morning from and tutors law student Libby Dexter. Libby has a crush on Tully and bonds quickly with Tully's two children. One can only imagine the drama that comes from this concoction of characters. Add the trauma of Hurricane Katrina to the mix and you have one heck of a great story.
It takes a lot of imagination to combine these ingredients into a successful story. The author does a nice job keeping everything and everyone `straight'; I didn't pick up on even one timeline or relationship error. On a personal level, the addition of Katrina made the story even more dramatic (I grew up near Biloxi and still have family there) and I applaud Vali's courage to write about such a tragic event.
Keep them coming Ali. This reader can't wait for more.
Save A Day . . . .......2007-08-23
. . . because that's all you'll need to read this book. I love this writers' books and have gladly awaited the release of this one. I was NOT dissappointed.
Love lost, new love found, family first. Those are the true premise of this book. Sprinkled here and there with rich, believable characters. Add come current events like a huge hurricane that wreaks havoc and you have one great book.
A must read, I look forward to reading more from this talented writer.
Books:
- The Stolen Child: A Novel
- The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution
- The Vision A Two-in-one Volume Of The Final Quest And The Call
- The Weapon (Freehold War)
- The Wisdom of James Allen : Including As a Man Thinketh, The Path to Prosperity, The Mastery of Destiny, The Way of Peace, and Entering the Kingdom (Radiant Life)
- This Moment on Earth: Today's New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future
- Those Left Behind (Serenity)
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
- Warpath (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
- Weapons of Choice (The Axis of Time Trilogy, Book 1)
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