First Spanish Reader: A Beginner's Dual-Language Book (Beginners' Guides)

Book Description

Delightful stories, other material based on works of Don Juan Manuel, Luis Taboada, Ricardo Palma, other noted writers. Complete faithful English translations on facing pages. Exercises.

Customer Reviews:

good reader.......2007-09-13

I'm a real beginner, and this is a great help in putting my little bit of knowledge in context. I have to cover the facing (English) page because my eyes tend to wander, but that's easy. I look up a lot of words. If I look up enough, maybe I'll know Spanish by the end of the book.

I like it...with certain reservations.......2007-08-06

This book is inexpensive, has an intersting assortment of parables, proverbs and short-stories, and is graded to get progressively more difficult as you read it.

For what it's supposed to be, I think it's an excellent choice.

My only reservation is that it was originally published in 1964. In my experience studying Japanese, I know that language can go through many changes through the decades, so I'm just curious if the language is "current" or a bit "dated."

I wouldn't hesitate to purchase it, though. At the price it's definitely worth it.

I haven't actually used this yet, but..........2007-07-28

I will soon get it. I may change my rating after I actually use it. I just wanted to give some information. It looks like this book is part of the Great Spanish Literature set, along with Cuentos españoles and Spanish Poetry: A Dual-Language Anthology 16th-20th Centuries.

Great little book.......2007-07-27

I love the little folk tales in this book! Its a fantastic book for Spanish review and practice. Very easy to check yourself and translate vocabulary because of the accurate English translations. There are comprehension questions in Spanish at the end, as well as English "story starters' to practice your English to Spanish translation.

Very helpful.......2007-06-27

I am studying Spanish and I use this book to judge how many more words that I have learned. I like the book.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture

Average customer rating:

Nice Guide for Beginners
A Must-Have for Entrepreneurs
Exellent Book
Brief and to the point
Invaluable advice for the budding entrepreneur

Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture
Steven K. Gold
Manufacturer: Learning Ventures Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0976279045

Book Description

Entrepreneur's Notebook propels you on a whirlwind tour of the start-up process. It is an invaluable reference for new and experienced entrepreneurs that includes chapters on a wide range of topics, from entrepreneurial team building to business plans to financing. This excellent book provides an incredible amount of practical information that will help you make smarter decisions and avoid costly mistakes. The author, Steven K. Gold, is an accomplished entrepreneur who has co-founded and led five early-stage ventures. As an investor and mentor, he also advises many entrepreneurs and young companies. He earned his B.S.E. in Entrepreneurial Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and his M.D. from Brown University Medical School.

Customer Reviews:

Nice Guide for Beginners.......2007-06-16

The author writes a nice overview of the entrepreneurial process. It's basically for novices but it does a good job for this audience. The only problem I have with this book is that it is too basic and is therefore non-unique because it is so low-level. Regardless, I must say that for the right audience, it does a fine job over giving the big picture.

If you are advanced or aspire to become advanced, I would recommend "The Startup Company Bible for Entrepreneurs" but only for high-tech entrepreneurs. Even this author has recommended it.

A Must-Have for Entrepreneurs.......2007-05-14

Steven gives great illustrations to drive home his insightful advice for entrepreneurs. As he's "been there, done that," we can take his advice to heart in the hopes of becoming a success like him!

Exellent Book.......2007-05-11

Great book for getting ready to open a new business. Would refer to anyone thinking about opening a business.

Brief and to the point.......2007-04-27

This is a delightful little book that contains a wealth of useful and helpful information and ideas on starting a small business and ensuring that it is viable and succesful. The book is well written and easy to follow and interesting to read.

This is a must read for entrepreneurs, particularly budding ones as the information the book provides is very practical and can help you avoid making costly errors. The book covers a wide range of topics including the start-up process, marketing the business on a small budget, cash-flow forecasting, among other things.

The book is an excellent companion for the entrepreneur that is well worth having.

Invaluable advice for the budding entrepreneur.......2007-03-04

This book does a terrific job of presenting some of the most important issues entrepreneurs face when embarking on new ventures, touching on topics such as the business plan, funding, team building, and cash flows. Using simple, yet stunningly accurate models of the entrepreneurial process, Steven Gold distills complex subjects into simple, practical, take-away messages. The classification of entrepreneurial personalities (professionals, pragmatists, and inventors) is something I think we can all relate to. I find the metaphor which compares building a new company to making "stone soup" equally compelling. There are countless books out there for budding entrepreneurs, but this one is no fluff. It gets right down to the nuts and bolts so you can concentrate on your business.

Average customer rating:

A nice collection of short stories
Cool stories by hip writers
20-minute doses
Nick Hornby is God
Not all best selling authors can write short stories

Speaking with the Angel

Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Songbook
The Polysyllabic Spree
A Long Way Down
Housekeeping vs. the Dirt
How to Be Good

ASIN: 1573228583
Release Date: 2001-02-06

Amazon.com

There are lots of reasons to buy Speaking with the Angel, an anthology of first-person narratives by bright, young, mostly British literati: these are smart and original stories, none of them previously published elsewhere. What's more, it's for a good cause. Nick Hornby, editor of the collection and author of one of the pieces, has an autistic son, and in a raw and wrenching introduction he stresses the importance of educational institutions to serve such children, who "have no language, and no particular compulsion to acquire it, who are born without the need to explore the world." Accordingly, a portion of each sale benefits autism charities around the world.

Still, this is a collection that stands on its own merits, and requires no act of charity to purchase. In Roddy Doyle's "The Slave," for example, a 42-year-old family man discovers a dead rat on his kitchen floor, and this unwelcome incursion from the natural world plunges him into a midlife crisis. In "Last Requests," Giles Smith introduces us to a prison cook who specializes in, well, last suppers. It's both hilarious and shocking to encounter this egomaniacal chef on the job:

They can have what they like, within reason, up to a maximum of three courses, with coffee or tea and a piece of confectionary or a biscuit if they want it. No alcohol, for obvious reasons. Obviously, you'll get the jokers, like the one who said he wanted a whole roast pig with an apple in its mouth. Or the governor's head, one of them said he wanted.

Elsewhere, in Hornby's own "NippleJesus," a skinhead bouncer becomes a museum guard and falls for the painting he's charged to protect, a crucifixion collage made up of thousands of tiny breasts cut out of porn magazines. The stories in Speaking with the Angel all feel up to the minute, abounding with references to politics and popular culture. Yet the obscenity and slang ultimately amount to a form of bluster, an acknowledgement of the intrinsic fragility that all 12 of these narrators share. --Victoria Jenkins

Book Description

Speaking with the Angel:

12 completely new stories, narrated by 12 completely fabulous characters, written by 12 of the most celebrated voices in fiction today. Bestselling author Nick Hornby has brought together a star-studded group of writers to create this one-of-a-kind collection of first-person narratives.

From the imaginations of Dave Eggers, Zadie Smith, Irvine Welsh, Helen Fielding, Roddy Doyle, Melissa Bank, and others, including Nick Hornby himself, have sprung eleven enthralling, unforgettable talking heads. Clever, outragious, witty, edgy, tender, wicked....This is what is meant by "original."

Customer Reviews:

A nice collection of short stories.......2007-07-03

Quite frankly, I liked some stories and didn't quite enjoy some of the others, but I still think this is a book worth reading, especially because the purpose for its creation is aimed to help autistic children. I was very touched by Nick Hornby's introduction. A must-buy.

Cool stories by hip writers.......2004-05-12

I think Nick Hornby is the coolest writer in the World today. This compilation was a way for me to find out other writers who are as cool as Nick. I wasn't disappointed. Here is my review of the short stories:

PMQ: Wonderful comedy piece about a Prime Minister's wild night out.

The Wonder Spot: Kind of too "New York Hipster" for me, but still a nice read.

Last Request: Great story. Mix of a serious topic with a light point of view.

Peter Shelley: Funny story about a boy losing his virginity. My favorite story in the book.

The Department of Nothing: Not bad, but a bit too sentimental for the tone of the book. This was my least favorite story. I wouldn't say Colin Firth should keep his day job, but hey, his day job is awesome.

I'm the Only One: Very short and a bit unsatisfying story about a kid's getting a visit from a super-tall friend. I still liked it.

NippleJesus: My second favorite story. A blue-collar man (a bodyguard) who admires an artsy-fartsy museum piece. Really funny.

After I was Thrown in The River...: I particularly didn't care much for this dog. My second least favorite.

LuckyBitch and The Slave: Both are about middle aged people. One seen from a woman's point of view and other from a man's. Both are equally a riot.

Catholic Guilt: My third favorite story, and being from Irvine Welsh, is also the edgiest. A homophobic hooligan gets his afterlife punishment. Simply hilarious.

Walking into the Wind: Just when I thought I couldn't laugh any harder comes this story about a mime to finish it off.

20-minute doses.......2004-04-12

With "High Fidelity" and "About a Boy" as two of my favorite books, it was Hornby's name that drew me to this anthology, though the other contributing authors are certainly not unrecognized.

I enjoyed each of this book's twelve stories, but a few in particular stood out. Hornby's "Nipple Jesus" was my favorite. In it, a security guard charged with protecting a controversial work of art - a beautiful depiction of the crucifiction that, upon close inspection, is seen to be composed of a collage of pornographic photos - wrestles with questions of whether or not the piece is really art and whether or not he really wants to guard it. The story forced me to examine similar questions as to what I felt constituted art. I was left thinking that it would have made a great bit of reading for a Philosophy of Art class.

Other memorable stories were "Last Requests" by Giles Smith, in which a prison cook ruminates upon preparing last meals for death row inmates; "The Slave" by Roddy Doyle, in which a man tries to slowly ween himself from paranoia after nearly stepping on the carcass of a giant rat in front of his refrigerator; and "Catholic Guilt" by Irvine Welsh, where a man gets his just deserves for beating a homosexual. Each of these stories went beyond merely providing entertainment, and led me to think as well.

Oddly enough, the least enjoyable stories were the first and the last in the collection - "PMQ" from Robbert Harris and "Walking into the Wind" from John O'Farrell. It's not that these two were poor entries - they were both solidly readable - they just didn't seem to have the zing of the other selections.

But with that small detraction as my biggest complaint, I have no hesitation in recommending "Speaking With the Angel." It's perfect for digesting in 20-minute doses, providing a dozen opportunities to, at least, briefly escape and, at best, to make you think.

Nick Hornby is God.......2003-07-07

This book is full of wonderfull short stories. Many of which are deeply funny. One is from the mind of a dog, another about a Chef that delivers last requests to prisoners about to be executed, and of course Nick Hornbys Nipple Jesus. I am not a huge fan os short stories but i knew this would be good since Nick Hornby was the author and i was not let down. A very good fun read.

Not all best selling authors can write short stories.......2003-01-10

When I saw the line-up of authors on the cover of this book, I was expecting to be blown away. There were a few stories that stood out from the rest, but I felt like the majority of them were stories I would have seen in a fiction class, not a published collection of stories. "NippleJesus", by Nick Hornby, was probably my favorite, along with "PMQ" by Robert Harris. Colin Firth's "The Department of Nothing" struck a sentimental chord, but I'd say the rest were about average, not leaving too much of an impact. As a result, the book took a while to get through. I guess not all best-selling novel authors are meant to cross over into the short story genre - either that or we are seeing their weaker ones in this collection.

One thing worth mentioning, however, is that a portion of the proceeds from this book goes to two different schools for autistic children. So even if you think the book [is bad], at least you know it wasn't all for naught.

Average customer rating:

GREAT BOOK

Enjoyable but not 5-star material

A gem of a book

ANGEL'S REST is a solid debut novel from a promising author.

In the spirit of "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Angel's Rest
Charles Davis
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0778323048

Book Description

Growing up in Virginia's Allegheny Mountains, eleven-year-old Charlie York lives at the foot of an endless peak called Angel's Rest, a place his momma told him angels rested before coming down to help folks. In 1967 his town was a poor boy's paradise…until a shotgun blast killed Charlie's father and put his mother on trial for murder.

For mysterious reasons, his mother entrusts his care to an old black man named Lacy Albert Coe. Lacy tells simple stories about the good and the bad that compose life's sweetest music. But when Hollis Thrasher, a reclusive Korean War veteran, is linked to his father's death and Lacy is victimized by hate crimes, Charlie hears only silence. It's not until Charlie embarks on a dangerous midnight journey pitting him against his darkest fears that he finally hears his own song playing out.

Customer Reviews:

GREAT BOOK.......2007-08-23

This is a very good book. I was hooked from the first page. Very fast and easy read.

Enjoyable but not 5-star material.......2007-06-20

I do agree with the other reviewers regarding the touching themes, the readability, the depth of characters. I enjoyed reading this book, and deeply felt for Charlie as he struggled through social ostracism, family upheaval, and emotional isolation in the extreme.

However, it didn't knock my socks off like other books I would rate 5 stars. I found it moved a little slowly, which is probably appropriate for the small-town setting and aged major character Lacy. The story was told from an 11-year-old point of view; this was both effective and frustrating for me as a reader. Effective in helping me see what he felt, but frustrating in that he missed certain things going on around him among the adults, that I would have liked to know more about. I also did not find the plot as suspenseful nor the ending as revelatory as some of the other reviewers did. It was a nice story, but did not make me cry or change my life.

A gem of a book.......2007-06-17

As an avid reader, I am always on the prowl for a good book, but having read so much, I am picky. Angel's Rest was a gamble I'm glad I took; a gem of a book, beautifully written. The author gives his readers credit for intelligence and refuses to hammer his points home. The subtlety with which we discover the truth, piece by piece, while convincingly entering into the head of a young boy and seeing the story's events through his eyes, is masterful. The message never takes on preachy tones; it bypasses the brain and moves right into the heart. The book reminds me a bit of a modern day Dickens (a favorite author) with realistic situations and a quiet portrayal of the consequences of people's choices without the need to fall back on lurid details or graphic violence and , like Dickens, the fleshing out of the characters is excellent. Like other reviewers, I look forward to future offerings by Mr. Davis.

ANGEL'S REST is a solid debut novel from a promising author........2007-06-06

Themes of loss, grief, racial prejudice and the power of love resound throughout ANGEL'S REST, Charles Davis's debut novel. It's 1967 in Sunnyside, Virginia, and Charlie York's life is about to fall apart. The 11-year-old's father, a likable television repairman and mayor of the small town, has been shot dead in the family's kitchen. Traumatized, Charlie is unable to remember details of the killing, until time and his mother help him face the truth.

Set against the backdrop of Angel's Rest, an Allegheny mountain ridge, Davis paints a convincing portrait of a young boy's love for his parents and his struggle to make sense of a life suddenly gone awry. Angel's Rest is so named because it was believed that angels waited on the summit to come down and help those in need of God's assistance. For Charlie, the unlikely angel is the scarred African American octogenarian Lacy Albert Coe. When Charlie's "momma" is jailed for suspicion of murder, Lacy steps in and cares for the boy at her request --- and against the wishes of Charlie's prejudiced and vindictive grandfather. Lacy's selfless love and courage in the face of racial hatred is one of the strongest themes of the book.

Lacy's wisdom is evinced through his dialogue with Charlie. After his house is burned down and he suffers other indignities at the hands of those angry about him taking care of Charlie, he tells Charlie: "You just can't take much away from an old feller who ain't got nothing left. The folks who do all the mistreating and hating against black folks who ain't done a dang thing to them...their times is ending, you see. Some of them just don't know it yet." He cautions Charlie, "...hating folks is learned young. It's hard to get it out of a man if he grows up in it....Easiest thing in the world to do is to hate. Don't take no effort at all, you see." The tension increases. "Die, nigger" is spray-painted in snow in the front yard. Mysterious threatening phone calls and letters disrupt their lives. Two state troopers are stationed at Charlie's house to guard him and Lacy from harm.

But who killed John York? The troubled war veteran, Hollis Thrasher, is a likely suspect, and Davis sows seeds of his possible guilt throughout the novel. Townsfolk say Charlie's mother killed his dad, others pin the deed on Charlie. Few accept his mother's explanation of John accidentally shooting himself while cleaning his shotgun.

Charlie's cute neighbor, Mary Elouise, offers eyewitness insights that make Charlie sick to his stomach and raises more questions. What was his mother's relationship to Hollis? Did his mother murder his father? It's not until the epilogue that all of the loose ends are tied up for the reader.

The faith themes are subtle. In one passage, Lacy ties religious intolerance to racial intolerance: "Now the truth is if those same folks were born somewheres else, they'd be taught some other religion and they'd be shaking their fists the same way they do now but then they'd be saying that other religion is the one true religion and if you don't believe in it you're wrong." Charlie's own conflicts about faith are shown in one scene as he pretends prayers he no longer offers to God at the dinner table.

Davis convincingly shows the rollercoaster emotions of an 11-year-old boy who loves his father, mother and grandparents, yet is confused over the circumstances of his beloved father's death and his grandfather's racist ways. Although the end of the story, with its shift of scene to Maine, is not quite as strong as its beginnings, ANGEL'S REST is a solid debut novel from a promising author.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

In the spirit of "To Kill a Mockingbird".......2007-01-11

Charles Davis pulls off a nearly impossible feat in his first effort -- to tell a story as compelling, mysterious, charming, and moving as Harper Lee's classic.

I was entirely captivated throughout the book, and wept openly on my commuter train as the story closed. It would be hard to improve upon it, and I sincerely hope a director with Robert Mulligan's skill and sensitivity is selected to direct the film so likely to be derived from this wonderous work.

Average customer rating:

The Best in Beauty
one of the best...
Best book out there on Modigliani

Modigliani: The Melancholy Angel
Marc Restellini
Manufacturer: Skira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Modern | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Museums & Collections | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Modigliani: Beyond the Myth (Published in Association with the Jewish Museum, New York)
Modigliani: A Life
Miro
Gauguin Tahiti
Modigliani and His Models

ASIN: 8884912601
Release Date: 2003-01-18

Book Description

A stunning volume accompanies the largest retrospective of this modernist master ever mounted, an exhibit, opening at the Musée du Luxembourg in Paris in October 2002 and running through March 2003, will be a comprehensive survey of Modigliani's career, from his earliest days as a painter in search of a style to his premature death in 1920. The exhibit presents Modigliani's paintings, sculptures, drawings, and never before seen masterpieces, selected from major international museums and private collections.

Modigliani's relatively short working life was enriched by associations with Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Cezanne, and Brancusi. This book offers students of modernism the opportunity to view as a continuity the monumental work of a primary artist of Fauvism and Cubism.

Customer Reviews:

The Best in Beauty.......2007-07-28

If you like Italian art and beautiful women, then this is the book for you. Modigliani is without parallel. His art echoes the elegance of Trecento Sienese painting, elegantly garbed in the Paris of its heyday. Should your eye wonder more towards the purely formal in art, a delight in the abstract of form and colour, then Modigliani is also a master to enthral your eye and mind. Hope you enjoy the book as much as I do.

one of the best..........2006-03-09

Modiliagni might be undervalued in the world of artists and painters. He should be honored as well as Picasso, and friends...
In the book with mainly act paintings, sketches and text explains Amadeos way how he had seen women and colors. The book is a must in your library...

Best book out there on Modigliani.......2004-02-11

For those who love the sensuous work of this early 20th century master, this text is the best on the market. The pictures span the entire short career (he died at age 36) of this artistic genius. There are stunning images throughout. The colour reproduction is superb, and the paper used is of the highest quality.
There are excellent, exhaustive descriptions of the artist's life, although the descriptions of many of the paintings are short. My only wish is that there were more nudes chosen for the exhibition, because no artist dead or alive painted a nude as beautiful or as provocative as Modigliani. The book is not cheap, but for those who admire this wonderful painter, the price is worth every penny and more.

Larry Bond's First Team: Angels of Wrath (Larry Bond's First Team)

Average customer rating:

Better
Where were all the terrorist authors in 1995 ?
Tedious, slow, weak on plot
Far below the norm for Larry Bond
Not the same

Larry Bond's First Team: Angels of Wrath (Larry Bond's First Team)
Larry Bond , and Jim DeFelice
Manufacturer: Forge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

War | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Technothrillers | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Larry Bond's First Team: Fires of War (Larry Bond's First Team)
Larry Bond's First Team
Edge of Battle: A Novel
The Traitor: A Tommy Carmellini Novel
Dangerous Ground

ASIN: 0765346397

Book Description

New York Times bestselling authors Larry Bond and Jim DeFelice deliver fresh thrills and unexpected twists in this latest installment of their electrifying series, Larry Bond’s First Team: Angels of Wrath.

Led by CIA agent par excellence Bob Ferguson, the Team pitches in to help the FBI investigate a radical group of zealots who want to create a “post-Christian” era by instigating a catastrophic showdown in Jerusalem. But Ferg and company soon discover the cult has strange connections to the Iraqi resistance and to a Syrian arms dealer. Enlisting the help of Thera Majed, a beautiful paramilitary and an expert on Middle eastern relations, the team breaks up to track each link. They seek to stop anything catastrophic from happening before the President arrives in Iraq for the next round of elections. Their quarries lead Team members into an immensely complicated world of fanatical terrorists, each potentially dangerous. . . but who among them is the next to strike? Uncertain of the most imminent threat, the Team finds that they have landed in the midst of an operation headed by Israel’s famous Mossad, and are ordered to cooperate with the Israelis . . . but are the Israelis cooperating with them?
Unsure of their allies, the Team realizes that they are on the trail of two completely different attacks whose targets are thousands of miles apart. Both operations are intended to trigger a vast religious war. With the clock ticking down, can the team extinguish the spark of Armageddon?

Customer Reviews:

Better.......2007-10-02

There were at least 2 dimensions to these characters, and the plot held together, however unlikely. Nice action, and a couple of good lines: One, "I often thought of patience as a deadly sin," or something to that end. I'd read it in an airport, but not on a long flight.

Where were all the terrorist authors in 1995 ?.......2007-09-22

Here, I think Mr. Bond was trying to help a friend, Mr De Felice to publish a book by printing his own name on the cover.
The story is not too original, the "Dumb Arab" bit has been done to death, and the last thing we need is another writer selling a story about Middle East terrorists.
I don't remember so many authors writing about terrorism when the Timothy Mc Veigh blew up a Federal building in Oklahoma City on April of 1995.

An amateur effort at best. Lary Bond again show us his "softer side" by endorsing this book.

Tedious, slow, weak on plot.......2006-07-27

A very disappointing Bond/Felice novel. The book moved ponderously along, trying to make sense of a very disjointed plot. Not an attention grabber, nor very fulfilling for Bond fans.

Far below the norm for Larry Bond.......2006-03-22

Larry Bond is an excellent techno-thriller author. Just a couple of weeks ago I gave a five-star review to his "Dangerous Ground," one of the best stories of submariners I've read in years. Perhaps that's why the disappointment I feel about "Angels Of Wrath: Rirst Team" is so sharp. The book just isn't Larry Bond. (It is co-authored by Jim DeFelice.)

I dub this a Lego novel. It's like the authors wrote out a bunch of action scenes on notecards and than simply laid out a grid, like building something with Lego blocks. The result is a techno-thriller that's all fluff and no depth.

The "hero" is Bob Ferguson. Hey, let's make Bob a maverick in the CIA, someone who has major difficulties in taking orders and playing well with others, particularly his superiors. Now let's make him a "team leader" of the "First Team," a multi-departmental group that's supposed to squash threats to the United States. Hmmmmmm, what else can we do for Ferguson. Hey, what a great idea! Let's give him a possibly terminal illness and have him take pills for it once in a while!

Of course, Ferguson is ever so sophisticated. A ladies man, of course. A polylinguist. A oenophile and connoisseur of single-malt scotches. Is that enough? Not by a long shot. Ferguson's father was a legend in the CIA and Ferguson, the son, seems to have some psychological problems with that. But not to worry: every bad guy in the world seems to be frightened of Ferguson, who by the way, is also a master of disguise.

In sum, Bob Ferguson is a total caricature, not even as believable as a comic book hero.

Take this joke of a character and put him into a circus that is supposed to be a plot. First we have the extremist religious cult that is trying to foment a major terrorist attack in the Middle East in order to trigger the Apocalypse. The FBI thinks it has arrested everyone after one of the cultists is blown up in Egypt. Oh my gosh, they missed his sister who has been a sleeper for decades. Off she goes to the Middle East to find an arms dealer who will sell her the weapons necessary to trigger the end of the world. Believable? No.

Arms dealers. The book is loaded with them. They all fear Bob Ferguson who has been dispatched first to find the cultists and then track down an Iraqi terrorist. Corrine Alston, a 26 year old special counsel to the President with no background in intelligence or covert operations is told by the President to "supervise" the operation. Of course, Ferguson wants nothing to do with his boss, who is running her own operations (yes, plural) in the Middle East. All of the arms dealers drink champage. All the time. So does Ferguson. Just can't be a tough guy without a flute of champagne in your hand.

There are backstories aplenty. Too many. And there's action: every two or three pages another corpse or two or ten is thrown on the pile. The action rarely has anything to do with anything except filling pages.

And then there is the rogue Mossad agent, an alcoholic, still grieving over the murder of his Muslim wife at the hands of terrorists. Oh yes, he has plans too.

In sum, this is a sharp departure from Larry Bond's normal excellence. Every page is painful to read. The characters have no credibility. The plot is simply a mishmash of pointless action scenes. Compare this with most of Bond's earlier work and you have to ask if something horrible has happened to Mr. Bond.

Whether it's the co-author or falling victim to fame and greed, I hope Larry Bond will put this part of his life behind him and get back to writing some of the best techno-thrillers of the day. This certainly is not one of them.

Jerry

Not the same.......2006-03-13

I have been a big fan of Bond's for years. However, when good authors take on "co writers" I get the idea the co writer does the books. I have seen this with several other Authors. This doesn't even seem like a Larry Bond book. It is worth reading but I wish I had gotten at library rather than buying. I hope Mr Bond goes back to writing books himslelf even in this series. Thanks

Average customer rating:

Lovely
SIMPLE ACTS OF KINDNESS
Descriptions that completely REVEAL the Human Spirit
Descriptions that completely REVEAL the Human Spirit
A brilliant book to help anyone through a breakup!

Angel Angel
April Stevens
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Domestic Life | Women's Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0670858390

Customer Reviews:

Lovely.......2006-12-15

After her husband leaves her for another woman, Augusta Iris falls apart. She goes to bed and doesn't get up for days, then weeks, then months. Her two college-age sons barely know how to cope with their father's abandonment and their mother's despair. When the girlfriend of one of them moves into their house, she starts producing changes that will make all of them confront what's happened, the choices they've made, and set them on unexpected paths. This is a very lovely book, by a talented writer.

SIMPLE ACTS OF KINDNESS.......2004-04-30

Simple, uncomplicated acts of kindness can sometimes be a saving grace. In this moving debut novel, protagonist Augusta Iris can use a mite of kindness.

After accepting the fact that her husband has actually left her, Augusta abandons daily life, seeking solace in the safety of her bed with the shades drawn. Her two sons, Matthew and Henry, cope with their mother's depression in disparate ways. The boys have had little to do with each other in recent years, but this family crisis brings them together - at least physically. Matthew almost emulates his mother by retreating to his old room, while Henry mows lawns and silences his fear with chemical abuse.

Their sad, gray world is tilted when Henry brings home a girlfriend, Bette Mack. She overwhelms all in her course with verve, action, and plain spoken advice. She urges Henry to pursue his dream of being an artist, imbues Matthew with the courage to relate, and draws Augusta out of hiding.

Stevens' lucid unaffected prose makes life's heartbreaks more poignant and any triumphs cause for greater celebration.

- Gail Cooke

Descriptions that completely REVEAL the Human Spirit.......2003-05-29

This novel is about a family that falls apart in the midst of a father leaving his wife for another woman. The book explores the emotional reactions and the events that follow for the mother, Augusta and her two sons Henry and Matthew. As the summer turns into fall and the seasons change, so do the characters and their relationship with each other.

April Steven's character descriptions are believable and beautifully revealing. She seems to understand human emotions and reactions extremely well. There are character descriptions that are so good, I'd read them 2 or 3 times.

Also, this book has an unusual format that really works: each chapter alternates perspectives between Augusta, Henry and Matthew.

This novel is a page turner in every sense. There some good (but believable) surprises along the way too. overall, an extremely refreshing novel!!

Descriptions that completely REVEAL the Human Spirit.......2003-05-29

Also, this book has an unusual format that really works: each chapter alternates perspectives between Augusta, Henry and Matthew.

This novel is a page turner in every sense. There some good (but believable) surprises along the way too. overall, an extremely refreshing novel!!

A brilliant book to help anyone through a breakup!.......1999-04-12

Ms. Stevens does a wonderful job portraying personable characters. I read this book at one of the most difficult times in my life, and I grew to heal my heart as the mother of this story did. As I see friends go through separations I now extend this book to them. It will make you cry, and extend your deepest sympathy to the maladjusted family we can all sometimes relate with. (read it!! :)

Average customer rating:

Educational
Understanding militant feminism
Iron Jawed Angels

Iron-Jawed Angels
Linda G. Ford
Manufacturer: University Press of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Elections | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Political Parties | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Feminist Theory | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Human Rights | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Iron Jawed Angels
From Equal Suffrage to Equal Rights: Alice Paul and the National Woman's Party, 1910-1928 (American Social Experience)
Jailed for Freedom: American Women Win the Vote
Two Paths to Equality: Alice Paul and Ethel M. Smith in the Era Debate, 1921-1929
Founding Sisters and the Nineteenth Amendment (Turning Points in History)

ASIN: 0819182060

Book Description

This book is an in-depth analysis of how the National Woman's Party's militancy evolved during the period of early twentieth century feminism and American suffrage as a response to the intransigence of male-centered government. Working first as aggressive political lobbyists in an era of progressive reform, the militants brought their struggle on into a period of war hysteria in which they developed an effective strategy of nonviolent civil disobedience as anti-government dissenters. Feminist militancy and readiness to resist authorities and break the law for women's rights developed gradually. Women militants, composed of a wide variety of intensely committed women, were not shy about critiqueing male oppression and in turn, male authorities responded to the perceived threat of these unnatural "iron-jawed" females. This study examines the nature of these militants, with biographical sketches, and their evolution from petitions to pickets to prison. Selected by the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Human Rights in the United States as an outstanding book.

Customer Reviews:

Educational.......2005-07-30

I purchased the book after viewing the HBO special because I wanted to compare history and Hollywood. I was very impressed by the in-depth history given in the book. It is very educational without having a feminist overtone. I wanted to learn what the "Ironed Jawed Angels" did to change the course of women's lives, and to learn about those women who received the well earned nickname. Some of there are nothing short of fascinating. These women not only endured physical violence, but actually inflicted physical pain on themselves in order to get the press's attention. Nothing new about it now but back then it was pioneering. I learned a lot from this book and I have a new found appreciation for my rights that these women faught and died for. This is espcially hellpful for research purposes if you are in school.

Understanding militant feminism.......2004-03-30

Unlike militant feminism in England, which destroyed property, the militant movement in the United States was expressed in parades, speeches, banners, and other techniques designed to attract publicity and further the suffrage cause, according to Linda Ford. Suffrage techniques were not violent, but they attracted violence, especially during World War I. Ford provides a history of the militant movement, biographies of militant feminists, a thoughtful analysis of the techniques the militants used and a balanced look at their accomplishments This is a scholarly work and resembles the video based on it only slightly. The previous reviewer who said that it was even better because it provided many more facts was correct. The book is interesting and very readable, providing much needed insight into a part of the suffrage movement few of us have heard enough about.

Iron Jawed Angels.......2004-01-26

This book is great. It is better than the movie. It made me, as a woman, understand what all the fuss was about and how hard these woman worked to get what they wanted. I really admire these women for what they stood for and for going through all of this for all the women everywhere. Thanks ladies.

First Blue: The Story of World War II Ace Butch Voris and the Creation of the Blue Angels

Average customer rating:

An excellent history of the early Blue Angels
Two books about one man.
First Blue
"Take charge. Go do it."
Interesting Time, Interesting Person

First Blue: The Story of World War II Ace Butch Voris and the Creation of the Blue Angels
Robert K. Wilcox
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Naval | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Pushing the Envelope: The Career of Fighter Ace and Test Pilot Marion Carl
The Blue Angels: A Fly-By History: Sixty Years of Aerial Excellence
The Threadbare Buzzard: A Marine Fighter Pilot in WWII
Thach Weave: The Life of Jimmie Thach
Reaper Leader: The Life of Jimmy Flatley

ASIN: 0312322496
Release Date: 2004-09-23

Book Description

The Remarkable Story of a True Hero of American AviationThe U.S. Navy's Blue Angels are the most famous flight demonstration team in the world. While millions of aviation enthusiasts see their shows every year, the story of the man who formed the squadron has never been told. He is Roy Marlin "Butch" Voris, a World War II Ace and one of only two aviators ever to command the Blue Angels twice.First Blue details the epic journey of an unassuming man whose strong character and desire to fly launched him into a life of drama, heroism, and accomplishment unique in his field. Because he wanted to serve his country during World War II, a young Butch Voris found himself flying fighter planes as part of the pitifully prepared and outmanned front in the early stages of the Pacific theater. He was nearly killed there but went on to be a leader in one of the most fearsome naval air squadrons in the Pacific. As a pilot, Butch is unquestionably in the same class as more recognized aviator heroes such as Chuck Yeager and Pappy Boyington. While his World War II experience alone could comprise a book, Butch may be best known for his efforts in the creation of the naval air demonstration team, the Blue Angels. After the war, Voris was personally chosen by Admiral Nimitz to start the Blue Angels and to lead them, first in prop planes and later in jets. The story of his efforts is as exciting as it is inspirational, and it's told here in meticulous detail and with great humor. Today the Blue Angels still follow traditions established by Butch. Butch's involvement in military flight didn't end with the Blue Angels; he became a major player in the development of the F-14 Tomcat and NASA's Lunar Explorer Module for Grumman. Butch dedicated his life to his work, and here, finally, is the remarkable, untold account of this true American aviation pioneer and hero: a man whose life had unparalleled influence on naval aviation and whose legacy continues to inspire millions of Americans each year.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent history of the early Blue Angels.......2007-02-05

The book is well written and the author has done an excellent job of describing the man and his work.

Two books about one man........2006-10-19

You could easily divide this one into two halfs. The first half is Butch's WWII Naval air combat exploits in the Pacific Theatre. The second half skips a beat then covers the Blue Angels and his Naval career after the war.

The WWII stuff is a great read. I'd give that half 5 stars. Lots of first hand accounts dealing with famous and not so famous battles.

The second half, and ostensibly the reason for writing the book, deals with Butch's role in forming the Navy Blue Angels, and his post war career. This half, while interesting enough, bogs down and does a pretty good impression of a tail dragger from time to time. I got the feeling the author struggled with this half of the book, I did.

At times there is plenty of action and excitement in mid-air collisions, falal crashes, near death near crashes, etc. The rest of the time the author is fighting to move the story along. He tries to make the day to day job as thrilling as the flying. It's a decent effort, but not entirely sucessful.
This half has more than it's share of filler... speculation based on newspaper clipings of air shows (like those were ever accurate to begin with)... Endless accounts of what a great guy Butch was... it gets old after a while.

The first half I read in two days. The second half took me a week.

I have to say one thing that's fairly important. The author is up front about speculation. You won't have much doubt about the veracity of the rest of it. In that regard it's excellent.

Call it a four star book on a five star subject.

First Blue.......2005-09-17

As a pilot and Navy vet.I enjoyed reading this book,
it was well done.Had a friend from our Essex days who
became a plane capt.on blue 4 and thus i was able to meet
some of the boys back in 1960.Buch Voris spent time at
North Island San Diego as i did for some 2 1/2 years.
The book brings back some fine memories.
T.J.Johannsen

"Take charge. Go do it.".......2005-02-02

First Blue is a sterling biography of one of the best known and most admired Naval aviators of the 20th century--Butch Voris, who not only started the Blue Angels after WW II, but restarted them after the interruption of the Korean War. In detailing Butch's career from his aerial combat in the Pacific to his service with NASA and the space program, Wilcox shows us a man of unflagging courage, devotion to his craft and his country, and constant pursuit of perfection in the performance of his duties.

In incident after incident, Butch's character emerges dramatically--the character accurately understated in a 1943 fitness report by his first skipper, Jimmy Flatley: "He has a very strong personality." His perfectionism saved the lives of his flying teammates, as well as his own life, many times over. The hair-raising air show disaster Wilcox opens the book with is only the first of a series of near-death experiences for Butch. As zealous in implementing good ideas of others as in pursuing his own innovations, he improved on almost every aspect of Navy practices and procedures he came in contact with, including the squadron-basing system for the Pacific fleet and methods of choosing and developing the best aircraft for the Navy's needs.

Wilcox is especially informative on the politics that cause turkeys like the F7U Cutlass to be purchased by the Defense Department--but rejected by Butch for the Blue Angels. And he reveals how Butch's detective work was instrumental in exposing the dishonesty in General Dynamics' development of the F111B fighter, crediting Butch with "raising the F-14 [Tomcat] from the F111B's ashes." A vivid encounter with Defense Secretary Robert McNamara helps us understand how a brilliant business leader can disastrously mislead the government and the armed forces.

Honesty and loyalty were rarely, if ever, in conflict for Butch. He repeatedly risked his reputation and career for the sake of both. Wilcox often reveals Butch's motivations through his own words: "Every time you are put to a test and survive, you learn something more. I think it was just my nature. Take charge. Go do it. I'm a great believer in that. It's my basic instinct."

First Blue is as informative on the technicalities of flying a hot fighter plane as it is on military-industrial politics. Wilcox's description of the difficulty of landing a prop-driven fighter on a pitching aircraft carrier deck is the best I've read, and for an encore he vividly shows us how doing it in a jet fighter is even trickier.

Wilcox also includes countless nuggets like how Butch got his name, how he had an unexpected chat with Winston Churchill after the war, and how he saved the fledgling Tailhook Association from the risks of south-of-the-border partying.

Butch Voris will forever be inseparable from the Blue Angels, the foremost precision flight team in the world, but this book shows convincingly that his contributions to America's superiority in the air and in space were far more numerous than that. The honors showered on him for these achievements make your head spin, leaving you unprepared for the revelation of the weaknesses in the Navy's promotion system that allow it to lose a superb officer like Butch.

Interesting Time, Interesting Person.......2004-10-27

In March of 1941, Butch Voris joined the Navy as a pilot trainee. This was a time of peace. But before his training ended, it was no longer peace time. The country and soon Butch Voris was at war. The planes they flew were Wildcats, not exactly the best machines to use up against Zeros. Not to many of the early fliers survived the war, but in spite of a number of close calls Butch did.

After the war Butch was personally selected by Admiral Nimitz to set up a demonstration team to attract people to join the Navy. He did, it was called the Blue Angels. Before too long, another little situation came up called Korea. After that Butch went back to the Blue Angels, the only person ever to command it twice. Butch Voris eventually left the navy and went ot work for Grumman, being involved in the development of the F-14.

The book is well written, and covers an interesting period of an interesting person's life.

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