FO Books

Hi, Eric. I loved this book. It's part of the reason I'm an author. You're writing our stories and You know I'm trying to give you a run for your money with my new novel, What You Owe, Love Does Not Pay. You are such an inspiration and I still remember the first time my friend Paulette put me on to your books. We couldn't wait for the next one which was Milk in My Coffee back in 99. And I remenber we stood there for awhile tripping over how fine you looked on the back. But now I'm an author and it has something to do with you and Bebe Moore Campbell. Hit me back. I can't wait to read PLEASURE!

Excellent book! I have a clearer understanding of the relationships of black and white people. Loved it! Thanks.

This was my first book by Jerome Dickey, so I was skeptical with starting a new author, but I'm so happy I checked this guy out. I enjoyed this book so much that I went and picked up more books by him. I want to get every book he's written! This book was a great read. Interesting fictional look at complicated relationships and the complexities of interracial dating and the perception of race. Dickey's eye for detailing all the emotions of the characters makes this one a must-read for romance lovers.

Once I picked this book up, I could not put it down. I loved it!!!

I love everything EJD does, the man is a genius! I own almost all of his solo projects. I loved that this book like the others had many twists and kept me reading long thru the night.

This book is an interesting examination of the psychological process by which humans, pressed to the absolute limits of endurance, may reach decisions and conclusions that cannot even be fathomed within the day-to-day lives of most people in modern society.

Like the Donner party and the sailors in Regina v. Dudley, the persons in this book were forced to reach the ultimate survivalist conclusion: that resorting to cannibalism was the only way to remain alive in impossible conditions. This book is an amazing chronicle of the experiences of the survivors, even though it lends itself to a long series of exceedingly tasteless jokes about the menu (Peasant Under Glass; French, Fried; Ladyfingers; Baked Alaskans).

Highly recommended if you have the stomach for it, and can read it without instantly making judgments about the people involved... no one who was not on that mountain top can truly say what s/he would have done differently in the same situation.

I absolutely love this book. I have read several survival stories and this is by far my favorite. It is a most inspiring story and I love the way it's written. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I read this book for the 1st time about 7 years ago. On average, I pick it up once a year and re-read to remind me that miracles do happen.

It's become a bit of trivial fodder: In 1972, a plane carrying a Uraguayan rugby team and their friends crashed in the Andes. They survived there for over 70 days, doing whatever was necessary to survive, sustained on their faith, and the hope that they could one day break beyond the prison of the mountains and reach civilization.

Since the story HAS become a piece of trivia, it's important that we read something that makes us understand the underlying humanity of the situation. To that end, Read's book is almost a necessity. It details day-to-day life in the crashed plane, and attempts of the Uraguayan families to find their missing loved ones.

The great thing about "Alive" is that it chronicles the event in a somewhat detached manner. At first, this might seem odd; after all, such a tragic event is an emotionally-charged topic, especially once you get down to the human element. However, to tell the tale with emotion is to get LOST in the tale. To overcome this, read uses a scientific, detached description of events, which ultimately leads the reader to ponder the horrific reality these people went through. It is a very successful storytelling mode, which only hits a few snags (he insists upon calling cannibalism "anthropophagy," and admits in the introduction that some of the survivors felt the book didn't go into enough detail about the friendship they felt for each other). Also, there is the fact that this book dates back to 1974, only two years after the events; it would be nice to know how the survivors faced the rest of their lives.

Still, the book is thorough, and it's dry, almost dead-pan style is the only real way of describing the events that unfolded, without getting lost within the maze of emotions (actually, the dry delivery almost makes things even more horrible; don't read this book if you are squeamish). "Alive" is a tale of horrific events that tested the limits of humanity. It is a must-read for anyone interested in what being human really means.

This is a very interesting book. My wife and I were living in Uruguay when this occured and I recall all the anxiety until they were found. Also, recently, our son was in a conference in California where Nando Parrado, one of the survivors, spoke. Nando has also written a book about the crash and survival.
The book Alive is a bit gruesome at points, but realistic about the guys' survival. There was shown a great deal of determination and desire to live on their part.
In general, very good.

Time has not diminished the drama of the tale of the Uruguayan rugby team whose plane crashed in the Andes Mountains. Of the forty five people on the plane at the time of the crash, sixteen came down from the mountain about seventy days later with a saga of survival not easily forgotten.

Theirs is a journey born of tragedy and human endurance. The author unfolds a tale that is gripping in the telling, as enthralling as it is almost unbelievable. It is investigative reporting at its best, because it does not fail to convey the human drama and pathos behind the story of this remarkable struggle for survival high up in the Andes Mountains. Masterfully written, it is a well balanced narrative that takes great pains to ground the experience of the survivors in the context out of which it arose.

The plane had crashed in the Andes Mountains on Argentinian territory. It was an exercise in terror for those on the plane, as it barreled down the mountain, before finally coming to rest in a valley of snow high up in the Andes. Of the forty five persons on board, thirty two had initially survived the crash. Some, however, had sustained serious injuries. Time would not be their friend. Moreover, with little warm clothing (keep in mind that October is springtime in South America), the survivors were exposed to the extreme cold of the night air, high up in the Andes. Though spring, this still meant temperatures well below freezing. Damp, cold, and hungry, amid the anguished cries of the injured, thus began the first of many such nights.

By their tenth day in the Andes, the limited food supplies, which they had rationed with all the care of a miser, had virtually run out. Starving and ravenously hungry, they voiced what they all knew to be true, but had not dared to voice before. They must eat, or they would die. The only thing left for them to eat, however, was abhorrent and deeply repugnant to them. Digging deep into their conservative, religious souls, they found a way to justify actions that would have them transcend a new reality. Their fallen comrades would now provide the means of their sustenance. All eventually succumbed to this only means of survival.

This, while one of the most dramatic parts of their story, is just that, a part. Their survival entailed much more. They had to endure other deprivations. They had to survive the elements. They had to overcome a profound despair over being seemingly forgotten by the outside world. Ultimately, only sixteen were able to do so. How they did so will fascinate all readers of adventure literature. The means that they took to let the world know that they were still alive will astound even the most jaded of readers. It is an account of human endurance that is thought provoking and compelling, a quest to reconcile physical needs with the spiritual. It is, above all, a riveting testament to life.

I have seen many reviews of this graphic autobiography/memoir on various blogs, but it wasn't until I read one that suggested that Persepolis was similar to the Maus books by Art Spiegelman, that I finally decided to check it out from the local library. I read both Maus I and Maus II in college, where they were assigned reading for one of my husband's English Lit classes, and I borrowed them from him. From the moment I started reading them I couldn't put them down. They were both horrifying and entrancing at the same time in their detail of World War II and it's long-term effects on a Jewish father and his relationship with his son.

Persepolis, while not about the Holocaust, is similar in that it is set during the time of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, and part of the Iraq - Iran war. Marjane, called Marji, is 10 years old at the beginning of the story. Her family is at first enthusiastic about the changes taking place with the revolution, until they realize that the government is being taken over by fundamentalists who quickly enforce their strict religious rules.

Marji has an innocent enthusiasm for the heroics of her relatives and friends of her parents who have been imprisoned and tortured. She wants to hear all of the gruesome and exciting details about their imprisonment so that she can brag to her friends about what great heroes they are.

Marji and her innocent antics had me laughing at one moment, and then my gaze would shift to the next panel and my heart would sink as I saw images of torture juxtaposed with images of Marji listening to the story with rapt attention.

Marjane Satrapi's account of life under the new regime is compelling, and her dry wit creates a story that will make you laugh and cry at the same time.

I highly recommend this graphic memoir to anyone who is interested in memoirs, war biographies, graphic literature, or stories of how children deal with war. I would also say about Persepolis and Maus I & II, that if you liked one of them then you will like the others as well.

This book provides an interesting look at a relatively dark and largely misunderstood period of time. Told from an interesting point-of-view - that of a child - and in a unique way - as a graphic novel, this book brings new insight to this time in history.

As the story begins, the young girls are being forced to wear head coverings, yet the young ones do not understand why. As the story progresses, the reader begins to understand the vast difference between what is portrayed in popular media and what actually occurs. The reader also begins to understand that the thoughts and beliefs of the people are not always reflected in their government. The book tells the story of the rebellion of the Iranian people against their government. What makes it more interesting is that the book is told from the perspective of the child of revolutionaries. We see her parents participate in protests, her parents' friends arrested and tortured, the vast class differences that exist in that culture and their real implications on the people who live in that society, and finally, we watch as her parents send her away to receive a better education and "better life" in France.

The other aspect of this book that makes it so intriguing is that it is a graphic novel. The drawings are all black and white two dimensional drawings with short dialogue, much like you would find in a comic book only without the color. These drawings actually help the author treat the violence very clinically. The drawings evoke a lot of emotion and convey a lot of information and feelings without any of the gore or graphic images.

This book would be well suited for a history classroom, especially side-by-side with a true historical text or textbook. Using this book this way helps provide students with multiple perspectives on a series of historical events. It could also be used as a primary source, because the woman writing this book is doing so from her first-hand account of the events.

A word of caution...this book should be used with high school students or older. Younger students may not be mature enough to fully understand the content.

This book was needed for a college course I am taking and I never got it. I just hope the one I purchased for the second time gets to me before I need to read the book.

People often associate comic books with childrens' fiction, as if the medium itself is inflexible. Some of us the comic lovers know that is not the case. And case in point Persepolis - where the emotions of a little girl in the politically and socially charged Iran takes us through what would have been a blind journey. I think pictures don't necessarily paint a thousand words, it paints many, and it leaves the number to the reader. While written words force a description on your mind, a picture leaves a lot to your imagination. It lights the spark with the image, and the image takes on its own life in your mind. This is what I felt while reading Persepolis, where just with two shades, Marjane Satrapi gives us enough fodder to ruminate in the visual fields of our imagination. I could see the drastic transformation of one of her neighbours going from a mini-skirt to the veiled burkha.

Marjane Satrapi is gifted and trained no doubt, and it shows in the depictions of emotions that are otherwise hard to describe. You may also want to look for books by Dupuy and Berberian, that tell of personable tales in their lives or fictitious characters drawn with similar dexterity.

I read this book, and I was very unimpressed with the amount of opinion Satrapi put out as fact. The story is clearly biased against the Islamic Republic, which is fine, but is overly so. Satrapi never gives explanations on events that are critical to the entire picture. She never gives the reasons for why so many of her family members were harassed, and even killed. From what I read, I understand that her family were communists, and at the time, communists were trying to seize power in the revolution. Many of the groups against the existing government including communists spread havoc, and provoked terrorism, but Satrapi never says these things. She just names who were killed. She claims things like Iran rejected an offer of peace in the Iran-Iraq war from Iraq and Saudi Arabia, but doesn't go on and say that the conditions to that "peace" would devastate the economy.

Besides these faults, I enjoyed some parts of the book. It portrayed many parts of Iranian culture in a bad light, but was written and drawn powerfully. I would say it is propaganda, but I think it is written too well to have been motivated for propaganda.

This expedition was a failure in that Shackleton and his fellow explorers never accomplished the intended exploration. But this is a monumental story of survival I haven't read anything like this since, I believe, I was in my teens and engrossed in the arctic and antarctic explorations.The ship which carried the men to the South polar region was aptly named although the ship itself was ultimately lost in the wastes. Personal journal accounts and photographs taken during the ordeal are liberally used to tell us this story which is as enthralling as any fiction and yet is totally true. The fact that no human lives were lost during the months these men were trapped in the ice is of course incredible. This would be a great gift book for those armchair adventurers on your list.

A dear friend gave me this book when it was released and I became hooked on all things "Polar". The Frank Hurley photos alone are worth the price of the book. If you really want a treat, check out the photos under a magnifying glass---there are many interesting details missed with a casual glance. This is Ms. Alexander's best work (I read The Bounty a few years ago, and while a nice read, it pales in comparison to this gem.) I've given at least a half-dozen copies of this book to friends and family. And, while it may have the dimensions of a coffee table book, please read it if you have it; the prose is tight---and the Hurley photos. This book would be an excellent gift to a young person, as the photos are spectacular, but more importantly, the example of leadership of Sir Earnest Shackleton (a true leader) is inspiring to say the least.
Very highly recommended.

Caroline Alexander's work of non-fiction The Endurance is a wonderful read, effectively portraying Shackleton's Antarctic expedition in an exciting and enjoyable manner. Alexander effectively uses the journals of the members of the expedition to demonstrate the feelings of the crewmen about their plight, their leader, and other members of the crew. One such example would be from the diary of Frank Worsley, the skipper of Endurance, describing crewmate Timothy McCarthy. "`He is the most irrepressible optimist I've ever met,' Worsley wrote in his navigating book,'" (Alexander 148). In addition, Alexander also demonstrates how optimism can lead to survival in situations in which the odds are heavily stacked against it. "`Optimism,' Shackleton once said, `is true moral courage'," (Alexander 56). Alexander's choice to include this Shackleton quote demonstrates how she believes that optimism is important in a time of crisis. The one aspect of the book that is mildly irritating, however, is the placement of the pictures. There are many pages of pictures placed at seemingly random intervals throughout the book, and this can cause quite some confusion due to the fact that the pictures often interrupt a sentence or a paragraph. However, overall The Endurance is a wonderful book about facing impossible odds and living to tell the tale.

Caroline Alexander's The Endurance, the memoir of Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic expedition, is a relentlessly intriguing story, even with its few passages of slow, monotonous detail. This recollection of the voyage and survival of the Endurance is consistently awe-inspiring in its seemingly mythical events and journeys of Shackleton's 28 men. The artistic weaving of the crew's diaries and quotes with the haunting photographs of Frank Hurley, the expedition's photographer, is powerful and, for the most part, attention consuming. Its only problem is a few passages of too much detail, creating a slow, less interesting pace for the story.

The amazing situations and actions of the men, particularly Shackleton, is what made the book so enjoyable. The men lived in sub zero degree weather for over a year, eventually journeying almost 80 miles in three wooden life boats, but still come across as normal human beings. They argue about wives and hold grudges over dead pets. It is Shackleton, the timeless leader that he is, who creates something special from these men and drives them to safety. His ability to draw from others and please all (only Chippy McNish expressed any unhappiness during the journey) is an awe-inspiring feat that exemplifies what a great leader is and should be. The most amazing accomplishment of the expedition, created by the men and Shackleton alike, was the 800-mile journey by six men in a 22-foot-long life boat through a hurricane in the most inhospitable ocean in the world. When they finally made contact with civilization, they met another sailing crew. Frank Worsley recorded the following interaction with one man in particular: "He said he had been at sea over 40 years; that he knew this stormy Southern Ocean intimately, [...] and that never had he heard of such a wonderful feat of daring seamanship as bringing the 22-foot open boat from Elephant Island to South Georgia [...]. All the seamen present then came forward and solemnly shook hands with us in turn" (Alexander 166-167). To impress fellow seamen of the day, not to mention Norwegian seamen, truly displays the power of the accomplishments of the Endurance and the intriguing nature of the book. What made it all better was the care and leadership of Shackleton. After such an unbelievable adventure, he did not take time to celebrate, but turned to the help of the Chilean government in order to complete his journey. According to Shackleton, "[...] the grace and strength that had brought them so far would count for nothing if, when they eventually arrived, they found even one man dead on Elephant Island" (Alexander 169) The incredible strength and leadership of Shackleton, along with the endurance and misfortune of the crew in The Endurance leads to a very interesting read and an unforgettable story.

The Endurance, by Caroline Alexander, is an exceptionally well-written epic about the human will to survive. The story begins with legendary Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew's daring quest to be the first to cross the continent of Antarctica. But bad luck and poor planning leave their ship, the Endurance, trapped in the Antarctic ice. As their ship is slowly crushed by the ice, the crew realizes that their journey is no longer about discovery, but survival. The crew eventually leaves the safety of their ship to brave the dangerous floes of the Antarctic ice, because "what the ice gets, the ice keeps" (Alexander 3).
Now laid before the crew is a situation that is "not merely formidable; it was, as every sailing man of the company knew, impossible" (Alexander 133). Shackleton's brilliant leadership and determination bring his men to safety from the brink of death, and his optimism keeps his crew believing that they can still survive. The diary entries of the crew leave nothing to speculation about the hardships of the men of the Endurance. From their lack of food and dry clothes, to the freezing Antarctic weather, the men of the Endurance survive for almost two years in a land not at all hospitable to humans.
As with every story, a picture is worth a thousand words. The breathtaking pictures by Frank Hurley put the reader right onto the ice with the crew. The reader can witness the sheer cliffs, never ending ice floes, and the break up of the Endurance, just as seen by the men of the ship themselves. Alexander truly puts the reader into the minds of the crew, and shows the Antarctic from the crew's eyes. This tale of survival brilliantly documents one of history's most daring stories of survival.

I came across this book because of a girl going into the fourth grade over the previous summer. I was aimlessly wandering Barnes and Noble children's section trying to decide what a good addition to my personal library for my future classroom would be when I asked her what her and her classmates were reading. It took me awhile to get into the book as I was expecting something very much like Harry Potter (which it is in some respects but also vastly different). Upon completeing this book I have finished the second and third book within 3 days. I am hooked and once I read the fourth, I am afraid Ms. Sage won't be able to write the Septimus Heap books fast enough to keep up with me. If you have not yet picked this book up, you need to! I loved each one and cannot wait to keep reading to see what happens!

It took me till almost half way through to really get into this book but after that I was hooked and NEEDED the next in the series. The visual descriptions are what i enjoyed the most. The story was so creative. I thought it was going to go in a different direction till almost 400 pages but I was very please with the ending! This book is great for adults, teens, and children.

an absolutely extraordinary start to a magykal series. angie sage shows top notch work. i reccomend this book to anyone looking for an exciting novel. books 2, 3, and 4 are just the same way.

Sage's Magyk guides the reader through an intriguing storyline full of magic, peril and conflict; however there is little that truly separates the book from others.

The story begins as Silas Heap returns to his wife and children after finding a baby girl outside. After being told by the Extraordinary Wizard to raise the child as his own, keeping her origin a secret, he rushes home eager to tell the family. However, to his dismay, he discovers that his youngest son, Septimus Heap, has been killed. After a few years, the Heaps seem to have a normal life, and the young girl, Jenna, seems to be fitting in well. However, after the Extraordinary Wizard reveals to the family an unexpected secret, life seems to become a battle for survival. As the story progresses, friends are made, battles are fought, lives are taken, and secrets are revealed.

The story starts off well, with a captivating plot and interesting characters it's difficult to put the book down. Jenna seems like an adventurous girl, and seems very mature for her age - the kind of character that you would hate to see die. Marcia Overstrand, the Extraordinary Wizard is the type that you wouldn't want to annoy, with both her short temper and powerful magical abilities. Although she's rough on the outside, her caring side shimmers through sometimes. Simon Heap, the oldest son, is the classic reliable big brother, and appears to be Jenna's closest sibling. Aunt Zelda's caring, protective and matter-of-fact nature is one of the more interesting characters. Although the book contains a myriad of characters, I couldn't really feel a sense of realism in the other characters. Yes, they were believable, but nothing makes them really stand out. Besides the above characters, I feel the other characters are too generic, making it difficult for the reader to really connect to them.

Villians? This is something that bothered me after I looked back on it. Most of my favorite stories have villains that think outside the box, breaking the normal boundaries and going into a realm of evil and enhancing that with their own devious minds. Magyk, although there are villains, they do not seem more than just a little kid's villain that is exceptionally strong and just uses pure strength to win fights. No, the villains aren't noticeably bad (the Hunter for instance is well expressed), however DomDaniel, the main villain, lacks the feeling of impending doom and fear that most villains should generate. In a nutshell, villains are evil, but are they exceptionally evil? Not really.

Finally the story doesn't provide you with anything that's specifically unique to Magyk. Albeit this is difficult to do in the modern world where almost every storyline is taken and nothing is unique anymore, I feel Magyk could have been more unique with its story. I suppose one could argue that the Brownies were unique, but everything seemed too sugar coated to be evil in this story. The concept is good, and this is only the first book of the series, but a long lost child, an evil mage regaining power, and a princess in hiding all seem too cliché any story.

Despite all these complaints, the story is actually quite enjoyable. A reason for the harsh critique could be because Harry Potter has dominated the magical story realm, and anything must seem to match up to it. Magyk, as interesting as it is, does not surprise the reader with anything new and thus, one could not expect it to grow as popular as the Harry Potter series. Perhaps my expectations were too high, and therefore I try to bring the worst out of the story, however Magyk is easily a book that I would recommend to the bored. The characters are enchanting, the tale is enticing, and there are scenes where you'll just turn page after page until you realize all the characters are safe.

A definite read for those that enjoy more innocent tales, however don't expect a world famous Harry Potter type story.

Angie Sage's _Magyk_ is reminiscent of many books in the same genre - Harry Potter and Terry Pratchett come immeadiately to mind: a world where magic (or "magyk" in this case) is real, wizards and witches are common place, and of course a variety of young characters seeking to make their way while a dark force lurks and plots their destruction. Yet to speak in such broad terms not only oversimplifies Sage's story, but does it a disservice as well.

In _Magyk_, the first of four books in the series, the protagonist is a young girl, Jenna finds she is more than the daughter of an "Ordinary Wizard" - and begins a journey to find her real place in the world. Similarly, a young man ("Boy 412") also seeks to make his way in the world, rejecting the harsh military life he has been place in since infancy. As the two paths of these characters cross, readers are introduced to a variety of imaginitive characters as the (not entirely predictable) plot unfolds.

Sage is no J.K. Rowling (but who is) - still, judging the book on its own merits, its a fine read for 'tweens. The story moves fast, the characters are delightful, and the story - while not entirely unique - provides some unexpected turns. Recommended for younger readers.

The Demon in the Freezer is another true story written by Richard Preston that brings mystery, anxiety, and relief to its readers. The book begins in the 1970s with a glimpse at the life of an anthrax victim named Robert Stevens, and then moves to the life of a smallpox victim named Peter Los in Germany during 1969. These two stories are eventually linked together with the explanation of anthrax and smallpox, the histories of each, and the threat of bioterrorism.
The Hot Zone and The Demon in the Freezer are very similar in format partly due to the fact that Richard Preston wrote both. This similarity detracts from the story line of The Demon in the Freezer if The Hot Zone has been read previously. It detracts from the excitement and mystery of The Demon in the Freezer, and diminishes surprise that comes from the climax, which is the anthrax scare. For instance, the beginning of The Demon in the Freezer begins with the lives of an anthrax victim named Robert Stevens and a smallpox victim named Peter Los, which draws the reader into the book as soon as they start reading it unless The Hot Zone has been read previously. The Hot Zone also starts off with a victim of a virus (anthrax isn't a virus but is still harmful to humanity) named Charles Monet. The virus that Charles Monet is eventually diagnosed with is the Ebola virus which is very deadly. The scene in which Charles Monet crashes and bleeds out, as the army calls it when blood comes out of every opening in the body of a victim of Ebola, adds suspense and gore to the beginning of the novel much more so than The Demon in the Freezer. The first few scenes in The Demon in the Freezer appear boring when compared to the first scene in The Hot Zone. The Hot Zone is also not as dry as The Demon in the Freezer overall: there is always suspense through The Hot Zone unlike in The Demon in the Freezer. When compared, The Hot Zone is a far better read than The Demon in the Freezer.
The Demon in the Freezer, however, is still a great read. The novel provides insight into the production of bio-weapons and the reality of how dangerous they are when nations that have ill will towards others are producing them. The novel also stresses the importance of the eradication or almost eradication of small pox . For instance, when small pox was still a major natural virus, it killed approximately two million people a year, and the eradication of smallpox has saved around fifty-six million lives. The Demon in the Freezer is more of a historical novel than a historical thriller like that of The Hot Zone. Overall, The Demon in the Freezer was a great read despite its close similarity with The Hot Zone.

Feel like being angry and disturbed? Give this a read. The Hot Zone was a great read but not nearly as scary as this book which shows just how evil mankind truly is. I keep asking myself why the Soviets would ever think that these viruses and antibiotic resistant bacteriums could be useful in defense of their nation. With modern transporation the entire world is in big trouble when this stuff gets out. Smallpox is bad enough on its own but it takes a very sick mind to weaponize it. What a world we are raising our children in- this is disturbing stuff.

This quote inherits a new sense of forboding when considering the history of smallpox, its eradication and the threat it currently presents us today. Richard Preston has managed to write my favorite kind of book with Demon in the Freezer: an informative but fascinating non-fiction page turner that is accessible by anyone with an inherent sense of curiosity.

Definite five stars.

This book is a bold statement about the state of our world. Smallpox and anthrax are the new weapons of choice for anyone who wants to infect large populations around the world.
It's a great book and everyone should read it just to know what's out there.

Now this is the way to write a technical non-fiction book. It is a thriller, it is interesting, it is educational, and it is very, very frightening. Every human being that can read should buy this book and read it through. Great job, Mr Preston!

For those of you considering the purchase of this book, it might be one of the best books you will ever read. If you aren't sure, you can download the book [...]. I think you will still want to buy a hard copy from Amazon because it is a convenient way to read the valuable insights it contains while you are on a bus or airplane or somewhere away from your computer. Check this site, some versions are a handy pocket sized (I think the imported version is) and very portable.

I had heard about the persecution of Falun Gong in China since 1999 and was curious why a non-violent group of people meditating in parks would continue to be arrested, tortured and killed by the Chinese government. The simple answer is that the Chinese Communist government has already killed 60 or 80 million people -- they care only about maintaining absolute power at any price.

Then, several years ago, when I was on a trip to New York taking pictures in Times Square, I met some Falun Gong people demonstrating the exercises and explaining this practice. I was involved in Zen meditation at the time, but felt I needed something with more guidance. Intrigued, I looked up the web site and found a local practice site here in Northern California. I met with the coordinator, who spent an hour talking with me about Falun Gong, explaining things and asking me to read this book. He was a retired physician who now helps others to learn about Falun Dafa and he wanted to make sure I understood this philosophy before beginning the exercises.

I read the book and while there were some things I initially chalked up to Chinese superstition, this book explained many things for me. I knew by the time I read the third chapter I had found a truth I had always searched for. By the time I had finished reading it, I felt I finally understood Christianity and the message of Jesus and the reason we are all here. It's a very profound book.

Falun Gong (or Falun Dafa as it is also called), works by improving your character and strengthening your mind. You feel an inner peace and strength that comes from the tempering of will as you give up attachments and you go back to your true self. After the first six weeks, I had given up all alcohol (I was quite a wine drinker before), coffee, meat and numerous other bad habits and attachments. You just don't need that stuff anymore.

Your compassion for all beings comes out and you feel kindness towards everyone. You notice this about all Falun Gong practitioners, who follow the tenets of Truth-Compassion-Tolerance.

If you are considering getting this book, do it now. You will not regret it.

I started out w/ Falun Gong, the exercises related to Falun Dafa on my own. I was in an Asian country where being found w/ this book means real trouble. I read this book then downloaded a video showing the movements along w/ a written manual. It's all very complicated, e.g. the position of your tongue has to be correct for it to work, etc.
The first changes I noticed once I began doing the Falun Gong exercises daily were physical. First off, my posture. I could walk straight-backed, like a soldier, without any effort or discomfort whereas before I was a bit round-shouldered. Also, I had more energy & exercise tired me much less than before. After that, there were some psychological changes which Li Hongzhi describes in this book & I would take them seriously. The dreams he says you will have, you will have.
Basically you are using a shortcut Hongzhi has developed. You are amassing a tremendous amount of `chi' or whatever you wanna call it very quickly. This is all right, if you can handle it. Imagine you are invisible then suddenly pop up real bright on a radar screen. People will notice you. People will be drawn & attracted to you. Strangers, friends, acquaintances, etc. This is fun at first, I suppose, but gets tiresome. It fades a bit once you're chi starts balancing itself. I would advise joining a group where you can get support & also proper teaching by an expert of the movements & postures. They're all over the place (in the West). I suggest reading the `Tibetan Book of the Dead' before beginning the practice also so you're prepared for some of the spiritual, uh, effects of the practice.
It could take a Buddhist monk a decade of arduous meditation to realize what some university student dropping LSD figures out in 2 hours. You are doing the same w/ Falun Gong. It is a short-cut & dangerous if you're ill-prepared. Like I said you will pop-up on radar, seen by friendly & also unfriendly `entities.' The Hard Way is the easiest way in the end.
Prepare yourself mentally before getting into something that may prove too powerful for you to handle. Old ladies in China who have been practicing for decades can do things you cannot imagine. Carrying the book w/ you, on your person, supposedly protects you from accidents. I found this also to be true.
As far as the cult stuff, I dunno. Never been to a meeting. Not a Scientologist or Freemason either, so there's my two-cents. Take it or leave it.

I want to say that I absolutely stand against the atrocities committed against Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese goverment. Stories of torture, live organ theft, or outright murder are appalling, heartbreaking, insane. It is time for the international community to let their outrage be heard. As someone who was in Beijing during the Tiananmen Massacre of spring 1989, I am all too aware of the capacity of this "People's" government to do violence against its own people.

That said, anyone who knows anything about Buddhism, qi gong, the true Tao, or possesses even the vaguest metaphysical intuition can spot this book as the worst form of mystic trash. Li Hongzhi is no more enlightened than Donald Duck. It seems that every twenty years or so another Worldsaving Guru Moron Sham-man pops up with claims to the secrets of the universe, which are usually the most laughable nonsense. One thinks of Bhagwan Rajneesh, L. Ron Hubbard, Carlos Castaneda, and Sai Baba. And now this dolt, claiming to teach "the true" and "the only real" Qi Gong. What a crock. That millions upon millions of people have bought this line all over the world really tells you how easily otherwise intelligent human beings can be made into total suckers. Sure I don't see Li Hongzhi riding around with a fleet of 99 Rolls Royces . . . but if you don't think that practitioners haven't suffered from these "teachings" all you have to do is read about what is happening in China right now.

The real Qi Gong exists, -- ditto for Buddhism, the Tao, and every other subject this book claims exclusive knowledge of. So why waste your time with a hype mysticism on the level of the National Enquirer? Don't let some bum guru tell you what's what. Y e c c c c c c c c c c c c.

This book says it all. Frankly I'm suprised no one has mentioned these little inconvienent facts:

(BTW this book is free on the Internet)

* Look for the words "fox", "snake", you'll find ample references to fox sage and snake ghost, and spiritual posession.
* Page 18 - Master Li mentions FLG can cure illness, and obtain over
10,000 other superpowers, including levitation.

Need I say more? Don't fall for Falun Gong's cultish teaching, I beg you. Is "Jesus only saves white peopele" cultish teaching? You decide.

I have a 35 year history with Taoism and Charismatic /Fundamentalist Christianity, many books and classes to mention here.

Falun Dafa is an excellent adjunct to Christian teaching because it provides a Holy Spirit based cultivation method that can increase people's sensitivity, harmony, and receptivity. It can fortify the gifts of the spirit and lead into significant healing.

Most Christians do not realize that the Taoist concept of the "Tao" is nearly the same as the Holy Spirit. Taoists have been following the Holy Spirit, and nature, back to God, for centuries. That is why they know so much about energy, accupuncture meridians, and how to manifest the fruits of the Spirit, which they refer to as "Xinxing", or "fruit status".

The Bible says "by their fruits ye shall know them", so Christians have no excuse if they call Falun Dafa a cult. A cult is any group that delays your enlightenment.

Only the terms are different between these groups. For example: the same divine energy that westeners call "Grace", is called "Gong" in China. A "falun" over there is called a "tongue of fire" or "being filled with the spirit" over here. Sin in the west is called karma in the East. Cultivation over there is refered to as sanctification over here. Enlightenment over there is thought here as "putting off the old man and putting on the new man" So there is no big difference like fundamentalists think.

Jesus spent many nights in meditation while his disciples slept. Why did he need to do this? Today some Christains are following the disciples instead of the meditating Master. The disciples also tried to stop other teachers that they thought were competing with their master's teachings, but Jesus forbade them.

Christians need to investigate Falun Dafa, as well as other religions, and realize that the Holy Spirit dispenses gifts where and when it can throughout the body of Christ which is all created people.

Christians can test this premise for free by just practicing the positions off the Falun Dafa website just a few minutes per day.

Excellent presentation on the keys to succeeding in business. This is the best & most complete business primer in my library. I'm on my second read. The information is applicable to any business although it focuses on real estate.

I will always keep a copy & refer to it often.

This book shows what some study of top realtors can tell us. It's a great read and packed with information.

Gary Keller's book is a great introduction to the industry. It is helpful, not only from an agent's perspecitve, but also from a consumer one as well. Real estate is certainly a complex subject and it is certainly important to understand the workings of the industry especially if you are an investor making many real estate transactions. For teh agent, it provides a proven real estate model in which to set up your business.
The book takes the overall view, looking not at too many specifics or specific situations, but more of the overall picture on how to create your business plan from day one.

Having a business mission to link the corporate employees, residents and schools in my area, through my publication, anything about the business of real estate interests me.

So, when Masoud Riazati, a San Diego Keller Williams Real Estate Broker, offered me a copy of this book, I gladly accepted his offer.

From the first page, all the way through, I related to this book, and have profitted, during my reading this book.

"The Millionaire Real Estate Agent," is a great follow up to "The Art of Selling to The Affluent" by Matt Oechsli, because they are both thorough, entertaining, fun, focused upon the reader embodying a millionate mind set, and they both are written in a style that makes you, the reader, feel as though the author is having a face-to-face with you, as questions and "light bulb moments," arise.

Also, having read "The Millionaire Next Door," Stanley, and "Think and Grow Rich," by Napoleon Hill, it's great that Gary Keller has taken the step-by-step approach to guiding readers to acquire the millionaire mind set.

Charts in Keller's book are also so easy to follow, and worth adapting into your office Operations Manual, as a guide to keep you on course, towards your $1,000,000 net income goal.

The only challenge that I had in reading this book was asking myself, "If real estate agents do listings to be successful, what does listings equate to, in my business? Am I already doing the equivalent? If so, how do I quantify this into expected revenues?"

Usually, I like to power read through non-fiction books, while I take copious notes. And I like to reread great non-fictions, until there is nothing left for me to gain from them. But, "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent," was different.

There is so much to learn from this book, about being in, and growing your busines, that I wanted to savor ever "ah ha" moment. And there were many of those moments for me, in this book. This is definitely a book that I will reread, again, because by creating the systems in this book, I will be ready to go to the next business level.

I recommend this book to anyone who is in, or plans to be in business. This is also great for those who are in leadership positions, working for someone else.

If you want to read a book on how to spend a million dollars, without making a single dime, this is the book for you. Keller spends a great deal of time showing you how to blow money, but he offers you NO program for earning money. If you are new to selling real estate, you need to learn how to prospect for new business, qualify customers and clients, present to them, close the sale, service the customer and close the transaction. This book does not tell you how to do any of that. Amazon has much better books available to you: Ray Smith's "Master Blueprint for Real Estate Sales" or Dave Stone's "Training Manual for Real Estate Salespeople", both out of print, but available, are way better choices for you!

Reading this book is like having Don Felder at your kitchen table or in your living room talking about a great Rock Band. He goes into great detail about his early life growing up. How he got interested in music, specifically the guitar. The Bands before the Eagles and his life after the Eagles. He is brutally honest why he allowed himself to be a minion of Glenn Frey & Don Henley. He discusses his marriage and what made it disintegrate. He held nothing back. It is was a very quick read. If you are a Eagles fan you got to read this book!!!!

I am a HUGE Eagles fan since the late 70's.

I thought this book would be better written, considering he had the help of a professional. It is so repetative!

Don Felder doesnt come off as very saavy, but rather naive. Hes a superb guitarist, but, I couldnt stand all of the "Heres a picture of me writing Hotel California at my beach house" lines...

Glenn and Don Henley deserve more. Bottom Line. I cant see how Don Felder could have thought otherwise. Felder was self destructive.

...and there are probably plenty of fans out there. This rather ordinary (and probably mainly ghost-written, not to mention -ridden) book is The Eagles According To Don Felder. While one (this one anyway) can feel sorry for Mr. Felder in his various tribulations, he unfortunately has failed to comprehend a major fact of life, namely that pop/rock music is, above all, a money-making business, which long ago lost the purely music-making innocence for which Mr. Felder seems to hanker. Popular music is just another commodity to be marketed in the most efficient way possible, with an eye to profitability.

With a modern business ethic goes hand-in-hand corporate greed, in which chief executives get an inordinate amount of the cream. Thus, Messrs Henley and Frey get the cream. That Messrs Henley and Frey were as thoroughly unpleasant individuals as depicted here is not surprising - young successful rock musicians lack the maturity to handle it all and tend to acquire monstrously inflated egos. In addition, there's the fact that you're only as good as your last hit, and the recent products bearing the brand name "Eagles" have been distinctly mediocre, forcing them to rely on older product lines. However, there's no doubt that Henley and Frey have been the major innovators and producers of the business, and can therefore, in modern business terms, be said to merit a larger slice of the cake. And it becomes plain that Mr. Felder's only substantial product was "Hotel California", a major product to be sure, perhaps even the major product, but only one, and after that, essentially nothing. He mildly castigates the other Eaglets, Joe Walsh and Tim Schmidt, for not supporting him, but they at least seem to have grasped on which side their bread was buttered.

In addition, there's something rather bizarre about a multi-squillionaire, who has earned more in a year than the vast majority of us will earn in a lifetime, writing a book like this. Mr. Felder seeks to come across of a man of integrity, severely shafted by unscrupulous business associates. While there's certainly a substantial element of truth in that, this is the way of the modern business world, and Mr. Felder comes across to me as somewhat pathetic and naïve.

I thoroughly enjoyed this bio...being a bit of an Eagles fan, I gained some new insight into the band's history and where they are at today...at times I had wished for more 'details', but in the end, the 'details' didn't really matter...I felt that Don Felder shared some fairly intimate feelings with the readers - something not always heard from men in general, let alone a rock star...I put this book down after reading it in mere days, and wishing for more - but knowing that there really wasn't more for Don Felder to give us - I had a new respect for Don Felder, the band and his contribution to the band, which really was not fully known...

If you are even a minor Eagles fan, but love bios and music history, I completely encourage the reading of this book...

I really enjoyed reading Don Felder's biography "Heaven and Hell". I really enjoyed his description of his early life in Gainesville, Florida; his time spent in his early bands; and his time in the Eagles. He manages to express himself as a man with the common touch and a conscience, rather than as some spoiled rock star. I also think Don Felder shows great maturity in describing the Eagles' inner bickerings, and the circumstances that led to him being fired from the band. He tells the reader enough to let the reader know what was wrong between himself and Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and Irving Azoff without resulting to low blows against them. And he also mentions what he feels are positive things about Frey, Henley, and Azoff although they are obviously not his favorite people.

All in all, I get the feeling that he wrote a pretty even handed account of his time in the Eagles; when in reality, one couldn't have blamed him if he had wanted to take up a 'literary axe' against the others.

A quite informative, enjoyable read!

Hop On Pop was always a favorite of my three children for the rhymes , theme and pictures. Now that my children are grown, I continue to delight other children with the purchase of this book. There is something about it that makes them clamor to hear it over and over and over again.

This is only one of many excellent choices of books to start a youg childs new library out with.

Our 16-month-old twin girls have a vocabulary of four words: Ma-ma, Da-da, ba-ba (bottle), and "Pop!" That's what they say when they see this book come out for their bedtime story. They love the pictures and the sound of the words. They look and listen with rapturous interest, and often scream like banshees at the end until I read the book a second time.

The book is fun for parents, too. It's a disconnected, almost surreal series of vignettes. The ever-popular segment featuring the flying Mr. Brown is longer than most, and the recurring character of Pup provides a hint of continuity. Not that kids will care about any of this; it's just a fun ride with the inimitable Dr. Seuss.

Suggested follow-up: "Ten Apples Up On Top" (again by Dr. S), which is our girls' second-favorite book.

Let's note first that this book isn't actually intended as a readaloud book, nor is it intended for children much younger than the age of six.

The format of the book reflects this. It's a bit long for toddlers (who aren't known for having great attention spans), and the different spreads are disconnected - when a kid is at the age where they struggle to read "All, Ball, We All Play Ball", the last thing they need to worry about is what they read two pages before!

Can it be used as a readaloud? No doubt! But don't be disappointed if it doesn't work for you and your kid that way.

That said, this is a wonderful early reader. Simple rhyming text, with the main words in large print at the top of the page; and really funny illustrations.

I really suggest this one.

My 12 month old's favorite book is "The Foot Book" by Dr. Seuss. So I bought her several other Dr. Seuss books for her birthday. She really likes this book. The other Dr. Seuss books that I purchased are a little long and wordy for her for right now, but "Hop on Pop" is perfect for this stage-and it's nice that it comes in board book form.