Fast-market

I don't know other people who gave this one 5 star rating. I've decided to read all of L'amour's books because he was one of the best writers I've ever met with my eyes, albeit the western genre. I certainly could assure you that all of them by L'amour are simply wonderful except this one. There is no story or anything in this one. I just couldn't believe that L'amour would have written this one or even had the pride to publish it. Nothing, just nothing in it. The story--could I say it's a story--is so simple-minded and hollow, the characters are all deadbeats. And this is the first one that I've have to flip over tha page after page trying very hard to get the first draw but failed miserably. No, if you could call this a good western, then you're simply not fair to all of his other great stuff. All the good characters in his books are just the common Americans should be, or should I say, all the decent human beings should be. I regret to pick this one out during my persistant thorogh reading of all of his books. The only thing I'm glad is that luckily, I didn't pick this one first, otherwise, I'd have lost the chance to know a great mind. For this one that is rarely came out so lousy and tasteless, not even readable, I could only blame the publisher.

The book "The First Fast Draw" takes place after the Civil War. The genre is a western setting, in the south west part of the United States. The reading has a lot of action and it is really easy going, and not hard to read or comprehend at all. It is a great high school reading book, because it is short, easy to read, and has a good genre. I would give this book five stars and a pat on the back for its excellence.

The plot of the book is when Collin Baker decides he needs to go back to east Texas, to regain and farm his fathers' land. The problem with him doing this is that when his family first moved to east Texas he became known as a troublemaker. He ended up beating up a bunch of boys that were older than he was, but he was doing it in self-defense, therefore he has many enemies in East Texas. Also the carpetbaggers and the Reconstructionists have other plans for his land. Collin Baker returns to his home, but the first night he is home he already runs into trouble. At first, Baker thinks he beat his enemies by himself but learns very fast that he needs friends and to learn to shoot very fast and quick. He quickly found Bob Lee, Bill Longley, and Matt Kirby, who were also having the same problems. Bob Lee is a character who is always ready to fight and looking for action. Bill Longley grew up with Collin, so they knew each other and were also one of Collins few friends. Matt Kirby is woods men that stayed in the swamps trapping. The four of them hide in the woods were nobody knows of. They train and Collin keeps on getting better and better with his gun. Finally its time for them to regain what is rightfully theirs. They kill of bunch of their enemies, but Collin gets caught in the process. He gets thrown in jail and is scheduled for a hanging the next day. While he is in jail he doesn't worry about his problems but worries about his friends trying to get him out and getting caught in the process. He friends come anyways and they all escape. They know now that they need to flee the area so they all head out west together and start over. I believe the main theme of the story is to know how good your friends are to you. Never let anything happen to your friend that you wouldn't want to happen to you. Know that your friends will be there for you when you need him the most. I really liked this book and the tone of it too. The author did a great job of giving great detail and describing everything. I would defiantly recommend this book to anyone who likes the woods and guns.

This book is the best thing that ever happened to me. I eat at Mcdonald's two times a day. I enjoy McNuggets for breakfast, a Big Mac Value Meal for Lunch, and a sensible dinner. Then I have four sensible snacks right before I go to bed. I get up in the middle of the night to take a #2 (which consists of my #2 value meal). This book is a must buy!

"Young" writers often make the mistake of believing that all they have to do to get published is learn the craft of writing and hone their talent, says Peter Rubie. "Alas," he adds, "technique is only a path, not an end." Then he goes on to say that the trick for new writers is to find what kind of books publishers want and who will publish the books he wants to write.

Rubie loves to answer questions and that's what this book does. It's quite comprehensive. There's no way I can give you a complete overview of the questions he answers but you'll get some idea from the subjects. In Chapter 1 he begins at the beginning: "How do I get started in the business of writing?" Notice the question is not about starting to write, it's about the business. Rubie has answers for questions like what to do when you're staring at a blank computer screen and whether or not writer's groups are useful so it's not all business.

Chapter 2 is about genres. In it he explains what they are, why they matter, how writers meet reader's expectations and more.

Chapter 3 covers agents, editors and "publishing people" with detailed information on subjects like researching agents and editors, what they do, reading fees, organizations, Code of Ethics, agreements, editorial departments, art departments, subsidiary rights ad infinitum.

Chapter 4 discusses marketing, from your idea to the bookstore. What to do about time sensitive material, trends, what to do with a great idea.

Chapter 5 describes developing ideas and creating book proposals. This leads off with "What should I write about?" and covers bad ideas, "reader's needs," exercises to develop ideas, writing different book proposals, structure, writing organizations, to name a few.

Chapter 6 gives you a good idea of how your book is developed from a manuscript from "what happens when I get an agent?" through subjects like what "well published" means and whether you need a lawyer. He talks about revisions, charts and illustrations, corrected manuscripts and finishing the book.

Chapter 7 has a lot of great information about how to read book contracts and what to do about them.

Chapter 8 discusses subrights and royalties pretty thoroughly and goes into sharing, selling foreign rights, returns and book scouts.

Chapter 9 is all about E-publishing and book packaging.

Chapter 10 covers writing and editing with discussions of things like rewriting, critiquing groups, structure in writing, "creative nonfiction," author's voice, dramatization and lots more.

Lest you have the impression that Rubie's book is just for newcomers, let me assure you that the information he offers is thorough enough and detailed enough to be useful to anyone no matter how seasoned. These are the questions writers ask, and Rubie has the answers.

Peter Rubie has been an editor and a literary agent as well as a book reviewer and author of fiction and nonfiction. He is the president of the Peter Rubie Literary Agency in New York City. In Writer's Market FAQs, Rubie serves up the world of publishing in the clear, cold light of fact.

Being the romantic reader that I have become through the past few years (and bored with all the same old same old) a friend suggested I purchase this set by Jennifer Crusie. Sadly, I was disappointed. The stories are average at best. I was expecting something grand...the joke was on me. Ms. Cruise is an okay writer but far from sizzling! DISAPPOINTED!

I have to say, im not usually a fan of romantic novels, but i came across a magazine advertisement of Tell Me Lies. Since i was making a trip to the library anyway, i figured i'd check it out and see if i liked it. I absolutely fell in love with it. I love Jennifer Crusie's style of writing. I continued to check out her books one by one and I became more and more devoted to her characters. They seem so real and alive. People that I can relate to, not those perfect heroines that you usually find in novels. Two thumbs up. Keep it up, Jennifer.

I think that this book was good and bad. The detail in this book made the book both good and bad. The detail was good because Howard Fast describes things really well, which makes the reader get a clear picture of how horrible war can be. The detail was bad because Howard Fast can go on forever about really, really boring things. For example, he uses about two whole pages to talk about whether Adam, the main character, actually loves his girlfriend. Also, Fast uses about one and a half pages discussing what kind of bread the people in Lexington eat, and why they eat that certain type of bread. People in middle or high school can kind of relate to Adam, the main character, because he is fifteen. He deals with relationship problems, just like we do. The beginning of this book was really boring, but it got exciting during the end. There is a lot of suspense. When you read this book you will wonder, "Is Adam going to die?" If you can't deal with gore, curse words or violence don't read this book. Since this book is about war, there is violence involved. For example, Fast describes people being stabbed with bayonets. There are also some curse words in this book. I gave this book four stars because while the book can be good, it can also be really boring. If you like historical fiction try reading this book because it will give you a insight on peoples' personal feelings during the American Revolution.

I thought that April Morning was a satisfactory novel. Although the book contains some unnecessary details, the part where the British arrive is rather interesting. Fast did a very good job in vividly describing exactly how Adam (the main character) felt during the whole process. Even though some parts of the novel were gruesome, such as when Fast describes how a bayonet is driven into someone's back and blood is gushing all over, the issues portrayed are realistic. One part of the book that I really disliked, however, was in the very beginning because there was absolutely no suspense. Otherwise, even though this book depicts a boy living more than 200 years ago, teenagers today can easily relate to his problems, such as his relationship with Ruth, as well as the problem with his father. I can't say that this novel is the best historical fiction book I've ever read, but it wasn't the worst either.

As a nominal adult, I went back and read this book again. It was just as good as when I read it as a kid.

It is amazing that Fast was a Communist during his life, because Adam's (the narrator's) father is the perfect example of how an American should be; honest, forthright, determined, and belligerent in the defense of freedom (the exact opposite of what the system that Fast defended expects from a man).

Adam grows up over the morning of the first day of the American Revolution. He doesn't want to want to leave childhood, but the world isn't under his control. This book also relies on the relationship between Adam and his family, especially with his father, to define how he reacts to responsibility.

Fast is an excellent writer, and his political views don't show up in this book. I would also recommend "Power" by Fast.

I read 'Wired' at a time when I could relate to the fast lifestyle that John Belushi led and it helped me through it. On the flipside, however, Woodward seems to portray Belushi in a negative light when in fact he was one of the most talented comedians ever with a huge heart, only his obsession with drugs were his downward spiral. If you're interested in the life of Belushi, especially the dark side, definitely read this book. But if you want the whole story you're going to have to read 'Samurai Widow' by Judith Jacklin Belushi so that you may see his good side as well and see why so many people loved this man.

John Belushi was a funny man but his story was not very funny. Bob Woodward does an incredible job of dredging up Belushi's life from a scared high school kid trying out for a play in Chicago to his coughing fit right before he died. It seems Woodward only focuses on the negatives in the book, but John Belushi's life was too short to have too many ultimite highs. SNL was a huge hit, so was Animal House, and so were the Blues Brothers. Belushi barely made 5 million dollars in his life and he spent that quickly on cocaine. He loved life so much, he never wanted to sleep. Woodward details all of it, in gut-wrenching detail. At times, Belushi's behavior gets redundant and Woodward's journalistic style gets a tad boring, but it is a good, quick read. If you can find the book and you were ever mesmerized by one of Belushi's characters, this book is a great read.

I found Woodward's Wired to be a great piece of work. Not as mesmerizing as All The President's Men, but still, a great and worthy effort by Bob Woodward. There was a critique about this book here that said his widow's book was better, because Judy Belushi knew John better than anyone. While I agree with that, I will add that Judy was as high as John was during their relationship. Also, this author of the critique (who hales from the UK), does not know John Belushi, so, in essence, does not have the faintest clue what John Belushi was really like. I think Wired was too rough on her idol, and she refuses to think he acted as wild as he did. I like Elvis Presley, I know had a wild streak in him, I don't refuse to accept it though.

As for Wired. I hope people, as WIRED as Belushi & Chris Farley was, take notice of how drugs can kill you. After reading the book, I formed a one sentence moral to the story:

You can eliminate the drugs & still be the world's best entertainer!

Sherwood tells the story mostly from the view point of Air Force missions and surprisingly, mostly from navigators. The yarns are mostly good although there are some silly statements. The reader will get almost no idea that Naval Aviation had any real presence in North Vietnam. Where are the stories about the A4 Skyhawk which probably had the most missions of any type of aircraft flown up north? Where are the A7 stories? Most aggravating of all, not a single mention of the Navy's Ace, Randy Cunningham. Where are the stories of the Navy pilots who flew 300 and 400 missions? Every pilot who flew up North has some hilarious stories and some heartbreaking stories. You missed almost all of them, Sherwood. Also, before one puts Official Naval Historian under one's name he really should know something about the US Navy and Naval Aviation. I had over 200 missions over there and would say to the reader, you really will only get half the story in this book. The Air Force half.

I have read several books of this type and though this one provides quite specific details, they turn out to be quite different from other books. Sometimes I feel like the author making new stuff for the fun of the readers (for example the battle of the air force on May 10 1972). Another thing is that this one purely tells stories rather making deep analysis about the airwar, the formations, and technical issues. Better spend your money on "Clashes" of Marshal L. Michel III.

In Fast Movers: Jet Pilots And The Vietnam Experience, John Sherwood focuses on fourteen jet fighter pilots, one at a time, to guide the reader through each phase of the Vietnam War air campaigns. Together, these lively and impassioned individual struggles demonstrate and document the difference that a single courageous pilot could (and often did) make. Fast Movers describes the thrill of the hunt, the suffering captivity in the Vietnam POW camps, the off-duty and aerial combat experiences that made up the totality of the combat jet pilot experience. Fast Movers is highly recommended reading for military buffs and historians.

Total waste of time. Has a few trivial points on dealing with realtors. Buy Effros book on "Sell Your Home in 5 Days" if you want to go the FSBO route. I am an investor who owns 40 residential properties. This book will go on my shelf as minor reference because I maintain a library. I only recommend this book if you are so shaky in the knees that you are affraid of trying Effros round robin auction on your home.

This book is useless because of its clear bias against selling by owner. Even a real estate agent knows that the best way to sell your house fast and net the highest amount of money is to sell it yourself.

BOTTOM LINE: A poor attempt by a real estate agent to promote the commission-based real estate industry.
Book is useless!

This book contains some very good advice if you are able to weed out the almost embarrassingly biasede pro-realtor misinformation.

Pros: Good info on writing ads, what to do--and not to do--when preparing the home for sale.

Cons: Biased and untruthful information for FSBO sellers, concentrates whenever possible on how difficult it is for FSBO to succeed without the special care that a professional real estate agent can bring to a sale. It would be laughable if it weren't intimidating to first time FSBO prospects.

If you can get past the manipulative realtor hype, there's good info here.

Don't pay full price for this one unless you aspire to being a realtor or are related to one.

I purchased this book to train our organization's analysts on how to conduct targeted due diligence. Overall, I was looking for something different when I purchased this book. It really gave no insights into the overall importance and role of the due diligence efforts around acquisitions. The book is a short book that simply introduces the author's approach to conducting "telephone" interviews with industry contacts. Ultimately, provides little value that can be applied to an organizations approach. Then again, perhpas I expected too much from a book that can be entirely read in 20 minutes! It is short, and incomplete.

My suggestion is to seek other M&A related books that can deliver more value to your own approach and understanding of the due diligence process. Do not spend your money here. I found out that the author OWNS the publishing company (BRG) and it clearly appears that he simply wanted to get something published! Is this a conflice of interest????

John - Chicago, IL

Mr. Austin does an excellent job laying out his unique and valuable methodology for conducting "fast, focused" due diligence for any merger or acquisition. For an executive of any company, the most important consideration in any transaction may very well be the "unknowns." Putting Austin's techniques to work in the diligence period of a transaction will allow you to quickly get the market-based facts, and ultimately make a smart business decision by uncovering the blind spots.

1st the book is hard to get into
2nd you start to like the book and keep reading
3rd what is up with the ending?
If the ending was different would have given book 4 stars