MAD

This is one book every person dealing with mental health should read, I could not put this book down till I finished it. It tells of the horrors and treatment of the mentally ill in the late fifties and early sixties in Ohio. The book tells the awesome truth about this subject. I am currently working at this particular hospital, and have been since 1972, I have heard of some of the treatment. All of the stories are not just about the injustice to the mentally ill, it also tells of the programs that were established to help the mentaly ill. I highly recommend reading this book and the other in the series of, Some Die Mad.

Auschwitz, Ohio couldn't be better... it absolutely is the finest work on Fifties Angst I''ve ever read. You can FEEL the suffocation....

I can't say enough. Some images keep me awake at night. This is literature.

What a pleasure-filled read! Light-hearted and not the type of romantic comedy where the author is trying for punchlines all the time. This was truly enjoyable. Writing was crisp, dialogue was snappy, hero and heroine were realistic and lovable. Great read!

I purchased this Duets because I love everything Barbara Dunlop writes -- always laugh out loud funny with off the wall characters. The Wish List Wife was true to form. Haley, who has sworn off men, decides to help her new neighbor Adam find a wife, using his own wish list. Haley herself doesn't meet any of the requirements but, guess what? True love finds a way around requirements. Mad about Mindy - and Mandy, has a similar matchmaker with a list theme. The results in that one are also hilarious.

Ms. Blake wows us once again with this wonderful, light-hearted, and very touching story, Mad About Mindy... and Mandy. This is a delightful book about a well-crafted character who finds true love as she discovers her hidden personality. It will leave you smiling and definitely wanting more from this gifted author. I want to see more books by this author!

I think this is certainly one of the best Joe Grey books, if not THE best. Joe and Dulcie are joined by their new sidekick called "The Kit", a tortoiseshell kitten who has an insatiable craving for adventure and danger. There has been a murder of two women on a bridal path and the third rider, the cats' friend Dillon has disappeared, maybe murdered too or kidnapped. Joe's greatly admired friend, Max Harper, the Molina Point chief of police is the one and only suspect in the murders. Joe is spitting mad that people will believe his friend Max could do such a thing. Naturally, Joe "knows" that Max is innocent. The Kit has witnessed the end of the murders and been scared witless by all the violence but she was too scared to know what she saw or to recognise anyone. The three cats run afoul of Joe and Dulcie's old nemesis, Lee Wark who knows their secrets about understanding human language and having high intelligence. He would absolutely love to put a permanent damper on their crime solving shenanigans. He thrives on killing cats anyway. Kate Osborne, who can change to a cat and back to a human is back on the scene and terrified because three convicts have escaped, including Lee Wark who knows her secret also. She seems to have a "thing" for Joe's human housemate, Clyde Damen while Clyde's old girl friend, Charlie seems to be sweet on Max Harper now.

How Joe Grey, Dulcie and Kit thread their way through this maze of tangles, car chases, and a haunted house that's home to a cougar makes a fine story. It's also amazing that three small cats could get through all the perils without losing one or more lives. Ms. Murphy only gets better! She adds more polish and finesse to the stories every time. I'm anxious to read "Cat Laughing Last"

This book was utterly delightful with Joe Grey's deep respect for the Chief of Police, Max. By proving Max's innocence, Joe Grey, Dulcie and Kit all provided bits and pieces of the puzzle, including a daring rescue of the 13 year old girl who witnesses the murder. The story definitely kept me on my toes wondering what was going to happen next...Now I wish the next book of Ms. Murphy's would come out even sooner than January so I can start reading it...

This Joe Grey mystery features Murphy's cat pair who can read, speak, and solve crimes. Here Joe can't keep his paws off his owner's latest case: murder which points to Harper himself. Joe knows his owner is innocent, but has to prove it in Cat Spitting Mad, an intriguing murder mystery approach.

Mad Dog provides hilariously funny glimpses into the lives and customs of other cultures. What a great way to learn geography AND foriegn languages! As a huge fan of his web site and travel columns, I highly reccommend anything he has to offer. His quirky sense of humor and amusing anecdotes brighten my day. His books are also great for use as an exercise plan. Be sure and stretch before reading. I laughed so hard my sides hurt! Without Mad Dog, the world would be a dismal place indeed. Mad Dog's "If It's Such a Small World Then Why Have I Been Sitting on this Airplane for Twelve Hours?" and "Skywriting at Night", are necessities for anyone with a pulse. Or without...a good laugh just might give someone a jump start.

I laughed so hard it hurt. Having traveled quite a bit myself, and seen many of the places and things written about, I thought I knew where I'd been. After reading Mad Dog's take on things, I'm not so sure. His oddly stilted outlook, along with his quick wit, not only make you feel as if you're actually there, but let you see things from a completely unique perspective. Sometimes irrelevant, sometimes insightful, but always right on the money and uproaringly funny, these travel tales let you see the "real" places usually overlooked (often with very good reason) by the standard tourist. And yet, the information and advice is truly quite helpful - whether intended to be or not. For a great time learning about new places, getting another viewpoint, or finding out that, according to Mad Dog, you might not know the place you've been at all, you have to check ou this hilarious new book.

Mad Dog's latest book takes us on a jaunt around the world in his inimitable quirky style. A delightful rendezvous for the world weary traveler as well as the armchair couch potato. It is full of humorous tales, amazing anecdotes and insightful perspectives on various cultures, be it stateside or worldwide. Once again, Mad Dog tickles our funny bone and keep us panting for more.

Mad Dog captures a wonderful mix of humor, reality and solid storytelling in Skywriting at Night. Mad Dog's years as a humor columnist did not force this novel into an episodic no-plot piece of garbage as all too often happens with modern media artists. Instead you find this compelling work that makes you think about everything, the meaning of the title, your life and how good it feels to read and reread a good book. He's an artful writer, easily bringing characters to life. I reccommend this book to everyone from the avid reader to the casual Sunday skimmer. I personally guarantee that you will not be able to put this book down until you've finished turning the last page.

A friend read this at a website and turned m e onto it. I bought one of the first copies, then bought two more to give to friends. That's the highest recommendation I can give ANY book!

I read this book at Mad Dog's web site and I have to admit, I never thought I'd read a whole book on a computer but I did! It was completely absorbing, fun, and my husband kept asking me what I was laughing at so I had to read parts to him. I'm just glad it's in print so hopefully more people will get to find out how wonderful this book is.

The first copy of Mad I saw was issue 29 in September 1956 (still got it too) and I was hooked. How could a magazine be so funny and be so spot-on with its satire? Easy, just employ the 'usual gang of idiots' that's how. I kind of grew out of it when I discovered the National Lampoon, how could a magazine be so funny etc, etc. But I have always had a soft spot for Mad and this book of covers is a super addition to my back issues and other Mad books.

All 399 (up to November 2000) covers are in this well designed and printed book Mostly one or two covers to a page sometimes with Frank Jacobs' commentary and with a lot of the latter covers you get to see the preliminary cover roughs. As the years go by you can see how the covers changed from simple visual gags into ones that are much more graphic and busy because they have to work harder on the newsstand. The ideas are still very funny after all these years though. My favorite is issue 35 (October 1957) a wraparound that celebrated the fifth anniversary with a great painting from Norman Mingo showing a few dozen very famous American merchandising characters seated round a dining table, Alfred's at one end grinning. I would love this as a poster.

I think it is worth mentioning for Mad fans the seven CD-ROM 'Totally Mad' set, every page from the issue one thru to December 1998, the interface is very user friendly and the discs have a lot of additional aural and visual surprises.

BTW, Robert Silver's photmosaic book cover, made up from the magazines covers, is stunning.

I loved this book , mostly because Im a mad magazine FAN!!! BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!! GREAT BOOK

"Mad: Cover to Cover" is a glorious full-color collection of the cover art of "Mad" magazine, from its founding as a comic book in 1952 to 2000. The outrageous covers are accompanied by witty and insightful commentary by Frank Jacobs. Since "Mad" has satirized so many aspects of American popular culture throughout its existence, this book also serves as an ironic look at five decades of United States history.

Most of the covers feature Alfred E. Neuman, the goofy red-haired kid who, as the symbol of "Mad" magazine, has become an instantly recognizable (and, dare I say, beloved?) cultural icon in his own right. We see, over the years, the many crazy incarnations of Alfred: on Mount Rushmore, as Baby New Year, as Batman's Robin, as Uncle Sam, as Michael Jackson, as a Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtle, etc.

The running commentary offers fascinating glimpses behind the scenes of "Mad." Particularly interesting is the story of the long-suppressed cover depicting the first President Bush burning a flag; with the outbreak of the Persian Gulf War, the "Mad" team decided that the incendiary cover was inappropriate for the time.

This is truly a marvelous book, full of color, laughs, and memories. Even if you're not a regular reader of "Mad," you may find this book to be a fascinating mirror on American fads and foibles.

2 Guys 3 Girls and a mad professor; the name says it all. Set in a backdrop of Mumbai the book is a hilarious rendition of a mother's hunt for suitable grooms for her two "of-age" daughters. So we have the two girls Neela and Sheela, their mother Malati, their father Avinash a professor of Anatomy and the two boys Amar and Vijay as the central characters of the novel. Lending full support is Malati's mother, Kamala; brother, Prakash and host of small characters who bring this too good to be a novel into life.

Understandably Avinash is the mad professor mentioned in the title. His knowledge of the world is restricted to Anatomy and all he asks of his life is to teach anatomy, ready history books, eat something with his tea and find a live audience occasionally to discuss Tudor kings or histology of testicles. When confronted with a question he can't answer (which is usually the case) he would either say ' fast train runs faster than the slow' or 'Umbrellas are useful in rain'. If the comments are thought to be out of context, which they invariably are, Avinash would undertake a description of boundaries of Foramen of Winslow, an anatomical structure.

His wife Malati has her hands and her head full of worry. Their two daughters need to be married off and her husband is no help. She invites her formidable mother Kamala for the match-making. Kamala is a class apart. Once you know her, you would not blame Avinash for reacting the way he does. The mother daughter duo plan to have the girls settled through the traditional arranged holy matrimony.

The girls as described in the authors own words "Neela is pretty and restless. Sheela is a stunning Indian beauty but having drawn some freaky genes on her father's side, she is not all there, upstairs" sums it all.

While Malati and Kamala are making arrangements to have the girls married off to boys Kamala has just met, the girls have designs of their own, enter Amar and Vijay. Kamala en route to Bombay from Punjab meets Mr. Agarwal who has two fine young men staying with him while Neela and Sheela have met two boys at their friend's house and fallen in love.

Next to enter the scene is Malati's brother Prakash, who specializes in fixing things that are not broken. Prakash finds the life in Punjab too dull for his tastes and arrives in Bombay under the pretext of helping with the marriage. Too add to the already confusing events we have Mr. Agarwal's daughter Bina (the third girl in the "2 guys, 3 girls ...fame).

What ensues is mayhem at its best! This through entertainer is developed through snappy dialogues and fast paced sequence of events. The book is one hella-of-a rollickingly funny roller-coaster ride. The novel moves rapidly, describes many faces of Bombay, is developed through witty conversations, comments on the social customs of India and is wonderful complete entertainer.

The novel starts at 9 am on Sunday and comes to a rapid closure at 9 pm on Tuesday, barely 60 hours later when all the characters meet up at Mr. Agarwal's apartment.

The author, Ravindra Godse, is a graduate of medical school in Mumbai. He did post-graduate work both in India and USA. Now busy with private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and settled with a lovely wife and two gorgeous kids. This is his first English novel. He has published in other languages. The author is also pursuing higher education in History and currently working on a bi-lingual 'History of Europe' He is a consumate bridge and chess player and an amature golfer who does not wish to share his handicap with others!

A book that any Mumbaite would gel with!

Dr. Godse has done a fantastic job. The book is very funny and hilarious. Each and every line is CATCHY and has a twist to it. This book is so different from other Indian fiction books, which more or less have always the same theme and story: a boy meets a girl and usual problems of dowry, caste system and social taboos.
There will be a movie produced based on this book.I am sure that the movie will be a great hit, not only in India, but around the world.

2 guys 3 girls and a mad Professor
by
Ravindra Godse

If you are looking for a paperback providing a rare mixture of dry humour, a most intriguing plot, an insight into the intricacies of modern-day Indian culture, and a relaxing reading material, you need not go far. Just get hold of the Himalaya Books publication 2 guys 3 girls and a mad Professor by Ravindra Godse. You might be reminded of certain Shakespeare dramas but this story is rather unusual, unique and no doubt authentic. Once you start reading, you will hold your breath till you read all 350 pages.

The story is woven around the family of an exceptionally endearing mature man, Avinash Khanna, who for all practical purposes is a mad Professor of anatomy. Though he may be extremely endearing to the reader, his extended family that comprises wife, two daughters, mother and brother of his wife, have absolutely no regard for him. He uses a lot of anatomy terminology when in conversation with the family members and one tends to wonder whether it is a ploy to maintain a bit of peace. Ravindra Godse, being a Medical Practitioner himself, probably found it easy to write the monologues of this anatomy expert.

Malati, the wife of the Professor is a control-freak who rules the family. Her mother (invited by her) and brother (uninvited) come to spend a week with them. In the mid 20th century this was not a common practice since in many Indian states, once a daughter is married off, the parents never used to go to spend a night with her (instead, they bother their son by living with him and ill-treating the daughter -in-law). This visit is a clear sign of feminist activity in Bombay (or Mumbai as it is now called), but old-fashioned Indians might consider it a sign of kindness or cowardice on the part of Avinash.

There is no direct indication to the ages of any of the characters yet judging by the statement that Prakash and Agarwal (who has got a marriageable daughter) graduated in 1968 and Prakash's mother Kamala still being a teacher one may make some boundaries. To judge the period one may use the Dollar to Rupee exchange rate given as 500 Rs for 12 $. We can presume the time to be nineties.

I should not expose the plot (you must read it for yourself and I do not therefore want to let the cat out of the bag) but there are angles that make one wonder. The whole wide world knows that Indian marriages are very often arranged. So the talk of arranging marriages comes as no surprise. Yet there is a glaring absence of two particular words (considered taboo words by the feminists and all right thinking people). Ravindra Godse has avoided using the words dowry and caste in his creation. I presume that these two words are not used when discussing marriages nowadays. Modern Bombay has definitely changed from the time I was there in 80's.

I can tell you one thing. For just US [$$$](less than the price of a paltry McDonalds meal) 2 guys 3 girls and a mad Professor by Ravindra Godse gives you immense entertainment and more value for your money. Grab a book, read it and let us then discuss about it. I shall look forward to a hearty debate.

If you haven't read this book.......DO SO!!!!! As each chapter ends you are determined to keep reading to find out the many twists and turns that are about to occur......The way one was glued to the "Survivor" series is the way you will be glued to this exciting book....You almost believe that what Sean has written is true....that's the brillance of him......

This book has a fascinating collection of truly complex characters and represents the struggle of man and woman living in New York City but truly throughout the world. A wonderfully rich story full of eccentric detail and some valiant vocabulary. If there is a sequel or subsequent novel by Doctor Sean Kenniff, I will certainly recommend it to my students.

You won't be able to put this book down once you get started. The story gets you hooked from the get go, and never slows down! Still can't believe that this is the author's first novel! Amazing. I can't wait for the sequel!

As a physicist I was impressed
by a review of MAD ABOUT PHYSICS which
came out in the July 2001 issue of PHYSICS WORLD,
a British physics monthly. The review was written
by Peter Ford, a member of the physics department
at the University of Bath, and referred to MAD ABOUT
PHYSICS as a "fascinating new book."

It's been over 20 years since I've had any physics, but I still enjoyed the riddles and questions in this book -- sure, some were over my head, but I still could understand lots of the explanations. Plus, the examples are practical enough to make you the star of your next party: is it better (which will make it COOL faster) to let black coffee cool first and then put in cold milk or to put cold milk in and let it cool? Coffee drinkers will be happy to know that black coffee cools faster than white so wait a few minutes before pouring your cold milk in if you want it to cool quickly. If you like these kinds of brainteasers, you'll love this book. An appropriate gift for students and pondering adults alike. The authors also provide interesting quotes in the margins that make for good reading as well. Some of the explanations are a bit too brief if you really want to understand the physics behind it, but the authors provide the reader with enough information to dig deeper. Fun!

I bought this book after reading the previous reviews, and it was exactly the book I had imagined. The more you read, the more you want to know about the world and how things work in our world. Physics is amazingly applied throughout our lives knowingly and unknowingly. The curiosities just keep going. After finishing it, you can correct your friends on misconcepted ideas or explain to them the theories behind an event.

This paperback has 397 questions/puzzles, each with an answer in the back. Questions range from simple ones like what is the difference between gas and vapor, to more complex ones like the architecture of a rollercoaster. Although someone earlier had recommended this book for children, I would say that most of the braintwisters require some fundamental understanding of physics that a highschool student would have an easier time with. But again it is certainly a great choice and a must-have if you are one of those physics maniacs like me.

I have been a huge fan of the original "Mad Scientist's Club" since I was a kid. I continued to re-read it as I grew up and read it to my children. Needless to say, when I found out that another Mad Scientist's book was coming out, I could hardly wait to get my hands on it. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. None - and I mean none - of the stories reached the level of any in the original. As an example, The Flying Sorcerer was nothing more than The Strange Sea Monster of Strawberry Lake "gone airborne" or The Unidentified Flying Man of Mammoth Falls "light". My advise is to stick with the original, save your money and skip this one.

The Mad Scientists' Club is back and better than ever. A mini-sub, a gang of bank robbers and a home-made UFO are just some of the adventures you will find between the covers of this book. While there are only five stories this time, when compared to the seven tales in the first book, this book is over 216 pages (vs. the 188 pages of the first book) making each story within the second book both greater in length and in details.
For boys and men of all ages!

Black-and-white illustrations by Charles Greer enhance the entertainment value of The New Adventures Of The Mad Scientists' Club, an engaging read for young readers ages 10 to 16 by Bertrand R. Brinley. The New Adventures Of The Mad Scientists' Club is comprised of five madcap adventures of seven young "Mad Scientist" geniuses. A hullaballoo over alleged flying saucers leads into an exciting confrontation in this wacky and enjoyable narrative. Also very highly recommended is the first book in Bertrand Brinley's "Mad Scientist" series for young readers, The Mad Scientists' Club (1930900104).