On-the-tape

This book is terrifying and gives an in-depth account of the terror Georgia had to live through before making her escape. This book is definitely a page-turner. From the moment I started reading the book I had trouble putting it down. I usually only read books written by Sidney Sheldon as they are the only ones that seem to keep my interest. Georgia's story is amazing and keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first page.

It is absolutely incredible that anyone could endure the pain and suffering she did and then come out of it with the tremendous strength and drive she has to succeed. Georgia's book details her life as a mob wife and all the terror and tragedy she encountered in that world. Oftentimes, throughout the book you wonder how a woman could survive all the abuse and continue to fight for her life with such determination. With all the odds against her, Georgia makes her escape and attempts to make a life for herself and daughter in California. Although the abuse is not over and her troubles follow, eventually she is able to leave that world behind her and begin a new life.

This book has given me so much strength and encouragement to do many things I thought were impossible. She survived many, almost hopeless situations, yet she persevered and has come out on top. In addition, her story has helped many women see that their situations are not hopeless and there is help. Many times we are faced with hopeless situations and no matter how hard we try we cannot see how something positive can come from tragic circumstances. Her book is a perfect example of how when God closes one door, he always opens another one. Georgia's amazing story is an inspiration for anyone suffering abuse or any type of difficult circumstances. There is always hope.

The Company She Keeps wound up being a lot more than I thought it was going to be. The cover made me think I was getting a look at life in The Mob from someone who was there. What I read was a story of a woman who was dealt a lot of rough hands but turned them into wins and lessons learned. It's amazing how Georgia Durante could suffer challenge after challenge and grow stronger through it all. So many others would just take the hits and fall down.

When Georgia tells her story of what was in her life, she presents points and ideas that teach lessons to the reader today. You see things through her heart and eyes as she survives an abusive marriage. You feel yourself get stronger as you travel with her on her escape from her abuser. You realize that no matter how much someone tears you down you always have the power to rebuild your life. You cheer as Georgia shares the happy times of her life with her parents and her children. You get the urge to follow your own dreams as Georgia finds hers as a stunt driver in Hollywood.

The Company She Keeps also shows how far we've come as a society in recognizing the problem of domestic violence. I don't want to be a spoiler, but you'll be shocked how the police used to deal with this matter. Georgia found out in a very real way.

I've read and heard about so many so-called self help books that tell you how to get through the tough times and have a great life. Those authors greatest feats are stepping on a stage and talking. Georgia's greatest feat has been living her life, facing reality and sharing the paths she took so others can find theirs.

The Company She Keeps is a book that will make a good person realize their true value and become an even greater person.

This book is not only gripping from start to finish ,also it opens your mind in a way only georgia can do ,i would reccomend this book to all interested in the underworld. With the changes you wouldn't think was possible .

Staffy @ www.thenorfolkconnection.com

I am in a novel class at my high school, and The Lords of Discipline is one of the best books I have read so far in that class. Pat Conroy gives a vivid, harsh display of life in a military school and how it can change anyone, even in the slightest way. There is trust, brotherhood, love, tragedy, and betrayal, and when you can effectively work with all these things at the same time, you are definitely a fine writer. The main character, Will Mclean, goes from being a boy to an "Institute" man in a very difficult way. While trying to help the first black student to go to the Carolina Military Institute, he comes across a mysterious group known as "The Ten", who set out to rid those not worthy of the Institute. This ultimately leads Will to discover something about his school, his friends, and himself. All in all, Pat Conroy gives a realistic view of military school life with poetical and lyrical passages that are what every writer should try to emulate. From its humble beginning to its shocking ending, The Lords of Discipline is a book you will not want to put down as soon as you begin reading it. Take it from a Southern girl!

I was required to read this novel for an elective English class. Little did I know that it would become one of my favorite books ever.After finishing the first chapter, I was drawn into the story and imediately a fan of Pat Conroy's. He has a style of writing where he, just as most passionate writers, get caught in the moment and lyrically write from the heart. McLean's experience through military school is something that everyone should read. Even if you are not the least bit interested in the military or it's politics, one can still learn something from this novel morally based on honor, entrapment, betrayal, friendship, and life change. I reccomend this book to both men and women who want to be moved by a page turning, eye watering, and heart opening novel.Thank you,Pat Conroy for giving me the knowledge of how brutal life can be, and thank you for an experience I was able to learn about. You are a brave soul.

Lord's of Discipline was my first introduction to Pat Conroy's work, and it has turned out to be his best. Compulsively readible, you will want to fly through this story. And even when you've read it once, you'll be able to go back for an enjoyable re-read. With the exception of Prince of Tides, I have enjoyed all of this author's work. This book takes you back to the deep South of the late 1950's. Conroy's evocative style is thoroughly engaging. This book translated exceptionally well into the movies. Unfortunately, the movie did not do that well at the box office, but I think it might have been hard for the viewing public of the early 80's to connect with the story. If Hollywood will just put Lords of Disipline out on DVD . . .perhaps it will develop the following it really deserves.

As Howard Cosell titled his autobiography, "I never played the game." I don't even have a CD-ROM drive yet. But I would have had to have been living in a fissure in the earth to be totally clueless about MYST, the phenomenally popular CD-ROM game that has become multimedia's first bestseller and first classic. From people who have played it, I know that MYST is more than a game, it is an experience--an immersion into another world, where things are strange and wonderful. The game works, they say, because it is as rich in its complex storyline as it is in its state-of-the-art graphics.

MYST is more than a game in another respect as well now, with the publication of Myst: The Book of Atrus written by the game's authors, Rand and Robyn Miller, in collaboration with David Wingrove (author of the Chung Kuo series of science fiction novels). A novel based on the game was inevitable, given the rich source material. The fact that the Millers chose to write the book themselves rather than sharecrop it to a third party showed an extreme level of hubris. Doubtless the y realized this, and approached Wingrove as an expert novelist, to help them accomplish a seamless transition from computer game to novel.

Myst: The Book of Atrus is a story that details the background behind the story of the CD-ROM, much like J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion is the background behind The Lord of the Rings. The comparison is particularly apt--the brothers Miller, like Tolkien, are meticulous craftsmen and took the time to build the myths and legends of their world, creating a much more complex and involving tale in the process. Atrus, the protagonist of this novel, is the father of the two brothers upon which the story of the CD-ROM is based. The story itself is not that unusual for fantasy--a young boy is orphaned by the death of his mother and the disappearance of his father. Raised by his grandmother, he comes to value her teaching but longs for more than the simple life that she has made for herself. Then the father returns, demanding his son to follow him to help reestablish their noble race, the D'Ni.

But as any reader knows, it is not the simple plot that defines a book, but the details that embellish a novel, and the Millers and Wingrove have provided not only the embellishment, but the exhilaration of wonder necessary for a genre novel. The conflict between authoritarian parents and inquisitive children, between goals and means, are the basic building blocks of any good work of fiction, and the authors do not neglect it. But it is in the description and workings of The Art, the "science" behind the world creation of the D'Ni, that brings to the book its driving interest and captivation. I am sure it is no accident that The Art, with its emphasis on the power of the written word, of the proper placement of description, also describes the process of novel creation itself; in academic circles, this self-reflection is called metafiction, and the authors here carry it off with panache if not subtlety. What is interesting is that this description of The Art can be broadened to include any act of creation, with a special nod to the creation of an artificial world such as those portrayed in novels, movies, and multimedia computer games.

I thought it would be interesting to read Myst: The Book of Atrus and see if it was a self-contained piece of fiction that could be enjoyed by those of use who remain CD-ROM challenged. Does Myst: The Story of Atrus stand alone? Yes, and surprisingly well. I have no doubt that this would have been well received without the phenomena of the game behind it. And, unlike Tolkien's The Silmarillion, this was a book that the authors had the opportunity to polish and prepare for their audience. Tolkien's masterpiece spawned the modern fantasy industry, of which some novels barely masked their inspiration. Myst has already inspired several productions similar in nature--as well as a couple of parodies, the next sincerest form of flattery. The publication of this pre-history will only further cement its seminal nature on the burgeoning multimedia industry.

Every reader who enjoyed the Myst and Riven games ought to look at this book, at least for a few chapters. The story of Atrus, his grandmother Anna, and his father Gehn is very interesting albeit slow-paced and a little shallow. The quality of writing is not Grade A, but I wasn't disappointed by any bold errors. I merely wanted to read more depth in everything: in the beautiful scenery and in the characters. As an amateur writer myself, I think the story could have been told at the same pace with much more interesting depth built into every sentence.

This is the story before Myst, the first CD-Rom game and still one of the top ten best adventure games ever. It won't explain why Sirrus and Achenar become the upstanding characters they are in the game, but it does show Catherine and Atrus initial contact with each other and the relationship that blooms from that adventure. It also paints Gehn in interesting colors and shows how Atrus proves the strength of this character.

I do recommend this book to fantasy readers, especially Myst and Riven fans, despite my stylistic complaints It's a wonderful fantasy to ponder.

Adventure/ PC Game Based

Ok, for the most part, this book was awesome. It gave some great creativity to the story and kept the plot going. Some more simple words may have helped the visual progress but for the most part, this book was easy to picture.

My best +'s for the book is how the authors described the sceneries of the worlds or as the call them, Ages. Also, the story was too fascinating to pass up! (About creating your own worlds by writing in a special, ancient D'Ni book. You know, become a god of your favorite place!) The combination of the two really brought out the true excitement of reading Myst. [read up on the summary]

The only - of the book was that the words were a little complicated to understand. More of a 15 and up age group I suppose. It's kinda hard to follow when you don't know where in the book it is trying to describe.

I loved how the end of the book ended! I think that it changed how you thought it would end a thousand times over(that's sarcasm FYI) before you finally knew what really happened. It really kept reading you until the book was over.

The best part is that it's based off of the PC game Myst! I know all you gamers out there aren't heavy readers but if you are a fan of Myst, this is the book for you! If you like the story behind the game, you'll really like the book!

Thanks for the time! Check out the summary here or whatever to get a better idea. It's a good adventure book to look into.

N3T0NIC .:blue:.

Being an Atheist, it may seem strange to some people that this book holds any meaning for me, but I think that, despite the religious references, people from all walks of life will relate to the poetic prose of The Prophet.

Kahlil Gibran has been greatly celebrated in several countries for the book's simple yet biting phrases. Any two sentences in this legacy of living can be made into a thought-altering quote.

Gibran uses a prose style throughout. Short lines of words written as freestyle poetry create a rich medium to deliver his words.

Each section has something poweful to say, but some of my favorites were those on Work, Giving, Children, Crime and Punishment, Freinds, Time, and of course Love.

As oppposed to most books containing the word "Prophet" anywhere in the title, Gibran expresses life as something to be enjoyed and soaked in as many ways as possible. The book does not stress the punishment of sins, but to bask in pleasure and not look back. Decadence is not suggested, but the basic purpose of Gibran's legacy is to tell us that life is short and must be lived without regrets.

It is a book that includes such beautiful metaphors and velvetty language that you are always sucked into reading "just one more section." What makes the book work is not just the simple genius of the author's statements, but also the beauty of his words, the flow of his language.

I hate to be like everyone else (in more instances than just this), but it does change you. It states what any prophecy should, and allows the religious aspects of the beliefs to take the backseat to the love of life and aspirations.

Buy, read, and live by The Prophet's words.

My late father gave me a pocket sized hardcover edition of this book when I was a teenager. I've had it ever since and still read it from time to time.

Gibran's words are refreshingly nonsectarian yet feel none the less profound, timeless, universal and relevant to all cultures, peoples and times. Some have attributed an alternative spirituality to this work either as praise or as criticism.

I personally don't view the Prophet as a book that advocates any particular spiritual or religious path whatsoever. Regardless of whatever else this book may be may be, I've found the Prophet to be restful and quite enjoyable from time to time. I don't worry about the potential hermeneutic interpretations (that I seriously doubt exist) that might exist therein.

Thus, if it's a spiritual and/or religious text you seek I wouldn't recommend the Prophet. But I don't mean that as a criticism of the Prophet.

I simply view the Prophet as a text on the nonreligious, nonsectarian and universal ideas, ideals, feelings and qualities of what it is and means to be and feel human as viewed from the perspective of another fellow human being who had the same limited perspectives that we all share by virtue of being human beings. Gibran never claimed any differently.

If you only buy one book of prose then this is the one I'd recommend.

To me, there is simplicity in this person's words that I understand clearly.
There are good things this book construes, but I can see other misinterpreting it, and its value that it has to many people. You will need to read this for yourself to find out if it's significance to your life. Worse case, it can be just a good read.

this is d 1st book from judith mcnaught that ive ever read....& trust me....it is SOOO good!! ive since been a huge fan of hers...but i got to admit this is by far her bes. in fact, it is THE best EVER....
at first, after seeing that it was about business, i kinda wasnt so interested, but i was wrong. the love n i mean LOVE (not just lust, but true all-consuming love) between Matt & Meredith was so touching, & their pain from the misunderstanding that Mer's dad caused will just tear your heart apart. but them making up was just blissful. but that's not all....then they find out that they're still married....ahhhh.....thats even better.
i just love it when Matthew said 'you have no idea just how much-i'd do for you' *sigh*
once you start....you'll totally get so entranced by the book (that you'll totally be able 2 relate to) that u just cant put it down... you'll just get so caught up with their lives & their feelings that it makes you sometimes wanna jump in & sort evryting out between the characters. sometimes it's hard to remember that they're just FICTIONAl characters cuz they seem so real. everything that's felt between matt & mer is just evrything you'll want in real life....true love
cheers to judith mcnaught....& may you write more books that'll take us to Paradise :))
P.S. the book Perfect (Paradise's supposed kinda sequel) is nothing compared to Paradise

Despite hearing good comments about Judith McNaught books, I have never read one before Paradise. The book was totally captivating, a real page turner! I wasn't really a romance novel reader before this book, but I became so completly absorbed into the lives of these two vivid, striking characters, that I can say I am now one of the converted. After reading this book I had to buy the next novel available by J.M. I haven't been let down yet, Whitney, My love was equally enjoyable! Paradise is definately fast-paced, with witty lines and two irresistible main characters. Meredith, was a capable heroine, but her character was also bolstered by her friend Lisa who adds a light-hearted frank air to the books atmosphere. There were some good plot twists, and brief distractions from the focus of the main characters to develop the other characters in the book. I found that interesting as the romance novels I had read before were completly centred and fixated on the main characters only using the others as bystanders or convenient devices to bring some issue to a climax. They were that and more. All in all it was a good read. More importantly was that each time I read it (5 times and counting) i found something fresh and new, to love about the storyline, or the charaters. Read the excerpt on this site, but don't draw any conclusions from the first few pages of the book, buy it and delve into the heart of it and discover the true gem that I found when I read it.

I found "Paradise" to be one of Judith McNaughts best works, and that is saying something! A real page turner from beginning to end...it is definitely worth reading, and rereading.

Also, if you love this book as much as I do, I highly recommend going onto "Perfect" next as it has familiar characters and a wonderful plot.

If I were able, I would actually have given "Truman" four and one-half stars instead of five. It's hard to argue with this book's enormous popularity - when it was released in the early 1990's it received generally rave reviews and became the best-selling presidential biography of the decade. And in most respects "Truman" deserves the praise it has recieved. David McCullough is a marvelous writer, as anyone who has read his earlier works (such as "Mornings on Horseback", his splendid account of the early years of Teddy Roosevelt) can testify. McCullough's research of Truman's remarkable life is thorough, and his writing style makes it seem as if you are with Truman on every step of his long journey towards the White House. Truman was the unlikeliest of Presidents - and he may be the last "non-millionaire", non-college-educated person ever to serve in the Oval Office. Compared to many of our great Presidents (a rank which Truman is now accorded, thanks in no small part to this book), most of Truman's life was totally ordinary. He was a farmer who scratched for a living, he adored his wife and was completely faithful to her, he had to put up with a demanding and snooty mother-in-law who thought he was never good enough for her daughter, and he was a failed businessman who constantly worried about paying the bills. Truman's life really took off when he served as a soldier in World War One, and he learned that he could effectively command large groups of men and earn their respect. He subsequently entered Kansas City politics, serving as an honest and efficient county judge (county commissioner) in an otherwise crooked and despised political machine run by Tom Pendergast, the nationally infamous "boss" of Kansas City. Despite the fact that Pendergast was eventually sent to jail, Truman remained fiercely loyal to him, even though it hurt him politically. Truman displayed this trait time and again, and while his personal loyalty was admirable, it also got him into trouble when his friends turned out not to be as honest and open as he was. I won't recount Truman's life here, as other reviewers have done so, but I do have one problem with the book, and that is McCullough's favoritism towards Truman. Although some other reviewers have claimed that the book is "even-handed", I would argue differently. Truman did have his flaws, but McCullough either glances at them and quickly moves on, or he just ignores the criticisms that others have made. One example is Truman's racial feelings. McCullough does briefly mention that in his youth Truman often spoke disparingly of Jews and Blacks, but argues that he "made up for it" by pushing civil rights for blacks and helping create the nation of Israel as President. What McCullough doesn't mention is that Truman's "conversion" to these ideals came in an election year (1948) in which he was the underdog and needed all the minority votes he could get. In the 1950's and early 1960's Truman also made some negative remarks about Martin Luther King and the civil rights marchers in the South, a fact which McCullough never mentions. Also, like many pro-Truman biographers, McCullough makes Truman into the underdog hero of the 1948 presidential election, when Truman shocked the pollsters and experts to defeat the heavily favored Republican candidate, Thomas E Dewey. What McCullough doesn't mention is that Truman's campaign was every bit as negative and divisive as those of later Republican candidates (such as Richard Nixon) who have been much criticized for their "dirty" campaigns. Truman, as has been proven by numerous memos and campaign letters, deliberately made personal attacks on Dewey and made wild, unsubstantiated charges (in one speech he came close to comparing Dewey and the Republicans with Hitler and the Nazis, a speech which McCullough doesn't mention). Truman's campaign deliberately played upon the fears and prejudices of working-class Democratic farmers and workers (just as Republicans such as Nixon played upon the fears of Republican voters). In my opinion, had Truman been a Republican candidate, he almost certainly would today be strongly criticized by historians for his 1948 campaign, but instead he is given the heroic role by McCullough (Truman's opponent, Dewey, ran a campaign that was a model of what most voters say they want - he refused to reply to Truman's "mudslinging", almost never mentioned Truman by name, and gave upbeat, optimistic speeches in which he refrained from personal attacks). In spite of these weaknesses, however, "Truman" is overall an excellent study of how a "common man" who was no different from your average "next-door neighbor" became one of the most important Presidents of the twentieth century. As "Truman" proves, there is a latent greatness in the average, taxpaying middle-class American citizen - a fact which should provide encouragement if this nation ever again faces the crises and problems which Truman himself had to face.

This is the best biography, and one of the best books, that I have ever read! Even at nearly 1,000 pages, this book is a page-turner. Mr. McCullough makes President Truman come alive. Even though you may know the outcome of important decisions-like the firing of General MacArthur or the decision to enter the Korean War-Mr. McCullough's descriptions have such a dramatic sweep and uncanny vividness that the book reads like a great epic novel. The book pulls you into events so vividly that each scene has a movie-like realism. For example, when Truman meets Churchill and Stalin at Potsdam you can see the entire scene, clearly, in your mind's eye and feel the weight of history on Truman's shoulders. This book also illustrates the great character that Truman possessed. While certainly aware of the political consequences of his decisions, Truman always seemed to deliberate over what was right for the country-not what was expedient for him. For this reason, his popularity, prior to his miracle 1948 re-election, was at an all-time low. Yet even if you disagree with him, you respect him for following his principles. The book also shows that only in America could someone like Truman-a failure at business and farming-rise to the highest office in the land during one of the most dangerous times in U.S. history. Another enlightening aspect of this book is how the author contrasts many of Truman's public statements and seemingly bold attitude with his feelings of inadequacy or indecision as revealed in his letters to his wife and family. This book makes the case that Truman was perhaps our greatest 20th century president. If you saw the HBO special, starring Gary Sinese as Truman, don't miss this book!

A very personal picture of a man who was put in the position of having to make some of the most difficult decisions in our nation's history. Love him or hate him, you will come away appreciating how difficult the presidency can be.

This is a really wonderful book for those with a whimsical, romantic, but unconservative bent. Seventeen year old Cassandra, along with her unusual family, lives in a chilly dilapitaded English castle. Though they live in poverty, the strength of their imaginations, wit, and sense of fun, prevents one from feeling their lives are lacking. Many scenes are infused with a subtle otherworldliness, as are some of the characters. The tale is filled with the tricks ones mind can play on itself when in love and even Cassandras sister Rose, so determined to marry her way out of poverty, finds she cannot ignore the real thing when it comes along. Though she tries. Oddly, as a female, I had a lot more empathy for the male characters. Especially the gentle love-sick Stephen. The characters, while not sophisticated, are something finer, more brilliant, and fresh. Nothing new or original is said about love in this story, but it does take the essence of coming of age, longing, and struggle, and infuses it with a pensive magic. To say anything more would deprive one of the delightful details of this wonderful tale.

I knew that the book was good the moment I realized that I was enjoying it -- because the first time I read "I Capture the Castle", I was only ten years old. Furthermore, my mother was forty-five, and she loved it just as much as I did. And, now that I think of it, so did my grandmother (sixty-eight, I believe).

"I Capture the Castle" is an amazing novel set in the thirties, near the town of Godsend, somewhere in England. The book is told in the form of a journal; seventeen-year-old Cassandra Mortmain, whose best poem was written on top of the henhouse (and it wasn't a good one at that), has finally given up on rhyme and meter, and has decided that the best way to train herself into "good writer" position would be to keep a journal in her own very unique shorthand.

Cassandra, her broody father, her eccentric stepmother Topaz, her older sister Rose, her younger brother Thomas, and Stephen (who helps with the gardening and things) all live in a large house -- well, mostly castle, but a bit house as well -- with very little money and not much hope ... until two strangers show up at their door after their car has been stuck in the mud, claiming to have seen some spirits dancing around atop the battlements.

Smith's style is whimsical at times, dead serious at others, but all the time managing to capture the reader's attention, as she captures the castle.

I just finished this - thought it was great. Once the story got rolling I couldn't put it down. The characters are memorable - the setting intriguing. I'm sure I'll be picking this one up again to reread!

"The Unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone..."

But when one day she overhears two hunters arguing about the existence, or not, of her kind, she starts wondering if she's indeed the last unicorn, and sets off on a quest to find others like her. Nobody believes in fairy tales anymore and everyone she meets thinks she's nothing more than a white mare. Even Mommy Fortuna, who captures her one night while she's indiscreetly sleeping on the edge of a wood, and puts her in a cage to entertain and impress customers of her Midnight Carnival, alongside other animals that the witch turns into various illusory mythical beasts. Hopefully, one of Fortuna's assistants, Schmendrick the wannabe magician, recognizes the unicorn for what she really is. He releases her, and travelling together, meeting a new companion called Molly Grue on the way, they make for King Haggard's cursed castle. There lives the terrible Red Bull, the blind, devilish creature responsible for the disappearance of the unicorns, or so they've heard.

The Last Unicorn is a real fairy tale, where everything seems to happen in a kind of ethereal, parallel reality. Beagle's style is such that every place, every character, and every action that takes place is hard to focus on, as if it were a dream that you're trying to remember. And on the other hand, it approaches very real themes, ones you can relate to, such as finding who you are and what you want to be, or making the right choices and compromises in your life... I won't say I understood it all, but I was charmed by this deep, very poetic, and sad tale of love and magic, good and evil, by this quest for seasons of candor, when we believe in fairy tales and legendary creatures.

This book is shimmering with magic and beauty. It is just as otherwordly as the fairy-tales you loved as a child, and yet it somehow more than that. It has its own mood, its own atmosphere. Somehow, it seems as though all the characters are aware of the world they live in, as real people never are. This is not a dream pretending to be real. This reality well aware that it is a dream.

The charakters are simple and yet each serves a purpose. Each is distinct and well-drawn, from the amusing Smendrick and the strong Molly the tragic Unicorn and the wrecked king Haggard. And even though you instantly "see" each character, they are all more than what they apear to be. All of them seem to have that second layer wich makes them deeper and more meaningul. They are both simple and many-layered. And all of them are tragic, and yet filled with hope.
The story is written in a language full of delightful images, with so musical lines its almost like poetry from time to time. I've never read anything quite like this book, and that is saying a lot. Scenes and sentenses keep popping back into my head, even when I'm thinking about something quite unrelated.

But the thing that really sets this book apart is that even though it is wonderfuly inreal, it feels true. It feels though the world of the unicorn is more true than the real world. It almost hurts to go back.

Go on. Buy this book. Spend a few hours in a magical dream-land. We all need some enchantment in our lives.

An unusual and quite lovable fairy tale, "The Last Unicorn" captures a certain eerie and mystical quality that sends shivers down your spine, and adds alot of enjoyment to the book. I sometimes found myself quite frustrated with the unicorn, wondering how she could be so callous and unfeeling, but her emotional as well as physical journey is a main theme in this book. Her companions are quite far from perfect, an unusual concept in fantasy, and one which I enjoyed very much. You can't help but grow quite fond of the fumbling Schmendrick, or the tough, practical Molly Grue, both of whom add a bit of diversity to the story. I was also fascinated with the wierd, witchlike Mommy Fortuna, who knows the limits of her own power but lets her covetous nature of all things immortal be her downfall. Written with a dreamlike quality, "The Last Unicorn" isn't as much fantasy as it is a story about beauty, and the search for it, and how magic is a very tangible part of our lives.

I read THE GIFT OF FEAR when it was first released. Since then I've recommended it to friends and acquaintences - a few in direct danger of stalking exes, most worrying about the escalation of violence in our culture.

I thank Gavin DeBecker for writing this book. His penchant for awakening intelligent intuition is remarkable. Have you ever put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation because you didn't want to appear rude? (given too much information to a stranger? gotten on an elevator with someone even though you felt uncomfortable)? Has anyone ever thrown you off balance and then taken advantage of your weakness? DeBecker shows how fear sends us trouble calls, and how often, and easily, we ignore the signals. (An added plus, these techniques even work against the tactics of car salespeople!).

THE GIFT OF FEAR teaches the reader to listen to intuition and act with confidence. If we can perceive violence on the horizon, we can most easily avoid a confrontation with it. If it takes us by surprise, we can address it without panic. Now, go read the excerpt.

Yes, I'm fourteen years old. I'm probably one of the youngest readers of The Gift of Fear, but Gavin de Becker's words empowered me just as much as they did the next person. I loved the book. It made me realize that I have to stop ignoring my body, my intuition. If you haven't read this book, go out and get it! It will teach you so many things. Ever since a couple of years ago, I knew I wanted to help people. I'm the person my friends come to when they have a conflict, I like giving advice and solving people's dilemmas. There was one problem: I didn't heed my own advice. I didn't listen to myself many times because I could picture people saying, "Oh, that's a silly suspicion." Fortunately, I have never been in a situation in which I deeply regret ignoring my intuition, but after reading The Gift of Fear I have learned how to listen to myself. I also babysit. The other day I was holding one of the children, and he pointed to one of my brother's friends and whispered to me, "I'm scared of him." I thought for a moment and replied, "Well, you know what? That's OK." I told him that if he's ever afraid, he should leave where that person is and go find Mommy, or me, or someone he knows and doesn't feel afraid. I was proud that he listened to his intuition, but I think I was more proud of my response. I was totally psyched that I had reinforced something he needs to survive. My point is that The Gift of Fear taught me how to use my gift of intuition and my gift of fear. Read the book because you will learn from it; you will use the tactics everyday. Best of all, you will become more comfortable with every day life and you will use the wonderful treasures mother nature has given you because it was instilled in you by Gavin de Becker. Thank you, Mr. de Becker

From the age of 12 or so, ALL women begin to experience unwanted and often times threatening attention from the opposite sex.
-I've caught my friend's step father watching me undress (I listened to my intuition, turned around before I changed and saw him standing in the doorway in his underwear)
-Perverts particularly hang around middle schools when the school day is over, I've been flashed, seen men do things that are too explicit to recount here. (I was 12 and 13 yrs old)
-I've had countless men demand that I get into their car, I've been followed in stores and down the street by strangers.
-I've been grabbed and manhandled in crowded clubs or at concerts and couldn't identify who had done it because my immediate area was so crowded.
The terrifying thing about these situations I've just illustrated is that I could walk up to any woman on the street and she could tell me similar stories. One of the most important things I learned from this book were the specific methods used by attackers to convince a woman to let them into their house, give them a ride, etc. Now that I know the methods, I recall that many of them have been used on me. This is frightening because I know there are girls and women out there who find it difficult to say no to a man, are too trusting, easily charmed, or quick to rationalize their intuition. I say EVERY woman should read this book! I particularly believe that teenage girls should not only read it, but commit it to memory. It really could save your life, and offers insight into HOW these predators lure and persuade their marks. Once you know the methodology of these creeps, you can spot them blindfolded.
Also equally as important were the other topics covered, such as how to deal with a stalker (also extremely important information for all women-we've all dealt with exes who wouldn't let go, or persistent suitors who won't take no for an answer)
It is unfortunate that women are treated as prey but it is a hard reality. All women should be equipped to deal with potentially violent or threatening circumstances. We are victims only if we fail to educate ourselves. Read this book to garner that education! I think you should, my intuition tells me so.

Whether it was Marty McFly in "Back to the Future" or Alex P. Keaton in "Family Ties," America fell in love with the characters portrayed by Michael J. Fox. Now in his autobiography, we learn how the boy became the actor became the man. In an honest, well-written and often revealing self-analysis, Michael J. Fox gives us a closer look at his life in "Lucky Man." From his boyhood days to his recent struggle with Parkinson's disease, Michael J. Fox opens up his scrapbook of family, friends, producers and directors for all to see.

Unlike many Hollywood bios, "Lucky Man" is written without the aid of a ghostwriter; telling us that his story is "too personal" for any one else to write, I thought that no one except the real Alex P. Keaton was competent enough to tell the story; I'm glad that Fox showcased his writing talent in this book. This story makes you laugh and cry; it is about a life filled with real people who made a difference in Michael's life - from the influence of his parents and grandmother to the devotion and love of his wife and children.

Fox takes the wrapper off his public image with this memoir only to reveal a considerate, gentle and genuinely funny man. Fox describes with exceptional detail his encounter and treatment of Parkinson's disease and his commitment to help finding a cure. Anyone afflicted with Parkinson's would be devastated, but what about a big time actor at the pinnacle of his career? How would he respond? After much soul searching, Fox finally realizes that his celebrity can be a help. This book is so immensely readable and enjoyable that I strongly recommend it. It could have been titled count your blessings.

Because his story is more fascinating than most Presidents.'

Fox begins with the first twitch he felt in his left hand back in 1990. He titled this chapter, "A Wake-up Call," but even he admits he went through long periods of doubt, denial and even self-destruction on the road to accepting Parkinson's Disease as part of his daily life.

Even though Fox goes into great detail about his battle with Parkinson's, he also takes you back to his childhood and all the way up to modern day. His words are candid, straight from the heart and he doesn't sugarcoat his autobiography to be a self-serving tool.

The love of his family clearly shows throughout the book as he talks about his brother, three sisters, parents and his beloved grandmother, Nana. And, of course, he doesn't leave out his home life with wife Tracy and their four children.

From his "escape artist" days as a two-year-old in Canada where neighbors labeled him as a real "charmer," to his decision to go public with his disease, Fox bares his soul in these pages. This includes how he got started in showbiz in Canada, crossing over to Hollywood success and even living the glamorous lifestyle.

Heart-warming tales are scattered throughout and you can't help but laugh, cry and feel like Fox is a member of your own family.

You're embarrassed for him when he meets with an agent in the late '70s who thinks he has a physical handicap because he's wearing platform boots with four-inch heels and two-inch soles, which he thought were in style. As he speaks about becoming a man on his 18th birthday, the sense of being an adult since he's now legal age, you'll laugh outloud when he says he blew out the candles on his Mickey Mouse birthday cake.

You witness the growth of his relationship with Tracy that ultimately lead to marriage and the start of his own family. You shudder when you realize the pain and turmoil he and his family endure as he has undergoes brain surgery, being awake during the entire process.

And you watch the evolution of this man come full circle as he leaves the partying behind to dedicate himself to his family and to the search for a Parkinson's Disease cure.

Michael J. Fox is not just an award-winning actor, he's a devoted family man and an activist for research-funding and finding a cure for Parkinson's Disease. With "Lucky Man," Fox also proves he is an outstanding author. The book has topped the New York Times bestseller lists and the audio tapes have been nominated for a Grammy.

I've been a huge MJF fan since 1982 when I was only 8 but I never would have guessed this guy was such a talented story teller. His writing is also way beyond expectations. The appeal of this book, however, isn't his stardom or dealing with PD, but the over all story of his life. It's inspirational and entertaining in many different ways. I believe this book has mass appeal and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good biography or just a good story. I know this is the "Michael" he's willing to show us, but I must say, I have more than just a fan's admiration for him now. He is a tremendously good person who is not only entertaining America, but doing such important work through his foundation. Thank you Michael! I hope more and more success and happieness continues to come you way!