Street

I was halfway through reading Sidewalk in April this year when I suddenly remembered that my friend was vacationing in New York. In a desperate and pathetic attempt to live vicariously through her, I suggested she take a stroll down the streets of New York which Mitchell Duneier had featured in his book, particularly at the intersection where Hasan Hakim held his table and forums. (She didn't by the way.)

While I was only a few pages into Sidewalk, I was touched by Duneier's deep sense of humanity and humility. He brought life to these people and showed us how, for many of them, living (and making a living) in the streets was a conscious decision, be it one which was made actively, or with resignation. He brought out their sense of self-worth in spite of living conditions which many would deem unliveable and intolerable. By the mere fact of their ability to make do with what they have, the sidewalk community have become much stronger and real than many of us, defined not by their material possessions but by their fighting spirit. Hasan Hakim embodies this virtue and more. He has made a meaningful life not only for himself and his fellow street dwellers, but also for the pedestrians who come into contact with him both intentionally and unintentionally.

Sidewalk isn't merely a book about the human condition and its resilience and complexities. It is also a tribute to a man's passion about his craft and his humility - and the man is Mitchell Duneier. He spent years researching this gem not just by interviews and distant observation; he immersed himself in the street lives of his subjects with the constant awareness that he could've been treated partially because of the colour of his skin and his educational background etc. Still, he tried. And I applaud him.

Like the previous reviewer, I also agree with Spike Lee's statement on the back of Sidewalk: this is the best and most readable work of sociology I have ever encountered. It is a work of deep sympathetic understanding that is nevertheless a completely unromantic look at poverty. Most impressive to me as an attorney is the way that the author, while arguing these men are trying to live in accordance with standards of moral worth, is willing to explicitly acknowledge and look at the evidence whohc would contradict his claims. This is unlike most other ethnography I have read, which gives us such a limited range of evidence that it is difficult to know what to believe. I was also impressed with the afterward of Hakim Hasan, one of the key characters of the book, who gives a brilliant perspective on how, as a subject, he had an impact on the way the book was constructed, including the research questions Duneier asked.

I picked this book up accidentally while randomly grabbing books at my local library. I thought I was grabbing books out of an urban planning or urban design section.

"Sidewalk" has opened my eyes on many levels. Of course I have a much deeper appreciation of the 'unhoused', and a desire to find ways to establish healthy informal economies for them to step back into society. Also, though, I'm amazed by the lawlessness of respected members of our society - book store owners, policeman, community leaders. The law becomes a guide (not a rule) for people in power to manipulate and influence in order to meet their objectives. So few of us are clean, it's disturbing that we make such a big deal about the homeless being dirty.

This book has made me step back and reexamine my motives. Am I creating excuses to explain away my actions, which are really based on prejudice and selfishness?

I was aware of Anne Perry's historical mysteries and assumed I would not be interested in them since in general I prefer more contemporary mysteries. Then I saw A&E's production of The Cater Street Hangman and was captivated by it. I immediately bought the book and found it to be even better than the TV version - the characters have more depth and the plot is tighter and more credible. Anne Perry has a wonderful knack for creating characters. I feel as though I know (and like) Charlotte Ellison and Thomas Pitt. Charlotte is a wonderful creation: she speaks her mind, almost unheard of in the Victorian well-to-do world she inhabits. Thomas Pitt is an equally interesting creation and seeing the two of them pass beyond instant dislike to attraction and admiration for each other is very entertaining. We SO want them to get together. This is edge-of-the seat stuff which, together with all the wonderful details of life in Victorian London and an intelligent love affair, makes for a thundering good read!

This novel is the first featuring Thomas Pitt and Charlotte (Ellison) Pitt, and set in Victorian London. In some ways, the novel is a standard mystery, with the victims, suspects, police and other interested parties all involved, sometimes to the detriment of the investigation! What makes this novel stand above other contemporary novels set in the Victorian era is the author's obvious knowledge of that era and her attention to detail which makes the reader feel as if s/he has truly glimpsed what it must have been like to live at that time. I also thought that it was critical to spend a significant portion of the novel on the class system in Britain (London society in particular) during the late 1800s. This is more than mere background--it is crucial because the class system determines how the characters act and react to the murders around them, to the investigation, and to eachother.

I also liked the romance which developed between Charlotte Ellison and Thomas Pitt, and found it entirely believable. Anne Perry pulls it off, despite Charlotte and Thomas being from different classes, because she had the foresight to make Charlotte something of a social misfit. She was honest. She said precisely what was on her mind without considering what the listener wanted to hear. She did not accept the double standard of behavior that her family, friends, and neighbors subscribed to (one set of rules for men, another more strigent set of rules for women). She read the newspapers and "unfeminine" books on topics such as military history to the shock and horror of her family and friends. All of these things made her, as her mother put it, "a liability on the marriage market". She would not attract a suitor of her own class (nor of the aristocracy nor gentry). The only option (not spoken of in the novel) is for her to marry down socially, but she also gains far more emotionally from her relationship with Thomas. She has found someone she can love and respect, and who loves and respects her in return. Thomas is also something of a social misfit as well. Anne Perry accomplishes this by making him a member of the servant class by birth, but because he was educated side by side with the Lord of the manor's son, he, too, does not quite "fit" neatly into one class or another. A good example of Thomas being not quite in the class that people expect is how his voice and appearance are described. In the Victorian era, as well as now, voice (and diction) are a good indication of class. Thomas, because of his education, did not sound like a servant or a tradesman (which is how policemen were ranked socially). The development of their relationship was also well done. There is no rush to sexual relations. The dislike that Charlotte and Thomas initially feel for eachother changes to respect, admiration, and finally each acknowledges their love for eachother. It was nice to see how Charlotte came to change her feelings about Thomas. The main characters actually get to know eachother beforehand!

The ending was also a bit of a surprise--the murderer was not the obvious suspect, and the reason for the murders was unexpected. This novel was enjoyable all around. Highly recommended.

Read the Carter Street Hangman and you will find yourself quickly lost in the world of Victorian London. Full of mystery, high society, and murder, this book is intriguing to say the least.

This book is the first book in the popular Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mystery series and will have you running to the bookstore to get the second installement(if not the whole series, like me!) The Carter Street Hangman is a fabulous start to a wonderful collection of crime mysteries.

What I found so refreshing about this book was that fact that it was so calm, so sophisticated. Because of it's Victorian setting there were no gunshots, no foul language or explicit sex scenes. Even though the characters were watching their servants, neighbors and family members die at the hands of a madman, they remain composed and somewhat calm. The high society Ellison family faces these deaths with a sense of purpose as well as dignity.

The romance between Charlotte Ellison and police officer, Thomas Pitt begins to take place in this book, and by the end pages a true partnership is made. The sweet love affair between these two characters lends an enchanting twist to the story.

Historical fiction and mystery lovers, you will find the perfect mix of both genres in this book. Read it and see for yourself.

Wags is character alright and fundamentally decent, if a bit flawed, man. His story reads like a novel or comedic film. I'm not quite sure where the truth was stretched, but his honest delivery is well worth the (very fast) read. He tells some wild stories--some are hilarious--some violent--some just out there (the one handed, parrot carrying, heiress). But, the tone works and the the world of the PI is exposed as it never was on Magnum PI.

Subtitled, "Street Stores of a Private Eye" by James Wagner, this true story of a retired cop who turned private eye is a fast and easy read. His co-author, Patrick Picciarelli, is a good writer and he makes Jimmy's story read like a well paced novel.

Jimmy's full of swagger, wisecracks, and macho boastfulness and at first he annoyed me with his know-it-all attitude and narrow focus. Jimmy's always justifying his actions. And when he later ponders moral questions letting big bucks cloud his judgement as he starts to work for the mob, he does it in a cock-sure way that makes even his weaknesses seem a way of boasting.

But although I often felt angry with Jimmy, the talent of the writer let his humanity come though. Underneath his swagger, there's a little kid who's wanting adventure and wanting to look important in the eyes of his buddies.

It's a good, small book and I enjoyed reading it. It might have annoyed me at times, but it also made me laugh out loud. Probably some of the stories were exaggerated, but there's enough here that rings true to give the reader a picture of a gritty way of life that's lived on the edge. This is not fiction. And there are no heroic acts. Just a story of one man and the world he lives in.

I might not like Jimmy very much, but I did like the book. Once started, I couldn't put it down.

The style and format of this book made it a very easy and enjoyable read! Unlike other books or TV PI's "Jimmy the Wags" comes off as a real person with real emotions, where the best layed plans still have a way of going wrong. Although, some of the stories seem to be a stretch, Jimmy and his sidekick, Hondo, seem like a couple of guys out looking for adventure and find it! I loved the personal stories as they are interwoven with his adventures and various jobs. All in all, a great book that I would highly recommend!

Having read -- and enjoyed -- "Street Kingdom," I feel compelled to respond to the customer review posted on March 29 under the headline "Sad, Wrongheaded, Insulting to Black Readers." While reviews are obviously a matter of personal opinion and taste, this reviewer seems not to have read the same book I did. In fact, he/she writes, "the book SOUNDS like most attempts to 'humanize' blackness" -- "sounds like?" Did you actually crack the pages of the book and begin to read? Or did you base your opinion/review on what you heard second-hand? "Street Kingdom" is a very complex portrait of a subculture and Century's own involvement in it; he does not sugarcoat the unflattering aspects he witnesses; but by the same token, he does not villify or editorialize on the people whose lives he is documenting. The reviewer goes on to note: "This is the kind of book that most liberal white Americans believe helps to promote racial tolerance; instead it sets the race movement back." What?! If you are looking for a book that promotes "racial tolerance," pick up the new autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. And "race movement?" I'm not even sure what this means. Are we living in 1969? Lastly, the reviewer chastizes Century for "fixating, sometimes with peculiar intensity, on the up-and-down lives of his black subjects." Forgive me, but I think that's called REPORTING. A good journalist is supposed to fixate, hopefully with some degree of intensity, on the lives of his fellow human beings. Again, this reviewer shows his/her own "wrongheaded" biases by instructing us that Century "like most naive white liberals-- should fixate first on his own racial sensitivities, expectations and attitudes." A bizarre statement, given the degree to which the author places his own reactions and perspective at the core of his story; this is certainly a book that says as much about one white writer's encounters with a segment of African-American culture as it does about that culture itself. Perhaps that's what's best -- and ground-breaking -- about "Street Kingdom"; and it's what's most difficult for dogmatic, pre-programmed minds to accept.

Having read -- and enjoyed -- "Street Kingdom," I feel compelled to respond to the customer review posted on March 29 under the headline "Sad, Wrongheaded, Insulting to Black Readers." While reviews are obviously a matter of personal opinion and taste, this reviewer seems not to have read the same book I did. In fact, he/she writes, "the book SOUNDS like most attempts to "humanize' blackness" -- "sounds like?" Did you actually crack the pages of the book and begin to read? Or did you base your opinion/review on what you heard second-hand? "Street Kingdom" is a very complex portrait of a subculture and Century's own involvement in it; he does not sugarcoat the unflattering aspects he witnesses; but by the same token, he does not villify or editorialize on the people whose lives he is documenting. The reviewer goes on to note: "This is the kind of book that most liberal white Americans believe helps to promote racial tolerance; instead it sets the race movement back." What?! If you are looking for a book that promotes "racial tolerance," pick up the new autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. And "race movement?" I'm not even sure what this means. Are we living in 1969? Lastly, the reviewer chastizes Century for "fixating, sometimes with peculiar intensity, on the up-and-down lives of his black subjects." Forgive me, but I think that's called REPORTING. A good journalist is supposed to fixate, hopefully with some degree of intensity, on the lives of his fellow human beings. Again, this reviewer shows his/her own "wrongheaded" biases by instructing us that Century "like most naive white liberals-- should fixate first on his own racial sensitivities, expectations and attitudes." A bizarre statement, given the degree to which the author places his own reactions and perspective at the core of his story; this is certainly a book that says as much about one white writer's encounters with a segment of African-American culture as it does about that culture itself. Perhaps that's what's best -- and ground-breaking -- about "Street Kingdom"; and it's what's most difficult for dogmatic, pre-programmed minds to accept.

I ran across this book at the local library. Very interesting read. I wish he'd write a follow up to let us know what happened to all of these people. Life on the streets that isn't a reality to most of us and a scary reality to those who it is real to. 5 stars.

Although this book was ok, I thought it was kind of predictable. It doesn't have one of those endings that R.L. Stine usually have in his books.

To Deena and her best friend, Jade, making sexy and innocent phone calls to the boys from school was their idea of fun. But Deena's half brother, Chuck, decides to take the game one step further: making dangerous threats to those who answer their phones. That's when he calls the wrong number on Fear Street, a number where the gruesome murder took place. Now, the person knows who they are and where they live, but could all three of them call for help? There's nowhere to go when murder is on the line.

With great suspense and wonderfully written, "The Wrong Number" will have you gripping on the edge of your seat! A book that you will not put down until it's read from cover to cover.

I love reading the Fear Street books, and I'm 22 years old. Hey, I know you're laughing at me! I bet you there are people my age or older who read R.L. Stine.

This book was awesome! It had a lot of suspense in it. A great murder mystery story! The wrong number 2 was just as good. One of R.L. Stines best books!

"Gonzo journalism" is the brainchild of Hunter S. Thompson, author of the American classics FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS and FEAR AND LOATHING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL '72. This form of journalism, part truth and part outrageous tale-spinning, in the primary inspiration for Warren Ellis's TRANSMETROPOLITAN: BACK ON THE STREET, a comic that attempts to turn what is already mostly fiction into complete fiction with a humorous and blackly satirical bent. From the internal ramblings of protagonist (it's hard to call him a "hero") Spider Jerusalem to the bizarre world that surrounds the character, the writing of BACK ON THE STREET reeks of Hunter Thompson's particular brand of drug-fueled outrage. Coupled with Darick Robertson's artwork, which brings the grimy City of the story to colorful, grungy life and gives Jerusalem a very Thompson-esque appearance (complete with omnipresent cigarette clenched between the teeth), TRANSMETROPOLITAN may be the most involved homage to ever see print.

This is not to say that BACK ON THE STREET is not worth the reader's time. There's something almost refreshing about the way Warren Ellis plunges directly into the dark heart of his main character. Spider Jerusalem is unquestionably insane, but no more so than the world around him. The plot of this collection, which spans the first three issues of the TRANSMETROPOLITAN comic, turns on a group of people voluntarily mutating their DNA in order to be more like space aliens. Actual space aliens. Jerusalem takes in a chain-smoking cat with one-and-a-half heads. His major home appliance, artificially intelligent, is on virtual acid. Weirdness abounds.

What keeps BACK ON THE STREET from really shining, though, is that all this weirdness doesn't seem to have much of a point. If the purpose of TRANSMETROPOLITAN is to out-gonzo Hunter Thompson, the creator/master of gonzo, then one can arguably say that Ellis has succeeded: his world is truly twisted, as garish as an acid trip. If Ellis means to turn the reader on to new ideas, or engage a latent sense of iconoclasm, he is far less successful. His work here is foul-mouthed and unrelentingly critical, but it's simply too far outside the mainstream to make any real impact on contemporary thought; the reader has to work too hard to connect the dots. Take the "transients," those wretched folks transforming themselves into aliens. Are they meant as stand-ins for transsexuals and, if so, what is Ellis trying to say about them? It's impossible to say.

As a wild, funhouse ride BACK ON THE STREET does its job well. Ellis and artist-collaborator Robertson have worked hard to make the story as outrageous as possible, from the lived-in filth of the City to the antics of the drug-addled Spider Jerusalem. The story is worth reading just to see how wacky things will become. In the end, however, there's the sense that it's all just absurdity for absurdity's sake, and therefore BACK ON THE STREET lacks the intensity of Hunter S. Thompson's best work. Ellis is a solid writer, but a writer of fiction, and no amount of talent will ever make Spider Jerusalem as real as he needs to be.

I first read this comic on the advice of a friend, and found its strange, futuristic violent style of satire a bit too much at first. But stick with it - you'll find that the style of writing is refreshing and blunt. I can't wait to read the rest!

What an amazing glance into the future society is creating for itself. Transmetropolitan delivers a brutal, scary and amazingly well crafted story accompanied by fabulous art. Warren Ellis' gritty style of writing shines in this book about a journalist (Spider Jerusalem) who is forced out of hiding in the mountains to come down to his former home - a wretched city full of drug addicted household appliances, mutated house pets and people who turn themselves into aliens.

The words that immediately came to mind after reading this investment book were "Zen-finance" quickly followed by "simple sophisticated elegance" then "hum, interesting, a pumpkin pie recipe". A strange combination of descriptives but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Coffeehouse Investor gets better with repeated reading for specific financial information, inspirational insights and the vicarious thrills climbing Mt. Rainier & Mt. McKinley. This investment package offers more than a how to instruction manual or food for thought, it also offers sustenance for the soul.

Mr. Schultheis seems to understand first hand the organized chaos of everyday life and the energy we all infuse into our family and careers. However, he never loses sight of the importance of taking responsibility for our financial lives, planning our fanancial future and keeping sight of our personal goals.

I value his direct and simple approach to savings, the understandable definitionn of the stock market average, and the concept of index funds. The notion of looking at your whole book of investments once a year to see how you've done in comparison to the market and to make small logical adjustments appealed to me. His subtitle says it all - How to Build Wealth, Ignore Wall Street and Get on with Your Life. I like that.

This book is probably one of the best graduation gifts any parent, godparent, or aunt can give. The fundamental principles, outlined by Mr. Schultheis, will give any young person the tools to start a bright and successful financial future. Along the way, she can learn about manaaged funds and fees, indexes, how to build a common stock portfolio, and the power of compounding interest. That section alone (Chapter 7) for many people, will prompt them to wish they had started saving in their twenties rather than in their thirties. Hah! So , I'll be sending my favorite graduate a copy of this book and making sure he completes the Retirement Worksheet before his first paycheck.

Oh and one more thing. Try the pumpkin recipe. Not being a pie person, but fueled by my Retirement Worksheet success, I risked baking the pie. Very good pie. Extraordinary book. I think you'll enjoy this Zen investment book as much as I did.

At last! An investment book for people who want to do more with their lives than monitor the stock market! The Coffeehouse Investor is an excellent book that is filled to the brim with financial insight -- without all the jargon and difficulty that characterize most investment books. Within its pages you will find real-life, relevant examples -- such as how investment risk compares to mountain climbing or how dividend reinvestment relates to pumpkin pie. (You even get the recipe!) The writer's style is very engaging -- even entertaining -- and his ideas on simplified investment techniques will truly change the way you invest forever! Buy it, read it, apply it! You won't regret it!

There are so many investment books full of snake oil on the market that it's always nice to run across a guide that doesn't pretend to have all the answers. Instead of passioned argument, dubious timing schemes, and mindless conjecture Bill Schultheis presents reasoned conclusions based on sound research. His message is simple: By using index funds to match the market average, you will do above average over 80% of the time versus the pros. Not only this, but following his strategy is easy for anyone and carries minimal fees and stress. Other books profess strategies for "beating" the market and each year they are replaced by the latest fad. The Coffeehouse advice is simple: Diversify your money, index your assets, keep the fees low, save money, and relax. History doesn't tell you what the future will bring, but the proven track record speaks for itself: This advice would leave you well ahead of virtually all other strategies the past 10 years and trounced virtually all mutual funds and stock portfolios over the bear market from 2000-2002. All of this without losing any sleep on how your stock picks are doing. Not too bad for a quick evening read.

For more intense advice and the details behind the theories presented here you may want to read books by William Bernstein (Four Pillars of Investing, Intelligent Asset Allocator), Larry Swedroe, and John Bogle. This book though is a great and easy to understand read for anyone looking to safely grow their money. Check out the site http://www.coffeehouseinvestor.com for more information.

I heard Steven Selengut on a talk-radio program and was intrigued by the premise of the book. My intrigue led me to purchase the book, which was an eye-opening experience. After reading it, I'm convinced I had been sucked in by my former financial advisors to purchase products which I didn't need and cost too much. Instead of jumping in with both feet and totally revamping my investment habits, I've followed Steve's advice and gone into it slowly. I'm migrating from mutual funds (and annuities) to individual, high quality equities. My next step is to start purchasing bonds, as soon as the rates recover. Although the information provided isn't anything new, it was a slap in the face to make me stop my destructive investing habits.

This book is an expanded version of the author's first book, originally titled _A Millionaire's Secret Investment Strategy_.

This book is part exposé (about 30%) and part technique (70%).

It explains how the author made his million (in real dollars, not in market value) actually investing (not writing about investing, not by commissions, and not by salary from a mutual fund company). That background separates the author from about 99% of all other authors who write about the stock market.

It's defintely an eye-opener book. The technique or strategy presented is almost a "why didn't I think of that?" kind of strategy. Basically, the idea is to run your portfolio the same way you would run a business. It's not a get-rich-quick kind of plan, but because stock market investing is a compounding activity (the more you make the more you can invest), you can grow geometrically instead of linearly.

The other nice feature of this strategy is that it requires a minimal amount of analysis compared to many others that I've seen. You just focus on the essential measures of quality (and they are essential).

Be warned though: every business has it's good and bad times. Sometimes your portfolio will very profitable, but other times the profits may be slow in coming. It's the nature of almost all businesses. The key is to maintain your plan during the slow times and reign in your greed during the boom times.

You can take this system to heart and to the bank.

Better yet, have Sanco Services manage your money and it will be done right. Then all you do not have to do anything except enjoy your monthly statements.

It works for me.

If you've read and liked the Silent Night trilogy, then this collector's edition is certainly worth buying since it contains all three books (and is less expensive than buying all of them separately):

· "Silent Night" -- Reva Dalby, the redheaded baddie readers will love to hate, is targeted by someone who wants to seriously hurt her, while her poor cousin Pam is planning on robbing Dalby Department Store with two of her friends.

· "Silent Night 2" -- Reva is targeted yet again, this time by three kidnappers who want to hold her and her cousin Pam for ransom.

· "Silent Night 3" -- Reva takes credit for designing scarves her cousin Pam did and heads a fashion show at Dalby Department Store--only to have the models get killed one after the other.

Most Fear Street fans will probably enjoy this holiday Super Chiller trilogy, since it has everything that's typical with a Stine book: blood (and plenty of it), page-turning cliffhangers, plot twists, simple writing style, and short paragraphs. However, these things can also be tiresome and predictable at times. But Stine fans who are accustomed to and prefer it will enjoy this trilogy anyway.

"Silent Night" by R.L.Stine holds many suspenseful and surprising moments. One of my favorite parts was when Reva, the main character, gets gifts that are sent to terrify her. The card she gets with everyone of them reads: "Happy Holidays From A Friend."

This Christmas horror is so realistic that I actually felt like I was one of the characters. The ending is very unpredictable. The villians were the last that I suspected. Reva changes from cold-hearted to good-hearted by the end of the book. The death of a loved one makes Reva act the way she does. I can understand why she would try to act brave and tough, but I don't understand how she could be so cruel.

The setting was perfect for the book and added quite a bit to its suspensefulness. This book was one of the best I've read. I reccomend this spine-tingling tale to anyone who likes horror stories. I look forward to reading both sequels to "Silent Night."

This book is a great book I loved it. I'm 15 and I Still read it especially around Chritmas. Rich snooby Reva gets a couple of surprises at work during X-MAS break but she thinks she knows who it is but boy-o-boy is she wrong. This book kick *ss So you should read it or buy it but what ever you do you have to also read Silent Night 2 & 3 because those are sweet to. Congrats to Mr. R.L. Stien for another book well done!

This book was the first book I read about the stock market and I found it an easy read and it opened up my mind for the stock market. Acctually it gave me a different view. Much more relaxed view if you like. At the same time I found the author repeting himself too often. You will need further reading but this book is a good beginner and it also plays a role as a guide for further reading.

It is funny how different people can have so many conflicting opinions about the same book. The author interviewed some of the most famous and successful investors in the country. You have to be out of your mind not to come away with something useful. The lessons are not obvious, at least to this humble long-term investor. Maybe if you know everything about the stock market, then devising a strategy, creating rules, cutting your losses, holding winners, minimizing risk by using dollar cost averaging, avoiding trading options and futures and 101 other lessons might be common-sense, but not to me.

Bottom line: One of the best books I have read on investing in the stock market.

This superb book is easy to read but there is so much information in it you have to read it a couple of times to fully appreciate what is being written.

The author does a great job of objectively summarizing all the expert advice by some very famous investors. It is obvious Mr. Sincere spent alot of time researching his subject. He is able to convey his ideas without getting technical and boring, one of the problems with other financial books, except for the Fool books.

The section I found most entertaining and helpful was when he wrote about the danger signals and pitfalls to avoid. All in all, well written and one of the better books about the market.