Book Description
"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
-Chicago Sun-Times
"Indispensable"
-The New York Times
Companion podcast available on Frommers.com
Five Great Features and Benefits offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide®:
- Exclusively patented, field-tested touring plans that save as much as four hours of standing in line in a single day
- Tips, advice, and opinions from hundreds of Walt Disney World guests in their own words
- Almost 250 hotels rated and ranked for quality and value, including the top non-Disney hotels for families
- A complete Dining Guide with ratings and reviews of all Walt Disney World restaurants, plus extensive alternatives for dining deals outside the World
- Every attraction rated and ranked for each age group; extensive, objective, head-to-head comparisons of the Disney and Universal theme parks
Sample Rating:
Ride Name: Soarin'
Appeal by age : Preschool, Grade school, Teens, Young adults, Over 30, Seniors
What it is: Flight simulation ride.
Scope and scale: Super headliner.
When to go: First 30 minutes the park is open or use FASTPASS.
Special comments: Entrance on the lower level of The Land pavilion. May induce motion sickness; 40" minimum-height requirement; switching off available (see pages 266-268).
Author's rating: Exciting and mellow at the same time; Not to be missed.
Duration of ride: 4 minutes.
Loading speed: Moderate.
This guide is a completely independent evaluation of Walt Disney World and has not been reviewed or approved by Walt Disney World or the Walt Disney Company, Inc.
Customer Reviews:
Great for pre trip planning........2007-09-20
I bought this book after picking up an older version for 1 in a bargain bin of a book shop. It is a brilliant book to have when you are in the planning stages of your holiday. It has incredibly detatiled sections on hotels, transportation, dining and ticket options. I liked this book because it was unofficial and gave an honest opinion rather than the 'Disney line'. The criticisms were fair and measured in my opinion and not 'anti-Disney' like some reviewers have said. I really liked the fact that it rated each attraction with ratings for different age groups, this was very helpful for me as it was just me and my husband (late 20's) we were able to avoid the real 'kiddy rides'. Also I found the ratings for our age group to be pretty spot on.
The amount of detail in this book is also a con as well as a pro. I really would not reccommend this book if you already have everything planned and booked. This book is too heavy to bring to the parks, so I would suggest getting a smaller book to synopsis the rides. I found that I read this alot before I went and barely looked at it while we were there.
When you purchase this book, you also get free subscription to the website which has a lot of additional touring plans and also a great 'Best Days' calender which gives every day of the year a mark from 1-10 for crowds (10 being maximum capacity). It also tells you which are the best and worst parks for crowds on any given day based on historical entrance and also special events such as Extra Magic Hours or special parties. I fould this very helpful in avoiding the worst of the summer crowds.
Great Disney Resource.......2007-09-06
I hadn't been to Disney in 2o years and would have wasted a lot of time if I hadn't read this book. We got tickets to eat breakfast with Cinderella thanks to this book. We got to ride Dumbo before the park had been open 10 minutes because of this book. It helped us have the best vacation ever! I won't go back without ordering the newest edition!
Insights and information.......2007-08-28
I went thru this big book before going to Disneyworld and my husband thought I was mental - until we actually got there.. and indeed we managed to have a lovely day at Disneyworld in mid August, we saw all that we wanted, the kids (5 and 8)loved it and we spared SO much time I cannot measure. We knew where and when to go, we skipped attractions that the kids would not have liked and really enjoyed the day (and I mean, it was almost 100°F, no joke). I had another guidebook but the Unofficial guides gives sound advice and insights.
And it was fun reading it, too!!
I would not go without.
Great unoffical guide of WDW.......2007-08-26
Great reference book to Walt Disney World, I am going their in October and this book has given me a lot to think about and has already guided me as to what to do and not to do. I would recomend this book to anyone planning a trip to WDW!
A very thorough book.......2007-08-26
The book was an excellent guideline for my trip to WDW. I highly recommend it.
There are, however, a few things that I would have liked to see. First, the book should rate rides by 'Couple' as well. Several rides were highly-rated by adults (who probably have kids and so enjoy the rides as well), but I did not like the rides at all and thought that they were too childish for me. So a rating for couples or adults without kids would have been nice. In addition, the ratings for various hotels is not really correct. I stayed at the Dolphin and the hotel did not match the ratings in this book. Which is fine I guess because with rooms it can be a hit or a miss especially with such large hotels.
Other than that, the book is excellent. The touring plans are also dot on - when I followed them, I was done with everything major by noon.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome Book For The Perfect Trip !!!.......2007-09-21
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World is all you'll need to plan the perfect Walt Disney World vacation!
This book tells you everything you need to know from A - Z. After reading it, you'll feel like you just got back from Walt Disney World.
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World is perfect for first time visitors or for returning vacationers. It will help you pick a hotel, decide which rides to ride, where to eat and when to go. This book is a priceless vacation tool.
You will find because Walt Disney World is always changing that some of the information is outdated, just make sure you get the most recent edition. For instance, if you're going in 2008, get the 2008 edition instead of this 2007 edition.
This is a fabulous book!
The Bable for a trip to Disney.......2007-08-31
There is all the information you can possibly need for a successful trip to Walt Disney World under one cover.
This is an especially useful tool for first timers to the the Parks.
It does not provide much information for those who are planning to include other sightseeing or staying outside of Disney.
If you are planning to stay exclusively in Disney you will find everything you need to know in this book.
To the person that even hinted that this guide was not good enough.......2007-08-15
Just a note to the person who said this guide did not have the downsides listed on hotels+restaurants (and the attractions) in the birnbaum guide...Birnbaum is a DESCRIPTION of everything they were able to review...NOT a "You should go here but not there" guide. -After reading about each item, it should totally be up to you where you stay,where you go to eat and what you ride+see....not someone else. -I can describe to you how to tie your shoes but it should be up to you to decide what the up and downsides to doing this is...(aka personal preference.."Oh,let me see....should I tie my shoes slow or fast? -Should I tie them in the AM or PM?" -Get it? -THIS BOOK IS THE MOST INFORMATIVE OF ALL THEY OFFER I'VE EVER SEEN!!!! -It's a GREAT GUIDE (again...NOT AN ITENERARY or to tell you what to do for your day or wether you should avoid an attration or not while at Disney)!!!!!!!!!! -BIRNBAUM ROCKS!!!! (for those of us who understand why and how it was written and who don't need everything spelled out for us so we don't make a mistake while on vacation). -Thank You.
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2007.......2007-08-11
This book is a wealth of information on Disney World. Provides enough info to help you plan your stay a disneyworld.
Very disappointed.......2007-07-30
Lame! Published by some offshoot of Disney, this is just a thrown together piece of propaganda. I wasn't expecting anything critical, but the information is so weak! There's no depth and the "tips" have no real insight. Plus the dumb-downed design looks so amateur the book made me embarrassed to be seen with it. Try The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2008 (Unofficial Guides) or The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World instead.
Book Description
It was the 1950s, a time of calm, a time when all things were new and everything seemd possible. A few years before, a noble war had been won, and now life had returned to normal.
For one little boy, however, life had become anything but "normal."
To all appearances, he and his family lived an almost idyllic life. The father was a respected professor, the mother a witty and elegant lady, someone everyone loved. They were parents to three bright, smiling children: two boys and a girl. They lived on a sunny street in a small college town nestled neatly in a leafy valley. They gave parties, hosted picnics, went to church—just like their neighbors. To all appearances, their life seemed ideal. But it was, in fact,
all appearances.
Lineage, tradition, making the right impression—these were matters of great importance, especially to the mother. But behind the facade this family had created lurked secrets so dark, so painful for this one little boy, that his life would never be the same.
It is through the eyes of that boy—a grown man now, revisiting that time—that we see this seemingly serene world and watch as it slowly comes completely and irrevocably undone.
Beautifully written, often humorous, sometimes sweet, ultimately shocking, this is a son's story of looking back with both love and anger at the parents who gave him life and then robbed him of it, who created his world and then destroyed it.
As author Lee Smith, who knew this world and this family, observed, "Alcohol may be the real villain in this pain-permeated, exquisitely written memoir of childhood—but it is also filled with absolutely dead-on social commentary of this very particular time and place. A brave, haunting, riveting book."
Customer Reviews:
Most moving book I've ever read.......2007-09-07
Words escape me. Thank God they didn't escape Goolrick. I'll remember this book until I die.
Best autobiography I've ever read -- searing, honest, .......2007-08-24
Sometimes I look back at my own little girl, abused and neglected in the corner, but Goolrick has constructed that image, written about it, and in doing so has purged his demons. At the same time, he captures an era of American History with such clarity and viciousness that no history book could ever convey. And he never lets on what happens, until you are punched in the stomach with a grief so hard you cry for him, for yourself, and for everyone like him. His bravery is so unbelievable -- he wrote this book ONLY because he wanted to save other children from his fate -- that I believe he deserves a Pulitzer. Or a Nobel. It is that good.
Sad But True.......2007-06-11
Beautifully written, very sad story of a life marred by narcissism, dysfunction and alcoholism. Not what you'd call "light reading," but well worth the melancholy trip if you love it when the music of words rings true.
Sad but beautifully written.......2007-06-11
You really need to be ready for this book. It is touching and made me very sad for this man. Some people come out of horrific situations and some people drown in them. The writting is beautiful and I enjoyed reading this book. I think it is brave to put himself out there.
Eye opening.......2007-06-08
This was a very quick read for me. I found it sometimes humorous. But over all a serous book about serious issues. I am a Therapeutic foster parent of troubled children. I certainly have a good understanding of the issues my children face. However this book will not only give you a better understanding, it will allow you to get into his life. It really brings it home. Definitely a must read.
Book Description
Anne Perry’s gift for illuminating the heart’s deepest secrets shines through in her bestselling series of World War I novels. With compelling immediacy, she depicts the struggles of men and women torn by their convictions and challenged by the perils of war.
July 1917. Joseph Reavley, a chaplain, and his sister, Judith, an ambulance driver, are bone-weary as they approach the fourth year of the conflict; the peace of the English countryside seems a world away. On the Western Front, the Battle of Passchendaele has begun, and among the many fatalities from Joseph’s regiment is the trusted commanding officer, who is replaced by a young major whose pompous incompetence virtually guarantees that many good soldiers will die needlessly. But soon he, too, is dead–killed by his own men. Although Joseph would like to turn a blind eye, he knows that he must not. Judith, however, anguished at the prospect of courts-martial and executions for the twelve men arrested for the crime, has no such inhibitions and, risking of her own life, helps all but one of the prisoners to escape.
Back in England, Joseph and Judith’s brother, Matthew, continues his desperate pursuit to unmask the sinister figure known as the Peacemaker–an obsessed genius who has committed murder and treason in an attempt to stop Britain from winning the war. As Matthew trails the Peacemaker, Joseph tracks his comrades through Switzerland and into enemy territory. His search will lead to a reckoning pitting courage and honor against the blind machinery of military justice.
At Some Disputed Barricade is an Anne Perry masterpiece–brilliant, surprising, and unforgettable.
Customer Reviews:
enjoyed but . . . .......2007-10-03
Enjoyed this book as I do most of Perry's books. However, it's very distressing to realize that another book will follow with the same war rhetoric. Even though I agree with the author, she's repeated the same opinions for 4 books now and I still don't know who the peacemaker is. How about more resolution and action with less repetitiveness???
Loyality, Meaning, and conflict in WW I.......2007-10-01
In this beautfully developed narrative, the characters come alive as they deal with real conflicts, internal, spiritual, and physical. Can a chaplain fire a weapon to save his life, or the lives of others? Should one obey orders if it means certain death and destruction to your men? Do you owe more loyality to your family, your war comrades than you do to the finite rules of the military? The struggles of the characters are vivid and the war becomes a reality as you read. It leaves you with the question, at least it did me, with "what really makes a man? or a woman?" What really defines you? What is worth living or dying for?
A very moving and relavant story for all times.
Could have used a better copyeditor.......2007-08-24
I love this series, I really do. Anne Perry's writing is evocative and wraps you in the time period from the beginning. I think she captures the thoughts, feelings, and passions of the period with details and nunances that stay with you after the book is done. I also love history and have walked the battlefields of Ypres and Verdun, so I know the history is as good as the writing. So why only 4 stars when the book deserves 5? This book is the weaker of the ones I've read so far because it is the mostly poorly edited. In one paragraph for example it is the farmer and his daughter but in the next it is the wife and not the daughter. At one point the season is early spring but in the next scene it is mid-summer. There enough of these lapses, some serious enough that I stopped reading to check that my copy wasn't missing a scene or a page to warrent the loss of a star - if only to make the publisher notice. This volume is not as tight as the previous books but all these faults are minor and should have been fixed in editing.
At Some Disputed Barricade.......2007-07-20
Anne Perry deserves rave reviews for this whole series. All of the books are wonderfully written. World War I was horrific and she brings that home to you as well as politics of the period. Yet the mystery, the Peacemaker, the contrasts between home and the war front are beautifully integrated. At Some Disputed Barricade keeps you in the grip of the story and still leaves you hanging at the end.
Suggestion: If you really like the history of this series, get Barbara Tuchman's The Guns of August.
Moving at a Snail's pace.......2007-07-10
This book is really tedious. There is more description than action and a few of the plot devices seem way too contrived. The bit with Joseph in the airplane just didn't seem realistic too me. Also the longer this series goes on, the more I detest Josephy, the chaplin. While he is indeed the main character in this 5 book series, he becomes more loathsome and sententious with each book. I really dislike him and find his brother Matthew a far more interesting character and it is too bad that Anne Perry decided to focus on Joseph.
Book Description
Anne Perry’s magnificent Victorian mysteries established her as one of the world’s best known and loved historical novelists. Now, in her vividly imagined World War I novels, Perry’s talents “have taken a quantum leap” (The Star-Ledger), and so has the number of her devoted readers. We Shall Not Sleep, the final book in this epic series featuring the dedicated Reavley family, is perhaps the most memorably enthralling of all Perry’s novels.
After four long years, peace is finally in sight. But chaplain Joseph Reavley and his sister Judith, an ambulance driver on the Western Front, are more hard pressed than ever. Behind the lines, violence is increasing: soldiers are abusing German prisoners, a nurse has been raped and murdered, and the sinister ideologue called the Peacemaker now threatens to undermine the peace just as he did the war.
Then Matthew, the third Reavley sibling and an intelligence expert, suddenly arrives at the front with startling news. The Peacemaker’s German counterpart has offered to go to England and expose his co-conspirator as a traitor. But with war still raging and prejudices inflamed, such a journey would be fraught with hazards, especially since the Peacemaker has secret informers everywhere, even on the battlefield.
For richness of plot, character, and feeling, We Shall Not Sleep is unmatched. Anne Perry’s brilliantly orchestrated finale is a heartstopping tour de force, mesmerizing and totally satisfying.
Customer Reviews:
I did go to sleep.......2007-08-23
Anne Parry's series set in WWI began as an enthralling tale of murder and espionage. Unfortunately, there is only so much mud and blood one can absorb before interest lags and the tale becomes repetitive and tiresome. Her four part series could easily have been shortened to three.
We Shall Not Sleep.......2007-06-01
Anne Perry used all five books in this series to paint a multidimensional portait of the Reavely family. I mourn their parting. I especially loved Joseph Reavely who desperately held onto the threads of his faith, even while facing the worst situations humankind could throw at him. He was humble and authentic and did not leave anyone to die alone. Anne also painted a portrait of our world during this uncelebrated and mostly forgotten era. I enjoyed every page.
Honor, loyalty, betrayal, heroism, good and evil on the large canvas of world war.......2007-05-30
With war finally coming to an end, leaving millions dead and the landscape of Europe forever changed, Anne Perry concludes her World War I spy/mystery saga. This five-book series paints the themes of honor, loyalty, betrayal, heroism, good and evil on the large canvas of world war, but it also develops storylines of daily life on the battlefields and at home.
It is now November 1918, years into a war that was only supposed to last months. And the war is coming to end. Members of the Reavley family --- Joseph, the army chaplain; his brother Matthew, the Secret Intelligence Service officer; and their sister Judith, the ambulance driver --- are together under dire circumstances as they strive to unmask the Peacemaker. They now have the means to find out exactly who he is and bring him to light. The Peacemaker has already cost them their parents, friends and others of importance to England.
A messenger dressed as a Swiss priest comes to see Matthew with news. They now have an ally against the Peacemaker in Germany. This man, Manfred von Schenckendorff, is willing to come across enemy lines to London and expose the Peacemaker to tell the Prime Minister. His own country will be betrayed by this decision, but he hopes his defection will help with the peace process. When Matthew is asked where Manfred should come through on the Western Front, Matthew sends him to Yrpes where Joseph is stationed. When Matthew tells Joseph what he knows, Joseph can hardly believe it and questions if it's true.
The Peacemaker has big plans for England, Germany and Europe. He has argued that the greater end justifies the smaller ugliness of his means. And he reminds the war reporter Mason of just that point when he visits. Mason takes this philosophy to mean that the Peacemaker had used means that he despised, which allows Mason to continue to sympathize with him.
Mason has been a supporter of the Peacemaker's plans because of the horrors they both experienced in the Boer War. Mason returns to the Western Front to report on the end of the war and renews his acquaintance with Judith Reavley. He has come to realize that the Peacemaker is an armchair warrior using other people's blood for his own purposes. In this case, the Peacemaker's plan is one of domination of the Western World by governments who believe as the Peacemaker does.
Meanwhile, Manfred arrives in Ypres with a bayonet injury to his foot. As Joseph and Matthew wait to take him to England, a nurse is murdered. She was a flirt and not well liked; anyone could have killed her. Was it a German prisoner? Or one of their own soldiers?
A civil policeman investigates, and the commanding officer requests Joseph's help. However, when Matthew is arrested for her murder, Joseph and Judith work together to find the real killer. In their race against time to get Manfred to London, they find evidence that frees Matthew --- only to have Manfred arrested. As they dig deeper, the private lives of the nurses and troops lead them to uncover the murderer.
With the murder solved, the three Reavleys, along with Manfred and now Mason, borrow an ambulance in order to catch a boat for London. Perils await them as they make the trip, but they arrive to see the Prime Minister. They have the necessary evidence, testimony and knowledge to identify and make their case against the Peacemaker.
Anne Perry has honored this time in history with her series. The struggles portrayed by the characters --- both those of impeccable character and those who are flawed --- are memorable. The overall series mystery of the Peacemaker's identity keeps readers on the edge of their chairs all the way to the end. The underlying tensions of a world at war bring to the audience an awareness of the costs of war, government decisions during chaotic times and the toll on humankind. WE SHALL NOT SLEEP (along with the entire series) will stay on this reviewer's shelf and is definitely worth a yearly read.
--- Reviewed by Jennifer McCord
The End.......2007-05-25
And so it ends; the book, the series, the war. With some element of drama, this book was one of the better ones of the series. Very soon, we will be marking the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI. Accordingly, we will be finding a good deal more works of fiction and non-fiction about the Great War. For the readers of popular fiction, this series will be marked as one of the better ones.
A page turner.......2007-05-22
A wonderful ending for this series. Ann Perry kept you guessing throughout. The series on the whole was excellent...and I read all her books.
Average customer rating:
- Lovely!
- Magical!
- Wonderful gift for first time parents!
- On The Day You Were Born
- Book is AMAZING, CD is so-so
|
On the Day You Were Born
Debra Frasier
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Picture Books
| Baby-3
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| New Baby
| Family Life
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Astronomy & Space
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
| Aeronautics & Space
| Astronomy
| Fiction
General
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Nature
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Social Skills
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
On the Night You Were Born
-
The Twelve Gifts of Birth
-
Goodnight Moon
-
Out of the Ocean
-
Guess How Much I Love You
ASIN: 0152579958 |
Amazon.com
Inspired by Debra Frasier's enormously popular On the Day You Were Born, this charming photo journal invites families to celebrate the arrival of their loved one into the natural world. A star-spangled blue sky, crossed by a swath of sunshine yellow with gold birds, introduces the reader to "the very first day you arrived." Baby's picture and name go right in the middle of all the cheery yellow. Turn the page: "You were born on the round planet Earth. Was it day, or was it night?" is printed with another space for a picture and a line to write the date and time of birth against the backdrop of more starry sky with that old blue and green globe plopped in the middle and a figure of a child frolicking across the ocean. On another page, the jubilant child dances across a beach: "On the day you were born waves washed the beaches clean for your footprints. How little were your fingers? How tiny were your toes?"
By adding eight photographs and filling in a few details, parents can create a very special journal for their child, rejoicing together in all the natural wonders of the universe. Here is an ideal gift for the new parents with a vibrant connection to nature. --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
In simple words and radiant collages, Debra Frasier celebrates the natural miracles of the earth and extends an exuberant welcome to each member of our human family. Accompanied by a detailed glossary explaining such natural phenomena as gravity, tides, and migration, this is an unforgettable book. “A book filled with reverence for the natural order of the world and the place of the individual in it.”--School Library Journal
Customer Reviews:
Lovely!.......2007-09-05
I got this book because it was on sale and I am so glad that I did. Seeing it now I would definitely pay full price for it.
It is well-made, adorable, and will make a great keepsake to share with our son.
Magical! .......2007-09-03
This is a book I've given as a birthday gift many times - to new arrivals and those celebrating more birthdays as well. The text is simple yet beautiful and the illustrations provide a warm, magical layer of feeling when reading this book. Highly recommended.
Wonderful gift for first time parents!.......2007-08-31
I received this book from a good friend when my baby boy was born (our first). I thought the poetry of birth and the natural world was amazing. And the ending where a circle of loved ones welcomed the new baby whispering "We're so glad you've come," reminded me of all the love our family and friends showed our new baby. I can't read it without tearing up. It's a wonderful reminder that all life is sacred and beautiful.
While the art is tribal, not fluffy, and some of the language is advanced for a developing child, I still love this book. Not every board book should be pastels and one syllable words. But I hope this book will be a keepsake that we can read together and remember what a miracle it was that he was born. I want to foster in him the spirit of this book... that all life is connected and we need to try to live in balance with the environment that sustains our lives.
On The Day You Were Born.......2007-07-27
This is a wonderful book to give to any new child or to the grandparent of a new child. I was given one for our new grandson and immediately bought three to give as gifts. The book is something that can become a family tradition to be read on each child's birthday!
Book is AMAZING, CD is so-so.......2007-05-15
I bought this for my son before he was born, and I read it to him all the time - and never with a dry eye! I always buy it as a baby gift for anyone I know who's having a baby of their own. However, unless you find this set for a good price, I might just get the book. My husband calls the CD "hippie music" and he's right - the music is a little, um, groovy and repetitive. Though if you have a sappy friend, get it - books like this and the Giving Tree always make me cry, and if I can have the CD finish the story for me when I get choked up, so much the better.
Amazon.com
The simplest thing would be to describe Everything Is Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer's accomplished debut, as a novel about the Holocaust. It is, but that really fails to do justice to the sheer ambition of this book. The main story is a grimly familiar one. A young Jewish American--who just happens to be called Jonathan Safran Foer--travels to the Ukraine in the hope of finding the woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis. He is aided in his search by Alex Perchov, a naïve Ukrainian translator, Alex's grandfather (also called Alex), and a flatulent mongrel dog named Sammy Davis Jr. Jr. On their journey through Eastern Europe's obliterated landscape they unearth facts about the Nazi atrocities and the extent of Ukrainian complicity that have implications for Perchov as well as Safran Foer. This narrative is not, however, recounted from (the character) Jonathan Safran Foer's perspective. It is relayed through a series of letters that Alex sends to Foer. These are written in the kind of broken Russo-English normally reserved for Bond villains or Latka from Taxi. Interspersed between these letters are fragments of a novel by Safran Foer--a wonderfully imagined, almost magical realist, account of life in the shtetl before the Nazis destroyed it. These are in turn commented on by Alex, creating an additional metafictional angle to the tale.
If all this sounds a little daunting, don't be put off; Safran Foer is an extremely funny as well as intelligent writer who combines some of the best Jewish folk yarns since Isaac Bashevis Singer with a quite heartbreaking meditation on love, friendship, and loss. --Travis Elborough, Amazon.co.uk
Book Description
With only a yellowing photograph in hand, a young man -- also named Jonathan Safran Foer -- sets out to find the woman who may or may not have saved his grandfather from the Nazis. Accompanied by an old man haunted by memories of the war; an amorous dog named Sammy Davis, Junior, Junior; and the unforgettable Alex, a young Ukrainian translator who speaks in a sublimely butchered English, Jonathan is led on a quixotic journey over a devastated landscape and into an unexpected past.
Customer Reviews:
hate it at page 40.......2007-07-21
I was immediately put off by Alex the narrator. Yes he has a unique voice, but the author is trying too hard to be clever with him. It might be funny for 5 pages, but not 45.
And Foer, the character, writes his "novel within the novel" about a Ukranian Jewish community that is a caricature of a community. Perhaps this is intended, but I didn't care for it. Maybe if I was intimately familiar with the culture's foibles, I would find it immediately funny. But since I'm not, I had no sympathy built up to enjoy the caricature -- to laugh with it, and not at it. And again, since it tries too hard, I couldn't even do that. And possibly I missed the author's intentions entirely -- was this part to be taken seriously but lightly, with the magical realism going on?
Maybe I haven't given it a chance, or didn't "get it", but I don't like suffering through things I don't care for these days.
Nothing is illuminated on the CD Version.......2007-07-04
I read the Recorded Books Unabridged Audio CD version of this book, and I'm convinced now that was a major mistake. Not every book translates well to the CD form. My favorites are nonfiction books such as histories and biographies. This rendition is an example of why it's frequently better to read novels in their original form, on paper. The CD form (like the movies) allows for too much interpretation.
On this CD, Alex sounded like a clown with an accent one would find in a comedy club; the history of Trachinbrod came across as pure foolishness and a waste of time, sound and space; grandfather as a bellowing maniac. I'm aware that the novel has been called brilliant and that it is highly praised by many. Perhaps on paper that is true, but I found it nearly impossible to listen to the CD.
As far as the plot is concerned I found it tortured and confusing. The holocaust story that emerges at the end is a tale of great sadness and pain but it's not enough to save the nonsensical plot and overly clever writing. I was reminded of Styron's Sophies Choice, which was a much, much better book.
If you plan to read this book, skip the CD and read the novel.
Lovely, But Slightly Overrated.......2007-07-02
I honestly loved the unconventional technique, and I wasn't that bothered by the lack of historical accuracy. I choose to think of it as a mixture of Jewish magic realism and artistic license.
Read the Book First.......2007-06-03
This is a fine book which, to enjoy to its fullest, must be read without having seen the film first. It should be said that a couple of off-hand remarks near the beginning of the book give away a major plot point of whose importance we are not yet aware. Having already seen the film, it made the book much harder (and, sadly, less enjoyable) to read. [The film itself is marvelously bittersweet, gets under your skin, and, like the book, doesn't let go. Choices must always be made in what to bring to the screen and what to leave out; good choices were made here. The film works incredibly well on its own.] I'm writing this review partially in response to the frustration expressed in an earlier review titled "Skip the book, see the movie" and to say that if you enjoy reading, please buy the book and read it before experiencing the film, as when one sees everything with the eyes first, it takes away so much of the beauty and surprise of the printed word.
Absolutely the best.......2007-05-31
This is one of the best books I have read. I loved every minute of it. The movie is excellent as well.
Book Description
At least one out of four people prefers to avoid the limelight, tends to listen more than they speak, feels alone in large groups, and requires lots of private time to restore their energy. They're introverts, and here is the book to help them boost their confidence while learning strategies for successfully living in an extrovert world.
After dispelling common myths about introverts-they're not necessarily shy, aloof, or antisocial--The Introvert Advantage explains the real issues. Introverts are hardwired from birth to focus inward, so outside stimulation-chitchat, phone calls, parties, office meetings-can easily become "too much."
The Introvert Advantage dispels introverts' belief that something is wrong with them and instead helps them recognize their inner strengths-their analytical skills, ability to think outside the box, and strong powers of concentration. It helps readers understand introversion and shows them how to determine where they fall on the introvert/extrovert continuum. It provides tools to improve relationships with partners, kids, colleagues, and friends, offering dozens of tips, including 10 ways to talk less and communicate more, 8 ways to showcase your abilities at work, how to take a child's temperament temperature, and strategies for socializing. Finally, it shows how to not just survive, but thrive-how to take advantage of the introvert's special qualities to create a life that's just right for the introvert temperament, to discover new ways to expand their energy reserves, and even how, when necessary, to confidently become a temporary extrovert.
Customer Reviews:
Great book - Jam packed with great advice and lessons for all!.......2007-07-09
Dr. Laney writes an interesting and engaging book; teaches us introverts what we already know, but forgot - and makes us realize that who we are is not only okay, but a gift!
Meghan Wier
Author: Confessions of an Introvert, The Shy Girl's Guide to Career, Networking and Getting the Most Out of Life.
Confessions of an Introvert: The Shy Girl's Guide to Career, Networking and Getting the Most Out of Life
Good introduction to the topic.......2007-06-29
I am an introvert who, from early childhood, has been surrounded by a Greek chorus incessantly chanting that there was something profoundly wrong with me: "Why don't you talk more? Why aren't you more assertive? Why can't you get in with the other girls? Why are you so shy? You have to overcome this nonsense!" Introversion, in the view of my mother, grandmother, and teachers, was a mental illness, and I got sent to an assortment of psychiatrists and therapists in the hope that I would one day turn into a lively chatterbox, just like my cousins. That never happened. How different everything might have been if they had all read "The Introvert Advantage"! Laney states that introversion is a temperament, something just as inborn as right-handedness. The introversion-extraversion continuum doesn't have anything to do with liking people or even with sociability, but rather how one gets one's energy, either from spending time alone to recharge (introversion) or interacting with others (extraversion). Evidence suggests that there might even be a physiological basis for these differences. If this book stops even one parent from trying to force his or her introverted little one into an extraverted mold, then it has served a great purpose.
All that said, there were some aspects that bothered me. The fluffy-cutesy language (Innie! Outie! Itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny!) has been noted in several other reviews. I suppose Laney used it to make her book seem friendly and accessible, but I found it annoying. Same goes for the rather generic Self-Help section that could have been copied from any number of books (Drink water, sleep more, take breaks during work days...I found myself skipping past it). Also, from a Myers-Briggs/Typology standpoint (upon which Laney briefly touches in the beginning) she seems to use the term "introvert" to refer to an individual with an Introverted-iNtuitive (IN) personality. This is evident in some of her agree-or-disagree statements in the Self-Assesment to determine the degree of one's introversion: "I am creative/imaginative." "If two people have just had a fight, I can feel the tension in the air." Extraverts can be Intuitive as well, and Introverts can be Sensors (the opposite, for lack of a better word, of Intuitives).
But that's all rather advanced material. For a basic, layman-accesible introduction to the topic of introversion, or if you're just an introvert in need of some reassurance, this book is a good place to turn.
Not terribly helpful. .......2007-06-13
"Be more extroverted" is essentially the theme of this text. It's essentially a list of things Introverts are supposed to excel at. In all honesty, speaking to another person provided better results.
It's alright, but dissapointing.......2007-04-20
I randomly picked this book up the other day, not knowing what to expect. I started reading it and was instantly sucked in. It was amazing how well she described myself as introverted, and it was fascinating how she explained how an introverted brain works. And this was only the first couple of chapters!
Unfortunately, it goes downhill from there. After a good start is reverts to standard self-help fluff, and like others have said, becomes a little too cute. Worst of all, it suffers from the very problem its trying to address. The book never says just what the advantage of being an introvert is, but instead says repeatedly how I have low energy and get overwhelmed easily. The book treats introversion as a disease, and how to cope.
Not that the book is completely worthless. The beginning is quite good, and there are some good tips and ideas throughout. I'm sure there are worse books out there, but there are probably much better ones too.
NOW I know why..................2007-02-20
Now I know why my boss talks so fast, and why I need to mull something over; why I get my best ideas in the morning shower, and why I prefer a quiet restaurant to a big party-type bar. This book not only confirms that I'm an introvert, but helps me celebrate it. The information (with diagrams) on the physical differences in the way introverts think is amazing and, by itself, worth the price of the book.
Book Description
"This is a wise and compassionate book, informed by academic rigor, deep personal feeling, and a sensitivity not only to the difference that is autism but also to the variety of human experience across cultures and classes. Grinker's research is as wide-ranging as it is open-minded, bringing together the precision of social science and the artistry of memoir, balancing the academic and the anecdotal to build polemical arguments about the nature and prevalence of autism. He speaks of how people have responded to the illness, and of how else we might respond, and in doing so challenges us to make a better world." —Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon, winner of the National Book Award.
This global exploration of autism by an anthropologist -- and father of a child with autism -- is the first book to show that the autism "epidemic" holds surprising new promise for better diagnosis and treatment. Unstrange Minds documents Grinker's quest to find out why autism is so much more common today, and to uncover the implications of the increase. His search took him to Africa, India, and East Asia, to the National Institutes of Mental Health, and to the mountains of Appalachia . What he discovered is both surprising and controversial: the high rates of autism may not be proof of an epidemic.
Grinker shows that the identification and treatment of autism everywhere depends on culture just as much as on science. With the rise of parent advocacy, mainstreaming in education, public awareness, and the decline of the stigma of brain-based disorders, there are more people in the world today with a diagnosis of autism today than at any time in history. Doctors are describing and treating the disorder better, epidemiologists are counting it better, school systems are coding it better -- and children are benefiting. There is more research, more special education, more philanthropy, more understanding of how families struggle to cope. Finally, after all these years, we've realized that autism is a major public health concern.
Filled with moving stories from throughout the world, and informed by the latest science and Grinker's own experience raising a daughter with autism, Unstrange Minds is unlike any other book on autism. It is a powerful testament to a father's quest for the truth, and is urgently relevant to anyone whose life is touched by one of history's most puzzling disorders.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating and captivating!.......2007-07-24
I would like to start by saying I don't know a lot about autism, I don't have autism, and to the best of my knowledge, don't know anyone with autism. I got interested when I read the book "Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time" which was amazingly written and extremely interesting to me. I was listening to NPR one night when Grinker came on doing a book reading/Q&A about his new book "Unstrange Minds." I immediately picked up his book and haven't put it down. I'm not a huge fan of nonfiction, but this book really kept my attention. The writing is superb, the stories are heartwarming, and the anthropology is fascinating. The first part of the book includes his anthropology background and discussions of how different cultures and peoples define, diagnose, and treat different illnesses. The second half is an endearing story of how him and his wife (and their younger daughter) have lived and grown with their autisic daughter. It's beautifully written and gives hope for the future of autism diagnosis, awareness, and treatment.
Fascinating to see how other cultures view autism.......2007-06-24
This book had three main topics. One is the author's own daughter, Isabel, who is autistic. The second is addressing what many see to be an epidemic of autism, and deciding if that really is the case. The third is taking a look at how other cultures treat those with autism. All three topics were covered well, and were very interesting to read about.
I especially enjoyed hearing about Isabel's fascination with the book Linnea in Monet's Garden, and how the family used that interest to expand her horizons, rather than discouraging it. It reminded me of a time when my son was extremely taken with a certain episode of Mister Rogers, where Mister Rogers visits a trolley museum. We took a trip to the same trolley museum, and my son was just stunned and thrilled to be able to see and do the same things he saw in the episode. I think it's important to USE special interests to engage kids, rather than discourage them as often we are told to do.
I had often wondered if the uptick in autism diagnoses could be simply that it's more accepted as a diagnosis now. I am now convinced that is the case. In many cases, according to this book, it wasn't even AVAILABLE to use as a diagnosis until recently, so OF COURSE it's diagnosed more now!
I think my favorite part of the book was the chance to see how other cultures deal with autism today. It mostly makes me happy I live here and not in India or South Korea, although everyplace seems to be improving in the attitudes and care. I would love to hear about more countries and autism---what about China?
I want to thank the author for this thoughtful, well researched and very interesting book.
Enlightening Book About Autism Around the World.......2007-03-08
Unstrange Minds investigates how autism has become a widely diagnosed and prevalent disorder in the United States during the last 15 years. Dr. Grinker persuasively argues that with broad criteria now used to make diagnoses, more children are being counted as autistic even though they present with milder cases such as Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Asberger's Syndrome, leading to what seems like an "epidemic." Dr. Grinker traveled throughout Africa, South Korea and India to examine how other societies integrate autism into their cultural frameworks. It is fascinating to read how each culture treats autism differently, from the Navajo who embrace their children as blessed to the South Koreans who hide their autistic children to protect siblings from being considered tainted and unmarriageable. It is books like Dr. Grinker's, which courageously explore autism and fearlessly take a position, that are helping to make readers of this disorder aware and better informed.
Public libraries as well as health collections will find UNSTRANGE MINDS compelling and revealing........2007-03-06
UNSTRANGE MINDS: REMAPPING THE WORLD OF AUTISM is a powerful survey of the parents of autistic children in South Africa, South Korea and India and how their societies view the disorder - and is written by an anthropologist and father of a daughter with autism. Contrary to popular belief there is no evidence for an 'autism epidemic' - just better diagnosis of the condition - and Grinker's focus on diagnosis processes, public awareness, social programs, and his own personal story blends into an unusual anthropological investigation hard to put down. Public libraries as well as health collections will find UNSTRANGE MINDS compelling and revealing.
a great book!.......2007-02-23
This is an extraodinarily good book that works on many levels. It's a history of psychiatry's attempts to understand autism, a hard look at the idea that there is an autism "epidemic", and a genuinely compelling story of one man's journey to understand and deal with his autistic daughter. It is extremely well written, honest when honesty is called for and passionate and eloquent when simple honesty isn't enough. Grinker manages to treat autistic people with respect without romanticizing them or the struggles of autistic people and their caregivers to "fit in" to a social world that simply isn't put together the way they'd like it to be. If you are only going to read one book about autism, I strongly recommend this one.
Books:
- The Zone System for 35MM Photographers: A Basic Guide to Exposure Control
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
- Tumbling After: Pedaling Like Crazy After Life Goes Downhill
- Words of My Perfect Teacher, Revised Edition (Sacred Literature Series)
- Younger Next Year Journal: Start Now and Live the Promise Day-by-Day
- 5x7
- A House on the Water: Inspiration for Living at the Water's Edge
- Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Photographers: A Professional Image Editor's Guide to the Creative Use of Photoshop for the Macintosh and PC
- Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 and Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0 Classroom in a Book Collection
- Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Workflow: The Digital Photographer's Guide (Tim Grey Guides)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Those Who Save Us
- Saturnine Nights
- Rules of the Wild: A Novel of Africa
- Real Thai: The Best of Thailand's Regional Cooking
- Quick Snap Guide to Digital SLR Photography: An Instant Start-Up Manual for New dSLR Owners
- Parks and Plates: The Geology of Our National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores
- Stranger Than Fiction: True Stories
- This Tender Place: The Story of a Wetland Year
- Monarch: The Life and Reign of Elizabeth II
- A Marine From Boston: A first person story of a US Marine in World War II - Boot Camp-Samoa-Guadalca
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2007 (Birnbaum's Walt Disney World)
PassPorter Walt Disney World 2007: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake! (Passporter Walt Disney World)
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids, by Kids 2007 (Birnbaum's Walt Disney World for Kids By Kids)
Fodor's Walt Disney World® with Kids 2007 (Special-Interest Titles)
Hidden Mickeys, 2nd Edition : A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets
