The God of Small Things

Amazon.com

In her first novel, award-winning Indian screenwriter Arundhati Roy conjures a whoosh of wordplay that rises from the pages like a brilliant jazz improvisation. The God of Small Things is nominally the story of young twins Rahel and Estha and the rest of their family, but the book feels like a million stories spinning out indefinitely; it is the product of a genius child-mind that takes everything in and transforms it in an alchemy of poetry. The God of Small Things is at once exotic and familiar to the Western reader, written in an English that's completely new and invigorated by the Asian Indian influences of culture and language.

Book Description

The story of the tragic decline of an Indian family whose members suffer the terrible consequences of forbidden love, The God of Small Things is set in the state of Kerala, on the southernmost tip of India. Armed only with the invincible innocence of children, the twins Rahel and Esthappen fashion a childhood for themselves in the shade of the wreck that is their family -- their lonely, lovely mother, Ammu (who loves by night the man her children love by day), their blind grandmother, Mammachi (who plays Handel on her violin), their beloved uncle Chacko (Rhodes scholar, pickle baron, radical Marxist, bottom-pincher), their enemy, Baby Kochamma (ex-nun and incumbent grandaunt), and the ghost of an imperial entomologist's moth (with unusually dense dorsal tufts).

When their English cousin and her mother arrive on a Christmas visit, the twins learn that Things Can Change in a Day. That lives can twist into new, ugly shapes, even cease forever. The brilliantly plotted story uncoils with an agonizing sense of foreboding and inevitability. Yet nothing prepares you for what lies at the heart of it.

Customer Reviews:

The God of Small Things.......2007-09-09

The God of Small Things is a work of sumptuous beauty, from the gorgeous dust jacket, to the lush prose, to its exotic metaphors, and not least to the story itself. It is a superbly written tale of childhood innocence lost in a world of jealousy and bigotry.

The setting is the author Roy's home state of Kerala, India. Most of the characters belong to the region's large and relatively prosperous Syrian Christian minority. Other characters are Roman Catholic and Hindu. Key events take place at a time when India's Communist Party was a major factor in national and local politics. And, on top of the complex matrix of religious and political beliefs, there are the social class divisions between Touchables and Untouchables.

The principal characters are Rahel and her fraternal twin brother Esta. They live with their mother Ammu, their grandmother, their great-aunt and their uncle Chacko. With great anticipation they are awaiting a visit from Chacko's ex-wife (now widowed from her second husband), and Sophie Mol, Chacko's daughter whom they have never met. Right from the start, however, we learn that Sophie Mol will die and Ammu be disgraced. How and why these tragedies happen, and their consequences, form the core of the novel.

Like a moth drawn to an open flame, the story line circles the time of Sophie Mol's death, darting years into the past at times, then into the future, but always returning ever closer to the events that will tear Rahel's family apart. Many of the chapters are told from Rahel's perspective as a child, and they are told with a child's wild and innocent imagination.

Despite its non-linear format, The God of Small Things is highly readable. Amid ever-growing suspense, Roy evokes the sights, sounds and smells of the Indian tropics. You can feel the heat and moisture amid the hum of life in this tense, sensuous and erotic story.

Very powerful...........2007-09-04

I also had a hard time getting through this book. I would read a chapter and put it down for a couple of days. I was distracted by the style of writing (very poetic) and kinda grossed out by some of the characters. I didn't even like the twins who are the main characters. There were several times when I didn't want to pick it back up to finish it.

I am so glad I did. I finished the book several days ago and am still haunted by the ending. I feel sad about Rahel and Estha but it was Velutha and Ammu's relationship which was the most powerful for me. How tragic and so beautiful. Definitely worth your time...

Katie.......2007-07-31

It's like reading beautifully dense poetry. It's a challenge at first that pays off in linguistics and intensity. It's incredible! Definitely recommend.

Exhilarating, But Not For All.......2007-07-31

As many reviewers have lamented, this is not a linear story, and it is indeed an effort and a challenge to begin and stick with, but for those who relish the rich, complex literary styles of writers like Faulkner and Morrison (think "Beloved"), The God of Small Things is an exhilarating reading experience. You will either be bothered by or adore Roy's poetic, lyrical, and often abstract, writing style. I adored it. It reminded me of the work I love by poets ee cummings and Ezra Pound. It is about feelings less than it is about facts.

I decided early on in the novel that I would let it carry me in along and that I would not get too bogged down by trying to always know what, exactly, was going on. Roy throws many threads out for the first half and then gracefully pulls them all together, skillfully weaving them into each other, until the story's moving and heartrending ending. This is a story about broken people in a broken society, about love and truth, about this insane thing we all know as our family, of happiness, sadness and loss and of the awesome, mind-boggling enormity of Life's small moments, small events, small things.

When I finished the last page, I turned back to the first and began it again. I will look forward to more works by Ms. Roy.

I wanted to put this book down, but finished, it was worth it........2007-07-24

I want to start out by saying that I never put a book down. I always finish them. This was one of those books that I thought about putting down, but decided to keep on going. It was defiantly worth finishing because I ended up enjoying it very much.

On reason why I wanted to put this book down was because I found it frustrating at first to read. I am a seasoned reader that reads quite a bit, but I thought that the author jumped around too much between stories, characters, and most importantly past and present. At first this may be confusing but after a lot of pages and you get the sense for the characters and time periods you get use to it. This was confusing at first because it would jump around from paragraph to paragraph, but after looking at the book as a whole the author did this to develop the story.

By time I got to the last 100 or so pages I could not put this story down. This is when everything starts to come together and what makes it all and all a great story. I admit it is frustrating reading the story about the secret with tons of foreshadowing that already happened. It almost makes you feel like you missed something while reading it, but once you get to those final pages everything starts to come together.

I am going to give this book, 4 stars. The reason for this is because I thought it was a great story that really came together the last 100 or so pages, but at times before that it was frustrating to read because of the authors writing style and jumping around so much early on.

All and all I would recommend this book to everyone because it poses many interesting issues and ultimately is a great story. If you feel like putting it down I would tell you to keep on reading because everything will eventually come together and make a great story.

One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey

Average customer rating:

True to the man
A modern day "Thoreau"
Just as Good the Second Time
Homesteading in Alaska
inspiring

One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey
Sam Keith , and Richard Proenneke
Manufacturer: Alaska Northwest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0882405136

Book Description

To live in a pristine land . . . roam the wilderness . . . build a home. . . . Thousands have had such dreams, but Richard Proenneke lived them. Here is a tribute to a man who carved his masterpiece out of the beyond.

Customer Reviews:

True to the man.......2007-09-29

Ten years ago I spent a summer volunteering for the National Park Service at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, in Alaska. My remote rangers cabin was located at Twin Lakes. Being on the lower lake, I was about 9 miles from my nearest neighbor- Dick. We spoke daily on our walkie-talkies, checking in about the weather, any visitors, or interesting wildlife viewings. I trekked up his way several times over the summer, and enjoyed a few meals with him. I can't remember if it's in his book, but his favorite sandwich was the "Twin Lakes Special": sourdough flapjaks, raw onion, and honey; don't knock it 'til ya try it! Just like his book, he was a gracious, thoughtful man, a true naturalist. Also the most spry 82-year-old I think I'd ever seen! I was saddened to hear of his death several years ago, and was grateful the NPS kept his cabin as a historical site; it is a cozy place, dark inside, smelling faintly of woodsmoke and 1948 sourdough starter, with wonderful decorative touches throughout. Dick was truly a special person, and this book captures his voice, his no-nonsense manner of talking, as well as his appreciation of the beauty of the natural world, perfectly.

A modern day "Thoreau".......2007-09-16

You cannot visit Alaska without reading this book FIRST! Just the photography alone will make you want to go. I dentify in many ways with Dick as I lived in a cabin in the White Mountains of NH for many years. He didn't intrude on nature...he simply lived in harmony with it. He appeals to all of your senses in his simple but beautifully written words, never mind the pictures. He is definitely portrayed as a "loner" but that is a good thing..for a loner has much higher self esteem and sense of character than those who can't survive in the world without people around them all the time. Dick is a true steward of the land because of his deep, abiding love and connection for this piece of God's Creation. His beautifully chronicled life in Alaska will remind you of Robert Frost's words.."We love the things we love for what they are." Enjoy!

Just as Good the Second Time.......2007-09-12

I was telling my husband about this book as I started reading it. He said, "Don't you remember, we read that many years ago when Alaska Magazine published it"? I knew that Babe, the pilot, seemed familiar. It didn't matter. I was happy to read it a second time which is unusual for me. Oh, how I would have loved to have been able to do what Mr. Proenneke did and to live where he lived. There is nothing dull about this book and I suspect the people who find it dull haven't any interest in living in the wilderness without Blackberries, i-pods, automobiles and restaurants.

Even though most of us who enjoyed the book probably don't begin to have the skills that Richard Proenneke had which made what he did possible (and a pilot friend who delivered for free) I think we all wish we could do what he did. I know I do. I didn't realize that a sequel exists. It costs big bucks, but if it's anything close to as interesting as this book, it's worth it. Maybe I'll find out if the Mission Girls ever showed-up.

Homesteading in Alaska.......2007-08-16

The year was 1968. The setting, the Alaskan bush. The mission, to live simply, deliberately, and self-sufficiently off the land, free of the trappings of contemporary society. The protagonist, clearly not what you might expect given the era. He was not some young, free spirited hippie, luddite, or draft dodger. Rather, he was a skilled hard working machinist/woodsman, who at age 51 decided to permanently leave the rat race behind.

Why this man, Dick Prenacke, suddenly left behind his conventional existence to live in a remote and unforgiving section of Alaska is never fully explored in the book. While snippets do reveal his distain for modernity, it never fully embellishes on what ultimately drove the author to do what few would ever conceive of doing. Perhaps Dick realized that at 51, the physical and physiological fortitude required to make such a transition would soon be out of his reach. More likely however, he foresaw the end of an era. No more than a few years after his departure into the wild, Alaska would enact laws prohibiting trappers and homesteaders from freely trudging off into the woods to live the quintessential "Alaskan experience." Soon Alaska would become like the rest of the lower 48, where people like Dick would be considered trespassers and evicted from any land that they did not rightfully own. Fortunately for the author, the laws were grand fathered in.

While the book is essentially a personal account of Alaskan homesteading, the author episodically weaves social commentary into his writings. He laments a society that is wasteful and superficial. The hunters that come into his Alaska, products of such a society, leave garbage and animal meat behind, unaware that the author cleans up after as well as makes use of their squander.

The author also reveals his anxiety for a society that is increasingly consumed by materialism. He feels that man is entrapped by things that he doesn't need and he seeks to avoid the superfluous at all costs. To the outsider, surviving in the wilds of Alaska would seem to require an extravagant amount of equipment and gear. One can only imagine the bill the average suburbanite would amass at the local REI in preparation for such an endeavor. Yet the author demonstrates just how little is required to not only to survive but also to prosper in such an inhospitable region.

The book closes with some thoughts on technology, and the rapidity of change that comes with it. The author's words are both haunting and prescient as he elaborates on his first year in Alaska and how his experience conflicts greatly with society at large.

inspiring.......2007-07-14

Inspiring book. Diarist was over 50 when he began this journey. Helps me look to the future for myself.

Ready or Not... Here We Come! The Real Experts' Cannot-Live-Without Guide to the First Year with Twins

Average customer rating:

Good Plane read
A cute, informative resource
Loved it!
Marriage venting not advice
more for entertainment than for advice

Ready or Not... Here We Come! The Real Experts' Cannot-Live-Without Guide to the First Year with Twins
Elizabeth Lyons
Manufacturer: Finn-Phyllis Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0974699004

Book Description

Uncertain where to start, how to coordinate endless double feedings, or how to control the whirlwind? Don't worry -- Elizabeth Lyons and her "multiples" sorority will get you through. For real-world strategies on coordinating endless double feedings, getting the babies on a schedule (preferably the same one), and appearing to have it (and them) under control while out and about, Ready or Not...Here We Come! is the hilarious, tell-it-like-it-is resource no parent of twins should be without.

In her first humor-packed guide to raising twins, Elizabeth Lyons highlights the experiences and strategies of a group of friends who met in a multiples birthing class, and survived their pregnancies and first year with twins together.

Lyons provides the all-important feeling of camaraderie that will keep expectant and new parents of twins smiling and optimistic, and remind them through it all how blessed they are (even when they feel as though they haven't slept in weeks). Ready or Not...Here We Come! combines strategies that Lyons has gleaned from friends, doctors, nurses, and even perfect strangers to form one concise guide that will undeniably prepare those expecting twins as well as new parents of twins to complete that all-important first year.

Topics include:
- Preparing the Lair: Mandatory Gear for Babies and Mom
- Getting Organized: The Key to Success
- Getting Those Babies on a Schedule -- Preferably the Same One!
- Out and About with Twins: Methods of Appearing As Though You've Got It (and Them) Under Control.

"Ready or Not...Here We Come! is the advice you need in the short, funny format your sleep-deprived mind can absorb. Elizabeth Lyons tells it like it is in a laugh-out-loud look at the uncertainty, craziness, and absolute of your first year with twins. An absolute must-have for every mother who wished there were two of her to keep up with the two of them." - Lisa Earle McLeod, author of Forget Perfect

"Elizabeth Lyons' humorous yet realistic perspective provides new parents of twins with a great starting point from which to embark on that all-important first year." - Dr. Bob Covert, Leading Chicagoland Neonatologist

"Elizabeth Lyons tells it like it really is. From helping you survive back-to-back feedings, living with the stereophonic crying, and coping with a double round of diaper rash, she tells you what to do, what to buy, and what to ignore. My twins are now teenagers, and as a woman who felt like she was the only one coping with double Mommying, I would have sold my soul for practical, supportive advice like this. There is a light at the end of the twins tunnel, and Ready or Not will help you find it. Where was Elizabeth Lyons when my twins were little?" - Kristy Lucariello, President of Performance in Practice and mother of teenage twins

"Finally…a humor-filled, solution-packed, tell-it-like-it-is guide to the first year with twins!" - Betty Jean Young, BSN

Look for Elizabeth's second book, Ready or Not...There We Go! this summer.

Customer Reviews:

Good Plane read.......2007-05-29

I think this book is great; I enjoyed all of the anecdotes about the multiple society. Very good read although not very technically informative.

A cute, informative resource .......2007-04-11

I've read several books on life with twins, and they've all been at least a little helpful and funny. But this is the first I've read where the author already had a toddler before the twins came, and so it was nice to get her perspective and understand what that reality will be like for me. I like that the author really did have some good ideas and based on diverse experiences (she did breastfeed, and then switched to formula, so she understands pros/cons and strategies of both), and she has her circle of moms-of-multiples friends whose experience she draws on and shares as well.

One thing I noticed missing from the book was reference to or strategies for handling life with babies while they're stuck for a time in the NICU. I was looking forward to understanding how we might manage NICU visits with a preschooler at home.

I realize that there is no magic answer on how to deal with life with twins, but in my opinion, this book does indeed do a good job. If you're looking for another similar book to read, I'd also recommend Twinspiration by Cheryl Lage, especially if these are your first babies and you don't have other children at home. Also, for general multiples-pregnancy info, I highly suggest buying When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads by Barbara Luke.

Loved it!.......2007-03-21

This is a good book that I would recommend to anyone who is expecting twins or more. The author definately has a since of humor. This book gives you some good advise. It is also light hearted and fun to read at the same time. There were definately some laugh out loud moments while reading this book.

Marriage venting not advice.......2007-02-04

The author seems to spend the more time complaining about what her husband doesn't do then giving real advice. I was very disappointed it the book.

more for entertainment than for advice.......2006-12-15

As others have said, I read this while I was pregnant and it didn't mean much to me -- then after the babies were born, I found myself scouring it for anything that would help me cope. I found that it contained mostly comic relief, rather than practical advice, but that's useful too. One of my few memories from the foggy "fourth trimester" is of reading parts of the book out loud to my parents, laughing at how completely she hit the nail on the head. I agree that she gives breastfeeding very short shrift, so if you are already BF or determined to do so, don't follow her advice -- get a good book like "Mothering Multiples" and a good lactation consultant. Contrary to a previous reviewer's claim, she does, however, tell you how to go to the supermarket, though I still recommend waiting till DH gets home and then going by yourself (or napping on the couch while he goes!).

When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads, Revised Edition: Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy

Average customer rating:

More sell pitch than inform
The best out there
Informative
Mixed feelings. . .
You will have a great multiple pregnancy!

When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads, Revised Edition: Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy
Barbara Luke , and Tamara Eberlein
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0060542683
Release Date: 2004-06-15

Amazon.com

The double whammy of successful infertility treatments and an increase in the number of women having children later in life has resulted in a staggering--but perhaps not surprising--phenomenon: a tremendous increase in twin, triple, and quadruple births. When You¹re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads is an outstanding, much-needed addition to the pregnancy genre for women who face the alternating joy, terror, and ambivalence associated with carrying, delivering, and coping with young multiples.

Subjects like nutrition, mom's changing body and emotions, fetal development, potential complications, and labor and delivery take on new meaning when you add another baby or two to the standard equation. With the goal of minimizing risk factors associated with multiple births, Dr. Barbara Luke and her team of writers cover each subject with a buoyant determination to tell it all and tell it well--avoiding the typical "how to name and dress your twins" issues. Accompanying the detailed medical perspective of Dr. Luke are personal experiences gathered from the journals of a few articulate moms, making each subject as real as it is educational. Simple illustrations, valuable charts (including one to plot and monitor fetal growth in grams or pounds), specific menu examples (like how can you consume 4,500 calories if you're expecting quads???), and lots of reassurance make this book a winner. --Liane Thomas

Book Description

A Clinically Proven Program for Women Pregnant with Multiples

Completely Updated, with 50 Recipes for Optimal Birth Weight

You're expecting more than one baby? Congratulations! In When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads, Dr. Barbara Luke's practical, nutrition-based program has been proven to lower complications, resulting in much healthier babies. This revision offers more nutritional information, 50 recipes to maximize birth weight, and new guidelines on nutritional needs and vegetarian options. It also includes updated information that reflects the most current obstetric and pediatric practices, such as expanded safety information on exercise and reducing your risk for complications.

Customer Reviews:

More sell pitch than inform.......2007-10-03

This book told you how great the author's clinic was, but very little of useful information about your pregnancy. It said you must gain a lot of weight thru any mean possible, including eating junk food. If you didn't follow their advice, your babies would be born premature and/or have low birth weight.

I was depressed after reading the book. I read "What to Expect..." instead, and loved it! I followed their advice and gained only 30 lbs, not 40-50 lb as this book suggested. At 37 weeks, I gave birth to a 8 lb boy and 6 lb 12 oz girl.

The best out there.......2007-08-27

This book is truly the best resource out there for moms carrying multiples. This book provided a lot of reassurance that I could carry triplets, and some great tips for making my pregnancy with the triplets last as long as possible. It really is a must have for multiple pregnancies.

Informative .......2007-08-23

This is a wonderful informative book for mothers expecting multiples. The nutrition and diet information is great however, I found out I have gestational diabetes and so the menu and diet information was not relevant.
I would have liked if the book also catered to those who have gestational diabetes, preclampsia or other pregnancy complications.

Mixed feelings. . ........2007-08-12

This is a great book in the sense that it made me feel like I had some control over a pregnancy that was high risk. I followed all of the dietary recommendations. I took time off work after about 20 weeks. I thought I was doing everything right. But, I still went into preterm labor at only 30 weeks and my boys were born at 31 weeks. My boys were great size for 31 weeks (4lbs and 3lbs 15.8oz) and had people in the NICU questioning their gestational age (I was positive)! So, perhaps it truly makes a difference for some, but it didn't seem to for me. (Perhaps I would have gone into labor even sooner, but I doubt it.) I do think the book gave me too much confidence that I would carry my boys to term that I failed to do as much research as I should have regarding life in the NICU (where my boys were for 5 weeks, 3 days). Additionally, my OB raised her eyebrows at many of the ideas saying they weren't necessary (too much food, too much weight, etc)--and my OB is one who normally just goes with the flow of things and encourages people to do what is best for them. Keep in mind that although this book is by a "Dr.," this Dr. is not an MD, but someone with a PhD!

You will have a great multiple pregnancy!.......2007-08-07

I picked up a copy of this book as soon as I found out I was expecting twins in 2006. Here is my story...I diligently read the book and found great merit in what the authors had written (all based on research). I followed much of their advice (drinking a gallon of water a day, omega-3 supplements, etc.) and I strongly believe this helped me to naturally deliver healthy twin boys at full term (38 weeks). Both boys had great birth weights: 6lb 10oz and 6lb 12oz. I even worked up until 37 weeks b/c I was so healthy and my doctors had no medical reason to put me on disability. My doctors called me "the poster child for twin pregnancy." I recommend this book to everyone who is pregnant with multiples!

Cobra King Of Kathmandu (Children Of The Lamp)

Average customer rating:

Kobra King of Kathmandu
Cobra King Of Kathmandu
Middle school fantasy fans - and many an adult - will choose this for leisure reading
Can't beat books one and two

Cobra King Of Kathmandu (Children Of The Lamp)
P. B. Kerr
Manufacturer: Orchard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439670233

Book Description

In the third book of the bestselling Children of the Lamp series, djinn twins, John and Philippa Gaunt, are on the trail of another magical mystery. As they travel from New York to London to Nepal and India on a whirlwind adventure, the twins try to help their friend and fellow djinn, Buck, find out who murdered his friend using the venomous snakebite of the king cobra. All too soon, John and Philippa find themselves caught up in the lethal world of the Cult of the Nine Cobras, only to discover that they themselves are a target of the creepy cobra cult.

Customer Reviews:

Kobra King of Kathmandu.......2007-08-28

This is an excellent third book in a series. The young djinn twins have many adventures and misadventures but there is somehow, always a silver bullet to save the day. Nice, light, reading for grades 4-7. (But I'm 54 and I enjoyed it too!)

Cobra King Of Kathmandu .......2007-08-24

The Cobra King of Kathmandu is the third book in the Children of the Lamp series. This series is based around twin Djinn children, John and Philippa Gaunt. John and Philippa knew nothing about their Djinn heritage until their wisdom teeth erupted. In Djinn, the eruption of the wisdom teeth brings forth the hidden magic that the child will possess. To say the least, the children were surprised to find out that Djinn were real, that their mother was a Djinn, and that they too possessed magical abilities. This was only the beginning of their adventure as they started training with their Uncle Nimrod in Egypt and found themselves in the middle of a fight with an evil Djinn who wanted to disrupt the delicate balance between good and evil Djinn.

In The Cobra King of Kathmandu, the twins find themselves in yet another adventure. Unbeknownst to the twins, their mother is readying herself to become the Blue Djinn of Babylon. Meanwhile, John and Philippa come to the rescue of fellow Djinn Dybbuk (Buck) who has stumbled upon a great Djinn conspiracy. Someone seems to be trying to find young Djinn, tracking them down through dental records showing young children whose wisdom teeth erupt earlier than the average person. What is this person up to? Why does he want to capture a Djinn?

I enjoyed both the first and third book of this series. I have yet to read the second installment, which I am now very eager to do. John and Philippa are very much like average kids just trying to understand this new world they haven't quite figured out yet. Their adventures are absolutely delightful.

Middle school fantasy fans - and many an adult - will choose this for leisure reading.......2007-03-07

Fans of P.B. Kerr's ongoing fantasy 'Children of the Lamp' will appreciate yet another addition to the saga: THE COBRA KING OF KATHMANDU, the third in the series and telling of the djinn twins in another magical mystery. This time they're trying to uncover a murderer who uses the king cobra to kill - and find themselves caught in a cult of cobra worshipers. Can they stop the leader's deadly plan? Middle school fantasy fans - and many an adult - will choose this for leisure reading; especially prior fans of the 'Children of the Lamp' saga.

Can't beat books one and two.......2006-12-26

The Children of the Lamp, book three
Can't beat books one and two
The story hops from here to there
Just like a kangaroo

From exorcisms at Dowding Street
To murders in Palm Springs
Intruders, snakes and works of art
Is what this story brings

From Kew Gardens to Calcutta
From imps to Green Dervishes
It tells what people will go through
To get themselves three wishes

Outsourced help lines, Eremites
Angels and secret writing
Some parts are Indiana Jones
And almost as exciting

Djinnternal mail is quite a stretch
And if that weren't enough
He throws the Yeti in the tale
And lots of other stuff

It focuses more on the "gross"
Than evenness of plot
We just don't need to know about
BO, boogers, and snot

Though everything falls into place
This book could be much shorter
The author would have helped us by
Cutting it by a quarter

Action packed and whirlwind fast
But there's much more in store
The final chapters warm us up
For novel number four.

Rated: 3.5 stars

Amanda Richards, December 25, 2006

Children Of The Lamp: The Akhenaten Adventure (Children Of The Lamp)

Blue Djinn of Babylon (Children of the Lamp (Paperback))

Average customer rating:

Good, but still not quite there
Okay
A Major Disappointment
Courtesy of Teens Read Too
AWESOME!!!

Nightrise (The Gatekeepers)
Anthony Horowitz
Manufacturer: Scholastic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439680018

Customer Reviews:

Good, but still not quite there.......2007-10-03

Raven's Gate started off with a spooky and thrilling mindwarp, but Evil Star (after a fantastic start) lapsed into a rather mundane adventure. Night Rise is better than the second instalment but still never captured that sense of terror and eeriness that made the first book so incredible. Please Horowitz... don't abandon the emotional tension of Raven's Gate! It was the best!

Okay.......2007-07-03

I have to say, being a huge fan of Anthony Horowitz and the "Gatekeepers" series I have to say I was a little disappointed in the third book. I thought that the begining was boring and predictable, but it may be just me. I thought that Mr. Horowitz did a great job with incoporating the different dimension or going back into the past to answer many questions and explain more fully. As usual he ends with great suspence and brings excitement back to the book. Overall I thought it was a good story and it explained many things that weren't fully elaborated on in his other books and Nightrise was a very good addition to the Gatekeepers series.

A Major Disappointment.......2007-06-27

Being an avid reader and adoring fan of most fantasy books, I was highly disappointed when I finished Nightrise. The first novel in the series- Raven's Gate, was suspenseful and hard to put down (I have to say I loved the creepy black cat and portrait whose eyes seemed to move). The second one, Evil Star, had an incredibly thrilling beginning and then seemed to become dull a little before halfway into it, like soda without some of the fizz. Nevertheless, it was still a good book, even if it didn't completely live up to the expectations of the first. Matt is a very likeable character, and Pedro isn't that bad either. The Nazca Lines were a nice touch and there were many exciting action scenes.
However, Nightrise just killed it. Frankly, it seemed like an afterthought of a book- the beginning was enticing, but something seemed a little... off. I don't know if it was the rough transition of having Matt being the main character in the first two and then practically disappearing off the face of the earth until the end of Nightrise (figure of speech), but Scott and Jamie just didn't do it for me. As much as I hate to admit it, I had trouble getting through the end and practically forced myself to finish it. That bizarre dream world was awful and a bit confusing, as it was so abrupt. Overall, I don't recommend Nightrise, but if you like the series and feel like you *must* read it, you have been warned. Looking at the other three reviews, maybe I'm totally off, but you be the judge of the book, I'm just giving my own opinion. I just hope the others in the series are better....

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-06-07

Anthony Horowitz's THE GATEKEEPERS series continues with NIGHTRISE. The Old Ones are still a threat to the safety of the world, and the five young gatekeepers are the only ones equipped to help.

Previously, Matt and Pedro were in Peru attempting to close the second gate. Their attempt failed and Matt was seriously injured. The adventure continues in a new location - Reno, Nevada. A small, rundown theater is hosting a performance called The Circus of the Mind. The featured act involves twins named Jamie and Scott. They amaze the audience by reading each others' minds. No one seems to know the secret of the trick. Actually, the secret is, there is no secret. They really do read minds and not just each others'.

Readers will soon guess that Jamie and Scott are the next two of the special "five." The problem is how will they learn about their responsibilities and how will they find out about the others. When the evil corporation, Nightrise, becomes involved, it is clear that the Old Ones' power still reaches around the world.

When Scott is kidnapped by Nightrise and taken to an isolated juvenile detention facility in the desert, Jamie begins his rescue attempt with the help of Alicia McGuire. She wants inside the prison as much as Jamie because she suspects her son has been kidnapped, as well. Nightrise seems to be making it a habit to kidnap teens with various "special" abilities. Could they be looking for the five young gatekeepers?

Horowitz thrills readers with kidnapping, adventures in the present day world, a world 10,000 years in the past, and the dream world Matt became familiar with in the first books. There are shape-changers, fire-riders, and mutilated humans to be battled. Some might find the story filled with twists and turns a bit confusing, but fans of the earlier books will be pleased with the surprises Horowitz has hidden in this new episode. The "to be continued..." ending promises even more surprises to come.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

AWESOME!!!.......2007-05-17

THIS SERIES JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER WITH A STORY THAT GRIPS YOU AND NEVER LETS GO. I CAN'T WAIT TILL THE NEXT ONE! KEEP IT UP ANTHONY!!

The Harsh Cry of the Heron: The Last Tale of the Otori (Tales of the Otori, Book 4)

Average customer rating:

The Best for Last
A Fitting Sequel
Interesting
An Author Who Obviously Hates Happy Endings And True Love
It never ends.

The Harsh Cry of the Heron: The Last Tale of the Otori (Tales of the Otori, Book 4)
Lian Hearn
Manufacturer: Riverhead Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1594489238
Release Date: 2006-09-07

Book Description

The surprise fourth installment, the epic conclusion of Lian Hearn's beloved, bestselling Tales of the Otori.

The Harsh Cry of the Heron: The Last Tale of the Otori is a truly epic novel. It is the rich and satisfying conclusion to the Tales of the Otori series that both completes the characters' lives-prophesied and otherwise-and brilliantly illuminates unexpected aspects of the entire Otori saga. The Harsh Cry of the Heron is the only fitting end to such a stirring series: a book that takes the storytelling achievement of Lian Hearn's fantastic medieval Japanese world to startling new heights of drama and action.

Hearn's Otori series is the best (and only) literary expression of a cultural phenomenon that has swept through cinema (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), comics (manga), and popular culture at large. And, with this book, Hearn delivers in full ninja vs. samurai fashion the kinetic, simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting resolution that the Otori's hundreds of thousands of fans richly deserve-whose epic satisfaction will surely draw even more readers into the fold.

Customer Reviews:

The Best for Last.......2007-09-28

Ms. Hearn teased and tantalized us but this was definitely the best book of the bunch. I'm including Heaven's Net Is Wide in the equation too. I can't say I wanted it to go down like it did but then again I'm reading her story not mine and I wasn't disappointed in the least. I had no complaints. Highly recommend this book as well as the entire series.

A Fitting Sequel.......2007-07-14

I much enjoyed the first three Tales of the Otori books, and number four did not disappoint. The author presents the historical picture very effectively, while weaving a tale of epic proportions. Few authors so well command the skill of showing the right balance of fairness and unfairness, justice and injustice happening to the central characters. If you read the first three books, you must get this one, and if you did not, but have an interest in feudal Japan, get all four.

Interesting.......2007-07-07

I am a huge fan of the first three books. I read this one with very high expectations for that reason. I would hate to use the word "disappointing" but it really wasn't what I expected. It was a good read, don't get me wrong, but it will never live up to the original trilogy. I would recommend buying it... The begining was alright, the middle was jumpy and drawn out, and the end was quite twisted and unexpected, but captivating all the same. Over all worth it though. Enjoy.

An Author Who Obviously Hates Happy Endings And True Love.......2007-06-27

I am always a bit wary when writing a review because I don't want too unintentionally give away to much plot and spoil it for people. I will try not to give away anymore of the novel than any of the other reviewers have...That being said I must say what a complete disappointment this book was! I enjoyed the first three books, though felt they were a bit doom and gloom and depressing at times as well. I listened to the entire series on audiobook and tried to listen to the fourth without going back but got 40 minutes into the book and had no idea what was going on! Even after listening to the third book again I was often confused by all the many different characters and the plot twists that depended on you remembering previous novels. The names of many of the characters are so similar that, even though I feel the narrators were wonderful, I was often confused as to who was who. All this I could put aside and give 3 stars to this book if it wasn't for the ending...Horrible! As many others feel it had a hurried feel to it as if the author was thinking "Uh oh getting way too long I better end it soon". And without giving away too much plot the character change of Kaede from the first 3 books to this one really stretches plausibility and her COMPLETE character change at the end was beyond the slightest credibility. The message the first three books seem to impart is "love can conquer all" and the message the last book imparts is "love WILL conquer all so if your stupid enough to try it watch your back"...Not the kind of book or message I want to waste 20 or so hours of my life on...Bottom line = Avoid this book at all costs!

It never ends........2007-05-30

I liked the first three books well enough. The first was the best (if implausible), the second quite enjoyable (even though it strained credibility) and the third was alright (absolutely unbelievable). My reading speed kept diminishing as the series progressed, but my true challenge was trying to finish this one, the fourth. This book is practically unreadable.
Just as all the other reviewers have said, it's too convoluted and has too many characters by half (wracking your brain to remember who was who=not fun). NOTHING HAPPENS during the first 3/4 of the book. They travel here and there and talk unlikely politics. So finally the writer wraps up the whole mess in a narrative of the main character's fate.
If you enjoyed the original 3 books, skip this and enjoy your memories.

Mothering Multiples: Breastfeeding & Caring for Twins or More

Average customer rating:

A "must-have" for prospective fathers of multiples as well as mothers of multiples.
amazing...
The best breastfeeding book!
Very helpful and encouraging
The ONLY one out there about nursing multiples

Mothering Multiples: Breastfeeding & Caring for Twins or More
Karen Kerkhoff Gromada
Manufacturer: La Leche League International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Motherhood | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0912500514

Customer Reviews:

A "must-have" for prospective fathers of multiples as well as mothers of multiples. .......2007-09-03

Registered nurse and lactation consultant Karen Kerkhoff Gromada presents the third revised edition of Mothering Multiples: Breastfeeding & Caring for Twins or More!, a thoroughly comprehensive guide for impending mothers of twins, triplets, and other multiple births. Chapters discuss the risks of a multiple pregnancy, how to reduce the risk of complications and carry multiple babies as close to full term as possible, how to cope with breastfeeding challenges, what to do when babies are born prematurely, adjusting to the physical and emotional demands of raising multiple babies, the unique challenge of caring for multiple toddlers, and much more. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this no-nonsense, plain-terms primer, packed with so much valuable information it's a "must-have" for prospective fathers of multiples as well as mothers of multiples. Highly recommended.

amazing..........2007-03-23

My twins have yet to be born, but this book has already helped sooo much! I can't wait for the new edition to come out so my friends with twins can read it as well!

The best breastfeeding book!.......2007-02-23

I bought a few other books, but this one is the most comprehensive. If you are planning to breastfeed multiples, you need this book so you can be psychologically prepared. The Internet is not enough. Also, I refer to it frequently as I encounter breastfeeding issues.

Very helpful and encouraging.......2006-06-15

This book is full of encouragement and information. When everyone is telling you it's too hard to breastfeed twins, this book tells you that you can, you should, and practical tips on how to. I found it extremely helpful.

The ONLY one out there about nursing multiples.......2005-07-11

Nursing ONE baby can be challenging, but when they come two at a time,you need to call in the big guns. Although a previous reviewer scoffs at the fact that Gromada had her twins over 20 years ago,she fails to realize that the author has been working in her field(lactation consulting,La Leche League leader,renowned expert on twins and public speaker, etc;see karengromada.com)for over 25 years and consults with mothers of multiples daily.
I for one would have never been able to breastfeed my twins for 18 months without the help in this book.And I would hardly refer to "breast is best" being propaganda.Even the formula companies have to admit their product is inferior to the real thing;it's just fact.

Average customer rating:

Makes You Feel Like A Kid Again
Bridge to Terabithia CD
Read this one with your child
What was this book about?
A wonderful tale of friendship and loss

Bridge to Terabithia
Katherine Paterson
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Read-Aloud | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0690013590

Amazon.com

The story starts out simply enough: Jess Aarons wants to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade--he wants it so bad he can taste it. He's been practicing all summer, running in the fields around his farmhouse until he collapses in a sweat. Then a tomboy named Leslie Burke moves into the farmhouse next door and changes his life forever. Not only does Leslie not look or act like any girls Jess knows, but she also turns out to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. After getting over the shock and humiliation of being beaten by a girl, Jess begins to think Leslie might be okay.

Despite their superficial differences, it's clear that Jess and Leslie are soul mates. The two create a secret kingdom in the woods named Terabithia, where the only way to get into the castle is by swinging out over a gully on an enchanted rope. Here they reign as king and queen, fighting off imaginary giants and the walking dead, sharing stories and dreams, and plotting against the schoolmates who tease them. Jess and Leslie find solace in the sanctuary of Terabithia until a tragedy strikes and the two are separated forever. In a style that is both plain and powerful, Katherine Paterson's characters will stir your heart and put a lump in your throat.

Book Description

All summer, Jess pushed himself to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade, and when the year's first school-yard race was run, he was going to win.But his victory was stolen by a newcomer, by a girl, one who didn't even know enough to stay on the girls' side of the playground. Then, unexpectedly, Jess finds himself sticking up for Leslie, for the girl who breaks rules and wins races. The friendship between the two grows as Jess guides the city girl through the pitfalls of life in their small, rural town, and Leslie draws him into the world of imaginations world of magic and ceremony called Terabithia. Here, Leslie and Jess rule supreme among the oaks and evergreens, safe from the bullies and ridicule of the mundane world. Safe until an unforeseen tragedy forces Jess to reign in Terabithia alone, and both worlds are forever changed.

In this poignant, beautifully rendered novel, Katherine Paterson weaves a powerful story of friendship and courage.

Customer Reviews:

Makes You Feel Like A Kid Again.......2007-09-29

Katherine Paterson, with vividly beautiful prose, tells a story about the friendship between a young boy and a young girl, and how that friendship transforms the life of that boy from something dull and normal to something as spectacular as a imaginary fantasy land. The book itself is short and an easy read, but what the book really says to the reader is quite a bit bigger than its page count. Much like growing up, this book is both sweet and painful, and Paterson truly has a great handle on what its like to be a ten year old, fifth grade boy. So for all those readers who aren't afraid of a book that will make them cry (for both sad and warmer reasons) than I recommend this book. It doesn't matter if you're a child or an adult, "Bridge to Terabithia" is universal.

10/10 Classic.

Bridge to Terabithia CD.......2007-09-27

Love the CD. It is done very well. You may need to be aware however that there are curse words in the book.

Read this one with your child.......2007-08-22

There are some pretty heavy subject matters within this beautiful work of fiction. Yet, they are subjects that need to be dealt with, and what better conversation starter than a response to something you've read together? This is the story of Jess and Leslie, two outcasts of their 5th grade class (although I found both to be interesting). They become neighbors and fast friends, and make up an imaginary kingdom deep in the forest, called Terabithia. There, they have the confidence and control which eludes them in the real world. But an amazing thing happens in that they begin to see the world in a different, more favorable light. They find that people are not who they seem, and this makes them better and more compassionate individuals. The first time I read this, I was absolutely stunned by the tragedy that takes place. Even still, after several times rereading it, it tears at my emotions. I commend Katherine Paterson for bravely venturing into such sensitive matters, ones that will make children better capable of dealing head-on with their own emotions.

What was this book about?.......2007-08-10

I did not understand why this book was written. What was it all about? The only point it seemed to make was Leslie's death at the end of the book. Overall I thought that it was exteremly uneventful. Terabithia seemed to have a small role to play in the book. 'Much ado about nothing' fits this novel.
I cannot, however, ginve this book only one star. Giving it one star would be hating this book. I did not hate it I just thought that it never did get to the point. If it was a memior I would have liked it. As a memior I would have thought it was a good book because I would have expected this. (I wouldn't have picked it up though. Memior isn't quite my style.) I liked the characters and was sad when that girl died. I think that that is why I haven't given it one star.
Not a ringing endorsement, but if memior is what you like I'd give it a shot.
-cdm

A wonderful tale of friendship and loss.......2007-08-09

This book digs deep into the lives of two children just trying to make it in a world where everyone sees them as outcasts. The slow start to friendship is quite clear and gripping as we see Jesse struggle with his ability to allow a girl, someone that beats him at something he is supposed to be the best at, enter his life and transform his world.

This is a great book about a friendship that goes slowly, and ends too quickly. Wonderful fantasy lies within which will surely make your children want to create their own Terabithia.

Average customer rating:

Light and predictable - and relaxing
Dumber for reading it
One of her worst...
Yes - DS gets worse with each book ...
Coming out needs filling out

Coming Out
Danielle Steel
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385338325
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Book Description

Olympia Crawford Rubinstein has a busy legal career, a solid marriage, and a way of managing her thriving family with grace, humor, and boundless energy. With twin daughters finishing high school, a son at Dartmouth, and a kindergartner from her second marriage, there seems to be no challenge to which Olympia cannot rise. Until one sunny day in May, when she opens an invitation for her daughters to attend the most exclusive coming-out ball in New York–and chaos erupts all around her. One twin’s excitement is balanced by the other’s outrage; her previous husband’s profound snobbism is in sharp contrast to her current husband’s flat refusal to attend.

For Olympia’s husband, Harry, whose parents survived the Holocaust, the idea of a blue-blood debutante ball is abhorrent. Her daughter Veronica, a natural-born rebel, agrees–while Veronica’s identical twin, Virginia, is already shopping for the perfect dress. Then there’s Olympia’s ex, an insufferable snob, who sees the ball as the perfect opportunity for a family feud. And amid all the hubbub, Olympia’s college-age son, Charlie, is facing a turning point in his life–and may need his mother more than ever. But despite it all, Olympia is determined to steer her family through the event until, just days before the cotillion, things begin to unravel with alarming speed.

From a son’s crisis to a daughter’s heartbreak, from a case of the chicken pox to a political debate raging in her household, Olympia is on the verge of surrender. And that is when, in a series of startling choices and changes of heart, family, friends, and even a blue-haired teenager all find a way to turn a night of calamity into an evening of magic. As old wounds are healed, barriers are shattered and new traditions are born, and a debutante ball becomes a catalyst for change, revelation, acceptance, and love.

In a novel that is by turns profound, poignant, moving, and warmly funny, Danielle Steel tells the story of an extraordinary family–finding new ways of letting go, stepping up, and coming out...in the ways that matter most.

Customer Reviews:

Light and predictable - and relaxing.......2007-09-16

Danielle Steel is an excellent writer with a huge production. Perhaps one cannot expect that every one of her books should be five stars unputdownable.

This one is not. There are too many typical Danielle Steel clichés in this book to make you feel you are reading a fresh new piece of work. I felt I had read most of it before and although there ARE family problems to be solved, they hardly seem as earth shattering as the synopsis indicates.

The people in this book are well educated middle upper class, or even "blue blooded". The young people go to Europe in summer and meet the rest of the family who holidays in St. Tropez, Monaco etc. etc.

An invitation for heroine Olympia's twin daughters to a coming out ball is the main issue in the book and becomes a huge family problem. Not the most serious situation for a family to deal with since coming out balls is a rather old fashioned upper class affair; even if the twins are from a previous marriage and father/step father highly disagree about the matter. As do the twins themselves. Neither is choice of ivy leage university and which one of the divorced parents (who can both very well afford it) should pay the tuition, the toughest problem for a family to handle. Apart from the background of the older Jewish members of the family and some of the young people's struggle in finding their place in life and modern society, the family seems privileged and blessed in every way.

What makes the book readable in spite of the nearly non-existing storyline, is Danielle Steel's unique talent as a writer. She has the ability to create entertainment from the "thinnest" material and make the characters come amazingly alive.

I quite enjoyed this book. Far from first class reading, but ok when you simply need to relax with something light and predictable.

Dumber for reading it.......2007-08-17

I have to say that if this was the first Danielle Steel book I had ever read, I would absolutely hate her writing. I just finished this book, and I feel just a little dumber for having read it.

I sat down to read a good romance novel by a good author and was just flat out disappointed. It was just plain boring. Stick to her old classics, and don't waste your money on this.

One of her worst..........2007-07-29

I am a fan of Steel but thought this book was almost written in a rush. It didn't have any of the usual twists and turns.... It seems like in her latest novels where Steel has to write in present modern times that she loses what was so brilliantly hers in her earlier novels - elegance. Another recent one called "The House" had me feeling the same thing. She shouldn't try try and be all "hip" and "cool" and just stick to what she knows...

Yes - DS gets worse with each book ..........2007-07-22

Her writing really has gotten worse with each new book. In fact, it's so bad that I'll only buy the books secondhand, or borrow from a foolish friend that has bought them (LOL ... I have to make sure that the quality is the same, therefore I have to read them!). The plots are okay, but no writing of substance to keep a reader interested.

I would never recommend buying a new Danielle Steel book when there are so many good writers to read. I read this book in less than two hours. DS books in the last few years have become less entertaining than a Harlequin Romance! Spend your money on someone like Norah Roberts/J.D. Robb.

Coming out needs filling out.......2007-07-18

Attorney Olympia Rubinstein is the epitome of the virtuous woman praised in Proverbs. Her home is well kept, she is the perfect daughter in-law, her children want for nothing and bask in her unconditional love, she is endlessly devoted to her husband of thirteen years and her career is balanced perfectly with her home life.

A simple envelope disrupts her peaceful life one day. It is an invitation for her twin daughters from her first marriage to participate in the most exclusive debutant ball in New York City. The invitation quickly causes chaos when everyone expresses a different opinion about the necessity of the upper class tradition. Chauncey is the father of her daughters and has his own agenda that adds pressure that they don't really need. Her oldest son has a confession, a religious debate erupts in her marriage and ethical lines are drawn between the twins.

There appears to be no end to the family drama before Steel corrals everyone into a happy ending.

I admire Steel for taking on a rather difficult question; where do old fashioned ideals fit in modern society? However her story is full of ideas that feel half written. She spent a lot of time narrating without delving deeper into what was going on. Dialogue is minimal and her characters feel forced and read more like classic stereotypes than people. Danielle Steel has written many beloved novels but I can not shake the feeling that she spell checked the first draft of this book and sent it off to be published. Please take note that 'Coming out' is lacking the polish of a finished book.

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