Come Back: A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Hell and Back

Come Back: A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Hell and Back
Average customer rating:

I fell in love with this book

Review

save your time

This is the best book I've ever read!

Nothing short of stomach turning and inspiring all at once.

Come Back: A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Hell and Back
Claire Fontaine , and Mia Fontaine
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Halfway House: A Novel

ASIN: 0060859717
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Book Description

How does an honor student at one of Los Angeles's finest prep schools–a nice girl from a happy, loving home–trade school uniforms and afternoons at the mall for speedballs in the back of a truck in rural Indiana? How does her devoted mother emerge from the shock of finding that her daughter has not only disappeared but had been living a secret life for more than a year?

Mother and daughter tell their parallel stories in mesmerizing first–person accounts. Claire Fontaine's story is a parent's worst nightmare, a cautionary tale chronicling her daughter Mia's drug–fueled manipulation of everyone around her as she sought refuge in the seedy underworld of felons and heroin addicts, the painful childhood secrets that led up to it, and the healing that followed. Her search for Mia was brutal for both mother and daughter, a dizzying series of dead ends, incredible coincidences and, at times, miracles. Ultimately, Mia was forced into harsh–but–loving boot camp schools on two continents while Claire entered a painful but life–changing program of her own. Mia's story includes the jarring culture shock of the extreme and controversial behavior modification school she was in for nearly two years, which helped her overcome depression and self–hatred to emerge a powerful young woman with self–esteem and courage.

Come Back is an unforgettable story of love and transformation that will resonate with mothers and daughters everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

I fell in love with this book.......2007-09-11

I truly love both Claire and Mia. I really related to Claire as a mother myself of teenagers and I related to Mia from when I was a teenager. Their stories parallel the lives of my Mom and I but to a lesser degree. Wonderful book!

Review.......2007-09-10

I really liked this book. There were a few "boring" parts, but all together I would highly reccomend this book!

save your time.......2007-09-05

This book offers nothing new about mother/daughter relationships or recovery/ rehabilitation ... and the highly mediocre writing style is the icing on the cake.

This is the best book I've ever read!.......2007-08-28

This book touched my heart and had me crying so many times because it touched my very soul as Claire and Mia described situations that I have lived through with my daughter. A lot of their story was not the same as ours, but in their descriptions of what was going on in their minds and hearts during the horrific experience, they touched the very core of my being. I have felt the feelings that they Claire was so eloquently able to put into words for me. The things that Mia said could have come right out of my daughter's mouth. The second half of the book that describes the recovery process in detail was also something that I could relate to and it also helped me to better understand and "get my head around" the recovery process. Although I did not want to put this book down, on many occasions I was not able to find time to read it for several weeks. When I picked it up again, I was right back there with them immediately as if I had never stopped reading. I wish to thank Claire and Mia for writing this book from their hearts. I will share this book with others who I think will be touched by it also. I highly recommend this book if you have gone through any type of drug/alcohol abuse with your teenager, or if your child has been abused. These authors have given us a book that can bring hope into the lives of many parents and their wayward children.

Nothing short of stomach turning and inspiring all at once........2007-07-31

I am a father who was given this book by my ex-wife. I was terrified at first to read this book. I was scared of what I might learn. I read it apprehensively in the beginning. And thus the first part of this book was completely horrific.

However, I soon became so enthralled in the book I couldn't put it down. I wanted more when it was over. I was so inspired...

Hell and Back (Sin City, Book 7: Second Edition)

Average customer rating:

Graphic SF Reader
Wonderful conclusion to a great series.
Neither a Bang Nor a Whimper
An unnecessary final Sin City volume
A "Sin City" experiment with success and failure

Hell and Back (Sin City, Book 7: Second Edition)
Frank Miller
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1593072996

Amazon.com

Can anything be darker than noir? Try Frank Miller's Sin City series. The tasty Hell and Back features Wallace, a brooding artist with a decided talent for hurting people, and Esther, a stunningly beautiful actress accidentally mixed up in a slavery ring that extends far and deep enough to transcend the word conspiracy. The tale twists, turns, and backtracks, teasing the reader with hints of terror to come--until the explosive climax. Miller's art is exactly right for his words; he uses more black than white, and color only when appropriate. The chapter dealing with Wallace's drug hallucinations is beautiful, heartbreaking, and terrifying in turn. Readers interested in the human dark side should find out what fans of Sin City already know: Frank Miller has seen it and wants to share. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

In the Town Without Pity, good men are hard to find. Enter Wallace, a man of mystery. He's a nice guy who's very good at killing people. Out for an evening drive along the beach, he meets the woman of his dreams - and she's trying to kill herself. Why? And who are the shadowy cabal of power brokers who wrench her from his arms? When will all hell break loose? Comics legend Frank Miller, creator of the groundbreaking Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, pounds out his longest Sin City graphic novel to date - a bare-knuckle barrage of brutal action, dark secrets, and heroic sacrifice. What the hell - it's a love story! The most recent story in Miller's gritty crime saga, Hell and Back includes color sections and pinups by a who's who of comics luminaries.

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-04

A new character is introduced here. Wallace is a struggling artist, just trying to get along. He rescues a woman, and gets into a whole lot of trouble for it.

Finding himself in the middle of a conspiracy, his high level of talent at the killing thing holds him in good stead, as does his Vietnam war background.

Wonderful conclusion to a great series........2007-07-26

Frank Miller's Sin City is always full of surprises, with its gritty dialogue and creative/graphic violence. Book 7 of 7, Hell & Back is a love story. This book is quite different then the others, some color is shown and you'll see what I mean if you read it. I hope you enjoy this book!

Neither a Bang Nor a Whimper.......2007-07-09

The final book in the Sin City series, HELL AND BACK is a solid conclusion that neither reaches the heights of some of the earlier books though, thankfully, also does not reach some of the low points we have seen. Any reader who makes it through everything will not be disappointed.

HELL AND BACK's main character is new to the Sin City collection. Wallace is a war vet with fighting skills that rival those of Marv. Like Marv, he is motivated by an altruisitic, indeed tender, concern for others that he deems worthy of his troubles. The girl he just meets and saves, Esther, is worthy enough. When Esther is kidnapped, Wallace kills about...oh, exact numbers are hard to come by, but an awful lot of scum bags to get her back.

We once again encounter Delia, the beautiful yet deadly assassin introduced in Book 6, BOOZE, BROADS & BULLETS and we get a better understanding of exactly what kind of organization she works for. Let us just say, not many people will be busted up over the pile of bodies left in Wallace's wake. I do not know if there are any plans to make this book into a Sin City movie, but if there are, some of the more tender-hearted may experience some sleeping problems after seeing it.

Given that HELL AND BACK introduces new and interesting characters, it is hard to complain that the book is considerably bigger than the others in the series. (Who would do so anyway?) If Frank Miller ever writes more of these stories, picking up right here would be a-ok.

An unnecessary final Sin City volume.......2007-07-08

This is the final volume in the Sin City collection, and it's clear from the start that this is nothing you'll remember forever. The tale is more or less standard Sin City-material, a brooding dark hero, (an artist in this case), trying to rescue his damsel in distress, a black girl attempting to end her life when the two meet. He manages to save her the first time, and (as usual) she ends up being taken away from him at the very start. He then decides to start a personal crusade (as usual) against her captors, and the story unfolds as usual, in a whirlpool of violence, promiscuity, action and hardboiled language. He kills a lot of people, he is beaten up a lot and finally he seizes the day. The story is nothing more than "okay", seeing as I feel we've all read this before, in the previous volumes, and for some reason this particular volume is the longest, even though it is also possibly the dullest.

The story ends with a grand finale, as is common in the series, and the conspiracy behind the evil committed is relatively punished for their heinous crimes. I enjoy Sin City for what it is, an amusing light read for adults, and if you've enjoyed the previous volumes, you'll enjoy this too, but let's all be glad he decided to end it with this one. For completists only.

A "Sin City" experiment with success and failure.......2007-05-06

With production on Robert Rodriguez's "Sin City 2" beginning within the next few months, Frank Miller has stated that there is definite potential for more "Sin City" comics in the future. At the moment, however, 2001's "Hell and Back", the seventh "Sin City" graphic novel, is the most recent tale to emerge from the seedy depths of Basin City. It's also the weakest, due to a number of bold moves on Miller's part - some of which succeed, some of which don't.

Subtitled "A Sin City Love Story," "Hell and Back" follows Wallace, a war hero who saves a beautiful woman named Esther from committing suicide on "one of those clear, cool nights that drops into the middle of summer like a gift from on high." He takes her back to his apartment building, gives her fresh clothing, and takes her out for a drink at (where else?) Kadie's. As they leave the bar, however, Wallace is shot with a tranquilizer. He awakens surrounded by cops and with no clue what has happened to him - or much more importantly, to Esther. Naturally, no hard-boiled Miller hero can let something like that slide, especially Wallace, who is considerably more violence-inclined even than Marv. Thus Wallace embarks on a no-holds-barred quest, not for revenge, but for Esther. Of course, just because it's not about vengeance doesn't mean he's afraid to kill ...

If not one of his best works, "Hell and Back" is one of Miller's most interesting. The tale is a disjointed experiment that holds together enough to satisfy at its end, but also to leave the reader longing for the pulpy sweetness of previous "Sin City" yarns like "A Dame to Kill For" or even "Family Values." The most risky of Miller's maneuvers involved Wallace's full-color hallucinations after he is drugged. This is a blast, as Wallace envisions rude cherubs, ferocious dinosaurs, the Cat in the Hat, and even Mike Mignola's Hellboy at one point (timed with a character's uttering of "Hell, boy!"). Mr. Miller does get a little carried away during this sequence, though.

Another change is Miller's drawing style. His previous "Sin City" tales featured rounded, full, shady, and lifelike illustrations. Miller draws "Hell and Back" in the same fashion in which he drew his seminal work, "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns," with gritty, less sensuous illustrations. On the upside, his wife, Ms. Lynn Varley, adds some new color the series in the form of an orange-haired femme fatale. The final and, arguably, most bizarre and amusing of "Hell and Back"'s experiments, is a tale recounted by a hospitalized teenage boy to his father about his first sexual encounter. Titled "My Blind Date: A Sin City Tale of Woe," the absurd interlude is a hilarious piece of work that will irritate as many fans as it will entertain.

As usual, a wealth of familiar characters pop up throughout the tale, including Manute, the hulking, one-eyed henchman, and most importantly Delia (a.k.a. "Blue Eyes," who previously appeared in the short story collection Booze, Broads, & Bullets). And, as any "Sin City" fan has come to expect, there's some great, noir-esque narration as well as a deliciously sweet conclusion. Still, "Hell and Back" is the weakest of the series. Maybe it'll work better when Rodriguez adapts it for the third "Sin City" movie (in which Johnny Depp is rumored to be playing Wallace), but on paper, the story just doesn't shine. Nevertheless, it's a lot better than most comics, and for anyone who enjoyed the other "Sin City" stories, it's still essential.

Average customer rating:

A must for every ML fan
Great read
Hell is honest and humorous
the best biogarphy/autobiography every wrote
Decades of Decadence

To Hell and Back: An Autobiography
Meat Loaf , Meatloaf , and David Dalton
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060392932
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Amazon.com

Who'd have guessed that the man credited with bringing rock & roll to a whole new level of garishness would pen such a vastly entertaining, funny, touching, and plainspoken autobiography? But Meat Loaf (christened Marvin Lee Aday) and coauthor David Dalton succeed by skillfully modifying the tongue-in-cheek hyperbole and the bombastic befuddlement of the man's Wagner-crossed-with-the-Shangri-Las music to fit the printed page. Meat Loaf grew up in Dallas, Texas, the son of a schoolteacher (she penned a locally popular textbook on Communism) and an alcoholic cop (who happened to be an acquaintance of Jack Ruby). Meat--he earned the nickname early on--got in touch with his theatrical side as a teen and was soon off on his haphazard way, stumbling from misadventure to misadventure, and taking more than his fair share of knocks along the way. (Literally--he's suffered 17 concussions thus far, which provide an oddly effective narrative device.) He lurched into the middle of the JFK assassination scene, picked up a hitchhiking Charlie Manson, earned a part in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and recorded one of the most successful albums of the '70s, Bat out of Hell. His ample fame inevitably tied to his ample frame, Meat Loaf quickly became something of an amped-up Fatty Arbuckle. Then came the colossal excesses and flop follow-ups, capped by a rebound called--you guessed it--Bat out of Hell II: Back into Hell. Yes, it's a familiar framework, but the telling of Meat Loaf's rise, fall, and recovery is never anything less than fresh and absorbing. --Steven Stolder

Book Description

"poor fat marvin can't wear levi's!"a radio advertisement boomed as a 240-pound seventh grader named Marvin Lee Aday shuddered in humiliation. Parents said he was "too fat" to play with their children, and his classmates picked on him, even ganging up to lock him in a storage box. Unflatteringly nicknamed "Meat Loaf" by his alcoholic father, prone to getting concussions (seventeen in all), and drawn to musical theater, no one pegged this misfit kid to become a rock star. That is, until he recorded the third best-selling album of all time.In To Hell and Back, Meat Loaf reveals his amazing story--a rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches life that would rival most fiction. As a boy, he had to face down lowlifes straight out of Deliverance in order to fetch his drunken father out of gutbucket saloons--the same father who would later try to kill him with a butcher knife. He was at Parkland Hospital when JFK was declared dead, picked up a hitchhiker who happened to be Charles Manson, got recruited for the musical Hair while trying to get a job as a parking attendant, and starred in a movie that became the biggest cult film of all time, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. From there, he collaborated with Jim Steinman to make a record called Bat Out of Hell, which went from being laughed at and rejected by every music executive in the industry to selling more than 28 million copies and launching Meat Loaf into international superstardom. Meat's story would be incredible if it stopped right there. But that's just the beginning.

The heights to which Meat had soared were matched only by the depth of his plunge back into the abyss. In a swirl of devious managers, drugs, lawyers, guns, money, nervous breakdowns (including the psychosomatic loss of his voice), and more lawsuits than he could count, Meat Loaf lost it all. He was bankrupt, his relationship with best friend and collaborator, Jim Steinman, turned ugly, and his wife, having a nervous breakdown of her own, was considering a divorce.

But the hardest-working man in rock and roll would not stay down. Returning to his family he set out with them to conquer the world again, club by club and through word of mouth--a struggle that culminated in a reunion with Steinman, the Grammy Award-winning release of Bat out of Hell II, and a return to the limelight. Illustrated with dozens of previously unpublished photographs, Meat Loaf's story is--like Meat Loaf himself--larger than life.

Customer Reviews:

A must for every ML fan.......2005-03-12

To Hell and Back: An Autobiography is an absolute must for every ML fan.

this is great, entertaining and inspirational!

Great read.......2004-09-21

This book is written in short, very entertaining spurts. It might be a good one to keep in your bathroom or at the office where you can only get a few pages read every now and then. There are incredibly funny and touching anecdotes scattered within, and you get a good look at Meat's personality and history.

My only complaint was that, besides his money troubles, he tended to skip over the tougher aspects of his life. Drug use, infidelity and the harshness of life on the road are treated as minor blips on the radar.

Otherwise, this is a fun and entertaining read. Meatloaf is a great storyteller, and one of America's great rock and rollers. If you're a fan of Meatloaf or a rock enthusiast, you'll enjoy this autobiography.

Hell is honest and humorous.......2003-02-02

I got this book when it first came out, while I was in college. I remember driving my roomie crazy because I had also ordered a couple of Meat CDs and all I did all day was listen to Meat Loaf and read this book. I didn't go to class, I didn't go get food, I just read. GOD DAMN was this book a great read! Lucky for me I was going to college in Philly and Mr. Loaf was coming to a store nearby to do a signing...I'll never forget that!

I really can't say much about the book, except that it's an incredible story about an incredible man. I loved the book and I've told my friends time and again to read it; I'd recommend it even to people who aren't too keen on Meat Loaf. It's just a damn good book!

the best biogarphy/autobiography every wrote.......2002-03-25

this is the best book that (i think) was every wrote becuase i am 13 years old i hate reading books in or out of school with a passion (and i mean i hate reading). this is the only book that i liked to read i got it from the library and some how i got it stolen out of my locker and i was realy mad becuase that is the only book that i every realy wanted to read.

Decades of Decadence.......2001-09-18

This is the tale of Marvin Lee Aday. AKA Meat Loaf. This fills in all the blanks in his life. You see where he came from, where he went and how he got there. It is told with comic irreverence. It shows you hte hell it is to be a struggling musician, and the hell it is to be a successful one. If you hve never read a Rock biography, I recommend this one because Meat is not your typical strung our junkie that most Rock bio's exault.
Thanx for your time, T

To Hell and Back: Life After Death Startling New Evidence

Average customer rating:

A Great Documentary on Real Death Experiences
Satisfying Intellectual Discussion
Truth
To Hell and Back: Life After Death Startling New Evicence
Excellent physician, OK author

To Hell and Back: Life After Death Startling New Evidence
Maurice S. Rawlings
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0785275347

Book Description

"Thought-provoking, eye-opening, and, at times, unsettling, To Hell and Back forces readers to ponder the question, 'Is it safe to die?'"--Bookstore Journal

"In the total consideration of death and dying there needs to be the whole truth with reference to approaching heaven and possibly hell. Dr. Rawlings delves into this matter thoroughly and in depth."--William Standish Reed. M.D., Diplomate, American Board of Surgery

"Dr. Maurice Rawlings speaks with an unusual degree of perception and honesty; I heartily recommend this book."--Ben Haden Speaker, "Changed Lives" TV-Radio

Customer Reviews:

A Great Documentary on Real Death Experiences.......2007-03-14

Finally a carefully documented study on Real Near Death Experiences. You can see the TO HELL AND BACK VIDEO free at [...]. You'll be amazed at how hard core Athiest change their thinking after coming back from the Dead.

Satisfying Intellectual Discussion.......2006-06-28

"It now borders on the fantastic to realize that clinical death experiences have become the only experimental link between ancient prophesies and modern science." ~ Dr. Maurice Rawlings

To Hell and Back goes beyond a casual discussion of near-death experience (NDE) and takes the topic of life and death to engaging spiritual levels, even to discussions of out-of-the-body experiences (OBEs). Dr. Maurice Rawlings highly entertaining writing style is infused with biblical research and comparisons between religious experiences. Verses and quotes are well placed and do not take over the topics, but seem to enhance the research.

Initially skeptical himself, the author encounters experiences that are too real not to be believed. As he discusses why negative experiences are not discussed, we start to realize the true reasons people are not talking as much about the visions of hell as the peaceful vistas of heaven:

"The typical description involves a beautiful light at the end of a very dark tunnel...others saw the same tunnel and the apparent light turn into a horrible ring of fire..."

This book contains both experiences and goes beyond drug induced OBEs and convincingly explains why people not on any drugs experienced NDEs. As a doctor, the author enters this arena from a position of strength and deftly describes experiences that read like an ER reality show. The descriptions of Hell are not overly detailed, but enough is told that you get the general idea.

What does death feel like?
What percentage of people encounter a positive experience?
Do people of different faiths experience NDEs in basically the same way?
Is it too late to come back to earth when you realize you have ended up
in the wrong place? Surprising answers...
Do atheists sometimes go to heaven and confessing religious people to hell?
Do some people go to neither place?
How can you ensure that you will have a good life after death?

The authors' life experience truly enhances the stories in this book and his first-hand knowledge brings a sense of trust to the topic. He not only viewed sudden deaths for three and a half decades, he also spent two year in nursing homes studying the experiences of terminally ill patients.

Some of the main topics discussed in this book include: Reincarnation, Suicides, Beings of Light, Typical NDE situations, Main Religions, Past Lives, New Age Consciousness, Freud & Jung, Spirits, Astral Travel, The Kundalini, Esotericism, Pantheism, Relativism, Popular Culture (movies, etc.), Current Cultural Phenomena (still seems very relevant even years after publication), The Education System, Unexplained Phenomena, Demonic Possession, Demonic Oppression and The Fight between Good and Evil.

A good understanding of these Life and Death issues will enable a more complete understanding of your current reality. This book answered many of my questions and will help me as I make decisions in the future. If you have delved into any of the spiritual areas the author suggests you avoid and have had strange, frightening and unexplainable experiences, there is still hope for recovery and time to redirect your life.

In the search for spirituality, there are some paths you may consider "not" taking after reading this book. In the end, what you will truly be asking yourself is: "Do my current beliefs make it safe to die?"

~The Rebecca Review

Truth.......2006-04-19

This book is one of the most enlightening books I've ever read. I read this book and then ordered 5 more and the movie made from it, for friends. I read it in January and then, by coinsidence (maybe) died in March at a routine doctor visit. While they were attempting to resucitate me, I was thinking of the many imperative things this book said. I did leave my body for a short time. The messages inside are TRUE!

To Hell and Back: Life After Death Startling New Evicence.......2006-04-10

This is a VERY INFORMATIVE BOOK. It lets the reader know that when our spirit leaves our body behind that "IF" we have accepted Jesus as our Savior that we can enjoy eternal life in lieu of suffering for eternity. It lets you know about actual cases where people are fighting and begging to be saved because of the hell that they have witnessed.

Excellent physician, OK author.......2005-08-27

Firstly, I applaud Dr. Rawlings for writing a book to share the results of his research. The topic is facinating, as are the stories he shares. I am even in full agreement with Dr. Rawlings Christian message, which is woven into the book. BUT . . . I was nodding off at times. I slept through the chapter on the evils of drugs, and went into a full coma during the chapter on . . . I can't remember what it was. Seemed to be a lot of "filler". Rawlings wrote an earlier book on near death/clinical death and back, Beyond Death's Door. It is superior to this work and I recommend that as a better read on this topic.

A Survival Guide for Working With Bad Bosses: Dealing With Bullies, Idiots, Back-stabbers, And Other Managers from Hell

Average customer rating:

A Survival Guide for Working With Bad Bosses: Dealing With Bullies, Idiots, Back-stabbers, And Other Managers from Hell
Survival at the office
Don't buy bad workplace advice!
Unhelpful
Keep looking this one falls short

A Survival Guide for Working With Bad Bosses: Dealing With Bullies, Idiots, Back-stabbers, And Other Managers from Hell
Gini Graham Scott
Manufacturer: AMACOM/American Management Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0814472982

Book Description

Being saddled with a terrible supervisor can turn even the best job into a nightmare. Unfortunately, not every boss is the great symbol of managerial perfection one would hope for. In fact, more people than not consider themselves stuck with a "bad boss." But short of remaining miserable or quitting a job, what can be done about it? "A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses" provides readers with savvy, practical advice for coping with managers and supervisors who are mean, incompetent, unethical, and worse. The book includes powerful strategies for not only working with -- but thriving under -- such bad boss types as: * The Great Betrayers -- how to defend yourself against a corporate backstabber * The Know-Nothing Bosses -- what to do when a boss is clueless * The Bad Communicators -- how to respond when a boss is consistently unclear Whether a boss is high-strung, incompetent, or a power-mad tyrant, this book has the solution.

Customer Reviews:

A Survival Guide for Working With Bad Bosses: Dealing With Bullies, Idiots, Back-stabbers, And Other Managers from Hell.......2007-07-15

If you've ever had a job, you've likely come across a bad boss. Bad bosses come in all types from the no-boss and the party planner through the scatterboss and the promises, promises boss to the overloader and the control freak. A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses describes mangers from hell complete with stories of real life versions of these monsters. Each section also includes a What Should the Employee Do section which outlines a number of possible solutions to the problem. A summary called Today's Take-Aways end each section.

A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses is an excellent resource for employees stuck in a difficult situation. Not only does the book remind the reader that he or she is not the only one to have such circumstances but also gives them options which are often difficult to think of when stuck in the middle of a problem. Bosses may also want to read this book as often bad bosses don't even realize their problematic behaviour.

Survival at the office.......2007-04-02

It is a great feeling to know that you are not alone in the jungles of the workplace. Especially when the advice comes from an expert...You learn not to kill the "bad bosses" and how to deal with the problem zone with kindness without burning your fingers. Yet, I still hope someday any kind of pills will be discovered to terminate such "bad bosses" and we will live happily ever after.

Don't buy bad workplace advice!.......2007-02-05

I used the advice in this book to deal with a bad boss and the toxic work environment that was created. In compliance with Amazon's review policy I won't reveal it here. In my case the end result is hostility, harassment, and retaliation. What Scott apparently forgets is that these "bad bosses" will regard ANY challenge (even those advocated in her book) as a personal threat and will use the assets at his disposal (i.e., company assets, discipline process) for retribution AGAINST the assertive employee. And since he IS the boss, he has the full backing of the company, regardless of legality, ethics, or motives. These tactics may work with rational, well adjusted supervisors in employee-focused companies, but in my experience pathological bosses are the rule and not the exception.

Do yourself a favor. If you have a bad boss, find a better job and DON'T buy this book or use the advice contained therein.

Unhelpful.......2006-09-17

I thought this book was filled with cliches and did not find it helpful.

Keep looking this one falls short.......2006-03-26

I was rather disapointed in this book. It appears that Ms. Graham Scott's prefered method of dealing with bad bosses is just to put up with them and keep things as status quo hoping it will all work out in the end. Pretty lame advise in my opinion. I am looking for a book that actually helps me solve problems not just put up with them.

Diablo II: To Hell & Back (Dungeons & Dragons Accessory)

Average customer rating:

DO NOT BUY
Disappointing and frustrating

Diablo II: To Hell & Back (Dungeons & Dragons Accessory)
Mike Selinker , and Rich Redman
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Diablo II: Diablerie (Dungeons and Dragons/D&D d20)
Kingdoms of Kalamar: Campaign Setting Sourcebook (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Player's Handbook II (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Dungeon Master's Guide II (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement)
Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement)

ASIN: 0786918314
Release Date: 2001-03-01

Book Description

Bringing Diablo II to the tabletop.

The legendary Diablo and Diablo II computer games come to life with the release of the tabletop Diablo II: To Hell & Back roleplaying adventure. All a player needs is the Dungeons & Dragons(r) Player's Handbook (0786915501-8/00) to accompany the Diablo II game. Every level and all 4 acts of the computer game are represented in the tabletop mega-adventure, which will also include 64 pages of monsters, information for levels 1-30, and over 60 maps!

Customer Reviews:

DO NOT BUY.......2002-03-04

This book was poorly made, not worth your money. i don't know [who] wrote this but he really needs to go back to english classes. The book was not put in order. They just took the diablo II computer game and put it in a book without worrying about the rules of 3rd D&D.

Do yourself a favor...Don't buy this book!

Disappointing and frustrating.......2001-03-13

As an avid Diablo 2 fan I have anxiously awaited this new release in the Diablo storyline modules. The description of the product as covering the entire Diablo 2 game from Act One to Act Four merely wetted my appetite for more. Imagine my dissappointment to find a product containing poor guidelines for encounter levels, recycled artwork, pages of filler (repeated monster descriptions from Diablo 2: Diablerie,) and typos so obvious you would think that this was rushed into production and not seen by a proofreader. Any adventure whose pricetag is 50% higher than the price of the core books should be stunning in content and form, presented without errors, and be clear in the descriptions of game mechanics. I have only the highest praise for all the changes made to the new edition of the rules. The sliding exp scale, rewritten character classes, and the smoother combat all add to the enjoyment I and my players experience in our weekly sessions. The first Diablo adventure had us playing 8 hour marathon sessions each night for almost 2 weeks. Perhaps my expectations were too high for this product, but it is disappointing in falling short of the standards I have seen in other books recently. I am sure that any inconsistancies in the rules contained in the product will be brought up in a forum either on the web site or in Dragon Magazine, however nothing can take away from the flow of a session as greatly as a player stating "... but I read online that ..."

Average customer rating:

To Hell and Back DVD
The human side of war
War is Hell
A Real American Hero
Triumph of Effort and Courage

To Hell and Back
Audie Murphy
Manufacturer: Holt Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Biography - Audie Murphy: Great American Hero
Sergeant York (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Battle of the Bulge
Midway (Collector's Edition)
The Red Badge of Courage

ASIN: 0805070869

Book Description

Originally published in 1949, To Hell and Back was a smash bestseller for fourteen weeks and later became a major motion picture starring Audie Murphy as himself. More than fifty years later, this classic wartime memoir is just as gripping as it was then. Desperate to see action but rejected by both the marines and paratroopers because he was too short, Murphy eventually found a home with the infantry. He fought through campaigns in Sicily, Italy, France, and Germany. Although still under twenty-one years old on V-E Day, he was credited with having killed, captured, or wounded 240 Germans. He emerged from the war as Americas most decorated soldier, having received twenty-one medals, including our highest military decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor. To Hell and Back is a powerfully real portrayal of American GIs at war.

Customer Reviews:

To Hell and Back DVD.......2007-09-02

Delivered better than expected and packaged very well. Item got here sooner that promised. Excellent seller and look forward doing business again.

The human side of war.......2007-08-21

This book was very interesting as it describes his entire Army career from North Africa to southern France. It is amazing on how many times he was wounded and barely escaped death from near misses (mortar round landing next to his foot). His courage and ability to survive multiple campaigns definitely makes every one of his awards justly earned and well deserved. Even with is wounds and illnesses, he was able to quickly return to the front line and serve with his fellow front line soldiers.

His camaraderie and loyalty to his squad and platoon is shared through survival and trust. The attrition rate of soldiers in his company was very high, a fact that is somewhat understated in official military records. Official U.S. military records cited in most history books often report those killed in action, but not those who died from accidents or disease. After reading different history books which cite official combat casualties and comparing the first hand accounts of Audie Murphy, it is clear who is telling the truth. The ground soldier states the way it is, the official reports tend to show only a portion of the casualties. Comparing the number of replacements received in a unit versus their combat casualties also paints a better picture of how deadly frontline duty is, from both the enemy and disease. Beyond the Beachhead (about the 29th Infantry Division in Normandy) also describes the high replacement rate for the division.

There are books about soldiers who have received the Medal of Honor, but they only describe that one event where the soldier earned recognition for their valor. This book tells the whole story, from the daily mundane preparation for duty to the fear and worries of watching your battle brothers fall. Very few of the original soldiers in his squad lived to see the end of the war after serving two years in three different campaigns.

The book goes into a lot more detail than the movie as the movie also changed and compressed different events for time. The human side of the war and the personal emotional price paid is described in more detail here. Every friend lost was a part of him that died too.

Good book to add to the collection.

War is Hell.......2007-08-04

Audie Murphy , my what a great american ,such courageand above all,unconcern for self,love of his family and fellow man and his homeland.
A truly dedicted person to what ever tasked was give to him.
Handsome , youthful , tough , made not be reconized as a great actor , but he puts everything into it, he's got and his natural personality flows making him stand with some of the greats. . Every boy / man should see this movie before he takes a coommittment for his country. The movie is worth putting in your library , its not the modern fake action commando type , but it has a real atmosphere of the guts it takes to be an hero and live to tell.
Giving more respect to our young soldiers of to day who give there lives for freedom. Good movie.
Luddy

A Real American Hero.......2007-07-18

This is an incredible movie. The story of a true American Hero. The fact that it is Audie Murphy's story ensured that it didn't get the "Hollywood Treatment" and is a factual retelling. Unique, and awe inspiring.

Triumph of Effort and Courage.......2007-06-02

Murphy was perhaps the greatest citizen soldier ever. Today, his memory stands as a valuable lesson not only to the American youth, but also for the world as a whole.

Read this book if you wish to have any idea what real men are capable of.

No Tombstones in the Sea: A Voyage Back to Hell

Average customer rating:

No Tombstones in the Sea: A Voyage Back to Hell
Daniel Keough
Manufacturer: RoseDog Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0805998276

Product Description

In this fictional account, Dan Keough takes you aboard an American destroyera haunted worn-out relic that should have gone to the ship breakers in 1945 rather than being thrust once more into the breach of another war. The crew, like the ship, are retreads... reservists who would rather be anywhere but in the Sea of Japan participating in Harry Truman's "police action."

This is a tale of combat afloat and wild and wacky liberties ashore. And it is the story of the women left behindfaithful navy wives and those who believe in that old expression, "out of sight, out of mind."

Beyond the Darkness: My Near Death Journey to the Edge of Hell and Back

Average customer rating:

An informative, great read
A Great Story --Ignore the Critics
I am the author & want to address some reader concerns
To Hell and Back
As I have Said Before "We Are Many"

Beyond the Darkness: My Near Death Journey to the Edge of Hell and Back
Angie Fenimore , and Betty J. Eadie
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster (Trade Division)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Reincarnation | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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The Ripple Effect: Our Harvest
My Descent Into Death: A Second Chance at Life
The Awakening Heart: My Continuining Journey To Love
Lessons From the Light: In-Sights From a Journey to the Other Side
Beyond the Darkness

ASIN: 0671511777

Customer Reviews:

An informative, great read.......2007-04-18

I think the author did a terrific job with this book. She was brave, came forward and told us exactly what happened to her when she passed over.
That it doesn't correlate with some doesn't give those a license to belittle her experience.

Anyway, bravo Angie, even though we've never met I want to thank you publicly for sharing your knowledge of the divinty of Christ, the Savior of all mankind, for explaining the plan and purpose of our lives, that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us and that Jesus will mediate for us if we choose him and accept him as our Savior.

A Great Story --Ignore the Critics.......2007-01-22

Spiritual matters will never be resolved with bickering back and forth on forums. Spiritual matters can only be resolved with the spirit. Our earth is filled with people ranging from spiritually dead to enlightened. This site also seems to have that same range with reviewers--prideful scripture citing, name calling, and cruel accusations.

Ms. Fenimore had this experience. It was real. Whether a vision or literal, does not matter. When Moses spoke to God, was he really talking with a burning bush? We are taught truths by means that enable us to understand, but always, our understanding is dependent on where we stand.

C.S. Lewis described being in a dark shed and observing a shaft of light penetrating a hole in the wooden door. From were he stood, he could see dust and fine particles floating, swimming, and swirling in the air. What he saw was truth, limited by his perspective and from where he stood. But as he positioned himself up near the hole in the door, a view of the beautiful outdoor world of grass and flowers and trees opened unto him. Interestingly, from both positions he viewed the same light (or truth), but observed different results. Some in this world are content to see the dust and argue there is nothing more. But those that want to see greater truth must align themselves spiritually. The choice is ours.

Years ago, my wife saw a talk show where Ms. Fenimore was telling her story. Later that day, my wife told me of Ms. Fenimore's experience. I felt the spirit whisper to me that it was a true experience. I wasn't seeking this revelation. It just came. Then just two weeks ago, my son came home telling me that one of his former friends that had been kicked out of junior high had committed suicide. The rumor turned out to be false, but reminded me of Ms. Fenimore's story heard some ten years earlier. So I googled NDE/suicide and found this book--didn't know it even existed before then.

I have since read BTD and once again felt the holy spirit witness to me. I believe it! Whether it's literal or visionary does not matter. The message is the same, and anyone that will humble themselves and spiritually align themselves can also know it's a true message. Others may be content with the specks of dust (truth) but please don't tell me that's all there is. This book opens up a world that we would not have seen without the courage of Ms. Fennimore and her willingness to share.

I am the author & want to address some reader concerns.......2007-01-03

On rare occasion I will pick up used copies of my paperback to give to my children and grandchildren,(I prefer the paperback cover to the hardcover. I also had the opportunity to fix several publisher typos that appear in the hardcover).

I usually resist reading reviews since you readers can be cruel. I do want to say that what happened to me happened. I did not make it up. I was not hallucinating and I'm sorry if it doesn't fit with your preconceived notions of what may happen to you when you die.

When you drop an apple, it's going to hit the pavement. Not much I can do about that either.

I didn't write what amounts to my personal journal with all of the most painful and shameful events of my life out there for public consumption in order to harm or deceive. Why would I do that? Ask yourself if it might be painful to know that strangers, neighbors, people at the local grocery store, my children's teachers could just buy my 'diary' at Barnes & Noble. Do you think it was an easy thing at the time to reveal to everyone who knew me that I had attempted suicide? I promise the easy road would have been to keep my new and improved anonymous soccer-mom existance.

I took very seriously that I was quoting God. I labored over every word to be certain that what I said was completely accurate. I made the difficult decision to share my story so that when I meet God again at the end of my sojourn, it will be with my gift of having done all I can in this world to influence for good.

Just prior to writing the book, the NDE phenomena was all over every talk show and tv magazine. Dr. Kevorkian was on trial. Curt Cobain (Nirvana vocalist) was found dead, having shot himself. I saw 'Thelma & Louise' on TV (they drive off a cliff at the end as a suitable solution to escape the consequences of some irresponsible behavior)--all of this happened in one week's time.

I was in my car when I heard the news about Cobain on the radio while a van full of teenagers passed me in the next lane. They were hanging out the windows crying, "My hero is dead". The spirit bore witness to me, that there would be kids who would take their precious lives to follow this so-called hero.

I was profoundly affected by the end of 'Thelma and Louise'. I didn't see it coming and my emotions were already thin over Dr. Kevorkian and Curt Cobain having been all over the news. I went upstairs and laid down on my bed and cried. After searching for what I could do and praying for the answer for several days, the thought finally came to write a book. I knelt down next to my bed and asked my Father in Heaven if that was what I should do. The spirit bore witness to me that indeed, this was something I could do. Not that it was my calling, but that I have a view point that would benefit other people. Nobody else was coming forward with an experience like mine and somebody had to do the hard thing. And this is why I wrote the book.

Every single thing, including depression is a matter of choice. This isn't a judgement or critism. It is how we are co-creators with God in this life and the next. We choose to live miraculously or not. What we think about is who we are, in this life and in the next. If you are so certain that I'm wrong try living with thoughts of gratitude, love, joy, appreciation for every little piece of happiness and see what happens in your life.

To Hell and Back.......2006-09-26

I worked for a while on the national suicide hotline and have dealt with many people who have comitted suicide or tried. I have done everything in my own power to help prevent or stop people from doing this - but it seems to be like trying to sweep back the ocean with a broom.

I do not believe in hell but I do believe that people will find what they expect to find on the other side - our belief systems tend to direct our vision of what we find.

No matter - the book is well written and presents an intersting story. Who knows what happened to the author and why. There is something of value from the book's message for the reader. Again, I think each reader will find the values and messages that reflect their own belief systems.

Good Foreword by Betty J. Eadie.

As I have Said Before "We Are Many".......2004-09-03

"Every Man Before He Dies Shall See The Devil". - English Proverb, 1560... Mine wasn't a Near-Death experience. I was awake and very much alive - The trip wasn't much better. I walked around for many years in a struggle - Satanic Warfare can be horrible - with little support system. There are many - ostracized and alone. Many struggling with demons. (Which are not fun creatures to be around - even on a good day ) I paralleled much of what Angie went through. I'm glad that she was able to gain feedback from Betty Eadie. I Like Angie's book. Be wise to not minimize her struggle - Reality is a fragile thing. "You Shall Not, and Need Not, Walk Alone".

The Red Devil: To Hell with Cancer--And Back

Average customer rating:

One of my top 3 BC books
A darkly humourous, truly striking take on cancer
one of the best books on breast cancer I've read
Courageous
Touching and ironically humorous

The Red Devil: To Hell with Cancer--And Back
Katherine Russell Rich
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Humor After the Tumor: One Woman's Look at Her Year With Breast Cancer
Dancing With Fear: Tips and Wisdom from Breast Cancer Survivors
My One-Night Stand With Cancer
Advanced Breast Cancer: A Guide to Living with Metastatic Disease, 2nd Edition (Patient-Centered Guides)
Uplift : Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors

ASIN: 0609603213
Release Date: 1999-09-21

Amazon.com

Nothing's off limits in Katherine Russell Rich's gutsy account of her breast cancer treatment, from harsh insights about her relationships ("I was a stiff-lipped, bloodless, manners-obsessed WASP. He was Ricky Ricardo in a bad mood") to the wrenching details of her disease's progression to stage 4 status. For example, the tumors break through bone and into her spine, making her bones crack from within: "After months of straining against its leash, the fury of pain broke free and ripped into me as I bent down, slashing through my back, tearing into flesh, pressing without mercy onto bone.... I struggled to make myself stand, and felt--heard--something rip in my back." She holds back nothing--the pain of her tests, the apathy of many of her health providers, the intimate details of relationships, and the necessary wit ("Cancer humor is like the Zen laugh; it's a way of gathering back forces, a means of breathing in absurdity, darkness, and pain and blowing them out in one great joyous guffaw."). You follow her journey from being meek and fearful to the kind of "kick-ass cancer patient" she comes to respect. This is a riveting book that will change your understanding of what it's like to be treated for--and live with--cancer. --Joan Price

Book Description

The Red Devil is a bold, wickedly funny tale of illness, joy, and the improbable triumph of love in the midst of despair.

When Katherine Russell Rich was thirty-two, a newly divorced, high-powered magazine editor living a glamorous life in New York City, her ten-year (and still counting) ordeal with cancer began. Soon she was bald, scrambled, and living in two worlds simultaneously: the world of the ill, filled with treatments, exhaustion, and doctors as focused on avoiding malpractice suits as on healing; and the "normal" world, where dating, career, vacations, and 401(k) plans still matter.

Alternately wise and wise-cracking, Rich serves up vignettes from the surreal world only the ill know: the MS patient who crashes her support group, the alternative practitioner whose gifts come from extraterrestrials, the doctor who fires her patient, dating while bald, working without a brain, and smoking with cancer. Here is a woman who has been brought to her knees by disease several times, only to get up and learn to dance, with grace, even.

Customer Reviews:

One of my top 3 BC books.......2007-05-17

This book keeps me sane when I start freaking out about my own lousy diagnosis. I first read about it in OPRAH magazine, and bought it after my Stage 3C diagnosis at age 45. Her strength and honesty, and spectacular fight with cancer have really helped me. When you have an advanced diagnosis, and are facing multiple surgeries, chemo, and rads, you don't want to read about some whiney Stage 1 chick who's getting a lumpectomy and rads.
This author goes through all the horrors of cancer treatment and multiple recurrances, with a sense of humor. I love this book!

A darkly humourous, truly striking take on cancer.......2006-12-01

Katherine Russel Rich's stirring memoir of her struggle with breast cancer takes the reader on a harrowing journey from the end of Rich's marriage in 1988 and her almost immediate discovery that she had cancer, through chemotherapy, to the discovery that her cancer had metastasized into her bones, and finally to her resolute remission and the reconstruction of her life. Rich, who was only 32 and living a fast, glamorous (booze, fatty food, and cigarette filled) life as a magazine editor in New York, was floored by the realization that she had cancer, and at first tried to downplay the terrible physical and psychological effects of her disease and treatment. Yet Rich finds that denial and isolation only make her chemotherapy more painful and exhausting, and that the wry wit she uses to fend off her feelings of hopelessness, victimhood, and dependency can only last so long.
Despite the way the author lays bare her emotions, this book is no made-for-T.V. movie or sappy Hallmark card. Rich is acerbic and analytical, looking back on her experience and pointing out both her triumphs and her failings. At 32 she considered herself far too young to develop cancer, and her doctors felt the same way. Some of the book's most powerful moments are those in which Rich realizes her doctor's failings--discouraging her from having a mammogram or a biopsy, failing to explain her disease in anything but technical jargon, rushing her into procedures without helping her determine what would actually be best for her. It is in these retrospective moments that Rich provides the most scientific, biological information about cancer; this is no textbook, but the explanations of the multicellular manifestations of cancer and the actions of chemotherapy drugs provide a stable background that would benefit anyone faced with Rich's diagnosis. Stronger still is Rich's candid description of the havoc and exhaustion wreaked by her chemotherapy cocktail. She spares no details, using vivid language to evoke her experience.
For me, this book gave cancer a face, one with which I could identify. While Rich's battle with cancer began the year I was born, and she was taking far more risks with her health than I do, I was affected by the testimony of an active, intellectual woman, unsettled and supposedly in the prime of life. Rich's use of dark humor and unflinching self-analysis, and her evasion of stick-sweet platitudes about her victory over the disease, make the book not only instructive, but at times even fun. This is not to say, of course, that cancer is funny--but by remaining human, instead of presenting herself as a heroic martyr, Rich made me like her as a whole person, not just a victim. This understanding allowed me to imagine myself in her place, and to wonder how I would fare, faced with the pain, tiredness, and deadliness of cancer.
Two of her experiences bear important messages for society: First, Rich found herself increasingly isolated once she began telling people she had cancer. Even though she continued working, she had very little contact with coworkers or former friends--only few, including her ex-husband, persevered with her. This isolation made her disease even more unbearable, and slowed her recovery, even dulling her will to live. Second, Rich did not make a full recovery. After being told she was "cured," her cancer reappeared, this time spread through seven sites in her bones. This not-quite success story shows us that cancer remains a mortal threat, and, conversely, that small victories--like Rich's survival beyond the single year projected for her--matter.

one of the best books on breast cancer I've read.......2005-01-19

I would recommend this book to anyone with breast cancer who enjoys reading other's story of breast cancer. It is well written, easy to read and hard to put down. If you don't like reading books that show the darker side of breast cancer and all that entails, then don't buy this book. Not only does this book show you the dark, miserable, lonely side of dealing with breast cancer, but gives you many examples of miracles, hope, humor and I laughed out loud at the ms patient who decided to join the breast cancer support group. Hilarous. I loved it because of the truthful way she portrayed this disease and it's impact on the woman, her mate, her family, work and work relationships, oncologists, the medical system in general etc. She has a wonderfully delightful way of writing her story. Would read anything else she publishes based on that fact alone.

Courageous.......2001-01-20

For a cancer survivor to record the whole nasty experience and not succumb to the fear that the words she writes will be her last is so courageous and selfless. They don't have to share, but they do. My mother-in-law is in her second remission from ovarian cancer. As a family member who so dearly loves her and wishes this evil cancer would be silenced, Kathy's novel is refreshing. I agree with the fact a cancer patient has to keep her head in the game. Trusting one doctor is foolish when you're gambling with your life. It's better to ask, then lose time. Loved it.

Touching and ironically humorous.......2000-11-27

I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in May of 2000; I am seventeen years old. Although this memoir deals with breast cancer, I still found it extremely helpful, funny, comforting, sad, etc. It illustrates the experience of cancer as not only harrowing, but as a learning experience. Ms. Rich attacks her disease with truth and strength. I recommend this book to ANYONE, involved with cancer or not.

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