The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party

Book Description

A gothic tale becomes all too shockingly real in this mesmerizing magnum opus by the acclaimed author of FEED.

It sounds like a fairy tale. He is a boy dressed in silks and white wigs and given the finest of classical educations. Raised by a group of rational philosophers known only by numbers, the boy and his mother — a princess in exile from a faraway land — are the only persons in their household assigned names. As the boy's regal mother, Cassiopeia, entertains the house scholars with her beauty and wit, young Octavian begins to question the purpose behind his guardians' fanatical studies. Only after he dares to open a forbidden door does he learn the hideous nature of their experiments — and his own chilling role in them. Set against the disquiet of Revolutionary Boston, M. T. Anderson's extraordinary novel takes place at a time when American Patriots rioted and battled to win liberty while African slaves were entreated to risk their lives for a freedom they would never claim. The first of two parts, this deeply provocative novel reimagines the past as an eerie place that has startling resonance for readers today.

Customer Reviews:

I am in awe.......2007-09-23

This book was profoundly disturbing to me on so many levels. At various points in the book, I almost had to put it down because I was so heartsick. (Before I begin my praise of this amazing work - I do have to ask...this is a work for young adults? Seriously?)

When I added this book to my list - I tagged it as Fiction and Science Fiction. When I started the book - I was sure I was reading some sort of Gothic, maybe post-apocalyptic cautionary tale. When I found out the book was set in pre-Revolutionary Boston - I was shocked.

Once I got over that...I was then shocked to find out that Octavian and his mother were slaves. I kept having to change my mindset as I went through the book...one of the reasons I think I was so affected by it. I was just starting to wrap my mind around the "knowledge for knowledge's sake - consequences be damned" philosophy of the "college" when the sickening reality of Octavian and his mother's imprisonment set in. The frills and finery were torn away to reveal the true inhumanity of their situation.

Again - this book was disturbing on so many levels. Was I more bothered by Octavian's defense mechanisms when confronted by despicable acts" "...after I saw the philosophers of this college acquire a docile child deprived of reason and speech...beat her to the point of gagging and swooning; after such experiments as these, I became most wondrous observant, and often stared unmoving at a wall for some hours together." (Reading that passage again turns my stomach.)

Or was I more disturbed by the complete lack of hope that permeates the book: "Do you feel it child?" he asked. "The wall is gone. Space is gone from behind us." I could feel nothing. "He said, "All that is there now is the eye of God." He shivered. "The pupil is black, and as large as a world." And later, "At long last, you may no longer distinguish what binds you from what is you."

Or was I most saddened by the hideous irony that the men who gave Octavian freedom of the mind were the ones that denied him the freedom of his body. "They gave me a tongue; and the stopped it up, so they would not have to hear it crying." And "...they told me of color, that it was an illusion of the eye, an event in the perceiver's mind, not in the object, they told me that color had no reality...And then they imprisoned me in darkness; and though there was no color there, I still was black, and they still were white; and for that, they bound and gagged me."

And I don't even have the words to address the powerful juxtaposition of the colonists struggle and cries for "Freedom from tyranny!" against the silent reality of slavery.

The way that Anderson phrases the most hideous of realities in the most matter of fact ways is by turns, startling and beautiful. It makes me think that there are no other ways these words could be put together - that the way they are set upon the page is the only way they can exist together.

"What have you observed?"

"The solidity of shackles. They increase the solidity of the body. When I walk free, I am not conscious of my solidity."

"Yes. Shackles, like all matter, are defined by resistance."

"Do not tell me," I said to them, "what is defined by resistance."

As I start into the above paragraph, I am observing as Octavian does. Then I am considering the truth of what he observes - that one does not FEEL freedom until one loses it. That it is difficult to experience a positive without knowing the negative. And then - with a killing blow - my eyes absorb that final sentence...and I feel ridiculous for not mourning Octavian's shackles with him...and then I feel a fierce admiration of his spirit and his refusal to accept shackles of the mind along with shackles of the body. All this - in under 50 words.

I am in awe.

This book made me feel like I do when watching movies like "Schindler's List" or "Saving Private Ryan". Every molecule in my body and soul rebels against the horror I am a witness to. All I can think about is turning my eyes away, making it stop, which is the one thing I am not allowed to do. These atrocities existed, they were real. Humans were and are capable of such evil, such cruelty, such viciousness. It is important to me that every once in a while, I remind myself of this. I am so incredibly lucky to have been born in the circumstances I was, and to have been given the privileges I have, and to have lived in the time an place I do. The least I can do is to acknowledge the pain of those who are not as lucky as I.

This book, like those movies, is one where the reader cannot put aside after finishing and think, "It was just a movie/book." These times and events were real. These things happened, even if details have been changed.

Octavian, and those real people he is representative of, experienced horrors I hope I never do. Horrors that most of our world would say happened in the past..and yet we all know are happening every day - somewhere, to someone. My soul aches for those who are robbed of their humanity by beings inhuman themselves.

Because I am who I am, I must end this review with a beautiful and tragic set of passages - mirror images of the same truth:

"I lifted up the first, blank, page, and surveyed those beneath, to see, as Bono quoth, what the man on the street was wearing. It was a catalogue of horrors. Page after page of Negroes in bridles, strapped to walls,...masks of iron with metal mouth bits...razored necklaces...collars of spikes that supported the head..."

"...Mr. Gitney burned Bono's fashion catallogue an hour later."

"Let us rid ourselves," he said, "of this noisome object."

"But I could not rid myself of it. It was the common property of us all."

Previous to this - there was one of the few glimmers of hope in the book:

"Music hath its land of origin; and yet it is also its own country, its own sovereign power, and all make take refuge there, and all, once settled, may claim it as their own, and all may meet there in amity; and these instruments, as surely as instruments of torture, belong to all of us."

Octavian and his story belongs to all of us. Though not as fully to those who experience such events in their lifetime...it belongs to those of us who must make sure that the realities contained within the fiction become less and less prevalent. We need these "noisome objects" today more than ever.

Any time I find myself feeling complacent about our world? I need only look at the cover of this book.

It doesn't matter how it ended.......2007-08-20

Okay... here's the deal, I love to read. I love to read good books. Our librarian, excuse me, media specialist whatever, at school suggested this book to me. "I don't have time to read it, and I need an opinion. It seems like something you would like. Take as much time as you need."
Believe me, I was extremely excited to read this book. It was different than anything I've ever really read before. So I took it on with great enthusiasm.
At first, I was very intrigued with Octavian and his situation. I really did think that the story was good. But only the story. I was so bored with the book, it seemed to drag on forever. Pages of writing, and I only needed a paragraph. But I persevered because it was so interesting, only bits at a time though, because I could only handle so much.
Then I talked with my friend Katie who was also reading this book. Pretty much in the same situation I was in only a little farther along in the book. She said it didn't get any better and gave up. And that's not like Katie, she reads A LOT and EVERYTHING so I was surprised. But I liked the story so I continued. Farther than Katie had read and farther than I wish I would have read. It never became worth it. NEVER! It sat in my locker for possibly two months because I was determined to finish it no matter how much I hated it. But in the end I couldn't do it. I had moved on to other books and I have trouble reading more than one novel at a time, if I really like one.

So in the end, I say you can try BUT if it doesn't satisfy you within the first couple chapters... don't put yourself through it.

Highly imaginative historical novel -- should be marketed to adults not teens.......2007-07-28

This is a well-written, well-plotted historical novel with an unusually imaginative premise. It takes place in the late 18th century.

I have no idea why it is marketed as a "teen" novel -- it is not a fantasy, nor is it light reading, and it has a number of very disturbing sequences. This is not to say that a well-read, intelligent teen with mature tastes would not enjoy the book -- but the book should be marketed to adults, who are far more likely to appreciate it.

I won't spoil the book by giving a synopsis -- it has a number of surprises, so I advise potential readers to read the book without too much foreknowledge.

I am very much looking forward to the sequel.

Challenge your perceptions.......2007-07-10

Octavian Nothing a historical fiction set in 18th century America illuminates society, politics, education, philosophy and science including a very controversial human experiment. I found it truly thought provoking and look forward to the sequel.

This is rated for grades 9 and up. The writing style and concepts are not lightweight by any means. I think adults will appreciate it as much as teens who are looking for challenging literature.

An Astonishing Novel/Puzzle.......2007-06-22

The bad news is, since you are reading this in the Customer Review section, you have probably read enough about the setting and plot of this excellent novel to have spoiled the carefully crafted setup chapters. (Fortunately, the book's dust jacket contains no spoilers.) One of the central themes follows the boy Octavian's process of solving the mystery of who he is and how he is being raised and, reflecting this process, M. T. Anderson skillfully constructs the opening so that the reader at first can't tell when or where the book takes place. Clues about the characters are gradually revealed, all true and all misleading - nothing is ever quite what it seems, and both the narrator and the reader navigate deeper and deeper levels of understanding as the story progresses.

I have no idea why this is reviewed and marketed as a young readers' book, except that (a) Anderson's prior books were YA, (b) the narrator is a boy, and (c) there is no explicit sex. Anyone who expects this to be delightful and engaging light reading for teenagers will be disappointed. This book is deep, clever, moving, darkly funny and fascinating. The Booklist comment "it demands rereading" is right - it's even better the second time through, because you can see how much foreshadowing there was, and how beautifully everything ties together.

Bamboozled: How Americans are being Exploited by the Lies of the Liberal Agenda

Average customer rating:

Loved It!
AN EXPOSE OF 'LIBERAL' DECEIT
The view from the conservative black versus the liberal blacks
Bamboozled: How Americans are being Exploited by the Lies of the Liberal Agenda
Information is true, clear and right-on!

Bamboozled: How Americans are being Exploited by the Lies of the Liberal Agenda
Angela McGlowan
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1595550909

Book Description

Hard-hitting and chock-full of original interviews with some of America's biggest political players and insiders, Angela McGlowan exposes liberals' 50 year

Customer Reviews:

Loved It!.......2007-08-12

A great read. It kept me entertained while also teaching me and making me realize alot of things about being caught up in a group-think type of society. Being a gay Hispanic I still knew there was more to think about other than just believing what i^ve been told to believe, Louie C

AN EXPOSE OF 'LIBERAL' DECEIT.......2007-07-22

In the genre, perhaps, of an Ann Coulter book, and with the courage to expose the deception of the Hard-Left, this book is a valuable attempt to expose some truth about folks who deal in deceit and deception. In THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR, a recent book by Tom Pauken that likely has not been read as widely as probably it should be, another author tries in another way to expose this same pattern of Hard-Left conduct, pointing out that there is an insiduous continuity to it spanning several decades of recent history. These two books, by authors McGlowan and Pauken, are presented as truth, in non-fiction genre, and the authors and their publishers have shown courage by telling this truth; but another book, presented as fact based fiction, tells more truth about the Hard-Left than either of these books, and reveals a clear and present danger to the well being of freedom and free institutions in America today. That book is entitled THE EMPRESS PROJECT, and it is a book so powerful that even well meaning authors and publishers like the ones who have produced the McGlowan and Pauken books, fear to tread on the ground plowed by its so-called "fictional" account. Readers who want to more fully understand the "Liberal Agenda" should read this book by Angela McGlowan. Readers who want to put the Hard-Lefties and their Liberal Agenda into a more complete historical context shuold read Mr. Pauken's fine book. And readers who want to be warned of a Hard-left plot to overtake America and turn out the lights of freedom and virtue need to read THE EMPRESS PROJECT. The Empress Project

The view from the conservative black versus the liberal blacks.......2007-07-16

I think this is a good read. I have no idea about the history of the parties. It is quite sad to see a lot of the African Americans are completely denied the history of their ancester. I did not know most of the African Americans are Republicans versus Democrats before the civil right movements.

I appaulled Angela who has the courage to say what is not popular amongst her own people. Maybe the African americans should look up to people like her, instead of Charles Barron and Al Sharpton, the race biators to improve their own life and their community.

I think her views are a bit too one sided, if she can pointed out more relevant events that the Republican has done for the African American, I will give her 5 stars

Bamboozled: How Americans are being Exploited by the Lies of the Liberal Agenda.......2007-05-31

Angela McGlowan has presented some referenced facts about the history of conservatism. Unfortunately, the avenues available to market and begin a national dialog are very limited. A great book that everyone should read and use as refernced to draw a point of view or position concerning our government the direction of this country.

Information is true, clear and right-on!.......2007-05-17

Having been born in North Florida in the 50's, having seen the racial turmoil, etc. and the daughter of Democrat parents I can absolutely confirm that the information in this book is very true. I've seen them in action.

I'm a Republican, gladly.

Ms. McGlowan is extremely articulate, and 'right-on' with her observations and information.

Check out the information for yourself Democrats . . . you may be surprised of your parties origins. Or, slightly embarassed.

Thanks Angela for putting the right stuff out there in black and white. No pun intended.

Take a look America at the Agenda of your parties. Then cast your personal vote for what is truly right and not slanted.

What A Party!: My Life Among Democrats: Presidents, Candidates, Donors, Activists, Alligators and Other Wild Animals

Average customer rating:

ADHD
Best non-fiction book I read this year
What a Blast
Democratic Money Man
A Brilliant Man's Journey

What A Party!: My Life Among Democrats: Presidents, Candidates, Donors, Activists, Alligators and Other Wild Animals
Terry McAuliffe , and Steve Kettmann
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312357877
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Book Description

“I thought I knew Terry McAuliffe as well as anyone, but this time he surprised even me. Who knew Terry could sit still long enough to give us a book this good? What a Party! is a must-read for all of us who love politics, believe in public service, and know that laughter is often the best survival strategy.”

—President Bill Clinton

“No one knows more about American politics than Terry McAuliffe. He gives
us some remarkable insights and knows how to make his accounts both humorous
and informative.”

—President Jimmy Carter

“I’ve often said Terry’s energy could light up a city, and readers of this book will know why. Terry’s excitement for politics—and life—is evident on every page.”

—Senator Hillary Clinton

For more than twenty-five years, Terry McAuliffe has been at the epicenter of American politics. Just out of Catholic University in Washington, Terry took a position with the Carter-Mondale campaign and quickly became one of the campaign’s chief fund-raisers—and hasn’t looked back since. The list of Terry´s former mentors, friends, and close associates in the nation’s capital reads like a who’s who of legendary Democrats: Tip O’Neill. Jimmy Carter. Dick Gephardt. Bill Clinton. Hillary Clinton. Al Gore. The list goes on and on. Terry has fought hard for the Democratic Party his entire life and, as Bill Clinton reveals here for the first time, he was the first one in the party to see opportunity in the Republican gains in the 1994 Congressional elections.
Without question the most successful fund-raiser in political history, Terry established himself as a heavyweight Democratic strategist and leader who was George W. Bush´s most vocal and persistent critic during the first four years of the Bush 43 presidency. He earned rave reviews even from former critics for his groundbreaking work as chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2001 to 2005, pulling the DNC out of debt for the first time in its history. Terry has served as a confidant and adviser to President Clinton and countless presidential candidates, a mediator among party leaders, the chairman of a national convention and presidential inaugural, and a forceful spokesman for the party—all without losing his reputation as a colorful, fun-loving character liked and respected even by his Republican adversaries.
What a Party! is a fascinating, hilarious, and provocative look at the life of one of Washington’s legendary figures. From wrestling an alligator to running the Democratic National Committee to his friendship with President Clinton, Terry McAuliffe’s wonderful memoir covers it all and is, without doubt, the political book of the year.

Customer Reviews:

ADHD.......2007-07-26

The first hundred pages of this book almost gave me whiplash. When he claims to be hyperactive, I totally agree, because he jumps from story to story with no seeming connection. But once Clinton takes office, I assume he had the daily logs to guide him, and things got a little more linear.

That said, I loved every page for its entertaining stories and enterprising spirit. This guy really made a difference.

Best non-fiction book I read this year.......2007-06-15

For those who want real insight to politics over the last 25 years, with plenty of humour, Mcauliffe's recent book is a must. Written not by an elected official or a psuedo-philosopher, but by someone who was in the thick of the action in raising money and advising President Clinton and others in the Democratic Party since the 80's "What A Party" is a great read. Incisive and downright funny at times it is the best non-fiction book I read this year and far and away the best political memoir/commentary I have ever read. When I started I was sorry I wasn't in it and when I finished I was jealous I didn't write it. Buy it!

What a Blast.......2007-05-14

Great summary of the politics of politics. I could not help laughing throughout and it was enjoyable and easy reading. A must for every loyal Democrat.

Democratic Money Man.......2007-04-28

An entertaining auto-biography from a self-made millionaire who raises millions for the democrats. He's proud, but down to earth. A close friend to Bill Clinton. He's now Hillary's campaign manager. If you are a big fan of George Bush Jr., you'll have a hard time getting through this book.

A Brilliant Man's Journey.......2007-03-28

I picked up this book with lots of curiosity. I saw McAuliffe on Book TV surrounded by an army of celebrities (including Clinton and Bill O Reilly - what a combination!!) and expected a "usual" memoir backed with celebrity endorsements. Damn I was wrong. This book was fun to read and it sailed like a cheesecake.

I immensely enjoyed Terry's delightful style of storytelling. The book moves with a supersonic pace and I was surprised how fast I finished it.

There can be no arguments about Terry's passion towards "his" party and it's pretty apparent throughout the book. But, this book is more than his commitments to Democratic Party. It's about a hardworking, honest and a brilliant man's journey towards success told in a simple style that will sure entertain you.

Great read. 5/5

N.Sivakumar
Author of "America Misunderstood: What a Second Bush Victory Meant to the Rest of the World".

America Misunderstood: What a Second Bush Victory Meant to the Rest of the World

The O'Reilly Factor: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ridiculous in American Life

Average customer rating:

we all love Bill Oreilly
keep writing Bill we love you :_)
Surprisely good for a conservative analysis.
Someone's Opinion. Good or Bad, Treat it as Such.
A book to share

The O'Reilly Factor: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ridiculous in American Life
Bill O'Reilly
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0767905296
Release Date: 2002-03-12

Amazon.com

The O'Reilly Factor isn't just the name of Bill O'Reilly's popular talk show on the Fox News Channel anymore--it's also the title of his book, which, appropriately enough, actually reads like a TV show. The narrative rarely proceeds for more than a few paragraphs before a bold-faced "This Just In" or "Bulletin" pops up on the page and breaks the stream of thought--sort of like a commercial interruption. This provides an ideal forum for O'Reilly to sound off on any number of topics with lots of verve but not too much depth. There are breezy chapters here on money, media, religion, race, and sex, among others. O'Reilly dislikes many things, and he isn't shy about sharing his opinions: "SUVs should be immediately outlawed," he rants. Here's O'Reilly on President Clinton: "What a ridiculous waste!" Attorney General Janet Reno is a "ridiculous, incompetent woman" and President Clinton's "primary 'enabler.'"

This is not a subtle book, and its bombastic approach would be even more grating if it weren't for several flashes of self-deprecation, such as when the author shares a negative piece of viewer mail, or when he writes, "In case you haven't noticed, I'm a cocky bastard." Sometimes O'Reilly's put-downs are creative and funny: "If God has a sense of humor, as I believe he does, [Al Sharpton and David Duke] will be sharing a sauna in the netherworld. With one thermostat." And he's good at illustrating his points with outrageous details. In criticizing the bloated federal budget, for instance, he points to these shockers: $230,000 for a study of housefly sex habits, $27,000 for an analysis of why prisoners want to escape, and $100,000 to find out why Americans don't like beets. (To which he replies: "Houseflies mate when no one is looking. Prisoners don't like prison. Beets don't taste good.") O'Reilly is often considered something of a conservative, but he can also play the blue-collar populist: "The rich want us to believe that anyone can make the quantum leap from bowling league to country club by just working a little harder. That's supposed to keep us motivated and quiet." Fans of his TV show will probably appreciate this cantankerous book. --John J. Miller

Book Description

The million-copy New York Times bestseller from the Fox News anchor who’s brought new excitement–and massive amounts of populist common sense and rock-solid honesty–to television news.

Now four seasons strong, Bill O’Reilly’s nightly cable news program, “The O’Reilly Factor,” is one of the hottest shows on the air. In book form, The O’Reilly Factor has sold over a million copies and spent fourteen weeks at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Obviously, Bill O'Reilly has made his mark. His blunt, ironic, no-holds-barred style has earned him a devoted audience–friends and foes alike–who send him five thousand letters every week. And with the wit and intelligence that have made him one of the most talked-about stars in both television and publishing, O’Reilly continues to identify what’s right, what’s wrong, and what’s absurd in the political, social, economic, and cultural life of America.

Download Description

The million-copy New York Times bestseller from the Fox News anchor who's brought new excitement—and massive amounts of populist common sense and rock-solid honesty—to television news.

Now four seasons strong, Bill O'Reilly's nightly cable news program, "The O'Reilly Factor," is one of the hottest shows on the air. In book form, The O'Reilly Factor has sold over a million copies and spent fourteen weeks at the top of the New York Times bestseller list.

Obviously, Bill O'Reilly has made his mark. His blunt, ironic, no-holds-barred style has earned him a devoted audience—friends and foes alike—who send him five thousand letters every week. And with the wit and intelligence that have made him one of the most talked-about stars in both television and publishing, O'Reilly continues to identify what's right, what's wrong, and what's absurd in the political, social, economic, and cultural life of America.

"A lot of people love Bill O'Reilly, you see. Then again, a lot of people would like to punch Bill O'Reilly in the nose. The joke's on them, though. Bill O'Reilly, this brash New York guy with a brash show and a brash book, is becoming a huge media star."
   NEW YORK OBSERVER

"He is a complicated man, at once belligerent and self-effacing, ambitious and determined to remain humble. He can be a loudmouth but also companionable. He is Everyman on a barstool, mad as hell, but with a wink."
   NEWSWEEK

"This book bristles with assumptions, assessments, and attitudes that will either have you bobbing your head in agreement or shaking it in disbelief. No wonder O'Reilly's ratings are rising the way the stocks once did."
   FORBES

"Personal anecdote meets political discourse in [The O'Reilly Factor] where O'Reilly is in a pure, heartfelt state. He's softhearted and enraged in equal measures. He's hard-driven and bemused by where his drive got him. He's the male sphinx as TV blabbermouth."
   JAMES ELLROY, GQ

Customer Reviews:

we all love Bill Oreilly.......2007-09-20

Mr Bill if you read these notes don't forget that we love you alot and thanks for looking out for us
thanks

keep writing Bill we love you :_).......2007-09-16

My grandmother read this book out loud to me and we really enjoyed itI had a glass of warm milk and her cookies and I want her to read it again to me.I want to be just like Bill someday.This book is fun and never boring too.

Surprisely good for a conservative analysis........2007-08-07

OK, so O'Reilly would not label himself a conservative. However, most people have lumped him into that category. I am not sure that in itself is correct. O'Reilly seems intelligent and moderate in many things a conservative would not be. For example, on gay pride, he states that he has nothing against being gay, but don't show your displeasure in goofy marches. Any sex should be kept in the bedroom. This shows the common sense of Bill O'Reilly as opposed the goofy opinions of some conservative commentators. Bill O'Reilly makes intelligent summations in this book that are hard to argue against.

This is an intelligent read for the politically minded. Although, I think O'Reilly has a big ego, his opinions are wise and bear the test of time.

Someone's Opinion. Good or Bad, Treat it as Such........2007-06-04

"Bill O'reilly's personal view of many things affecting our society" pretty much sums this up. The topics range from raising a child to the media as it affects our society. Much of what he writes are his personal views and opinions.

Whether you believe them or not this book is good to read just to become familiar with someone's opinion who regularly reports on the topics written about. Whatever your opinion of him (good or bad) reading a book like this has it's merits either way. If you believe the opinions, you have another reference. If you don't believe the opinions, you have a contrasting viewpoint for your arguments.

What you should NOT do is buy this book hoping to form an opinion for yourself just from his opinions and suddenly agree or disagree what he says without checking into it.

---*** THE BOTTOM LINE ***---
This book is someone's opinion. Treat it as such.
That being said, it is worthwhile to read and would be ideal to borrow, but worth purchasing as well.

A book to share.......2007-01-19

This is a book to share. "It's o.k that you don't know...but once you DO know, you have a responsibly to share the information"

The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life

Average customer rating:

The Hidden Agenda
Great legal, political, and philosophical analysis of a divisive issue
Shines some light on weak pro-choice logic
Provocative and Blunt - Death is the Important Word
TO LET BE, OR NOT TO LET BE: THAT IS THE QUESTION

The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life
Ramesh Ponnuru
Manufacturer: Regnery Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1596980044

Book Description

Abortion has been a polarizing issues for three decades. But today, the politics are changing fast. Public support for abortion-on-demand is dropping, while euthanasia and cloning have also become part of controversial debates. Political journalist Ramesh Ponnuru explains how these issues represent the creeping advance of the party of death - it wants to narrow the circle of human beings with a right to life by excluding the unborn, the seriously disabled - and maybe even infants. Ponnuru details how the party of death took over the Democratic party, and how it has corrupted the law, politics, and even the teaching of history. He also explains how figures such as Mario Cuomo, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Barbara Boxer have camouflaged the party of death's extremism - all with help from the media. But Ponnuru also has insight into a different political future, and closes by asking how America might look after Roe v. Wade is overturned. In an America that is turning away from abortion on demand, the Democrats may prove to be the last victims of the party of death.

Customer Reviews:

The Hidden Agenda.......2007-05-13

It was not many years ago that both major political parties tiptoed around abortion as a party platform, with both fearing to take a stand either way. However, beginning with the takeover of the Democratic Party by the Far Left, the full panoply of death on demand became the calling card of that party. In THE PARTY OF DEATH, Ramesh Ponnuru describes the current state of the Democrats as the ones who support the right of women to choose the death of their unborn child through abortion. As if abortion were not stringent enough, he details how a lack of concern for the fetus is but the stepping stone on the not so slippery slope that leads to areas allied with abortion: euthanasia and stem cell cloning.

Ponnuru traces the transformation of the Democratic Party as one that used to boast of such stalwarts as John Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, and Scoop Jackson to Ponnuru's aptly named Party of Death. Beginning with the nomination of George McGovern for President in 1972, the increasing secularization of the Left removed it from viewing society as one based on ethics shaped by law to one as law untouched by ethics. Ponnuru notes that this switch to death on demand was a gradual one with many democrats not even aware of what their leaders were planning. He further adds that none of this could have happened in a political isolation. What was needed was the willing connivance of the Supreme Court to incrementally alter the Constitution via creative interpretation so that Roe vs. Wade would become the inevitable result.

Ponnuru savages those who advocate late term abortion as the nearest thing to state sanctioned killing on a massive scale. No one has ever come close to defining exactly what a person is or when the fetus is sufficiently close enough to qualify as a sentient being with full Constitutional rights, but he makes it pretty clear that the current leaders of the Democratic Party do not concern themselves with such troubling thoughts. It is no surprise that allied issues like euthanasia are seen by democrats as yet another example of the de-valuing of human life for political gain. Ponnuru suggests that abortion probably will be a part of human life--however ugly or unwanted--for the foreseeable future, but if there is truly a moral line that distinguishes human beings who have some moral qualms about sucking out the brains of a fetus in a late term abortion from those who see absolutely nothing wrong with that, then his appellation of democrats as the Party of Death will be a most deserved one.

Great legal, political, and philosophical analysis of a divisive issue.......2007-01-12

The early fifth century saw the beginning of what historian Edward Gibbon would call the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Why would this empire, the greatest the world had ever seen, at one time stretching 1,000 miles, begin to show cracks? It had survived over a millennium, and had been an empire for four centuries. What was the problem?

Emperor Constantine had sanctioned Christianity a century earlier. Followers of the civic pagan gods increasingly blamed the demise on the Christianization of Rome. After all, it could hardly be a coincidence that the barbarians were at the gates soon after Rome had given up asking for protection from the pagan gods, right?

St. Augustine, hearing these fears and rumblings, decided to respond with his extended work that would come to be called De Civitate Dei (City of God). Augustine said, no, Christianity is not responsible for the fall of Rome. The civic pagan rites were flawed in their own right. And, even if Christianity was responsible for the impending fall of Rome, it would not matter. For, it is not Rome that we are to see as our salvation, but rather the Heavenly Kingdom promised by God.

There are two "cities," Augustine says, the City of God and the City of Man. The City of God includes all of the angels in Heaven, the souls of the virtuous people who have died and gone to Heaven, the faithful members of the Church who are still alive on earth, and, possibly, virtuous living humans who are not members of the Church. The City of Man includes the fallen angels, the souls of the wicked who have died, as well as wicked men and women still alive on earth. The City of God is not to be strictly identified with the Church, since there are baptized members of the Church who are not virtuous, and there may be people who are not members of the Church but are nonetheless virtuous. The City of Man is not to be seen as Rome, or any other particular human community, since there are citizens of Rome who are virtuous and are part of the City of God. We need to see Rome, and any other human society, Augustine says, for what it is: a city that we are citizens of, that we should work to make virtuous, but ultimately only a temporary home on our way to our heavenly reward. Work to make society better, while at the same time remembering our human existence on earth is not the be all and end all.

The Late Pope John Paul II coined the phrases "culture of life" and "culture of death" to describe those in our society who respect and protect human life versus those who, for whatever reason, deem some humans as inconveniences who can be disposed of for some `greater good.' To cut through the euphemisms, what the Pope meant was those who support or condone abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty (when other means of protecting society are available) are contributing to a `culture of death' that treats human life as below things such as pleasure or subjective happiness. Recently, author Ramesh Ponnuru wrote the attention grabbing title, Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life. The title is polemic, and it doesn't help that he has a blurb praising the book by Ann Coulter on the cover, but his writing and arguments are careful and reasoned. His two main theses points are as follows:

(1) Roe V. Wade was a poorly handed down case, constitutionally and ethically. People do not really understand what it says. In effect, it leaves abortion legal for all nine months; since it leaves it to the whim of the doctor to determine whether the fetus has a claim to life in the final two trimesters (what do you think an abortion doctor would say?). Further, our Constitution is silent on the issue of abortion, and implies nothing in any way or form about a right to terminate a pregnancy, despite all the talk about "penumbras." Would it not be better, Ponnuru argues, to let the legislatures deal with such a divisive issue than have a Supreme Court rule down from on high, with the authority of a Constitution that says nothing about a right to abortion? The fact that the issue was taken out of the hands of the people, unlike in European countries where national consensuses have formed giving some leeway to pro-life and pro-choice forces, leads to the divisiveness in our nation over the issue.

(2) The Democratic Party has largely become the abortion party, alienating its traditional bases of the working class, unions, Catholics, African-Americans, and others, by putting support for legal abortion as the number one objective of the party, the one issue among all issues that no Democrat with aspirations for high office can stray from orthodoxy. It's important to remember, though, just as Rome cannot be seen strictly as the City of Man, the Democrats cannot be strictly the Party of Death, since there are a number of Republican pro-choicers, and there are Democratic pro-lifers. But, the Democrats, sadly, have largely embraced the abortion cause.

Is Ponnuru right in painting the Democrats as the `Party of Death'? Wilfred McClay, writing on the First Things blog on August 21, 2006, does not "find much merit in the idea that there is a `party of death' at work in American politics." He sees it as a wrong formulation, for "our biotechnological enthusiasts are nothing if not partisans of life, infinitely extensible." It is based on the idea that each of us should be able to have complete mastery over our lives, and "manufacture a world [we] can live in without let or hindrance." But, we are not in complete control. We live in communities, where we have responsibilities to one another. We are called to care for the helpless, to, as Mother Theresa said, give until it hurts. As McClay explains:

Life is unfreezable, and complete independence is a sterile fantasy, inconsistent with our human nature. That nature speaks to us continuously of the organic interdependency of things, of a world churned and roiled by the endless process of aging and decay, and the miraculous generation of new life out of them--the ebb and flow of what the ancients called "generation and corruption." The recognition of these things, and the acceptance of our place in them, is precisely why we care for the infirm and the weak and the hopeless among us, rather than feed them to the sharks, particularly when they are flesh of our flesh, and we of theirs.

Rome may not in the strictest sense have been the City of Man, but its refusal to see past the idolatry of a glory of Rome in itself, without regard to the City of God, helped precipitate its final fall in 476 AD. More than just the Democratic Party, our culture, though not to be identified strictly with the Culture of Death, must make a decision on whether it is to increasingly view human life as a commodity or good unto itself, if it is not to endure the same fate as Rome.

Shines some light on weak pro-choice logic.......2007-01-05

The abortion debate is subtler than many people realize. Others do realize it, yet they want the whole ugly thing to go away. Then you have those who realize it and try to explain. Ramesh Ponnuru falls in the third camp, and we should be thankful for that. For the most part, the book is both crisp and clear. Some of the important points Ponnuru makes:

1. The pro-life argument can be made in a completely secular manner. The pro-life argument will work without faith in the Trinity, Krishna, Zeus, or any god for that matter.
2. Abortion is legal in the United States through nine months of pregnancy due to the broad language of the abortion laws.
3. A support of infanticide is difficult to separate from the pro-choice argument. i.e. see Peter Singer and other pro-choice academics.
4. Pro-lifers are winning the abortion argument via an incremental approach toward abortion law.

Though most of his work is focused on the lengths Democrats go to cater to the pro-choice ideology, to his credit Ponnuru criticizes Republicans as well as Democrats. If some Republicans rely on flimsy pro-choice arguments, they should be called out on it just the same. I would have given the book 5 stars, but I think one weak point is the essay format. What I mean is, the book is more like a collection of essays. The chapters are short and easy to read, but sometimes that's a disadvantage. At times, I would like a little less rambling about examples and a little more explanation of arguments. Examples can help illustrate a point, but they can also get a bit cumbersome at times.

Minus this minor criticism, I very much recommend the book. The light Ponnuru shines on the mostly weak pro-choice logic is worth the price. Some good history lessons are also included.

For a very in-depth secular pro-life argument, check out Patrick Lee's Abortion and Unborn Human Life. Randy Alcorn's Pro-life Answers to Pro-Choice Arguments is a good supplement. See Peter Singer's pro-choice arguments in Practical Ethics for some overview on the pro-choice argument (though Singer relies on some rather feeble consequentialist arguments).

Provocative and Blunt - Death is the Important Word.......2006-12-30

"The Party of Death" will unsettle those who lean towards or favor abortion, embryonic stem research, and/or euthanasia. Author Ramash Ponnuru, a senior editor at the National Review, writing with razor-edged moral acuity, skillfully debunks the excesses and hypocrisy of those promoting these as morally acceptable by scrupulously sticking to non-religious arguments.

Ponnuru begins his book by correcting several myths relating to the Supreme Court's Roe V. Wade decision - that it is a grand compromise between extremes, that the decision is more limited than it is, and that overturning Roe would criminalize all abortions. Ponnuru methodically demonstrates that these are not true.

Roe and its companion case, Doe v Bolton, make abortion on-demand a constitutional right up until moments before the birth. States may regulate abortion in the second and third trimester, says the court, but not if they run afoul of the mother's "health." This is not a compromise when the interpretation of a "mother's health" is understood. "Health," as Ponnuru shows, can mean anything under the elastic category of a woman's overall "well-being."

Ponnuru adds that the Supreme Court overreached and acted as a legislative body with the Roe decision. A point also eloquently made by former Senator John Danforth in his recent book, "Faith and Politics." Ponnuru notes that the public actually favors many restrictions on abortion and believes that the issue should be returned to the states where favored restrictions can be legislated.

"The Party of Death" moves from a detailed discussion of abortion to how the "culture of death" has been extrapolated and now threatens the elderly and disabled with weeding out the unfit, cloning, and euthanasia.

The hypocrisy of these positions was further amplified by Nathanael Blake, in his June 2006 column: "Why do so many ardently support such a morally and logically untenable position, even though it contradicts their own stated principles. Those distressed by the clubbing of baby seals don't mind the murder of the club-footed. Those who support extending legal protection to apes because their abilities resemble those of mentally disabled humans encourage the killing of mentally disabled humans in utero... People have been killing those who get in the way of the life they'd like for all of history. Even abortionists can be understood - those who will murder for money have long been among us."

The "Party of Death" is not the Democratic Party but rather those who continue to spawn a convenient cultural disregard for "human life." Unfortunately, for the Democratic Party, these people have made the Democratic Party their home and have made it synonymous with abortion and death.

Ponnuru's title is provocative. His book states bluntly what many people would rather couch in euphemism or, better yet, not say at all. Death is the important word. Ponnuru shows us how these choices, right or wrong, are a choice for death. And unfortunately, the debate, today, is over "what" is killed and who gets to decide.

This is a must read for anyone interested in the landscape which the "Culture Wars" are being fought and in the future of western society.

TO LET BE, OR NOT TO LET BE: THAT IS THE QUESTION.......2006-12-18

THE PARTY OF DEATH by Ramesh Ponnuru is quite possibly the most important book published thus far into "The Aughts" (the year 2000 through 2006). This book goes straight to the heart of its subject, abortion, with penetrating logic, powerful arguments, and probing theories. This is hardly a diatribe; rather it's reasoned fairly, but still a persuasive defense for Life, written from a purely secular position. This book deserves to be read and seriously contemplated by every single concerned adult, regardless of where they stand on this controversial and crucial issue. Are you pro-choice? See if your outlook can withstand Ponnuru's insight and contentions. If so, you will finish the book more informed about your opinion. And if not, you will find yourself driven into the Light of Truth by a nonreligious text.

Five questions:

1) Do you understand the great "misconception" about the Roe v. Wade ruling, and why it leaves the United States alone among its peers in offering no legal protection to the unborn at any stage of development?

2) Did you know that when defenders of the Nebraska ban on partial-birth abortion cited the fact that no medical schools taught it as evidence for the claim that it had little medical value, some major medical schools began teaching it in time to affect the litigation?

3) Are you aware that the much ballyhooed claim that the 1973 Roe decision was necessary to save the lives of women who were dying in large numbers due to illegal abortions is utter nonsense? The Centers for Disease Control reported that 39 women died from illegal abortions in 1972, while 24 women died that same year from the legal variety.

4) Would you like to know how an offhand remark about the music group, The Beach Boys, was instrumental in transforming NORMA McCORVEY (the REAL name of "Jane Roe" of Roe v. Wade fame) from an abortion clinic employee into a dedicated antiabortion protester and dogged proponent of a Roe v. Wade ruling reversal?

5) In 1984, Dr. Bernard Nathanson (himself an occasional abortionist at the time) asked his friend, Jay, another doctor, who was then performing 15 to 20 abortions daily, to tape his next operation with an ultrasound device. Dr. Jay did so, and what he saw during the playback in the editing studio later, left him so unnerved that he never performed another abortion. Does this tell you anything?

A November 2004 poll found that 55% of the public thought abortion should either be illegal altogether or illegal with only rape, incest, and for saving-the-life-of-the-mother exceptions. 31% thought it should be legal for any reason but only during the first trimester. Only 9% felt that abortion should be legal for any reason at any time. So, why has the federal government agreed to enforce a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a social issue that only 9% of the population concurs with? (And if you think I've misrepresented the ramifications of the Roe v. Wade decision, then you should certainly have answered "No" to question number one above!)

In THE PARTY OF DEATH, Ramesh Ponnuru also illustrates with fine diamond clarity the interrelatedness of abortion, embryo destruction, and euthanasia, and how the slippery slope of the first two will logically and inevitably lead to a snowball effect concerning the last, and subsequently, a severe degrading of society's regard for life in general. Ponnuru's writing style did not especially appeal to me, and I wish he had spent a little more time detailing the physiological reactions to CHEMICAL birth control forms, so readers would better understand why these are considered abortifacients by pro-Lifers such as myself. [For additional information on this point, see THE FACTS ABOUT ABORTION (AMERICAN LIFE LEAGUE'S LIFE GUIDE SERIES).] Regardless, Ponnuru's mental acuity and scalpel-sharp theoretical comparisons makes THE PARTY OF DEATH a true "must-read" publication.

Many years ago, an 18-year-old girl calling herself "TOO YOUNG IN LAS VEGAS" wrote a letter to Dear Abby. She told how she had become pregnant as a result of being raped (a very rare occurrence, by the way). But TOO YOUNG gave birth to the baby anyway and then put the boy up for adoption. Three years later, she was still wearing around her neck, a locket containing a photograph of her son. I saved that article because I thought then (and still do) that this was the greatest example of following Saint Paul's exhortation, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21) I will always love that woman, whoever she is, for her brave, bold, life-affirming and evil-conquering act! If only we all had the spiritual sight of TOO YOUNG and could equally see the glory behind the grime.

In THE PARTY OF DEATH, Ramesh Ponnuru effectively dismantles the myth that colonial America did not consider abortion to be a common law crime. And in The Declaration Of Independence, this country's establishing document, our Founders wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Now, what part of "Life" doesn't America understand?

Team Challenges: 170+ Group Activities to Build Cooperation, Communication, and Creativity

Average customer rating:

fun team challenges
A wide variety of great ideas.
3 activities with 1001 variations
From the Creativity Editor at BellaOnline.com
Must have! Wish I'd had it years ago!

Team Challenges: 170+ Group Activities to Build Cooperation, Communication, and Creativity
Kris Bordessa
Manufacturer: Zephyr Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Creativity & Genius | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Family Activities | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1569762015

Book Description

Team Challenges promotes effective communication skills and teamwork. Designed to offer teachers, facilitators, and parents a wide variety of activities to cultivate children's problem-solving skills while fostering cooperation between group members, the activities in the book utilize common household items and recycled materials, and require no more than 10 minutes, start to finish. Presented with a challenge from this book, kids work cooperatively to solve open ended problems which can incorporate structure building, improvisation skills and physical tasks. The challenges will teach children to experiment with building methods, discover new uses for everyday items, try on new personas, and express themselves as they work together toward a successful solution. Team members are required to think outside the box, communicate clearly, and cooperate with each other in order to complete each task.

Activities include building structures from materials such as index cards, drinking straws, paper clips and sticky dots; moving items from one location to another without directly touching them; or presenting a skit portraying their solution to a hypothetical dilemma. Children will learn not only from each other, but also from observing how other teams navigate each task.

Pass some creative problem solving skills on to the kids (and adults!) in your life with the fun activities you'll find in Team Challenges. Adults who work with children will find this to be a great addition to their repertoire.

Ever found yourself with five extra minutes to spare, but nothing to discuss in that short amount of time? Turn to Chapter Five, and you'll find questions such as these:

*Name things that you carry on your back (a backpack, a baby, a monkey)
*Name things that you take out (garbage, Chinese food, an opponent)
*List things that are printed (newspapers, the alphabet, T-shirts)

Need a simple activity to occupy the kids and encourage them to work cooperatively? Challenge them to one of the Tiny Tasks, found in Chapter Four:

*Build a structure as tall as possible using 5 marshmallows and 10 drinking straws
*Create a bridge that will span 18" using 3 sticky notes and 10 cotton balls
*Create a continuous line as long as possible using 1 envelope and 5 recycled bottle caps

More detailed challenges are found in subsequent chapters.

Customer Reviews:

fun team challenges.......2007-08-14

I am a Destination Imagination team manager who is looking forward to getting my kids working on these team challenges. There are a variety of challenges in this book that are easy to prepare and set up for but they look fun, interesting and challenging. They are sure to make my kids brains work! Book contains good tips too!

A wide variety of great ideas. .......2006-12-16

This book offers all kinds of great activities that will help foster cooperation, communication and creativity within whatever group of people you're using it for. The tasks range from mental activities to physical ones and are easy to understand, fun to execute and can be completed with objects that you usually have around the house. The book is a great tool for your own children, birthday parties, classrooms and it's also a perfect teacher gift!

3 activities with 1001 variations.......2006-11-23

Essentially, this is a book for people with little-to-no experience with group games or team building. All of the activities listed were ones I already knew, and the large number in the title comes from the number of variations for each of 3 activities: building things out of everyday items (see how high you can build a tower with the given items), common physical challenges (get the group from one side of the room to another using various props), and improv/word games. If you have a small imagination and very limited knowlegde of common team building activities, you might like this book, but if you're already in the field and looking for a book of new ideas, keep on looking. This isn't it.

From the Creativity Editor at BellaOnline.com.......2006-05-11

Team Challenges is a resource book packed with ideas and activities for encouraging and developing children?s creativity, lateral thinking, and communication skills.

It's easy to see how these challenges could help to develop a child's confidence as well as exposing children to career and skill development options. Solutions are not necessarily guaranteed and children can be encouraged to continue thinking a problem through when the time is up and to present further ideas later, or even try the task again.

The challenges in this book emphasise creative and imaginative thinking and I'm very impressed with the author's ideas.

Must have! Wish I'd had it years ago!.......2005-12-21

We're a homeschooling family, and have started using this book in our co-op. It's so amazing to watch the idea of "team" unfold as we go along. This book is fantastic, so well organized and well written, and full of so many different ideas, you're bound to find something unique that works for every personality. We've participated in Oddessey of the Mind in the past, and I think this book should be on every group leader's book shelf. If you like helping kids and adults learn to work together, this book will take you to new levels of cooperation, and will likely teach you more about yourself than you ever thought possible.

Party Europe, Second Edition (Now This Is Life)

Average customer rating:

COVERS THE MAIN TOURIST DESTINATIONS
Very few cities listed in this book
Just what my trip to Europe needed!
American guide looking for American places in Europe
PARTY and EUROPE are now synonymous thanks to this guidebook!

Party Europe, Second Edition (Now This Is Life)
PartyEarth LLC
Manufacturer: PartyEarth, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Travel Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0976112019

Product Description

Back by popular demand, the 2nd Edition to the initial 2005 guide, Party Europe is still the perfect supplement to traditional guidebooks, It pages are packed with over 600 reviews of fun and social, day and night activities in the 14 hottest European destinations. The unique manner in which it is written enables young travelers to customize reviews to match their own definition of fun in order to maximize every moment of their time abroad. For those with a more limited travel scope, check out Party Italy, Party Spain, Party London & Paris, and of course Party Amsterdam & Germany.

Customer Reviews:

COVERS THE MAIN TOURIST DESTINATIONS.......2007-06-27

An excellent resource.

One caveat: this book does not cover areas outside the most popular tourist destinations [but by inference it does provide what one may want to look for in those locales].

Combine this with a good general Europe guide [we highly recommend Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door 2007] and give them a read BEFORE your departure and you will be doing yourself and your travel party a great service.

Very few cities listed in this book.......2007-06-27

The book has detailed information for Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Capri, Florence, Ibiza, London, Madrid, Munich, Pamplona & the Running of the Bulls, Paris, The Rivieras, Rome, Venice but that is it. If you are going to alot of these places, this book will probably benefit you, but this is my third trip to Europe and I'm going to different cities not listed in this book, so it's completely not helpful. It's also kind of hard to follow and understand, picking 4 different types of travelers that you have to relate to, and not one of us on our trip did... Like I said, if you are going to many of these cities, it may be useful, but I highly recommend Let's Go Europe 2007. It was actually cheaper, includes every one of countries in Europe and I have yet to find a city it doesn't cover with very detailed info. and just as much or more of the party information found in Party Europe, written much better and easier to understand.

Just what my trip to Europe needed!.......2007-05-24

I just got back from a semester abroad in Florence, Italy, and I was so glad I brought this book. It had great suggestions of all types of places to go out at night. The best part was that it gave a list of the "Hotspots" for every night of the week. This was helpful because it automatically clued you in on what places would be packed that night, even if you didn't know a single person in the city. If you plan on partying in Europe, this guide will tell you everything you could ever wish to know.

American guide looking for American places in Europe.......2007-05-18

I stayed in Prague, Paris, Madrid, Barcelone, Rome, London and Amsterdam. It was totally useless.
If you are from a party country like Argentina or South America, or your are looking for places where local goes, this is not your guide.
I know it is difficult to make a guide because places changes all the time, BUT I think this guide only looks for places that you can find in USA.

It did not work for me...
Of course, it is usefull to have a book with all the party places, but, on the road, just ask the guy of the hotel/hostel...or better...be social with the locals man!

PARTY and EUROPE are now synonymous thanks to this guidebook!.......2007-04-12

My brother bought this book for me before i left for europe in March and I didn't think I would use it...but then i opened it and realized how much of a wealth of social knowledge it contains. i don't think i would have had half as much fun without it. my favorite parts about it are the 4 different types of characters (i personally related to Tucker), the prices and the dress codes.

Big Birthdays: The Party Planner Celebrates Life's Milestones

Average customer rating:

Big Birthdays - What a Party!
Happy Birthday to Me
A focus on 'milestone' birthdays from one to one hundred
a MUST read
Highly Recommended

Big Birthdays: The Party Planner Celebrates Life's Milestones
David Tutera , Charles Maring , and Jennifer Maring
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Special Occasions | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Party Planning | Special Occasions | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Etiquette | Reference | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 082126172X

Book Description

Lifestyle expert David Tutera offers practical tips from his television show for throwing extraordinary yet easy and affordable birthday parties for all ages. David Tutera is a highly regarded event designer whose clients have included Jennifer Lopez, Elton John, Barbara Walters, and the Rolling Stones. He is also the host of the Discovery Channels hit one-hour show, the Party Planner with David Tutera, in which Tutera lends his expertise on how to throw unforgettable birthday parties on everyday budgets. Each chapter of BIG BIRTHDAYS covers a party by focusing on the look, the scent, the touch, the taste, and the sound of the celebration. There is a party for every milestone from age 1 through 100, including a father/son fishing party for a 5-year-old, a turning-over-a-new-leaf party for a 40th birthday, and a safari send-off for a 65th birthday. The parties are set in a variety of indoor and outdoor locations, such as a nightclub and an apple orchard. Featured are food menus, cocktail recipes, how-tos for simple projects, and 100 Tutera Tips for dcor, invitations, entertainment, place cards, table settings, floral arrangements, and party favors. Tutera brings a fresh, original twist to birthday parties while honoring individual tastes and personal touches.

Customer Reviews:

Big Birthdays - What a Party!.......2007-09-17

Love this book. David is so talented, so creative and so over the top. I love how he shares his details, the how-tos. The photos are amazing. I want a party like these!

Happy Birthday to Me.......2007-05-07

Really fun Birthday ideas. I especially liked the African safari party for the retired man going on an African safari. He had really creative ideas for making an African theme that didn't really have anything to do with Africa but still came together to form this perfect ambiance.

A focus on 'milestone' birthdays from one to one hundred .......2006-07-29

BIG BIRTHDAYS: THE PARTY PLANNER CELEBRATES LIFE'S MILESTONES isn't just another birthday book for parents: it's a focus on 'milestone' birthdays from one to one hundred and provides a party planner's experience gained from planning such for famous stars and personalities. You may recognize him from his TV appearances: a fair for elegance, humor, and design lend to a party planner that pairs delicious food recipes with decorating tips. Color photos throughout capture the finished products and excitement of his approach.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

a MUST read.......2006-06-22

Having a summer birthday has never been much fun, it somehow always goes uncelebrated. This year I was inspired to throw my own festivities. What was supposed to be a quick search for party ideas turned into a total body experience after delving into David Tutera's book Big Birthdays. In his book he executed and fabulously captured five birthday parties exploring the five senses (look, scent, texture, sound and taste) through each event. His tips ('Tutera Tips') were the most helpful; it was almost as if he could hear my questions and answer my thoughts concerning each party scenario. After my celebration they will have to reprint the book, Tutera's ideas were truly an inspiration. This book is a must-have for any status of event planner.

Highly Recommended.......2006-06-20

This year my grandmother ceebrated her 80th birthday, and with that, I wanted to surprise her with an elgant dinner party for some of her closest family and friends. Having never embarked on such a thing before, I set out to Amazon to find a book that would help me from beginning to end. David Tutera's latest book, Big Birthdays, gave me many great ideas. I immediately fell in love with the sophisticated White-On-White dinner party. The instructions and focus on details allowed me to easily recreate the atmosphere and ultimately throw a spectacular party!! I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to host such an event and will definately look to David Tutera in the future for inspiration for another great get together!

Average customer rating:

Wonderful book
Will make you laugh, but also think!
Loretta will always make you laugh at and with yourself
Not much beyond the cute title
Cute title story is too little for most.

Life Is Short, Wear Your Party Pants
Loretta LaRoche
Manufacturer: Hay House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Personal Transformation | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1401901492

Book Description

Loretta La Roche has helped millions of people find ways to lighten up and overcome stress. Now, in Life Is ShortâWear Your Party Pants, she gives you the tools you need to not only reduce feelings of tension, but also to bring joy, passion, and gusto into your life. Her techniques are a brilliant blend of old-world common sense and the most contemporary research in brain chemistry, psychology, and mind-body studies. Loretta gives you dozens of proven techniques for recognizing the ten simple truths that will lead you to an intense, happy, successful life: resilience, living in the moment, optimism, acceptance, humor, creativity, moderation, responsibility, meaning, and connection.
Loretta’s wisdom evolved from her own lifeâone filled with the demands of being a single mother of three; of starting her own business when she was broke; and of the wacky invasiveness of her Italian family. She’s like all of us: real, flawed, stressed out, and on edge. Her magic comes from an ability to not take herself too seriously, and to always shift her focus away from the self-destructive and toward the truly important things in life.
In her work, Loretta has seen tens of thousands of people who live their lives as if they’re sitting in a waiting room, hoping that their turn comes up next. This book will show you that life is not something to be endured, but is something to be truly appreciated. We need to remember how to access our inner abundance, which allows us to be heart-centered, joy-filled human beings.
As Loretta says: âYesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a giftâthat’s why they call it the present.â

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful book.......2006-07-25

I would highly recommend this book...practical, inspiring and funny. Loretta helps you appreciate life!

Will make you laugh, but also think!.......2005-09-27

I've liked seeing Loretta LaRoche on various PBS specials, but until
now, had never read anything by her . . . what a shame!

LIFE IS SHORT, WEAR YOUR PARTY PANTS made me laugh, but it also got me to think about the fact that things such
as party pants shouldn't be saved for later--they should be enjoyed now.

LaRoche, a stress management consultant, presents such ideas
in a humorous, easy-to-apply fashion . . . such as this one:
keep a joy journal . . . she notes that, "Keeping a joy journal
will help you maintain a feeling of elation, the sense that you're
searing with the eagles instead of scratching in the dirt with the
turkey."

As to what to put down in such a journal, she suggests that
you try some of these ideas to move you in the right direction:

1. Think of people who have really made a positive difference
in your life.

2. List three of four things that you do well.

3. Write down at least five things that you like about yourself.

4. Think of a time in which you had so much love in your heart
that you thought it would burst.

5. Think of some of the favorite physical activities you enjoyed as a child
(swimming, jumping rope, roller skating?). List them, and think about ways
you might do them again.

6. Think of five qualities you adore in your partner or spouse.
Write them down, and tell him or her about them.

7. Think back to a time when you felt supported while going
through a challenge. How did this feel, in detail?

8. Remember three time when you felt inner peace and serenity.
Can you capture that feeling? Where were you? Why were
you feeling so good?

9. Think of someone you might forgive, and how doing so might
change your life.

10. Whom do you laugh with the most? Remember a time when
you laughed so hard you thought you'd fall over.

And laugh is what you'll do when you think of this one other
technique advocated by LaRoche . . . she says, "Don't
indulge yourself, but don't deny yourself either. It's unhealthy to
eat mounds of lasagna every day, but it's just as unhealthy
to want it and never allow yourself the pleasure of having some.
One of my favorite lines is 'Just have lasagna and shut up!' "

Thanks, Loretta . . . methinks I'll do that now; i.e., stop
writing this review now and start eating some ice cream
instead . . . I'll even be quiet when I do so.

Loretta will always make you laugh at and with yourself.......2005-02-01

Life is Short: Wear Your Party Pants by Loretta LaRoche is as delightfully funny as she herself is in her speaking engagements all over the country. Loretta learned early in her painful childhood to be the clown in the family to boost the spirits of the rest of the family members. Learning to deal with her own problems in a healthy way through laughter, she became an expert in helping others with her Ten Simple Thruths That Lead To An Amazing Life. These truths include resilience, living in the moment, optimism, acceptance, humor, creativity, moderation, responsibility, meaning, and connection. In each chapter she gives fun and resourceful ways to learn how to handle life using these great tools, with laughter being the key ingredient that helps relieve stress. You'll laugh at her and with her and at yourself as you read and practice her simple truths. And life WILL grow less stressful and lots more fun as you learn from her that when you turn your patter of being "stressed" around you get wonderful "desserts!"

Not much beyond the cute title.......2005-01-05

The cover of this book declares that you'll learn "Ten Simple Truths That Lead To an Amazing Life." If your idea of an amazing life can be distilled to "eat, drink, and be merry," then perhaps you'll see value in the sophomoric platitudes that abound in this book. Alfred E. Neuman, of Mad Magazine, with his declaration of "What, me? Worry?" provides a pithier statement of the philosophy proposed by Ms. LaRoche. If you're looking for some deeper meaning to life, to success, to accomplishment, you'd be much better served by reading Napoleon Hill, Anthony Robbins, Dr. Covey, Denis Waitley, or Brian Tracey.

Cute title story is too little for most........2004-12-31

If the book's title and the story behind the title were typed on one sheet of paper, you could post it and read it often to remind yourself that life is short, so live every day. For a few of us, that is how shallow most of our problems really are and therefore we probably do not need this book, just that one story. For many, however, their problems are real, their stress is real, and they are looking for real answers to help them live every day. Unfortunately, they will not find them in this book. Little depth and even less understanding or acknowledement of the real pain in people's lives leaves a "cutesy" book but not much help.

Happy Birthday, SpongeBob! (Spongebob Squarepants Ready-to-Read)

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Happy Birthday, SpongeBob! (Spongebob Squarepants Ready-to-Read)
J-P Chanda
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689876742

Book Description

Today is SpongeBob's Birthday! But where are the balloons, the cake, and

his gifts?

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