Basket Case

Amazon.com

Take one dead rock & roll star, his Courtney Love-type widow, the mysterious deaths of his former bandmates, and the lost tracks of a comeback album. Stir in Jack Tagger, a middle-aged investigative reporter obsessed with death since his banishment to the obit desk; a fetching young editor with a yen for our hero; and a boss looking for a reason to fire him. Put them in the hands of a master like Carl Hiaasen, who adds his trademark flourishes (who else would use a frozen lizard as a weapon?) to a creaky plot like this one, and the result is a winner. Florida is full of caper writers with journalistic credentials, and plenty of them have a deft hand with quirky characters, but no one in the genre is better than Hiaasen. --Jane Adams

Book Description

Take one dead rock roll star, his Courtney Love-type widow, themysterious deaths of his former bandmates, and the lost tracks of a comebackalbum. Stir in Jack Tagger, a middle-aged investigative reporter obsessed withdeath since his banishment to the obit desk; a fetching young editor with a yenfor our hero; and a boss looking for a reason to fire him. Put them in the handsof a master like Carl Hiaasen, who adds his trademark flourishes (who else woulduse a frozen lizard as a weapon?) to a creaky plot like this one, and the resultis a winner. Florida is full of caper writers with journalistic credentials, andplenty of them have a deft hand with quirky characters, but no one in the genreis better than Hiaasen. --Jane Adams

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Once a hotshot investigative reporter, Jack Tagger now bangs outobituaries for a South Florida daily, "plotting to resurrect mynewspaper career by yoking my byline to some famous stiff." Jimmy Stoma,the infamous front man of Jimmy and the Slut Puppies, dead in afishy-smelling scuba "accident," might be the stiff of Jack's dreams --if only he can figure out what happened.

Standing in the way are (among others) his ambitious young editor, whohasn't yet fired anyone but plans to "break her cherry" on Jack; therock star's pop-singer widow, who's using the occasion of her husband'sdeath to re-launch her own career; and the soulless, profit-hungry ownerof the newspaper, whom Jack once publicly humiliated at a stockholders'meeting.

With clues from the dead rock singer's music, Jack ultimately unravelsJimmy Stoma's strange fate -- in a hilariously hard-won triumph formuckraking journalism, and for the death-obsessed obituary writer himself.

"Always be halfway prepared" is Jack Tagger's motto -- and it's morethan enough to guarantee a wickedly funny, brilliantly entertainingnovel from Carl Hiaasen.

Customer Reviews:

Still on the way down.......2007-09-26

For me, Hiaasen's work has gone downhill steadily from the awesome standards he set with Tourist Season and Double Whammy. I still very much liked Skin Tight and Native Tongue, even Striptease had its moments, but from then on I got the feeling that even the author wasn't really enjoying himself. Lucky You was pretty silly, Stormy Weather and Sick Puppy a pair of interchangeable bores, so with Basket Case he has made an effort to freshen things up by adopting the first-person, present-tense approach. Nah. Didn't work. You get the feeling he signed a lucrative 10-book deal with his publisher and is cranking them out so he can go do something else which he enjoys.

Every bit as good as his other ones.......2007-07-15

I think everyone has missed the boat about Carl Hiaasen.

Why does Carl write these books?
Because he can - sure.
Because he can use the money - well, natch.

But also, I believe, because he really, seriously wants to alert the country to some important things he believes in. And his particular talent - writing wonderfully readable thrillers loaded with comedy - is a way to reach the public. Or at least those members of it who read...a somewhat diminishing crowd.

So the reviewers who complain about the environmental emphasis in many books are missing the point. It MATTERS to Carl.

And that means that "Basket Case" is not really different from his other books. It's just in support of a different cause. It's a voice - alas, somewhat in the desert - crying out against the ghastly combination of power freaks, greed maniacs, and bean-counters who are trashing what was once a magnificent fourth estate.

Read "Basket Case" and enjoy -just don't discount the ferocity of the protests against today's evil media moguls. Whether alerting people across the nation to what is going on will enable anything to change, I don't know, but I wish the cause every success. Unfortunately, things have been getting worse,not better, since he wrote "Basket Case."

Hey, what about the book itself? Is it a great read?

Is it ever!

Let me just tempt you with a few snippets. The story is outlined in plenty of other reviews. Here are a few tiny tastes of the laconic humor that jumps off almost every page.

Jack. the reporter, is hoping to get a prosecutor, Rick Tarkington, involved in the case involving the suspicous death of a former rock star. "I had hoped it would work in my favor that the prosecutor is a rock'n roller. On the wall behind his desk is a photo of the Rolling Stones taken backstage at the Orange Bowl. The picture is signed: "To R.T., Thanks for not searching my dressing room. Keith."

Jack - or maybe Carl - doesn't care for some chain restaurants. "From the pancake house I drive directly to the county morgue. The contrast in ambience is not especially striking."

A quick one for baseball fans:
"He grabs a beer for himself and sits down in one of the matching faded armchairs. "The Marlins are playing," he says.
"That's a matter of opinion."

On GPS:
"The only drawback of this astounding technology is that it allows virtually any knucklehead to blunder into the deepest wilderness, with little or no chance of getting lost. So much for natural selection."

Or the hilarious vision:
Carla, young daughter of Jacks' previous major flame and a sympathetic buddy to Jack:
"I'm thinking of having my tongue pierced."
"Stop right there." I raise both hands.
"All I want to know is, would it make a difference in the b.j. department? My girlfriend Rae, she says the guys go crazy. She's got a half-carat ruby on a platinum post."
"And that doesn't interfere with her tuba lessons?"

Another good read by Hiaasen.......2006-11-20

This is yet another wacky crime comedy by Carl Hiaasen. The setting is of course South Florida but this time we don't get lectured about the environment but in it's place, the lament of the death of city newspapers. Of course you would expect this since Hiaasen is a newspaper journalist. Ignoring this aspect of the story, there still is much to like in the wacky brand of story telling authored by Hiaasen. We have a burglar beat up by a dead animal stored in the freezer, a Courtney Love type of widow who flashes in her video on MTV, an old rock band, the slush puppies, who are getting killed one by one. Overall it's an entertaining read with just the right amount of comedy to temper the serious pursuit of the bad guy and of course a love interest of the protaganist, Jack. Somewhere in there is the evil corporate raider who buys up newspapers and turns them into fluff with stories, graphics and entertainment in the genre of USA Today or Fox news. This has nothing to do with the main story but is this book's lecture by Hiaasen as a substitute for his usual lecture about the environment. Overall, I liked this book.

A second tier Hiaasen novel........2006-08-23

Missing from Basket Case is the author's well known outrage over the ruination of Florida's natural environment by commercial interests. Some readers might see that as a refreshing change of pace while others might be sorely disappointed.
The name of the novel's protagonist and first person narrator is Jack Tagger. Jack is a newspaperman who at one time was a top flight investigative reporter. Unfortunately, his career has taken a turn for the worse and now he has been demoted to the lowly position of obituary writer.
Basket Case's shaggy dog of a plot revolves around Jack's investigation of the drowning death of an ex-rocker known as Jimmy Stoma formerly of Jimmy Stoma and the [..] Puppies.
Carl Hiaasen has filled this comic novel with lots of cynically funny dialogue and some very outrageous situations. On the receiving end of much of Hiaasen's barbed humor are the music industry and the sad state of certain newspapers.
Though entertaining Basket Case does not quite rise to the level of the author's best work. A good satiric novel, not a great one.

Loved it.......2006-05-08

This book was one of the funniest that I have read in a long time. Carl hasn't let me down yet, i got hooked on his books arter reading skinny dip. This deffinatly was not a hard read but it was VERY entertaing. I would recomend this book to any one looking to have some laughs and kill some time. Later on this book becomes a real page turner and you dont want to put it down. I loved this book.

Average customer rating:

Very enjoyable mystery
Amusing and irreverent
Hiaasen Is A Fun, Breezy, Adult Summer Read
Deliciously funny
Hysterical Novel Filled With Witty Banter!

Basket Case
Carl Hiaasen
Manufacturer: Mysterious Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0446695645

Book Description

Once a hotshot investigative reporter, Jack Tagger now bangs out obituaries for a South Florida daily, "plotting to resurrect my career by yoking my byline to some famous stiff." Jimmy Stoma, the infamous front man for Jimmy and the Slut Puppies, dead in a fishy-smelling scuba "accident" may be just the stiff Jack needs-if only he can figure out what happened. Standing in the way are (among others) an editor who wants Jack to "break her cherry," Stoma's ambitious pop-singer widow, and the soulless, profit-hungry newspaper owner Jack once publicly humiliated. As clues from Stoma's music give Jack Tagger the chance to trade obits for a story that could hit the front page, murder gives his career a new lease on life.

Customer Reviews:

Very enjoyable mystery.......2007-09-03

This is my second Hiaasen novel after Skin Tight, and I must say I enjoyed it immensely! The plotline, dealing with the mysterious and bizarre deaths of various members of 80's hard rock band, "Jimmy and The Slut Puppies" is both hilarious and engaging. Main character and narrator, investigative-journalist-busted-down-to-cheesy-obituary-writer, Jack Tagger, is a humourous and sympathetic hero. His obsession with outliving famous dead people is very funny, though I do have one minor quibble. Constant reference is made to the fact that Elvis Presley died at age 46 (Jack's current age). He didn't - Elvis died at 42. I'm surprised this very glaring factual blooper wasn't picked up when the novel was being edited. Perhaps it will be corrected for future reprints? Whilst the novel is ostensibly a murder-mystery, it also manages to skewer the parlous state of modern journalism and the way traditional media outlets like local newspapers have been taken over by bean counters and their obsession with the "bottom line". There are lots of amusing situations and great one-liners, and whilst the "mystery" aspect of the novel isn't that mysterious (you can guess whodunit very early in the piece) it is really great fun and very, very enjoyable. Two thumbs up!!

Amusing and irreverent.......2007-07-16

While protagonist Jack Tagger Jr., 46, solves an aging rock star's murder, he also tries to pry out of his mother the truth about his own dead father. This, and his job as obit writer for the Union-Register, a Florida newspaper, have made him morbid. Jack is also at loose ends romantically. Although these themes (newspapers, the music business, and a death-obsessed obit writer looking for love) could be dispiriting in another writer's hands, here they are woven together light-heartedly. The novel is well plotted, with amusing surprises fairly achieved, and the outer and inner quests mesh and hold the reader's interest. The novel's characters are incisively drawn and appealing, and Hiaasen is good at dialogue. Jack grows in the course of the novel, avoiding the fate of the cynical reporter to which the "hard-boiled" fictional genre would condemn him. Since the novel is essentially comic and life triumphs over death, in the dénouement good wins everywhere, and even the Union-Register is saved. The novel is sentimental -- Hiassen's crime fiction is not hard-boiled but soft-boiled. The novel is replete with ironies, the chief of them being, perhaps, that the truth is too complex and too compromising to be told in newspapers, though newspapers exist to publish the truth. "Basket Case" is written in the first person, and we see everything from Jack's perspective. Now and then Hiassen artfully conceals what Jack knows, adding to the suspense of the narrative, and Jack's limited perspective helps motivate surprising twists of the plot. Minor characters are well-drawn and interesting, though there are not that many examples of local color or vignettes of Floridian life. The city of Miami is never named, though it is implicit, and there is surprisingly little about local institutions, either; rather, the book features regional culture and contemporary Americana. The style is irreverent and contemporary, an expression of his protagonist's -- and, no doubt, Hiaasen's -- character; he has a taste for the burlesque. The novel sends up the newspaper business, but this serious subject is never developed for more than two pages at a time and takes a back seat to humorous entertainment. It is said, though, that Race Maggad III is a caricature of Tony Ridder, CEO of Knight-Ridder when it owned the Miami Herald.

Hiaasen Is A Fun, Breezy, Adult Summer Read.......2007-06-27

Hiaasen does it again with "Basket Case," in which a denigrated ex-reporter turned obituary writer tries to solve the murder of the leader of the popular 70s group "The Slut Puppies." Like other Hiaasen books, this has it all: murder, wackos, and romance. Most of all, it has Hiaasen's unique blend of comedy wrapped into an easy and fun read. I highly recommend it.

Deliciously funny.......2005-10-11

This is the fourth Hiaasen book I've read and it's my favorite yet. It also tops the list for my wife. The obsessive compulsive focus on headlines and age of death add a nice touch, and the insider perspective on the newspaper business blended with a great narrative about the sleazier side of the music biz made this a wonderful read.

I had to look up Hiaasen after this to find more and wasn't surprised to find he does work at a Florida newspaper and has done investigative work. It didn't surprise me much to find that he works with and is a friend of Dave Barry. In his own way I think he's funnier and also covering more serious moral ground.

I'm a big fan of Elmore Leonard and the comparison between him and Hiassen is sometimes obvious but Hiassen does a much better job of character background with obscure trivia and is a lot funnier. What I think I like the most is his dark humor.

I've seen references to Hiaasen's comedic timing as the key to his work and I'd have to agree. He leaves you hanging at just the right point then comes back around to sew up loose threads with a zing much the way an episode of Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm does.

I'm noticing a lot of redundant themes in his books (Florida developers, eco saviours, blundering crooks, newspaper guys who are more like cops than the cops are) but so far they remain fresh from book to book with little details and distinct plot lines and arcs that make Hiaasen my favorite author.

There's clearly an auto-biographical element in many of these books, and this one in particular seems likely to draw on that. His web site notes that "Since 1985 Hiaasen has been writing a regular column, which at one time or another has pissed off just about everybody in South Florida, including his own bosses." Apparently a lot of the inspiration for his works come from real life stories in the Florida news. I'm ready to order one of his books of his old news columns to get a better sense of that side of him too.

Jimmy Buffett has picked up options for film rights on one book and Mike Nichols is working on another. I'm hoping this one gets picked up and makes it to the screen someday. Somebody send a copy of Basket Case to Quentin Tarantino, he could have a lot of fun with this one.

Hysterical Novel Filled With Witty Banter!.......2005-08-20

I don't usually love crime novels that are full of comedy, however, since discovering Carl Hiaasen I cannot get enough of his witty plots.

Not only does he keep the reader interested in the crime investigation he gives the reader an extra helping of dessert with his unique characters. The character depth is simply amazing.

Against the World: A Behind-The-Scenes Look at the Portland Trail Blazers' Chase for the Nba Championship

Average customer rating:

The Blazers win again!

Against the World: A Behind-The-Scenes Look at the Portland Trail Blazers' Chase for the Nba Championship
Kerry Eggers , and Dwight Jaynes
Manufacturer: Sagamore Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Tip-Off: How the 1984 NBA Draft Changed Basketball Forever

ASIN: 0915611678

Book Description

This bold analsis provides an insightful look at the Portland Trail Blazers by the Portland Oregionian reporters who have covered the team for many seasons. For three years the Tral Blazers rose close to the pinnacle of the basket- ball world, but came away just short of their goal.

Customer Reviews:

The Blazers win again!.......2000-05-17

Tuesday's game was great! It was so phat. I think the blazers are ill. The best part was when pippen sunk that 3 to win by 1. Bryon Russell was gaurding him but pippen faked him out and launced the long range 3-pointer from way downtown.Pippen was throwing excellent passes 2 his teammates. Stoudamire was outstanding. He was scoring 3's every 5 seconds. The book deserves 5 stars.peace.e-mail me at caseyc@adelphia.net ,or casey@krazymp3z.com , or pimpflex88@hotmail.com .e-mail me.my sn is pimpflex88 . bye.

A Real Basket Case (Five Star Mystery) (Five Star Mystery Series)

Average customer rating:

This book captured me on page one and never let me go!
A Great Mystery Read With a Terrific Ending
Meet a new sleuth that could be your friend !
Great New Mystery
Great new cozy mystery series

A Real Basket Case (Five Star Mystery) (Five Star Mystery Series)
Beth Groundwater
Manufacturer: Five Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1594145474
Release Date: 2007-03-21

Customer Reviews:

This book captured me on page one and never let me go!.......2007-06-24

I opened the book just before I went to bed thinking I'd read just a few pages. I didn't close it until mid-morning and I hated reaching the end. I longed for another book to keep up with Claire's adventures.

Claire Hanover could be the woman next door. Middle aged, recently empty nested and in the process of having her marriage grow distant so it can hopefully grow closer. Then her husband is caught with the gun in his hand. She knows he didn't do it, but who did? Claire's world is upside down. She is so believable you want to invite her in for coffee and comfort. The story is all hers, her vulnerability is so touching, it's almost heartrending. Through the story she grows, toughens up, changes in ways she never thought possible and manages to keep her core values. The ending is a shocker, one I never saw coming despite the well placed clues. Can't wait for more from this writer.

A Great Mystery Read With a Terrific Ending.......2007-05-25

Those of us who live and work in beautiful Colorado Springs know that
violence and crime abound in a few unsavory, local neighborhoods. But
in A Real Basket Case, even the affluent Broadmoor and foothills residents
aren't immune to danger, kidnapping, drugs and murder.

When a sexy, Latin aerobics instructor/massage therapist/gigolo is killed in Claire Hanover's bedroom, the once bored, unfulfilled, gift basket maker must become an amateur sleuth to clear her husband of the murder charges.

Love, loyalty and latent inner strength propel Claire through a clever investigation. She holds her own in confrontations with a hostile detective, jealous women, drug addicts, drug dealers and friends who may be enemies in disguise. Aided by her inherent honesty and tenacity, she solves the crime.

Clues snake through this satisfying story like a well-woven basket. All in all, Beth Groundwater has provided a terrific read for both new and veteran mystery aficionados to savor.

P.S.
The ending is really, really good.

Meet a new sleuth that could be your friend ! .......2007-05-21

A housewife not feeling appreciated, a part time gift basket maker, an amauter sleuth trying to prove her husband's innocence, an acquaintance of a drug dealer. Believable? Well, maybe. But the writing is crisp, the story flows smoothly, scene descriptions are clear, a bit of humor, and I was never sure 'who did it' until the final chapter.
Thanks for introducing a new character with lots of potential for future escapades.

Great New Mystery.......2007-05-18

Beth Groundwater's A Real Basket Case combines a good mystery with a stong relationship story. Claire Hanover must solve the murder when her husband is accused of the crime, while trying to patch up her marriage. The novel contains strong characters with a mystery that keeps you guessing.

Great new cozy mystery series.......2007-04-17

Claire Hanover is feeling lonely. Her Colorado Springs gift basket business is enough to fulfill her. Her husband is working night and day and ignoring her. Her friend Ellen, who has been bitter since her divorce, gets her to join her exercise class. When their handsome aerobics instructor, Enrique, shows interest in Claire, Ellen urges her to have a fling. Claire agrees to a massage. What she didn't realize was that it would in her bedroom! Just when the massage was about to start, Enrique is shot and Roger, Claire's husband, is in the doorway with the gun.

At first Claire isn't positive Roger is innocent, but soon realizes he's being framed. The police are happy they've got their man, so she sets out to prove his innocence. She finds herself with many unsavory people in the course of her investigation, especially the drug dealers. Then there are the many gym ladies he supplied with cocaine or seduced for money. Can Claire sort out the suspects and find the killer before the killer finds her?

I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read the next! Claire is such a fun character. The story kept my interest at every turn. It did have some situations where I found myself saying, no way would I do that. I felt a normal person would have called the police, but Claire persevered and won me over! I hope the author writes fast!

I highly recommend this book.

Average customer rating:

Awesome Christian Manga

Basket Case (Serenity)
Realbuzz Studios
Manufacturer: Barbour Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1593108729

Book Description

Manga momentum keeps building around the world, and Barbour Publishing has the premier inspirational graphic novels for the American market. In Serenity, Volume 3: Basket Case, the prayer club's pet project is at her irresponsible best, belittling a health class assignment that makes teens care for chicken eggs 24/7 to simulate the work a baby requires. But when an overwhelming responsibility falls into Serenity's lap, who can she turn to for help-the prayer club members she's made fun of, or the God she doesn't quite believe exists? Tween and teen girls will love the continuing spiritual soap opera of Serenity.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Christian Manga.......2006-04-28

Serenity is a rebellious high-schooler who somehow always finds herself in the midst of some kind of trouble. She's angry, has a horrible attitude, & is the antithesis of the teen most parents would want their child to befriend. That is, until a local church youth group, who's members attend the same high school as Serenity, decide to make her their "project".

Finally!!! Some manga I feel comfortable giving my step-daughter, 13. She really got into the Yuyu Hakusho books, to which she was introduced by a friend. Neither my husband or myself ever really approved of the Yuyu Hakusho books, but she loved the artwork. When I saw these, I snatched them up. I read through the first one & greatly appreciated the ideas & morals presented. We gave step-daughter the first book in this series for Christmas, & she loves it! She bought the third book at Borders, but couldn't find the second one. (She's getting that for her birthday.)

The one (possible) drawback is that these books read from front to back, like most western books, instead of back to front, like many Japanime books. I mention it simply b/c step-daughter drew it to my attention.

If you've got a teen or pre-teen who loves manga but would prefer they actual read something of substance, this is the series for which you've been waiting. All the flashy artwork with none of the occultic overtones or mystical storylines. Most teens can relate to the stories presented, especially if they attend public school. Step-daughter is eagerly awaiting more releases.

Born Too Short: The Confessions of an Eighth-Grade Basket Case

Average customer rating:

born to short by dan elish
Born Too Short
Are You In The Eighth Grade? Read This Book!
Born Too Short : Put It on the Web
An amazing book

Born Too Short: The Confessions of an Eighth-Grade Basket Case
Dan Elish
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 068986213X

Book Description

Matt Greene is 5'1", a nerd, invisible to girls, and has a best friend who's the biggest stud at Hannaford School in New York City. Babes practically trip over Matt to get to Keith, a guy so studly his smile is featured in a toothpaste ad. Sure, sometimes Matt gets a little jealous. And once, at the peak of Keith's studliness, Matt wishes his best friend's life would fall apart. A little extreme? Sure. But not as extreme as the changes that are about to take place....

Customer Reviews:

born to short by dan elish.......2006-09-16

Born to Short

I read a book called born to short. The confessions of and eighth grade basket case. It was written by Dan Elish who also wrote the world wide dessert contests which he made into a musical. The book is mainly about a kid named Matt Greene who is a shot nerd and his best friends with Keith Livingston a stud/athlete/Adonis. .matt becomes really jealous because he is a non stud / non athlete/non Adonis. After the end of Keith's play Matt could not take any more. It is one of those great be careful what you wish for stories .when he wish bad luck on his friend
What I liked most about the book is how much it sounded how a real eight grader might feel. I am in the eight grade and I do feel some times like one kid gets everything like in the story y how matt Greene fells with his friend Keith Livingston. Matt is probably my favorite character, because he is really dictated to what he does. I wish I was as dictated to my baseball has he is with his guitar and he is the underdog in every thing he does
I really recommended this book to any one who wants to get in to the head of and eighth grader. If is an easy read but it is still really good. This is and good moral booster with real problems and a really friendship. I loved it

Born Too Short.......2006-01-13

This book is about a 13-year-old, 5' 1", 8th grade, non-athletic boy named Matt Greene. He has a friend named Keith Livingston, but is one of the most athletic teenagers in the whole Hannaford School in New York. Keith decides to direct a rock musical of Romeo and Julie, but Matt does not think Keith will follow through with his idea. Keith follows through and Matt Greene actually gets a date with a girl his height, his age and is hot. When the play's date finally came Matt got excited. The night started with Matt happy and his date, Katie, happy until she saw Keith. Her mouth literally dropped and she instantly lost interest in Matt. Matt got mad and wished every girl in the school hated Keith. His wishes did not come true, but much worse things happened. Matt's life started going really well, but Keith's went down like a falling meteor. Matt's life got so good his dream came true, he made out with a girl for..."FIFTY-ONE LIP-SMACKING MINUTES!!! (Elish, p.112)" and it was not any kissing game, it was on their own freewill. He was the happiest man in the world. He finally told his friend about his wishes and Keith did not even care. His exact words were, "You thought your wishes screwed me up? Dude, how old are you, anyway? Five? (Elish, p.151)"
This book is a fiction-comedy story by Dan Elish, it is most likely for ages 13, and up because of the swearing in it. It is definitely not a hard book to read for teens. This book was very funny and encouraged me to keep reading, sometimes I even laughed aloud because it was so funny. Dan Elish really made it seem like he went through this, exactly, because of the realistic ness he used. I am a boy that detests reading books, but still liked to read this book without being told to read. If you have read Surviving the Applewhites, you might like this book. If you went out to look at the book, you might think it was a kid book, but never judge this book by its cover. My rating for this book is 5.0 out of 5.0.

Q of A #37

Are You In The Eighth Grade? Read This Book!.......2005-09-15

Born Too Short was a fun and interesting book about a kid named Matt Greene who is the short and jealous protagonist of his best friend, Keith Livingston. My favorite scene was when he goes to his relatives and meets this sweet girl that was short also. This kind of gets the book started. Towards the beginning we find himself wishing he was like Keith which is practically the stud of the eighth grade. After dating his relatives neighbor he starts to become more like Keith. After realizing who he has become he finds out that he really didn't know how to be a stud or popular kid because hes been a short nerd all his life. Will he stay being popular or will he go back to being a nerd? This book was very amusing and could probably relate to many kids his age. If you are in the teen or pre-teen age I think you would really like this book.

Born Too Short : Put It on the Web.......2005-02-14

This book that i read, Born Too Short, was a very cool and funny book. This book was about an eighth-grade kid named Matt Greene who wants to be like his best friend, Keith Livingston, who is a the stud/athlete/Adonis of their Hannaford school.This book took place in New York City, mainly at Hannaford High School.One really cool psrt in this book was when Keith was performing his rock musical, Star Crossed, which seemed really good except for the fact that it had only 4 different chords in it. In the beginning of the book, Matt is really jealous of Keith and he makes a wish that his life would be Keiths' life. Throughout the book Matt starts to get some girlfriends and party more and he soon starts to realize that his wish was coming true, he was turning into a stud/athlete/Adonis as Keith was. One of the major problems for Matt is that he was a nerd, not anywhere close to being an athlete, and was barley known in school at all. Throughout the book, though, he starts to change and become more mature and get into sports and stuff. My recommendation for this book would be if you like to read about peoples life and how they deal with high school, this book would be great. I would highly recommend this book for anyone in their teens because that is what this book is based on mainly.

An amazing book.......2003-11-03

Born Too Short: The Confessions of an Eight-Grade Basket Case by Dan Elish is a great book. Not only is it funny, but it shows meaning to how you get used to high school/junior high and it tells a story of who you are becoming as an indivivual. Well anyways, I am a kid and I think that this book got *****(5) stars! And check out her other books too. If you are into comdy/family(yourself)/problems and learning who you are, then defenitly read this book. It is fiction too, which I think is great.

Average customer rating:

Good to the Last Drop, er Page, that is

Basket Case
Carl Hiaasen
Manufacturer: Pan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0330490184

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Good to the Last Drop, er Page, that is.......2006-09-26

Because Jack Tagger, former ace investigative reporter for the Union-Register, had the gall to publicly humiliate the young CEO of the publishing group that purchased the paper in front of the shareholders, he has been demoted to writing obituaries.

Jack listens to the re-released CDs of a lot of '70 rock bands as his music of choice, so when he hears that Jimmy Stoma, of Jimmy and the {small} Puppies, has turned up dead after scuba-diving in the Caribbean, he wants to know a little more.

Unfortunately his obit editor allows him no leeway, so he investigates on his own time, because the headman for the rock group that gave the world such songs as "Mouth Full of Muscle," and the Grammy-Award winning album A PAINFUL BURNING SENSATION deserves more than a few lines in an obit.

He sets out to dig up some answers, tracking down Stoma's widow, a Courtney Love type called Cleo Rio; the surviving band members; and Stoma's Internet stripper sister Janet.

The story zooms along, powered by delicious dialogue, and a quirky but likable cast of characters such as - Juan Rodriguez, womanizing loyal friend and aspiring novelist; Emma Cole, ambitious newspaper editor who has a unique fetish for fluorescent nail-polish; Carla Candilla, the teenage club scene veteran and jailbait daughter of Jack's ex-girlfriend; and Colonel Tom, a 175 dead lizard who sleeps with the Dove Bars in Jack's freezer.

This story will have you laughing the night away and before you know it, you'll be finished with a fine story and you'll have learned a heck a lot about the newspaper business too, in this mucho humorous story.

Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne

The Basket Case (Father Dowling Mystery Series)

Average customer rating:

A good review

The Basket Case (Father Dowling Mystery Series)
Ralph M. McInerny
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0312009976

Customer Reviews:

A good review.......2000-03-31

The Basket Case is a very good book. Those who like mystery books will love this one. It makes you want to read more. So you can't put it down. It was especially good when you found out why Connie left the child in the rectory. Father Dowling is very good at handling this case. This book couldn't compare with other types of mystery books.

Practicing Principals: Case Studies, In-Baskets, and Policy Analysis

Average customer rating:

Practicing Principals: Case Studies, In-Baskets, and Policy Analysis
Perry R. Rettig
Manufacturer: ScarecrowEducation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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School Leadership and Administration: Important Concepts, Case Studies, and Simulations

ASIN: 1578861136

Book Description

Here is an interactive book that demands that students experience and thoughtfully analyze the theories and constructs important to school leadership in actual, real-life situations before they take on the job. Rettig gives the novice the opportunity to practice how they would handle real-life situations and then analyze their work with their peers, their professors, and even their own building administrators.

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B Bailey/basket Case (Beetle Bailey)
Mort Walker
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0515102199

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