Amazon.com
In a sprawling, wild, super-hyped magnum opus, David Foster Wallace fulfills the promise of his precocious novel The Broom of the System. Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy,
Infinite Jest bends every rule of fiction, features a huge cast and multilevel narrative, and questions essential elements of American culture - our entertainments, our addictions, our relationships, our pleasures, our abilities to define ourselves.
Book Description
In a sprawling, wild, super-hyped magnum opus, David Foster Wallace fulfills the promise of his precocious novelThe Broom of the System.Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, Infinite Jest bends every rule of fiction, features a huge cast and multilevel narrative, and questions essential elements of American culture - our entertainments, our addictions, our relationships, our pleasures, our abilities to define ourselves.
Customer Reviews:
Where's Infinite Jest 2?.......2007-08-18
I hope the author is working on a sequel! I truly did not want this book to end.
Advice: take this book in small doses. I read Trollope & Dickens along with this (not sure what that says about me...) and had considerable time to reflect as I was trying to figure out where Wallace was going with things.
This was the first of his works I have read and I am very much looking forward to the others.
Often confusing, never boring and always screwy enough to amuse.
More, I say! More! Relax, read and enjoy.
Dick Johnson
My favorite novel, by my favorite author.......2007-05-20
I don't so much mind the footnotes. That's what everyone gripes about, right? It takes two bookmarks, it's too much work, there are footnotes to the footnotes and references between footnotes, etc. But that's the way his brain works. Each idea is excavated to an exhausting degree -- another common gripe. But he has vision, he has unparalleled insight, and his character development makes me ache to jump into the page and know the characters. Hearing what he has to say is one of my great pleasures in life. I wait, fidgeting, on each interview, each essay, each fragment of prose that comes out of him, and when it comes I devour it whole.
The much-maligned loose ends in IJ make the story MORE compelling. Ever seen a David Lynch film? DFW is a genius, and not in an ivory-tower sort of way. He's twisted, gritty, sensual, and blindingly honest. He gets it. This book-as-project should be elevated to the top of your To Do list.
This book legitimately changed my life.......2007-04-21
For the better?? who knows? No book has had a bigger effect on my view of the world, the struggle for happiness, and overall what makes us HUMAN. Parts of the book are very very funny but it is dripping and oozing with sadness. It will hit everyone different ways (I admit some may reject it completely and find the prose tiresome) but it is in my mind the greatest book I have ever read.
Mind bogglingly good.......2007-04-20
Let's get a few things out of the way about Infinite Jest. Is it an easy read? No, it's not, but it's far from impenetrable and once you get into it, I.J.'s a hard book to put down. Does the plot resolve itself in a satisfying narrative conclusion? No, it doesn't, but if you read books simply for plot don't even bother trying to read Infinite Jest. Is it bloated and pretentious? Perhaps (particularly the 100 pages of footnotes), but that's what makes it so fun. So what's so good about it? Let me put it to you this way - once I finished reading it two days ago, I honestly feel like I have just come off an intellectual acid trip that has made me look at the world, addiction, our collective need to find contentment, what a novel can do, and tennis in a whole new, enlightened way. As well, the novel's a roller coaster emotionally as it is alternately hilarious and harrowing, is astounding in it's endlessly creative narrative structure and multiple narrators, and to top it off D.F.W.'s prose and dialogue are a true pleasure to read, . Infinite Jest is a commitment for the four to six weeks required to read it, but for anyone who enjoys a serious literary marathon it's well worth the challenge.
Some of the best writing the world has ever had, but..........2007-03-02
Saying this is a masterpiece is like saying Simon is mean. (You know it or have heard it even if you have never come in contact with either.) David Foster Wallace has a way with words that I can't yet describe. Yet, there is much wrong with this book.
It is not the oft commented upon length. Yes, it is too long but only because it feels like it should have been edited.
It is not the lack of an ending. It doesn't need one.
It is not the footnotes. They are amusing and a welcome change from the formulaic fiction that is out there.
It is a combination of those three things and the cult of Infinite Jest that make this unsatisfying IMHO.
It, like skydiving or running a marathon, is something that many people feel the need to do at some point in their lives. Like those things, I say have at it. But like them, when it is over you may just feel like the build up was better than the climax.
Still, a must read. I hope to someday get him at his (pared down) best.
Book Description
This is part of a new series of guides to contemporary novels. The aim of the series is to give readers accessible and informative introductions to some of the most popular, most acclaimed and most influential novels of recent years - from `The Remains of the Day' to `White Teeth'. A team of contemporary fiction scholars from both sides of the Atlantic has been assembled to provide a thorough and readable analysis of each of the novels in question.
Customer Reviews:
Read this after Infinite Jest.......2006-02-25
This book is excellent for reviewing the overall meaning of infinite jest. It lays out a comprehensive chronology of every event, delves into several topics concerning David Foster Wallace and Infinite Jest, and, most importantly, is a good read. If you've made it through the 1000-some pages of Infinite Jest, add these 96 pages to the top and get a much-needed recap of this great book.
mostly [...].......2005-11-09
As a great fan of Infinite Jest, I picked up this book over a year ago. It is disappointing. Burn spends a lot of time picking on one or two hobbyhorses; more insightful interpretations have appeared elsewhere, in particular on the web in communities like wallace-l, and prior to Burn's (very slim) volume.
Burn also feels the need to rack up the wordometer with a very academicish approach to the subject that won't endear him to the readers who presumably come in already familiar with many of the issues that Burn rehashes at the level of a freshman seminar.
If you are curious and have the cash, by all means pick up a copy; I do, and I don't regret the purchase. But there are far more valuable sources of information and intepretation of Wallace's book out there online, and they are not hard to find.
An Illuminating Guide.......2003-08-14
If Infinite Jest has become the Ulysses of the late twentieth century, then this excellent guide is the equivalent of Stuart Gilbert's companion to Joyce's masterpiece: Burn offers a lucid unravelling of some of the more mysterious aspects of Wallace's book (what exactly is up with Hal, where the mastercopy of the film is at a given time), but he also demonstrates fascinating parallels with books like The Golden Bough that I'd never thought of. It's also mercifully free of the kind of esoteric literary theory that spoils so many literary studies - refreshingly Burn prefers to situate the novel alongside the work of writers like Jonathan Franzen, and William Gaddis.
The book is short (you sometimes get the feeling that Burns wants to say more but doesn't have space) but within those limitations this is a fine study of a terrific novel - highly recommended.
Brilliant, humble analysis.......2003-07-01
I've been a fan of IJ since reading it in the summer of '96, but I've never read such a lucid and thoughtful analysis as this book provides. Burns has put enormous effort into analyzing Wallace's writing style, and avoids the simple analysis that Wallace is concsiously trying to undermine. Even though there are many subjects in the book that I would love Burns' opinion on, he is forthcoming about the limitations of the 'readers' guide' format, and has chosen his few topics for detailed analysis with care and skill.
I especially liked his understanding and analysis of IJ's literary context: rather than simplistically comparing Wallace's work to Pynchon or DeLillo, as many have done, he explores the richer tradition of myth materials and 20th-century literature that informs Wallace's brilliant novel.
My only criticism is Burns' failure to comment on Wallace's sense of humor, which was one of the reasons I loved IJ so much, and why I find it worth re-reading from time to time. I've enjoyed other writers endorsed by Wallace, like Irvine Welsh and Dave Eggers, but some literary analysis of Wallace's effective use of different varieties of humor would have been helpful. Still, given the lucid and concise analysis Burns provides, this criticism should be understood as part of my wishlist, not any negative take on Burns' sense of humor.
Exceptional.......2003-06-13
A remarkable book - and a fitting tribute to DFW's wonderful novel. Quite how Stephen Burn has managed to cram so much lucid opinion and information into a book of this brevity is beyond me, but he should be warmly applauded for doing so. One quibble only, for the publishers: labelling this book a 'readers guide' is doing it a disservice. Burn's book is much, much more than that.
Book Description
A dazzling collection of crime and mystery stories, Shades of Black is a landmark achievement. Bringing together today's brightest talent from the field-from Walter Mosley, "one of America's best mystery writers" (New York Times), to the late Hugh Holton, whose "gift for retaining suspense is golden" (Chicago Sun-Times)-it is the first anthology of African-American mystery writers. Shades of Black is not only a tribute to the art of storytelling-it's a fascinating foray into the rich and widely varied African-American experience.
Includes stories by:
Frankie Y. Bailey - Jacqueline Turner Banks - Chris Benson - Eleanor Taylor Bland and Anthony Bland - Patricia E. Canterbury - Christopher Chambers - Tracy Clark - Evelyn Coleman - Grace F. Edwards - Robert Greer - Terris MacMahan Grimes - Gar Anthony Haywood - Hugh Holton - Geri Spencer Hunter - Dicey Scroggins Jackson - Glenville Lovell - Lee E. Meadows - Penny Mickelbury - Walter Mosley - Percy Spurlark Parker - Gary Phillips - Charles Shipps
Download Description
"A dazzling collection of crime and mystery stories, Shades of Black is a landmark achievement. Bringing together today's brightest talent from the field-from Walter Mosley, ""one of America's best mystery writers"" (New York Times), to the late Hugh Holton, whose ""gift for retaining suspense is golden"" (Chicago Sun-Times)-it is the first anthology of African-American mystery writers. Shades of Black is not only a tribute to the art of storytelling-it's a fascinating foray into the rich and widely varied African-American experience. Includes stories by: Frankie Y. Bailey - Jacqueline Turner Banks - Chris Benson - Eleanor Taylor Bland and Anthony Bland - Patricia E. Canterbury - Christopher Chambers - Tracy Clark - Evelyn Coleman - Grace F. Edwards - Robert Greer - Terris MacMahan Grimes - Gar Anthony Haywood - Hugh Holton - Geri Spencer Hunter - Dicey Scroggins Jackson - Glenville Lovell - Lee E. Meadows - Penny Mickelbury - Walter Mosley - Percy Spurlark Parker - Gary Phillips - Charles Shipps"
Customer Reviews:
A Mystery Lover's Dream.......2005-02-06
Are you bored, with nothing on your bookshelf that will stimulate your mind and activate your imagination? If the answer is yes, then SHADES OF BLACK could be the book for you. This anthology features over 20 stories by various African-American writers of the Mystery genre.
I am an avid reader and mystery is one of my favorite genres so I'm always on the lookout for something to get my mysterious juices flowing and SHADES OF BLACK did this for me. Usually when someone speaks of a good suspenseful novel, Walter Mosley and maybe two or three other authors immediately come to mind. With this anthology, I was exposed to a wealth of African-American mystery writers who are prominent in the literary scene today. My favorite contribution to this collection was "The Werewolf File" by Hugh Holton. This story involved a murderous and vengeful werewolf and three very colorful detectives. The attention to detail and the author's writing was so vivid I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
SHADES OF BLACK is a great example of the talented mystery writers who are on the literary scene today and their works are a welcomed change from predictable stories with very little mental challenge. This anthology has me anxious to check out the works of the authors who were not familiar to me.
Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers
Uneven , poorly edited--yet entertaining collection.......2004-03-23
Shades of Black: Crime and Mystery Stories by African-American Authors is an uneven yet entertaining collection of stories all penned by African-American authors, some well known, other fairly obscure.
Not all of these are "mystery" stories in the traditional sense. Some of the "mysteries" here cover issues as mundane as a missing dog. Others are "mysteries" mainly in a cultural context, as is the case with Walter Moseley's contribution, "Bombardier". It's all in all a very diverse collection that, in total, ought to have something among the 22 submissions that would appeal to virtually any reader.
If there can be said to be an underlying theme to these stories it would be, generally speaking, an examination of the underlying forces of society, relationships and personality that motivate one toward the life of crime. If that's the question, the fact is the answers-to the extent there really are any-are all over the board.
The writing throughout is universally good. The proofreading and editing, by Eleanor Taylor, is slipshod and uneven. One is left with the sense Ms Taylor didn't so much edit this collection as assemble it. While this is often a source of mild irritation it doesn't detract in a serious way from enjoying the book.
In the end one is not so much moved by the mysteries presented as by the wit, superstitions, mores, aphorisms, attitudes and-most keenly-the shared experiences of the authors, specifically as it relates to the minority experience in America.
All in all, a very good diversionary, beach type of read.
Like a literary Jackie Robinson!.......2004-02-04
It is about time an anthology of black writers came out. It has been shameful these authors have lived in the shadows of mainstream mystery and suspense authors, be the white authors "huge names" or amateurs (like me!) writing Cozies. My father used read Himes in the 1950s, but I did not know this until my mother and I obtained this anthology. Himes was a contemporary of Chandler and Hammett, and just as good! Kudos to women Bland, Woods, Edwards. I am always impressed with gum-shoe writer Phillips' work, and Mosely is stellar as always. Notable also was thrill/suspense man Chambers, who was shocking yet very, very interesting. Frankly, nobody in this bundle of stores disappoints me, and avid readers should note that these stories aren't about "ghettoes" or rap music or sex. They are about great mystery writing, and I think we're all enriched by them.
Entertaining.......2004-02-04
This delightful twenty-two short story collection is written by African-Americans though some of the writers are not household names yet. The stories are all solid with no losers, but only a handful attain the great label such as Walter Mosley's thought provoking take on the use of the race card. In fact the better known authors like Mr. Mosley, the late Hugh Holton, Frankie Y Bailey, and Gar Anthony Haywood provide the best tales. Much of the remaining stories are well written, but seems a bit formulaic yet fans will enjoy the contributions while getting a glimpse of the future. Look forward to see how far African-Americans have come (especially this group of authors) in a decade when one compares editor Eleanor Taylor Bland today to what she was writing ten years ago. It is interesting to see who was writing then and how many more have joined the rapidly growing community. SHADES OF BLACK: CRIMES AND MYSTERIES STORIES BY AFRICAN-AMERICAN WRITERS contains reliable tales that entertain the audience.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
After living as a human with no recollection of her three-hundred-plus years in a mystical Tibetan kingdom, Pai's supernatural powers have returned, but not her memories. These wondrous abilities are an exciting development for a seemingly typical Tokyo teenager...until she discovers that her Sanjiyan, the monstrous source of her power, is on the loose and can only be controlled within her by the Claw of Shiva, a sorcerous artifact that the memory-challenged Pai just happens to have bagged and tossed into the trash! But Yakumo, Pai's mortal-made-immortal boyfriend, is at her side, which for him may not be a good thing. He may be immortal but he's not indestructible and eternal life isn't much comfort when you're being torn to pieces!
Book Description
At age 26, scrawny, Oxford-educated Samuel Fussell entered a YMCA gym in New York to escape the terrors of big city life. Four years and 80 lbs. of firm, bulging muscle later, he was competing for bodybuilding titles in the "Iron Mecca" of Southern California-so weak from intense training and starvation he could barely walk. MUSCLE is the harrowing, often hilarious chronicle of Fussell's divine obsession, his search for identity in a bizarre, eccentric world of "health fascists," "gym bunnies" and "muscleheads"-and his devout, single-minded acceptance of illness, pain, nausea, and steroid-induced rage in his quest for the holy grail of physical perfection.
Customer Reviews:
Very funny.......2007-09-03
This is the true story of Sam Fussell, an ordinary Oxford educated guy who took up bodybuilding, and gave up his his job because he didn't feel safe in New York.
Engaging, and very honestly written this tells you the unbelievable facts:
"I was at the supermarket stocking up on fuel to help me with my lifting.... I picked up each week 70 eggs, 14 tins of tuna, 10.5 pounds of beef, 10 ponds of chicken, 9 gallons of nonfat milk, 4 loaves of bread, and as many sacks of brown rice....".
There are a multitude of hilarious stories in this book and whether you have any interest in bodybuilding is actually irrelevent. Just the attitudes and techniques of the people involved are funny. "heightened arousal mode" for example. This is where one bodybuilder hits the other in the face to make him angry (and thus lift more).
Its a book I have read more than once, and I strongly recommend it.
A Personal Testimony.......2007-04-10
Ordinary people can be transformed into bodybuilders, as the author of this book can personally attest. There's also a look at what goes on behind the scenes in the bodybuilding world.
Transformation and Power, POWER, POWAH !!.......2007-02-04
This is the ONLY book that I immediately started reading again after I read it for the first time. And now, about two years later, I am reading it again.
Why does it appeal to me? I think it is because Fussell is an "ordinary" (although highly educated) man, not genetically gifted like Bob Paris or other superstars of the bodybuilding world; thus, I could identify with him. And what he sought was nothing less than Transformation, Transformation and Power--he wanted to break out of the fear that bound him, the fear of crime and violence. Fussell was the ninety-pound weakling on the beach in the old comic-book ad, and, in his fearful mind, the bullies were at every corner, ready to kick sand in his face. In our modern world, this may not be solely fantasy, and I can identify with that mind-set. Futhermore, he was aware of his own personal demons which he wanted to imprison and bind in slabs of muscle.
Fussell gets his transformation--he not only gets physically bigger, but he himself starts becoming an obnoxious bully. He not only frightens and alienates almost everyone who cared for him, but he exults in that fact and the sense of power he gets from doing so. In his mind, he becomes exalted and "special"--others are not special; indeed they are less than he is, they are not "builders" and are to be pitied.
(I was in the weight-lifting club at my college and I saw several men who exhibited this very attitude. I also took karate for several years and I saw weak, timid people [women included] who also became overbearing bullies to those under them with lesser belts. This phenomenon of mishandling power, and not being fit to handle it, seems to be universal.)
Tranformation and Power . . . if they actually exist other than in one's own mind . . . come with a price. The California bodybuilding Mecca where Fussell eventually found himself demanded that price to the extreme. Luckily for him, Fussell came to himself and returned from that far fantasy land, but again, the return trip had a price--he lost his hard-earned Muscle.
Great, great book.
Good Book for..........2007-01-13
If you were even just a little bit interested in the body building scene during the 70's and 80's you'll like this book. It was one of those books I had to stop myself from reading or I would have read it in one sitting.
Bodybuilding fun.......2007-01-04
We know the author, are bodybuilders and just had to read the book. A great read for those who know their way around the gym...a huge eyeopener to what goes on behind the scenes with the professionals. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in a personal testimony on this subject.
Average customer rating:
- Visit the world where Arnie is god
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Muscle : The Confessions of an Unlikely Bodybuilder
Sam Fussell
Manufacturer: Abacus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Biographies
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
| Baseball
| Basketball
| Football
| General
| Golf
| Hockey
| Soccer
ASIN: 0349104433 |
Customer Reviews:
Visit the world where Arnie is god.......2005-04-06
Muscle is one of my all-time favourite books - it is very interesting and very funny.
The book tells the story of how Sam Fussell builds himself a muscle suit of armour to protect him from the things that frighten him.
The story begins in New York where Sam is a frightened young man working in publishing who develops an interest in bodybuilding. Interest rapidly turns to obsession as he starts to exercise more and more and pumps himself full of protein. Eventually the obsession becomes all consuming and he packs up and moves to California. In California he hooks up with more serious bodybuilders and the obsession grows. He follows an insane training program, supplemented by large-scale steroid use (abuse) in an attempt to compete as a bodybuilder and a power-lifter. Preparation for competition is even more demanding (It's not about feeling good; it's about looking good) as he attempts to shed all his body fat.
The author writes with a wry yet sympathetic detachment from his obsession. The result is a portrait of obsession that is simultaneously amusing (often outright funny) and chilling (for example taking horse steroids - 'they give these to million dollar horses; they must be OK').
A wonderful book - accessible to all but essential reading for anybody who has ever had even a small obsession with weights.
Book Description
Have you ever opened a box of store-bought cookies and after the first dry bite, wished you were eating a warm, fresh baked one instead? Even store-bought cookies that claim to taste homemade really can’t compare to the real thing. Well, cookie lovers, thanks to baker Carole Bloom, you can have the real thing—any time and any day of the week.
With Cookies For Dummies, you’ll be whipping up platefuls of the most scrumptious cookies imaginable in absolutely no time. Think Very Rich Cakelike Brownies. Or Almond Butter Cookies. Or Chocolate Biscotti. And not only will the book’s nearly 200 recipes awaken the baker within, you’ll get foolproof tips on making any type of creation in cookiedom—from simple drop, rolled, and refrigerator cookies to the more challenging bar, sandwich, and filled cookies, and finally, the pressed, hand-formed, and molded cookies that’ll let you style eye-catching cookies that bear your unique signature. With help on every page, the book cues you in on:
- Baking basics—such as choosing the right kitchen equipment and stocking up on essentials
- Foolproof techniques for outstanding cookies, plus tips on troubleshooting baking mishaps
- Decorating with chocolate (with tips on piping, painting, and stenciling)
- Creating "slender’" versions of old favorites, while maintaining texture and boosting flavor
- Discovering cookies from other cultures
- Baking for the holidays and making baking fun for kids
With eight pages of inspiring color photos, a summary cheat sheet of baking essentials, helpful how-to illustrations, and humorous cartoons along the way, Cookies For Dummies will help you bake awe-inspiring homemade cookies that will have even the fanatical cookie lovers in your family clamoring for more.
Customer Reviews:
You will not buy cookies again!!.......2002-05-31
This book not only has great recipes but some really wonderful information. It helps understand the ingredients used, the tools necessary and some great techniques for making the best cookies. I am really glad I got this book. Living abroad makes it a bit more difficult to find some of the ingredients but the ingredient substitutions cheat sheet and the measurement equivalents (sticks of butter are not available everywhere you know)still allowed me to enjoy the recipes.
Book Description
The Mini-14 is the most versatile modern rifle, used by homeowners, hunters, survivalists, law enforce-ment agencies and military forces. An infinite number of Mini-14s may be constructed with the many marketed accessories. Here is the Mini-14's history, model specifications and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Great History of the Mini-14.......2007-07-17
This book was a good read. It told of the firearms that lead to the development of the Mini-14 and the pros and cons of the design. I did feel like the author was out of material near the end of the book and put in filler of other similar weapons to the mini-14 as well that information was not completely useless. By the end of the book I was convinced that it is a great hunting and plinking rifle as well as a good rifle for self defense, however I still wouldn't classify this rifle as an assault rifle, I'll leave that title for the M-16 and AK-47 rifle families. If you are a fan or proud owner of this great Ruger rifle this book is worth the read. It reads fairly quickly for average readers and is more a history book than an instruction manual.
Save your money for ammunition. . ........2002-10-09
This book is very dated; it doesn't appear that the author or editor has looked at it, or revised it, since the mid-80s. As such, it fails to place the Mini-14 in the context of various recent crime bills and their effects on folding stocks, etc. Furthermore, there is too much in here about various Beretta designs, and a .22 cal. plinker. Much of the information is generic to all rifles, such as tips on scabbards and bipods, while there is relatively little timely information specific to the Mini-14, such as how to tweak better performance from the weapon. The author also digresses a bit too far afield on the Sturm Ruger corp. in general, and Ruger non-firearm information in particular.
Some current information on hand-loading for the Mini-14 would be a nice addition as well.
It appears this book was an early draft that was never finished for market, although it clearly shows evidence that the author is well-acquainted with his subject.
Recommended reading for all gun enthusiasts........2000-05-09
Duncan Long's The Mini-14: The Plinker, Hunter, Assault, And Everything Else Rifle is the definitive work on the most versatile modern rifle available to homeowners, hunters, survivalists, law-enforcement agencies, and the military today. Long covers all sixteen models of the Mini-14 and how the rifle owner can construct a number of variations through accessory kits such as standard, laser, and night scopes; magazines; folding and pistol-grip stocks; bullpup conversions; multi-caliber adaptors; flash suppressors; silences; and slings. Long's detailed history of the Mini-14 includes description of its factory-produced variations, specifications, available accessories, major suppliers, and a great deal more. Comprehensive, authoritative, and "reader friendly", The Mini-14 is highly recommended reading for all gun enthusiasts, and a "must" for all Mini-14 gun owners.
A good book for a beginner working with Mini-14s........1999-03-19
I recently purchase a Mini-14 and I was looking for some resource materials. I purchased both this book and "Super Systems". This is by far the better choice of the two. While field stripping explaination is ok, I would have liked some pictures of this proceedure. If you are already an experienced Mini-14 user then save your money.
Pretty good book that needs updating.......1999-02-21
Much of the information in this little volume is worthwhile. Especially valuable are the field-stripping, trouble shooting and basic expedient gunsmithing advice. There is no guide to improving accuracy, however, which I was hoping to find, and not much on recommended ammunition or on actual experiences with owning and shooting this nifty carbine. The complete history of the development and usage of the "everyman's rifle" is interesting, but over long. Also, there is too much information in which I am not interested - M14's, M1A1's, and even AK's take up far too much space. Enough to make me think Mr. Long was deliberately trying to fill up a few pages. The book NEEDS a good updating - it was written before the crime bill, and much is made of various folding stocks and other "obsolete" accessories, and the reference section is mostly outdated. Overall I'm glad to have it on my reference shelf, where it will sit until I need to solve some problem or other, but otherwise it's not a satisfactory read.
Average customer rating:
- quilting flowers of the states
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Quilting Flowers of the States
sue Harvey
Manufacturer: House of White Birches
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Quilts & Quilting
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1592170110 |
Book Description
A lovely 12-inch flower block for each of the 50 states. Techniques used are piecing, appliqué, paper-piecing and three-dimensional techniques.
Customer Reviews:
quilting flowers of the states.......2007-09-01
This was not really what I was looking for but the book is interesting anyway. Thanks
Average customer rating:
|
Palacios De Roma
Carlo Cresti
Manufacturer: Konemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 3829017103 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Actual, published by Editorial Contenido, S.A. de C.V. on August 1, 1999. The length of the article is 1762 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: El palacio Farnese: PIERDE LAS "ARRUGAS" DE 450 AÃ`OS DE VIDA.(Roma, Italia)(TT: The Fermese palace: restored after 450 years.)(TA: Rome, Italy)
Author: Ennio Mena
Publication:
Actual (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 1999
Publisher: Editorial Contenido, S.A. de C.V.
Volume: 6
Issue: 71
Page: 100
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Customer Reviews:
Excelente!.......2000-05-12
Muy buen libro, facil de interpretar sin conocer demasiado el idioma italiano
Average customer rating:
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Villas y Palacios de Roma de La Antiguedad
Carlo Cresti , and
Claudio Rendina
Manufacturer: Konemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 3833118881 |
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International Logos & Trademarks 3
Manufacturer: Design Editions
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1889491039 |
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International Logos and Trademarks 3
Supon Phornirunlit
Manufacturer: Madison Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0942604474 |
Customer Reviews:
Must have for any LOGO Designer!!!.......2005-08-30
This is just one of those books that is a must have in any logo designers collection. A great range and variety of logos, great inspiring book, and just another awesome book that Graphis puts out on the market....
(...)
Amazon.com
At the height of his career, Richard Pryor did something no other comedian had done up to that point: he took listeners deeply into his life, baring himself before audiences as he exposed his foibles and his follies, his tumultuous dealings with women and his misadventures with drugs. "People can't always handle it," he writes in Pryor Convictions. "But I knew that if you tell the truth, it's going to be funny." The pain and truth came from Pryor's earliest years--from his childhood in Peoria, Illinois, where he was raised in bars and whorehouses, and sexually assaulted by an older boy when he was just 6 years old. After a stint in the army, Pryor set out to become an entertainer and began making the slow climb from hole-in-the-wall nightclubs to stardom. Sometimes profane, but always funny, Pryor Convictions is a no-holds-barred autobiography told in Pryor's inimitable comic voice.
Book Description
Richard Pryor's life story is one of the most controversial and shocking of any performer in American history. Raised in the bars and whorehouses of Peoria, where he gained first-hand knowledge of racism and hypocrisy, he toiled for years as a bland Cosby clone before finding his true voice as one of America's most brilliant comedians — and one of its most profound, and profane, social critics. At the apex of his career — one of Hollywood's biggest stars, and one of the most influential black men in the world — it all came tumbling down in a maelstrom of drugs, multiple marriages, heart attacks, violence, and suicide attempts, finally ending in a notorious incident where he lit himself on fire while freebasing cocaine. Pryor Convictions tells the uncensored story of the man behind the myth. Written in Pryor's own words, this human and compelling account is like the man himself: raw, funny, fearless, and completely unforgettable.
Customer Reviews:
Adequete incite from a necessary comedian.......2007-09-05
The book is immediately interesting and arresting. However, Mr. Pryor goes through lulls of semi-coherent, discractive writing. Pryor is very open with the reader in this book, describing everything he went through in fascinating candor. That alone makes this a must buy. Rich talks about selling out to mainstream Hollywood throughout his career. He did most pictures, regardless of the often atrocious scripts, admittedly, just for the money. There are also many fascinating stories about his habitual drug use and addiction(s). But this fact and the obligatory stories and excuses that follow allow the reader to realize he was a wild, carefree human being. Who was, admittedly, lucky to live as long as he did, considering the aforementioned drug abbuse.
The book is 247 pages and 30-plus chapters which makes for a quick read. You won't be emphatically pleased that you purchased this book, but you won't be upset either.
I tried..........2007-03-27
I tried to give Pryor a chance and see what makes him do what he did. I'd read his daughter's book first and he sounded like a pretty violent and mentally challenged man. I figure there are three sides of the story, so I'll read the second side. This dude blew me. He joked about beating up women like it was justifiable, had no idea it was wrong, and continuously excused his own faults. When children do it, I can blow it off as just having to grow up and understand responsibility. But how can I respect a comedian who does so many things that aren't funny? I wasn't a fan of Pryor before I read his book and now I'm definitely sticking to that opinion. I did, however, enjoy his alter ego's anecdotes.
Masterful Memoir.......2004-04-25
Using excerpts from his "Mudbone" monologues to accentuate the events of his life, Pryor puts together a collection of memories that make PC a must-read. I can only think of a few other autobiographies that even come close.
World's Most Profane and Profound Autobiography.......2003-03-02
In chapter 20 of this book Richard Pryor offhandedly calls his comedy style "profane and profound" and inadvertently sums up his life and this book perfectly. This is at various times the most dirtyminded, hilarious, shocking, or downright disturbing autobiography you may ever read, but always with his great dark humor. With a bizarre and damaging childhood in Peoria, Richard Pryor was raised in his grandmother's place of business - which happened to be a whorehouse with all of its shady and unwholesome characters. A violent and painful childhood full of profanity and prejudice came out in Richard's comedy, which was truly groundbreaking in its shocking honesty. He lived a wild life in the spotlight, with addictions and a constant parade of rough women, including five wives that he divorced six times. The wives are hard to keep track of, but Richard is always brutally honest about his attitudes toward women even if it's rarely pretty. He also has a very refreshing outlook on racial matters, as the prejudice that was so damaging failed to ruin his respect for all people of any color. Most of the tail end of the book concerns his nearly born again soul searching about his infamous addictions and latest losing battle with multiple sclerosis. In addition to Richard's straightforward and unforgiving narratives, there are very frequent asides from one of his stage characters, Mudbone, who here is acting as his even more brutally honest alter ego. This gives the book an often jarring schizophrenic character, and surely reflects the true workings of Pryor's dark genius.
More Respect than "Pryor".......2002-09-05
This has to be one of the most honest and compelling autobiographies I ever read! I have an immense amount of respect for the intimate details that Rich felt comfortable with sharing with readers about his early life and personal problems. Though some parts dealt with painful issues, the comedic genius he is, he manages to have readers smiling through tears. I found it particularly painful to read his battle with MS, which I watched my mother suffer with, but again, the humor is always there. Richard Pryor is the epitomy of a survivor, not to mention one of the most talented comedians of our time. This was a very inspirational and enjoyable read and I recommend the purchase A.S.A.P.
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