Book Description
THREE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SPENSER NOVELS TOGETHER IN ONE TRADE OMNIBUS.
A first-ever, triple-shot omnibus of the classic New York Times bestsellers featuring "THE WORLD'S MOST PERFECT PRIVATE EYE."-Los Angeles Times Book Review
In Pastime, the Boston PI revisits a crime from his past, and a young victim who wants answers. In Double Deuce, when Spenser is drawn into a war against a Boston street gang. And in Paper Doll, a perfect suburban wife and mother is found murdered. A random act? Spenser's isn't convinced.
Customer Reviews:
A Triple-shot of Great books!.......2007-07-21
In Pastime, Paul Giacomin comes to Spenser asking for help in tracking down his mother, who has gone missing. Never the best of mothers - having often abandoned Paul to his own devices when he was younger, causing Paul to develop as a very neurotic youngster before Spenser took him under his wing in Early Autumn (as Paul says at one point "she used to literally hide under the bed . . . but I would find her") - Patty Giacomin had nonetheless kept in at least loose contact with her son through the years. However, when he had recently left several messages on her machine and then stopped by her house to find no one there, he became concerned. Spenser also suspects that Paul is seeking some resolution of the issues from his childhood, as he is now engaged to his significant other Paige and planning on marrying in the next year or so.
When Spenser begins investigating, he becomes concerned that he will learn something about which Paul would rather not know. Paul nonetheless insists on being involved every step of the way. Because of the nature of the investigation and the strain it puts on Paul, Spenser finds that talking about his own background and history to Paul helps distract the boy. (Up until now, much of this information has been a mystery to not only the characters, but also the reader.) Susan manages to get even more out of him. This makes for fascinating reading.
When Spenser's investigations lead to evidence that Patty's new boyfriend may have been involved with Gerry Broz, things begin to turn ugly.
This is a very revealing book, in many ways. We learn a great deal about Spenser; we learn a few things about Hawk. We see that Paul, despite all his hard work over the years, is inside still very much the insecure young boy yearning for his mother's affection and attention. We see some great interactions with Joe Broz and his son, Gerry - there are several very interesting parallels and contrasts which can be drawn between Joe Broz and Gerry's relationship vs. that of Patty Giacomin and Paul. Although Patty is not around by the end of the book, because of her dysfunctional approach to relationships (and as predicted by both Spenser and Paul in the book), I suspect this is not the last we will be seeing of her.
I have to say that my heart almost literally broke for Vinnie Morris, for the decision he had to make toward the end of the book. Vinnie may be a crook, but he is a crook with honor and I felt bad for him being put into the position he was in. I hope we'll see him again in the future, in a better situation.
In Double Deuce, when 14-year-old Devona Jefferson and her three-month-old baby Crystal are shot down near the projects at 22 Hobart St (thus called Double Deuce), a committee of the residents comprised of women, old men and the Reverend Orestes Tillis contact Hawk and ask him to help weed out the gangs who have taken over the neighborhood. Hawk agrees to help and brings in Spenser. Understandably suspicious of Spenser, many of the residents outright state that they do not want him there - the most outspoken being Tillis, who calls Spenser the White Satan and says that he will not support Spenser being there. Hawk says that Spenser is there with him and if anyone has a problem with that, then both he and Spenser will be on their way.
Spenser and Hawk spend a lot of time around the Double Deuce, trying to work out who runs the Hobarts (the local gang) as well as who spiked (shot) Devona and her baby. As they investigate, connections to their old "friend" Tony Marcus pops up - it seems that Marcus has been using the Hobarts to run drugs through the area.
In many ways, this was a very difficult book to read - not to say I did not enjoy it, but it was full of uncomfortable truths about the disenfranchised who surround us every day. It paints a very bleak picture of life in the projects.
In Paper Doll, when a prominent member of the community is murdered, Spenser is hired by her husband when he feels the police are not making headway quickly enough. Spenser quickly discovers that there is very little to discover (the police are leaning toward the "random psycho" theory), so he begins to do research into her past, finding there a tangled web of lies. He grabs an end of the web and starts to pull.
Like usual, this does not earn him any friends.
What he finds out is by turns shocking and tragic. This was a great book with a terrific twist to it that I just did not see coming at all and I can't even begin to give any more details about the plot without spoiling it.
Each of this books individually earns a strong recommend from me - put them all three together? Wow - a weekend of wonder!
Parker's prose is different from other mystery writer's.......2007-01-18
I bought this book for my husband for Christmas and read it after he was finished. If you're not used to reading Parker's very detailed, descriptive, slower-paced style and pace, it takes a little while to get accustomed to his writing. But, I have to say that I enjoyed all three of the stories in this book, with each one getting successively better than the last. I'll probably buy some more Spenser...and Parker. I may try the 'Stone Cold' series since we've enjoyed the TV versions of these stories starring Tom Selleck.
triple good.......2007-01-12
some of Parker's best work. his char development is always good, but better than most here.
a must have if you are a Parker fan, if not a great place to become one.
Average customer rating:
- Interesting Concept
- First Step In A Journey A Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Humor Fan Will Love
- Castle Perilous
- Light hearted and enjoyable
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Castle Perilous
John Dechancie
Manufacturer: eReads.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Dechancie, John
| ( D )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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Castle for Rent
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Castle Kidnapped
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Castle War!
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Castle Murders
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Bride of the Castle
ASIN: 0759231982 |
Book Description
Imagine life in an ironically magical world where 144,000 doors separate fiction from reality. A place that can hypnotize even the most grounded philosophy major and deliver a fantastical rhyme to his reason. A place where a best buddy resembles a shaggy carpet, and adventures surpass a boy's dreams?welcome to Castle Perilous.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Concept.......2007-07-13
Interesting concept, bought the entire series, highly derivative. Kept expecting more out of it.
First Step In A Journey A Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Humor Fan Will Love.......2003-04-15
This book introduced me to the writings of John DeChancie. His writing is imaginative, witty and enjoyable in a way that is sadly hard to find elsewhere these days.
The actual story line of the book can be assertained by reading other user reviews, but suffice to say it's a story about a magical castle that resides at a universal and dimensional nexus.
Castle Perlious is the first novel in a series of 8 that will leave you amused and thoroughly entertained.
One day, someone somewhere will pick up Mr. DeChancie's books and you'll see them made into a TV or Mini-series, possibly into a video game, maybe into a pen and paper Role Playing Game. At any rate, they're far too good to remain cult classics forever.
Castle Perilous.......2002-12-21
Bar None, this has always been my favorite book. The only problem I had with it is that my original copy had a great picture on it and was just incredible with the details, this version while it has all of the original....has a boring cover picture.
Light hearted and enjoyable.......1998-12-08
I've read the entire Castle Perilous series and hooked a few friends and relitives to boot. Hard to beleive it all started back in 1988,
. All are sweet eye candy but what a taste. The story centers around this castle with gateways into so many other relities that few can keep track of most of them, let alone all. The castle inhabitants are mostly people who stumbled though one of the portals and just decided to stay. Some books are strange, some are just plain great. If ya see any of this series I sugest checking them out.
Average customer rating:
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Castle Perilous
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HWJ8Q8 |
Average customer rating:
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Castle Perilous
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HWHH1G |
Average customer rating:
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Castle Perilous
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
| Adventure
| Alternate History
| Anthologies
| General
| Graphic Novels
| High Tech
| History & Criticism
| Series
| Short Stories
| Space Opera
ASIN: 9992409398 |
Average customer rating:
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Castle Perilous
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HWN9NQ |
Average customer rating:
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Castle Perilous
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HWHH3E |
Average customer rating:
- Very informative & helpful book
- New Insights on Modern Disease
- Excellent, But....
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Stopping Inflammation: Relieving the Cause of Degenerative Diseases
Nancy, Ph.D. Appleton , and
G. N. Jacobs
Manufacturer: Square One Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Alternative Medicine
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Healing
| Alternative Medicine
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Holistic
| Alternative Medicine
| Health, Mind & Body
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General
| Disorders & Diseases
| Health, Mind & Body
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General
| Health, Mind & Body
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General
| Medicine
| Subjects
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Similar Items:
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The Inflammation Syndrome: The Complete Nutritional Program to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Allergies, and Asthma
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Lick the Sugar Habit
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The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book: Protect Yourself and Your Family from Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Allergies - and More
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The Inflammation Cure
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C-Reactive Protein : Everthing You Need to Know About It and Why It's More Important Than Cholesterol to Your Health
Accessories:
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RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device
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Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)
ASIN: 0757001483 |
Customer Reviews:
Very informative & helpful book.......2007-09-02
This book is very informative and helpful about inflammation, especially related to food and allergies. The author seems to be on the cutting edge of linking diet, inflammation and degenerative diseases and how to prevent or reverse inflammation before chronic disease manifests itself. I am allergic to sulfa drugs and I can no longer tolerate much wine, probably because of the sulfites in the wine. I am understanding from this book how detrimental it is to keep consuming foods that one's body is allergic to or doesn't tolerate because it sets up a state of chronic inflammation. One can see inflammation on a thermography too!
New Insights on Modern Disease.......2004-10-29
Inflammation is the result of infection by germs, right? Only partly, according to Dr. Nancy Appleton -- in a completely new insight she shows how inflammation, triggered by hitherto unsuspected agencies, can also CAUSE disease.
In this impressively researched book she documents how most, if not all, degenerative diseases like cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes and many more, can be either initiated or made worse by inflammation.
What is this inflammation and why does it happen? Dr. Appleton zeros in on one major factor: food and the allergies and intolerances it provokes. In clear language she describes how the body's immune system is supposed to work and how it caves in under the pressure of the wrong foods, generating abnormal quantities of inflammatory compounds.
As the author of Lick the Sugar Habit, she comes down hard on sugar itself and all its aliases. She also singles out dairy and wheat. In handy tables she also lists the dozens of other foodstuffs that could be implicated. She highlights the paradox that it is often the food one craves that makes one sick.
In an insight that will be completely new to many people, she explains how the blood-brain barrier is made more porous by allergens, opening the brain to inflammatory compounds. These can aggravate a vast range of mood and behavioral problems including ADHD, aggression, schizophrenia and depression.
In the final part of the book she draws all the information together and puts perspective on it. She gives practical and clear guidelines to correct one's lifestyle, notably eating habits.
As a Nutritional Anthropologist I would have also demonized starch (it is just sugar in another form); we would have given the role of omega-6 oils in inflammation greater emphasis; we would have liked the lifestyle errors to be ranked for risk. But these are minor quibbles.
In many degenerative diseases, conventional medicine is often powerless or just treats the symptoms. This book is a great guide for identifying and removing the underlying causes of many diseases and for restoring a harmoniously working body.
Excellent, But...........2004-10-27
Nancy Appleton does an excellent job of explaining the new research that's come out about Inflammation this last year. And there is a chapter by an MD/ND who speaks to the current state of health for most people in their 30s. Being 20 yrs older than that, I can see the change in health status so many experience. Environmental Illness is the cause of much of it. Unfortunately the recommendations in Chapter 8 to Detoxify are sorely out-of-date, and will not help seriously ill people very much. Serious allergy relief is not found. Energy Medicine addresses this fairly well, but is never mentioned. A very useful tool is at the end of the book: Body Chemistry Test Kit. Still worth the read and the price.
Book Description
Combining culinary history with over one hundred sumptuous recipes inspired by the teachings of Sufism, Sufi Cuisine takes the reader on a sensuous journey of earthly and spiritual delights. The eating and preparation of food is at the heart of Sufi religious practices and beliefs, and the truly inspiring array of dishesfrom preserved rose petals and snow helva, to baklava prepared with water in which oak ashes have been soaked overnightillustrates this beautifully. Full of charming anecdotes, poetry from the great Sufi mystic, Rumi, and delightful recipes, Sufi Cuisine is a pleasure for the mind and the palate.
Customer Reviews:
Mysticism in Poetry? You bet!, says Superchefblog.......2006-02-25
Can you imagine a cookbook whose every chapter starts with a poem by the greatest Sufi mystic poet Rumi -- and is actually about Food? Read more on Superchefblog at
http://superchefbloggered.blogspot.com/2006/02/sufi-cuisine-nevin-halici.html.
Customer Reviews:
hopelessly out of date.......2007-01-17
This book would be a valuable reference if it weren't so hopelessly out of date. Ths subject matter needs a rewrite every three or four years or so. If you buy this I would reccomend buying it used. When I buy a new reference book I like the information to be a bit more timely
A MUST HAVE.......2003-07-24
This book is a great introduction to the wonderful world of "outsider art". It is very well thought out & quite comprehensive. Great artist bios & lots of masterwork color photos. This book is a must have for any "folk art" collector or enthusiast.
Hard To Trust This One.......2003-01-27
It is hard to take seriously a book whose purpose is to inform the reader what art and by which artists is the most desirable and sought after, when the authors are selling folk art. It does have directions and locations of numerous artist's houses (I hope the artists want strangers coming to their respective houses) and to public collections where folk art can be found, and for that I will give the book one star. It also informs the reader where auctions are located and gives gallery listings in case the reader would like to go buy art. Maybe if we're lucky we can get some work from the authors' collection.
An absolute gem for collecting American folk art........1999-05-11
This book is the most complete and honest introduction to the contemporary American folk art and outsider art scene I have read. It lists almost all of the noteworthy artists with capsule summaries of their work and what they are about. It also includes an informative pricing guide with valuable tips in where and what to buy of a particular artist. You would be doing yourself a favor in having this book when starting a collection.
Customer Reviews:
Create Your Own Engelbreit Outdoor Space.......2007-04-27
If you love the plantings and gracious, homey scenes in Mary Engelbreit's cards and art work, then you will love this book. The photos show steppingstones, garden archways, window boxes bursting with flowers, idylic porches and quaint potting sheds. This idea book helps you picture how to transform your outdoor space with the Engelbreit look.
There are some projects telling how to make a birdbath, wind chimes from a sand pail and sand shovels, a planter box, a painted deck chair, a gardening tote, and to make a garden jacket from vintage tablecloths. The instructions are fairly skimpy, but will get you going if you're handy.
The book is a visual feast with the color photos interspersed with her art.
IT SEEMS LIKE A NEW BOOK EVERYTIME I READ IT.......2000-06-17
THIS IS A DELIGHTFUL BOOK. I HAVE GOTTEN GREAT IDEAS TO COPY. I AM USING THESE IDEAS FOR CHURCH AND HOME PROJECTS. I WISH I COULD AFFORD TO BUY ALL OF MARY ENGELBREIT'S BOOKS. THEY BRIGHTEN UP MY DAYS.
Mary Engelbreit does it again!.......1999-07-04
ME has taken her indoor style outdoors. It's an imaginative source for decorating the garden with whimsy. If you are looking for ideas on what to plant and how to keep it alive, this is not the book for you, go directly to Better Homes and Gardens!
An inspiring guide to achieving the ME look outdoors !.......1999-05-15
This book is as wonderful as I had expected it to be ! I am truly inspired to create in my "outdoor rooms" now and I now realize just how much work I have ahead of me as well ! The projects are extremely do-able and will make terrific mother's and father's day gifts as well as welcome additions to my own sad little garden. After doing several of the projects in ME's Children's Companion, I can share that her ideas are easily adapted to your own tastes and needs and you don't need to feel obligated to exactly duplicate her wonderful ideas... they're a fantastic spring board for your own creations.
Nice pictures, lovley words, but not a gardener's helper........1998-08-09
Mary Englebreit has a very definitive look, and the pages of this book are filled with lovely photos that embody her style perfectly. Pictures aside, this book is not a very helpful gardening tool, since the captions do not indicate what types of flowers or plants have been used to make up the great settings pictured. The book's cover states that the reader will be shown how to obtain "the look", but one can't very well do that if no where does it say what flowers are used, can they? Over all, nice to look at, but not a big help .
Average customer rating:
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Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland
Manufacturer: Hyperion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Specific Styles
| Building Types & Styles
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Home Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0901824186 |
Average customer rating:
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Taxonomies: New Drawings by Susan Wood
Gil McElroy
Manufacturer: Goose Lane Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Museums & Collections
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Drawing
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Artists, A-Z
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0920089720 |
Book Description
The first lavishly illustrated document of Kurt Weill's extraordinary life and musical career ever published, marking the centenary of his birth
A musical iconoclast, the legendary Kurt Weill has become a figure central to the cultural life of the twentieth century, an artist known for his relentless mitigation of the tension between "high" and "low" art. He left behind a treasury of classical music and unforgettable songs like "Mack the Knife" and "Alabama Song" and, working with Bertolt Brecht and others, musicals like The Threepenny Opera to address the most serious of social and political issues. Now, David Farneth, Director of the Weill-Lenya Research Center and editor of the acclaimed Lenya: The Legend;has created an utterly unique and engaging document of Weill"s life and accomplishments through photos and the composer's own words.
In a lavish style suitable to its topic, Weill covers the composer's entire life, from his German-Jewish heritage and early political experiences, to his legendary relationship with Lotte Lenya and his late-life experiments with the "concept musical." There is not an event--or a song--untouched. Farneth brings together text and photos from public and private archives in five different countries to assemble the most extraordinary of biographical documents. Weill is an essential addition to any music lover's collection.
Books:
- Baker Towers: A Novel
- Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams: Volume 3 (Batman)
- Behind the Lines: Corps 07 (Corps)
- Beware of God: Stories
- Birth of an Age: Book Two of the Christ Clone Trilogy
- Bitter is the New Black : Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass,Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office
- Born in Fire: The Born In Trilogy #1 (Born in Trilogy)
- Dearest Dorothy, Slow Down, You're Wearing Us Out! (Baumbich, Charlene Ann, Dearest Dorothy, Bk. 2.)
- Dermaphoria
- Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Gardner's Art Through the Ages
- Barcelona the Great Enchantress
- Animal Communication Networks
- Advances in Friedel-Crafts Acylation Reactions: Catalytic and Green Processes
- Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Blood Diamonds
- Baking Boot Camp: Five Days of Basic Training at The Culinary Institute of America
- Staying Small Successfully: A Guide for Architects, Engineers, and Design Professionals
- White Columns in Georgia
- Angela Thirkell's World: A Complete Guide to the People and Places of Baretshire
School Days (Spenser)
Stardust (Spenser)
The Widening Gyre (Spenser Novels (Dell))
Walking Shadow (Spenser)
Cold Service (Spenser Mysteries)
