Dorian: An Imitation
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • I didn't like this as much as I wanted to.
  • horrifically bland, boring story
  • Many people just don't like this sort of stuff...
  • Narcissism, surely the scourge of our age
  • Wilde would not approve
Dorian: An Imitation
Will Self
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
LiteraryLiterary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Self, WillSelf, Will | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
GayGay | Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Gay & Lesbian | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. The Quantity Theory of Insanity The Quantity Theory of Insanity
  2. Cock and Bull Cock and Bull
  3. How the Dead Live How the Dead Live
  4. The Sweet Smell of Psychosis: A Novella (Self, Will) The Sweet Smell of Psychosis: A Novella (Self, Will)
  5. The Book of Dave: A Novel The Book of Dave: A Novel

ASIN: 0802117295

Book Description

The New York Times Book Review has praised Will Self as a "high-powered satirical weapon" and an "alpha male in the British literary hierarchy." Now he confirms his place among our most important writers by offering a stunning reimagination of the most shocking novel of its time. Summer, 1981. It is an age when appearances matter more and more. Only the shallowest people won't judge by them. Henry Wotton, gay, drug-addicted, and husband of Batface, the irrefutably aristocratic daughter of the Duke of This or That, is at the center of a clique dedicated to dissolution. His friend Baz Hallward, an artist, has discovered a young man who is the very epitome of male beauty -- Dorian Gray. His installation, Cathode Narcissus, captures all of Dorian's allure and, perhaps, something else. After a night of debauchery that climaxes in a veritable conga line of buggery, Wotton and Hallward are caught in the hideous web of a retrovirus that becomes synonymous with the decade. Sixteen years later the Royal Broodmare, as Wotton has dubbed her, lies dying in a Parisian underpass. But what of Wotton and Hallward? How have they fared as stocks soar and T-cell counts plummet? And what of Dorian? How is it that he remains so youthful while all around him shrivel and die? Set against the AIDS epidemic of the eighties and nineties, Will Self's Dorian is a shameless reworking of our most significant myth of shamelessness, brilliantly evoking the decade in which it was fine to stare into the abyss, so long as you were wearing two pairs of Ray-Bans.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars I didn't like this as much as I wanted to........2006-12-10

When I ordered this book I was really looking forward to it. I have enjoyed quite a few of Will Self's other books but, I was disappointed. Self's writing is still clever, his characterizations of bitter old queens is fabulous, the setting was very good. His placement of the story at the dawn of the AIDS era was very smart, however the book itself falls flat. There are bright spots here and there, but the story as a whole seems lackluster.

I feel the ending was a bit of overkill and entirely unecessary. All in all despite Will Self's wit, I don't really recommend this particular book.

1 out of 5 stars horrifically bland, boring story.......2005-05-27

I like some of Self's work but this one is unreadable...rambling plot, wooden contrived scenes and dialogue, endless repetition of phrases. UG, spend more time on the next one and reclaim your original talent that was found in "My Idea of Fun."

5 out of 5 stars Many people just don't like this sort of stuff..........2005-02-02

...but I'd rather be one of the few who finds pleasure in Self's perversity than one of the many who see only perveristy in such pleasures (as those of the wanton that is Self's Henry Wotton).

Perhaps you should skip this tale if you:

) rarely find reinterpretations as enjoyable -- note that this is not the same as 'good' -- as an original or 'classic'

) are offended by repeated discussions of drugs, sex, homosexuality, precious bodily fluids, et cetera

) haven't read any of his other works; or have, and don't like such

) don't like it when authors make much wordplay or use obscure vocabulary which might require the reader to visit a dictionary


Note: I am a big fan of Mr. Self. You also may find his writing very entertaining if you don't fall into any of the above buckets. If you're interested in checking for yourself, I would recommend the short story collection _Grey Area_ or the novel _Great Apes_. (The only major book of his that I did not find highly enjoyable was _How the Dead Live_, which was a little tedious.)

So there you have my opinion. It's just that. But do take the reviews of those who panned this book as such as well. There's no accounting for taste; however, I personally recommend that you taste this account of a modern Dorian Gray. Terrible, I know;).

5 out of 5 stars Narcissism, surely the scourge of our age.......2004-08-14

It was years ago that I read the Wilde classic, so I wasn't as I read Will Self's update consciously or otherwise thinking about the differences between the two and judging how it measures or fails to measure up to its more famous predecessor. Perhaps that's one of the reasons why I enjoyed it while many others disliked it. As a standalone novel about narcissism - surely a contemporary social ill, if not the scourge of our age - I thought "Dorian" stood its own ground very well.

Self doesn't pull his punches in his depiction of the dissolute lifestyle of the upper classes. He seethes with barely concealed contempt for their amorality and their never-ending drug and sex orgies. There's not one sympathetic character among the lot. They're careless and callous of life - they dismiss somebody else's death by murder with the wave of a limp wrist - so when they catch AIDS and find the dagger pointing at their own throats, should anybody baulk ? Dorian is only the distillate and the end result of a values system that encourages if not promotes self worship.

Self's excessive wordplay - headache inducing as always - is only quintessentially Self. I'm sure he's added liberally to the English language. His graphic, no holds barred take on decadence is often unpleasant and shocking. His narrative technique is sometimes confusing as he takes us backwards and forwards in time, juxtaposing past events alongside current occurrences through the use of bedside confessions. We confront our horror just as the tale reaches its nadir when Dorian confuses himself with his airbrushed video images. The rest, as they say, is history.

"Dorian" isn't for everyone. It's nasty, graphic and violent but also eerily contemporary and necessary.

1 out of 5 stars Wilde would not approve.......2004-05-03

Wilde was a silver-tongued philosopher if there ever was one: his incisive witticisms weren't disembodied pretticisms, but a glittering facade for dark, multilayered meaning. In other words, he was a man of brilliant ideas and impeccable style, in many senses of the word. Will Self seems to be a man of mildly intriguing ideas and loathsome taste.

The punchline of the book offers some insights on the purpose, function, and effect of art. Besides that, the book is a tedious, torturous read (besides being gory to the point of swift apathy and desensitization.)

Self's voice is not only grating, but Self-congratulatory and Self-indulgent: he amuses himself with pointless, witless alliteration as often as his characters smoke, snort and shoot all kinds of hideous drug combinations. His treatment of his own characters is sadistic and completely lacking in affection.

The book is built around several mildly interesting comparisons with Wilde's original; the last, revealed in the epilogue, being the strongest. And yes, it's sort of interesting to compare 'moral corruption' with the transmission of a virus for which there is no cure. But his ideas lose all appeal thanks to the voices of the narrator and his aggravating flock of junkies (I speak French and I found the constant turd-like dropping of 'bons mots' infuriating; I can't imagine what it would be like for someone who can't understand them at all....)

Read the original and let your own imagination fit it to the context of the '80s and '90s.

The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall (The Dragonriders of Pern)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Great if you like Sci Fiction
  • The Chronicles of Pern
  • The Chronicles of Pern,First Fall
  • "School & Library" binding is abysmal
  • Wonderful Insights Into Pern's History!
The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall (The Dragonriders of Pern)
Anne McCaffrey
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

AnthologiesAnthologies | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Short StoriesShort Stories | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | McCaffrey, Anne | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
PaperbackPaperback | McCaffrey, Anne | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | McCaffrey, Anne | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
PaperbackPaperback | McCaffrey, Anne | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
AnthologiesAnthologies | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
GeneralGeneral | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Short StoriesShort Stories | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
All 4-for-3 DealsAll 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
  1. All the Weyrs of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern Series) All the Weyrs of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern Series)
  2. Dragonseye Dragonseye
  3. The Dolphins of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern) The Dolphins of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern)
  4. Dragonsdawn (Dragonriders of Pern Series) Dragonsdawn (Dragonriders of Pern Series)
  5. The Renegades of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern Series) The Renegades of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern Series)

ASIN: 0345368991
Release Date: 1994-08-29

Book Description

Let the queen of dragons herself take you back to the earliest days of Pernese history as Anne McCaffrey brings to life events that shaped one of the most popular worlds in all of science fiction, in this first-ever Pern short-story collection.


From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

Travel back to the earliest days of Pernese history in this first-everDragonriders of Pern short-story collection!

Join the original survey team as they explore Pern and decide torecommend it for colonization.

Share the terror of the evacuation from the Southern Continent as aflotilla of ships, aided by intelligent, talking dolphins, braves thedreadful currents of the Pernese ocean.

Learn how the famous Ruatha Hold was founded, and thrill with thedragonriders as they expand into a second, then a third Weyr.And discover a secret lost time: the rescue of some of the originalcolonists before the planet was cut off forever!

Building a new life on a distant world, braving the dreaded Thread thatfalls like silver rain from the sky only to destroy every living thingit touches, flying heroically on the wondrous dragons: TheDragonriders of Pern!

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great if you like Sci Fiction.......2007-05-13

The Pern series of books from Anne McCaffery are great. Better if you read them in order, (look online at her website for recommendations). This is futuristic science fiction, but if you liked Aregon, you would probably like this series too

5 out of 5 stars The Chronicles of Pern.......2007-05-12

ALL of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonrider books draw me into them so that I become a part of Pern and feel all the emotions of the people involved. Except for Lessa. I've known to many women like her and have not liked any of them.

5 out of 5 stars The Chronicles of Pern,First Fall.......2007-01-22

Anne McCaffrey always delivers.And this is no exception!!!Meet the new dragonriders and learn how they came to be named

1 out of 5 stars "School & Library" binding is abysmal.......2006-01-08

Spent ~$10 extra on the "School & Library" binding, thinking I would get a durable hardback. Instead, what I got was a paperback edition glued into a cardboard cover.

Save your money and go for the paperback, or search used book sellers for a real hardcover edition.

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful Insights Into Pern's History!.......2003-07-01

The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall is actually a collection of 5 short stories that take place around the time of Dragonsdawn. They are:

The Survey: P.E.R.N - This is the shortest story of the collection and it deals with the original surveyors who were mapping that part of the galaxy and recommended Pern for colonization. The reader is offered tantalizing glimpses of a bigger story behind the tension of the survey crew, but, at only 18 pages, this story doesn't allow a lot of time for any detail.

The Dolphin's Bell - This story takes place concurrently with the end of Dragonsdawn, but from the perspective of the dolphins and their caretakers. It was interesting to see the story from a different perspective and to experience what the colonists had to go through as they braved the treacherous ocean voyage to the northern continent. The story centers around Jim Tillek (of the later Tillek Hold), his love of the sea and his growing love for a courageous young woman named Theo.

The Ford of Red Hanrahan - After the colonists had settled in the Northern Continent at Fort Hold, there was plenty of room for their greatly diminished numbers in the cavernous space. However, after some time, space is getting tight and there are those who are ready to venture forth and create new holds. One of them is Red Hanrahan, whom readers will recognize from Dragonsdawn (as a character and as Sorka's father). He journeys quite a distance from Fort Hold and founds what will become known as the famous Ruatha Hold. This story was quite interesting because it addressed the history of the plague that took so many lives in Moreta's time and how the colonists started fostering their children out to live with other families.

The Second Weyr - Sean and Sorka have done a wonderful job training all of the other dragonriders and are the best weyrleaders that any dragonrider could hope for, but Fort Weyr just doesn't have enough space for them all! Torene, with her maturing queen, has dreams of settling a new weyr and has even found the perfect location, but is afraid to say anything to Sean. When Sean makes the surprise announcement that the dragonriders will be expanding into not just one weyr - but three! Torene is thrilled. She dreams of becoming new weyrwoman at one of the weyrs and waits in eager anticipation to see who will fly her queen in her first mating flight, for they will become the new leaders of the justly named Benden Weyr after their beloved leader who passed on. I have to say that this was my favorite story of the bunch, I just love to read about the dragonriders!

Rescue Run - When Lieutenant Ross Benden's ship comes upon a distress signal around the Rukbat system, he cannot help but think of his uncle, who set off 50 years previously to colonize a planet there. He cannot believe that his uncle, hero of so many battles, would have panicked and set off a signal for help, not 7 years after starting colonization. Still, he is duty bound to explore the area and see if there are any survivors. The biologist on board is fascinated by the organisms that seem to come from the Oort cloud circling so close to the planet. A small team leaves the ship to take a shuttle down to Pern and are surprised to encounter a small band of survivors: Stev Kimmer (whom readers will recognize from Dragonsdawn as being one of Avril's group) and Kenjo & Ito Fusaiyuki's (whom readers will also recognize as being the pilot killed by Avril to steal the plane) children. They insist that there are no other survivors and, though Benden does a sweep of the area, he has no other choice but to believe that his uncle is gone, killed in the Thread attack and leave with the few survivors that remain. This story was interesting because it explains why no one else has ever gone to Pern and why that area of space is simply avoided, as I always thought that someone must come to see the colony after so many hundreds of years.

I am not a big fan of short stories, as a rule, but I enjoyed this book. The stories are typically about 60 pages, except for the first one about the exploration team, which is only about 15. They are all well written and the characters are very interesting - almost too interesting for a short story because I wanted to know more about them! For anyone who has enjoyed the Pern series, I think that they will love the insights this book gives them into the history of Pern and its original colonists. Highly recommended for fans of science fiction & fantasy!
DragonRiders Dawn Dragondon the Chronicles of pern: First Fall
Average customer rating: Not rated
    DragonRiders Dawn Dragondon the Chronicles of pern: First Fall
    Anne Mccaffrey
    Manufacturer: Science Fiction Book Co.
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    GeneralGeneral | McCaffrey, Anne | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
    HardcoverHardcover | McCaffrey, Anne | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
    Similar Items:
    1. Dragon's Kin (Dragonriders of Pern) Dragon's Kin (Dragonriders of Pern)
    2. Dragonsblood (Pern) Dragonsblood (Pern)
    3. The Masterharper of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern) The Masterharper of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern)
    4. The Dolphins of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern) The Dolphins of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern)
    5. Dragon's Fire (The Dragonriders of Pern) Dragon's Fire (The Dragonriders of Pern)

    ASIN: 0739466852

    Product Description

    Science Fiction Fantasy
    5 Titles By Anne McCaffrey : Chronicles of Pern: First Fall - To Ride Pegasus - Dinosaur Planet - The Rowan - Power Lines
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      5 Titles By Anne McCaffrey : Chronicles of Pern: First Fall - To Ride Pegasus - Dinosaur Planet - The Rowan - Power Lines
      Anne McCaffrey
      Manufacturer: various
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Mass Market Paperback
      ASIN: B000WW1776

      Product Description

      multiple books ship as one item. save on shipping/handling charges.
      The Chronicles of Pern : First Fall
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        The Chronicles of Pern : First Fall
        Anne McCaffrey
        Manufacturer: Del Rey
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback
        ASIN: B000OVHCXS
        Chronicles of Pern: First Fall
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Chronicles of Pern: First Fall

          Manufacturer: Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover
          ASIN: 0606283765
          The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall (Unabridged), Part 1
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall (Unabridged), Part 1
            Anne McCaffrey
            Manufacturer: audible.com
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Audio Download
            ASIN: B00007K459
            The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall
              Anne McCaffrey
              Manufacturer: Del Rey
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback
              ASIN: B000OCQ1U2
              The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall. [The Dragon Books]
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall. [The Dragon Books]
                Anne McCaffrey
                Manufacturer: Bantam Press
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Hardcover
                ASIN: B000J2NS94

                The DNA Cowboys Trilogy: Quest for DNA Cowboys/Synaptic Manhunt/Neural Atro
                Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                • A delicious, delirious psychadelic Sci-Fi
                • A delicious, delirious psychadelic Sci-Fi Americana Fantasy
                The DNA Cowboys Trilogy: Quest for DNA Cowboys/Synaptic Manhunt/Neural Atro
                Mick Farren
                Manufacturer: Do-Not Press
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Hardcover

                AnthologiesAnthologies | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
                FantasyFantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books | Alternate History | Anthologies | Arthurian | Contemporary | Epic | General | Historical | History & Criticism | Magic & Wizards | Series
                AnthologiesAnthologies | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
                Space OperaSpace Opera | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
                All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
                Similar Items:
                1. Last Stand of the DNA Cowboys Last Stand of the DNA Cowboys
                2. Kindling Kindling
                3. The Feelies The Feelies
                4. Conflagration (Flame of Evil) Conflagration (Flame of Evil)
                5. Underland (Renquist Quartet) Underland (Renquist Quartet)

                ASIN: 1899344942

                Customer Reviews:

                5 out of 5 stars A delicious, delirious psychadelic Sci-Fi.......2003-09-25

                This is the original trilogy by Mick published in the fabulous 70's of which "The Last Stand of the DNA Cowboys" is the fourth and most modern addition (pub. 1989), This trilogy has been heralded as the 'lost' classic of adventure/pulp sci-fi novels. A long, rambling entertaining tale of the picaresque misadventures of the 'DNA cowboys' (is the Minstrel not Mick's semi-biographical persona?), this is a literary LSD head-trip thru Mick's unique, hallucinatory fantasy-scape of kung-fu movies, sphaghetti westerns, high-tech magnificence and dazed drugged decadence. In short, a deliciously addictive mixture of 70's Americana pop culture. The original trilogy in paperback is now very very rare and fanatically sought after by Farren fans as a collectible. A rewarding and highly amusing read, and for those Farren fans who never saw the original paperbacks, a must-BUY! Mick's the King, man, and you better BELIEVE IT!! Or find out for yourself and buy this book. MICK!! MICK!! MICK!! You der man, maaaan!! B-) Visit his webpage
                http://www.thanatosoft.freeserve.co.uk/

                4 out of 5 stars A delicious, delirious psychadelic Sci-Fi Americana Fantasy.......2003-07-01

                This is the original trilogy by Mick published in the fabulous 70's of which "The Last Stand of the DNA Cowboys" is the fourth and most modern addition (pub. 1989), This trilogy has been heralded as the 'lost' classic of adventure/pulp sci-fi novels. A long, rambling entertaining tale of the picaresque misadventures of the 'DNA cowboys' (is the Minstrel not Mick's semi-biographical persona?), this is a literary LSD head-trip thru Mick's unique, hallucinatory fantasy-scape of kung-fu movies, sphaghetti westerns, high-tech magnificence and dazed drugged decadence. In short, a deliciously addictive mixture of 70's Americana pop culture. The original trilogy in paperback is now very very rare and fanatically sought after by Farren fans as a collectible. A rewarding and highly amusing read, and for those Farren fans who never saw the original paperbacks, a must-BUY! Visit his webpage
                http://www.thanatosoft.freeserve.co.uk/

                Pay to the Order of Puerto Rico: The Cost of Dependence
                Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                • Book
                • Excellent expose of Puerto Rico!
                • Amazing Facts!
                • Follow the facts
                • More foreign amateurs meddling with the enchanted island
                Pay to the Order of Puerto Rico: The Cost of Dependence
                Alexander Odishelidze , and Arthur Laffer
                Manufacturer: Allegiance Press
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Hardcover

                GeneralGeneral | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                History & TheoryHistory & Theory | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                U.S.U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                ASIN: 159467289X

                Book Description

                Current policy toward Puerto Rico is costing each American taxpayer $400 a year-a total of $22 billion. This book gives the scandalous history behind one of America's biggest and most expensive tax shelters, the "commonwealth" of Puerto Rico. The authors share the shocking truth about how the American taxpayer is footing a bill for antiquated policy toward this island. Puerto Rican businessman Alexander Odishelidze shares a revealing story of how bad policy is wasting taxpayer dollars and destabilizing the people and region of Puerto Rico, while renowned conservative economist Arthur Laffer bolsters the claims with his undeniable facts and figures. Together they build a convincing case that Puerto Rico must dispense with the chimera of commonwealth and become an independent nation or the 51st state of the United States of America.

                Customer Reviews:

                5 out of 5 stars Book.......2007-05-07

                Although it is a used book, received like new. Good price, fast shipment, It was a good deal.

                5 out of 5 stars Excellent expose of Puerto Rico!.......2007-03-21

                I am from Puerto Rico and had the opportunity to meet Mr.Odishelidze way before the publication of the book. We did not talked about the book but he impreesed me. With the book I learned a lot that I did not know about the Island.

                5 out of 5 stars Amazing Facts!.......2006-02-05

                This book provides a point of view from an outsider who has more interest in solving our case than our own people do. This book is a must read for all puertoricans and for the US taxpayer. It is not perfect, but it's an eye opener. Myself being a former statehood supporter that now favors independence, recommend this book to anyone interested in how the last colony in the world is still surviving.

                4 out of 5 stars Follow the facts.......2005-09-25

                Taxpayer subsidies to Puerto Rico are costing every American taxpayer $400 per person, per year. The United States is not subsidizing the government of Puerto Rico or its population, but rather it is providing tax breaks for many of the USA's leading corporations-including drug companies-that have established operations in the Territory. Despite the subsidies, the percentage of the Puerto Rican population below the poverty level is a shade under 50%, a figure in sharp contrast to the poorest of mainland USA, and Puerto Ricans remain subjects, not full participants in the American democratic process.
                Alexander Odishelidze's and Arthur Laffer's book, Pay to the Order of Puerto Rico, is a cry for freedom for the Territory of Puerto Rico and its people. The authors, well-known in their fields, offer a viewpoint that does not require a degree in economics to understand it.
                Whether one agrees with Laffer's conservative politics or Odeshelidze's prescription does not challenge the facts of the situation. The book is clearly written, wastes no time on trivia and its length belies the quick read that it is.
                Pay to the Order of Puerto Rico is valuable for putting the facts in front of the American public. While the USA is messing around in the Middle East, the theme of this book is a plea to right the wrongs far closer to home.
                Review written by
                Florence Hackman, CFA
                Frank Cullen

                1 out of 5 stars More foreign amateurs meddling with the enchanted island.......2005-09-11

                Dear prospective reader, do not waste your time and money with this book. Notwithstanding the disrespect to Puerto Ricans and the lack of professionalism this book exerts, its main arguments stumble on their own feet.

                The principal author is an individual bought entirely into the idea that the exact opposite of the socialism that he lived under the Soviets should be the solution to all the world's problems is trying to scare North Americans by telling them that they are losing money with Puerto Rico not paying federal taxes. The money he is talking about is the money that would have arrived to the federal coffers, which is the same money that Reganonmics are saying the government does not need. Pay attention to one of the many contradictions: if Laffer has made a career arguing that the federal government does not need that much taxes (he has argued for the relieving of the tax burden for the rich), why would this book complain that Puerto Rico is not paying federal taxes? Would not this be the ideal state? Yet, sarcasm aside, the book dwells excessively on the fact that PR is not contributing to the federal coffers without explaining the reasons why this is so. The fact that the Odishelidze neither knows the history nor he understands the economic, politics and social conditions of the Estado Libre Asociado (the title in Spanish captures the reality better than the English name), and Laffer chooses to ignore it, preordained the complete failure of this book's logic.

                This book, in brief, is a product of the right wing machinery that has assaulted the world so effectively (with numerous Think-Tanks, Blogs, and preposterous publishing houses funded with the inexhaustible source of Republican money) with blatant distortions of the truth. Yes, the pharmaceuticals are making tons of money on the island-money that otherwise would have ended up as taxes for the federal government. Yet, the main argument of the book (that it is better for the US to incorporate the island, and that Puerto Ricans would get out of their slumber only with a rude statehood awakening) neglects to consider that the main purpose of the federal government with its current neoliberal ideology is simply to protect the profit of big business and not to debilitate them. So, with the usual stupidity of books written by people who do not know what (carajo) they are writing about, this book is just a soft (plasta) statement in the middle of the way. Please, ignore it unless you want to be part of the large mass of people blindly marching at the rhythm of this current imperial regime.
                PAY TO THE ORDER OF PUERTO RICO: THE COST OF DEPENDENCE TO THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  PAY TO THE ORDER OF PUERTO RICO: THE COST OF DEPENDENCE TO THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER

                  Manufacturer: Allegiance Press Virginia
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Hardcover
                  ASIN: B000IB3H74

                  More Recipes from the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans, and Jars
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    More Recipes from the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans, and Jars
                    Ceil Dyer
                    Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Companies
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback

                    GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
                    Similar Items:
                    1. Best Recipes from the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans and Jars Best Recipes from the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans and Jars

                    ASIN: 0070185557
                    Even More Recipes from the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans, and Jars
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      Even More Recipes from the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans, and Jars
                      Ceil Dyer
                      Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Companies
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Paperback

                      GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
                      ASIN: 007018559X
                      More Recipes From The Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans and Jars
                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                        More Recipes From The Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans and Jars

                        Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Book Company
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Hardcover
                        ASIN: B000H5NZNM
                        More Recipes from the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans and Jars
                        Average customer rating: Not rated
                          More Recipes from the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans and Jars
                          Ceil Dyer
                          Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Book Company
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Hardcover
                          ASIN: B000PAV60S

                          Pocket Knife Price Guide
                          Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                          • Great, as far as it goes
                          Pocket Knife Price Guide
                          Jacob N. Jarrett
                          Manufacturer: L W Publishing & Book Sales
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Paperback

                          GeneralGeneral | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                          ReferenceReference | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                          GeneralGeneral | Conventional | Weapons & Warfare | Military | History | Subjects | Books
                          Similar Items:
                          1. The Standard Knife Collector's Guide: Identification & Values (Standard Knife Collector's Guide) The Standard Knife Collector's Guide: Identification & Values (Standard Knife Collector's Guide)
                          2. The Official Price Guide to Collector Knives, 14th edition (Official Price Guide to Collector Knives) The Official Price Guide to Collector Knives, 14th edition (Official Price Guide to Collector Knives)

                          ASIN: 0895380242

                          Customer Reviews:

                          4 out of 5 stars Great, as far as it goes.......2001-01-14

                          The book comprises reproductions of catalogue pages from a number of manufacturers, followed by several pages of price guide information, keyed to the original catalogues. The Keen Kutter information is especially interesting, as it includes the "how they are made" pages reproduced from an old catalogue.

                          The book's greatest drawback is that the author provides no explanation how the "price guide" prices were derived. Without knowing whether the prices are based upon catalogue (asking) prices for collectible knives, auction results (realized prices), systematic shopping of shows and antiques shops, a formula, or simply the writer's opinion, a user cannot intelligently use the price guide. A brief note in front of the book explains that prices represent knives in "good condition," not unused and unsharpened knives (considered to be the most valuable), but there is no definition of the grade "good."

                          Worth the price, for the old catalog information, a great aid in identifying and dating knives.
                          Price Guide to Knife Album  1976 Edition, 4th Edition, Includes Pocket Knives  ,Winchester, Remington Cutlery Etc
                          Average customer rating: Not rated
                            Price Guide to Knife Album 1976 Edition, 4th Edition, Includes Pocket Knives ,Winchester, Remington Cutlery Etc
                            Robert, Illustrated, Includes Article By Allen P. Swayne Mayes
                            Manufacturer: Robert Mayes Publ.
                            ProductGroup: Book
                            Binding: Paperback
                            ASIN: B000JD9V62
                            Pocket Knife Traders Price Guide
                            Average customer rating: Not rated
                              Pocket Knife Traders Price Guide
                              Jim Parker
                              Manufacturer: James F Parker Trust
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Paperback
                              ASIN: B000PRQBDS

                              Product Description

                              illustrated price guide with color and black and white photographs
                              Pocket Knife Traders Price Guide Volume 2 (1994 Edition)
                              Average customer rating: Not rated
                                Pocket Knife Traders Price Guide Volume 2 (1994 Edition)
                                Jim Parker
                                Manufacturer: James F. Parker Trust
                                ProductGroup: Book
                                Binding: Paperback
                                ASIN: B000WFI99M
                                Pocket Knife Traders Price Guide, Volume 5
                                Average customer rating: Not rated
                                  Pocket Knife Traders Price Guide, Volume 5
                                  Jim Parker
                                  Manufacturer: James F. Parker
                                  ProductGroup: Book
                                  Binding: Paperback
                                  ASIN: B000UM0MLK

                                  Exploring Contemporary Craft: History, Theory and Critical Writing
                                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                                    Exploring Contemporary Craft: History, Theory and Critical Writing

                                    Manufacturer: Coach House Press
                                    ProductGroup: Book
                                    Binding: Paperback

                                    GeneralGeneral | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
                                    CriticismCriticism | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
                                    GeneralGeneral | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
                                    GeneralGeneral | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                                    Similar Items:
                                    1. Objects and Meaning: New Perspectives on Art and Craft Objects and Meaning: New Perspectives on Art and Craft
                                    2. The Culture of Craft (Studies in Design and Material Culture) The Culture of Craft (Studies in Design and Material Culture)
                                    3. The Persistence of Craft: The Applied Arts Today The Persistence of Craft: The Applied Arts Today
                                    4. Ceramic Millennium Ceramic Millennium
                                    5. Shards Shards

                                    ASIN: 1552451070

                                    Book Description

                                    The craft of craft, the art of craft - here in Canada we're just starting to really talk about these things. In March 1999, Jean Johnson, who runs Toronto's Craft Studio at Harbourfr ont Centre, organized a wildly successful symposium on the state of craft in Canada. Curators, writers, critics, academics and craftspeople spoke about all aspects of craft: history, practice, theory, criticism. Taken together, these papers create a clear picture of the vibrant crafts scene in Canada.

                                    The symposium was a groundbreaking event, a first in Canada, offering to the crafts community a new depth of consideration. The book, too, is a Canadian first, and it will allow a dialogue about the academic side of the craft movement to continue.

                                    Each of the book's three sections, History, Theory and Critical Writing, contains a keynote paper and essays by experts in each field, including Mark Kingwell writing 'On Style,' Blake Gopnik on 'Reviewing Craft Exhibitions for the Art Pages,' and Robin Metcalfe addressing 'Teacup Readings: Contextualizing Craft in the Art Gallery.'

                                    Pure Deck-Adence: A Guide to Beautiful Decks
                                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                                      Pure Deck-Adence: A Guide to Beautiful Decks
                                      Tina Skinner
                                      Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
                                      ProductGroup: Book
                                      Binding: Hardcover

                                      GeneralGeneral | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
                                      GeneralGeneral | Construction | Civil | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
                                      WoodworkingWoodworking | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books | Decoys | Furniture & Carpentry | General | Projects | Tools
                                      Garden DesignGarden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                                      Buildings & ConstructionBuildings & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                                      Design & ConstructionDesign & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                                      GeneralGeneral | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                                      Decks & PatiosDecks & Patios | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                                      GeneralGeneral | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
                                      ASIN: 0764304453

                                      Book Description

                                      Pure Deck-adence: A Guide to Beautiful Decks is a fantasy collection of real-life deck photos from all over the United States. From the humblest of condo balcony walkouts to the most elaborate sprawling wood structures, Pure Deck-adence explores the many possibilities of add-on outdoor home improvements. This pictorial essay explores America's fascination with outdoor living, from barbecue-centered constructions to the new immersion in hot tub culture. More than 240 full-color photographs provide a rich resource of ideas for those who dream of expanding their homes, and their horizons, with wood decks.

                                      Markengesetz/the German Trade Mark Act of 1995 (Series of publications on industrial property rights)
                                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                                        Markengesetz/the German Trade Mark Act of 1995 (Series of publications on industrial property rights)
                                        Martin Aufenanger
                                        Manufacturer: Vch Pub
                                        ProductGroup: Book
                                        Binding: Paperback

                                        GeneralGeneral | Law | Subjects | Books
                                        GeneralGeneral | Intellectual Property | Law | Subjects | Books
                                        Patent, Trademark & CopyrightPatent, Trademark & Copyright | Intellectual Property | Law | Subjects | Books
                                        GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
                                        FrenchFrench | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                                        GermanGerman | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                                        NonfictionNonfiction | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
                                        All French BooksAll French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
                                        NonfictionNonfiction | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
                                        All German BooksAll German Books | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
                                        ASIN: 3527286993

                                        Owl Meets Alien: Amongst Others On My Soul's Journey
                                        Average customer rating: Not rated
                                          Owl Meets Alien: Amongst Others On My Soul's Journey
                                          Margarite Westo
                                          Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
                                          ProductGroup: Book
                                          Binding: Paperback

                                          GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                                          ChannelingChanneling | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                                          GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                                          ASIN: 1410725502

                                          Books:

                                          1. Dressing Up for the Carnival
                                          2. Esquire's Big Book of Fiction
                                          3. Faith Fox: A Novel
                                          4. Feeling for Books: The Book-Of-The-Month Club, Literary Taste, and Middle-Class Desire
                                          5. Fighting Gravity: A Novel
                                          6. Five Star Expressions - The Geisha's Granddaughter (Five Star Expressions)
                                          7. Fourfront Contemporary Stories Translated from the Irish: Contemporary Stories Translated from the Irish
                                          8. Guy Livingstone (Large Print Edition): or \'Thorough\'
                                          9. High Bonnet: A Novel of Epicurean Adventures (Modern Library Food)
                                          10. Hornet Flight

                                          Books Index

                                          Books Home

                                          Recommended Books

                                          1. I Can't Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence
                                          2. History: Fiction or Science
                                          3. Clusters of Atoms and Molecules II: Solvation and Chemistry of Free Clusters, and Embedded, Supporte
                                          4. Give a Boy a Gun
                                          5. Fantasy Workshop: A Practical Guide
                                          6. History: Fiction or Science
                                          7. Getting to Know Your One-Year-Old
                                          8. Winslow Homer: The Nature of Observation
                                          9. Costumes, Textiles & Jewellery of India
                                          10. Claws & Paws, Revised