Murder Uncorked (Prime Crime Mysteries)

Book Description

The murder of a top winemaker sours Nikki Sands's new job on a Napa Valley vineyard.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing Debut.......2007-08-22

Nikki Sands is an aspiring actress moonlighting as a waitress until her big break. She's pretty much decided that ship is never going to come in, however.

Her fortunes turn when she meets Derek Malveaux, the owner of a winery in the Napa Valley. Derek is impressed with her knowledge of wines and offers her a job at his vineyard. Nikki is excited about the job, so she decides to take him up on his offer of a long weekend to see just what the job would entail. And the fact that she finds Derek more then a little attractive is just a bonus.

Nikki has just barely arrived at Malveaux Estates when she finds a body. Gabriel was the chief winemaker for the winery, and one of Derek's best friends. Derek's family provides a rich cast of suspects, and Nikki seems to be in the right place to keep gathering clues. Or is it the wrong place? Should Nikki follow the leads? Or is she in way over her head?

I'm not a wine drinker, but I grew up near the Napa Valley and couldn't resist the book because of the location. I wish I had resisted the book. Don't get me wrong, the plot was entertaining. It had me confused until the end. Unfortunately, the ending was weak. Adding to the problem were the weak characters. I never felt like we truly got to know any of them, even Nikki. The writing style could have used some serious polish. While I don't mind romantic sub-plots in the mysteries I read, this one felt so overblown it took away from my enjoyment. On the plus side, there are several delicious sounding recipes with suggested wine pairings.

I was curious enough about the book that I'm glad I read it. But I won't be reading any more in the series.

did not grab me.......2007-08-12

I view series mysteries the same way I do junk food. Not as good for me as other choices, something to feel a little bit sheepish about enjoying, but still can be tasty. Unfortunately "Murder Uncorked" is the kind of junk food you wonder why you ate. The main character Nikki seemed contrived and unbelievable to me. I couldn't suspend disbelief to accept that her wine knowledge from reading in the library was good enough to impress a vineyard owner so that he offered her a job. When Nikki talks about wine, it just seems so phony (and I'm not a wine expert). None of the characters were all that likeable to me. Wealth and good looks seem to be most admired characteristics. The recipes were really the best part of the book.

Fun.......2007-08-09

I am enjoying this new author and herione. The mysteries that take place in 'wine country' are well developed and the recipes and 'wine pairings' are an extra treat!

A fun romp through the wine country.......2007-05-21

Bright dialog, clever plotting, and a good story.

As bubbly as champage; as fine as a rich wine.......2007-03-01

Thirty-four-year-old aspiring actress, and waitress, Nikki Sands, is fed up with her position. Her acting career is going nowhere, and she's making minimum wage at a dead-end job. Which is why, when she's forced to be ridiculed by a rude customer wearing a band-aid as a skirt, accompanied by a handsome stranger, Nikki realizes that she's had it with her life in L.A. Of course, she has nowhere else to turn. That is, until the handsome stranger, identified as Derek Malveaux, owner of Napa Valley's Malveaux Estates, offers her the chance to accompany him to his vineyard for a shot at a position that will have her raking in six figures a year, Nikki finds it hard to pass up the irresistible chance. Sure, she'll miss the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, but now that she's pushing forty, Nikki thinks that it's time to set her sights on settling down with a secure job. Especially if that job requires her to spend time alongside the handsome Derek. However, Nikki has been on Napa Valley soil for less than an hour when she stumbles upon something that would send anyone racing for the nearest airport. For, lying outside the cottage she will be staying in, Nikki finds the body of Derek's top winemaker, Gabriel. Nikki, channeling her Detective Martini days, instantly knows that something is amiss among the grapes, and is determined to find out exactly what it is. But, as she is introduced to more and more of Derek's bizarre family members, she begins to question exactly who could be the culprit behind Gabriel's untimely death, and what their motives were. Digging a little deeper into the rich soil, she learns more than she ever wanted to know about the wine-making lothario, who managed to make just about every woman's bones quiver at the mere sight of him, and decides to start pointing fingers at suspects. When she realizes that she could be next on the killer's list, however, Nikki realizes that it's time to protect herself, and Derek, from danger, in every way that she possibly can, otherwise she'll never have the chance to see how the other half lives...because she'll be six feet under like a prime vine.

I have never drank wine, and don't plan on doing so. However, from page one of Michele Scott's MURDER UNCORKED, I found myself drawn into the world of wine pairings, and proper etiquette when it comes to the rich drink. Scott has found a way to balance information and entertainment to create a wonderful combination about wine that truly educates the reader, while never overshadowing the true plot of the story. Her work on Nikki Sands is superb, making Nikki a down-to-earth character, who doesn't harbor that head-in-the-clouds LA vibe, that so many aspiring starlets - even fictional ones - possess. Nikki is charming and appealing from her introduction, and only grows on the reader as the story progresses, and we are able to learn more about her past - from her troubled childhood, to her short-lived days as a TV detective. Nikki and Derek make a wonderful duo, as their personalities play off one another perfectly, and the chemistry between them is simply magical. Seeing where their relationship goes in the future is only one of the reasons to eagerly anticipate the sequel; but learning more about wine, and having the opportunity to experience such delightful recipes, along with an enticing murder are the others. As bubbly as champagne; as fine as a rich wine.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Average customer rating:

Storyline ....

'The Stalking Horse'
The Stalking Horse: An Evening-Length Opera Ballet in Five Acts
Constance Ash
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Stallion Queen

The Horsegirl (Ace Fantasy Special, No 4)

ASIN: 0441779239

Customer Reviews:

Storyline ...........2003-05-12

...

Here's the description from the cover to help you decide if this book is for you: "She danced to the music of magic, danger, and love ... Glennys had come to the dazzling city of St. Lucien to seek her fortune. No longer under the protection of Baron Fulk, unable to return to her strict Alaminite folk, she soon found work as a Horse Skiller with the Queen's Opera. But her Heart's true desire is to appear with the Opera ... performing onstage in the intricate and demanding horse-dance. And Glynnys has the gift that could make her the greatest of all dancers. But to reveal her gift is to expose her true identity, for only one of the noble blood has the power. And amid the courtly intrigues of St. Lucien, to claim her birthright could put Glennys is gravest peril ..." This book is a mix of fantasy and suspense. Excellent read.

'The Stalking Horse'.......2000-10-18

'The Stalking Horse' details Glennys's time as a ballerina and Horse Skiller for the ballet. There are intrigues and murders, Glennys's 'Horse Sense' and dancing. I bought this book without realising it was the second in a series, but I will be buying the other two books in the series. I really enjoyed this book; the only problem is that it jumped around too much, and I found this a little confusing.

Book Description

When a freindly, alien people called the Rey make contact with the Federation, they are thrilled to learn the galaxy has a large number of intelligent races. To bring the myriad cultures to their world, the Rey host a celebration -- inviting spacefaring peoples to send representative ships to compete against one another and The Great Starship Race is born.

As the Federation's flagship, the U.S.S. Enterprise™ under the command of Captain James T. Kirk, is sent to compete. But the event takes a dark turn when a Romulan warship arrives and demands to join the race. Soon, Kirk and the Romulan commander are engaged in a deadly game of cat and mouse, and, for Kirk and his crew, the race becomes a struggle for survival. Faced with treachery at every turn. Kirk must protect his ship from relentless attack and prevent the annihilation of an entire world.

Download Description

When a friendly, alien people called Rey make contact with the Federation, they are thrilled to learn the galaxy has a large number of intelligent races. To bring the myriad cultures to their world, the Rey host a celebration - inviting spacefaring peoples to send representative ships to complete against one another and the Great Starship Race is born.

Customer Reviews:

An okay story, competently written........2005-05-02

This is one of Diane Carey's better-written stories; there are few examples of her occasional tendancy to try too hard for "creative" (read: incorrect, sloppy, and/or weird) use of the language, and those that there are are fairly minor. On the other hand, the plot was one of her weaker efforts, and that's usually one of her strong points. Still, on balance, this is a passably interesting Star Trek story, not bad for a slow day with little else to do, but not riveting by any stretch of the imagination.

ST-TOS: The Great Sharship Race.......2002-10-30

Star Trek The Original Series: The Great Starship Race written by Diane Carey is a book, not just about a starship race, but a book about saving a whole planet from the treachery of the Romulans as they show up for the festivities.

The call was made throughout the galaxy, as a friendly race of people called the Rey have contacted the Federation for a celebration. The celebration of so many spacefaring and intelligent races, all to be hosted by the Rey, as a starship race is born. The Federation will send the U.S.S. Enterprise their proud flagship of the fleet under the command of James T. Kirk. Everything should be going fine, fine that is, until the Romulans show up, now the poo has hit the fan.

You can always count on the Romulans for treachery, perfidy, deceit, and insidiousness. Well, you will not be disappointed, soon we find out theat the U.S.S. Enterprise is having engine problems, but that's not a the Enterprise is under relentless attack. But that's the least of Kirk's problems, now, Kirk has to prevent the annihilation of an entire world. Brought to you by the Romulans, this deadly game of cat and mouse will soon occupy the entire crew of the Enterprise.

There are twists and turns throughout this book keeping you well entertained till the end.

F1 in space.......2001-09-14

"The Great Starship Race" was everything I expected it to be.

Shallow story, based on a bad premise. Even the Romulans, who usually are a saving factor, couldn't help the book that is all about racing with spaceships, with a weak plot in there somewhere.

The characters are two-dimensional, and the story goes nowhere, and when you combine this to the ending, wich is about as bad as it could have been...

Well, it was written well, had many exellent scenes concentrating around the dynamics of the characters of the Romulan Commander and his Subcommander, so it wasn't a total failure, and the Romulans still were refreshing, even if they weren't nearly at their best.

And I have to mention that unlike so many Carey books, we actually get a prominent female quest-star, and although she is shallow and suffers from the characterization flaw many female sci-fi characters share: the HPS (Hidden Penis Syndrome), we still have some gender stabilization.

Ms. Carey revealed in a recent interwiev that she had to rewrite almost the entire book, and maybe that is the cause of the utter childishness and naiveté of "The Great Starship Race".

Race to the end.......2000-11-25

Come one, Come all... The race of the galaxy is about to begin... On this starting line you see, a hospital ship, a few freighters, private scout cruisers, Romulans, and the Enterprise.

The prize is a special coin made for the event, and braging rites. There is more then meets the eye, in this race. But what is it...

This is one that you should read to see what even a half powered federation starship can do.

Race to the end.......2000-11-24

A fun time fo some ship of the Federation. The great race, would you be able to beat one of the best ship in Starfleet. The Enterprise, of course there is a catch. The Enterprise has been made to be the equal of a normal freighter. What... Cut the Enterprises abilities down, then add a suprise element of the Romulans into this. What do you have... A really big race... but for what, a price, or to save a race from death. Only you have to read to find that out.

Average customer rating:

authentic and amazing

Best Little Cook Book I Own

I LOVE this book!

Great stories - mediocre recipes

Delicious book

Paris Sweets: Great Desserts From the City's Best Pastry Shops
Dorie Greenspan
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Desserts | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
French | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Paris Boulangerie-Patisserie: Recipes from Thirteen Outstanding French Bakeries

Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme

Baking: From My Home to Yours

Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague

Gourmet Shops of Paris: An Epicurean Tour

ASIN: 0767906810
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Amazon.com

Dorie Greenspan's most vivid memory of her first trip to Paris doesn't have anything to do with the Eiffel Tower, but rather a heavenly strawberry tartlet. Overwhelmed by its extraordinary flavor, texture, and appearance, Greenspan was "hooked on Paris and hooked on the city's sweets." Paris Sweets is the result of 30 years of searching for the most delectable, delicious, awe-inspiring pastries she could find, and then convincing their creators to part with the recipes.

Scattered throughout this delightful book are whimsical illustrations and beautifully written stories about each of Greenspan's favorite pastry shops and the chefs who created them. Some of their recipes, such as Boulangerie Poilane's sweet, buttery, bite-size cookies called Punishments, are quick and easy enough for even a novice baker. And with Greenspan's clear, step-by-step, detailed instructions, Robert Linxe's Grandmother's Creamy Chocolate Cake, an elegant fudgy decadence, and Poujauran's rich, nutty-flavored Financiers, become child's play. Greenspan manages to demystify even the complicated multilayered Opera Cake from Dalloyau.

From the most perfect Crème Brulee and Coffee Eclairs to the stunning Fresh Strawberry and Marshmallow Tart, made with homemade strawberry marshmallows, Greenspan will have you torn between making Paris Sweets at home and going there yourself. And in case you can do both, she's included all the addresses you need. --Leora Y. Bloom

Book Description

The prize-winning author of Baking with Julia (more than 350,000 copies sold), among other cookbook classics, celebrates the sweet life with recipes and lore from Paris's finest patisseries.

Like most lovers of pastry and Paris, Dorie Greenspan has always marveled at the jewel-like creations displayed in bakery windows throughout the City of Light. Now, in a charmingly illustrated tribute to the capital of sweets, Greenspan presents a splendid assortment of recipes from Paris’s foremost pastry chefs in a book that is as transporting to read as it is easy to use.

From classic recipes, some centuries old, to updated innovations, Paris Sweets provides a sumptuous guide to creating cookies, from the fabled madeleine to simple, ultra-buttery sables; tarts, from the famous Tatin, which began its life as an upside-down error, to a delightful strawberry tart embellished with homemade strawberry marshmallows; and a glorious range of cakes–lemon-drenched "weekend cake," fudge cake, and the show-stopping Opera. Paris Sweets brims with assorted temptations that even a novice can prepare, such as coffee éclairs, rum-soaked babas, and meringue puffs. Evocative portraits of the pastry shops and chefs, as well as information on authentic French ingredients, make this a truly comprehensive tour.

An elegant gift for Francophiles, armchair travelers, bakers of all skill levels, and certainly for oneself, Paris Sweets brings home a taste of enchantment.

Customer Reviews:

authentic and amazing.......2007-10-06

Dorie Greenspan writes the best recipes. Over the past year, I've tried more than a dozen recipes from this book, and all are authentic and delicious. The recipes for madeleines, Anise Cookies, and the Pierre Herme's Korova cookies are especially noteworthy.

Also, recipes in the cookies and simple cakes sections don't take very much time and are suitable for a beginning baker.

Best Little Cook Book I Own.......2007-04-12

I got this cook book because I'm looking into becoming a pastry chef who specializes in French desserts and this book is amazing.
Everything I've made so far has come out brilliantly, I can't wait to make the rest.
The instructions were very easy to follow, and all the tips and tricks really came in handy.
I recommend this to anyone whose looking into a pastry career or anyone who just loves fine desserts.

I LOVE this book!.......2007-04-11

So three of my very best friends who are the BEST bakers I know all recommended this book to me as a way to get started making fantastic baked goods. It is worth owning this book for the Korova cookie recipe alone (the best chocolate cookie recpie EVER!!!). Every recipe I have tried has come out wonderfully, and I am really a baking novice. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Great stories - mediocre recipes.......2007-03-17

I, too, love Paris and have spent years there as a student. I was delighted to find anecdotes about all my favorite pastry shops - and some others - and very excited to try the recipes. However, I agree with several other reviewers that not all of the recipes in Greenspan's book are not quite up to par. This comes partly from the fact that there are some desserts that Americans do better - the tea cake, being an excellent example. Greenspan's recipe came out dense and dry and absolutely could not compare to my usual cake. That said, there are several great recipes: the chocolate mousse technique Greenspan offers is very unique, delicious and quick, the madeleines tasty, the tarte tatin good. But I would hesitate to make any of these for a dinner party before trying them myself, seeing the collection is so mixed and many recipes simply not what you'd expect.

Delicious book.......2006-09-07

The big caveat about this book is that it has no photographs. That has come to be an expectation for today's better cookbooks, and some of the recipes (such as Gateau Saint-Honore) demand them. However, Greenspan's descriptions are so clear and evocative that you not only have a very good idea of what the pastry in question should look like, you are also transported (or so you feel) into the author's emotions and memories associated with the pastries, bakeries and chefs. The whimsical drawings also help, although they are more of place and ingredients than finished products.

While classics such as madelines, Opera Cake and the aforementioned gateau can be found, many of the recipes are updated versions of classics, such as the chocolate pound cake, Earl Grey madelines and Tigres. There are very few "new" recipes, though the ones included (such as the Chocolate Thyme Mousse) sound delicious. Many recipes are also surprisingly simple, such as the Chocolate Grandmother's cake. Plus, her recipes are so straightforward and easy to follow that you feel like you can tackle something like puff pastry and not encounter any difficulties (for the most part!).

I currently have this book out of my library, but I think it's going to require a permanent space on my bookshelf.

Book Description

If you are like most people, you know what you want your horse to do and how you want him to behave. You want your training experiences to be safe and enjoyable for both you and your horse. But maybe you aren't sure what to do and when. In 101 Longeing and Long Lining Exercises you'll find complete ground training lesson plans from square 1 to square 101. Cherry Hill starts with basic in-hand and free longeing lessons, then takes you through the addition of a longe line, cavesson, bridle, surcingle, side reins, saddle, and long lines. You'll learn a wide variety of ground training exercises suitable for both English and Western horses. In-hand section:

Fancy footwork
Whip works
Pitching a wave
Turn on the forehand
Sidepass
Longeing section:
Stop, look, and listen
Outside turns
Inside turns
Whip talk Spirals
Wagon wheels
Bending tune-up
Contact and collection
Long lining section:
Long line lingo
Yin y ang
Figure-8
Serpentines
Backing
Cavalletti work
Trail obstacles

Each of the exercises is laid out with a diagram, step-by-step instructions, and an explanation of its benefits. The exercises progress from the basic skills to more advanced ones, such as counter-canter and flying changes of lead. This book and its companion volume, Longeing and Long Lining the English and Western Horse: A Total Program, give you a solid foundation for helping your horse work in productive form.

Customer Reviews:

Great for Beginners.......2006-04-20

Only new to the horse training realm and this book with it's well laid out structure and diagrams has been invaluable. It is also easy enough for my 12 year old daughter to understand and use.

A Must for Every Equestrians Bookshelf.......2006-03-23

I can never get enough of books with exercises that challenge both my horse and I. This book is one that every Equestrian should have, whether for training purposes or just getting back in shape. Half of the Exercises are really basic and a waste for an intermediate to advanced rider, but then again I guess all horses can use a few lessons in the refresher courses. The last 30 Exercises focus on long lining which I use on all my younger horses. They advance from driving a horse in a yin yang pattern to change direction to Figure 8s and Lazy 8s (just a flatten figure 8). Eventually the horse graduates to haunches in and shoulders in. I find that even more advanced school masters benefit from these exercises.

Valuable addition to any equestrian library........2004-01-12

Spice up your ground work with this educational guide and develop a better relationship with your horse in the process. There are often days when we perhaps don't have the time to ride, but instead of just longeing around on the circle we could be more constructive - this book can help you. I find this book particulary useful when starting young horses.

good 4 students.......2000-05-25

I thought this book is very helpful in teaching people to use the longline.

WOW!!!.......2000-02-06

Never did I ever dream there was so much you could do with a horse free longing or long lining him. I have just purchased a racetrack thouroughbred and Lesson56 (sliding sidereins) has been particularly useful because he has a tendancy to carry his head up in the clouds hollowing his back and neck. It was almost as if when I put the sliding sidereins on he intuitively knew what I wanted him to do. Wonderful book!!!! This is one every horseman should have in his (or her) library.

Customer Reviews:

A book for the experienced piecer.......1998-07-01

This book has challenging designs taking the celtic knot into fabric form. There are few examples of completed quilts and those that are provided are very similar in colour. The designs are quite intricate, as one would expect with the celtic knot.

Transfers Celtic knots onto fabric art.......1998-05-05

The author has taken the traditional Celtic knot, and combined the angular lines with fabric bias strips, to create a new art form. The technique creates frames and borders that are elegant. Quilters will enjoy the ease and speed with which these go together, and Celtic artists may also be inspired. I even put them on sweatshirts and pillows!

Average customer rating:
Environment Heredity and Intelligence (Harvard Educational Review. Reprint Series, No. 2)
Arthur R. Jensen
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Behavioral Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0916690024

Book Description

We have “designer” everything, it seems, except “designer books.” And although television is color, movies are in color, and the Web is in color, most books are still in black and white. The Information Inferno, written and designed by Whodini, is the world's first digitally designed illuminated manuscript. Using lavish full-page color illustrations, and stunning textual effects made possible by recent advances in color printing technologies, Whodini presents an extraordinary vision of what books - whether printed or electronic - will look like in the coming decades. The Information Inferno is being hailed as “the book that changed the way books look.” Just click on a few of the sample pages here, and you will see why. Even the dustjacket is a remarkable innovation: it consists not of one or two large illustrations, but of 28 thumbnails of the colorful spreads inside. “Information wants to be fun,” writes Whodini. The great topics of our day - Information, Complexity, Change, Stress, Time, Books, Science, Religion, Art - explode before your eyes in a brilliant marriage of word and image. From cave paintings 10,000 years old to the latest Hubble photos; from the soundbytes of Socrates and the Buddha to Dante and Machiavelli; from Rembrandt and El Greco to Van Gogh and Michelangelo; from the Koran and the Torah to illuminated manuscripts to the most cutting edge computer effects, Whodini presents our world in a new kind of book - a “designer book.”

Customer Reviews:

The book as flash and sound byte.......2001-06-28

I have been slow to review this book because my initial reaction was that I would not be able to write a positive review. After further consideration, it occurs to me that perhaps I can write a helpful one.

To begin with, the intensive use of color and artwork that dominates every page is disconcerting and distracting. It is particularly disagreeable when the artwork actually obscures the text, as it does on a number of pages. When the reader has to squint and turn the page away from the light source to read the words, the reader tends to lose interest. The glossy pages reflect light strongly and can produce eyestrain. Secondly, the text, while offering important insights into the information overload that is part of our lives, is written in a disjointed manner so that there is no smooth flow of either idea or argument. This alone is not necessarily a defect. Certainly, one can see that Whodini was trying to covey the sense of disjointedness and alienation that the information age is having on us with the artwork and the sharp, bitten-off bytes of text that are laid over the artwork. (Actually sometimes the artwork is partially laid over them!) Thirdly, the cacophony of colored fonts changing with just about every page and even on the same page, gives one the sense of a high school lit journal, badly done. If one looks at the presentation of books from the top book publishers, one sees that the idea is to make the font as non obtrusive as possible, just as an effective communicator does nothing to distract from the presentation of his ideas. There is a harmony of typeset and only one font is used for text, always a serif font like Times Roman so that the eyes move smoothly from word to word. Serif fonts tend to hold the eyes to the line of text. Reading long lines of text in a sans serif font like that used in headlines makes for more difficult reading. Fourthly, we use our eyes when reading in a very economical way, which is what allows the reader to read a lot of text without eyestrain. We cannot be jerking the eyeballs around or continually changing our focus. Do that for a while and your eyes get tired. (Mine will actually ache.) For the experienced reader, reading is preeminently a simulating and a relaxing experience. Finally, the glossy pages of the book are so thick with material that the book is relatively speaking (for the number of pages) rather heavy, like the heft of thick, photo-filled magazines.

What about the idea itself, that is, can text, color and artwork be combined in such a way as to enhance the reading experience? During the sixties this was tried and the attempt basically abandoned. I note that Ram Dass's latest book Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying (2000) (his best selling Be Here Now (1970) had a lot of sound-byte type artwork printed on paper bag-colored pages) is printed on tinted paper with small yantra-like adornments while the ink of the text is a muted light wine/purple color. This made for a very attractive book, and one easily read. I think the secret is that the artwork cannot distract from the text. It must enhance it. I am sure that Whodini understands this principle, and that the jarring and sometimes gothic and even grotesque artwork in his book was deliberately chosen because he believed it would enhance his text. In some ways it definitely does.

There is a trend in publishing, now some decades old, in which the flow of text is frequently interrupted by sidebars and boxed text. One sees this primarily in self-help type books. The "Idiot's..." and "The Dummies..." guide books are the most visible examples, although there are many others, including most books on how to use software and many books on diet and health. This trend is an attempt to reach a reading public that has been nurtured on television and newspapers, tabloids and magazines, and is not comfortable with reading long paragraphs of text, something that perhaps they associate with the nonrecreational reading required in school.

Which brings us to the practical problem. The real book-reading public, the people who buy books on a regular basis for reasons other than self-help, is entrenched in its ways. We love our books. We love the feel of a book in the hand as we relax in an easy chair, taken away from the workaday world. Reading as such is for many literally a meditation. To be roused up emotionally is okay, but to be jarred with sharp, contrasting colors, shapes and images is not what the average reader wants. Sometimes perhaps, but for the most part reading is to listen quietly to the words of another as they appear on a printed page. Anything other than this must enhance and facilitate the experience, or at least, not detract from it.

Consequently, I don't think Whodini's idea as represented in this book is going to catch on any time soon. I admire the attempt and applaud the creative effort, but I think this book would have worked better with straight text enhanced with some artwork. Better yet, I think he might have made a documentary for television.

A Book for the Bold.......2001-06-01

Not surprisingly, many reviewers are calling this book "groundbreaking." I too am amazed and often provoked by its highly original designs. Here's an author/designer who says that most black and white books are "ugly", and that if we fast forward to 2010, most printed books - if they are still around - will be printed in color. Television, film, and photography all switched from black and white to color, and pretty soon, given new technologies, books will make the same switch - or so the argument goes. We have already seen the switch to color with childrens books, cookbooks, and many fine art books, and the question is, when and whether it will happen to adult fiction, nonfiction, and the like.

The most original aspect of the book is how it attempts to "marry" word and image. Other than a few notable failures, it succeeds wildly. All of the page spreads are full-color bleeds. In other words, there are no white borders around the images that you typically see in art books. A white border would give the reader a sense of distance and context. Without the border, we are invited not just to look at the picture, but to look inside it. This is admittedly strange to Western eyes, but once I got into it, I was hooked. The words are not only in color, they are overlayed on top of the images. As if that's not enough, the words are often amplified with some of the most stunning special effects I've ever seen. "We have not yet begun to write," is how the book ends.

The book is not without its flaws. If it were a larger size, the numerous special effects applied to the text would be more readable. In its current version, the pages are incredible just to look at, but at times, you do have to make an effort to read them. Also, some readers might complain about the offcolor language. The book is admittedly no more "vulgar" than Catcher in the Rye, and certainly far less vulgar than anything you see on HBO or at the movies. But be warned that the f* word is used maybe a dozen times, in particular when Whodini launches one of his outrageous attacks. For example, when issued a "fatwa on fat books", arguing that no one has time to read "big fat books" anymore, and that historically "the shortest books have always been the most influential." We can easily dismiss the rather dishonest complaint of one reviewer who claimed that the book has "nude photos." In fact, there are no "nude photos." The only nudity in the book consists of two paintings that are very tasteful, respectable reproductions by Titian and Cranach, two masterworks of Western art that could easily hang in any Church.

I'm surprised that more writers and publishers are not actively discussing the ideas in this book. Ultimately, it will be up to a new generation to decide whether they want their books in the traditional form, or whether they want to innovate with color and special effects. In the abstract, innovation would seem obvious; in practice, it must be quite challenging, not only for designers, but also for readers. My prediction is that the book will get repeatedly attacked by those resistant to change and unwilling or unable to look to the future. Still, this is quite a remarkable literary debut, full of brilliant page spreads, provocative text, flashes of colorful insight, and more flaws than any mediocre mind could muster. It's quite a rare treat to discover such a talent.

A Worthy Experiment in Book Design with Weak Text.......2001-05-21

Despite rating this book at 3 stars, and not liking what it has to say very much, I do recommend that you buy and read the book. Be aware that the author is opinionated and vulgar, doesn't think much of many classic books or authors, and many of the subjects in the paintings displayed are nude. The use of color and design are most interesting, and represent a valuable departure from the same-old, same-old books in black-and-white. I hope this effort will inspire others to note what works, what doesn't, and to build on a valuable experiment.

Most of the pages have text superimposed on top of color images. I found this visually appealing . . . except that I had a very hard time reading the text on many pages. Some of the text styles made this especially difficult, most notably the "flaming" type. I had to start this book a number of times before I could force myself to read all those "flaming" type pages.

On other pages, the words actually mar the images. There needs to be a better marriage between design and image than in many of these pages.

The quality of the materials is superb. The paper, weight, reproduction quality, and binding are all outstanding. Most art books are not this well done.

The text basically argues that if you can get a mass audience, that's all that matters. To do that, GRAB ATTENTION! By implication that suggests that a vulgar gesture, word, or action in the middle of televising a religious event would be appropriate if the audience would grow and pay more attention. I think that authors and designers need to inspire readers. Many times this book fell far short of that standard.

In non-fiction, many works that had limited readership have had enormous influence on daily life. By focusing only on fiction, the author's argument is flawed about the importance of a mass audience. Seldom is a mass audience going to follow the best quality. Yet the mass products can be uplifted by the examples of the best.

In my own books, I have commissioned original art to complement the text I have written. I think that's a better approach than relying heavily on Old Masters and Impressionists, as tends to occur here.

How did the author find someone willing to publish in color? I have a hard time getting my black-and-white images in. I graded the book up one star for that accomplishment.

As interesting as these "illuminated" pages are to view, I wonder if a book is the right format what what is being displayed here. I suspect it would work better on a computer screen or television with motion and music.

Also, as good as the design work is, I doubt if there are many readers looking to acquire an expensive book just to see a design experiment. That will limit the market for the book, which obviously undercuts the text's point that this approach will get a mass audience. Isn't it interesting that this is a nonfiction book, trying to come up with a new approach for fiction? Perhaps it will serve as a best practice example and help raise up the mass products to a higher level.

After you finish enjoying and thinking about the design elements here that work, I suggest that you consider how more color and better design could make the ways you communicate more effective.

May your design, clarity, impact, and message always be outstanding and constructive!

Great on style, short on substance.......2001-05-02

This book represents both the best and the worst of what this amazing age of information offers us. The high praise for the graphics and layout, which the other reviewers on this web page give this book, are justly deserved. All the "stunning" and "wows" and "magnificent" adjectives are no mere hyperbole but appropriate exclamations for a work that is evocative and visually moving. The detail and clarity of the artwork (on page after page after page) reveal the hard work and exceptional success Whodini has achieved. It truly is a book of great beauty.

However, it is also the work of a vulgar, shallow, self-satisfied mind, with the "information" imparted on its pages lacking in insight, judgment, and wisdom. It is ironic that with the author(s) placing so much stress on soundbytes, brevity, and short texts, this book itself runs to nearly 300 pages. Time and again, the author preaches the philosophy that simpler is better, faster is superior, and brevity is better than the lengthy. With this worldview, Homer is dismissed, Milton's Paradise Lost is trashed, Charles Dickens isn't worth the trouble to read ("Dickens is a dead donkey" and "Dickens makes a lovely corpse" are two of the milder quotes given), Dante's Divine Comedy is outdated, and listed in "The Constipation Club" are, among others, Anna Karenina, War and Peace, Don Quixote, Moby Dick, and The Brothers Karamazov. Rather than pouring over sacred texts to slowly meditate and digest what they can only give through slow, careful, repeated readings, readers are encouraged to look for "soundbytes", parcels of information. "The most influential and admired books of the Bible are the shortest: Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Proverbs, The Gospels" he says, as though the CONTENT of these books, especially the gospels, had little to do with their influence! Here again, he says, "The Analects of Confucius, among the most sacred and influential books in Chinese history, is less than 500 soundbytes." Are the Analects truly enduring through thousands of years because they can be broken into relatively few soundbytes?! The impudence of these assertions takes our breath away.

The crass language employed (as though obscenities somehow increased the power of the book's message) isn't nearly as foolish as the advice given. In short, this book is magnificent on image, but wanting in substance.

Great Format and Style, Contents Leave Much to Be Desired.......2001-04-16

This is an excellent book when it comes to quality of paper, art work, format, and style. The book is filled with wonderful art, nice pictures, neat designs, fancy fonts, and has a style that is unsurpassed.

However, the content of this book is pretentious and pseudo-intellectual. Whodini (whoever this person may be) is ad hoc, unintelligible at times (with the apparent intent to think that Whodini is actually saying something), and sometimes downright rude, filthy, and crass. For example, Whodini declares, "Simplicity is a means of adapting to a complex world." or "The more complex the species the more likely its extinction." These comments (and literally dozens like them) are pretentious and pseudo-intellectual (what do these things mean?). Also, when Whodini declares that someone or something has said such and such (i.e. some primary source of writing such as the Qu'ran, or some scholar), and Whodini seems to quote directly from this 'source,' it is never footnoted or referenced. This is poor scholarship on Whodini's part. Moreover, Whodini's remarks about Alan Bloom (and what Bloom should go and do because of Bloom's personal preference of literature) where unwarranted, filthy, and quite rude. Had it not been for the content, this book would have been very ground breaking.

The overall idea, in my estimation, is wonderful. The format of the text would work wonders for both Middle School and High School education. The style, art, format, etc. works very well to keep the reader's attention. The book literally leaps out at the reader. The style works in such a way that the reader simply cannot ignore what is going on. Combine this quality with a true scholarly piece of work and the outcome would be unparalleled. It's a shame that Whodini spoils the milk.

Average customer rating:
Alpineaire foods Inferno Self-Heating Meal.(Gear Head): An article from: Camping Life
Stuart Bourdon
Manufacturer: Ehlert Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Home & Garden | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books
Home & Garden | HTML | Formats | e-Docs | Formats | Books
General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000972WS2
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Camping Life, published by Ehlert Publishing Group on September 1, 2004. The length of the article is 403 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: Alpineaire foods Inferno Self-Heating Meal.(Gear Head)
Author: Stuart Bourdon
Publication: Camping Life (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2004
Publisher: Ehlert Publishing Group
Volume: 7 Issue: 6 Page: 24(2)

Distributed by Thompson Gale

Toon time.(television statation's Web sites and video game evaluations)(Brief Article)(Evaluation): An article from: Girls' Life

Average customer rating:

Toon time.(television statation's Web sites and video game evaluations)(Brief Article)(Evaluation): An article from: Girls' Life
Jennifer Lawrence
Manufacturer: Monarch Avalon, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Internet Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Girls' Life, published by Monarch Avalon, Inc. on February 1, 2001. The length of the article is 556 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: Toon time.(television statation's Web sites and video game evaluations)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
Author: Jennifer Lawrence
Publication: Girls' Life (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2001
Publisher: Monarch Avalon, Inc.
Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Page: 36

Article Type: Brief Article, Evaluation, Product/Service Evaluation

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Average customer rating:

Wilt Chamberlain... The "Loser"

Wilt Can Write

Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-Foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door
Wilt Chamberlain , and David Shaw
Manufacturer: Macmillan Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

A View from Above

My Life My Life

ASIN: 0025233602

Customer Reviews:

Wilt Chamberlain... The "Loser".......2003-03-06

I feel that this book truly portrays the life of an African-American superstar in the 60's and 70's. He is a bit egotistical at times, but is always truthful (except for the part about all the women). All through his career, he is called a loser because of what his team is accomplishing and not him. In his first several years, his teams consistently played the Celtics in the playoffs, and instead of the Warriors vs. the Celtics, it became Bill Russel vs. Wilt Chamberlain. Wilt would consistently beat out Russel in every category, yet his team would still lose. When this happened, Wilt was called the loser. He was told that Russel schooled him time and time again, when really, it was the other way around.
This book accurately portrays what it would be like to face the "Loser" label your whole life. It wasn't fair at all, but Wilt successfully had a good season after another. I definately reccomend this book to anyone who likes success stories or if you like sports biographies. In fact, I recommend it to anybody

Wilt Can Write.......2001-08-10

Over twenty-five years ago, Wilt Chamberlain took the belief that professional athletes are dumb and flushed it like a loose stool. In this book, he shares truths about his groundbreaking NBA salaries, his views on dating, and other famous basketball personalities. His sense of humor entertains his readers, while his intelligence, clearly evidenced by his vocabulary, constantly enlightens. For everyone old enough to vote, this book will be a wonderful experience.

Black Like Who, Second Edition: Writing Black Canada

Average customer rating:

Black Like Who, Second Edition: Writing Black Canada
Rinaldo Walcott
Manufacturer: Insomniac Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Canadian | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

In this revised second edition Rinaldo Walcott assesses the role of Black Canadians in defining Canada and provides profound insights into black culture in North America.

WHO FEARS THE DEVIL? - Silver John the Balladeer Book (1) One: O Ugly Bird; One Other; Shiver in the Pines; Old Devlins Was A-Waiting; Desrick of Yandro; Vandy Vandy; Dumb Supper; The Little Black Train; Walk Like a Mountain; On the Hills and Everywhere

Average customer rating:

I loved this book
Excellent Taste of American Folklore

WHO FEARS THE DEVIL? - Silver John the Balladeer Book (1) One: O Ugly Bird; One Other; Shiver in the Pines; Old Devlins Was A-Waiting; Desrick of Yandro; Vandy Vandy; Dumb Supper; The Little Black Train; Walk Like a Mountain; On the Hills and Everywhere
Manly Wade Wellman
Manufacturer: Star Bks.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 0352300655

Customer Reviews:

I loved this book.......2003-07-16

I went and bought this book after I came across a copy of one of his old books on the street. However, I recommend you check out 5 volume series from Night Shade Books of all of Wellman's short stories. One volume has all of the Silver John Stories.

Excellent Taste of American Folklore.......1998-11-28

An authentic foray into Carolinian folklore, calling forth stories of witches, ghosts, familiars, and an assortment of other supernatural creatures, all set against the protagonist, John the Balladeer, a likable southern bard with a silver-strung guitar and a bit of occult knowledge. The book is a collection of short stories and vignettes written over a period of nearly forty years. All are good, some are excellent. The vignettes are often simply beautiful. All of the writing is first person with a genuine southern voice, without making the people or area seem ignorant or uncivilized. A wonderful collection of tales with from the much forgotten American mythology.

Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door

Average customer rating:

Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door

Manufacturer: MacMillian Publishing Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HUILGS

Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-Foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door, An Autobiography

Average customer rating:

Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-Foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door, An Autobiography
Chamberlain Wilt , and Shaw David
Manufacturer: Macmillan Collier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KTYAIE

Black Oprea & The Girl Who Barks Like A Dog

Average customer rating:

Black Oprea & The Girl Who Barks Like A Dog

Manufacturer: Calder and Boyars
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GKEYJM

Newsweek Magazine March 17 1997 Black Like Who? Shaquille o"Neal & Quincy Jones * Clinton's Money Scandal

Average customer rating:

Newsweek Magazine March 17 1997 Black Like Who? Shaquille o"Neal & Quincy Jones * Clinton's Money Scandal
Newsweek Magazine
Manufacturer: Newsweek Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LEE9A2

Average customer rating:

WILT Just like Any Other 7-Foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door
Wilt and David Shaw Chamberlin
Manufacturer: MacMillan Publishing Co. , Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q1LF0W

Average customer rating:

Wilt Just Like Any Other 7-foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door
Wilt and Shaw, David Chamberlain
Manufacturer: Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PGZBDA

Average customer rating:

Wilt, Just Like Any Other 7-Foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door
Wilt & David Shaw Chamberlain
Manufacturer: New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1973
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NXB9GI

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books