Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Agatha Throws Her Ax into the Battle of the Sexes
  • Pretty darn bad
  • They just keep getting worse...
  • Agatha Continues On....Thanks Goodness!
  • This is one of Beaton's better mysteries
Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)
M. C. Beaton
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

British DetectivesBritish Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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Beaton, M.C.Beaton, M.C. | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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  1. Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell (An Agatha Raisin Mystery) Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell (An Agatha Raisin Mystery)
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ASIN: 031298586X

Book Description

Crankier than ever, Agatha Raisin wants to forget that her husband left her to enter a monastery-a turn of affairs more humiliating than when she caught him with a mistress. She feels abandoned, fat, frumpy, and absolutely furious. What are her options? She takes an island vacation and joins a Pilates class. But what finally lifts her spirits is finding a corpse. The dead girl is a member of Agatha's exercise class, afloat in a rain-swollen river, dressed in a bridal gown, and clutching a wedding bouquet. Agatha's policeman friend Bill Wong suggests she leave this macabre murder to the Worcester CID. Pah! What do they know? Once she enlists the aid of the bachelor mystery writer next door, puts on a disguise, and interviews some likely suspects, Agatha will be her brash, redoubtable self again- unless she becomes the killer's next victim first....

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Agatha Throws Her Ax into the Battle of the Sexes.......2007-08-20

How would you feel if your spouse asked for a divorce so he or she could become a monk or a nun? That's where Agatha Raisin was left at the end of Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell. As you can imagine, the experience didn't leave Agatha feeling too cheerful. She decides she needs to get away from it all and her travel agent persuades her to visit remote Robinson Crusoe Island in the Juan Fernandez Archipelago off Chile (where Alexander Selkirk was marooned and became the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe). Agatha makes friends, despite her lack of Spanish and can almost forget James Lacey (her ex-husband) for awhile. But she's troubled by a honeymooning couple where the husband seems to be waiting for something . . . only to discover that he drowned his new bride but a few days later.

Back in Carsely, Agatha realizes she desperate needs beauty treatments and even signs up for a Pilates class. Feeling bereft, Agatha decides to take up her PR career again and calls Roy Silver, her former assistant.

But fate intervenes when huge rains cause a terrible flood in Evesham, and Agatha recognizes a fellow customer from the beautician's (an engaged young woman named Kylie) dead, floating across the face of the flood in her wedding dress and holding a bouquet of flowers. Shaken up by the experience, Agatha decides to investigate after the police notice that the body has been frozen for some time in addition to showing signs of a heroin overdose. Could the healthy looking young Kylie have been an addict? Agatha doubts it. Agatha is disappointed to realize she'll have no one to help her now that James is gone and Sir Charles Fraith (an ex-lover and sometime sleuthing partner) has gotten married to a young Frenchwoman who is expecting twins.

Remembering the couple on Robinson Crusoe Island, Agatha immediately suspects Kylie's fiancé (who had seemed a bit domineering in his demand she get a bikini wax job) but is impressed by the depth of his grief.

Her new neighbor John Armitage, a successful mystery novelist, becomes a distraction for Agatha . . . even after she tries to avoid meeting him in a series of humorous misunderstandings.

Unable to feel confident in moving forward without an ally, Agatha recruits Roy Silver to be her investigating partner and dons a wig and glasses while pretending to be a television researcher looking into doing a program about the social lives of the young in Evesham.

The investigation turns dark as Agatha finds that her life is in danger and that Kylie wasn't such a perfect young lady after all. Through the course of the checking out, Agatha has more than her usual problem avoiding police ire while the danger rises.

While some will point to this as primarily a cozy mystery, that element is more background than foreground in this story. Instead, Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came is a portrait of a bright, determined woman (with more than a few rough edges) who finds that she doesn't quite fit into today's world of male-female relationships while she indulges in romantic fantasies that aren't going to come true. Where will Agatha find peace and satisfaction? Where will any of us?

M. C. Beaton portrays men in primarily negative lights throughout the Agatha Raisin series (Bill Wong, Agatha's police detective friend is the rare exception). By building up John Armitage as a new character in the series, there's simply a new color to the rainbow of disapproval. As a result, I didn't find the parts of the story that develop that character or Agatha's relationship with him to be very rewarding.

The mystery is also pretty simple to solve. After you finish the book, you'll be astounded that the police didn't solve the mystery on their own before Agatha did. The police investigation seems to have been particularly superficial and lightly analyzed.

Unless you cannot bear to miss a single word about Agatha Raisin, you could skip this book and not miss much.

2 out of 5 stars Pretty darn bad.......2006-01-06

Look, I like formula mystery. Its nice that you know what the playing field is in a Nero Wolf.

But Agatha Rasin take it to absurd levels. This is the almost *the same book* as "The Haunted House". New neighbor; she is grumpy and aloof from him; the get closer; a series of misunderstandings retards their relationship. The books replay the same relationship with the police and with Agatha's other neighbors.

The plot is paper thin, so you cant read this series for that. The Agatha character is amusing and new, but for god's sake the author cant simply retread the same actions and dialogue in every book.

Not worth reading, unless you are on a plane trip.

1 out of 5 stars They just keep getting worse..........2004-05-17

This series has been going downhill for ages, but this latest is truly the worst..what a preposterous book! Read at your own peril!

5 out of 5 stars Agatha Continues On....Thanks Goodness!.......2003-10-23

This is more of a review about all of the Agatha Raisin books in general. Although the forumla of the stories is essentially the same, I keep gobbling up the next book in line of this series because I adore Agatha! Despite her insecurities, she is a strong woman who won't take any guff from anybody. I'm glad Agatha - at 52 - keeps attracting handsome men into her boudoir, still has good legs and glossy hair, and is one smart PR person. I can identify with some of her insecurities, and wish she would finally find happiness in the right man for her (but if she did, would she still continue to be as funny and prickly as she has been in all her past books?). This book was one of the more enjoyable ones because she doesn't obssess as much about James anymore (he's a cold one anyway and not worthy of the woman) and concentrates more on the case at hand - like a terrior dog with a chew toy not wanting to let go. And the plot and ending was definitely one of M.C. Beaton's more creative ones. I hope Agatha continues solving mysteries and attracting men for a very long time to come!

5 out of 5 stars This is one of Beaton's better mysteries.......2003-08-28

Agatha is as loveable as ever -- funny and flawed -- but still mooning over James, the jerk of an ex-husband who abandoned her. A new bachelor has moved into the house next door, a mystery writer who has all the single women in the village (and some that aren't single) running after him. Agatha plans to ignore him, but ends up teaming up with him to solve a mystery -- a young girl floating in a flooded river, dressed in a wedding gown and holding her bouquet in her hands. Despite repeated warnings from the police to let them handle it and to quit going around in a wig asking questions, Agatha won't (can't?) leave it alone. It quickly becomes clear that getting arrested is not the worst danger she's in by pursuing this, but like smoking, she just can't quite quit.

There are lots of laughs and a really good plot as the character of the murdered woman is gradually revealed.

I can hardly wait to see what will happen next with Agatha. Will James return? Will Charles or the mystery writer take his place? Or will Agatha finally find a man suited to her?

If you haven't read any of the series, you should probably start with the first (Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death). But no great harm would come from starting with this one and then working your way back.
Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came (Agatha Raisin, 12th in the series)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Who Killed the Bride?
Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came (Agatha Raisin, 12th in the series)

Manufacturer: Books on Tape -4 cassettes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
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ASIN: 0736687793

Product Description

M.C. Beaton's indomitable heroine, Agatha Raisin, is feeling miserable and rejected by the world. She has recently lost her husband, not to another woman, but to God. At this very moment, James Lacey is in France, training to take holy orders at a monastery. To escape the dreariness of her Cotswold cottage, Agatha takes a plane to a remote island in the South Pacific. There she observes a couple- a bearded man and a blond girl- but senses something is wrong, and the girl later turns up drowned. Upon returning home, Agatha comes upon another strange drowning of a pretty young blonde. The police say suicide, but Agatha suspects murder. With the help of her handsome new neighbor, she sets out to prove the police wrong. "Somehow this cranky middle-aged dame's many flaws only make her more appealing." (Booklist)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Who Killed the Bride?.......2006-05-18

In the 12th book in the Agatha Raisin series, Agatha is still feeling a bit blue after her husband, James Lacey, leaves her to join a monastery. Saying that his brain tumor is now cured, he tells Agatha that he wants to become a monk and moves to France. Sad and alone, Agatha takes a holiday to a small island, and while she is there, she spots a newlywed couple, only to find out days later that the groom murdered the bride. Returning home, Agatha is determined to forget about James and Sir Charles Fraith, who has also married. When another dead body shows up (again in a wedding dress), Agatha feels that the fates are screaming at her to get involved. Is it suicide or is it murder? A new love interest, next door neighbor John Armitage, might be just the help Agatha needs to solve her latest case.

The Agatha Raisin series is one of my favorite cozy mystery series on the market today. Agatha is a tough cookie, but definitely has a warmer side that she keeps hidden from the casual observer. Her antics are legendary, and even though her motives are usually good, she always finds herself in heaps of trouble. I am glad that James has moved on in this book, as his character was annoying and selfish. I am eager to see Agatha with a decent love interest, but feel that all of her love problems may add to her charm. If you like cozy mysteries and have not tried this series, pick up a copy today and join all of the Agatha fans from around the world!

The first book in this series is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death". Enjoy!
AGATHA RAISIN AND THE DAY THE FLOODS CAME
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Who Killed the Bride?
AGATHA RAISIN AND THE DAY THE FLOODS CAME

Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GLTD9M

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Who Killed the Bride?.......2006-07-25

In the 12th book in the Agatha Raisin series, Agatha is still feeling a bit blue after her husband, James Lacey, leaves her to join a monastery. Saying that his brain tumor is now cured, he tells Agatha that he wants to become a monk and moves to France. Sad and alone, Agatha takes a holiday to a small island, and while she is there, she spots a newlywed couple, only to find out days later that the groom murdered the bride. Returning home, Agatha is determined to forget about James and Sir Charles Fraith, who has also married. When another dead body shows up (again in a wedding dress), Agatha feels that the fates are screaming at her to get involved. Is it suicide or is it murder? A new love interest, next door neighbor John Armitage, might be just the help Agatha needs to solve her latest case.

The Agatha Raisin series is one of my favorite cozy mystery series on the market today. Agatha is a tough cookie, but definitely has a warmer side that she keeps hidden from the casual observer. Her antics are legendary, and even though her motives are usually good, she always finds herself in heaps of trouble. I am glad that James has moved on in this book, as his character was annoying and selfish. I am eager to see Agatha with a decent love interest, but feel that all of her love problems may add to her charm. If you like cozy mysteries and have not tried this series, pick up a copy today and join all of the Agatha fans from around the world!

The first book in this series is "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death". Enjoy!

The Well-Favored Man: The Tale of the Sorcerer's Nephew (Well-Favored Man)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A wonderful book.
  • A Well Rounded Book
The Well-Favored Man: The Tale of the Sorcerer's Nephew (Well-Favored Man)
Elizabeth Willey
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Willey, ElizabethWilley, Elizabeth | ( W ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0812519884

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A wonderful book........2000-06-28

Be careful as you read to avoid associations with Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles, with which it shares many elements: multiple universes, a larger-than-life family full of political intrigue, powerful magic, first-person viewpoint. But unlike Zelazny's Corwin, Willey's hero is young, inexperienced, and uncertain of his place in the Grand Scheme of Things. He makes mistakes, steps on toes, and -- most endearing -- loves his mother.

Before you conclude that this all milquetoast and romance, I should point out the rollocking adventure, powerful magic, and especially the sense of mystery that pervades the book.

Hopefully, this will come back into print. It's one of my favorites, and I hate to think of what will happen when my well-thumbed copy disintergrates.

5 out of 5 stars A Well Rounded Book.......2000-02-22

Often fantasy books are full of fighting and blood, with very little character development. This book had some excellent scenes of conflict, but it also made you see the characters as people with needs, hopes, and ulterior motives. Even the hero is not always wonderful. Instead he ends up being one of the most likeable, human, and noble individuals I have ever encountered between the pages of a book. This might just be my favorite book of all time.
Well Favored Man
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Well Favored Man
    Elizabeth Willey
    Manufacturer: TOR BOOKS ST MARTINS MASS
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover
    ASIN: B000QBHN6W
    The Well-Favored Man: The Tale of the Sorcerer's Nephew
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      The Well-Favored Man: The Tale of the Sorcerer's Nephew
      Elizabeth Willey
      Manufacturer: Tor Books
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
      ASIN: B000OTL8NU

      The Get With The Program! Guide to Fast Food and Family Restaurants
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • Very informative
      • GOOD ADVICE IF YOU EAT FAST FOOD
      • a great little book!
      The Get With The Program! Guide to Fast Food and Family Restaurants
      Bob Greene
      Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      HealthyHealthy | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
      Greene, BobGreene, Bob | Authors, A-Z | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
      Healthy LivingHealthy Living | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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      2. The Get with the Program! Guide to Good Eating: Great Food for Good Health The Get with the Program! Guide to Good Eating: Great Food for Good Health
      3. Get with the Program! : Getting Real About Your Weight, Health, and Emotional Well-Being Get with the Program! : Getting Real About Your Weight, Health, and Emotional Well-Being
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      Accessories:
      1. Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

      ASIN: 0743256212

      Book Description

      It's not where you eat,

      it's what you eat!

      From Bob Greene, the bestselling author of Get With the Program!, comes a handy portable guide to dining out. With healthy choices from more than 75 fast food and family restaurants, including Applebee's, The Olive Garden, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald's, Burger King, Domino's Pizza, Subway, Dairy Queen, and Taco Bell, now you can feel confident about staying on the Program when dining out with friends or family.

      There are no confusing nutritional charts or graphs -- just simple, honest advice for those of us who enjoy dining out. Each restaurant listing offers Bob's Top Picks for healthy and delicious options, as well as a list of menu items that are not on the Program. With tips on portion control, beverage choices, and balancing fat, carbohydrates, and protein, this is an indispensable book for anyone who dines out once a year or once a week.

      Whether you're on the Program or just getting started, you will turn to The Get With the Program! Guide to Fast Food and Family Restaurants to make smart choices when dining out.

      Download Description

      "It's not where you eat, it's what you eat! From Bob Greene, the bestselling author of Get With the Program!, comes a handy portable guide to dining out. With healthy choices from more than 75 fast food and family restaurants, including Applebee's, The Olive Garden, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald's, Burger King, Domino's Pizza, Subway, Dairy Queen, and Taco Bell, now you can feel confident about staying on the Program when dining out with friends or family. There are no confusing nutritional charts or graphs -- just simple, honest advice for those of us who enjoy dining out. Each restaurant listing offers Bob's Top Picks for healthy and delicious options, as well as a list of menu items that are not on the Program. With tips on portion control, beverage choices, and balancing fat, carbohydrates, and protein, this is an indispensable book for anyone who dines out once a year or once a week. Whether you're on the Program or just getting started, you will turn to The Get With the Program! Guide to Fast Food and Family Restaurants to make smart choices when dining out."

      Customer Reviews:

      3 out of 5 stars Very informative.......2006-06-20

      This book is really good when you find yourself trying to decide what the least of all evils is while away from home. It is written as "advise." Example: "If you are at "Such & Such" restaurant, the best thing on the menu would be A, B, or C; Do Not even think about D, E, or F." While being full of great info, as I read my little voice was whispering "Common Sense." "Never order anything with Alfredo in the description." Well, we know that! But, it is also definitely an eye opener in some respects.

      I ordered this book in hopes of attaining a precise (Cal., Fiber, Fat) breakdown of the elusive & mysterious entrée's we find when we're out and you won't find that info here, so I am a bit disappointed, on the other hand, if I had looked through it before I bought it I still might have gone ahead because Greene takes the guess work out of ordering a meal by giving you a few of your best options were you to go to these establishments. All in all, this book is very informative, but you can survive without it, and probably find one with more precise nutrition information.

      4 out of 5 stars GOOD ADVICE IF YOU EAT FAST FOOD.......2005-02-16

      I guess one could argue with a fair amount of validity that eating healthy and fast food our a rather distinct contrast in terms. The best advice if one wants to eat healthy at a fast food place is...don't! But let's face it...most of us simply are not going to heed that advice because our lives are so on the go that fast food is often not only the best option but the only option, particularly for lunch.

      Bob Green's book takes you through just about any fast food chain you can think of as well as many of the more medium-priced sit down chains such as Applebees, Bennigans, Red Lobster, and more. You're sure to find your favorites from McDonalds to Arbys and Quizno's to Jack in the Box. Even pizza chains like Dominos, Little Caesers and Pizza hut. Bob provides the best choices for healthy eating at all of these establishments complete with all the nutritional information you'll need to make an educated selection. Bob even gives suggestions for beverages as well.

      Most of the selections should be fairly common sense among eaters, Obviously a grilled chicken sandwich without the mayo is going to be much better for you than that double Whopper with cheese, but it's still nice to have all the selections and nutritional information in one neat little book.

      5 out of 5 stars a great little book!.......2004-03-18

      I went to the bookstore the other day, and as I was browsing the new releases when I have came upon this little book!
      It is really comprehensive. It would be a great addition to any person's personal diet plan to follow.
      It is not easy to eat healthy when you go out, but with this book you can have the convenience of fast food, still eat well and not give up on your diet goals! I would highly recommend this book!

      Retro Luau: Planning the Perfect Polynesian Party (Retro Series)
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • How about actually reading the description??
      • Okay for party planning, not so hot for meal ideas
      Retro Luau: Planning the Perfect Polynesian Party (Retro Series)
      Richard Perry
      Manufacturer: Collectors Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
      ProfessionalProfessional | Professional Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
      Pacific RimPacific Rim | Asian | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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      HawaiiHawaii | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Special Occasions | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 1888054905

      Book Description

      It's always party time on the islands—and planning your next Polynesian-themed bash is easier than ever with this latest party guide in the Retro series. From the era of Don Ho, long boards, and aloha spirit comes a celebration of island entertaining. RETRO LUAU combines the best of classic tropical drink and food recipes, party ideas, and vintage illustrations straight from the shores of Polynesia. Everything from pupus to Planter's Punch gets the royal treatment with modernized methods and ingredients to bring the flavor of the tropics to your next party. There's even a guide to pit roasting a pig in your own backyard! Featuring more than 100 food and drink recipes, capturing the spirit of the islands has never been more fun!

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars How about actually reading the description??.......2005-04-28

      What a great book!

      Unlike a previous reviewer, I read all about this book before I bought it, and knew what I was getting. And I love it.

      Full of fun party ideas and MEALS. Ok, recipes which can be turned into meals. Ingredients are accessible, and fairly easy to make. We're planning a luau for the summer, and this book will be our guide!

      3 out of 5 stars Okay for party planning, not so hot for meal ideas.......2004-09-01

      The premise of Retro Luau is appealing: here's recipes and other information for putting togeher a luau, with the spirit of the old, simpler days. Aha, I thought: I've wanted a collection of Polynesian recipes, and this one is pretty darned inexpensive.

      Alas, I'm disappointed in what the book delivers. I had expected it to be a hoot, especially since I was initially recommended the book because I'd purchased and enjoyed The Gallery Of Regrettable Food. Instead, Retro Luau really does feel like a 1950s cookbook (with "retro" illustrations to match), with recipes including macadamia cheese puffs, upside-down pineapple cake, and teriyaki beef skewers.

      None of the recipes are *bad*, mind you (though they're heavy on mayonnaise in a 1950s sort of way). The next time I need to take a covered dish to a buffet party I'm sure I'll look through Retro Luau for inspiration, if not bring along the sweet-and-sour meatball recipe. If you want food like Mom used to make, and don't want to expend a lot of effort, this may be a good choice for you.

      But you should be aware that this is definitely a cookbook for creating a luau, complete with instructions for roasting a whole pig and how to make a lei. It is emphatically not a collection of Polynesian recipes that you might whip out for a different Sunday dinner. The book description says this, of course, but I hadn't expected nearly everything to be finger-food and munchies to serve 8-10 at a minimum. (Happy Ham Salad serves 20-25 people.)

      I may pull out this cookbook occasionally (especially since a close friend has a yearly luau-inspired party), but I don't expect any of its pages to get dog-earred.

      Dog Training by Bash: The Tried and True Techniques of the Dog Trainer to the Stars
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • Some Good Techniques, but Totally Off-Base on Theory
      • Throw it in your cart and get it!
      • Dog Training by Bash
      • Helped this novice...
      • Ouch!
      Dog Training by Bash: The Tried and True Techniques of the Dog Trainer to the Stars
      Bash Dibra , and Elizabeth Randolph
      Manufacturer: Signet
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      GeneralGeneral | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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      Customer Reviews:

      2 out of 5 stars Some Good Techniques, but Totally Off-Base on Theory.......2006-01-31


      In this book Bash Dibra, the self-styled "dog trainer to the stars," recounts some of his experiences raising and training an actual wolf. You'd think this would lend a great deal of credence to Dibra's training techniques and to his retelling of the now discredited alpha theory, which states that the social instincts of dogs and wolves is based on who's most dominant within the pack's hierarchical structure. But since this book was initially published in the early 1990s, it's now totally out of date and off-base, at least from a theoretical standpoint.

      For instance early in the book Dibra says, "You should take the alpha role with your puppy early or he will always try to dominate you." But the top wolf experts don't even like to use the word alpha anymore because, as David Mech puts it, "It falsely implies a hierarchical system in which a wolf assumes a place in a linear pecking order." (Canadian Journal of Zoology, 2002.) Mech has also stated that in wild wolves "dominance displays are uncommon." So how can you "play the alpha role" with your puppy if there is no such thing as alpha? And why would a puppy always try to dominate you if dominance displays are rare in nature?

      Why the disparity? Because it turns out that the alpha theory was based on studies done on wolves kept captive in sanctuaries, not on the behavior of actual wild wolf packs, who behave in a more cooperative and harmonic manner than captive wolves (or most dominance trainers) do.

      Dibra also says that training a dog to lie down on command is difficult because lying down is a submissive posture and dogs never want to be submissive. There are two flaws in the logic here: First of all, the posture for the obedience "down" -- lyiing with the spinal column in a straight line, head up -- is radicallly different from a submissive down -- rolling over on one side and putting a back leg up in the air. That posture would not win points at an obedience trial! Meanwhile, Patricia Gail Burnham, in PLAYTRAINING YOUR DOG, says that she saves the down for last because it's too EASY. Again, why the disparity?

      The other flaw in Dibra's logic: if dogs always want to dominate and never be submissive, and training them is about showing that YOU'RE dominant, doesn't that describe an ongoing, unending battle between you and your dog's instincts? Does that sound healthy, happy, and productive? Wouldn't it be better to find a way -- as Pat Burnham, Kevin Behan, and others do -- to work WITH your dog's instincts and not be constantly battling them?

      With that said, there ARE some good bits of training advice here: don't rush the training process, give your dog lots of vigorous exercise, etc. Just keep far, far away from anything that smacks of dominance...the logic of that approach no longer makes any sense.

      5 out of 5 stars Throw it in your cart and get it!.......2005-10-15

      I only take the time to write reviews for things that are really great or really bad. Must have's or must avoids. This is a great book. I have owned this book for about 12 years. I have had friends with "problem" dogs, and others that just needed help with dog training, and have let them borrow this book - with the comment that they better return it because it's really important to me. They've all used it, found it useful, and thank goodness - returned it. Now I see that it's under $7 - I should have bought them their own copy! Just get the book. You may want others, but you'll definitely want this one too. Another great book is "The Art of Raising a Puppy" by the Monks of New Skete - go read the reviews. I have German Shepherds (GSD's) and these books make a huge difference. They help you understand how GSD's think and why they do what they do. Have fun...

      5 out of 5 stars Dog Training by Bash.......2005-09-21

      This came as a new book...was so pleased to get it...timely...thanks so...

      5 out of 5 stars Helped this novice..........2001-01-06

      I'd just like to say this is a GREAT book for a beginner. I had never trained (or owned) a dog before and not only do I now have a great dog (Chloe) but people are always telling how well trained she is. And she's never been to an obedience class. This sounds cliché but this book is the reason I have a trained dog. It leads you through step-by-step w/ pictures and very sound advice. I found it different form all the other training things I've read in that this one makes sense. If you are worried about training your dog, this is the book to have.

      3 out of 5 stars Ouch!.......2000-10-04

      I was going to learn how to train dogs under "bash" in NYC. I heard he was the best. I called him one day, and he said to read everything i could find on wolf behavior. This is a good book. More of the same, but i'm sure you'll get something from it. I live in VT now, and am in another line of work. I was walking in the woods the other day and was attacked by a wolf and i thought (as the wolf was tearing me apart) ... gee, i wonder where old bash is now.
      Dog Training by Bash: The Tried and True Techniques of the Dog Trainer to the Stars
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Dog Training by Bash: The Tried and True Techniques of the Dog Trainer to the Stars
        Bashkim Dibra
        Manufacturer: New Amer Library
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Mass Market Paperback

        TrainingTraining | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
        ASIN: B000JC06WQ

        McDonald's Happy Meal Toys in the U.S.A. (Schiffer Book for Collectors With Prices)
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • This book is a MUST-HAVE!!!!!
        • Best guide for Happy Meal toy collectors!
        McDonald's Happy Meal Toys in the U.S.A. (Schiffer Book for Collectors With Prices)
        Terry Losonsky , and Joyce Losonsky
        Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        GeneralGeneral | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
        ToysToys | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
        ManufacturingManufacturing | Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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        1. McDonalds Collectibles: Identification & Values (Mcdonalds Collectibles) McDonalds Collectibles: Identification & Values (Mcdonalds Collectibles)
        2. McDonald Happy Meal Toys from the Nineties: With Price Guide (Schiffer Book for Collectors) McDonald Happy Meal Toys from the Nineties: With Price Guide (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
        3. McDonald's Collectibles: Identification and Value Guide (McDonald's Collectibles: Identification & Values) McDonald's Collectibles: Identification and Value Guide (McDonald's Collectibles: Identification & Values)
        4. Tomarts Price Guide to McDonalds Happy Meal Collectibles Tomarts Price Guide to McDonalds Happy Meal Collectibles

        ASIN: 0887408532

        Book Description

        Welcome to the world of McDonald's Happy Meal*r collectibles. These two books(USA and Worldwide)present a thorough list and complete Price Guide for the thousands of toys and collectibles distributed with Happy Meal*r boxes and bags. Together, they are the most authoritative references. Thousands of all-color photographs show the toys, boxes, bags, advertising materials, buttons, pins, and variations given out both in the United States (one book) and in all the other countries around the world(another book). The authors have established a definitive numbering system to identify each and every item distributed with an alphabetical/numerical listing, and a cross-reference superseding numbering systems in other books. This set of books gives a time line of McDonald's Corporation history, check-off boxes to help you organize your collection, and the catalog of the items distributed with a Happy Meal*r in the USA and worldwide. Read along and enjoy the fun!

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars This book is a MUST-HAVE!!!!!.......1997-10-27

        Great book, very complete and convienen. It has a price guide and check-off boxes to help you to keep better track of you collection. I will not ever begin to estimate the number of photo's..There is easily 1000's

        5 out of 5 stars Best guide for Happy Meal toy collectors!.......1997-08-27

        I consider this to be the McDonald's collector's premier guide. Full-color photos show you exactly what you're looking for. Variations are also listed, and usually shown, so you'll know to look for that horse with a green base and without! Translites, buttons, and all the other items associated with a promo are listed with values. Although this book only goes through early 1995, you can order supplements by writing to the author (address included in the book). If you're serious about collecting (or selling) McD's Happy Meal toys, you must have this book

        Your Florida Landscape: A Complete Guide to Planting and Maintenance : Trees, Palms, Shrubs, Ground Covers and Vines
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Your Florida Landscape: A Complete Guide to Planting and Maintenance : Trees, Palms, Shrubs, Ground Covers and Vines

          Manufacturer: University Press of Florida
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          GeneralGeneral | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
          LandscapeLandscape | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
          SouthSouth | Regional | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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          2. Your Florida Guide to Shrubs: Selection, Establishment and Maintenance Your Florida Guide to Shrubs: Selection, Establishment and Maintenance
          3. Florida Landscape Plants: Native And Exotic Florida Landscape Plants: Native And Exotic
          4. Complete Guide to Florida Gardening, 3rd Edition (Complete Guide to Florida Gardening) Complete Guide to Florida Gardening, 3rd Edition (Complete Guide to Florida Gardening)
          5. Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals

          ASIN: 081301641X
          YOUR FLORIDA LANDSCAPE: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO PLANTING AND MAINTENANCE, TREES, PALMS, SHRUBS, GROUND COVERS AND VINES
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            YOUR FLORIDA LANDSCAPE: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO PLANTING AND MAINTENANCE, TREES, PALMS, SHRUBS, GROUND COVERS AND VINES
            Robert J Black
            Manufacturer: University Press of Florida
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback
            ASIN: B000J3YIEC

            Layer Resolving Grids and Transformations for Singular Perturbation Problems
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              Layer Resolving Grids and Transformations for Singular Perturbation Problems
              Vladmir D. Liseikin
              Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Hardcover

              GeneralGeneral | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
              GeneralGeneral | Interior Design | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
              GeneralGeneral | Applied | Mathematics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
              GeneralGeneral | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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              GeneralGeneral | Applied | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books
              ASIN: 9067643467

              Using Ami Pro 3.1 for Windows/Special Edition (Special Edition Using)
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Using Ami Pro 3.1 for Windows/Special Edition (Special Edition Using)
                Que Development Group
                Manufacturer: Que Pub
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

                TypographyTypography | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
                Desktop PublishingDesktop Publishing | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                Windows - GeneralWindows - General | Operating Systems | Microsoft | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                Desktop PublishingDesktop Publishing | Microsoft | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                DatabasesDatabases | Microsoft | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                Word ProcessingWord Processing | Microsoft | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Databases | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Word Processors & Editors | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Publishing & Books | Reference | Subjects | Books
                ASIN: 1565296532
                Easy Ami Pro 3.1 for Windows (Special Edition Using)
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  Easy Ami Pro 3.1 for Windows (Special Edition Using)
                  Trudi Reisner
                  Manufacturer: Que
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback

                  TypographyTypography | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
                  Desktop PublishingDesktop Publishing | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                  Windows - GeneralWindows - General | Operating Systems | Microsoft | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
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                  Word ProcessingWord Processing | Microsoft | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                  GeneralGeneral | Word Processors & Editors | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                  GeneralGeneral | Publishing & Books | Reference | Subjects | Books
                  ASIN: 1565299965
                  Using Ami Pro
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    Using Ami Pro
                    James Meade
                    Manufacturer: Que
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback

                    TypographyTypography | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
                    Desktop PublishingDesktop Publishing | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                    Windows - GeneralWindows - General | Operating Systems | Microsoft | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                    Word ProcessingWord Processing | Microsoft | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                    GeneralGeneral | Word Processors & Editors | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
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                    ASIN: 0880227389
                    Using Application Software: Featuring Microsoft Windows 3.1 and the Software of the Lotus SmartSuite: Ami Pro 3.1, Lotus 1-2-3, Release 5, Approac
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      Using Application Software: Featuring Microsoft Windows 3.1 and the Software of the Lotus SmartSuite: Ami Pro 3.1, Lotus 1-2-3, Release 5, Approac
                      Edward G. Martin
                      Manufacturer: Boyd & Fraser Pub. Co.
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Hardcover

                      Lotus SmartSuiteLotus SmartSuite | Spreadsheets | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                      GeneralGeneral | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                      MathematicsMathematics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books | Applied | Chaos & Systems | Geometry & Topology | Mathematical Analysis | Mathematical Physics | Number Systems | Pure Mathematics | Transformations | Trigonometry
                      ASIN: 0789505754
                      QUE USING AMI PRO 3 FOR WINDOWS
                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                        QUE USING AMI PRO 3 FOR WINDOWS
                        Robert W. Harris
                        Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Paperback

                        GeneralGeneral | Reference | Subjects | Books
                        GeneralGeneral | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                        ASIN: 0395691451
                        Special Edition Using Ami Pro for Windows 3.11 (Special Edition Using)
                        Average customer rating: Not rated
                          Special Edition Using Ami Pro for Windows 3.11 (Special Edition Using)
                          S. Plumley , and R. Weberg
                          Manufacturer: Que
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Paperback

                          Windows - GeneralWindows - General | Operating Systems | Microsoft | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                          Word ProcessingWord Processing | Microsoft | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                          GeneralGeneral | Word Processors & Editors | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                          GeneralGeneral | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
                          ASIN: 0789703637
                          USING AMI PRO 3.1 FOR WINDOWS
                          Average customer rating: Not rated
                            USING AMI PRO 3.1 FOR WINDOWS
                            Michael (editor) Cunningham
                            Manufacturer: Indianapolis: Que, 1994
                            ProductGroup: Book
                            Binding: Paperback
                            ASIN: B000KNY6JI

                            Tiger Woods: Heart of a Champion
                            Average customer rating: Not rated
                              Tiger Woods: Heart of a Champion
                              Various
                              Manufacturer: Triumph Books
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Paperback

                              African-American & BlackAfrican-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
                              GeneralGeneral | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
                              GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
                              GeneralGeneral | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books
                              GolfGolf | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books
                              GeneralGeneral | Golf | Sports | Subjects | Books
                              GeneralGeneral | Sports | Subjects | Books
                              ASIN: 1572434147

                              Books:

                              1. Always Accept Me for Who I Am: Instructions from Teenagers on Raising the Perfect Parent by 147 Teens Who Know
                              2. Animal Factory: A Novel
                              3. Austin Roberts: A lifelong devotion to South Africa's birds and beasts
                              4. Australia's Most Dangerous: Spiders, Snakes and Marine Creatures
                              5. BACKSTABBER: A HITCHCOCK SEWELL MYSTERY (Hitchcock Sewell Mysteries)
                              6. Bad Chili
                              7. Badwater
                              8. Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence: New Perspectives : Proceedings of the IV International Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence Symposium, Freib
                              9. Bitch Factor
                              10. Cape Perdido

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