A colour guide to familiar flowering shrubs

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A colour guide to familiar flowering shrubs
Jaromir Pokorny
Manufacturer: Octopus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0706403460

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Flowering Shrubs (Colour Guide to Familiar)
Jaromír Pokorný
Manufacturer: Octopus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007C80JY

Book Description

The Rough Guide to Brazil is packed with nuts-and-bolts advice on exploring the Amazon, partying in Rio and visiting towns and villages across the nation. The Rough Guide offers detailed recommendations for lodging (from the family-run pensao to luxury hotels) and restaurants (where to get the best feijoada, a hearty stew garnished with orange slices). Included are must-read accounts of ecological issues, Carnaval and Brazil's renowned musical and dance traditions,from bossa nova to capoiera and everything in between. 12 pages of color photos. 57 maps.

Customer Reviews:

Certainly the best guide to Brazil.......2005-07-23

Have the other reviewers been using the same guide book as I have? The Rough Guide is simply the best guide book to Brazil. The Lonely Planet offers no understanding of the country, the book is written for idiots and the much of the material is seriously out of date. The authors of the Rough Guide seem to really know, understand and appreciate Brazil. The chapters for Rio, the South and the Amazon are, in my opinion, the most comprehensive, including lots of detail on places that Brazilians I know were unaware of. The Northeast is probably the weakest chapte but the area is so vast. One problem is prices, but you quickly learn to ditch the price guides -- seriously out of date and in US dollars and not in Brazilian "reis".

ridiculously bad.......2005-04-03

This is one of the poorest guidebooks on Brazil, if not the worst. And I've used all of them. For starters, it is horribly out of date. But the major problem with this book is that it focuses on random road-side towns while barely paying attention to popular and happening spots (AKA places where people are actually interested in going). It is as if the writers took at trip around, wrote about a few obscure places where they stayed and disregarded the rest.

The best guidebooks on Brazil right now are the newish Let's Go (although they tend to only focus on major towns) and the new Lonely Planet.

One Star Above LP.......2004-08-02

Well, one of the first positive things I can say about the Rough Guide is that it is noticeably superior in coverage and writing quality to the LP guidebook, which in my mind has been the #1 reigning worst guidebook to Brazil on the market.

My biggest complaint about this book is that the writing quality is incredibly uneven. Frankly, it is quite evident that the authors have not visited all of the places the write about. For example, I found the description of Mossoro (Rio Grande do Norte) superbly written. Not only was the description true to the way I remember Mossoro on my last visit 11 years ago, but I ended up learning a great deal about historic sights in Mossoro that I was never aware of. On the other hand, the coverage of Barreirinhas and the Lencois Maranheses National Park was pathetic, to put it mildly. It is abundantly clear that none of the authors have ever been near there. I visited Barreirinhas 13 years ago (when there were already 4 pousadas in town) and slowly travelled down the coast to Rio Novo and Tutoia, and then by boat from Tutoia to Parnaiba. It was a fantastic trip, but you wouldn't be able to do it with this book because as far as Rough Guide is concerned, Tutoia doesn't even exist. Off the coast of Tutoia there is a very exclusive privately owned island that has small ecotourism visits called "Ilha do Caju"... also no mention in the Rough Guide.

But the biggest scope-of-coverage oversight to me seems to be the shoddy coverage of Sao Paulo state. SP state has an abundance of excellent tourism opportunities. Maybe the authors' travel priorities are just different from mine, but when I think of "Brazil" I think of outdoor adventure travel. And frankly, ecotourism is a huge part of the Brazilian tourism industry. But this book is all about big cities, beaches, and architecture. Sao Paulo state has great rafting, mountain biking, hiking, camping, and fishing opportunities, but you wouldn't know it from this book. Likewise, the Central West (Mato Grosso, Goias) have INCREDIBLE rock climbing opportunities. No mention here.

We get an idea of where these authors' priorities are when we read on p. 497 that "Goiania and Anapolis, with their rising affluence and acres of new high-rises, already look like the cities of the paulista interior - and are about as inetresting to visit, which is not very." Clearly this book is of the "urban-poverty-chic" genre of travel guides... If you are into that.. this book is for you. If you plan your trips with a goal in mind - snorkelling in the Caribean, mountain climbing in Mexico, bike riding in Utah - this book will not help you at all with your Brazil vacation.

Incomplete at best.......2003-05-20

Just to be upfront about everything, this review is based on the 3rd edition of this book. But based on that book, I won't buy this one.

Here's just 2 reasons why:

1) The basic introductions to the each area/city are a great idea, but I couldn't seem to find one that ever made the place sound interesting. I live in Brasília, and granted it hasn't got the excitement of Rio, but it's much more interesting than they make it sound, and Natal, despite having the second cleanest air in the world sounds like a drag.

2) The information is incomplete and rather superficial. The section on Pirenópolis, a great little spot in Goiás, for example, has no mention of the dozen or so waterfalls (with guided tours if you need them) in the area.

Perhaps the authors are just used to travelling in "1st World" countries, or maybe they know little or no Portuguese, or maybe it's something else altogether, but wherever they're coming from and whatever their experience, this book has ended up a somewhat depressing, and extremely rough guide that misses much of this enormous, gorgeous, and amazing country.

Take Any Other Guide Book.......2002-11-04

Just returned from my second six week trip to Brazil. I own practically every guide book on the country and foolishly brought along this one. The information in the latest edition seems not to have been updated for a couple of years and I wasted a good amount of taxi fares or time walking to recommended places that were no longer in business. Even in the major cities, English isn't often spoken by the people outside of the tourism infrastructure. This can be frustrating without some preparation. Fortunately, I speak Portuguese and found many of the best restaurants etc. from the local people or through the particular city tourism authority. Another thing that I didn't like about the "Rough Guide" is that it doesn't include locations of internet cafes like other guidebooks do. For the price of the book, I give this particular Brazil edition one star.
Take my advice and take any other guide book with you or you'll truly have a "Rough" time with this "Rough Guide".

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Rhyfel Y Degwm (Project Defnyddiau Ac Adnoddau Y Swyddfa Gymreig)
Robert M. Morris
Manufacturer: Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0708309356

Book Description

With juries giving out million-dollar awards for such things as spilt coffee and harassment, anyone with assets must realize that what has taken a lifetime to earn can be lost in an instant. Our legal system has become a lottery in which lawyers finance claims against anyone with money. This book explains in simple language how anyone with any assets can best protect them against any type of claims.

After seeing how unfair the legal system has become, Attorney Mark Warda spent over a year and a half studying every type of asset protection plan available, from the homestead exemption to the offshore trust, from the most court-protected to the clearly illegal, and from the cost-free methods to the most expensive schemes. This book is the result of that research.

In simple language, it explains what works, what doesn't and why. It provides asset protection plans for every need, from the simple and cheap to the complex and expensive. It explains the three main ways to keep your assets out of reach of creditors and the five most important rules for being sure they work. It includes a summary of the law for each state and explains how to do more research to keep up to date.

If you own any assets you do not want to lose to a creditor, you need this book!

Customer Reviews:

Empowers Producers Against Moochers and Looters.......2006-02-27

From the aptly named Galt Press comes the Complete Guide to Asset Protection Strategies by Mark Warda, Attorney at Law. In modern America, no one remains safe from frivolous lawsuits. A person's entire life savings can vanish overnight thanks to a tort system that rewards envy and careless living. The American legal system authorizes tort lawyers to work on contingency fees with no penalty other than wasted time if they lose but huge payoffs if they win. This arrangement encourages the filing of frivolous lawsuits against easy yet wealthy targets. According to the author:

"The system is much more favorable to people filing suit than to people defending themselves. ... In England the loser must pay the winner's attorney fees, so only serious claims are filed. But here there is no risk to bringing a weak or even false claim. It is so expensive to defend a suit that often innocent people pay a large settlement rather than pay twice as much in attorney fees to win. ... England (and most other countries) forbid contingent fees for attorneys."

Producers work their entire lives, saving, investing, and building their net worth, only to have such a disaster strike. Under these conditions, the wise producer prepares for the worst by acquiring the knowledge he needs to protect his assets and then acting accordingly. This book offers such knowledge.

Warda divides his book into six sections:

1. Overview of Asset Protection Planning
2. Shielding Yourself Against Claims
3. Protecting Property in Your Name
4. Taking Property Out of Your Name
5. When Disaster Strikes
6. Your Immediate Action Plan

In total, 51 chapters articulate the content of these six powerful parts of an overall asset protection plan. In addition, Warda includes two appendices that delineate asset exemptions by state as well as offer camera-ready legal forms to help the reader to "cover his assets."

Whether you currently own your own business or work for an employer, whether you find yourself currently single or married, parenting or childfree, wealthy or poor, you need to make plans now to accumulate, title and protect your assets. Doing so can literally allow you to retain control and use of large portions of your wealth even if, as a last resort, you declare bankruptcy. According to Warda:

"Some have said that bankruptcy is too easy and that people with millions of dollars in exempt assets are abusing the system. I dare say that people who are being awarded millions of dollars for such things as "emotional damages" by using psychological profiles of jurors are no less guilty of abusing the system. Your use of bankruptcy can cure the abuse of a creditor's misuse of the courts."

Producers, en garde! Begin now to defend your wealth against the looters and moochers who would snatch it from your coffers! Your assets will thank you for it.

Readable overview of a variety of asset protection techniques.......2005-11-08

Describes a number of asset protections strategies, and for the real estate owner, explains how to combine the strategies together to potently isolate your liabilities and defend your assets. Read together with his book on land trusts.

Disappointing Regurgitation of Old Ideas.......2004-10-23

I was very disappointed with this book, and only after reading it did I find out that Warda doesn't even practice in the area of asset protection, but instead just cranks out "self-help" type book (over 60, according to his own plug). The old phrase "Jack of All Trades, Master of None" seems to be particularly applicable to Mr. Warda's knowledge of asset protection, which translates into little more than a re-write of other (now outdated) works from last century. I guess you'll buy this if you want the entire Warda-on-everything collection, but take a pass if your specific interest is asset protection.

Average customer rating:

Frustrating for someone who birds or has birded.

Peter Peters Out

An enjoyable read about birds, birding and birders

Verb implies action and it is missing in this book.

A Splendid Book for Birders and for Fans English

The Verb To Bird
Peter Cashwell
Manufacturer: Paul Dry Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Ornithology | Zoology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1589880013

Book Description

All around the world, birds are a subject of intense and even spiritual fascination, but relatively few people see the word "bird" as a verb. Peter Cashwell is one who does. This is a whimsical and critical book about his many obsessions, including birds, birders, language, literature, and pop culture. It begins with an irreverent examination of birding as a historical, cultural, and even religious phenomenon and describes how a thirty-something student of academic and popular culture ends up an active participant in organized bird counts. Birding alone is compared to birding in company, and the pleasures of feeding birds outside are contrasted with the irrational terror of encountering them indoors. It also includes a birder's travelogue in which the author recounts the high (and low) points of trips all around the nation: from Virginia, where geese of unusual size appear out of nowhere, to South Carolina's Low Country, home to some of America's most beautiful birds and most ravenous biting insects; from Long Island, where, against all odds, nature still exists, to the river, city, and state of Iowa, where nomenclature is in short supply.

Customer Reviews:

Frustrating for someone who birds or has birded........2006-09-24

Mr. Cashwell's stories were cute and some of the bird info was mildly interesting but this is not a worthwhile read unless you know nothing about birds (but then why would you be reading about them?) Ah, you want to know more about birds? Stick with Dunne or Kauffman. Those guys know what it's like to really bird. Cashwell is only casually engaged in birding and it shows in this book. The title makes it seem like he's some sort of authority.
Even though he isn't, he still wrote a book that was entertaining at first. Then I got annoyed and thought that many of my birding adventures were just as funny. When I realized that I was no longer enjoying the read, and not learning anything, I really lost interest.
I did like the list of bird flock names in the beginning. I wanted to read more from someone who shared this passion. However, this book didn't make me want to bird more and wouldn't be very interesting to a potential birder. Again, learn the birds from the field guids and GO BIRDING...don't stay home reading this book.

Peter Peters Out.......2006-04-16

This book began great. I was thinking I should get a copy for everyone who cares about me so they can get a better perspective on what this geat passion of birding is like. I was laughing out loud and thoroughly enjoying the read. But after about half way through the book, I began to lose interest. It seems as though Cashwell had some good ideas at first, but then he still needed to come up with filler for the rest of the book. By the end I was so frustrated with his mundane and frequent asinine observations that I finally had to put the book down without finishing it. His glibness went from entertaining to irritating to the point of unbearable by three-quarters of the way through. I did manage to get the part where he said he had about 250 life birds. I'm not sure how a person living in the Eastern US could have such a small life list and feel good about writing a book as though he's an expert on the topic. I know people who can log that many species in one day on the East Coast. So, if you get this book, stop after the story about the Christmas Great-Horned Owl. That was the last good story in the book.

An enjoyable read about birds, birding and birders.......2004-08-31

A well-written book by someone who enjoys birding, but is far from obsessed by it (a lack of obsession is sometimes a good trait to have!). I found that I was able to relate to many of the stories; particularly those when he was searching out a specific species of bird, or the differences in birding alone or with a partner (I prefer the buddy system -- he comes around to it slowly).
Being a New Yorker (& living on Long Island specifically) I was somewhat offended about his (& his fellow southerners) belief that nature ends at the New York border. Fortunately his birding trip on a winters day to Cold Spring Harbor seems to have changed his mind (so might a visit to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge or even Central Park). His tale of birding in Iowa, in particular his experience with the Iowa Birding Hotline, was good for a few out-loud laughs.
I was less interested in his research of the naming of the cardinal, or his disdain (though I share it), for the starling.
All-in-all, a good read about the big (and small) pleasures to be found in the pursuit of birds.

Verb implies action and it is missing in this book........2004-03-15

Peter Cashwell never really captures the spirt and pleasure of birding in "The Verb to Bird". The book is more of a forced literary exercise than a story about birds, birding or anything else. A collection of anecdotes related to the author's occasional hobby, the stories are not compelling nor do they capture the imagination. Cashwell's fascination with the mundane is illustrated by his search for the origin of the name Cardinal. He is surprised when he finds the bird was first named by Spanish, Portugese, and French explorers as he is chauvinistic enough to think Anglo Saxon settlers were the first to see this bird in North America. Following the the tale of his discovery leads to some very boring reading, as is the case with the whole book. In the end I had to work hard to finish this book even though birding is a passion in my life.

I would not reccommend this book except as an example of how a person with excellent literary credentials can take an intersting subject and make it quite boring. Perhaps if Cashwell would work more on building his birding skills he would be able to write better on the subject.

Sorry for the bad review. As Sandy Komito said: "In birding integrity is like virginity, you can only lose it once."

A Splendid Book for Birders and for Fans English.......2003-09-22

Peter Cashwell, an English teacher, has written a graceful book that discusses birding in a light-hearted manner. It will delight those of us who love birds and those of us who love the English language. I often laughed out loud at the various situations Cashwell creates for himself in the pursuit of birds. After reading it, I felt inspired to look at the visitors to my backyard far more closely.

Average customer rating:

Van-verb and Noun Test
Helen Bird , and Janet Webster
Manufacturer: STASS Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Geographical Journal, published by Royal Geographical Society on March 1, 1996. The length of the article is 672 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: Globes from the Western World.
Author: Robert Baldwin
Publication: The Geographical Journal (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 1996
Publisher: Royal Geographical Society
Volume: v162 Issue: n1 Page: p83(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Strongly recommended for anyone searching for an all-inclusive instructional guide to pond building

Landscaping Earth Ponds: The Complete Guide
Tim Matson
Manufacturer: Chelsea Green
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Landscape | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Water Gardens & Ponds | Techniques | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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The Ponder's Bible

ASIN: 1933392029

Book Description

The guru of earth ponds explains how to site, design, shape, and plant these beloved fixtures of rural landscapes—and make them fit your property and your life. In the decades since he wrote his acclaimed Earth Ponds, Tim Matson has designed scores of ponds, each unique to its site and its owners. In Landscaping Earth Ponds, he shares what he has learned to make these captivating ponds truly fit into their landscapes and into the lives and lifestyles of their owners. Ponds have long been valued for their charm and utility: how else can you simultaneously enliven your landscape, create recreational opportunities, help the environment, and increase your property value? Earth ponds are increasingly recognized for the full range of gardening, landscaping, and ecological promise they hold. As pond-building methods have been perfected, more homeowners are restoring existing ponds or digging new ones. With dozens of color photographs, Matson shows you how to site a pond in right relation to your house, offering surprisingly simple ways to visually link the two. His proven methods and designs reflect the many moods water evokes. Screen your pond for privacy, create a sandy beach and natural diving platform, encourage wetland gardens, line the shores with moisture-loving perennials, or design your gardens and paths to create a sense of mystery and adventure.

Customer Reviews:

Strongly recommended for anyone searching for an all-inclusive instructional guide to pond building .......2006-07-03

Tim Watson draws upon more than 25 years of experience and expertise building ponds and developing wetlands in Landscaping Earth Ponds: The Complete Guide. Here is a informative, step-by-step, profusely illustrated reference for creating a more lively and beautifying diverse landscapes and home-area garden areas with ponds. Providing "user friendly" information on how ponds work to enhance a landscape, create recreational opportunities, help the environment, and increase property values, Landscaping Earth Ponds offers a complete and readily accessible account of a variety of methods and techniques to employ in the creation of a pond. An important addition to any personal, professional, or community library reference collection, Landscaping Earth Ponds is very strongly recommended for anyone searching for an all-inclusive instructional guide to pond building and encouraging natural beauty through the development of a customized pond appropriate to the rest of the landscaping environment.

Book Description

STEPPING OUT OF THE BUBBLE: REFLECTIONS ON THE PILGRIMAGE OF COUNSELING THERAPY is the story of courage and risk taken by those who seek to better their lives. Drawing on the wisdom of those who provided a foundation for counseling theory and and practice, Krehbiel shares his expertise and wealth of experience. By sharing personal experiences, you will find encouragement to move forward in the journey toward personal growth and development.

Customer Reviews:

understanding myself.......2007-05-01

After reading Stepping Out of the Bubble a year ago, I went back and read it again for a second time. I was able to pick up even more information this time around that helped me understand and overcome some of my own internal conflicts. This is a book you can read at any point in your life and always find information that pertains to that particular moment. Krehbiel has a way of explaining things that others may consider unexplainable. Whether you are a student, a teacher, or just a guy like me, this book can and will change your life.

A practical resource for better living.......2006-03-27

For me, "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" was reminiscent of the renowned books of author, M. Scott Peck, in the style of presenting profound insights into sensible, easy-to-understand language and clear ideas an average person can relate to. Practicing Licensed Professional Counselor and Nationally Certified Cognitive-Behavioral Therapist and author of "Stepping Out Of The Bubble", James Krehbiel proficiently shares a portion of his expertise, condensing great weight into accessible and workable solutions for a more fulfilling life's plan.

The "bubble" represents our security and comfort zone, but it is also the inner place where we store the pain of our past experiences and the unpleasant reality of that not being made conscious which keeps us bound in unhealthy and self-defeating patterns. Staying within this bubble limits our emotional responsiveness as we numb ourselves to the coexistence even as unresolved issues unconsciously filter forth. To step outside of the bubble is to courageously examine the contents in all honesty and to face life's reality outside of the bubble. Once outside the bubble, one can move forward to experience life in more emotional depth, fullness and passion. "Being a fully functioning individual is about being true to whom you are and letting things be the way they are," explains author, James Krehbiel.

With brilliant and compassionate understanding, Mr. Krehbiel briefly details methods used and pertinent case examples within his therapy practice. "Self-regulation is a goal of therapy. I educate people in the fact that all the answers are ultimately within." "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" strives to do the same, by giving information on how we become trapped in the bubble and how beneficial the making of conscious choices to leave, can be.

Some of the many topics included within this book are: being assertive, characteristics of an "authentic" person, the integration of each of our different personality parts, the difference between true guilt and false guilt, setting boundaries, addictions and addictions to "manic" relationships, awareness (staying in the moment or mindfulness), grounding, honoring one's inner voice, panic attacks, OCD and mood disorders. The section regarding kids and parenting was exceptional, in my opinion, and I found many points about discipline that made much sense. Also appreciated was the section relating to religion (dogma) versus faith (spiritual) as well as what needed to be said about pop culture.

I enjoyed reading "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" and would recommend it to anyone. It is enriching and inspirational.

Reviewed -by C.Gale Perkins-author.......2006-03-18

Stepping Out Of The Bubble by James P. Krehbiel, Is an outstanding book on Counseling Therapy. Krehbiel, is able to put life patterns and fears into perspective so that the lay person can fully understand the mystery that most think is behind counseling. His approach to show that so much of what we seek answers for is within ourselves and with the right counsellor we can become free and step out of the Bubble or Bubbles that a lot of us are in.

This book should be a gift to every teen and their parents, no home should be without it.

Gaining Courage to Live Outside of the Bubble.......2006-02-25

James P. Krehbiel's Stepping Out of the Bubble was a fascinating read. I found myself underlining various passages. His explanation of how we get stuck in the bubble (comfort zone), and how we find our way out is powerful. It provided me with hope as I move through my own personal journey. I found myself experiencing an emotional reaction to many of the case examples and concepts he explored. He definitely hit some "hot buttons" in my life. But Mr. Krehbiel also provided specific guidelines and tools for stepping out of the bubble. At one point he says, "Courage can be defined by those who live outside the bubble as opposed to those who live in it. I like to compare stepping out of the bubble to wading into the water."

His chapter which includes ideas on multidimensional thinking is appropriate in today's political climate. He indicates that true dialogue takes into consideration the appreciation for differences in opinions. He makes some profound statements about pop culture's affect on the lives of today's children. He also gives parents tools and resources for assisting their children in bettering their behavior. The book ends with a resounding "yes" to life with a hopeful, powerful way of perceiving and reframing life's problems. This was an excellent book!

My Review of a Great Book.......2006-02-23

"Stepping Out of the Bubble : Reflections On the Pilgrimage of Counseling Therapy by James P. Krehbiel is an amazing and outstanding book that provides help and direction to the many people that are suffering from problems described in this book.

I was amazed at how many of the problems and challenges, that the author writes about, are problems and challenges I have seen many people suffer with.

The counseling theory and practice information in this book provides a direction for people that have a problem and are willing to go to counseling and risk moving forward in their journey toward finding personal growth and development, and eventually stepping out of the bubble.

Many people have problems and challenges that they never seek help for and they and their loved ones continue to suffer. This book goes a long way in bringing the thought of counseling to people and helping people to better understand the counseling process.

To author James P. Krehbiel thank you for writing your great book. I am convinced your book will help many people and because of your book many more people will step out of the bubble. I recommend this book very highly and also feel it would be a great college text.

Average customer rating:

Narcissistic silliness.
Not Complete
cautionary and delusional tale

My Fractured Life
Rikki Lee Travolta
Manufacturer: Infinity Publishing.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Entertainers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0741412675

Book Description

When a promising young actor from a famous entertainment family commits suicide, the faded star that finds him must confront the demons that caused the estrangement of their friendship. Tempering tragedy with dark comedy and dry wit, author Rikki Lee Travolta details a world of has-been and never-were actors struggling for survival in the underbelly beneath the glamorous society of Hollywood's elite. Actors once considered "Movie Stars" swallow their pride as they slide down the ladder of fame to "Movie of the Week Stars." One-time celebrities who try to leave the tinsel world behind discover there is little calling for former stars in the real world job market. Meanwhile, other would-be stars endure the comical exploits of a musical version of Anne Frank or starring in straight-to-video action films opposite professional wrestlers and rap stars who insist on being called rhythmic linguists. Voiced in a captivating first person narrative, My Fractured Life weaves together the powerful, funny, and inspirational story of a web of friendship that bonds second generation stars and adult survivors of abuse as they struggle for identity in an abyss of temptations and addictions.

Customer Reviews:

Narcissistic silliness........2003-11-29

I do not understand the notoriety of this book. My initial impression after 20 pages: here is a truly self-absorbed neurotic. That impression solidified after 100 pages. Repeatedly, the "writer" puts himself down , then self-exults in the same paragraph. He is clueless, but imagines his boring blather is ironic and honest. Schlock. I give this book 1-star because zero stars is not an option.

Not Complete.......2003-09-21

This was not a bad book. Only I felt at times things were missing or left out. I would of LOVED to of learned the the true indentity of "Jesse" for example, that part was disapointing. I was under the impression he was a cousin of John Travolta's. Apparently I was incorrect because no mention of him was made. Through the book at times was a bit colorful, I hardly found it shocking, or risque. I was hoping for more 'name-dropping" and details, it is hardly a scandalous book. The part concerning his Mother was heart-breaking through, and I felt much sympathy for him. Not a dull read but not as entertaining as thought!

cautionary and delusional tale.......2003-09-18

I got this book for research purposes because of references made by other reviewers to "hollywood stories". After finishing the book I just feel sad for the author because he clearly gets that he's not the "big celebrity" he so often refers to himself as, nor does he begin to circulate in the arena of celebrity in hollywood. His "stories" are self aggrandising though couched in self depracation. I can find no reference to the "hit" television series that made him a "big star" on any of the enterainment databases and he never mentions what network originally aired the show beyond an unamed cable network airing reruns. He trades on the tragedy of his friend "Jesse" who kills himself after throwing in the towel on an acting career that is sabotaged by the powerful celebrity family of his famous father who would never claim his illegitimate son. He candidly admits that his friend is a raging alcoholic but the real reason the guy didn't make it is the machiavellian machinations of some unamed hollywood movie star's family? The only reference to the author on any entertainment database is as an uncredited body double in the film EdTV. This poor guy "made it" in his own mind only and his book is the boring retelling of that delusion. I would say that this is an excellent book to pass along to a marginally talented high school theatre student living in the midwest as a cautionary tale EXCEPT that they might think that they too can be a big star like Rikki Lee Travolta and miss the point that he's just another wannabe with substance abuse issues and a big fantasy life.

Average customer rating:

A GOOD READ
Nigel Andrews needs to stop writing biographies.
Stylish and informative study of John Travolta's film career
Couldn't really get into it even though John is my favorite.
A great biography of one of Hollywood's brightest stars.

Travolta : The Life
Nigel Andrews
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury Publishing, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0747531749

Book Description

No Hollywood star has risen so brightly, after so big a fall, as the man who returned from a decade in straight-to-video Hell to reclaim adulation as a lovable hit man in Pulp Fiction. Nigel Andrew wittily scans the mother-dominated childhood in New Jersey; the years of life- endangering fan assault; the refuge in Scientology; the night his piloting exploits brought three major airports to standstill; and, with unique insights and revelations from the film-makers who have worked with him, the "comeback" years of high achievement as an actor.

Customer Reviews:

A GOOD READ.......2005-11-07

I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK DETAILING THE LIFE AND CAREER OF ACTOR JOHN TRAVOLTA. WE GET A NICE LOOK IN DETAIL ABOUT JOHN AND HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH VARIOUS PEOPLE. MUCH TIME IS SPENT ON HIS ROMANCE WITH DIANA HYLAND WHICH ENDED IN TRAGEDY AND HIS COMMITEMENT TO SCIENTOLOGY. ALSO A HIGHLIGHT IS LOOKING AT HIS MOVIE CAREER IN GREAT DETAIL. FROM HIS SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER TO MANY YEARS OF BOMBS, TO HIS CAREER FINALLY GETTING BACK IN THE WEIRD MOVIE PULP FICTION THE BOOK COVERS THIS IN GREAT DEATIL. I FOUDN THIS BOOK TO INTERSTING AND ENTERTAINING. RECOMENDED FOR ALL MOVIE FANS.

Nigel Andrews needs to stop writing biographies........2005-07-07

Nigel Andrews wrote a bio on Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was awful. He said Kindergarten Cop was an allusion to the Reagan era and the small children represented the divorce of modern society from the 1960s, or something like that. And just think, I always thought Kindergarten Cop was a comedy about a male macho cop who's stuck with some little kiddies for a week as a teacher. I was wrong, I guess. (End of sarcasm.)

Andrews has no "authorization" in his bios, meaning he hasn't been given exclusive permission by Travolta (or Arnie). In this case he's just pulling stuff out of his butt and most of it is garbage. He tries to become a film critic and fails. He tries to detail Travolta's life, and fails. He tries to come up with insightful facts - and fails, because he has no permission to write anything of substance.

A piece of garbage; the Schwarzenegger one is even worse.

Stylish and informative study of John Travolta's film career.......1999-03-28

John Travolta: the life, bounces along in a most entertaining,stylish and informative manner. Biographer Nigel Andrews has caught the flavour and detail of John Travolta's career, films and life. I write as a devotee of Mr.Travolta - always on the lookout for one who would do him wrong. That certainly isn't the case here and I do heartily recommend this book to any reader who still has a joy for living and a wonderment at John Travolta's genius.

Couldn't really get into it even though John is my favorite........1999-02-15

The book rambled about uninteresting details although it picked up now and then with some interesting ones.

A great biography of one of Hollywood's brightest stars........1998-12-24

TRAVOLTA: THE LIFE

by Nigel Andrews

The biography of a great and well-loved movie star is one of the toughest writes in town. The tendency is either to gush or to gutter-prose scandal search. British film critic Nigel Andrews has sharpened his pencil and employed his wit and wisdom to create TRAVOLTA: THE LIFE, a work of rare intelligence and wit. This book is the standard by which other star biogs will be judged. Yes, it's really that good. Andrews looks at John Travolta's films in a fresh and perceptive way marrying the public facts of JT's life, gleaned from a raft of sources, to demonstrate why John T. is the movie star who is also an "original". And then, to boot, he adds more interview material gleaned from Travolta's co-workers and friends (directors, stars, friends, etc.).

There are three problems - not too many really - with the book. Andrews has included three short semi-fictional "Prelude" chapters, which though fun, interrupt the narrative. Still, John Travolta dominates what is, after all, his own story. Though Andrews never met Travolta, he manages to nail down the nice guy that lurks beneath Travolta's image. In this biography he does it over and over right smack up to the last page. Then you want more - and when was the last time that happened? At least in a star-biography.

Arthur Miller

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Travolta: The Life
Nigel Andrews
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NZU62E

Book Description

This book examines the political and international thought of Harold Laski (1893-1950). The early chapters discuss his socialist critique of politics within states, paying close attention to the turbulent environment of the early to mid-twentieth century. His ideas on democracy, rights, freedom and sovereignty are closely analyzed and clarified. The book goes on to discuss the way in which he applied many of his political ideas to the analysis of international politics. The final chapter investigates the contemporary significance of his work. Laski will be of interest to scholars today who explore the overlapping themes of political and international thought.

HOLMES-LASKI LETTERS - The Correspondence of Mr. Justice Holmes and Harold J. Laski 1916-1935 - Volumes 1 and 2

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HOLMES-LASKI LETTERS - The Correspondence of Mr. Justice Holmes and Harold J. Laski 1916-1935 - Volumes 1 and 2
Mark De Wolfe Howe
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JVCKG2

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Harold Laski and American Liberalism
Gary Best
Manufacturer: Transaction Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Political | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Harold Laski: A Life on the Left
Isaac Kramnick , and Barry Sheerman
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Political | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Economics as Ideology; Keynes, Laski, Hayek, and the Creation of Contemporary Politics

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Economics as Ideology; Keynes, Laski, Hayek, and the Creation of Contemporary Politics
Kenneth R. Hoover
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Theory | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History & Theory | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Economics as Ideology explores the lives and thought of three powerful theorists who shaped the foundations of the center, left, and right of the political spectrum in the 20th century. Noted scholar Kenneth R. Hoover examines how each thinker developed their ideas, looks at why and how their views evolved into ideologies, and draws connections between these ideologies and our contemporary political situation.

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El Liberalismo Europeo
Harold Joseph Laski
Manufacturer: Fondo de Cultura Economica USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Harold Laski (1893-1950): A Biographical Memoir

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Harold Laski (1893-1950): A Biographical Memoir
Kingsley Martin
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0670361488

Rise of European Liberalism: An Essay in Interpretation

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Rise of European Liberalism: An Essay in Interpretation
Harold J. Laski
Manufacturer: Ams Pr Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0404201520

HOLMES-LASKI LETTERS The Correspondence of Mr. Justice Holmes and Harold J. Laski, 1916-1935 (In TWO Volumes)

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HOLMES-LASKI LETTERS The Correspondence of Mr. Justice Holmes and Harold J. Laski, 1916-1935 (In TWO Volumes)
Mark DeWolfe Howe (editor)
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000FLGQDE

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American Democracy
Harold J. Laski
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0670117684

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