Book Description
Certain that someone is trying to kill him, a dashing ladies' man and pharmaceutical exec turns to Desiree for help. But before she has a chance to question his enemies, he's shot to death. And now the plus-sized P.I. has to polish off a killer-and a slice (or three) of pizza.
Customer Reviews:
Murder can be annoying.......2006-07-21
I just have one question -- does Selma Eichler get as tired of writing about Desiree Shapiro as I do reading about her? Each time I read one of these, I swear, never again. Not that the writing is bad or the plot is weak -- it's just that the protagonist is so annoying. The funny thing -- SHE seems to find everyone else annoying (her "friends," her neighbors, her neighbor's dog, her boyfriend's son, even her niece).
My assessment: Never again.
Maddening Fragments.......2005-07-26
I definitely enjoyed the relationships and characters cast by this author. Desiree Shapiro is a cool PI with believable appetites for food, fun, and doing her job...The sentences beginning with "which" just drove me crazy, though. Perhaps others feel that these repetitive phrases add some flavor to the world of the characters, but by the end of this book, I was wincing when I saw a capital W at the beginning of the sentence.
Slightly weak but not bad.......2005-03-29
I think Des is a hoot. This latest installment strikes me as "filler" on the way to Ellen's wedding, the next logical event. Blossom is an interesting character, although I can't see her as a recurring feature; a little of her goes a long way. Now, as for the book itself ...
A minor quibble was that Dilys is a Welsh name, not an Irish one! A tougher issue for me was that the family of the deceased weren't well differentiated. I found myself consciously having to sort out things such as, "Is this the first wife or the widow here?" etc. In other words, the plot ain't so hot. But, let's be honest, these books aren't really read for the plot: they're read for Des and her world. I will say that I've never been real keen on Ellen, but she does serve a function as "family" for Des.
That having been said, I'm looking forward to the next one. Can't wait to see the interaction between Des and her sister-in-law. Moreover, I don't think we've seen the last of her little nemesis, Derek, either.
Another fun ride with Desiree Shapiro!.......2005-02-19
Another great book in the Desiree Shapiro series! I look forward to each of these, and Murder Can Mess up your Mascara doesn't disappoint! Lots of plot twists to keep you guessing, little hints of romance and humor...it has it all and I read it so quickly that I am now sorry to have to wait for the next one!
A fine Manhattan cozy .......2004-12-07
Sarcastic Blossom Goody informs Manhattan private investigator Desiree Shapiro that her cousin Gordie wants to hire her because he believes someone is trying to kill him, but lacks evidence to go to the police. Desiree argues with The Mouth at first, but knows no one human can win a debate with Blossom nor avoid wilting from the acerbic verbal assault.
Not long after the call, Gordon Curry explains to Desiree that he and his wife Rhonda went on their annual fall vacation in the Pocono Mountains. With a warm Indian summer, he was swimming in the lake when a motorboat tried to run him over. Not long after that in the same area, someone fired a shot that just missed Gordie while he was hunting. He wants Desiree to insure no more attempts on his life and provides her with the name of the only person he believes might want him dead, former employee Roger Clyne. As Desiree searches for the vanished Roger, someone kills Gordie as he leaves his monthly poker game. Blossom tells Desiree to find the killer.
Plus-sized Desiree Shapiro stars in a fine Manhattan cozy that fans of the series will enjoy in spite of the heroine being her usual unconfident self except over pizza at Little Angie's in her twelfth appearance. The Mouth adds depth and humor as no one peels skin off a person than the abusive queen of derision Mrs. Goody (an apropos ironic surname). Shapiro supporters will appreciate the case switching from keeping the client alive to finding his killer, not easy when the only suspect died a couple of months ago.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
A precise and passionate collection by a brave new voice in poetry.
Customer Reviews:
each to her own.......2002-03-08
Everyone's taste in poetry is different- I happen to love pretty much everything Jane's ever written.
good........2000-04-14
Its dark and original. Probably one of the best modern writers out there. maybe, I don't know.
Average customer rating:
- Early Swanwick is Weak but Promising
- Wonderful short fiction
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Gravity's Angels
Michael Swanwick
Manufacturer: Frog, Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | African American | Asian American | Classics | Collections & Readers | Drama | General | Hispanic | History & Criticism | Humor | Jewish American | Letters & Correspondence | Native American | Poetry | Short Stories | Women Writers
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Swanwick, Michael | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
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Tales of Old Earth
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The Iron Dragon's Daughter
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Bones of the Earth
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Cigar-Box Faust and Other Miniatures
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Vacuum Flowers
ASIN: 1583940294
Release Date: 2001-02-21 |
Book Description
Gravity's Angels is a showcase for a decade's worth of Swanwick's shorter fictions, from his first published short story, "The Feast of Saint Janis," to a descent past the edge of a flat Earth otherwise very like our own in "The Edge of the World," which won the 1990 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award. The stories collected here are luminous with the promise of his ambition, smart and allusive, dense with ideas and images, sacred and profane.
Customer Reviews:
Early Swanwick is Weak but Promising.......2003-07-02
These stories were all written in the Eighties, and the writing is quite involving, but there is a distinct lack of theme or intent in each tale. Only the last one, The Edge of the World, is ingenious and poignant and leaves a lasting impression. Swanwick's later works are much better. I suggest Tales of Old Earth, a masterful collection.
Wonderful short fiction.......2001-05-15
I've been consistently amazed by Michael Swanwick's novels ever since I read Vacuum Flowers about 7 or 8 years ago. I was pleased to see that Gravity's Angels had been re-released, and so I bought a copy. I was assuming that his short fiction is on par with his novels.
It is. O boy, is it ever.
I'd read one of the stories here before - Mummer's Kiss is a part of the novel In the Drift - but it didn't matter, it's worth re-reading. One short story seems to serve as a proving ground for the society depicted in Vacuum Flowers; another is an interesting take on the Arthur myth/legend. One's about a healer trapped in a church and one's about a man who may or may not be holding reality together.
Not a single one of these stories is anything less than amazing. If you've read Swanwick, and enjoyed his work, then buy this book. If you've never read Swanwick (and it seems a lot of you haven't, which is too bad; he's a phenomenal writer, easily one of the five best working in SF today), there's not a better place to start.
Average customer rating:
- One of my all-time favorates
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Gravity's Angels: 13 Stories
Michael Swanwick
Manufacturer: Arkham House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | African American | Asian American | Classics | Collections & Readers | Drama | General | Hispanic | History & Criticism | Humor | Jewish American | Letters & Correspondence | Native American | Poetry | Short Stories | Women Writers
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Swanwick, Michael | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0870541625 |
Customer Reviews:
One of my all-time favorates.......2001-07-16
Swanwick's ability to tell a great story never fails to amaze me. The first book of his I read was Jack Faust, and I have enjoyed all his work since. This collection of stories ranks with some of my favorates(Sturgon, Kornbluth, Tenn), and I eagerly anticipate his next novel. Do yourself a favor, and buy this book(and Jack Faust) from Amazon, you will be very glad you did.
Average customer rating:
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Gravity : Tilted Perspectives on Rocket Ships, Roller Coasters, Earthquakes, and Angel Food
Joseph Lanza
Manufacturer: Picador USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
Gravity | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
Mechanics | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
Gravity | Physics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0312155379 |
Average customer rating:
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Gravity's Angel
Penelope Curtis
Manufacturer: Henry Moore Sculpture Trust
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1900081059 |
Book Description
Attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is thought to affect between 3 and 6 percent of school-aged children. The symptoms of the disorder-difficulty paying attention, impulsivity, and agitation-lead others to brand them as difficult, unfocused, and unruly. But the clinical studies and experiences of the author of this compassionate book suggest that many of the traits that label kids with ADHD may be an expression of deeper gifts: powerful imagination, searching insight, and unusual intuition. The goal of this book is to help readers recast the paradigm they use to think about the condition, encouraging them to help ADHD kids develop their unique gifts.
The book begins with an overview of current ADHD diagnosis including definitions and a sample of a case study. Each subsequent chapter reframes certain ADHD symptoms in a positive way and reinforces this transformation with awareness exercises designed to increase the appreciation of the child's traits. These techniques include action strategies for channeling ADHD traits into productive outlets. And the book doesn't limit itself to a discussion of kids with ADHD: It includes exercises to help parents cope with any feelings of failure they may be experiencing and to reverse any negative patterns associated with ADHD that might be at work in their families. The book offers advice on how to navigate education and mental health systems to the best advantage of ADHD kids and how to understand and make the best use of conventional ADHD therapies, including prescription drugs.
Customer Reviews:
What difference a gift (or word) can make.......2007-09-17
My heart ached as my 8-year old stopped trying and become depressed during second grade. Recently diagnosed with ADHD, he was quickly becoming labeled at school and even by friends and family. This book shows a different (more accurate) point-of-view. My whole family including my son refer to his ADHD as his "gift." He knows many things are harder for him than for other kids. He, now, takes the difficulties in stride as a side effect of his gift: A super-speedy brain.
This is a refressing, uplifting, book that offers hope and direction for families dealing with the mixed blessing of ADHD.
Keep the strengths but lessen the problems.......2007-09-01
I, too, applaud this book for the way it reframes difficulties that kids, adults, and families with ADHD experience. But it takes a lot of energy to keep that perspective all the time. My concern about this book is that it perpetuates the view that there are just two possible (and seemingly conflicting) answers: medication or coping skills. Besides a mention of neurofeedback, it doesn't fully describe the benefits of this well-researched and very effective therapy.
My daughter had such severe ADHD that she finally had to drop out of high school and take a GED degree. After several years she very much wanted to go on for higher education but felt afraid when she thought of the attentional demands it would make on her. She did about three months of neurofeedback and entered acupuncture school. Now she calls me and says that she is learning, remembering very complicated details, more organized, completing assignments on time, and extremely happy. The most important thing she said was that the neurofeedback "didn't change her personality and abilities but it took away the behaviors that kept her from being who she was."
Instead of seeing ADHD as a chemical imbalance or a gift, another perspective is that the behaviors are produced by a brain that is under or over activated. Neurofeedback is totally non-invasive and consists of a person playing a computer game with their brain. It is accomplished by the use of several electrodes placed on the head that measure frequency and amplitude of the brain waves at the site of the electrode(s). Nothing is done to the brain. The game simply makes suggestions as to how to shift the balance of brain arousal and gives feedback (rewards) to the brain. As it learns, the result is modification of the person's behavior. After a number of sessions, the behavior usually becomes permanent. And the person gets to keep her or his abilities and uniqueness. Now, that's a GIFT.
Dangerous Messages Inside.......2007-03-15
While I appreciate the attempt to shift my paradigm, as an adult with ADHD I see much of this book as rubbish. The author makes unsubstantiated statements such as "drugs work not by fixing brain pathology but by making children high so they are more motivated and feel better about themselves and their behavior improves." The implication and much of the message of the book is that if we feel better about ourselves, we will be better students. She clearly has not been in the thoughts of an ADHD person on stimulants. We're not more motivated because we feel high; we notice the mess, we think about organization, we filter out inappropriate remarks, we worry about deadlines and we ignore distractions. Much like those nongifted, unexuberant, normal folks do. I felt great about myself just before I made a silly remark that cost me my job. Perhaps my boss and the people I offended simply needed to change paradigms and be more accepting of inappropriate behavior...Lara, if you read this, please rethink the messages you are sending people. They are dangerous and unethical.
There is real danger in this book.......2007-03-02
The danger of this book is that it seems to almost "spiritualize" this diagnosis with terms like "gift," and plays up the creativity and "enlightenment" of kids with this condition (notice, I did not say DISORDER). The truth is, kids with ADHD are OFTEN no more gifted or talented than their peers, nor do the view the world in any special, unique and wonderful way. If we romanticize the condition, we quickly tumble down the path of inadequate treatment - which is a total injustice to the child. You would not deprive a diabetic child of insulin. You would not deprive a child with an infection of antibiotics. Don't deprive those kids who need ADHD medications the treatments they need to function. Our family is proof that they HELP.
Waste of money ! Not useful at all.......2007-01-04
I would rate this book with 0 starts, but it's impossible. Very boring text and not usefull at all.
Amazon.com
Food can't cure headaches, but avoiding certain foods may prevent them, according to author David R. Marks, medical director of the New England Center for Headache. Some foods commonly trigger headaches in some people. If you're a headache sufferer, eliminating those foods from your diet is a sensible second step towards managing headaches. (The first step is to see your doctor to determine if there is some underlying condition that is causing the headaches.)
The key is to go on an elimination diet that avoids trigger foods such as most cheeses, chocolate, nuts, certain meats, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, MSG, caffeine, beans, out-of-the-oven yeast products (e.g., pizza, yeast breads, doughnuts), alcohol (especially red wine), ice cream, olive oil, and many, many more. If you were left to your own devices to figure out what's left after eliminating all these foods, you'd probably give up within a day. But Laura Marks has done the work for you, putting together 100 recipes that contain none (whew!) of the forbidden foods. The Headache Prevention Cookbook's recipes aren't bland or boring. They include Hearty Potato-Mushroom Frittata, Crepes with Spinach and Cheese Filling, Eggplant "Caviar," Corn and Carrot Chowder, Linguine with White Clam Sauce, Garlic Chicken, Cornish Hens and Wild Rice with Apricot Sauce, Asian Ginger Beef with Broccoli, Seafood Curry, and Angel Food-Strawberry Delight.
The authors suggest that you follow this diet, using their recipes and others you create yourself, for at least two months, and see if your headaches go away. Then gradually reintroduce the foods you avoided, one per week, so you can track which foods are your personal headache triggers. Once you've figured that out, avoiding those foods permanently can be your ticket to a headache-free future. --Joan Price
Book Description
If you're one of the 50 million Americans who suffer from headaches, you can eliminate the pain entirely just by changing the way you eat. A headache sufferer himself, Dr. David Marks treats thousands of patients a year at his internationally known headache clinic. The recipes in this book can help you ward off headaches while ensuring that you eat well in the bargain.
Customer Reviews:
A good start.......2007-10-11
I thought this book was a great starting place when trying to eliminate migraine triggers. As other reviewers have said, the recipies do lack some things as far as being really healthy or having some triggers in the recipies. But it is a great starting point. Besides, most people don't react to ALL the triggers.
It was refreshing to find things I could eat in place of a list of what I could not eat.
Not Helpful.......2007-09-19
After reading Heal Your Headache by Dr. Buchholz, I was anxious to find a good headache-prevention cookbook. But I need a cookbook in which ALL the recipes are free of the commonly known food triggers. Isn't that the point? Well, this book has many recipes with known headache triggers. Apparently we are expected to know which foods are triggers for us and to then alter the recipes accordingly. Well, I'm tired of having to alter recipes! That's what I have to do all the time with regular cookbooks. I thought that this cookbook would be different, but I was wrong. I appreciate that some food triggers are avoided here, but what about all the commonly known triggers that ARE in these recipes, such as lemon juice, orange juice, and onions? I bought the book, tried 3-4 recipes (none particularly good), then threw the book away.
What about vegetarians?!.......2007-09-09
As a vegetarian, I knew I was taking a chance with this title. However, I had just committed to Dr. Buchholz's 1-2-3 Program for healing headaches & was eager to try it out. Needless to say, being a vegetarian isn't a good fit and sooo many of the recipes in the book contained the triggers I was supposed to avoid. Very disappointed!
Disappointing.......2006-06-29
My husband is trying to eliminate tyramines and other migraine triggers. I was hoping to find a cookbook that would help us create meals that tasted good, were healthy and safe.
This cookbook misses the mark on several fronts. The worst thing is that it takes a very conservative approach to what is safe to eat. Most recipes included items that we had concluded were not safe or were borderline (determined from researching several different reliable sources). In the initial stages of testing out whether or not tyramines are triggers it is especially important to have an inclusive list and not make exceptions.
The second factor were the recipes themselves. There was very little here that would allow you to make an actual meal and no guidelines on how you would do that.
Third, as another poster pointed out, the recipes are not generally healthy, high in fats and low in vegetables and fruits. This could be compensated for if the rest of the meal were healthy, but without any guidelines it would be difficult to do.
I am hoping to find another cookbook but in the meantime I have been adapting recipes with quite a bit of success. Maybe I'll write a cookbook when I'm done!
A great book for headache sufferers.......2005-03-17
I had headaches almost daily for about 30 years and FINALLY did something about it. Between this book and the "1-2-3 Program" book, I've eliminated about 98% of my headaches - headaches I thought were incurable.
With almost any headache prevention book, you will be told to go on an elimination diet to rid yourself of foods that can trigger headaches. This book has many recipes for folks like us (you're reading this because you have headaches, right?)
For a life with significantly reduced pain, the price of this book is negligible. Buy it, you won't regret it.
Books:
- Murder in the Marais (Aimee Leduc Investigation)
- Murder Must Advertise (Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery)
- Murder of a Pink Elephant (Scumble River Mysteries, Book 6)
- No Place Like Home: A Novel
- Not Quite Kosher: An Abe Lieberman Mystery
- On the Case with Lord Peter Wimsey: Three Complete Novels/Strong Poison/Have His Carcase/Unnatural Death
- On the Case with Lord Peter Wimsey: Three Complete Novels/Strong Poison/Have His Carcase/Unnatural Death
- Orchid Beach (Holly Barker Novels)
- Pawing Through the Past (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)
- Photo Finished
Books Index
Books Home
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- Your Career: How to Make it Happen
- Three Act Tragedy
- Physiochemical and Environmental Plant Physiology
- The Surface Designer's Handbook: Dyeing, Printing, Painting, and Creating Resists on Fabric
- Picturing the Wreck
Murder Can Run Your Stockings: A Desiree Shapiro Mystery (Desiree Shapiro Mysteries)
Murder Can Botch Up Your Birthday (Desiree Shapiro Mystery)
Murder Can Rain on Your Shower (Desiree Shapiro Mysteries)
Murder Can Cool Off Your Affair (Desiree Shapiro Mysteries)
Murder Can Upset Your Mother (Desiree Shapiro Mysteries)
