Arnie the Darling Starling

Average customer rating:

OK, but there are better options in this genre

Darling!

Amazing!

Bravo!

Heartwarming!

Arnie the Darling Starling
Margarete Corbo
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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Arnie and a Housefull of Company

That Quail, Robert

A Hummingbird in My House: The Story of Squeak

Peepers the Talking Starling

Providence of a Sparrow: Lessons from a Life Gone to the Birds

ASIN: 0449206548
Release Date: 1985-01-12

Customer Reviews:

OK, but there are better options in this genre.......2007-02-14

I devour all books in the people-befriending-animals genre, especially ones where birds are concerned. While this one satisfied me by and large, I would just like to provide a tiny bit of criticism.

I didn't care for the two episodes of the author's allowing Arnie, the wild bird she rehabilitates, to drink alcohol. Once, to the point of drunkenness. !!! This easily could have resulted in the bird's death. Obviously.

I also didn't care for the author's apparent heavy smoking in the presence of Arnie as well as her cats. The obvious second-hand smoke issues aside, she mentions numerous episodes of the bird "playing" with cigarette butts in her ashtray. I just shudder to think how much "fun" the bird would have had if it had ingested some tobacco, or worse yet, gotten burned by a butt that wasn't fully extinguished.

Nonetheless, the book was mostly enjoyable and I would ultimately recommend it. I'd say C+ or maybe B- depending on my mood.

If you enjoyed this book, or even if you didn't, I would recommend Chris Chester's "Providence of a Sparrow" -- a memoir of a bird friendship that is glorious. Also, "That Quail, Robert" far outshines "Arnie"...

Darling!.......2004-06-06

This is based on a true story. Margarete, who considered herself a typical grandmother, ran across a downed baby bird in her flower patch. She tried to put the bird back in the nest as a helpful soul, but that didn't work. She tried several times, describing her attempts to reach the nest by roof and ladder like a gymnastics move - remember, this is a grandmother. Each time she completed the task only to find the bird back in the flower patch down below. When she decided to raise the bird herself, it was of course only going to be temporary.

This is a wonderful story of love and compassion, of companionship and triumph. Arnie the starling ended up being the thread that held many stories together in Margarete's life. A war bride from Munich, Margarete lived in Texas where she had run a pet clinic, among other things. She moved to Cape Cod with Arnie by the end of the tale, having had many adventures along the way. Margerete even shared the rejection letter from the Tonight Show. Maybe they didn't believe Arnie the starling could talk? "Good," was Arnie's reply.

Arnie never did return to the wild, preferring the company of Margarete and her other animals, human food to wild offerings, and, of course, there would be no one to talk to out there! This is a lovely story, a touching story, one for kids and adults.

Amazing!.......2001-01-30

It is the heartwarming story of a lady and her bird. Brings tears to the eyes! Superbly written! A great biography for any one who even remotely likes animals!

Bravo!.......1999-11-29

Heartwarming story about a remarkable woman and the wild bird that captivated her heart.

Heartwarming!.......1999-09-15

I found this charming book in a used bookstore when I visited my father in Texas. Sorry to see it out of print. A real treasure that is fun to read and very poignant.

World Class Supply Management: The Key to Supply Chain Management with Student CD (Cases)

Average customer rating:

Good reference but outdated
Average, not great
Thankyou MR. DOBLER
The core Purchasing text that must be on your shelf.

World Class Supply Management: The Key to Supply Chain Management with Student CD (Cases)
David N. Burt , Donald W Dobler , and Stephen Starling
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/Irwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Operations Research | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Purchasing & Buying | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0072831561

Book Description

The best-selling textbook in purchasing and supply management through several editions, this book presents a practical framework for students to apply how firms actually manage the enterprise-wide functions of purchasing and supply in today’s business environment. This edition represents a complete and thorough revision of the book, now explaining purchasing and supply management in the context of the supply chain, which. has begun to dominate the literature in the field. World Class Supply ManagementSM: The Key to Supply Chain Management, Seventh Edition, reflects that change in focus, right down to the title (formerly called, more traditionally, Purchasing and Supply Management; now with the subtitle that specifically references the book’s increased focus on supply-chain issues). New chapters have been added to the beginning and end of the text, to frame the new discussion of supply chain issues. The book has also been thoroughly updated to reflect the realities of purchasing and supply management in the digital age.

Customer Reviews:

Good reference but outdated.......2000-11-03

My instructor at college who is on the Board of NAPM made this the class text. The book is obsolete from its discussion of technology in purchasing but otherwise is good. It emphasizes qualitative methods and is very soft on quantitative analysis of practical business problems. There is a shortage of case studies but overall this is a good book.Being useful to take the NAPM exam, NAPM has expanded some definitions in the book that are not commonly held in other college courses. For example, my instructor docked me 10 points on a question asking for the 4 elements of a contract,which are different from what commercial law and the UCC dictate. NAPM has redefined some terms so be wary.

Average, not great.......2000-10-19

At over $100 this is an expensive book. It has some good information, being useful for Modules 1& 2 of the National Association of Purchasing Managers (NAPM) exams but is quite repetitive in its jargon. Much of what is discussed is generally known by anyone with any significant work experience. More calculations and hard data might be helpful. The book itself is of rugged construction and well made and of convenient size for portable reading.

Thankyou MR. DOBLER.......2000-01-18

This book is very useful for our purchasing mamagers

The core Purchasing text that must be on your shelf........1999-02-06

This is the textbook that every Purchasing professional must have on the shelf. It is written by the gurus in the field that helped to define the profession and set standards by developing the professional certification requirements.

The book establishes common language to describe Purchasing core processes that are applicable across industry and organizational lines. Because of the common language it establishes it can be really helpfull for someone who has been in a single industry or organization for some time that wants to transition to another industry but only knows the terms from their previos field.

For example someone involved in government procurement wishing to transition to the private sector might find the book usefull. Furthermore, it is written in the same language as appears on the NAPM APP and CPM examinations.

I have used the book both in a Purchasing Masters Degree Program at St Marys College in California and also in a Purchasing Certificate Program offered by the University of Phoenix and the material and cases are always well received by the students. The cases in particular are good and provide a common ground for people who have used the book.

There are some other books out there and new gurus are emerging but for now this is still the best.

Book Description

Combining the most current public management thinking and research with examples of how organizations apply these ideas, MANAGING THE PUBLIC SECTOR is a comprehensive introduction to the field. Written in a manner that is both interesting to students and rigorous in its scholarship, the text aims to balance theory and practice. This Sixth Edition incorporates such issues as new technology, the National Performance Review, and new research on the relationship between personality and performance.

Average customer rating:

Very good
Good, But Starling Has Done Better
Just Okay and Far Less Than What I've Come To Expect From Starling!
"The fog was coming, without and within."
fast-paced 1950s whodunit spy thriller

Visibility
Boris Starling
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0525949968
Release Date: 2007-03-01

Book Description

International espionage and hardcore detective work make for a dangerous combination in this dazzling novel set in 1950s London, from the acclaimed international bestselling author of Messiah.

ItÂ's the height of the Cold War, and as the Great Fog rolls in over London, a man meets his death in the icy shallows of the Long Water. Some say he was just drunk, wandering through Hyde Park. But for Scotland YardÂ's new detective, Herbert Smith, the body will lead to a far more interesting trail when itÂ's discovered that the young victimÂ's death was no accident. He was a biochemist, and just hours before he died he had claimed to be in possession of a secret that could change the world. Smith tried to turn his back on the murky world of spies when he traded in his job at MI5, but now heÂ's being tailed again, thinly veiled threats emerge, and Scotland Yard cannot insulate him against an underworld of international conspiracies. The CIA, the KGB, and even MI5 had every reason to want the dead manÂ's secret, even kill for it. As the body count climbs, itÂ's clear that each time Smith inches closer to the truth, he gets closer to his own perilous demise.

An evocative, gritty, realistic page-turner full of fascinating historical details and brilliant plot twists, Visibility marks a spine-tingling new achievement in Cold War thrillers.

Customer Reviews:

Very good.......2007-07-19

This is my first book by this author Boris Starling, picked up on a whim.

In a way, I'm happy to take a breather from "best sellers". What's in the market today? All the best sellers are same, like one reviewer said "Curse you, Dan Brown". At least 50% of the books are DaVinci types, even 3-4 years after the fact, then you got your serial killers, rapists, your comic book adventure (Cussler/Reilly/DuBrul) types, your Kontz's, Kings, Patterson's, etc. Yawn, yawn, and triple yawn.

Then you got this one, a 1952 England post-WW2 police mystery. Alright, I thought I'd give it a chance. Not much happens in 1952 England, right?

Right away, I realized that Boris is a very good writer. I have to separate my comments into two parts. First are the characters, second is the story. When I say Boris is a good writer, I mean that he has a great talent of writing believeable characters. The characters come across as having realistic 3 dimensional personalities that really come alive from the pages. Not many authors can do that. To many authors, characters are just to move the story along, not much depth to them, but Boris's characters have a lot of depth. I enjoyed reading these characters.

Second is the story. Unfortunately, I'm somewhat right about 1952 England. After reading reams of pages on serial killers, the Vatican, long lost treasures, hunts across 3 continents, long dead acquaintances suddenly leaving e-mail for you, 1952 England is somewhat of a let down. I won't reveal much of the story, all I'll say is that the protagonist is a Scotland Yard Inspector who used to be in MI5 during the war. However, Boris does a very good job of describing 1952 England. In looking at his picture on the back I'm very surprised to find him so young. OK, he's a Londoner, but how does he write such a realistic background. For this and the characters I give him full marks. For the story, I give him an A for effort.

So, to summarize, this book isn't as exciting as many of the books on the best seller list, but Boris' character development somewhat makes up for it. And if you want to lose yourself from 2007 and put yourself in another place, say 1952 England then this book is just great. And to top it off, Boris is a very good writer. I'll definitely read his other books.

Good, But Starling Has Done Better.......2007-05-23

As always, Starling draws very convincing primary characters with back stories and inner lives much more complex that what you get in a typical detective story. Where he comes up short is in the secondary characters and with the eventual revelation and resolution of who the bad guy is and what happens to him. Some of the secondary characters seem added just for additional gruesome scenes and their identities really force you to suspend disbelief more than is necessary. And as always with most whodunit books the final conflict where the bad guy(s) are captured or killed prove to be something of a letdown. Still it is a good suspenseful read that I would recommend.

Just Okay and Far Less Than What I've Come To Expect From Starling!.......2007-04-06

I consider Boris Starling's Messiah and Storm to be two of the best books in it genre. So, I was expecting nothing less from Visibility. However, while Visibility is not a bad book, it doesn't come close to measuring up to its predecessors. To Starling's credit, he is excellent at character development and in creating a setting of post-war London as the Great Fog rolls in that makes you feel that you are right there experiencing it. My problem with Visibility, a thriller, is that the plot has little suspense and excitement throughout about the first three-quarters of the book. It's not until the last 75-100 pages that the thrills begin to mount, and even these events are a bit far-fetched. Basically, for me, Visibility provided too little too late. My recommendation is that if you have been a fan of Starling's and are intent on reading his latest, to take this book from the library. It's an okay read but not worth spending your hard earned money on.

"The fog was coming, without and within.".......2007-04-05

The best spy thrillers go beyond the formulaic to offer thought-provoking psychological, cultural, and political insights. Boris Starling's "Visibility" accomplishes this while it entertains us with a historical and scientific mystery that is as intricate as it is suspenseful. Set during the Great Fog of London in 1952, the novel's atmospheric setting is ominous and frightening. The choking miasma of toxic fumes and the inability of the populace to see more than one foot ahead of their faces are metaphors for the moral decay of society and the failure of good people to distinguish truth from lies.

Thirty-four-year old Herbert Smith was formerly a soldier in the British Army and later a "watcher" (surveillance operative) for MI5, the British Security Service responsible for protecting the UK against threats to national security. He is now a Detective Inspector in New Scotland Yard's Murder Squad. Smith is a reserved and lonely man, whose only relative is his mother, Mary, with whom he has a contentious relationship. Nor do his colleagues have much use for a former spy who made detective without having served his time as a copper.

When Smith catches the case of a floater, he embarks on an investigation that will pit him against devious men who are willing to torture and kill to achieve their goals. The victim is identified as a scientist who possessed vitally important information that would confer great power on whoever acquired it. Smith endangers his life to find the killer, but his understanding of the case is hampered by deceitful, greedy, and ambitious individuals who are anxious to keep Smith from learning the truth. Soon, Smith takes on an unofficial assistant, the beautiful Hannah Mortimer. Although she is blind, Hannah sees people and situations more clearly than most sighted people, and Herbert is immediately entranced by this exotic, intelligent, and compassionate woman.

Boris Starling's descriptive writing is beautifully evocative. His characters are well-rounded, the dialogue is sharp and often dryly humorous, and the narrative is fast-paced and deliciously complex. The author touches on controversial practices during the fifties that, in the light of twenty-first century sensibilities, are somewhat unsettling, such as the discrimination against practicing homosexuals (a policy that forced gay men to go deeply into the closet), and the fear and hatred of communism, which led democratic governments to shelter scientists who were former members of the Nazi party. The book sole flaw is its over-the-top ending that veers dangerously close to melodrama. Still, "Visibility" has many delights to offer: an incisive look at how history and science intersect, an off-beat and touching love story, and a deadly game of spy vs. spy that, much like the book's impenetrable fog, keeps the reader off-balance until the truth is finally revealed.

fast-paced 1950s whodunit spy thriller.......2007-03-04

In 1952 former M15 operative, Herbert Smith works as a homicide detective with the Metropolitan Police's Murder Squad. His current case seems like a no brainer accident caused by the thick fog; a man drowned in a Kensington Gardens pond.

However instead of closing the book, Smith tries to at least uncover the identity of the dead floater. He succeeds as the deceased is King's College graduate student Max Stensness. The sleuth also learns that Max was gay and an active member of the Communist Party. Smith finds a tie to his former M15 boss, odious Richard de Vere Green. Hating Green whose treachery cost him his MI5 position, Smith keeps digging hoping to destroy his sneaky deceitful supervisor. Smith begins to find a connection to the Russians and the Americans as Stensness was apparently selling top-secret DNA information to the highest bidder, but the detective wonders if Green was the silent partner.

Using real people like double Nobel Prize winner Pauling and incognito Nazi criminal Mengele to anchor the 1950s anti-Communist fervor that swept America (McCarthy era -sounds similar to today's official scares) and somewhat England, Boris Starling provides readers with an exciting deep espionage thriller. The story line looks at the salad days of DNA research combining it with the Red scare and the WWII aftermath still devastatingly visible in foggy London. Readers will appreciate this fast-paced period piece that grips the audience with a whodunit spy thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:

Too violent for me
A good crime drama.
Over the top "psychological" thriller
"Silence of the Lambs" it's not!!
Ultimately Unsatisfying

Messiah
Boris Starling
Manufacturer: Onyx
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451409000

Book Description

The first victim was found hanging from a rope. The second, beaten to death in a pool of blood. The third, decapitated. Their backgrounds were as strikingly different as the methods of their murders. But one chilling detail linked all three crimes: their tongues had been cut out and replaced with a silver spoon. The local police had enough evidence to believe they were witnessing a rare--and disturbing--phenomenon: the making of a serial killer...

"He'll kill again."

Investigator Red Metcalfe has made national headlines with his uncanny gift for tracking killers. Getting inside their heads. Feeling what they feel. He's interviewed the most notorious serial killers in the world. He knows what makes them tick. But not this time. The killer's motives and methods are so elusive, so brilliant, that Red is forced to search the darkest corners of his own soul--and face the guiltiest secrets of his past--to see the truth. This time, the life he saves could be his own...

Prepare yourself for the stunning debut of a major new talent...and the most frightening book you will read this year.

Boris Starling's Messiah...A modern masterwork of serial killer suspense so realistic, so harrowing, it could only have been written by a former reporter and confidential investigator...

* Great new voice--in the tradition of Thomas Harris and John Sandford
* Great credentials--author is a former reporter and specialist in confidential investigations and kidnap negotiations
* "Fast-paced, gritty...one of the best books on murder you'll read."--Esquire (UK)

Customer Reviews:

Too violent for me.......2007-07-09

Everything about ordering and doing business was excellent. I enjoy murder mysteries but this book was just too violent for me.

A good crime drama........2007-01-18

First I've got to admit I enjoy reading book reviews. And I know I'm missing something, however, for the life of me I can't figure what that might be. These are works of fiction. Within its genre this is a good book. Psychological thrillers, and crime dramas are not my favorites but I do enjoy a good one now and again. And Messiah is a good one, perhaps three and a half stars. The writing is good, and the story flows - it kept my interest. As to it being contrived, who knows what lurks within the minds of really crazy people. And this book contains its share of those. Which, for me, made it all the more interesting. There were a couple editing errors which upsets me, and it takes place in London, however, I think Mr. Starling did a good job, and I recommend it.

Over the top "psychological" thriller.......2006-07-26

Messiah tracks a team of Scotland Yard detectives on the trail of a serial killer in London. Each murder becomes more grotesque and is described in painstaking detail. The team of detectives moves from one crisis to the next, (both personal and professional), especially the lead sleuth. And, as one can guess from the title, there is a religious twist to the plot. I assume all this is meant to build tension for the reader, unfortunately it all becomes somewhat numbing, monotonous and tiresome, i.e. any shock value quickly wears thin due to sheer repetition. The story itself becomes predictable and formulaic and the good guys and bad guy caricatures of themselves. The book is much much too long and the ending anti-climactic. Pass on this one.

"Silence of the Lambs" it's not!! .......2006-04-18

"Silence of the Lambs" it's not!! But that's not to say that Boris Starling's first novel, "Messiah," is not worth reading. This is a somewhat above average police procedural involving a team of Scotland's Yard's finest on the track of an extremely clever and heinous serial killer who believes he is the Messiah. Except for some literally fantastic plot twists, Starling has written a fairly typical psychological thriller about a serial murderer, which bears a slight resemblance to director David Fincher's film "Seven," where the killer forces each of his victims to die by acting out one of the seven deadly sins. In "Messiah," the link between the killer and the victims is every bit as gruesome and as graphically depicted as in "Seven." (But no spoilers here!). So the squeamish should be forewarned.

Two horrific murders are committed in London on the same day. One corpse, a former caterer, is found hanging by the neck over his bannister. The other, the former Bishop of Wandsworth, is brutally beaten to death. Although the MOs are quite different, there are similarities in the two crimes. Both men are found in their underpants and the murderer's bloody signature, left at both crime scenes, is the same.

Detective Superintendent Redfern Metcalfe is well known as a crack investigator. From the little evidence gathered he believes the killer to be one in the same person and is almost sure he will strike again. Metcalf puts together a topnotch team to solve the crimes. However, the psychopathic perpetrator is much smarter than most and as the victims pile up the investigators remain clueless.

The storyline travels back and forth in time between Red's student days at Cambridge (1982) and the present (1998-99). Obviously there is a connection.

Starling paces the story well, and although there are some glaringly contrived moments, "Messiah" provides an entertaining, if chilling read.
JANA

Ultimately Unsatisfying.......2006-03-30

Messiah starts out with a few spectacularly yucky murders and ends disjointedly and with a sense of disappointment. Starling is not a great writer, but the structure and wording are passable--you won't put down the book because it's just so terribly put together that you can't stand it for another sentence.

The plot is a bit contrived, and the pattern behind the victims and crimes is apparent long before our hero discovers it. You get the sense, as the story is building toward a climax, that Starling has got one more twist to throw at us. And unfortunately, it's pretty easy to guess what that twist will be. Our main character also acts in a silly and contrived way at the novel's conclusion, leaving me with a sour taste in my mouth as I finished the last sentence.

The psychology behind the crimes and the criminal is paramount (if I could italicize here, I would!) to a believable and truly terrifying novel, and Starling ignores this to Messiah's detriment. The reason our criminal started his crime spree is farfetched, and his ability to deceive so many for so long is just not credible. In the end, the bad guy seems ridiculous, not scary and pitiable (Thomas Harris always seems to manage this with great skill). Because the psychological aspects to this criminal, motive, and plot are skimmed over, the final product is somewhat disappointing.

Mr. Starling has created an interesting first novel, and hopefully will become more thoughtful and subtle as his imagination and writing mature.

Average customer rating:

Poor Beautiful Alice has Her Work Cut Out for Her
Fair
The worst book I've ever read
One Helluva Tale!
Let the action begin!

Vodka
Boris Starling
Manufacturer: Onyx
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0451412060

Book Description

Beautiful American banker Alice Liddell arrives in Moscow as it reels under a war between mafia gangs for control of the violently changing city. Hired to oversee the privatization of Russia's vodka distillery, Alice finds her ideals compromised by its director, a dangerously seductive gangland member. When an enemy vows revenge on him, and a series of bizarre serial murders erupts, Alice finds herself drawn into the violent underground world of Moscow.

Customer Reviews:

Poor Beautiful Alice has Her Work Cut Out for Her.......2006-08-09

Russia is just starting to get back on her feet. It's 1991, the USSR has fallen and beautiful banker Alice Liddell has come to Moscow to head up Red October, Moscow's largest distillery, and everybody knows how important Vodka is to Russians. She knew the job wasn't going to be easy, after all the Russians were used to the old system, privatization is a new and a strange animal, but one she is determined to make work. However, she didn't know the job was going to be so difficult. There is dissention in the plant and it's not clear who is going to run the factory, Alice or a Mafia boss named Lev, who is nobody to mess with, let me tell you. Then there is a brutal gang of Chechens for Alice to worry about and if that isn't enough she has to deal with an honest cop, but wait, there is still more, Alice is a recovering alcoholic who finds herself more than a bit intimidated, to say the least, with all that vodka.

In the beginning Alice and Lev seem to be at each other's throats, but sparks fly. Did I forget to mention that Lev is a seven foot tall hunk of a weightlifter who is covered in tattoos? But even as those sparks begin to dance an Estonion detective named Juku Irk is investigating a series of child murders. Yes, there is a serial killer in the story too. So poor, beautiful Alice really, really has her work cut out for her, but you won't find reading this book work at all. This is an exciting read. And it's informative as well. You'll be drawn into the many plots and subplots even as you learn a whole bunch about Russian culture and the culture of Vodka. You don't want to miss this one.

Fair.......2006-05-15

A relative multitude of storylines and a colorful backdrop are almost enough to save "Vodka" from being what it is, another generic entry in the commercial thriller/intrigue genre.

The worst book I've ever read.......2006-04-14

Wow, talk about bad. Every page was like pulling teeth. And the absolutely absurd descriptions of various vodkas. Does this author know what he's talking about? I think not. I've working in Russia for over 10 years, including in the alcohol (aka vodka) industry. This book isn't even remotely close to describing what Russia was really like in the first post Soviet months/years. It's just a long dragging nightmare about an alcoholic American, her seemingly Yetti sized Russian mafia boyfriend, her sad American husband, and the most ridiculous killer/cop relationship that could have ever been created. I'm convinced that every time he described or even mentioned vodka, Mr. Starling must have been having a snort himself. Don't waste your time or your money, there are much better books on similar topcs out there.

One Helluva Tale! .......2006-04-08

Boris Starling's sprawling narrative is set in Moscow over a period of only four and one half months, yet the novel is epic in nature. From December 23, 1991, to May 9, 1992, the reader is taken on a wild roller coaster ride through a landscape reeling in the aftermath of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the inception of privatization. I should put "privatization" in quotations because no one could have envisioned exactly how chaotic the conversion of industries and businesses from governmental ownership to private enterprise would be.

This is the anarchic period of Boris Yeltsin's takeover of power from Mikhail Gorbachev, and, if you don't mind a plot, and an extraordinary number of subplots, which go off on a multitude of tangents, then you just might be caught up in "Vodka," as I certainly was. What a ride (!) - frequently wild and improbable...but so much fun!! If you prefer your prose tight and your storyline well organized, needless to say, this is not the book for you!

By December 1991, all of the former republics had declared independence. In the world of nonfiction, Vladimir Putin, Russia's current president, called the collapse of the Soviet Union "the largest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century." It resulted in economic crisis in Russia which continued for at least five years. Into this pandemonium steps the beauteous and brilliant Alice Liddell, an International Monetary Fund advisor responsible for overseeing the privatization of Red October, Russia's foremost vodka distillery.

The annual consumption of vodka in Russia, which has a population of approximately 146 million, is 4 billion liters a year. "The Russian Health Ministry estimated consumption in 1996 was 18 liters of pure alcohol per adult which is equivalent of 38 liters of 100 proof vodka. However, as the reader will discover, vodka is much more than the national drink. And as Ms. Liddell will discover, despite her entire history of professional banking and trading accomplishments, her ability to bring logic and order to her work environment just won't hack it in Moscow. And when she and her team meet Lev, "parliamentary deputy, distillery director, criminal godfather, champion weight lifter, his shoulders as wide as two men's, the crown of his head seven feet above the floor," and her new adversary, all bets for successfully transforming Red October into a private corporation, as defined outside of Russia, and introducing capitalism, American-style, are off.

The multiple subplots - well...there's a doozy of a serial killer on the loose in the big city and his/her victims are children; brutal Mafia wars between Chechen and Slavic crime syndicates bring a level of creative violence to this tale which makes our own Godfather's activities seem like shenanigans; ghosts of the Soviet-Afghani War haunt the novel's pages; an outrageously sentimental romance flourishes (and it works - although Anna Karenina it's not); alcoholism is painfully confronted by a main character; the making of vodka and the infinite variations of the final product are outlined and make for fascinating reading, etc., etc..

Some of the characters are really wonderful, in an entertaining sense. Lev is Robin Hood played by a Russian bear. And Juku Irk, the alienated Estonian investigator, is unusually sympathetic and original.

This is terrific, if simplistic and rambling historical fiction which manages to portray Russian Mafia interaction with government and the Party apparatus and make it appear logical, at times. It is also a helluva tale. I enjoyed!
JANA

Let the action begin!.......2006-04-03

But it never really does. There is not much compelling action at all.

Or maybe the problem is that the characters are of little interest. Who cares about them?

I started this thinking it to be in the fun genre of DeMille, Grisham, or Follett. Wrong.

What is of interest is the glimpse into vodka and the situation at the fall of the Soviet Union. But one gains that understanding very quickly, in the first few pages.

If one is looking for a nice, quality, action sort of read, this is not the book to select.

Average customer rating:

A nice mix of love story and history

The Lightning Keeper: A Novel
Starling Lawrence
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B000KGGPA8

Download Description

The Lightning Keeper is a sweeping epic novel of ambition, love, and enterprise in America. It is the story of an unlikely Romeo and Juliet romance at the dawn of the electric age, with the nation balancing on the brink of world war and a scientific revolution.

In 1914 Toma Pekocevic is a penniless immigrant in New York recently escaped from the bloody politics of the Balkans that have claimed most of his family. He is also a gifted inventor who designs a revolutionary water turbine while working with Harriet Bigelow, scion of a proud Connecticut iron-making dynasty now fallen on hard times. Their attraction is immediate and overwhelming, but every circumstance is against them.

Toma is eventually drawn inside the industrial empire of General Electric, his machine an essential cog in its grand scheme to provide electricity to the entire country. His invention is all he has after losing Harriet to a wealthy politician, but Toma is determined to win her back, setting the stage for a confrontation that could change not only his life but the course of scientific progress.

Deeply evocative and utterly engrossing, The Lightning Keeper is a rich tapestry of technology, romance, and war -- an unforgettable and distinctly American saga that establishes Starling Lawrence as one of the most talented writers at work today.

Customer Reviews:

A nice mix of love story and history.......2006-03-29

Set against the backdrop of the First World War, this is a wonderful story about the struggle for technological progress and of ill-fated love. Our lovers are frustrated by their perceptions of their roles in society, and struggle to resolve their feelings for each other without betraying their responsibilities. Alongside this bittersweet story, we are also treated to the struggle to create the modern electric power grid. The technical details are clearly described, and the author does a good job of describing the obstacles and the visions of the engineers that brought electricity to America. He also does a good job in showing the role of patents in this process. This is a wonderful book that paints a vivid portrait of the early part of the previous century and the people who lived then.

(This review is based on a pre-publication Advanced Reading Edition.)

Average customer rating:

great story, bad wheather.
This Is the Last Straw
Fairly Good Thriller BUT....
Didn't I Just Read This Book?
Excellent second book!

Storm
Boris Starling
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451201906
Release Date: 2000-11-07

Book Description

In his New York Times bestseller Messiah, Boris Starling explored the fury brewing in the mind of a serial killer....

"Messiah sustains a sense of fear and uneasiness."-Publishers Weekly

"Messiah is fast-paced and gritty...one of the best books on murder you'll read."-Esquire (UK)

"Messiah is as terrifying as it is credible...an accomplished debut that grips from the first page and doesn't let go."-Val McDermid, Gold Dagger-winning author, Tangled Web

"Messiah is heartstopping...the urge to devour this book at a single sitting is almost irresistible."-Martin Edwards, author of The Harry Devlin Mysteries

"Messiah has one of the most frightening fictional serial killers ever created."-Writers Write

"Messiah opens with a bang and just keeps on going to the thrilling conclusion...stunning."-Book Rocket

In Storm he unleashes it...

Customer Reviews:

great story, bad wheather........2007-07-13

ok...
After i read starlings first book "messiah" and loved every word
of it i talled myself i gotta get his next book.
in "storm" starling again proves that he's an artist of the human mind
and way of thinking, his charicters are deep and controversed,what
reflects to most humans on this plantet.
"storms" main charicter DCI kate (also appeared on the messiah) is built
with a genious touch as the story goes, proving that starling is cable of knowing the secrets of mind of woman, as well as men.
This time we deal again with a seriel killer-
problem is-
the killer in "messiah" was such a perfect charicter that this one in "storm" is kinda pale when compered to the "messiah".
Again starling makes you think that you can read his mind and find
who the killer is before he actually reveals and again you are wrong.
one of the best charicters ever created (IMHO of course) is reapearing
as the story progresses to it's climax.
i enjoyed it a bit less then messiah, but then again, "messiah" is the best book i read for quite a while.

This Is the Last Straw.......2006-04-11

Norrcorp's comments (the first spotlight review) are exactly right--the book is the same as Starling's first novel, Messiah. Kate Beauchamp and her friends/foes are cookie-cutter predictable, and she is a poor heroine who ignores her son and races around trying to catch terrible serial killers. No need, Kate--Starling always makes it your lover or best friend, just like he did in his first book. We all know with Starling that he'll too obviously lead us down the garden path as to the identity of the killer, only to have a radical and unbelievable plot twist in the final ten pages when we discover it was actually Kate's OTHER best friend/lover who's the crook. The possibility of Kate's being an intimate acquantance with a serial killer is so remote as to make the plot laughable. This book is trash!

And the plot?! Come on! Serial killers trying to replicate ridiculous scenes from a Greek tragedy--just like the silly apostle theme from his first tale. Reading this tripe was the last straw--I'll never read another.

Fairly Good Thriller BUT...........2006-03-14

...the major plot points revolved around coincidences which were just a little too convenient. I think Starling, like many writers, wove such a complex web that when it came time for the denouement, there was no believeable way he could end it without straining the reader's credulity. That said, however, I found the book to be suspenseful and entertaining. I'm impressed by Starling's eye for incredible technical detail. He must do a lot of research. But the book is just a little too flawed to rate more than 3 stars in my book. I hope Starling's best work lies ahead, otherwise, he'll go down as just a perennial 3-star author.

Didn't I Just Read This Book?.......2006-01-02

First off, let me make it clear that I am not panning the book itself. It is a solid thriller. My problem is that "Storm" follows the EXACT SAME STORY ARC as Starling's first book, "Messiah".

I read "Messiah" a couple of weeks ago, and because I liked it, thought I would read the follow-up. Therefore, I was somewhat put-off by the fact that they are essentially the same book. To be fair, I actually liked this one better than "Messiah", but the plot follows the exact same route.

Without giving too much away, both books deal with a flawed police detective going after a serial killer, while at the same time fighting his/her own personal demons. While the lead detective and M.O. of the killer has changed, the conclusion is the exact same (which I don't want to give away, but, come on, the detectives even make the EXACT SAME MISTAKE at the end).

So, I guess in conclusion, I'm saying read one or the other, don't waste your time with both.

Excellent second book!.......2004-09-03

I think Boris is going to be a household name before long here in America. His first book Messiah was amazing and he doesn't dissapoint in his second outing.

This book is just as page turning as his last and has even more twists. I read this book in one sitting and although I thought some of the things Kate does (especially at the end) wasn't that realistic (my ONLY complaint) I found no other faults with the book and was completely intrigued from start to finish. The book starts off fast paced and doesn't let up. The ship sinking at the beggining was written so well, I felt like I was there. I can't recommend this book and Messiah enough.

A Life of Ernest Starling (People and Ideas Series) (People and Ideas Series)

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A Life of Ernest Starling (People and Ideas Series) (People and Ideas Series)
John Henderson
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0195177800

Book Description

Ernest Starling (1866-1927) was pre-eminent in the golden age of British Physiology. His name is usually associated with his Law of the Heart, but his discovery of secretin (the first hormone whose mode of action was explained) and his work on capillaries were more important contributions. He coined the word 'hormone' one hundred years ago. His analysis of capillary function demonstrated that equal and opposite forces move across the capillary wall--an outward (hydrostatic) force and an inward (osmotic) force derived from plasma proteins.

Starlings contributions include:
*Developing the "Frank-Starling Law of the Heart," presented in 1915 and modified in 1919.
*The Starling equation, describing fluid shifts in the body (1896)
*The discovery of secretin, the first hormone, with Bayliss (1902) and the introduction of the concept of hormones (1905).

Average customer rating:

A yawner
Incorrect Facts about Montenegrin Ethnic Background
Untangling Balkan politics and English romance
Literate Adventure is more literature than adventurous
John Allison

Montenegro: A Novel (P.S.)
Starling Lawrence
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060828420
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Book Description

In 1908, with world war a dark prophecy on the horizon, an English traveler, Auberon Harwell, enters a far valley in Montenegro -- a spy sent to assess the political situation while posing as a botanist. Drawn into the drama of a young Serb in love with an unattainable woman, Harwell's sense of duty and honor will be severely compromised by his own dangerous desires -- leading him toward a shattering confrontation that will forever change the world he thought he knew.

Customer Reviews:

A yawner.......2006-05-04

I read this book because I have an interest in the Balkans and was actually in Montenegro once. I made it all the way through the book, but was not impressed. The plot rambles and the various characters' motivations are often unclear. The characters are mostly one dimensional and formulaic -- the adventurous, handsome Englishman in an exotic foreign land, the evil Austrain captain, the fanatic Montenegrin freedom fighter (Danilo). At times I thought I was reading a romance novel. In sum, there are better ways to spend your time than reading this mediocre, plodding novel.

Incorrect Facts about Montenegrin Ethnic Background.......2004-10-31

The historical and ethnic setting of the novel is at least disputable. Montenegrins have their own identity, and they call themselves Montenegrins, not Serbs similar as Austrians are not called Germans, and Scotsmen are not Englishmen.

Ethnically, Montenegrins are similar to Serbs, but to put the sign of equality, even for the fiction, hurts the ethnic sentiments.

Perhaps, it tells more about the source of historical facts Mr. Lawrence used than about his intentions to promote any view on Montenegrin ethnicity.

Untangling Balkan politics and English romance.......2004-01-06

Lawrence has written a brilliant novel full of history, politics and romance. The reader will care about the characters and shudder at the foreshadowing of Balkan conflicts. The prose is rich and with many exquisite description of human emotions and natural phenomna. I am only sorry that Lawrence does not have string of novels to his credit. I would surely read him again.

Literate Adventure is more literature than adventurous.......2002-09-20

Occasionally, when I read a book, the hype is such that I expect more than I get. This book is billed as a literate spy novel about a British adventurer, young and naive, who gets caught up in the intrigues of the Balkan peninsula during the period just prior to WW1. It turns out to be much less than that, and in a way more. The fact that it doesn't live up to its promise was something of a dissappointment to me, and it was only partly offset by what the book was instead.

Auberon Harwell journeys to Montenegro at the behest of the murky Lord Polgrove, to do something intelligence-wise. We're never sure what Harwell is there for, other than his half-make-believe cover story of collecting flowers for his sponsor. He doesn't seem sure what he's doing either, and muddles around aimlessly for half the book before he begins to actually do things that impact the plot in any way. When he finally gets to some action, the author turns what was supposed to be a spy novel into a tragedy involving a mother's love for her son, and the consequences that flow from that. There is finally some adventure towards the end of the book, and the plot does begin to speed up. It was too late for me, however, to enjoy the book. In the last thirty pages, the book takes some strange turns, and frankly it sounded like he got tired of writing.

Some of the prose is quite eloquent. The question is whether eloquent prose in service a plot that's much ado about nothing. I, frankly, think that the story's the important thing, unless the prose is truly memorable. For me, the book didn't measure up that way.

John Allison.......2002-03-22

An excellent novel that deserved much more attention than it got. My rating of 4 probably would have been about 4.4 if finer increments were used.

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