Book Description
The man who created the imagery of the band, Pink Floyd, from the 1970s on brings his art and memoirs of the recording and production of the groundbreaking album Dark Side of the Moon. The added new prints will be the collector's choice.
Customer Reviews:
Perfect Companionship For Listening to Floyd.......2005-02-25
Storm Thorgerson is the artist who designed the bulk of Pink Floyd's artwork, and "Mind Over Matter" is a combination of memoir, scrapbook, and gallery. With the possible exception of Led Zeppelin, no British rock band of the 1970s paid closer attention than Pink Floyd to the potent magic a well-designed album cover could lend to music the album contained. Much like Zeppelin, it's almost impossible to think of Pink Floyd's music without imagining the incredible visuals on their album covers. In essence, Thorgerson is almost an adjunct member of the band.
Graphic artists will appreciate this collection because Thorgerson's almost Magritte-like graphic style is also perfectly and endlessly adaptable to the commercial marketing. Casual Floyd fans will get a kick out seeing so many classic Floyd images reproduced at much larger than CD size. More serious Floyd fans will savor Thorgerson's behind-the-scenes insights regarding the band. (I was surprised to learn that Thorgerson leans more towards Gilmour than Waters). Throughout,the author discusses his designs in a very straightforward, conversational, non-pretentious way. As a bonus, he also includes graphics from Floyd tour books, posters, and DVD clamcases.
Given that so little video footage exists of Floyd, this oversized hardcover collection provides the perfect collection of visuals to leaf through while you're listening to "Dark Side of the Moon" for the umpteenth time.
A "Beautiful" Mind.......2002-03-25
I absolutely knew I had to purchase "this" book the second I saw the book cover. Storm Thorgerson is utterly amazing, eyecatching & perhaps a bit eccentric (aren't most true artists?) I loved reading about his ideas/how he came up with them & how he laid them out in the end, and after reading this book, I now want to check out other material on him as well. Pink Floyd is indeed legendary as are the works of Storm Thorgerson. A Fantastic view of Unimaginable Talent. Check it out.
Very good, but not a true graphic artists compilation.......2000-09-24
As a music fan, there are two things you want to add to your experience, a songlist compilation and a biography. Anything more is really too much, but in the case of groundbreaking album cover art, and knowing Pink Floyd's history of employing visual effects in their shows, a book like this is necessary, especially since albums are gone now, and the tiny graphics you get on a CD jewel case don't compare with the stuff promoters used to jam into album jackets. This book is a trip into Storm Thurgeson's head, not necessarily Floyd's. The difference is not much since Storm was a boyhood chum, and listened so well to his employer's ideas, instead of pushing his own. That's one reason the band was so successful musically as well, was Hypnosis' reliance on the members' themes. This book is not a graphic artist's design book, though I wish it were, but it would be tons bigger. It covers 30 years (and not even all the Floyd's covers (for instance, The Wall)). But you will appreciate the fact that Storm operated more under impluse as a designer than by today's modern design houses which try to render graphics in a production line style...can't be done. The author's bylines give us insight if not in technical process, then in the intellect process, and it's good fun knowing this guy was a friend to the Floyd for a LONG time, even having to uncomfortably stand in the middle of relationships for the 'Is There Anybody Out There?' live Wall issue. All in all, I'd give 5 stars for the artwork and presentation, but lose half of one for lack of technical explanation. Enjoy!
A Mindblowing Journey.......2000-06-22
What do you get when you cross art and the greatest rock band in history? A materpiece! If I had the chance, I would give this book a million stars!
Storm Thorgerson, mastermind behind most of Pink Floyd's album artwork, has compiled almost all of the rare, unusual, interesting, and familiar pieces. It also includes stories on how they (the art) came to be (which, by the way, sheds a light on the innovative genius of the band). It goes from the early years of Syd Barrett to the post-Waters era. This book is a must for any Floyd fan, especially one who is interested in the history and progress of the band.
storm and po: applause!!! the eye of hipgnosis.......1999-07-20
a wonderful book for any album art fan, or a floyd fan...i am both. Storm is captivating in his art, and it is art. Great insight into the band also, as written from a close friend perspective.
Book Description
Why do some people retain cute baby-talk names for their relatives (like "Num-Num" and "Pee-Paw") well into middle age? How should a reasonable person respond when Olivia Newton-John sings, "Have you never been mellow?" Who's responsible for the sorry state of men's fashion, and is it the same guy who invented the jerkin? Is there any future in being a Midwesterner? Can you really enjoy your lunch when the restaurant is decorated to look like an African plain? How come women keep dozens of bottles and jars of moisturizers, unguents, and lotions around -- all of them half empty?
In more than 50 hilarious all-new essays, one of America's brightest young humorists -- the head writer and on-air host of the legendary TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000 -- finds the fun in all aspects of the human condition, no matter how absurd. Join Mike Nelson on an angst-filled visit to a health spa; shopping sessions at Home Depot and Radio Shack; adventures in the very amateur musical theater; a gut-busting discourse on the history of television; ruminations on his roles as husband, father, and citizen; and much, much more.
Download Description
Why do some people retain cute baby-talk names for their relatives (like "Num-Num" and "Pee-Paw") well into middle age? How should a reasonable person respond when Olivia Newton-John sings, "Have you never been mellow?" Who's responsible for the sorry state of men's fashion, and is it the same guy who invented the jerkin? Is there any future in being a Midwesterner? Can you really enjoy your lunch when the restaurant is decorated to look like an African plain? How come women keep dozens of bottles and jars of moisturizers, unguents, and lotions around - all of them half empty? In more than 50 hilarious all-new essays, one of America's brightest young humorists - the head writer and on-air host of the legendary TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000 - finds the fun in all aspects of the human condition, no matter how absurd. Join Mike Nelson on an angst-filled visit to a health spa; shopping sessions at Home Depot and Radio Shack; adventures in the very amateur musical theater; a gut-busting discourse on the history of television; ruminations on his roles as husband, father, and citizen; and much, much more.
Customer Reviews:
Fun, but Not Quite Satisfying.......2007-09-26
I love Mike Nelson's writing - the style of his delivery onscreen translates seemlessly to the printed page, which is a tribute to his talent. Overall, I found "Mind Over Matters" to be a fun read. This book is a collection of essays that run the gamut of subject matter, from the decidedly bankrupt world of men's fashion to Nelson's own difficulties in musical theater, and many of them are genius (one I particularly love is his imagining what it would be like to be on Inside the Actor's Studio); however, there are some that just plain fall flat, a symptom (it seems) of overworking some jokes to death, and then kicking them over and over. For fans of Mike Nelson, this will no doubt be a treat. Those who enjoyed his novel, "Death Rat," will find much to enjoy here, as I did. Recommended.
Mike Nelson's humor shines through, sometimes.......2007-07-16
Fans of MST3K will immediately recognize the brand of humor in Mind over Matters (MoM). Quirky, offbeat observational bits floating in a broth of angst, except this time the angst is aimed at life itself, not the inept gyrations of a bad movie.
While MoM comes out of the gate strong (Part One: Coping with It All is a laugh out loud riot, with apologies to my neighbors), it soon settles in and reads like an amusing memoir then shifts back to anecdotal humor then in traipses another sprinkle of Mike's life experience and so on.
As a rule, shifting gears is a good thing, especially if we're talking about a three-on-the-tree with a wonky transmission, and in a book whose premise is citation soup, it is inevitable. Variety is the spice of life, so says some unknown cadre of thing-sayers. Still, not all spices are equally tasty on all pallets.
Sure, the chapter on Mike's days as a "debt collection specialist" is a scream. But then there is a chapter in which Mike fantasizes what his life would look like if he had chosen the career path of a stodgy confirmed bachelor music teacher instead of a married wise-cracking funny man. Not as much fun as it sounds. Diminished vs. augmented notes humor is lost on me, and most people not affiliated with the marching band.
Even with its misgivings, I recommend MoM, with one codicil: skip the parts you don't like or that are aimed at someone whose life experience and interests diverge from yours.
Mind Your Matters!.......2007-07-06
I enjoyed this the first time I read it, and I enjoy it even more the second time. If you don't laugh out loud while reading Mike's essays, especially about television, check your pulse.
What a treat.......2007-03-20
THIS is the Mike nelson I love (see Death Rat for the other Mike Nelson). Perfect easy reading fodder for airplanes, waiting rooms, bathrooms. Dry wit with minor cynicism
All Mike (no 'bots).......2007-03-09
It may be a bit much to say that it was the best TV show ever, but I feel I'm on more solid ground when I assert that Mystery Science Theater 3000 was the best puppet show ever (sorry, Kukla, Fran and Ollie). During its decade-or-so run, Mike Nelson served as both a writer and as one of the stars of the show. I think it's probably safe to say that most people who want to read Mike Nelson's Mind Over Matters are MST3K fans; the question is, will these people (or those who are unfamiliar with the show) like what they read? I believe so.
In MST3K, Mike and two robots were the audience who watched bad movies and made jokes about them. In Mind Over Matters, the concept is similar, except this time, Mike is alone and what he is watching is the real world. So we get Mike's amusing observations on such topics as men's clothes, performance art, the history of television and gourmet foods. In addition, just as MST3K would have skits that broke up the movie watching, Mike gives us written parodies, such as his Scarlet Letterish "Young Master Chillingshead" or an interview with a pair of shorts. (It is a sign of how much I associate him with his MST3K character of the same name that, instead of referring to him by his last name, as I do with the authors of most books I review, I can only think of him as Mike.)
Of course, not every joke merits a guffaw or even a chuckle, but like in baseball, if you're successful a third of a time, you're a star. With that standard, and with a lot of humor on each of its 278 pages, you're sure to find this book to be quite fun (even if you've never watched MST3K).
Book Description
Three women must rediscover the love of family before they can give their hearts to others. . . .
Unfinished Business --
She wanted answers from her estranged mother and went home to find them. But Vanessa Sexton also found Brady Tucker, the man who'd once broken her heart . . . and still left her breathless.
Island of Flowers --
Innocent Laine Simmons hardly expected the father she barely knew to welcome her. However, she was completely unprepared for the suspicion of her father's sexy partner Dillon O'Brian -- or for his intense passion.
Mind over Matter --
Protecting her mother's interests pitted no-nonsense agent Aurora Fields against ruthlessly determined David Brady. But there were few David couldn't charm if he set his mind to it -- and this time it really mattered.
Customer Reviews:
I love Nora, but these are far below her usual standard.......2005-07-12
Unfinished Business is a cute 200-page story about a classical pianist who left home as a teenager to pursue her career under the overbearingly high-pressure of her father/tutor/manager. Now, 8 years later, after the death of her father, she decides to return home to Western Maryland to rest and recover from an ulcer and severe burn-out, and to reconcile with her mother and childhood sweetheart. From her new adult prospective, and out from under the misguided influence of her father, she realizes that the misunderstandings that to her estrangement from both of them wasn't what she had been lead to believe. A nicely presented story about repairing mother-daughter bonds that seemed damaged forever, and about reconnecting with one's soulmate. This was the only story in the collection I found to be worthwhile reading.
I could tell right away that Island of Flowers was written very early in Nora Roberts career (copyright 1982) because it is not up to the well-polished and skillfully written standards we've come to expect from her. There are flashes of Nora Roberts brilliance in the detailed descriptions of the beautiful Hawaiian scenery, in particular when Laine and Dillon are snorkling in the reefs. However, the story is very weak. The dynamics of Laine's troubled relationship and subsequent reconciliation with her father is poorly developed. Dillon is so abrasively hostile towards Laine that it is impossible to believe that she ever falls in love with him - there is nothing at all likable about him except maybe his brooding good looks. The dialogue between them is painfully unbearable to read because it flows so unnaturally and unrealistically. Even the housekeeper, who is supposed to be a ally, isn't presented in a favorable manner. Thankfully this story is only 100 pages, otherwise I'd never have been able to finish it - it was that bad.
Mind Over Matter is a pure escapist reading that cannot be taken seriously or realistically. I found it difficult to get through, mostly because it wasn't believeable and the dialogue was so unnatural. I had a hard time looking at it superficially. A clairvoyant mother-daughter duo hooks up with a documentary producer who wishes to portray them in the most positive light possible. The mother is very likable, but the daughter is so prickly and hostile that it is hard to imagine the sympathetic producer becoming interested in her. I have to admit to skimming through the last half of the story because I couldn't bear reading it any further that I already had but I needed to satisfy my curiosity as to whether the story got any better and my need to know how it ended. The subject matter was interesting and unique enough that the story had great potential if only it had been better developed and was well-written.
I liked them all.......2003-08-02
I really enjoyed all three of these earlier Nora Roberts stories, I read this book in one day. All three stories are well-written and will pull you right in. The characters are charming, sassy and sometimes frustrating - totally human all of them. The romantic tension between the main characters is perfection. Nora Roberts writes about the lives of a concert pianist, a doctor, a bush pilot, a schoolteacher, a documentary producer and a Hollywood agent as if she has worn all of these hats herself, the stories flow well.
I really cannot say a bad thing about this collection of stories. Find a sunny porch or patio, a comfy chair and lose yourself in this wonderful book.
Interesting set of stories........2003-05-15
Well actually I would give it 3 1/2 stars only because of one of the stories I could not warm up to. The first story was excellent,Vaness and Brady Tucker were easy to like characters I gave it 4 stars. The second one with Lainie and Dillon only 2,why, because they were not easy to like characters. I had a difficult time warming up to them, and also a complete reversal to the first story. The final story Mind over Matter was to me the best of the three I can see an early begining to her witch series and the Donavon Series. All an all a better group of stories than her last Dangerous series. I still think that she is great and you should give this book a try.
2 out of 3 are really good.......2002-10-25
This is a collection of 3 early Nora Roberts stories. Unfinished Business and Mind over Matter were both good stories. Fans of Nora Roberts' work will recogonize her trademark style, and though they didn't have the suspense her later work has, the plot was still entertaining. I didn't like the middle story Island of Flowers. It was very short, and in my opinion, none of the characters were very fleshed out. I also didn't like how naive the heroine was in that one. Nora's stories usually have strong, daring women. That is one of my favorite things about her work. I didn't like this heroine. Buy it because of the first and third stories.
An Outstanding Nora Roberts Anthology!.......2002-10-17
"Going Home" is a delightful omnibus of three older Nora Roberts novels, repackaged into one fabulous collection. The three tales that make up this book are wonderfully matched and I loved each and every one. I can't even choose a favourite; each one was unique, compelling, and fun to read! I was utterly charmed and satisfied by this Silhouette reprint and I'm sure you will be too.
"Unfinished Business" introduces Vanessa Sexton, a hugely successful but strung-out concert pianist, who is returning to her small home town for the first time in 12 years to get some answers from her estranged mother. But the one thing Vanessa never expected to find was her high school sweetheart Brady Tucker, who broke her heart on the night of his senior prom. Brady had his reasons for what happened that night, but after only minutes in Vanessa's company this bad boy turned doctor realizes there's a lot of unfinished business between them, and that Vanessa can still turn him inside out with one of her pouty looks!
Vanessa slowly begins rebuilding a tentative relationship with her mother, while trying to sort out the powerful emotions Brady stirs up in her. Vanessa knows that she's still intensely drawn to Brady, despite her lingering hurt from what happened 12 years ago. Confused and in emotional turmoil about her life, Vanessa finds that Brady is the best person to turn to. And the more time they spend together, the more Brady and Vanessa come to see that they never stopped loving each other.
But Vanessa is feeling lost and uncertain as to what her future holds for her. Though her music is a vital part of who she is, she's not sure she wants to continue with the stressful life she's been leading. Vanessa is afraid that what she and Brady feel for each other is only an echo of remembered love, and her insecurities about herself lead her to start pushing Brady away. Will Vanessa see through her self-doubt to the truth and find love and happiness in Brady's arms? Or will she turn her back on the only man she'll ever love?
"Island of Flowers" tells the story of Laine Simmons, a young boarding school teacher from France who has traveled to Hawaii on a whim in hopes of finding her father. Laine is awed by the paradise in which her father lives, and Roberts' brilliant descriptions make the island of Kauai come alive.
And though Laine didn't expect her estranged father to greet her with open arms, she was totally unprepared for his sexy, and hostile, business partner, Dillon O'Brian. Dillon believes Laine has ulterior motives for this reunion with her father, and a misunderstanding regarding years of unreceived gifts and correspondence leaves Laine without a way to clear her name. So she simply goes about trying to get to know the father she never had, but while he's busy with work at his airport, Laine spends a lot of time with Dillon.
And despite his suspicions about Laine's intentions, Dillon just can't stop thinking about her. As they get to know each other, Dillon falls hard for the unbelievably innocent and sweet Laine. And the lovely young Laine finds herself caught up in a storm of unfamiliar and intense emotions, as the passion between her and Dillon grows. But even though they have both fallen in love, they won't admit it to each other. Afraid of Dillon accusing her of being a gold-digger, Laine stubbornly keeps her true feelings to herself. So when a terrible misunderstanding sends Dillon into a hurt rage, it prompts Laine to take her broken heart and leave. Is there any way to overcome the pain and misery that Dillon's mistrust has caused? Or will they be denied the lifetime of love and happiness they could have found together?
"Mind Over Matter" introduces Aurora "A.J." Fields, a tough and respected Hollywood agent. When her mother, known psychic Clarissa de Basse is approached by renowned documentary producer David Brady, A.J. is determined to protect her mother. David wants Clarissa to be a large part of his newest documentary on psychic phenomena, but A.J. isn't sure it's a good idea. A.J. and David spend a lot of time negotiating a deal, and the more time he spends with her, the more David becomes intrigued by A.J.
A.J. too feels a strong pull towards David, and she tries to fight the attraction at first. As time passes, David gets to know Aurora, the soft, vulnerable and unsure side of A.J.'s personality, totally at odds with her prickly agent persona. No woman has ever made David feel the way A.J. does, and he doesn't know what to do about it.
But A.J. has what she considers a terrible secret burden. She's inherited her mother's psychic abilities, and even a lifetime of burying them as deep as possible can't close them off. A.J.'s first and only love rejected her because of her abilities, labelling her a freak, and A.J's terrified that now David knows of her talents, he'll either abandon her or want to dissect her mind. David's not sure how he feels about A.J.'s gift, but he knows he wants to break through the wall she keeps firmly between them, and show her how he feels about her. Will David be able to accept A.J. for who she is, and convince her that he means it? Or will A.J.'s fear of rejection ultimately destroy their love?
"Going Home" is an excellent read, containing three stories that will amuse, entertain, and satisfy the romantic in all of us. Each of the three tales is beautifully written and though they are all quite old, none of them seem dated. "Going Home" is an undeniably terrific anthology and you don't want to miss it. So buy this book today, I very highly recommend it!
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Mind Over Matter: Why Intellectual Capital is the Chief Source of Wealth
Ronald J. Baker
Manufacturer: Wiley
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Pricing on Purpose: Creating and Capturing Value
ASIN: 0470053615 |
Book Description
Praise for Mind Over Matter Why Intellectual capital is tHe Chief Source of Wealth
"Ron Baker has written another great book on the thoughts and theories on intellectual capital.As usual, he has an awesome depth of content, knowledge, and thought. A great read."
—Reed Holden, founder, Holden Advisors Corp., www.holdenadvisors.com, and coauthor, The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing and Pricing with Confidence: 10 Ways to Stop Leaving Money on the Table
"At a time when the virtues that made America great--individualism, hard work, and free trade--are openly debated by well-meaning politicians, Ron Baker gives us Mind Over Matter. It is a story detailing the triumph of human spirit, imagination, and creativity. Ron tells us what the 'knowledge economy' really means. He gives a prescription for transforming human and intellectual capital into the foundation for sustainable prosperity. Mind Over Matter is a provocative book deserving of a thoughtful read. It is a timeless message to be treasured for generations."
—Robert G. Cross, Chairman and CEO, Revenue Analytics, Inc., www.revenueanalytics.com
"Ron Baker is an absolute master at challenging the 'physical fallacy,' e.g., the basis on which we assign value to businesses by focusing on tangible rather than intangible assets. This book builds on his previous books and helps the reader understand how critical intellectual capital is to the key to success in the twenty-first century. Ron pulls from the greatest business thinkers and economists,?from Drucker to Karl Sveiby as well as current company success stories to fund his rich gold mine of proof. The biggest benefit of the book is to change the paradigm of those who are the passive keepers of the 'books.' This is a must-read for anybody who wants to flourish in the age of intellectual capital."
—Sheila Kessler, PhD, President, Competitive Edge, www.CompetitiveEdge.com
"This book helps us understand some of the origins and sources that have led Ron Baker to the many contributions he has made to our understanding of good practice in running professional businesses."
—David Maister, author and leading consultant to professional firms www.davidmaister.com
"Reading Ron Baker's book was the only delightful incident that robbed my sleep on the flight to Frankfurt today. It was sheer pleasure—I must have entertained or annoyed fellow passengers with repeated nodding and several exclamations. Baker has a terrific style that captures my mind while he entertains and educates by showing lines of connection between authors, incidents, and theories that I have never seen before. He hardly uses the 'You have to do this and that' approach, which I despise in most business books. I sum it up in two words: outstanding stuff!"
—Friedrich Blase, Kerma Partners, www.kermapartners.com
"This is a wonderful read for anyone who wants to explore the power of constructive thinking. In Mind Over Matter, Ron examines the power of creative thought over the conventional wisdom that you must make a tangible product for wealth to be created. The opening chapter sets a wonderful stage for the book, which develops the power of the new business equation and the underlying theory of the various types of intellectual capital. This is a must-read book for every business leader."
—Peter Byers, Chartered Accountant, Byers & Co. Ltd, New Zealand
"Peter Drucker coined the term knowledge worker a half century ago. We are all still only beginning to fully comprehend the implications. In Mind Over Matter, Ron Baker has switched on a beacon for us to follow. If we have the courage to embrace the concepts Ron posits, perhaps it will be less than another half century before we begin to reap the rewards as individuals and as a society."
—Ed Kless, Senior Director, Partner Development and Recruitment, Sage Software
Average customer rating:
- Love the author, not one of my favorites
- Thumbs up!
- Disappointing Collection
- Not really worth the time
- goood boook
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Going Home: Unfinished Business\Island Of Flowers\Mind Over Matter (Silhouette Romance;)
Nora Roberts
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Spellbound
ASIN: 0373285035 |
Book Description
Unfinished Business
She wanted answers from her estranged mother and went home to find them. But Vanessa Sexton also found Brady Tucker, the man who'd once broken her heart . . . and still left her breathless.
Island of Flowers
Innocent Laine Simmons journeyed to Hawaii to get to know the father she hadn't seen in years. Was she ready to face her past -- and find her future in the arms of her father's sexy partner, Dillon O'Brian?
Mind Over Matter
Protecting her mother's interests pitted no-nonsense Aurora Fields against a very determined David Brady. But there were few David couldn't charm if he set his mind to it -- and this time it really mattered.
Customer Reviews:
Love the author, not one of my favorites.......2007-10-03
I have recently just begun to dive into the huge collection of Nora Roberts novels. The first book I read was Angel's Fall which I really enjoyed. I have to say that I was disappointed with this collection as a whole. I did not realize when I bought this book that two of the three stories were from her early career(1984 and 1987). The first story is Unfinished Business and of the three this was my favorite. It was written in 2000 and I think it flowed well and I enjoyed the characters and plot. It was a very fast read. The second story was Island of Flowers which took me awhile to get into. I thought it was very choppy and didn't particulary care for the characters at all. The third story was Mind Over Matter and this one was mediocre at best. Maybe it was the fact that I didn't really care to read a story on a clarvoyant mother and daughter. A quick recommendation, don't pick this as your first Nora Roberts book.
Thumbs up!.......2007-06-04
Wonderful book. I couldn't put it down. I own the book and I read it again and again.
Disappointing Collection.......2006-06-13
The stories in this book were mediocre with the first one, "Unfinished Business," being, in my opinion, the best in the bunch. However, even that story wasn't what I expect from picking up a Nora novel. The book itself would never have been my choice (a co-worker passed it on to me to read). All three stories were the same old, same old. Girl meets boy, girl and boy are at each other's throats, then girl and boy have sex, then they fall in love. One mistakes the other's intentions but in the end all is happily ever after. The stories lacked substance. "Island of Flowers" at least took us on a nice tour of the Hawaiian Islands, however the female lead in that story, Lainey Simmons, was nothing but a milk toast, annoying creature as you watched her fall apart (but immediately fall in love even though he was downright arrogant and rude) under the influence of Dillon O'Brian, her father's business partner. "Mind Over Matter" was a boring and ridiculous story of a clairvoyant mother/daughter, the daughter, A.J. (Aurora) working as a talent agent and involved with a producer, David Brady, who wants to produce a show with her mother in the starring role. The ending was tiresome with all the female/male mind games and misinterpreted emotions - very ho hum and enough to put you to sleep for lack of a storyline. The one story that was anywhere near decent to my mind was "Unfinished Business" about a world renowned concert pianist (Vanessa Sexton) coming home to make amends with her mother with whom she had never really had a relationship. She hooks up with her childhood flame, Brady Tucker, the good doctor in town and learns quite a bit about not only her mother but the feelings she and Brady begin to rekindle as the story moves along. All in all, this book is very early Nora and while I am an avid Nora fan, I feel the stories were definitely not worth the time reading. Nora has some excellent early works so don't let this bad egg discourage your reading them. "The Villa," "Homeport," "Carolina Moon," "River's End" and "Honest Illusions" are just a few of her early works and part of a very long list that are definitely worth the read.
Not really worth the time.......2006-01-18
The stories were very dated and everyone fell in love within about a week of meeting, how tidy. The middle story was too short and I didn't even finish reading it, just skimmed, but it wasn't satisfying at all. The third story had potential, but again, with everything is perfect, happy endings all around, no real problems. I wouldn't recommend this title when there are more contemporary works available by Roberts that make for much better reading.
goood boook.......2006-01-12
I read this book because it's a book I could read. It is romantic and funny and does a good job with the funny and romantic parts. You should read this book if you like books that are easy to read but also romantic and funny. But sometimes this book is serious too. You should read it if you like serious books but not very serious books. This is a good book for people who are reading.
Customer Reviews:
Another classic work.......2003-07-25
Once again, Loyd Auerbach, author of the classic work "ESP, Hauntings, and Poltergeists" comes up with a book that is not only extremely informative, but also fun to read. He includes topics such as mental healing, psychic attack, poltergeists, and how to do PK yourself, presenting the material in a sometimes humorous, but always interesting, common sense manner. Few people writing in the field today can do so with as deft a touch.
A Book by America's Foremost Parapsychologist.......2001-02-02
Loyd Auerbach is probably the most sensible and knowledgeable expert in the field of parapsychology today. Any book by him is worthy of your consideration. This just happens to be the one I recommend the most. I can't say enough good things about Loyd and have been a fan of his for many years. He always seems to be on the cutting edge of the latest paranormal research.
Book Description
The universe comes down to earth in K. C. Cole's Mind Over Matter, a fresh and witty exploration of physics, cosmology, mathematics, astronomy, and more. Like no other science writer, Cole demystifies scientific concepts and humanizes the people who study them. Beginning with a discussion of how "the mind creates reality as well as muddles it," she then peeks into the stories behind science's great minds and into their playful side, and concludes by illuminating the relationship between science and society. Cole's remarkable work brings science to the reader's doorstep, revealing the universe to be elegant, intriguing, and relevant to politics, art, and every dimension of human life.
Customer Reviews:
Science dumbed down.......2006-10-10
"Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." When she wrote these pieces, Cole clearly wasn't following Einstein's adage.
Science made readable, relevant and enjoyable.......2003-10-30
In this collection of mostly columns that she wrote for the Los Angeles Times, science writer K.C. Cole relies on her wide reading in science, and on her interviews and friendships with scientists as a basis for appreciations, observations, interpretations, reports, and just plain musings on science and how science is transforming the planet. Employing a style that ranges from gossip column cute to poetic, Cole (who teaches at my alma mater UCLA) works hard to make science as relevant to the general public as the personalities in, say, People magazine, and just as accessible.
The task in writing about science is making it intelligible without dumbing it down or making simplistic statements that are not accurate. Cole recognizes this problem; indeed in reading these small essays (almost all are under a thousand words) I can feel her struggling mightily to get it just right: to make her expression as accurate as possible and as readable. She muses on these problems in the final essay, entitled, "Oops!" in which she confesses to some slips including confabulating Caltech physicist Robert Millikan with junk bond king Michael Milken. Ah, yes, I know well that sort of error, having stumbled thereabouts myself a time or two!
But it is not her ability to popularize science (by the way, she is now doing pieces for National Public Radio) that impresses me about Cole. It's her ability to understand science and its place in society that sets her apart from other writers. She is especially good are relating science to the social, political and personal worlds in which we live. Indeed, Part IV of this book is entitled "Political" Science with just the "Political" in quotes emphasizing that Cole is talking about both the internal political affairs of science and how the political world in general affects science and how science affects the political world. Some of the best essays in the book are from this section.
In "Dreamers," beginning on page 269, for example, Cole laments the loss of funding for some science projects (e.g., particle physics, the mission to Europa) as money is being redirected toward the wars on terror, drugs, and cancer--"missiles and medicine." She understands the pragmatic view of politicians who want tangible results from grants and under writings, but makes the powerful point that it is the "dreamers in the hinterlands who often come up with the most practical inventions." She directs our attention to PET scans, magnetic imaging, and laser surgery, all products of dreamers. But most saliently she recalls the physicists behind the development of the atom bomb, "dreamers" like Einstein and Oppenheimer. She notes that Germany might have won that war had Hitler been able to keep most of the German and Austrian scientists from fleeing to the United States. It is one of the great and most delicious ironies of history that so-called "Jewish" science helped to defeat the Nazis.
In "Unnatural" (p. 291) she addresses the controversy about genetically modified foods, noting first that seemingly unnatural plastic is mostly made from petroleum products, natural "plant matter that brewed for millions of years in the bowels of the earth"; and second that we have been modifying foods since the pre-history. ("You could even say that falling in love is nature's way of genetically modifying the species.") In conclusion she makes one of my favorite arguments: "We evolve...There's nothing special about this particular point in the history of any species--corn, humans or dogs. We're all on our way from someplace, going somewhere."
I've read this argument elsewhere and indeed have presented it myself, but nowhere have I read it put so succinctly well. We are NOT an unchanging construction (as from a creator God); instead we are a perpetually evolving entity, immersed in, and part of, an ever changing cosmos.
Some things learned: why Brazil nuts rise to the top in cans of mixed nuts (p. 117); there is a human wave of wake-up calls constantly going around the earth as we travel in our mind's eye with the sunlight though the time zones (p. 204); a comet or meteorite impact on the scale of the one that hit Siberia in 1908 happens about once every hundred years (p. 295); you can't get a suntan indoors because glass is opaque to ultraviolet light.
And much more.
I have read three of Cole's previous books and reviewed two of them (First You Build a Cloud: And Other Reflections on Physics as a Way of Life 1999 and The Hole in the Universe: How Scientists Peered over the Edge of Emptiness and Found Everything 2001) and I read every essay in this book and can say this is her best work. I found almost all of her arguments agreeable and informed, very well and gently expressed. I was fascinated at how her distinctive style--sometimes cute (sometimes too cute!) but often understated--partially obscures her nimble and trenchant intellect. Cole knows science and she knows why science matters, why it matters more than we can know, and she works hard at getting that message across to a sometimes reluctant public.
Science writers are as necessary to the modern world as electricity is to our homes. In some places in the world there is neither. We are lucky to be able to turn on the lights and to read someone as lucid and pertinent as K.C. Cole.
The world of physics made clear at last.......2003-06-24
K.C. Cole has the rare ability to make the physical world both comprehensible and entertaining. I never thought I'd curl up with a good physics book but I found her brief commentaries obliterate the usual arbitrary separation between science and the humanities. In fact, it is by making physics so humanistic that she makes it clear to those of us who have difficulties understanding numerical concepts or apparently obscure ideas like space-time, quarks, and black holes. "Physics is simple," she writes, ". . . .consider the harmonics of a bottle of beer. Blow over the top, and you can make a series of different sounds, depending on how hard you blow and how much beer is left in the bottle. And lo and behold, it is by analyzing a very similar set of harmonics set up by the sloshing of gas and light in the early universe that astronomers have been able to put their ears to the cosmos, listening in on its babblings from the first moment of time. And here's what Cole, the mistress of metaphor, has to say about how Einstein's theory of relativity explains gravity as a curvature of space-time: "It's like an elephant sitting on a waterbed. Heavy objects bend space-time into "gravity wells" that pull other object in." If Einstein had put it that way in the first place, I wouldn't have had to wait this long to get it. Thanks, K. C. Cole.
Enjoyable and Accurate.......2003-05-30
Back during the brief period when the Los Angeles Times pretended to care about science it ran a weekly column by K. C. Cole. The Times, unfortunately, has reverted to viewing science as something to egregiously misrepresent in its daily reporting. But Cole's columns live on, and are now available to a larger audience. A physicist by training, I am often disappointed by science books because they achieve understandability by subtly misrepresenting the essence of difficult concepts. Cole, on the other hand, has a knack for explaining difficult concepts in simple terms without sacrificing veracity. This book is both a pleasurable and accurate read on topics of current interest in science. I highly recommend it to people wanting to better understand modern science.
Average customer rating:
- The unreliable narrator
- Beats the heck out of Stephenson.
- MAJOR geek cred!
- Awesome techno thriller with complex characters and accurate tech.
- Exciting and absorbing
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Acts of the Apostles (Mind Over Matter Series)
John F. X. Sundman
Manufacturer: Rosalita Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Cheap Complex Devices
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Old Man's War
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Spook Country
ASIN: 192975213X |
Book Description
As American-led forces assemble in Saudi Arabia for the largest military operation since Normandy, computer designer Todd Griffith discovers a secret function burried within the Kali chip. That night he is shot. Five years later, burnt-out Silicon Valley software engineer Nick Aubrey boards a "red-eye" flight to Boston and winds up seated next to a very disturbed man who claims to know the secret of Gulf War Syndrome. Over Utah Nick's chance companion meets a dramatic demise, and the police accuse Nick of murder. Soon the police are the least of Nick's worries. On the run from the CIA and paranoid cybermilitias, tracked down by billionaire venture capitalists and exotic foreign beauties, Nick must solve the Gulf War enigma or spend the rest of his life on the lam. All clues lead to a pharmaceutical laboratory in Basel Switzerland, where scientists are working on submicrosopic machines to rearrange human DNA. But Nick can't find the solution without Todd's help, and Todd's been in a coma for nearly half a dozen years.
Customer Reviews:
The unreliable narrator.......2007-09-19
Two of my top ten books of the last decade are Acts of the Apostles and Cheap Complex Devices by John (F.X.|Compton) Sundman. These are two of the richest and most complex pieces of fiction produced in a contemporary, technically proficient vein. He has written only two books, but he has a mastery of literary structure that takes you by surprise. They mangled my mind.
I suggest starting with Acts of the Apostles (also as free pdf). This is presented as a pretty straightforward Neal Stephenson or Crichton thriller, like Snow Crash or Sphere. Very readable and engaging, with a few tech industry in-jokes to make a nerd feel like a war veteran (DEC, Microsoft, Sun, and their respective personalities appear under aliases). It's been described as "What Tom Clancy would write if he were smart."
After you've enjoyed that you can graduate to Cheap Complex Devices (also as free pdf). This is not standard genre fiction, and you might not be sure what you're dealing with. The author's notes, the stories, and the meta-story combine in your head to produce an interference pattern. Which of the three versions are you supposed to believe? Perhaps none of the above. I can't compare this to anything I've read before or since.
I first bought Acts when I saw the story on Slashdot back in 2000, then I bought it again two years ago. Both books are available for free download, but you may find you want the real thing (CCD is a little different in print). The books are self-published, and the author provides quite a backstory - but should you take it at face value, or is it part of the story?
Beats the heck out of Stephenson........2007-02-08
Acts of the Apostles is just all around better than most of the SF being published today. Think Neal Stephenson without all the overweening hacker pretension, the ridiculously heavy-handed similes or the endings he just can't seem to bring together...ever. Very smart, well written and well put together story with a cast of characters you won't feel like hitting in the face with a brick. A near-future thriller that may not have the "baroque" setting of some similar novels, but whose familiar digs only serve to throw the main plot device (which is, after all, why we're here, right?) into sharper relief. Drop that tattered copy of Snow Crash and sink your teeth into some real SF.
MAJOR geek cred! .......2005-10-15
In an impressive act of paraonoid narrative inspiration, _Acts of the Apostles_ tells a two-order-of-magnitude weirder version of the silicon valley whiz kid story. If you're one of us, you will see your story in Todd's and Nick's and Casey's and Bartlet's... and you will think a lot harder before signing up for one of those company-sponsored "flu shot clinics," or sending your kid for a summer internship at one of those TLA peninsula companies. _Acts of the Apostles_ blends the demonstrably true with the just-maybe-possibly-uh-oh conspiracy theory so carefully that I can't tell where the boundary lies.
Awesome techno thriller with complex characters and accurate tech........2005-10-08
I knew nothing about this book when I started reading it, but after two pages, I was totally hooked until the end. Even lots of my favorite books have had some dead spots that I just needed to get through, but this didn't at all.
The author is often compared to Neal Stephenson, mostly for good reason. This is like Neal Stephenson at his best with more realistic characters and tech and MUCH more heavily edited.
One thing I particularly loved was how the characters in the book that are supposed to be smart people, actually act like smart people. They are as complex as smart people tend to be in real life and they think a lot about what they are doing, rather than follow the plot structure blindly like robots in a movie.
The author has obviously spent a number of years in the computer industry and describes the people in it with an accuracy and fun insight that comes from more than just research. The technical details of the threat and the social aspects of the conspiracy are also totally plausible and make it really rather creepy.
Exciting and absorbing.......2005-10-07
I found Acts of the Apostles hard to put down once I started reading it. It was great fun, especially for a Bay Area resident, as the author does a nice job of capturing many of the issues surrounding the hi-tech world, its community and personalities. The author clearly has a strong personal understanding and passion for the characters and context of "Acts of the Apostles", and that depth comes out in the fast-paced, dreamlike qualities of the story as its various layers unfold.
Book Description
Performance Anxiety can affect most musicians at one time or another. Pre-performance butterflies in the tummy may be unpleasant but they can give an important edge to a performance. Some players hover around the fringes of anxiety, but it is when we cannot make the switch from anxiety to excitement that the problems begin. It's not your fault that you get very nervous before performing to others. It is the natural way your brain programmes its information. By changing that information in the unconscious mind you will be able to make the switch so that you are calm and in control next time you perform. By using the techniques in this book, you will learn to relax and take things as if they are completely routine. You will develop new ways of thinking and behaving that will guarantee your success. Whilst this book is aimed at the adult performer, there are some thoughts included for the younger pupils to learn how to keep calm and relaxed before any big events.
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