Amazon.com
If you aren't already familiar with Kem Nunn's 1984 novel Tapping the Source, or if the idea of a "classic surfing novel" makes you either chuckle or shudder, be prepared to realign your literary biases. This is not a story of gilded surfers and sun-bleached blonds, of insouciant days and moonlit nights on the beach; instead, Nunn has crafted a darkly pensive meditation on solitude and desire. Ike Tucker is the quintessential loner, trapped by both circumstance and inclination in a California desert town, abandoned first by his mother and then by his sister, Ellen, who fled, in turn, toward the promise of the coast. His awareness of his own alienation, rendered in prose that is always elegant and often poignant, is haunting:
As he listened the train sounds grew faint and disappeared and someone shut off the music so there was just the silence, that special kind of silence that comes to the desert, and he knew that if he waited there would come a time, stars fading, slim band of light creeping on the horizon, when the silence would grow until it was unbearable, until it was as if the land itself were about to break it, to give up some secret of its own.
The secret, though, comes not from the desert but from the sea. Propelled by a mysterious rumor of his sister's murder, Ike enters the surfing mecca of Huntington Beach, whose bright façade conceals shadowy violence and joyless violation. Wistfully intent on understanding the men who might have killed his sister, Ike abandons himself to the hypnotic allure of the ocean: "The tide was low and the waves turned crisp black faces toward the shore while trails of mist rose from their feathering lips in the golden sun." Nunn's language effortlessly reflects Ike's desires and fears; the novel spirals gracefully into the young man's eventual immersion in the surfing culture and riffs on the terrifying ease with which that immersion becomes overwhelming. Although a murder may lie at the heart of the narrative, the novel is far more an exploration of character than of suspect and motive--and that exploration is infinitely rewarding. --Kelly Flynn
Book Description
People go to Huntington Beach in search of the endless parties, the ultimate highs and the perfect waves. Ike Tucker has come to look for his missing sister and for the three men who may have murdered her. In that place of gilded surfers and sun-bleached blondes, Ike's search takes him on a journey through a twisted world of crazed Vietnam vets, sadistic surfers, drug dealers, and mysterious seducers. Ike looks into the shadows and finds parties that drift towards pointless violence, joyless vacations and highs you might never come down from ... and a sea of old hatreds and dreams gone bad. And if he's not careful, his is a journey from which he will never return.
Customer Reviews:
Not much surfing, but a good mystery..........2007-08-23
If you want to know where some of the loonies in "John from Cincinnati," came from, check out this story. Not so much as surf novel as it is a novel that has surfing in it, just like the show. Still, a fairly good mystery, even if the ending is a bit contrived. A good "I've got nothing better to read," novel.
Billed as a "surfing novel," but it's much more..........2007-08-14
It's a very dark, gritty, hard-hitting mystery that is nearly impossible to put down. But it is also a story that poignantly juxtaposes the beauty and philosophy of surfing against the ugliness, immorality, violence, and loneliness of Huntington Beach. I felt a real sadness for the characters who had experienced the spiritual joy of surfing, but whose lives were now dirty with drugs, pornography, and unfulfilled dreams.
My first thought was that the writing was very much like Raymond Chandler, but without the sarcasm and humor. But then, Chandler wrote in the 1st person, a viewpoint that leaves lots of room for sarcasm and humor, depending on the character. "Tapping the Source" is written in the third person, with omniscient insight into the thoughts of Ike, the protagonist. Even so, Nunn pays homage to the Chandler technique of hard-hitting, efficient prose.
I could identify to some degree with Ike's "Deliverance"-like journey, not because I have lived through anything like it, but because of Kem Nunn's masterful evocation of the emotions and fear that a young innocent would feel. At times, the book got into areas that were almost too dark and repulsive to me. I'm not sure if the passages were overly sensational or true-to-life (like I said, I haven't lived through anything like this).
The book is billed as "The all-time great surfing novel," but "surfing novel" is too restrictive. It implies that only people into surfing would enjoy this book. I have an interest in surfing (especially after seeing "Step Into Liquid"), but have never surfed. That didn't stop me from loving this book. Kem Nunn weaves the surfing theme into the book, not gratuitously, but organically, so that it becomes important to the story. But it isn't so surf-heavy as to put off those who have no interest in surfing.
A great mystery, thriller, and coming-of-age story, written in efficient, evocative, and poetic prose.
I'm going back for more of Kem Nunn.
Surf life in Huntington Beach.......2007-07-13
This is a great book about the dark side of surfing life in Huntington Beach, California. Having lived there for a decade I felt like I was back there again. Kem Nunn is an master story teller.
Noir at its Finest!.......2007-04-18
"Tapping the Source" might be the quintessence of everything that's right about modern noir. I know that sounds really artsy and pretentious, but it's true. The reason why it's such a great modern noir lays in Nunn's writing, which unloads his story without any self-awareness, something that, by definition, is almost unheard of in traditional noir stories, yet it works so well here.
What it lacks in pretension it makes up in angst, but not in the raw, unadulterated, "I've been listening to too much Kurt Cobain" kind of angst. No, the story's protagonist, Ike Tucker, shows a kind of restricted, almost refined angst as he sifts his way through a crash course in post-pubescent adulthood while searching the ruddy beaches of California for clues about his murdered sister.
What makes this book even cooler is the supporting cast. While Ike is a cool character, developed so precisely that reading about his experience will bring back old hangovers and headaches from your own late teenage years, the real character development happens to the characters that interact and ultimately influence Ike. They're well explained and detailed throughout the story, each of them permanently decaled by the flaws and failures of their life, all of which are brazenly worn on their sleeves.
I could go on forever, because quite frankly, "Tapping the Source" may be my favorite book ever. But I wont, because this is really one of those books that should mean different things to different people, and that sole fact makes it worth picking up.
Will keep you up at night..........2006-09-12
You know you've been somewhat transformed by a story when it's done, and you can't think about anything else for a while. Or start another book.
Ike Tucker is a self-described "hick", a small town kid with very little motivation to escape his circumstances. Then a mysterious stranger shows up one day with information on Ike's sister, Ellen, who left home two years ago and hasn't been heard from since. With little more than a piece of paper with three names on it and a handful of cash, Ike sets out for Huntington Beach, California, to find out what happened to his sister.
Written in limited third person point-of-view, the story is viewed only through Ike's eyes. Yet Nunn does an amazing job of developing the other characters and their arcs. Ike Tucker's journey and transformation is completely engaging, from his introduction into the hard-core surf scene to the moment he becomes a true local. Along the way, Ike loses sight of his goal to the temptations of H.B.'s gritty underworld, and we are sucked in as helplessly as he is. It is only at the end we realize that Ike's derailment is his true path to self-discovery.
Nunn is a master at creating atmosphere. He does an incredible job at rendering setting--the fading buildings, the lost souls, the drugs, and the continual creep of industry encroaching on a California beach town gone to seed.
Amazon.com
Brad Gooch's take on the self-help genre is a self-described gay updating of Helen Gurley Brown's Sex and the Single Girl, and it's a sensible, straightforward--and welcome--addition to the field. Who is the Boyfriend Within? Simply put, he embodies "qualities we find attractive in ourselves but often imagine others to possess more fully, as well as ... dormant qualities we wish to nurture and grow." This growth process takes place through 16 "Awareness Exercises" that range from identifying the behavior patterns that might be keeping you from having a boyfriend to planning dates with your Boyfriend Within. (And before you crack any jokes, he really does mean dates--be they quiet evenings at home, neighborhood walks, shopping trips, or other activities.) Gooch's own inner boyfriend is a bit like a male version of Midge, the Barbara Bel Geddes character in Vertigo, a constant (but not flashy) source of "sanity, peace, happiness." But, he emphasizes, that's just his own--the love of your inner life may turn out to be completely different. The exercises in Finding the Boyfriend Within hold great promise for fostering self-knowledge and the cultivation of one's goals, not just in romance but in all aspects of life. --Ron Hogan
Book Description
In the tradition of the perennial bestseller I'm OK, You're OK, noted author Brad Gooch offers single and coupled gay men a provocative, sophisticated, and inspirational guide that addresses the big issues of love, romance, and being alone. Part memoir, part self-help, Finding the Boyfriend Within is a remarkably practical and helpful guide in the quest for self-discovery for the thousands of gay men who despair of ever being in a committed relationship.
Filled with anecdotes, romantic advice, problem-solving suggestions, and humor -- as well as wisdom from both the East and West -- Finding the Boyfriend Within offers simple self-awareness exercises to help discover the respect, happiness, and love that come first, and most enduringly, from within.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Perspective.......2007-08-01
Overall, I thought this book brought a fresh insight into self reflection. Although, at times, the author can become self absorbed in his own larger-than-life yet seemingly minute issues, the concepts are interesting. Worth the read.
Great Book!.......2007-03-09
This is a great book! At first it really doesn't make a bit of sense (at least it didn't to me) but after really reading it a lot of it does. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's really a good book on Finding the Boyfriend Within or just finding happiness inside.
~~~~ Kyle ~~~~
very helpful -- simplistic but real.......2006-08-25
I guess the other guys who did not give this book a good review were not in the right "place" (i.e., state of mind) to permit the words and exercises in this book to sink in and have a positive affect. Yes, some of the things were overly simplistic but taken as a whole this book was wonderful. I definitely feel better about myself after reading it -- I'm not such a moron to think that this is ONLY the result of reading a book but it was a real piece of the puzzle of my life at this point and it was most definitely helpful. Don't let all of these "negative nancy's" dissuade you -- if you are looking for insight into yourself -- and/or this book was recommended to you by your best friend -- make a small investment in your happiness, buy it, read, and, most importantly, do the exercises that Brad "assigns".
Sex and the City meets The Boyfriend Within.......2004-02-01
I was given this as a joke for Christmas, and months later I thought I would give it a quick read. Given its interesting title I was intrigued, since it is kind of the flip side of the "Finding Mr. Right" books you often see in the "Gay Self Help" section.
Unfortunately I think "Within" sounded good on the drawing board, but kind of trips over itself in the process.
First of all the book is very simplistic, and anyone with any degree of self-awareness, critical thinking skills or who has has explored philosophy/spirituality will probably find this book a bit patronizing. I agree that profound answers often lie in a simple approach, but I believe the purpose of these exercises are weighed down and ultimately drowned in the author's own self-absorbed narration and exploration.
If Mr. Gooch's simplistic approach was done with the intention of making this book palatable for "the everyday gay man", he would have done himself a huge favor by toning down the constant name-dropping and ostentatious descriptions of his own fabulousness and "society" lifestyle. Any common gay man needing to find the "boyfriend within" would probably find this a bit alienating. It also undermines his credibility, since it demonstrates how out of touch he is with anyone besides himself
and those within his trendy Manhattan social circles. Using himself and his own over-the-top lifestyle as a blueprint for "finding the boyfriend within" would have been like Marie Antoinette writing a dessert book for the hungry masses of pre-revolutionary France. It just rings false.
However I do want to give the author the benefit of the doubt about his book, especially after reading the previous reviews. I think on one level the appearance of self-absorption is a trapping of the premise. It's a shame Mr. Gooch didn't think this through and perhaps find a cross section of regular gay men (not the A list, jet-set friends who populate "FTBFW") to do the exercises and base what he has to say at least in part on their testimony. As is the book reads like a thinly veiled personal promotional brochure for the author. I am sure the Mr. Gooch would find focusing on awareness outside of the self--and on someone else--incredibly enlightening. It would have also given "finding the boyfriend within" a much broader definition. I find it hard to believe that someone who teaches at a university didn't consider this kind of data or research a key component for a book on this topic.
I am sure there are probably a large number of gay men who do need to find the boyfriend within, especially those guys who think that having a partner is the answer and/or a cure-all for whatever ails them. However, as the author unintentionally points out via this book, the problem with many gay men is not so much finding the Boyfriend Within, but rather with worshipping the inner diva.
In my experience, the "enough about me....so what about me?" philosophy is almost a cliche in the gay world. It is unfortunate that so many gay men you meet in social scenes often end up making you feel like you are doing and interview for an entertainment rag instead of having a conversation. I, me, my, and mine are their favorite words, and you end up feeling talk at, rather than talked to. Their behavior and actions define their absolute focus on the inner boyfriend, which doesn't leave room for anyone else.
We obsess on the superficial, and yet bemoan a lack of a relationship with real substance. We want to find someone who loves us, but can't get off the Fabulous Train to NeverNeverLand long enough to care about and love someone at least half as much as ourselves. Ironic, isn't it?
I think finding the boyfriend within is a good idea on some levels, but Mr. Gooch is by no means the ideal guide for this journey. Maybe "Exorcising the Inner Narcissist" or "Vanquishing the Inner Diva" might be more appropriate titles for future exploration, since dealing with these aspects of ourselves would most likely prove to be a more substantial source of love, happiness, and respect.
Is it child-like or childish?.......2003-10-08
Like many of the readers (and reviewers) I expected a lot more from this book. It's a strange book at best; Gooch seems to be tied up with his very own boyfriend: Brad Gooch, of course. The pages are filled with sweet indulgences about himself, and there is very little insight that you might expect from a man who is pushing 50-plus. I chose the title of the review carefully, since either Gooch is very naive and/or has dumbed down his book for us needy folk, or he is a 7 year old stuck in a middle age man's body. Sadly, I suspect the latter.
Customer Reviews:
BUFFALINO SCORES AGAIN.......2006-08-25
I'm so glad that Brenda Buffalino has had a chance to put her interesting life in print for all of us to share...she is a treasure in the world of tap.....
An Inspiration for all Tap Dancers.......2005-12-24
If you love tap dancing you will love this book. Brenda's stories are totally inspirational as are her tap techniques and theory. The theory part is designed for those who have some experience with tap dancing.
One of the great things about this book is that much of the book covers the last 35 years of tap dance so the stories are all very recent and can easily be related to.
You won't want to put the book down once you start reading the tap dance stories section, its such a good read. When you get to the technique section you'll want to try the steps out.
Brilliant and Generous.......2005-02-09
With "Tapping the Source," Brenda Bufalino has given us a brilliantly titled and generously written professional memoir that opens a view into the personal impulses that have driven her creative process.
The book is divided into two sections. Part one is a memoir in the guise of "Tap Dance Stories;" part two, "Theory and Practice," is a master class for experienced tap dancers, but not to be skipped by the in, un, or less experienced, as Brenda continues the memoir even as she notates rhythms, and offers teaching tips.
Full disclosure: I count myself as one of Brenda's many friends, and my wife has produced her work in Seattle over the course of the years. From that vantage point I've been witness to a few of the events in this book, and have also been a willing audience for many of the stories. Brenda is an inveterate story-teller whose ideas, interests, and sources range vastly. A conversation with her, especially if it's a group event, is often like a tropical storm, and when she said she was writing a book I wondered how she'd be able to master the elements to a table as rigid as the page. Now, Brenda may be an improviser, but that's not to say she isn't disciplined, and she found the discipline for the book without sacrificing the art of the story. The book is a good read. It's witty, filled with tap history, opinionated, and touching in its personal reminiscences - most notably of her mother, her mystical involvement with people and place, and her long association with Honi Coles.
Brenda is an Artist, with a capital A. As a being she transcends her chosen forms. Her book will be purchased by dancers, but it's a book for artists, so if you are on the path, "Tapping the Source," is a useful map.
Book Description
Judith Schiek Robinson has updated and expanded this popular guide, which offers a thorough and sometimes humorous tour of government information sources. Her highly readable text explains the intricacies of government information and how to find sources that meet specific research needs. New features in the third edition include detailed coverage of Internet resources, directories of World Wide Web addresses, and quick tips on which government Web sites to search for different types of information. Helpful guides to government abbreviations and citations are also included, as are numerous new tables, user guides, exercises, and illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Good Overview.......2007-02-27
Great book, but the web addresses are about 80% out of date and not working. This is able to be worked around though. I had to buy this for class and I will keep it as a good reference as Robinson writes in a clear and logical way.
The first exciting government documents book ever!.......2001-03-21
Robinson brings to life the world of government documents in her exceptional work covering various important government issues such as the Government Printing Office, depository libraries, statistics, patents, trademarks, and copyrights, legislative, judicial and presidential information sources and much, much more. Robinson makes what would normally be bland information fun and interesting complete with graphs, recommended internet sights, and famous quotes from well-known government figures. I would highly recommend it for anyone entering the field of library science.
Average customer rating:
- Part guidebook, part consumable journal
- The transformative power of love
- I can use this in my real life!
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Loving: Tapping Your Spiritual Source
Catherine Corona
Manufacturer: Infinite Horizons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
 General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Spiritual
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| New Age
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Self-Help
| New Age
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1893722139 |
Book Description
There are many books that reflect upon the meaning of love and its power to change out lives. Here, finally is a practical program to access the love available to you now.
This is an exquisitly beautiful book that is simple to read, a wonderful support and tool to build the most loving life possible. The power of love will transform all aspects of your life, deepening your relationships, boosting your health, fullfilling your career, and having more fun in your life.
Customer Reviews:
Part guidebook, part consumable journal.......2003-08-11
Created and designed by Catherine Corona (a teacher and speaker with a doctorate degree in spiritual science and a certificate in counseling), Loving: Tapping Your Spiritual Source is an impressively presented, "user friendly", self-help guide specifically created to assist men and women in reconnecting with their loving center and increasing their capacity to embrace and share with others. Part guidebook, part consumable journal for one's voyage, Loving (bound so as to lay flat when opened for easy reference) is an astute and enthusiastically recommended guide which is enhanced with an accompanying audio CD offering guided meditations.
The transformative power of love.......2003-04-17
This book has changed my life. Loving: Tapping Your Spiritual Source is the most supportive and practical approach to learning to love and be loved that I have ever found. And the CD of guided meditations that comes with the book are beautiful. The CD alone is worth the price of the book. I can't recommend this book enough. Buy it now! You'll love it!
I can use this in my real life!.......2003-03-25
The thing I love most about this book is its practicality. Dr. Corona doesn't spend a lot of time on explanations or stories; less than halfway through, she's already got you actually doing the practices. And they work! Unlike other books I have read on this kind of subject, this book doesn't just say "you should be more loving", it shows you how to do it, how to increase your ability to love, how to be more loving in everyday life, toward yourself and others. My favorite practice is called "love stories", where you write the story you tell yourself about some part of your life that you're not happy with, then you rewrite it as a love story. (I chose my body and what I think of it.) I also really enjoyed the CD that comes with the book. I think anyone would benefit from using this book for a month. It's also beautiful, and (I think) would make a lovely gift.
Book Description
This book takes you on a journey toward a healthier Self-Image.
The Natural Order of the Universe is Abundance, and it may be the fear programed into you during childhood that's keeping you from that abundance. In this exciting book, Randy shows us how to replace that fear with a Wealth Consciousness.
Learn how to utilize your powerful Alpha Brain Waves to reprogram yourself for Success.
You'll learn how to use your own inner guidance to solve problems.
Tapping the Source presents a proven way to create the life you've always dreamed about - a direct path to having everything in the world you really want.
Tapping the Source is a collection of Natural Laws which make up a fantastic Success Formula.
Tapping the Source offers a "scientific basis for success" that puts Prosperity within your grasp.
After reading Tapping the Source, you'll know that "luck" or "fate" has nothing to do with your success or failure.
The forces, which will enable you to experience PROSPERITY, are very much like electricity. No person invented electricity. It existed in nature, but, until we learned how to make use of it, we had no electric lights or appliances. Just as electricity can serve you, when handled properly, and injure you if mishandled, the Source of Prosperity is raw power which can work for your good, or your ill, depending on how it's utilized.
You may learn that you have been causing your own failures, through the mis-use of powers you did not even know you had. By choosing to read and study Tapping the Source, you have taken the important first step to undoing past mistakes and creating a whole new life for yourself.
Customer Reviews:
Fabulous!.......1999-08-01
I had the pleasure of meeting Randy Ward when he was a speaker for Arbonne in Columbus, OH. I purchased 4 of his books at the time which are all great; however, Tapping the Source will truly open your heart and soul and make you see life as you've never seen it before. Get the book! You won't want to put it down!
Average customer rating:
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Tapping State Government Information Sources
Lori L. Smith ,
Daniel C. Barkley ,
Daniel D. Cornwall ,
Eric W. Johnson , and
J. Louise Malcomb
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
State & Local Government
| Government
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Library & Information Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Bibliographies & Indexes
| Publishing & Books
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Politics
| Bibliographies & Indexes
| Publishing & Books
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Reference
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Reference
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 1573563870 |
Book Description
Each state government produces large varieties and quantities of useful information that are largely unknown outside their state of origin. This book leads the public to the most useful information sources produced by each state, as well as to depository libraries that will facilitate more effective research. For each of the 50 states, important publications are detailed, along with information on how to obtain them. The publications' topics range from crime statistics to vital statistics, business statistics, health information, statistical abstracts, education directories, state budgets, economic indicators, state laws and legal information, and more. State publication indexes and each state's official Web site are also described, as are federal government and commercial publications that supply state government information. Tapping State Government Information Sources has a broader focus than previously published books in this subject area, most of which have focused solely on depository laws, useful state publications, or indexes to state publications. This book covers all three. The first chapter describes print and electronic sources that provide information about all 50 states. Each state's resources are then described in individual chapters. When possible, information about how to order a copy of the source is given, as are Web addresses for titles that are available online. At the beginning of each state chapter, the state's legal definition of "public document" or its equivalent is given, which may be of interest to librarians in states that are reexamining their own depository laws.
Average customer rating:
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Tapping the Source
Kem NUNN
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OP8TM2 |
Books:
- Teammates (A Voyager/Hbj Book)
- The American Woodland Garden: Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest
- The Antipodes of the Mind: Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience
- The Appalachian Trail : How to Prepare for & Hike It (Appalachian Trail)
- The Art and Science of Fencing
- The Art of Mindful Living: How to Bring Love, Compassion and Inner Peace into Your Daily Life
- The Art of the Short Game: Tour-Tested Secrets for Getting Up and Down
- The Backpacker's Handbook
- The Bicycling Guide to Complete Bicycle Maintenance and Repair: For Road and Mountain Bikes(Expanded and Revised 5th Edition)
- The Big Show: The Greatest Pilot's Story of World War II (Cassell Military Paperbacks)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Building a Successful Construction Company
- The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids: How to Understand, Live and Stick up for your Gifted
- The Greatest Survival Stories Ever Told: Seventeen Incredible Tales
- Single Stock Futures for Small Speculators
- The Language of Letting Go
- The Silent Language
- The Rough Guide to Wales 5
- Computerized Accounting: Student Edition
- The End of Organized Capitalism
- The Line of Beauty: A Novel
The Dogs of Winter
Cosmic Banditos
In Search of Captain Zero: A Surfer's Road Trip Beyond the End of the Road
Zen & Zero
Caught Inside: A Surfer's Year on the California Coast
