Book Description
Despite the fact that Juarez is a Mexican border city just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas, most Americans are unaware that for more than twelve years this city has been the center of an epidemic of horrific crimes against women and girls, consisting of kidnappings, rape, mutilation, and murder, with most of the victims conforming to a specific profile: young, slender, and poor, fueling the premise that the murders are not random.
Indeed, there has been much speculation that the killer or killers are American citizens. While some leading members of the American media have reported on the situation, prompting the U.S. government to send in top criminal profilers from the FBI, little real information about this international atrocity has emerged. According to Amnesty International, as of 2006 more than 400 bodies have been recovered, with hundreds still missing.
As for who is behind the murders themselves, the answer remains unknown, although many have argued that the killings have become a sort of blood sport, due to the lawlessness of the city itself. Among the theories being considered are illegal trafficking in human organs, ritualistic satanic sacrifices, copycat killers, and a conspiracy between members of the powerful Juárez drug cartel and some corrupt Mexican officials who have turned a blind eye to the felonies, all the while lining their pockets with money drenched in blood.
Despite numerous arrests over the last ten years, the murders continue to occur, with the killers growing bolder, dumping bodies in the city itself rather than on the outskirts of town, as was initially the case, indicating a possible growing and most alarming alliance of silence and cover-up by Mexican politicians.
The Daughters of Juárez promises to be the first eye-opening, authoritative nonfiction work of its kind to examine the brutal killings and draw attention to these atrocities on the border. The end result will shock readers and become required reading on the subject for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
Daughters of Juarez.......2007-10-03
Daughters of Juarez is a disturbing story, but it is a true account of the unsolved mysteries of these young women's lost lives. It is an insight into the poverty and injustice that occurs daily in this border town and surrounding areas.
Compelling story, purple prose delivery.......2007-09-09
I would have to agree with the previous reviewer who said that the story was compelling and important, but the overlong purple prose descriptions of what the families went through and the overly dramatic descriptions of the situations, with speculations on what everyone was thinking mar an important and compelling book.
Some straight crime reporting, an analysis of the facts and maybe some more social analysis (for instance, how do the drug culture, the male dominated hispanic culture, the pervasive corruption of the border towns, etc. contribute to this holocaust against women) would have helped a lot.
Still, there is not much written about this problem, which if it were happening here or in any first world country, would be page one news everyday, so the book is valuable.
So, good subject and investigative reporting marred by overly dramatic writing.
I would recommend it, you can skip over the long emotional descriptions of background, thoughts and other contrived elements.
Daughters of Juarez.......2007-08-26
I live in El Paso and have followed much of this in the newspaper including the two Bus drivers, The FBI coming to help, etc. Now I know it was all lies.
Mexico has been called the most corrupt nation on earth and I've heard the stories and now I see it in action. I have too many chilling stories direct from American victims of the Juarez Police to share here.
This corruption has spread to El Paso with corruption in the Border Patrol, the government, the police and I'm not just saying this, I've talked to people and have examples both from the Newspaper and people in the know. The FBI has been conducting an investigation into the El Paso government for several months and people are going to jail. Halleluiah!
Personally I've been afraid to go across the Border for years based on these stories and now I'll be spreading the word. Do not go into Mexico!
This book hits hard with details that would make a strong man cry. The horrible end to young lives, the Police laughing at parents asking for help and the intimidating of helpless mothers who might "know too much", the framing of innocents, The corruption of "investigations" run by incompetents.
This book is an indictment, a denunciation of a government and society gone terribly wrong. Bribes are necessary just to get your TV cable hooked up and this pattern of behavior climbs to the very top.
I hope this book helps but in a society that accepts incompetence and corruption as a given I have my doubts. If Mexico is to change it must come from the bottom and it is so instilled in the poverty stricken common people to not make waves how can we expect them to effectively rise up. But enough publicity might send the rats scurrying, we need more books and TV exposes like this.
Compelling read, but with reservations.......2007-08-09
The Daughters of Juarez, by Teresa Rodriguez (with Diana Montané and Lisa Pulitzer), chronicles a series of horrific murders of young women (and teens) in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, over the last fourteen years, the law enforcement/governmental response to them, and the myriad theories as to the perpetrator(s). Over this period, a good part of 400 poor women were raped, tortured and killed, then dumped in desert areas and vacant lots around the city. The book details a rich tapestry of police and governmental brutality, corruption, blatant sexual discrimination, disregard for public safety, and just plain incompetence.
Although many suspects have been charged and held, it is doubtful that any of the murders can ever be considered legitimately solved because of this pervasive and persistent institutional dysfunction. In fact, one can say that this is a glaring example of how not to run a criminal justice system. It's heartbreaking to consider that the families of these slain women will never see justice done. Additionally, it must have been so frustrating for those in law enforcement and government who made efforts to run effective investigations, only to be stymied at every turn by the very system they should have been able to trust, forced out of their jobs because they wouldn't falsify results or analyses, or even physically threatened.
Daughters is definitely a compelling, true tale and Rodriguez does a service to those affected by these horrors by airing them for everyone to examine. The book, however, suffers from a lack of organization: Rodriguez bounces around dates, people and events so much so that it's hard to keep them all straight. Also, she makes a point of maudlin over-description of the women and their families so as to make them more sympathetic. This in my mind is unnecessary; most people will find the thought of someone (not to mention hundreds) being subjected to the extreme violence that these women experienced and the grief (on multiple levels) that their loved ones were forced to endure to be inconceivably horrible - no matter who the reader is. I also think Rodriguez could have used some citations to support what must have been years of research and investigation. In the end, I would recommend this book as a real eye-opener, but with these reservations.
Thrilling Read.......2007-08-05
I stumbled onto The Daughter's of Juarez after having a discussion on the term femicide (the act of killing a woman is a more generic term but this term is often applied to specific mass killings of women). In Juarez, Mexico women from all social classes and with distinctly different family ties have been going missing. Now and then bodies (and the occasional mass grave) of women that have been sexually abused and mutilated show up. The Daughter's of Juarez explores the lives of these missing women, the media blips that have occurred as a result, the political turmoil caused over these cases, as well as the possible answers to what has happened to so many women. After reading about this I was horrified by what had happened and because I had never heard of anything about this prior to the reading. A thrilling and exploratory read of the lives of women in Juarez, Mexico as well as a look at the relations between the U.S. and its border neighbor.
Average customer rating:
- One side of the American Dream
- A great book that is hard to stomach, but pass the salt
- Too explicit for my tastes, that's saying something.
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the 80's
- Gross outs from a flat dimension
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American Psycho
Bret Easton Ellis
Manufacturer: Vintage
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ASIN: 0679735771
Release Date: 1991-03-06 |
Book Description
Now a major motion picture from Lion's Gate Films starring Christian Bale (
Metroland), Chloe Sevigny (
The Last Days of Disco), Jared Leto (
My So Called Life), and Reese Witherspoon (
Cruel Intentions), and directed by Mary Harron (
I Shot Andy Warhol).
In
American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis imaginatively explores the incomprehensible depths of madness and captures the insanity of violence in our time or any other. Patrick Bateman moves among the young and trendy in 1980s Manhattan. Young, handsome, and well educated, bateman earns his fortune on Wall Street by day while spending his nights in ways we cannot begin to fathom. Expressing his true self through torture and murder, Bateman prefigures an apocalyptic horror that no society could bear to confront.
Customer Reviews:
One side of the American Dream.......2007-09-22
American Psycho is easily the most graphic and disturbing novel I've ever read, not to mention a brilliant satirical romp.
The beauty of this novel is how Ellis immerses the reader into the setting, a business-frenzied Manhattan of the 1980's. This is a character study that elucidates the shallow and incorporeal existence of an elite New York businessman, Patrick Bateman, who attempts to fill this void by surrounding himself with expensive wears, eating at only the best restaurants, and killing people; mostly women. The latter was the catalyzing factor (aside from the lack of satirical imagination in Feminists) of why American Psycho was met with such strident criticism. Given the idea that the first murder does not take place until well after the first 100 pages should have been ample evidence to Feminists and Humanitarians that the book is not just a catalog of arbitrary violence.
From the get-go, the story follows Pat Bateman as he vaults from one high-class social situation to another, getting air-kisses from his almost equally shallow fiancé and checking his perfect hair and chiseled features in any reflective material available. One thing that I found repetitious, but ultimately essential to the plot, was Bateman's scrutiny of his peer's clothing; a Valentino Couture suit here, a Matsuda blouse there. Another aspect of Bateman's character (in the book and the movie), one that I find to be the most hilarious, is the way he panics when some external and completely trivial situation poses a threat to his inherent perfection: "I am certain that we will not have a good table, but we do... relief washes over me in an awesome wave."
It's apparent that Ellis wanted to exemplify the degree of apathy held by these so-called 'Masters of the Universe.' Women are referred to as 'hardbodies,' the style of business card font and color is indicative of class and ranking, and reservations at the most exclusive of restaurants are seen as the same. One subtlety that is picked up on with a close reading is how all of these New York elites are clones of one another. Not one character can remember who Jack is from Sam. This story also harbors one of my favorite quotes: "Where do you Summer?" A hilarious dichotomy occurs during an extravagant dinner (complete with sorbet, never ice cream) when these Free-Market Capitalists are conversing about massacres in Sri Lanka and how social concern needs to stand against racial bigotry, all the while the word 'nigger' is used liberally by the same characters.
As the plot progresses, Patrick slips further and further into insanity. This is creatively articulated with monologs that comprise half if not most of the book. Bateman is the type of guy whose anger can be set off by anything. The murder scenes, unlike the ones in the movie, are easily x-rated and were hard for even me to stomach. I think Ellis found this imperative in this, his most relentless attack against rich, unsympathetic yuppies.
Between the book and the movie, I found that both have their strengths and their weaknesses. The music reviews (Phil Collins, Huey Luis, etc.) that Bateman meticulously narrates are character-driven and often funny, but hold not a candle to the amount of hilarity and style as that of Christian Bale articulating to a pair of escort girls; or Paul Allen. Where the book is more descriptive and transcendental, the movie is more goofy and amusing. I think Ellis spent a little too much time and effort stressing how completely callous the rich can be at times and could have cut a number of paragraphs out of the book. That said, this is definitely a story that needed to be told.
A great book that is hard to stomach, but pass the salt.......2007-09-07
"American Psycho" is a savage vivisection of society and relationships as portrayed through the depraved exploits of Patrick Bateman. Bateman flourishes in the yuppie-driven mores of the 80's. His wealth and intelligence are the facilities of his deranged obsessions and evil compulsions. Rather than satisfy the blood-lust, Bateman's oblivious victims stoke and embolden his psychotic frenzy.
"American Psycho" is extraordinarily graphic. Sex and violence imagery explode from the pages with Bateman-like fury. However, it is the duality of the character that is truly unnerving. Bateman can be charming, can be ruthless, can be generous, can be vicious, can be insightful, can be shallow, can be elegant, can be disgusting. Bateman's character attracts you with his panache and repulses you with his horrific offensives. It is an emotionally disturbing journey where sanity has no compass.
Ultimately it is clear this Bret Ellis novel transcends time and place. It is an expose of the human condition and how it can be exploited, deceived and imperiled.
Too explicit for my tastes, that's saying something........2007-09-06
I came to this book after thoroughly enjoying the movie adaptation; fantastic movie. In this case I found the book to be a little tedius and quite explicit, at times. I like to consider myself just as decensitized to violence as any North American in the 21st century, but the amount of gruesome detail Mr. Ellis goes into, is too much for tastes.
2.5 STARS
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the 80's.......2007-09-03
I know this is a satire.
I know this is supposed to be making a point.
I know that the main character is as sad, yuppie who lives for working out, getting laid, having the best stereo system and, oh yeah, one other thing, killing people in the most sick and sadistic ways.
That being said, I really liked the character but I disliked the style.
Patrick Bateman, our lead, is a homicidal maniac who is a day trader by day and by night he is a coke sniffing, club hopping, music lover who gets off on sleeping around and killing people. To top it all off, this all happens at ground zero of the yuppie era, New York City. This alone would make the book interesting, but Ellis takes it one step further in writing the book in an almost stream of consciousness style. Not only do you know what Patrick is thinking about during conversations with his victims, but you also get a sense of who he is and what makes him tick and what makes him explode.
The character is so well written that he could be real. He is supposed to be the stereotypical yuppie, but it goes beyond that. We get a sense of Patrick with all of his weaknesses, his likes, his intelligence and his lack there of. I literally found myself laughing at some of the things he said and thought and agreeing with him at other times. That is how good the character is written.
That all said, I found the writing style difficult to follow and that is why I gave it only 3 stars. The fact that 1 1/2 pages per chapter at times would be dedicated to what everyone was wearing made for tiresome reading. I know that we are looking into the mind of someone who could stand to take some real strong medication (stronger than what was available in the 80's) but I found that it took away from some of my enjoyment.
If you are a fan of books like Fight Club you should like this book.
Gross outs from a flat dimension.......2007-08-25
I would be willing to accept the defense that Ellis's quickie squib is in fact a satire of consumerism, a literary bit of photo realism if there was compelling art here. There isn't, however, and the defense falls apart. Ellis writes as if he had to submit this against a deadline, and he'd wasted his considerable lead time by living off his hefty advance. Ellis does a good job of diagnosing the narcissism of the eighties, but that by itself does nothing for either our understanding or empathy.
Book Description
Bad Blood finds Assistant DA Alexandra Cooper deeply involved in a complicated, high-profile homicide case. Defendant Brendan Quillian, a prominent young businessman, is charged with the brutal strangulation of his beautiful young wife, Amanda. His conviction is not a certainty: Quillian was conveniently out of town on the day of the killing, and he has hired a formidable defense attorney who seems one step ahead of Cooper as the trial opens. But with the help of detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace, she is confident she can prove Quillian paid a hit man to commit the crime.
Halfway through the trial, a major catastrophe alters the course of Alex's case. A cataclysmic ex-plosion rips through New York City's Water Tunnel #3, a spectacular feat of modern engineering that will be completed years in the future. Carved through bedrock six hundred feet underground, the tunnel will replace a vital artery in the city's rapidly deteriorating water supply system. Was the blast caused by terrorism? Political retribution? Or was it merely an accident? Cooper is quickly drawn into the trag-edy when she discovers a strange connection linking Brendan Quillian to the tunnel workers killed in the explosion.
At the same time, Alex meets a mysterious, handsome stranger. Should she get to know him better? Before the answer is clear, she is pulled back into the case, which is becoming more dangerous by the hour. She and Chapman descend deep into the earth to penetrate the subterranean universe of the sandhogs, as the brotherhood of tunnel workers are colorfully known. Their probe soon leads to another murder victim, whose blood may hold the key to Cooper's mesmerizingly complex case. One closely held secret reveals another, and soon Alex discovers that only by unraveling ancient rivalries among sandhog families will she be able to solve the murder of Amanda Quillian -- and save her own life as well.
A riveting tale of up-to-the-minute urban intrigue, Bad Blood is rich with New York City lore and fascinating legal insights that only Fairstein, Manhattan's former sex crimes prosecutor, can deliver. Told in her signature authentic style, Bad Blood is packed with the same twists and turns that made her last novel, Death Dance, a runaway bestseller and that never fail to thrill her legions of devoted readers.
Customer Reviews:
Satisfaction Continues.......2007-09-30
I have enjoyed Fairsteinn's books-all of her Alexandra Cooper series- I automatically order them because I know they will provide an interesting learning experience as well as a satisfying read. Her works are character driven and, thus, when is one is finished, I feel I have closed the page on well known companions. Bad Blood was well done.
Excellent suspense and storytelling.......2007-08-03
In my opinion, I thought "Bad Blood" was an excellent read, and it kept my interest as I followed Alex Cooper as she searched for answers to solve a tunnel explosion and a man on trial for the murder of his wife. The story moves along at a quick pace and I felt it was an interesting read. The reviews are numerous on this tale, so there's no need at this point to recap the story further, else I may give away more of the story for those folks that haven't read it. I will add that it was very educational to learn (which I always enjoy) about the water tunnels of New York City. It was very apparent that Ms. Fairstein did a considerable amount research into this subject and I appreciate her effort. Overall, if you enjoy a great mystery you won't be disappointed in "Bad Blood". I'd gladly recommend it to anyone.
Might Be the Best in the Series..........2007-05-25
...and I've read every one, in order. "Bad Blood" combines all the aspects of a Fairstein novel: obscure New York history (sometimes it's too long and very boring; in this case, it was fascinating), a trip to Martha's Vineyard (mercifully short this time), a usually riveting mystery, and a cast of characters we've learned to love.
The book begins calmly enough with Alexandra Cooper prosecuting a very difficult case against a Johnnie Cochran-type defense attorney. The defendant, wealthy society-type Brendan Quillian, stands accused of murdering his wife, Amanda, by manual strangulation. Alex's case is very weak, much more than normal, even though she knows he did it, or hired somebody to do it. We accompany her to the courtroom for several tense, disappointing days--and then all hell breaks lose.
A dangerous explosion in New York's extensive "underground city" that houses Manhatta's entire supply of water (and here is where the fascinating factoids come in) may be an act of terrorism--or some sort of deadly vendetta among rival families who have worked these tunnels for generations. That is bad enough--but what is the connection between snotty Brendan Quillian and the gangs who work below the city? And how will it affect Alex's case?
The book zips through the tale with all the usual elements in place: danger, pathos, drama, and deep, dark secrets, until the denoument, where, for a heart-stopping minute or two, we think her long-time sidekick Mike Chapman might have been killed.
Great stuff. A perfect "beginning of summer" read.
Fairstein never disappoints.......2007-05-14
Each of Fairstein's series of books featuring Alexandra Cooper gets better and better. What I most like about her writing is that in addition to being riveting legal thrillers, they always teach me something about New York City that I never knew before. Hope she never stops writing!
Same characters, different disaster.......2007-04-08
I'm a fan of characters moving from one book to the next. I love Patricia Cornwell for this very reason as well. Alexandra Cooper is a character that I have learned and always want to know what's going to happen next.
What I don't like about the books, including this one, is Cooper's money and that she has a house on Martha's Vineyard. Maybe I'm just not one for sentimentality, but yes, I know her soon-to-be husband was killed on the way to their weeding; yes I know how they were affected by 9/11. Let's move on to some other interesting things about the characters.
Average customer rating:
- Interesting read
- Depends on Reader's Expectations
- Good but not great
- Recommended With A Warning
- Took a Left Turn For the Worse
|
Tropic of Night
Michael Gruber
Manufacturer: William Morrow
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0060509546
Release Date: 2003-03-04 |
Amazon.com
This debut thriller should come with a warning--do not pick up if you have anything else planned for as long as it takes to read it! Tropic of Night is a dramatic, stylish, smart, and very strongly plotted novel, mixing anthropology, ethnography, sorcery, mayhem, and murder in an intriguing and wholly captivating story that ranges from Mali to Siberia, Nigeria to Miami, and never lets up. Jane Doe is a smart but listless graduate student when she encounters Marcel Vierchau, a French scholar whose lover she quickly becomes, following him to the strange world of the Chenka, a mysterious sect of Siberian shamans in whose society she quickly loses her scholarly objectivity--and nearly her life. Returning without Vierchau to the comfortable world of her wealthy family, she meets and marries DeWitt Moore, a black poet who accompanies her to Africa on a field trip that turns him into a powerful shaman, awakens her own abilities to commune with the spirits of the Yoruba sorcerers, and again comes close to destroying her. Wary of Moore's new strength, she stages her own death and becomes a faceless member of Miami's underclass, but just when she believes she's safe from his reach, a series of bloody ritual murders of pregnant Miami women convince her that she is once again his target--and that anyone who comes between them, including her adopted daughter, will also meet a terrifying end. Michael Gruber delivers a fabulous, wholly original read that will linger in the reader's mind long after the last page is turned! --Jane Adams
Book Description
Not since The Secret History has a novel so flawlessly married the ferocious intensity of an unforgettable thriller with the depth, daring, and nuance of our most celebrated literary fiction. Tropic of Night is a virtuoso performance -- an unforgettably accomplished novel, a masterpiece of electricity and ambition.
Jane Doe was a promising anthropologist, an expert on shamanism. Now she's nothing, a shadow: after faking her own suicide, she's living under an assumed identity in Miami with a little girl to protect. Everyone thinks she's dead. Or so she hopes.
Then the killings start, a series of ritualistic murders that terrifies all of Miami. The investigator is Jimmy Paz, a Cuban-American police detective. There are witnesses, but they can recall almost nothing of the events, as though their memories have been erased -- as if a spell has been cast on each of them. Equally bizarre is the string of clues Paz uncovers: a divination charm, exotic drugs found in the bodies of the victims, a century-old report telling of a secret place in the heart of Africa.
These clues point Paz inexorably toward the fugitive, Jane Doe, and force Jane to realize that the darkness she has fled is seeking her out, hunting her down. By the time her path intersects with Jimmy Paz's, the two will be thrust into a cataclysmic battle between good and an evil unimaginable to the Western mind.
Download Description
E-book extra: Afterword by Michael Gruber Jane Doe is nothing, a shadow. Once a promising anthropologist, she's now hiding from an unimaginable horror. Miami police detective Jimmy Paz knows that Jane is connected to the ritualistic murders terrifying the city. Together, they must battle a psychopath whose shamanistic powers can alter reality itself.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting read.......2007-09-30
Why was it interesting? It was interesting to me in the suspension of belief sort of thing. But the anthropology was hard to follow and more than I cared to follow about west african mojo. Jane's journal was very personal in an unpleasant out-of-her-mind way. The olo, ifa, ulene stuff was over-detailed and forced me to work too hard to decipher the plot in all of it. The author's expression of Jane's mind was unsettling and the racism of the book was too guilt-ridden. It was a little scary when Witt would "come" for her - that's a good thing. But in the end I was disappointed that the entire story was just about the magic and suspension of western beliefs. Certainly an intelligent writer, and intelligence appreciated. But this book was not my cup of tea.
Depends on Reader's Expectations.......2007-07-21
The extent to which a reader will enjoy this book depends, I believe, on the expectations one has about it. If you are looking for a pulse pounding thriller in the vein of Thomas Harris' Red Dragon or Silence of the Lambs, this is not it. What you get here instead is a thoughtful, carefully researched meditation on good versus evil, reality versus madness, and the spiritual versus the physical worlds. The story is told, in part, from the dispassionate objectivity of a cultural anthropologist and draws heavily on anthropology's style and language. Alternating points of view shift back and forth in time as the story traverses the globe from Miami, Florida to West Africa and Eastern Europe. The rituals of the indigenous peoples of these areas are extensively described in long expository passages that make little sense until more of the plot is revealed. The alternating chapters and shifting perspective dilute the suspense, and I had to force myself to continue reading. The female protagonist was difficult to identify with as so little was known about her for much of the book. Gruber slowly doles out only the smallest bits of information. Jimmy Paz, on the other hand, is a fascinating character and the only redeeming feature of this novel. The story's slow, plodding pace picks up somewhat in the final hundred pages, but, by that point, I found myself no longer caring.
Good but not great.......2007-06-02
I was thoroughly engrossed by the details of the Santeria religion which is described very respectfully and with what seems like in-person research. However the motives for the actions of the main character Jane Doe remained obscure to the very end. One sentence it seems took care of the preceding 400 pages of "suspense of did she know or not". Paz the inspector also has immense time to ruminate and rut, and then suddenly in the last 100 pages stirs into action. The extended plot development takes places as present narrative, diaries, background stories which are well written . I recommend the book, but it is too long by about 100 pages. In fact I went from page 300 or so and skipped to the last chapter. I knew just way too much about these characters and needed the action of the last chapter to make the book worthwhile. But as I say the brilliant presentation of the Santeria religion made the book very worthwhile reading.
Recommended With A Warning.......2007-04-07
The first book I read by this author was his newest, The Book of Air And Shadows, based upon that work I wanted to go back and read other offerings by Mr. Gruber. This was the first work he published and as I was to learn part 1 of a trilogy. The book is very well done however if profoundly disturbing crimes involving pregnant women are an issue you would find too troubling, stay away from this book. The crimes are not gratuitous slasher events; the author minimizes and nearly eliminates sensationalizing the brutality of the crimes, as they are events in a much larger work. But they are there and some might find them a topic they would rather avoid. Candidly had I known what the book was about, Santeria, African Witchcraft and its decedents I would likely have passed by this work, as these are not topics I normally have interest in.
Credit is due to the author as he has written a work that is expansive, highly detailed and very engaging. He brings the reader from Long Island and a home of dynastic privilege to isolated villages in Africa and finally to the City of Magic located in The United States. As he did in, The Book of Air and Shadows, there are several different threads that eventually tie together as the book progresses, again they take the form of diary, narrative and in this case trips in to places readers will have to name for themselves. If you would like to stick with proper names the author has provided a glossary of what I would guess is unfamiliar ground for most readers.
If you like the clash of, "traditional science", and belief systems that are measured in millennia, the tale of Jane the anthropologist, her husband and their trek to very dark places of human behavior this book is for you. The author poses some challenges to what is scientifically acceptable and that which is written off as hysteria. He also shares with readers facts of quantum physics that are simultaneously as true as any fact you may cite and also border on the fantastic. Facts that easily would have been dismissed as fantasy or magic a few short years ago.
Took a Left Turn For the Worse.......2007-02-22
I slogged through the first 50 pages confused and not really seeing what direction this book was going. Then thouroughly enjoyed the next 300 pages thinking I'd just discovered a great new writer with an interesting recurring character, Dectective Jimmy Paz of the Miami PD. But in the last 100 pages the author took such a drastic left turn that it ruined the book. Gruber took an extraordinary amount of time steeping each character in realism by doing so much research on his topic that you really believed the the characters. But then he chucks the whole thing with an absurd ending that starts way too early. The final 100 pages are not based in reality making them just plain stupid. And for that reason this book deserves to be panned.
Book Description
Mrs. Gillespie is famous for being the best maid in thenorthwest of Sutherland. But to Hamish Macbeth, she is a malicious gossipwho bangs around the furniture and clanks pots. When Hamish wins Mrs.Gillespie's services in a church raffle, he spends most of the day tryingto avoid her. He doesn't understand how she managed to gain such a finereputation. Then she is found dead, struck down violently by a metal bucketof water. Knowing Mrs. Gillespie's penchant for gossip, Hamish is sure shedelighted in finding out her clients' secrets--which means that everyonewhose home she cleaned is a suspect.
Customer Reviews:
Murder Most Foul.......2007-08-31
22 Hamish Macbeth novels and it would be difficult to pick a favorite. I enjoy them all and wait expectantly for the next to arrive on my doorstep. It is like opening the door to friends whom you've missed and having a good visit with them.
Hamish has lots of suspects when he finds the local charwoman who left water covering his kitchen floor bashed in the head with her own bucket. Inspector Blair manages to destroy what little evidence there might have been at the scene of the crime. Hamish had learned from his own experience the woman was not a good maid, so why was she so highly rated and employed by so many?
Before this one reaches it conclusion Hamish is on the point of handing in his resignation when he is stopped by a phone call from Elspeh, his reporter friend with the "sight." A rather drawn out ending brings tugs out of hiding to exact revenge on the talented Highland detective.
A fast and gentle read which never lets you down.
Nash Black, author of "Qualifying Laps" and "Sins of the Fathers."
Not up to my standard of "gentle" mysteries.......2007-07-23
I like MC Beaton because usually the peole murdered in her books are either despicable characters or someone I never "knew." In this book, one of the murder victims is an innocent. Though the question is actually raised, "how come someone innocent was murdered?", I like my lkysteries when the victim is a villain and the innocent live happily ever after. After all, mysteries for me are an escape from the realities of the violence reported in newspapers and t.v. But still these mysteries are charming and the cast of characyers have become my friends. the romance angle is getting a bit tiresome and unrewarding. Any reader who enjoys these stories should make sure to avoid the dvd video adaptations of the sstories. They are dreadful. I hope Ms. Beaton made a lot of money out of them because they totally changed the character of Hamish Macbeath, at least in my opinion.
CONFESSION OF A NEW READER!.......2007-07-02
Okay, I will admit it. I am a newcomer to this particular genre of novel, being relatively newly introduced to them by my wife. This is certainly the first work by M.C. Beaton I've read, therefore the first of the Hamish Macbeth Mysteries. I also have to admit that I have been missing a lot over the years! This work is simply fun to read! The story is simple but very well told. A maid, or charwoman, is hit over the head with her own mop bucket and murdered! So the tale begins. This author is an absolute master at the development of a character in a very short time with very few words. You get to feeling you know each and ever one of them quite well before the end of a page. This takes skill! I liked the simple plot line of this work. It was not hard to figure out that quite a number of the people living in Macbeth's village were extremely pleased that the woman was dead, including her poor husband. This left the story open for many, many very interesting suspects, all of whom could conceivably committed the crime. These suspects were all quite colorful and were a story within themselves. The author can be absolutely hilarious at times and the interaction between the author and his pets is great. I found my self enjoying this one and actually relaxing, which is the primary reason I read these novels. I have not much to compare it with, so I am giving it five stars simply because I liked it. I will certainly be reading more of this author's work!
DEATH OF A MAID makes murder fun.......2007-05-30
A win at the church raffle leaves Police Constable Hamish Macbeth with the services of Mavis Gillespie, a vicious local gossip working as a maid --- although her snooping skills far outshine her cleaning abilities. When Macbeth discovers that Mrs. Gillespie has made off with a letter addressed to him from his ex-girlfriend, Elspeth, he decides enough is enough and vows to confront her with this little bit of thievery. Unfortunately, by the time he catches up to her, she lies dead in a pool of her own blood, the apparent victim of a fatal bucket bash to the head.
Macbeth now has the job of figuring out who murdered her, all the while knowing that his superior from nearby Strathbane, Detective Chief Inspector Blair, will undoubtedly take the credit --- as he always does. That doesn't really bother him, but a television crew intent on producing a documentary film on Hamish Macbeth certainly does. Comfortable in his role as village policeman, he curses his luck, for a well-run investigation with extensive media exposure could easily earn him a promotion --- the very thing he assiduously strives to avoid.
Soon, Elspeth, old flame and veteran journalist, shows up --- and with a new beau in tow. Macbeth pines for a return to the days of stoking the fire and tending his sheep, while his cat and dog make all the demands on him he would happily handle. But there's a murder case to solve.
Extraordinarily competent, while pretending to be a plodding policeman, Macbeth conducts a fine and thorough investigation, all the while trying to avoid Elspeth, Blair and the documentarians. He does so thorough a job, in fact, that he touches a raw nerve, sending the panicked killer into a downward spiral that leaves one reporter dead too. He wishes he knew what fatal piece of information the reporter had discovered.
As Macbeth works his way through the many witness interviews, he realizes, with mild surprise, the number of secrets that the Lochdubhians are harboring. And it begins to appear that Mrs. Gillespie had been unearthing those secrets rather than dusting furniture and mopping floors, for her bankbook reveals a sum that cannot be explained by a maid's modest earnings. It looks as though she had entered dangerous ground and become a blackmailer.
Macbeth finds there is no shortage of suspects. The victim's husband appears relieved by his wife's death. Her daughter sees a way to repair her ruined marriage now that her meddling mother is dead. Even the lady who runs the church bingo is not sorry that Mrs. Gillespie is gone. And there are myriad more. Good riddance, they all seem to say. Macbeth has a lot of sorting out to do.
Meanwhile, Elspeth keeps creeping into his thoughts. Try as he might, he cannot banish her from his mind. But what does his heart say? Is he simply jealous because there is another man in her life, or does he really want her back? He remembers how good they were together. But he also remembers they drove each other crazy. For now, he must forget about her and concentrate on finding this killer.
M.C. Beaton gives us delightful, refreshing, light reading. Sure, there's a dead body, but the victim deserved it. Plus, the killer is a despicable rogue. DEATH OF A MAID makes murder fun.
--- Reviewed by Kate Ayers
M.C. Beaton does it again.......2007-05-15
Loved the latest Hamish book, can't wait for the next Agatha.
Average customer rating:
- Francine Rivers at her best!
- a very long crisis pregnancy pamphlet
- eye opener
- *****10 Stars*****
- The best Rivers novel!
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The Atonement Child
Francine Rivers
Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers
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ASIN: 084230052X |
Book Description
A beautiful repackaged edition of Francine Rivers's classic novel that breaks through the many taboos surrounding abortion. In one terrifying moment, Dynah Carey's perfect life is shattered by rape, her future irrevocably altered by an unwanted pregnancy, and her doting family torn apart. Her seemingly rock-solid faith is pushed to the limits as she faces the most momentous choice of her life--to embrace or to end the untimely life within her.
This new edition includes discussion questions for individual or group use.
Download Description
Readers will enjoy and be challenged by this best-selling contemporary fiction novel by popular author Francine Rivers. When tragedy strikes Dynah, a devout Christian with a bright future, the Carey family struggles to cope.
Customer Reviews:
Francine Rivers at her best!.......2007-10-11
Francine Rivers proves to me again why she is my favorite author! A story of being true to yourself and doing what you know is right against all other opinions. Story of true love!
a very long crisis pregnancy pamphlet .......2007-09-26
Francine Rivers is by far one of my favorite Christian novelists. I have read her Mark of the Lion : A Voice in the Wind, An Echo in the Darkness, As Sure As the Dawn (Vol 1-3)series at least three times. It's phenomenal! And this summer I read, for the first time, Redeeming Love, an instant new favorite which I will likely read again and again. I didn't hesitate to buy The Atonement Child. She's a great author and I was confident I would like anything she wrote. I was wrong.
This book centers on a young college student named Dynah. She's engaged to the campus hottie, who is studying to be a pastor. Life is wonderful until one night changes everything. On her way home from work, she is raped. She soon discovers she is pregnant as a result. The book twists and turns with the reactions of her friends and family members. What advice do they give? What decision will she make? Who will support her in that decision? Is an unborn life still valuable if it comes from such horrific beginnings? Can an abortion have lasting effects?
I love the controversial topic of this book. The plot is fantastic, but the delivery leaves much to be desired. The dialog was trite. I often felt I was reading a very long crisis pregnancy pamphlet rather than a novel. Much of the book was predictable and several of the characters were poorly developed. Some seemed mere shadows rather than true characters with key parts in this story.
Final Thoughts: Dissappointing. If you want more information on pro-life arguments, this is a good book to read. If you want to lose yourself in a novel, pick up one of her other books.
eye opener.......2007-09-14
The Atonement Child is the story of Dynah, a typical college student. One day after work, Dynah's life is turned upside down when she is raped. Things only get worse when she finds out she is pregnant. She then begins to lose everything that she held dear. As her family is torn apart, she ponders over what she should do. Should she hold fast to her faith and what she believes, or should she have an abortion? Ultimately, it is up to Dynah to decide.
Francine Rivers is an accomplished writer. She has written numerous titles and won many awards. After attending the University of Nevada, Rivers had a successful writing career in secular writing, but in 1986 after becoming a born-again Christian, Rivers wrote Redeeming Love, her most popular book. She has also received acclaim for her three-book series the Mark of the Lion. Her books range from historical fiction to children's books. Her most recent project is The Sons of Encouragement Series.
Rivers always does an excellent job of developing her characters in her stories. The Atonement Child is no exception. She weaves the story in such away that the reader experiences almost every possible emotion as Dynah experiences hardships. It is very easy for the reader to be swept up into the story and even be reduced to tears many times. There is also a hint of suspense as readers anticipate what is going to happen next.
This fictional account of a young girl's struggle through a crisis pregnancy stirs the emotions of every reader. It sheds light on a controversy that continues to plague American people and people all over the world today. It delves into the emotional and the spiritual aspects of abortion and takes the reader on an unforgettable journey. This book is not just another easy read. It will take readers to a place within themselves they have never known.
*****10 Stars*****.......2007-08-16
One of the best books I have ever read!
This book deals with abortion and may not be for you, so you be the judge.
I was skeptical when it was recommended to me, but "they" were right. This author dealt with the touchy issue in a wonderful way.
This is an EXCELLENT LOVE STORY.
The best Rivers novel!.......2007-07-18
If you haven't read this book, you are in for an outstanding read. I couldn't put this book down. Francine Rivers approach to the abortion issue is right on the money. I have passed this book to many of my friends and all have loved it and been changed by it.
Book Description
Now in hardcover-the fast-growing mystery series featuring Kelly Flynn and her knitting circle!
The House of Lambspun has been bombarded for the holidays. Then an alpaca sheep rancher is found dead in Bellevue Canyon-and knitter and sometime-sleuth Kelly Flynn quickly puts Yuletide frivolities aside.
With the deceased's reputation for loving and leaving the ladies of Fort Connor, many women had a motive to kill him. Kelly also finds herself linked to the prime suspect, a former lover of the wealthy playboy rancher. Charged with keeping both spinner and spurned from going over the edge, Kelly will discover more than a few secrets tangled on this triad's bobbin.
Customer Reviews:
This book is redundant.......2007-06-15
I have enjoyed the past Kintting Mysteries, but this book is nothing but redundant writing. EVERYDAY Kelly goes to the cafe, gets coffee (enough with the coffee references), takes out her knitting, puts her knitting away, feels the yarn for sale and goes back to her accounts. This character needs to grow to keep the series going. A character needs to do more than drink coffee, talk about coffee, and offer friends coffee to be enjoyable. Kelly would be more upset if the coffee went missing, than if it was one of her friends. Lets get back to being a mystery. I will read the next book in the series, but if it is the same old thing that will be the last.
Not up to snuff.............2007-06-11
As a casual knitter myself, I received the first book in this series as a gift. In general they are light, fun mysteries with a nod to those of us who delight in the colors and textures of yarn....
But this one was weak.... the story, the writing... all very sophomoric. I felt like I was reading the work of a high school class. .... and I was NOT expecting great literature.
If this series is to continue, it will have to improve significantly....
Good title for a cozy mystery.......2007-06-05
Kelly Flynn is settling in nicely in Fort Connor, Colorado. She loves the mountains, her career as a freelance accountant, and her friends and fellow knitters (and spinners) at the House of Lambspun, owned by motherly Mimi Shafer.
Spinning class teacher Lucy Adair is devastated by the murder of her new boyfriend, Derek Cooper. It turns out he had many women--and a few men--who might have wanted him dead. There was old girlfriend Diane, a heavy drinker who had been furious with him recently, and the man who had been promised an investment, and then Derek pulled out at the last minute and laughed.
Kelly's good friend Jennifer asks for her help in saving Diane from her drinking, and from despair. She lied to the police and now it is catching up to her. It seems she was the last person to see Derek alive. Or was she? Was there another car coming up the road to Derek's place when she left? Was there a car parked nearby? Poor Lucy is unusually devastated by this murder, and she has several secrets, shared with her close friend Ellen. Kelly is able to tease out the truth, winding up the case with calm good sense and the help of her many friends.
This novel is the epitome of the cozy mystery--warm and soft knitting wools, good food, and great friends. You will long to make a visit to the House of Lambspun, take a class, have some hot chocolate and maybe some chocolate mint fudge. You can have some of the fudge because the recipe is in the back of the book, along with a scarf pattern.
Author Sefton fell in love with knitting late in life, discovering a store that sounds very much like House of Lambspun, and soon after the characters for these mysteries came into her life.
Armchair Interviews says: A cozy mystery for knitters or non-knitters alike.
Another fun entry in this series.......2007-05-07
I've enjoyed the first three books in this light cozy mystery series and this one continued the trend. Kelly and her friends are still enjoyable and fun to spend some time with.
Kelly has now settled into a consulting business and life in Colorado permanently. A rancher is murdered who has been involved with a spinning teacher at Kelly's knitting store hangout. While she doesn't plan to get involved at first, she is soon entangled because Jennifer knows the obvious suspect and thinks she's innocent. I actually thought this was a pretty obvious mystery - I had figured out the murderer quite early. Since Kelly really didn't know the suspects or the victim, it made also the investigation run a little sluggishly. It wasn't a bad plot, though.
We finally seem to be getting a little movement in Kelly's relationship with Steve and hopefully this will continue. We also seem to have a new interest for Megan and there are several other budding romances.
This book seems to be set up for the next book as much as its own book (anyone know what it will be or when it will be publisehd?) as Kelly is working to buy land (Geri Norbert's place from Needled to Death), but the end really seems to intimdate she'll have major problems with the new land.
fun cozy.......2007-05-02
In Fort Connor, Colorado, someone kills rakish alpaca rancher Derek Cooper with a blow to his head on his spread. The deceased was seeing House of Lampspuin instructor Lucy Adair, who is stunned by her loss. Also grieving is Diane, a friend of another instructor, who had a heated romance with the "love 'em and leave 'em" Cooper.
House of Lambspun knitter Kelly Flynn, curious that the local paper mentioned a homicide has no plans to investigate this DEADLY YARN although she has successfully done so three times before since leaving DC for Fort Connor nine months ago to attend her beloved aunt's funeral. However, when she learns of the connection to the House of Lambspun, Kelly finds an excuse to get involved if only to prove the innocence of the instructor and of the friend of another instructor over the objection of her steady date Steve.
Interestingly the amateur sleuthing reads smoother than the kiss and tell locker room chatter amidst the knitters, as the former feels tightly stitched while the latter seems awkward sewed for this age group of obvious pals. The inquiries are fun to follow as Kelly uncovers clues one stitch at a time. Cozy fans will appreciate this fine knitting whodunit while newcomers will seek the previous Knitting Mystery patterns (see KNIT ONE, KILL TWO and NEEDLED TO DEATH).
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
Former pop star Heather Wells has settled nicely into her new life as assistant dorm director at New York College—a career that does not require her to drape her size 12 body in embarrassingly skimpy outfits. She can even cope (sort of) with her rocker ex-boyfriend's upcoming nuptials, which the press has dubbed The Celebrity Wedding of the Decade. But she's definitely having a hard time dealing with the situation in the dormitory kitchen—where a cheerleader has lost her head on the first day of the semester. (Actually, her head is accounted for—it's her torso that's AWOL.)
Surrounded by hysterical students—with her ex-con father on her doorstep and her ex-love bombarding her with unwanted phone calls—Heather welcomes the opportunity to play detective . . . again. If it gets her mind off her personal problems—and teams her up again with the gorgeous P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives—it's all good. But the murder trail is leading the average-sized amateur investigator into a shadowy world. And if she doesn't watch her step, Heather will soon be singing her swan song!
Customer Reviews:
More murder and mayhem.......2007-10-17
Heather Wells is still working in Fisher Hall as the assistant Dorm Director (a job that Meg Cabot did herself for a while), still feeling guilty about her weight (which is steadily rising) and still trying to work out if Dating the brother of her ex-fiance. This time they find a head in the canteen and Heather just seems to stumble on the important clues, which, although she passes them on, seem to lead her deeper and deeper into the mystery.
Add to everything the fact that her ex-fiancee is marrying (the woman Heather caught him with and left him over); and that her father is out of jail and seems to want a relationship; a friend wants her to sing in public with him, Cooper still looks swell and she has to break in a new supervisor and you'll see why this novel moves at a breakneck speed.
Meg has carved herself a fine niche in the funny chick-lit genre. Fun and interesting, I was still wondering about motive until the very end and really wanted to see Heather succeed. It's a fun read, light and frothy but with some great characters I can't wait to meet again.
A Light & Breezy Fun Read.......2007-07-24
This is the second installment in the Heather Wells mysteries and it was as good as the first. I agree with some of the other reviewers that the mystery isn't that well thought out and the murderer is pretty obvious, but there are a few twists and turns that make you think along the way. This book is really quick to read and a lot of fun. It is a laugh out loud kind of book which I really like. I am already looking forward to the next installment.
Right In Line For Heather Wells.......2007-06-13
If you liked the first in the Heather Wells mystery series, you should like this one too. Meg Cabot is a talented, but rather simplistic writer. The plot of the book is good, and it has some twists, but there are few subplots (if any) and little depth. Size 14 Is Not Fat Either is good for a quick, light read, but it's not anything memorable.
Fun and well-written mystery, but with few twists and turns.......2007-06-02
Assistant Dorm Manager (and former pop star) Heather Wells just wants to practice her guitar, figure out a way to make her sexy landlord fall in love with her, and avoid her ex-fiance, Justin--who is getting married but still wants to be 'friends.' Since the last time she and Justin tried to be friends they ended up rolling on the floor together, possibly damaging the relationshp Heather wants with sexy Cooper, she knows that's a bad idea--especially just days before he's supposed to marry someone else. With all this going on plus shifting roommates in the dorm, Heather doesn't need more problems. Then again, nobody really needs to find a severed head boiling in a pot in the cafeteria.
Heather really doesn't want to get involved in this case. Still, she can't really help herself when she knows that the police aren't pursuing the right leads. It starts with innocent questions, just so she can share the information with the police. But before she knows it, she's deep in the middle, one of her coworkers has been attacked, and she might even be in danger herself.
Author Meg Cabot brings a chick-lit style to mystery and makes the combination work. Heather, with her inclination to dove bars, bagels with cream cheese and bacon, and coffee that's half cocoa, worries about her weight, and the stage fright that came from the brutal end of her pop career, makes a sympathetic character in a world of size two girls. Perhaps appropriately given how self-obsessed Heather is (she's sympathetic, not perfect), most of the other characters remain fairly one-dimensional.
SIZE 14 IS NOT FAT is not a thinking mystery. Cabot delivers a linear plot with no red herrings in sight. That doesn't keep the story from being entertaining, however. If you're looking for a book to kick back with on the beach and don't want to have to work too hard at your reading, this one just might be perfect.
Heather Wells Is Back Again..........2007-04-02
Hi, my name is Heather Wells. I am approaching the big 3-0 in a few months. I used to be a successful pop singer when I was younger, but my management dropped me after I told them I wanted to write my own songs (oh yeah, and they laughed in my face). Since the head of the record company was also my fiancée's father, that caused a little tension between us...Well that, and the fact that I caught him in our apartment having sex with that b**** Tania Trace. Therefore, I broke it off ASAP, moved out, was depressed for a while, and gained about 50 pounds. Now though? My life is back on track. I have a job I love as an Assistant Residence Hall Director at New York College. True, someone did try to kill me a few months ago but at least I helped catch him or her (C'mon, you really did not think I would tell you who the murderer was, did you? I am hoping you will read my first adventure, "Size 12 Is Not Fat"). I thought all that was behind me and I could concentrate on passing my remedial math class so I could start taking Criminal Justice courses, and hoping that my ex-boyfriend's brother (and my current roommate) will ask me out. Unfortunately, they just found the severed head of the most popular girl in my residence hall in the school cafeteria kitchen. Well, the police are not moving fast enough and my best friend (who is a cook in the cafeteria) is begging me to look into it. How can I say no? Oh and did I mention that my father showed up the other day after being released from prison?
Bring on book three! I like Heather Wells. She makes me laugh and keeps me turning the pages. As stated earlier, half the fun is watching Heather interact with the people in her life. I also really enjoy reading stories about college life and you can tell Heather really likes her job. It makes me consider becoming an academic librarian (I am getting my MLIS) but hopefully no one will try to kill me!
Amazon.com
Each hour, 75 women are raped in the United States, and every few seconds, a woman is beaten. Each day, 400 Americans suffer shooting injuries, and another 1,100 face criminals armed with guns. Author Gavin de Becker says victims of violent behavior usually feel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. They may distrust the fear, or it may impel them to some action that saves their lives. A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, de Becker believes we can all learn to recognize these signals of the "universal code of violence," and use them as tools to help us survive. The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of a potential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with the problem before it becomes life threatening. The case studies are gripping and suspenseful, and include tactics for dealing with similar situations.
People don't just "snap" and become violent, says de Becker, whose clients include federal government agencies, celebrities, police departments, and shelters for battered women. "There is a process as observable, and often as predictable, as water coming to a boil." Learning to predict violence is the cornerstone to preventing it. De Becker is a master of the psychology of violence, and his advice may save your life. --Joan Price
Book Description
Each hour, 75 women are raped in the United States, and every few seconds, a woman is beaten. Each day, 400 Americans suffer shooting injuries, and another 1,100 face criminals armed with guns. Author Gavin de Becker says victims of violent behavior usually feel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. They may distrust the fear, or it may impel them to some action that saves their lives. A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, de Becker believes we can all learn to recognize these signals of the "universal code of violence," and use them as tools to help us survive. The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of a potential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with the problem before it becomes life threatening. The case studies are gripping and suspenseful, and include tactics for dealing with similar situations. People don't just "snap" and become violent, says de Becker, whose clients include federal government agencies, celebrities, police departments, and shelters for battered women. "There is a process as observable, and often as predictable, as water coming to a boil." Learning to predict violence is the cornerstone to preventing it. De Becker is a master of the psychology of violence, and his advice may save your life. --Joan Price
Customer Reviews:
Phenomenal Book.......2007-10-17
I bought this book on the recommendation of several abuse support forums I am on and I am very happy I did. Every man or woman who has been abused or think they have been abused should buy this book. It will help figure out whether your abuser will turn violent.
It's also very informative on how to deal with stalkers as well. Gavin de Becker really understands violence and how our insight and feelings of fear serve us if only we will listen and pay attention.
I will read this one several times and use it as a reference. I recommend this book highly.
This book was a "gift!".......2007-10-04
I've read this book three times now, and each time I read it I uncover more and more incredibly helpful advice and wisdom.
I think it's a mistake to focus on the author's alleged "anti-gun" bias - out of a 400+ page book, that's discussed for perhaps 5 or 6 pages, at most. I don't really think the author sounded "anti" gun at all, either - it seemed to me he was advocating caution rather than an outright ban on the use of guns for personal safety. Considering that most women don't have the time or financial resources to learn how to use and purchase a gun, who cares, anyway? The point seems irrelevant to me.
I frankly don't care whether or not his crime statistics can be backed up by research, either - what difference does it make to know exactly how many people were assaulted or murdered in a given year? One is too many, and if this book can help save one person from harm, or even death, what does it matter whether the person was one of 1,000 or one of 10,000?
Finally, someone mentioned that reading this book would cause people to become more fearful. For me, the opposite was true. I'd been having some trouble with an individual I tried "to let down easy." He just can't seem to let go, and I used to worry a lot about what was going on. I often felt afraid - afraid because I never knew when he might try to contact me again, afraid because I never knew what he might do next. I recently reread the book, though, and now, instead of worrying about the situation, I find that I can relax. I trust that my intuition will let me know if there's something that I really do need to be afraid of - and I now know I will be able to take action to protect myself accordingly.
I haven't felt this good in quite awhile, and I'm truly grateful to Gavin DeCker for this "gift" - the gift of the ability to live my life now without fear.
A Gift of Fear.......2007-10-01
This book was recommended by a presenter at a statewide safety conference in Missouri. I purchased and read the book. I believe that it will be very beneficial to our staff with regard to keeping their intuitive senses sharp. School violence is a topic of critical importance. Our district purchased enough copies to provide every staff person with their own copy. Mr. de Becker uses his experiences to tell us how to keep our senses sharp. I recently conducted a professional development session using his book as background information.
Trust Your Instincts!.......2007-09-25
Gavin de Becker has written an excellent book on intuition and how it can help you stay safe. This is simply the best book on this topic. This book describes ways to listen to those small messages. The author uses numerous real incidents to illustrate the principles he discusses. If you are looking for a comprehensive self-defense book, this is not it, but if you are looking for a definitive study of intuition and how it can help keep you safe - then this is the book!!
Recommended reading.......2007-09-25
This book is 400 pages full of informations about you and how others perceive the world around you.
Good that the author goes deep into the issue, quoting also Robert Hare's precious work:
"The ability to act in spite of conscience or empathy is one characteristic associated with psychopaths. Robert D. Hare's insightful book 'Without Conscience' identifies several other features. Such people are: - Glib and superficial - Egocentric and grandiose - Lacking remorse or guilt - Deceitful and manipulative - Impulsive - In the need of excitement - Lacking responsibility - Emotionally shallow. Many errors in predicting behavior come from the belief that others will perceive things as we do. The psychopath described above will not."
And there are so many examples out there, from burglars to politicians and right into your TV set, every day.
Book Description
'Outwardly bossy and vain, inwardly insecure and vulnerable, Agatha grows more endearing with each installment.'-Cleveland Plain Dealer After being nearly killed by both a hired hit man and her former secretary, Agatha Raisin could use some low-key cases. So when Robert Smedley walks through the door, determined to prove that his wife is cheating, Raisin In-vestigations immediately offers to help. Trouble is, Agatha hates divorce cases-especially when she's been hired by a pompous jerk like Smedley-but she has a business to run now and she's not about to turn away a paying client.
Customer Reviews:
Agatha's Detective Agency Deepens Its Capabilities.......2007-10-03
Although this is the 16th mystery in the Agatha Raisin series, you could enjoy this book as a stand-alone if you don't want to go back. Of those earlier books, I do especially recommend the first one, Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death.
Agatha Raisin had a rough start to her detective agency in The Deadly Dance. She learned she didn't really know all that much about detecting, that getting and keeping good help are hard, and that the police don't like amateur detectives who set up agencies any more than they like amateur detectives.
As The Perfect Paragon opens, the detective business is operating more smmothly . . . if only there were more business to operate. The money is in divorces, but Agatha has tried to avoid those cases due to having been recently divorced. But when business is slow, she agrees to check on Robert Smedley's wife, Mabel, who has shown an unusual (for her) tendency to act independently of her husband. Who is she buying those new clothes for? At the same time, Agatha has the usual run of missing teenagers and dogs where she normally makes good progress.
Agatha's agency soon makes a hash of the Smedley assignment, and after that she's off the case for other reasons. When a missing teenager turns out to be a murder victim, the obvious suspects seem to be unlikely killers, and Agatha is at a loss to figure out what happened . . . until Mrs. Bloxby gives her a hint as to motive. Before the story is over, crimes are spilling out in all directions.
Agatha adds a new staff member who brings some pizzazz to Agatha's investigations, and Agatha gets occasional help from her old detective partner, Sir Charles Fraith. Being as insensitive as ever to others, she virtually destroys her relationship with Bill Wong in the process of trying to find the killer and accept Bill's hospitality.
The story has a few weaknesses that are unfortunate: The investigation is turned into more of a circus than is really needed to make a good story, agency people make more dumb mistakes than seem likely, and there are a few too many coincidences in how the key facts are turned up.
The actual mystery is better developed and hidden than in many earlier books. And Agatha mostly avoids being her most annoying self.
I think these detective-agency cases will be the saving of this series, even though M. C. Beaton couldn't resist having Agatha fall for yet another handsome man.
Consider all the circumstances if you want to get at the truth!
Have you heard from Agatha lately?.......2007-04-03
This latest (16th) entry into the long running Agatha Raisin series opens as Agatha is seeking advice from her friend, the vicar's wife, about her new detective agency. Business is slow and Agatha is having doubts about the whole thing. She is surprised when the advice she is given is not to scale back but rather to hire a new employee. Reluctantly Agatha agrees and soon finds herself with more cases, and staff than she had ever imagined. She is even working with the local police! And being Agatha there is a new romance on the horizon.
Authors of series novels are faced with some difficult choices. Should their main character age as the series progress or stay the same? How many murders can a person just stumble on to? If the author chooses not to age the character then how to keep the series fresh? Criticisms begin about the stories becoming boring, formulistic etc. If the character does age or change in anyway the complaints are that he/she is not the same. In my opinion Beaton has reached a happy compromise with Agatha who ages slightly with each novel and her personality also matures slightly as time goes on. In the later books Agatha is beginning to realize that she must consider other people's feelings, that the traits that brought her success in the London business world are not serving her well in a small village. To solve the problem of how many bodies Agatha could just happen on to, Beaton has had Agatha open a detective agency so the mysteries will be able to present themselves in a more straightforward manner.
These books could be read and enjoyed in any order but due to the on-going story arc of Agatha's personal life it would be better to read them in order.
Going downhill...such a shame.......2007-03-23
Alas, I don't refer to our Agatha's arthritic hip or thickening waist, but to the series. I have delighted in reading Agatha's adventures. Have rolled my eyes at her vanity, shaken my head at her desperation, sympathized with her worries, admired her courage and been completely captivated. The characters, in general, became as familiar and as loved. Roy, Bill, Charles and Mrs. Bloxby, even Miss Simms, all have very human strengths and flaws.
Unfortunately, this latest entry begs comparison with Lilian Braun's "The Cat Who..." series in which the books became carbon copies of each other, progressively blurrier. I must agree wtih the reviewer who commented that the characters were too good to be true and poorly developed, that guesses turned out to be facts and obstacles were too easily overcome. The book was too brief and felt hurried and formulaic, as if Ms. Beaton was under pressure to throw something together quickly.
I'm glad to see Agatha growing, changing and, for that matter, aging. It would simply be too frustrating if she didn't. I'd be content to accompany her on her adventures whether she remains single or enters into marriage. (Although I usually wanted to box James Lacey's ears) What I can't bear is to see is Agatha and the village of Carsely degenerate into the mystery genre's version of fast food, i.e., flavorless, empty and simply there to fill space. I sincerely hope for better things in the next installments.
My 2 Cents Worth.......2007-02-03
I just finished this book, the last of the series (except for the new one in hardback) and am going through withdrawal symptoms. I have read the series straight through and have developed a soft spot for the irrascible Agatha Raisin. While Agatha's going pro is an inevitable progression of the series, I don't like the dissipation caused by too many characters. Other changes are evident in this book. Agatha now cooperates with the police (most of the time) and the police sometimes give her tips. This is the first book where Agatha herself is not in personal danger. Her character has softened somewhat and she's now just understanding the meaning of friendship, which requires giving as well as taking. She's still vain and men obsessed, but doesn't get much satisfaction in this book. Because of that, a melancholy mood has settled over her and she fears loneliness and old age. Speaking of age, the author is going to have to age Agatha a bit. How many years can she spend in her "early 50s"? I love this series and can't wait for the new book to come out in paperback. In the meantime, I'll give the Hamish McBeth series a try.
The Perfect Paragon.......2006-08-05
I have always loved Agatha Raisin. As a matter of fact I got my mother and sister hooked on her also. I was very disappointed in this book. Agatha has lost her spark and fiesty disposition. She needs to drop the detective agency as it makes the story too scattered. Even the love interest fizzled before any fire started. Hope the next one is a gem!
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