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Book reviews for "Bocock,_Robert_James" sorted by average review score:

The Tai Chi Book: Refining and Enjoying a Lifetime of Practice (Ymaa Book Series, 32.)
Published in Paperback by YMAA Publications (October, 1998)
Authors: Robert Chuckrow, Harvey I. Sober, and James C. O'Leary
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The Tai Chi Book: Clear directions
I teach a philosophy of Mind and Body course and my students will use this as the text for the Tai Chi class they must take as a co-requisite for my philosophy course. The author, a Ph.D. in physics, offers clear examples of what Tai Chi looks like but wisely refraines from trying to teach a full course in Tai Chi. He offers a sustained discussion of the philosophy behind Tai Chi, what it is and what it is not. It is not exciting reading but purposeful and organized. It will prove helpful for my students and anyone wishing an introduction to Tai Chi.

THE tai chi book!
This is THE book. It's absolutely fantastic. I have read many books on Tai Chi, and own quite a few, but this is the one I am always coming back to, again and again. When practicing Tai Chi, when reading other books on the subject, and sometimes even in the shower after a day's practice, Robert Chuckrow's words come back into my mind, broadening and deepening my understanding of this great art. Many books claim to present Tai Chi Chuan in a manner "accessible to Westerners", but only this one truly delivers. Dr. Chuckrow's presentation is sober, encompassing, and respectful of the philosophy of Tai Chi Chuan. He is open-minded and fair, despite the fact that some of his experience are beyond his ability to explain. A Doctor of Physics and a Tai Chi instructor, Robert Chuckrow truly finds new ways to elucidate stances, double-weighting, and alignment, and never in all the book does he cease to be a person one can relate to, just another Tai Chi player sharing his (vast) experiences for the reader's benefit. The chapter on being a student is the jewel of the book. It really gives the reader pointers and references for actual, everyday relating to a teacher. It helps the reader understand his/her own practice from a broader, more realistic perspective. I strongly recommend this book to everyone who already practices Tai Chi and to all who are wondering if Tai Chi is for them. It is a rare pleasure to find, among the many books on this subject, one which is so well-balanced, down-to-earth, and complete.

Answers to the questions you always wanted to ask...
Detailed descriptions of concepts and terms and explanations of difficult concepts are what set this book apart from other T'ai Chi books. The author has researched thoroughly and writes well and clearly. Covers among other subjects, breathing, stances, eating, alignment, ch'i, warm ups, stretching, how to be a good student as well as push hands and the CMC form. This is not an all inclusive list. I would place this near the top of the list of internal martial arts books. This could easily function as a textbook for a college course on T'ai Chi. I don't agree with everything in it, but I could always be wrong. :) Buy it, you won't be sorry.


The Revised Nomenclature for Museum Cataloging: A Revised and Expanded Version of Robert G. Chenhall's System for Classifying Man-Made Objects (American Association for State and Local History Book Series)
Published in Hardcover by Altamira Pr (06 October, 1995)
Authors: James R. Blackaby, Patricia Greeno, the Nomenclature Committee, and Nomenclature Committee
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Needs an update
As a museum cataloger, I've now worked with Chenhall's system in several contexts, and on both 19th and 20th century museum collections. The system is great for the former (especially with its specialized vocabulary for wood, metal, and agricultural tools) but needs an update to be more useful for the latter. I used to work on the Park Service's Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collection, and we found ourselves inventing new terms frequently (although we were still able to use the item-purpose taxonomy).

History Museums Would Be Lost Without This Book
When I started in the museum field over seven years ago, I initially found Nomenclature confusing and cumbersome. Now that I have cataloged thousands of objects using the system, I can think of no other way. To catalog for five different institutions using Nomenclature allowed for continuity and opened my mind to new terms and classifications. Science and history, in essence, meet.


The Last Detective
Published in Audio CD by Brilliance Audio (18 February, 2003)
Authors: Robert Crais and James Daniels
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Elvis Cole is back again!
The return of Elvis Cole is well worth the wait. Robert Crais moves Elvis right into action during the first chapter. He is caring for his girlfriend's son and in just one moment the boy disappears. The ensuing search for the boy centers upon's Elvis's Vietnam memories, and a box hidden in his closet that contains medals and pictures. This is not a mystery solved easily- lots of turns and tangles. Old nemesis and the return of Carol Stanger from a previous novel keep this storyline fresh and right on the edge of your seat. Action and deep thought are all a part of the story. Elvis digs deep to keep his relationship with the boy's mom on an even keel, but this may be
the last chance that won't work out. The return of Det. Stanger
gives us renewed hope that she will be part of Elvis Cole's next
case and maybe a new romance...

A one sitting page-turner!
Private investigator Elvis Cole and his longtime girlfriend Lucy Chenier are having a tough time making their relationship work. Lucy left her life in Louisiana to be with Elvis in Los Angeles even though she knew the transition would be a hard one, especially for her ten year-old son Ben, but she never dreamed the violence of the city would touch her.

While Lucy is away on business, Elvis is left in charge of Ben, and after a week of quality bonding time, Ben disappears without a trace. Confused as to what has happened, Elvis believes the boy ran away, until a mysterious phone call explains a much more sinister scenario...

The caller states that he has the boy and it's payback for what Elvis has done.

Now with the help of his partner Joe Pike and LAPD Detective Carol Starkey, Elvis must race the clock to save Ben and the key to doing this is a long buried secret from his past.

The highly anticipated 'The Last Detective' is easily the best novel yet from Robert Crais, and that's saying a lot! From page one I was held captive by the gripping plot, well drawn characters and shocking twists. Readers of the previous Cole novels will see this as his best outing, and fans of 'Demolition Angel' will welcome the appearance of Carol Starkey.

Robert Crais is one of our finest writers of suspense fiction, and with each new novel he gets better and better. With a writing style that is sharp and smooth, pacing that is pitch perfect and plots so tight and suspenseful, Crais creates novels that are intense reading experiences.

Expect to see 'The Last Detective' on all the bestseller lists. This truly is a MUST read page-turner, one that I finished in one sitting.

Nick Gonnella

Worth the wait!!!
It was worth the four-year wait for Elvis Cole to return in "The Last Detective" by Robert Crais. I read it in less than 24 hours.

The plot catapults at a relentless pace. Down-to-earth, practical detective work is what solves the crime in this ticking clock child kidnapping. Since the child is the son of Elvis Cole's girl friend, the hunt is both personal and professional'and therefore all the more chilling,

The point of view switches between the characters (Elvis is in the first person) and is smooth as silk and most engaging.

The reader learns the clues as they unfold for Elvis, going thru the stages of frustration to hope to possibility to solution with Elvis and his archangel Joe Pike.

The supporting cast, especially Carol Starkey (from "Demolition Angel") is outstanding.

We learn a lot of Elvis' past via flashbacks that propel the plot. The scene from his Vietnam days is as intense as any I have read.

It is a compelling novel that truly showcases depth of Robert Crais as a writer.

Highly recommended.


Kiss the Girls
Published in Audio Cassette by Time Warner Audio Books (February, 1995)
Authors: James Patterson, Robert Guillaume, and Chris Noth
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Compelling pace but a flimsy mystery
This was a fun read, and I probably set a personal speed record for finishing. The short chapters do give the narrative an urgent, propulsive feel. I also found the main characters reasonably engaging, and cared what happened to them - Kate especially. But there are major plausibility issues. Why the hell isn't Kate under police protection when she returns to the house? Note that the movie scripters apparently couldn't swallow this either and had to correct it. I hadn't picked up on Kate's changing eye colors - that's just hilarious.

Also, I found the identity of Casanova very unsatisfying. For an ironic twist to work, you have to first get to know the culprit in a semi-sympathetic and trusting light. Ruskin was practically an unknown quantity to the reader, and learning his true nature had no more dramatic impact than if it had been any other of the several cops we barely met. Patterson doesn't even bother to explain the alibis which supposedly cleared him as a suspect in the first place.

Lastly, enough with the italics! I don't need to be told how to read the inflections in every paragraph. Maybe they were intended as stage directions for the book-on-tape.

Need a Buddy For This One
After seeing the movie first, I definitely see why some portions were left out. I can honestly say that Patterson scared me. I would not read this book if you live alone, as the scare factor is too high. Even after seeing the movie I was skeptical of my guesses at the killer. I thought that the identification of the killer was dragged out too long and could have been completed shortly after Cross discovers the house. Certainly the history behind the main character's life work is more complete in the book. It makes more sense as to why Casanova chooses Naomi after Cross's involvement in another high profile murder case earlier in his career. The survived victim, Kate McTiernan, is an excellent female character that the reader instantly gains respect and admiration for. Cross and McTiernan are an unlikely pair matched to find the killers. While they complemented each other well in the search efforts, the romantic interludes while they are attempting to capture him were not very appealing. The reader is left hanging at the end as you wonder what happens to both of the main characters and whether they ever find that someone to hang onto. Casanova is a very smart and patient killer who's fantasies are incredibly thought out and equally as horrifying. The most disturbing part of this villain is that he blends in so well with the rest of society and can put on such masks. I loved the short yet poignant chapters and would recommend this read to preempt the movie, as long as your sweetheart is just a yell away in the next room.

WOW
Wow, WHAT a book! *Kiss The Girls* is an easy read and a definite page turner. The chapters are unbelievably short (approx. three pages)and you find yourself saying, "Okay, well just one more chapter before I go to bed" and before you know it it's WAY past your bedtime.

The author intentionally mentions things in earlier chapters knowing they will trigger a reader's memory later in the book. I found myself flipping back through earlier chapters to re-read a character's physical description, job title or how they treated the lead character.

Yes, I agree with other reviewers that the way the "two big breaks" in the case were just GIVEN to them, which was kind of lame and why no one would bother giving police protection to the ONE witness in a multi-state crime spree. What is really a shame, however, is the graphic nature of the book, including violence and pornography which would make me think twice before recommending this book to a friend. It's one thing to say "violent sex acts." But quite another to describe them! I told a friend about this thrilling book I am reading and she wants to read it but after finishing it, and knowing her moral views, she would be horrified at the snake "scene" and the repeated "tick c***" phrase (if you read it, you know what that is).

As for me though, I WILL be reading this author's other books!


The Hollywood Book of Death : The Bizarre, Often Sordid, Passings of More than 125 American Movie and TV Idols
Published in Paperback by McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books (29 October, 2001)
Author: James Robert Parish
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Not as Bizarre and Sordid as it claims
The Hollywood Book of Death is heavily padded with excruciating background that seems lifted from allmovie.com. Strangely, many of the dead actor's best work or more interesting aspects of their life are left out. Author James Robert Parish slummed writing this book. Half the book is dedicated to death by natural causes (yawn), while the Murdered, Drugs, Accidents and Suicide sections are stunningly short. I could name another dozen actors to add to each of those categories.

Hollywood Book of Death is okay if you are a novice to such trivia.

HOLLYWOOD BOOK OF DEATH
I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK. IT IS A FASCINATING LOOK AT HOLLYWOOD OLD AND NEW. IT PROVIDES A LOOK AT MANY WHO DIED BEFORE THEIR TIMES. EVEN PEOPLE I WAS ONLY BARELY FAMILIAR WITH MADE FOR INTERESTING READING. IT SEEMS TO BE VERY WELL RESEARCHED. I ESPECIALLY LIKED THE SECTION WHICH LISTS MANY CEMETARIES AND THOSE WHO ARE BURIED THERE. IT IS WELL ILLUSTRATED AND COMPLETELY READABLE.

It's About Their Lives & Deaths
For film buffs or those into the Hollywood/movie industry, or the casual observer who grew up with a television set in their home. Providing 100 years of Hollywood/LA and the actresses and actors that used to be.

As people have many ways of departing this world, the author broke chapters into the way in which they exited: natural, homicide, drugs & alcohol, puzzling (unexplained), suicide, and accidents i.e. This is not about death per se but even moreso of the life and career of these people. In addition to 125 people, hundreds of movie titles are listed. It's not gloomy or morose. One can learn more about recent and long-past actors/actresses and their works here. It's an easy informative read.

Those into movies are aware of likes of Jane Mansfield and Sal Mineo, but additional coverage into a hundred of others tie old and new Hollywood together back to the beginning of the 1900s. Strait-to-the-point insights into their professional and private lives, and street addresses of Hollywood and Los Angeles are presented where the end came for these folks. You can find where they are buried as well. From this book you can take a ride or stroll through the Hollywood area and know more of what happened and where in the past.

What became of Alfalfa from "The Little Rascals" and hundreds of others you've heard of. You can find out here.


Double Star
Published in Audio CD by Blackstone Audiobooks (April, 2000)
Authors: Robert A. Heinlein and Lloyd James
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Enjoyable, but too much politics.
In this short novel Heinlein tells the story (in first person) of Lorenzo Smythe, a man of the stage, as he stumbles upon the role of a lifetime in a bar over drinks with a pilot. Lorenzo quickly finds himself embroiled in caper too far to turn back from and eventually becomes involved in a political coverup that is way over his head.

For the most part I enjoyed Double Star. It started out light and comical, but eventually lost those two elements the more we learn about the political situation...and the more Lorenzo sinks into his role playing a double. Now that I look back there is very little science fiction involved in this book other than trips to Mars and the Moon. Beyond that it is a novel that focuses on politics, acting, and the theatre. There are many references to Shakespeare; elements of which are the main plot of this book (deception and disguise). Not being a fan of politics in general, I thought the heavy political aspects eventually pulled the book down. But that's just my view. There are many people who enjoy this type of narrative. I wish Heinlein would have maintained the light and fun tone throughout. Regardless, it was an enjoyable read on my trek through the Hugo & Nebula winners.

Just entertaining
I know that Robert Heinlein is one of the masters of sci fi, and I know that this book won the Hugo award in 1957. I know that it is considered a classic, but for some reason it didn't strike me as anything great. Don't get me wrong, it is definitely entertaining. In fact, if Hollywood is looking for a good story, this book would make a great movie. But as literature I just found it a little uninspired. Maybe I was expecting something else. But if you just want a good read and are just looking for entertainment I am sure you'll enjoy the book. If you like your sci fi with a little more depth, try "Stranger in a Strange Land" or one of Heinlein's other books

The actor becomes his charachter
This is a book which I took a while getting around to read. For some reason the subject matter, combined with the cheesy cover picture just didn't do anything for me. However, since I'm on a current mission to read everything I can find by R.A. Heinlein I picked it up to read. It was better than I was expecting.

An actor is tricked into accepting an unlikely assignment. Since he's out of work, and a bit desperate to do something he takes the job, and soon finds himself wishing he hadn't. He is to take the place of a very public political figure. In what comes to be the most challenging acting job of his life, he pulls the job off with flying colors. Through his study of the charachter he must incorperate a personality which goes against his own in many ways, and in some ways he finds it almost more than he can handle.

Through the course of his job, Lorenzo finds himself pushed further into playing his role, making dicisions, becoming this person. Like many novels by Heinlein, science fiction is merly the genre which allows situations to take place which otherwise could not....allows a normal guy to be faced with abnormal situations, and to grow because of this. Because of this, his stories are not only highly entertaining, but introspective as well. Double star examines what makes a person who he is by showing what is involved in assimilating another person and portraying them. It shows how a person can make a consious choice to be who they want to be, and take on the nessicary responsibilities to become a more honorable person.

I would reccomend this, as well as a number of Heinlein's novels as tools for a person who is working to better themselves and examine thier role in life.


Hostage
Published in Audio Cassette by Brilliance Audio (07 August, 2001)
Authors: Robert Crais and James Daniels
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Taut, Tough, Crime Drama
No wasted words in this one. Crais grabs you by the throat in the first chapter, setting the stage with a hostage incident that went awry years earlier, and leading to Jeff Talley's voluntary retirement from the LAPD SWAT team to Chief of Police in a quiet southern California town. When a convenience store robbery in Talley's town goes bad, a new hostage situation develops, and a reluctant Talley is drawn back in to the fray.

While Crais' strength is tight plot development and rapid-fire action that keeps the pages turning, "Hostage" is also rich in character development. Talley, haunted by the bad decision that forced him from LA, is vulnerable but likeable, and believable in his flaws and foibles. Mars, one of the young punks central to the hostage situation, while perhaps predictable, is ominous and threatening in his sullen silence: a younger version of the big blond psycho thug in "Fargo" comes to mind. A family held hostage, the FBI, organized crime, small town cops: it all comes together and works much more successfully than any of the more popular suspense novels on the shelves today.

I found "Hostage" nearly impossible to put down. The central plot was expertly woven with a number of parallel sub-plots; the dialogue tight and realistic. Crais succeeds again in demonstrating why he is one of today's premier writers of the genre. Don't miss it!

Hold yourself Hostage
Do yourself a tremendous favor. If you already read the editorial reviews, sit the book aside, read something else and let the comments fade in your memory. Skip the dust jacket synopsis, it tells you more than, ultimately, you would have preferred to know. If you are a fan of Robert Crais' books, trust your instincts that he normally crafts a pretty good thriller and just pick the book. If this author is new to you, take a chance. It reads so quickly you have little time at risk. Generally speaking, an author does not reach mass market best seller status in this crowded genre without a significant amount of writing skill.

As with DEMOLITION ANGEL's Carol Starkey, the protagonist is a troubled soul seeking an escape route from job related stresses. Starkey wallowed in self-pity predicated on personal loss. Jeff Talley, the lead character in this book has a despondency based on prior failures to protect the security of others, although the standards he established may have been impossible to achieve. A confluence of circumstances forces him to back into the quagmire, under conditions in the worst of his nightmares, he could not have imagined.

The book is captivating, I couldn't put it down. Crais methodically reveals layer after layer of contingencies, pulling you deeper into the story, your concerns for the characters escalating page after page. Some of the characterizations could have been stronger, however, in this web of intrigue there are even antagonists who evoke sympathetic response.

Only will you be disappointed if you knew too much, much too soon.

Robert Crais gets even better.
This book doesn't even take time to warm up...it is white hot from page one. I started on a Saturday and finished the next evening.

"Hostage" ensnares you as a reader...and you cannot stop reading. Neither can you stop guessing who is part of the double and triple crosses that stalk the protagonist( Jeff Talley).

It's one crisis after another...each brought to conclusion in a believable fashion. Quick time decision making, who to trust, who to doubt, when to go against the book, when to take the daring chance...carry the experienced former LA SWAT leader thru an intense twenty-four hours.

The villains are particularly unlikable...and you know that there are a lot like them out there. These miscreants are very real. Mr. Crais fully develops them, and they are to be feared.

Talley gets help from a least likely ally...one of the hostages, a ten year old boy (Thomas) who rises to the occasion. Thomas shows the boundaries one can push in a life and death situation.

I cannot say if this is Mr. Crais' finest effort or not. His writing is that good. I have gotten so much pleasure from his body of work, and was thrilled to have a new one by him. I do think it is as good as anything I have read this year. I rank "Hostage" up there with Michael Connelly's "A Darkness More Than Night", Harlan Coben's "Tell No One" and Dennis Lehane's "Mystic River" from this year's releases thus far.

This could be a great movie, but don't know if I see Bruce Willis as Jeff Talley. It could just as easily be a case where the book is far better than the movie.

In either case I am glad I read the book. I will read it again.


Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories (Courage Classics)
Published in Hardcover by Courage Books (August, 1994)
Authors: Robert Louis Stevenson, Henry James, and G. K. Chesterton
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An Enjoyable Classic
Let me first echo the sentiments expressed by others and comment on what a beautiful edition the Univ of Nebraska Press has produced. The margins are indeed wide and the type very readable. This edition is easily held, the illustrations nicely complement the text and the binding is quite durable. The introduction by Joyce Carol Oates is helpful albeit pedantic. Also, those who've read the Univ of Calif Press edition of Frankenstein will notice some overlap between this introduction and the one that Ms. Oates wrote for that particular edition. Nonetheless, the introduction is valuable.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of those stories, like Frankenstein and Dracula, that seemingly everyone has heard of and believes they understand("mythopoetic " in the language of Joyce Carol Oates). Much like the aforementioned works, the actual details of the story may come as a surprise to those who assume they know the story based solely on the popular understanding. For that reason alone I think the book is worth reading.

Dr. Jekyll is a respected if somewhat reclusive London doctor who has, through the course of years of experimentation, managed to create a solution which brings to the fore his evil alter-ego. Unlike many gothic literary villains, Hyde is not imbued with superhuman strength or exceptional gifts of any kind. In fact he is of a smaller and less imposing stature than most men. What he does possess however is a complete lack of compunction with regards to others. Hyde for example ruthlessly runs down a small child who gets in his way. As is the case with Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll creates something that he can't control and which eventually destroys its creator.

The inhumanity that the fictional Hyde displays can be seen in the non-fictious world on a daily basis. As such, there is a realism to the story which is missing from many horror stories past and present. The fact that such a short and captivating work exists in an attractively packaged edition makes this one classic that will be a joy to read for all.

The strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a clasic so, naturaly, I had high expectations. I certainly was not let down. It has a totally unique style with much detail and extensive writing. Yet, this novel is a very quickly read novel, unlike other excessively detailed books like Dracula. This book is not boring. This book is fun. It doesn't ruin the plot with too much detail like other books. Other fantasy books are usually not even close to realistic. Whereas Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is close to being conceived realistic. This book has a general morbid feeling to it where other fantasies are sometimes cheerful and happy. Robert Louis Stevenson is a realy good writer in my opinion.
He uses a very wide range of vocabulary. Stevenson uses many 19th Century terms that seem weird and different to me.
One thing bad about his writing is his punctuation. He uses way too many semicolons and comas. He makes one sentence out of six or seven sentences.
This book was not the best book I ever read, but was not the worst either. it was mediocre. however It was miles ahead of Dracula. Dracula is boring, whereas Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is fast paced, quick, and fun to read. its pritty morbid which is kind of a down side, but Since it is very short it is a good book on my list.

beautiful edition of classic story
The University of Nebraska Press edition of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is beautiful! The illustrations by Barry Moser, woodcuts that progress chronologically through Dr. Jekyll's life as it is described in hints throughout Robert Louis Stevenson's story, are atmospheric and evocative; a picture of a boy being guided by his father, for example, echoes Dr. Jekyll's comments that he has a "fatherly" interest in his alter-ego, Hyde, while Hyde has a son's "indifference" to the father; the cover illustration is a portrait of Dr. Jekyll's father destroyed by Mr. Hyde on a rampage.

Joyce Carol Oates's introduction is worthwhile, especially for those readers who know the story, as most English-speaking people do, in its basic framework, but who have not yet actually traveled the dark road with Dr. Jekyll and his friends.

It is a pleasure to read a classic book in such a carefully crafted edition. Too often books such as this are printed in cheap editions with narrow margins and lousy type; this one fits comfortably in the hand and is easy on the eye as the reader is drawn into this allegorical nightmare.

This review refers to the University of Nebraska Press edition only.


Midnight Bayou
Published in Audio Cassette by Brilliance Audio (15 October, 2001)
Authors: Nora Roberts, James Daniels, and Sandra Burr
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This book is Fantastic
Midnight Bayou
Nora Roberts

Declan Fitzgerald leaves his job as a Boston lawyer to buy a house--Manet Hall--that he first discovered in New Orleans 11 years ago. The house hasn't been lived in for some time and needs renovation. Declan finds his joy in restoring the old mansion. There's a sad history to the mansion, however, and Declan begins to experience strange dreams and starts sleepwalking. He finds himself terrified to enter one of the rooms on the third floor. Declan meets Lena, the owner of a small bar in down town New Orleans. He is immediately attracted to her and thinks, "at last" the first time he sees her. Lena and Declan are both linked to the history of Manet Hall as well as to each other. Lena's grandmother lives behind Manet Hall and Declan befriends her. She is a wonderful character. Declan has a terrific personality and sense of humor. This is definitely one of my favorite Nora Robert's books. Being interested in reincarnation and past lives added to the flavor. I must admit I was surprised when I discovered what the subject of the book was but I think Ms. Roberts handled it in a believable manner. Definitely a keeper.

Ghosts and Romance in the Bayou
I have read almost everything Nora Roberts has written. I buy her books as soon as they hit the bookshelves, and Midnight Bayou was no exception. Sometimes I am less than thrilled by her work, but for the most part, I think an "inferior" Nora Roberts book is better than most romance books out there. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The male lead was, for me, the most lovable and enjoyable of all her male characters to date. He was intelligent, sensitive, but macho, thoughtful, incredibly witty and, of course, rich and handsome. Once of the reasons I read romance novels is to escape to a fantasy world for a little while, and what a great time I had reading about this "too good to be true" guy! The female lead was not so likable, at times, but I really enjoyed their interactions. The dialogue was funny, and the supporting characters were almost as enjoyable as the leads. The flashbacks to the past, although dark, were absorbing. I've always liked ghost stories. And, since I did not grow up in Louisianna, and didn't know that her descriptions weren't accurate, I thought they were fun and charming. The only complaint I have is that I did think the ending was a little anticlimactic. I was expecting more at the end--what that was, I don't know, but something...Despite this, I give this book 5 stars!

Excellent romance
Declan Fitzgerald has a thriving law practice and is getting married in three weeks when he realizes he isn't leading the life he wants to live. He ends the engagement, calls off the wedding and moves to dilapidated Louisiana mansion, Manet Hall. Not to long after he moves into his new home, he meets Angelina and deeply falls into real love.

The besotted Declan is determined to marry Lena and he wages a one-man battle to wear down her formidable resistance. Lena is fighting her attraction to Declan for all she's worth because they are replaying the events that happened a hundred years ago to the original owners of Manet Hall, hopefully with happier results.

Nora Roberts has written a beautiful romance centering on a couple who have been reincarnated to fix what went wrong in their previous life together. A haunted house, complete with ghosts, seems genuine when placed in Ms. Roberts' story line. The fast paced, action oriented plot is heading for the best sellers lists as MIDNIGHT BAYOU looks to be an award winner.

Harriet Klausner


Steinbeck's the Grapes of Wrath (Cliffs Notes)
Published in Paperback by Cliffs Notes (September, 1988)
Authors: James L. Roberts and G. Carey
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The book sucked, but the messege behind it was good.
I had to read this book over the summer for a class, and I kept reading it a chapter at a time every other week. It was sooooo boring. But then I had to read the remaining 450 pages in three days at the end of this month. I still think the book bit, but come on, these people had nothing and they still found ways to help each other. All of the migrant workers in this book did as much as they could for each other. Even as disgusting as the ending was, it was simplly showing that even when you have nothing (the poor girl didn't even have any clothes) you can still help those who have less. And this book was real. This happended to thousands of people in this country. Our grandparents and greatgrandparents. As lame as it sounds, this book was actually kind of touching. However, I still hate John Stienbeck's writing style.

The Grapes of Wrath- A masterpiece
I wrote this review because I was severly angered by the reviews that were previously written. This book may have been boring to those who are un-compassionate or ignorant. This is a brilliant portrayl of life when the deppression hit, John Steinbeck knows people, he knows how they think. The ending made me cry because it was so desperate and deep. For those who didn't understand it, I suggest an "I-can-read" book.Those "Children" have no idea what they are talking about. I am a teenager myself and am sad to see that these ignorant fools are our future. The Grapes of Wrath is about a family and it's struggles to survive. This book is about compassion, racism, and the troubles that can bring people together or shove them apart.

wow
This book helped me save time and still gave all the information I needed for my paper! I love this book!


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