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Book reviews for "Davenport,_John" sorted by average review score:

Cheating Death: Combat Air Rescues in Vietnam and Laos
Published in Hardcover by Smithsonian Institution Press (01 February, 2003)
Author: George J. Marrett
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John Sandford Prey Books
I love all the John Sanford Prey Books. They keep you reading and on the edge of your seat, Lucas Davenport is someone I would want on my side.

I'm collecting all the hard backs, and love to get the three in one books.

How can you go wrong?
Excellent purchase, spent days reading about Davenport and crew. You can't co wrong purchasing this collection, genually entertaining and well worth the price.

Great books at a great price
Major John Sanford fan - so far in the "Prey" series, I would have to say that "Mind Prey" was by far the most suspenseful and enjoyable of the books. John Sanford keeps the pace going throughout the entire book (3-in-1 here). Wish there were more books printed with more than 1 story in it. Excellent bargain.


Ordinary Wisdom
Published in Paperback by Wisdom Publications (15 March, 2000)
Authors: Sakya Pandita, John T. Davenport, Sallie D. Davenport, and Sakya Khenpo Sangyay Tenzin
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A Most Useful Book of Wisdom
I cannot recommend this book enough. As a work of philosophy, it belongs up there with the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, the Dhammapada, anything by Plato, Balthazar Gracian, and the Book of Proverbs in the Bible. And like the Meditations or the Dhammapada, it can be applied to one's daily existence in truly important ways. It should be included in Philosophy courses in college or even High School courses if at all possible. Get this quote: 'These days negative karma is causing the entire environment to be filled with evil, and individuals are preoccupied with unwholesome influences. This produces deceptively attractive situations that are a mixture of good and bad, where words and actions contradict each other.' Britney Spears, are you listening?
This is a reference book for life.

An extraordinary contribution to Buddhist Studies.
Ably translated by John T. Davenport, Ordinary Wisdom: Sakya Pandita's Treasury Of Good Advice is a compendium of profound, down-to-earth, and practical Buddhist advice on the art of living, as pertinent today in the West as has been for many centuries past in the East. Sakya Pandita uses proverbs and stories to address the basic questions of human existence and purpose. His inspiration and advice are hallmarked with humor and grace as he comments on such universal issues as achievement and failure, anger and kindness, deceit and desire, intelligence and foolishness, wealth and wisdom. Ordinary Wisdom is an extraordinary contribution to the growing library of Buddhist literature available for the Western reader.


Baseball's Pennant Races: A Graphic View
Published in Hardcover by First Impressions Pub Co (1981)
Author: John Warner Davenport
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'Graphic View' is pennant race student's dream
John Warner Davenport's 1981 book "Baseball's Pennant Races: A Graphic View" presents a series of graphs showing every American and National League pennant race from 1901-1980. When you think of the nature of pennant races, from wild season-long battles between two or more teams to runaways by one dominant team, chances are the way these graphs look is the way you'd see those races in your mind.

For all of the marquee races during this span -- the 1908 chases in both leagues; the 1920 American League battle between the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees; the 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers-New York Giants tussle; the Philadelphia Phillies' 1964 collapse that created a heated four-team struggle; and others, Davenport gives us "close-up" graphs, that chronicle each day's scores over a period of one or more months. These closeups really give an insight into what was actually happening to these teams day by day, and in some cases, what effect teams outside the race were having on the final result.

In the regular, more broad-based graphs, we get a glimpse at interesting also-rans who were either on the rise -- like the Philadelphia Athletics of 1926-28, right before their domination of the American League over the following three seasons -- or on the way down. These are indicated by bolder lines in Davenport's graphs (as are the teams who won the race).

Perhaps the ideal combination would be this book's graphs and the pure numbers available in Neft and Cohen's "The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball." Having both books separately is good enough, however.

While on one level it's unfortunate that this book hasn't been updated, either by Davenport or someone else, for some people an update would only be valuable through 1993, in any case. After '93, the Wild Card was introduced, devaluing the pennant race for many observers. Of course, the real purists might point to 1968 as the last year of true pennant races (though neither was particularly close), coming on the eve of divisional play in 1969.

"Baseball's Pennant Races: A Graphic View" is a fine addition to any baseball fan's collection, its lack of updating notwithstanding.


Charmed Again
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Simon Pulse (20 February, 2002)
Author: Elizabeth Lenhard
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Three angels, or daimons, or maybe neutrinos
Three angels, or "daimons," or maybe neutrinos--who may also have been the Three Wise Men--"drop" into several of these stories via their steam balloon, the Jules Verne. They bring messages from the "Consiliarii," but who are they? A council of heavenly spirits? The Force? A code name for God? And what might their message be? Could it be as simple as "All you need is love"? Maybe. Davenport ranges from ancient Greece to a somewhat contemporary Denmark; from Christian theology and ancient philosophy to pubescent phallocentrism and drug overdose. "The Jules Verne Steam Balloon" is perplexing and enlightening, humorous and melancholy, and vibrant with life and the joy of living it. These stories move as only Davenport's fiction does, as full of "fact" as of "fiction," as full of life in the body and in the world as of philosophical discourse and natural science. And--oh,yes! be warned--accompanied by much doffing of undergarments.


The 100 Most Influential Women of All Time: A Ranking Past and Present
Published in Paperback by Citadel Pr (1998)
Author: Deborah G. Felder
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Reclaiming Kierkegaard from the "irrational."
It is easy to misunderstand such a subtle philosopher as Kierkegaard. From his cryptic style and pseudonymns creeps a message heavily veiled, and best understood by a select view. Both "existentialism" and "irrational" become easily misused buzz words far too often applied to Kierkegaard. This book argues that such has been the case with Alasdair MacIntyre in his book AFTER VIRTUE. Fortunately, those who seem most on the mark in their interpretations of Kierkegaard have been gathered here in this collection of essays defending Kierkegaard against MacIntyre's claims that Kierkegaard is an irrational fedeist. KIERKEGAARD AFTER MACINTYRE is a brilliant and responsible exposition of the depths and intricacies of "the father of existentialism" by, whom I believe to be, the most "well-versed" Kierkegaardian scholars. Most helpful in this book was the light it shed on the influence both Kant and Artistotle had on Kierkegaard's conception of the self and decision-making, and the importance of understanding what are Kierekgaard's thoughts through all the pseudonymity...especially when it comes to his writings on the Judge and the Aesthete in Either/Or.

The book is highly enjoyable with concise essays that make their points while citing the various passages of Kierkegaard. One can easily check their refences if one is skeptical of the context. And what I enjoyed most was the fairness of the book. MacIntyre himself ends the collection of essays, and has the last words in response to the book's claims that he has radically misunderstood Kierkegaard. A good read and a definite must for anyone who wants to stay on top of the issues at hand in Kierkegaardian scholarship.


Three Complete Novels: Silent Prey, Winter Prey, Night Prey
Published in Hardcover by Putnam Pub Group (1996)
Author: John Sandford
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Fourth. Fifth and Sixth in the Prey series
Silent Prey - I rated this book 3 stars. Lucas Davenport travels to New York to help capture the escapes murderer from Eyes of Prey (third in the series) and to help former a love interest weed out vigilante cops from the NYPD. This effort falls a little short in comparison to the other Prey novels, but it is very entertaining. And, yes, Lucas hooks up with another woman in this book too. Maybe he is irresistible.

Winter Prey - In his fifth Prey book, some local cops from a small community call upon Lucas Davenport to help solve the murder of a young couple. What he finds is a new love interest, in the form of an attractive medical examiner, and a ring of child molesters. Like Eyes of Prey, this book also has a suprise revelation that keeps you guessing until the end. I rated this book 4 stars.

Night Prey - I rated this book 5 stars. Lucas davenport finds his way back onto the Minneapolis police force as a political appointee. Now he has to team with a dying investigator from the BCA to catch a serial killer, who has escalated from one murder per year to a virtual killing spree. This book is also fulfilling if you have read the other Prey books, because Lucas' love life starts to stabilize, and we see him grow as a man in love.

Read these books, and keep reading the Prey series.

Suspense filled and hard to put down!
I have all the prey series and continue to be impressed with the details of Sandford's writing and scene-settings. Lucas Davenport is the best loved character I've encountered in any book! Is it possible to get the fourth book of the prey series in hardcover? I look forward to the next one!

What's beyond great? Any "Prey" series book!
Lucas Davenport is the hero for the 90's - and well into the next century!

And now for a public service message:

Want to feel safe tonight, don't make Lucas Davenport mad at you.


Football: Mysteries Revealed for the Feminine Fan: Understanding and Enjoying the Game
Published in Paperback by Joelle Pub (1995)
Author: Janet Benner
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A page turner to the power of 10!
I am in the process of reading #8 of 10 (so far) of the "Prey" series. I re-read the first 3 and have continued through the entire series. Mind Prey is #7 and by far the best yet. This story kept me locked in from the first pages. It has the hidden secrets, the "thing" Lucas Davenport just can't get ahold of, empathy for the victims, and surprises until the very end. Instead of "burning out" on the saga, I eagerly start the next book. WOW! What a storyteller is John Sandford!

Love the creativity of the Kidnapper, and of Davenport!!!!!
The third book ive read in the Prey series, and i loved it. None of them have disappointed me. Love the way Villian John Mail and Lucas Davenport kind of play games with eachother and have a battle of wits with eachother. Davenport using witty ideas to find where he is, lure him into traps, while Mail, mentally ill but very intelligent, uses his brain to dodge Davenports traps and tricks, but to send Davenport and his men into booby-traps of his own. The suspense was thrilling. I loved the irony of Davenport having fun with Mail, claustrophobic, in the end, after Mail got to have all the fun leading Davenport around through most of the book. I finished in three days only because school wasted my time, but every chance i could get my nose was buried in it. For a good thrill i would recommend this or any Sanford book in the Prey series.

Seventh in the Prey series
Lucas Davenport faces a new challenge in Mind Prey. He is not hunting a killer through clues left at a murder scene, but instead is trying to find a kidnapped family, who may still be alive.

Davenport's fame helps him out because the killer cannot help but call him and challenge him to a duel of wits. Lucas and his team must unravel clues given by the kidnapper, as well as decide who would profit the most from the families death.

If you have read the other Prey books, you will be happy to know that Lucas' love life is still cruising along in one-woman gear. I would also add a warning that, although Sandford does not describe the attacks in detail, the woman who is kidnapped is repeatedly raped and beaten. If that sort of thing disturbs you, you may want to skip this book.

Read this book, and keep reading the Prey series.


Before You Think Another Thought: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding How Your Thoughts and Beliefs Create Your Life
Published in Paperback by Hampton Roads Pub Co (1997)
Author: Bruce I. Doyle
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Great for kids who love hide and seek
My 18 month old nephew really enjoys this book. Of course, he loves anything related to peek-a-boo. I like that the teletubbies are so original (and less boring for me, particularly after a dozen consecutive viewings) compared to more generic children's characters such as Pooh and Disney.

Typical tubbie story
My 2 boys really like the tubbies and when they first saw their friends in this book they looked thrilled. The story is very simple and follows the story format of the show. "Hello" in the beginning, simple story about the tubbies favorite things-Tinky Winky saves the day by "finding" the missing favorite things, then the familiar "goodbye's". The pictures are large and clear. Simple concepts are covered like inbetween, behind,in front of, beside, high and low.

Teletubbies
Another favorite for my 15 m.o. teletubby fan


Celtic Designs and Motifs (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Published in Paperback by Dover Pubns (1991)
Author: Courtney Davis
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Davenport is amazing
This is the third Prey series book I'm reading and I believe I have hit the best one. I know I've become addicted to the series. It's hard to got to bed at night and just the book down! The dualism in Bekker and Cruze and their cooperation is a stroke of genius. Just out and out excellent storyline and characterization. The more I read about Davenport, the more I really enjoy reading about his life. I think he's a character who really appeals to men, judging from what I read here. But I as a women I find him a breath of fresh air from all other characters within the genre I've read so far (Scarpetta is too self-absorbed and self-congratulating; Alex Cross is fine, if a warm and fuzzy crime-fighting family man is your thing) But I just get a warm feeling reading about Davenport, his way with women, his dark humour, his style and realism. He's got a take-control, almost macho appeal combined with an intelligence and insight that we all wish we could come across in real life. Must admit I have a crush on him, just dying to read and re-read about his further adventures in the Twin Cities.

the ultimate
I was hooked from my very first prey book.I have read them all and can't wait for the next one.I was dissapointed when i read them all and there were no more.I got so caught up in luca's life and need the next book to see if he gets married.He is a very likable character and gets you hooked from the start.It's hard not to like him.I need to read them again.I read only romance until lucas and didn't know i would like murder novels but he changed it all.now i read james patterson too.I couldn't put the books down and became part of them.a must .read the whole series if you read one.

Dont Look NOW
This book scared the hell out of me. It is another win for Sandford. Eyes of Prey will hook from the first page. It was a complete joy to read becuase it was a surpise with each tunn of the page. I have read all the Prey books and if you haven't you are missing one of the best characters in Lucas Davenport. Sandford know how to create a character that make you want to read more about him.


Mortal Prey
Published in Paperback by Chivers (2002)
Author: John Sandford
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Good, but not the best
I liked this book, though, as a die hard Prey fan, I would not rate it among the better books in the series, like "Mind Prey." This novel finds Davenport once again tracking down Clara Rinker, the female contract killer from "Certain Prey." While living in retirement with her new boyfriend in Cancun, Rinker loses both him and her unborn child to an assassin's bullet meant for her. Believing the failed attempt on her life to be the work of her former employers, who would rather not take the chance of her turning them over to the FBI, Rinker embarks on a mission to kill the four men she believes were involved. Lucas is recruited by the FBI to help in the search for Rinker. This book was, in my mind, one of those books that you can't tell whether you like or dislike. It had some very good elements, but some parts just didn't work well. I really enjoyed seeing Rinker going after her former bosses, and I thought it was a unique twist for Sandford to leave the audience sympathizing with the villain, a rarity in his books. Other parts left me scoffing, such as the FBI enlisting Davenport to help them. It's very typical of Sandford to make the FBI look like morons, and I didn't see any reason why they needed Lucas, who had only met Rinker twice before and had failed to catch her even then. It was a poor excuse to get him involved in the pursuit. All in all, if you're a Prey fan, I urge you to read this, though I don't see it as one of the "classics."

Perfect beach chair thriller!
The best thrillers are the ones where you are both cheering for the cops and the villain. Clara Rinker is an assassin with a very personal and sympathetic mission. She is clever, cold, and sophisticated. She is out for revenge for the killing of her true love and their unborn child. Her goal is to eliminate four mob bosses. Lucas Davenport, the hero of the series, is part of an FBI "study group" out to stop her. She is smart but vulnerable, but he is equal to the task without being omniscient.

Like his other novels, Sandford makes the reader feel like they are really part of a police investigation---all the good bits, without the boring police procedural parts. The story and the writing is perfect for reading. One could almost see a screen play, but so much of the story goes on around the moves of the main characters that any picture inside the reader's head seems more vivid than what can possibly be portrayed on screen. His style and the action is tight, gripping, and easy to follow.

The ending is predictable, but it is so cynical and in line with the tone of the novel and the rest of the series---it is so real---that it leaves the reader feeling very satisfied and wanting more.

The writer just gets better and better. Can't wait for his next story.

Reunited!
Ever since I read my first John Sandford novel ("Eyes of Prey" as I recall) I have been hooked. Each time I finish one, I can't wait for the next "Prey" book to be released, because I know I will be in for a non-stop pleasure read for a day or two.

Lucas Davenport, the protagonist of all the Prey novels, is a Minneapolis cop who has moved up the ranks, but nonetheless is at his best on the hard streets of crime-- especially solving bizarre murders and bringing the criminals to justice.

In "Mortal Prey," Davenport is called upon as a resource by the FBI to try to stop hit-woman Clara Rinker's rampage of murderous revenge on the Kansas City mobsters who put her in the wet-work assassin for hire business in the first place. Rinker is a memorable character from the earlier novel "Certain Prey", who is a rare type of villain for whom the reader gains both respect and a certain rooting interest. The reader almost hopes that Davenport will fail in his quest to apprehend Rinker and put a stop to her killing spree. And the reader gets his wish -- almost. Will Rinker reunite with Davenport at his wedding to long-time love interest Weather? If so, will the wedding be ruined?

In "Mortal Prey", Sandford has written yet another outstanding thriller. How come Davenport has not become a movie hero?


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