Pretty good. It's near Valentine's Day and everybody's in love. Even Janice Riker. Like the other ones though Rob always gets in trouble by listening to Soup. (By the way, did you know that Rob has the exact name as the author?)

I thought that Soup on Ice was a good book but there were some parts that got really boring. But overall I liked the book. I thought the beggining was good, middle was boring, and the end was fun. I liked the beggining when Soup made Rob shovel and was acting like he was a shoveling coach. The middle was kind of boring but I liked when they sang songs together. I liked the end when Soup, Rob, and Mr.Dubinski were on the sleigh. I liked it when they ran in to the Christmas tree, I thought that was funny. This book is good and it's one of those you don't want to put it down. I liked this book and would recomand it.

Robinson Crusoe is the perfect treat for the wilderness lover. The novel takes the reader on a journey through many hardships that the main character encounters in order to display just how trying nature can be. Almost every new day, Crusoe must find and develop a new survival tactic in order to stay alive. There are several reasons why one should engulf in reading this book.
Robinson Crusoe displays strength and incredible will to survive. This can be very inspiring to someone who does not have a lot of confidence in themselves. Crusoe has faith in himself and God, believing that he will be guided in the right direction. God plays a large role in his everyday life. Crusoe never was a religious man before he was stranded on the island, but he believed God had allowed him to be the sole survivor of the shipwreck for a reason and he owed it to God to be the best man that he could be.
Another reason to read this book is that it shows that one can do whatever they put their mind to. Crusoe worked long and hard to create things that will facilitate his survival and make things more convenient for himself. He creates a protective shelter, makes his own tools, baskets, and pots, and even grows and raises his own food.
This book will also get many people to realize just how good their lives actually are. Many, not all, of us have lives that are not threatened by wondering how we will get our next meal or if someone or something is out to hunt us down, but Crusoe must face these dilemmas and find ways to secure himself. The wonderful thing about this novel is that it shows how difficult these tasks can be, yet Crusoe does not give up and he pursues his goals until they are accomplished.
This novel can instigate someone to try something new that perhaps thay were uneasy about doing before. Robinson is faced with so many new surroundings at once, yet deals with them so well. If he would have panicked, he eventually would have starved to death. Instead, Crusoe thinks logically and pursues what is needed to survive.
Robinson Crusoe is an amazing adventure novel that explores the life of a very strong-willed man. The main character tells his own story and it is as if he is speaking directly to the reader, which makes it seem even more like reality. Daniel Defoe has written a great novel.

With Robinson Crusoe, Daniel DeFoe transformed liturature forever. In his time, the novel did not exist as we know it today. Through Robinson Crusoe, DeFoe helped created this genre that we love today. Many people judge this book by today's standards; however, DeFoe wrote this book long before today's novel completely developed. This book is not only great for its creativity as a new genre, but also is wonderful for its adventurous plot. If you've ever seen Gilligan's Island, read Jules Verne's Mysterious Island, or heard any stories about someone stranded on a desert island, you are just hearing another rehashed version of DeFoe's story.

As with many "classics," the story of Robinson Crusoe has been around for so many years that we're all familiar--we think--with Mr. Crusoe and his "man" Friday. But the story of the ill-fated Mr. Crusoe is more than just a story about a man who is stranded on a desert island, it is a story, like that of the biblical Jonah, of a man running from responsibility and destiny, who ultimately finds it in the most unlikely place--within himself. The book does contain some pretty graphic violence and archaic thoughts about slavery, but gives you a real taste of what life was like both in the "civilized" world and Crusoe's island kingdom. This edition (edited by Joe Wheeler)has beautiful reproductions of the original wood-cut illustrations and a comprehensive introduction that gives background into the life and times of Daniel Defoe. A must read!

There's not many classic books that are more well known than "The Swiss Family Robinson." A Swiss family is stranded on an uninhabited island and there doesn't seem to be any rescues that are lingering around the corner for many years. Soon the family is taming tons of new pets, fighting off animals such as anacondas and lions, and learning how to basically survive off the land the best they can. The Robinson family must keep an eye out for danger while also starting a whole new way of life for themselves.

I thought "The Swiss Family Robinson" was a spectacular adventure/survival book. You can say that the book is pretty much a long diary that is kept by the father of the family of everything that happens to them on the island. The book I read did have many references to God unlike some of the abridged editions. The only thing I didn't like about "The Swiss Family Robinson" is that when the family starts collecting and taming many animals that they find on the island, it gets a little tough to keep up with all the animals' names, but that wasn't bad enough to take anything away from the book for me.

I recommend anybody who likes survival or adventure books, especially if you like reading the classics, to get "The Swiss Family Robinson." I would recommend getting an unabridged version of the book if you can so you won't miss a word.

But let's be clear right up front. My 5-star rating of this book applies only to the original unabridged version in Johann Wyss' own words. The modernized versions are watered down, time-wasters for word wusses.

When I was nine years old I spent months struggling through this book for the first time. The old style language made for rough going, but I persevered. In the end I was rewarded with more than a classic tale marvelously told; I discovered a love of books and earned self-respect for tackling a tough read.

If I was a teacher whose task it was to introduce students to classic literature, I would skip Dickens and use this book. Kids love adventure, animals, and action. Swiss Family Robinson has it all. It's really a thriller disguised as a literary classic. All book lovers should read this one at least once.

And please don't watch the Disney movie and claim you've "been there, did that" on this story. The movie is totally different and in no way compares.

Never mind the film versions; the original unabridged Swiss Family Robinson is an exciting epic with a lot in it for the whole family.

Our third grade teacher read to us from this book every day and I could hardly wait for the next installment. Finally I got my own copy for a birthday gift, sat on the couch and read it cover to cover in one go. I still have this book, decades later.

From the opening, thrilling tempest scene to the very end and the "rescue", this book has plenty of action as well as creative solutions to problems. There is a lot of material for discussion, how the family solved problems, how they handled disagreements, adversity, disappointment, building of character.

This book definitely teaches values along with the adventure and the values are linked in such a way as to be an integral part of the story.

And Swiss Family Robinson is never boring. There is always an exciting new beast to be discovered, a new plant to use for food or clothing, a new machine or tool to be built, a new part of the island to explore. This is a wonderful book to read out loud to kids until they are old enough to enjoy reading it themselves. If you are bored with re-runs on TV, turn off the box and spend a half-hour or hour every evening reading this aloud. Everyone will have a great time, and kids who are read to, become readers themselves.

It is hard to feel sorry for Maxx Robinson who, along with his wife, were run out of the island of Dominica. It seems he never relates well with the island people. They are merely cogs in his machine. He is even arrogant enough to want to change the name of the island to one of his own choosing. When building a business one must be sure of the building blocks and Mr. Robinson was woefully undereducated about one of the most important resources of any company--the people. I found the part about the restoration of the ship Picket more enjoyable. I wish he would of kept sailing instead of trying to build an empire.

Here's a successful 45-year-old guy, bored with selling spot TV commercials for NBC' THODAY and TONIGHT shows in NYC. He talks his wife into sailing around the world in his rebuilt 11898 yha yacht. They get as far as the Island of Dominica in the Caribbean; rent a huge old plantation and fall in love with the scenery, climate and lifestyle. The offer to build a deepwater harbor, tourist hotels, casino, roads &schools for the incredibly impoverished island to the British Colonial Office in London, in exchange for a thirty-year tax-free, duty-free contract. The Brits go for it. They begin selling the idea to investors and raise lots of money. Six months later,England give "Internal Self-Rule" to the local govenment. Corrupt politicans covet the plan. They call a special session in the legislative assembly and cancel the contract! What happens next gave the title to this book its true name: This You Won't Believe! The thrilling climax comes when the corrupt government hires thugs who threaten to kill the author if he doesn't leave. Back in the US, they file the loss of $500,00 with IRS

Maxx Robinson is married to my Aunt and his book is about a period in his life that is similar to the movie "Forest Gump". The providence, the inrigue, the people and the humor are captivating to the mind and stir the spirit. Follow him as he rides 20 ft swells off the coast of Haiti, makes deals with the crown, and evades hostiles on a once friendly island. Hats off to you Maxx on a great true story that is still being written!

Simply put, I was disappointed with the book. The material and examples of gay fatherhood seemed dated. The style was also troubling--the book was written from a therapist's perspective, and it was clearly meant for other mental health professionals (although not necessarily marketed as such). With that said, the only therapists who might benefit from reading it would be straight ones, who have had little or no experience treating gay patients (or gay parents). If you are a gay person considering parenthood, spend your money elsewhere.

The book is now nearly 8 years old, but many of the anecdotes and much of the research is still relevant to those of us going through a divorce or parenting a child with an alternative lifestyle. The book includes excerpts from individuals with their personal experiences and their feelings, along with practice pointers for practitioners in the mental health field. It is an excellent resource for anyone going through a divorce as a result of the sexuality issue. However, I think that if the book were written today, the anecdotes would be more relevant to how our society is now dealing with gays and Dads who are gay. I think the book should also include a section stressing the fact that it is possible to have a perfectly normal relationship with your child as raising a child has little or nothing to do with the sexuality of the parent, as parents do not relate to children on a sexual level. There are thousands of gay dads out there that could use even more information such as this. I hope that Barrett will consider a follow-up or sequal that is current with our change in society regarding homosexuals and their contribution to society.

LP Vietnam is an O.K. book if you just want to know how to get around, basic accomodations, etc. There are some good information in the book, but not enough. If you are interested in knowing about modern Vietnam, you are much much better off reading Catfish and Mandala by Andrew Pham and Shadows and Wind by Robert Templer. These two authors did an extraordinary job of describing what is happening in Vietnam right now. I am very disappointed at the guide books to Vietnam such as Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Fodor's etc. Should they be unbiased sources who actually tell the readers the stories behind the sights? Nope! they didn't do the job that well. Instead they rely too much on the information which is given by the government propaganda machine which is totally fabricated. For example, on page 467 of the Lonely Planet Vietnam book, the story about the One Pillar Pagoda is mentioned that it was destroyed by the French before they left Hanoi. Guess what? The French didn't destroy it, it was the Communists themselves who destroyed it at the time because it was described as a remain of a feudalistic, decadent, reactionary past (a sort of Cultural revolution that is copied from China). It was rebuilt not because Hanoi suddenly had a change of heart to treasure the national treasures. It was rebuilt because of the tourists' money. What a disappointment for these supposedly guide books that really mislead the readers.

I make regular trips to Vietnam and I've used both the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet. Having seen the two latest editions, page by page, Lonely Planet is, simply, better. LP provides far more detail, more maps (all of which are much more user friendly and accurate), is loaded with contemporary information (NGOs, motor-biking etc), has better photographs, good illustrations, and entertaining side-bars. The book introduces us to the personalities and characters who run guest houses, restaurants, bars, boutiques, and so forth, and it really makes you feel like a local. The "reader from France" seems to have a personal animus against the writers and Lonely Planet. But otherwise, what could be the problem? I found this guide well researched, consistently useful, and fun to read - that's what I want when I'm on the road.

I travelled in Vietnam for three weeks in October, 98. This was my first visit to Vietnam and my first visit to Asia. Lonely Planet Vietnam was my first Lonely Planet book. I found it easy to use, funny and informative. I liked a lot. My fellow traveller (who does not need travel information) kept asking to borrow it so I gave it away and had to buy another copy for myself. I enjoyed my trip to Vietnam, unexpectedly beautiful country with very friendly and hospitable people. Lonely Planet added greatly to the many pleasures.

Since there are not many guides on Korea and Seoul in particular, there isn't much competition and it shows. This book, relative to Frommers (which doesn't have a Korea guide), has some very brief descriptions of hotels and places to eat. The most unsatisfying part of the book is the outdated/mis-placed view of the Korean people. For example, the author has a brief section called "Macho Posturing" in which he states, "Watch out for aggressive locals [at night]...Some Korean men (like their western counterparts) can get very cocky after a few beers.' Well, if they are like their western counterparts, then why mention it? I doubt you will find a section like this in a guidebook to Canada. Very unfortunate.

While I usually never go anywhere without an LP guide in my pack, this one really disappoints. Detailed descriptions and directions are totally lacking. I was able to find out more from my own exploring and using the Korea National Tourist info, than from this guide. If you go to Korea, buy the Insight Guide to Korea for a very informative introduction, and not to mention a great read.

I have been to Seoul several times, so my primary interest in using this book was to find places I haven't seen. For that, it was no help whatsoever. In the "places to see" section, it missed a number of interesting sights such as Tongmyo shrine, the Royal Tombs, and a number of others. It also gave threadbare descriptions of excursions outside Seoul. For example, I wanted to know how to get to nearby Kanghwa island. The book gives a few directions but then tells us to "ask how to get to such and such place." Why buy a guidebook with that advice? Even more infuriating, I noticed in the map section that it shows exactly how to get there, but the author failed to refer to his own map. I think this book needs to be fattened-up and re-edited.