This is an excellent movitational book. I think everyone should read it.

Nathaniel Mackey has long been one of our most interesting poets. In Whatsaid Serif, he advances his long running poetic sequence "The Song of the Andoumboulou" another 19 pieces(according to the Dogon,the Andoumboulou are human beings created by a bumbling, incompetent, rookie god, beings who don't exactly correspond to the intended idea of the human; in other words, "they are us".)These poems feature a movement, both geographical and spiritual, across an African landscape rich in displacement, myth, and mystery, a train on tracks and a train of thought that yields many stunning phrases. Much of the language - a language that unifies thought and desire - is explicitely gnostic, of the sort that conflates eros and divinity. Robin Blaser writes of this book, accurately, that "Mackey's poem is a brilliant renewel of and experiment with the language of our spiritual condition and a measure of what poetry gives in trust -'heart's/meat' and the rush of language to bear it." This book has meant a great deal to me. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Words Of Ages: Witnessing U.S. History Through Literature is a remarkable 320 page trade paperback book that takes a unique, ground-breaking approach to showcase American history by using letters, journal entries, short stories, and poetry to illustrate the American experience through pen of some of America's greatest authors and historical figures. Included are more than 125 excerpts from such luminaries as Booker T. Washington, Edith Wharton, Mark Twain, Tom Wolf, Thomas Paine, Chief Tecumseh, Frederick Douglass, Robert Frost, and a host of other to provide an accessible context for understanding the events, places, and people that shaped American history, culture and politics. Words Of Ages is divided chronological into units ranging from "Voices of a Revolution" and "Civil War and Reconstruction", to "Social Critics and Reformers" and "The Vietnam Years". This dynamic, interdisciplinary blending of literature, history, and art provide a most unusual, effective, and academically sound approach that will be read with enthusiasm by anyone with an interest in American history.

Carry On Mr. Bowditch is an exciting historical fiction book that is filled with adventure and discovery. The story is about a boy who is the fourth child of six children who grows up to be a math genius. The names of the six children, oldest to youngest, are Mary, Hab, Lizza, Nat, William, and Sammy. They all live in Salem, MA with their mother, father, and grandmother. I think that the author, Mrs. Lathem, was trying to tell us that even a genius can have some emotional times too. What I liked about this book is that it seemed as if Nat took me aboard his ship to different lands and to adventure in learning. I recommend it!

This book was so well written! My boys ages 6 and 9 loved this book and so did their Dad. They read well past bedtime every night and talked about "Nat" during the day. When we finished the book my boys were interested in stars and navigation and had a keen interest in sailing ships. They even looked up Nathanial Bowditch on the interent and found the details fascinating. "Wow, it's a piece of living history," my 9 year old said of the story.

If you like great adventure and historical fiction get this book now! It is about a boy named Nat Bowditch. He is a boy whose family is poor with many kids to feed. Nat is interested in learning and school. He grows up to be a very smart mathematician. Also he is very good at navigation. Nat becomes a captain and he has to sail to very treacherous destinations. Along with his crew they have to face fog, no wind, and bad, bad weather. I would not recommend this to people who don't like when people die in the story. This book is an absolute good book to buy. Something exciting or sad is happening on every page. I'm not into reading much but this book made me want to read it.

I disagree with the comparisons to "Longitude"--this book is much, much better. "In the Heart of the Sea" defies expectations. In just 300 pages, Philbrick covers in engaging fashion everything from the whaling industry to early 19th century Nantucket society. Without preaching (thank goodness), he raises issues of race, the role of women in business and society, and man's impact on the environment, among others. At the same time, the book is, to use the cliche, a real page-turner. The narrative never slows, and the action is almost continuous, from storms to killing whales to the battle for survival and the ultimate resort to cannibalism. Again, not something I expected from the National Book Award winner for nonfiction.

Still, Philbrick finds time to take the occasional interesting detour: for example, discussing other instances of cannibalism, or the harvesting of Galapagos tortoises, or the mariner's custom of "casting lots" to determine who will survive. These sidelights further illuminate, rather than detract from, an already compelling story. The book also contains helpful maps, diagrams of the Essex, and just enough photographs to flavor the story. History readers should put this book at the top of their list.

Subtitled "The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex" and published
in 2000 to critical acclaim, this true story was written by Nathaniel
Philbrick, a leading authority on the history of Nantucket. Carefully
researched, and extremely well written, this early 19th century
incident has been brought to life with exquisite descriptions. Not
only does Philbrick tell the long sad tale of the Essex's tragic
sinking in 1820 and the sufferings of the few survivors who were
forced to resort to cannibalism in order to stay alive, it is also
the story of the whaling industry, the social and religious community
of Nantucket, and the influence this incident had on Herman Melville
in the writing of Moby Dick some 20 years after the
event.

Originally, it was thought that the diary of the first mate,
Owen Chase, told the whole story. But in the 1980s, another document
was found which was written by the cabin boy many years later and shed
even more light on what actually transpired. Interwoven in this story
are the details which make this book come alive.

With the eye of a
novelist, the reader is brought to the town of Nantucket, watching the
ship make ready for its voyage, and making comments about the green
crew as they struggle to make a good impression as they raise their
sails. We meet the young boys as well as the seasoned crewmen and
feel their seasickness as the captain orders them to climb the masts.
We feel the conflict in authority between the captain and the first
mate. We see the racial and religious hierarchy and the role of the
African American crewmen. Our muscles twitch as we read about the
hard work on ship; our hearts race with a sense of adventure at the
hunting and harpooning the whale; our nostrils crinkle as we read
about the process of killing, dismembering and extracting the valuable
oil.

And then we are thrown into tragedy when a whale attacks the
ship and the twenty men are set adrift in small boats with few
provisions. We cringe as we learn all the details about the
biological effects that depravation from food and water have on a
human body. We get to know the crew as individuals and understand the
hard choices they had to make. And then we see the rescue and we
follow the few survivors for the rest of their lives.

We also follow
the voyage on the well drawn maps and scrutinize the photographs of
some of the men, ships and woodcuts depicting the event. Then we read
about what happens when a whale dies on a Nantucket beach in 1994 and
find out how difficult it was to dispose of its remains.

After all
of this, we are forever changed. We have a greater appreciation for
this small bit of American history and we are even more thankful for
the ease in which food is available to us.

Just as "Moby
Dick" has stood the test of time as a picture of the whaling
industry as well as a literary gem, "In the Heart of the
Sea" is destined to become THE authoritative book on the subject.
Mr. Philbrick has done the world a favor by bringing this fascinating
subject to light. I applaud his work and thank him for it. Highly
recommended.

Nathiel Philbrick's superb In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, deservedly nominated for the National Book Award, looks at the true story which forms the backdrop for Melville's Moby Dick. On November 20, 1820, in the mid-Pacific, Nantucket whaler Essex was rammed repeatedly by a sperm whale, and sank. Over the next several months, the survivors attempted to sail 4,500 miles in open boats to South America. All did not make it, and at least one willingly became food for the others after lots were cast to decide who would be killed to feed the starving remainder. Philbrick ably describes the work of a whaler, and the backbreaking - - and at times terrifying - - tasks of its crew in harpooning and later processing whales at sea. Drawing on many original sources, particularly journals of several survivors, Philbrick convincingly describes what happened to the unfortunate men of the Essex, and places the reader at sea with them. .

Though I have never read Thomas Hardy before, I shall again very soon. I greatly enjoyed Far From the Madding Crowd. I kept associating Bathsheba, the heroine, with Scarlett O'Hara. They are both women from the past who are struggling for a place where only men typically tread. Unlike Scarlett, Bathsheba's emotions are more restrained. She's so young, but matures through the book. The reader yearns for the day she finally matures to the point that realizes she needs a partner in life, and her perfect partner is Gabriel Oak, her steadfast mate of fate.

I definitely recommend this book for one of those cold rainy weekends curled up on the couch.

I am looking forward to diving into my next Thomas Hardy novel, Jude the Obscure.

I've always condidered myself to be sort of an optimist; so it is really odd that I've always really loved Thomas Hardy's books. I count Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure among my very favorites, and whether or not it is my favorite, I think that The Mayor of Casterbridge is marvelously written. Still though, reading all of that fatalism and cynicism can be a little much. It was really nice to pick up this novel and not read so many grim scenes.

Far From the Madding Crowd is a pretty simple love story driven by the characters. First, there is Bathsheba Everdeen. She's vain, naive, and she makes the stupidest decisions possible. Yet, you still like her. Then there are the three guys who all want her: Troy who's like the bad guy straight out of a Raphael Sabatini novel, Boldwood who's an old lunatic farmer, and Gabriel Oak who is a simple farmer and is basically perfect. The reader sees what should happen in the first chapter, and it takes Bathsheeba the whole book to see it. The characters really make the book. The reader really has strong feelings about them, and Hardy puts them in situations where you just don't know what they're going to do. The atmosphere that Hardy creates is (as is in all of Hardy's novel) amazing and totally original. I don't think any other author (except Wallace Stegner in America) has ever evoked a sense of place as well as Hardy does. Overall, Far from the Madding Crowd is a great novel. I probably don't like it quite as well as some of his others, but I still do think it deserved five stars.

This book was a required read for Academic Decathalon but I was handed the cliff notes and told to study them if I didn't have time to read the book. I dislike cliff notes unless I have already read a book and I need to review so I chose to listen to it on tape. I was thoroughly surprised to find myself laughing at the overly-honest Gabriel Oak proposing marriage to Bathsheba Everdene, I had been informed that this book was something of a rural comedy but I had not expected such preposterous situations and ironies. The novel centers around Bathsheba though I would not label her the heroine because the reader is often frustrated by her behavior and even annoyed by it. She is quite poor but a smart girl and a particularly beautiful one as well. Gabriel meets her and soon decides he must marry this young woman. She declines deciding that she can't love him and soon moves away. Gabriel loses his farm in an unfortunate event and through circumstance comes to be in the same part of Wessex as Bathsheba. She has inherited her uncle's farm and is now running it herself and she is in need of a sheperd and sheperding happens to be Gabriels forte so he is hired. Farmer Boldwood who runs the neighboring farm becomes smitten with Bathsheba too when he recieves a prank valentine saying "marry me" on the seal(this valentine was sent by Bathsheba and her maid/companion). He soon asks for Bathsheba's hand and Bathsheba who feels guilty for causing this man's desire says she will answer him upon his return in two months time. The union with Boldwood is not to be since Bathsheba falls deeply in love with Frank Troy and soon marries him. An ex-girlfriend of Troy's shows up but dies shortly after giving birth, Troy is heartbroken and tells Bathsheba that he loved Fanny more and still does. Troy leaves and soon is assumed dead but is truly only missing. Boldwood moves in one Bathsheba again but in a set of bizarre events Troy returns to take Bathsheba from Boldwood once more. Boldwood is infuriated and turmoil ensues. This is an escapist novel in these times and is well worth reading. Weatherbury and Casterbridge will charm you and allow you to experience the little oddities of Victorian Era rural life in the pleasantest way imaginable.

If you only read one book about personal psychology or self help, this is the one to choose. Almost any time I have a difficult problem, I can consult this book and realize where I am not bringing enough awareness or responsibility to my life. The most important lesson Branden teaches in this book is that no one is coming to save you, but in the process, he gives you the tools to save yourself.

This is a book that can be read rapidly for those with some experience in Objectivism or psychology. Readers new to personal psychology can take the book step by step, mastering one pillar of self esteem at a time. I have heard that many people find the sentence completion exercises he provides to be valuable, although I have never felt the need for them.

Overall, The Six Pillars has a lot to offer everyone whether they are seeking answers for problems in their life or looking to learn more about psychology.

After reading through many of the negative reviews on The Six Pillars, I found myself wondering how many of those naysayers have actually read (or understand) the book. Take, for instance, the review of the supposed "psychologist" who trashes the entire book based on Branden's comment that people in intimate relationships feel most at home, most comfortable with, people who share similar levels of self-esteem. (This comment on page 6, by the way, which is as far as "the psychologist" got, I fear). Our worthy psychologist says that this can't be true because, get this, in his experience as a psychologist, unpopular kids at school want to be like and hang around the popular kids. Therefore it can't be true that people in long term, close relationships feel comfortable with partners of similar self-esteem levels. Maybe its just me, but DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE?? What does unpopular kids wanting to be like or be around popular kids have to do with self-esteem and intimate human relationships? And since when do the popular kids at school automatically have high levels of self-esteem???? The logical errors in his review really startle me, coming from a supposed mental health professional. And then to use this convoluted argument to discredit the whole book? I just wanted to point this one example out because I think a majority of bad reviews for this wonderful book have to do with emotional, kneee jerk reactions, or simple misreading of the text. And of all the things Nathaniel Branden would cringe at, irrational, and emotional logic would be at the top of the list.

I posted an earlier review of the book, so I won't go into how special a thinker and writer I think Branden is. Or how carefully argued the Six Pillars is. I just wanted to point out that to Branden, logic and reason are sacred things, and to discredit him without using logic or reason is a bit of an insult to his work.

Don't be fooled by the cheesy title that makes this book look like yet another self-help book. This is an intelligent and open-minded approach to living your life, and it's practically changed mine.

I am someone who only recently realized how low my self-esteem had been throughout life. I had undergone some brief non-medicated therapy that helped, but the real progress I've made and continue to make comes from reading books like this one. I was concerned that in order for this book to "work," I'd have to acquiesce into the author's way of thinking, but my concurrence has been natural throughout. With every recommendation Branden suggests, I ask myself if it would be better to accept this suggestion than not to, and I have yet to reject Dr. Branden's advice.

If you're looking for happiness, more self-esteem, and/or a solid philosophy on how to live your life, this book is it.

This is the second book in the Artemis Fowl series. Usually, in a series like this one, the first book is much better than all of it's predecessors. The sequels are generally lacking compared to the original. However, in "The Arctic Incident", exactly the opposite was true. I found that I enjoyed the second Artemis Fowl considerably more than the first.

Artemis Fowl is a highly unusual boy. At 13, he is a genius, proving to be a problem for both his parents and his school's rapidly retiring counselors. In the previous novel, Artemis also provided a lot of trouble for the underground, magical world of fairies, centaurs, and many other mythical creatures. So naturally, when goblins begin to revolt against the fairy police (the LEPrecon) using human technology, fairy Captain Holly Short decides to check in with Artemis and his sidekick and bodyguard, Butler. Artemis is not responsible for the chaos in the magical world, but he strikes a deal with Holly - he'll help the fairies if they help his get back his kidnapped father from the Russian Mafiya. Holly, Artemis, Butler, and Fairy Commander Julius Root are swept into the adventure of their lifetime, filled with danger, excitement, and (as they soon learn) most importantly, teamwork.

So what's left to say? I was happily surprised by this outstanding novel, and I'm sure that you be will too. Most likely, I'll be reading this book a few more times before the next Artemis adventure arrives in bookstores!

This excellent sequel had my rapt attention throughout - the writing is clever (even some of the names of the chapters are well-worded and funny), the story moved along well, the characters had depth and substance and were easy to get to know and love (or hate). Why did I title my review "Front and Centaur"? Foaly, the brilliant gadget and electronic whiz, who is the centaur on center stage, plays an interesting role here. Read the book and you'll understand. Reading the first Artemis Fowl will help, because Artemis's attitude in "The Arctic Incident" cannot be fully appreciated if the reader doesn't know where Artemis has been (in the first novel) or where he has come from. This story focuses not only on Artemis's attempt to rescue his father (aided by Holly Short and Commander Root), but also on Short and Root's mission (aided by Artemis and Butler, Artemis's bodyguard) of getting to the bottom of a strange goblin uprising.

Artemis and Butler, as well as Capt. Short and Commdr Root, all showcase a wide range of interactions, feelings, thoughts, plans... they make a fantastic team and work so well together! This doesn't mean that everything comes easily to them or that one of them doesn't get smacked at some point in the game or that they all sidestep danger without losing a step... oh no, I bet you'll be sitting on the edge of your chair (or couch) and wondering how the team will make it through the next disaster...

Eoin Colfer has done it again! 'Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident' is a spectacular sequel to 'Artemis Fowl'.
The book has all the old characters along with some new characters.
Artemis has grown up a bit since the past year. He shows his rare emotional side, but he is still the same child prodigy that he was previously.
The book is on-the-edge-of-your-seat stuff, along with some hilarious moments (Artemis getting shoved into a snowdrift by Butler). It is filled with action, adventure, hilarity, mystery and magic, but with a modern twist to it.
If you haven't read the previous Artemis Fowl book, then what are you waiting for?! Buy it!...

The top 5 books are:

5. Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets
4. Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
3. Artemis Fowl
2. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident
1. Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban

Eoin Colfer's work is too good for words. I would give it infinity stars if I could. If you want to find out more about it, buy it!

If not, you're missing out on something AMAZINGLY BIG!

...

A combination of a 1920's British whodunnit and a serial murder psychological thriller? Descriptions of this book sounded too weird to be true, yet this is exactly what 'River of Darkness' is, and it works - brilliantly.

Set in post-war England, an Inspector haunted by his experience in the trenches and helped by a sucession of village bobbies uses forensics and psychological profileing to track a serial killer - decades before any of these terms are even invented.

The suspense builds as the author shows us the thoughts and doings of the victims, police, and killer, in the lead up to each of his awful and inevitable bursts of random and targeted violence.

The victim's wounds point to a highly specialised military background; physical evidence indicates that the murderer watches his carefully-chosed victims for weeks; psychological opinion has it that his sexual release come only from killing. This killer is far scarier than any modern big-city stalker/slasher - not since Red Dragon have I read of such a truly frightening character. This is an excellent and original book - I totally recommend it.

River of Darkness, by Rennie Airth goes near the top of my bulging list of whodunnits read this year. The central character is Scotland Yarn Inspector John Madden, who has recently returned to police work after serving on the front during WWI. He is "pulling himself together", and at the same time, identifying and attempting to apprehend a rare criminal type -- the serial mass murderer.

Airth does a first rate job of portraying investigative work in the first part of the 20th century, the beginnings of psychological profiling, and the Scotland Yarn bureaucracy. The novel portrays several officers (city/rural) and inspectors and most get along well with each other. The police procedural featuring the "lone gunman" alienated from his peers is a little tiresome and Airth avoids this tack.

About half-way through the novel the killer is introduced, and the psychological juxtaposition between him, his victims, and particularly Madden makes for a gripping page-turner. Early psychiatric (Freudian) analysis of serial killers and the Yard's distain for what they consider frivolous and unnecessary input is entertaining.

The romantic love-heals-all wounds relationship between Madden and a rural doctor was a reason I gave this novel only 4 stars. Given Maddens prior marriage and his battlefield experiences it didn't ring quite true, but then perhaps Madden is a more resilient type. In any event this is a novel well worth buying and reading. Airth's powers of description are excellent and he tells a great tale.

This was one of those accidental finds. Rennie Airth better be working on his next mystery with Madden as the protagonist, or I will be extremely disappointed. This book was definitely a work of art and of love. I am very curious to know about the member of Airth's family that he modeled Madden after. As always the British and now the South Africans write with class and intelligence, and it is nice to see a new detective in the manner of P. D. James' Adam Dagliesh. Like other readers I can easily see this being made into a movie or one of the Mystery series on PBS. The plot of this book is plausible, the characters are very well-drawn out, the involvement of World War I in shaping the minds and lives of those who live in England after the war understandable and obviously well-researched. This is probably the best new mystery and author I have read for at least two years. I hope to see more of him in the future. Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

Giles Milton tells a good story. His central interest in travel writing and the history of exploration are clear from the start. Most of the book recounts stories of various expeditions, not just to the Far East but also to the Arctic, the Hudson basin and Manhattan. These are mildly linked by the competition between the Dutch and British for the spice trade.

However, the accounts of the central expeditions and the conflict over the island of Run, rely almost exclusively on British journals and diaries of the time. Thus the book reflects more the English reactions and prejudices of the time rather than giving an objective historical account. The natures of the two East India companies, the peoples of the Moluccas or the Dutch process of colonisation are sketched only very briefly. Instead life on board ship, the methods of Dutch torture and the banality of the factor's lives are given extensive treatment. While these are interesting, they do not particularly help explain the machinations which led to the Dutch control over the East Indies or the British revenge in taking Manhattan. The book's one-sided use of sources begins to get irritating by the end.

This was a great read...just the kind of history book that makes learning fun. Who would have thought that so much blood could be shed over what is today a relatively common spice -- nutmeg. During the 16th and 17th centuries, nutmeg was as valuable as gold and all the big players of Western Europe (Spain, Holland, and England) were eager to get in on the action. Eventually Spain dropped out of the race leaving England and Holland to wreak havoc upon each other and the natives of several South Pacific Islands. Milton's prose is wonderfully descriptive with a dash of dry, British humor in all the right places. Beware...this book is not for the soft-hearted as contains ample bloodshed and vivid torture scenes. The complete disregard that the Dutch and English had for the natives and the ecological balance of the islands can also be a bit shocking to the 21st century mind. But it is a worthwhile read nonetheless. The only thing I didn't understand was the title...Nathanial shows up towards the end of the book and although he's quite heroic, his is by no means the only story told.

The real power of this book is that it takes you to the early days (1500s to 1600s)of the spice trade in the East Indies and lets you know what is was really like. With a skillful mix of narrative and quotes from documents (how did those people write all those letters?), Milton lets you know what it really took to get a ship half way around the world and bring it back with a load of nutmeg and other spices. The diseases, the storms, the treachery; its all there and told like and adventure story.

Milton's theory in the book in very interesting too, which is that the Dutch eventually traded New Amsterdam to the British for a small spice-loaded island in the Pacific. Whether he's right or not (his theory is clearly well researched) is not critical because Milton is just a terrific writer and you enjoy every page of this historical page-turner. I'll be reading his other books very soon.