"U2 : Rattle and Hum : The Official Book of the U2 Movie : A Journey into the Heartland of Two Americas" is something that every U2 collector should have on the shelf and a book that U2 fans and music aficionados in general will enjoy. The book chronicles the making of "Rattle and Hum" from the whys of making the film to the live finale at Sun Devil Stadium.

The book takes you behind the scenes of shooting the film, telling of the challenges of making a film unlike any other previous release. It also introduces you to the principle players, both in front of and behind the camera. It discusses the band's influences and gives the stories behind various scenes.

For people who could care less about the making of "Rattle and Hum" and just want to ogle the band, this book will give you plenty to drool over. There are quite a few photos from the shoots with Anton Corbijn, as well as live shots of U2, some which have been distributed widely on the internet, some which you will see for the first time in the book. All of the photos are very beautiful and make this book a great candidate for the coffee table (which is where one of my two copies is)...It's a musical journey." Indeed!

Having worked in the heavy industrial electrical/mechanical field for the past 26 years, I have worked at many facilities similiar to those illustrated in this book. I love them! You can say what you'd like regarding their environmental impact, but I can tell you, these are great places to work. The process is usually very interesting, and the customer most always demands a quality job. So...there's some polution, but not one of you reading this review can say that your purchasing habits, and style of life has not contributed to the very images that you would now turn your nose up at. Sure, the EPA would love to have you believe that they are cleaning up the world, when the fact is, they are only driving real industry out of the USA, only to produce the same if not more 'polution' over the borders. And with our governments blessing. 'Still buying the same products, are you not? Look and see where they were made next time! It makes me sad to see these big industrial sites closed down. I love the book, because I can show my kids, and my grandkids the types of places that used to exist in this country_The type of places that has enabled us to go around as the police department of the world, and enforce what WE deem as right on every continent of the earth. It would have made a nice closing statement though, if you would have included an arial shot of the Pulp & Paper Mill that produced the pages of this book. I am assuming that is, that they were made in the USA.

In San Diego, thirteen-year-old Alexis Castille-Reed attends a pool party where the alcohol flows. An accident occurs, but fortunately no one dies. However, her upset mother "banishes" Alexis for the summer to live with her father in International Falls, Minnesota.

Alexis' dad is the authority on the bald eagles. Currently, he leads a study that is banding eaglets to gain research on their natural habitat. Alexis is put to work, but though she loves the birds, she remains angry with her father for deserting her. On a nearby island, Alexis climbs up a tree to remove a fish lure from an eagle's nest. However, when she lifts an eaglet out of the nest, she drops the bird. That error is compounded when she finds herself stranded on the island protecting the injured eaglet from nasty weather and a bear.

This is a wonderful preadolescent to young teen novel that focuses on Alexis, a person in trouble. She needs closure on her younger brother's death from cancer, but at first is not able to find a way to grieve without guilt for living and without alienating her parents also mourning in their own ways. Through the eaglet rescue, Alexis attains an understanding especially of her father whom she previously loathed as well as personal comfort. Though her parents talking with one another following their estrangement feels strained, WHEN EAGLES FALL is a strong survivalist tale that the young at heart will enjoy soaring with.

Harriet Klausner

I read this book when researching a paper I was writing on Faulkner's "Absalom, Absalom!" and it was excellent. The particular paper I was writing was on the character of Jim Bond, but I really wish I had found it earlier when I wrote one on "miscegenation" -- the racist concept of "mixed blood" in "Absalom, Absalom!". It was precise, interesting and well-researched. It is particularly helpful for anyone doing research on William Faulkner's works specifically related to people of color. It focuses on the Sutpen family, but I think there's useful information that can also be related to other works.

I've done my research before purchasing this book and I LOVE it. This book is for home decorating purpose. Projects includes napkin ring, window covering, wall hangers, lantern and more. There are projects for every skill levels. This book is great because all projects have actual pictures and written step by step instructions along with a list of material you need for each project. The authur also provides a list of tools and how you can use them to achieve a specific wire bending tasks. Some of the tools you already have in your kitchen or in your garage; all I purchased is a pair of round nose piler($3), flat nose piler($3), beads from local craft outlet and wire cutter($7),steel wire($1.99/spool that will last you many project) from home depot to start my first project. This is a very clearly written book according to me that I have no previous experience in wire crafting. I did came across some parts of instructions that aren't clear to me but I manage to figure them out. Keep in mind that all the instructional books are written in someone else's perspective even a well written book like this require some effort from the readers to interpret the message that the authur tries to communicate. One minor problem is that the authur uses milimeter to indicate the diameter or the thickness of the wire instead of gauges which is most commonly used. You can find a converting table from your local craft store it will be handy when ordering the wire online or in hardware store.
The most challenge part is learning how to use the round nose piler and other tools to manipulate wires that will need some patience and practice to master depending on how well your hand motor skills.

I read this novel years after its original publication date and I must say that even with the horror novels of today, this book is still a page turner.

Reagan, the daughter of a movie star Chris, suddenly begins acting strangely. As the book progresses, every scientific diagnosis and drug available has been tried. Reagan is diagnosed with some for of severe hysteria. With nothing else works to change Reagan increasing distasteful (to say the least) behavior -- and people start dying, Chris turns to a minister to perform an exorcism.

You also learn that Reagan has been playing with a Ouija board and speaking with a spirit called Captain Howdy (ever see Strangeland with Dee Snider -- now I know where he got that screen name).

All in all it's a great book. If it doesn't terrify you, you'll at least be shocked because Reagan does ALOT of shocking things.

All I can say is this; from the moment this book was published, the rest of the horror genre had an almighty benchmark to aim at. Because, you see, this is one of popular fictions all time classics. William Peter Blatty has produced a novel so sinister that fear is not the mind killer at all. Instead, fear is the drug that compells you to read on and on...

The plot is intriguing, the descriptions truly frightening and the pace is at full velocity. Blatty refuses the reader a break from the sinister. Regan is utterly mind worrying and Father Carras a dark and brooding character in his own right. No dark stone of the mind is left unturned.

The amazing thing about this novel, also, is that it seems to take a considerable time to reach the point of exorcism. This is merely part of Blatty's sinister plan. When you do reach the event itself, you have already gone through more harrowing images than you really thought possible. Exorcism is the breaking point.

To conclude, this is a modern classic. There are not many novels that even come close to the impact that this book makes on your mind. Blatty plays on the fact that your greatest fear is your own imagination. My word, he succeeds with flying colours! For a book that is intensely scary, I somehow found myself scewered to my chair unable to escape the grip of terror that the book held me with. Utterly terrifying and utterly brilliant.

My review may be colored because I had seen the movie, which I thought excellent, several times before reading this. As good as the movie was, the book, as is usually the case, is much superior.

This book is no mere thriller, like a Stephen King book, good for a slight scare with no deeper meaning. This book is highly spiritual, almost as a Jesuit himself had written it.

It struck me that in the book, as in the movie, the actual exorcism does not take place until the very end, making it almost incidental to the story.

We meet Fr. Marin, "the exorcist," at the very beginning, but do not see him again until the very end. The real central character is Fr. Karras, the Jesuit priest who is struggling with his faith. The real central story, then, is how Karras deals with that. The troubled (possessed?) young Regan only provides a backdrop.

Karras, also a psychiatrist, does not believe Regan is possessed and has a rational, medical explanation for all her symptoms. He agrees to an "exorcism" in hopes that the sugggestive power of the ritual will drive the "demon" out of her. The actual exorcist, Merrin, however, has no doubts as to the authenticity of the possession.

Here is the Christian/Catholic/Jesuit struggle. The spiritual man has no problem believing that the Devil is at work here. The earthbound man searches for "rational," "scientific" answers. In the end, Karras finds his faith.

So, was Regan possessed? Who's to say?

This is an interesting book in several ways. It starts in a world which is entirly run by tests. At the beginning you see how this affects the people in this city and how one girl rebels. The story then centers around her, her twin brother, and their "friend", who they really didn't like at first. There is an interesting sub-plot with him. The three go on a journey to recover the voice of the wind singer, and release the town from the mysterious force which brought about the tests. As the adventure continues you see other exagerrated aspects of soceities flaws in the different places the characters go. One of the problems I see with this novel, is it is never explained WHY the solution worked. However I haven't read the sequel yet, so don't judge based on this fact. The book is very well written. The descriptions are intense and the writing leaves nothing to complain about. In fact William Nicholson's style is slightly different form the norm, but very enjoyable. I highly recommend reading this book. It's a fantasy, but not written the way you expect a fantasy to be.

I absolutely loved this book. It's thrilling to the end, and scary, too!
The story is about the Hath family, who live in Aramanth, a town where tests really do matter. They determine your job, your social status, where you live, your life. Kestrel, aged ten, has had enough of these, and rebels atop the city's mysterious centerpiece- the wind singer. It once sang and brought the city peace, but its voice has been missing for many years, and so has the city's peace. Back to the rebellion! Kestrel puts down Aramanth, and all it supports, and her family, especially herself, is put in danger. Kestrel and her twin, Bowman, escape the city, off on a mission to retrieve the legendary wind singer's voice, which will bring peace back to the city. They are joined by a stupid, disgusting, but innocent classmate, Mumpo, and the 'three friends' start off on an exciting adventure to save their city.
The characters you meet are amazing and well developed, and you really fall in love with them, hate them, or fear them. My favorite was no doubt the emperor...
There were some parts that chilled my bones, and some parts that just made me laugh (provided mostly by Mumpo). This novel has it all, I highly recommend it! And when you're done, read the other books in the trilogy!

I randomly picked up this book at the library one day because of its beautiful jacket illustrations. Reading the brief summary inside I was only slightly interested, but thought I'd try it just the same. Once I started reading I was partially confused, but soon had a grasp on the plot. It is about twin brother and sister, Bowman and Kestrel, whose mother is a prophet, causing them to be the chosen ones to save their city Aramanth from the evil force, the Morah. While on their quest the twins are joined by their city's reject child, Mumpo. I grew to love Mumpo's character because of his complete innocence. Personally I really enjoyed this book because it has the everlastingly perfect plot: "Good vs. Evil" and for the Good to overcome they go on a journey. I am an avid fan of Lord of the Rings which has a simalar plot. This is a great read, try it sometime...and don't forget to read the other two books in the Wind on Fire trilogy: Slaves of the Mastery and Firesong.

"Much Ado About Nothing" is a beautifully made, performed, and directed film by the incomparable Kenneth Branaugh. This film includes an all-star cast that give wonderful performances and draw you into the lives of the characters. The plot is somewhat complicated, so I'll give a general version. The film is basically about love, misunderstanding, scandal, revenge, virtue, and bravery. That's a lot for one film, but believe me, it's all in there!

Kenneth Branaugh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves, and Michael Keaton give excellent performances in this film that you wouldn't want to miss. Although the film is a period piece and the Shakespearean language is used, you will have no difficulty understanding it perfectly.

The scenery and landscape in this film are exquisite as well. I never thought there could be such a beautiful, untouched place like that on earth. I would suggest watching the film just for the beautiful landscape, but it's the performances and the story that you should really pay attention to.

Anyone who loves Shakespeare would absolutely love this film! Anyone who loves Kenneth Branaugh and what he has done for Shakespeare in the past 10 or 15 years will appreciate this film as well! There isn't one bad thing I can say about this film. Definitely watch it, you won't be disappointed!!!

One of the problems with Shakespeare's comedies, an English professor once told me, is that they are not funny. Now, this is not to say that Shakespeare was a bad comedy writer, or that this professor had no sense of humour. In fact, quite the opposite--he had turned his sense of humour and love of humour into an academic career in pursuit of humour.

What he meant by the comment was, humour is most often a culture-specific thing. It is of a time, place, people, and situation--there is very little by way of universal humour in any language construction. Perhaps a pie in the face (or some variant thereof) does have some degree of cross-cultural appeal, but even that has less universality than we would often suppose.

Thus, when I suggested to him that we go see this film when it came out, he was not enthusiastic. He confessed to me afterward that he only did it because he had picked the last film, and intended to require the next two selections when this film turned out to be a bore. He also then confessed that he was wrong.

Brannagh managed in his way to carry much of the humour of this play into the twentieth century in an accessible way -- true, the audience was often silent at word-plays that might have had the Elizabethan audiences roaring, but there was enough in the action, the acting, the nuance and building up of situations to convey the same amount of humour to today's audience that Shakespeare most likely intended for his groups in the balconies and the pit.

The film stars Kenneth Brannagh (who also adapted the play for screen) and Emma Thompson as Benedict and Beatrice, the two central characters. They did their usual good job, with occasional flashes of excellence. Alas, I'll never see Michael Keaton as a Shakespearean actor, but he did a servicable job in the role of the constable (and I shall always remember that 'he is an ass') -- the use of his sidekick as the 'horse' who clomps around has to be a recollection of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, where their 'horses' are sidekicks clapping coconut shells together.

I'll also not see Keanu Reeves as a Shakespearean, yet he was perhaps too well known (type-cast, perhaps) in other ways to pull off the brief-appearing villian in this film.

Lavish sets and costumes accentuate the Italianate-yet-very-English feel of this play. This film succeeds in presenting an excellent but lesser-known Shakespeare work to the public in a way that the public can enjoy.

I saw this movie when I was fairly young. I admit that I couldn't understand much of what was going on let along what was being said (I was nine, I wasn't exactly fluent in Olde English). Since then I've watched it many times. Not only do I understand it now, but I fully apreciate how good it is.

The movie is a very good adaptation of the play. The impressive lines that Shakespeare wrote were generally given new life in their delivery. Also, I must compliment Michael Keaton on his role. It isn't a very big one, but if you watch this movie, you'll understand why I mentioned it. Overall, this is simply a fully enjoyable movie, whether you're a fan of Shakespeare or not.

Slavery was known as a "peculiar institution". By broadcasting such labels for slavery, the southern slave owners were able to downplay the severity of the subjugation of slaves in this "peculiar institution". However, in 1845 a runaway slave by the name of Frederick Douglass was published his narrative which showed the extent of the cruelty within of the oppressive the institution of American slavery. Douglass gives a powerful portrayal of his personal struggle against the tyranny of himself and his fellow slaves. By depicting his personal story regarding the horrors of slavery, Douglass testified to the injustices of the slave institution and conveyed an urgent message of the time for prompt abolition.
Douglass leaves out no detail as he portrays the brutal means in which slaves were forced into subjugation. In order to maintain order and to achieve maximum efficiency and productivity from his slave, an owner used the fear of the ever-present whip against his slaves. Over, and over again throughout the Narrative, Douglass gives account of severe beatings, cruel tortures, and unjust murders of slaves. The message is evident. Slavery dehumanized African Americans.
From the introduction of his early experience, Douglass portrays the burdens of slavery. The reader is forced to cope with the fact that he has no tangible background. Slavery has robbed him of the precious moments of his childhood. He was raised in the same manner as one would raise an animal. In his early years he had no knowledge of time-he did not even know when he was born. He is also forced to scrounge for food in the same fashion as a pig digs for slop. The saddest insight is the alienation of Douglass from his family. He has no connection with his parents and when his mother dies he was untouched. On hearing of her death he states, "I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger" (19). The bond between mother and child is the strongest bulwark for children and to be robbed of this and to not care demonstrates just how severe slavery was to Douglass and countless others who faced the same fate. In the entire slave experience, the only escape from the repression was through sorrowful singing. As Douglass states, "every tone was a testimony against slavery..." and "slaves sing the most when they are unhappy" (29). Only through music could slaves find comfort in dealing with their anguish.
Douglass's first witness of brutality is the telling of his Aunt Hester's beating. The narration is powerfully effective through terrible detail. The cursing of the overseer, the shrieks of his aunt, and the horrible effects the whip upon her flesh is almost as agonizing the reader of the Narrative as it was to his unfortunate aunt. The fact that this terrible instance is a common occurrence makes it a heavier burden upon the reader's soul.
As if the beatings were not enough, slaves were also murdered on a whim. Douglass tells of Gore, a meticulously cold taskmaster who blew out the brains of a poor slave by the name of Demby. The chilliness of Gore's is terrible due the fact that he kills with the sympathy of a butcher.
Upon hearing about this, one would speculate that the authorities would deal with such barbaric acts justly. However, as Douglass recounts in the story Mrs. Hicks, the murderess that killed a slave girl for not moving fast enough, the law officials were hesitant to enforce the rights of the slave and would intentionally overlook such matters. This is primarily due to the fact that a slave owning society could not allow the rights of the slave to be upheld to the same level as a white man. To do such a thing would threaten the stability of their superiority. This is further illustrated in Douglass's struggle against the shipyard workers, when he fled to his master and told him of the attack his master stated that he could not hold up Douglass or even a thousand blacks testimony. The lack of protection under the law and the unwillingness of the whites to give the slaves a voice allowed the whites to completely dominate the slaves without the fear of accountability for their actions.
The worst aspect of slavery is found in the religious nature of the subjugation of slaves. The cruelty found in slavery was even more intense when placed under the pretense of the slaveholding religion of Christianity. Through Douglass's deconstruction of Christianity, he learns that the white oppressive version of Christianity is much different from his own beliefs of Christianity. The incident that shaped Douglass's understanding of the mentality of religious slaveholders was when he was placed under the authority of Mr. Freeland. In this situation, he was able to see the difference between the so-called "religious slave-holders" and "non-religious slave-holders." Douglass felt that the "non-religious slave-holders" were less brutal because they did not reprimand their slaves based on a Divine command. Instead they were more concerned about reprimanding the slaves when the slaves did wrong as opposed to whenever they felt that the Lord professed a beating.
The Narrative and Selected Writings is a powerful testimony to the struggles American slaves faced. Through the writings of men such as Frederick Douglass, abolitionists were given fuel to the bonfire of the Abolition Movement. Douglass honest testimony helped to bring out the truth about slavery. Abolitionists now had evidence to back their claim that the "peculiar institution" was in fact an institution of evil.

In his work Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Frederick Douglass outlines his purpose in writing the piece:

"Sincerely and earnestly hoping that this little book may do something toward throwing light on the American slave system, and hastening the glad day of deliverance to the millions of my brethren in bonds - faithfully relying upon the power of truth, love, and justice, for success in my humble efforts - and solemnly pledging my self anew to the sacred cause."

Certainly Douglass' "little" book shed tremendous light on the slave system that existed in early American history and he successfully accomplished his purpose. The description of how slaves were treated was interesting and enlightening, and provokes compassion in the reader. Additionally, Douglass wonderfully explores the issue of knowledge and power, as he describes the many occasions in which slaveholders tried to keep slaves from learning to read. Finally, Douglass raises a concern about the hypocrisy among southern Christians based on the way that they treat slaves. True Christians treat all humans with love, respect, compassion, and indiscriminately. This final point raises a relevant issue in today's society - does this hypocrisy still exist?

Several statistics indicate that although the problem that Douglass addresses is not as drastic, it still remains a serious challenge that the United States must wrestle: 16.2 percent of American children are living in poverty (United States Census); 54 percent of African American families say underachievement among black students represents a "crisis," 33 percent of white parents agree (Public Agenda); 10.8 million children in the United States have no health insurance; 1 in 4 Hispanic children are uninsured; 1 in 11 Caucasian children are uninsured (Children's Defense Fund); 3/4 of teachers in public schools do not believe that schools should expect the same from students in low-income areas as students in high-income areas (Education Watch); in recent years income has decreased in the bottom, second, and middle 20% sectors, while increasing slightly in the fourth sector and substantially in the top sector (United States Census). . If American Christians were truly loving and sharing like Jesus teaches, the social stratification that is prevalent in the United States would not be nearly as extreme. The Christian Church should not allow such tremendous economic and educational differences. Although this is not nearly as glaring a problem as slavery, Douglass' narrative is applicable even to today's social problems and is well worth the read for that and many other reasons.

Perhaps more so than any other account, Douglass gives us a look into the life of a slave. I enjoy this book on many level. Douglass writes honestly and in a factual tone. He does mince his words when he describes the brutality of slavery. Douglass demonstrates that he is an intelligent man despite his lack of education. He taight himself to read. To our youth, this demonstrates the value of education. Douglass also show Americans manipulated the work of God even in his time. Yet, Douglass found strength in that God. I think the quality I enjoyed most about this book is the fact that Douglass does not see himself as a hero, but as an average slave. This is not a typical characteristic of an autobiography. I read this book for the second time coming and going on 3 hour flights. The book is a short read, but well worth your time to read of atriumph of the human spirit.

I once read that "Vanity Fair" had been classified as one of the "most boring classics" by a group of English professors, who hopefully have all been fired, as they can NOT have had any appreciation for the incisive use of the English language, the witty skewering of Victorian society, the rollicking plot, or the unforgettable characters. Becky Sharpe isn't likeable -- but in the end, you have to admire her insatiability and efficiency. Amelia and Dobbin live out the stereotypical storybook romance -- but Thackeray dares to show how the story usually ends. This is one of the few books that had me consistently laughing aloud; virtually every page has a stinging comment or revealing moment that catches the attention. Although it's a "classic" (think leather-bound dusty volumes with edifying quotes from the latin), this is as vital, insightful, and "modern" a novel as you could hope to read. (And for the record, I think comparing Thackeray and Austen is like comparing Stephen King and Alice Walker -- they're writing at the same time, but the similarities end there!)

William Makepeace Thackeray subtitled "Vanity Fair", his masterful comic novel, "A Novel Without a Hero". But while this big, baggy eight-hundred page monstrosity of comic characters and situations may lack a hero, it has two of the most memorable characters in English literature: Amelia Sedley and Becky Sharp. The contrapuntal, shifting fortunes of these two women drive the narrative of this big book, painting, along the way, a brilliant satirical portrait of English and European society at the time of the Napoleonic wars. We first meet Amelia and Becky in the opening pages of the novel, leaving Miss Pinkerton's School for the wider world of fortune, love and marriage. Amelia Sedley, the naive, sheltered daughter of a rich London merchant whose fortunes will dramatically change over the course of her life, "was a dear little creature; and a great mercy it is, both in life and in novels, which (the latter especially) abound in villains of the most sombre sort, that we are to have for a constant companion so guileless and good-natured a person." In contrast, Becky Sharp, the impoverished orphan of an artist and a French opera singer of dubious repute, was a calculating, amoral social climber. "Miss Rebecca was not, then, in the least kind or placable . . . but she had the dismal precocity of poverty." From the opening pages, Thackeray captures the reader's interest in these two characters and carries the reader through marriages, births, deaths, poverty, misfortune, social climbing . . . even the Battle of Waterloo! While Amelia and Becky wind like a long, contrasting thread from the beginning to the end of this story, there are also plots and subplots, intrigues and authorial asides, and one character after another, all of this literary invention keeping the reader incessantly preoccupied and enthralled. Reading "Vanity Fair" is the furthest thing from "killing time" (as the dusty, misguided literary critic F. R. Leavis once said); it is, rather, the epitome of the nineteenth century English comic novel, a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

William Makepeace Thackeray subtitled "Vanity Fair", his masterful comic novel, "A Novel Without a Hero". But while this big, baggy eight-hundred page monstrosity of comic characters and situations may lack a hero, it has two of the most memorable characters in English literature: Amelia Sedley and Becky Sharp. The contrapuntal, shifting fortunes of these two women drive the narrative of this big book, painting, along the way, a brilliant satirical portrait of English and European society at the time of the Napoleonic wars.

We first meet Amelia and Becky in the opening pages of the novel, leaving Miss Pinkerton's School for the wider world of fortune, love and marriage. Amelia Sedley, the naive, sheltered daughter of a rich London merchant whose fortunes will dramatically change over the course of her life, "was a dear little creature; and a great mercy it is, both in life and in novels, which (the latter especially) abound in villains of the most sombre sort, that we are to have for a constant companion so guileless and good-natured a person." In contrast, Becky Sharp, the impoverished orphan of an artist and a French opera singer of dubious repute, was a calculating, amoral social climber. "Miss Rebecca was not, then, in the least kind or placable . . . but she had the dismal precocity of poverty."

From the opening pages, Thackeray captures the reader's interest in these two characters and carries the reader through marriages, births, deaths, poverty, misfortune, social climbing . . . even the Battle of Waterloo! While Amelia and Becky wind like a long, contrasting thread from the beginning to the end of this story, there are also plots and subplots, intrigues and authorial asides, and one character after another, all of this literary invention keeping the reader incessantly preoccupied and enthralled. Reading "Vanity Fair" is the furthest thing from "killing time" (as the dusty, misguided literary critic F. R. Leavis once said); it is, rather, the epitome of the nineteenth century English comic novel, a masterpiece in every sense of the word.