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Bonita M. (lovescoffee) - Reviews

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1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Author: Steven Jay Schneider
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 4
Review Date: 4/4/2009
Helpful Score: 2


Working my way through this book. I've enjoyed most of the suggested movies I've watched. I like that it tells you what makes each movie special. I've also learned a lot about some of my long-time favorites. The only thing I don't like is that it contains spoilers, so I've learned to read the suggestions after seeing the movie.


The 39 Steps
The 39 Steps
Author: John Buchan
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.5/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 4/4/2009
Helpful Score: 1


Just read this story, though not this edition. I found it suspenseful even though the chapter headings gave hints as to what would happen next. A short novel. Enjoyed it very much!


The 42nd Parallel (U.S.A., Bk 1)
The 42nd Parallel (U.S.A., Bk 1)
Author: John Dos Passos
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 8
Review Date: 4/4/2009
Helpful Score: 3


This book is full of adventure and suspense. The men are on a seemingly impossible mission and are both accepted and feared by the locals they happen across. I wouldn't have guessed the ending.


The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes A Scandal in Bohemia
Review Date: 4/4/2009


I have a complete book of the Sherlock Holmes tales and this is just a short story. I find all of the mysteries entertaining, although Holmes can occasionally get quite arrogant. You just come to expect it.


All True Lovers
All True Lovers
Author: Sarah Aldridge
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 2.5/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 4/4/2009


Depressing.


The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas
The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas
Author: Gertrude Stein
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
 2
Review Date: 4/4/2009


Strange. The author (speaking from Ms. Toklas' perspective) refers to herself by her full name, all the while substituting her name for "she" and "her." I suppose instead of "we" or "us" she used "Gertrude Stein and I." I really wouldn't know as I couldn't make it past the first chapter.


The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin : Second Edition (Yale Nota Bene)
Review Date: 4/4/2009


I know he wrote this book about himself, but instead of coming away with an understanding of his influence on the colonies, I just got a clear picture of what an egotistical slut he was.

He had seventeen children, mentions only three in the book, and just one of them by name. I can't fathom a father writing an autobiography without including his children. But then again, maybe they weren't a part of his life that mattered.


Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Author: Dai Sijie, Ina Rilke (Translator)
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 54
Review Date: 4/4/2009
Helpful Score: 3


Being a bibliophile myself, I can understand the lengths these boys went to in securing these books. It was their physical strength which surprised me. Talk about endurance! A very moving story for anyone who appreciates literature or freedom.


Beloved (Everyman's Library)
Beloved (Everyman's Library)
Author: Toni Morrison
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 8
Review Date: 4/16/2009


I'm glad I saw the movie first. I didn't think it possible, but the book is even stranger!


Blind Man with a Pistol (Harlem Cycle, Bk 8)
Blind Man with a Pistol (Harlem Cycle, Bk 8)
Author: Chester Himes
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
 4
Review Date: 4/16/2009
Helpful Score: 1


A gritty urban suspense novel.


The Book of Evidence (Vintage International)
The Book of Evidence (Vintage International)
Author: John Banville
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 17
Review Date: 5/27/2009
Helpful Score: 3


I didn't care for the first several pages, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. This third person narrative lets us into the mind of a murderer, who for the most part shows no remorse and rationalizes every one of his criminal acts. His egocentricity fits the profile of a psychopath. The reader's understanding of the chain of events and their necessity is disturbing, as is the humor found in some of the situations. (My favorite is the description of his mother's shoes peeping out from under a cabinet.)


The Breast
The Breast
Author: Philip Roth
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
 7
Review Date: 4/16/2009
Helpful Score: 1


It was hilarious! Very strange, but I couldn't stop laughing. Men and women alike obsess about breasts, and yet the thought of being one makes you take another look, from the breast's perspective. Apparently, being a breast isn't all that! And where will he ever find a mate???


The Cave of the Ancients
The Cave of the Ancients
Author: T. Lobsang Rampa
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.5/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 4/4/2009


Definitely one of his best!


Crash : A Novel
Crash : A Novel
Author: J. G. Ballard
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 2.9/5 Stars.
 21
Review Date: 5/21/2009
Helpful Score: 1


The author is trying to make a statement about the consequences of our society's dependence on technology as an intermediary in human relations. I get it. The first chapter was bizarre, the second gory, but by the time he gets to chapter three, the book is not "horrific" as described by some critics. It's just plain horrible. The author's attempt to shock became boring. I stopped there. The torture in the book was quite enough. I saw no need to torture myself as well. In all fairness, I have just finished "American Psycho." The atrocities in "Crash" pale by comparison.


The Devil and Miss Prym (P.S.)
Review Date: 4/16/2009
Helpful Score: 2


A look at morality with a suspenseful plot and a clever ending!


Doctor from Lhasa
Doctor from Lhasa
Author: T. Lobsang Rampa
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 2/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 4/4/2009
Helpful Score: 1


Didn't like this one at all. Much preferred The Hermit, Cave of the Ancients and The Third Eye, which were all exceptional. In comparison, this one was a dud.


A Dog Named Christmas
A Dog Named Christmas
Author: Greg Kincaid
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 54
Review Date: 4/15/2009
Helpful Score: 2


A short feel-good book. Love dogs? Know someone touched my someone with a cognitive delay? Care about a Vietnam vet? Then you're going to get into this book!


Draw and Color Your Way to a Younger Brain: Dogs, Cats, and Wild Animals
Review Date: 2/11/2017


Wow! This book exceeded my expectations! I agree with the title, however I can see another use for this generous collection of intricate sketches, side by side a page to fill in the basic sketches with your own pencils. It encourages critical thinking and creativity. It would be great for a budding artist or any creative person. This book was received as a giveaway through Goodreads, which did not influence my opinion.


Frosting on the Cake
Frosting on the Cake
Author: Karin Kallmaker
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 9
Review Date: 4/6/2009


This is a book of short stories with characters from many of Karin Kallmaker's books. Have you ever wondered what happens when you finish, what else the characters are up to? Well, Karin says sometimes they just have a bit more of their stories to tell and they tell it here. It's a good read and a fine way to drop in on some old favorite friends.


Godmother Night: A Novel
Godmother Night: A Novel
Author: Rachel Pollack
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 4.9/5 Stars.
 4
Review Date: 4/13/2012


I'm not a big fantasy/sci-fi fan, but I loved this!


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