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Review Date: 11/24/2008
We used this book for ninth grade biology because it was recommended in "The Well-Trained Mind." It is a good start, but it is not enough work to earn a full high school science credit. And you will definitely need to add labs to make it a laboratory course. But we were happy with the book and it worked well for us with a bit of tweaking.
Review Date: 6/23/2009
I haven't read any of the other translations of this book, but I will, so I can compare them. I really enjoyed this one, though. There's also a great section with information about how David Ferry made decisions on how to deal with some of the translation issues.
It's a short book, a quick read, and great fun.
It's a short book, a quick read, and great fun.
Review Date: 3/12/2008
I just finished this book and I enjoyed it immensely. This is my first Sharyn McCrumb book and I love her writing style and her wit. I will definitely be reading more of her books.
That said, I wouldn't recommend reading this book before you read the others in the Elizabeth MacPherson series. Most series writers that I read (for instance, Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone books) give enough background information in each book that you can pick up any one of them and you don't feel like you've missed something. My first Kinsey Milhone book was "M is for Malice" and I didn't feel lost at all -- but I did start reading the series from the beginning.
That was not the case with this book. I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, so I will just generally say that you can tell there's *something* going on with Elizabeth and Cameron, her significant other or husband, but you really have a hard time figuring out what it is until almost the end of the book -- and even then it's a guess. It's a little distracting because Elizabeth is supposed to be the focus of the series, but she seems to be distracted by something the reader isn't completely privy to.
I highly recommend this book as a fun read, but don't make your introduction to this series.
That said, I wouldn't recommend reading this book before you read the others in the Elizabeth MacPherson series. Most series writers that I read (for instance, Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone books) give enough background information in each book that you can pick up any one of them and you don't feel like you've missed something. My first Kinsey Milhone book was "M is for Malice" and I didn't feel lost at all -- but I did start reading the series from the beginning.
That was not the case with this book. I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, so I will just generally say that you can tell there's *something* going on with Elizabeth and Cameron, her significant other or husband, but you really have a hard time figuring out what it is until almost the end of the book -- and even then it's a guess. It's a little distracting because Elizabeth is supposed to be the focus of the series, but she seems to be distracted by something the reader isn't completely privy to.
I highly recommend this book as a fun read, but don't make your introduction to this series.
Review Date: 12/2/2008
Helpful Score: 2
I found this book on the "for sale" shelf at my library and bought it because Joe McGinniss wrote it, not because I was familiar with the case of the "Milkshake Murderer." Once you adapt to his writing style, it's a quick read.
There's not a lot of fluff here -- it's fast paced and sticks to the facts -- even though it's obvious which "side" McGinniss is on right from the start. So if you're looking for a "fair and balanced" look at the case, you aren't going to find it here, and I'm not sure it could even be done, the crime being so heinous and bizarre! According to McGinnis, Rob Kissel was just a great guy -- ambitious and driven, yes, but he loved his family. And then there's Nancy -- lousy wife and lousy mother and just plain evil, or stupid, or both.
It *is* impossible to feel sorry for Nancy Kissel, or find any redeeming qualities whatsoever, reading this book. But on the other hand, was Rob Kissel nothing but Mr. Wonderful? I don't believe, not for a minute, the allegations that Nancy made as part of her defense. But I also can't believe *any* relationship could really be that one-sided.
McGinnis recounts in great detail Nancy's actions in the week after Rob was murdered, and this was, I think, my favorite part of the book simply because you just can't make this stuff up! Shaking my head the whole time, thinking, "You have *got* to be kidding!"
McGinnis goes to great lengths to hammer home the point that these people were absolutely rolling in disgusting amounts of money, and that got a bit tiresome after awhile. I found myself thinking, "Okay! Okay! They're rich! I get it!" But it all goes with the title "Never Enough" -- and not just for Rob and Nancy. Some of the other members of Rob's family were willing to go to great lengths to support a lifestyle that was built on a house of cards.
There's not a lot of fluff here -- it's fast paced and sticks to the facts -- even though it's obvious which "side" McGinniss is on right from the start. So if you're looking for a "fair and balanced" look at the case, you aren't going to find it here, and I'm not sure it could even be done, the crime being so heinous and bizarre! According to McGinnis, Rob Kissel was just a great guy -- ambitious and driven, yes, but he loved his family. And then there's Nancy -- lousy wife and lousy mother and just plain evil, or stupid, or both.
It *is* impossible to feel sorry for Nancy Kissel, or find any redeeming qualities whatsoever, reading this book. But on the other hand, was Rob Kissel nothing but Mr. Wonderful? I don't believe, not for a minute, the allegations that Nancy made as part of her defense. But I also can't believe *any* relationship could really be that one-sided.
McGinnis recounts in great detail Nancy's actions in the week after Rob was murdered, and this was, I think, my favorite part of the book simply because you just can't make this stuff up! Shaking my head the whole time, thinking, "You have *got* to be kidding!"
McGinnis goes to great lengths to hammer home the point that these people were absolutely rolling in disgusting amounts of money, and that got a bit tiresome after awhile. I found myself thinking, "Okay! Okay! They're rich! I get it!" But it all goes with the title "Never Enough" -- and not just for Rob and Nancy. Some of the other members of Rob's family were willing to go to great lengths to support a lifestyle that was built on a house of cards.
Review Date: 9/29/2008
Helpful Score: 3
I loved this book!
You have a good idea pretty early as to what is going on -- but it's all so strange and odd in a subtle sort of way! The narrator's matter-of-fact manner creates the impression that everything is normal when it clearly isn't. I was asking "Why?" the whole time -- and I wasn't disappointed. I realized about halfway through that the writing style *should* be irritating to me -- but it wasn't!
I have little time to read, and got this book from my library, so I was afraid I would be returning it late. Not so. I almost couldn't put it down. This book was not an adrenaline rush. If you're looking for over-the-top scenes that would require computer generated special effects, hair-raising car chases, bombs, or gore, you won't find it here. This book is quietly disturbing and intriguing.
When I'm almost finished with a book and it's time to start tying up the loose ends, I find myself asking, "But. . . do I really *care* what happens to these people?" Too often, of late, I don't. That was not true in this case. I really wanted to know what was going to happen to them, and wanted a happy ending.
You have a good idea pretty early as to what is going on -- but it's all so strange and odd in a subtle sort of way! The narrator's matter-of-fact manner creates the impression that everything is normal when it clearly isn't. I was asking "Why?" the whole time -- and I wasn't disappointed. I realized about halfway through that the writing style *should* be irritating to me -- but it wasn't!
I have little time to read, and got this book from my library, so I was afraid I would be returning it late. Not so. I almost couldn't put it down. This book was not an adrenaline rush. If you're looking for over-the-top scenes that would require computer generated special effects, hair-raising car chases, bombs, or gore, you won't find it here. This book is quietly disturbing and intriguing.
When I'm almost finished with a book and it's time to start tying up the loose ends, I find myself asking, "But. . . do I really *care* what happens to these people?" Too often, of late, I don't. That was not true in this case. I really wanted to know what was going to happen to them, and wanted a happy ending.
The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn : Family Politics at the Court of Henry VIII
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
4
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
4
Review Date: 4/15/2012
I'm not going to say I don't recommend this book, because it might not have gotten a fair go. This is my fourth Tudor-era book in a row, and maybe I'm just burnt out. Perhaps I would have preferred this book if I had read it first, rather than last.
The blurbs about this book state that Warnicke sets forth a new and controversial reinterpretation of the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn and focuses on sexual intrigues and family politics.
Maybe I just wasn't up to the challenge, but I was kind of disappointed. I thought it *was* going to be a new and controversial reinterpretation, but I didn't get that impression at all, unless by "reinterpretation" she means that she discredits or relies on sources differently than Ives and Weir do.
For instance, all three authors rank the credibility of the Imperial Ambassador, Eustace Chapuys differently, depending on what he is reporting at the time. I would think this is to be expected and don't see anything "new" or "controversial" about it.
By the time we got to the fall and execution of the Queen, I was pretty much worn out and became bored with her discussion about how the whole thing was due to Anne's delivery of a deformed fetus in January 1536. The rest of her argument regarding the charges against Anne is completely dependent on this one singular event. If the baby was not deformed, then the rest of her argument fails.
It seemed to me that sources she had been discrediting throughout the book were now considered authoritative and accurate when it came to this issue. I am certainly no expert on this historical period -- just eternally fascinated -- but she seemed to be digging pretty deep to come up with facts to support her conclusion.
I had considered that I should read the book again more carefully to see what I had missed, but when I finished it and realized I was relieved to be done with it, I decided against a re-read. I also know that she has written some follow-up articles about her conclusions in this book, and I would have liked to read those, but I was unable to access those publications at a reasonable cost.
But, as I said, I cannot say that I wouldn't recommend the book. These four books -- two by Ives, one by Weir and then this one by Warnicke -- are definitely not summer beach books. You really have to pay attention to follow the arguments, and it's a lot of work. So if I would recommend anything, it would be to separate these with a few along the lines of "Twilight" or "Charlotte's Web" rather than trying to read them one after the other.
The blurbs about this book state that Warnicke sets forth a new and controversial reinterpretation of the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn and focuses on sexual intrigues and family politics.
Maybe I just wasn't up to the challenge, but I was kind of disappointed. I thought it *was* going to be a new and controversial reinterpretation, but I didn't get that impression at all, unless by "reinterpretation" she means that she discredits or relies on sources differently than Ives and Weir do.
For instance, all three authors rank the credibility of the Imperial Ambassador, Eustace Chapuys differently, depending on what he is reporting at the time. I would think this is to be expected and don't see anything "new" or "controversial" about it.
By the time we got to the fall and execution of the Queen, I was pretty much worn out and became bored with her discussion about how the whole thing was due to Anne's delivery of a deformed fetus in January 1536. The rest of her argument regarding the charges against Anne is completely dependent on this one singular event. If the baby was not deformed, then the rest of her argument fails.
It seemed to me that sources she had been discrediting throughout the book were now considered authoritative and accurate when it came to this issue. I am certainly no expert on this historical period -- just eternally fascinated -- but she seemed to be digging pretty deep to come up with facts to support her conclusion.
I had considered that I should read the book again more carefully to see what I had missed, but when I finished it and realized I was relieved to be done with it, I decided against a re-read. I also know that she has written some follow-up articles about her conclusions in this book, and I would have liked to read those, but I was unable to access those publications at a reasonable cost.
But, as I said, I cannot say that I wouldn't recommend the book. These four books -- two by Ives, one by Weir and then this one by Warnicke -- are definitely not summer beach books. You really have to pay attention to follow the arguments, and it's a lot of work. So if I would recommend anything, it would be to separate these with a few along the lines of "Twilight" or "Charlotte's Web" rather than trying to read them one after the other.
Review Date: 3/25/2008
I did not enjoy this book, did not look forward to reading it, and it's a relief that it's finished. The thought that kept going through my mind the whole time I was reading it was the continued realization that I just did not care what happened to these characters -- past, present or future.
I was so bored with it that even the ending (which I was assured would be rewarding) was an anti-climax because it couldn't be any where near exciting enough to make up for the hours I'd spent in total boredom in Henry's random thoughts.
I was so bored with it that even the ending (which I was assured would be rewarding) was an anti-climax because it couldn't be any where near exciting enough to make up for the hours I'd spent in total boredom in Henry's random thoughts.
Review Date: 1/8/2012
Helpful Score: 3
My son *hates* these movies -- so what better reason than that to read the books? I'm late to the party, I know, but that's nothing new.
So, I read the book, then watched the movie. If you've only seen the movie -- or just the commercials for the movies! -- you've missed a lot. I can see now why my son thinks the movies are boring. They have to leave a lot of the details out, of course, to fit the films into two hours. But what I'd like to see is moving the story along -- leave out all the "intense moments" where they're just staring at each other -- and actually tell the story more as the author wrote it.
I like the way the author writes. Sometimes, a book written in the first person just comes off as a "ME! ME! ME!" story, but it's not like that. I like her sense of humor. I *love* the fact that it's just pure, fun entertainment. You don't need to highlight anything, or make notes in the margins. You can just go along for the ride.
I'd honestly like to see a stronger heroine and there are hints throughout that there's something here that we just haven't seen yet. I haven't read the last book, "Breaking Dawn," yet, and I really hope the big reveal is there.
So, I read the book, then watched the movie. If you've only seen the movie -- or just the commercials for the movies! -- you've missed a lot. I can see now why my son thinks the movies are boring. They have to leave a lot of the details out, of course, to fit the films into two hours. But what I'd like to see is moving the story along -- leave out all the "intense moments" where they're just staring at each other -- and actually tell the story more as the author wrote it.
I like the way the author writes. Sometimes, a book written in the first person just comes off as a "ME! ME! ME!" story, but it's not like that. I like her sense of humor. I *love* the fact that it's just pure, fun entertainment. You don't need to highlight anything, or make notes in the margins. You can just go along for the ride.
I'd honestly like to see a stronger heroine and there are hints throughout that there's something here that we just haven't seen yet. I haven't read the last book, "Breaking Dawn," yet, and I really hope the big reveal is there.
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