Books: The Book Review!

[Azal]

Originally Posted by Wooster

Quick review this time

A History of the American People by Paul Johnson

Guess what? It is a history book about American. Surprising I know.
However, what makes this interesting is that Mr, Johnson is British giving the entirity of the book an interesting perspective. The writing is excellent, which is important because this is over 900 pages. It is somehow both in depth and a breaazy read. Took me about half-a-year to get through.

It includes politics, art, cultural trends, and often a descriptions of notable people involved. Some interesting perspectives here such as the Great Depression was great exasperated by New York and British Central bankers. Aha, I knew lose money is always bad, and the JFK is a conmplete and utter phony include his election win.

If you like history try to find this book and take a read.

my history teachers name is mr. johnson

[Wooster]

Well it is a common name.

[mrsticky005]

Great expectations chapters 11 and 12

1. Pip needs to learn some tips from the love master, Sai Shaft
2. Miss Haveasliceofham is old and cranky.
3. Pip beats up a rich boy named Matthew Pocket and is later hanged for assault!

Chapter 12

1. Zombie Pip visits almost a zombie Miss Haveasliceofham
2. Joe Gatling is invited to the mansion. Mrs. Joe Gorbachev is not
3. Mrs. Joe Gogo gets soooooooooooooo mad she...cleans the house?

good chapters.

[KyuubiAkatsuki]

I highly reccomend reading The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. There are 13 books in the series (so far) and with one book which is a collection of short stories which fill in between the books. I'll rate the series an 9/10 because it has some really sick wizard/monster fights, humor, mystery, and some romance.

[Kreegah!!!]

Originally Posted by mrsticky005

Great expectations chapters 11 and 12

1. Pip needs to learn some tips from the love master, Sai Shaft
2. Miss Haveasliceofham is old and cranky.
3. Pip beats up a rich boy named Matthew Pocket and is later hanged for assault!

Chapter 12

1. Zombie Pip visits almost a zombie Miss Haveasliceofham
2. Joe Gatling is invited to the mansion. Mrs. Joe Gorbachev is not
3. Mrs. Joe Gogo gets soooooooooooooo mad she...cleans the house?

good chapters.

Sticky's first concise review! Well done! So, what happens next?

Originally Posted by KyuubiAkatsuki

I highly reccomend reading The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. There are 13 books in the series (so far) and with one book which is a collection of short stories which fill in between the books. I'll rate the series an 9/10 because it has some really sick wizard/monster fights, humor, mystery, and some romance.

Thanks, sir for the review, and know that we always welcome more!



Not sure anyone noticed, but I updated a few things in the first post. I still have much to do, but a cataloging of entries is in effect!

Oh, some news about upcoming entries in the Malazan series: the next book due out this year will focus on the Tyrant of Darujhistan, last novel to focus squarely upon Genabackis. That much isn't really news; the fact that the events take place contemporaneously with Stonewielder is. Karsa's character portrayal in The Crippled God was above par, but it seemed he'd mellowed out and wised up too quickly. Now things are clear, and an update of his feats will be pending. P:

Also, spoilers!: this knowledge means that at the very least, Karsa Orlong, Picker, and Spindle are alive after those events, since they are each shown in The Crippled God which happens after that, though not by much.

And according to Spindle, the event was most harrowing. Which means a lot considering most events in the series are quite harrowing, or at least winnowing.

[mrsticky005]

Originally Posted by Kreegah!

Sticky's first concise review! Well done! So, what happens next?




Thanks, sir for the review, and know that we always welcome more!



Not sure anyone noticed, but I updated a few things in the first post. I still have much to do, but a cataloging of entries is in effect!

Oh, some news about upcoming entries in the Malazan series: the next book due out this year will focus on the Tyrant of Darujhistan, last novel to focus squarely upon Genabackis. That much isn't really news; the fact that the events take place contemporaneously with Stonewielder is. Karsa's character portrayal in The Crippled God was above par, but it seemed he'd mellowed out and wised up too quickly. Now things are clear, and an update of his feats will be pending. P:

Also, spoilers!: this knowledge means that at the very least, Karsa Orlong, Picker, and Spindle are alive after those events, since they are each shown in The Crippled God which happens after that, though not by much.

And according to Spindle, the event was most harrowing. Which means a lot considering most events in the series are quite harrowing, or at least winnowing.

The review would be longer but I hadn't written one in a while.

[Danielle]

Along for the Ride~Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen writes for the young adult female demographic. Her writing is inspirational and enjoyable, while realistic and balanced. Along for the Ride takes into the world and the soul of an academic young lady who is a wall flower even though she is strong and very outgoing in the world of academia. A sudden reflection of a childhood not lived sends her on a impromptu visit with her father and his new wife, there she emerges from her shell with the aid of a young man and other girls; she is presented a "second" chance at her childhood that was not afforded her in the first place. It is fast paced yet balanced and a brilliant tale. I would call it chicken salad even.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'll do one for Lock and Key tomorrow.

[Slack 40]

soldier boys by dean hughes
great book it really shows you the Nazi and american views of WW2 the ending was great and you feel like you really understand the pain the two boys went through. Great way to make a WW2 story
Looking for Alaska
don't remember the author but i should because this book is my favorite its a funny book and shows the life of a boy who goes through school makes friends and goes through a huge loss. I actually cried during a point in the book, and i NEVER cry when reading a book

[Danielle]

Gah, Kreegah. You should update better, I reviewed a whole book. o.o

[Kreegah!!!]

I'm not very good at thread-husbandry.

Also, I read two books as well.

They are based on the Guild Wars games and the reviews go thus:

1st book: 3.024/5

2nd book: 2.9000000003111762/4,920
It is that bad, yes.

[mrsticky005]

Chapter 13

Not much to say here. Except...
Pip is poor and Miss Haveasliceofham along with E-STELLA! is rich.
Pip is ashamed of his humble abode and the fact that Mr and Mrs. Joe Genin
keep changing their last names and of course it's all because he has the warms
for E-Stella!! (Pip is too poor to afford the hots.) It's sad actually
because although Pip is trying to improve himself just to impress her but it's all for naught.

After all this is Dickens and he sooner die from the black plague than dare be happy.

But let's look on the bright side...At least the black plague is happy.

[Kreegah!!!]

Originally Posted by mrsticky005

Chapter 13

Not much to say here. Except...
Pip is poor and Miss Haveasliceofham along with E-STELLA! is rich.
Pip is ashamed of his humble abode and the fact that Mr and Mrs. Joe Genin
keep changing their last names and of course it's all because he has the warms
for E-Stella!! (Pip is too poor to afford the hots.) It's sad actually
because although Pip is trying to improve himself just to impress her but it's all for naught.

After all this is Dickens and he sooner die from the black plague than dare be happy.

But let's look on the bright side...At least the black plague is happy.

Exactly, even fleas need love, and nothing loves fleas like unwashed poverty!

[Wooster]

Review soon to be produced. I hear it's on Reagan.

[Kreegah!!!]

Originally Posted by Wooster

Review soon to be produced. I hear it's on Reagan.

Actor or President or both career points and beyond?

[Kreegah!!!]

Not really a review so much as an interview--which is what it is--but an interview is just a review with +1 INT, so it's superior anyway.

Stevie Erik's Son.If you were holding out to read this stuff because my inanities were off-putting, read this. Perhaps his demeanor and rhetoric may entice you... or leave you dismissive. FYI, TG means Terry Goodkind.

Some mini-drama in the comments, too. Oh, and here's the thread link from whence I got the interview link, but I don't see that garnering interest beyond the light of a source point.

[Wooster]

Originally Posted by Kreegah!

Actor or President or both career points and beyond?

Focus more his affects on politics rather than the talkies.

However, I am in a quandary. I finished another book, whichever shall I review.

[Kreegah!!!]

Whichever floats your fancy.

[Wooster]

Very well, just finished Endless War by Ralph Peters.

This is a collection of articles written in years 2007-2009. It ranges from military history, specific military conflicts, to suggestion for military culture, to general thoughts about Islamist motivations.

I while start the beginning, which of course is the dedication in which Peters dedicates in to a trio of uncles. Most notable is an uncle that died in WWI named Friend Peters. I cannot think of better name. I ask that all of you to name your first son or daughter Friend to start a boomlet in this name.

Moving on to Introduction Peters decries the lack of teaching of history in our substandard schools, and in particular, the lack of teaching of military history. This tranistions easily into Part 1 The War we Pretend Away.
This covers three articles, two from Arm Chair General and one from Armed Forces Journal. The first is an overview of historical battles in which Muslims won: Manzikert 1071, Hattin 1187, Nicopolis 1396, Mohacs 1526, and the Battle of Three Kings 1578. The parallel theme in these battles is the overconfident heavy armored Europeans being lured into the battleground of their opponents choosing.



The rest of the collection I find not as astounding, but still quite interesting.
Rather than go over a summary, I will present some amusing and/or cogent quotes.

"Al Qa'eda seemed like the greatest thing since the right to abuse multiple wives." Ohhh Peters.

"Now Iraq is al Qa'eda's Vietnam, not ours." Dern tootin. Good thing they were stupid enough to offend the Sunni Muslims in Anbar.

"One only has to turn on the television to hear yet another political activist deny that the surge made any difference. The behavior is that of a child shutting his eyes and clamping his hands over his ears to make reality go away." What a stinging riposte. The larger point in this article is that emotional rewards like killing for Allad drive Islamist terrorist rather than so called rational objectives like poverty. This point itself just drove home the fact that all people emotional sanctification rather than rational self-interest.

"Effective nonviolence is contractual.Where the contract does not exist, Gandhi dies." An excellent point. Gandhi's strategy only worked because Brits are a humane people. A merciless dictator does not have Gandhis for an example see Qaddafi.

"The point of all this is simple: Win. In warfare, nothing else matter. If you cannot win clean, win dirty. But win. Out victories are ultimately in humanities interest, while our failures nourish monsters." The best stated quote of his oft repeated point that wars have consequences, but trying to those consequences(like casualties of soldiers, civilians, and even of late, the enemy) lead to even worse results or as he glibly puts it trying to reduce the butcher's bill in the now leads to compounded interest in the future.

So should you read it? If you have in interest in military history, global events, or military culture, I say yes. If not, I suppose not. It may be too esoteric for most.

[Danielle]

Book: Say You're One of Them.
A collection of short stories by:
Father Uwem Akpan

Story to be reviewed: "Fattening for Gabon"
Aprox 108 pages.

Setting: West Africa
Key characters: Fofo Kpee, Kotchikpa(10), Yewa(5) and Big Guy

Yewa and Kotchipka are a brother and sister and the youngest two children of an African family in the village of Graffe where their parents are dying of AIDS. It is decided by the grandparents that the two should go live with their uncle, who is by no means the most reliable honest christian, (which is a major theme in the story, being a "good" christian). Even though you are warned about the ill that are about to befall them earlier in the chapter, it is still a bitter pill to swallow. Because of it's length it is easy to become complacent with the story telling that you eventually forget that the uncle will be attempting to sell his niece and nephew into slavery in Gabon. Fofo Kpee is promised money, a house and AIDS drugs for his family in exchange for all seven children, but only is able to manage the two youngest. It is easy to come to hate hate Fofo, but whether it be just guilt or actual love, he tries to back out of the deal and even tries to escape with the children...to no avail. It truly is a sad story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, praying and hoping the children will be all right. The glorious lies about going to good schools abroad, eating decent meals, wearing shoes and getting dropped of at school in a car, it really makes you stop and think how easy it is to take things for granted.

[Bacon]

I wanna do a review,but alas, I have not read any books for years. >.>