Book Description
You're invited to the most whacked-out party of the year. Bring your togas, your appetite, and your attitude to the first-ever fraternity "zee-ba-cue" by the Da Brudderhood of Zeeba Zeeba Eata. A small cover charge is required, but zebras always get in free. Getting out is a different story. . .
In this, the fifth collection of the wildly popular Pearls Before Swine comic strip, Stephan Pastis's original creations Rat, Pig, Goat, and Zebra join the sophomoric cast of crocodilian cutthroats in Pastis's funniest work yet.
Customer Reviews:
Delighfully Twisted.......2007-10-07
Love the strip-love the book. Pearls appeals to my slightly acidic sense of humor.
Fun.......2007-09-28
The book was a wonderful collection. and I had many laughs from it. I have ordered other Pearls before Swine books as a result.
Dis iss hystiracall , Brudder!!!!.......2007-08-29
If you are a fan of Stephan Pastis' twisted humor, you will love this book! If you never heard of him and are slightly "bent", you'll soon be a fan.
I purchased two previous books and gave them away as gifts (after reading them first, of course) and the party turned into a "listen to this one" and "where did you get these?" event.
I love the crocodiles and their phonetic accent and their struggles with the wary zebra who is too smart for them....because EVERYONE is too smart for them.
The other characters are great too, but this one is the best of the three I've read. Do yourself a favor and order this book. Laughter is the best medicine and Stephan Pastis makes a great doctor!
Great for the Reading Room.......2007-07-03
Irreverant, silly, dumb, twisted......
I LOVE IT.... God forgive me, I love it.
The Zeeba/Ally-gaters are the best characters yet.
Fun for everyone.......2007-06-14
Hated to read the last page of this book. It's such a delight. My whole family loved it. In fact, we kept swiping it from each other.
We're now hooked on Zeebas.
Amazon.com
Fourteen years after it was first issued, C++ expert Jon Bentley reinvents a true classic with the second edition of his Programming Pearls. Completely revised and brought up to date with all new code examples in C and C++, this book remains an exceptional tutorial for learning to think like a programmer.
The "pearls" in question center not only on choosing the right algorithms (like binary searches, sorting techniques, or sparse arrays) but also on showing how to solve problems effectively. Each chapter frames a particular programming task--such as sorting numbers, creating anagrams, or counting the words in a block of text--many drawn from Bentley's experiences in his long career as a developer. The book traces the process of arriving at a fast, efficient, and accurate solution, along with code profiling to discover what works best. After refining the correct answer, each chapter enumerates programming principles that you can use on your own.
The author also challenges you to think like an engineer, and each chapter ends with about a dozen problems to get you thinking creatively about design issues. (Sidebars on such historical topics as the first computer solutions to computer chess, spell-checking, and even architectural design help create a perspective on successful problem solving and make for a truly educational and enjoyable tour of how to become a better programmer.) Bentley also asks the reader to think analytically about the world with "back of the envelope" estimation techniques drawn from engineering. Appendices list the algorithms and code rules covered in the book, plus some sample solutions.
Fans of the first edition of this title will be pleased to see this favorite computer text brought up to date for today's faster hardware. Whether you want to improve your command of algorithms or test your problem-solving skills, the new version of Programming Pearl is a challenging, instructive, and thoroughly entertaining resource. --Richard Dragan
Topics covered: Programming and problem-solving tutorial, sorting algorithms, merge sort, bit vectors, binary searches, program correctness and testing, improving performance, engineering and problem-solving techniques, performance estimates, designing for safety, divide-and-conquer and scanning algorithms, tuning code, tips for more efficient memory usage, insertion sort, quicksort algorithms, sparse arrays, searching algorithms, binary search trees, heaps, priority queues, searching text, and generating random text.
Book Description
The first edition of Programming Pearls was one of the most influential books I read early in my career, and many of the insights I first encountered in that book stayed with me long after I read it. Jon has done a wonderful job of updating the material. I am very impressed at how fresh the new examples seem." -Steve McConnell
When programmers list their favorite books, Jon Bentley's collection of programming pearls is commonly included among the classics. Just as natural pearls grow from grains of sand that irritate oysters, programming pearls have grown from real problems that have irritated real programmers. With origins beyond solid engineering, in the realm of insight and creativity, Bentley's pearls offer unique and clever solutions to those nagging problems. Illustrated by programs designed as much for fun as for instruction, the book is filled with lucid and witty descriptions of practical programming techniques and fundamental design principles. It is not at all surprising that Programming Pearls has been so highly valued by programmers at every level of experience.
In this revision, the first in 14 years, Bentley has substantially updated his essays to reflect current programming methods and environments. In addition, there are three new essays on * testing, debugging, and timing * set representations * string problems All the original programs have been rewritten, and an equal amount of new code has been generated. Implementations of all the programs, in C or C++, are now available on the Web.
What remains the same in this new edition is Bentley's focus on the hard core of programming problems and his delivery of workable solutions to those problems. Whether you are new to Bentley's classic or are revisiting his work for some fresh insight, the book is sure to make your own list of favorites.
Customer Reviews:
A must for everyone serious about software engineering.......2006-11-04
great book. guaranteed to transform you into a better and more professional software engineer
a must.......2006-09-09
Read this book, the sooner the better! This IS the Computer Science as it's supposed to be in the same row with Knuth and Sedgewick.
Programming insight.......2006-03-18
Derived from a popular series of columns from the ACM flagship magazine (Communications of the ACM), this book takes you as near as possible to a professional programmer's way of thinking.
Each chapter walks through the internal process a programmer follows to solve particular problems (and teaches newcomers how some techniques should be used in practice).
If you read only one book on computer programming apart from your language handbook (something I would never recommend), this should be the one.
PS: Plauger's "Programming on Purpose: Essays on Software Design" would probably be my second choice.
Great book for some programmers.......2006-01-05
I liked this book, but it is somewhat limited in its scope. I'm a software engineer, and this book doesn't offer tips on designing software. However, it is phenomenal for code tuning and improving programming style and logic. The experienced coder will not be disappointed with this book in his/her library. Even the new coder can learn valuable tips from this.
Not For Beginners..........2005-12-29
- Bentley's 'Programming Pearls' offers many programming techniques and design principles.
- But the text assumes that the reader is *extremely* familiar with C-style syntax and many advanced computer science concepts.
While Bentley emphasizes important fundamentals, his language is rather esoteric.
I bought this book because Steve McConnell ('Code Complete' author) recommends it for 'beginner' developers at his company (Construx Software); but I encourage 'beginner' developers (and even senior developers) to look elsewhere.
This book is meant for computer science graduate students. It incorporates more advanced math and more advanced computer science techniques than the average software developer will ever encounter.
Most of 'Programming Pearls' was penned before the widespread use of object-oriented programming; so Bentley heavily emphasizes code tuning. In today's world, most .NET and J2EE developers are likely to find greater efficiencies within their architectural design.
- Developers who need to either learn or revisit important fundamentals should read Steve McConnell's 'Code Complete'.
Book Description
The Pearls Before Swine crew are at it again in their new book, Lions and Tigers and Crocs, Oh My! But even the wonderful Wizard of Oz couldn't help this bunch of merry misfits. Collecting strips from his last two books, Nighthogs and The Ratvolution Will Not Be Televised, cartoonist Stephan Pastis takes you on a magically malicious journey over the rainbow and into the rat trap of Lions and Tigers and Crocs, Oh My! As in the previous Pearls treasury collection, Sgt. Piggy's Lonely Hearts Club Comic, the comic strips are annotated, as only the smart-alecky, misanthropic-but-lovable Pastis can do. Following his yellow brick road of notes, readers gain great insights into the making of such classic Pearls bits as Rat's stint as a New York Times reporter, Angry Bob, Pig's plastic surgery, the Mallet o' Understanding, Mrs. Bootyworth, and the fraternal order of the Zeeba Zeeba Eetas.
A special bonus feature included in Lions and Tigers and Crocs is "The Good, the Banned, and the Ugly," a section of never-before-published and unedited Pearls strips.
So go, as fast as lightning, to the Emerald City¿or the cash register¿and buy this book, before a twister drops a Box o' Stupid People on you!
Customer Reviews:
Brillant!!.......2007-07-03
Pearls Before Swine is the best comic strip since Bloom County in its prime 15 years ago!
Pastis is a mad genious.......2007-05-09
I am fifty Years Old, and have been reading the daily comics in newspapers since the age of seven. Pearls Before Swine is without a doubt one of the most entertaining strips of all time. Stephen Pastis' wit is razor sharp, I look forward to reading Perls every day, and my of my best friends at work calls me every day and we laugh like all get out. I am glad he left the legal profession, and hope he never stops doing Pearls.
humor for the open mind.......2007-04-12
This book is very good. However it is one that some people need to take with a grain of salt. Stephen Pastis is a very gifted comic strip writer for the fact that he knows the English vocabulary very well and knows how to play with it. Also Pastis likes to venture on some of the territory that other comic strip writers would find taboo which in turn makes him highly controversial which is strange for the fact that he doesn't step to far over lines like most of the comedians now days that don't believe a joke is worthy unless he/she sees someone gag. When it comes the art, I at first was naive enough to take his simple drawings as bad or unpolished drawings when fact most of his strips would be ruined if the drawings were not simple and to the point.
Overall I think this is a book well worth owning and the author might not have the artistic flare as the author from "get fuzzy" or have the same view of comics as Bill Watterson where bigger is better or isn't as warm and fuzzy as "Mutts" and "Family Circus" but he is definitely a gifted writer and I believe and hope will go on for many more years.
I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Pig.......2007-04-04
It's fun to know what's going on in Pastis' mind when he writes. I have all of his books and also cut out his strips from the Norman Transcript.
Laughs For All Ages.......2007-01-21
My fifteen year old son laughed and laughed while reading this book. We all need more laughter and Stephan Pastis' humor reaches a broad audiance.
Book Description
Probabilistic Reasoning in Intelligent Systems is a complete and accessible account of the theoretical foundations and computational methods that underlie plausible reasoning under uncertainty. The author provides a coherent explication of probability as a language for reasoning with partial belief and offers a unifying perspective on other AI approaches to uncertainty, such as the Dempster-Shafer formalism, truth maintenance systems, and nonmonotonic logic.
The author distinguishes syntactic and semantic approaches to uncertainty--and offers techniques, based on belief networks, that provide a mechanism for making semantics-based systems operational. Specifically, network-propagation techniques serve as a mechanism for combining the theoretical coherence of probability theory with modern demands of reasoning-systems technology: modular declarative inputs, conceptually meaningful inferences, and parallel distributed computation. Application areas include diagnosis, forecasting, image interpretation, multi-sensor fusion, decision support systems, plan recognition, planning, speech recognition--in short, almost every task requiring that conclusions be drawn from uncertain clues and incomplete information.
Probabilistic Reasoning in Intelligent Systems will be of special interest to scholars and researchers in AI, decision theory, statistics, logic, philosophy, cognitive psychology, and the management sciences. Professionals in the areas of knowledge-based systems, operations research, engineering, and statistics will find theoretical and computational tools of immediate practical use. The book can also be used as an excellent text for graduate-level courses in AI, operations research, or applied probability.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding introduction to the field.......2007-06-28
Recently I needed to learn the principles of Bayesian networks quickly, so I bought three books: this one by Pearl, "Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning" by Bishop, and "Bayesian Artificial Intelligence" by Korb and Nicholson. Each has a very different audience and different set of strengths.
The Bishop book would probably be a great text for a serious student with a year to spend learning the theory of machine learning. But I found it a bit too concise, with a bias towards an "algebraic" description rather than a "geometric" one (my preference). I wound up spending a lot of time trying to translate equations into mental pictures in order to grasp the concepts. Too much work, so I dropped this after a couple of days.
Next I tackled the Korb and Nicholson book. This one's aimed at the application engineer who wants to get a network up and running quickly, and is not too concerned about how it works. I've been in that position many times in my career, and have always welcomed books like this for giving me a quick start into a new field. But this time I needed to really understand how Bayesian networks worked, and for this the Korb and Nicholson book is not great. In the first 9 pages of chapter 3 they try to explain the belief propagation algorithm, but their hearts just weren't it in--I found their explanation to be unintelligible. (I suspect most readers just skim this to get to the applications.) So after several days of struggling and getting nowhere, I tossed this aside as well.
The Pearl book was the only left; I put it off to last since I was initially somewhat intimidated by it. After all, this is one of the books that kicked off the "Bayesian revolution," so I was fearing a foundational math book consisting of one dry theorem after another. Not so! Although you have to read 174 pages to get through the belief propagation algorithm for trees, this took far less time than reading the first 62 pages of Korb and Nicholson, which cover roughly the same ground. The reason: Pearl is a gifted teacher and writer. His explanations are a series of baby steps, leaving nothing out, never assuming the reader will make "obvious" inferences, and supplying motivation every step of the way. Although he doesn't have a lot of figures in the book, the ones he does have are excellent, and by the time I hit page 175, I had a clear picture in my head of not just how it all worked, but why it worked. In fact, after just two days of reading, I was able to implement the belief propagation algorithm in software in an afternoon (I tested the software with examples from the Korb and Nicholson book, so that book was ultimately useful). Pearl made the subject seem almost obvious. If you are looking for a book to help you get canned Bayesian software up and running for an application quickly, this is not it. But if you want to really understand how these things work, and don't have a lot of time available, I cannot imagine a better book than this.
a classic book.......2007-05-10
Pearl's book is a classic in artificial intelligence. Many of his ideas are still being studied today.
To reiterate moussie99, Not so much.......2006-04-20
I've read the first half of this book twice now (once for a class, once to pass M.S. test). The book is terrible. There are virtually no examples to help you learn how to construct a Bayesian network. I'm serious. Virtually the only example is actually a homework question at the end of a chapter and the question is wrong!!! (there are dependcies in the table given for the joint distribution, but the acyclic graph shows them as independencies).
This book was written in defense of Bayesian Networks as a "Reasonable" graphical model. At the time, perhaps it was needed, but today we accept them as useful and move on unless we are trying to model medical diagnosis. For this reason the book is written with proofs where there should be examples (and perhaps references to an appendix). Please don't prove to me that Bayesian networks are reasonable, show me how they are useful!
To reiterate, you will learn how to create and use Bayesian networks from somewhere else, even if you buy this book.
Oh, and my FAVORITE example is the Prisoner's Paradox. He uses this example to show relationships that should be representable in a graphical model. But the whole point of the paradox is that humans are VERY bad at thinking in this manner. Though Pearl makes general claims as to the similarity between Bayesian Networks and the way humans think (doctors performing medical diagnosis is not a normal human task!), this example shows the opposite. It is called a paradox because it is unintuitive, weakening claims as to the likeness of Bayesian Networks to human thought.
Elegant Discussion On Probabilistic Reasoning And Uncertainty.......2005-12-13
Pearl's "Probabilistic Reasoning in Intelligent Systems" is elegantly done seminal work on uncertainty, probabilistic reasoning and all things related inference. As the author says, "This book is a culmination of an investigation into the applicability of probabilistic methods to task requiring automated reasoning under uncertainty", it covers topics on all level i.e. basic ideas, technical and substantive discussions and advanced research. However, my impression of book's target audiences is researchers and readers with a advance understanding of these topics.
"Probabilistic Reasoning in Intelligent Systems" provides very comprehensive and detailed discussion on topics like why uncertainty is important, probabilistic reasoning for query answering system, Markov and Bayesian networks etc; It goes beyond the text and into philosophical discussion as well, for instance it talks about what Bayesian rule's mathematical representation actually mean. The topic "Learning structures from data" is a good discussion of belief networks. As an advance text book, it's equipped with theorem proofs, exercises but not very many examples which disappoints. The book covers default logic very well; topics like semantics for default reasoning, casualty modularity and tree structures, evidential reasoning in taxonomic hierarchies, decision analysis, and autonomous propagation as a computational paradigm are some of the well discussed ones. I particularly enjoyed the Bayesian vs. Dempster-Shafer formulism, probabilistic treatment of the Yale shooting problem and dialogue between logicist and probablist, the concluding discussion.
I'd recommend this book as a secondary resource for advance researchers in the field of probability and uncertainty.
Not so much.......2003-04-09
I used this text in addtition to a few others for a course in probablistic reasoning (Bayes nets, etc.) and found that it was very unhelpful. The explanations were very poor and many parts were difficult to read. Also, there weren't very many examples and those that were provided were not very detailed. If you're looking for a text to learn probabilistic reasoning I would suggest trying a different book. Pearl's book could be useful as a 2nd or 3rd reference but not for the primary text. 2 thumbs down.
Book Description
Rat, Pig, Zebra, and Goat, the central characters of Pearls Before Swine, are back in their new book, Sgt. Piggy's Lonely Hearts Club Comic, the first Pearls Before Swine treasury-supersized for your enjoyment. But this is no ordinary cartoon treasury. Like the influential Beatles album that inspired the book's title, Sgt. Piggy is full of surprises. In addition to collecting in one volume all of the Pearls cartoons that appeared in BLTs Taste So Darn Good and This Little Piggy Stayed Home, cartoonist Stephan Pastis takes readers on a VIP backstage tour of one of the most successful new comic strips in newspapers today. In Sgt. Piggy, Pastis explains the genesis of Pearls (hint: it didn't begin at an artist's easel), why he was initially reluctant to show it to newspaper syndicates (and the surprising reason he changed his mind), the unexpected responses from readers to his work (oh, the letters), which Pearls strips worked and which ones didn't (and how he would have corrected the ones that didn't). The result is a rare and revealing glimpse into the world of Rat and Pig, Goat and Zebra. Full of humor and insight, sardonic asides and unexpected truths, Sgt. Piggy's Lonely Hearts Club Comic is a book that comics fans everywhere can enjoy anytime-even when they're 64.
Customer Reviews:
Totally Awesome!.......2007-05-30
I've been a Pearls Before Swine fan for a while, and I love this book! The comics are funny and realistic (rather), though a bit dark. But it's still worthwhile. I like how Stephan Pastis puts little comments under some comics. It's nice to see some insight from the author. The beginning is good as well, with Pastis telling how he got into the comic business. Overall, I highly recommend this book to Pearls Before Swine fans, and to anyone looking for a funny (but not always happy) comic.
Great book!.......2007-05-03
I always start my mornings out with a nice healthy strip of Pearls. This first Pearls treasury is a must for all fans! It contains all the strips from the first two books (BLTs Taste So Darn Good, This Little Piggy Stayed Home), but the Sundays are in color and Pastis even includes some personal comments for select strips. The comments offer a different way to look at the strip, giving insight to what the author was thinking or how the audience reacted to the strip.
Best Comic Strip Out There.......2007-01-24
The first Pearls comic I've ever saw was the strip where Pig made Fidel Castro cry and I've been hooked ever since. I've had this collection for about a year and it still makes me laugh. A great gift for friends or yourself, an instant classic.
Hilarious!.......2007-01-20
This book is fantastic. I am a Pearls reader, but anyone with a dry, sardonic sense of humor will like it. For Pearls fans, it has an introduction and bonus comments by the author, which are illuminating and very interesting. I laughed out loud at least fifty times while reading it, then I bought it for my brother, too. Highest recommendation!
See my review of Lions & Tigers & Crocs .......2007-01-05
The second (or first, I forget which) anthology of PBS and I loved it.
I have the strip about women and shoes posted on the fridge so my wife can see it every day. It hasn't stopped her from buying shoes but it makes me laugh every morning.
Book Description
Lock up your valuables. Stockpile your ammunition. Sandbag your bunker. The familiar foursome of Rat, Pig, Goat, and Zebra-joined now by the fraternity of Zeeba Zeeba Eata crocodiles are here to storm the ramparts of humor in The Ratvolution Will Not Be Televised.
In this fourth collection from the award-winning comic strip Pearls Before Swine, Stephan Pastis deploys all the weapons of his comic arsenal in an all-out attack on the animal (and human) imperfections he sees around him. The result is a collection jam-packed with the sharp-edged humor that has made Pearls Before Swine one of the most successful comic strips running in newspapers today.
Just remember: As The Ratvolution Will Not Be Televised makes clear, Pearls Before Swine takes no prisoners.
We warned you.
Customer Reviews:
Buy this.......2007-05-15
Ever since I discovered PBS in our local paper I have been a devoted fan of Pastis' different? sense of humour. I have turned my friends and relatives on to PBS as well. I have made it a goal to buy all his books so I will have a complete collection that I can put beside my 'The Complete Far Side' and 'The Complete Calvin & Hobbes Collection'. PBS has earned the right to be in this great company.
Buy this book, in fact buy all his books; a mind this warped deserves to be rewarded.
Love this Book, But..........2007-04-30
I am a huge fan of Pearls Before Swine, and bought this book to add to my collection. The comics are great!
My only complaint is, I already owned one of his anthologies: Lions and Tigers and Crocs, Oh My! All but about three of the cartoons in this book (Ratvolution) are in Lions and Tigers and Crocs. It was really disappointing to spend another seven or eight dollars for all the same cartoons.
Otherwise, it's great, classic Pearls.
classic Pearls.......2007-01-12
Mandatory reading for Pearls fans, plus you'll gain new insights into the secret lives of condiments.
The best Pearls book to date........2007-01-09
Very funny, so much so that I read it through 3 times before I gave it to my parents to laugh and enjoy. I still get a smile when I thumb through it. Of all Mr Pastis books, you should have this one for sure.
Pastis is a genius........2006-12-16
This was the cutest collection of comics I've ever read. However I would have liked to see more crocs in it. Unfortunately they only appear towards the end of the book.
Amazon.com
Oprah Book Club® Selection, September 1998: What makes Pearl Cleage's novel so damned enjoyable? At first glance, after all, What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day seems pretty heavy going: HIV, suicide, sudden infant death syndrome, and drunk driving all figure prominently in the lives of narrator Ava Johnson and her older sister Joyce. It isn't long before crack addiction, domestic violence, and unwed motherhood have joined the list--so, where's the pleasure? The answer lies in the sharp and funny attitude Cleage brings to her depiction of one African American community in the troubled '90s. Ava Johnson, for example, might be HIV-positive, but she's refreshingly forthright about it: "Most of us got it from the boys. Which is, when you think about it, a pretty good argument for cutting men loose, but if I could work up a strong physical reaction to women, I would already be having sex with them. I'm not knocking it. I'm just saying I can't be a witness. Too many titties in one place to suit me."
Ada has spent the last 10 years living in Atlanta. When she discovers she's infected, she sells her hairdressing business and heads back to her childhood home of Idlewild, Michigan, to spend the summer with her recently widowed sister before moving on to San Francisco. Once there, however, she finds herself embroiled in big-city problems--drugs, violence, teen pregnancy, and an abandoned crack-addicted baby, to name just a few--in a small-town setting. Ava also meets Eddie Jefferson, a man with a past who just might change her mind about the imprudence of falling in love.
In less assured hands, such a catalog of disasters would make for maudlin, melodramatic reading indeed. But Cleage, an accomplished playwright, has a way both with characters and with language that lifts this tale above its movie-of-the-week tendencies. In Ava she has created a character who not only effortlessly carries the weight of the story but also provides entertaining commentary on African American life as she goes. Discussing the insular nature of the black community in Atlanta, she recalls, "I'd walk into a reception room and there'd be a room full of brothers, power-brokering their asses off, and I'd realize I'd seen them all naked. I'd watch them striding around, talking to each other in those phony-ass voices men use when they want to make it clear they got juice, and it was so depressing, all I'd want to do was go home and get drunk." Later, she describes the preacher's wife's hair as "pressed and hot-curled within an inch of its life.... Hardly anybody asks for that kind of hard press anymore. Sister seems to have missed the moment when we decided it was okay for the hair to move."
As the trials and tribulations pile on, the experiences of Cleage's characters prove to be universal: death, love, second chances. Ava's acerbic, smart-mouthed narrative keeps the story buoyant; by the time this endearingly imperfect heroine and her cohorts have negotiated the rocky road to a happy ending, readers will be sorry to see her go, even as they wish her well. --Alix Wilber
Amazon.com Audiobook Review
When things take a turn for the worse in Atlanta, Ava Johnson decides to sell her hair salon and move to San Francisco. On the way, she chooses to summer in Idlewild, the small town in northern Michigan where she grew up. Will she be able to move on, however, when her friends and family need her? Author Pearl Cleage reads this generous (four and one-half hour) abridgment, and her gentle, warm voice seems to put every scene--for better or worse--into soft focus. An Oprah book pick. (Running time: 4.5 hours, 4 cassettes) --C.B. Delaney
Book Description
In a remarkable debut novel that sizzles with sensuality, crackles with life-affirming energy and moves the reader to laughter and tears, author Pearl Cleage creates a world rich in character, human drama, and deep, compassionate understanding. After a decade of luxe living in Atlanta, Ava Johnson has returned to tiny Idlewild, Michigan -- her fabulous career and power plans smashed to bits on one dark truth: Ava has tested positive for HIV. Bur rather than a sorrowful end, her homecoming is a new beginning. Because, in the ten-plus years since she left, all the problems of the big city have invaded the sleepy community of her childhood. Because dear friends and family sorely need her help in the face of impending trouble and tragedy, and Ava cannot turn her back on them. And because, most importantly, Ava Johnson is inexplicabley and undeniably falling in love.
Download Description
"PerfectBound e-book extra: A Reading Group Guide to What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day. The classic smash bestseller and Oprah fave is now an e-book. After a decade of elegant pleasures and luxe living among the Atlanta brothers and sisters with the best clothes and the biggest dreams, Ava Johnson has temporarily returned home to Idlewild -- her fabulous career and power plans smashed to bits by cold reality. But what she imagines is the end is, instead, a beginning. Because, in the ten-plus years since Ava left, all the problems of the big city have come to roost in the sleepy North Michigan community whose ordinariness once drove her away; and she cannot turn her back on friends and family who sorely need her in the face of impending trouble and tragedy. Besides which, that one unthinkable, unmistakable thing is now happening to her: Ava Johnson is falling in love."
Customer Reviews:
Loved It.......2007-05-01
I was shocked, surprised and inspired. Just like a strong black woman to try to take care of everyone else's needs, make sure everyone is ok. This was a great book and didn't turn out at all like I expected. Oprah gets a thumbs up for this one. Usually I don't know how or why she picks a book. You wont be disappointed
Fresh!.......2007-04-30
The book comes alive with fresh, stick in your mind characters. I loved it! Pearl Cleage has become one of my favorite authors.
Perfect.......2007-03-14
This item was exactly what i ordered in the exact condition that i ordered it in. Would definitly do business with seller again! Thank you
Luv'd it.......2007-02-26
Hey, the girl surprised me. I was impressed by the coolness of her storyline and the realistic feelings that came through from Cleage's writing. nice work and i recommended it.
An eye-opening, humerous - raw life book.......2007-01-26
I picked up this book in a used bookstore for the sole reason that it was an Oprah's Book Club Book. I already had an arm load of books and thought that if Oprah liked it - it couldn't be that bad. I chose to read it several months later when I was in need of a short book to read quickly.
And, quickly indeed I read it.
I was happily surprised by how much I immediately fell in love with the characters and by how quickly I was enthralled in the story. I'd never read a book that was so honest in the ways of the African American woman and I was overjoyed by Cleage's writing style and how she really made the reader "know" the main character and her struggles.
I found this book eye opening and wonderful. It is touching, funny, heart wrenching - it is simply, an increadible read.
Book Description
Parents, teachers, and librarians are often puzzled by the seemingly endless choices for reading material for young people. What’s good, what’s trash, what’s going to hold their interest? Nancy Pearl, America’s favorite librarian, has read widely in all the genres and happily points the way in Book Crush. Divided into three sections — Easy Books, Middle-Grade Readers, and Young Adult — Book Crush makes wonderful reading connections by theme, setting, voice, and ideas. For horse lovers, Pearl recalls the classics (Black Beauty, Misty of Chincoteague), but in a creative twist connects Mr. Revere and I to the list. For middle-grade readers, she explores updated retellings of Greek myths and the best coming-of-age stories. Young adult readers get to know chick lit and much more. For those adults who feel stuck in a rut with Caldecott and Newberry winners and the ubiquitous Harry Potters, this fun, informed book offers new ways to stimulate young readers.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing.......2007-08-24
As Nancy Pearl makes clear in her introduction, children's and teen books aren't her specialty, and it shows. She lumps books into only three categories (!) for ages 1-18: babies to age eight; 8-12; and 13-18. Those are huge ranges; most books for an 18-year-old are not suitable for a 13-year-old. So good luck figuring out which one is actually for your child's age and reading level. She gives little information beyond author, title, sometimes the illustrator, and a line or two about the book. She doesn't give number of pages, publisher, date of publication, etc. I assume it didn't take her long to throw this together. I know she has a lot of fans, and I find her books for adults well-informed if cluttered. But this "guide" is truly disappointing.
Excellent for teens.......2007-06-26
My daughter is at that tough age for books... too old for kids books and too young for adult books. And the world of Young Adult books is a bit bewildering. This book helped her find some great summer reads - it was worth every bit we paid for it. One recommendation: 13 Little Blue Envelopes
A Must for Teachers & Librarians.......2007-06-18
Professionals who work with children and teens will find Nancy Pearl's latest book a treasure. Parents, grandparents, doting aunt's will discover a bounty of books to purchase or suggest to the children in your life. Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl tells about her favorite books from childhood and today with contagious enthusiasm. Every school and public library should have a copy at hand.
Wonderful guide.......2007-06-14
I'm always looking for good information on books for my granddaughters...Book Crush: for kids and teens is the best I've seen.
Lame and Disorganized.......2007-06-13
I picked up this book because I am doing research on what young people read and what people think they should read. I heard rave reviews about Nancy Pearl's book Book Lust, so I picked this one up. It is terrible. There are far too many categories with lame titles and themes like "Dragooned by Dragons" and "Cry me a River". The bold book titles in the middle of the paragraph make it hard to find what book she is talking about and is terrible formatting. Her writing leaves something to be desired. This book is more about breadth than depth and if you actually want to know what a book is about then back away. Its just a kitschy version of the Dewey Decimal System.
Customer Reviews:
Bring me "either" Horizon.......2007-10-18
At Denny Magic Studios we are committed to watch the Disney Corporation closely to see what they are doing as a company in the theme park and movie business. That's why we try to purchase each and every book about Disney, what Disney has done, or what Disney will do. Because we are in the theme park design business, we cannot afford to ignore the company that started it all!
However, we were a bit disappointed in this particular book, and the primary reason was that we had recently purchased the faux leather bound "The Art of the Pirates of the Caribbean". When laid side by side, this book and the one just mentioned are basically the same book. Many of the color plates are repetitive and because we dropped a chunk of change on the faux leather version,. this is by far the better value. So our disappointment would only carry over to those of you that go ahead and by the faux leather bound book after acquiring this one. Either one by itself should satisfy most Disney fans.
A Pirate's Life for Me.......2007-10-11
As the lead animal trainer on all three of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, I found Michael Singer's account of our shared experience accurate, artistic, and exciting. So often, the perspective disseminated via the publicity machine shows an idealized view of the film making process. "Bring Me That Horizon" beautifully illuminates our journey - warts and all. I am especially appreciative of the special chapter on "Critical Critters"(pages 88 & 89). For a veteran of the "Pirates" wars, this book is like a photo album - slash - scrapbook I will cherish forever.
Excellent book for POTC fans!!!.......2007-08-04
This book is very informative and so colorful! The pictures are incredible and it's very entertaining to read the actors' comments on their characters and the trilogy. I'm very glad that I invested the money! Any POTC fan who loves to read about the back stories behind the characters and the storyline will LOVE this!!! I highly recommend this one!
Behind the scenes mith Jerry Bruckheimer from Pirates of the Caribbean.......2007-07-15
For every Pirates movie fan a must have. The Characters talking about things that happened during filming. You get to know them better by reading this, things that you never have read before in any other interview in magazines or on sites. Also very nice phatography by Jerry Bruckheimer. Pictures only published in this book. Whene you are reading this you get great respect for all those people who are working behind the scenes. Then you realise how huge the work is to build a set. You find very much information about how the movie comes to that what we see on the whitescreen. Enormous what a work is done to deliver these three movies for us to see. You read who created the final line "bring me that horizon" of the first movie.
Bring Me That Horizon: the Making of Pirates of the Caribbean.......2007-07-13
This is a great book and well worth the cost. The history of the making of all three movies is very interesting and the pictures are great. I highly recommend this book for any fan of the Pirates trilogy.
Book Description
Part of the Fred Ward Gem Book Series. This lavishly illustrated book in the all-color series includes History and Lore, Natural Pearls, Cultured Saltwater Pearls, Cultured Freshwater Pearls, Mother-of-Pearl and Shell Products, Imitation Pearls, and Buying & Caring for Pearls. This book provides the ideal introduction to one of the world's oldest and most famous gems. Follow author Fred Ward around the world in search for the most important examples of these beautiful and historic gems.
Customer Reviews:
Pearls.......2007-02-17
It's a small book yet it covers an amazing amount of information on the history of pearls, the environment under which they are cultivated, the buying and caring of the different qualities, and other fascinating topics. If someone is "into" pearls, then this is the book to have.
nice book.......2002-09-27
great pictures and interesting information. I enjoyed this book. It packs a lot of interesting information in a small, easy to read, book.
Simple, Concise Guide to Pearls.......2002-09-10
This book with 62 pages explains everything you need to know about Pearls. In addition to the knowledge of pearl for a consumer, this book also goes into great details in the trade of pearls. It covers the geographic sources of pearls, the competitive producers, and logical prediction of future market.
I enjoyed it a great deal.
Spectacular Photography.......1997-11-29
I don't know what impressed me more, the spectacular photography or the effortless and fascinating way Fred Ward helped me understand pearls. He takes the mystery out of buying pearls. I will not buy pearls again without reviewing this book.
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- Flee The Darkness (Flee the Darkness Series #1)
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- Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk about God's Deliverance
Books Index
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