Book Description
Boynton rocks! So does Blues Traveler, who perform a stomping version of the title song, a moody rock journey that Boynton wrote especially for them. And then there’s Alison Krauss with “Evermore.” And Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme—really—who do the “Boring Song.” The Spin Doctors, who channel rock’s rebellious side—with a taste of punk—for “Tantrum”:
“No No No, I don’t want to, I don’t want to./No no no, I don’t want to, no no./Leave me alone. Leave me alone./LEAVE ME ALONE.” And the sweetly unexpected pairing of “Weird Al” Yankovic and Kate Winslet (yep, Kate Winslet) as a duet singing “I Need a Nap.”
Full of attitude, full of fun, all lit up with star power, and boasting a variety of Top 40 styles—rock and roll, blues, hip-hop, and power pop—
Dog Train is the third book-and-CD production by Sandra Boynton, following the #1
New York Times bestselling, Grammy-nominated
Philadelphia Chickens and the recently re-released
Rhinoceros Tap. Like
Philadelphia Chickens, features all original songs recorded by a mix of big-name acts and great voices, for the pleasure of the parents as much as the kids. Packaged similarly to the previous Boynton & Ford recordings,
Dog Train is also a full-color book that features a portion of each song’s lyrics set as a little story, accompanied by Boynton’s irresistible hippos, cows, dogs, and more dogs. Full lyrics appear in the back.
Customer Reviews:
not what I expected.......2007-10-13
I was expecting a book/CD for children. The music is too "rock and roll" for my child. She didn't want to listen to songs with words she couldn't distinguish.
Fun and funny.......2007-10-04
In my opinion, it's not quite as good as Boynton's Philadelphia Chickens... but we still love most of the songs in this book.
Dog Train.......2007-09-06
This is a great musical experience. We got it for our one year old son and ended up buying one for all his friends' first birthday presents. The songs are fun and peppy. They are really understood by parents. As a two year old my son now plays drums and dances to his very favorite song "Pots and Pans." I highly recommend this product.
Hip music for tots to hop to.......2007-09-04
We too, were new to Boynton albums. Both of my children were raised on the books, but the album was stumbled upon in a used book sale. It was a huge hit with both my 5 and 9 year olds. I'm so glad that Ms. Boynton has used artists with recognizable styles to do some children's songs. The lyrics are catchy and the songs are grown-up without being boring ('cept the "Boring Song" - Grandma loved THAT!)
Spin Doctors, Five for Fighting, and Weird Al are some of my favorite artists, anyway!
It's family fun for all.
Love It!.......2007-08-28
The music on this cd is great for both parents and kids! Great lyrics. Both my 3 year old and 1 year old sway to the music. My 3 year old picks the book for bedtime and we have to sing the songs to him. A hit in our house!
Amazon.com
In 100 Years of Wall Street, Charles Geisst (author of Wall Street: A History) takes us on a tour of one of America's most storied institutions. From the early bucket shops at the turn of the century to Maria Bartiromo of CNBC, Geisst, with the help of a collection of pictures, charts, cartoons, and stock certificates presents an entertaining look at the remarkable changes that have transformed this small corner of New York into the cornerstone of the world's financial markets.
Book Description
Financial ups and downs are only part of the 20th century saga of Wall Street. The street symbolizes the historic triumphs, failures and excesses of capitalism, but it has also been the scene of great human achievements and epic tragedies. Like America itself, "The Street" has shown almost boundless optimism and tenacity in the face of adversity. It has also revealed a surprising weakness for foolishness along with an unpredictable capacity for bursts of genius, innovation and success. That is why 100 YEARS OF WALL STREET, the story of the world's financial center, is also the story of our American century from our first uncertain steps on the international stage to the responsibilities and challenges we face as the sole superpower at the end of the millennium. The expert and occasionally bemused guide to the story is Charles R. Geisst, who is renowned as a historian, best-selling author, financial scholar and corporate consultant. He is also a gifted storyteller who reveals how the smallest details produce crucial shifts in the big picture. With wit and profound insight, Geisst takes the reader behind the scenes to explain how powerful personalities and unexpected developments created the financial, cultural and social events that helped shape our world. We are the heirs of Wall Street's phenomenal achievement, but it has also fueled runaway greed. It has contributed to growth while scrapping large sectors of the economy. Is the market "fair" or "just"? What do such questions really mean? Geisst dramatically brings to life a world that can only be fully understood by following its secret deals, monumental transactions, colorful characters, earth-rattling market collapses and exhilarating highs. There are 200 photographs and other illustrations 100 YEARS OF WALL STREET, many of them rarely reproduced. They portray famous crises, the day-to-day grind and, above all, many of the human beings who toiled, schemed or created wise reforms at the center of global financial activity. The careers and personalities of the century's wealthiest men -- Vanderbilts, Carnegies, Morgans, Milkens, Boeskys -- become an important part of Geisst's fascinating history. On the one hand, there were the Titans who shrewdly built their investments into vast fortunes and just as cleverly built solid public reputations. In contrast were the high-rollers and outlaws who fell off the tightrope, winding up as suicides or bankrupts or convicted felons. Decade-by-decade, with the most important dates highlighted, 100 YEARS OF WALL STREET is a deftly crafted introduction to the compelling true story of "The Street." It is also a rich source of little-known anecdotes and new insights for anyone who invests or works in today's financial climate. Geisst places the present in the context of a century of chaos and corruption, leadership and huge losses, insider trading and ticker-tape parades. His unforgettable scandalous tales, hilarious anecdotes and legendary rumors have never been reported in the Dow Jones average. With market levels at astronomical highs, no one can question the powerful role played by Wall Street and its movers and shakers today. For an engaging and solidly researched account of its century-long grip on American history, 100 YEARS OF WALL STREET earns a permanent place in the library of anyone who wants to understand the background of today's bull market and the wide range of possible scenarios for the future.
Customer Reviews:
An easy read and a nice preview of selling prowess of WallStreet.......2005-10-17
It was a very quick and refreshing read for me. Always nice to see short descriptions with vivid pictures.
The Ideal Gift for anyone who likes Business History.......2004-10-02
100 Years of Wall Street is a beautiful decade-by-decade look at the history of "the street." Written by the well-known business author Charles R. Geisst, it is a sumptuous black-and-white exploration of Wall Street history. This may be best thought of as a companion volume to his other book (Wall Street: A History) as while that book concentrated on the characters, colorful and despicable, who created the financial world of today, the narrative in this book is a brief overview of the trends that occurred across a century, accompanied by a series of well-chosen photos. There are a number of charts that supplement the well-written narrative. If you know anyone with a deep interest in the financial markets, that engine of American commerce, this will make an ideal gift.
Jeffrey Morseburg
most vivid picture of the street.......2002-03-27
I enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading the headlines. Very educational and informative.
Informative and interesting.......2001-07-06
This book, rich with wonderful old photos, gives a concise history of the last 100 years of the financial culture that has come to be known as Wall Street. A good blend of text, photos, and charts make this book interesting to the non-financial reader.
The author divided the book into decades and each chapter outlined the changes that occurred over those years.
At the beginning of the last century, Wall Street was known for its lack of financial regulation regarding trades. Scandals and outright swindles abounded. Four years after the Crash of 1929, FDR's administration passed nationwide banking and securities laws to make sure that this kind of disaster did not happen again.
Unfortunately, the real and distasteful inner workings of Wall Street were revealed in the Senate hearings. An SEC commissioner called investment bankers "financial termites". This knowledge scared investors away for the next 20 years.
In the early 50s, investing became popular with middle class investors for the first time in a generation, and mutual funds were developed after being gone for 30 years.
The 60s brought the birth of the modern mergers and acquisitions business in the U.S, and the days of small brokerage firms were coming to an end.
The 70s brought extensive reforms concerning commissions while the 80s were the years of junk bonds, insider trading scandals, and the savings and loan crisis.
The author called the 80s the decade of greed and the 90s the decade of boom. The Internet has brought about a totally new way of trading stocks and has made up-to-the-minute financial news available to everyone.
The changes in the last 100 years on Wall Street have been phenomenal, mirroring the technological changes in our society.
Insightful!.......2001-02-17
Charles R. Geisst's enjoyable book chronicles Wall Street in the twentieth century. He effectively captures the feel of the various boom and bust periods. The clear, informative text is supplemented with incredible black and white photographs of each period's key events and people, making it very evocative and intriguing. We at ... recommend this book to anyone - not only someone in business - who wants to learn about Wall Street's history. It would make a great gift for anyone who works in the financial industry or for a young person who is interested in how money works.
Amazon.com
The rodeo is in W.K. Stratton's blood. He attended his first one in utero just days before he was born (on Will Rogers birthday, naturally). He is also the son of a bull-riding cowboy that left him and his mother when Stratton was an infant. The search for this elusive "rodeo bum" father is an underlying theme of Chasing the Rodeo but its main focus is on the action in the ring. Stratton spent a year following the professional rodeo and bull-riding tours and he explores the circuit with a keen and sympathetic eye. He writes about the history of the sport and its place in the mythology of the West, cowboy legends, current stars, and classic rodeo towns, such as Prescott, Arizona, and Pecos, Texas--both of which claim the title as the true birthplace of rodeo. He also looks at the growing popularity of rodeo and bull-riding and what it means for its future now that major events have corporate sponsors and are held in Las Vegas casinos rather than fairgrounds. While acknowledging that the big money prizes are good for the athletes, Stratton worries that marketing considerations will force the sport away from the very traditions that make it interesting. As proof, he bemoans the fact that helmets and Nike shoes are starting to replace Western hats and boots at some rodeos. Still, he encounters plenty of true Western spirit and memorable characters during his journey to keep his love for the rodeo alive and his enthusiasm for his subject proves contagious. Even those who have never considered attending a rodeo will likely find themselves enthralled by this wild ride of a book. --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
From its roots as the quintessential Western pastime, rodeo has grown to an international, prime-time television sport. Steeped in tradition and the independent spirit of the range, aspiring cowboys and cowgirls are called to its high-stakes, rough-and-tumble fame as they risk their lives for eight seconds of triumph.
In Chasing the Rodeo W. K. Stratton follows this quest for one season of the pro rodeo and bull-riding tours. He explores the history of the chutes -- from rodeo's disputed origins (Prescott, Arizona, or Pecos, Texas?) to its current skyrocketing popularity. But out on the trail Stratton finds more than calf-roping and unrideable bulls, uncovering a culture complete with myths, codes of honor, million-dollar purses, Cowboy Church, and the kinds of legends that make good stories unforgettable.
Just such a story emerges here as Stratton tells of his runaway "rodeo bum" father --Cowboy Don -- whose specter haunts his travels on the circuit. As he learns more about the life that proved too seductive for his father to abandon, Stratton fills in a portrait of the man he never knew but whose legacy he couldn't help but inherit.
Filled with cowboy longing and rodeo dreams, this is a tribute to the characters of the West -- Freckles Brown, Lucille Mulhall (the first cowgirl), Wild Bill Hickock, Lane Frost, and today's superstars like Jesse Bail. In the great tradition of Wallace Stegner and Ken Kesey, W. K. Stratton fashions an expansive tale out of the gritty reality of the life around us. Chasing the Rodeo is a bucking, riveting, glorious ride -- you'll want to hang on for the whole go-round.
Customer Reviews:
Call of the wild . . ........2007-08-21
While rodeo insiders may find fault with this book and quibble over details, it remains an excellent introduction to the history, the personalities, and the meaning of this sport as it's evolved over the past century. Stratton, a journalist based in Austin, TX, with roots in Oklahoma, comes by his "kicker" credentials fairly enough - his mother a cowgirl in her own right and his father a rodeo cowboy who went on down the road and never came back. Stratton's book is a personal journey, a search for an understanding of the romance of rodeo - the call of the wild in the soul, the appeal of risk-taking, the love of a past that can be recaptured for a moment in a beautifully executed ride on a bucking horse or bull. And he does much to reclaim the essentials of a pastoral ritual that has been compromised by commercialism, corporate sponsorships, and marketing that positions it as an extreme sport.
Stratton covers some familiar ground that will not be new for all readers, but many stories deserve retelling, such as that of George Fletcher at the 1911 Pendleton Roundup, the first bulldogger, Bill Pickett, and the death of champion bull rider Lane Frost. Then there is an account of the first rodeo "cowgirl," Lucille Mulhall and of Indian cowboy Will Sampson, who played Chief Bromden in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." In Prescott, AZ, he has occasion to recall at length the rodeo film "Junior Bonner" with Steve McQueen.
There is a wide array of other personalities who find their way into Stratton's book: Justin McBride, Will Rogers, Tom Mix, Willie Nelson, Jack Kerouac, Ben Johnson, Theodore Roosevelt, Buffalo Bill Cody, and evangelist Susie Luchsinger. He gets closest to the sport itself in conversations with all-around champion Jesse Bail and bullriding champion Freckles Brown. The first-chapter account of Brown's famous ride on Tornado at the National Finals in 1967 just takes your breath away. Finally there is the search for the story of Stratton's absent cowboy father, which rounds out the book with more than a little poignance. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone curious about rodeo, the fascination it holds for both fans and participants, and its place in American popular culture.
Exploring the history of chutes to its current popularity and uncovering myths and realities alike.......2005-11-04
Rodeo's roots may be in the primitive West of the past, but today it's prime-time TV material, even while steeped in tradition, filled with pros and tours. Journalist W.K. Stratton followed the pro rodeo circuit for one year, exploring the history of chutes to its current popularity and uncovering myths and realities alike. His findings about the people and politics of today's rodeo make for lively reading in Chasing The Rodeo: On Wild Rides And Big Dreams, Broken Hearts And Broken Bones, And One Man's Search For The West. A spirited account of today's wild riders.
Rodeo: Universality of the American West.......2005-09-19
Having grown up in Texas, I easily recognize many names and places and am quite familiar with rodeos. W.K. Stratton brilliantly blends the romantic lure of the rodeo as an expression of the American West with the univeral theme of the quest for identity. The book is a delightful mixture of colorful characters, amusing anecdotes, and sad stories. Mr. Stratton's personal quest mirrors that of all, not just those familiar with the sport or the region. His story's appeal lies in the universality of each human's struggles with issues of identity, values, and sense of place. I heartily recommend Chasing the Rodeo to anyone who appreciates a book that both transports one to another time and place and allows one the opportunity to be inspired by another's personal journey through life.
This book deserves a buckle........2005-05-18
**For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?** "Kip" Stratton has written a winner of a book, here. I felt it appropriate to begin this review with that familiar biblical quote, although "Chasing The Rodeo" is about the search for soul as well as about its diminution. What I mean by "soul" in this context is that which makes us part of society as well as unique individuals within it. Stratton's father, whom he never met, was a bull rider. Stratton's literal search for his father is overlaid onto his broader search for the soul of the rodeo and the American West.
As this book makes clear, the towns that hold rodeos provide an essential part of its unique character. Moving the National Finals Rodeo from Oklahoma, which is steeped in Rodeo tradition, to Las Vegas is symbolic of the sacrifce of soul for that most America of obsessions, making money. Character is also lost when things are made safe and sanitary, and when elements that are foreign are incorporated into a thing in order to make it "accessible" to a wider audience. Early in the book, Stratton frets about being "a generic, white bread American" but learns that the "Kicker Culture" is as much a part of him as it is of the Rodeo. I grew up in a small town in North Texas and will tell you that the "Kicker Culture" ain't pretty and it ain't sanitary or even safe, but it is genuine. There are parts of it that should be eschewed entirely, but never "prettied up."
Stratton obviously spent a great deal of time researching this book. It is chock-full of the people and places that make up this sport and their history. At the same time, he does not blink from calling racism what it is or identifying as bovine scat some of the aspects of recent Rodeo venues. He may offend some folks in doing so. But to be less than honest in his assessment of these things would certainly diminish the soul of the book.
A classic American tale.......2005-05-13
In these fractious times, it is a joy to come across a book that embraces something as distinctly American as the rodeo. W.K. Stratton has delivered a handsomely-rendered treasure for every man who ever wanted to be a cowboy and every woman who ever wanted to be a cowboy's sweetheart. He traces the origins of rodeoing, takes us to this wild sport's biggest events, and introduces us to the kind of outsized characters it is hard to believe still exist. So here's to Freckles Brown, the rodeo clown who rode the fiercest bull in captivity, and to Jesse Bail, the spiritual descendant of Larry Mahan and Ty Murray and all the great rodeo riders who preceded him. And here's to Stratton himself, the son of a rodeo bum, who weaves the search for traces of his father into the larger tale he is telling without ever getting thrown by it. He stayed in the saddle, and by doing so, he has given readers a chance for the ride of their lives.
Customer Reviews:
You just gotta love a cowboy's devilishly sexy smile, his swagger, and grab life by the horns.......2007-01-25
There's just something about a cowboy's devilishly sexy smile, his swagger, and grab life by the horns attitude that draws women to him. Or maybe it's just the way those chaps ride low on his hips and draw our attention to everything below the belt.
WILD RIDE by Vonna Harper
Jordan has been infatuated with half-breed bull rider Cougar since she was just a girl. One year ago, she was thrown when his Brahma, Rampage, displayed his bad attitude by running into her barrel-racing mare. Jordan is making an attempt at getting over the fear of bulls that she's developed and Cougar is ready, willing and able to help fulfill any and all her needs.
Vonna Harper does a brilliant job depicting the raw courage it takes Jordan to confront her fears. Cougar and Jordan's attraction is mutual but they've kept a tight rein on their emotions and never acted on them - until now.
COWBOY IN PARADISE by PJ Mellor
Tyler is tired of the hard living he's known on the rodeo circuit. He decides to return to Paradise Beach with his horse Jim. Only it's not the nice quiet community he remembers and he's relegated to riding Jim on the beach at night. It's on one of his moonlight rides that he encounters Meg. Instantly infatuated, Tyler is determined that this little filly belong to him - even if she is determined to keep him at an emotional distance.
Who can possibly resist a sexy cowboy on a moonlight beach? It's the perfect scene for love or at least an unforgettable seduction. Tyler's horse, Jim, had me smiling through this book with his antics. PJ Mellor uses the perfect blend of humor and romance to satisfy any reader.
SADDLE SORE by Nelissa Donovan
Horse rancher Dean McCabe takes his work very seriously and no one is going to get in his way of protecting his interests. Conversationalist Cassandra Darling has been brought in to investigate a series of attacks that are being blamed on the Mexican Gray Wolf. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Dean and Cassandra can't resist the lure of the animalistic desire that burns between them. Is there any hope for their tenuous relationship?
Nelissa Donovan brings to light the plight of relocated animals while drawing us into the relationship between Cassandra and Dean. I loved the passion that develops between the main characters while Cassandra tries to uncover the truth behind the animal attacks.
RODEO MAN by Nikki Alton
While on assignment in Wyoming for an L.A magazine, Anna Hartley is let go from her job because of downsizing, learns that her boyfriend is cheating on her, and then her rental car breaks down on a deserted road. Her luck changed for the better when rodeo rider Grant Olson takes a shortcut and gives her a ride to a ranger station. There's a definite connection between them but they're from completely different backgrounds. Is there any hope for a future between a big city girl and a rodeo cowboy?
Any city girl will really appreciate this gem by Nikki Alton. Who among us doesn't have a horrible day and long for a special man to rescue us? If he's a sexy-as-sin authentic rodeo cowboy, then you've got the perfect ending to a bad day.
THE COWBOY contains four novellas by well-known authors. Each story will tempt, tease, and leave readers drooling for a cowboy of their very own. The authors capture the persona that draw us to these men who work hard, play harder, and when they love, they make sure they stay in the saddle until everyone is fully satisfied. This is definitely a book I'll be adding to my keeper shelf.
Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)
The Cowboy.......2006-10-30
Wild Ride by Vonna Harper
Jordan Shore was knocked off her horse by a wild bull while competing in a rodeo a year ago. She suffered an extensive injury but the emotional scars run much deeper. Cougar Lighthorse is the bull's owner. Cougar and Jordan have known each other since they were kids, since Cougar's dad was the foreman on Jordan's father's ranch.
Cougar and Jordan meet up at Jordan's first big rodeo competition since her injury and the sparks fly. Although it was kept hidden, the simmering attraction they have always had between them flares into a raging inferno.
Cougar is there when Jordan needs him. Will she do the same when Cougar needs her?
There is nothing frilly or flowery about Jordan and Cougar is a tough, headstrong man. They take turns controlling each other's passions and in turn the loving is hard, explosive and almost spiritual for them. Although Wild Ride is intense and wild, it is also tender and meaningful.
Cowboy In Paradise by PJ Mellor
Tyler Last has recently retired from the rodeo. He heads to his grandmother's house in Paradise Cove for some much needed peace and tranquility. The beach house is far from peaceful though; construction is under way to make the beach public.
Meg Holder is protesting the construction in Paradise Beach. She has a lousy job and a non-existent love life. While sitting on the beach one night a magnificent cowboy riding his equally magnificent horse rode up close to her. After a brief exchange of words, Meg is wrapped in Tyler's embrace and kissing him passionately. Tyler takes off suddenly though and Meg is left a bit stunned.
Tyler is left fantasizing about the mystery woman on the beach, which is a first for him since he is a love `em and leave `em kind of guy.
As they continue to meet for uninhibited great sex, Tyler is falling fast and hard, but how will he feel when he finds out who Meg really is?
A Cowboy In Paradise is a red hot, steamy romance! Tyler could charm any woman out of her clothes, so it's no surprise that Meg falls for his seductive cowboy charm. I like Meg. She is funny and down to earth but the seductress is not a role she seems comfortable with. There are a few inconsistencies in the story and there is a scene involving some plastic wrap that is a bit over the top. I liked the storyline though; "bad boy finds the woman of his dreams and turns over a new leaf" is very romantic.
Saddle Sore by Nelissa Donovan
Cassandra Donovan is a US Fish and Wildlife agent. Cassie has come to the small town of Granite Hollow investigating the possibility of some wolves that were released in the area are attacking the local livestock. Dean McCabe is a rancher. It's lust at first sight for Dean and Cassie and very quickly they are wrapped in each other's arms, tangled in his sheets.
Before they can figure out where their relationship is headed though, they need to solve the mystery of what is attacking the animals in town.
There is a lot of "story" in Saddle Sore. It has mystery, danger, past issues, and Dean and Cassie have a new relationship to work through, which are all interesting. These elements could have been expressed in more detail if it were longer though. Dean and Cassie are a good match and the sex is hot!
Rodeo Man by Nikki Alton
Ana Hartley is on a business trip when she loses her job and her fiancé so instead of heading back home, she moves on. Along the way, Ana's car breaks down and she stops a truck for help.
Grant Olson is all too eager to pick up the beauty flagging him down. After taking her to get help he has to move on to get ready for his next rodeo competition though.
Ana attends a rodeo where she meets Grant again and before long they are heating up the night in each other's arms. Grant and Ana come from two different worlds; one of them thinks they have what it takes to make it work but the other isn't so sure. It's going to take some smooth and seductive convincing for them to give a relationship a shot.
I really like the way that Rodeo Man is written. It's very descriptive and I was totally drawn into the story. The sex between Ana and Grant is mind-blowing. They give new meaning to the expression "playing with your food" and it's amazing that they never get caught playing with it. These two are very compatible sexually. I felt a little wistful at the ending even though I know it's all, all right. Rodeo Man is an extremely erotic story and I really liked Ana and Grant a lot.
Four lucky ladies get to rope in their very own cowboy in The Cowboy. These women know what they want from a man and their cowboys know just how to fulfill their every desire. The Cowboy is not a sugary sweet romance. It is hot, hard, and raunchy. If you're looking for steaming hot fantasies, then The Cowboy is your book!
Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
Hot cover. Good authors. .......2006-08-19
What a super hot cover. Va-voom. And four fine authors writing the erotic romance inside. They all have a light touch and good story-telling skills.
But I have to say that though this is erotica, and the book comes with a warning that the content sizzles, I still miss the parts that fall between the kiss and two people jumping between the sheets, or the horse blankets. Those parts aren't represented here. The couples say a few words face-to-face, then the guy has his hand on her ---- in the very next paragraph, if not the next sentence.
Maybe somebody thinks this is believable, but I find that I still want a little more paragrahical foreplay in order to get into the swing, "erotica" or not. And I think that all of these stories might have been even better if they had had real progressions of emotion, as much as a novella would allow, anyway.
4.5 Stars . . . My, My, My - The Cowboy Is Hot And Fun! .......2006-08-07
Book 1 - Vonna Harper: "Wild Ride." Grade: B+
Sub-genre: New Beginnings
In Jordan Shore's world, attraction and Cougar Lighthorse went hand in hand. Even though she known the man for most of her life, he could still overwhelm and intimidate her! Yet, Jordan had other problems - like facing her demons. They called her demon Rampage - an aggressive Brahma bull. One year ago, this Brahma bull tried to kill her and as luck would have it - Cougar Lighthorse owed him! Still, if she wanted to return to the competitive world of barrel-racing, now was her chance.
*** Comments:
With only 79 pages to tell her tale, Vonna Harper simply ran out of room for WILD RIDE to be completely satisfying! And yes, her heroine was, at times, a little crass and why? Nevertheless, Vonna Harper still held me by using some major descriptive and setting talent. I have been to rodeos and Vonna Harper nailed this setting!
Book 2 - P. J. Mellor: "Cowboy in Paradise." Grade: B-
Sub-Genre: Light Comedy
Tyler Last felt old and tired. He knew the time had come; the entire Rodeo scene was for youngsters. It was time for a rest and rest meant - Gramma's house. Meg Holder grew up in Paradise Beach and she loved the tranquil cove. But soon they would ruin her private paradise. Outrageously, an affluent gated community was scheduled! Well not if Meg Holder had anything to say about it! So who cares if her boss is the developer? And who cares if her boss's new partner is sweet old Hanna Garnder-Edwards - the lady who owns all the beachfront property. And who the devil cares if Mrs. Garnder-Edwards' grandson is a picturesque cowboy with a magnificent body?
*** Comments:
Two people meet on a moonlight beach have hot, heavy sex, and suddenly it's LOVE. Question: Is knowing someone's name a prerequisite for marriage? Nay! But I bet they will be on a first-name basis at their divorce trial? P.J. Mellor's writes a fantasy all right, but it is so...ooo humorously silly!
Book 3 - Nelissa Donovan: "Saddle Sore." Grade: A-
Sub-Genre: Romantic Suspense
Dean McCabe compared agent Cassandra Darling to a glorified cupie doll. The US Fish and Wildlife Service had sent him a well-stacked, pixie faced, cupie doll! Oh yea, the government always worked for its citizens' best interests! What a joke! Cassandra Darling loved her job even if it meant butting heads with the likes of rugged, sexy Dean McCabe - the owner of the Rocking T ranch. She was in Granite Hollow to investigate the Wolf Release program. Unfortunately, the evidence spoke volumes - the newly released wolves were hunting and killing the local livestock. And the citizens of Granite Hollow were angry. Angry enough to hunt down the pack . . . and Dean McCabe would lead the posse!
*** Comments:
After reading SADDLE SORE, Nelissa Donovan is now on my Check Out Author's Next Book list. This story is indeed hot, but remarkably the author moved beyond the bed sheets to give her reader some great entertainment. Although, Nelissa Donovan's tale ran out of room, she still managed a very good story!
Book 4 - Nikki Alton: "Rodeo Man." Grade: C
Sub-Genre: New Beginnings
Anna Hartley was having a lousy day! First, they fired her, then she found out her boyfriend was unfaithful, and now her rental car had an eight-hundred dollar repair bill attached to it! On the bright side, Wyoming cowboy Grant Olson stopped and offered her a ride into town. This rodeo star was incredibly attractive, with his curly blond hair, violet eyes and sashaying self-confidence. And boy, did Anna want him; she really wanted him! Grant had given up trying to play it cool. Anna Hartley was too hot for his usual playful, seductive games. Grant Olson lived his life under the slogan: live for the NOW and always for the next ride and Anna Hartley was more than accommodating!
*** Comments:
What started with so much promise, soon turned into so much disappointment. In RODEO MAN, Nikki Alton's characters and their sexual antics are too crude, too rough, and too raw!
MaryGrace Meloche.
*HOT FOR THE COWBOY*.......2006-08-03
This was a great book! Very erotic and HOT, HOT MEN! I only wish the stories were longer. I have also never met women that fast and easy but in a short story I guess you don't have time to chat. It was what I wanted, hot, quick romances I could read in one sitting. Lots of the Erotic! I recommend it.
Book Description
In American Roulette, Richard Marcus tells his never-before-heard story, of ripping off casinos. The book follows Marcus, along with several of the world's great professional casino cheaters, as he travels from Las Vegas to London and Monte Carlo, pilfering large sums of money from casinos by performing sleight of hand magic tricks with gaming chips. As skilled cheaters, they back up their moves with psychological setups to convince pit bosses that they're watching legitimate high rollers getting lucky, while in fact they're being ripped off blind. With the exploding growth of casino gambling, heightened by Indian reservation and riverboat expansion, more and more elaborate casino cheaters are illegally assaulting the green-felt, getting rich off of novice casino personnel. Richard Marcus's insider story is a window into the hidden world of intriguing personalities and tense situations he encounters as a member of expert casino-cheating teams who use their wits to turn the odds upside down and "earn" millions. American Roulette is a fascinating story not only for those who occasionally casino-gamble, but for everyone with a little larceny in their heart.
Customer Reviews:
If you don't how to read, then read this book.......2007-04-12
I can see how this book got five stars across the board. I could not pout this book down. It was a fast paced read. I never heard of past posting until this book came out. It is interested to read the authors progression into the cheating schemes and how the schemes are improved over time. I highly recommend this book, especially for those who don't like to read or don't know how to read.
Great book, hard to put down.......2007-01-24
Very entertaining book. Just reading it, I could feel my adrenaline level rise. It felt like I was there in the casinos, trying to avoid the watchful eye of the security cameras. If you liked Bringing Down the House, I think you'll like this book too.
Cool Under Pressure? These Guys Are Icebergs!.......2005-06-20
As a big fan of caper movies and con stories (Ocean's 11, The Thomas Crown Affair, Catch Me if You Can), I can enthusiastically recommend American Roulette.
Richard Marcus (most likely not his real name, in fact, the name is the same as that of the actor in a TV series called The Pretender) tells of his successful career as a casino cheat. He started as a garden-variety gambler, lost all his money, found himself homeless in Las Vegas, and became a blackjack dealer.
Marcus was recruited by a well-to-do casino rip-off gang and rose to the top over the years. He tells great stories about which casinos the gang hit, how they engineered the con, the trouble they ran into, and how they were nearly caught several times. The gang even made their way to casinos in Europe and Australia, although their base was in Las Vegas. The opening of casinos in Atlantic City and across the U.S. made for some easy pickings as well.
American Roulette is not an instructional manual on how to scam the casinos. In fact, as Marcus points out, even if you were to learn the mechanics and technicalities of the scam, there is something more basic to the success of the con game and that is being cool under pressure. These characters are glaciers.
American Roulette is a terrific read, and would make a fantastic movie.
entertaining autobiography of a casino cheater.......2005-01-19
This book tells the author's story of how he lost everything he had gambling, took a crappy job as shill--promoted to baccarat dealer--at the Four Queens in Las Vegas, and then had the opportunity to join a group of gambling cheaters and thieves. The cheating moves described in the book are mostly "pastposting"--placing high bets after the outcome is known by swapping in a new stack of chips for the ones previously bet. The trick is that high-value chips are concealed underneath low-value chips, and the cheater often has to issue a "claim" by pointing out to the dealer that he's been underpaid for the bet. The book begins and ends with a move he calls the "Savannah" which is an opposite maneuver--a high bet is placed, with the high-value chips concealed by lower-value chips, and if the bet loses, the high-value chips are pulled off. With that move, the winning bets are legitimate and surveillance tapes show that the high-value chips were there all along.
The group also would occasionally make money with other scams, like "railing"--stealing directly out of the chip racks of their fellow players. They also narrowly avoid getting involved in a card-marking scheme, violating their own rules of not using any specialized equipment that could be incriminating.
The book is most interesting for the characters involved and how they dealt with "steam" from the casinos when they caught on to what was happening.
The author appears to have no guilt or remorse for his actions on the grounds that casinos are regularly "stealing" from people every day (though that certainly doesn't justify the thefts directly from other gamblers, and ignores that gamblers are willing participants who know the odds are stacked against them).
I read _Bringing Down the House_ about the MIT Blackjack Team about a year and a half ago, and the comparison between the teams is interesting--the MIT team's methodology was far more sophisticated (and wasn't technically cheating), but both had to use similar psychological techniques.
It's surprising that the casinos didn't come up with better countermeasures quickly (a rule that there are no payouts for high-value chips not announced in advance, for example), but I find Marcus' overall tale quite plausible, in part because of the factors he points out in the last few pages of the book--"practically all casino jobs are monotonous" (p. 369). The boredom results in lack of attention and the jobs' high turnover results in inexperienced people up against very experienced cheaters.
A great book if you are interested in casinos.......2005-01-09
While I am not sure how much of the book is poetic license, the author does a great job of describing his career as a casino cheat - down to the exact moves. What makes the book great is that you begin to really get a feel for what this life was like. While on the surface his life appeared glamorous, the work seemed to be constant stress. (you'll have to read the book to see why)
This book was almost as good as "Bringing Down the House" - just as well written, but the schemes themselves were slightly less interesting. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in gambling and/or casinos. For those that don't, I would not suggest this book.
Book Description
Using many never-reported facts, award-winning writer Anne Hagedorn Auerbach chronicles the compelling and tragic story behind the downfall of Thoroughbred racing's crown jewel.
Customer Reviews:
Astonishing Story..........2007-05-16
By far and away, this is the best book I have ever read. It is enthralling, astounding in its detail, it is meticulously researched, beautifully and stylishly written. Auerbach's book is the classiest piece of reading I have completed. I couldn't put it down, and it will lead you along the road from awe to woe. I could read anything about the Bluegrass and the thoroughbred industry, but this book will cross genres from horse fans to general public.
But be advised, it is an involving read and you need to concentrate. But I found my emotions building with every chapter and a sure void when I discovered that the book ends before the completion of the Calumet story which, by my own research, continues long after the close of pages in 1995...
Financial shenanigans and excess destroy a racing dynasty.......2007-03-04
At last a detailed explanation as to what caused the implosion of the seemingly solid Calumet Farms throughbred racing dynasty. How could things go so wrong, so fast? An interesting mix of human pettiness, ignorance and weakness, greed, and then the Farm was lost to greater and greater accelerating debt. Detailed portraits of many of the Calumet favorites, especially Alydar, who's accidental death stopped the cash machine that was keeping the farm afloat in a sea of debt. Interesting crosscurrents of bad feduciary management by the trust's bank managers, criminal activity, gangland ties, possible drug peddling for cash, contracts that were fast and loose and pledged the same assets over and over again. If you like racing and remember the Calumet lock on winning and its great horses, this is a fascinating book. If you are looking for just a "horse" book you should look elsewhere, but this is a great story from the get-go.
Ripping The Veneer Off The Sport Of Kings.......2006-09-01
I vividly remember the reports in the sports section concerning the death of Alydar and then the financial collapse of Calumet Farm. Little did I know then that it was as criminal as anything found on the front page of a major daily.
Ann Hagedorn Auerbach does an outstanding job of piecing together the jagged financial picture of the crumbled puzzle pieces left by J.T. Lundy. The book also poses poignant questions - many remaining unanswered today - concerning the death of a great champion who seemingly was worth more in death because of the huge insurance windfall gained by Lundy.
And please don't be fooled by the pomp on major race days covered on national TV/cable; the Thoroughbred industry is driven by racers graduating to the stud farm and commanding oftentimes six figures per mating.
Though the book is about 10 years old, you will wonder if there are more Lundy's cooking up schemes to defraud others while striding nonchalantly under the backdrop of beautiful turf, colorful silks and million-dollar runners.
Depressing But True.......2006-06-27
This is the story of the downfall of the premier horse racing & breeding farm as well as the death of the legendary racehorse stallion Alydar, due to, of course, greed. Rest in peace Alydar.
The author follows the money trail expertly, & as a horse person, I have seen this scenario in a smaller scale before (downfall of a stable etc) due to greed.
It is a shame that real horsepeople do not own these farms/stables. Money is still directing what is happening to all horse breeds to this day. Witness the "Dubai" (Doobie) Brothers are still buying up the best bloodstock of the USA, & they are not just limiting themselves to Thoroughbreds (also Arabians, Saddlebreds).
I gave the book only 4 stars as it is depressing. However, it is very well written.
This is Not a Horse Racing Book.......2006-06-12
There may be a horse on the cover, but this is not a horse racing book. If you want a book that covers the entire history of Calumet - you'll have to keep waiting. This book is primarily about J.T. Lundy and the investments he made that ultimately led to the Alydar tragedy.
Citation - one of the greatest racehorses of all time and easily the greatest horse ever bred at Calumet (no offense to Whirlaway) - gets a whopping paragraph mention.
Many portions of this book get bogged down with discussions of trust funds, banks, liens, etc. If you want to know how not to run a business, this is for you. If you want to know how not to run a horse farm, this is for you. If you are just plain curious in how Calumet went so downhill so fast, this is for you.
If you want to read about horse racing - this book is not for you.
Auerbach seems to grasp the basics of horse racing...but she apparently never actually visited the farm...several times referring to Keeneland (which is directly next door to Calumet) as several miles away...Since she's a Wall Street Journal writer, obviously the business side of everything is extremely sound.
Average customer rating:
- fabulous
- Accurate dysfunction
- An Atypical Child and his family
- compelling narrative...
- Excellent book on dealing with autism
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A Wild Ride Up the Cupboards: A Novel
Ann Bauer
Manufacturer: Scribner
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ASIN: 0743269500 |
Book Description
Edward is nearly four years old when he begins his slow, painful withdrawal from the world. For those who love him -- his father, Jack; his pregnant mother, Rachel; his younger brother, Matt -- the transformation of this happy, intelligent firstborn into a sleepless, feral stranger is a devastating blow, one that will send shockwaves through every nook and cranny of family life.
A Wild Ride Up the Cupboards is the story of Edward's descent into autism, and Rachel and Jack's struggle to sustain their marriage under this unanticipated strain. Threaded through the novel, too, is the tale of Rachel's late uncle Mickey, who may have suffered from a similar disorder during a time when society's notions of parenting, pediatrics, and psychology were dramatically different from today's. As Rachel delves into her own family history in search of answers, flashbacks to Mickey's life afford moving insights into both the nature of childhood trauma and the coping mechanisms that families employ. Carefully crafted and deeply entertaining, A Wild Ride Up the Cupboards reveals the author's remarkable gift for language and offers a striking exploration of domestic life that will resonate with readers everywhere.
Download Description
"Edward is nearly four years old when he begins his slow, painful withdrawal from the world. For those who love him -- his father, Jack, and mother, Rachel, pregnant with their third child -- the transformation of their happy, intelligent firstborn into a sleepless, feral stranger is a devastating blow, one that brings enormous ramifications not just for Edward and his parents, but also for their younger son, Matt, and soon-to-be-born daughter. A Wild Ride Up the Cupboards follows this nuclear family as Rachel and Jack try to come to terms with their son's descent into autism (or something like it) and struggle to sustain their marriage under this unanticipated strain. Threaded through the novel, too, is the story of Rachel's deceased uncle Mickey, who may have suffered from a similar disorder at a time when parenting, pediatrics, and ideas about child psychology were entirely different from today's. As Rachel delves into her own family history in search of answers, flashbacks to Mickey's life afford moving insight into the nature of childhood disorders and the coping mechanisms of different families. A spellbinding, brilliantly nuanced portrait of a marriage and a family, this compelling drama also poses provocative, real-life questions: How much should a mother sacrifice for her children? How much intervention is too much? When do parents' ambitions for their offspring become counterproductive, even destructive? Who should decide what is best for the child? Is it ever worth sacrificing a marriage for a child? A Wild Ride Up the Cupboards is a carefully crafted, compulsively readable, emotional page-turner that reveals a remarkable gift for language and storytelling and enormous insight into the complexities and dilemmas of domestic life and parenthood. It is a striking exploration of love, faith, and sacrifice that will resonate with readers everywhere. "
Customer Reviews:
fabulous.......2007-06-08
This book is fabulous! Anyone that has a child that struggles with learning, development, etc... should read this.
Accurate dysfunction.......2006-12-09
I read this book and "Curious Incident of the Dog In the Nightime" to fulfill a requirement for a diversity class I'm taking. I was the only person in the class who liked "Wild Ride" better than "Curious Dog." As a special educator, I watch and listen as families wade through their lives with a disabled child. It can be messy, complicated, and exhausting, as well as vibrant and rich. For me, this book tapped into all of those things. As I listened to the rest pick apart this book and learned how disappointed they were with the mother, it became apparent to me that, what the group DIDN'T like, was the emotion it sparked within them. I found "Curious Dog," to be somewhat informative for the reader who doesn't know much about autism, but I found "Wild Ride" to be much more 3-dimensional. In all, both were very good books, but with very different perspectives.
An Atypical Child and his family.......2006-09-04
Though a lot of reviewers have called Edward, the central character in WILD RIDE, autistic he is better described as an atypical child with some autistic characteristics. Bauer does a great job describing the impact a child who is very different from others has on his whole family and particularly his parents. WILD RIDE is especially interesting because Edward's mother (Rachel, the narrator of the book) includes researching family history in an attempt to help Edward. The story of her maternal uncle Micky's difficult life in the mid 50's is a compelling story in itself. Rachel also looks in to her adopted husband, Jack's, birth family. Jack, himself, displays some unusual characteristics as he has an uncanny ability to heal, problems with employment and authority and just an unconventional outlook on life. While this is a generally well written book there are spots where time shifts are handled in a confusing manner but a bit of rereading makes all clear.
compelling narrative..........2006-01-18
i don't know anything about autism but i know a lot about the depths of marital love between a man and woman -- and how the demands of their children can force them apart...the story is compelling and very well written -- a pleasure to find a book unpeppered with four-letter words and steamy sex...but, i will always wish there had been a happier ending...
Excellent book on dealing with autism.......2006-01-02
This book is brilliant in that it deals with everything a parent goes through in dealing with a child with autism - dealing with denial, trying odds way to remedy the situation, coping with their own depression and panic, going to doctors and more doctors, hurting other people in the process
and
finally giving in to acceptance.
It was a wonderful book and the writing exceptional. I got a small glimpse into the world of autism and how people on all sides react to it.
I recommend it highly.
Book Description
In a world between legend and dream, in a time between childhood and adulthood, Walter Moers describes the exhilarating and comic adventures of Gustave, a boy who aspires one day to be a great artist.
Customer Reviews:
Walter Moers does it again!.......2007-09-11
This is a highly entertaining and even thought-provoking story. Moers definitely has a child-like imagination that is extremely fun to follow. But, as with his other books, he is not writing for children.
enjoyable.......2007-08-13
I found this book to be a good escape out of my own dream and into another's.
An outstanding children's book.......2003-12-08
This is a must buy for parents who are looking for a book for their kids that has both a great story and is really well written. I read this book at bedtime to my 8 year old and found it almost impossible to put aside for the next night. It is very very funny and maintains a cracking pace throughout. My 8 year old adored every page of it and declared it better than Harry Potter which is saying something for a true Potter fan.
It tells the story of Gustave Dore - a 12 year old boy who is given a chance by death to save his life by performing 12 outrageous tasks in one night. Gustave who among other things must rescue damsels (who incidently do not wish to be rescued leading to hilarious results) as well as bring back the tooth from the Most Monsterous of all Monsters travels through the universe accompanied by his faithfull steed Sancho Pansa. The resulting story is both highly entertaining and wonderfully deep at the same time - sadly a rare combination in many children's books. The illustrations which the book is based upon are stunning and feature the works of the real Gustave Dore - a French illustrator. One note of caution - Walter Moers does not dumb down the vocabulary in this book and many of the words will be beyond a child under 13. It is really only suitable as a book to be read out loud by an adult. This adult however was more than happy to climb the stairs to read this gem !
Average customer rating:
- Valuable for its information on medieval & renaissance witch persecutions; lacking in reference to religious Witchcraft (Wicca)
- It Has Nice Pictures....(A Rare Blunt and Personal Review)
- Dead right.....
- A Feminist View of Witches
- Not what I expected, but worth the read.
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Witch: The Wild Ride From Wicked to Wicca
Candace Savage
Manufacturer: Greystone Books
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ASIN: 1550548018 |
Amazon.com
Drawn to "bad girl power" from an early age, Candace Savage brings a historical and feminist perspective to witches. Savage doesn't simply report on the centuries-long witch hunts in Europe and America; she explains how such atrocities could happen and why these communities were so threatened by powerful, independent women. From France's witch burnings in the early 1600s through the current Halloween mascot of North America, Savage offers a well- researched discussion alongside an abundance of exquisite color artwork on every spread. While serious scholars may balk at her conversational tone, most readers will delight in Savage's trademark, engaging narrative (also found in Born to Be a Cowgirl). In the end, we are left with the impression that there is something so potent and threatening about a woman in her full power that she will always be seen as an object of fear and scorn. Savage predicts, "Until that unease is magically laid to rest, the witch will continue her wild ride into the future." --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Witches have always been figures electric with possibility, feared as menacing hags, but also standing as towering images of female rebellion. Trace their wild ride across the centuries, flying on brooms, turning into animals, making spirit journeys, visiting the dead, casting spells, and causing or healing illnesses. Every age has fashioned this legendary shapeshifter to fulfill its dreams and nightmares, and she has transformed from Renaissance devil worshipper to fairy-tale character to New Age priestess. A brilliant study going far beyond the witchhunts of the 1600s.
Customer Reviews:
Valuable for its information on medieval & renaissance witch persecutions; lacking in reference to religious Witchcraft (Wicca).......2006-01-04
(It should be noted that this book is almost entirely about historical/anthropological witchcraft; it contains very little information relating to modern Neo-Pagan religious Witchcraft and/or Wicca.)
'Witch: The Wild Ride from Wicked to Wicca' is an engrossing, entertaining, and lavishly-illustrated essay which aims to trace the figure of the witch from the middle ages to modernity. Although it is in large part scholarly and well-researched (it is published by the British Museum Press after all), it is still highly accessible as a leisurely read.
There is definitely a woman-centered focus to the work, but while the lens through which the author approaches the material is often palpable, it is understandable and even justifiable by the nature of the historical information itself. The branders of witches and witch-hunters themselves specifically targeted women, and they promoted a worldview which demeaned women as spiritually weak and morally inferior to men, viewing females as agents used to taint the more righteous gender. The primary resources of that era makes those ideas quite clear. The quintessential witch is always envisioned as female. And, of course, the proportion of women arrested, tortured, and/or killed under pretense of witchcraft verses that of men is undeniable. Thankfully though, the author does not go so far as to paint the witch persecutions as the "women's holocaust" and she rightfully identifies the figure of nine million individuals killed during the infamous "Burning Times" to be inaccurate. Overall, I found it to be a highly enjoyable, informative book, however, it definitely has its faults.
The author asserts that medieval intellectuals and theologians essentially invented the witch as a diabolical threat to the order of the Christian universe in order to deliberately accomplish certain social and political goals: "For a start, this scholarship suggests that the idea of the female witch was largely the work of spin doctors. Rather than emerging authentically from medieval folk culture, the witch was the brain child of theologians, lawyers, and other intellectuals who (with the deepest sincerity) conjured her up to satisfy their own political and cultural needs."(9) While the author certainly presents ample evidence that those intellectuals did give the specter of the witch greater definition as an individual who had made a pact with Satan to obtain supernatural powers, fully outlining her role, her habits, her demeanor as well as how to deal with her upon capture (even artificially projecting their definition onto the distant past), they could not have invented the witch whole cloth. I found it odd that there was no mention of etymology whatsoever, even when the modern religious incarnations of Witchcraft as a constellation of Neo-Pagan belief systems are briefly touched-upon. The word "Wicca" is simply thrown into the mix in the last chapter without any sort of background information as to the origin of the word and its original meaning as the Old English word for witch (specifically a male witch as a female witch was referred to as a wicce). No real effort is made to discern what "witch" implied before said paranoid, misogynist intellectuals took hold of it in the dark ages to mark a peculiar sort of heretic. They did not invent a word to label her from thin air, so there must have been some raw materials, however nebulous, to work with in the first place. Unfortunately, Savage does not even attempt to investigate that material; she only accompanies the witch from the middle ages onward, and the middle ages, understandably so, occupy the majority of her attention.
Another significant disappointment arises in the last chapter where the author hopes to address contemporary Neo-Pagan religious Witchcraft. While the previous chapters show signs of rigorous research on the author's part (evidenced by the bibliography and quotations from primary source material), the last chapter seems to have fallen by the wayside. Her overview of the modern Witchcraft movement is regrettably simplistic and one-sided, and in this particular case her chosen feminist lens proved to be extremely exclusionary of fundamental information which did not tie in nicely with the woman-centered thread of her book. For instance, she defines Wicca as "feminist witchcraft" and considers it only as a dimension of the "feminist spirituality movement." Her quoted primary source material on religious modern Witchcraft stems from only two books, The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Goddess: 20th Anniversary Edition and Dreaming the Dark : Magic, Sex, and Politics, which are by the very same author no less. While there is most certainly a very strong feminist current to some modern forms of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft, including some strands of Dianic Wicce which are explicitly women-only groups and Starhawk's own ecofeminist Reclaiming Tradition, it is inaccurate and short-sighted to label the entirely of Witchcraft as simply a permutation of "feminist spirituality." One gets the impression from her writing that Witchcraft in the modern religious sense only arose in the late 1960's and early 1970's, a suggestion that is at least a decade too late. She completely ignores the true roots of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft in what is referred to these days as British Traditional Wicca, and absolutely no mention is made of important (male) individuals including Gerald Gardner, Alex Sanders, Robert Cochrane, Raymond Buckland, etc. The omission of Gardner is especially grave since she devotes an entire chapter to Margaret Murray's thesis; I would have imagined that Savage would have turned up some information on him if only because Murray wrote the foreword to Gardner's seminal book Witchcraft Today. One might also think that since Savage was familiar with Ronald Hutton's books Stations of the Sun and The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy, both of which she cites under the heading "Witches and (Neo)Pagans," that she would also be aware of his highly relevant The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft, but apparently not . I was also puzzled by the fact that significant works of literature relating to witchcraft including Leland's ARADIA: Gospel of the Witches and Michelet's 'La Sorcière' were only mentioned in very brief captions and not within the bulk of the text itself.
Despite these drawbacks though, 'Witch' is still a worthwhile, concise overview of the witch in history. It is especially valuable for the information it provides on the medieval and renaissance witch persecutions.
It Has Nice Pictures....(A Rare Blunt and Personal Review).......2002-08-04
Ah! Such an odd statement from a rabid reader like me,but this book is worthwhile largely because of Savage's use of propaganda from the Inquisiton as well as rare art from the period. A few quaint Victorian children's books illustrations are also note-worthy. However,the actual text is rather loopy. Savage cannot settle on her theory of Witches. She cannot settle on an opinion,either. She spins personal stories from her childhood that advocate feminism while denouncing feminists as misguided as the believers for the Inquisition! Also,she apparently has been hiding under a rock with her fingers in her ears,because she is unaware of the immense Pagan movement that has taken place over the past thirty or forty years. She dismisses modern practioners of Witchcraft(of which I am one)as deluded flakes chasing a rosy-imaged version of our deity(!) that doesn't exist. She contends that our vision of the Goddess and the God is as unrealistic as the Inquistors' image of Witches worshipping the Devil! We sadly must ascertain that obviously Savage obviously isn't a Pagan,as well as she seems determined to eschew respect for others religions. Literary speculations of the so-called "Pagan Renaissance" have been fairly common these days,with every researcher taking a crack at "debunking" the myths,and usually presenting a half-accurate, half-researched,and frequently offensive version of the phenomenon and it's participants. Savage's text does not disappoint. However,the rare and interesting pictures tell more and more accurately than she herself can. I kept my copy for that,and also for the fact I got it at a bargain price. Look elsewhere for your facts about modern Paganism. Might I suggest "Drawing Down The Moon"?
Dead right............2001-07-21
The cover of WITCH by Candace Savage depicts a motly assortment of characters terrorizing a frightened youth. The scene is a reproduction of "The Spell" by Goya, who painted it in 1797 at the height of the witch craze. The picture shows a conjurer in a yellow robe bending over a youth in white. A group of old hags in the background (presumeably witches) are dressed in black. Icons in the painting include the traditional witch imagery of owl-light, bat-wing, and mangled bablies.
WITCH is an extremely well-written and concise account of the "witch" story in the west. To label the book as a "feminist" tract is misleading, and a not so subtle manner of saying it is second-rate. WITCH provides the lay person with a solidly written and historically researched account. Many longer and more scholarly accounts by male historians tell the same tale in much more detail. WITCH is not propaganda, nor is it biased by a political agenda. The book is written for the layperson who does not wish to wade through the thousands of tomes written on this subject. Savage provides a nice bibliography if you wish to know more. She has sourced and cited her study from beginning to end. One drawback is that her work is based on secondary research, so if a primary source has an error she repeats it--but she cites the source so you can go to the original if you have a question.
WITCH is an art book filled with beautiful drawings, paintings and depictions of witches and their trials and tribulations over the past 500 years. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Other societies had/have witches, but the witch in the West is a direct out-growth of an amalgam of beliefs associated with the Bible. One of the most important points Savage makes is that the "witch craze" did not take place in the Middle Ages as most believe. The persecution of witches by the Roman Catholic Church was incidental. The Church was after heretics--such as the Cathars and Waldensians. Think of it as bringing in Al Capone for tax evasion. Witchcraft was a means to an end. The fact that the accused eschewed orthodoxy was the real issue.
Savage says, "The Reformation began as a movement to cleanse the church of "pagan" superstition. Christianity had been corrupted by Satan, the Protestants said, and they found his mark even on the Mass..." Savage reiterates what many historians point out...the worst persecutions of "witches" took place after the Protestant Reformation, and in predominantly Protestant countries. One-half of all the people executed for witchcraft died in Protestant Germany. Scotland, Sweden, and Switzerland were dangerous places for old ladies with no friends. The night Shakespeare's play "MacBeth" opened in England, and three witches stirred their cauldron on stage, people were being burned and hung for witchcraft all over Europe.
When the average person pictures a witch s/he visualizes a woman with a pale skin wearing a tall hat and flowing black cape--the typical dress of the 16th Century Puritan. In his painting "The Fight Between Carnival versus Lent" painted at the height of the Reformation, Brueghel depicts a "mock" battle in the foreground with colorfully arrayed miscreants ready for sin while the forces of repression dressed in black flood into the background.
Savage covers the story of witches into the 19th and 20th centuries, where behaviour once categorized as evil became "sick" or demented. Freud and his friends soon determined that much of the "hysteria" of the witch craze was a form of projection.
By the 20th Century, new targets of victimizaton were at hand in the form of Communists and others deemed "evil" by the established forces and folks lost interest in witches. Savage does not explore these other "witch hunts" but rather continues her tale with an overview of modern Wicca. This book is short and to the point and a good synopsis for anyone who wants a brief overview and a lovely work of art.
A Feminist View of Witches.......2000-11-23
Candace Savage's succinct history of witches, _Witch: The Wild Ride from Wicked to Wicca_ shows a real enthusiasm for her subject. It is also a fine history of how curiously people have behaved when confronting the supposed supernatural, and how fashions can change our view of history. Savage shows that black magic was for millennia subject to legal prosecution, but that the medieval church wasn't particularly worried about black magic or the women who supposedly practiced it. Priests who heard reports from women who said they had flown during the night and taken part in satanic rituals were encouraged to maintain disbelief. Reasonable men were not to take such things seriously. One priest of the time wrote of such dreams, "Who is imbecile enough to imagine that such things, seen only in the mind, have a bodily reality?" The church itself lapsed in its wise toleration when it opposed a couple of dissident sects in France around 1400. The sects allowed women to administer baptisms and so on, so in prosecution, the church tortured them until it got confessions of copulating with the devil, riding broomsticks, and eating infants. Witches were seen everywhere if something bad happened; they sowed disease and discord; they were the Devil in female shapes; they were Public Enemy Number One.
Against the wishes of many Bible believers, the image of the witch was changed during the enlightenment from a vicious devil-worshiper to a foolish little old lady. Still later they became the subjects of children's literature and cautionary lessons about what roles women really should fulfill. Finally, through the faulty scholarship of one Margaret Murray they were erroneously revealed as priestesses practicing an age-old pagan cult and proudly defying the Christian church. Scholars agree there was no such organized religion practiced by witches, but of course that doesn't matter. Savage shows in this profusely illustrated book that whether we need a scapegoat on whom to blame barrenness, a negative role model with which to warn our children, or a high priestess of cultural renewal, the image of the witch will always be there to scare or inspire, reinforcing the regrettable idea that there is something anomalous, something otherworldly, something not quite human, about a powerful woman.
Not what I expected, but worth the read........2000-10-25
When I picked up this book I was expecting a history of witchcraft from an occult prospective. I was not expecting an examination of the Archetypal female witch through history from a feminist point of view. Despite my wrong expectations, I found this book to be extremely fascinating. The author follows the evolution of society's perception of the witch and how these perceptions helped to shape the roles of women. The material is presented is well written and insightful. The author's conversational style of writing draws the reader in, as she guides us through this sometimes-gruesome sometimes-funny history. While it is too short to a "definitive work," it does present all the information someone with a casual interest would want. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this work and recommend it.
Book Description
Identity theft is the crime of this century. Just ask Frank Abagnale of
Catch Me If You Can fame. He states so in the Q&A of the latest edition of that book. So here, then, is the true-crime book of this century. This is the first book on the subject from the inside, told by someone who's assumed hundreds of identities and become rich off it. Not only does the author reveal how ID theft is done, he tells loads of wildly unbelievable but true stories about his impersonations as they led to riches. Some of them are as funny and outrageous as they are amazing.
At the same time he tells people how to protect themselves from the gangs of ID thieves thriving in the real and virtual worlds of today, and as he explains in his foreword, Glenn Hastings is writing this book to repent for his crimes. While committing them, he failed to take into account the damage they caused his victims. He states that had he continued on his massive trail of ID and credit fraud, he could have conceivably made a billion dollars. But enough was enough; ultimately he had to do the right thing.
Customer Reviews:
The Real Deal.......2007-10-04
I have read many Identity Theft related books including Stealing Your Life: The Ultimate Identity Theft Prevention Plan by Frank W. Abagnale. Most ID Theft books are informative prevention based guides, some with additional insight from the authors actual experiences. However none comes close to Identity Theft Inc, as this book stands out in its description and detail of the real life charades and daring escapades of some low tech thieves who used a variety of original ideas and methods to help scam ultimately millions of dollars and goods by assuming and using the credit profiles of high networth individuals.
Unlike other ID Theft books this one is not only very interesting but highly entertaining and reads more like a high tech crime novel that is hard to put down. There will be endless debate as to the character and or motives of the author(s) but I believe the book achieves it's goal in part of atoning for his past whilst at the same time providing a huge wake up call for the general public, bank and credit industries, various authorities (police, state and federal agencies). I liked that it was written with such candor and from a true personal experience, warts and all rather than from some publishers desire to sanitize the story. I highly recommend this book to readers everywhere.
awesome book.......2006-10-11
Great book for anyone to read. I knew nothing about identity theft, and through their stories I feel like I learned a lot. It was entertaining, informative and I couldn't put it down. I am a big fan of Richard Marcus, and now I am adding Glenn Hastings to my list. They have a great way of writing and the story just fills up in your mind. Great book for anyone to read...
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