5 comments about Cat's Cradle.

1. This was as brilliantly written, wryly satirical, poignant, ironic, fun and captivating as Vonnegut has ever been. That being said, I did have a few problems with this - one of the core lessons that it teaches is one of pointlessness, and that gets applied somewhat to aspects within the plot line; certain events take place that could be seen as deus ex machinas, but at times some of them are pointed out, how they are unexplained, and their explanations dismissed as unnecessary. It can come off as either smart, funny and very honest, or as somewhat lazy. I didn't feel like I gained as much from this as I did Slaughterhouse-Five, but that's not to say that I didn't gain anything at all - on the contrary, I found it to be very enriching, in the most ironic way possible. For social commentary and philosophical irony blended with fantastic storytelling and captivating, rich narrative, look no further than Vonnegut.



2. This book is simply another notable chunk of evidence that Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was clearly the biggest genius who ever lived.
   
   The most dangerous substance in the world: ice-9. What a great idea for a book. And most folks who read this come away saying something like, "You know, I thought of that exact same thing a long time ago!" Unfortunately for themselves, they didn't develop the idea and send it to a publisher. Ha!
   
   Hard to pass this one by -- pure entertainment.



3. Cat's Cradle was an intriguing and thought-provoking book, but it was rather dark. Throughout this book, author Kurt Vonnegut shows his morbid view of the world, including a dystopia and a ninth ring of hell. The story is about how the narrator, an author who is writing a book about the atomic bomb, meets the children of one of the scientists who helped build the atomic bomb. Little does the author know that the scientist had created something much more dangerous than the atomic bomb. His fate becomes entwined with the children, a midget, an introspective genius model builder, and a clarinet prodigy, and he witnesses the end of the world as the powerful weapon, ice nine, freezes all the water in the world.
   Vonnegut comes up with brilliant ideas as well as sneaking in his own advice on living through the holy man Bokonon, whose self titled religion has poems, songs, and scriptures throughout the book. The author vividly shows his prediction of the future in this book, and through his eyes, there is no hope for mankind. As a warning, this book might disturb more sensitive readers and is most definitely not a children's book. Also, Vonnegut has the bad habit of going off on a tangent that is not always necessary. Vonnegut uses the narrator/author named John as a representative for himself, such as both of them went to Cornell College and were members of the Delta Upsilon fraternity.
   Kurt Vonnegut was a soldier and prisoner of war in World War 2, and was one of the survivors of the Dresden bombing, which was the theme for his other book, Slaughterhouse-Five. His mother also committed suicide on mother's day when he was 22, which might have helped give his writing the macabre twang it has.



4. The relative lack of solid character development alone might scare off the type of reader who feels compelled to know the protagonist's favorite kind of vegetable spread as much as the underlying premise of the story itself, but in what is easily Vonnegut's most concise verbal bitchslap of organized religion and the perils of modern technology, don't expect a warm fuzzy feeling upon completion.
   
   Now, I wasn't even a twinkle in my old man's eye when this book was written, but the apocalyptic, (most likely) Cold War-inspired storyline upon first glance seems similar in tone to some other pieces from that general time period. In "Cat's Cradle", Vonnegut is quite successful in a short period of time (this is a quick read) to churn many of the constant fears in the modern world and turn them into an intelligent, cogent storyline that is in fact rather direct in its delivery. Many writers and many stories have touched on these topics but often delve (usually unintentionally) into sounding "preachy" and "overzealous". Vonnegut's wit and humor allows an otherwise mad genius to spin a tale as if Kurt himself is your friend, and not a fanatical know-it-all professor.
   
   Again; the concept of scientific progress causing the slow but apparent evaporation of the very humanistic element we pride ourselves on as a species is far from groundbreaking. However, to do so and wrap it around such biting political and social satire (to create and explain "bokonism" seemingly on such a whim is simply...awesome) is another thing entirely.
   
   The story itself is both humorous and rather appropriate for the times. Futhermore, as I hint in the above title, this is one of the darkest books I've ever read, but it should be.



5. This book isn't for everyone, that's for sure. The central theme is a fictional religion based around the principal that everything is a lie. The first line makes that clear. Characters include a midget, an introverted modelmaker who forced bugs to fight one another in his younger years, a man who is forced to make bicycles for blind people in Afghanistan, an insane elevator operator, a maniacal dictator, a sex symbol from a fictional island, the man who helped invent the atomic bomb (and has an odd fascination with turtles), a particularly destructive nihilist, and a doctor named "Breed", believed to have an affair. Some of the most memorable scenes involve all possible meanings of the term "Mayonnaise", fun with indexing, and a twenty-foot phallus used as a gravestone. Oh, and there are 127 chapters, each of them a page long on average.
   If all that just strikes you as weird, then Vonnegut really isn't the guy for you. The fact that this is normal in comparison to my favorite Vonnegut book, Breakfast of Champions, should say a lot about him. After all, this guy has one of the strangest senses of humor in literary history. His work really is inaccessible.
   I think he's great, though. He's got the same absurdist sense of humor as I do, and he's a social critic to rival the best of them. Especially here, where he mocks both science and religion, two very different fields. It's a hilarious book, but there's more to it than just the humor. There's also the underlying social and political implications, which is really what makes it fly.
   This isn't a good book in the traditional, "descriptive setting, fleshed-out characters" sense. I don't think it was meant to be. Instead, it's a wild, fast-paced ride, which moves from one biting indictment of society (he takes on everything from patriotism to nihilism). It's hilarious, it's enlightening, it's distinctive... it's pure Vonnegut.

No comments about Take Our Cat, Please: A Get Fuzzy Collection.

5 comments about Dark River (Warriors: Power of Three #2).

1. Dark River, I could say a million great things about it! A secret relasionship, a major ingery, and posobly a battle! I love Jaypaw! I'll be happy to read the next book just to see what HE does. But the dark tunnels, underground river, and other adventures are so real to me!
   Note to Erin Hunter: Keep up the good work!



2. This is a really cool book and keeps you wanting to read on I would really recomend this and all other warriors books to anyone who has a love and enjoyment of reading and cats.



3. This book focuses on the aspect of the three apprentice's powers. Jawpaw gets to like his role as a medicine cat. Hollypaw shows true leadership qualities. Lionpaw gets into a relationship with a WindClan apprentice.
   We find out about the cats that lived by the lake before the warrior cats.



4. This is the second of another great series by the Erin Hunter gals. Jaypaw digs deeper into the mystery of a clawed stick. Hollypaw can't help but push her nose into the bee nest-RiverClan's twoleg problem. Finally, Lionpaw breaks up with Heatherpaw (although supposedly not for good) for the sake of being a good Warrior. Very busy as a whole, and tensions are high, not being helped with some Clans' hatred for un-Clan cats, such as Daisy and her kits, Berrypaw, Mousepaw, and Honeypaw (I think)as well as Millie and Brook.
   Nothing is very easy for anyone, but problems ARE resolved in the end.



5. These books are just too childish to be true.
   I tried geting through not one, but two of these books but I cannot wrap my mind around cats who act like humans. It's not cat-like at all.
   
   I mean... how does a cat gather herbs and make a potion for other cats to help them heal? Cats are not like that at all!
   
   Okay, I admit... maybe I'm too much of a realist, but in my defense I say that I love cats and I know cats and darn if they'd act like that!
   
   No, these tales cannot even fool a child.
   
   A great disappoiment.

5 comments about Murder Is Binding.

1. It's too bad, just like another reviewer mentioned, that the setting isn't a real place. I'd love to visit.
   
   I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. This first book revolved mostly around the setting and the plot, with most of the character development centering on Tracy. It will be interesting to see how the other main characters evolve in future books. The ensemble cast has a lot of potential, and several of the characters were interesting. The only character that I found unrealistic was the sheriff. I don't want to spoil anything so I'll just say I don't think she'd have been so easily fooled.



2. As a voracious reader, the idea of a mystery series set in a bookstore, which is in a town filled with bookstores, appealed. Unfortunatley, this book did not live up to my expectations. I found the lead character unappealing and spineless. Her sister, who is seen by the lead as an annoyance, is actually a more interesting character to me. I found too many of the actions of the characters to be unbelievable, especially the townspeople (coming to peer through the window to see the jinx/murdereress) and the sheriff (a cardboard character with no discernible skills in law enforcement). Overall, character development was this book's downfall for me.



3. This book has everything. Great setting, great characters, well engineered plot...you name it, this book has it all. This is the first book in the series which often times isn't anything more than laying the ground work for a potentially good series. Well if the debut book is THIS good, what do we have in store with future books in the series?
   If you've been waiting for a fresh new cozy mystery series you can sink your teeth into then your wait it over. I highly recommend this book in case you couldn't tell.



4. I am skeptical of mysteries that look as though they have been created around a "gimmick" more than actual character or plot, such as a wedding planner mystery, a coffee shop mystery, a landscaper mystery or whatever the author can come up with that hasn't been done yet (I think I've even seen a closet organizer mystery!!!). The gimmick tends to drive the boat instead of what should matter, like the story and characters that are more than thin stereotypes. "Murder is Binding", a mystery bookshop mystery, fortunately has more to recommend to it than the mystery bookshop setting. The book didn't get off to the best start with me however. The first few pages made the main character, Tricia, full of negative thoughts about every person she encountered, especially her sister. I knew I wouldn't enjoy an entire book of that! Thankfully, it wasn't as bad throughout the rest of the book and what there was, made sense as far as the story goes. I think the story is well-plotted and the characters are nicely written. I didn't find the writing itself to be a distraction at any time, and that's pretty much all I ask of a paperback mystery's grammar and punctuation. I'll look forward to the next in the series.



5. This shapes up to be a fun new series. The mystery bookstore owner is a fun sleuth along with her very different sister. The idea of a mystery owner as a sleuth is similar to that of Carolyn Hart's Death on Demand series and those who enjoy that SC series will also enjoy this NH series.
   
   The concept of a bookstore town is fun to consider and offers lots of potential for this series.
   
   The mystery was fairly easy to spot, but hopefully the mysteries will improve as the series continues. With the first one done, and the sleuth done being the main suspect, we should expect some braching out in the future.

5 comments about The Cat in the Hat.

1. This story is not only fun to read, my daughter loves it. I have a stack of children's books, and she most often chooses this one first. The art is cool, so that might have something to do with it. My daughter points at the various objects, and has fun naming them. This book has been a winner since day one.



2. The Cat in the Hat is a funny and wacky and crazy book but is definitely for the younger crowd. The author is Dr. Seuss. In this book, he expresses his talent in more ways than you can imagine. The younger crowd is amazed and dazzled at what this book is about. The book is about 2 kids at home all alone on a rainy day. They can't find anything to do. Then, they hear a noise and a hilarious, crazy, and zany cat comes out of nowhere and cheers up the kids with things that the kids did not even think was possible! I would rate this book 5 stars no doubt!



3. I have this delightful book in English, Japanese, Spanish, and now in Chinese. Availability in all these languages is magnificent for children for many reasons. It allows children of these linguistic background to enjoy this great book. It is a wonderful attitudinal validation of these languages, especially if read in a school setting where English is the predominant language of instructin. This is valuable for chldren of every linguistic background. It contributes to the appreciation and awareness of these languages. This is so very important for inter-linguistic/cultural harmony and understanding. All of these benefits through a story that is so much fun!!!



4. When I can, I plan to purchase the entire series of Dr. Seuss books for my child being that his style of poetic prose is so appealing to children. It presents concepts in a way that don't stop to make them "think"; yet encourage a style of their own "brain-storming" that allows them to try to understand how silly chit-chat can become something interesting in a very sensible; yet diverse manner. LLO'C



5. This is the first book i read to my son that he didn't cry to and listened to the end at only 6 weeks! I'm sure it was just that he was in a good mood though!

5 comments about Joseph and Chico: The Life of Pope Benedict XVI as Told By a Cat.

1. This is a charming book about Pope Benedict XVI for slightly older children. It is released at a most fortunate time -- as the Holy Father will soon be coming to the US and is much in the news.
   
   I expected it to be for quite young children because it is "narrated" by the Pope's cat. It is written in a more mature style, however, suitable only for parents to read to their young children -- which is perfectly acceptable. The drawings are adorable and add a lot. I enjoyed it.



2. This tender book about Pope Benedict and his love of cats is very endearing and informative. It shows the gentle nature of a somewhat shy scholar who was reluctant when chosen Pope. His reputation as the stern head of the Holy Office preceded him. Now after these few years as Pontiff, he has become an beloved writer and thinker to so many.



3. With Pope Benedict XVI visiting in the United States, I thought it would be a good time for the kids to read more about him.
   
   After reading the reviews posted here, I purchased Joseph and Chico, The Life of Pope Benedict XVI as Told by a Cat and I must agree with the positive reviews.
   
   Told from the point of view of Chico, we learn about the life of Pope Benedict XVI, beginning with his birth in Bavaria up until his election as Pope. In a simple storybook form, it relates the major events of his life.
   
   Although it is rather long for a picture book, the lively prose and interesting point of view held my daughters' and my interest.
   
   While the bright, colorful illustrations are not exceptional, they nicely complement the text.
   
   The unusual point of view adds an element of fun as the cat makes humorous comments. This elicited laughs from my ten-year-old daughter on more than one occasion.
   
   A heartwarming story that is true, Joseph and Chico is a delightful read.
   
   Thanks for posting the positive reviews and inspiriting us to read it.



4. I expected this book to be much simpler - for very young children. I wound up having to "talk" the story to Kdg and 1st graders. Cat lovers may like this more, but there wasn't enough about Pope Benedict - particularly his daily life after becoming Pope.



5. This book uses the voice of a cat to talk about Pope Benedict XVI. Chico was the Pope's cat when he lived in Germany and Chico tells the story of the life of Joseph Ratzinger who becomes Pope Benedict XVI.
   This is a good book to read to your children and talk about the things that have happened in the Pope's life. The art in the book is beautiful and children and grownups alike will enjoy the book for different reasons.
   The children will like to see the pictures and share time with another person to have the book read to them. The adult reading it will enjoy the storyline and the time spent with the child. It is a large size book, 12 x 8, so it makes it easy to hold and share the pictures and writings with a little one at your side. All will benefit from sitting down with this great book.

1 comments about Warriors: Warrior's Return (Warriors).

1. This book/comic was good, and i really liked some of the drawings, but parts of it seemed to not completely follow through with the other books. Mainly The Sight, in which Graystripe and Millie were attacked when they were at the gathering. However, in this book, they were unharmed, and everything seemed much happier than the first Power of Three book seemed. I would recommend this book, however, especially if you own the others. It was fun being able to see Ravenpaw in a drawing, and I liked Barley too. However, I am waiting for Warriors: Cats of the Clans (Warriors) to give me that!

5 comments about Horton Hears A Who!.

1. This is a charming animation of Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who.
   (I took my daughter to see the new 2008 movie and it was a hit.)
   Horton Hears a Who is a classic and this DVD was a treasure to find!
   My daughter loves it! You won't be disappointed.
   There are bonus stories and features some you will enjoy more than others.



2. I loved the book and my granddaughter was thrilled to get it. My 2 year old Grandson is too young to voice an opinion but his Mother was happy with the book.



3. The kids saw the movie and really enjoyed the book as well. What more can I say, it's Dr. Seuss!



4. Bond with your little ones as you relax with them to view this movie. The child in you will thank you for it. This is not a movie to see without children. Give the DVD as a gift to a little one but let the children enjoy it. Everyone is important, no matter how small is a message that sinks into you as you watch this movie.



5. Very pleased with quick shipping, a quality product as described, and would do business again with Amazon. Saw the movie and read the book with grandkids. What a joy for them and me. Satisfied customer. psw - S.E.Oklahoma

5 comments about The Gathering (Man Booker Prize).

1. Last Year's Man Booker Prize Winner, "The Gathering", is a novel of buried high feelings and deep emotions. Irish writer Anne Enright has a beautiful prose that not always matches her objectives. The novel's subject is a heavy one, a woman dealing with her problematic and beloved brother's death. While avoiding easy solutions, the novel never seems to go that deep it should. When Enright looks back in her characters' lives, she is telling us we are the result of our pasts. That is right but sometimes, a novel needs to stick to the present also, so that readers can really care about past.



2. This is a very special book and I am sure a lot of people would find it too dark, gloomy, scattered and disconnected; this is true for sure, but I still really enjoyed it.
   
   The Gathering is a about Veronica's loss of her brother Liam, her very special brother in a large Irish family of twelve. The figure of the grandmother is dominant throughout the entire novel, as a beautiful yet aloof woman. The grandmother histories with three different men, a brother who has gone mad, a devoted husband and, more prominently, a shadowy admirer friend of the husband are revealed gradually as we go through the novel. Perhaps, more accurately, they are revealed as Veronica searches her mind and whatever records she can find making sense of the loss of Liam.
   
   Veronica is in deep pain and sadness at the death of her brother, she is tormented by it to her very core; her life is truly in tatters. The grandmother figure is there, not necessarily being judged fully, and not presented as a complete well rounded person but as Veronica delves deeper into her sorrow she understands more and more about Ada. Liam's figure is also revealed, mostly as a sad lost alcoholic man who had trouble making something out of his life.
   
   The portrayal of the Veronica's own mother is more distant, deliberately cardboard like, a child bearing machine with weakening memory and limited interests, a small banal dependent person to be loved, cared for and somewhat disdained.
   
   Veronica looks at her entire life, her husband, he daughters, her various surviving brothers and sister and anguishes at the loss of her brother and at her own life.
   
   Many reviewers of the book described it as a look into a dysfunctional Irish family, in a sense it is, but this was not the overwhelming feeling I had reading it. For me, it was Veronica's wading deeper into her mind and opening the floodgates of memories to make sense of the loss of Liam, of their estrangement or at least distance as they got older, of the distance from her own youth. The beauty of the language and the intelligence with which the reader is moved along make for a brilliant, reflective, slow meandering, and ultimately a very rewarding read.



3. While better written than Frank McCourt's spew, the unrelievedly bleak and gloomy air of this collection of Irish stereotypes makes this a very tough slog.



4. As a person who looks forward to reading the Booker prize winner each year, I have to say that this is one winner that I did not enjoy very much. I found it to be depressing, uninteresting and pointless, and I found the ending was abrupt and left too many things unsaid. However, having just finished one of the shortlisted Booker's for the same year, I am now wondering if this book was the best of a bad bunch?
   On the other hand, I have spoken to a couple of people who loved it. Go figure?



5. The nine surviving Hegarty siblings gather together in the family home in Dublin for the wake of their brother Liam. In the observance of a life now ended, Liam's sister Veronica (our narrator) recalls the past - both real and perhaps imagined - to try to understand the why and the how of Liam's life and death.
   
   There are a number of different layers to this story and, although I read it in two sittings, I'll be rereading it to explore aspects I simply observed without necessarily understanding. The beauty of MsEnright's prose is that you don't need to fully absorb the plot in order to undertake the journey. I found myself stepping outside the story simply to admire the language, and then hastening back inside again to keep up with the action. This is a story you can read quickly: the life and death of Liam; Veronica's observational angst; the likeable and less likeable family members are each cleanly (if not always clearly) presented.
   
   There is more than one story in this novel, and if I tell you which one I read it may well detract from your own reading pleasure. My advice to intending readers is to approach this book as you would any large family: what you see on first acquaintance is not necessarily all there is.
   
   I hope you enjoy the novel as much as I did.
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith

5 comments about Outcast (Warriors: Power of Three, Book 3).

1. I have read every Erin Hunters books. Everyone of them is better than the next, but outcast was spended. Erin Hunter has really out done herself and she needs to create more stories.



2. I enjoyed reading this book. It follows a good story line and is easy for children to enjoy. As the author of Jessica and the moonflower fairies also available on Amazon.com, I feel it is important to read many childrens books to get an idea of what kids like to read. My 13 year old daughter purchased this book and also enjoyed it.



3. Your heart thuds with excitement... your mouth dries up... your knuckles go white with anxiety.
   Here in your hands, you hold a WARRIORS- POWER OF THREE novel, OUTCAST.
   Overall, Erin Hunter has done fairly well in this book. ( SPOILERS!!! )
   I must say that I was very shocked to see that Daisy had kits again, but to Spiderleg. WHAT? If I am correct, he was one who did not like so many non-Clan cats in this book. Secondly, Purdy is back! Thirdly- WHY THE HECK DID GRAYSTRIPE DO THAT? Millie is expecting kits- oooh, I am so angry. He loved Silverstream- he CAN'T have kits with some other stupid cat!
   Sorry, Millie.
   See, it turns out that Brook and Stormfur were kicked out of Tribe of Rushing Water since these loners have grouped together in the mountains and want to take the mountain cats over. So kind-hearted Firestar lets the original Sun-drown cats go to help them, plus Lionpaw, Hollypaw, and Jaypaw. This is an excellent idea, but sometimes I feel like strangling those 2-D Tribe cats. They are SO ungrateful! Thunderclan, Windclan, Shadpwclan, and Riverclan cats come trekking all over this green earth to help them, and they act all snotty and cruel.
   There is more hints as to what powers the Three cats have, and more frusteration from the limited-talking Rock. but each main character does mature, I'll give it that. Jaypaw is still prickly but he's not so- how to put it? - oblivious, perhaps? Lionpaw got his feelings straightened out with Heatherpaw, but continues to be trained by Tigerstar and Hawkfrost while becoming a marvelous apprentice fighter, and Hollypaw is smarter and has this odd want to become leader.
   OUTCAST was a very well written novel- I found only one mistake. In the begining when all the Clans are listed, Tribe O R W is listed also, and it says that Crag, one of the Tribe cats, is Brook's brother, yet this contradicts the actual novel, saying that Talon is her brother. Small mistake, easily overlooked.
   Okay, Warrior fan, take care and buy this!
   Sincerely,
   ( yes, I'm back )
   Moonwhisker



4. With the release of Outcast, the newest installment in the Warriors series, Erin Hunter seems to have finally gotten back into her groove, giving us a book that, dare I say it, actually rivals that of the original series. In fact, Power of Three has gotten off to a pretty good start. With The Sight, it was a bit lackluster but by far better then the last two books. Then with Dark River, the story seemed to pick up and get even better as the pages turned and now with the third book, I truley think Hunter has returned to her roots and produce a compelling read.
   
   After the near break out of war between Windclan and Thunderclan, things appear to be returning to normal in the clan, though for our three protaganist things couldn't be anything but normal. Jaypaw still searches for answers on the ancient clan that once roamed the lake, while Hollypaw and Lionpaw strive towards becoming better warriors. And things couldn't be made easier with a newly made warrior determined to cause conflict, a mentor with a dark side, and a growing threat in the mountains that draws all three cats towards discovering their true destiney.
   
   What I feel Outcast did was really pick up on the whole 'phrophecy' of this series, with plot details becoming more and more developed, long overdue questions finally being answered, and our three heroes finally beginning to take shape as true characters. So by far, this is the best one out of the series so far, and hopefully, the fourth will continue this momentum.
   
   Once again, a must for all cat lovers and especially long time Warriors readers.



5. I have read all of Erins books several times over. In all of them I have laughed, cried and forgotten to breath. Not so in this book. There was little emotion except when Crowfeather visited Feathertails grave. I was glad when I was finished. It would never make me loose intrest in the complete series but it was a lack luster story over all. I think possibly there are too many Erins trying to write the same continious story line. It seemds as they were rushing through the entire book to get it done. There could have been a lot more written about the journey and maybe even a little background on the trespassing cats. I don't know, I was just disappointed considering how long I waited for the release. Let's see what the next book is like.