4 comments about Bradshaw on the Family: A Revolutionary Way of Self Discovery.

1. Probably the most important book written about the discovery of yourself through your family history. A real eye-opener on the social illness that is passed on from generation to generation in families. This book was used as a text in a college course, and was a great learning experience.



2. I discovered this book when it was first published . It was the only way may husband would get any "help" He has panic disorder and his family was not disfunctional in the way we think of it. no alcohol no physical abuse, But Oh the emotional abuse! The Bill of Rights in the back gave him the tools he needed to release himself from the tie that bound him to his very disfunctional family. Find it. Read it. It can change your life



3. I cant beleive this book isnt bein published anymore. it was a ground breaker for me. I came from a seriously dysfunctional and abusive "family"(the f-word to me). Before i read this book, i had no idea there was a logic or order to the chaos of an abusive household, I guess i was very naive. This book is the one that started me on my path to recovery from my past.



4. This book is terrible. Useless talk about"The inner child" and extremely poor writting mar this so-called self help book. Help yourself, don't read it

No comments about The Official Price Guide to Collecting Books, 6th Edition (Official Price Guide to Books).

3 comments about Costume Jewelry for Haute Couture.

1. Expertly co-authored by fashion historian and consultant Florence Muller and haute couture costume jewelry collector Patrick Sigal, "Costume Jewelry For Haute Couture" is a profusely illustrated compendium showcasing dazzling, one-of-a-kind jewelry designed by skilled artisans to complement and adorn individual couture pieces for fashion shows and photo shoots. Representing outstanding examples from Coco Chanle in the 1920s to Yves Saint Laurent in the 1970s, to the creation of Lanvin today, "Costume Jewelry For Haute Couture" highlights some of the greatest jewelry creations by some of the greatest artists the fashion industry has every known, including examples by Balenciaga, Diro, Schiaparelli, Givench, Vionnet, and so many others. Beautiful and informative, "Costume Jewelry For Haute Couture" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Art History, Fashion History, and Jewelry reference collections.



2. I've been keeping an eye on 'high fashion' for 25+ years as my own one-of-a-kind bead & jewelry business evolved. I could never figure out why some of the very unusual and creative jewelry I saw in couture and pret-a-porte' runway shows was rarely covered in detail in the fashion books or magazines. Finally this book was created to begin answering my prayers! Bravo - I love it, get lost in it!
   While I love all kinds of jewelry, I'd gotten my fill of the books featuring more traditional gold/diamond-type jewelry! If you like the more unusual side of the universe, then you will treasure this book.... and I say all of this before I've even studied the text!
   I hope publishers will pay attention and give us more, more, more! This is the tip of the iceberg and I'm delighted.



3. I haven't finished reading this book but the images of jewelry are beautiful and inspiring.

5 comments about Homebuilding Basics Carpentry (Homebuilding Basics).

1. I would recommend this book to beginning framers, apprentices, and homeowners who want to learn to do there own work. Professional carpenters and journeyman should pass it by. The book itself is very well layed out and complete. It is rather low tech and somewhat dated in the new world of 'hurricane and earthquake' code requirements. But, I like it. it does not promise more than it delivers and what it delivers in content is well presented.



2. This book is the best I've ever seen as a teaching tool on this subject. It assumes no prior knowledge, everything is very clearly written, and the illustrations make it simple to understand. (In fact, if you scanned through the book and only studied the pictures and read their captions, you would learn a great deal without reading the book's text.)

   If you choose to buy this book, it's money well spent.




3. "Homebuilding Basics: Carpentry" may just be one of the best
   carpentry tools you could buy. Larry Haun, a production framer
   and carpentry teacher for over 45 years, wanted to "share with
   others what I have learned from my teachers." He has certainly
   succeeded.

   He begins by covering both hand and power tools and explaining
   how to choose one version over another depending on the task.
   Safety tips and tricks for more effective use are presented in
   sidebars.

   The jobsite section explains the frame structure of a typical
   home in detail: nomenclature, whys and wherefors, and sequence
   of tasks.

   Next, Haun moves through the actual frame construction from the
   foundation sill through the completion of the structure and basic
   finishing in sections on framing floors, walls and ceilings, roofs,
   stairs and finish details.

   This large, well-organized handbook will prove invaluable to anyone
   planning to build a home, remodel one, or simply wanting to be able

   to recognize proper framing methods and high quality work. It
   provides an introduction, list of sources for tools, supplies and
   books and an index as well as a slew of excellent illustrations.

   Larry Haun currently teaches carpentry in Coos Bay, Oregon and is
   the author of "The Very Effectient Carpenter" and a long-time
   contributor to "Fine Homebuilding Magazine".




4. this is an excellent primer on stick framing, covering everything from tools to layouts of floors, walls, ceilings and roofs. nothing about shingling, drywalling, plastering, etc. - just framing. that's the strength of this book, in the depth of its treatment of the subject. nicely illustrated, there are at least two or three photos or useful diagrams per page. the book's a big step up from your usual how-to, as the author ties in his own personal building experiences, in ways that illustrate the logic of methods and practices.



5. "Carpentry" by Larry Haun, is the Number 1 book that I recommend owning first when beginning carpenters, homeowners, and do-it-yourselfers ask me about learning different aspects of this trade. I also tell these folks that this book, in particular, is well written, easy to understand, and filled with high-quality color photographs and drawings, that help make clear what this Master Carpenter is teaching on the subject of basic carpentry.
   In addition to the above, I'm asked this question many times as my crew and I frame or remodel homes in our state of Minnesota: "What other books do you recommend buying to help us learn more about homebuilding and fixing-up our home?" I tell these folks that they can be assured of finding additional high-quality, informative books from the publishers at Taunton Press, and Fine Homebuilding.
   I tell the carpenters that ask me the same question to check out Larry Haun's book titled, "The Very Efficient Carpenter," also published by Taunton Press, as their next step in becoming more efficient as working carpenters.

5 comments about Standard Catalog of American Flyer Trains.

1. When I saw this book was in the making I was very excited as Greenberg's books on prewar American Flyer are exceedingly rare and expensive these days. The S gauge books are still easily found and reprinted, but not the books on the prewar O gauge trains and Wide Gauge trains. Knowing how well the Lionel books in this series were done, I expected the same from this American Flyer offering - it is insanely disappointing.
   
   Everything you could ever want to know about Flyer S gauge is here, but then again, that info can still be readily accessed in countless Greenberg books. There's very little in this huge book on prewar Wide Gauge trains, and what is in this book is VERY innacurate and the values assigned are ridiculously high in some cases and ridiculously cheap in other cases. For example, virtually all 14" Wide Gauge passenger cars have the same values across the board with only a couple of exceptions.
   
   The coverage on prewar O gauge trains, the trains with which American Flyer was founded upon, are absolutely not covered here! I was stunned! There are maybe twenty pages at the back of the book with photos of only SOME O gauge offerings, NO DESCRIPTIONS OR DETAILS ON ANY O GAUGE TRAINS WHATSOEVER, and all are listed as "not enough information available" for rarity.
   
   I think it would have been much better to have offered this book in two volumes as the Lionel books were done, one covering the post-war S gauge trains and another which would have covered the formative prewar years of American Flyer. Instead, we have one big volume which was compiled by someone who knows an awful lot about S-gauge plastic and next-to-nothing about tinplate or older trains. You get the feeling this book was rushed along to the press before it could be finished.
   
   If you're into S-gauge, you'll like this, if you're into prewar trains, it's got some okay photos, not many, but you'll not learn anything here you didn't already know.



2. Standard Catalog of American Flyer Trains This is a great book that for the first time you can get all three train gauges make under the name American Flyer and/or A.C. Gilbert. Great pictures and descriptions of trains and accessories. A valuable book at a great price.



3. So far this is the best book I've seen for the American Flyer collector. It has so much information and really helps when sifting through train shows and online auctions!! A must!



4. I too was waiting in anticipation for a new better written book on American Flyer. I am primarily an S gauge person, but to finally have at least the basic refreshed info on HO, and basic info on O and Wide Gauge presented again is a big bonus.
   
   Not to put down Greenbergs works, but Greenbergs are getting very dated and the repeatative descriptions just for the sake of saying something were nausiating. David Doyle in his book, has changed the format to a much more concise format. There are a few brief paragraphs at the beginning of each chapter giving important but generalized information on the chapters subject matter. For each variation of a numbered item, they give another brief general description then list each variation with a range of values and a rarity rating. This is better than other guides that simply give an EX or LN value and move on leaving the other grades open to abuse by sellers. One word of advice to David is to stick with common item names. Calling the Box Cars, House Cars was wierd and a big turn off. Train people know them as box cars, talk about what they are familiar with, not some abscure name no one has ever heard of before.
   
   The book is chock full of pictures, and they are new and bright and clear, not recycled from other previous publications. For the most part the photos are very well done, but some items they photograph are in poor condition and a superior example would have been easy to find. An example is the chapter on Hopper cars shows a beginning photo of a 921 CB&Q hopper, a very common hopper car, with a broken step. Other photos are of items that are covered with dust like the 283 at the beginning of the steam loco chapter. David tries I think to show photos of the scarcer versions at least half the time. I'm not sure if this was a chance thing or a deliberate move.
   
   The chapter on paper is short, sweet and helpful. There is only so much you can say about dealer catalogs and consumer catalogs and the like. The chapter on HO is also shorter and sweeter than the S gauge chapter(s), mainly because they made so much less of it compared to S gauge. Even more brief in the overall information offered are the O and Wide gauge chapters. These are grey areas in American Flyer collecting the same as OO is for Lionel. But we rarely hear of the Lionel people complaining about the lack of material in the small OO chapters when they are included in books. American Flyer people are already complaining about the O and Wide gauge chapters, and I say leave them complain as these are small niche areas, and the book was more about the mainstay of American Flyer trains, S gauge. It is a welcome blessing to see anything on the O and Wide gauge areas with more up to date pricing so everyone into those areas should be grateful they got anything at all instead of whining. There have been other HO books put out, but they are very dated as well, and the fresher HO data was welcome, even though the amount of time spent on the chapter was not overwhelming mainly because there was no need to.
   
   I have been into American Flyer trains since I first became congnative about the age of 4 or 5 and remember my first encounters with the train set up at Christmas. I've collected American Flyer S gauge for over 30+ years and am working on my 4th collection. I know what I've seen, and what I've not seen over 30+ years of searching and collecting these trains. With that said, I can say here what is wrong with this book. David tried very hard to avoid ambiguous information, something Greenbergs did not do. I saw only one or two examples of this in the book. One example is the alleged existance of a 293 steam loco with a whistle in the tender. This was NOT made that way. The whistle was either added by a previous owner or the tender was swapped from a different loco. But because some big time collector somewhere said it was made because it exists in their collection, so it was listed. The second example is the listing for a 290 pacific with Reading logo on the tender. This loco was never made that way. This is a tender swap by someone after the loco left the factory. This, unfortunately, is a big peril when writing a book of this type, the author is at the mercy of the collectors he asks for information from. The other big issue is with values vs truly scarce variations. As I said before, I know when a variation is tough and should demand a premium. There are several instances where a scarce variation is listed but given the common versions value. I'll give two prime examples. One would be the 24720 Civil War coach. The very earliest versions of this car are painted but do not have American Flyer Lines stamped on the car sides. In my 30+ years of collecting and searching, until about two weeks ago, I had only seen one of these cars and it was in a boxed "One of the First Fifty" sets. This car is HARD to find. Yet it was given a value of a meager $90, only $10 more than the painted version with the American Flyer Lines logo stamped on the car sides. Sorry Dave, this car is at least a $150 to $200 car. Second example would be the 625 Gulf tank car. Its hard enough to find this car without the 625G number indicating a change to Gulf from Shell. But to find the plain 625 version with the SEPX shell markings and Gulf logo is difficult to say the least. Yet David lists all variations of this car at $25. Again, this car is scarce, and is worth at least $150 or more. There are other examples exactly like this, such as the 636 spool flat with small lettering, and 934 caboose. One other item of note. In the O Gauge accessories section they show White with Red trim S Gauge items in the photos. This is incorrect. Pre-War O accessories that were carried over after the war were originally painted in Yellow (Dark Cream), with Brown trim.
   
   Other than the issues mentioned above this is an excellent book. Well laid out, much easier to read, and it has a range of values for common people who want to deal in average grade tains instead of the high end collectors grade stuff. Photos could have been better and some of the values definately need tweeking. Over all, I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to get into collecting and/or operating any of the American Flyer equipment offered from the early 1900's to date.



5. Great book with many excellent photos and variations. A must have for any Flyer fan!

5 comments about Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? Inside IBM's Historic Turnaround.

1. Mr. Gerstner provides his story of when he took over the reigns at IBM and brought the company back on its feet. This is a strict business book with internal memos and charts at the end so it can lend itself to being a bit boring in some parts. However, when the authir describes how he was able to navicate thru the huge complexity of all the different divisions, then this book becomes a valuable reference for any business leader who needs to go thru the same process.



2. Throughout this book Gerstner discusses the changes IBM made and how he helped turned the company around. I have no doubt that he was a large part of the dynamic shift at IBM to again make it the successful, global company that it is today, but I felt that I went through the book without completely understanding what those changes were. There was a lot of discussion of how IBM was operated and managed when Gerstner took control of the company in 1993 as it was falling apart before the public's eyes, and there was a lot of explanation of how IBM was successful and reborn when he stepped down from the CEO position in 2002. But there was little substance in between. I am not sure if that is because the day-to-day steps taken throughout the mid and late 1990s are too mundane for the average business reader, of if the details were just left out. Gerstner does share some insight into leadership skills and his management style, but IBM as is left in the shadows. All in all, this is not a bad book, but be aware that the reader is left wondering exactly how IBM regained its dominant position in the marketplace.



3. Having spent twenty-three years in management before I became an entrepreneur, I recognize that moving from one side of the desk to the other side may be the longest journey a professional person ever makes. When we shift into a leadership spot, not only do we find that our prior perceptions might have been totally inaccurate, we have to address personal and professional challenges we would have never imagined.
   
   I applaud this book as one man's record of what life at the top is really like. He won me over immediately when he decided to wear a blue shirt because everyone else was wearing white. Thoreau would have applauded his individualism.
   
   With my current profession dedicated to improving individual and corporate communication, I agree with Gerstner's assertion that "No institutional transformation takes place, I believe, without a multi-year commitment by the CEO to put himself or herself constantly in front of employees and speak in plain, simple, compelling language that drives conviction and action throughout the organization."
   
   Another striking bit of Gerstner wisdom: "Success in a company comes foremost from success with the customer, nothing else."
   
   He's right on target again when he observes that "lack of focus is the most common cause of corporate mediocrity."
   
   Yet Gerstner goes beyond mere platitudes: "Execution--getting the task done, making it happen--is the most unappreciated skill of an effective business leader."
   
   Possibly two of Gerstner's words capsule his approach to awakening IBM to its possibilities: "constructive impatience."
   
   In my judgment, Louis Gerstner should rank alongside Jack Welch as a take-no-prisoners leader. Read this book, and you will agree that he was the right man at the right time for IBM.The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication-change Your Life!



4. When I started the book, I have no idea about the history of IBM. I am not an IT person, so I have heard IBM but that is basically it.
   I learned a lot from the book about IBM, what they did wrong and how he changed it.
   But besides everything he revised the company culture and organizational structure. I think that is the hardest thing a CEO can achieve. His vision, his attention to details but still seeing the big picture amazed me. No wonder they picked him as the great saver of the IBM legend.
   The book is long and sometimes repeats itself, without going into details.
   The part I enjoyed the most was his e-mails. How encouraging was he after 9/11, he mentioned employee names and all the things they did both to help and also to get their business going. He sent e-mails to his 300.000 employees. His tone and the things he mentions, his clarity was amazing. He is an excellent leader. IBM is very lucky to have such a good CEO.



5. Never forget that Gerstner was one of the big dog tobacco executives before he came to IBM.
   
   One of the tobacco executives who took an oath and swore before Congress that he did not believe that tobacco was addictive. Tobacco was known to be addictive since at least 1932 according to the tobacco companies' own records.
   
   Before you believe anything that Gerstner wrote or (more likely) had ghostwritten for him, always keep that in mind.

5 comments about The Great Book of Guns: An Illustrated History of Military, Sporting, and Antique Firearms.

1. I have been learning a lot about modern handguns, and I wanted a book that would give me some history of guns, how their operation has evolved, and an overview of the types of handguns in existance. This book is definitely interesting and fun to flip through, and has some great photos. I liked the photos of the older flint-lock pistols, pepperbox revolvers, and guns of the old-west. Some of the oddities were especially interesting, including the Japanese sword-gun (not a bayonet, but a full-size sword with a handle that was a gun). Also, I liked the WWII Liberator, made by GM to be cheap, easy to build, and to dropped in mass on Germany for partisans to get. However, I felt the book was lacking in a few key areas. I understand that the author can't possibly include every gun ever. But why are there so many examples of home-made guns throughout the years, and no entry for the Glock? The Glock was a revolutionary gun, with an interesting history of unknown Gaston Glock with no gunmaking experience making a gun for the Austrian army that bucked much conventional thinking regarding guns. Who would think a plastic frame would make a reliable gun? Now, every gun store you go into is packed with Glocks, and it is the favorite sidearm of many LEOs including police and FBI. Most CCW books I read recommend the Glock. Half the new guns I see today are essentially Glock copies (Springfield XD, Steyr, S&W SW, etc). The only mention of the Glock in this book is in a side-panel about SWAT teams, where it mentions that SWAT teams use Glocks among other weapons.
   
   This book was an interesting read, but I wonder what criteria the author picked for each gun he included. I would have also liked more diagrams, showing how each gun works and the progression of various styles of gun. I give the book 4 stars since it was fun to flip through, and makes a good coffee table book, but for serious study of firearm history, you might need to go elsewhere.



2. This book looks sweet on our coffee table. The pictures are beautiful- especially the ones of antique rifles. My knowledge of firearms has greatly increased just by reading it in my spare time. There is fascinating history about guns that I had never heard of previously. I like the way the book is organized by firearm type and country of origin. I'm truly glad I purchased this book.



3. The photos are great! There was little information to really tell about each gun pictured.



4. This book was a gift for Christmas for my grandson. He said he likes it very much. He called me in Arizona to thank me for it, I figure it is what he wanted. I guess it's fine. As long as he's happy, that's all I care.



5. this reveiw of history's firearms has one glaring ommision. the glock was not the first polymer framed handgun, however it was a major leap forward in the world of guns. hecklern and koch did it first, but glock made the concept of polymer frame usable and affordable.
   in addition to the lack of glocks, i also disliked the tone of some of his articles.
   
   note: his book, the gun: a visual history, does include mention of the G17.

2 comments about Hot Wheels Forty Years (Hot Wheels (Krause Publications)).

1. interesting book, plenty of photos, not just a dry catalogue, goes into the history of the manufacturing and design process, great coffee table and reference book



2. I just recieved this book today and "WHOW" what a book. The details of the graphics are fantastic. The are numerous pictures of cars in cards and with the graphics you feel as if you can pick it right off the page.
   
   Angelo has brought the Hot wheel history full circle with this book.

4 comments about Art Deco: 1910-1939.

1. A sumptuous coffee-table book of this exuberant art style and I think it could well become the standard book on the subject. The forty essays are divided into four sections, Sources and Iconography, 1925 Paris Exhibition, Spread of Deco and finally Deco World, and I liked the way, especially in Sources and Iconography, that the authors explain how various art styles were moulded into deco art which culminated in the very influential 1925 Paris show.
   
   I thought the last two sections were a fascinating coverage of how Art Deco spread around the world, mainly as architecture and fashion, though in Europe also as a fine art style. In North America, it influenced a huge range of commercial products. Perhaps this was the only art form that was truly democratic in that it was available (as streamlining) to be seen or bought on any Main Street across the Nation.
   
   The design and printing are excellent. Many of the photos, especially color, are presented whole page, the rest are all well sized, and they all have captions. The back of the book has a very comprehensive bibliography, fortunately listed as relating to each chapter rather than just an alphabetical list, the index is divided into two, Names and Subject. I was very impressed with this attention to detail and with the excellent text, images and production surely `Art Deco 1910-1939' will be read for many years to come.
   
   ***FOR A LOOK INSIDE click 'customer images' under the cover.



2. This book is an absolute triumph. First, it is positively gorgeous - the images just leap off the pages. Second, the essays are more in-depth, engaging, and informative than any other book I've found on the subject. This book discusses every facet of Art Deco as well: it explores the origins at the Paris Exhibition in 1925, goes through the influence in East Asia, Latin America, and South Africa, not to mention Europe. A great chapter on Deco in Hollywood; also explores all of the sources, iconography - and all of this on top of covering every aspect of the movement - ceramics, jewelry, fashion, architecture, glass, photography, graphic design, bookbindings, travel and transport, and so so much more - with stunning visuals. A fantastic read, a great resource, a beautiful work, and an absolute MUST for anyone interested in the subject! Well worth the money, and a fantastic addition to any library. Highly recommended!



3. Bought it - read it - refer to it as a source and to unashameably copy.
   Niggles;
   1) No art deco gardens. Is this an ommission or was this branch of human endeavour eschewed by the industrial age?
   2) Illustrations of pieces sometimes miss listing the media and all are missing the size.



4. No problem.
   Long shipping, the book arrived some days after christmas.
   Olivier

5 comments about Plum Island.

1. Plum Island is the first of several novels by Nelson DeMille featuring retired NYPD detective John Corey, a hard-bitten but humorous protagonist, who definitely does not practice PC in his language or actions. A very fast-paced read, with interesting characters, good and bad. Set on NY's Long Island and the nearby Plum Island, a real-life secret government disease-testing laboratory, both loom large in the story and may hold the answer to the murders of two of the laboratory's scientists. Clever twists and turns, interesting historical and boating information, love and murder abound.



2. After reading Charm School, another Demille novel which I found to be more of a lesson in Russian history and politics than anything else, I was reticent to pick up Plum Island.
   With Plum Island, on the other hand, Nelson Demille strikes gold. If you enjoy action, comedy, intrigue and adventure, this one is right on target, or I should say "right between the eyes".
   Our hero, John Corey, a wounded and convalescing New York City homicide detective reluctantly finds himself out of his natural habitat, but well within his element, as he faces the most challenging and rewarding, yet personal murder investigations of his career.
   As Plum Island opens, we find Corey busy recuperating from three gunshot wounds and a killer hangover in a quiet New England seaside community. He receives news that his neighbors and close friends, two highly placed scientists working at a secretive biological research facility have been murdered.
   Hired by an overwhelmed and under experienced local police chief to sift and sniff out the killer and motive, he soon finds himself at odds with the FBI, CIA and a particularly annoying head of security, not to mention his boss back in the Big Apple.
   The Aforementioned biological research facility is located, by the way, on Plum



3. Great read...I finished it in two days! As always DeMille writes a thriller that is action packed and doesn't leave you disappointed in the end! Wild Fire is my all time favorite of his, then Nightfall this is 3rd. It's a great read and well worth the time.



4. Nelson DeMille is one of my favorite authors. I know that if I'm going to pick up one of his books, I'm going to be sitting there for awhile. His writing is just that good that it will keep you there no matter what you're supposed to be doing.
   
   Luckily for me, we aren't supposed to be doing anything, so I can sit here for a long time...As I usually am with one of his books.
   
   Plum Island is the first in a series of books with the main character John Corey. You either love him or hate him, sometimes you do both in the same chapter.
   
   How can you go wrong when you have buried treasure, biological warfare, double homicides and steamy romance all on a tiny spit of land off Long Island. Reading Plum Island, I learned so much history without even knowing I was getting a lesson.
   
   The story is told by a cocky, New York City detective who was wounded in the line of duty, and is supposed to be taking the summer off to recover. Instead, John Corey is drafted to explore a couple of murders, and before you know it, he's so wrapped up in the case, there is no way out.
   
   Don't start reading this book unless you have a few days to sit and finish it. You wont be able to put it down!
   
   Pat Bonish [...]



5. I really enjoy reading Nelson DeMille, who is tremendously gifted in writing books that are both funny and highly suspenseful. PLUM ISLAND is a nice showcase for DeMille's talents.
   
   PLUM ISLAND is the first book to feature John Corey, a NYPD homicide detective who DeMille has written about in three subsequent novels. Corey is the ultimate wise-acre, a bit like David Addison from the old TV show MOONLIGHTING. If you like your dialogue funny and snappy and filled with sexual innuendo, this book will easily meet your requirements. But if you dislike smart alecks in general, you may find Corey a difficult main character to root for.
   
   The plot of PLUM ISLAND, involving biological warfare and pirate's treasure, is kind of absurd, but was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. As some other reviewers have commented, this book is written in a long-winded style, especially at the beginning. For example, DeMille spends over a hundred pages describing a lengthy tour of a biological research facility, when maybe thirty would have sufficed. Still, DeMille keeps things entertaining for the most part, although I think this book could have been at least a hundred pages shorter.
   
   Overall, PLUM ISLAND is a fun book, and DeMille is definitely a writer you should try if you like your thrillers with a heavy dose of humor. If you've never read DeMille before, I recommend either this book or THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER.