5 comments about Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems.

1. This collection of poems should carry a warning label - the contents are additive. I'm hooked, so is every person I know who picks it up - it is "unputdownable". When has good poetry ever been this much fun?



2. Billy Collins' "Sailing Alone Around the Room" is a treasure. If there is one book of poetry I would hand to someone who has never read poetry, this would be the one. Collins conversational approach is accessible but has incredible depth and heart at the same time. He's kind of like a favorite funny uncle who just happens to be a world renowned writer. You get the sense that he can hold his own in a room full of Ph.D.s but share a laugh with the gardener who barely speaks English.
   
   Collins poems deal with everything from Osso Bucco, the Victoria's Secret catalog to loss and death. Hard to believe someone could cover that range with such a light, deft touch but he does. It's no wonder he was America's Poet Laureate. I smiled constantly while reading this book as I saw myself and almost everyone I know represented on the pages. Collins world is not perfect but you don't detect the bitterness some times leveled at life through poetry. Instead there is a quizzical acceptance as Collins holds life "up to the light" the way he suggests students examine poetry in his poem "Introduction to Poetry".
   
   I think of Collins as a poetic Jerry Seinfeld (without the mansion in the Hamptons). He examines the minutiae of life and finds the larger truths. His fears are laid bare as are his hopes for justice and his love for the small simple moments in life that can bring such joy that we so often overlook. In a word, it's an honest book. Collins is a master writer and one that everyone who loves words and loves life should have over for dinner. Unfortunately, he is a busy guy but fortunately we can all read "Sailing Alone Around the Room". I guarantee you'll feel like to know Billy Collins after reading this book and if you don't want to live in his world, you will have surely enjoyed spending time in it.



3. The transience of moments is often the subject of inquiry by artists, philosophers, and scientists alike. It is the central focus of the system of thought behind what is called here in the West as "yoga". For a yoga practitioner, Billy Collin's verse would qualify as a potential source of "bliss". Sitting with my legs uncrossed and firmly at the foot of an plush arm chair - I take a break from the Eastern asceticism to enter into Collin's world. Pleasure was the outcome when a particular moment in Collin's verse activated all the "chakras" that purportedly lie along my spine and analogous to the Western concept of "mind, body and soul"; transcending time and space. And Billy Collins does this all with wry wit and a ironic sense of humor. Often musing on scenes from the past (I guess that's the constraint of the arm chair! : "Nostalgia", "The Waitress", "Splitting Wood") and some topics waxing on the philosophical ("The Butterfly Effect" - which deals with certain actions and their resulting outcomes). The verse, depending on the reader's cultural background (think like a White Anglo Saxon Protestant for maximum effect) in an optimal situation (kids asleep, tv off) will resonate in all yogic "chakras". Try this with Milton's "Paradise Lost" which I long abandoned as culturally and historically inaccessible - at least from a casual reader's perspective. I thoroughly enjoyed and was at some points - profoundly moved by Billy Collin's anthology: "Sailing Around The Room".



4. In Billy Collins book "Sailing Around the Room", he brings together poems from "The Apple That Astonished Paris", "Questions About Angels", "The Art of Drowning" and "Picnic, Lightning" along with twenty new poems. Mainstream critics give wide acclaim for his poetry, so the remaining question is whether or not his new poems measured up to the status of Laureate.
   
   In the new poems Collins retains the same conversational tone as his previous work. Collins also continues to poke fun at elitist critics with his reverence for the simple and straightforward in "Reading an Anthology of Chinese Poems of the Sung Dynasty, I Pause to Admire the Length and Clarity of Their Titles". He refers to elitism as an iron turnstile to be pushed at (not everyone can gain admittance), and gives a made-up title of "Vortex on a String" which is a concept in superconductivity. The other title which he mentions in the poem is "Horn of Neurosis", quite possibly a psychological one. Poetry does not have to be this complicated. Collins pays homage to Chinese poetry, which focuses on simple concrete imagery, and wants to learn more about it.
   
   A critical difference in his previous poetry and the new entries is the amount of explanation included. He explains his images more in the new poems through sparse commentary, and gives a greater insight into how he perceives certain objects, animals, people or situations. For instance, in "Dharma", his dog is to be envied or admired for the simplistic life that only people as great as Gandhi and Thoreau have achieved. Contrast this with another dog poem, "Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House" from "The Apple That Astonished Paris", where the dog is not his own. All we know about the dog is that it barks. We don't know why it barks, if the owners are cruel, we just know that it barks. There is distance here, a lack of personal connection. Although Collins has written personally in other poems, the personal reflections in these new poems are more front and center.
   
   So if you liked Collins previous work, "Sailing Alone Around the Room" will not disappoint. The twenty new poems make the book worthwhile to purchase. For fans that are missing a book or two, this makes an excellent choice for a varied collection.
   
   http://drtucker.blogspot.com/2007/05/horn-player-neurosis.html
   http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TVJ-3TCP3FK-27&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=2834c1cfd4a7138ad62a5138a4dac41c



5. "Sailing Alone Around the Room" is so unexpected and funny and poignant and even exquisite. Collins' poems involve you like Alice when she stepped through the looking glass or fell down the rabbit's hole. And you're so comfortable, and the adventure is so real you don't want to leave. It's like being picked up in a three-wheeled tempo and carted off to places you hadn't thought to go, yet places you recognize when you arrive.

5 comments about Sailing For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies)).

1. After deciding to try my hand at sailing this season, I decided to purchase this book; it was the best thing I could have done to learn! In adition to knowing what terms are for what (jib, keel, etc), I was able to learn about how to sail safely and handle common disasters. Thanks for a great book :-)



2. Save your money and your time returning this book. It was written in an effort to make money only.



3. An enjoyable, humerous review of the basics. Having been away from sailing for a few years (2 decades) I wanted to brush up on the fundamentals, this was a GREAT way to do it. I found out I hadn't forgotten as much as I thought.
   I can see where a beginner would benefit also.



4. Turns out sailing is pretty complicated. Especially if you're trying to cross the ocean on a 32 Contessa.
   
   I give this book five stars for saving my life. I almost tried to cross the ocean with me and one other; neither of whom has any water experience at all. Considered other alternatives to my problem resolution after chapter 1.



5. This was very helpful as a first step before you take a personel lesson. I was aware of all of the terms and what was about to happen. Great book. I have red it more than once.

5 comments about Without Remorse.

1. How can you not like a book with a line such as :
   
   "Oh no, not in their wildest nightmares have they ever met anyone like me.
   The name they had given him in Vietnam boiled up from the past.
   Snake. "
   
   corny, jingoistic, call it whatever elitist dribble you want, i think this book rocks!! Apart from this, the research he puts into the book should also be commended.
   I only hope, if at all they choose to make a movie out of this, they stay true to the concept of the book. As mechanical engineer, i appreciate Mr. Clancy's work even more because of his minute precision level attention to detail. John Clark's workshop,
   
   Hemingway meets John Rambo ...
   
   Great fun read, gets a bit gory in the beginning, then snake takes over!! :) Enjoy it.



2. Umm yea this was my first experience reading tom clancy so I don't have any strong feelings one way or another. So yea it's very obvious that he does do a lot of research before writing so much so that i myself got lost in some of the military jargon and weapons lingo. But it was a compelling plot, straight forward and easy to understand. Sometimes it was a little confusing to keep track of characters especially the navy admirals because they mentioned like 3 different names for each character, first, last, and nickname. Then he wouldn't talk about them again for another chapter or so. So by the time you think you've figured it out you've forgotten the next time the characters come around. The characters themselves were a little two dimensional and the dialog also needed some work I doubt very much that people are straightforward. All and all I give it a 4 out of 10.



3. This was the fifth Clancy book I have read but my first in many years. Without giving much away it is mainly a story of revenge. In this book you get to see how some of the regular characters in other Clancy novels come to be. I thought the book was fine & if you are just starting out the book does pick up the pace once you get one or two hundred pages in. I didn't rate this book higher because I feel the story could have been done with less than 750 pages, that's two pretty good sized books. Also much of the book takes place in Vietnam & details some Navy Seal / SOG action. I have recently read the book "SOG" by John Plaster & I have to say the action in that book is hard to beat - & it was hard for me not to compare the two. Without Remorse does finish with a bang just for me it took a little long to get there.



4. If you have never read any of Clancy's books before, this is not a bad place to start. I have not read many of his works myself, but it appears to me that this is chronologically the first to take place in the series on John Clark and Jack Ryan. This book for me was one of those rare effortless reads where the pages turned on their own and I did not want to put it down. I found the story to be completely plausible - if you have ever wondered what would have to happen in the life of a normal, non-psychopathic person that would turn them into a highly-skilled, cold-blooded killer, this is the answer. I won't give away too many details of the plot, but it is basically a revenge motif - a decent guy seeking justice against some pretty bad people and the inner struggles he endures while doing this and trying to remain one of the "good guys." It kind of reminded me of Batman (without the cape and mask, and with Batman being an executioner). This is definitely a guys book, and if that's what you are in the mood for, you will not waste any time or money with this one. Truly satisfying.



5. One star for a Clancy book?? Yes, but I'll get to that later.
   
   I've been reading Clancy for 20 years and read all his first half dozen or so novels as they were published. He is an amazingly talented writer. I think he is at times a genius in characterization. I've used him as an example of good writing in some of my classes; how he can completely round out a character on one side of a single page of paper. Clancy deserves the success he has achieved.
   
   But with this book I began a personal boycott of his books; guiltily I'd still check them out from the local library, but I wouldn't pay real money for them any more.
   
   It's the morality of the thing. Being a vigilante, being judge, jury and executioner . . . is not only a good thing, but an honorable and laudable thing; a thing to be strived for; a heroic thing . . . and wouldn't it be great if America was filled top-full of Clarks killing their way through our days and nights? Certainly there are real predatory criminals out there, and Clancy has made sure that the bad guys in this book have that character. But when it comes to making us root for a murderer (albeit a good and just murderer), I'm sorry but I just can't get on that boat with you.
   
   And a major illustration of this is one of the climactic points of the book; using decompression equipment to torture and kill. Here's how it reads: first the omniscient voice of the author describes the equipment and its effect on the human body; then Clark captures the bad buy and explains to him in detail (once again) the equipment and its effects; then Clark actually does the deed and the equipment and its effects are laid before us (in detail) for a third time. I'm sorry but here's what I saw in my mind's eye: a naked sweaty man sitting at a keyboard typing out this description of gruesome torture over and over, breathing hard. Breathing very hard. I thought it was one of the most disgusting pieces of fiction, really pornographic, ever published.
   
   All that said, it's still a skillfull and wonderfully crafted book. Although Clark's excape at the end is borderline supernatural, or at least invests him with the powers of Superman . . . a bit of jumping-the-shark there.
   
   MS

5 comments about The Complete Sailor: Learning the Art of Sailing.

1. For the skilled sailer the book will be a dissapointment.
   That said, the book will be an important source of all kinds of maritim knowledge for the beginner.



2. lots of black and white drawings make the info clear..very basic..great starter, add to your library



3. New at sailing? Don't go further without buying this book. Delightful, informative, artistic, succinct. I bought 5 books on sailing after falling inlove with it and this is the best one.
   Buy two and give one to a friend.



4. If you are looking for the book which has all info in one and gives you simple and interesting advises and knowledge - this is great buy!!! You will Love this book.



5. As a non-sailor just getting into the world of sailing, I've found this book extremely helpful and easy to digest. The explanations are accompanied by beautiful drawings, which helps explain topics such as wind direction. My boyfriend, who is a competitive sailor, says that the book is very accurate and explains important topics well. We both give this book five stars.

5 comments about Chapman Piloting & Seamanship 65th Edition (Chapman Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling).

1. The "Boaters Bible" at the best price available ! Amazon repeatedly has delivered SOONER than the estimated time--others could learn from this company.



2. This book Chapman Piloting & Seamanship 65th Edition (Chapman Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling) was recommended to us when we bought our first boat some 14 years ago, and has become a bible for boating to us. We've given it ever since to good friends in need of some fundamental boating instruction, and they all love it. Not all information might be useful for everybody, but everybody will find some valuable information for their specific boating needs and skills.
   It's fun to read, easy to understand and extremely informative. Two thumbs up!



3. This is a very large and complete manual for looking up various subjects. Full color, nice text good size pages and easy to understand. I saved half the store price buying it on Amazon. If you don't like it you can always use it for an anchor.



4. As expected, this 65th edition is an updated version of the tried-and-true Chapman's. The photos and examples are current, and the plain language is easy to read and understand. It would be nice if everyone on the water had a good look at this book before untying and heading out onto the water. If you're a rag-head (or and aspiring one), supplementing this book with the Annapolis Book of Seamanship for a deeper dive into sailing-related detail is a really good idea.



5. Anyone that has or is planning on getting a boat should be required to read
   through this text. It may save lives. It will add to your enjoyment of
   boating by teaching you about seamanship. A must read for any one who will
   be on the water for recreational purposes.

5 comments about The Memory of Water.

1. 
   Gripping novel...
   Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com
   Sixteen years ago, Marnie's mother drowned. She could not remember everything that happened that fateful night, but she knew she had lost two things that day that she dearly loved, her passion for sailing and the love of her sister. She escaped to the dessert pledging never to go near the ocean again. A call for help brought her home again. Marnie was determined to help her nephew but had to work through her own problems to do so.
   The Memory of Water by Karen White is not a fast read. This is one of those books that you want to savor every word. The plot is gripping. The characters are multifaceted. Diana and Marnie are sisters that at one time dearly loved each other. The Memory of Water explores the relationship of sisters and the dynamics of living with a person that is bi-polar. The sisters are forced to face ghosts from their past. Karen White draws readers in to her plot. She successfully moves from one narrator to another, each telling their part with a distinct voice, fitting together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. There are several twists that will keep the reader turning pages. I found this book to be captivating. If you enjoy high drama this is the book for you.
   
   .



2. I was entranced with this story. A family with a history of bipolarism, secrets and tragedies.
   Mystery and supsense will keep you turning the pages. I found it disturbing but insightful. A mothers love with a fine line of insanity.



3. What a pleasure to read a novel that has it all together - characters that are real and easy to see, a setting that draws you in and wants to keep you there, and a plot that keeps you wondering right up to the last minute. This was not a book I plowed through at breakneck speed. I was savoring it too much - it's one of those ones you really don't want to end. The surprising thing I learned when I completed the book was that Karen White doesn't live anywhere near the water - and she has never sailed! You will swear that she is sitting in an oceanfront cottage writing this story - with her sailboat tied to her dock. Bravo, Karen, for all your research. The rich detail of the characters, home, town and sailing experience, is perfection!
   
   Karen has a wonderful facility for leaving a trail of information that eventually adds up to a plausible conclusion. I love those "Aha!" moments and the pleasant re-thinking one goes through as the pieces fall into place. This is my first Karen White book, so I now have the pleasure of looking forward to reading the others!



4. This is a wonderful book. The characters were believable and likeable. I would definitely read something else by this author.



5. This is the first book I've read by Karen White. It was a wonderful story of the Carolina lowcountry with rich detailed characters and an intriguing storyline. Family secrets and sister's connections come to the surface after an accident that has forced one of them to come home. My only bone to pick was the multiple narrations. While I enjoyed the adult characters' perspectives, I found the young boy Gil's to be a bit out of place. It didn't 'ring true' for me. None the less, I'm passing this gem along because I know my friends will snap it up and love it for a fun summer read!

5 comments about Black Wave: A Family's Adventure at Sea and the Disaster That Saved Them.

1. As a San Diego native I knew the story and the fantastic ending and still could not stop reading. I too am the mother of four children and cannot imagine attempting such a trip. Jean's account of their extraordinary family and adventure was perfect. Not only do you become part of the Emerald Jean family through her great writing but you relate to their strengths, emotions and troubles as a family to your own life. I found myself living the story with my husband and children and wondering if we all could have been so strong and loving. John's storytelling is not only educational it's laced with some fun humor and emotion. Truly a must read not only for adults but for young adults who could learn a lot from these amazing children. Would love to hug Camille and have cookies and milk with her! The movie will be great!!!!!



2. This book was great from page one to the last final word.
   
   I read it all in less than two days because I could not put it down. The perspective from the wife was absolutely a must read for any woman that is considering living on a boat or cruising the world with their mate and children. Hard to believe she is not an accomplished author of many books. The way she weaved the tragic end of the voyage in clear detail with the total two year journey throughout her part of the book was masterful. She was open and genuine in sharing her most personal thoughts.
   
   As for the husband's part, I really enjoyed the history of a previous wreck that parralleled their's on the same reef 150 years ago. It gives the historical context that transfers a feeling of timelessness to the sea and sailing. The man has a heart as big as the Pacific. These six people are everyday heros to all who dream of adventure and being brave enough to save those they truly love.
   
   In the end, the experience for them as a family was something that cannot be duplicated or would anyone want to go through that ordeal. Still, the joy of seeing the kids both live real life outside of our comfortble California life style and then raise to the occation when called upon was very inspiring. My two sons have it on their summer reading list next. Definitly 5 STARS!!!!!



3. I found the writing vivid and at times poetic. The contrast of writing style and perspective between Jean and John contributes to the reader's imagery and understanding. I enjoyed reading about each new port and island along the way. The candid impressions and experiences of each family member to the different locales added to the richness of the story. Cudos to the family for surviving and staying together through it all. Great summer read!



4. An epic story of hopes, dreams, and the nightmare of survival when things go bad that cannot be forgotten. The device of seeing events through Jeanne then John's eyes forces you to realize athough it's a story of a family, each is an individual with their own vision. All of us dream (I suspect) of chucking all the things we feel we cannot exist without and that trap us in our formatted existences, but this family did it all, and like a phoenix burning in the flames rose and were reborn, stronger and with more behind them than they can imagine.
   The description of this family's trials bring to mind the old commercials listing one by one the cost for specific items, then describing a certain unique experience as "priceless". Every moment described, the good, the bad, the losses, and the miracles of survival fit that category "priceless".
   Cheers!! for the Silverwood family for taking the jump, surviving and for letting us live through their eyes the candid tale of their amazing real-life adventures. This book is a vividly described experience. It forces me to relook at what is possible to do with life, if you just decide to do it.
   A Movie, I'll buy tickets now!



5. The authors present the story of adventure and crises in an honest and compelling fashion. The identity of each of the family members is written so as to provide an asymmetrical perspective of their joy, hardships, and terror while on the journey. The back story of the family is woven into the narrative in a way that facilitates seamless transitions between the voyage and situations throughout their lives. The external threats--to include open sea thugs and uncharted reefs--create the conditions for an epic tale that ultimately leads to the renewal of a family's relationship with each other and with God. For anyone who loves a great adventure story that is well-told, this book is a must read.

5 comments about The Annapolis Book of Seamanship: Third Edition, Completely Revised, Expanded and Updated.

1. This book has some pretty good info and is quite comprehensive and well laid out. If you're going to buy 1 book, let it be this one. That's if you ever get around to reading it (it being so comprehensive and all) it's almost easier to go out sailing than trawl through it's many pages! But a worthwhile reference.



2. THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP by John Rousmaniere is the ur-text on sailing used by virtually every sailing school as its primary educational source. Now in its third edition, this eminently readable and well illustrated book is encyclopedic in its scope, crammed full of practical information about sailing vessels, the mechanics of sailing them, and the traditions of sailing. It's a measure of the excellence of THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP how familiarly Rousmaniere presents this largely alien topic with its many very specialized terms of art.
   
   Rousmaniere wisely eschews most of the romance of sailing in favor of much more important considerations, such as boat care, boat handling, and especially safety at sea. Sailing may be enjoyable and it may be challenging, but it is also a dangerous avocation by its very nature, and the author never lets "salty talk" befog that issue. This is NOT a quick reference book for those who want to hoist the jolly roger and give no quarter while tied to the dock; this is a bible for serious SAILORS, whether on the local lake, Puget Sound or the South China Sea
   
   While it can't give you the hands-on experience that being before the mast confers, THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP will give you the theory and information you need to make the most of that experience.



3. Great book for acquiring basic and intermediate seamanship knowledge. Also very useful as reference for refreshing your knowledge.



4. Reading this book will shorten any sailor's learning curve. It covers all aspects of the sport. John Rousmanierehas compiled an amazing reference/textbook that is interesting, informative and invaluable. I highly recommend this book to sailors at all levels of proficiency. Thank you Mr. Rousmaniere for this wonderful resource.



5. I highly recommend this book for any aspect of sailing knowledge.
   
   My brother found a first edition of this book in someone's trash, and grabbed it for me, as he knew I was a sailor and thought it might be useful or important. I had learned to sail from "Sailing for Dummies"; this, however, is (or should be) the bible for learning to sail. It is the only sailing book I've read that has described how to fly a spinnaker in a useful manner.

5 comments about The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

1. The premise of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is that there are 7 habits which can dramatically improve a person's professional and social life. These habits include: 1. Be proactive. 2. Begin with the end in mind. 3. Put first things first. 4. Think win/win. 5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. 6. Synergize. 7. Sharpen the saw.
   
   Covey's philosophy of using honest open communication, fairness, integrity and human dignity as a baseline in all relationships is sound powerful advice. The book is well written with excellent insights and wisdom.
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking



2. Nutshell review - This is an excellent book whose lessons and insights can contribute to all aspects of your life. Excellent.



3. We had the privilege of hearing Dr. Covey in person at The University of Michigan when this book was first published. It instantly became one of the most important books we've read and used in our teaching. We give this as a graduation gift to our college students to help them to be effective as they start their new life. Covey is the master of story-telling and bringing his habits to life.
   
   Author, "Trust is Everything: Become the leader others will follow"



4. I actually purchased these cards in error, thinking that they were the book.
   
   When I received it, I was disappointed.
   
   When I read them, I was delighted!!!!
   
   They encourage great focus and act as a boosters at the start of the day - pick up a card, read the back also or just read the front in the extremely pleasant font, and make yourself more effective and generally a better person.
   
   A lot of these points made are quite obviously (although some are a lot more subtle and extremely cleverly presented) but fundamentally, it helps to make you a balanced and better person, which then obviously spills into your personal and business life.
   
   They are the closest thing you will get to a quick fix - where a book requires you to be motivated to focus to read it, these are available at all times - pick one up from your desk before a meeting, browse through one or two while on hold for a phone call - you can only benefit if these ideals and tips sink into your subconscious!



5. I agree with the other commenters who have given this book negative reviews and who appear to be more critical thinkers than the author himself.
   
   This book was clearly written on auto-pilot; it is constructed on a string of cliches and half-conceived insights and analysis. It is entirely clear the author has little to say. The book is an insult to probing, intelligent minds. A total joke!

5 comments about Sail.

1. Book is great! Keeps you reading. Never know what is coming next. I love James Patterson's books, especially Alex Cross series.



2. I did enjoy this book a little but not, I suspect, for the reasons intended by the authors and publisher. In fact, I laughed aloud at several of the wrong places. Let me explain. A woman heart surgeon sets out on a sailboat with her three children and her deceased husband's brother. Her fancy dancy crimanal defense attorney husband is left in New York. Things start to go wrong right away on this junket.
   
   The teenage boy lights up a joint in the head. The daughter tries to commit suicide. A huge storm almost swamps them. Then there's an explosion, putting them all in the drink, whereupon a shark smells lunch, before they make it to a deserted island and a giant snake attacks. I could see it all coming, like dominoes falling. I could see the writers listing all the hazards that could possibly affect this curious crew. It became downright funny.
   
   Then toss in the fact that someone is trying to kill them--the doctor's second husband, the hotshot villainous lawyer, assisted by an ex-CIA operative. The lawyer is a piece of work, strictly one-dimensional nasty and completely unbelievable. Even his bosomy girlfriend is silly, thrown in just to have a sex scene. In fact, there isn't a character in this book that feels right, to say nothing of the events that are phony.
   
   And I haven't touched upon the errors of fact and logic, but to take those on would be to give away the plot for those who enjoy this sort of thing. One example: the sailboat, which apparently has an inboard engine, sets out from New England and a couple of days later is in sub-tropical waters, in the vicinity of the Bahamas. Some sailboat.
   
   Then there is the writing itself. The authors obviously don't trust their own words very much or their own readers. They use lots of exclamation points, the certain spoor of the bad writer. Then they compound this with italicized sentences and bold sentences on every page. Joseph Conrad and Ernest Hemingway they are not. It reminded me of the movie "Betelgeuse," with all the lights and arrows to show where he was. The movie was intenced to be funny. "Sail" isn't.
   
   Mr. Patterson and his various co-authors just keep turning these out, using the same basic pattern for every book. They would do well to slow down and try something worthwhile. But that would perhaps cut into the income. Silly me.



3. Sail is a good book for light reading. A small insignificant twist at the end. The who-done-it is told in the beginning.
   
   The audio read is strange. There are two readers, a man and a woman. Perfect!!! right? Not exactly. Who is reading the book depends on what character is recounting the story. If a man is recounting his perspective of the trial, then the burly old defense lawyer has a deep raspy voice; but if a woman is recounting her perspective of the trial, then the same old lawyer has a deepened female voice.......like a soprano trying to talk at a lower octave. This switch in the lawyers voice from deep and raspy to deepened female happens minutes apart. (this being one character example as there are others that are male characters whose dialogue is read by the woman) This type of read is strange to me and somewhat distracting and doesn't really allow you to get into the characters........other than those who are recounting the story because their readers remain gender specific.
   
   Otherwise the book was a fun listen with a light sinister plot.



4. I wanted to like this book and was looking forward to reading it. However almost everything in it that happened was so unbelievable I thought that I was reading a comedy. From New England to the Bahamas in a sailboat in a day...really? A giant snake....really. A kind of fun read but I couldn't make myself believe it was a serious James Patterson book.



5. Patterson's latest effort makes for a just "ok" read.......characters seem too shallow; storyline is too unbelievable. Patterson should stick with "Alex Cross".