One of my favourite plays of Shakespeare's. Richard is such a heady blend of pitiful evil, loneliness and smart aleck meanness, that it makes the play a delight to read. Some of the most engaging and persuading speeches made by Richard, are captured here. He, who is "not shaped" for fun or sport, and "cannot prove a lover" because of his deformities is therefore, "determined to prove a villain and hate the idle pleasures of these days."
Powerful, heart-pounding and tragic, "Richard III" is a tremendous saga of one man's self-destruction and the despair and devastation he causes those who cross his path.

Short novelette of a vampire story. Interesting angle on the old myth--not that it's so different, but some small new details. Kind of silly in some places. The heroine of the story and her father take a while to catch on to the fact that their guest is, if not a vampire, someone to suspect, as her behaviour and personality are somewhat bizarre, but not a clue, despite the fact that people start dropping like stones shortly after she arrives, the fact that she sleeps away the day, is at turns, child-like and controlling and Laura, the heroine and narrator of the story begins to sink into ill-health and has terrible nightmares about Carmilla. In addition, there is Carmilla's startling resemblance to a 200 year old ancestor and the same incidents and events happening earlier with a family friend, who likewise took in an unknown guest and the fact that the three woman all have similar names (Countess Mircalla, Millarca and Carmilla).

The book came quickly- early, in fact and was in great shape, as described. I especially like the fact that the particular edition I wanted was the one I got- sometimes the book is different from the cover shown- this is the one my prof wanted. I need it for a summer class, so I have not read it yet, but I am very happy with the booksellers and will definitely purchase from them again. Thank you.

I can't believe this book is still around and still with all the misinformation and prejudice intact. I saw many reviewers saying that when this book first came out (pun intended), it really helped them as teenagers or even younger. I didn't think I had such an advanced attitude about sex when I was a teenager, but even then I thought the book was awful- the style was jocular and condescending, clearly biased, in-depth details and corroborating facts missing, not to mention mean-spirited and I thought it was about as informative as a 1960s high school Health class on sexual reproduction.

I agree with the reviewer who criticizes this book as an agenda for the right wing- this is all just the opinions of one highly narrow minded and parochial individual; there is no evidence to support his theories or suppositions and even his purely 'medical' info was/is not very informative or useful to me. I wish I could have made a career out of only one constantly updated, yet never expanded in awareness, badly written book.

I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't exactly what I was looking for; it was more anecdotal than informative and I was looking more for a detailed guide to understanding dog behaviour. It did help me to understand that there are many similarities and most importantly, major differences between dogs and humans, especially in communicating. It is not however, a specific dog behaviour or even training manual. Dr. McConnel gives the reader information about dog/human interaction through her stories, both personal and professional, but she doesn't provide too many answers. Although within the stories, there are some concrete explanations on how to deal with certain issues, like 'blocking' and using sound to communicate (apparently, the least effective way to work with dogs), it seems she wants us to do our own work, which might not be such a bad thing- however, I like more information. From the start, she talks about how there are mixed signals between humans and dogs and tries to make us aware of how we come across to them, frequently unintentionally and completely wrong. For example, as Dr. McConnel states, dogs pay much more attention to our body movements and facial expressions than our words and she says that changes in our movements and gestures can "be a neon sign" to our dogs, but she doesn't go into great detail about which 'neon signs' mean what; instead she advises looking in the mirror to see how subtle changes in facial movements (a raised lip, an arched eyebrow, etc.), can change our whole facial expression. She then tells the reader to observe their own dog, take notes, photos and videotape them to see how their movements and emotions change, too. I think this work would definitely make you more sensitive to and aware of how dogs send and receive communication and how we do the same with them, but it may not tell you how to change incorrect communication.

I enjoyed the book; the author clearly loves dogs and has great understanding and respect for them and that is communicated in her book; I do not regret buying or reading it; I learned a lot and it was an easy and fun read, but I'm still on the lookout for a more step-by-step, practical guide. Just heard about some highly recommended books by the 'Monks of Skete'- ever heard of them? Thought I might check them out.

So many people wrote reviews that touched on what I also felt that I hesitated to add my own opinion, but I couldn't resist. Mostly because a couple of reviews stated that it was not for them and it may be too bleak a vision for some. I agree that everybody has to decide for themselves and has a right to not like what they read, but I feel there is so many layers to Kafka, I want to urge these readers to give him another chance.

Kafka certainly does seem bleak and there is a tone of despair in many of his works, but in one rather simple (albeit as some people think, bizarre) tale, Kafka takes a surreal element and uses it in such a mundane way, I can't help but be astounded at his skill. His use of the bug (ironically, one reviewer called it a beetle, while many front covers and reviews seem to assume it is a cockroach, yet Kafka never mentions the species of bug in the book) to show the physical representation of a metaphorical transformation as one reviewer mentioned, i.e. the "metamorphosis,' is brilliant. The bug is mechanical in his thinking and actions, just as Gregor was in his human life, yet you still get Gregor's feeling of isolation and fear, both as a bug trying to protect itself and as a human, too. The society itself is mechanical, restricted and oppressive and Kafka incorporates all this into this short story. Every angle other reviewers remarked upon, the despair, the parasitic family, their interactions with and actions towards Gregor, comments on the politics of the society and culture and the selfishness, lack of understanding and compassion are all clearly delineated by each of the characters down to the most minor, like the tenants that the family takes in to help with the finances. They freak when they see Gregor who has unknowingly come out of his room because he is drawn by the beautiful music his sister is playing on her violin- the tenants being bored and angry at being forced to listen to it, the callous response of Gregor's boss who sees Gregor's "illness" as a slacking off of his duty, not to mention the horrific actions of his family, particularly his father. His mother is too incapacitated in her own pain to deal with Gregor and pushes her daughter into the role of caregiver. Gregor's sister is the only one who tends to his physical needs despite her repulsion at his present condition, which may make her seem the most compassionate one and compared to her mother and father is certainly so, but due to the regimented beliefs about duty really may be only acting out of her own sense of responsibility in regards to protecting her mother and some innate feeling that Gregor should be fed and cleaned up after, at the very least.

That Kafka could write on so many levels and include so much detail and layers, with such simple, spare dialogue and yet be so powerful and touching, commenting on the pain in familial interactions, a regimented society and the emptiness of despair without complicated or dense language, yet show us plainly how damaging to the soul this life could be and what evil it creates, to me makes Kafka one of my favourite writers. Also, the edition I used for my class included extra materials in the back, which really added a greater understanding to Kafka's life and that he clearly utilized aspects of his experiences in his books. One in particular was a letter written to his father from whom he was estranged; Kafka's life was much like this book and a lot more surreal. Unfortunately I can't find the book to give you the edition I used that had supplementary material, but I checked Amazon, and it seems they have a few books with at least his letter to his father in the back, if not more, such as this one Metamorphosis and Other Stories (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) and others. You can check them out and see which one you prefer. Remember that his books are translated from the German, so there also may be different renditions, so you might also want to check to see if there is one work whose translation you prefer, if there is a difference.

Yes, Kafka's works are sad, bleak and depressing, but they are also profoundly moving and even uplifting as it shows us how not to be if we want to live a more compassionate, enlightened and loving life.

As I said in the title, my issues with this book may only reflect my own idiosyncratic needs/desires, but I was a little disappointed with it when I first received the book; I kept it, but I'm still not absolutely sure if I like it as I haven't tried any of the patterns yet and I feel I should at least try some before I ultimately decide to keep it or not. The reasons for my dissatisfaction are that the inside of the book is shot in full-colour, as it states, but the author only uses white yarn (except for about 5 pp when she uses b & w wool to show up slipped stitches). This is not a major flaw and really doesn't affect the quality of the stitches and patterns; this is just my own little 'bete noire'- I love colour and sometimes a different shade can change the look of a pattern, so for me, it would have been nice to have more variety. I believe the author most likely wanted to show off the stitches clearly, but it does add a somewhat monotonous tone to the book for me. Also, there is no section for ribs, which I would love to know more about. There are about 3 or 4 rib patterns scattered throughout the book, but I would have preferred to see a much larger sampling. In addition, the cables section is over 100 pp and in a 256p book that is an awful lot of cables, which consequently are not my favourite stitch. It is for these reasons, that I rate it lower than others.
Addendum:
Having tried some of the patterns since I wrote this first review, I have to make some changes and corrections- some positive, some not. I found out that ribbing is quite simple- just a combination of knit and purl stitches depending on the size of the rib, so that there isn't a need for a large section on ribs. My bad. I also found the patterns quite clear and some even easier for beginners like me, so as that is the main thrust of the book, there is no shortage of patterns to choose from. However, in addition to colour I also like more natural fibres with a nubby or thicker texture than the thin, smooth yarn that the author uses exclusively in the book. Many of the patterns I tried got lost in the uneven textured yarns I have, so in that respect, I found the book less useful for me. From the reviews, I gather there are many people who find this book not only useful, but an absolute treasured resource, so my review may only be directed to a small minority, but I think there is room for some disagreement or to at least point out some of the flaws of the book, in my humble opinion.

This book is not bad for what it is- a list of French verb conjugations, but difficult to find and the more well-known book series (5,000 Verbs+) is much more extensive and amazingly, easier to find the verb you're trying to look up- so forget this outdated, truncated version and go for the modern series. I actually bought this because I thought it had conversational dialogue in it, like its language counterpart, "Essential Vocabulary," but it doesn't. I think even the prices will be competitive, so you're not even saving financially to purchase the older book.

I ordered this expecting it to be rough and splintery, but I like rustic, so I wasn't too worried- I mean for the price, it was a deal unless it was really cheaply made. To my surprise, it was finished and smooth. I realized it was a mass-produced item and was not a homey little find, but a lightweight, finished piece. I still like it very much- it does its job and looks very pretty and I am pleased that it is a lot sturdier than I thought it could be for that price, but I do feel a little disillusioned, like Phoebe in "Friends" when she discovers the Pottery Barn apothecary table that Rachel said she bought at a flea market, is not a genuine find at all; it just depends on your aesthetics and whether you like a piece to look rough and "authentic" (you know, like the apothecary table or the other "authentic" products Pottery Barn showcases- original "apothecary jars" or steel-lidded spice jars and forged iron coat racks, et al) or whether prefer a more finished product without blemishes or splinters- other than that, it is more than worth its price and it looks nice with my Thai bronze cutlery in it.

I hate to rain on anyone's parade because I know this book and the subsequent movie version garnered a lot of positive reviews and I can see why people did like it in certain places, but I was very disappointed in both the book and the movie.

I usually tend to favour the novels from which movies are adapted and there are a few touching moments in the book. However, in this case, I found the movie much more moving owing to the powerful performances of Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. My main disappointment with both the book and the movie is that the parts of the black women are romanticized and idealized. You get a very strong indication of the young white girl, Skeeter, played by Emma Stone, who "tells" their story- her likes and dislikes, but the two main black characters are more sentimental than realistic. They and their struggles are shown as something to pity, but I didn't get a strong indication of them as fully realized, fleshed out characters.

The book at least has each character tell their own story, but it doesn't add much to them as people- just how pitiful their lives are as maids to white people. It doesn't show their home lives, their anger (except for the one incident with Minnie and the pie, which is a little over the top for me) and who they are outside of their roles as maids. It's all funnelled through the "white experience," instead of their own. The movie focuses on the character of Skeeter and how she feels for these women, but I wanted to have a stronger portrait of Aibileen and Minnie; their home life, their lives outside of their being maids, their children, spouses, neighbours, etc.; that was totally absent from both the novel and the movie.

And that is why I felt both the book and the movie are deficient. I know many people will disagree with me and will even be outraged by my review as I've already shocked people with my opinion as they just loved the movie and/or the book, but I really found the novel very trite and the movie, although more powerful, still lacking in showing me realistic characters that I could know on any level other than superficial.