Tre explains almost exactly how I feel about this book. Except for one subject, when Tre says that you should worry about your problems I think that in this situation you should help your friend out first. Because the two of them had been best friends since youth.

The Chip Hilton series is a series of sports books. In the early books in the series a young man named Chip Hilton is in High School. Later in the series he is in college. Chip is an extremely bright young man who is also a star in baseball, basketball, and football. Chip is a leader on and off the court. These books teach children about morals and ethics.
In the previous book, called Tournament Crisis, State wins the Holiday Invitational Tournament. However, during the last few minutes of the championship game Chip hurts his knee.
This book, called Hardcourt Upset, begins where the last book left off. Chip is still injured from the tournament. He is sidelined for the first two games after the winter break. Because Chip is such a great athlete and mental leader and cant play, the team loses both these games.
Basketball however, is not his only problem. In Chip's college town of University, there have been several convenience store robberies. His best friend "Soapy" Smith is being accused of committing these crimes. Soapy is taken into custody of the police and detectives to see if the convenience store employees recognize him as the robber. Eventually Soapy gets a chance to explain that he is innocent because he was changing a tire at the time of the robberies. Chip decides to help find the people who helped Soapy change his tire.
At the next basketball game against Tech, Soapy recognizes the people who helped him. The Tech team players tell the detectives they were the ones who helped Soapy change the tire. Now the detectives must look further to find the robbers.
Chip and his pals from college agreed to watch the local convenience stores every night. One night when it was Chip's turn, he saw a man with two flat tires. When he asked the man if he needed help, he responded with a gasp as he heard some police sirens. Then he said in a deep nervous voice, "no, I'll just drive home with the two flats."
Chip thought this was very suspicious and jumped into the trunk of the car. When the driver parked the car in the garage, he jumped out and looked around. He saw a bag full of something he could not make out and got out of there. He called the detectives and they were there with Soapy in ten minutes.
When they rang the doorbell, an old man answered the door. Chip knew immediately that this wasn't the man had been driving the car. He asked, "Do you have a son?" "No, but there is a teenager who lives here." So they woke up the teenager and then asked him a few questions. After a few questions it was clear. This was the thief. He had a red wig and a mask in the garage. They also found all the money stolen from the stores.
Hardcourt Upset was an awesome book. It shows that if you think you can you will succeed in your goals. It also shows that even a small school can be a big school in some things.

This book was awesome!!! It is a very good book if you like sports books. However, it does not only have to do with sports. It shows how much Chip Hilton cares about his friend Soapy Smith. I deafinitly reccoment this book!!!

very flowery, slow moving not up to the level of many other Irish writers, not suited to my taste such as history or amusing recollections

Excellent book. A warm intellectual stream, poetry really. O'Brien writes impressionistically of the history, and her memories of Ireland. Have a glass of wine, and read it through once: a very pleasurable task.

This is my second book by Edna O'Brien, and it only confirmed my high opinion of this talented writer. Snip: (...).

10th edition, year 2001 very comprehensive collectible toys guide featuring more than 51,000 values for its 17,000 listings. There are more than 3,700 black and white pictures and a 16-page color section. A complete table of contents makes item location easy. Its items range from Action Jackson, Buck Rogers, Charlie's Angels and Evel Knievel, to Addams Family, Howdy Doody, Munsters and Pez and Matchbox, Renwal, Tootisetoy and wooden toys. Each major topic covers a nice introduction to the area. Very useful reference for toy collectors and enthusiasts.

O'Brien's Collecting Toys covers an awful lot of ground and does it well. Whether you are a collector or a dealer you MUST have this book to be on the same page everyone else is when evaluating the values of most antique and vintage toys. While the book does cover many of the popular toys and manufacturers, it does have many ommissions, at least in the area of tin windups. In the future I'd like to see more toys added, and other manufacturers included..most notably Guntherman, Marklin, Martin, Arnold. A more intuitive listing of the toys would also help as it can sometimes be difficult to find the toy you're looking for.

Elizabeth Stephan's O'Brien's Collecting Toys, 10th Edition is a weighty price guide which could well be used as a price 'bible' for toy collectibles. Anticipate only a handful of color photos mid-book: the meat of the title lies in its black and white photos throughout and more particularly its over 50,000 items categorized for quick reference and provided with the latest values.

Mutual empathy and an unlikely friendship develop between an IRA terrorist named McGreevy, and an elderly widower, Josie O'Meara, in Edna O'Brien's, House of Splendid Isolation. McGreevy is on the run and desperately needs to find refuge when he comes across an old farmhouse owned and occupied by Josie. He takes the elderly woman hostage and they are stuck together in the house for several weeks as McGreevy faces a hostile standoff with the police. Once married to an abusive, law breaking alcoholic, Josie finds that McGreevy conjures up memories of her deceased husband. But soon Josie's fear and loath turn into compassion and understanding when she discovers the human side of McGreevy and learns that he too has suffered great losses in life. McGreevy, who has no desire to know the older woman, begins to admire and respect her, as she becomes sympathetic to his plight.

I looked forward to reading this politically motivated Irish story but found it to be only average. The narrative shifts needlessly throughout the book. Also, the characters are ambiguous in their feelings. For example, Josie barely knew her husband when she married him out of desperation. The marriage was a nightmare from day one, but years later she tenderly runs her fingers through the initials he carved on a tree and she saves his clothing and other belongings and holds them closely as she reminisces? Lastly, O'Brien's long-winded sentences and verbose prose detract from the story instead of enhancing it. The following is a sample sentence from page 94: "He'd love to take her off then, him and Nellie, across the lake and up the lordly Shannon, the Pilgrim's Way, a thing he'd always wanted to do, go through the big locks and the swing bridges, find a mooring at dusk, up to the town to a pub, wakening to the breath of nature, the herons, the grebe, and the mute swan, all around the hills bestirring themselves, heaving up out of the plains, blue and lilac, hills magnifying into the mountains." Whew! Believe it or not almost every sentence in the story reads as such.

The disjointed approach and wordiness of the book makes me only marginally recommend it to those, such as myself, who have a keen interest in the struggles of the Irish. However, if looking merely for entertainment, I'd skip by House of Splendid Isolation.

I won't summarize the story, because you have several other summaries already. I will only say this: Several of the analytical comments below are simply wrong. O'Brien's view of Ireland's history is right on the mark. Ireland's "troubles" really started in the 1100's when Irishman Dermott McMurragh asked King Henry II of England to allow him to recruit Anglo-Norman mercenary soldiers to help him defeat his Irish enemy. Those mercenaries came, liked it, and stayed. THAT was the beginning of the English occupation of Ireland. But even before that, Irish families fought among themselves for control of the land and resources. You only have to read the "Cattle Raid of Cooley" to know that. In a very real sense, there IS blood in the very soil of Ireland. And O'Brien is RIGHT that the only way to ever solve that problem--or the Middle Eastern problem or the American racial problem--is for EVERY voice to be heard (that's why the narrative voice keeps changing; it is purposeful)and EVERY person to be known as a human being and not just as "them" or "the enemy."

She has these two unlikely people, each with their grievously painful stories, come to know and respect each other. She becomes like Mother Ireland (Cathleen ni Houlihan) to him, and he becomes to her like the child that she never had, the one she aborted.

It is a book that is about understanding and forgiveness, a theme amazingly and ultimately spoken through the voice of the aborted child itself. In the first chapter, this dead child's spirit hates her mother and wants her to suffer, but in the end, she understands and forgives. That is what the child prays for in the end, understanding and forgiveness.

Edna O'Brien in general and this very fine novel in particular deserve a much greater readership. The plot here -- IRA fugitive, McGreevy, hides out in the crumbling home of an aged widow, Josie -- is the simple premise on which O'Brien builds a vertiginous, multi-layered tale of fatefully intersecting interpersonal and national histories. The third person narrative points of view are multiple and, especially in the quick cuts to those on the fugitive's trail, occasionally confusing. McGreevy and Josie are both superbly drawn and utterly convincing, although their emotional linkage is achieved too quickly, just as the flashbacks to Josie's horrid marriage make her reveries of quiet good times with her husband scarcely credible. The prose is spare, with no wasted words, and one of the wonders of this novel is that O'Brien nonetheless thoroughly conveys the lushness of the drizzly Irish countryside, the complexity of the struggle and the underlying sense of national unity that all the characters -- no matter how harshly at war with one another -- feel. And she has packaged all that in what is also from start to finish a superbly suspenseful tale. The 230 or so pages flash by, making The House of Splendid Isolation an exciting and rewarding one-sitting read.

Not only do i have a tremendous distaste for the font of this book, the texture of the pages was such that i needed to wear plastic gloves in order to avoid paper burn. o'Brien's backseat politics are best left for the playground. rather than trying to peddle his ideas as something a person might want to hear, the author should invest in something to keep his mouth closed and his fingers away from a pen. Overall i wish i would have completed the rest of my "ally mcbeal: season 1" dvd, than read this trard.

John O'Brien's masterpiece is the 'Vagina Monologue' of the modern political age. Most books have more fluff than a wookie, but this book is all Skywalker. The insightful jabber in this book will surely unite the bipartisan world. Democrats and Republicans will get along- dogs and cats living side by side as this book is spread across the grassroots of America. This book is clearly the best of his 27 books, the child prodigy has outdone himself again.

This is easily one of the best books I have ever read. John O'Brien's ideas are incredible. This book is a must read for anyone who cares about the state of this country. It is a book that changed my outlook on the way I look at this country.

I've been a fan of William X. Kienzle since way back when. In this case, "when" being my introduction to the thoughtful clerical detective, Father Robert Koesler, in Kienzle's first two mysteries, "The Rosary Murders" and "Death Wears a Red Hat." In "The Sacrifice," Father Koesler's twenty-third appearance, Kienzle explores an ecumenical setting dear to my heart: the relationship between the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, two denominations that are remarkably similar, vastly different, and deeply misunderstood by the other. To facilitate the plot, the author not only brings Father Koesler out of retirement, but his friend and Watson, the courtly and devout Inspector Walter Koznicki, as well.

Father George Wheatley is an Episcopal priest who is taking advantage of the so-called "Anglican Use Provision" in the Roman Catholic Church that allows priests in the Anglican Communion to be reordained in the Roman church despite being married. Father Wheatley's motives for his switch are complex and engender opposition both from his family and from Anglican and Roman traditionalists. The result is a bomb explosion at his ordination, missing the target but killing another priest.

Despite the beguiling plot and Kienzle's sensitive and informed understanding of Anglicanism (one flaw though: he doesn't really know how Episcopal bishops are selected), "The Sacrifice" fails to deliver as a mystery. Father Koesler spends more time explaining the Anglican ethos than solving the mystery. And the plot has too many weaknesses, including a number of separate crimes masquerading as one, a multiplicity of suspects and detectives, a plethora of one-dimensional characters, and myriad plot threads that are never really resolved -- for instance, the fates of Wheatley's closeted lesbian seminarian daughter and his ambitious daughter-in-law.

The Father Koesler series may have run out of steam. Kienzle has tried various ploys to revive it in recent years, most notably the introduction of a second-string priest/detective team, the long lost Tully brothers. None have really worked. Much as I hate to say it, it might be more merciful to let Father Koesler retire in peace.

One doesn't really read William Kienzle without expected a little religio-cultural edification. Indeed, I ended up learning more about Romano-Anglican relationships than about the criminal mind. Like another reviewer here, I suspect that the dear Fr. Koesler's appearance in this story was a little tired. Still, I'm hopeful that he might resurrect (as it were) in yet another tale or two.

I especially value the author's ability to tell stories about powerful, even holy, institutions with rich characters who suffer the flaws that all mankind have borne: Neither the "good guys" nor the "bad guys" are stereotypical. There are rich grays in the personalities of our priests, cops and work-a-day Joes and Janes here while the heights to which some of them aspire are supremely lofty, and the depths for which others yearn are dank and noisome indeed.

William Kienzle, a former priest, writes darn good mystery novels, filled with lore about church politics, the hierarchy and current issues. Set in Detroit, "The Sacrifice" is a satisfying read which will keep your interest throughout. Kienzle is especially skilled at detailing his characters---cops, cops' wives, priests( and in this case, priest's wife!)

Those familiar with Detroit will be pleased to recognize familiar streets, landmarks, stores, institutions. Kienzle paints an affectionate, even rather proprietary picture of his city. Women will be pleased to find his generous yet accurate assessments of his female characters. His skill at writing about women's feelings and motives has grown in his career, and his more recent books are informed by good insights. (He gives credit to his wife in the dedication of "The Sacrifice.")

This is an enjoyable book which will keep you guessing until the final pages.

I bought this book for my son who recently graduated from college but I would have been better off just handing my son the money I paid for this book. The book contains out of date advice--it might have made sense for someone graduating 20 years ago but not in this millennium. Nowadays kids need solid advice on finding a job and taking charge of their finances after they graduate. Unfortunately this book does not provide the answers 22 year olds need.

I bought a copy of this book for each of my children, and I read it myself when I was challenged with finding a position in a new career field. This book contained good solid advice for all three of us.

This is a must have for every graduate out there. The book provided great tips for surviving the real world after coming out of college. If I would have had it 10 years earlier I would have saved myself a lot of lessons learned the hard way. I have read all of the author's books and have my own personal library. I am now happily employed doing something I love and I owe it to Mr. O'Brien's great advice.

I really thought the book was a great tool to introduce people to Information Technology. It does not go into great detail, but it isn' supposed to. If you wants details, you probally have a technical background way beyond the scope of this book. I would reccomend it for anyone new to the IT World.

I'm working on a BSc Computing degree, and have used this book as a reference to write several top grade papers.

I bought this book because it was required for a course I was taking and I have found most of the information it covered almost priceless. This is generalized entry level book so the usual explain-everything-in-too-much detail stuff was there (do I really need to know how a floppy disk works?) but at the same time the author did an excellent job of pointing out where the technology is probably going. The author contrasted distributed applications and web based application and how they complement each other or how web based applications can replace weaknesses that have always existed older technologies. He explained practical uses for internet/intranet/extranet based technology not only for e-commerce but for the day to day operations of any company. There are also very good real world cases listed throughout the whole book. He spent quit a bit of time dealing with the managment/procedural issues of IT which was really right on the mark. The only down side was that there was too much covered in not enough space or time (can anyone honestly do justice to ethical issues in 20 pages?). I would definitely recommend this book.

This book just did not maintain my attention enough for me to complete it. I loved the idea and the short story format was excellent. Yet, the "tone" of the storyteller was boring. I felt that in trying to be witty and relay the stories with amusement and excitement, the authors sounded adolescent. Perhaps a sequel with more polished writing would be an improvement.

I will not be reading this book again. It is a collection of other people's memories. In some of them you have no idea what they are talking about, unless you were there. Others are self-serving. Others are whiny. A few are amazing and give the insight I was hoping to see, but not enough. This is an excellent idea for a book, it just need to be written better.

Great book! Full of wonderful stories and so interesting to see how this line of work affected the families of CIA agents! Even the stories the kids told gave one a greater appreciation of what it could be like to have one or both parents in the CIA and travel to all kinds of locations. Great buy!!!

Conor Cruise O'Brien has spent many years combating the mystical nationalism that insists on a unified Roman Catholic Ireland. The citizens of the Republic and the Catholics of Ulster (not to speak of the Irish-Americans!) may not consciously condone the IRA and its methods, but their tacit approval (and sometimes more) of the aims of this terrorist organization is what keeps it going. By foregrounding this issue, O'Brien is doing that which is unpopular North and South, but needs to be done. My hat is off to him.

This is a personal account of the "troubles" that the Irish have inflicted on each other (with some help from the English) from Wolfe Tone (1798) on. The author spends the last third of the book discussing the current mess in Ulster - current, that is, as of 1995. CC O'Brien has been involved in various of the governments of the Republic of Ireland over the years, as well as working in the UN and being an intellectual-at-large in this country and elsewhere. He is a lapsed Catholic whose aunt Hanna was a well-known Irish Republican activist after the Easter Rising of 1916. It is his thesis that virtually everything in Irish politics that came after 1916 can be explained by reference to the sacral character of the deaths of Connolly, MacBride and others, but particularly of Patrick Pearse, who foretold his death on that occasion in prophetic and religious language that cast himself in the part of the Savior who would be a sacrifice for his country's freedom. These deaths haunt the Irish Catholics still, and those that hear most clearly the "ancestral voices" and their calls for blood in service of the nation are deferred to by those more moderate, for whom the voices are dim.

Actually, I picked up this book to better understand some references in James Joyce. I was not disappointed. Much of the family conversation in "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" becomes more clear: the time of the novel was just about the turn of the century, not long after the fall of Parnell (almost wrote "the Fall"), when battle lines were being drawn between Catholics and Protestants, and Catholics and Catholics. As a bonus O'Brien talks about WB Yeats and Maud Gonne and their roles in the events of the early part of the century, particularly Yeats's play "Cathleen ni Houlihan", which became a touchstone of Republican patriotism thereafter. Although Yeats got out of that mystical form of country-worship, and was repudiated by the Catholic sectarians who wanted an Irish AND Catholic nation, his play was retained as an evocative piece of propaganda.

This book is charming and personal, mixing family memoir with formal history. O'Brien has written other things on this painful subject of the intersection of religion and politics (I enjoyed "The Siege" when I read it a dozen years ago), but this is closer to home for him, and I found the metaphor of the "ancestral voices" to be telling: it explains a lot. (In particular, I now have a hope of understanding the movie "Michael Collins", which deals with the tangled politics of the Irish civil war of the early 1920's.) Still, though, I may get the book he and his wife wrote on the history of Ireland for a wider view of events. This book traces an important thread of that history, but must, because of its focus, leave much out. Still, as an explanation of that intractable situation in Ulster I don't think it can be bettered.

I lived in Ireland for over twenty years, starting from just before the time of the 'Troubles'. In all that time, and since, it is my sincere opinion that no-one has talked as much sense about Ireland as Conor Cruise O'Brien. Sadly, he's been much reviled for it. Happily, he's never let that stop him.

Dr O'Brien recently published his autobiography, 'Memoir', which hints gently at an awareness of his own mortality (he's 82 this year). I guess that after he's gone then many folks will realise what they had in the 'Cruiser'. Don't wait on this event, dear reader ! (And anyway, it might not be for a long while yet, the Guinness is VERY good in Dublin, you know!)

To cut a long bit of blarney short - read this book.

O'Brien's courage, scholarship and independence of mind are fully in evidence in this series of reflections on the links between religious and nationalist mythology in his native Ireland. No Irish politician or commentator in the past generation has equalled O'Brien's historical knowledge and insight, and it is this historical sense - coupled with a passionate and reasoned aversion to the ideology and acts of terrorism - that makes his writings unique and vital. For his pains, the apologists for terror frequently engage in emotive and semi-literate diatribes against him; that, coming from them, is a compliment to him.