Were others reviewing the Amway business, Van Andel, or the book? I see that a few were of the book, and this is too.

I loved the first part where he talked about their other businesses and travels through S. America. Great detail and I could really feel the joys and pangs of their challenges. It was fun. I wish that the rest of the book had been this way.

What made Amway? What made MLM? What changed the course of business history in the US and possibly the world? The battle with the FTC! Amway winning this case alone has created thousands of millionaires in the US and possibly the world and has allowed for hundreds of other legitimate MLM firms to become successful. But this part of the book WAS ONLY ABOUT 12 PAGES!

Deciding to keep the book short to get more readers was the wrong way to go with this story. Like it or not, Amway changed business history. The story needed more detail and feeling for how they changed history.

The story further deteriorates as the writer chose to use the book as a soapbox (esp. towards the end). This took away from the suspense and flow. I expected an autobiography, not a pontification.

2 1/2 stars. Good book for those interested in business from a purist point of view. Van Andel was a good example of tenacity and no-quit in action.

How did Jay Van Andel keep his autobiography to just 226 pages? Each of chapters 2 through 9, which detail the Van Andel/Rich DeVos partnership and rise of Amway Corporation, left me wanting a heck of a lot more. Van Andel and DeVos are the only two qualified to tell the Amway story; I hope DeVos is working on his own book.

In spite of the obviously biased review wirtten by an unnamed reviewer in the Kirkus Reviews, I maintain that this is an entertaining and enlightening story aboout the author's life. This is precisely the type of biographical sketch that Jay Van Andel set out to write, and he succeeded admirably. Along the way he sets the record straight about a number of misconceptions about the Amway business. Anyone who reads this book with an open mind will enjoy a great story and receive an education in the process.

I have been using my 30 Day Gourmet manual for 3 1/2 years now and it is by far the best of it's type!!! I started out with Once A Month Cooking, and knew there had to be a better system without all those casseroles!! A friend introduced me to 30DG and I knew from my past experience that this was THE book! And it is!

The included worksheets alone are worth more than the price of the book! The recipes are great... my family of 5 likes most everything I've tried. The recipe variety is wonderful... breakfast, sandwiches, appetizers, desserts, snacks, main dishes, salads... it's all included! When I take a 30DG recipe to a pot-luck, or serve it to company, I always get requests to share the recipe! I have been able to easily adapt my personal recipes to the 30DG system too. The website at 30daygourmet.com is great too! There are additional recipes you can get there, as well as support and info from the message boards. And more successful recipes from cooks like me who use the system.

The greatest thing about the 30DG system is the flexability! There isn't a set menu that you have to make each time you cook. You choose the recipes you want to make, based on your family's likes and dislikes. You can cook as few or as many meals as you choose. If your grocery is having a sale on chicken, stock up and have a chicken cooking day. Do the same with pork or ground beef. You can cook with a partner or by yourself. You can use the system if you only have the freezer above your fridge.

We moved 400+ miles last summer, and spent 40 days in an apartment while our house was being completed. My 30DG manual was the only 'cook book' that went in my car with me... it didn't get sent in the moving van with the rest of my kitchen! I wasn't taking a chance of something happening to it!

If you only buy 1 freezer cooking book, this is the one to spend your money on!

I've been using the 30 Day Gourmet system for nearly three years now. The book is so logically written. It gives you lots of tips regarding freezing, preparing and nutrition. The recipes are all so good and contain "normal" ingredients your family is likely to eat, even the picky ones! The charts included are an invaluable tool when it comes to preparing for your big cooking day. Tara and Nanci take you through the day step-by-step. You can use their recipes or convert your own, again, charts are included for this! I've found I save an incredible amount of grocery money by cooking this way. But, by far, the biggest benefit is having the knowledge that there is something good and nutritious to eat for supper when you get home! No more wondering what we're going to eat, and then deciding it's easier to go out anyway. I always have something good ready to prepare, and save the going out for special occasions now.

I've convinced two of my friends (and am currently working on my sister-in-law) to buy the 30DG manual. You won't be sorry if you get this one!!!

Without a doubt, the best cookbook I've ever bought. Cooking the 30DG way has allowed me to entertain last-minute guests, serve nice company dinners without hassle, and feed my husband and I 2 different meals since he's a meat & potatoes guy & I'm more a chicken/vegetarian type. The recipes are down-to-earth, easy to make and who would have ever thought that freezer mashed potatoes could taste so great!! Recipes cover all courses from breakfast to dinner and appetizers to dessert. I don't especially enjoy cooking so this has been the perfect answer to "what to fix fast for supper that isn't drive-thru or casserole/crock pot". The worksheets, tips, & hints in the book are a breeze to work with and you can even adapt your own favorite recipes into the system. A must for every cook whether you're cooking for 1 or a mob, love to cook or hate to cook.

If you are going to read "The Federalist Papers," you must also read "The Anti-Federalist Papers" in order to get the complete picture. Both books cross-reference each other and both are instrumental in understanding how our government was designed and how it was intended to work. In addition to the Papers, this edition also contains the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and an excellent introduction by Charles Kesler.

In a time when each colony had its own "constitution," the Federalists believed in creating one strong centralized government (with one Constitution) that could effectively represent the people. The authors and supporters of the Constitution knew that they could not afford to lose the vote in the state ratifying conventions. In an effort to win over his home state (New York), Alexander Hamilton, with the assistance of James Madison and John Jay, began a collection of 85 essays and published them under the pseudonym of "Publius" (named after one of the founders and heroes of the Roman republic, Publius Valerius Publicola). The Papers, published in 1787 and 1788, analyze and defend the proposed Constitution of the United States.

The Federalists succeeded in winning the colonists' support. But, even though the anti-federalists lost, their ideas were also brilliant and made an important contribution to the history of our government, which is why you should also read "The Anti-Federalist Papers."

This book is a must-read for all Americans. After reading this book, you will have a renewed appreciation and admiration for the wisdom and vision of our founding fathers.

If you are going to read "The Federalist Papers," you must also read "The Anti-Federalist Papers" in order to get the complete picture. Both books cross-reference each other, and both are instrumental in understanding how our government was designed and how it was intended to work. In addition to the Papers, this edition also contains the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and an excellent introduction by Charles Kesler.

In a time when each colony had its own "constitution," the Federalists believed in creating one strong centralized government (with one Constitution) that could effectively represent the people. The authors and supporters of the Constitution knew that they could not afford to lose the vote in the state ratifying conventions. In an effort to win over his home state (New York), Alexander Hamilton, with the assistance of James Madison and John Jay, began a collection of 85 essays and published them under the pseudonym of "Publius" (named after one of the founders and heroes of the Roman republic, Publius Valerius Publicola). The Papers, published in 1787 and 1788, analyze and defend the proposed Constitution of the United States.

Obviously, the Federalists succeeded in winning the colonists' support. But even though the anti-federalists lost, their ideas were also brilliant and made an important contribution to the history of our government, which is why you should also read "The Anti-Federalist Papers."

This book is a must-read for all Americans. After reading this book, you will have a renewed appreciation and admiration for the wisdom and vision of our founding fathers.

Read this and understand the true thoughts and meaning behind the Constitution and its Amendments, its interesting to read how the founding fathers interpreted what they wrote in a very different way then the courts and federal gestapo interprete them today. Especially of interest is the paper oon the true meaning of the term "for the general welfare" which has been used to allow all sorts of power grabs from the nuts in Washington, and which has been interpreted completly contrary to what the founding fathers intended. Be a true patriot, read this book.

Pimp is a unique look into a dark world that not many people get to see and much less relate to. Robert Beck takes the reader on a journey to witness his captivating transgression from an abused and emotionally scarred child into a misogynistic money hungry beast.

Poverty, prison, a missing role model, and the general feeling of hopelessness commonplace in the ghetto made Beck a product of his environment. One which surrounded him by nefarious individuals who also contributed in molding this young man into the now infamous, Iceberg Slim. These factors result into a sad and disturbing premise for Beck's story. Although I must say that once you read it for yourself, you will no longer be surprised that he ended up the way he did. What will surprise you was the way he somehow managed to muster the strength to rise above this squalid lifestyle.

Beck has a knack for graphic detail and uses ample doses of it throughout. He is apparently a brutally honest person who was no objections telling you about the pimp game from his uncensored perspective. Not necessarily to glamorize this sort of life; he just refuses to pull punches. And personally, I can appreciate this sort of 'realness.'

The dialogue and descriptions are peppered with pimp slang that sometimes is confusing and gives the impression that he is writing in a different language. Thankfully, Beck includes a glossary (which is quite amusing in itself) for some of these more obscure terms. But this did very little to detract from the message Beck was conveying. Overall I enjoyed this book thoroughly and would recommend it to nearly anybody.

I've got two completely different opinions about _Pimp_ and Robert Beck himself. One is glowing, the other terrible. Maybe that's what makes Beck and his books so interesting. First, the glowing opinion. Beck's style is like nothing I've ever read before. He claims to have a 175 I.Q. I don't doubt it. No one less brilliant could conjure up the metaphors and images he casually slings as if they were off the top of his head. The book is written in a loose, story-telling style, as if it was never revised, typos and all. Beck makes you feel as if you were standing on a street corner listening to a "fast track pimp" weave his life's yarn. Many times, I would read a sentence several times simply to admire the unique vision Beck gave to an action as simple as getting in or out of a car (a "hog") or thinking about his mother. The terminology is another, brilliantly colorful language (complete with glossary in the back!).Although the story dotes on his early years and then cruises through a couple of decades in a matter of pages, Beck's tale was never slow or anything less than gleaming. That is the glowing opinion. Now the terrible one. I'll try not to seem sanctimonious. To me, Robert Beck is (was) an alarmingly vicious hypocrite and psychopathic criminal. The book begins and ends with his tepid claims that he has seen the error of his ways and regrets his former life. These meager claims are ridiculous when you read the pride, nostalgia, and admiration with which Beck recounts his former life. In one passage in particular, his role model and mentor teaches him an unbelievable method to keep his whores in line. Whip them bloody with a wire coathanger. Beck eagerly tests the method. You can sense the satisfaction with which he regards the successful results. Beck tells us about breaking women's jaws and pummelling them senseless in the same manner he might use to recount old football victories. This is not a repentant ex-pimp. This is a retired pimp who is smart enough to realize that if he pays lipservice to reform and enlightenment, he will sell his books to a much larger audience. He certainly did make a nice pile of "scratch" off the stories he wrote glorifying his former lifestyle ("Long White Con" is the other Beck book I've read-- much more mediocre in style and plot). In the end, I recommend _Pimp_ as a refreshingly unique voice in modern literature. I certainly don't admire Beck's life, nor endorse the lifestyle (as so many other reviewers alarmingly seem to!).

I curiously browsed this page a few months ago wondering what this book was all about and who Iceberg Slim really was. Then a friend mentioned he had the book and offered it to me to borrow. When I picked it up I couldn't put it down.

Iceberg Slim's description of the gritty street life pre- and post-World War II brought me to an almost unimaginable world. A world that's a far cry from the MTV-style, pseudo-pimp posturing portrayed in today's mainstream media. It was a world of hard drugs and hard living where Darwin's survival of the fittest (and baddest) reigned. Slim tells it like it is; there's absolutely no political correctness. Then again, his environment was not one which could support any false pretenses like suburban PC life does these days.

Some may say, 'but isn't he promoting this type of behavior?' Quite on the contrary: it's every man for himself in Slim's world; he has his highs and lows, both literally and figuratively. The mere fact that he survived to tell the tale, (unlike many others in "the game" who went early to their graves), and went from abusing and exploiting women to wedded life and fatherhood is testament enough to NOT follow his lead. Those who aspire to be where he is now know that the road he chose is not one dotted with success stories: the fleeting glamour and glory of the pimp lifestyle leads not to greater things, but often to nothing. Slim, although an exception, makes this abundantly clear without stooping to the level of an apologist.

SM 101 contains all the essential information that BDSM beginners desperately need, written in a way that newcomers can understand. Though the introductory chapter says it isn't intended for people who are already members of SM community, I would argue that this is an excellent guide even for people with years of experience. I have been a member of several BDSM organizations over seven years, and I found this book to be thought-provoking and helpful. This book has provided me with information and advice that is more honest (and more accurate, I think) than much of what I have gotten from years of workshops, lectures, and demonstrations.

I think the primary advantage of this book over others on the subject is its depth. Its introduction to the basics of BDSM is particularly thorough. Personal anecdotes, both amusing and poignant, give real-life insight into what it's like to play with BDSM. It has a strong emphasis on safety without being pushy or patronizing. Most books just recite arbitrary rules. SM 101 gives information, suggestions, and advice designed to help readers make their own decisions about the risks they want to take.

One of my favorite parts of this book is a collection of off-handed remarks overheard at BDSM events. These quotes, scattered in margins of the pages, range from clever to hilarious to profound. Another nice touch is advice on finding partners, and a step-by-step guide to negotiating SM play. There are even negotiation forms that can be copied and used to make sure that all the points are covered. I strongly recommend the safety precautions this book suggests for playing with someone new.

All in all, SM 101 is a book I would highly recommend to anyone who is seriously considering exploring safe, sane and consensual BDSM.

I, a new player, without any other resource other than videos, found that this book is exactly what it is named.. SM 101... Anyone who is starting or just curious about BDSM **MUST** buy this book. It will give you a general overall about most things involed in BDSM. Whether physical, mental or social, it covers it all.
However, don't expect to find a step by step 'manual' on BDSM. This is not a book that tells you how to do this and that (use your imagination -.-)
What is talked about in this book will help all readers, whether new and unexperienced or 'old pros of the trade'...
Although it could be calssified as a 'textbook' the author makes it so easy to read. I finished the book in an evening.

Let me just start by saying I am a vanilla girl but extremely curious about such a taboo subject. I became curious after reading several erotic books that emphasized SM. I knew that the books due to story, plot, and etc could not show the true progression of this erotic practice so I bought this book: SM101.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but I have been incredibly impressed with Mr. Wiseman's intimate style of writing and personal openess. What courage it must of taken. You read the first half of the book and feel as if he is guiding you through your journey of self enlightenment by sharing his own story of sucess and failures. He doesn't even try to convert you but tries to give you a better understanding of the practice and people involved. The second half of the book is basic instruction and supplies(bondage,flagellation, etc.) very informative and full of tips if you want to pursue this activity.

Of course, if you have read other reviews you know he is a safety boy and I think that's good. Girls like that. Also, his candor is so refreshing and very attractive.

Since reading this I might explore some aspects to SM; most people already do in a very light way by making specific demands or complying to demands in the bedroom but I will be as Jay suggests putting safety first and taking things slow.

I found this book very informative, in your face informative, and extremely forward in sex talk. So if your curious buy this book it's very good. You don't have to do anything you aren't ready for sometimes reading the ins and outs are fun and you can choose to indulge or just be well read in the subject.

Also, there are quotes throughout the book that are extremely funny and eye opening.

This is one of my favorite cookbooks, and I own several hundred, including 40-50 vegetarian cookbooks and over a dozen vegan cookbooks.

The recipes are full of the most nutritious vegetables, greens, and grains, combined with great spices. You'll find many recipes for a variety of greens, not just spinach, and for a variety of grains, not just pasta. And the finished recipes are a pleasure for the eyes as well as the taste buds -- bursting with color.

Many of the foods recent studies have found to be extremely nutritious are included -- high antioxidant sweet potatoes and squashes and red peppers -- high fiber beans and whole grains.

For those who eat a low to very low fat diet, oil is used moderately in the recipes and in ways that aren't integral to the recipes; the recipes can be easily adapted to be even lower in fat if desired.

As an added bonus, many recipes will take well to freezing, so you can cook in volume and freeze for workday lunches.

All in all, an impressive, extremely nutritious and delicious cookbook. You won't be disappointed with this one.

This is one of my favorite cookbooks, and I own several hundred, including 40-50 vegetarian cookbooks and over a dozen vegan cookbooks.

The recipes are full of the most nutritious vegetables, greens, and grains, combined with great spices. You'll find many recipes for a variety of greens, not just spinach, and for a variety of grains, not just pasta. And the finished recipes are a pleasure for the eyes as well as the taste buds -- bursting with color.

Many of the foods recent studies have found to be extremely nutritious are included -- high antioxidant sweet potatoes and squashes and red peppers -- high fiber beans and whole grains.

As an added bonus, many recipes will take well to freezing, so you can cook in volume and freeze for workday lunches.

All in all, an impressive, extremely nutritious and delicious cookbook. You won't be disappointed with this one.

Solomon's recipes do not require expensive, hard to find ingredients usually only found at high-priced whole-foods stores. I was terrified to start cooking vegan because of the inaccessibility of some of the ingredients called for in many veggie/vegan cookbooks. Fear not--98% of the recipes in Solomon's book require only a trip to your local grocery. Ex: One medium onion, one carrot, 2 c. brown rice... I thought, "I can do this!" No miso, no "dew concentrate from the char-char plant, found only in the East Indian highlands". This is Veganism for Dummies--no offense, Jay!

Oh yeah--the recipes are yummy, too. We're carnivores at heart, and we love them.

I found veganism after a religious conversion to Coptic Orthodoxy which requires its faithful to not eat animal products for about 2/3 of the year. I thought I'd starve to death! Whether you're Vegan for health or spiritual reasons, Jay Solomon's book is a MUST HAVE, especially for beginners! I am happy to report that 150 Vegan Favorites is for EVERYONE. Hat's off to Jay Solomon!

What a wonderful book! I was inspired by this book which is about a young man with multiple medical problems (one eye, kidney cancer, brain tumors) who hiked the Appalachian Trail. He decided to hike the trail to see if "everything still worked". He used his daily journal on this hike to take his experiences and turn them into something positive. What he feared, he learned to face and overcome. With the sprinkling of quotes and phrases through this book, he writes it in a down to earth, straight forward fashion. He writes this book with a goal towards helping others. I can tell you, he definetly did that for me, and made me want to do that for others. I think this a book that those down on life, or going through tough times would benefit from. It would inspire those going through medical problems or those not knowing if their life is "worth it". He lets you know that each and every one of us are important in life and that we can help make others know that they are important also. Anyone from 8 to 80 would enjoy this book!

This book was just what I needed to get me out of the slump I've been in lately. Feeling sorry for myself, staying in my comfort zone, etc. If you're looking for detailed "how to" on hiking the Appalachian Trail, this ain't it. But, if you're looking for a book that gives you great instruction for your hike along the "trail of life" then look no further. It's a great book and I highly recommend it!

Jay began his journey with the difficulty of a forced career change along with a genetic disease that can devastate even the best of people if they allow it. His positive attitude is reflected by his inspirational writings that help us all to deal with both our real and unreal problems. Jay has a way of finding the words to inspire us to take charge of our lives and continue our walk on life's journey. Jay has written reflections of the trail in his book, inspiring us all to meet the challenges of life head on and to learn from the tough times. "A Time to Walk..." should be on everyone's reading list.

See, the creationists don't want you to know that what they call evolution is something science doesn't even claim exists. This book tells you what it's really all about -- the most obvious changes in anatomy (for example, fins to legs in amphibians and the other way around in whales) to the most arcane tweaks of biochemistry. It tells who Darwin was and the context of the world he lived in, connects his theories to those of Gregor Mendel, and then goes on to describe the "modern synthesis" that combined observed evolution and the theories that sought to explain it with the nascent science of genetics, and explains everything in such a way as to leave no doubt as to what's going on. The "other side" is given short shrift -- not because of scientific pressure, but simply because by and large the ideas of "intelligent design" and "scientific creationism" are largely irrelevant to biological research and belong more to the realm of politics and metaphysics than science.

A scientist might object that the book is a bit light on theory; this is perhaps true, but it's a popular book, written for a lay audience. That's okay. Such a book is necessary in an age where scientific ignorance is not only common but seemingly enforced by societal pressure; best to get good science in any way possible. Highly recommended.

I just got through reading this book the other day and I must say that is was a great book for both the layman and the seasoned veteran of evolutionary study (I myself have quite a decent amount of knowledge on the subject). It was easy to read and had plenty of illustrations. Definitely one of the best in recent years.

Evolution certainly is a triumph of science, but any good idea has the potential for controversy. Such is Darwin's theory, which still draws harsh criticism even after about a century and a half since its formulation. It just doesn't sit well with many people. For example, the reviewer from Boston (Dec. 7, I believe) that only gave this book one star points out a recent Gallup poll where only a small percentage of people believed in evolution as a totally naturalistic process. What he didn't point out is that a likewise small percentage had a "good understanding" of the theory. So it seems that the majority of the people in the poll have no reason to make a judgement in the matter. Also, the motivations and methods of creationism/ID are totally pseudoscientific.

In any case, one thing can always be said as being true of science: You can't vote on the truth. No matter how unpopular a theory is (with either the public or even the scientific community), if the evidence says what something is, then it is that. And since the evidence points that evolution is true, then evolution is true. It is a totally naturalistic process that doesn't require divine intervention. Besides, all the people who gave this book a bad review for their ideological concepts must have not read the last chapter. It appears that their negative views of Darwin's grand masterpiece are not even close to unanimous with other religious people (even the Pope, who always warns about confusing science and religion, says there is no conflict with evolution and Christianity). But like I said, it doesn't matter what the Darwin bashers say--evolution is fact.

I suggest reading Michael Shermer's recent article on evolution vs. creationism in Scientific American magazine . [...]

Carl Zimmer has done a masterful job of presenting the modern synthesis of Evolutionary Theory. The format is accessible and nonconfrontational. The examples are quite lucid and prolific. I especially appreciate the extensive historical context of the rise of Evolutionary Theory and the difficulties facing it.

....

As a scientist I can say that both the presentation of the theory and its religious implications are fair and balanced. The author has no need for dishonest rhetoric, he strives for historical accuracy, and ultimately leaves the theistic interpretations for the reader.

If you are looking for a well-written introduction to evolution, look no further. This book will serve you well. I would also recommend this book to those looking to increase their understanding of Evolution.

You might notice that this book draws comments that appear to be completely polarized. Bottom line-- read it for yourself. Draw your own conclusions.

One of the things you can assume when you write about Shakespeare--given the hundreds of thousands of pages that have already been written about him in countless books, essays, theses and term papers--is that whatever you say will have been said before, and then denounced, defended , revised and denounced again, ad infinitum. So I'm certain I'm not breaking any new ground here. King Lear, though many, including David Denby (see Orrin's review of Great Books) and Harold Bloom consider it the pinnacle of English Literature, has just never done much for me. I appreciate the power of the basic plot--an aging King divides his realm among his ungrateful children with disastrous results--which has resurfaced in works as varied as Jane Smiley's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, A Thousand Acres (see Orrin's review), and Akira Kurosawa's last great film, Ran. But I've always found the play to be too busy, the characters to be too unsympathetic, the speeches to be unmemorable and the tragedy to be too shallow. By shallow, I mean that by the time we meet Lear he is already a petulant old man, we have to accept his greatness from the word of others. Then his first action in the play, the division of the kingdom, is so boneheaded and his reaction to Cordelia so selfishly blind, that we're unwilling to credit their word.

Then there's the fact that Shakespeare essentially uses the action of the play as a springboard for an examination of madness. The play was written during the period when Shakespeare was experimenting with obscure meanings anyway; add in the demented babble of several of the central characters, including Lear, and you've got a drama whose language is just about impossible to follow. Plus you've got seemingly random occurrences like the disappearance of the Fool and Edgar's pretending to help his father commit suicide. I am as enamored of the Bard as anyone, but it's just too much work for an author to ask of his audience trying to figure out what the heck they are all saying and what their actions are supposed to convey. So I long ago gave up trying to decipher the whole thing and I simply group it with the series of non-tragic tragedies (along with MacBeth, Hamlet, Julius Caesar), which I think taken together can be considered to make a unified political statement about the importance of the regular transfer of power in a state. Think about it for a moment; there's no real tragedy in what happens to Caesar, MacBeth, Hamlet or Lear; they've all proven themselves unfit for rule. Nor are the fates of those who usurp power from Caesar, Hamlet and Lear at all tragic, with the possible exception of Brutus, they pretty much get what they have coming to them. Instead, the real tragedy lies in the bloody chain of events that each illegitimate claiming of power unleashes. The implied message of these works, when considered as a unified whole, is that deviance from the orderly transfer of power leads to disaster for all concerned. (Of particular significance to this analysis in regards to King Lear is the fact that it was written in 1605, the year of the Gunpowder Plot.)

In fact, looking at Lear from this perspective offers some potential insight into several aspects of the play that have always bothered me. For instance, take the rapidity with which Lear slides into insanity. This transition has never made much sense to me. But now suppose that Lear is insane before the action of the play begins and that the clearest expression of his loss of reason is his decision to shatter his own kingdom. Seen in this light, there is no precipitous decline into madness; the very act of splitting up the central authority of his throne, of transferring power improperly, is shown to be a sign of craziness.

Next, consider the significance of Edgar's pretense of insanity and of Lear's genuine dementia. What is the possible meaning of their wanderings and their reduction to the status of common fools, stripped of luxury and station? And what does it tell us that it is after they are so reduced that Lear's reason (i.e. his fitness to rule) is restored and that Edgar ultimately takes the throne. It is probably too much to impute this meaning to Shakespeare, but the text will certainly bear the interpretation that they are made fit to rule by gaining an understanding of the lives of common folk. This is too democratic a reading for the time, but I like it, and it is emblematic of Shakespeare's genius that his plays will withstand even such idiosyncratic interpretations.

To me, the real saving grace of the play lies not in the portrayal of the fathers, Lear and Gloucester, nor of the daughters, but rather in that of the sons. First, Edmund, who ranks with Richard III and Iago in sheer joyous malevolence. Second, Edgar, whose ultimate ascent to the throne makes all that has gone before worthwhile. He strikes me as one of the truly heroic characters in all of Shakespeare, as exemplified by his loyalty to his father and to the King. I've said I don't consider the play to be particularly tragic; in good part this is because it seems the nation is better off with Edgar on the throne than with Lear or one of his vile daughters.

Even a disappointing, and often bewildering, tragedy by Shakespeare is better than the best of many other authors (though I'd not say the same of his comedies.) So of course I recommend it, but I don't think as highly of it as do many of the critics.

GRADE : B-

When rating Shakespeare, I always rate his works as compared to other Shakespearean works; otherwise, the consistently high marks wouldn't be very informative. For instance, if this were to be rated against the general run of literature extant, it would certainly rate five stars. Even by the standard I'm using, it's close.

Like "Hamlet", this is a tragedy that still manages to have some very funny lines; as in "Hamlet", this is generally due to characters either pretending to be crazy, or truly being crazy, so it's something of a dark humor, but humorous it still is. Lear's jester has some great lines doing what only a jester could get away with (and what the reader wants to do): telling the King that he's an idiot when he's done something ignorant beyond belief. Edgar, son of Gloucester, banished by his father for supposed treason, plays the part of a mad beggar to save his life, and when Lear, honestly crazy from grief, meets up with him, their conversations rival anything in Hamlet for manic nonsense that still manages to make a certain warped and poigniant sense.

It's a shame that the language has changed so much since Shakespeare's time, so that the masses are unable to enjoy and appreciate his wit; his plays were not written to be enjoyed only by the literati; they were intended to entertain and, yes, enlighten the masses as well as the educated; his plots seem to be right in line with either modern romantic comedies (in his comedies) or modern soap operas (in his tragedies). Modern audiences would love him, if only they could understand him; unfortunately, when one "modernizes" the language in a Shakespearean play, what one is left with is no longer Shakespeare, but simply a modern adaptation. Which, if done well, is not without value, but is still far short of the original.

"Nothing will come of nothing" the fatal line Lear utters to Cordelia sums up the entire play. The wizened king believes he is urging Cordelia not to refrain from expressing her love for him when in fact he is unwittingly prompting her to use the same insincere flattery as her sisters. When Cordelia refuses to acquiesce to Lear's wishes, he banishes her from the kingdom and divides it among her nefarious sisters Goneril and Reagan. In doing this Lear accepts their empty flattery instead of Cordelia's austere profession of paternal love. Goneril and Reagan quickly betray Lear and then turn against each other. Thus Lear's preference for empty flattery (nothing) destroys his authority and embroils his kingdom in civil strife (generates nothing).

This theme runs like a thread through other parts of the play. Gloucester's blindness toward the nature of his sons results in his literal blindness later in the play. Metaphorical blindness generates physical blindness (nothing comes of nothing). Similarly, after Edgar is banished he avoids further harm by shedding his identity and disguising himself as a vagrant. In the new order of things eliminating one's status results in no harm (another version of nothing coming from nothing).

The motif of nothing coming from nothing has psychological and political ramifications for the play. From a psychological point of view Lear fails to realize that the type of adulating love he wants from Cordelia no longer exists because Cordelia is no longer a child. Her refusal to flatter Lear is, in a sense, an act of adolescent rebellion. Lear's failure to recognize the fact that Cordelia still loves him but not with the totality of a child proves to be his undoing. From a political point of view the fact that Lear divides his kingdom on the basis of protocol (who is the most flattering) instead of reality (whose words can he really trust) also proves to be his undoing. The fact that Lear sees what he wants to see instead of what he should see is the fulcrum of destruction throughout the play.

It is interesting to note that "King Lear" was staged barely one generation after England endured a bitter war of succession (The War of the Roses). The sight of Lear proclaiming his intention to divide his kingdom must have shocked contemporary audiences in the same manner that a play about appeasing fascists might disturb us today.

Lucas Davenport is the detective in charge of the investigation. Davenport's ability to unfold the plot is extraordinary. This time he finds murder is hitting close to home. The action is non-stop and I could not put it down. Davenport finds the motive for the killings are revenge. I loved reading this book, once you start to read you are hooked!

This is one of my favourites in the Prey series. Two females are shot in a bank robery, and the husband of one of them escapes from prison. Now he wants to get his revenge, but not by taking it out directly on the police officers. He wants them to suffer as he is, and wanting nothing by revenge, he's going after their families...
Sandford is a master of writing about different motives for the killings in all his thrillers. Previously I've read about someone killing because (s)he feels (s)he have to do it, another time I read about a much more dangerous motivation, the profit. In this book, Sudden Prey, the main character, Lucas Davenport, is facing the most simple and purest motivation, which is revenge. But can his killer-instinct, fast thinking and intelligence help him to solve this case?
Sandford has the ability of making you so curious about what will happen, that you simply can't put the book away. You have to finish it right away. And if you enjoy the Prey series, this book is a must. Certainly one his best. A great book also recommended to anyone who loves to read, and those who like thillers.

I love great literature, and once-upon-a-time, I tried to focus on the National Book Award winners, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and other international authors who could tell a good story in an interesting way. For variety, I read the earlier Stephen King books, and some "hard" science fiction, like Bob Forward. In a funk, and bored with several wonderful books I was plodding through, I heard an advertisement for "Mind Prey" (the previous "Lucas Davenport" novel) by 'John Sandford.' In a moment of -- for me -- consumer frenzy, I saw it at a local drugstore and bought it. Wow! I researched the author, and began to get his "Prey" books and read them from first (Rules of Prey) to last (Sudden Prey). 'Sandford' really knows how to tell a story; his characters are interesting and believable, and while there's plenty of "blood and guts," its all in the context of solid, you-are-there plotting. Sudden Prey, as usual, made me stop in the middle of a chapter, and say aloud, "no, no: that can't happen!" Sometimes I was right, sometimes I was wrong, and I give all the credit in the world to 'John Sandford' for getting me involved enough to care about the characters he creates. And, I still enjoy the National Book Award-type "good" literature I once thought was the only thing "intelligent" people should read. I'll read everything this guy puts out. If Sudden Prey is your first Sandford book, you'll go back and read the rest -- and I recommend them all. Jack Flynn