This book is James Redfield at his best. James helps to become more familiar with our spiritual side and to study the coincidences in life to help shape our spiritual destiny going into the 21st Century. The book chronicles one man's journey to find himself and the answers to the universe and to the age old question, "Why are we here on this planet?" His journey leads him to South America where he meets many people like himself who are looking for the celestine prophesies. These prophesies are said to hold the key to the understanding of the universe and why we are here. I often find myself asking myself the question, "What am I here on this planet to accomplish?" The Celestine Prophesy helps to understand the possibilities of life more clearly. They say God works in mysterious ways, God can work through the coincidences in life as answers to prayer. This book helps to understand these coincidences and unlock a whole new world of possibilities. This is not just a philosophical book, it also contains action and a little romance. I highly recommend this book to all people who are seeking more out of life.

At a time of cynicism and disillusionment, James Redfield comes to us as an inspiring visionary. At a time of increasing specialization, James Redfield comes to us with an over-arching vision that synthesizes many diverse ideas; psychological, historical, political, scientific, spiritual and even mystical. And at a time of a cultural fad of hip pessimism, James Redfield comes to us as a convincing and unapologetic optimist. This book is a must for readers who enjoyed THE CELESTINE PROPHECY and THE TENTH INSIGHT, but wanted to absorb Mr. Redfield's views without the distractions of plot or story. In fact, THE CELESTINE VISION will clarify and sharpen the vision articulated by Mr. Redfield in those two books. For those who are weary of the hard-edged cynicism of much of our 90's culture, and believe idealism and spirituality are qualities worth rediscovering and cultivating, here is your book. - RICHARD WARREN FIELD, author of THE ELECTION, available here at Amazon.com.

Want a practical approach to why the insights work and how you can apply them? Get this book! Redfield not only gives you the basis for why things have evolved (history of spiritual transformation) as they are today, but he also gives you the way to use this knowledge in your life. I needed this book at this time - syncronicity - and so will you.

Thomas Perry is a terrific writer, and I greatly enjoyed the first two entries in his Jane Whitefield series, but SHADOW WOMAN was a disappointment to me. The book suffers from long stretches of tedium and some serious lapses in plausibility. The two villains, supposedly ultracompetent supercriminals, seem amateurishly inept at times, and the good guys' narrow escapes often owe more to luck than skill. An awful lot of time is spent on Jane's marital problems, which might have been more interesting if we could figure out why she married this guy in the first place. Readers unfamiliar with the Jane Whitefield series would be better off reading VANISHING ACT and DANCE FOR THE DEAD, both of which are solid, five-star thrillers that show Perry at the top of his game.

Jane Whitefield is a refreshing new face in the world of mystery. She calls herself a guide, and Thomas Perry 'guides' us deeper into her character with every book. A must read!

In the first few pages, Jane disables a very large bad guy in an elevator. He grabs her ankle as she exits (He's 'lying down.'). She says to him, "Think about it. Do you really want me alone with you in that elevator?" He lets go.

I'm in love.

Nobody outsmarts, outfights, or outlasts bad guys like Seneca adventurer Jane Whitefield. The first three books in Perry's wonderful series--Vanishing Act, Dance for the Dead, and this one--are the only books that can stand comparison to Tony Hillerman's "Navajo mysteries." And in some ways, Perry is the better writer. Don't miss these books.

I think this is Richard Bach's best book. The book makes you realize a lot many things which we usually bury deep inside us. The conversations between Dickie and Richard are too fantastic! The way Richard explians him the fundamentals of life is very simple and at the same time very profound.Moreover, the concept used by the author is very innovative and wonderful.The book really helps the reader to explore his inner self. I have loved every line of the book and would like to thank Richard Bach for such a lovely creation.

In a narrative between himself (adult Richard Bach) and his 9 year old former self ("Dickie"), the author presents a guide to life. The author's spouse, Leslie, adds to the dialogue by bringing another point of view to the philosophy presented. There are many thought provoking notions presented such as: the "physics" of thoughts, "Life is," the key(s) to a successful marriage and remembering the birth experience. It reads like the author's self-therapy with the reader as a bystander/beneficiary. Anyone who enjoys Richard Bach's philosophy will find it again here, skillfully presented in the author's clever writing style.

This is read by the author and his spouse. In a narrative between himself (adult Richard Bach) and his 9 year old former self ("Dickie"), the author presents a guide to life. The author's spouse, Leslie, adds to the dialogue by bringing another point of view to the philosophy presented. There are many thought provoking notions presented such as: the "physics" of thoughts, "Life is," the key(s) to a successful marriage and remembering the birth experience. It reads like the author's self-therapy with the reader as a bystander/beneficiary. Anyone who enjoys Richard Bach's philosophy will find it again here, skillfully presented in the author's clever writing style.

1952, 7:00 p.m., Anytown, USA -
Police detectives Jack Pierce and Norman Cohen have only 11-hours for a final interrogation of Albert Jay Smalls. Smalls - a young vagrant who lives in a drainpipe, trying to live by selling things he finds - is the prime suspect in the murder of 8-year-old Catherine Lake. But, the police don't have enough evidence to hold him. A true race against time for detectives Pierce and Cohen. They have 11-hours to get more evidence, a confession, something . . . or the suspect walks!

Speaking of time . . . the detectives had 11-hours; I finished this book in 7! Reached the 1/2-way mark before going to bed. Next morning, put on the coffee and started reading again. Author Thomas H. Cook kept pulling me in further and further. This is my first book by Cook and I WILL read him again.

'The Interrogation' is all about atmosphere.

If it were a movie it would be a classic black and white film noir starring George Raft.

If it were a painting it would be "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper.

If it were a sound it would be the echo of unseen footsteps in the dark streets of an empty city.

Thomas Cook has masterfully created a bleak and silent city filled with solitary characters that are almost without exception imprisoned by their own loneliness, loss and guilt. At the center of it all is the marathon interrogation session going on in interrogation room 3. Oddly, this sparring between the detective and the child murder suspect is by far the most personal and intimate exchange in the book. We hang on every question and response, whether verbal or by body language. Is he guilty? Will he crack? What will they do to him if he doesn't? What will the new day bring? Keep reading and find out.

Seldom have I read a genre book so skillfully written. This is the first of Cook's books that I have read and it most definitely will not be the last.

Word has come down from the top, Albert Jay Smalls, prime suspect in the murder of eight year old Cathy Lake, is to be released at 6:00 am tomorrow morning. With no witnesses or direct evidence to link him to the crime, the police have held Smalls for over a week, hoping he'll break and confess. But his steadfast denial has never wavered, and now detectives Norm Cohen and Jack Pierce have twelve hours, one last interrogation, to make their case or let him go. It's September 12, 1952, and these next few hours will forever change the lives of everyone involved in the Lake murder, as Cohen and Pierce race against the clock to find not only the truth, but justice..... Award winning, master storyteller, Thomas Cook weaves a compelling and intricate tale, that moves deftly, back and forth, between the crime itself, the continuing police investigation, and this last interrogation of Smalls, towards a stunning and powerfully haunting conclusion. This eloquently written, intelligent novel is tight, tense and suspenseful, and filled with vivid, riveting scenes, brilliant characterizations, and seemingly unrelated plot twists that keep the reader off balance and guessing to the end. Part police procedural, part psychological thriller, The Interrogation stands alone in its skill and art, and is a gripping drama that should be placed at the top of everyone's "must read" list.

In "Easier to Kill," Mrs. Wilson-Wesley seems to have her character slowing down for some reason. She us not that vibrant go-getter as she once was. I am starting to believe that Tamara Hayle is getting to be too old for the private detective business. The book had some eye stretching points, but for the most part, the ending was very disappointing. In the first two series, I couldn't put the books down! In fact, I read them both in a matter of days. But this, by far, has got to be Valerie's most uninspiring work to date. Either retire Tamara and let her raise her son or bring back the excitement that she had once before.

I just want to say... Go get this book! Mrs. Wesley has done it again! I really enjoyed reading "Easier To Kill." I feel like I know Tamara, Jamal and Jake on a personal level. And Just thinking about Jan's Beauty Bisquit reminds me of a shop that I get my hair done at. Mrs. Wesley definitely keeps it real. I have read all of her novels and loved each and every one of them. The ending was a pure shock to me. I'm sure it was to many others also.

"Movin On Up" LoL

Who did it, how come, what for? I don't know, but Private Investigator Tamara Hayle can definitely find out for you. Tamara Hayle is a P.I. in the novel, Easier to Kill , by Valerie Wilson Wesley, who comes across a childhood neighbor that's in a murderous situation. Tamara is assigned to find who killed New Jersey's radio superstar DJ Magic Mandy's cousin, and who sent a threatening letter a week later after her cousin was murdered. Tamara knows someone is really up to no good, and knows how to get the very best of Mandy, so it probably wasn't a obsessed fan. Things go for a turn of the worst when Many is found dead! Who did it, how come? Well like I said Ms. Hayle can find out for you.

This book as so many twist and turns its bound to leave you on the edge of your seat. You'll read the most scandalous and terrifying escapades, that will have you wondering what will happened next. I thought the book was good, because of all the suspense and mystery thr novel had. This novel wasn't your average mystery that you could tell who did it by the time you get to the middle of the book, but it will leave you with a big surprise of who this cold-hearted killer was. So , if your the one who enjoys a good mystery book you should pick this book up, I'm sure you won't want to put it down!

I was initially drawn to this book because it takes place in a region close to my own, the Catskills of upstate New York. Indeed, location plays a large role in this compelling story of love lost and possibly found many years later. Terry Kay's atmospheric novel evokes the lush scenery of this area and also the bygone days of thriving Jewish resorts. Shadow Song is about the very long (in time as well as space) journey of Bobo Murphy from the deep South to an upstate New York resort, where he falls in love with a beautiful but inaccessible Jewish girl named Amy Lourie. He also befriends an eccentric but wise older man named Avrum. These elements would probably not make a good film --the subtlety of the prose would be lost and all that would remain would be mushy sentimentality. This is, to be sure, a nostalgic and sentimental love story. Yet the novel manages to work anyway, most likely because the author really believes in his characters and their emotions. Nostalgia, after all, can be a part of real life. Shadow Song dives directly into this theme without flinching and makes us believe in it and care about the characters.

I really enjoyed the book, at first it was a little confusing and hard to understand, but as the pages started turning I fell in love with the book. The whole idea that Bobo and Amy Lourie met and fell in love in the Catskills with so many things against them intrigues me. His friendship with Avrum was weird but made the story more interesting. My favorite part of the book was when Amy and Bobo meet each other 40 years later and still are in love. This is my 1st Terry Kay book and I loved it, I hope to read another one of his books soon.

Once I got into this story, it had me captivated by the eccentricity of the primary characters. Flip-flopping between then and now, 1955 and 199? was an effective technique for this book. The antics the teenage characters pull remind me of the days when I was their age. As the characters show themselves as adults, it is obvious how a true love really impacts us, regardless of time or age. Terry Kay had me going from laughing out loud to crying tears near the end. I am sure my children thought I, too, was as off the wall as Avrum was thought to be. A friend loaned me the book, now I am buying a copy for myself to re-read!

This is a fun book to read, and a good introduction to the topic of special relativity. Those who are looking for a laid back, amusing introduction would love this book. Those posters who are giving it 1-2 stars, I have one question - why did you buy the book? Looking at all the negative posts, they have one thing in common, they were all made by people with some exposure to the topic of special relativity (ie, university physics students). Why one earth would someone studying relativity in university purchase a basic book like this? There are text books written on a more advanced level for people like this - and they should know this. If I'm an advanced expert user of Excel, why would I buy "Excel for Dummies" and complain that it was too basic? (unless I was hoping to impress people with how smart I am).

The title says it all "Introduction to Special Relativity", yes its big, its dumb at times, but its also fun and definitely worth getting

This is one of the best Physics books I've read. I've read several relativity books, and this is by far the clearest. There is little math--some, but not much. However, the challenge of learning(and teaching) introductory relativity should not lie in the math but in the concepts. This book explains those concepts in a clear way.

Another thing I like about this book is that it projects an enthusiasm for the subject that few textbooks do. The authors of this book are not afraid to have a little fun with physics while also learning, something lesser authors are afraid to do. They also portray the beauty in Relativity--especially the beauty of the unity of space and time and the unity of matter and energy.

Yes, at points the book is unconventional, some might even say silly. But when was it decreed that physicists cannot have fun? The unconventional parts enhance, rather than detract from, clarity. Apparent paradoxes become clear, common pitfalls are pointed out nicely--it's a great book for anyone curious about what it means to say that space and time are unified, two aspects of a single entity we call Spacetime.

Reading some of the reviews below, I'm reminded of a cartoon showing Moses parting the Red Sea. One Israelite is grumbling to another, "It's a bit damp in there, isn't it ...."

I know the folksy style of this book can be off-putting to some. But if anyone thinks that the *content* is dumbed down, it can only mean they haven't scratched below the surface and discovered the extraordinary wealth of examples, insightful applications and programmed exercises. Taylor and Wheeler (John Wheeler, one of the outstanding theoreticians of our time) are attempting to acculturate students (ouch) to the counter-intuitive world of special relativity, set in the context of general relativity. That takes more than a collection of formulas given in a handout at the start of the semester. You don't need heavy math, but you do need much thoughtful pedagogy. They succeed brilliantly and, contrary to some opinions, do so without glossing over anything of importance. The only aspect of basic relativity not touched on is the covariant formulation of the electromagnetic field equations (I defy anyone to do that without a couple of years' calculus). In short, the book is far from trivial. It is accessible to any numerate high-school graduate able and willing to think. I can't imagine how it could have been done better.

P.S. Complimentary copies should be sent to Latour, Irigaray et Cie, Paris.

Zane Grey was a fixture in American letters when it came to the Western. In fact, one might suggest that he invented the modern form of it (though, of course, there were writers of dime novel westerns before him, not to mention James Fenimore Cooper and his leatherstocking tales). But Grey certainly did someting memorable and lasting with the form, if this book is any measure. I had never read Grey before, so I picked this one up with some uncertainty. Thought I could not count myself well-read until I'd tried one of his books and this seemed to be the one with the most literary weight. It's certainly named well enough. As it happens, I enjoyed the book in the end, but have to admit that it is weak in a number of serious ways. Set in Mormon Utah in the late 1800's, it's the tale of a young Mormon woman who is the sole heir of her father and owner of the substantial ranch he has left her. Because of the significance of her ranch and because she is a rather headstrong young woman, the Mormon elders feel it essential to rein her in and get her married into the fold as quickly as they can. One particular Mormon Elder, a man named Tull, has his eye on her especially, with the support of his mysterious Bishop. But Jane, pious as she is, demurs, recognizing that becoming one more of Tull's wives (in those days the Mormons were still taking several wives) will only strip her of her freedom and clout in the little community (which she has inherited along with her father's extensive ranch). The story opens with Tull and his other pious brethren about to administer a sound thrashing to a young cow hand who has been working for the heroine, Jane Withersteen, and who Jane has been flirting with. Jane is powerless to prevent the beating and worse until the appearance, out of the hazy, distant horizon, of a man called Lassiter. Lassiter proves to be a hard sort and a known gunman with a special dislike for Mormons. His arrival proves salutary and the end of it is he stays on with Jane at the ranch while the cow hand heads out and the Mormons scatter, tails between their legs. Jane sets out to convince Lassiter that not all Mormons are bad while the Mormon elders conspire to bring Jane down by scaring off all her Mormon and non-Mormon ranch hands. Meanwhile, the esrstwhile cow hand (his name escapes me) stumbles onto the secret hide-out of the rustlers who have been robbing the honest folk in the area. There are lots of chases and hiding outs and some gun play. The cow hand finds his love in an unlikely place in the box canyon in which he holes up (hard to believe this man and his intended are together an entire week, feel the way they do about each other and yet never touch one another, but it was a simpler time then, wasn't it?), the gunman hangs around Jane who exerts her feminine wiles to get him to give up his guns before he can hurt anymore Mormons, and the Mormon elders continue their nefarious schemes to break Jane to the halter. Thoughout it all, Lassiter seems oddly passive and inert for the deadly, single-minded gunman he is made out to be. And yet, one of the remarkable things about this book is the rich prose in which the landscape is surrealistically painted, which gives it both its title and the feel that this is more than just a silly story about good guys and bad guys. And there is a strong sense of suppressed sexuality underlying the entire tale here as embodied in the highly visual rendering of the countryside, its canyons, its sage and its sky. The descriptiveness of the narrative is, however, somewhat repetitive and overdone as though apparently reflecting the turbulent emotions of the characters themselves, as though their innermost feelings are laid bare upon the landscape of their tale. The ending is a bit melodramatic too and rather predictable, but, in all, I can see why this tale has the good name it's got. It's intriguing and enthralling (it kept me reading through to the end -- a harder thing these days as my eyes are not what they used to be and I have less patience than I once did for the fictional word). But in comparison with many other works which I have read and enjoyed, I had to conclude that this one is not quite in their league.

Using the amazon "five star" system, I usually reserve five stars for the really good to the great, four for the pretty damned good to the good, and three to the "good but" category. This one is thus a "three" on that measure since it was strongly enough written to carry me as a reader and interesting enough in its unexpectedly powerful use of language but, in the end, that very usage went over the top and slid into the dream-like purple of the sage in which the characters cavort. And the characterizations, themselves, are rather stilted, the tale kind of flat and just plain contrived. I think it is the underlying sexual energy in the writing which really carries the day. "Good but . . . "

In Riders of the Purple Sage, Zane Grey takes the reader to the small Mormon town in Utah called Cottonwoods. The novel is set in the 1870's. The novel is centered on the life of Jane WIthersteen, whose father was the founder and center of the town. Jane faces many troubles in Cottonwoods. The main one is that her cattle have been stolen by Oldring and his gang. Another is that Jane is pressured by the townspeople because she allows Gentiles to live there. She is torn between her feelings and her religion until a stranger, Lassiter, comes riding into town searching for the answers to a secret that only Jane knows the answer to.

Jane is the main character in the book. This book is different because most westerns do not center around the life of a woman. Most westerns are focused on the rough, tough, cowboy who shoots people and lives on the edge to survive. Jane is different. Her father founded the town she lives in and she keeps the town going. She is like the head of the town. She owns almost everything in the town and the landscape around it. She is very wealthy and has no biases. She likes who she likes because of who they are, not what their religion is, like the rest of the town does. The town hates that she acts like that. Jane takes Lassiter in and answers his questions about the secret. I really like that the author uses a woman in this novel because it gives a whole different perspective to a western. Most westerns focus on the cowboy and his journeys, but this book focuses on a woman, Jane, throughout the book and the troubles she encounters living in the West. It gives us a perspective of what women may have been like in the West. It still has the rough, tough cowboy, but he is not the only focus in the book. There is more happening than just the journey of a cowboy.

This book was also a pleasure to read because it does a good job of describing the landscape around Cottonwoods and in the sage. Some westerns give the reader an idea of the landscape, but this book focuses on the landscape and uses it in the book. For instance, Venters travels into the sage and hides behind the rock and in holes in the mountains and terrain around him. The landscape is used throughout the book when the characters are faced with problems such as the one described above with Venters. The landscape helped to hide him. I think it was clever to bring the landscape in and use it as part of the story. Alot of westerns do not use the landscape, they just describe it to give the reader a setting and an idea of the landscape in the book.

The book is a typical western though, because Lassiter is a typical cowboy. He has a deep secret and is in search of answers to that secret. He is a stranger that comes riding into town. He sleeps in the sage under the stars and will not sleep inside. He is on a mission and is not going to let anything or anyone get in his way. Most westerns have the cowboy meet a woman as in this story.

Overall, I think this is a good book for all sorts of readers. Zane Grey is a good writer who includes aspects for all kinds of readers. Riders of the Purple Sage is an action pact, mystery solving, all around good book for anyone who is in the mood for a western.

I had never read a Western, so when I gave it a try I thought I'd start with the best Western author -- Zane Grey -- and read his most famous work -- Riders of the Purple Sage. I think I made a good choice.

One, the setting is beautifully and gloriously described. Rock formations, plains, desert, sage....his descriptions evoke mental images as if you are watching a movie.

Two, the characters are unique, well-described, exhibit growth and development, and interact in deed and dialogue in realistic ways. By the end of the book, you will feel like you know these people.

Three, the plot is absolutely fantastic. It starts exciting, and continues to unfold realistically, yet unpredictably, throughout the whole book to the very last page.

From the opening pages, to the climax...very exciting. I was on the edge of my seat and could not put this book down. I practically cried at the end...it is that good. Highly recommended.

I gave it to a used book store. It wasn't terrible, but if you really want to read it you should try to borrow it from a library instead of spending money on it. It just got a little cheesy here and there, and there, and a little over there too.

Lisa Scottoline in her debut Everywhere That Mary Went introduces feisty Mary DiNunzio of South Philadelphia. Mary is a recently widowed, soon to be made partner of a prestigious law firm. Mary is also being stalked. She is receiving prank phone calls, notes and being followed by a car. She is getting spooked and beginning to wonder if the stalker could have been the hit and run driver who killed her husband.

She has two good friends who are very interesting characters, Brent, her secretary and Judy, fellow lawyer. She also has a new love interest who she is afraid may be the stalker.

Overall the book is a well planned and paced mystery, with characters who are interesting and entertaining. Book is not deeply intellectual, but that is not why one would read a book such as this. It has good entertainment value.

This is a terrific book and, amazingly enough, Lisa Scottoline's first novel. Ms. Scottoline has the amazing ability to write books that move at the speed of lighting and yet are filled with interesting, complicated characters.

Mary is so real that you will feel that you know her. The same is true of all the supporting characters. I've read the book twice and enjoyed it both times.

The solution to the mystery is genuinely surprising. (And I'm a seasoned mystery reader and am not often surprised.)

Be sure to read all of Ms. Scottoline's other books as well. You don't have to love mysteries to enjoy them!

Maeve Binchy is, by far, my favorite author and I find it difficult to criticize anything she writes. London Transports was definitely a readable collection of short stories, although it wasn't her best. She repeats herself in one story...it shows up later in The Return Journey. On the plus side, however, some of the stories deal with topics not presented in her other books. They shine with Binchy's wit and style that I always enjoy in all her books, and I never thought once about stopping. If you are a die-hard Binchy fan who has made it your goal to read all her works (like me), go ahead and read this book. It's worth it.

Maeve Binchy delivers an impressive collection of short stories with London Transports. Each story is based on a particular area in London -- Notting Hill Gate, Holland Park, King's Cross, etc. -- and the stories, from a compulsive shoplifter to a woman's affair with a married man, are poignant, lucid and memorable. Having read Quentins, I was compelled to read another Binchy book. I'm glad I did...

I disagree with the reviewer that said that "The book seems to have been thrown together from stories published elsewhere in order to capitalize on Binchy's success." - This was the first book by Maeve Binchy that I read back in 1992, and I completely fell in love with it and later read all of her other works. Then it was published under a different name "Victoria Line, Central Line" and seemed to me like a perfectly selected, rather than "thrown together", collection of shirt stories. It is true that if you are looking for a full length saga like Binchy's other books you might be disappointed - but short stories is a completely different genre, and "London Transports" in my opinion can be classified with the best of it.