I usually read paperback teenage supernatural-romances just for a laugh, but I couldn't believe it when I actually found myself enjoying this book. Somehow the author manages to turn the typical beautiful-and-popular heroine meeting the dark-and-brooding-mysterious-stranger formula into something that wasn't quite as yawn-some as I thought it would be. The reason that this book works better than fellow novels in this genre is it's atmosphere - the craggy and cold coast of Oregon and the ancient forest that borders the small town. The mysteries and legends of the Native American culture is churned in for some extra intrigue. 'The Seduction' is the second part of a trilogy but I've never read the first half and followed along fine, so don't feel that you have to track it down. I learnt the scoop of what happened in the first book pretty quickly and I don't feel as if I missed much.
The story itself is of Miranda, the popular young girl who falls in love with Garth - who happens to be under the terrible curse of the werewolf, forced to shapeshift under the light of the full moon, and plauged by strange visions. Miranda vows to unravel the secrets of his past, but evil forces are closing in, and they've targetted Miranda. Now it's up to her whether she wants to resist them, or give in and experience the power of becoming a werewolf herself.

This book held my attention from the first chapter! I read it in 1 day! While reading, you can feel the icy breeze from the ocean, hear the wolf howling and see in vivid details the Indian's totem of long ago. Your heart will race and skin will craw as you seem to walk with Garth and Miranda as they face an evil that could possibly try to destroy their love, a love that defies everything.

Harpoot (Kharpert) was one of the few places in Turkey with an official American presence. The American consul, Leslie Davis, filed this report with the State Department. It is a detailed eye-witness report from an important place: a lot of caravans of Armenians sent on death marches passed through Harpoot plain. Davis actually goes on horseback to Lake Goljuk and finds thousands of bodies in various states of decay. (In another edition of the same text, Ara Sarafian has provided a map of the lake area, showing Davis's path around the lake, which is now a recreational area. See the hard-to-find "United States Official Documents on the Armenian Genocide," vol. 3)

This was one of the first books I read about the massacres, and I have to say that I learned a lot from it.

The Slaughterhouse Province writen then Harput U.S. consul Leslie A. Davis is very convincing book that then Turkish-Ottoman government commited genocide on Armenians. The counsel describes his eyewitness account of 1915 Armenian Genocide in the Harput Province (one of historiacal Armenia; presently occupied by Turkey) The genocide perpetuated on Jewish people during 2 nd world war and very recently on Rwanda's Tutsi population by Rwanda's Hutus. Thus genocide is not someting that belong distant past but yet actual. This book is a must be read book for every one concerned with Genocide....

Hugo Young of the Guardian gives us a fascinating and revealing portrait of Britain's relations with the European Union. He is passionately committed to the European Union, but his book presents much information very useful to those who oppose it.

He recounts that in the 1971-72 Parliamentary debates, "Ministers did not lie, but they avoided telling the full truth. They refrained from stating categorically that the law of the European Community would have supremacy over British law." "Nor did ministers state that the European Communities Act would be, in practice, irrevocable." "Enthusiasts for entry, as we have seen in the cases of Edward Heath and Geoffrey Howe, felt it prudent to mask the radical nature of the transaction they were proposing." He cites Howe's admission that the Government concealed much from Parliament. And he recalls that a Government lawyer said, "Open admission of what was being done to parliamentary sovereignty would be 'so astounding' as to put the whole Bill in danger."

None repeated the clarity of Foreign Secretary Lord Home when he told the Lords in August 1961: "let me admit at once that the Treaty of Rome would involve considerable derogation of sovereignty." Its consequences would, he said, be "different in kind from any contract into which we have entered before."

EU supporters said that EC entry would bring economic growth. When it didn't, they said the Single Market would. When it didn't, they said the Exchange Rate Mechanism would - Young remarks, with considerable under-statement, "The story of the ERM was not an entirely happy one." When that failed, bringing the worst slump for sixty years, they said that the euro would bring growth.

He presents the real issue: "The serious case, surely, is ... about national control over big decisions. The EU renders collective a decision-making process, in some areas, that was once exclusively national." Entering the euro would end our national democratic control over policy: is this what we want?

"A history of Britain's relations with Europe since 1945 as seen by the country's leadership. Thoroughly researched, powerfully written, intense and passionate. A book of the decade, not just the year" -The Economist

With the advent of what may become the second Gulf War, Tony Blair-Prime Minister is a comprehensive biography of the leader of America's closest ally. Prime Minister Tony Blair is an unlikely choice to be the foreign leader closest to President George W. Bush. British Journalist, John Rentoul has written about the rise and times of Tony Blair from his roots in a middle class British family to that of a rising socialist politician who became leader of the "New" Labor Party and Prime Minister of Great Britian.

Rentoul traces Blair's family and their political leanings. Blair's father Leo Blair was born to a pair of actors and given to a James and Mary Blair in Glasgow. Leo Blair as a teenager was a member of the Scottish Young Communist League and had ambitions to become a Communist Member of Parliment. However, after service in World War II as a member of the Royal Signal Corps, Leo Blair underwent a political conversion. Upon leaving the military he became a member of the Conservative Party. Leo Blair married Blair's mother Hazel from a strongly Protestant family from County Donegal while working at the Ministry of National Insurance in Glasgow. Leo Blair studied law eventually becoming a lecturer in Administrative Law at the University of Adelaide in Australia and eventually the University of Durham in Durham. Leo Blair eventually became a practicing barrister and active in the local Conservative Party.
Tony Blair was the second of three children. He is described as being the child most like his father Leo.

In the opening chapter of the book it states "Tony Blair's political ambition began at age of eleven, when his father Leo's ended, on 4 July 1964. At the age of forty, at the height of his political powers and looking for a Conservative parlimentary seat, Leo Blair had a stroke."

However, the book indicates that many of Blair's acquaintances during his school and law school years were suprised when he decided to become active in politics. Blair was not a member of any political clubs while in school or in-between. Blair had been a singer and manager of a rock n roll band "The Ugly Rumors", had long hair and a van. Unlike his American political counter parts, he never experimented with drugs, smoked marijuana or was seen drunk. In response to the question of whether he ever smoked marijuana, he said no, but if he had "he would have inhaled" in a jab at his friend President Bill Clinton.
One of the suprising discoveries found in the book about Tony Blair is his Christian Socialism. Unlike many American politicians not much mention has been made of the fact he has been a confirmed Christian since his Oxford days. Moreover, he is the only British Prime Minister since Gladstone known to regularly read the Bible.
Tony Blair and his wife Cherie Blair are as political a couple as the Clintons. Both have worked in local politics and both have run for seats in Parliment. When Blair ran his first successful race for his current seat from the Sedgefield Riding, Cherie was seeking a seat in a "marginal" Labor district or riding. However, after Blair won his first election, Cherie decided to forego elective office as one politician was enough in the family. Since Blair's election in Parliment in 1983, the Blairs have had three children and Cherie has continued her career as a successful barrister.
Over half the book covers Blair's career as leader of the Labor Party and Prime Minister. When he became Prime Minister at age 42, only tweleve years in Parliment, he became the youngest Prime Minister since Lord Liverpool who became Prime Minister in 1812.
The book is well documented with footnotes after every chapter. Because of its "scholarliness" it may tend to drag at times in the chapters which deal with his years as Prime Minister from May 2, 1997 through the time the book was written in January 2001. As such it chronicles in detail Tony Blair's first term.
In it, the achievements of the first term include the Balkans, Northern Ireland,as well as helping provide a better standard of living for all of Britian.
Blair is described as a "hands-on" Prime Minister, informal but energized and possibly hyper-working on the phone from planes, on vacation and on the weekend.
With as much detail provided of all aspects of Blair's life, TONY BLAIR-Prime Minister gives the reader and the world great insight into Blair's actions now in his second term as Prime Minister.

On 4-th of july 1964,Tony was woken by his mother in the morning and as soon as he heard the first words coming out from his mother - he knew that something wasn't right and he was right
about that.
Tony's father had a stroke and it wasn't sure whether he's gonna make it or not.
This day was the day when Tony's childhood ended,a day when his political ambition began, a life which taught him the value of the family and real friends who walked with his family in the worst moments of their lives.

Tony,a child of strict parents about manners :
Was always polite,kind,helpful towards other people and he enjoyed the attention so much so when he is only 16 years old he formed a group named The Pseuds - to act.

Soon, as a 'gifted guitarist' he starts meeting people of the same interest and talked about getting into the music world.
He loved The Rolling Stones and they were going to be the next Led Zeppelin or Free (Tony's most favorite bands).
So...the band "Ugly Rumours" is formed and THE LEAD SINGER-with
a fantastic voice is someone such as : the future prime minister of Great Britain - TONY BLAIR.

...John Rentoul's biography of Tony Blair-(was made to read easy as novel, even though it was Tony's life to make that possible). It is a well-researched book and tells just about everything you'd want to know about Tony Blair.

Honeycutt's poems are honest and full of family. The poems are full of clairty and intimacy. The landscapes depicted in this collection mediate on the natural world and losses. The readers go with Honeycutt into this landscape she makes familar. Waiting For The Trout to Speak is a friendly, thoughtful collection.

Waiting For The Trout To Speak is an impressive selection of Irene Blair Honeycutt's emotional, rhythmic free-verse poetry that celebrates the simple, everyday activities of life, from grocery shopping to daily meditations, to stopping to observe the natural wonder of an eclipse. A fluidly written, engaging collection to draw the mind into a new and marvelous way of looking at the world. Stroupie, One Autumn: My mountain friend keeps hearing birds call her name./She swears she heard them in the woods this morning/when dawn rose behind her cabin. And last summer/--through her broken windshield--/she thought she could identify that bird./I don't say what I'm thinking because it scares me/and might frighten her, although she's said the only/thing she's ever feared is fire./I could walk through Death's door right now,/she told me yesterday,/cutting a path through the air/with her hands. I wonder if we all will hear/some special call. I've read of the patterns observed/in the dreams of the dying: trees with one side leafless.

Richard Preston knows how to make readers uncomfortable. He needs to spend more time getting his characters to be believable. In the Cobra Event, Preston describes the search for an "unsub" or unidentified subject who wants to spread a terrible disease throughout New York and the world for some vague, ill defined reason. Coincidence plays too big a role in this novel, and although there aren't any real loose ends, too many events seen contrived and coincidental, or just too easily resolved. In particular, I thought that finding the bio-research facility and the suspect's apartment more suited to a 30 minute TV drama than a serious novel. Most of the characters are about as well developed as those on sit-com. The more factual parts of the book, the autopsy in particular, were well written and frightening in their own way. Even with cutting edge biotechnology as a primary focus, the writing was never too difficult to follow. This is a book that is topical, informative and just well enough written so that a reader wouldn't be embarassed to recommed it to friends. It does, however fall far short of being good literature and more closely resembles a first draft of a screenplay for the film industry.

Richard Preston, in this sequel of sorts to The Hot Zone, has outdone himself. The Hot Zone, which dealt with the deadly disease Ebola, and how close we came to having Ebola strike the U.S. in the form of Ebola Reston (Reston, Virginia), was a near perfect mix of fact and fiction. Now, with The Cobra Event, dealing with biological warfare, Preston has outdone himself again. The book starts off with a death of mind-numbing brutality, caused by an unknown disease. Alice Austen, an epidemiologist from the Centers of Disease Control is sent to investigate. The implications of this new agent, a biological weapon, result in federal agencies scrambling to contain it, and the man (who calls himself Archimedes) spreading it. O.K., in all truth, the fiction of this novel is really a slightly predictable mystery thriller. But that, of course, isn't the draw of the novel. Preston has researched his material extensively, and the result is a highly-enjoyable, fascinating story. Preston complements his storyline with three sections entitled "Invisible History", which take a detour from the plot to explain the real life facts of the events taking place. These sections are well-written and informative. Also, to Preston's credit, he has resolved his problems in placing the climax in this novel. In The Hot Zone Preston climaxed in spectacular format and then let the book slide for entirely too long. In this novel, he climaxes and then ties up loose ends quickly and efficiently. One of Preston's best works, this receives a 9 out of 10 on the Dominion scale. If you liked The Hot Zone you'll love this book!

I read The Cobra Event after I had finished The Hot Zone and I enjoyed Preston's style of writing so much in Hot Zone that I immediately read Cobra Event. I think that the Hot Zone has become so popular and often read that it has become a classic. (Now you gasp if someone hasn't read The Hot Zone) Moving along, The Cobra Event has the same technique of writing that The Hot Zone has (probably because it's by the same writer)and I especially liked the History outtakes. Wow! What a writer. I believe reading should be a learning experience and every single Richard Preston book I've read has been better than a textbook. [By the way, I really suggest that everyone should read First Light, which I think is usually overlooked when one thinks of Preston's great books.] What's so great about Cobra Event is its complete suspense that sucks the reader into the action. I could barely breathe while i was reading the book because of the possibilities of plot that were running through my mind. After reading the book, I couldn't help but research on the subjects in the book. Now, I have seriously looked into working for a government agency that works with viruses or researches on viruses. Thank you Richard Preston for being such a compelling writer!

The Client is an interesting book that takes the readers through a story that involves children, lawyers, and even the mob. John Grisham, who is known for his books involving the law, again does a wonderful job with a story involving the law. The book is a hard one to put down because of its eventful nature. I found in most chapters that something exciting happened.
Mark Sway, who is eleven, and his younger brother Ricky, who is eight, start out the story going into the woods so Mark can teach Ricky to smoke. What happens next turns their lives upside down. They become witnesses to the suicide of Jerome Clifford. Jerome, who is a lawyer, has troubled past that he's trying to escape by killing himself. As a lawyer of several shady characters, Clifford knew many secrets of criminals. He knew one, though, that drove him paranoid and to death. Barry "The Blade" Muldanno was one of those shady characters and his secret was that he had killed Senator Boyd Boyette. Before killing himself, Jerome drags Mark into his car and proceeds to tell him the secret of where Boyd Boyette is buried. This whole scene traumatizes Ricky to the point where he will not talk or move. When Mark hangs around the scene, the police find out that Mark was at the scene when the suicide takes place.
The scenes now switch to the hospital where Ricky is being held and its surrounding areas. The FBI gets involved at this point and wants to talk to Mark. Mark has watched many movies and knows he needs a lawyer. After visiting one lawyer who was too busy, Mark almost accidentally comes upon Reggie Love. Reggie is a female lawyer, who has battled through a divorce and a substance abuse problem. After getting through her problems, she became a lawyer specializing in child abuse cases. Mark explains his whole story to her. She goes with him to the see the FBI and exposes the use of illegal tactics to get what they want. The cat and mouse game of trying to get Mark to talk eventually leads to Mark going to jail. He finds a way to escape, though. The rest of this intriguing story leads to a pretty lame ending, which I will not spoil by explaining. I was expecting a pretty exciting ending, but I did not get what I expected.
The story, except for a part here or there, is very believable. The fact that Mark knew all that he did was very believable, because of the way he was explained. Grisham told how he grew up learning things on his own and also watching movies. The biggest part I had trouble believing was the fact that the mob was after this little kid. I guess it could happen, but I had trouble believing that.
Another good quality of this book was the fact that it was easy to read. The story flowed together well and at no point did I have to go back to read a part again. Grisham would flip around to different characters in the story in different chapters, but he did a great job of reminding the reader where each character had left off before starting into something new. Also, the words he used were not so easy that a child could read the book, but not so hard that the reader needs a dictionary beside them.
This book appeals to many different readers. A person who enjoys a fast paced book about the law would really like The Client. Even though I'm not a fan of books about the law, I enjoyed the book a lot. On a scale of 1-10, I would give the book an 8. I would also recommend the book to anyone. I feel that anyone that started reading the book would keep reading it.

Romey, the lawyer of a man accused of murdering a congressman, commits suicide. Mark Sway, an eleven year old boy, observes the act but little does he know that it will lead him into serious trouble. Mark has learned crucial information that will convict the Mafia hit-man, who is accused of murder, but he doesn't want to tell the district attorney. He is afraid the Mafia will kill him too. Mark hires a lawyer to protect his rights and help him out-smart both the district attorney and the Mafia. I really liked this book. It is probably one of the best books I have read and I'm sure I would enjoy it just as much if I read it again. "The Client" is filled with suspense which made it really hard for me to put down. I love suspenseful books because each chapter leaves the reader hanging, not knowing what will happen next. I've read most of John Grisham's books and this has to be his best. His other books are not as suspenseful and riviting as "The Client." The book is really long and it took me a while to read it. It contains long, drawn-out scenes dealing with law, but the good things out-weigh the bad. One of the best things about "The Client" is how Grisham shows the age and attitude of Mark. A great example is when Mark asks the judge if he can take the 5th amendment. The judge says no but Mark replies, "Why Not? It applies to kids to doesn't it? Yes, (says the judge) but not in this situation. Then why did you put me in jail? (Mark replies) I'm going to send you back there if you don't answer my questions (the judge declares). I take the fifth amendment anyway (responds Mark)." John Grisham is a terrific writer and I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it to anyone who really enjoys suspenseful stories.

I am no stranger to the writings of John Grisham. After reading A Time to Kill I really took a liking to his style of writing, but after reading The Client he has become one of my favorite authors. As a possible future criminal justice student, this book is was right up my alley due to it's setting in a law atmosphere, yet, held the suspense needed to keep my attention throughout the book.
At the beginning of the book Romey, a lawyer defending an accused murderer, is sitting in the woods and commits suicide by shooting himself in the mouth. As Romey committed suicide he is watched by two young boys Mark Sway and Mark's little brother, Ricky. Before Romey commits suicide he talks to Mark about how his one client, "the Blade" was guilty of murdering Senator Boyette. Romey, also went on to say that the body of the senator was buried under Romey's boat in his garage. After Romey committed his act, Mark went straight to the police with his information. All the while, the mafia is aware that Mark knows the story behind the murder and threatens the young boy and his family. Mark gets scared about talking to the FBI and refuses to speak a word. He is thrown in jail but soon hires a lawyer, Reggie Love. Mark only trusts Reggie and tries very hard not to tell the feds anything about what he heard in the woods from Romey. Reggie, although a young lawyer, does a very good job at keeping Mark from having to tell the FBI much about what he heard as well. Mark decides to go see if the body is really where Romey said. Mark convinces Reggie to go with him. They find the body under the boat, however, "the Blade" and his buddies are there as well. To find out if Reggie and Mark escape without harm from the Mafia or get killed you will have to read the book.
The character development in this book was flawless. One was let into Mark's world and saw why he was such a strong character. He was not willing to back down to the police. He was so strong from his background having an abusive father and motherless home. One was even told a lot about insignificant characters. I did not feel that this story was very believable. I do not think that an eleven year old trailer living boy would be as smart as he was portrayed in this book. He acted as if he new the law like the back of his hand. Very unlikely even for a boy of my age to know the law like this young chap did. However, believable or not the story was still good.
The ending was so predictable is was embarrassing to Grisham. It was no surprise at all what was going to happen to the boy. From the get go Reggie, although a young lawyer, should have thought of the ending before. It was pretty elementary. If the boy was as smart as he was, he should have known what he could do as well.
Overall, I thought the book was really good. It was boring at times and the ending brought the book down some. However most of the time the pages went by quickly. I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I understood the words used in the book about law, however, I do not think that many teenagers would know all the words unless they have had a law class. Due to this I do not recommend The Client to teenagers. Rather, this book would appeal to people in there twenties to forties due to its judicial aspects. I give this book a rating of a 4.0 due to my interest in the law yet not a 5.0 due to the ending and unbelievable aspects. Yet again Grisham prevails as a great author.

Considered by many to be the great American novel, Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is the story of a boy, Huck Finn, and a runaway slave, Jim, as they travel down the Mississippi River on a raft. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is the sequel to Twain's novel "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". Where "Tom Sawyer" was more a care-free children's book, "Huck Finn" is a far darker less childlike book.

Judging from my rating you can see that I do not agree that this is in fact the great American novel. Twain seemed far too unsure of what he wanted to accomplish with this book. The pat answer is to expose the continuing racism of American society post-Civil War. By making Jim simultaneously the embodiment of white racist attitudes about blacks and a man of great heart, loyalty, and bravery, Twain presented him as being all too much of what white America at the time was unwilling to acknowledge the black man as: human.

However noble the cause though, Twain's story is disjointed, at times ridiculous, and, worst of all (for Twain anyway), unfunny. The situations that Huck and Jim find themselves in are implausible at best. Twain may not have concerned himself too much with the possibleness of his story; but, it does detract from your enjoyment of a story when you constantly disbelieve the possibility of something happening.

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is an important book in that it did affect much of the American literature that followed it. However, this is another novel which is more important to read for its historical significance than for its story.

I read this, since it was my school's outside reading assignment. The printing was so small, that I first thought it would be a boring read. But I soon figured that I was wrong. I found myself slowly slipping into the story as if it was all happening before my own eyes. The characters were very interesting. Especially Huck Finn seemed like a very likable person with a strong identity, wit, and a soft heart. He does not want to sit and let the world rule over him, but instead test his own ideas and proves to the world that he can be better than what the society expacts him to be. And although many say it is a racially biased book because of its frequent use of N word, nobody can deny that it was a commonly used word in the 1800 where the rogue institution called 'slavery' was considered healthy and inevitable. As a matter of fact, this is a book that actually tries to tell the world about the evilness of racial prejudice not promote it. One should read between the lines, in order to acknowledge Twain's subtle attempts. It was a thrilling experience and I recommend people to have for their own!!!!

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, was one of the best novels I have ever read. When I was a junior in high school, I had to get signed permission to read this novel. I never thought a book could be so controversial that something like that would be necessary. I am so glad that I read it then, and again during my freshman year of college, because I think it sends a powerful message. Written in the dialect of the deep south, Twain successfully gets the reader involved in the book. When I read this novel for the first time, I did not want to put it down. The character of Huck intrigued me. Though a young boy, he had more common sense than many people years older than him. He knew what he wanted and was smart enough to know how to go about getting it. When he befriends a runaway slave named Jim, social issues are brought up and Huck is forced to follow what his heart says, instead of what society says is morally acceptable. I enjoyed how Twain portrayed Huck and Jim's journey down the river and the adventures they shared. It was a symbol of their need for freedom. By sharing the same goals, Huck and Jim become true friends. They are beyond the color barrier and realize that a person is a person, regardless of what they look like or who they are. I think much of today's society could benefit from reading this book. It helps you put things in perspective and think about what is really important in life; what others think versus how you feel. If anyone is looking for a good novel to read, one that captures interest and provokes thought, Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is it.

This was the second book by Anita Shreve that I have read, besides The Pilot's Wife a relative dissapointment to me. So I started Fortune's Rocks not expecting much. Now let me warn you. The first 100 pages practically clunk along until I almost gave up. But by the time I hit page 101 I was hooked and could not put the book down.

Olympia Biddeford is 15 years old. She is deleloping sexual pleasures and is looking for a thrill. The book starts when she is walking down the beach in Fortune's Rocks alone when she is on vacation with her family. She enjoys how the men stare at her.

She returns to her house where her father Phillip, tells her that she will be meeting his friend, the author John Haskell, later that night. She spends the rest of the day reading his books and when she finally meets him, she falls in love.

But, unfortunately, he is marreid with 4 children. But does she care? I don't want to ruin the book for you, but once you get started, you will not be able to put the book down and it will hold you until the last word. A magnificent book. Shreve is one of Americ's truly great writers! You must read this book!

It was pretty clear when I started this book (which was verified by the author in the reading group Q & A) that she had enjoyed working with the language style of nineteenth century New England when working on "Weight of Water" and wanted to experiment further.

I had a tough time with the first quarter of the book. I could see what was coming and found myself frustrated that it was taking so long to reach the inevitable. Midway through this book I was surprised. Suddenly the story became much less predictable and I was intrigued. This was not your standard hothouse flower character (regardless of the century) who found herself in a bad way and depended on her father or lover to help her out. She took total responsibility for her actions. Not the martyr, this girl. I am impressed, Ms. Shreve.

All considered it's an interesting story with some pretty three dimensional characters, no one's totally good or evil. There are also some great courtroom scenes. If you find yourself frustrated with the beginning, keep going, it's definitely worth it.

My husband & I listened to the audio version of this book read so eloquently by Blair Brown...audio books being our way to spend our daily commute. Now it must be read and savored. We both enjoyed this book immensely. Not since the Poisonwood Bible has an author so completely drawn her characters to be as completely faceted as your most intimate friend. The reader is swept back 100 years ago, when men wore moustaches (plural) and women had fringes (not bangs!) and both wore bathing costumes. Shreve could be a contemporary of George Eliot, in both consummate knowledge of the human heart and the ability to portray a time and place. I disagree with the reviewer who states that Olympia's use of family money to solve her dilemma spoils any feminist bent, since a portrayal of Olympia as a feminist was not the point. I think it only further demontrates the author's mastery - Olympia is not an ideal woman, but a total and true one, since in "real" life we would use any means available to regain an estranged child. Someone also mentioned the "pat" plot twists, but I find them intriguing, in a John Irving king of way. Also enjoyable: Haskells' disovery of passion in middle-age, the courtroom drama and subsequent resolution, and the social condition of factory workers and immigrants. Now reading The Pilot's Wife, finding it not as satisfying (yet), the best part is revisiting Fortune's Rocks and remembering previous inhabitants.

If you are not into books with a lot of technical and industry jargon, then this book is not for you. But if you like being on the edge of your seat, and can handle the sheer amount of detailed information being thrown at you on every page, then this book is for you! This book follows the same form that every other book that Crichton has written in that he throws in a lots and lots of technical information. A fact that stands out to me is a lot of the morons who gave it a bad review just couldn't handle this massive amount of data, and should have never tried to read a Crichton novel. They should stick with the little Golden Books they read as children. Disclosure was exactly the same way in that respect. The movie did not do Disclosure justice. And if the idiot who said something about the bad guy element doesn't think that insiders involved in an accident of this nature don't try to cover up vital evidence in real life better think again. This book is for the most part true to life, and could really happen. This is an A-1 piece of reading material for anyone ready for a good book. I read it in two days and I highly recommend it. Try Micheal's best book, A Case of Need. His best work by far!!

This is my first Michael Crichton novel. At first, I hated it. At the beginning, I found his style too slow moving for my taste. Nothing seems to happen. Yet, Crichton is a crafty writer. Reading AIRFRAME is like putting together a fascinating puzzle. It starts slow but builds and builds and builds to the point of supersonic speed and intrigue. He teases the reader to continue to read with mere tidbits of unrevealed clues - then he slaps the reader in the face. Everything is laid out for the reader, but I missed it. That's what makes this a great novel - the element of surprise.

Crichton's characters are also vivid. In my experience, character development is the most complex and difficult task for a writer. Crichton's mastery of the English language enables the reader to feel that the characters are real rather than fiction. The pace in describing the main characters demonstrates his crafty writing skill. His style produces a rare kind of realism that pushes the reader on the edge of the chair. The vividness of being chased and falling are so genuine, one feels like one is watching a film rather than reading a book.

Lastly, and this will not spoil the plot, the story line can be found in the title. Yet, I doubt that most readers will be able to put it all together until the last chapter.

This is absolutely my favourite book by Michael Crichton. He may have a medical degree, but he writes about journalism, the media and politics with much more insight than the condescending attitudes of his scientist characters. This book is Crichton at his best--backed up, as ever, by extensive research into the topic, a cast of hugely realistic characters to love and love to hate, and, of course, an intriguing mystery thrown in to boot. Casey Singleton is a classic Crichton heroine--world-weary, wise, and an expert in her field, she reminds me of Sarah Harding from "The Lost World", except Casey has a REAL job. The realism of the plot is one of the main factors in making this one of Crichton's best books--all of this could really happen. I've seen other reviewers bellyache about the mundaneness of the final solution to the aircrash, but isn't that the most chilling note to the whole plot? Just how easily all this chaos was caused? Sleazy journalists, wise colleagues, a comical team of experts called in to exammine the aircraft, and at the centre of it all Casey Singleton, trying to save the company and at the same time trying to stop herself becoming the scapegoat to be sacrificed to the media: for me, this makes a brilliant novel. The final pages will blur by--and when you sit back with a sigh of relief, the underplayed conclusion to this book behind you, there is the final message: Don't believe everything you read in the papers. Well, I said it was realistically underplayed, didn't I?