Ms. Feldman had the basis for a wonderful story. Unfortunately, she fell short of fully developing it to its potential. The reader is offered tidbits about important characters' lives, with no filling in the gaps in the end. Mack and Bailey's relationship should have been developed more. Bailey became too enmeshed with her "son" too quickly. She also "found" him too quickly and easily. The truth came out too easily as well. Ms. Feldman rushed the story without giving the reader more to chew on first. I hope her next novel is meatier--I will read it.

While this novel is nicely written, it presents a rather passive protagonist who by coincidence finds herself involved in a murder investigation. The entire story seems to happen by chance and is a little too contrived. The murder itself is not terribly unique. I won't give away the ending, but it was pretty disappointing considering all the build-up. The relationship between Bailey and Nell is really the most interesting one presented in this story. The love between Mack and Bailey is not quite as compelling, and their eventual romance is a given. This novel is something between a thriller and a quirky character sketch. While the writer has a nice style, the story doesn't provide many twists and turns.

I live in the town about which Ellen Feldman writes, and she's got it. All the nuances, the divisions, the subtle hostilities. And she writes about these with an ease of style and a clarity of comprehension.

The biggest flaw with this mystery definitely is not Ms. Feldman's fault. The publisher chose to reveal too much detail on the jacket blurb, pretty much giving away the secrets to be uncovered. This is a shame, and unfair to an author as skilled as Ellen Feldman.

Still, even though the mystery is predictable, so were the works of Charles Dickens. And that doesn't make them any less worthy. GOD BLESS THE CHILD is a touching story, and in the process of telling it, Ms. Feldman makes some pithy observations.

The ending was a small one, since too many of the pertinent points were disclosed so early on. Yet that's okay; life doesn't come with neat demarcations, either. The best any of us can hope for is a sense of peace regarding how we live our lives, and at peace is where Feldman leaves her heroine.

This is compelling reading, more for the underlying concepts and the lovely prose than for any excitement in the mysteries to be resolved. From the writing, to the plotting, to the thoughtful examination of relationships, all of it is worthwhile. And what makes GOD BLESS THE CHILD work is that it is so true to life.

I read a review about this book and author in Christianity Today, and the review stated that this author takes Christian fiction to a new level because she does not make the Christian characters perfect and the non-Christian characters evil, as is often the case in Christian fiction. I found the book to be very interesting, but I did not appreciate the level of sexual tension that went on throughout the book. While the author did not go into detail about the sex lives of her characters, throughout the book she kept letting you know that Randy and Dave were having sex, and Tony wanted to with Lena, and then Dave did with Lena even though he was living with Randy, and that Sarah and Jacob weren't having much lately. I thought all of that was a bit much for being considered "Christian" fiction. While she seemed to describe a genuine conversion in Randy, I felt she was almost mocking the "conversion" of Mamie when she prayed the sinner's prayer while wondering if the neighbor's dog was pooping in her yard again. While I'm sure that kind of thing happens, I felt she was poking more fun at the attempt to lead someone to the Lord than to Mamie for being so distracted during such a serious moment. These things caused me some disappointment with a book that received such high reviews here.

I read the author's second novel, Velma Still Cooks in Leeway, first and enjoyed it more than this one. The character development was a strong point, though I wished things would have moved along a bit faster. But maybe that's just how things go in a slow-paced, small town. Realistic portrayal of saints and sinners but I felt very much on the outside and didn't really care very much about them. A good writer though and her second novel shows the kind of things I missed in this one.

Wright's characters capture you as eagerly turn each and every page, anxiously fretting along with them as they journey to find the graces that will quench their spiritual thirsts. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. The juxtaposition of Bender Springs' past with its present was flawlessly written! Though not an epic, the finely-detailed characters and the author's attention to detail are reminiscient of Leon Uris'Trinity. The human weaknesses of the characters remind me of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and Wright makes no apologies for the humanity of her characters. This book should be made into a movie, but one wonders what the film industry would do to its essence of life.

Granted, Aubrey doesn't back his claims fastidiously by science. However, anyone who's ever compared aloe vera straight from the plant to that sticky-dry film that forms on your skin when you get synthetically-laced aloe vera can attest to the validity of his claims. Plus, it's good to read someone who's not exactly logical or concerned with being PC. Plenty of info for vegetarians, and my only complaint is since there's several different charts and dictionaries, it could be better organized. However, Aubrey knows his stuff. I used avocado oil at his recommendation for some eczema I had, and it cleared up within a week.

I bought this book 4 years ago and I am still referring to it! This book has a wonderful dictionary of cosmetic ingreadents and what they are. It also explains natural ingredients like Jojoba, Avacado oil, and Rose Hip Seed etc. It explains their properties, and how to use them.I wish more books were like this. My only complaints are that the recipes are hard to follow (I use other books for that) and that my book is falling apart at the seams and needs to be replaced.

A long term sufferer of skin maladies, I began searching the internet in earnest trying to find a skin care regime that wouldn't leave my face red, scaling, itchy, irritated, broken out and on fire. I tried expensive department store brands, products from infomercials, etc. Finally assuming it was the chemicals and/or preservatives in my skin care products causing my face to break out and prematurely age, I found some natural products. I began purchasing Aubrey's skin care products and discovered that THEY WORK. My skin tone is even (no splotchy redness or scales), my eyelids no longer burn, and I'm not breaking out. Because of this, I bought this book on how to make his products at home. (I like saving money) Whether or not this book is "scientific" enough or could be put together a bit more clearly, the bottom line is that his recipes and the information contained in this book have worked for me and many of my friends. The wealth of knowledge is amazing! This is a fabulous book complete with a wealth of information any entrepreneur wishing to formulate their own skin, hair, and body care products would need. The list of herbs and their benefits is fantastic, as well as the list of common cosmetic ingredients and their side effects. This book answers every question I had about making my own skin care products and what ingredients to use. I feel much more knowledgeable about the things I put and have put on my skin. The bottom line is my skin looks better, my hair looks better, even my pocketbook looks better thanks to the information contained in this book...and I can prove it using the scientific method, if necessary! LOL

"Art," the play by Yasmina Reza, has been translated into English by Christopher Hampton. The back cover info notes that the play ran in Paris beginning in October 1994 and received its British premiere in 1996.

This 3 character play is about a trio of friends: Marc, Serge, and Yvan. As the play starts Serge has infuriated Marc by buying an all white painting for a huge price. Yvan gets caught in the middle as the three argue over art, the role of the artist, being "modern," personal identity, and relationships.

This description of the play may make it sound a bit like a "Seinfeld" episode. It's an intriguing and witty play. I've never seen it performed, but because it seems to rely so heavily on the presence of a central prop, "Art" may lose some impact as a pure readers' text (not unlike the situation with August Wilson's play "The Piano Lesson"). Ultimately the drama builds to a powerful conclusion. It's a thought-provoking play; I especially recommend it to those who wonder about the nature of art and its role in our world today.

"ART" lives up to its Tony-winning reputation, at least on the book level. The text examines the results of the seemingly innocuous act of buying a painting and the impact it has on the lives of three male friends. While much is made of the fact that the painting itself is only a white canvas with some vertical lines, its fascinating to observe Yasmina Reza making the point, almost subliminally, that art itself (let alone the question of art) has the power to unify or divide with equal fierceness simply by existing. The discussions these men foist based on the conflict of buying an expensive painting that needs interpreting are incisive and thought-provoking. I don't feel, as some have, that the play is ultimately about friendship among men, though that is certainly an element. But all great works of "ART" are open to discussion.

Three good friends. One piece of art. Three different opinions. And a whole lot of fuss over the whole thing. Art, or the conception of art, is something very personal. The "white painting with three lines" is the catalyst for the three friends to examine their attitudes towards not only art itself but all that it signifies. Slight differences in opinion lead to greater conflict, often escalating to ridiculous proportions.(After all, this is a comedy.) "Art" is not simply about art nor about friendship but explores further, reviewing personal value structures and diplaying how these values affect our everyday lives and interpersonal relationships through witty and realistic dialogue. Although "Art" is best viewed on stage, reading the play and envisioning with one's own imagination is also a worthy experience.

I love this book! It has two writers wrestling their literary demons in the Hamptons which makes it really fun and beautiful. The characters qualities are very likeable, in that if you look to heroes who don't sell out on their art or craft, they are true people to look up to. Especially in a time when everybody is so commercial. I'm a writer and it really inspired me. There are moments of dramatic highs that have you gasping and humor that has you howling. What reviews haven't mentioned is the incredible family drama that unfolds in very intense, sad and beautiful ways. One of the most literary yet readable novels I've ever read.

I first saw Lit Life recommended in GQ for summer reading. Seeing that it took place in NYC and the Hamptons and the hero was a young man that crossed the line of bon vivant over to right out drunk, I could not resist. Started the book on a Sunday by the pool, finished that evening at 3 AM …. meaning I could not put the book down.

Wenzel’s magic with the characters gave me a roller coaster ride of emotions. I wasn’t sure if I liked or despised Kyle. You wanted to appreciate Richard for always trying so hard and for sticking to his guns, but it was very easy to get frustrated with his inability to live in the real world. The rest of the characters were so complex that when they did something that you would immediately hate them for; they made you think twice and put yourself in their shoes.

Mixing the glamour of wealth with modern day NY, Wenzel brings you into world the East Coast literary scene. It’s F.Scott Fitzgerald meets Candice Bushnell (in a good way). It’s just great easy to read writing. The kind of book you can read on the beach with distractions and then back at home in solitude.

On it’s day of release Wenzel’s book gets a glowing review from the NY Times, looks like the critics like him, now will the public turn him a into a success?

I hope so because I can’t wait to read his next novel.

I'm no literary guru or genius, but I know what I like when I see it, and I like this book -- a lot.

Without sounding as if I'm saying that the story is plain, this book is proof that sometimes the way a story is told is more important than the story itself. Sure, the tale of the two major writer-characters is interesting, but without Wenzel's extraordinary character development, it might not be satisfying enough; Wenzel's efforts in this regard left me feeling not only that I knew the characters very well, but also that I had summered with them in the Hamptons. And what colorful characters they are! You may not uncover the meaning of life, but you will have a good time -- and isn't that what it's all about?

If you've ever even contemplated writing a novel, or if you have a love affair as many of us do with all things New York (City and Hamptons, that is), then this book will give you pleasure.

Well done, Mr. Wenzel!

When i saw the cover of this book i thought this would be a great book. I wanted to find pictures of beautiful decorated houses,nice gardens and offcourse the habitants of the mansions. Well, that's not quite what's inside this book. For the most only pictures of houses taken in the 50's and 60's and a lot of text!! I want pictures of Aerin Lauder and the Miller sisters!!

Wonderfully written and researched. Architecturally lacking photographs, drawings, or any substance for inspiration or idea generation. Cover and size of book suggests more pictorial content, but fails to deliver.

Finally got the chance to sit and read Gordon's excellent text in Weekend Utopia. The book goes way beyond an illustrated coffee book. Gordon manages to weave together stories about the characters who shaped the place (like developer Carl Fisher who created Montauk to be the "Miami Beach of the North")with stories about the flamboyant architecture, post-war artists like Pollock and Motherwell and his own personal memories as a boy spending summers there. While the book has a large format with hundreds of illustrations it is most readable and explains so much about how a rural American landscape was transformed into a resort for show-offs. I loved it and can't comprehend what reviewers from Hong Kong and the Netherlands were talking about. It is neither trying to be a professional book on architecture nor a cheap gossip book about pseudo-celebrities. It is an intelligent cultural history that also happens to be well designed and illustrated. It warmed my soul on a chilly winter weekend and made me want to go to the beach as soon as possible.

Anyone who idolizes Dicaprio should not be allowed to read Rimbaud. In all actuallity, this book(like the movie) was uninformitive and dull. It focuses more on Verlaines psychology than Rimbauds--and as we all know, Verlaine was an ugly man. Im sick of hearing about this piece, it was lame. I only pray that all the teenie boppers of the world don't start reading Rimbaud since they love Dicaprio so much---it might actually give them a glimpse of what real life is like, and we wouldn't want to upset there little minds...now would we?

What a pretentious piece of garbage, both the screenplay and the movie itself. One is better served by reading Rimbaud's poems themselves. If you've never read Rimbaud, please do yourself a favor and stay away from the movie and screenplay. Stick with the poems.

Without seeing the actual film, I was stunned by the screenplay. Not only are the words captivating and true to poets Rimbaud and Verlaine but the actual film directions are provocative and insightful. The entire piece is beautifully complex. "The only unbearable thing is that nothing is unbearable" I'll be honest, I find it a damn shame to have DiCaprio playing the role only because I feel that the movie will be taken less seriously and Rimbaud will forever be a teen dream in the minds of many.

Schmidt is one of the more annoying literary characters I've recently come across: grey, pallid, 'civilized' to the point of being little more than an ageing wuss. His daughter is churlish, his lover sweet (or at least Schmidt thinks so, even when she gets pregnant by another man) but unfaithful, his next-door neighbor a lout. I kept yearning for Schmidt to get these people out of his life, or at the very least, tell them off--but no, he never seemed able to rise to the occassion. At its best, this is a dull book about a dull man. At its worst, it's an irritation.

Begley claims quotation marks make his pages unsightly. He can use them or not, it's a free country, but there's a reason most of the civilized world uses the darn things. It's called clarity. Having dug my way through both Schmidt books without the benefit of adequate puncutation I'd highly recommend Begley give it up and bow to convention. However neat the pages appear, it just ain't worth it. And since when did anyone care about neat-looking pages? That said, Schmidt Delivered was a satisfying experience, mostly due to Begley's memorable characters. Hope the little guy has at least one more Schmidt book in his quiver and that he relents and uses those darn quotation marks to help us keep the musings and the speeches separate.

"Schmidt Delivered" was not the next book on my reading list, but after finishing "About Schmidt," I had to read the sequel. "Schmidt Delivered" picks up the story two years after the conclusion of "About Schmidt." The protagonist, Albert Schmidt, a retired lawyer, is still living in the Hamptons with a young, Puerto Rican waitress, Carrie. Carrie's annoying and clingy ex-boyfriend is conveniently packed off to Florida. Schmidt's sour daughter, Charlotte, the source of a great deal of grief in "About Schmidt" has more or less dropped her relationship with her father. It would seem that Schmidt's life has settled into a fairly regular domestic routine--Carrie goes off to college every day, and Schmidt waits for her to come home. He fills his spare time by dithering with the post and deciding which Trollope novel to read. Schmidt realizes that he has isolated himself with Carrie, and while this is partly due to the fact that Schmidt's relationship with Carrie is socially unacceptable, Schmidt's isolation is also due to a desire to keep his relationship with Carrie intact. But Schmidt is losing Carrie, and he knows it. He has aged (he's in his 60s), and meanwhile Carrie is off running marathons with a local bodyguard.

An eccentric millionaire, Mr Mansour, moves into the area, and immediately zooms in on Schmidt. In spite of Schmidt's attempts to avoid Mansour, a relationship begins to develop between the two men, and Schmidt finds that his life is changing once again. Schmidt, who views any change in routine as "a mountain he was at first unwilling to climb," resists the drastic alterations in his life, but it's inevitable that Schmidt's life will change again.

I enjoyed "Schmidt Delivered" every bit as much as "About Schmidt." Sequels can be very disappointing, but "Schmidt Delivered" met all my expectations. Characters from "About Schmidt" appear in the sequel and include: obnoxious in-law Renata Riker, spoiled rotten daughter Charlotte, and even Schmidt's loyal friend Gil. As Schmidt heads into another crisis, he also comes to terms with his role as a father and as a friend. This book is full of interesting characters who captured my attention. I found the strains in Schmidt's relationship with the amoral Carrie highly poignant, but the relationship was simultaneously portrayed without a shred of sentimentality. Schmidt remains a sympathetic and complex character, and I am going to read everything written by this excellent author--displacedhuman.

I am a free-thinking seeker; i.e. I study the Bible and try to follow Jesus' teachings but am not "officially" a Christian. As such, I am appalled by the narrow-mindedness of the author Halley. He obviously loved the Bible up to a fault. I don't hate him for it, but I sincerely hope that readers will not be influenced by his attitude towards modern scholarship and research. Criticism is important and will not hurt your faith at all, if it is really strong. Welcome it and your understanding of the Bible for what it really is can only deepen.

This book is for beginners, and yet I wouldn't want it to be the first companion-volume to the Bible that you use. If it must be, then just refer to it for its introduction to the Bible and each of its books, the overviews, and the tips on Bible-study. These things are what compel me to give it 3 stars. Ignore most of his comments, especially his harsh condemnation of modern research. This guy was a fundmentalist if not a fanatic, out of touch with modern times.

This book provides a great background for both the Bible in its entirety and for each book of the Bible. It gives a brief introduction with details such as the probable writer for the book, its theme, and important notes to keep in mind while reading the book. Each book summary is then broken down into individual chapter summaries. The book also contains some basic Bible study techniques and maps of locations talked about (i.e.- the location of the seven churches in Revelation). In response to the criticism other reviews have given this book: This book is intended to encourage and supplement Bible reading. It is not intended to provide what the Bible provides nor is it intended as a commentary. Everything is based on facts as opposed to theory/opinion unless otherwise stated. The intention is to point the reader to the Bible. The second important thing to remember is that Halley originally published this book in 1924. It is natural that some of the new criticisms and ideas may not be mentioned. This does not make the author a liar or the book false; it simply means that every criticism and idea mentioned since that time is not worthwhile considering the purpose of this book. One final note: Henry Halley devoted his life to helping others get into God's word, and was known for the large portions of the Bible he had memorized. There is no questioning that he had the credentials to write such a handbook.

This is a wonderful book. Every Christian should have one in their library. It is very helpful when studying the Bible. I have now ordered the CD-Rom version of this book. I am so glad it has come out in CD-Rom because I am now legalally blind and cannot use it in book form anymore.

Do not buy this book, for two reasons. 1- Every word of it is available on the Internet. It is little more than a pamphlet anyway so easy to download and print. 2- It is deceptive, in that the cover illustration is of a pick gun (the reason I bought the book) and there is only a single paragraph about pick guns with no instruction for use. The author even admits he has never used on. Why is it on the cover? The book is a fraud.

Good book very short but it still gives entry to a beginer into the subject. Author covers picking pin tumbler lock with a safety pin and improvised tension wrench. Also cover other locks of a more sophisticated and less applicable nature of the common lockpick thief. So labor on my brilliant misguided brethren and a reminder if you pick locks and break into houses like mine may I say in advance God have mercy upon your soul.

I have not been able to pick any locks with this book, yet. However, I still give this book 4 stars for the vast array of information it contains.

In this book, you will learn how a lock works. You will learn the faults of many popular locks, such as the common locks installed on doors of most modern-style houses. You will learn that the technique of picking locks with just one piece of wire, a technique that is commonly employed by spies and secret agents in movies, is actually a myth. Many people believe that some thieves and burgulars purchase a great number of locks from hardware stores so that they will have access to the front doors of everybody's house. Learn why a burgular would have a better chance at winning the lottery than finding two keys in this world that are exactly alike.

Overall, this is a great book in terms of educating you about the composition and implementation of locks.