This may be a case where, I read another book, at least it seems like it. The average review for this is 4 1/2 stars, but I simply cannot rate this book that highly. I found, "The Imperial Annals of Rome" tortuously long and arduous to read (and I've packed away quite a few 1000+ page books). This might be more accurately summarized as, why I hate Tiberius. Tacitus spends most of the book going into excruciating detail about minor trials and Tiberius' personal faults (which he has many) and his public enemies (most of which are duly executed). When I compare this book to "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" or "Conquest of Mexico" by Prescott, or " The Peloponnesian War" by Thucydides, I find Tacitus' work sorely lacking. The greatest criticism of him I might make would be that he becomes so entrenched in minor details, the the work never becomes transcendant speaking not only of events of history but also of the nature of man and power. I know I might be quickly rebuked for this blaspheme, but I would recommend any number of works over this one. Sorry Tacitus.

The Annals is without a doubt the most important book ever written on Imperial Rome, and the most important one dealing with the Julio-Claudian emperors. Focusing on the reign of Tiberius (14-37 CE) and ending suddenly during the reign of Nero (54-68 CE), Tacitus pulls no punches in this history. Extremely critical of the emperors, Tacitus is at his best describing the terror of the trials that began under Tiberius and which eventually paralyzed the Roman state. Tacitus also relates in detail the various military campaigns undertaken during the period. A word of advice---know your Roman history when you start this book. All the names and places can be extremely confusing to the novice. Unfortunately the section on Caligula is lost, although it is not hard to guess what Tacitus would have said about him. Read this book!

Among the ancient Roman historians Tacitus is unsurpassed, and Annals is his crowning achievement. It covers the lives of the Emperors Tiberius, Claudius and Nero brilliantly (his narrative on Caligula is unfortunatly lost) and is without equal in it's complex narrative style. Tacitus' use of language is superb, and his analysis and interpretation one of the most important periods in Western history is nothing short of brilliant.

When did you last have a very strong feeling of the present moment, and a simultaneous, visceral understanding of how that moment fits into the context of life? Writing or reading Haiku poetry has a way of stimulating that feeling. The form is so condensed that it can feel sharp and sudden, like the sound of a balloon popping. This little book is a wonderful introduction to Haiku and also inspires the reader to experience the powerful effect of creating Haiku; after all, the folks who wrote the Haiku's collected here are ordinary Joe's like you or me who all decided to just start writing one Haiku each day.

The Haiku Year is much more than a delightful collection of interesting poems. It's also a very interesting window into the lives of seven friends. It's a bit like seven personal photo albums all mixed together, which gives it an enticing, voyeuristic feel for the reader. It's also a bit like a puzzle; did the person who wrote the Haiku about the cold pain of an ending relationship also write the one about the exhiliration of new love found?

I highly recommend this book as a gift to yourself. Do you know someone who would be very surprised to receive from you a fresh, red rose? Give them this book instead (or along with).

I received this book as a gift from a friend a couple of years ago which inspired our circle of friends to start our own little haiku challenge. The poetry in this book is a collection of snippets from the lives of ordinary but creative people. It proves that everyone can find a little bit of revelation in their lives, in things as simple as a map or mist rising in the cold. And by sending those little snippets to friends they stayed as much a part of each others lives as if they were right next door. I really recommend dipping into this collection and maybe even starting your own haiku challenge...it isn't meant to be classic haiku, but simply enlightenment in daily life, given with love from one friend to another.

One of the hardest things to do - as a writer - is to keep things succinct. It is so amazing that the group of writers who had 'a haiku year' all manage to beautifully express moments of their lives in a few lines.

Though the poems vary in perspective and subject, they convey equally strong emotions. This book is enough to make you want to gather your own circle. And it's small size makes it easy to bring with you wherever you may travel - whenever you are in need of 18 words of affirmation, frustration or love. It's one of the few books I make sure is near my desk at all times.

I bought this book because I was a fan Of Richard E. Grant and was not disappointed. It is fabulous. The author takes you through the enjoyments (Withnails and The Player)and the terrors(Hudson Hawk )of filmmaking and the everyday life that surrounds it. An unashamed name-dropper Grant puts you right in the middle of the backstage of the movies and does it with a style and wit that is unmatched and a real delight to read. Personlly enjoyable was reading about Age of Innocence, remembering when it was filmed in my area. Have read it three times already and have picked up something each time. If you enjoy it try Grant's novel, By Design, A Hollywood Novel.

This is quite an entertaining book that traces Richard E. Grant's career from his very early days in WITHNAIL & I all the way through to his role in the Spice Girls movie, SPICEWORLD. A varied career indeed. It's fascinating to read about his rollercoaster ride through filmmaking, bouncing from gigantic bombs to critical successes in a seemingly random fashion.

This is a captivating look at the behind the scenes activities from several movie sets, yet Grant manages to keep both his feet firmly planted on the ground even when meeting and socializing with the biggest of stars. The result is an often hilarious tour of the madness and method that goes into making films. We encounter several very famous people within this text: Grant parties with Madonna, receives multiple high-fives from Bruce Willis, accepts strange fan-mail from Steve Martin and gets stuck on a never ending film-shoot in Budapest with Sandra Bernhard. Each of them are seen through his grounded eyes and interacted with in his neurotic, slightly sarcastic manner.

Although this is not even a complete account of all (or most) of the films that he has acted in throughout his career, there are a few places where his private life does occasionally intersect on the pages of his diaries. There are some extremely tear-jerking moments, the most moving of which is during the shooting of WITHNAIL & I where he is caught going back and forth between the film work and his wife's pregnancy complications. The book is a whirlwind of emotions and random observations. It's slow and thoughtful during the breaks between shooting, but quickly speeds up to a breakneck pace when the real work begins.

This is a great book for anyone who has the slightest interest in a behind the scenes peek at the movie industry from someone who doesn't have their head already in the clouds. Richard E. Grant shares his philosophies, his outlooks and his wit with us in these diaries and they come highly recommended.

What a treat this book is. For those of us who love him as an actor, he surprised us with a book all about his acting. It's witty, biting, and furiously funny, and what's more, involves people, scenes, movies and events that we can all relate to and identify with because they're real. It's not just a book for Richard E. Grant fans, it's a book for anyone who loves movies and likes to laugh. If you're in the least bit "Hollywood", it's a great read.

If ever there was a man who followed Christ's example it was Robert E. Lee. This book illustrates such a man. It illustrates the strength of character that men lack in our society today....lacking even in our churches. This book is a must read for all men who are interested to know what a Christian gentleman is. Well done Reverend Wilkins. May Lee's example, which you have illustrated, set an example for others as it has for me and bring glory to God.

Three cheers for a great read AND a great life - once you've read this book, you'll understand why Gen. Robert E. Lee still stands today as the most beloved and respected military leader of all time. The simple truth is the man was motivated by honor, duty and most important of all, faith, and everything he did was premeditated by him with those ideas in mind. How refreshing a story after one has been bombarded today with stories of those our children look up to who are motivated by greed and ego and talk about somebody "disrespecting" them - it is very difficult to respect someone spouting obscenities, covered with tatoos, hair dyed eye-popping colors, and sporting metal earrings dangling from various parts of their face! They say "I'm not a role model." I think that is a cop-out spoken by someone who decided he wanted all the glory and money and fame without living up to the responsibility that goes along with it. It's too bad strong and moral leaders, men who stood up for what was right and were willing to pay whatever price that cost, who knew they were role models and did their utmost to be good ones, whose stories we've read about in history class about men down through the years from earliest history through the colonies and the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, seem also to be "Gone With the Wind".

If ever there was a man who followed Christ's example it was Robert E. Lee. This book illustrates such a man. This book illustrates the sort of gentleman that is lacking in our society today, lacking even in our churches. Truly an example for all to follow. Well done Reverend Wilkins.

The misapplied metaphor and the meaningless adjective overwhelm this slight book pretending to be a serious examination of love and fathering. But besides the numerous inappopriate and gratuitous modifiers, there is nothing here. The conflict feels grafted on by an author who recognizes the dullness of his tale, the plot surprises would only surprise the comatose, and the predictability of the whole thing left me weary. A book for those who feel rather than think, for the feelings are all good in this. Nice man, nice boy, nice girlfriend. Nice make-believe story line.

Nothing in here approaches real. Nothing is thought out. It is the harmless cotton candy of modern fiction, tastes great (in very limnited quantities) with no content whatsoever.

Jaffe's story provides a wonderful example of how a thirty-something single father deals with parenthood, while at the same time living through the trials and tribulations of his new found life. Love, loss of love, security, and insecurity are all very important themes within this book. Jaffe provides a wonderful set of characters who play out the problems of life in a small town in Kansas (a slow paced backdrop which allows the reader to put into perspective the interaction which occurs between its complex protagonist and the rest of the characters within the novel). All and all, this story is well thought out, and it is very well portrayed. In terms of writing style, Jaffe has room to improve. Though he shows flashes of briliance, his narrative, many times, appears to be organic and repetitive. Written in the first person, there are a lot of "I's," and there is not a whole lot depth in the description of setting. In conclusion, this book excells in bringing to life the problems of a man trying to become a father, and lacks in literary maturity. Something this good writer will only get better at.

A warm thoughtful story of a father's daily trials of raising his four year old son alone. I wasn't sure it would hold my attention at first but the language and scenes rang true and reminded me much of my own sons early years. The author's attempts at giving the story deeper meanings seemed contrived and I wasn't always sure where he was going with the remembrances of his own father. The story tackles many interesting single parent concerns highlighted by attempts to get on with life after a spouse has left, moving to a new town, taking a new job, finding a new lover. I like best how this father's love for his son permeates this story even in those parenting moments when he is frustrated or impatient. A book whose total was greater than the sum of its parts.

This book is truely the best ever, as I said in my last review. I recently re-read this book, and I was blown away by it's amazing story line, brilliant characters, and superb illustration. I don't think that words can do this excellent book credit. If you only buy one thing ever, buy toilette paper, if you buy two things buy JLA ROCK OF AGES!

What can I say. I have never written a review..., let alone for a comic book. I was an avid Superhero fan as a kid, but gave it up for the joys of girls, sports, and alcohol as an adult. Luckily a few years ago I walked into a comic book store and found Grant Morrison's work. I mostly collected Vertigo, but when I found out that Grant was writing JLA, I thought I would give it a shot. AM I GLAD THAT I DID. His entire run was tremendous! I don't know how the book is now, that he has stopped writing it (I have always found Mark Waid rather boring...yes JLA got me back into Superheroes for a while, but I have dropped out since) The plotting, dialogue and action is terrific. Some points of the story may remind "old-school" comic book readers of the X-Men's "Days of Future Past", but it exceeds that story on every level. (Of course I am biased being deep in my heart a DC kid forever!) In this storyline and all others Mr. Morrison manages to find depth in these characters, and keep the story complex. May I just say that I wish Grant Morrison wrote my favorite childhood character, Batman, on a monthly basis for eternity! He writes the intrepid Batman-the mere mortal amongst giants- better than anyone!

And by "spacey" I don't only mean happening in outer space. This is also one of Grant Morrison's strangest tales. It starts as a pretty straighforward adventure of the JLA against Lex Luthor and his Injustice Gang. What the superheros of the JLA, including Superman and Wonder Woman, don't know is that the choices they make in defeating the Lex Luthor might endanger the whole planet and leave it open for an invasion by Darkseid.

Then things get weird.

This story arc is hailed as Morrison's best in his long run on JLA and I recommend it fully.

As a huge Grant Morrison fan, it really saddens me to have to say this: "JLA: New World Order" is nothing special. I think that the poor quality of the stories from the preceding JLA creative team made Morrison's arrival on the title seem much better than it actually was. The best thing I can say about it is that he keeps things going at a brisk pace.

Howard Porter's art is a distorted "super-heroic" comic art style more at home in a 90's X-Men book (maybe that's a plus for some readers); it just doesn't seem right to me for DC flagship characters.

Morrison seems to have fun writing Batman, Superman, Flash and Green Lantern in this storyline, but doesn't seems to have grip on the rest of the team. Aquaman, Wonder Woman and the Martian Manhunter's characterizations are utterly generic and interchangeable.

My real problem here though is with Morrison's plot and storytelling. I love his work on Animal Man and Doom Patrol; both proving he has an extraordinary talent for injecting fresh plots and intelligence into the superhero genre. Here I swear to you it reads like he's doing comics by the numbers, simply earning the paycheck without going beyond the minimum requirements for the job.

I haven't read any of the subsequent Morrison JLA stories, although I'm sure I will eventually. Here's hoping he decided to start writing up to his own highly enjoyable standards later in the run.

I was, of course, apprehensive when I heard that Invisibles and Animal Man writer Grant Morrison was taking the reigns of JLA, and re-creating the team utilizing D.C.'s big 7 heroes: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, The Flash, and the Manhunter From Mars.

But, I was more than pleasantly surprised by the first four issues of this title, now re-packaged in this great TPB. The team dynamics, and how the characters interact are great, but the action-packed story, and incredible plot developments are what make this story the best of the series so far. Finally, the JLA have surpassed all of their incarnations from its first in the 60s to the SuperFriends, to the lackluster Justice League America and Justice League Europe books.

Highly Recommended

This is the big one! The magnificent seven together again - Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter. Now the JLA is truly THE world's greatest superhero team (sorry, but JLA can kick X-Men's butt any day, the same goes for the Avengers, and any Image superhero team). The characterisation is spot on. Superman acts the way I've always imagined him to be - the heroic leader, but one so full of humanity despite his otherworldly origins. The interaction between Flash and Green Lantern is funny, humorous and just plain fun. Martian Manhunter, as portrayed by writer Grant Morrison, is something of an outsider fitting in. And Batman, oh my favourite hero, is captured perfectly as he takes down the entire Hyperclan (invaders from...that would be telling...) all by himself, in a style that is very Batman. Penciller Howard Porter's art style captures the splendour and grandeur, the epic feel of the superheroes and does them justice. By the end of this 4-issue collection, fans will rejoice in the return of THE ONE AND ONLY JLA!

This is perhaps the worst New X-Men TPB of the lot, possibly because the stories in collection are rather slow-paced, and littered with poor artwork from Igor Kordey. I don't know why he has to draw everyone with wrinkles all over - Xavier, Emma Frost, Jean Grey... none escaped. Nevertheless the standard set by New X-Men is maintained. It's also nice to see cameos from X-Men who are not the main characters this series, like Archangel, Storm, etc. Also included appearances from younger X-Men like Siryn, Multipe Man, etc. Overall an acceptable read. Get it to complete your collection.

Grant Morrison's writing in this book is up to his usual great standards but, this time out the inconsistant art really hurt's the overall enjoyment. As many know, Frank Quitely, the book's "regular artist" can't keep a deadline to save his life, so we have Ethan Van Sciver as his back-up, Sciver, while having a style that dosen't really mesh with Quitely's still look's good on the X-Men and during the issues in this book, he really started to come into his own. Then, he start's having trouble keeping up, so Marvel does the worst move they have done in recent year's by bringing Igor Kordey in to become the book's main artist. Kordeys art is just plain ugly. Totally clashes with Morrison's style of writing and Kordey draws a couple of the pivotal issues of this storyline killing the flow of the story. Still, through all the ups and downs of the art, you still have Morrison's awsome writing injecting these characters with excitement and life for the first time in many years, however watered down it is.

Well first off i have to say New X-men is the reason I love comic books. It has amazing storytelling, amazing artwork, and amazing characters. Grant Morrison never, ever fails to amaze me. His storytelling is definitely one of the best in comics (along with Jeph Loeb and Kevin Smith). He just has such vision and depth and thats one of the main reasons this comic book is an awesome read. Then the artwork, I think Quietly's, van Sciever's, and Kordey's work are all top notch and if they got any better it would be sickening. I've always liked Quietly's artwork since the first time i saw it. Ethan van Sciever's art work is also great. The way he makes Beast look is awesome. As for Kordey I really don't know what some people are complaining about, I think his art work is really cool. Now I know everyone has their own opinions and i just think some people want to complain about the smallest thing. Here's a little piece of advice. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. Picasso was different from da Vinci but just because he was different didn't mean he was a bad artist and just because Kordey's is a little different doesn't mean he is a bad artist. So what i'm trying to say is I liked Kordey's, Quietly's, and van Sciever's artwork the same and for anyone who hasn't read these books, I suggest you do. You will not be let down

'The Passion of Alice' is the story of 25 year-old Alice Forrester, an anorexic who is admitted to the eating disorders unit of a psychiatric hospital after suffering a heart attack with a weight of 87 pounds on a 5'11'' frame. The set-up for this eating disorders recovery unit is based on a 12-step program keenly involved in group therapy and emotional expression; all of the counselors are former patients recovering from their own eating disorders. Alice finds herself surrounded by many colorful characters: there is the shy anorexic Gwen, the self-conscious, compulsive overeater, Louise, little Amy, who claims to be an actress, and above all, Maeve, the voluptuous,tough, trash-talking, yet affectionate bulimic, who takes a liking to Alice even in the midst of using her as an ally in her own escapades, and opens Alice's eyes to who she really is.

This book was fair. I liked its realistic portrayal and explanation of medical complications e.g. dental, cardiac, and hormonal/bone-density--in that sense it pulls no punches. However, you don't really get much of an understanding of anorexia from it. It is never clear how Alice began starving herself, and although we know what triggered it, there is little exploration into her feelings about herself. There was also a lack of insight into family complications, given that the author hinted at them with the way Alice always talked about her mother and called her by her first-name. I felt the ending was kind of a let-down in the psychiatric respect. While I can understand not giving a volume on Alice's recovery, I was left puzzled as to whether or not she even wanted to get well. Essentially, the details on anorexia nervosa are brief and inconclusive.

However, this book is an excellent source of information about lesbianism and homosexuality. The transformation is subtle and gradual and you don't realize the truth until the characters do. There is a stark contrast of religious influences and personal passions. I think the author was attempting to show lesbianism in the light of a disorder where most of its sufferers (female, anyway) are heterosexual; this, exaggerating the feature of how most homosexuals feel isolated and alone in any environment. Anyone confused about their sexual identity, gay or straight, ought to read this book.

25 year-old Alice, is anorexic and dealing with not only her illness, but many other aspects of her life which she has seemingly lost control of. After experiencing heart failure, caused by her low weight, Alice is admitted to a mental hospital. While in the hospital Alice finds her social group, consisting of women with varried disorders. A particular member of this group, Maeve, becomes an essential part in Alice's life. The two embark on 'adventures', making both of their stays at the hospital more bearable. More than a book about surviving eating disorders, I viewed this exceptional novel as an account of one woman's struggle with self discovery. Not every woman struggles with anorexia or lesbianism, but I belive every woman can relate to Alice. This book has made an impact on my life, and I belive everyone can finish this book with some new knowledge about themselves.

I am disgusted and offended but some of the reviewer's comments stated here, and furthurmore I don't think that such homophobic comments should even be *allowed* to be posted on amazon.com but that's beside the point. To all of you narrow-minded people out there--grow up.

Anyway, this book was extremely well-written. I became engrossed while reading it on a 4 hour flight back from LA. The author's humor is amusing and witty, and the book flows nicely. As a person who's dealt first hand with an eating disorder, I can say that this book does successfully show the horrors of an ED. I also loved how the author let us learn about many of the characters in the hospital - it created quite the interesting plot. And furthurmore the relationship between Alice and Maeve just spiced up the plot even more. Maeve is an interesting character, to say the least.

The ending was sad, no doubt. But I won't give that away.

I agree in saying that this isn't the best book to read if you want to learn about eating disorders, but it does give some good insight on the topic. I recommend "Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia" by Marya Hornbacher if you want a book based soley on EDs.

I think open-minded individuals will love this book, read it.

This is a wonderful collection of stories. The storylines are fun, touching, and out of the ordinary. Each has a different tone, which keeps you from becoming bored as with collections where all the stories are similar. The character of Jake in A Promise to Jake is one of the most endearing I've ever encountered. The Gift is just beautiful. The Face Painter and The Hare's Path have made me cry every time I read them, and that is several times now. I was really sorry to come to the end of this book!

Word of mouth is a wonderful avenue of surprises! My neighbor loaned me her copy of this delightful Anthology to read. I'm not a writer so all I say is Bravo!! I thoroughly enjoyed the short stories in this book...thanks for a delightful evening. I am ordering my copy today and another to share with a friend. I recommend it as great Christmas gifts. Thanks to the writers, Jan.

I don't have just one favorite in this book. Virtually all of these stories are wonderful. I'm not sure I understand what the previous reviewer found so awful in this anthology. The Gift and Hare's Path were good, but the rest were at least as good, if not better in many cases. It sounds like this person must not have read them all. In any case, the book is well worth getting and well worth receiving! These are stories that will stay with you and you will remember Christmas after Christmas.