See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/16/06

Now I see what all the hype is about! Jennifer Weiner is a wonderful writer, a wise woman with the ability to amuse you, to perfectly describe today's mothering environment, and also to teach you a little something about life. I think the real theme... See more

Now I see what all the hype is about! Jennifer Weiner is a wonderful writer, a wise woman with the ability to amuse you, to perfectly describe today's mothering environment, and also to teach you a little something about life. I think the real theme of this book is actually about the way we all look at having a child, particularly our first child, as a way to have a fresh start, a do-over in life. Whatever wrongs we suffered in our own childhoods, we're going to make darned sure they don't happen to our kids! Thus, Jennifer Weiner gives us Ayinde, the beautiful biracial wife of the Philadelphia basketball star. She was mostly raised by a series of nannies as her own supermodel mom felt that childrearing was somehow degrading and beneath her. So Ayinde embraces (are you ready for this?) attachment parenting, baby sling and all, and vows to 'nurse until nursery school'. Unfortunately, her good intentions towards her son Julian are not enough to fix her marriage or her own self-doubts. My... See less

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/16/06

Cannie Shapiro is a journalist in Philadelphia. She and her boyfriend of three years just broke up and she is getting on with her life-or at least trying to. She has a good job, a nice dog, but is unhappy because she is fat and has not gotten over... See more

Cannie Shapiro is a journalist in Philadelphia. She and her boyfriend of three years just broke up and she is getting on with her life-or at least trying to. She has a good job, a nice dog, but is unhappy because she is fat and has not gotten over the pain that being fat has caused her in her life. She tries to loose weight and makes friends with a Doctor leading a study on weight loss. Then her ex-boyfriend's father dies. She "comforts" him and the next thing she knows she is pregnant with his baby. During all this she has to deal with her job. She is the entertainment colomnest for a newspaper in Philly and has asperations to be a writer. One day when out on an interview she makes friends with Hollywood actress Maxie Ryder, whom she gives a screen play that she had written. Added to this he deals with a newly gay mother, her annoying lover, and an ex-boyfriend who has a column in a magizine "Good in Bed" in which he writes about her and their relationship alot. Things come to a head... See less

Highlights: List Price: $15.00 | Price: $9.90

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 12/06/06

(As titled in the story)...I loved this book so much! It was a great beach read & perfect for those 'lazy days & nights'. i loved the whole book, but the end killed it. i wanted to know more about mimi's 'surprise' & what happens with janey. if... See more

(As titled in the story)...I loved this book so much! It was a great beach read & perfect for those 'lazy days & nights'. i loved the whole book, but the end killed it. i wanted to know more about mimi's 'surprise' & what happens with janey. if anyone knows, ugh, lucky you! Also recommended: The A-List by Zoey Dean, The Clique by Lisi Harrison, & others Diana, an English Lit Major, 05/18/2006 See less

Highlights: $7.99

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/06/06

I bought this book thinking that I could relate to the main character Amanda, a fulltime mother with two small children. After a couple of chapters the book went in a completly different direction and it focused more on her husband's job at the... See more

I bought this book thinking that I could relate to the main character Amanda, a fulltime mother with two small children. After a couple of chapters the book went in a completly different direction and it focused more on her husband's job at the justice department then on the struggles of being a mom. The end of the book wasn't any better, with Amanda and her baby almost dying but everything being okay because of money. It would be nice if life were like a fairy tale but it's not so I had trouble feeling any compassion for Amanda or any of the characters in the book. Not a very good read. Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) See less

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 12/06/06

Citizen Girl, McLaughlin, Emma McLaughlin, Hardcover, Bargain, Book, ISBN: 0641746555, Women's Fiction, Phases of Life - Fiction, Barnes & Noble.com

Citizen Girl, McLaughlin, Emma McLaughlin, Hardcover, Bargain, Book, ISBN: 0641746555, Women's Fiction, Phases of Life - Fiction, Barnes & Noble.com See less

Highlights: $5.98 Save 76%

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 10/24/06

Its author describes Goodnight Nobody quite accurately as a "murder-mystery-slash-suburban satire set in the fictional town of Upchurch, Connecticut." What this telegraphese summary doesn't convey is the harried spunk of its main character,... See more

Its author describes Goodnight Nobody quite accurately as a "murder-mystery-slash-suburban satire set in the fictional town of Upchurch, Connecticut." What this telegraphese summary doesn't convey is the harried spunk of its main character, transplanted New Yorker Kate Klein. When the homicide of a neighborhood mom looks like it will go unsolved, this feisty mother of three decides to try her hand. The only problem is that she can only pursue her case on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings when her kids are at nursery school. See less

Highlights: $13.50 Save 10%

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 01/07/07

A delightfully dishy novel about the all-time most impossible boss in the history of impossible bosses. Andrea Sachs, a small-town girl fresh out of college, lands the job “a million girls would die for.” Hired as the assistant to Miranda Priestly,... See more

A delightfully dishy novel about the all-time most impossible boss in the history of impossible bosses. Andrea Sachs, a small-town girl fresh out of college, lands the job “a million girls would die for.” Hired as the assistant to Miranda Priestly, the high-profile, fabulously successful editor of Runway magazine, Andrea finds herself in an office that shouts Prada! Armani! Versace! at every turn, a world populated by impossibly thin, heart-wrenchingly stylish women and beautiful men clad in fine-ribbed turtlenecks and tight leather pants that show off their lifelong dedication to the gym. With breathtaking ease, Miranda can turn each and every one of these hip sophisticates into a scared, whimpering child. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA gives a rich and hilarious new meaning to complaints about “The Boss from Hell.” Narrated in Andrea’s smart, refreshingly disarming voice, it traces a deep, dark, devilish view of life at the top only hinted at in gossip columns and over Cosmopolitans at the... See less

Highlights: $12.55

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/06/06

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Highlights: $8.19

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/06/06

It doesn't get better than Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Whether you're the hopeless romantic or you just love the classics, you're going to love this book. Though I am only sixteen, I consider myself to be moderately well-read. I love reading,... See more

It doesn't get better than Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Whether you're the hopeless romantic or you just love the classics, you're going to love this book. Though I am only sixteen, I consider myself to be moderately well-read. I love reading, and, when I am between books, my life feels desolate and empty. One day, while in the most barren pit of ennui, I picked up Pride and Prejudice at my mother's recommendation. I do not ordinarily like my mother's taste in reading; her favorite books tend to be very dull, but so deep was my boredom that I succumbed to her suggestion. I wasn't displeased with what I found. I fell in love with the book at the first sentence. I brought my beloved book to the dinner table, to my classes and late into the night. I love everything about it. I love the characters; especially Elizabeth Bennet! I love the Victorian vernavular which works so well for this particular novel. I love the scintillating plot and the suspense created by knowing that Elizabeth... See less

Highlights: List Price: $4.95

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/06/06

I think Bronte's 'Jane Eyre', as well as an excellent read, provides a brilliant insight for todays readers, into the life of 'misfits' in the 19th century. Jane is a poor, plain, governess who throughout her life struggles to belong somewhere, have... See more

I think Bronte's 'Jane Eyre', as well as an excellent read, provides a brilliant insight for todays readers, into the life of 'misfits' in the 19th century. Jane is a poor, plain, governess who throughout her life struggles to belong somewhere, have some sort of position in society. She had no family, therefore when she discovered cousins in Mary, Diana and St.John, she willingly gave them each 5,000 pounds out of her inheritance. Jane is a strong woman who fights to maintain her moral and religious values even though tempted several times to put them aside. Jane seeks emotional fulfillment and detests society's idea of marriage (marriage for material wealth, political power, position etc). Rochester is Jane's intellectual equal and therefore she agrees to marry him, until she realises he has almost tricked her into a bigamus marriage. Then she must flee Thornfield in order to maintain her values and self-respect. Only when she has her own financial independence and no longer needs to... See less

Highlights: List Price: $13.85 | Price: $13.85

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 01/07/07

Emily Brontë’s only novel, Wuthering Heights remains one of literature’s most disturbing explorations into the dark side of romantic passion. Heathcliff and Cathy believe they’re destined to love each other forever, but when cruelty and snobbery... See more

Emily Brontë’s only novel, Wuthering Heights remains one of literature’s most disturbing explorations into the dark side of romantic passion. Heathcliff and Cathy believe they’re destined to love each other forever, but when cruelty and snobbery separate them, their untamed emotions literally consume them. Set amid the wild and stormy Yorkshire moors, Wuthering Heights, an unpolished and devastating epic of childhood playmates who grow into soul mates, is widely regarded as the most original tale of thwarted desire and heartbreak in the English language. Daphne Merkin is the author of a novel, Enchantment, which won the Edward Lewis Wallant award for best new work of American-Jewish fiction, and an essay collection, Dreaming of Hitler. She has written essays and reviews for publications that include American Scholar, the New York Times, where she is a regular contributor to the Book Review, the Los Angeles Times Book Review, Elle, and Vogue. See less

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 12/06/06

Yes, yes - this book is definitely an incredible experience for anyone intelligent enough to grasp its multitude of subtleties. Kudos to those who are capable of approaching this book. Now, I for one am NOT a huge fan of translated works, yet a... See more

Yes, yes - this book is definitely an incredible experience for anyone intelligent enough to grasp its multitude of subtleties. Kudos to those who are capable of approaching this book. Now, I for one am NOT a huge fan of translated works, yet a friend of mine suggested I try C&P translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky and I was blown away. If you have the inclination to tackle this masterpiece, do not waster your time with any other translation. This version of C&P does not try to embellish or compromise the original Russian or the style of the author, yet still remains engrossing and fluid with footnotes for all the little things a non-student of Dostoevsky's Petersburg would need to recognise and understand to grasp a number of the book's more veiled notions. Good luck and enjoy to anyone wishing to read this novel - it will open your eyes in some way, shape or form. Also recommended: Slaughterhouse Five, Ilium Ryan A. Kozin (Kozinr@netscape.net), learning from literature, 07/22/2003 See less

Highlights: Pevear/Volokhonsky translation

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 01/07/07

That is what George Orwell warns us against in his bone-chilling and now increasingly accurate description of a world of revisionist history and massive invasion of privacy, abetted by technology to produce a society of conformity and fear. Borne out... See more

That is what George Orwell warns us against in his bone-chilling and now increasingly accurate description of a world of revisionist history and massive invasion of privacy, abetted by technology to produce a society of conformity and fear. Borne out of Orwell's personal experiences in Burma (the present day, repressive Myanmar) and his observations of totalitarianism at mid-Twentieth Century, "1984" is the story of an average bureaucrat of middling intelligence who seeks no more than to be a whole man who can think and speak his mind, display passion outwardly, and not lie awake wondering who may be watching him. Paranoia rules. Orwell gives us a riveting, sometimes grotesque explanation of what it finally takes in "1984" for one man to try to restore whatever remains of his genuine identity and self-respect. Since the first publication of this timeless work around 1948 (reverse the digits, you're through the looking glass), Orwell's philosophical sentries have made a point of looking... See less

Highlights: $14.00

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/06/06

This is one of the fastest paced books I have ever read. Ayn Rand's characters come to life as she paints very clear pictures of who they are and what they represent. She does this in spite of the fact that the dialogue is sometimes a bit wooden and... See more

This is one of the fastest paced books I have ever read. Ayn Rand's characters come to life as she paints very clear pictures of who they are and what they represent. She does this in spite of the fact that the dialogue is sometimes a bit wooden and stilted. In this novel, she sets forth her philosophy of "objectivism." She exposes those, such as a character named Peter Keating, an architect, who seemingly achieve greatness by copying others but somehow give the illusion of originality and creativity. In order to achieve "greatness," Keating was literally willing to sell anything, including his wife. Thus despite wealth and apparant achievement, his life was empty. Rand begins to formulate her values that altruism is an evil because a society which seeks to achieve this must do so at someone's expense and therefore leads to collectivism. In the person of Ellsworth Toohey, a flamboyant newspaper columnist, she shows how the power hungry manipulate the masses by setting a standard of... See less

Highlights: List Price: $8.99 | Price: $8.99

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 01/07/07

Ever since it was first published in 1951, this novel has been the coming-of-age story against which all others are judged. Read and cherished by generations, the story of Holden Caulfield is truly one of America's literary treasures.

Ever since it was first published in 1951, this novel has been the coming-of-age story against which all others are judged. Read and cherished by generations, the story of Holden Caulfield is truly one of America's literary treasures. See less

Highlights: $6.99

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 10/24/06

Widely considered the greatest novel ever written in any language, War and Peace has asits backdrop Napoleon’s invasion of Russia and at its heart three of the most memorable characters in literature: Pierre Bezukhov, a quixotic young man in search... See more

Widely considered the greatest novel ever written in any language, War and Peace has asits backdrop Napoleon’s invasion of Russia and at its heart three of the most memorable characters in literature: Pierre Bezukhov, a quixotic young man in search of spiritual joy; Prince Andrey Bolkonsky, a cynical intellectual transformed by the suffering of war; and the bewitching and impulsive Natasha Rostov, daughter of a count. As they seek fulfillment, fall in love, make mistakes, and become scarred by battle in different ways, these characters and their stories interweave with those of a huge cast, from aristocrats to peasants, from soldiers to Napoleon himself. In this first English translation in more than forty years, Anthony Briggs faithfully reveals Tolstoy’s art in stirring prose, clearing up ambiguities that have plagued many modern translations. This volume also includes an afterword by eminent historian Orlando Figes, a list of characters, descriptions of the three main battles,... See less

Highlights: $32.00 Save 20%

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/21/06

From The Washington Post's Book World: We've all caught glimpses of them before, but Claire Messud has captured and pinned under glass members of a striking subspecies of the modern age: the smart, sophisticated, anxious young people who think of... See more

From The Washington Post's Book World: We've all caught glimpses of them before, but Claire Messud has captured and pinned under glass members of a striking subspecies of the modern age: the smart, sophisticated, anxious young people who think of themselves as the cultural elite. Trained for greatness in the most prestigious universities, these shiny liberal arts graduates emerge with expensive tastes, the presumption of entitlement and no real economic prospects whatsoever. If you're one of them or if you can't resist the delicious pleasure of pitying them, you'll relish every page of The Emperor's Children. The three wunderkinds at the center of Messud's engrossing satire are friends from Brown, strutting through life with élan but also with a sense of floundering that chafes at them like a new pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. Julius Clarke, a freelance critic for the Village Voice, is "aware that at thirty he stretched the limits of the charming wastrel, that some actual... See less

Highlights: List Price: $25.00 | Price: $14.99

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/21/06

Amazon.com Wow: This stunning book succeeds on so many different levels--as an engrossing story, a character study, a history lesson, a modern day political allegory--I don't even know where to begin the praise. The Last Town on Earth centers on... See more

Amazon.com Wow: This stunning book succeeds on so many different levels--as an engrossing story, a character study, a history lesson, a modern day political allegory--I don't even know where to begin the praise. The Last Town on Earth centers on the inhabitants of a small logging town in Washington and what happens when they take drastic measures (quarantine) to try and protect themselves from the virulent and deadly flu epidemic of 1918. When a deserting WWI soldier demands sanctuary, events are set in motion that change the town forever. Although this is Mullen's first published work, there are none of the usual verbal pyrotechnics or high-wire "look how well I can write" balancing acts one sees with beginning authors. How refreshing to read a younger author who has already progressed beyond his ego and knows that it's all about story, story, story. Mullen tells his tale cleanly, simply and plainly--making the ironies and allegories all the more potent. I knew almost nothing of... See less

Highlights: List Price: $23.95 | Price: $16.29

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/21/06

Just because I love everything Amy Sedaris does DOESN'T mean that I was certain I would love this book. I bought this book with some hesitation, not sure if her humor would translate well to the written word. But it does! And it's HILARIOUS! As I sit... See more

Just because I love everything Amy Sedaris does DOESN'T mean that I was certain I would love this book. I bought this book with some hesitation, not sure if her humor would translate well to the written word. But it does! And it's HILARIOUS! As I sit on my couch in the evenings and read this book, I have to constantly read excerpts aloud to my husband in response to the question, "What's so funny?" But all wit aside, the book is embedded with good recipes and tips, which is why I keep it with my collection of cookbooks - because it is a real cookbook along with a wealth of pure entertainment. Thank you, Amy, for this GEM! Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) See less

Highlights: List Price: $27.99 | Price: $16.79

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 02/01/07

With only a yellowing photograph in hand, a young man - also named Jonathan Safran Foer - sets out to find the woman who might or might not have saved his grandfather from the Nazis. Accompanied by an old man haunted by memories of the war, an... See more

With only a yellowing photograph in hand, a young man - also named Jonathan Safran Foer - sets out to find the woman who might or might not have saved his grandfather from the Nazis. Accompanied by an old man haunted by memories of the war, an amorous dog named Sammy Davis, Junior, Junior, and the unforgettable Alex, a young Ukrainian translator who speaks in a sublimely butchered English, Jonathan is led on a quixotic journey over a devastated landscape and into an unexpected past. As their adventure unfolds, Jonathan imagines the history of his grandfather's village, conjuring a magical fable of startling symmetries that unite generations across time. Lit by passion, fear, guilt, memory, and hope, the characters in Everything Is Illuminated mine the black holes of history. As the search moves back in time, the fantastical history moves forward, until reality collides with fiction in a heart-stopping scene of extraordinary power. An arresting blend of high comedy and great tragedy,... See less

Highlights: $13.95

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 12/06/06

Forget about the various historical inaccuracies in The Da Vinci Code. Instead, take it for what it is- a mystery/thriller with intriguing high stakes that deserves its success. As a fiction writer, Dan Brown is well within his rights to play fast... See more

Forget about the various historical inaccuracies in The Da Vinci Code. Instead, take it for what it is- a mystery/thriller with intriguing high stakes that deserves its success. As a fiction writer, Dan Brown is well within his rights to play fast and loose with the facts to suit his story. I've read (and probably so have you) too many novels that read like dull history books because the author was so concerned about getting the facts just right that he (or she) forgot to tell a good story. This is much better book than that. Besides, the 'facts' here seem debatable- lost in time, and handed down through the ages- who knows what's really true? Because Dan Brown let his imagination go, the book soars rather than plods along timidly. I had no expectations other than to be entertained, and I got my money's worth. Also recommended: Angels and Demons, Harry Potter series, An Audience for Einstein A reviewer, A reviewer, 10/01/2006 See less

Highlights: $19.96 Save 20%

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/06/06

This gifted author weaves a mesmerizing tale around Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer's most famous painting, creating an incandescent and luminous work of her own. His painting is a simple, though enigmatic, portrait of a girl with a pearl earring,... See more

This gifted author weaves a mesmerizing tale around Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer's most famous painting, creating an incandescent and luminous work of her own. His painting is a simple, though enigmatic, portrait of a girl with a pearl earring, about which little is known. The author, however, a born storyteller, creates a living, breathing story around it, using a singular, first person narrative. Told in spare, elegant prose, the author leaps into literary renown with this book. The events in the book are viewed through the eyes of Griet, a sixteen year old Dutch girl, whose changed family circumstances force her into taking a position as a maid in the home of a renowned painter, the taciturn Johannes Vermeer. There, the painter resides with his tempestuous wife, Catharina, their brood of unruly children, his commanding and shrewd mother-in-law, Maria Thins, and their loyal housekeeper and cook, Tanneke. The author lovingly details seventeenth century life in the Dutch city of... See less

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/06/06

Though it won popular and critical ('97 National Book Award) acclaim upon it's release this book was not one that I particularly enjoyed. It ostensibly has all the makings of a great story; the Homeric journey of a returning soldier plagued by gods... See more

Though it won popular and critical ('97 National Book Award) acclaim upon it's release this book was not one that I particularly enjoyed. It ostensibly has all the makings of a great story; the Homeric journey of a returning soldier plagued by gods and man, a rather predictable love story and all the horrors of war set in the vastness of the 19th century's wilderness and brutality. Unfortunately those devices appear only for effect. I hesitate to use the term "romanticism", and it is entirely possible that I have misread the author's intention - however my enjoyment was hampered by the feeling that Frazier was trying to elicit a canned response by means of imagery that appears to be no more than mere cliche. Perhaps I just don't like the Southern Americana idiom; this may be the case as I am not particularly fond of Faulkner. That being said the story can be moving, and if you are only looking for a good story this would be fine. However, this is not a particularly weighty or... See less

Highlights: List Price: $14.95 | Price: $10.17

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/06/06

The story is crafted brilliantly as young Chiyo is sold into the submissive life as a Geisha in Kyoto, Japan during the 1930's. As her mother lay dying, her father sold her and her sister to the Nitta okiya miles away as young virgin girls. She then... See more

The story is crafted brilliantly as young Chiyo is sold into the submissive life as a Geisha in Kyoto, Japan during the 1930's. As her mother lay dying, her father sold her and her sister to the Nitta okiya miles away as young virgin girls. She then fell into the hands of Granny, Mother and Aunty who ran the okiya as well as nasty Hatsumomo, a successful Geisha and Pumpkin, her competition. Chiyo, although depressed, frightened and alone is able to keep herself going even though she discovers that her sister is sold into prostitution and later escapes. The novel is filled with emotion as Chiyo struggles under the oppression and cruelty of those around her. In the end, young Chiyo is able to overcome the difficulties and pain of life by following her heart. She is able to succeed because of her beauty and life's destiny. She finds love in the most unusual way. Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) See less

Highlights: $14.95

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 01/07/07

Mirabelle is the “shopgirl” of the title, a young woman, beautiful in a wallflowerish kind of way, who works behind the glove counter at Neiman Marcus “selling things that nobody buys anymore . . .” Mirabelle captures the attention of Ray Porter, a... See more

Mirabelle is the “shopgirl” of the title, a young woman, beautiful in a wallflowerish kind of way, who works behind the glove counter at Neiman Marcus “selling things that nobody buys anymore . . .” Mirabelle captures the attention of Ray Porter, a wealthy businessman almost twice her age. As they tentatively embark on a relationship, they both struggle to decipher the language of love — with consequences that are both comic and heartbreaking. Filled with the kind of witty, discerning observations that have brought Steve Martin critical success, Shopgirl is a work of disarming tenderness. Steve Martin is one of today's most talented performers. He has had huge success as a film actor, with such credits as Roxanne, Father of the Bride, Parenthood, The Spanish Prisoner, L.A. Story, and Bowfinger (for which he wrote the screenplay). In addition to his bestselling collection of comic pieces, Pure Drivel, and bestselling novel The Pleasure of My Company, he has also written a play, Picasso... See less

Highlights: $11.95

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 01/07/07

Set in 1970s Boston, this impressively assured debut avoids the usual extremes in its depiction of racial tension. As children, Birdie and her sister, Cole, create their own secret language--Elemeno--to ward off the growing tension between their... See more

Set in 1970s Boston, this impressively assured debut avoids the usual extremes in its depiction of racial tension. As children, Birdie and her sister, Cole, create their own secret language--Elemeno--to ward off the growing tension between their black father and their white mother. Finally, Mom and Dad split up one time too many, and no amount of Al Green records, Chinese noodles and slow dancing can bring them back together. Cole, whose complexion is darker than her sister's, gets caught up in her new, black nationalist Nkrumah School in Roxbury and in her father's new life with a black girlfriend. Birdie, pale enough to be mistaken for white, stays close to Mom, mourning her estrangement from Dad and especially Coleher mirror, protector and secret sharer. After her father and Cole move to Brazil and the feds start to investigate her mother's mysterious political activities, Birdie and her mother go underground, posing as the wife and daughter of sympathetic professor David Goldman.... See less

Highlights: $14.00

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 12/06/06

In this readable coming-of age tale, Lee Fiora is an Iowa girl on scholarship at elite and private Ault in New England, where the stress of being an outsider magnifies the usual adolescent dilemma of uncertain identity. While there, she befriends... See more

In this readable coming-of age tale, Lee Fiora is an Iowa girl on scholarship at elite and private Ault in New England, where the stress of being an outsider magnifies the usual adolescent dilemma of uncertain identity. While there, she befriends Little, also an outsider as a black girl from Pittsburgh and the thief stealing money from dormitory rooms. During junior year, one of Lee's freshman roommates attempts suicide, and Lee has a secret sexual relationship with popular and handsome Cross, who never dates her and is indifferent to her in front of other students. When she is selected to talk about Ault with a reporter from the New York Times, she opens up under the reporter's seemingly sympathetic questioning. The article, quoting Lee, depicts Ault as dominated by a wealthy and snobbish clique, and Lee is further ostracized. But when she graduates, she discovers that there is a world outside of Ault. To interest adult readers, a novel like this needs something special: Holden... See less

Highlights: $12.55

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/21/06

From Publishers Weekly Starred Review: Wright, a New Yorker writer, brings exhaustive research and delightful prose to one of the best books yet on the history of terrorism. He begins with the observation that, despite an impressive record of... See more

From Publishers Weekly Starred Review: Wright, a New Yorker writer, brings exhaustive research and delightful prose to one of the best books yet on the history of terrorism. He begins with the observation that, despite an impressive record of terror and assassination, post–WWarII, Islamic militants failed to establish theocracies in any Arab country. Many helped Afghanistan resist the Russian invasion of 1979 before their unemployed warriors stepped up efforts at home. Al-Qaeda, formed in Afghanistan in 1988 and led by Osama bin Laden, pursued a different agenda, blaming America for Islam's problems. Less wealthy than believed, bin Laden's talents lay in organization and PR, Wright asserts. Ten years later, bin Laden blew up U.S. embassies in Africa and the destroyer Cole, opening the floodgates of money and recruits. Wright's step-by-step description of these attacks reveals that planning terror is a sloppy business, leaving a trail of clues that, in the case of 9/11, raised many... See less

Highlights: List Price: $27.95 | Price: $16.77

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 12/21/06

From Publishers Weekly: Ilinois's Democratic senator illuminates the constraints of mainstream politics all too well in this sonorous manifesto. Obama (Dreams from My Father) castigates divisive partisanship (especially the Republican brand) and... See more

From Publishers Weekly: Ilinois's Democratic senator illuminates the constraints of mainstream politics all too well in this sonorous manifesto. Obama (Dreams from My Father) castigates divisive partisanship (especially the Republican brand) and calls for a centrist politics based on broad American values. His own cautious liberalism is a model: he's skeptical of big government and of Republican tax cuts for the rich and Social Security privatization; he's prochoice, but respectful of prolifers; supportive of religion, but not of imposing it. The policy result is a tepid Clintonism, featuring tax credits for the poor, a host of small-bore programs to address everything from worker retraining to teen pregnancy, and a health-care program that resembles Clinton's Hillary-care proposals. On Iraq, he floats a phased but open-ended troop withdrawal. His triangulated positions can seem conflicted: he supports free trade, while deploring its effects on American workers (he opposed the... See less

Highlights: List Price: $25.00 | Price: $14.99

See this at: search.barnesandnobl...| Added on 10/24/06

Running with Scissors is the true story of a boy whose mother (a poet with delusions of Anne Sexton) gave him away to be raised by her unorthodox psychiatrist who bore a striking resemblance to Santa Claus. So at the age of twelve, Burroughs found... See more

Running with Scissors is the true story of a boy whose mother (a poet with delusions of Anne Sexton) gave him away to be raised by her unorthodox psychiatrist who bore a striking resemblance to Santa Claus. So at the age of twelve, Burroughs found himself amidst Victorian squalor living with the doctor's bizarre family, and befriending a pedophile who resided in the backyard shed. The story of an outlaw childhood where rules were unheard of, and the Christmas tree stayed up all year round, where Valium was consumed like candy, and if things got dull an electroshock-therapy machine could provide entertainment. The funny, harrowing and bestselling account of an ordinary boy's survival under the most extraordinary circumstances. See less

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