Anybody Out There?: A Novel
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good but Helen sub-plot must go
  • Her best yet!
  • We're Running Out of Walsh Sisters!!
  • Keyes' Best Novel Yet
  • The Walsh Sisters Return, Changed, But Lovable as Always.
Anybody Out There?: A Novel
Marian Keyes
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ComicComic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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  5. Angels : A Novel [Bargain Price]  by Keyes, Marian Angels : A Novel [Bargain Price] by Keyes, Marian

ASIN: 0060731303
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Book Description

Marian Keyes has introduced readers to the lives, loves, and foibles of the five Walsh sisters -- Claire, Maggie, Rachel, Helen, and Anna -- and their crazy mammy. In this funny, heartbreaking, and triumphant new tale set in the Big Apple, it's Anna's turn in the spotlight.

Life is perfect for Anna Walsh. She has the "Best Job in the World" as a PR exec for a top-selling urban beauty brand, a lovely apartment in New York, and a perfect husband -- the love of her life, Aidan Maddox. Until the morning she wakes up in her mammy's living room in Dublin with stitches in her face, a dislocated knee, and completely smashed-up hands -- and no memory of how she got there. While her mammy plays nursemaid (just like all of her favorite nurses on her soaps), and her sister Helen sits in wet hedges doing her private investigator work for Lucky Star PI, Anna tries to get better and keeps wondering why Aidan won't return her phone calls or e-mails.

Recuperating from her injuries, a mystified Anna returns to Manhattan. Slowly beginning to remember what happened, she sets off on a search to find Aidan -- a hilarious quest involving lilies (she can't stop smelling them), psychics, mediums, and anyone in the city who can promise her a reunion with her beloved. . . .

Written in her classic style, marrying the darker parts of life with humor and wit, Anybody Out There? is Marian Keyes's best novel to date, a wonderfully charming look at love here and ever after.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Good but Helen sub-plot must go.......2007-10-07

This book is engrossing (though not to the point where I couldn't put it down.) To reveal the plot would be a spoiler in itself, so I won't. Like her other books, this one seems too long. The story drags in the middle, and I was extremely frustrated with the Helen P.I. email-sub-plot! Why is this even a part of the book? It has nothing to do with the story and I started skipping the emails after the first few. This book doesn't need a sub-plot, especially a cliche-ridden Irish mafia sub-plot. Not Keyes's best work. 'Try City of Angels' instead.

5 out of 5 stars Her best yet!.......2007-09-10

I just finished devouring all 4 Walsh sister books, and this one has Marian Keyes at the top of her game. You can really see her grow as a writer from each book to the next. This particular one puts her as a master of tapping into the reader's emotions. You feel every ounce of Anna's pain - I think I cried the whole way through (I needed it).

This book has Marian on the threshold of breaking out of the chick-lit constraints. I recommend starting with Watermelon, on to Rachel's Holiday, then Angels, then Anybody Out There? - you'll get a better feel for the characters, and it makes this book a great read since you're already involved with the characters. Anna is introduced as a flighty teen in Watermelon, but we see her grow into a sweet, sensitive woman in Rachel's Holiday & Angels.

While this is her hardest hitting, it does still fit into the beach-read category. But get them all at once, you'll want to tear through each quick-read novel one after another.

5 out of 5 stars We're Running Out of Walsh Sisters!!.......2007-09-05

Only Helen's left now! I don't know what I'll do when Marian runs out of Walsh girls!!! Hoprfully she will lead them all on further adventures. This one was the saddest of the lot but just as wonderful to read Marian just keeps honing her craft and getting better and better. I want a sequel to find out when Anna gets her second happy ending!

5 out of 5 stars Keyes' Best Novel Yet.......2007-08-21

I just finished reading "Anybody Out There?" five minutes ago and had to get on-line and tell the world how much I enjoyed it. I have read all of Keyes' novels and I enjoy the Walsh sister sagas immensley. But this novel was different. I don't know if it was the subject matter, or how it was written, but the humor, emotional aspects, and narrative were all absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend it and hope others are able to love it as much as I do!

I'm ready for Helen.....

4 out of 5 stars The Walsh Sisters Return, Changed, But Lovable as Always........2007-08-21

Marian Keyes returns to the source of her best work, the Walsh sisters, in this novel. This is the story of Anna Walsh, the second youngest of the Walsh sisters. I've been reading Ms. Keyes' work for about 5 years now, and have laughed and cried with every one of the Walsh sisters. In my opinion, RACHEL'S HOLIDAY is Ms. Keyes' best work, with ANGELS following close behind.

Though Keyes returns to the Walsh sisters in this novel, this book somehow doesn't have the charm of her earlier work. We, her devoted readers, had been introduced to Anna Walsh in 3 earlier novels. She had long, untamed hair, an unfocused air about her, and wore long flowing skirts and smoked a lot of pot. She was a mellow hippie in a houseful of melodramatic sisters (and mother - let's not forget the always hilarious Mammy Walsh). I had always looked forward to reading about Anna's story, so I was thrilled when I saw ANYBODY OUT THERE? getting published.

And yet, Anna has lost her sweet, and sometimes foolish, innocence. Sure, that's all part of growing up, and I wouldn't want to see a character remain stagnant, but I had always been an Anna fan over the years, and I was disturbed to find her so changed in these pages. A marketing executing for cosmetics? Anna? Really? Where had the loopy Walsh sister gone? Rather than being allowed to see her transformation into the businesswoman she was by the time this book opens, the reader was simply forced to accept, very early on, that she'd "grown up" and out of her previous fashion mistakes.

Ah well. Despite my complaints that Ms. Keyes didn't stay true to the character of Anna in this book, this novel was otherwise filled with her usual skill. It was funny, and incredibly poignant. We got to see Anna Walsh in love, and I'll admit that I fell in love right alongside her. We saw more of Helen's and Mammy's outrageous exploits, and Keyes followed up on several story lines that she began years ago with WATERMELON, RACHEL'S HOLIDAY, and ANGELS. Despite my early discomfort at the change in Anna's character, I found myself swept up in the story, and finished the book in a couple days of just reading after work.

Definitely worth buying and I will continue to read Ms. Keyes' books as long as she continues to write them.
Is Anybody Out There? (Popular Christian Apologetics Collection)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Is Anybody Out There? (Popular Christian Apologetics Collection)
    John Blanchard
    Manufacturer: Evangelical Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    PhilosophyPhilosophy | Theology | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    ApologeticsApologetics | Theology | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    ASIN: 0852346166
    Is Anybody Out There: The New Blueprint for Marketing Communications in the 21st Century
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Is Anybody Out There: The New Blueprint for Marketing Communications in the 21st Century
      Mark Austin , and Jim Aitchison
      Manufacturer: Wiley
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
      AdvertisingAdvertising | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Sales & Selling | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Special Groups | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
      General & ReferenceGeneral & Reference | Chemistry | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
      Physical & TheoreticalPhysical & Theoretical | Chemistry | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Physical & Theoretical | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
      ASIN: 047082090X

      Book Description

      Delivers the inside track on how to make a difference in clients' businesses by managing the new communications paradigm.
      * Deals with the complex intra-relationships between the brand, the consumer and the media channels, providing a thorough grasp of the total media-buying scene in which media owners have to compete.
      * Arms businessmen with new brand building tools and demonstrates how to effectively apply them in a local, regional and global context.
      * Helps brand managers learn how to organize themselves and their advisors to achieve real competitive advantage.
      Anybody Out There
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Anybody Out There
        Marian Keyes
        Manufacturer: Penguin Books
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Mass Market Paperback
        ASIN: B000N9F0YY
        Anybody Out There.
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Anybody Out There.
          John Patrick
          Manufacturer: Dramatist's Play Service
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          EntertainmentEntertainment | Subjects | Books | Humor | Movies | Music | Performing Arts | Pop Culture | Puzzles & Games | Radio | Sheet Music & Scores | Television
          United StatesUnited States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
          United StatesUnited States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
          All 4-for-3 DealsAll 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
          ASIN: 0822200589
          Anybody Out There? (A Play)
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Anybody Out There? (A Play)
            John Patrick
            Manufacturer: S. French
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback
            ASIN: B000O2RXW2
            Anybody Out There?: A Novel
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              Anybody Out There?: A Novel
              Marian Keyes
              Manufacturer: William Morrow
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback
              ASIN: B000OEZRW8
              Hauntings Is There Anybody Out There
              Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
              • A FINE COLLECTION OF CREEPY HAUNTED HOUSE STORIES...
              Hauntings Is There Anybody Out There
              Lofts
              Manufacturer: Doubleday & Company
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Hardcover
              ASIN: B000JCKDAQ

              Customer Reviews:

              4 out of 5 stars A FINE COLLECTION OF CREEPY HAUNTED HOUSE STORIES..........2006-12-15

              Ms. Lofts is a best selling author of romantic suspense and well-written historical fiction. In a preamble to this book, Ms. Lofts declares that she is a devotee of ghost stories and houses. This book is her manifestation of that interest. Ms. Lofts expertly melds her two passions, creating a crisp collection of creepy short stories with a haunted house theme that will keep the reader turning the pages. Well-written and often chilling, they are certainly worth reading.
              Is Anybody Out There: Religions and Belief in God in the Contemporary World
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Is Anybody Out There: Religions and Belief in God in the Contemporary World
                John Bowker
                Manufacturer: Christian Classics
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

                GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                Comparative ReligionComparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                ASIN: 0870611542
                Is Anybody Out There?
                Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                • An excellent introduction to SETI and bioastronomy for all.
                Is Anybody Out There?
                Nigel Henbest , and Heather Couper
                Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

                Aeronautics & SpaceAeronautics & Space | Astronomy & Space | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
                AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy & Space | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
                AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
                MicrobiologyMicrobiology | Biology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Science & Technology | Teens | Subjects | Books
                AstronomyAstronomy | Science & Technology | Teens | Subjects | Books
                ASIN: 0789427982

                Customer Reviews:

                5 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to SETI and bioastronomy for all........1998-07-08

                For those who want an excellent relatively easy-level introduction to SETI and bioastronomy, or know someone who does, I highly recommend this book. Do not be "turned off" by the Young Adult reading level. This is a nicely presented and intelligent work that beautifully illustrates the major concepts.

                For example, there is a nice chart of the Kardashev levels of Galactic Civilizations, with Type I being a planet that can utilize all the resources of its world (humanity is only at Level 0.6); Type II can utilize the resources of its entire planetary system (i.e., Dyson Spheres); Type III can utilize the resources of an entire galaxy; and Type IV, which can utilize the resources of many galaxies. I would think the latter two might consider us as bugs or microbes in its incredible civilization and this may explain why we have not been contacted by such beings. Plus, with their seriously advanced technologies, we might also not be able to recognize their astroengineering projects.

                I think they cover all the bases nicely in a basic but smart way. They even discuss ideas on "radical" life forms, from the standard silicon creatures up to the new theory that our entire Universe acts like a living being in competition with other universes outside our own. Essentially, if a universe has black holes, it can then reproduce and make new universes. This idea naturally has a long way to go beyond the seriously theoretical stage, but it is only wise to look beyond the standard views of alien life that have been around for decades.

                Have Mercy on Us All: A Novel (Chief Inspector Adamsberg Mysteries)
                Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                • Very interesting historical mystery
                • 3 to 4
                • Have mercy by writing a better book next time.....
                • strong French police procedural thriller
                Have Mercy on Us All: A Novel (Chief Inspector Adamsberg Mysteries)
                Fred Vargas
                Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

                ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
                FrenchFrench | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
                Police ProceduralsPolice Procedurals | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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                5. Jar City: A Thriller (Reykjavik Thriller) Jar City: A Thriller (Reykjavik Thriller)

                ASIN: 0743284011

                Book Description

                In a small Parisian square, the ancient tradition of the town crier continues into modern times. The self-appointed crier, Joss Le Guern, reads out the daily news, snippets of gossip, and lately, ominous messages -- placed in his handmade wooden message box by an anonymous source -- that warn of an imminent onset of the bubonic plague.

                Concerned, Le Guern brings the puzzling notes to the bumbling but brilliant Chief Inspector Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg and his straight-edged, right-hand man, Adrien Danglard. When strange signs that were historically believed to ward off the black death start to appear on the doors of several buildings, Adamsberg takes notice and suspects a connection with Le Guern's warnings. After a flea-bitten corpse with plague-like symptoms is found in one of the marked buildings, Fred Vargas's inimitable genius chief inspector is under pressure to solve the mystery and restore calm to a panicked Paris. But is it a real case of the bubonic scourge, or just a sinister trick designed to frighten as the body count grows and the culprit continues to elude the police?

                Peopled with charming and eccentric Gallic characters, and packed with gripping historical detail, Have Mercy on Us All is a complex, surprising, and stylish tale from France's finest mystery writer.

                Customer Reviews:

                5 out of 5 stars Very interesting historical mystery.......2007-02-21

                Both my wife and I really enjoyed this book. Very interesting characters and a bit of a history lesson thrown in we highly recommend it for a change of pace.

                4 out of 5 stars 3 to 4.......2006-01-27

                A rumpled chief inspector who forgets people's names, relying on intuition, logic and luck to solve cases, a character that almost stretches believability too much. The first few chapters are not smooth, this book was written in French and translated into British. But once people start dying it moves right along, with an unconventional if not brilliant ending, a good read but not fantastic. Not as good as an Ian Rankin Inspector Rebus novel. It was entertaining to read but it did not leave me looking for more books by the same French author, a woman named Fred.

                2 out of 5 stars Have mercy by writing a better book next time............2006-01-26

                "Have Mercy..." is a so-so read. Very interesting background and history about plague, some different characters, a cute idea, i.e., a town crier, and some charming settings in urban, non-touristy Paris. But as a mystery, it fizzles. The ending is anti-climatic, too much plot detail is left until the very end, and some explanations, e.g. a three page letter from the mastermind, really stretch plausibility. I won't read more from from this author.

                5 out of 5 stars strong French police procedural thriller.......2005-10-25

                Over fourteen years ago, Joss Le Guern complained to the ship owner that the vessel he captained Nor'easter was unsafe. He was told he is to do his job or someone else will. The ship breaks apart; an angry Joss survives and breaks the leg of the owner. Joss is convicted of assault and battery and attempted murder; he spends nine months in prison and his sailing career is over.

                After spending the next seven years as a drunk, Joss becomes a Parisian town crier. For the past seven years, three times a day he collects messages from his box and calls out the news. However, the message he finds this time claims the Black Death is coming. He takes the note to Chief Inspector Adamsberg, who assumes a hoax is being played on the crier; that opinion changes when he and his subordinate Danglard notice "hex" signs used during the Middle Ages to ward off the disease appearing on doors and a corpse that displays the symptoms of the Plague. Adamsberg takes the threats seriously hoping to stop the Black Death from devastating Paris.

                HAVE MERCY ON US is a strong translation of a French police procedural thriller. Once Adamsberg realizes the biological terror is potentially real, the pace never slows down. Joss is a terrific character struggling as all whistleblowers seem to dio when they act courageously and challenge authority for behaving illegal or amoral, but in his case guilt leaves him a shadow of himself until now. Adamsberg and Danglard are terrific cops confronting a lethal unknown enemy with no time to spare. Fred Vargas writes a strong thriller that translates quite nicely into a one-sitting adrenalin read.

                Harriet Klausner

                The Gryphon's Skull (Hellenistic Seafaring Adventure)
                Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
                • A good book, better than the first
                • An Enjoyable Read that doesn't do Much
                • A bone to pick with The Gryphon's Skull
                • delightful ancient historical novel
                The Gryphon's Skull (Hellenistic Seafaring Adventure)
                H. N. Turteltaub
                Manufacturer: Tor Books
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Mass Market Paperback

                ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
                HistoricalHistorical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
                Sea AdventuresSea Adventures | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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                ASIN: 076534503X

                Book Description

                In the tradition of Steven Pressfield and Mary Renault, a seafaring novel of the ancient GreeksThe vast tapestry of the Hellenic world unfolds in this stirring tale of two traders from the island of Rhodes, who range across the wind-blown face of the beautiful and treacherous Mediterranean in search of adventure and profits.In Over the Wine-dark Sea, H. N. Turteltaub transported his readers to the year 310 B.C. and the lives of Menedemos and Sostratos, two sea traders of Rhodes. From the smell of papyrus and ink to the thrumming of sail in the wind and the grunt of the oarsmen, the details of life in a now-vanished world come alive again in his new novel, The Gryphon's Skull, an epic of grand adventure and finely realized characters. Sostratos, long and rangy, intellectual and curious, chases knowledge as ardently as his cousin chases women; Menedemos, nearly as perfect a physical specimen as Alexander himself, is the headstrong man of the sea, his eyes unable to resist the veiled beauties around him . . . including his young stepmother, Baukis, whose voice and form he struggles to ignore.Having profitably returned on the Aphrodite to Rhodes, the two cousins find that war threatens their once free-trading world. Alexander the Great's successors are warring for control of the eastern Mediterranean. The ruthless one-eyed general Antigonos, who draws on the strength of all Anatolia, and his rival Ptolemaios, who controls the endless wealth of Egypt, are each ruthlessly maneuvering for advantage . . . and the neutrality of Rhodes, so essential to commerce, may be coming to an end. Yet though war and rumors of war surround them, Sostratos and Menedemos need to turn a profit. It seems the height of folly to try one's luck so strenuously, but Sostratos has come into possession of what he is convinced is the skull of the mythical gryphon, the fabled beast with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. They sail to Athens, intending to sell it to a school of philosophy. And the Egyptian emeralds they've obtained on the cheap promise to make them an even tidier profit. But between the Aphrodite and Athens lie two war fleets, innumerable pirates, and enough danger and intrigue to satisfy even Homer. Unfortunately, it may be more than Sostratos and Menedemos can hope to survive.

                Customer Reviews:

                4 out of 5 stars A good book, better than the first.......2006-12-09

                I liked this book. This series is a refreshing change from a lot of historical/fantasy novels that seem to replay the same plot lines, the same heroes, the same tropes over and over again. The two main characters are extremely likeable and the setting is evocative enough for you to get a feel for the world they live in without your (my) own ignorance of the period being frustrating. That was my biggest gripe with the first book. It read so much like a history text book at times that I found myself skimming whole pages for the story parts.

                The author has done a much better job this time around, although he still needs to disguise his expositional dialogue a bit better. There were several times one cousin said something aloud that should have been common knowledge to the other, which meant he was really saying it for our (the reader's) benefit. The quotation marks could easily have been dropped, making it internal dialgue rather than external. But, all in all, I really like this series. We'll see about the next two books.

                Pete

                PS - As a side note to something another reviewer mentioned, the anachronistic dialogue fits fairly seamlessly. Sure, I doubt a Hellene ever said 'you've got a bargain, pal' using those words, but I'm quite sure they said the equivalent using their own. Accurately recreating period slang and informal speech would leave most people saying "huh?" Just look at Shakespeare, and that's written in English. The way HNT wrote it is a lot simpler for the casual reader. I know I don't want to have to stop and think about the meaning of every conversation. I just want to read the story.

                3 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Read that doesn't do Much.......2005-05-08

                I like Harry Turtledove's books (Turteltaub is a pen name), they are enjoyable to read. This one was as well but, unlike many of his novels, there does not seem to be much point to it. It is a simple narrative describing the exploits of a pair of cousins in the ancient Hellenic world. There is very little sense of excitement or accomplishment. Instead, it is a mildly pleasant meandering.

                Mendemos and Sostratos are cousins who work together in the trade in luxury goods. They come from Rhodes and sail the Mediterranean hoping to make a profit. In the course of their journey, they have a few mild adventures and run into some interesting people. That's about all that does happen.

                The title come from a fossil skull of a dinosaur procured by one the cousins. To both of them, it seems to suggest the mythical gryphon. The more philosophical of the two boys wants to take it to Athens to see what the scholars there make of it. The more adventurous one thinks that will be a waste of time (and investment capital) but agrees merely to keep peace within the family. The skull figures in the drives of the characters but has little other significance than to help demonstrate the differing outlooks each has.

                Menedemos is the captain of the vessel and is the more hot headed of the two. His twin motivations are profit and the seduction of other men's wives. Sostratos is the more contemplative one who is a thinker. He serves as the supercargo and is no less interested in profit but to him, this includes profit of the mind as well.

                The bothers wander around on their trading journey. Some things go better than hoped for, some go worse. Their exploits, however, do not seem to be the point. Instead, they are just the vehicle to introduce readers to a very different culure which did significantly influence our own. For me, this was interesting; others may find it less so.

                Turtledove is eminently qualified to write on these matters. He is a Greek scholar although I do believe his area of specialization is significantly later in history. It was Byzantine, if I remember correctly. I like his science fiction and alternate history books much more; I can hardly put those down. I have no regrets in reading this one though.

                Don't expect a rousing adventure. If you want a slice of Hellenistic culture from shortly after Alexander the Great, this might be a good choice.

                1 out of 5 stars A bone to pick with The Gryphon's Skull.......2004-12-17

                The last time I engaged in a negative review of a book written by an author still living...he wrote to me himself to encourage me to read on with the trilogy I had begun. Nevertheless, I am going to plow ahead and give a negative review to this book as well...

                Earlier in the fall of 2004, I wrote a review of H.N. Turteltaub's 'Over the Wine Dark Sea' which I *enjoyed* but didn't love....I criticized the over-use of the 'peafowl' as humerous interjection....and the repetition of solution to pirate attacks by the dual protagonists, Menedemos and Sostratos.

                Here....I have a few more bones to pick...

                First off....the horribly, horribly anachronisitic dialogue in this book had me rolling my eyes from about page 7....and while I was of course not alive in the 300 BC era, I doubt phrases like 'you've got a bargain, pal' were commonplace. True, the dialogue is accessible in THIS day and age, but back then? Come on....if you are going to write an historical novel...and fill it with period detail, like the author has...then why such modern coloquialisms? I expected the two main-character cousins to be calling each other 'dude' by the time the story ended, and advertising the emeralds they have for sale on this voyage as bling-bling.

                Secondly....while the author made good use of a myriad of facts about the sea trade and time period of Classical Greece...it is delivered in the same 'pedestrian' writing style that I loathe in modern literature...choppy, stinted dialogue, just to throw in a fact or two...that has nothing to do with story-propulsion, pacing, plot, etc...it's just to stick in a 'guess what I know?' piece....and to make a comparison to Mary Renault on the dust-jacket....I dare to say she spun in her grave when that was done. Mary Renault knew how to weave in her vast knowledge of Classical history to the story in such a way as it never appeared 'out of place' to the storyline. The author could take lessons from that ability if he intends to continue on with more than four books in this genre.

                I am not a Classical Scholar...I am an average person with a passing interest in Greek history and mythology...and a great love of historical novels dealing with the subject matter. But this...was less than enjoyable...it's much the same as the first novel in the series, where the bickering cousins leave the island of Rhodes for their annual merchant trade season, and along the way encounter the same types of foes, the same married women who appeal to Menedemos, and the same dialogues between the cousins and the crew, and those they encounter along the way. Its basically the same plot as the first book, but with the skull of the mythical gryphon substituted for the peafowl of book one...virtually everything else is the same here...

                I finished the book in the hopes that it would improve, and because I really hate to put a book down once I am involved in it....but I hesitate to say that I will investigate novels 3 and 4 in this series....I may as well save my money and just read the first one over and over again....

                5 out of 5 stars delightful ancient historical novel.......2003-02-08

                About three centuries BC, the merchants Menedemos and Sostratos sail the Aphrodite across the Aegean Sea from Rhodes to deliver cargo in Athens. Menedemos captains the vessel while his cousin Sostratos handles more of the scholarly side of the business. Of course the two bicker over everything with Sostratos being a back seat driver and Menedemos a pseudo intellect.

                On this particular journey, the argumentative duo obtains the skull of a strange looking bird that Sostratos believes is a gryphon, which proves the existence of the mythical beast. Menedemos dreams of receiving plenty of loot at an auction as he figures the philosophy schools will compete to buy the gryphon skull. As the relatives argue, fuss, and fight over the bird, they must also deal with the typical hazards of the open sea ranging from pirates to warring countries to spoiled aristocratic relatives, but mostly they contend with one another.

                THE GRYPHON'S SKULL is a delightful ancient historical novel that brings to life Greece through the eyes of a strong cast, especially the delightful lead characters. The story line is action-packed, filled with real tidbits and persona, but also contains much amusement especially when the cousins bicker, banter, and bother one another. Fans will relish this trek and want to read the combatant cousin's first novel, OVER THE WINE DARK SEA.

                Harriet Klausner
                The Gryphon's Skull
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  The Gryphon's Skull
                  H. N. Turteltaub
                  Manufacturer: Forge Books
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback
                  ASIN: B000OTSDDI

                  Food: Your Miracle Medicine
                  Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                  • Food: Your Miracle Medicine
                  • HANDY DO IT YOURSELF HEALING
                  • Food-Your Miracle Medicine.
                  • One of the best FOOD books out there
                  • Food Your Miracle Medicine
                  Food: Your Miracle Medicine
                  Jean Carper
                  Manufacturer: HarperTorch
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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                  ASIN: 0061013307

                  Amazon.com

                  Did you know that fish oil and collard greens block breast cancer? Brazil nuts can improve your mood? That contrary to popular belief, sugar actually mellows out most people? Carper's collection of culinary medicine is astounding. Based on research culled from prestigious scientific institutes around the world, Carper reports on what you ought and oughtn't to eat for ailments ranging from heart disease to cancer, strokes to depression and anxiety. It's pleasant to think of health as taking place in your kitchen instead of the doctor's office or hospital.

                  Book Description

                  Food -- Your Miracle Medicine is the breakthrough book on food and health for the nineties. This comprehensive guide, based on more than 10,000 scientific studies, reveals how you can use the extraordinary powers of food to prevent and alleviate such common maladies as headaches and hay fever, as well as to ward off major killers, including heart disease and cancer. Jean Carper, the bestselling author of The Food Pharmacy, has now translated the amazing new discoveries about the medical powers of food into practical advice and information that you can use every day to conquer disease, increase your mental energy, and live longer.

                  Customer Reviews:

                  5 out of 5 stars Food: Your Miracle Medicine.......2007-03-14

                  Jean Carper in her book, "Food: Your Miracle Medicine" is a must read for anyone for anyone interested in curing themself by natural means. By the addition of certain foods and diet changes, I have been able to ease migraine headaches, lower cholestol, eliminate heartburn, and improve digestion. 3 cheers for Jean Carper!

                  5 out of 5 stars HANDY DO IT YOURSELF HEALING .......2006-07-15

                  I enjoy New Age books that leave out the doctor. This one is
                  perfect because it's so sensible. You can look up any problem
                  you have and find out the foods to rectify same, constipation,
                  arthritis, etc. There's no reason people should be obese in
                  this day and age. One should not live to eat but eat to live,
                  and this book proves that perfectly since food is necessary to
                  keep the body and brain and spirit in good working order. That
                  can only happen when you know what to eat. Excellent!

                  2 out of 5 stars Food-Your Miracle Medicine........2006-07-09

                  Your body and you control what goes in your mouth. Your choice how you take care of it. Your great grandparents were pretty smart. Lived a long time and the doctor was never around nor was he needed.

                  5 out of 5 stars One of the best FOOD books out there.......2005-10-21


                  Food: Your miracle medicine is yet another small paperback that's extremely afforable and packed to the brim with information. Sometimes the best things come in small packages; thankfully Carper's effort is no different.

                  Broken up into systems, such as cardiovascular and digestive, she covers the most basic of complaints with reasonable food and dietary suggestions. This isn't another one of those common sense guides just published to make a book, however, for there was plenty in here I didn't know, and that most people don't. An added bonus is much of this is backed by the latest research, amazing findings, and also personal experience. She has many guest quotes of experts throughout the text. Beyond that, it's very easy to understand, perfect for the beginner, and even perfect for nutritionists who just enjoy the journey of learning.

                  It all wraps up with food connections you should know about, such as the relationship findings between lupus and fish, a listing of calorie burning foods that promote healthy metabolism, and foods that stiffle the urge to cut the smoking habit. We even get a section on using drugs in foods to stay healthy, such as natural antibiotic sources, antidepressant, carminatives, etc.

                  While it may not be the ultimate nutritionist guide out there, the amazing effort to cram this much useful knowledge into such a small book is extraordinary. I see from the cover it was a New York Times best seller, and rightfully so. Great work here, something everyone needs to know, no matter where your interests lie. Not unrealistic or glitzy and glamrous, each section is backed up with enthusiasm, facts, and further resources for doing your own research.

                  Yet another affordable, small paperback back offers a wealth of knowledge. Food, your miracle medicine covers a huge amount - from the cardio system to diabetes. Thankfully she covers even the most serious topic, while including the more minor ones. Backed up with much research, studies, and theories, the text is fascinating, makes sense, and I'm sure works.

                  2 out of 5 stars Food Your Miracle Medicine.......2005-10-03

                  This book tries to cover so many topics that it only provides snippets on each subject. The typical topic is two paragraphs long and is mostly anecdotal.
                  Food - Your Miracle Medicine
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    Food - Your Miracle Medicine

                    Manufacturer: Harper Collins
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Hardcover
                    ASIN: B000GX20CC
                    Food Your Miracle Medicine
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      Food Your Miracle Medicine
                      Jean Carper
                      Manufacturer: HARPERCOLLINS @ PUBLISHERS
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Hardcover
                      ASIN: B000UYR6PI
                      Food, Your Miracle Medicine : How Food Can Prevent and Cure over 100 Symptoms and Problems
                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                        Food, Your Miracle Medicine : How Food Can Prevent and Cure over 100 Symptoms and Problems
                        Jean Carper
                        Manufacturer: HarperCollins
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Paperback
                        ASIN: B000OE98MS
                        Food: Your Miracle Medicine
                        Average customer rating: Not rated
                          Food: Your Miracle Medicine
                          Jean Carper
                          Manufacturer: HarperTorch
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Paperback
                          ASIN: B000OEYYOU

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