The Fifth Elephant: A Novel of Discworld
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • As the novel wore on, its novelty wore off
  • Discworld
  • Captain Vimes goes into diplomacy
  • another enjoyable read
  • The Fifth Elephant
The Fifth Elephant: A Novel of Discworld
Terry Pratchett
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0061051578

Amazon.com

Terry Pratchett has a seemingly endless capacity for generating inventively comic novels about the Discworld and its inhabitants, but there is in the hearts of most of his admirers a particular place for those novels that feature the hard-bitten captain of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, Samuel Vimes. Sent as ambassador to the Northern principality of Uberwald where they mine gold, iron, and fat--but never silver--he is caught up in an uneasy truce between dwarfs, werewolves, and vampires in the theft of the Scone of Stone (a particularly important piece of dwarf bread) and in the old werewolf custom of giving humans a short start in the hunt and then cheating.

Pratchett is always at his best when the comedy is combined with a real sense of jeopardy that even favorite characters might be hurt if there was a good joke in it. As always, the most unlikely things crop up as the subjects of gags--Chekhov, grand opera, the Caine Mutiny--and as always there are remorselessly funny gags about the inevitability of story:

They say that the fifth elephant came screaming and trumpeting through the atmosphere of the young world all those years ago and landed hard enough to split continents and raise mountains.

No one actually saw it land, which raised the interesting philosophical question: when millions of tons of angry elephant come spinning through the sky, and there is no one to hear it, does it--philosophically speaking--make a noise?

As for the dwarfs, whose legend it is, and who mine a lot deeper than other people, they say that there is a grain of truth in it.

All this, the usual guest appearances, and Gaspode the Wonder Dog. --Roz Kaveney, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

Everyone knows that the world is flat, and supported on the backs of four elephants. But weren't there supposed to be five? Indeed there were, and what happened to the fifth elephant is only one of the many perplexing mysteries solved in this new novel by today's most celebrated fantasy humorist.

Terry Pratchett's profoundly irreverent Discworld novels have been number one bestsellers in England for more than a decade, securing him a position in the pantheon of satire and parody alongside Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen. Pratchett's fame, like his imagination, is now going global--if such a term can be used in connection with an author whose creation is so uncompromisingly (though no longer quite so unfashionably) flat.

Which brings us back to the missing mythical pachyderm. The Fifth Elephant begins, like so many of Pratchett's satirical inventions, with an invitation. This one is both royal and engraved, requiring that Commander Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork constabulary attend as both detective and diplomat. The one role he relishes; the other, well, requires ruby tights.

Where cops (even those clad in tights) go, crime of course, follows--and an attempted assassination and a theft soon lead to a desperate chase from the low halls of Discworld royalty to the legendary fat mines of Uberwald, where lard is found in underground seams along with tusks and teeth and other precious ivory artifacts.

Vimes's "elephant" adventure is as profound as it is hilarious, sending up every aspect of modern life from royalty (a British specialty) to bureaucrats (inescapable anywhere), from cops (especially those unusually dressed) to criminals (who, like fools, have their own guild), from fantasy literature to satire itself.

The world is busy discovering Terry Pratchett. Shouldn't you be doing your part?

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars As the novel wore on, its novelty wore off.......2007-09-02

Although I love the Discworld series as a whole, I'm noticing a pattern that the ones I like the least all have Sam Vimes as the central character. I have nothing against Vimes as a character per se, but I'm beginning to suspect that some sort of "Vimes curse" exists: if Pratchett's using him, the book's ultimately going to be a disappointment.

Such was the case with The Fifth Elephant. The book started off promising, but about a third to half way through it seemed to be losing steam. Ironically, the ending seemed to drag on about 20 pages longer than it should have. In between, we have a number of tantalizing ideas that are ultimately left as unexplored red herrings. (I'm reading the series out of order, so I don't know if Pratchett was laying groundwork for future books, or if he just lost interest in them while writing.)

Another big problem I had with this book is that it had a heavy helping of overly-contrived plot convenience. Pratchett's proven that he's creative enough that he could certainly have come up with something better than the Deus Ex Machina that shows up ***a couple of times*** here.

Last gripe: in the beginning, it seems that we are going to have 3 interconnected subplots, but as the story shifts more and more to the Vimes angle, 1 of them (the Carrot/Angua arc) ultimately just becomes an unsatisfying Deus Ex Machina to get Vimes out of trouble at a critical moment, and the other (the Captain Colon arc) ultimately becomes weak comic relief -- which Pratchett (wisely) all but forgets about anyway.

Despite this, Fifth Elephant had a few amusing moments, and helped flesh out the Discworld Milieu. If you're a completionist, by all means give it a go, but remember to keep your expectations reasonable. Pratchett certainly has done better.

5 out of 5 stars Discworld.......2006-08-27

I've decided he's too good and too prolific for me to write a brand new review every single time I read one of his books. Discworld currently has 34 titles and every one of them will probably knock your socks off. His mind bubbles and flashes like a boiling pot of electric eels, and I simply can't get enough of his writing.

A reviewer has compared him to Geoffrey Chaucer. He reminds me more of Douglas Adams, or perhaps S Morgenstern. Great company, isn't it? He's an extremely skillful and imaginative writer, damn funny, clever and observant to boot. He's also very easy to read. A master of characterization, and if there's anything else you like about reading that I didn't mention here, assume I simply forgot. He's awesome.

Another reviewer mentioned Jonathan Swift and PG Wodehouse. Why such hallowed company? Because Pratchett belongs there! Truly, I'm enjoying my quest to read every book in the series. You should do the same, and begin your quest at the library because he's got to be there. He's awesome!

Yet another reviewer said Jerome K Jerome meets Lord of the Rings. Yeah, that works too.

Why do we, as reviewers, compare authors to other authors? Because it's easier than thinking. In the case of Terry Pratchett, it's probably because we'd otherwise wind up quoting the guy. He's so unique that we just don't know how else to cope with his greatness. Even this paragraph sounds like foamy drool raving, doesn't it? That's how all readers react to Pratchett. Reviewers simply don't have the good sense to keep it to themselves.

I could call his writing fantasy, but I could likewise call what Douglas Adams wrote science fiction. In both cases, I wouldn't be wrong, but I'd be neglecting so much and just totally missing the point. A rare few authors transcend a genre to such a degree that you know they're shouting out, loud and proud, a big fat "Bite me!"

I love Terry Pratchett's writing, and I completely understand why some folks refer to him as their favorite author. Or favourite, I should say, since we're being British. He's one of those authors that makes you want to grab whoever's in hearing range and start reading passages aloud. I'm simply thrilled that there's such an extremely talented and prolific author who's been working for years without me being aware of him. Now I have much catching up to do, and I will love it.

5 out of 5 stars Captain Vimes goes into diplomacy.......2006-08-14

Once upon a time in the Multiverse there was indeed a Fifth Elephant floating around aimlessly. He could not help it, but he crashed violently screaming and kicking into the Discworld, at the same time splitting continents and raising mountains. An eternity later his remains are still buried deep in the planes of Uberwalt, the home of vampires, werewolves and most importanly dwarves. Dwarves who are not only mining diamonds and gold, but lately also elephant fat. It is exactly that valuable asset that brings Lord Vetinari, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, to the conclusion that keeping good diplomatic relations with Uberwalt is maybe not such a bad idea. On the other side, sending Captain Vimes on such a diplomatic mission might not belong to that same pool of bright ideas.

It is always a great joy to meet the old folks of the City Watch again for another crazy voyage. This time it is not different: it all starts with Sergeant Colon's experiences with the Discworld version of a speed camera, but soon the complete City Watch proves that silliness is their strongest weapon. This time not many new characters are introduced, but this only means that known characters, such as the Igors and that cute little doggie Gaspode, get more attention.

The attentive reader certainly will notice the undertone that links certain forces in Uberwalt to a Nazi regime. Indeed references to sub-humans and other Nazi slogans are generously spread throughout the story. In this respect The Fifth Elephant is unique -at least for the Discworld series- in the way that it portraits a strong political message against extreme nationalism. In the end it is not only a funny, but also an extremely smart book.

4 out of 5 stars another enjoyable read.......2006-04-21

Terry Pratchett's Fifth Elephant was yet another enjoyable and exciting read. I have not read many of Pratchett's books but so far I can't read much else! He draws you away from this world and into another, filled with werewolves, sexist dwarves and Igors gleefully trading body parts.

Commander Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork city Watch is reluctantly sent to the city of Uberwald to attend the coronation of the Low King. Then the Scone of Stone is stolen (without this there could be no King) and Vimes takes it upon himself to find the stone and the culprit.

Meanwhile Sergeant Angua (who is a Werewolf) sets off on her own journey to Uberwald to sort out her family problems with Carrot and Gaspode (a talking dog) following closely on her tail, leaving Ankh-Morporks Watch in complete dissaray.

This was a very funny and exhilarating book and I just can't wait to read more of the Discworld series but I did feel that too much was happening at once and on several occasions I was slightly confused. Maybe Pratchett should keep his characters to a smaller number in future.

4 out of 5 stars The Fifth Elephant.......2006-04-05

The Fifth Elephant is a City Watch novel of Discworld, where the newly proclaimed Duke of Ankh-Morpork, His Grace Commander Samuel Vimes, goes to Überwald as an ambassador, looking for fat deposits caused by the legendary crash of the Fifth Elephant into the regions of Überwald. However, problems in Ankh-Morpork arise, and Captain Carrot is left in charge of the watch. Mr. Sonky is found dead in his vat for making rubber thingys, and the replica of the Scone of Stone, the crowning seat of the dwarves made of the famous dwarf bread, has been stolen.Vimes leaves with Lady Sybil, Sergeant Detritus, Corporal Littlebottom, and a helpful "clerk", Inigo Skimmer. At Überwald, the actual Scone is stolen, and all the dwarves look shifty. There's also some werewolf trouble, and Sergeant Angua of the Watch comes along too. Captain Carrot follows, leaving Sergeant Fred Colon to lead the watch. Needless to say, with all that power, he goes around throwing his excessive weight around. The sugar lumps keep disappearing...

A great Night Watch book, the suspense is all right, but there are some surprises and such to keep any reader happy. A good book to be read, just not over and over again.
Fifth Elephant
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Thrown among the werewolves
Fifth Elephant
Terry Pratchett
Manufacturer: CORGI BOOKS (TWLD)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0060196459

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Thrown among the werewolves.......2006-04-10

Although I couldn't quite get my mind around the idea of a fat mine (created by the fiery crash of the fifth elephant that supported Discworld on top of A'Tuin, the Cosmic Turtle), this fantasy is nevertheless a savoury entry in the Sam Vimes/Night Watch series (in spite of all that fat).

Sam Vimes, Commander of Ankh-Morpork's Night Watch is 'asked' by the city's Patrician (with the approval of Sam's wife, Sybil) to represent the city at the coronation of Uberwald's new dwarf Low King.

The last thing Sam wants to do is dress up in ceremonial tights and gallop off to a country filled with werewolves and vampires, not to mention two sects of battling dwarfs. He's got the murder of a condom manufacturer to solve right in Ankh-Morpork, plus the theft of a replica of the holy Scone of Stone from the Dwarf Bread Museum.

However Lady Sybil thinks her husband needs a vacation, so off they go, tights and all, leaving Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson (a six-foot adopted dwarf) in charge of the Watch. Then Corporal Angua, the only werewolf on the Watch disappears and Captain Carrot resigns to go after her, taking only Gaspode, the talking dog with him.

Sergeant Colon is now acting-Captain of the Watch, much to the dismay of everyone, including himself.

While his beloved Night Watch slides swiftly into an abyss of incompetence in Ankh-Morpork, Sam discovers that being an ambassador is not all champagne and cucumber sandwiches. On his first day in Uberwald's capital city, he becomes both a murder suspect and a participant in the Game--a werewolf version of 'Fox and Hounds'---with himself as the unwilling fox.

The alpha female among the werewolves calls Sam a "nothing...a paper man. A man of straw. An insult." She will have to learn the hard way that she grossly underestimated the new ambassador.

If you'd like to read the Sam Vimes/Night Watch books in order of publication, they are: "Guards! Guards!" (1989); "Men at Arms" (1993); "Feet of Clay" (1996); "Jingo" (1997); "The Fifth Elephant" (2000); "Night Watch" (2002); and "Thud!" (2005).
Fifth Elephant: A Novel of Discworld 1st U.S. Edition Signed
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Fifth Elephant: A Novel of Discworld 1st U.S. Edition Signed
    Terry Pratchett
    Manufacturer: HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHERS
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover
    ASIN: B000WLXOP0
    Asian and African Elephant Conservation: Hearing before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifth Congress, ... of S. 1287 ... November 4, 1997 (S. hrg)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Asian and African Elephant Conservation: Hearing before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifth Congress, ... of S. 1287 ... November 4, 1997 (S. hrg)
      United States
      Manufacturer: For sale by the U.S. G.P.O., Supt. of Docs., Congressional Sales Office
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Unknown Binding
      ASIN: 0160570581
      The Fifth Elephant
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        The Fifth Elephant
        Terry Pratchett
        Manufacturer: Doubleday
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover
        ASIN: B000OI2OAW
        Fifth Elephant
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Fifth Elephant
          Terry Pratchett
          Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback
          ASIN: B000OES5DQ
          THE FIFTH ELEPHANT  by Pratchett, Terry
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            THE FIFTH ELEPHANT by Pratchett, Terry
            Terry Pratchett
            Manufacturer: CORGI BOOKS (TWLD)
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback
            ASIN: B000OA93Q8
            FIFTH ELEPHANT (DISCWORLD)
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              FIFTH ELEPHANT (DISCWORLD)
              TERRY PRATCHETT
              Manufacturer: Harpercollins
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback

              DiscworldDiscworld | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
              ASIN: B000J58B8Y
              The Fifth Elephant (Methuen Drama)
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                The Fifth Elephant (Methuen Drama)
                Terry Pratchett
                Manufacturer: NY
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback
                ASIN: B000MU2RWW
                Fifth Elephant, The (Discworld Novel)
                Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                • Ambassador Sam Vimes
                Fifth Elephant, The (Discworld Novel)
                Terry Pratchett
                Manufacturer: Corgi
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

                ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
                DiscworldDiscworld | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
                Science FictionScience Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books | Adventure | Alternate History | Anthologies | General | Graphic Novels | High Tech | History & Criticism | Series | Short Stories | Space Opera
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                PaperbackPaperback | Pratchett, Terry | ( P ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
                ASIN: 0552154229
                Release Date: 2006-11-28

                Book Description

                Sam Vimes is a man on the run. Yesterday he was a duke, a chief of police and the ambassador to the mysterious, fat-rich country of Uberwald. Now he has nothing but his native wit and the gloomy trousers of Uncle Vanya (don’t ask). It’s snowing. It’s freezing. And there are monsters on his trail . . .

                Customer Reviews:

                5 out of 5 stars Ambassador Sam Vimes.......2007-02-05

                Although I couldn't quite get my mind around the idea of a fat mine (created by the fiery crash of the fifth elephant that supported Discworld on top of A'Tuin, the Cosmic Turtle), this fantasy is nevertheless a savoury entry in the Sam Vimes/Night Watch series (in spite of all that fat).

                Sam Vimes, Commander of Ankh-Morpork's Night Watch is 'asked' by the city's Patrician (with the approval of Sam's wife, Sybil) to represent the city at the coronation of Uberwald's new dwarf Low King.

                The last thing Sam wants to do is dress up in ceremonial tights and gallop off to a country filled with werewolves and vampires, not to mention two sects of battling dwarfs. He's got the murder of a condom manufacturer to solve right in Ankh-Morpork, plus the theft of a replica of the holy Scone of Stone from the Dwarf Bread Museum.

                However Lady Sybil thinks her husband needs a vacation, so off they go, tights and all, leaving Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson (a six-foot adopted dwarf) in charge of the Watch. Then Corporal Angua, the only werewolf on the Watch disappears and Captain Carrot resigns to go after her, taking only Gaspode, the talking dog with him.

                Sergeant Colon is now acting-Captain of the Watch, much to the dismay of everyone, including himself.

                While his beloved Night Watch slides swiftly into an abyss of incompetence in Ankh-Morpork, Sam discovers that being an ambassador is not all champagne and cucumber sandwiches. On his first day in Uberwald's capital city, he becomes both a murder suspect and a participant in the Game--a werewolf version of 'Fox and Hounds'---with himself as the unwilling fox.

                The alpha female among the werewolves calls Sam a "nothing...a paper man. A man of straw. An insult." She will have to learn the hard way that she grossly underestimated the new ambassador.

                If you'd like to read the Sam Vimes/Night Watch books in order of publication, they are: "Guards! Guards!" (1989); "Men at Arms" (1993); "Feet of Clay" (1996); "Jingo" (1997); "The Fifth Elephant" (2000); "Night Watch" (2002); and "Thud!" (2005).

                Happy Are the Merciful (A Blackie Ryan Mystery)
                Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                • Insightful good reading
                • Happy are the Merciful
                • Dependable author
                • Hang in there!
                Happy Are the Merciful (A Blackie Ryan Mystery)
                Andrew M. Greeley
                Manufacturer: Jove
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

                ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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                Greeley, AndrewGreeley, Andrew | ( G ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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                Customer Reviews:

                5 out of 5 stars Insightful good reading.......2007-06-08

                Like the many other Andrew M. Greeley books, the focus is on the qualities and interaction of a few people. The mystery element is deftly handled. Father Greeley's unique perspective gives this subseries from the Sermon on the Mount a special flavor which makes the reader think.

                5 out of 5 stars Happy are the Merciful.......2007-01-05

                ISBN 0515107263 - I'm probably prejudiced. Greeley - and Father Blackie - live in MY Chicago. There really are two; the one that you'll find in books by people who've never been here and the one that those who've lived here know. The difference is evident in little things, like the way Greeley refers to a Chicago neighborhood by it's current and former names while other authors do well to figure out where North, South and West Chicago begin and end.

                Terry Scanlan comes to Father Blackie for help - Terry's managed to get a conviction in a high profile murder case and he's not happy about it. The adopted daughter of the wealthy Turners has been sentenced to die for killing the people who had taken her in as a young child. At first, she'd seemed guilty to him, and she had a sizeable fortune as a motive. Still, the more time passed, the less guilty she seemed. Of course, falling in love with the accused didn't make it easier for Terry. Bishop Ryan loves a good locked-room mystery and can't resist "poking around". With a little supernatural guidance, the help of the North Wabash Avenue Irregulars and his own detective skills, Blackie Ryan has everything he needs - except time. Seems the person who set this whole thing in motion would like to put a very final end to it, and Blackie, before he can figure it out!

                I love Father Blackie's books, and not only because of the Chicago connection. I like the happy and intelligent Ryan clan as a whole and have to laugh a little at all the swearing going on around, and by, the Most Reverend John Blackwood Ryan. The book does date itself a little, with a car phone (as opposed to cell phones) and the Compaq 386/20, but those are little and unimportant details. For a good mystery that won't melt your brain trying to keep you guessing, Greeley's always good.

                4 out of 5 stars Dependable author.......2003-10-09

                Andrew Greeley can always be counted on for an entertaining "whodunit"? In this installment of the Blackie Ryan series, Father Ryan is asked to help an idealistic young prosecuting attorney, Terry Scanlan, in the case of Clare Turner. Scanlan was instrumental in getting a conviction against Turner, but in the meantime he has fallen in love with her and is convinced of her innocence. Claire's parents were brutally murdered and she was the only one with motive (a huge inheritance) and opportunity (she was in the house with them at the time of the murder.) Terry asks Father Ryan to use his contacts, influence, and sleuthing skills to help find the real killer and the Bishop is happy to oblige. Greeley fans old and new will enjoy this book.

                4 out of 5 stars Hang in there!.......2003-02-17

                I am a huge Blackie Ryan fan, and have read just about every book in the series. My advice to readers of _Happy are the Merciful_ is to hang in there through the first half of the novel. It is not told from Blackie's point of view, but from that of an idealistic young district attorney. I actually gave up on this book about halfway into the D.A.'s narrative, because, though well-written, it just wasn't giving me the "Blackie fix" I crave in one of Greeley's novels. It turns out that the information provided in the D.A.'s narrative is information vital for the reader to fully comprehend the case once Blackie steps in. Without it, the story would just not work. Once you reach the portion of the novel where the narrative switches over to Fr. Blackie, you will NOT be disappointed! I am so glad I went back to this book, and would encourage Blackie fans to keep the faith.
                Happy Are the Merciful
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  Happy Are the Merciful

                  Manufacturer: Jove
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Hardcover
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                  HAPPY ARE THE MERCIFUL a Blackie Ryan Mystery
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                    HAPPY ARE THE MERCIFUL a Blackie Ryan Mystery
                    ANDREW M. GREELEY
                    Manufacturer: Jove Books
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Hardcover
                    ASIN: B000J501ZA
                    Happy Are the Merciful: A Blackie Ryan Mystery
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      Happy Are the Merciful: A Blackie Ryan Mystery
                      Andrew M. Greeley
                      Manufacturer: Jove Books
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Hardcover
                      ASIN: B000O7X1DM
                      4 Titles By Andrew Greeley Father Blackie Ryan Mysteries : Happy Are the Merciful - Happy Are the Peace Makers - Happy Are Those Who Mourn - The Bishop At Sea
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                        4 Titles By Andrew Greeley Father Blackie Ryan Mysteries : Happy Are the Merciful - Happy Are the Peace Makers - Happy Are Those Who Mourn - The Bishop At Sea
                        Andrew M. Greeley
                        Manufacturer: various
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Mass Market Paperback

                        GeneralGeneral | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
                        Greeley, AndrewGreeley, Andrew | ( G ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
                        ASIN: B000V8SWL0

                        Product Description

                        multiple books ship as one item. save on shipping/handling charges.
                        Set 4 Father Blackie Ryan Series : Happy Are the Meek Happy Are the Clean of Heart Happy Are Those Who Thirst for Justice Happy Are the Merciful
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                          Set 4 Father Blackie Ryan Series : Happy Are the Meek Happy Are the Clean of Heart Happy Are Those Who Thirst for Justice Happy Are the Merciful
                          Andrew M. Greeley
                          Manufacturer: Warner Jove
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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                          Set 4 Father Blackie Ryan Series : Happy Are the Meek Happy Are the Clean of Heart Happy Are Those Who Thirst for Justice Happy Are the Merciful

                          Dreamspells: Victorian Spells to Reveal the Magical Wisdom of Dreams
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                            Manufacturer: Running Pr
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                            50 Signs of Mental Illness: A Guide to Understanding Mental Health (Yale University Press Health & Wellness)
                            Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                            • Great for the layman
                            • A tremendously helpful book
                            • Review of 50 signs of mental illness
                            • 50 signs of mental illness review:
                            • Excellent, comprehensive reference
                            50 Signs of Mental Illness: A Guide to Understanding Mental Health (Yale University Press Health & Wellness)
                            James Whitney Hicks
                            Manufacturer: Yale University Press
                            ProductGroup: Book
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                            GeneralGeneral | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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                            ASIN: 0300106572

                            Book Description

                            This compelling book introduces a wide range of psychiatric symptoms and their treatments. Written for anyone concerned about his or her own mental health or about symptoms observed in family members or close friends, the book is packed with useful and reassuring information. It is both easy to read and difficult to put down.
                            The volume presents fifty signs that may—or may not—signal mental illness. Arranged alphabetically, the signs include everything from anger to sexual preoccupations, from cravings to obsessions. Dr. James W. Hicks, a highly regarded psychiatrist with extensive clinical experience, begins each topic with a vignette to illustrate the symptom. He explains how a specific sign can be caused by several different illnesses and may even be a normal response to stress. And he outlines available treatments as well as strategies for coping with each symptom.
                            Nearly one in three individuals experiences psychiatric symptoms each year. This book clarifies the significance of such signs and guides its readers toward appropriate treatment choices. It is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking a more informed perspective on mental illness.

                            Customer Reviews:

                            4 out of 5 stars Great for the layman.......2006-01-08

                            I flipped through this book extensively at the bookstore, as I am in the process of getting a full diagnosis of my own mental "disorders". This book is an excellent reference tool for either a patient or family/friend of the newly diagnosed. As a layman, I did not find it condescending at all (and I'm easily offended!). It basically covers many (50) of the terms you regularly hear in the "psyciatric world" such as 'compulsions', 'paranoia', etc. It's laid out in alphabetical order, and each definition is several pages long, including examples of what a person with that "sign" might experience.

                            This book does NOT go into specific disorders or labels, such as bipolar disorder, paranoid personality disorder, etc, other than perhaps mentioning which disorders each sign is most commonly associated with (example: the part on 'delusions' might mention schizophrenia). It also does not cover much for treatment, but new treatments come out so quickly that even the newest publication will be out of date by the time it hits the shelves.

                            This book is probably too simple for anyone who has been walking down the psyciatric road for a while. Even a new layman will quickly want to move on to a more extensive book after seeing this, and possibly just use this as a reminder reference to keep from confusing different "signs".

                            Another draw back to actually purchasing this is you can easily find all the same information on the internet.

                            5 out of 5 stars A tremendously helpful book.......2005-08-03

                            If you are interested in this book, be sure to skip down to all of the reviews. Don't be put off by the two simultaneously posted negative reviews.

                            If you want more information, go to www.fiftysigns.com where you will find the complete introduction to the book, excerpts from each of the 50 chapters, reviews from The Washington Post, Library Journal and The Baltimore Sun, and a helpful page of mental health links.

                            The following is from the author's newsletter on his web site: "Nearly everyone has experienced depression, anxiety, stress, trouble sleeping and other symptoms of mental illness. But almost everyone thinks of these as personal failings or existential problems rather than as health issues with potential treatments... But effective treatments exist, and you can feel much better after a simple trip to a doctor or counselor. We should be able to recognize the signs of mental stress in our lives in the same way that we monitor our blood pressure and cholesterol."

                            1 out of 5 stars Review of 50 signs of mental illness.......2005-07-02

                            I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AT ALL. IT IS ONE OF THE WORST BOOKS (IF NOT THE WORST BOOK) ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS I HAVE READ. HE SHOULD JUST STICK WITH TRYING TO TREAT THE MENTALLY ILL AND NOT WRITE ABOUT THEM. YALE UNIVERSITY SHOULD BE EMBARASSED FOR GIVING HICKS HIS "MEDICAL DEGREE".

                            1 out of 5 stars 50 signs of mental illness review:.......2005-07-02

                            As a fellow psychiatrist, I found this book to be an embarassment to the field of psychiatry. Hicks writes this book as if he is writing to the mentally retarded who do not have a clue about anything. Although people who suffer from mental illness and their family and friends may not understand the medical terminology used by psychiatrists/physicians when talking about psychiatric illnesses, I found this book to be extremely condescending to the point of being ridiculous. His narcissistic manner of writing this book is offensive. I found this book to be disappointing and I would not recommend this book to anyone as it is clearly a waste of money as well a waste of time to read.

                            5 out of 5 stars Excellent, comprehensive reference.......2005-06-05

                            As an internist I have frequently been approached by patients, family and friends for advice in assessing mental health symproms in a loved one. This is the ready reference I wish I had had available at those times times when I struggled to provide useful information without resorting to professional jargon or simplistic explanations. Dr. Hicks dissects the complex symptoms of mental illness as described in medical texts, placing them within the context of the familiar everyday experience without losing their clinical significance. The writing is clear and succint; the non-intimidating style makes the information readily accessible to the reader.
                            50 Signs of Mental Illness: A Guide to Understanding Mental Health (Yale University Press Health and Wellness Sereis)
                            Average customer rating: Not rated
                              50 Signs of Mental Illness: A Guide to Understanding Mental Health (Yale University Press Health and Wellness Sereis)
                              James Whitney Hicks
                              Manufacturer: Yale University Press
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Hardcover
                              ASIN: B000MHTS9K

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