This Year It Will Be Different

Book Description

From the New York Times bestselling author of Circle of Friends, The Glass Lake, and Evening Class comes a stunning collection of fifteen Christmas stories filled with Maeve Binchy's trademark wit, charm, and sheer storytelling genius. In "A Typical Irish Christmas," a grieving widower heads for a holiday in Ireland and finds an unexpected destination not just for himself, but for a father and daughter in crisis. . . . In "Pulling Together," a teacher not yet out of her twenties sees her affair with a married man at a turning point as Christmas Eve approaches. . . . And in the title story, "This Year It Will Be Different," a woman with a complacent husband and grown children enters a season that will forever alter her life, and theirs. . .

These stories, and a dozen more, powerfully evoke many lives--from step-families grappling with exes to children caught in grown-up tugs-of-war--during the one holiday when feelings cannot be easily hidden. The time of year may be magical, imbued with meaning. But the situations are timeless. And Maeve Binchy makes us care about them all.

Customer Reviews:

Pleasant Summer Read.......2007-07-28

What could be better in the heat and humidity of summer than to read a refreshing book of Christmas tales? Each story was just enough to stand on its own, while entertaining. Surely it made one think that the holidays are less than six months away. Better get started on lists.

this Year it will be Different.......2007-03-12

Maive Binchy is a truly outstanding author. Great read. Received in great conditon.

This Year It Will Be Different.......2006-11-02

This book of short stories was okay. The stories were short (thankfully) but not that memorable . Nothing that touched at the heartstrings. It is not one I will pass on.

A mix of nice and not-so-nice.......2005-12-12

This book had some stories in it that were a tad uplifting, but there were too many other stories with cheating husbands. That was a bummer; I was hoping the whole book would be full of feel-good Christmas tales, not feel-depressed. Anyway, my favorite was the first story, "The First Step of Christmas." I just prefer the happy endings!

Predictable.......2005-02-16

What I am at a loss to explain is why I finished it. Ever hopeful, I guess. These are the basic formulaic Binchy-craft, and just how many women can keep justifying their existence as the mistresses of married men, and why are the men so shallow, and why does it always take a handsome single stranger to lure poor, misunderstood mistress back to righteousness?

5 Titles By Binchy - Evening Class - Tara Road - Echoes - Circle of Friends - This Year It Will Be Different

Average customer rating:

5 Titles By Binchy - Evening Class - Tara Road - Echoes - Circle of Friends - This Year It Will Be Different
Maeve Binchy
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Product Description

5 massmarket paperback Titles By Binchy - Evening Class - Tara Road - Echoes - Circle of Friends - This Year It Will Be Different

A Christmas Treasury: This Year It Will Be Different And Other Stories

Average customer rating:

A Christmas Treasury: This Year It Will Be Different And Other Stories
Binchy
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1568652356

Average customer rating:

This Year It Will Be Different
Maeve Binchy
Manufacturer: Wheeler Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literature & Fiction | Large Print | Formats | Books

Poetry & Short Stories | Large Print | Formats | Books
ASIN: 156895381X

Average customer rating:

This Year It Will Be Different
Maeve Binchy
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

From the New York Times bestselling author of Circle of Friends and The Glass Lake comes This Year It Will Be Different, a stunning new work that brings us the magic and spirit of Christmas in fifteen stories filled with Maeve Binchy's trademark wit, charm, and sheer storytelling genius. Instead of nostalgia, Binchy evokes contemporary life; instead of Christmas homilies, she offers truth; and instead of sugarplums, she brings us the nourishment of holidays that precipitate change, growth, and new beginnings.

In "A Typical Irish Christmas," a grieving New York widower heads for a holiday in Ireland and finds an unexpected destination not just for himself, but for a father and daughter at odds. The title story "This Year It Will Be Different" also delves into the emotions of a person at mid-life--a woman with a complacent husband and grown children who are entering a season that can forever alter her life, and theirs. In "Pulling Together," a teacher not yet out of her twenties sees her affair with a married man at a turning point as Christmas Eve approaches--and she may be off on a new direction with some unusual friends. And in the delightful tale "The Hard Core," the four most recalcitrant residents of a nursing home are left alone at Christmas with the owner's daughter in charge: the result is sure to be disaster--or the kind of life-affirming renewal that only the spirit of the season can bring.

The stories in This Year It Will Be Different powerfully evoke many lives--step-families grappling with ex's, long-married couples faced with in-law problems, a wandering husband choosing between "the other woman" and his wife, a child caught in grown-up tugs-of-war--during the one holiday when feelings cannot be easily hidden. The time of year may be magical, imbued with meaning. But the situations are universal. And Maeve Binchy makes us care about them all. As the Philadelphia Inquirer noted, "Maeve Binchy's people come to life fully. They make you laugh and cry and disturb your sleep." They do precisely that in this extraordinary collection, on the night before Christmas when we are snug in our beds, or anywhere, any time of the year.

From the Hardcover edition.

Average customer rating:

This Year It Will Be Different
Maeve Binchy
Manufacturer: Orion (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd )
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

`Stories about ordinary people going about ordinary lives will always be fascinating when told by a writer blessed with extraordinary talent, insight, and compassion.'

This Year It Will Be Different, is a stunning new work that brings us the magic and spirit of Christmas in fifteen stories filled with Maeve Binchy's trademark wit, charm, and sheer storytelling genius. Instead of nostalgia, Binchy evokes contemporary life; instead of Christmas homilies, she offers truth; and instead of sugarplums, she brings us the nourishment of holidays that precipitate change, growth, and new beginnings.

The stories in This Year It Will Be Different powerfully evoke many lives during the one holiday of the year when feelings cannot be easily hidden: step-families grappling with exes; long-married couples faced with in-law problems; a wandering husband choosing between `the other woman' and his wife; a child caught in the grown-up tug-of-war. The time of year may be magical, imbued with personal meaning, but the situations are universal, and Maeve Binchy makes us care about them all.

Average customer rating:
This Year It Will Be Different
Maeve Binchy
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Binchy, Maeve | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1864485485

Average customer rating:
This Year it Will be Different
Maeve Binchy
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Binchy, Maeve | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000P1TFFK

Average customer rating:
This Year it Will Be Different and Other Stories: Unabridged(A Christmas Treasury)
Performance by Fionnula Flanagan Maeve Binchy
Manufacturer: Bantam Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

Binchy, Maeve | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Binchy, Maeve | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: B000Q7YC10

Average customer rating:
This Year It Will Be Different, and Other Stories: A Christmas Treasury.
Maeve. Binchy
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press c
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Binchy, Maeve | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000KIT4OK

Book Description

Honorable Mention for The Historical Romance Club's Favorite Historical Romance of the Year for 2003!

Customer Reviews:

DEVIL IN A KILT- Fabulous read!.......2007-08-17

Devil in a Kilt

Sue Ellen Welfonder has hit the jackpot with her book, DEVIL IN A KILT. I was riveted by the story from page one and couldn't put it down until the very end. Yes, its true, I read it in one sitting. Ms. Welfonder has a vast knowledge of what Scotland was, and it shows in her work. I could almost smell the fresh herbs as they were strewn into the rushes.

Linnet MacDonnell is proud, strong and sometimes a bit cunning. Duncan Macenzie is a mysterious, sometimes ill-mannered warrior who has agreed to marry Linnet because of her gift of "sight." The last thing Duncan wants is a beautiful wife, but he knows the moment he lays eyes upon her that he`s been duped. Not only is she comely, but she's good with a dirk. Everything he hoped to avoid.

The very second Linnet lays eyes upon his handsome face- she sees the familiarity- he's the man in her childhood visions- the man with no heart. Scared, but too proud to admit it, Linnet vows to make the best of her situation and form a bond with her new husband. And from the moment she steps foot into the Black Stag's abode, she knows the answer in which he's been seeking. Is the boy born of his late wife, his or someone elses? Linnet knows the truth but refuses to tell him hoping that he will learn to love the boy no matter what blood runs through his veins.

Duncan thinks he's made a huge mistake when he finds himself attracted to the wife he never wished to care for. He pushes his feelings aside trying to convince himself that he cares for Linnet but only because she is a wonderful mother to Robbie. That's what he wanted, right? Nothing more, nothing less. But he can't seem to keep his eyes off her, and he's even a bit amused with the way she defies him at every turn.

Linnet learns there is more to her husband than his gruff exterior, he's a man whose heart has been broken- a heart she intends to heal. But then she sees him near the woods one day, his demeanor totally different, friendly, happy to see her. Her heart soars because she thinks she's finally broken through his protective barriers. But its not him- its his evil half brother Kenneth.

Kenneth hates Duncan and taunts him by saying he's Robbie's true father. He intends to get to Duncan by taking what means most to him- Linnet and Robbie. Can Duncan save them from his brothers evil clutches? Will Linnet tell him the truth about Robbie's parentage? And will she be able to break down Duncan's barriers to forge a never ending love?

You'll have to read to see!

This was such and easy read I enjoyed every minute of it. There were times when I laughed out loud and cheered Linnets boldness, and then there were the times when I wanted to smack Duncan upside the head! I laughed, I cried and on more than one occasion I had to snuggle up in a blanket to stop the chills from the goose bumps running up and down my spine. I couldn't have put this book down even if I had wanted too. It was as if it was glued to my fingers! I highly recommend this book to anyone with a passion for Historical Romances, especially if you are partial to Highland warriors!

Congratulations Sue Ellen Welfonder for giving me such a wonderful story to read!

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars- *****

I look forward to reading more of Sue Ellen's works!

Gotta Love It!.......2007-04-15

I read a lot, mostly nonfiction, but a year or so ago, I began reading Romance novels as a way to kick back and take my mind off the three-inch thick tomes that are a mandatory read for me. I bought this book based upon Amazon reviews and I definitely am not disappointed. As another reviewer commented, it's easy to get into - I read it nonstop one rainy afternoon. The two main characters, Duncan and Linnet, as well as the most significant supporting characters, are well-written and actually fairly complex people. Duncan and Linnet are intelligent, stubborn, passionate, and protective of those they love and their clansmen. Their relationship, from forced marriage to true love, develops at a more realistic pace than most. The book has moments of warmth, humor and heartbreak. I would say the only negative is the stereotypical nature of the villain, Kenneth. However even in that case there were scenes, such as Linnet's first encounter with him, that were quite suspenseful. I highly recommend this book for a long plane flight or to brighten up a dreary afternoon.

Some light romance.......2006-12-26

A nice romance book for cold winter nights! Nothing to heavy, but I enjoyed it.

A Great Book to read in a day!.......2005-11-22

This is the first novel I read by Welfonder. Duncan and Linnet are a great couple whose romantic tale is made even more interesting by the scheming machinations of a supporting cast which includes Sir Marmaduke Strongbow, a horribly scarred warrior with a beautiful heart. The most beautiful part of the story comes when Duncan realizes that he loves his son, Robbie, even without knowing if he is truly his father. The fact that Linnet brings all of this about is told in a charming, romantic way without lending itself to syrupy prose or overt lewdness. This is a great book that I highly recommend.

Welfonder's series, 4.5.......2005-06-30

I really enjoyed getting lost in all of Welfonder's stories in this series. Her characters are Dynamic and will definitely stay with you. Different plots drive all of the stories and there were some extremely memorable scenes. I can't wait till her next one.

A couple of things were annoying though. For one thing, these hero's thoughts don't stray far from their "Phallus." Which did make for frequent sexual situations, thus one of the reasons we all love the genre, so I'm not so sure I'm complaining. And secondly, I started to "skim" parts of the book (which I NEVER do). It's just that I found myself frequently at points where, for instance, the heroine will say something and then it's 12 paragraphs of anything the hero could possibly be thinking or feeling till he responds to her. Or five paragraphs in the middle of the conversation to describe how the shutters are rattling against the windows! And unfortunately, I'm not exaggerating.

Having said that, I will still buy and devour anything and everything by this author. And would definitely recommend this series to be enjoyed mostly if read in order. Her first book is 1) Devil in a Kilt, then read 2) Bride of the Beast, then 3) Only for a Knight. And The MacLean Trilogy order is: 1) Knight in My Bed, 2) Master of the Highlands, and then 3) Wedding for a Knight.

So you know where my tastes lie: For the absolute best in Highland romance I would recommend Julie Garwood's "The Bride," "The Wedding," "The Secret," "Ransom," and "Saving Grace." Karen Marie Moning, and Marsha Canham. For Medieval: Garwood's "The Prize," "Honor's Splendor," & "Gentle Warrior." Also Amanda Quick's "Mystique," "Desire," & anything by Kinley Macgregor a.k.a. Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Average customer rating:

DEVIL IN A KILT
SUE-ELLEN WELFONDER
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M9O622

Average customer rating:

Foop! Indeed

Loved it!

Verbose and simplistic

Amusing - but no Chistopher Moore

Christopher Moore but Not

Foop!
Chris Genoa
Manufacturer: Eraserhead Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse (Gollancz)

A Dirty Job: A Novel

Just a Couple of Days

Falling Sideways

You Suck: A Love Story

ASIN: 0972959890

Book Description

There are strange happenings going on at Dactyl, Inc, the world's first and only time travel tourism company. So strange that Joe is promoted to the new position of Chief of Probes. His first probe: find out who's been traveling back in time and torturing his boss in rather disturbing ways.

Joe quickly finds himself catapulted from his dull life into a surreal journey where a blind hog-tying monkey is one of the sanest creatures he meets. Traveling through a past where the only thing that changes the present is death, while dealing with the fabric of space-time slowly unraveling, Joe stumbles into the middle of events that threaten both the Earth's future and past.

Customer Reviews:

Foop! Indeed.......2007-07-21

Foop! is Chris Genoa's first novel and it comes from a small publisher, Eraserhead Press. Nevertheless, Genoa is going to be a major success, and I'll tell you how I know: People like to laugh, and Chris Genoa is hilarious.

Foop! is a bizarre romp through time, chock-full of laugh-out-loud moments, effectively blending black comedy with slapstick. Like all the best humorists, Genoa delivers comedy in ways that resonate on a deeper level than mere punch lines.

The book begins with our first-person protagonist Joe (no last name) leading a time traveling tour group to watch the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln's homely appearance puts Joe in mind of an ape, in turn leading him to think of Koko, the gorilla:

Koko was the first of many gorillas taught a type of sign language while in captivity. Towards the end of her life, when her own personal zoo ran out of funding, she was released back into what was left of her natural habitat. There she tried to use sign language to chat with the wild apes.
I used to have nightmares that I was Koko, returning home to my family, trying to tell my daddy, using the elaborate hand gestures taught to me since I was a baby, how much I loved him and in return only getting back blank stares, confused offerings of bananas, and finally hot fresh feces hurled at me.

That is funny stuff, but also a terrific way to introduce Joe's persistent feelings of loneliness, even when surrounded by other people, as he typically is in his overpopulated future world. Joe is the kind of guy who can work in the same office for years without ever learning that there is a cafeteria on the eighth floor where everyone else eats lunch.

In this opening scene, one of the tourists in Joe's group decides to play hero and knock John Wilkes Booth out of commission. Mr. Burk, Joe's boss and the inventor of time travel via wormhole (incidentally, "Foop!" is the sound you hear when you step through a wormhole), insists that Joe take care of Booth's deed instead. Yet we soon learn that it is not necessary for Lincoln to be shot in order to preserve the flow of history. Nothing the group does in the past can affect the present, according to the Shaved Cat Principle - which says if you lock a cat in a room and wait ten minutes, jump back ten minutes in time and shave all the cat's hair off, then return to the present and unlock the room, you will find an unshaved and unruffled cat waiting for you. So Mr. Burk's only reason for carrying out the Lincoln assassination is to give his tourists their money's worth. This is the first inkling we get that perhaps someone should report Mr. Burk's company to the Better Business Bureau.

The Lincoln assassination in one of many destinations for wealthy tourists offered by Mr. Burk, whose company holds a monopoly on time travel. It is creepy to note that, even though Foop! was published well before Hurricane Katrina, one of the popular trips Genoa describes is to go back in time to visit New Orleans before it was largely destroyed by a hurricane.

The story begins in earnest when the neurotic Mr. Burk promotes Joe to Chief of Probes. Joe's top secret assignment (which everyone in the company soon knows about) is to figure out who is traveling through time to take photos of younger Mr.s Burk undergoing humiliations that the present Mr. Burk did not suffer. Once he is put on the job, Joe starts to be followed, none too surreptitiously, by a peculiar pair of men, one midget-sized and the other tall and cadaverous. He also, perhaps coincidentally, begins to have repeated run-ins with the flashlight-wielding followers (including the cutey from work Joe has had his eye on) of Ba Hubba Tree Bob, the leader of a peculiar new cult.

Joe attempts to use time travel to catch Mr. Burk's threateners in the act, but his half-hearted investigations soon uncover a more important problem: the Shaved Cat Principle may not be worth a used hairball, for cracks seem to be appearing in the space-time continuum.

Genoa has a lot of fun with his absurdist take on time travel, using it as an excuse to toss in everything from flying sea lions to robotic construction crews to a blind, hog-tying monkey. But equally entertaining are the scenes in the real world (or rather, a recognizable near-future world) of Joe eating pancakes with a nervous coworker or playing bingo with his obsessive elderly cotenants. Joe's confrontations with his jittery boss Mr. Burk, who will do anything to keep control of a conversation up to and including throwing his head back and screaming like an infant, are particularly funny.

Chris Genoa is American but has a Pythonesque approach to comedy that, while it may not appeal to everyone, will leave readers who appreciate oddball humor in stitches. My only complaint about Genoa's comedy is that he relies too often on scatological humor, but that is a minor nitpick. Just as the sound "Foop!" announces that you are traveling through time, the novel Foop! announces Chris Genoa as a talented new writer to watch. Kudos on his discovery to Eraserhead Press, the brainchild of Carlton Mellick III, a very talented, offbeat author in his own right.

Where Genoa falls short of the best science fiction and fantasy humorists such as Terry Pratchett, Connie Willis, and James Morrow (who has lavishly praised Genoa) is in his storytelling. The tale of Foop! is generally a little too silly to draw the reader in, and the protagonist too one-dimensional to care much about. It is amusing to watch Joe mope around the book like an abused dog - he describes treasuring his promotion to Chief of Probes "like an old stray dog treasures its first and last pat on the head before being shot" - but his character never develops, and both he and the novel stagger to a rather pointless climax.

Chris Genoa is a very funny writer, but he will need to show more conviction in his own stories to become a great novelist.

Loved it!.......2007-03-14

I really enjoyed Foop! and simply can not wait for more of his stuff to get published. The story was whimsical but still had a serious note of social commentary. His writing style would make me laugh if the plot of book was a guy reading a cereal box.

Buy it, read it, give it to a friend!

Verbose and simplistic.......2007-02-20

I was very dissappointed in this novel. After I read the endorsement by Christopher Moore, I expected a lot better book. I found it boring. It seemed to be written without much effort.
I understand what he was going for but I would have appreciated a better ride to that place.

Amusing - but no Chistopher Moore.......2007-02-17

I purchased this based on the Amazon recomendation. It was favorably compared to Christopher Moore's books. My assessment may be colored by the expectations set in comparing it to Christopher Moore. However, while it is mildly amusing, I found it to be a tedious read. The main character induges in far to much introspection which is not all that amusing nor does it seem to facilitate the plot line. I would recomedn it as worthy airplane reading, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get another Chris Genoa book based on my experience with this one.

Christopher Moore but Not.......2007-02-10

If you like Christopher Moore books than you will definately like this one. Different writing style but equally entertaining and hilarious. Thank god I have another author who's capable of creating a light, funny book on a consistent basis. Less time to wait between books when you have two of them going. Great debut book i hope the next one is just like it.

Average customer rating:

Series has finally lost most of its appeal
There's no Place Like Xanth...
Swell Foop
Not just puns--some adventure and games too
Yet another beautiful Xanth novel.

Swell Foop (Xanth)
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0812574745

Book Description

Someone-or some thing-has kidnapped the dreaded Demon Earth. If he isn't found, the very fabric of our world will unravel, removing the Earth's gravitational field, and, incidentally, that of the magical land of Xanth as well! To combat this dastardly deed, six bold adventurers must locate the mysterious object known as the Swell Foop, and wield it in a deadly cosmic contest against an awesome enemy.The twenty-fifth exhilarating episode in Piers Anthony's fabulous saga of Xanth, Swell Foop blends laughter and romance, wonder and danger, in one of the most intricate and intriguing tales in the history of the series.Swell Foop, the twenty-fifth volume in Piers Anthony's bestselling Xanth fantasy adventures, is one of the most intricate and intriguing tales in the history of the series.

Customer Reviews:

Series has finally lost most of its appeal.......2003-10-27

'Swell Foop' is the 25th book in the popular Xanth series. I first read the beginning six or seven books in this series about 20 years ago, and then several years ago started reading them from the beginning again. The early books still have their same appeal, and I would recommend that anyone interested in this series begin with the first book, 'A Spell for Chameleon.' I'm not sure when it began, but over the years the books have changed from stories containing amusing puns to a collection of puns loosely tied together by a story. Reading 'Swell Foop' was in many ways sad. There are so many things that I love about this series, but the recent books have become so formulaic that I get little enjoyment out of reading them.

I think the primary downfall of the series has been the inclusion of so many fan suggestions (in 'Swell Foop' more than 100). Almost every chapter has been reduced to 'Character X must solve several puns/puzzles to get item or information Y.' It certainly makes it easier to include suggested puns, but it doesn't make for good story telling, unless you're more interested in puns than plot.

There were a number of other problems with this book. Characters constantly repeat the same information: "Hello, I'm character X. My quest is Y." The story also includes a huge number of characters and locations from prior books in the series, but assumes that you haven't read any of them or don't remember them, so there's an enormous amount of exposition just to recount things that aren't that important to the story. The dialogue at times is just painful.

If you've already read the prior books in this series, you've undoubtably got your own opinion as to whether the stories remain fresh, so decide whether or not to read this book on your own judgement. But if you haven't read the prior books, I strongly suggest you start with 'A Spell for Chameleon,' because I don't think this book really shows the appealing aspects of this series.

There's no Place Like Xanth..........2002-10-12

I have finished Swell Foop and I can't wait to get Piers Anthony's next book. I have read the Xanth series from the first book (Spell...). I would really recomend any of Piers' books to any one if they love puns and Fantasy. You can start on any book you want, but if you like to read stories that go some where you should start with the first one.

Swell Foop.......2002-03-09

Another Xanth addition. This book was pretty good, though, not THE best Piers Anthony book. As always, this book is full and packed with puns and that Piers' "silly humor".
Basically the story is: The Demon Earth has been kidnapped and without him the world of Xanth will be without gravity. The result: Xanth flies off into space and all the Xanth creatures float away. Bad Bad! So the next person to pose a question to the good Magician, will be the person who is given the task of finding the Demon Xanth because only a Non-demon can find a demon. Anyway the person who shows up with a question is a flying centaur named Cynthia and she must find 6 people to help her find the swell foop (the only thing that can control demons).
So overall a good book with quite a few of the recurring characters. Such as the Simurghs son, Sim, and Justin Tree and his beloved Breanna of the black wave. Oh yeah and lots of talk about cleavage and lovely female bodies. (as always) LOL

Not just puns--some adventure and games too.......2001-11-12

Cynthia Centaur has a simple request for Good Magician Humphrey--but the quest he sends her on is anything but simple. She must find the Swell Foop to rescue the Demon Earth. Before she can even find the Foop, she must first find the six rings of Xanth--rings so powerful that they are hidden to prevent abuse. Even finding the Foop only gives Cynthia a chance. Should she fail, Xanth, the solar system, and possibly the entire universe are at risk.

Cynthia gathers a party of adventurers including the Syn, the bird that will eventually know everything, Zombies, and even a girl from Mundania (Earth as we know it), each of whom must find and control one of the rings.

To the puns and adolescent sexuality that make Xanth run, author Piers Anthony adds some of the games more common in some of his other series (e.g., the Apprentice Adept series), giving SWELL FOOP a bit more complexity and plot than some of the other Xanth series.

In each Xanth novel, Anthony combines a huge number of truly bad puns (is there such a thing as a good pun?) with an adventure. Some of these novels (e.g., A SPELL FOR CHAMELEON and CASTLE ROAGNA) are truly wonderful while others are less so. SWELL FOOP is above average in this hugely popular series.

If you enjoy the Xanth novels, you'll find SWELL FOOP a fine addition to the series. If you aren't familiar with this series, you may start with this novel, but I recommend starting with the first book in the series (A SPELL FOR CHAMELEON).

Yet another beautiful Xanth novel........2001-10-24

I've read every Xanth novel and his two autobiographies and I just loved this new adventure. I like his punny sense of humor and some may be sexual, but that's only a fraction of them. Xanth is a magical place that you escape to when you read Anthony's book and I can't wait for next year when we get the next grand adventure.

Average customer rating:

Swell Foop
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: TOR Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000RWZ02Y

6 Titles in the Xanth Series - 20-25 - Yon Ill Wind - Faun and Games - Zombie Lover - Xone of Contention - The Dastard - Swell Foop

Average customer rating:

6 Titles in the Xanth Series - 20-25 - Yon Ill Wind - Faun and Games - Zombie Lover - Xone of Contention - The Dastard - Swell Foop
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000PU0S20

Product Description

6 Mass Market Paperback Titles in the Xanth Series - 20-25 - Yon Ill Wind - Faun and Games - Zombie Lover - Xone of Contention - The Dastard - Swell Foop

Average customer rating:

One swell foop
David Stanford
Manufacturer: David Stanford]
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007BLGE6

Average customer rating:

An outstanding resource . . .

A tool to inspire and guide the Catholic community through the moral and pastoral challenges that confront the Church today

Beautiful, Truthful, Necessary Teaching

Nothing Short of a Masterpiece!

A Goldmine

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the
Pontifical Council For Justice And Peace
Manufacturer: USCCB Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Catholicism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Catechisms | Theology | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Jesus of Nazareth

United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

Truth And Tolerance: Christian Belief And World Religions

Catholic Social Thought: The Documentary Heritage

ASIN: 1574556924

Book Description

Only available for sale in the United States. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, a unique, unprecedented document in the history of the Church, serves as a tool to inspire and guide the faithful who are faced with moral and pastoral challenges daily. It is divided into five sections, an introduction, three parts, and a conclusion entitled For a Civilization of Love. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is a must-have resource for leaders of social ministry at the diocesan and parish level as well as those in religious education, school, and youth and young adult ministry.

Customer Reviews:

An outstanding resource . . . .......2007-09-04

. . . which belongs on the shelf of priests, deacons, pastoral associates, and social justice ministers throughout the Catholic Church.

The "Compendium" does not break any new ground. It does not promulgate any new doctrine. It offers no new teaching. What it DOES do, is gather under a single cover, a concise presentation of ALL the Church teaching on social issues from Rerum Novarum through its publication in 2005. In other words, it is one of the most useful single-volume reference works available for anyone in ministry. No more having to keep shelves of reference material -- everything even remotely related to social justice, human rights, economic and political concerns, environmental issues, etc. can be found -- and easily accessed -- in this document. In addition to 250+ pages of text, there is a lengthy list of Church documents which are used as source material, and an extremely thorough index. I have personally taught from this book, and am proud to recommend it both personally and professionally.

Very, very highly recommended

A tool to inspire and guide the Catholic community through the moral and pastoral challenges that confront the Church today.......2005-10-14

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church was published to serve as a tool to inspire and guide the Catholic community through the moral and pastoral challenges that confront the Church today. The informed and informative text is organized into specific sections dedicated to revealing God's plan of love for humanity; the family as the vital nucleus of society; the relationship between social doctrines and ecclesial actions; and the fundamentals required for developing and maintaining a "civilization of love". Enhanced with extensive "Index of References" and an "Analytical Index", Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is an appropriate and strongly recommended addition to personal and clerical reference collections, seminary and academic library reference shelves, and supplemental reading for pastors and active laity within the Catholic communities throughout the country.

Beautiful, Truthful, Necessary Teaching.......2005-09-01

Be warned that this amazing work is not a page-turning history of this often-neglected and rich history of Catholic Social Teaching. It reads like a John Paul II encyclical, in both its circular, thorough, hypnotic approach to the many aspects of the teaching as well as the sense one gets that one is witnessing transcendent Truth.

Overstatement? Perhaps. I admit to being a huge fan of JPII, but I'm a bigger fan of the One he served so faithfully. I have also had the ability to work full-time in the area of social justice in a faithfully Catholic organization and have often been dismayed by the misunderstandings that many have of Catholic Social Teaching.

There seems to be a large group of non-Catholic or semi-Catholic people who do great work "in the trenches" serving as Christ has called us all to do, but often do so with a hostility toward the Church and her teachings. There also seems to be another group of Catholics who are faithful in general to the Church's sacraments and moral teachings, but don't take the Church's call to solidarity with the poor very seriously. Christ's admonitions to both types of people are easy to find in the Gospel, so there is little need to go into that here, but this volume gives a wake up call to all of us if we will hear it.

If you are Catholic, then you are called to be with and serve those who need our help (Solidarity and Subsidiarity - two key principles). It is not for us to choose to let government do it (sorry, Socialists), to serve with bitter revolutionary intent (ditto, Marxists), or to simply insulate ourselves from the less fortunate, sick and needy with material wealth (sound familiar anyone?). If you are not Catholic, then this work still has a wealth of beautiful ideas that can be shared and can serve as a rallying point for those of different faith traditions.

Whatever you do, it MUST be centered on Christ. This work makes that beautifully clear without singling out anyone. It would be a great subject for group study, or for anyone who would like to understand the depths of the Church's tradition. We have greatly missed the point of JPII's papacy and teachings if we only found in them our preconceived opinions or the expected dogmatic defensiveness. The message that we are called to be Gift to one another as Christ is for the Church is one that we should all hear, and it glows out of every page in this book.

So, yeah, I guess I'd recommend it.

Nothing Short of a Masterpiece!.......2005-08-18

If one is seeking a blueprint, a framework, and a synthesis on putting the Catholic faith 'into practice', 'into action', one will find these qualities in this Compendium. Each sentence carries meaning and there are no unimportant words in this Compendium. It is concise, yet treats each topic with erudite precision. It is inspirational and hopeful! This Compendium makes one ponder deeply about the Catholic faith. It absolutely challenges both the mind and heart of the Catholic religious and lay faithful and exhorts the heart and mind to nobler causes outside of oneself and exhorts us to build a civilization of love, a culture of life. This Compendium, coupled with the previously published Catechism of the Catholic Church, will, in the judgement of history, be considered two classical works, that is, masterpieces. This is a book that all Catholics, at the least, should have on their shelves.

A Goldmine.......2005-08-01

Anyone involved in teaching in a Catholic environment will have come across the question "What is the Church's view about...". This compendium gathers together material from a range of Vatican sources about the Church's teaching on social issues ranging from the dignity of the human person, through the family and work, to the relationship between nations.
Handy to use for reference, this work also sets out clearly the values and principles on which the Church's social teaching is based.
I've found this book extremely useful, and know that I will go on referring to it in the future.

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church: Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.(Book Review) : An article from: Catholic Insight

Average customer rating:

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church: Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.(Book Review) : An article from: Catholic Insight
Joe Campbell
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Catholic Insight, published by Thomson Gale on October 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1585 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church: Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.(Book Review)
Author: Joe Campbell
Publication: Catholic Insight (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 13 Issue: 9 Page: 44(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The family as cornerstone of the good life and the good society: family life in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.: An article from: Review of Business

Average customer rating:

The family as cornerstone of the good life and the good society: family life in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.: An article from: Review of Business
Christopher P. Vogt
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Review of Business, published by Thomson Gale on March 22, 2006. The length of the article is 4688 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The family as cornerstone of the good life and the good society: family life in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
Author: Christopher P. Vogt
Publication: Review of Business (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 27 Issue: 2 Page: 13(7)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Management, labor, and the development of the human person: insights from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.: An article from: Review of Business

Average customer rating:

Management, labor, and the development of the human person: insights from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.: An article from: Review of Business
Timothy J. Cusick
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000GI3M6A
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Review of Business, published by Thomson Gale on March 22, 2006. The length of the article is 4612 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Management, labor, and the development of the human person: insights from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
Author: Timothy J. Cusick
Publication: Review of Business (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 27 Issue: 2 Page: 20(7)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church

Average customer rating:

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Catholic Church
Manufacturer: Veritas Books (CN)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1853908398

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books