Mysteries of Pittsburgh: A Novel (P.S.)

Book Description

By the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.

Customer Reviews:

These Jewish boys always want to be liked?.......2007-10-03

It is a long way from a baseball Peter Pan to an homosexual MOB boss' son. His father finally refuses to accept the charges.
Originally it appears his future girl friend sent her guy library friend to rope him,but what she ends up doing is involving him with two self destructive new friends. Except for off color sexual content the book is very well written. It is a bit verklempt.

It's ok, but not great.......2007-08-27

I like Michael Chabon, and I was very impressed with Wonder Boys. So I was looking forward to reading this book. All in all, I believe this is an ok book which doesn't quite live up to all it's hype. I almost gave up on this book halfway through, partly due to the betrayal of the main character Art, to his girlfriend. It wasn't the nature of the betrayal, it was the simple abruptness of it, given without much explanation. I had to re-read that part twice, because I wasn't expecting the turn in the novel. It was almost too abrupt. I also found it highly unrealistic that the girlfriend character would be so forgiving of Art. In fact, rarely confronting him, and not really yelling at him. Phlox (the girlfriend) seems almost a one-dimensional character despite many descriptions of her hipster look, and her penchant for 40's movie stars and rare literary quotes. In the second half of the book, she is pushed to the sidelines so as other charcters get focused on, you almost forget her, and stop caring about her in the end. One does wonder if the Art character really actually loves all the people he proclaims to love, in the book. He seems naive yet selfish.
I enjoyed the descriptions of Pittsburgh and its architecture, and the beautiful description of the "cloud" factory. The ending is great, though, and the Cleveland character one of the most interesting, and mysterious. I wonder if the subplot of Art's father and his mystery job was even needed in this book. I would've liked it to focus on Art's goals and his time at college, more. This book wasn't quite as awe-inspiring as Wonder Boys, but this was one of Michael Chabon's first books, and he improved with time.

What a debut!.......2007-08-16

I think it impossible to not compare Michael Chabon and Jeffrey Eugenides. Both wrote beautiful, epic coming-of-age stories about immigrants to the states which won the Pulitzer Prize. Both wrote debut novels to much fanfare and critical acclaim. However, while Eugenides' Virgin Suicides seemed a limited effort, Chabon's Mysteries of Pittsburgh shines with as much brilliance and creativity as his later efforts (Wonder Boys and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay). The story begins with a bump, a chance encounter between two Arthurs and the summer of post-collegiate uncertainty and exploration. Near the end of the book, Chabon excellently executes the confusion of Art Bechstein with his decision concerning Arthur and Phlox. Pittsburgh, a dismal city of coal and death, comes alive in Chabon's hand, with breathtaking descriptions of the Lost Neighborhood and the Cloud Factory remaining particularly vivid. Read this book, immediately. I finished it in a little over 24 hours because it was so compelling.

Similar to The Great Gatsby.......2007-05-10

This coming-of-age novel is compared to a variety of stories from literature, including The Great Gatsby and The Catcher in the Rye.

A great start to a great career.......2007-03-07

Before reading this book I had heard point of references ranging from The Catcher in the Rye to On the Road. After reading the book the comparisons don't quite mesh. In fact, I think the best point of reference would be The Great Gatsby. Certainly not in quality, I would never make that blasphemous claim for fear the literary gods would strike me down where I stand, but rather there are similarities in structure. Imagine, if you will, a world where, like Gatsby, there are two sets of couples (Nick/Jordan and Tom/Daisy) as well as a love triangle (Gatsby, Tom, and Daisy). Of course, in Chabon's version Nick is sexually attracted to Gatsby.

Stick with me here. In Mysteries the narrator, Art, enters the social circle of Arthur, Cleveland, and Jane. Cleveland and Jane are a dysfunctional couple embroiled in a good old fashioned love/hate relationship. Art starts seeing Phlox, a rather annoying and unsympathetic homophobe. At the same time Art and Arthur have budding feelings. I'll diagram it for you:

Art and Arthur (sexual attraction)
Art and Phlox (couple)
Art and Jane/Cleveland (friends through Arthur)
Arthur and Phlox (frienemies)
Arthur and Jane/Cleveland (friends)

Yeah, I know that the love triangle is all mixed up, but you have to admit that structures are similar. This leads to an obvious question: were Nick and Gatsby gay? It has been suggested in some circles that 19th century American literature is preoccupied with "blackness", slavery in particular. After all, in a society that claims to put equality at the center of its creed, to have completely marginalized a segment of our population has to affect our national psyche and our perception of ourselves. Likewise, in the 20th century, as gender roles became more fluid, perhaps the idea of homosexuality latched on to the national sub-consciousness. I don't have a whole lot of evidence to back this up, but it's interesting to think about.

Back to The Mysteries of Pittsburgh. Like most coming of age novels (of all ages) this one is light on plot. There is an unconvincing subplot about organized crime which leads to the eventual (albeit predictable) tragedy at the end of the book. Where the novel really shines is in the language and characters. Chabon has always had a way with metaphor and simile and it's impressive he had all but mastered these techniques so early in his career. The characters themselves are whimsical and uncertain. In fact the only character who, my opinion is completely certain is Phlox, and she is certain of her bigotry. This uncertainty perfectly captures the feeling of teetering on the edge of adulthood. The characters are so finely drawn that when characters change their bed-partners it feels earned and not gimmicky.

At times Chabon suffers from a case of aggrandizement, something he would learn to wield more confidently in his more panoramic novels and make his drawback a strength. While this tendency to go over-the-top doesn't work as well in a contained summer of uncertainty, it worked perfectly in the decades spanning Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.

For those with an undying love for the twenty-something coming of age novel, then this should feed your hunger. For those, like me, who fell in love with Chabon's writing when they read Kavalier and Clay, I would recommend seeing how the maestro started out. It's a strong opener to a strong career.

Ross Macdonald/Kenneth Millar: A Descriptive Bibliography (Pittsburgh Series in Bibliography)

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Ross Macdonald/Kenneth Millar: A Descriptive Bibliography (Pittsburgh Series in Bibliography)
Matthew Joseph Bruccoli
Manufacturer: University of Pittsburgh Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Dashiell Hammett, a Descriptive Bibliography (Pittsburgh Series in Bibliography)

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Dashiell Hammett, a Descriptive Bibliography (Pittsburgh Series in Bibliography)
Richard Layman
Manufacturer: Oak Knoll Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Hocus Corpus - Are you kidding me?
Nothing very special, just a junky mystery novel...
Give us more Jack Merlin Mysteries!
Tucker is back and better than ever!
Hocus Corpus

Hocus corpus
James Tucker
Manufacturer: Onyx
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

ASIN: 0739404024

Book Description

As chief of surgery at Pittsburgh University Medical Center, Dr. Jack Merlin knows that patient fatalities are a fact of life. But when four people die after successful routine operations, he has cause for suspicion. The victims have nothing in common-except the same insurance carrier. And the more he unravels the truth, the more ruthless he discovers his adversaries to be-but Merlin has more than one trick up his sleeve. . . .

Praise for James N. Tucker's Abra Cadaver:

"An irresistible cocktail of magic and murder. Sly, unpredictable, and cunning. This newcomer is one to watch." -H. Paul Jeffers, bestselling author of Who Killed Precious?

"Jim Tucker has pulled together some unforgettable characters in a wonderful page-turning whodunit. He brings his love of magic and understanding of medicine and mixes them up and presents the reader with a real gift." -Nancy L. Snyderman, M.D., Medical Correspondent, ABC News

Customer Reviews:

Hocus Corpus - Are you kidding me?.......2007-06-06

This is the second volume in the Jack Merlin murder mysteries and I have to admit that I was irritated by it.

A good murder mystery should have several elements that work together to create a fun read. The storyline has to have mysterious elements to it to keep you guessing about what is going on; the characters should be believable; if it is part of a series then the main characters should be appealing and their lives should evolve in a manner that makes sense; and finally, the whole story should be reasonably believable and make sense.

Hocus Corpus fails on many of these counts. The main characters are Jack Merlin and Tory Welch. He is a doctor - the Chief Resident of Surgery at Pittsburgh University Medical Center; She is an Assistant District Attorney with Allegheny County. Both of them have gotten some pretty serious promotions in the year that passed since the last book in the series, but no mention is made of how that happened. In Jack's case, his predecessor as Chief Resident was an obnoxious, self serving jerk so it would have been interesting to see how that happened.

The storyline is completely unbelievable. A small insurance company that is seeking out a buyer, doctors its financial numbers to be better by killing off expensive patients. Corporate Greed at its utmost if you will. Within the first two or three chapters the reader figures out how the whole ring is set up and who are the main culprits. So, there is no real mystery. There are plenty of murders though. Starting with four patients who have simple surgeries and then leading through several more people as the book progresses. Every single one of the victims is completely innocent and has no relation to the culprits - with one exception.

The next major irritant is that as the book fiddles and faddles with resolving the non-mystery, Jack and Tory are the only investigators. The police department has a very minor role to play even though Tory is an Assistant DA and could probably get as much police action as is needed. But that is not all, what Jack and Tory pull are illegal actions as they pursue the truth. Jack tortures one of the bad guys; Tory and Jack break into someone's office; A police detective is manhandled and has connections to some upstart reporter which leads to false arrests, a distraught father threatens Jack with a gun after his daughter is one of the victims but Jack manages to convince him that he is on the trail of the real killers, and on and on and on.

Another problem that I had was that Jack Merlin cottons on to the scheme with very few clues. I mean, we the readers have the advantage of knowing we are reading a murder mystery so we are looking for connections, while Jack is supposedly innocently doing his job. However, Jack manages to put together most of the story by the time the first four patients have died. Not credible. Then, the story shifts to Tory who has her own problems. One of which is that the bad guys decide to kill her off so they hit her with a car while she is jogging. Now, the driver of the car is portrayed throughout the book as a big lumbering idiot, but in this scene he not only manages to hit Tory just hard enough to rupture her spleen, but he is also cool headed and smart enough to throw red herrings at the people who observe the accident, deliver Tory to Jack's hospital and arrange to have his accomplice doctor the operating room so that Tory would be killed. Later on in the book, the bad guy becomes an idiot once again. Huh? Of course, Jack figures out that something is wrong and arranges to switch operating rooms while collecting incriminating evidence. Now, tell me, in what hospital that you know of would they let a doctor operate on his girlfriend? Normally the assumption is that the surgeon in that case would be too emotionally involved and they are NEVER allowed to do these operations.

I did finish reading this, but as I said earlier, the whole setup was unbelievable and fairly irritating. In some respects this book was better than the first one because some editing must have taken place either by James Tucker or the people at the Publishers. On the other hand, this was filled with so much nonsense and obvious situations (the drugged up bad kid who is completely turned around by Jack's simple magic trick) that I was not a happy camper when I put it down.

I hope the third one in the series is much better or I will give up on this series altogether.

Nothing very special, just a junky mystery novel..........2000-08-14

I read this book and _Abra Cadaver_ (also by Tucker) while on vacation and snowed in for a couple weeks.

I was initially quite interested in the book, as the first few chapters happened quickly and the protagonist (Merlin, again) is a likeable guy.

The rest of the book, however, is just not too well written, and not too believeable. The plot devices are unimaginable, the dialog is choppy, and often times the author forgets to inform the reader of crucial details.

After all, a murder novel isnt a mystery if the author has not posed the "whodunnit" question with any talent; it's merely an obfuscated tale of events.

Skip this book, or pick it up second-hand and read it on a long plane flight. Its not particularly entertaining.

Give us more Jack Merlin Mysteries!.......2000-08-06

In his second Jack Merlin Mystery series, physician/author James Tucker has penned another hit!

From the first page until the last, Tucker pulls his readers into a tale of galloping corporate greed, professional treachery and murder most foul. Dr. Tucker knows his way around a hospital, a murder and he's well on his way to becoming quite a storyteller, too.

In HOCUS CORPUS, Jack Merlin has been promoted to chief resident at the prestigious Pittsburgh University Medical Center. He's still practicing magic and charming his patients. His relationship with Assistant District Attorney and fellow crime solver has progressed smoothly and things are going his way.

However, Jack's orderly life begins to unwind when he loses a young patient after a relatively simple procedure. The child's powerful father holds Jack responsible for her death and Jack must once again prove his innocence and find out who's behind the tragedy.

While trying to solve the child's death, Jack discovers a pattern in several unexpected and completely unnecessary patient deaths. Patients make it through surgery but die of massive infections just days later.

As they dig further into the mysterious deaths, Jack and Tory uncover a diabolical plot involving involves crooks of the worst kind, insurance companies and ruthless men who will stop at nothing to line their own pockets with the misery of others. How Tucker keeps all the story lines headed toward a plausible and ultimately satisfying ending is quite impressive.

I look forward to more Jack Merlin mysteries.

And, as mentioned by others, I don't think I'll be eating any Jell-O for a long, long time!

Enjoy!

Tucker is back and better than ever!.......2000-07-09

James Tucker's novel Hocus Corpus brings back Dr. Jack Merlin and this time the doctor-magician has his hands full. Tucker's brilliant writing style gives Merlin's character a real-life persona, the kind of doctor everyone needs.

This book took me just over a day to finish and like Abra Cadaver, I was kept guessing right to the very end. Tucker really knows how to put a suspense and mystery into words and this book a great read for everyone who loves a real thriller.

Dr. Merlin takes what seems to be four completely unrelated deaths and unravels a mystery that delves into the world of high priced insurance companies. Watching the novel unfold you read how Merlin puts his career and life in jeopardy to find out who is infecting these and other patients and the answers will really surprise you.

As with Abra Cadaver, this book has movie written all over it. I am beginning to become a real James Tucker fan and I cannot wait until I read his next novel. Again another excellent job!!!!!!

Hocus Corpus.......2000-07-09

This new series by author James Tucker gets better with each entry. Merlin and Tory are young idealists that we all wish we had on our side. Merlin's struggle with hospital administration mirrors Tory's struggle with her own department and the police force. The media, in the form of an up-and-coming reporter, hounds them both. Mr. Tucker is a welcome addition to my shelves.

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THE MYSTERIES OF PITTSBURGH: A NOVEL

Manufacturer: William Morrow and Company, Inc. USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IA8N9M

Raymond Chandler: A Descriptive Bibliography (Pittsburgh Series in Bibliography)

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Raymond Chandler: A Descriptive Bibliography (Pittsburgh Series in Bibliography)
Matthew Joseph Bruccoli
Manufacturer: Oak Knoll Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Customer Reviews:

Mildly Engaging.......2006-12-27

Moore manages to create a credible historical setting for this romance, but the characters tend toward the simplistic. Romantic hero Adair seems to fall in love with the heroine a bit too quickly and without sufficient justification within the tale, and for all of her protests, the heroine behaves like a blazing floozy at his very first kiss (before returning to her constant complaints). She saves the day just a shade too often, leaving the hero looking somewhat of a heedless dummy. The story improves as it nears the finish, but somehow, I just didn't think the author's talents or attention were fully engaged on this one.

A Winner.......2006-06-01

Bride of Lochbarr
by Margaret Moore

Reviewer: Pamela Ackerson (author of Home of the Braves trilogy)

Ms. Moore has taken the damsel in distress and twisted it into a witty and fun read. Lady Marianne wants to run away from a forced betrothal and when Adair MacTaran swoops in to save her, she resists. The adventure starts from there and tickles you with a genuine sense of humor, passion, and wit. Leave your afternoon open for this book. You won't want to put it down.

What a Boring Story..........2004-08-25

Each time I opend this book, I had the earge to close my eyes and fall a sleep. I can't stand when men are portraid as door mats and that's what I thought about Adair MacTaran. He has NO head on his shoulders.

Whatever. Never again am I reading anything by Margaret Moore!

Fast paced..........2004-08-06

Facing a forced politically advantageous for her brother's sake, Marianne feels like she's been condemned to Hades. Not only is her "groom to be" a Scottish heathen, but an old man with a vile reputation. Though raised by nuns, she is not meek and mild. Her fire attracts the attention of another Scot, Adair, a chieftain's oldest son. He knows the wretched misery ahead of Marianne if she does not find some escape, so he sets out to rescue her. There are a few hitches that culminate in Marianne claiming he kidnapped her and ruined her reputation, making her unmarriageable to any but himself. So, the Norman lady who did not want to marry a Scot finds herself the wife of Adair Mac Seamus Mac Taran, lost in a world where she can't even communicate as she knows no Gaelic. The fire is still in her, however, and she proves her worth quickly. She and her husband even manage to fall in love. If she thought to escape politics, then she was wrong. Not everyone wants Adair as their chieftain, and as his wife, she is in equal danger.

**** The complexity of this novel is belied by its brevity. The author teaches the reader never to judge by appearances, as characters prove to be deep and multi dimensional. She combines exciting action, passion, and a heart warming ending in a fast paced read. ****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore for Huntress Reviews.

engaging medieval romance .......2004-07-28

In 1235, Lord Nicholas takes his sister Marianne from the Normandy monastery where she lived for the last twelve years back to Scotland but not out of brotherly love. Instead, he wants to stop paying the monastery for her upkeep and marry her off to an old but wealthy and regally connected Hamish MacGlogan. This is over Marianne's objections. Because she expected to one day wed a Norman not a barbaric Scot.

Seamus MacTaron and his clan arrive to warn Nicholas about raiding their cattle. Nicholas denies that his men did such a deed, but Seamus' hot tempered son Adair, who detests the Normans, tells him they will watch and kill anyone who tries. Marianne plays the perfect hostess by inviting the MacTaron kin to stay overnight and angering her brother by doing so. Adair and Marianne are attracted to one another, but both reject the other because of their nationality. Still, they begin to realize that a relationship between them would be better for his people and for her than one with that ancient relic that her sibling wants to foster on her. Will betrayal prove to Adair and Marianne that love has blossomed between them?

This is an engaging medieval romance starring two individuals who have no reason to trust the other although they love one another. The thrilling story line animates the audience from the moment the MacTaron clan enter Nicholas' keep until the betrayers are confronted. Though the theme of star-crossed lovers deceived by "loyalists" who make it look as if a loved one did the deed has occurred too often, Margaret Moore magnificently brighten the tale with a picturesque look into twelfth century Scotland.

Book Description

Darryl Kirby is an orphan. He is also a whiz at computer games. But when Darryl plays a new version of his favorite game, StarMaster, strange things begin to happen.

A mysterious message -- "WANT TO PLAY?" -- invites him to play a new game in which the stakes are higher than they appear -- a game that eventually lands him in the luxurious Paradise Lab, where software guru Keith Masterly has enlisted a brain trust of children for a secret purpose of his own. With the help of his friend, Nina, Darryl slowly uncovers a sinister plan and finds himself the star in his own real-life computer game. But will he and Nina be able to stop Masterly and escape before it is too late?

Customer Reviews:

Review on Brainboy and the Deathmaster.......2006-11-30

My book's title was: "Brainboy and the DEATHMASTER." This story is about and orphan named Darryl Kirby. He's a whiz at computer games. He could get through a maze in 2 minutes with 30 seconds to spare! He's that good. Although his GameMaster ( a very fun game system made by Keith Masterly, 3 lets him forget about that. StarMaster was his favorite game where you travel in a fleet of ships to help the galaxy.
Later, Keith Masterly adopts Darryl and takes him to his... large, hotel, lab, place. Soon, Darryl uncovers a sinister plan that only the greatest inventor ever!) got stolen by some punk. But a new game found on a laptop called different dinosaurs. I felt like I was there. The details drew me in, like that I was Darryl. This is a must read StarMaster I'm not going to tell you. But it involves lots of explosions.
My favorite part was when Darryl was in Keith Masterly's large "place," he went into a pod where he rode around under water and saw many to sci-fi and adventure lovers. On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give it a 9.99 continued.

Brainboy and the Death Master .......2006-11-22

Brainboy and the Death Master
By Tor Seidler

This story takes place it Seattle, Washington in an orphanage called Masterly Shelter. It is owned by Keith Masterly. And it also takes place in Paradise Labs, which is in an unknown location. The main character lives in many other odd locations as well. Such as the basement of his friends house.
The main character is Darryl he is 11 or 12 and has no family because they all died in a fire. Now he lives at a shelter in Washington State. He has a Game Master the equivalent of a Game Boy and loves this item because it is the only memory of his family. He likes to play his Game Master when he is bored but now he is getting so good at the games that they aren't fun anymore. He gets a new roommate, Boris, he is nasty and smokes cigarettes and threatens Darryl with a switch blade. At night, he escapes from the orphanage to look for is sister, Nina, who was at the orphanage but got adopted by some one. A boy who helps out at the orphanage, BJ, goes to tell Darryl that dinner is ready and sees Boris holding a switch blade to Darryl's throat. BJ jumps on Boris and saves Darryl, since then, they were best friends .
The problem in the story is Darryl is so smart he gets adopted by Keith Masterly and is forced to work on a project that makes you younger. The kids are given pills that make them emotionless so they will work better. When he is working he meets a girl named Nina, Boris's sister, they realize that they should stop taking the pills so they will think clearly again. Darryl figures out the formula that makes you younger, so Keith Masterly doesn't need them any more.
My favorite part in this book was when BJ and Boris sneak up to the helipad and put a tracer on the helicopter. I liked this part because it was full of suspense and had lots of action. I also liked the idea that they could be caught at any time and thrown into prison.
I would give this book a 4 1/2 star rating. I would do that because it was a good read and funny at times. If you like sci-fi and comedy then this book is for you. The title is catchy and the cover looks cool.

Brainboy and the Deathmaster.......2006-11-21

I read a great book called Brain Boy and the Deathmaster by Tor Seidler. It is a fiction book set in Seattle, Washington in the future.
The main characters in this story were Darryl, Nina, Boris, and BJ. In the book Darryl and Boris are stuck in the home and Nina is missing.
The main problem of the book occurs when Darryl gets adopted by a millionaire and is taken to a lab and needs to escape from the place to get back to his friends.
My favorite part of the book was when every one is at BJ mom's house and they are celebrating that they escaped from the lab. I like it the best because it is a happy and sad moment.

I really liked this book because it is a sci-fi book. I would recommend it to sci-fi because they will probably like it. I give these book 4 stars because it was ok but not the best.

Isaiah's reveiw .......2006-11-21

I read the fantastic Sci-Fi, fantasy novel of Brain boy and the Death Master by Tor Seidler. It's about a boy named Darryl Kirby, a twelve year old orphan boy. The book is set in Seattle, at the Masterly Children Shelter, in the future.
The main characters are Darryl Kirby, BJ Walker, who is a friend of Darryl, Boris, and his sister Nina. This book is a great book to read if you're into suspense, action, and some awesome technology created by the inventor of Darryl's favorite game Mr. Masterly.
The main problem is Mr. Masterly is adopting orphans who play his game, Game Master, and is taking them to the Paradise lab, a secret place that Mr. Masterly owns. He plans to create the chemical G-17, a chemical that makes you younger so you can stay alive forever. The problem is the orphans he adopts are the ones who are helping him with G-17. While the orphans work, Darryl and Nina uncover a most scary secret. What was the secret? Will they be able to save the others? Or will Mr. Masterly's plan work?
My favorite part in the book is when Darryl finally solves the problem of the chemical, G-17. This was my favorite part because they all get the day off, and Mr. Masterly invites Darryl to dinner, where he finds Mr. Masterly's plans.
I really recommend this fantastic book because it's a novel that you will want to read over and over again. This is a novel that everyone will like. But I would also not recommend it to come people because it does have parts that are hard to understand, and because it is more for people who know what the machines they are talking about.

Brainboy and DeathMaster.......2005-09-29

This story is cool!It is about a boy who was an orphan because his family was burned in a fire.He survives becauce he was in his treehouse when the house burned down.In the story he makes a friend.His friend BJ was about to adopt him but it was to late.A rich guy adopts him.He makes them take pills.In his house there was no windows or telephones.His friend BJ gets worry because he hasn`t heard of his friend.BJ`s other friend is looking for his sister.Meanwhile they find out that the rich person actually owns a game and they find out that the both people they were looking for were with him.Meanwhile the main character is working on this thing that helps you get young.At the end of this incredible book at the end the main character finds out that the rich guy was using them and after they found out how to make people young he was going to kill them.So then thy all escape from a vent.So when they found out that they were going to die the main character puts a lot of the young potion in his drink.So then the bad guy sets a bomb on the mountain.When the bad guy escapes BJ comes and helps them out.So they escape from the mountain.Later the bad guy turns into a baby while his in the holicopter and dies.So then BJ adopts the main character and thats how this story finishes.

I surely recommend this book for people who like action books. -Roberto O

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Brainboy and the DeathMaster
Tor Seidler
Manufacturer: Laura Geringer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OE5RJQ

Book Description

The critically acclaimed work that asks: What was the spiritual vision of the founding fathers-and how can we reclaim it today?

Looking at the lives of America's founders-including Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin-scholar and bestselling author Jacob Needleman explores their core of inner beliefs; their religious and spiritual sensibilities; and their individual conception of the purpose of life.

The founders, Needleman argues, conceived of an "inner democracy": a continual pursuit of wisdom and self-improvement that would undergird the outer democracy in which we live today. Any understanding of America as a nation of spiritual values will in the years ahead require Needleman's work as a point of reference.

Customer Reviews:

A vital book.......2007-08-03

"You don't know what you have here," A British lover of America tells a shaggy, typically left-leaning group of circa-1974 Bay-area students at the start of this book. "You simply don't know what you have."

Indeed we don't, as Needleman illustrates by the end of this fine book, and it has nothing to do with "patriotism" as often perceived. At this spiritually fraught moment in our nation, this book is a tonic for doubters, and a useful corrective for the smug. While not a difficult read - a high school sophomore would profit from it - this work compels your attention and deserves to be savored one chapter at a time.

Needleman offers us a sober-minded meditation on the spiritual underpinnings of America; the soaring, and deftly revealed, beliefs of the founders (Jefferson, Madison, Washington, Franklin); a fine chapter on Lincoln; bracing chapters on America's two great original sins: the genocide of the Native Americans, with the legend of Hiawatha as a framing device; and the crimes of slavery and racism, with Frederick Douglass brought to compelling life. Tying it all together at the fitting end is Walt Whitman as a bard of a "community of conscience."

With a close, careful reading, a deeper, resonant pattern emerges.

If one is thirsty for inspiration after reading the toxic, persuasive non-fiction books on the current administration and its works (the latest, the outstanding Tragic Legacy by Gary Greenwald), Needleman's book refreshes as an inspiring - and unstinting - reminder of all there is to love in this country.

The nation's greatness, Needleman posits, lies not in its material success, but in the universalist spiritual underpinnings of the "pursuit of happiness," which Needleman persuasively argues is the freedom to discover, in our own ways, the still, small voice in each of us, or, as Lincoln would say, the better angels of our nature. IF European secularism offers us freedom FROM religion, the American secular tradition offers us freedom OF religion, or the recognition that we are each free to explore, or not explore, the divine mysteries in our own, communal and individual ways.

He does not shirk from crimes against Native Americans and African Americans, but goes beyond to a deeper look at their own spiritual traditions and roots, which have blended into the warp and woof of American life. (He does not explore Mormonism, but has a fascinating chapter on the pre-Revolutionary experimental community of Ephrata, Pa.)

This book actually revived my long-shattered belief in American exceptionalism. That exceptionalism is not the brutish sort that much of the world perceives, but a special, carefully thought vision that comes comes from spiritual and philosophical roots in the Enlightenment. It is not simple-minded, or arrogant, or materialistic, or the heedless and even reckless notion of "freedom" that has cost us so dearly.

Needleman concludes with an inviting, modest bibliography for further reading. I read this not as a bibliography but as an invitation, a call to action through service in a humble, open spirit to our communities and our world. We do not need to be mere consumers; we have more power than we know as citizens. We indeed do not know what we have here - we have plenty. As Needleman insists, we ignore that at our peril. This is one of the best books I have read on what it means to be, and why it is special, to be lucky enough to be American.

Yes, the book can get too dramatic and personal at times and can occasionally rankle. In the context of the overall message, though, these are cavils.

I can't help but think of the neglected final lines of the second verse of America, the Beautiful, one that people never sing: "Confirm thy soul in self control; thy liberty in law."

beyond words.......2006-01-19

For several years now, when the topic of my favorite book comes up, I say without hesitation, "The American Soul" by Jacob Needleman. Its insights are nothing short of brilliant; his language so sublime I can't help but reread passages for the sheer poetry with which a philosopher in his prime can convey a profound insight.

If only our presidents, senators, and congressmen had this book at their bedsides. We might actually become the America we once imagined ourselves to be.

Learn What the Deeper American Soul is Really About.......2005-09-21

Jacob Needleman's book The American Soul is a masterful explanation of a deeper America, an America that has been lost in the shuck and jive of corporate greed, a media managed for misinformation and consensus and the professional wrestling that too often passes for religion in this country. Needleman writes with an elegant depth of Soul that is his subject and so he writes as a true and an especially wise American indeed. His discussion of the heart moving and inspired Iroquois solution to pettiness, greed and violence is itself worth many times the price of the book. If by some stroke of magical good fortune we could get Dr. Phil and others to stay home for a week so we could have greater access to a voice like Needleman's, America might make move toward remembering who she really is and in doing so become once again a beacon for those who seek the freedom to pursue a life of true depth, meaning and happiness, a life that lies beyond the surface freedom to stock up regularly on consumer goods. By all means, buy this book for yourself and for anyone you truly care about. The American Soul allows us to "remember" something essential and profound within ourselves, something that is the very Heart of America-something that we need to pledge allegiance to once again. This book offers profound perspective on what fitness for conscious citizenship is all about.

An Important Book for Americans.......2005-08-23

This wise, much-needed book by one of America's distinguished philosophers should be required reading for every American. It goes deeply not only into the great ideals that lie at the heart of the original American vision, but also into its crimes throughout its history. "The crimes of America are as much a part of its meaning as its ideals," Needleman writes, "and to embrace one without the other will lead us nowhere." Needleman shows how it is only through awakening to the real meaning of such ideals as liberty, individuality, self-determination, and conscience that we can "become genuine men and women of the soul."

A "must read" for anyone who calls themselves an American.......2004-02-26

This book captures what our founders had in their minds and hearts when they envisioned what America could be. While we have strayed substantially from the original ideals, and lost sight of the original "American Dream," reading Needleman's words reminds us of what possibilities we are sitting on. We still have the potential to become as great, as free and as inspiring - to ourselves and all the world. All we need to do is get ourselves back on track. This book offers reminds us of our roots and instills visions of new possibilities. This is the kind of American I want to be!

The American Soul: Rediscovering the Wisdom of the Founders

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The American Soul: Rediscovering the Wisdom of the Founders
Jacob Needleman
Manufacturer: J P Tarcher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NSGKNA

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