Average customer rating:
- Entertaining, but no masterpice!
- Well Written, but the Story Falls Apart in the Second Half
- 52 Pickup
- Box Canyon
- Fun novel that falls apart at the end
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52 Pickup
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
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ASIN: 0060083999
Release Date: 2002-07-30 |
Book Description
Detroit businessman Harry Mitchell had had only one affair in his twenty-two years of happy matrimony. Unfortunately someone caught his indiscretion on film and now wants Harry to fork over one hundred grand to keep his infidelity a secret. And if Harry doesn't pay up, the blackmailer and his associates plan to press a lot harder -- up to and including homicide, if necessary. But the psychos picked the wrong pigeon for their murderous scam. Because Harry Mitchell doesn't get mad...he gets even.
Download Description
E-book extras: "Martin Amis Interviews 'The Dickens of Detroit'"; Elmore Leonard's "If It Sounds Like Writing, Rewrite It"; "All By Elmore: The Crime Novels
Customer Reviews:
Entertaining, but no masterpice!.......2007-04-19
This novel was definitely entertaining. It served its purpose. It gave me something to read that held my attention. As most Leonard novels, there is plenty of hip lines, drug use, sex, and of course the crime.
I do not generally enjoy Leonard's novels. I enjoy the movies that are made from them. After reading "Unknown Man #89" and being extremely disappointed, it has been a few years since I have even attempted to read one of his novels. I must say that I now know how to read a Leonard novel. Not expecting much!
The story starts off easy enough and runs smoothly. Not a time in the reading did I feel there was anything unnecessary or boring. The plot is not too original, but easy to accept as a possible real situation.
I would suggest this to anyone who is looking for something fun, quick, and easy to read. There is a lot of inappropriate sex and language, so not recommended for anyone under 17.
Well Written, but the Story Falls Apart in the Second Half.......2007-03-26
52 PICK UP is, like all of Elmore Leonard's novels, very well written. This book was originally written in the early 1970s, but holds up very well. With a few minor adjustments, it could take place in modern times.
The story essentially deals with a blackmail plot against an adulterous businessman in Detroit. The first half, which is very strong, shows how the businessman is blackmailed, and how he initially responds. The second half, which is far weaker, deals with how the businessman decides to strike back and take justice into his own hands.
The second half of 52-PICK UP is something of a letdown, because it is not particularly believable. Leonard sets up a great, realistic story in the first half, only to resolve the story with an "action movie" type conclusion that requires a major suspension of disbelief.
This novel is further hampered by the absence of any likable characters, with the exception of the wife of the protagonist. Many of the players in this book act in a venal, brutal manner toward one another. I understand that Leonard is trying to be dark and gritty, but the non-stop nastiness does get repetitious and tiresome after a while. This novel lacks the humor of Elmore Leonard's later work.
52 PICK UP is a decent early effort, but I'd recommend trying some of Leonard's later crime books first, or one of his westerns.
52 Pickup.......2006-03-15
Too dark for my tastes. Needlessly exploitive and vulgar. The only redeeming social value was the fact that the protagonist truly suffered the consequences of adultery.
Box Canyon.......2004-03-28
This was a 5 star thriller that fell apart at the end. 52 Pickup was written in the early 70s, so you have Leonard just as things are really starting to roll for him. Great dialogue, great characters, with crime, adultery, and porn spicing the stew. It's also one of Leonard's most brutal novels. There is one murder that is just shocking, but there is also the suggestion of sodomized rape as part of a kidnapping. You really hate the bad guys in this one. The hero, Harry Mitchell, is standard flawed good guy stuff. He's doing a slow burn while dealing with his problem -- which is his own doing, a twist for Leonard fans. The ramifications of this problem, Harry's adultery, and how it touches (and ends!)so many lives is the effective subtext of the novel. The exchanges between Harry and Barbara, Mitchell's wife, are a good showcase for those that appreciate Leonard's mastery of dialogue. But what makes them a bit different than other Leonard exchanges, is that the topic is adultery, and how a married couple tries to deal with betrayal and damaged love.
The downside: the ending. It's not just that it's something of a disappointing demise for the main bad guy. (You'd like to see Harry do something with drills and blowtorches.) No, the ending is just clumsy and from a writing view point, and not well executed. And, perhaps worse, just not believable. The exchange (or the obviously ironic "pickup" or payoff), is so clunky, that no bad guy, especially a Leonard bad guy, would of been fooled. But maybe that's the point, there is no neat package of an ending, since Harry's "mistake" was the first domino. He will have to live with the damage he has caused, especially to his wife and his deal lover the rest of his life.
Fun novel that falls apart at the end.......2003-06-11
How does one go about judging a suspense novel? The easiest criteria is probably the level of difficulty you have in putting the book down because of how heavily you get hooked into the plot. By this standard, Elmore Leonard's '52 Pickup' was a great novel. I read the entire 300+ pages in two sittings, which could have easily been condensed into one had I not forced myself to put it down the first time knowing I needed something to read on a 4-hour flight the next day. Leonard writes great characters, even better dialogue, and creates a thrilling cat-and-mouse game where the hero and villains are constantly gaining and losing the upper hand against each other. Watching the hero of this novel, Harry Mitchell, struggle to balance running his successful business amidst the threat of a union slowdown, reconciling his marriage after confessing to his ill-advised affair, and dealing with three thugs who are trying to extort large sums of money from him, made for some very entertaining reading.
There is another standard for judging a suspense novel that I found '52 Pickup' wasn't as successful at, which is the level of believability. The problem I had with this novel was that for the ending to work required that the respective IQ's of the three main villains had to abruptly drop about 100 points each. I just found it odd that three guys who so expertly planned their crimes in the early portion of the novel would suddenly become so gullible later in the same book. I'm not saying that Mitchell's method of dealing with his extortionists was completely unrealistic, just that I thought everything sort of fell into place too easily. In particular, I found it hard to believe that a criminal as intelligent as Alan Raimy would have been so careless in the final scene of the book. Also, while Leonard wisely made Mitchell a former war hero to make his grace under pressure a bit more realistic, I did find it to be a bit much how he seemingly never felt fear, no matter how grave his situation became.
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52 pickup
John Steppling
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Binding: Unknown Binding
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ASIN: B0007C52QS |
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Between friends (52 pickup)
Susan Musgrave
Manufacturer: Dreadnaught
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ASIN: B0007BY08K |
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Collared (52 pickup)
Dorothy Livesay
Manufacturer: Dreadnaught
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ASIN: B0007BY08A |
Average customer rating:
- Steamy read but go easy on the story
- Way too much Sex Clouds the Intricate Plot...
- Yes, i agree!
- New to Susan Johnson...
- YUCK!
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A Touch of Sin
Susan Johnson
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Johnson, Susan | ( J ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0553578650
Release Date: 1999-03-02 |
Book Description
Author of a dozen national bestsellers, award-winner Susan Johnson beguiles once more with this breathtaking novel, a blend of scandalous adventure, sensual love, and more than just...
A Touch of Sin.
Beatrix Grosvenor couldn't have been caught in a more compromising position: locked in a Parisian apartment with the body of a murdered man. She could only hope that the charismatic stranger who found her would believe her story of abduction and assassination, and free her to return to her young son in England.
But Pasha Duras was not about to let her escape so easily. The renowned libertine didn't believe Trixi's fanciful tale, but there was no denying the temptation of her beauty. He would accompany her home, on a sensual journey that would begin with the most tantalizing of seductions--and end with a dangerous discovery.
Trixi's enemies were real. Her child was at their mercy... and Pasha's newly awakened heart may prove to be his undoing.
Customer Reviews:
Steamy read but go easy on the story.......2002-10-29
Honestly, the circumstances of how Pasha and Trixi met each other made me cringed and braced myself for a trashy bimbo story. In fact, those steamy scenes are what one look forward to read about in her books. In that aspect, the book did not disappoint.
Trixi was quick to succumb to the charm of Pasha and lust of her own, so quick that all claims of her naivety sounded quite hypocritical. Then followed by the sex scenes in the coach on the way from Paris to Calais. There was something naughty and wanton about. Sex is very much on the mind of both characters, until Pasha felt compelled to go off and fight a war in Greece.
Really, I found it not very convincing for Pasha to fight a war just to help his friends. He was not a soldier like his dad and he was supposed to be the manager of their family wealth and enterprises. That conveniently set the scene for Trixi to be pursued by her enemy and travelled all the way to Greece to see Pasha, Of course, that set the scene for her to be captured, sexually toyed by her captor and then rescued by Pasha. This erotic scene at the Turk's tent mirrored that of 'Love Storm', though disappointingly brief and tame in comparison.
Overall, the sex scenes were exciting enough but not refreshingly imaginative. The story had a flimsy plot and the characters lack depth. So be clear of what you want out of the book to avoid disappointment.
Way too much Sex Clouds the Intricate Plot..........2002-01-29
This is the second book I have read by Ms. Johnson(first being 'Love Storm' 2 yrs ago)and I should've known. Nothing has changed. Not that I am knocking her for writing it, writing is a difficult process and I commend her for it, but this wasn't, shall we say, my 'cup of tea'.
The hero, Pasha Duras was too callous and sex starved to be believable as a 'romance hero' and Trixi was too dimwitted to be a true 'romance heroine'. The two had sex nonstop throughout the book and it got tiring. It was more like a porno with an elaborate plot. The history is great and very interesting, and I wish Ms. Johnson would try and write more romance into her stories and bring the characters more to life. All the sex, and I mean sex, cause there is pages and pages of just explicit sex here, just seems to cloud the plot. I found the plot interesting, but everytime I was just getting into it more, the sex came back, full force, lol. Don't get me wrong here, I read Beatrice Small and other 'frank' writers, but this was just tedious.
~Beatrix Grosvenor, or Trixi as she is known, was caught in a bad postion when she was found locked in a Parisian apartment, nude and horrified while her captor lay dead with an ax through his skull. All the months of being held prisoner by the man was enough to drive her crazy, but when the man was murdered right in front of her, Trixi felt like she had lost her mind!
Pasha Duras was also stunned to find the very man he wanted to strangle already dead and a nude woman standing on the bed in shock. Did she kill him? No, she couldn't have, she wasn't covered in blood and the weapon was missing. There was something about her that made him want to shelter and protect her. Soon the notorious rake of Paris found himself accompanying her home to Kent, England and falling in love. But love would come with a price...Trixi was being hunted by someone intent on killing her and her son. Pasha would have to open his heart and mind in order to save her. A hard feat for a rake of his repute...
I heartily wish it were a better tale, but the sex got in the way for me and ruined the intricate plot Ms. Johnson wove so well...a shame...
Tracy Talley~@
Yes, i agree!.......2000-07-21
This book was definitely not Susan Johnson's best. It is the second one that I have read and it most certainly pales in comparison to the first book I read by her "Golden Paradise". Of all the reviews that I have read, no one seems to have mentioned this particular book, and I wonder why. It is one of the best books that I have ever read. It is full of intrigue, passion and love between Stephan and Lisaveta. I recommend that fans of Susan Johnson read "Golden Paradise" instead of this one.
New to Susan Johnson..........2000-06-10
As a newcomer to Susan Johnson's work, I was delighted to discover her less-than-usual approach to the romance genre. In A Touch of Sin, the heroine is no virgin - sexy and beautiful, Trixi is a willing participant in the book's steamy scenes of sex and love. The hero, Pasha, is one of the best male characters I've ever encountered. He's handsome, sensual, charming and physically appealing. What a combination! I also enjoyed the historical setting and the fact that Johnson included pages of footnotes to give credibility and background to her love story. Overall, a great read - I'm now searching for all the Susan Johnson I can find!
YUCK!.......2000-03-31
This was my first book i ever read that Susan Johnson had every wrote. And it will probably be my last! I literally only got to about 30, 40 pages before i stopped! I felt like Beatrix was acting the like a whore. I skimmed through the rest of the book, and was disgusted. Jumping in bed with other men and her continous love making with Pashsa even though she didn't love him then. If you read it, you would understand what i mean. It's a disgusting and not even a romance story. It's more of an erotic story with a big plot. I recommend Catherine Coulter! She's a magnificent romance writer!
Product Description
Multiple books shipped as one item for your convenience. Save on Shipping/Handling charges.
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Gumshoe Girls: Includes the Sins of Touch/Kennedy's Commandos
Gale O'Bryant
Manufacturer: Tarbutton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0971408610 |
Customer Reviews:
Realistic heroines.......2002-06-06
Heroines: varied
Follow the cases of a very determined, very eclectic group of amateur sleuths. In "Kennedy's Commandos" the ladies take on survival training camp and teach some hard-nosed military men a few new tricks. In "Sins of Touch" the girls unravel the threads of a topsy-turvy case involving stalking, extortion, and the shooting of a male stripper.
What worked for me:
I particularly enjoyed reading about the Girls' hijinks in the short story "Kennedy's Commandos", which was a pleasant introduction to the various women involved in this cadre of detectives.
As far as size goes, it wasn't really an issue in these stories. Some of the ladies presented were larger, some were smaller. Some were old and some were young. All were intelligent, funny, and passionate about their work.
What didn't work for me:
There were some editing oversights which made for a slightly bumpy read.
The large cast of characters in "Sins of Touch" was at times difficult to keep track of, and provided less opportunity to develop a rapport with individual Gumshoe Girls as in the less-populated "Kennedy's Commandos".
Overall:
Editing issues aside the stories were enjoyable, quirky, and worth having a look at. I'd love to see the Gumshoe Girls cross paths with their erstwhile trainers from the survival camp again in future stories.
For more Mystery reading suggestions, please click on my name and refer to the Listmania lists in my personal area.
Average customer rating:
- Fun, Sly, Mystery
- A funny whodunnit with interesting characters.
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The Sins of Touch (Gumshoe Mysteries)
Gale O'Bryant
Manufacturer: Authorhouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0759626170 |
Customer Reviews:
Fun, Sly, Mystery.......2001-11-19
This book was fun to read from start to finish....it's about an assortment of feisty women of all ages, shapes and sizes who are best friends and formed a group called the Gumshoe girls.....they do private detective work. They're so spunky that it makes you wish you either knew them or were lucky enough and brave enough to be one of them. The characters are funny, believable and some are a little naughty........interesting read....can't wait for the next installment.
A funny whodunnit with interesting characters........2001-08-21
This is not your typical detective story. The characters are believable and funny, and the use of dialect is subtle and accessible. I loved the story line, and the ending caught me flat-footed. I usually figure these things out. I'll be looking for the next "Gumshoe Girls" novel. A talented new writer with a bright future.
Product Description
**** $3.99 USA POSTAGE FOR ALL 21 BOOKS, WHICH WILL BE MAILED AT THE MEDIA - BOOK RATE WHICH IS SLOW SURFACE MAIL AND FREQUENTLY HAS A SLOW DELIVERY TIME BY THE USA POST OFFICE.
Average customer rating:
- A good read
- I can't wait for #4----
- Straight, simple and fun!
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The Independent Command (Doohan, James. Flight Engineer, V. 3.)
James Doohan , and
S.M. Stirling
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Way to Glory
ASIN: 0671319515
Release Date: 2000-10-31 |
Book Description
THEY'RE SWARMING FOR THE
KILL...AND WE ARE THE PREY!
Everybody knows how despicable the alien Fibians are. Allies of the fanatic Mollie rebels against the human Commonwealth, they show no mercy, they have no remorse, and they find human flesh delectable -- at least when served live. Fielding a gigantic starfleet against Earth and its colonies, they march like the giant spiders they resemble through humanity's nightmares, and soon they will march across its devastated worlds.
When the captain of the starship Invincible is incapacitated after a Fibian attack, only Peter Raeder -- former fighter pilot, starship flight engineer, and unorthodox hero of the war against the Mollies -- can be entrusted with command of the ship. His mission: to track down the alien raiders who took out his captain, and then to start hitting the enemy behind the lines.
It's a suicide mission, and Raeder knows it...until the fortunes of battle drive him deeper into alien space than he'd ever intended to go, the Invincible too damaged ever to return home. There he discovers that the monstrous Fibians may not be monsters after all...
Customer Reviews:
A good read.......2004-06-01
I read all three of the books in this series and really wanted to see more. its best to read them in order or a lot of thiongs might not makes so much sense.
I can't wait for #4----.......2001-08-21
I am enjoying this series very much. I held off at first thinking that it was trying to just build on Mr. Doohan's reputation and that it was a "trekkie" book. I was so wrong. It is a series all of its own and a good one, at that. Try it, you'll like it!!! BUT--begin with #1 and proceed in order. Much better idea.
Straight, simple and fun!.......2000-11-01
It's a nice book with not much to say about. I felt good reading it. A bit short perhaps. I recommend it fore those who want a story with ht "sparkle" in the eye.
Book Description
This is an up-to-date independent study course training manual produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on the incident command system procedures (IS-195). The course overview states:
"The Incident Command System (ICS) is recognized as an effective system for managing emergencies. Several States have adopted ICS as their standard for emergency management, and others are considering adopting ICS. As ICS gains wider use, there is a need to provide training for those who are not first responders (i.e., law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical services personnel) who may be called upon to function in an ICS environment. This Basic Incident Command System (ICS) Course will begin to meet that need. This course will provide an introduction to the concepts and principles of ICS. The Basic ICS Course has been developed as self-instruction but also can be delivered, with the use of an instructor, in a classroom. As such, the course includes a large number of scenarios, examples, and opportunities for students to apply what they have learned, whether through self-instruction or in the classroom."
This course contains five units:
Unit 1, Introduction to the Incident Command System, begins with a brief history of ICS, describes the ICS organization and each of the ICS functions and its responsibilities during an incident, identifies the main ICS concepts and principles, and identifies the need for an organized approach to managing emergency incidents.
Unit 2, The Incident Command System Organization, uses a scenario to illustrate how the ICS organization expands as an incident becomes more complex—and contracts as an incident contracts.
Unit 3, Incident Facilities, uses a scenario to show how the Incident Commander determines which facilities to activate and the criteria for selecting a location.
Unit 4, Incident Resource Management, describes why resource management is critical to incident operations and identifies the main resource categories that you may encounter at an incident.
Unit 5, Incident Command System Assignments, describes the activities that you should take to prepare for deployment, check in, perform in an ICS environment, and check out from an incident. This is the complete course manual made available by FEMA as part of the Emergency Management Institute Independent Study program, described this way by FEMA:
FEMA's Independent Study Program is one of the delivery channels that the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) uses to provide training to the general public and specific audiences. Within the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Fire Administration, operates the Emergency Management Institute (EMI). EMI produces independent study courses to train the general public as well as specific target audiences. The EMI Independent Study program consists of self-paced courses designed for people who have emergency management responsibilities and the general public. . .and college credit can be obtained through a for-fee service. Each Independent Study Course includes lessons with practice exercises and a final examination. Students who score 75 percent or better are issued a certificate of achievement from EMI. Course completion times vary from two to fourteen hours, depending on the course and the student's background.
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High Command: Australia's Struggle for an Independent War Strategy, 1939-1945
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1863733337 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from American Review of Canadian Studies, published by Association for Canadian Studies in the United States on March 22, 1997. The length of the article is 5795 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: Independent Quebec in NORAD and NATO: a long and winding road?
Author: Remi Hyppia
Publication:
American Review of Canadian Studies (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1997
Publisher: Association for Canadian Studies in the United States
Volume: 27
Issue: 1
Page: 105-19
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
The Intermarriage Handbook is a comprehensive, immensely practical self-help book for interfaith couples. Judy Petsonk and Jim Remsen interviewed hundreds of experts: psychologists, family therapist, sociologists, religious leaders--and especially the couples themselves. They discovered that the cultural differences between Christians and Jews are as significiant as their religious upbringings. Even if husband and wife are not practicing a faith, they may be feeling the strain of being in an interfaith relationship.
Filled with true-life anecdotes and useful step-by-step suggestions for a relationship at any stage, The Intermarriage Handbook is a book that couples can turn to again and again--for help with the questions that matter most.
Customer Reviews:
Not for Catholics.......2001-09-25
This book attempts to make itself out to be an impartial non-biased reference tool. I found it to be heavily biased towards the Jewish faith. If you are looking for a book to help answer your questions regarding interfaith marriage this is probably not the book for you.
candid advice from both sides.......2001-06-12
this is the only book of the 5 that i have read which provided candid advice about the possible ups and downs of creating an interfaith family. admirably, it goes to decent length explaining the psychological development of children and the role religion and G-d plays in that development. then the book explains inter- and mono-faith family options through the lens of child development. thus, i gained a perspective on the pros & cons of interfaith issues from a tangible perspective which only this book has provided. this is not to say the authors have written a formal paper on early childhood development. rather, they have applied a useful and practical lens to issues which are broadly addressed from moral or anecdote-based perspectives.
Good book, but with some serious weak spots........2000-08-23
On my engagement to a Jewish man, I found myself plowing through one badly written, biased book on intermarriage after another. This book was one of the only ones so far that was even worth checking out from the library! It is comprehensive- it doesn't dwell on the "December Dilemma" or in-laws to the exclusion of all else like so many others do, for instance. I appreciated the way the authors presented several possible solutions to each dilemma rather than just one or two- this was *very* helpful and often thought-provoking. My SO and I had some good discussions based on this book.
The major weakness of the book was its insistence on treating stereotypes about Jews, Irish, Italians, etc. as sociological facts. This offended me at first, but as I read more, it simply amused me and made me giggle at how inaccurate it was. I am Irish/Native American, for instance, but my personality type and that of my immediate family is more like the book's description of Italians and Jews than the book's description of Irish or WASPs. My fiance, a Jew, is a classic WASP by their description, and so is his family! What is the use of throwing these stereotypes around? I am not a feisty Ice Princess and he is not Woody Allen, for Pete's sake! I was also disappointed that there was nothing about ethnic groups other than white, also. A Black/Jewish couple encounters some special challenges in our society, for instance.
All in all, the book was good, but had some major flaws. Still, I would recommend it, as it is better than most of its type.
Choose another book.......2000-01-08
Me and my boyfriend found this book to be slanted toward the Jewish person who is having trouble with the mixed relationship. I think this is a good book for a couple that will carry on a lot of Jewish customs and forgo the Christian ones.
Helpful, and insightful.......1999-12-23
I recently borrowed this book out from my local library, and I loved it. Now I am going to buy this book and reccomend it to anyone who is in a Intermarriage, or is seriously considering marriage. It helped me to see things about the two faiths that would not have come up otherwise.
Books:
- A Black Englishman: A Novel
- A Home at the End of the World: A Novel
- A Perfect Pledge: A Novel
- Acqua Calda: A Novel
- Amos Camps Out: A Couch Adventure in the Woods
- Arbor Alma/the Giving Tree
- At Home in Thrush Green
- Authentic Faith: The Power of a Fire-Tested Life
- Banishing Verona: A Novel
- Before She Met Me (Picador Books)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Cloudy Jewel
- The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread
- Shadow Without a Name: A Novel
- Rethinking the Principles of War
- The $64 Tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune, and Endured an Existential Cris
- Statistical Mechanics: A Set of Lectures
- The Florida Manatee: Biology And Conservation
- The Best Coal Company in All Chicago, and How It Got That Way
- Papua New Guinea: The Struggle for Development
- Construction Safety Management Systems
