Down to the Dirt

Book Description

This debut novel from Canada, violently thrust into the space between Trainspotting and the writings of J.T. Leroy, features hard-edged protagonist Keith Kavanagh. With gritty accounts of sexual depravity, pyromania, substance abuse, and the botched mercy killing of poisoned cat, this dark and comic novel charts the escapades of Kavanagh from his early teens, coming of age in small-town Newfoundland, to his early twenties wandering the streets of Halifax in a demented, drunken hunt for his estranged girlfriend.

Keith Kavanagh lost his virginity at 13 to a woman twice his age, and met his girlfriend while pissing on the hood of her father's truck. He may have burned down the North Side of the Cove, his Newfoundland outpost hometown, but not even his best friend knows for sure.

Hard-drinking, hard-fighting, hard-ticket hooligan Kavanagh is the turbulent anti-hero of this visceral first novel by writer and actor Joel Hynes. Following Keith—along with his girlfriend Natasha and reluctant best friend Andy—from the kitchens and basements of the Cove to the bars of St. John's and the alleys of Halifax, this is a stark and edgy chronicle of violence, drugs, sex, and black humor.

Customer Reviews:

Wicked Good Debut.......2006-11-27

Though I suspect Hynes might cringe to hear it, his debut novel greatly reminded me of Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting. Both are first time books by non-writers who struggled with many of the same problems as the anti-hero protagonist (Welsh and heroin, Hynes and alcohol). Both books take the reader into more or less previously unknown territory (Scotland's slums in Trainspotting, Newfoundland's Southern Shore here). Both books are dark comedies assembled in very loose episodic vignettes, some of which are narrated by other characters. Both books revel in local speech rhythms and slang (don't worry, the slang here is less prevalent than in Trainspotting, much easier to follow, and Irish in origin). But most importantly, both books quiver with life and are excellent.

At the core of the stories is Keith Kavanagh, whom we watch drink, smoke, steal, and fight his way from from early teenagerhood to early adulthood. The first chapter more or less sets the tone for things to come, as it involves the hunt for an old woman's missing finger and 13-year-old Keith losing his virginity to a single mother in a squalid cabin. Next, we get the perspective of Keith's childhood best friend Andy, who relates tales of early violence and later arson on Keith's part. The third chapter introduces Natasha, a teenage nymphet with problems of her own, who is drawn to devil-may-care Keith. Chapter four establishes their relationship -- but is not for the faint of heart or animal-loving -- as Natasha and Keith bond over the attempted mercy-killing of her sister's sick cat. Next is a Andy-narrated brief diversion into youth hockey, where Keith plays as if "in constant competition with his own penalties-per-minute record." ( As another reviewer astutely points out, this is very much akin to his approach to life in general.)

Natasha narrates chapter six, in which she and Keith get in trouble for swiping her father's sex toy. Then we get a relatively calm rumination from Keith about his life's path and the insecurities this has bred. His life starts a steep decline at this point, as we see him go on welfare, getting totally drunk, on the run from the law, fighting with Natasha, kicked out of his parent's house, and moving to St. John's. The final two chapters, which comprise about a quarter of the book hone in on Keith and Natasha's relationship and Keith's depression and alcoholism. When she takes a break and spends a few months in Halifax, his decline reaches critical mass. And for all Keith's self-destructive awful behavior, it's hard not to root for him, even as he pulls himself further down into the dirt. His self-awareness and lack of self-pity (he's fully aware that he creates his own problems) mark him as more than your standard-issue fictional alcoholic. And while he may be depressed about parts of his life, he is, on the whole, remarkably upbeat. The book ends on an ambiguous note, but don't worry, Keith is apparently going to be a part of Hynes next book. And that's a book I'll definitely be watching for, because this is a great debut -- one that deserves wide readership.

Great Book, Great read, I couldn't put it DOWN!!!.......2004-04-28

This book is a great book, with great characters. Keith the main character made me feel what it was like to be 16 again. I read this in 2 days or so, minus, the school i did, and the bathroom breaks. I could not put this book down. I even Laughed out loud in some parts, and that alone makes me excited about another book. BUY THIS BOOK!!

Average customer rating:

A Behind-the-Scenes Look At Two Best-selling Children's Authors and Illustrators
Will reach entire families with its warm story
A Lovable Journey down that Sunny Dirt Road
a must for any preteen interested in drawing or the bears

Down a Sunny Dirt Road
Stan Berenstain , and Jan Berenstain
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0375814035
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Amazon.com

You'd think that Jan and Stan Berenstain's true calling was the whole bear thing (Bears in the Night, The Big Honey Hunt, etc.). But after spending even a couple minutes reading their absorbing and often hilarious autobiography, you'll wonder why they don't do more memoirs.

Taking turns with chapters like "Stan Meets Jan" and "Jan Meets Stan," the Berenstains share some of the most minute and telling details that contributed to their uniquely successful career and marriage (which long ago passed the 50-year mark). We hear about 5-year-old Stan's "cat period" (quickly eclipsed by his "zeppelin period," after spotting the Graf Zeppelin sailing over Philadelphia's "el"); a third-grade dance performance by shy "Janeece" as the Red-Breasted Robin (Jan's teacher never pronounced her name correctly); the couple's budding romance at art school and its interruption by the draft (followed by some funny WWII recollections from Stan); their struggling early success at the Saturday Evening Post and Collier's (where they became famous for their "moppet mob scenes"); and their momentous first meeting with Theodor ("Dr.") Seuss Geisel, which led to some surprising consternation--"Our modest dream of a doing a funny book about a family of bears who lived in a tree was turning into a waking nightmare."

Even though the Berenstains have kindly written to a preteen level, teens and grownups should still find Down a Sunny Dirt Road highly readable. And die-hard fans of the Bear family will especially enjoy the comprehensive bibliography--who ever knew about The Berenstain Bears and the Drug-Free Zone? (Ages 10 and older) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

Once upon a time, in Mrs. Sweeney’s first year drawing class at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art, a “lantern-jawed exotic” named Stan admired the drawing of a brown-haired, blue-eyed girl named Janice . . . and it was kismet! It also heralded the birth of one of the great collaborations in all of children’s literature: Stan and Jan Berenstain, creators of the Berenstain Bears.

This enormously readable account tells of the early years before they met, their courtship (briefly interrupted by World War II), married life, and their first fateful meeting with Theodor Seuss Geisel–the editor-in-chief and president of Beginner Books.

It was this fateful meeting that led to the publication of The Big Honey Hunt–the book that launched
their careers as children’s book artists and introduced to the world what would quickly become America’s first family of bears: the Berenstain Bears.

Customer Reviews:

A Behind-the-Scenes Look At Two Best-selling Children's Authors and Illustrators.......2006-06-17

As a parent, I remember curling up with my sons and reading the adventure of the Berenstain Bears. The illustrations and the stories were always well-crafted. But how did this couple which has sold millions of children's books begin on their journey to publication? You will learn about their early life and how they met and married. I found it fascinating about how they moved from illustration work into children's books.

In a true behind-the-scenes look, you will learn about their first meeting with Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss), who was the editor-in-chief of Random House's Beginner Books.

I recommend anyone interested in children's writing or children's book illustration would profit from reading this book. It is excellent.

I ranked it at four-stars for a reason: the book is a misfit in some ways. It appears like a children's book because it includes Berenstain illustrations combined with family photos and an oversized design. It doesn't easily fall into the autobiographical section of a bookstore nor does it fit into the children's book section.

Even with these cautions, I loved this book and learned a great deal from it and recommend it to others.

Will reach entire families with its warm story.......2003-01-11

This autobiography of the romance between Stan and Jan Berenstain which led to not only a marriage of love but a marriage of businesses reveals how the two artists created the Berenstain Bears and other popular works for children. Packaged so as to appeal into the elementary grade levels, yet in depth enough for adult pursuit, this autobiography will reach entire families with its warm story of the creation of the Bears, with color and black and white drawings and sketches throughout.

A Lovable Journey down that Sunny Dirt Road.......2002-11-21

Down a Sunny Dirt Road would be a highly enjoyable addition to any book collection. It is the story of Stan and Jan Berenstain covering their childhood up to today. The book is broken up into chapters of about five pages each. The text is large and easy to read. Throughout the book, the chapter is broken up between Stan and Jan. Each of them tells their own point of view about events that only they were a part of as well as events they both experienced together. The book is lovingly put together and packed with pictures of Stan and Jan as well as illustrations that each of them made to illustrate the events that they are talking about in the chapter. The autobiography is all encompassing and contains many great extras like a list of all of the books that the couple has written or illustrated, a chronology of events, and all of the awards that they have won. The book is the tale of a great love story between two star-crossed lovers that luckily for us, ended up together. The couple lived the true rags to riches story and this idea runs throughout the book because it has influenced choices they have made. It is great to hear about their start in the cartoon industry as well as their creation of the lovable bears we have come to know as Mama, Papa, Sister, Brother, and now Honey. It was also very interesting to learn about how they based the bears on. One of the most enjoyable chapters of the book focuses on their meetings with beloved childrenýs author Dr. Seuss. The advice that Dr. Seuss gave them about their books was fun to read and the knowledge that he tried to make the bears like the books he wrote, but the Berenstainýs were reluctant to do so. The book also highlights the fact that Stan and Jan are real artists, not only cartoonists. Their other artwork is breathtakingly beautiful and is contained within the chapters about attending art school. The autobiography is well done and answers all of the pertinent questions that people would want to know like the authorsý favorite books, where they get their ideas, and the correct pronunciation of their last name. Down a Sunny Dirt Road would most likely be more enjoyable to adults who grew up with the Berenstain bears or during the era that the Berenstains grew up. There are a lot of people, items, and events that are mentioned, especially in the early chapters, that children would not know or understand. The Berenstainýs do a good job of explaining these unknown terms, but there are just so many on the page that the children may not be able to comprehend the terms used. As far as autobiographies go, this is a great one. Down a Sunny Dirt Road is perfect for anyone wanting a great biography or a true fan that would like to travel down that sunny dirt road with those lovable Berenstain bears.

a must for any preteen interested in drawing or the bears.......2002-10-07

an extremely funny autobiography geared to pre-teens and others, about growing up in Philly during the Depression and WWII, and becoming artists, illustrators, and acclaimed authors of forty years worth of childrens books. Contains cartoon illustrations on nearly every other page. STan recounts how he was sent to a "one eyed battalion" at Fort Bragg during WWII, and eventually made it into ASTP at The University of Maine, while Jan became an aircraft riveter during the War. After VE Day, the couple married, raised a family and became illustrators. In 1962, they published their first childrens book, and the rest is history. I recommend it to any child with a flare for and interest in drawing and cartooning.

The Dirt: Your Nitty-Gritty, Down-and-Dirty Guide to Nevada, the Wildest Adventure State in the Lower 48

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The Dirt: Your Nitty-Gritty, Down-and-Dirty Guide to Nevada, the Wildest Adventure State in the Lower 48
Nevada Commission on Tourism
Manufacturer: Nevada Commission on Tourism
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000QF3K7O

Product Description

Guide to the wildest adventure state in the Lower 48.

THE TARTAN UNICORN: Mary Madigan's Music; The Wedding Guest; Let Down Your Golden Hair; Open House; Ghost of a Career; Spacelings; Work Boots and Carpet; Tides of Time; Dirt and Damnation; Flag of Surrender

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THE TARTAN UNICORN: Mary Madigan's Music; The Wedding Guest; Let Down Your Golden Hair; Open House; Ghost of a Career; Spacelings; Work Boots and Carpet; Tides of Time; Dirt and Damnation; Flag of Surrender
Molly Stewart
Manufacturer: Norquay
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0969227612

Down in the dirt: how and when might the war in Afghanistan end? Here's an inside look from a Special Forces expert.(Cover Story): An article from: New York Times Upfront

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Down in the dirt: how and when might the war in Afghanistan end? Here's an inside look from a Special Forces expert.(Cover Story): An article from: New York Times Upfront
Richard Guthrie
Manufacturer: Scholastic, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from New York Times Upfront, published by Scholastic, Inc. on November 26, 2001. The length of the article is 1805 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: Down in the dirt: how and when might the war in Afghanistan end? Here's an inside look from a Special Forces expert.(Cover Story)
Author: Richard Guthrie
Publication: New York Times Upfront (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 26, 2001
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Volume: 134 Issue: 6 Page: 8(4)

Article Type: Cover Story

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Down the same dirt road.(polticians efforts in rural development)(Editorial): An article from: Arkansas Business

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Down the same dirt road.(polticians efforts in rural development)(Editorial): An article from: Arkansas Business
Gwen Moritz
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Arkansas Business, published by Thomson Gale on October 16, 2006. The length of the article is 649 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: Down the same dirt road.(polticians efforts in rural development)(Editorial)
Author: Gwen Moritz
Publication: Arkansas Business (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 16, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 23 Issue: 41 Page: 7(1)

Article Type: Editorial

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The Down and Dirty Earn More Money, Biz Networking and Sales Models for Dirt Bikes On-line Businesses 3 Course Pack

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The Down and Dirty Earn More Money, Biz Networking and Sales Models for Dirt Bikes On-line Businesses 3 Course Pack
Montezuma Z Davis
Manufacturer: LTBR, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000QPAI0Q

Average customer rating:

Down to the Dirt
Joel Hynes
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000VB8MTE

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Pv-Low Down Dirt -Op/16
Vhs
Manufacturer: Not Avail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 5550015889

RED DIRT MARIJUANA - and Other Tastes: Razor Fight; The Sun and the Still-born Stars; The Night the Bird Blew for Doctor Warner; A South Summer Idyll; Put-down; You're Too Hip Baby; You Gotta Leave Your Mark; The Road Out of Axotle; Apartment to Exchange

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RED DIRT MARIJUANA - and Other Tastes: Razor Fight; The Sun and the Still-born Stars; The Night the Bird Blew for Doctor Warner; A South Summer Idyll; Put-down; You're Too Hip Baby; You Gotta Leave Your Mark; The Road Out of Axotle; Apartment to Exchange
Terry Southern
Manufacturer: Signet Books - New American Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NVUGXW

Customer Reviews:

Fireworks - Romantic and Otherwise.......2005-04-12

This is the story of my favorite Nora Roberts character of all time - Daniel MacGregor, the wealthy businessman with the Midas touch. Daniel MacGregor, the meddlesome, matchmaking father and grandfather who's family is his greatest accomplishment of all time! This is his story, the story of he and Anna, the wife behind the man.

I have to say that I've read several of Nora Roberts's books revolving around the MacGregor clan and have loved each and every one of them. Roberts produced a winner when she created the character of Daniel MacGregor and this vibrant, fun-loving family man has yet to compare with any other fictional creations. Through Roberts's vast and vivid descriptions, a definite mental picture of Daniel is very much etched forever into your mind. His escapades of meddling into his family's love lives has left me laughing and also wishing that I too had a grandfather as vivacious and effervescent as this man.

When I found FOR NOW, FOREVER I was thrilled that I'd finally get to read about how Daniel met his Anna, the true love of his life. And I wanted to see exactly what transpired between them to make Daniel believe that everyone should be happily married just like he and Anna. This book didn't let me down and I loved every word of it!

The book starts out with Daniel having a heart attack and Anna rushing him to the hospital. She calls the kids home as the dire circumstance dictates (if Anna, a surgeon, was worried, I knew Daniel had to be in bad shape). Then Roberts uses flashbacks to tell the story of how Anna and Daniel met and fell in love. As Anna is waiting in the hospital to see if Daniel will live, she begins remembering the courtship and the ordeals that can only come about when involved with Daniel MacGregor.

The reader is shown how Daniel finds Anna and sets his mind on convincing a very independent Anna Whitfield that she can't live without him and must marry him. It's a fun look at how a very dynamic person such as Daniel meets his match in a petite woman with a streak of hardheadedness all of her own. When these two are together you can count on fireworks and they aren't always the romantic type!

If you love the numerous MacGregor stories then this is a must read. It will make you understand Daniel and Anna - and it will make you realize that you can still have your individualism and be in a loving relationship. This is the perfect romance story with tons of humor thrown in to balance things. I enjoyed it so much, I may end up reading it again the summer!

For now, Forever.......2000-04-03

I really enjoyed this book because of the foundation it lays for all of the other MacGregor stories. We now see how crafty Daniel can be, and loving as well.

Average customer rating:

Solid but uninspiring

SERIOUS DISAPPOINTMENT

Not even mediocre!!!

Another Winner in This Series

great reads

A False Mirror (Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries)
Charles Todd
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Historical | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Police Procedurals | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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Dust: A Richard Jury Mystery

A Long Shadow: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery (Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries)

Water Like a Stone: A Novel (Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Novels)

Death Comes for the Fat Man (Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries)

A Cold Treachery

ASIN: 0060786736
Release Date: 2007-01-09

Book Description

Hampton Regis is a small harbor town on the southern coast of England, a place with an ancient history but long since passed over by its larger neighbors. There, in the year after World War I has ended, a tragedy is in the making – a woman's husband has been attacked and badly injured and the suspect, the man she loved before he left to go to war, has taken the wife and her maid as hostages. The desperate man, Stephen, threatens to kill the hostages unless the local police bring in a man he knew in the trenches – Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge.

Rutledge, still struggling with his own demons from the war, fears that in stepping into the emotional struggle of these three people, he can't be objective. Their situation in a sense mirrors his own. As a result of Rutledge going off to fight, he too lost the woman he loved to another man.

If, as Stephen claims, he didn't try to kill his lover's husband, then who did? And what has happened in this little town that is worth killing for? Once again, Charles Todd has placed the tormented, yet brilliant policeman into a situation that, while it brings back his haunted past, must be solved before a killer strikes again.

Customer Reviews:

Solid but uninspiring.......2007-10-01

As has become usual for the Ian Rutledge series, this is a well-written mystery that evokes the time period well and tells a good story. That said, this entry is not one of Todd's best. It's complex and ultimately not very satisfying as a story, and takes far too long to unwind and develop. If you've read the rest of the series, it's worth reading. But I wouldn't recommend it on its own unless you have a specific interest in 1920s Britain or police procedural mysteries.

SERIOUS DISAPPOINTMENT.......2007-09-17

I have enjoyed this series and read each of the previous installments. Trying to wade my way through this one was like slogging through mud. The narrative drive so satisfying in the previous books bogged down here in an unlikely plot, silly characters, and constant repetition. I wanted to shout at the characters to DO SOMETHING! I'd say the book is overlong by 50 - 100 pages, and it certainly dampened my anticipation for the next Rutledge, due out in January. "Charles Todd" -- mere et fils -- seem to have lost the plot, as they say in England. Or at least the energy of the previous books. Maybe it's just me, but I don't care as much about Rutledge and Hamish after reading this book as I once did.

Not even mediocre!!!.......2007-09-16

I can't believe all the five star reviews for this book! As an Ian Rutledge fan, I found it sadly disappointing. Nothing in the book is believable. The so-called hostage situation is absurd, especially after a murder takes place in the hostage house. The motive given by the killer when he recites a full confession that is of course overheard is ridiculous. Rutledge advises the doctor to place a guard and lock doors to protect an unconscious victim, and when the doctor declines, simply shrugs his shoulders and does nothing about it. The red herring is glaringly obvious, and I don't often spot them. Even Hamish is getting predictable and boring. The previous books were so good, this is a shame.

Another Winner in This Series.......2007-08-02

This is the ninth in this wonderfully complex and well-written series. In this outing, Stephen Mallory, accused of severely beating a local man, is holding the man's wife hostage. He specifically asks for Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard. Rutledge and Mallory served together in the trenches of WWI. When the severely injured man disappears, and there are two murders, Rutledge must peel back layer after layer to discover who would want to kill the former diplomat and why.

If you want an intelligently written procedural try this series, but start with the first book to understand the complicated and damaged Ian Rutledge. This series has some of the best writing done in the mystery genre. The author is often compared to P.D. James.

great reads.......2007-07-04

As always Charles Todd writes a great mystery. He keeps you interested from page one to the last page. I can't wait to read the next book. His characters are always interesting. Very well written!!

Average customer rating:

Yeah, big whoop
E X C E L L E N T !!!!!
THE FIRST TRUE SCI-FI BOOK IN YEARS
Genetic, psychic, and underrated.

The False Mirror (The Damned, Book 2)
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

ASIN: 0345358562
Release Date: 1992-03-10

Book Description

For millennia, the alien union called the Weave had ben at war with evil Amplitur. When its new elite fighting unit appeared, it became frighteningly clear that Amplitur was subjecting humans to vile genetic manipulations. The Weave could reverse the effects, but the result could turn the former warriors into the most despicable creatures in the galaxy....

Customer Reviews:

Yeah, big whoop.......2002-02-23

I read this book in mostly to find out what happened after the first installment. It was decent, but I find the author's generalizations of humanity unrealistic. Sure, we may fight constantly, but any casual glance could tell you that we can do more than make war.
He's written better, but it was still a nice read.

E X C E L L E N T !!!!!.......1999-05-30

The Amplitur had finally found a way of limiting the advancing Human Weave alliance, by creating an elite unit to match their Human counterpart, dispite the Ampliturs success, their plan backfires into something truely frightening. I enjoyed reading this story, the characters felt real, I wonder how would a Nazi officer feel if he found out that he was Jewish, and that other officers in his company were Jewish as well?? Mr fosters one hell of a writer, I thought A call to arms was the best in the series but this comes a close second, I eagerly await the next exciting installment!!!

THE FIRST TRUE SCI-FI BOOK IN YEARS.......1997-06-15

THE FALSE MIRROR PUT HUMANS AND ALIENS TOGETHER AT LAST AGAINST OTHER ALIENS. THE WAR CONSISTED OF EVERYTHING, AIR COMBAT, GROUND WAR, REACON. EVERYTHING A REAL WAR WOULD HAVE ALAN DEAN FOSTER HAS FINALLY PUT INTO A REALISTIC BOOK. FIRST OF ALL IT TELLS OF TEH YOUNG BOYS LIFE (NOT TO MUCH) THEN IT TELLS ABOUT HIS TRAINING. AND IT'S NOTHING SPECIAL, THEY DON'T HAVE EXTRMELY HIGH TECH WEAPONS THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE AND COULD EASILY DEFEAT THE ENEMY WITH A MATTER OF MOMENTS WHEN THE WAR WAS DECLARED. IT IS ONLY THE SECOND PART OF A THREE BOOK SERIES AND I MEAN TO READ THE THIRD AND IF IT'S ANYTHING LIKE THE SECOND I PLAN ON HAVING QUITE A READING TIME. I GIVE IT TWO THUMBS UP

Genetic, psychic, and underrated........1997-02-08

This book, second in The Damned series, takes place during the war. A group of aliens that look similarly like humans find they were geneticly changed. They turn against the creatures that did it to them and are helped by the humans. When helped, it is found that they have gained psychic abilities. The False Mirror goes through the pain of being betrayed and the harshness of war. Foster creates many different types of aliens, each with a distinctive attitude and personality

Smoke and Mirrors: The Devastating Effect of False Sexual Abuse Claims

Average customer rating:

Ah, Sanity
A detailed report on the madness
Hits the nail on the head!
Smoke & Mirror aptly describes this farcical propaganda

Smoke and Mirrors: The Devastating Effect of False Sexual Abuse Claims
Terence W. Campbell
Manufacturer: Insight Books Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Research | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0306459841

Customer Reviews:

Ah, Sanity.......2001-11-30

Terence Campbell, a psychologist himself, delves deep into the muck of false accusations of child sexual abuse, the blame for which he lays squarely on the heads of those charged with interviewing children. It is very important to note that at no point does he say children should not be believed a priori, he only claims that current methods of interrogating children taint their testimony so the it is no longer useful.

Campbell would like nothing more than for this to change. He outlines his own method for interviewing children, and it is obvious that his technique would elicit far cleaner information than the usual methods.

Also suspect are claims of past abuse suffered as children, suddenly remembered by adults who claim to have "repressed" it.

That false memories can be created, he demonstrates by citing several objective studies, and I found them quite convincing. He further proves from objective studies that traumatic events are rarely forgotten. What's more, most of the case studies of "recovered memory" patients documented patients who had sought counseling for something other than lost time. In addition, many false memory patients recanted.

This is a much needed book. When people like Raymond Buckey spend five years in jail during a travesty of a trial, at the end of which he is acquitted, someone needs to stand up and cry "Foul!" I applaud Dr. Campbell for doing so.

A detailed report on the madness.......1999-09-11

This is another excellent book in reaction to the satanic abuse and false memory hysteria that swept this country like a plague in 80s and early 90s. Written by a clinical psychologist who is a director of the False Memory Foundation, this book shows in detail how social workers, police and the courts helped to send innocent people to jail. In particular the indoctrination of the children is presented, step by ugly step, leaving no doubt about what really happened. A sad, sad chapter in American history gets another documentation. I am hoping that next we will have books on just why so many "well-meaning" people went astray and/or were led astray. I think the underlying guilt of parents with latch-key children projected onto others is a largely unexplored psychological factor. The American puritanical obsession with sex is another. The feminazi attack on men as well, of course. With this book it appears that the word has finally gotten around and the courts are beginning to throw out the tainted "evidence" and the counseling profession is beginning to see the error of its ways.

Campbell speaks with authority since it was his profession, although not him personally, that was a central part of the insanity. If the therapists had read the studies from their own journals they would have known that the sensational "recovered memories"of sexual abuse could only be highly suspect. One weakness of the book is Campbell's understandable reluctance to fully criticize these clinical psychologists. The truth is, not just some, but a significant portion of abuse counselors proved to be incompetent, mercenary and under educated. The harm done to patients and their families and friends by the worst of the therapists exceeds in some respects the harm done through the use of electric shock therapy and frontal lobotomies by witch doctors of a previous era.

Hits the nail on the head!.......1999-05-17

This book speaks for the falsely accused so well that I plan on purchasing many copies to share with legislators, lawyers and others who need to know the how, why, and what's in reference to accusations of child sexual abuse. Terence Campbell pinpoints how these charges come about, who makes them and what should be done in order to correct the problem. Too many professionals (I use this word loosely) evaluate, investigate and use therapy through the use of "accentual perception." The see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear. Many times when accusations come by way of professionals they don't consider whether or not it is true, they just go about proving that it is. Through the use of alternative hyposthesis, a non-biased attitude and changes in the laws that enact guidelines for the interviewing of children false accusations can be thwarted. There have already been some changes in the use area of repressed memories. Changes that were a long time in the making. This book is an excellent learning tool for those who have never been devastated by the misuse of the court system through false accusations and a comfort for those who have.

Smoke & Mirror aptly describes this farcical propaganda.......1999-04-11

As a children's advocate I am appalled at yet another blatant attempt to prove that all mothers and children who disclose abuse are liars. Even Dr. Richard Gardner says that most likely 95% of child sexual abuse disclosures are valid, it's just societal shame based stigmas that make incest so damaging. There's got to be a better way than the FMSF's & Campbell's attitude that giving a child back to the accused somehow protects everybody. I'm not saying that pedophiles should be burned at the stake as object of "Witchhunts" that would be double jeopardy, since most child molesters were prior victims, but to say this problem is a figment of hysterical women and children with over active imaginations is ludicrous beyond belief! Victoria Pierce National Alliance for Family Court Justice

The False Mirror: Book Two of the Damned

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The False Mirror: Book Two of the Damned
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Del Rey Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0345901630

The consequences of differentiation in episodic memory: Similarity and the strength based mirror effect [An article from: Journal of Memory and Language]

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The consequences of differentiation in episodic memory: Similarity and the strength based mirror effect [An article from: Journal of Memory and Language]
A.H. Criss
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Elsevier | By Publisher | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B000PAUW1M

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Memory and Language, published by Elsevier in 2006. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
When items on one list receive more encoding than items on another list, the improvement in performance usually manifests as an increase in the hit rate and a decrease in the false alarm rate (FAR). A common account of this strength based mirror effect is that participants adopt a more strict criterion following a strongly than weakly encoded list (e.g., Cary & Reder, 2003; Stretch & Wixted, 1998). Differentiation models offer an alternative: more encoding leads to a more accurate memory representation for the studied item. A more accurate representation is less confusable with an unrelated item, resulting in a decrease in the FAR (McClelland & Chappell, 1998; Shiffrin & Steyvers, 1997). Differentiation models make additional predictions about reversals in FARs for foils similar to a studied item as a function of the composition of the study list. These predictions were empirically tested and confirmed.

The false memory and the mirror effects: The role of familiarity and backward association in creating false recollections [An article from: Journal of Memory and Language]

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The false memory and the mirror effects: The role of familiarity and backward association in creating false recollections [An article from: Journal of Memory and Language]
D. Anaki , Y. Faran , D. Ben-Shalom , and A. Henik
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Elsevier | By Publisher | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B000RR2O32

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Memory and Language, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
The mirror effect refers to a phenomenon where the hit rate is higher for low frequency words while the false alarm rate is higher for high frequency distractors. Using a false memory paradigm (Roediger & McDermott, 1995), we examined whether false memory for non-presented lures would be influenced by the lure's familiarity. The results revealed that false memory levels for low familiarity lures were higher than that for high familiarity lures, but only when the backward association strength between the presented list's words and the lure was high. The veridical memory for the presented words also revealed greater accuracy for low familiarity words. In contrast, higher false alarms were observed for high frequency unrelated distractors. These results are discussed in light of current theories of the false memory effect, and it is suggested that they support an activation/monitoring account of the effect, according to which non-presented lures are activated during encoding.

A description of the true and of the false church: As outlined in a certain history, properly named The bloody theatre, or Martyrs mirror, by Thieleman ... 1660, and A solution to wor[l]d problems

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A description of the true and of the false church: As outlined in a certain history, properly named The bloody theatre, or Martyrs mirror, by Thieleman ... 1660, and A solution to wor[l]d problems
Thieleman J. van Braght
Manufacturer: Menno Sauder
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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The False Mirror

Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HTUU9K

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A False Mirror
Charles Todd
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K67QPQ

The False Mirror (The Damned Ser., Bk. 2)

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The False Mirror (The Damned Ser., Bk. 2)
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OW91DG

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The Prymer

Prymed and ready...

Interesting, engaging, useful

Disciplined Prayer is not a bad thing

Centered in the ancient tradition of daily fixed-hour prayer

The Prymer: The Prayer Book of the Medieval Era Adapted for Contemporary Use

Manufacturer: Paraclete Press (MA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Prayerbooks | Worship & Devotion | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Devotionals | Worship & Devotion | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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The Collects of Thomas Cranmer

Ancient-Future Evangelism: Making Your Church a Faith-Forming Community (Ancient-Future)

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Ancient-Future Faith: Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern World (Ancient-Future)

ASIN: 1557252564

Book Description

Worship, spirituality, and community have become the three most important concerns for postmodern Christianity. Because our postmodern mood of faith is characterized by a new nostalgia for the past, this restoration of the medieval Prymer comes at a timely moment.

Filled with Scripture and the warm-hearted piety of the Middle Ages, this spiritual classic has been designed for personal or communal use in a one-day retreat, a weekly cycle, or a thirty-day cycle of prayer. Additional prayers for the Christmas and Easter seasons allow The Prymer to also function as a source of personal or congregational spirituality throughout the year.

Customer Reviews:

The Prymer.......2006-06-16

There is something magical about reciting the same prayers as ones ancestors.

Prymed and ready..........2004-01-23

This is a book that was over a thousand years in the making. `The Prymer' finds its origins in the monastic cycles of prayers as long ago as the ninth century. This was at first a way of keeping the monks together in common prayer, then expanded to the general clergy (most of whom were trained in monastic settings), and then generally filtered out to the general laity, who used the prayers contained herein for private devotions and as a literacy tool, to help children and other adults learn how to read with something familiar.

`The Prymer' was one of the more popular books for centuries. Long before general availability and ownership of the Bible became common, `The Prymer' was one of the few common devotional guides available. In addition to being inspired by pieces from scripture, there are in total 63 psalms included in the Prymer cycle, which became the core of medieval practical devotions.

There are two primary sections of book - Prayers and Readings for Daily Devotion (derived from the Hours of monastic cycles), and Prayers and Readings for a Time of Grief (coming from the Office of the Dead). Death was commonplace at different times as wars and plagues swept through, so this was an important addition to daily cycles.

The editor Robert Webber writes in his introduction that this book was part of the transition from Lectio Divina of monastic practice to ruminato forms of prayer (much in the way many of us conceive of and practice prayer today). Ruminato means to consider or to meditate, which is one of the primary hallmarks of prayer today. It becomes personalised and interior, even when directed by outside voices or readings. Ruminato seemed to have more care for the spiritual formation of a person than Lectio Divina (one might argue against this, actually). However, in keeping with this idea, Webber provided ample margins in the text for the user to jot notes and inspirational pieces.

There are 8 primary offices to the first section: Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline. Webber has given suggestions for using this book, including a one-day retreat (engaging each office in order at the appropriate daily time); a weekly cycle of going through offices, a 30-day cycle, and combination cycles that derive from the different liturgical seasons.

Webber writes about the way in which one proceeds - going through slowly and meditatively, not rushing through, trying to get to the end. There are certain offices with more energy or more contemplative feeling to them; Webber introduces each office with a brief description and suggestions for what one will experience.

This is a fascinating book, useful for people looking for private worship practices, small group activities, or even for parish-based use. The prayers have a very traditional feel to them in many respects, but Webbers updated language gives them new vitality.

Interesting, engaging, useful.......2002-03-13

Though it certainly has its weaknesses and eccentricities (it's developed from late medieval sources), The Prymer, a translation of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary and some other sources, is a wonderful invitation to daily prayer. This version of the office is focused on the psalms and the story the crucifixion. The office is easily adaptable to various needs, and the author includes a number of other psalm-focused devotions (for Advent, Lent, and Easter), a Lenten litany, and a special version of the office for use in times of grief. Marian devotions are included, but protestant users shouldn't find them excessive. A good, portable, personal prayer book.

Disciplined Prayer is not a bad thing.......2001-11-07

Centered in the ancient tradition of daily fixed-hour prayer, The Prymer: The Prayer Book Of The Medieval Era Adapted For Contemporary Use focuses throughout the day on the hours of Christ's passion and death and has been recommended to Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christian, and Protestant readerships. I am a Presbyterian, raised in both the Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church and find this book outstanding. I pray twice a day, once in the evening focusing on private issues and having a beautiful conversation with My Lord and in the morning for some disciplined prayer. I follow the seasons and pray fervently as those in the past. This book is an outstanding tool for me. I hope to have it memorized this year.

Centered in the ancient tradition of daily fixed-hour prayer.......2001-02-10

Centered in the ancient tradition of daily fixed-hour prayer, The Prymer: The Prayer Book Of The Medieval Era Adapted For Contemporary Use focuses throughout the day on the hours of Christ's passion and death. Designed for personal or communal use in a one-day retreat, a weekly cycle, or a thirty-day cycle of prayer, The Prymer also includes special prayers for the Christmas and Eater Seasons. The Prymer is exceptional and highly recommended to Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christian, and Protestant readerships.

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