D-Day, won despite De Gaulle!

This is a fascinating book, as his others have been, too. Detailed and giving both military and personal insights on various stages of the military action, this book must have been equipped with sticky covers, I found it so hard to put down!<br />Once more, I am grateful that I did not have to run down the ramps from those LCTs and try to gain a foothold on beaches raked by enemy fire. Every one of those men should be held in high regard. Fighting through the Bocage region was worse than the Russian front, greater losses in men and armour with the chance of sudden death the soldiers constant companion. That more soldiers from both Armies didn't crack up was miraculous, those that did got (generally) sympathetic treatment (quite unlike those 30 years before.)<br />The wastage of both Allied and German troops and armour is clearly told and then the charnel house (for the Germans) of the Falaise gap almost finished the German Army in France. Opening out into Brittanny and the road to Paris shows how De Gaulle ignored Allied orders, risking greater Anglo-American casualities and slowed the general advance to establish his government (against orders) in Paris. Perfidious French indeed! Why did we ever help them, they were selfishly interested only in Paris and Governmental power, stuff the rest of their country (and everybody else,too!)<br />A revealing book full of all the best and worst human characteristics, not an easy read, but enthralling worthwhile read all the same.

Excellent

I loved this book, Being a 34 year old woman I was completly suprised at how completley hooked I was when I read twilight, I completley fell for Edward Cullen as if I was a 16 year old girl. I have now read all of the books and loved them all. Breaking dawn is no exception. I agree the imprinting thing is a bit starange but if you read it for what it is then I don't think that any harm was meant and I certainly don't agree with some of the views. As with all of the other books I was completley enthralled and could not put the book down for wanting to know what happend next. Yes it is a completley unbelievable story line with vampires and warewolves but I loved how completley real it was all made to be.. I already miss the cullens and would welcome another book.<br />

eclipse

Fantastic book, have read all the series and I felt this one was the best. The way this book is written is full of action and emotions.

More more more more more...

I can barely breathe a breath before I must race on to the third book in this wonderful series! <br />Suffice to say, I am LOVING it and it's been a long long time since I've (found the time/had the inclination to) read two books in four days and this is going to be the shortest review I have ever written.<br />Sorry...no time...Must keep reading...<br />

Twilight (ll)

Omg the best books in the world. There about a girl called Bella who moves to forks to live with her dad and she meets a boy called edward at her new school. I wont spoil the rest of the book but they are brilliant and I totally reccomend them!

The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo

Very enjoyable read, couldn't put it down once past the initial few chapters which were a bit tedious. I am looking forward to the next 2 sequels.

Different perspective

I found Ben Goldacre's book Bad Science was a good antidote to the media hype surrounding medical science and alternative therapies. While having treatment for cancer I've been tempted by the promises made by practioners of alternative therapies and been worried by cancer scare stories in the media. Reading Ben's book has enabled me to view these from a completely different perspective and with a healthy dose of scepticism.<br /><br />Ben has managed to present facts and figures that could have been heavy reading in a way that is interesting and easy to read without compromising the strength of his argument. It should be essential reading for anyone thinking of investing their time or money in alternative medicines. They may still decide to go ahead but at least it will be an informed choice.

Enthralling Gothic Tale

This is a gothic, supernatural tale with strong elements of romance and a love that transcends even death. At heart, a pact with the devil story, it is enthralling and inventive with the author twisting new shapes out of familiar themes. The writing is special and Zafon brilliantly captures the mood and feel of a superstitious country in the earlier part of the the 20th century.<br /><br />Carlos Ruiz Zafon has been a runaway bestseller in many countries, and although this is only his second novel to be translated into English, he has published several more in his native country of Spain. <br /><br />It's easy to see why masters such as Stephen King are raving about him. It's difficult not to like a book that actually celebrates books and reading. I found 'The Angel's Game' to be truly unforgettable, and I can quite easily see myself reading this again in five years time to rediscover its joys afresh.

A thought provoking read

This was a very readable book and very though-provoking. It did focus rather a lot on relationships and avoided any mention of awe or greatness concerning God. It also missed the point which I feel it set out to address which was why God allows ghastly things to happen. But having said that the book kept me turning the pages and gave much food for thought.

good

A good read, set in the 2nd world war about a young child life through this period in her life and the inhabitants of her street. A great idea for death as narrator though when reading this is lost. I like the little captions in between story, this does work well. I like the sorrow, the characters of the story. It does make you want to read more. It weakens in depth of story, if aimed at adults, not young adults it would fair better. ovrall good.

No middle ground?

Interesting winner, a readable book. This India is a game of two halfs, the Darkness of crushing poverty that cheapens humanity and the Light of wealth that illuminates greater greed and lifts no one to aspire to more. It's a well-worn path, not wholly accurate, but a blistering backdrop to a scorching page-turner. Adiga, intentionally or not, comments on a world where the chasm between haves and have-nots is unbridgeable. Here are the undeserving poor, nasty and greedy as the undeserving rich. But the view is Balram's, the amoral untrustworthy narrator who seductively weasels under the reader's skin and gains our sympathy. It's his view that strips humanity of warmth, dignity and worth, his sensibility that casts the other characters as thin caricatures. Adiga's triumph is to make us root for this man, not despite his flaws but because of them. In doing so, he reveals the true power of immorality, how easily it roots in everyone. This is India the modern myth, but the rage is all too real. A book of our time.

Atmospheric & unsettling

This is an atmospheric ghost story set in England after WWII. Hundreds Hall is a crumbling stately home & the Ayres family are struggling to survive with dwindling income & only a couple of servants. Local GP, Dr Faraday is called in to attend the housemaid, Betty, & meets Mrs Ayres, her son, Roderick, who was badly injured in the war, & her daughter, Caroline. Dr Faraday was a working class boy who became a doctor & has never felt at home with the local gentry, but in the post-war world, he becomes a trusted friend of the family. The social changes of the period are obvious as the Ayres are forced to sell off their estate to property developers to survive. The strange happenings at the Hall - the running footsteps in the old nursery, the speaking tubes whistling for no reason, the fires that break out in Roderick's room - unsettle everyone. Is a malevolent spirit haunting the family or are they tainted with madness? Echoes of Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca are very effective in creating an atmosphere of menace & doom in this beautifully written story of a family in a time of change.

Disappointing

This book started off quite well, and I found his upbringing quite fascinating. At the beginning, I quite liked his writing style but then that became tiresome, and I felt that a lot of it just trailed off into meaninglessness really. Then the middle section. I struggled through this. While I could understand the reactions of the majority of the black people he met while in Chicago, because of the way they had been treated, I was surprised at how, all of a sudden, white people could do no right in his eyes. All this, despite his seemingly idyllic multicultural upbringing. I enjoyed reading the last part, when he goes to Africa, even though it was uncomfortable in parts. He does seem to be a man of integrity, but unfortunately the book has completely put me off him!

my sisters keeper is ....

If you want a book to make you cry then this is the book for you. It about a girl named Anna who was born to be a body donator for her sister who is diagnosed with lukimiera (cancer). However Anna decides to sue her parents as she decides she has had enough of donating blood and body organs. Taking her parents to court was a stressful time and the story ends with an unexpected twist. <br /> I enjoyed the story because it was very touching and easy to relate to. It is very accurate from a medical point of view. However I did not like the ending as it was totally unexpected and did not fit with the story. It also ends suddenly and leaves you feeling more depressed than you are at the start of the story. <br /> Overall I really enjoyed the book and suggest it to any one of any age. I would also suggest her other book"Change of Heart". Jodi Picoult is a very successful writer and captures you imagination and I thoroughly enjoyed her book. <br />

outstanding - a must read book

I bought the book as a present but could not put it down - It is brilliant and in my opinion the best yet from Chris Stewart. As a committed yachtsman and traveller I enjoy Chris' books because of the adventure and his descriptions. Buy this book enjoy it and then buy and read his other books. If you like the humourous side of sailing from here then also read"To the Baltic with Bob" by Griff Rhys Jones.

VVVVVV good

To any of the 1* reviewers who said they didn't enjoy it because it was bleak...... I wonder what you were expecting from an end-of-the-world tale.<br /><br />Yes it is bleak, why wouldn't it be? If you don't want bleak then buy from the comedy section. <br /><br />I particularly liked the fact that this book is set years after whatever event it was that lead to the world being a gray, dead, ash filled nightmare. Usually these tales are set straight after the event. This one was a good story, well told, with believable characters that made me ache with sorrow for their plight. I believed it, could see their world and it had me hanging on every word till the last page, and thinking about it for weeks after. I finished it several weeks ago now but felt compelled to see what other reviewers have said about it because I still think about it pretty much daily, which is very unusual for me, so I thought I would add my voice to those saying buy it, you won't regret it [unless you are going to whinge that it is depressing, in which case don't bother]<br />