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Review Date: 3/11/2008
Helpful Score: 2
This book is a must read for any dog owner. This is not a training guide, so don't expect to learn commands. What you will learn is how to interact with your dog in a meaningful way. You'll learn what you are doing wrong, and how simple it is to do things right. I am a new owner of a 9 month old rescue puppy. He is more dominant than I was hoping for, but we fell in love with him and had to bring him home. Learning the principles behind calm-assertive energy, and how much our energy affects our dogs is priceless. I wish I'd known these principles when my sister's out of control dog was still alive. He was much loved and treasured, but I'm sure he could have had a better life if we'd understood these concepts. This is not a quick fix, nor a magic bullet, but valuable information every dog owner should take the time to learn.
Review Date: 9/12/2009
Helpful Score: 6
This is a truly engrossing novel, one which I was at pains to put down. The characters are not just compelling - but the kind that make you want to seek them out. You want to see them in the world, and find them in their quiet moments. The story starts out seemingly the way many others have, the story of a failed marriage, a disappointed woman, a philandering man, and the child who suffers at the hands of their failure. But the story quickly evolves into something quite different, and you can't wait to find out what happens to these people.
Review Date: 3/26/2009
Helpful Score: 3
While the subject matter of this book is sobering - the loss of a loved one and the subsequent struggles to cope - the characters created are vivid and compelling. Each of the main and supporting characters are unique, with quirks and foibles that call out for more inspection. I could have happily read about these characters for many more pages. The insertion of the mystery and intrigue was invigorating and fun. This is a quick and engaging read, and I highly recommend it.
Review Date: 9/11/2010
Helpful Score: 2
This is a great slow-cooker cookbook, for those who have to eat gluten free (as do I) and for those who don't. The recipes are easy to follow and to adapt (the author encourages creativity), and the relaxed format and comments following some recipes are fun.
Review Date: 6/14/2009
Helpful Score: 2
Whatever you have heard about this book, I encourage you to experience it for yourself. It is beautifully written and engaging. I read this book years ago yet I can still summon the author's voice in my mind when I think about the characters. I read a lot, so many stories come and go and stay gone, but this one has stayed with me.
Review Date: 2/5/2009
Helpful Score: 9
I was thoroughly enjoying this book in the beginning. The story revolved around a small but engaging family unit that was wholly caught up in their dog breeding business. The relationship between the mother and father and their child, and the relationships with the dogs were heartwarming and interesting. Spoiler alert - don't read on if you don't want information about the direction in which this story turns.
I was incredibly disappointed when the clunky references to "Hamlet" began appearing. I felt totally let down, and as I read the book found myself not caught up in the story as I had been in the beginning, but rather searching for Hamlet parallels, which were abundant and, in my opinion, inelegant. This writer has a true gift for storytelling, and I think he could have made this book something more. I will read books by him again, if he writes them, but I cannot recommend this book.
I was incredibly disappointed when the clunky references to "Hamlet" began appearing. I felt totally let down, and as I read the book found myself not caught up in the story as I had been in the beginning, but rather searching for Hamlet parallels, which were abundant and, in my opinion, inelegant. This writer has a true gift for storytelling, and I think he could have made this book something more. I will read books by him again, if he writes them, but I cannot recommend this book.
Review Date: 8/19/2008
Helpful Score: 3
My son and I loved reading this book and looking at the clear and simple pictures of the white rabbit hopping in and out of buckets of paint. It is a great way to teach about colors and color combinations, the text is simple and clear, and the pictures are clean and crisp.
Review Date: 5/3/2009
The sense of place in this book is incredibly intense. Anyone who has experienced San Francisco fog will recognize it, and I think anyone who has not will begin to understand it. The story is immediately compelling, and the descriptions of the characters and their individual journeys are moving. The premise - the loss of a child in a random, sudden event - is so chilling, that there were times I wanted to stop reading. But I wanted to follow the characters and find out what happened in the end. It was both what I expected and a surprise, so hang in there, and just enjoy the beautiful words.
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