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Mister Monday is one of the best books I have read in a long time. You immediately connect with Arthur-- he has his weaknesses (asthma and being too curious for his own good) and he has his strengths (his sense of duty, compassion, and courage). This book is jam-packed with many fantastical inventions that is purely Nix at his best. Dog-faced men, the Will, the Nightsweeper, and thousands more. I repeat: this is an extremely compelling read and you'll be hard-fixed to find anything as wonderfully written as this. Thank you and good night!	Dog-faced men, the Will, the Nightsweeper, and thousands more	the Will	neutral	0
This is probably the grittiest of the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan stories and one of the best. Carol goes undercover in Europe to catch an international criminal and both she and Tony nearly lose their lives as a result. They both begin to acknowledge their feelings for each other but before it can go very far, events take over and in some ways, they end up even farther apart than they were before. This is not a story for the squeamish. There is quite a bit of brutal reality and a rape too terrible to even think about, but Val McDermid has created characters and a story that I just couldn't put down. It left me anxious to read the next book in the series	There is quite a bit of brutal reality and a rape too terrible to even think about, but Val McDermid has created characters and a story that I just couldn't put down	characters	positive	0
In this last look at Hercule Poirot we see him and his friend Hastings at Styles where we were first introduced to this incredible Belgian. Only Agatha Christie would think to bring an end to her hero in this way. This is the ultimate crime and the ultimate murderer. Talk about going out with a bang! The whole book is one big deceit, and Poirot is the biggest deceiver of all. It's certainly a shocker. I have read all of the Poirot books, and this book happens to be the last one of these stories that I've read. I think that's fitting. I never could bring myself to read it before because I couldn't bear that it was the last of the little Belgian detective. But one thing about Poirot books, and this one is no exception, it can certatinly be read and enjoyed again. They are all complex enough that certain things are missed in the first reading. Ms. Christie was an absolute marvel!	Only Agatha Christie would think to bring an end to her hero in this way	Agatha Christie	neutral	0
Based on historical fact, WINSTON'S WAR is a solid and absorbing fictional rendition of the leadership struggle between Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill between October 1, 1938 and May 10, 1940. As the book opens, Chamberlain has returned to 10 Downing Street a public hero after the signing of the Munich Agreement between himself and Adolf Hitler which gave the latter the Sudetenland in return for "peace in our time". Meanwhile, relegated to the periphery of British politics and virtually an outcast, Churchill obstinately lashes out against appeasement and loudly proclaims the necessity for total war to save democracy from the depredations of the Nazis. What subsequently follows is history: the German subjugation of the rest of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland, the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, the Phony War, the Soviet invasion of Finland, the British military's Norwegian fiasco, and the crisis in His Majasty's government in May 1940 that ultimately elevated Winston to the premiership. The cast of characters in this sweeping story by Michael Dobbs of political maneuvering, skullduggery, and backstabbing is an historical Who's Who of the times: the ailing, haughty, and pacifist Chamberlain, who personifies England's bitter memories of the Great War and the popular concept of "never again"; the ambitious and self-absorbed Churchill, whose pugnacity sometimes clouds prudence; the defeatist, philandering, and anti-Semitic U. S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Joseph P. Kennedy; the alcoholic, disillusioned and psychologically tortured idealist, Guy Burgess (of Burgess, Philby, and Maclean of Cold War infamy); the stuttering King George VI, who whines that the German invasion of Poland interrupted his grouse hunting; and the Machiavellian newspaper mogul, William "Max" Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook. It's in the minor details with which Dobbs fleshes out the story of Chamberlain's fall and the rise of his nemesis, Churchill, to an epic 685 paper-backed pages (UK HarperCollins edition). And it's the length of WINSTON'S WAR that is, perhaps, a minor flaw. Some of the subplots seemed unnecessary, and should have been severely cropped by a ruthless editor: the love affair between the crippled WWI survivor "Mac" McFadden, barber to the politically great and one of Guy's information sources, and Carol, a housemaid and part-time prostitute; and between Bournemouth postmistress Sue Graham and Army Sergeant Jerry White - though the experiences of the latter did usefully tie the Norway debacle into the storyline on a personal level. Slightly more relevant, but still mildly tedious, was the dysfunctional relationship between Brendan Bracken, Churchill's closest confidant, and Kennedy's niece, Anna Fitzgerald. Perhaps Dobbs perceived a need to include Carol, Sue and Anna to make it less of a Guy Read. Chamberlain was toppled not because he sought to appease Hitler and avert a cataclysm, but because he didn't have the mettle to wage all-out war when the necessity for it was thrust upon him. That was to prove to be Winston's genius. The author's genius is in portraying the labyrinthine venality of Whitehall and Fleet Street powerbroking at a time when solidarity against a rapacious common enemy was desperately necessary. WINSTON'S WAR is the first in a series of novels about Churchill's wartime leadership. According to the back cover, the next book is apparently NEVER SURRENDER. I shall seek out and buy it immediately	The cast of characters in this sweeping story by Michael Dobbs of political maneuvering, skullduggery, and backstabbing is an historical Who's Who of the times: the ailing, haughty, and pacifist Chamberlain, who personifies England's bitter memories of the Great War and the popular concept of "never again"; the ambitious and self-absorbed Churchill, whose pugnacity sometimes clouds prudence; the defeatist, philandering, and anti-Semitic U	Chamberlain	negative	1
Angela and Diabola is one of the best books I've ever read. A well written novel by Lynn Reid Banks weaves good and evil into a touching and unforgetable novel. The story is this: Mrs. Cuthbert is expecting a child, but has twins. One child is so angelic, it's like a piece of heaven came. The other one so incredibily devilish,she frequently scares people. Angela helps, while Diabola hinders. The story is worked around how the sisters cope with other people, and each other. When finished, you will be so familiar with these characters, you will wish their was a second book!	Angela helps, while Diabola hinders	Angela	positive	0
In this book, Ernest Gellner uses the psychoanalytic movement as a "case study" to explore the general human tendency to create delusional ideological systems which serve various political, social, and psychological needs. He also focuses in on the specific structural features of modern life that made psychoanalysis an especially successful ideology. As Gellner sums up in his final chapter, "In a sense, the present book is more interested in our Zeitgeist than in psychoanalysis. The crucial strategic position occupied by Freudianism in the social and intellectual history of mankind, makes it possible for us to learn a vast amount from it about, on the one hand, the general anatomy of belief systems and, on the other, the special conditions prevalent in our age. ". In his first two chapters, Gellner focuses in on what might be called the modern predicament. Before the rise of natural science and philosophical empiricism, it was easy to explain the mixture of good and evil, the sheer perversity, embodied in human beings. Humans were, quite literally, halfway between beasts and angels. The rise of science and modern philosophy invalidated that belief. Taking David Hume as a prime example, Gellner shows that the scientific, empiricist thought of the Enlightenment abandoned the angel/beast dichotomy. The Enlightenment theorists naturalized man: the model of man they ended up with, which Gellner dubs the "Bundleman," was a random mixture of self-interested desires and needs which were easily satisfied by a conservatively cautious policy of maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain. Real human beings, of course, act much more like a mixture of angel and beast than the cautiously and rationally selfish "Bundleman" of the Enlightenment. Nietzsche was, Gellner claims, the first serious post-Enlightenment thinker to fully realize this fact, and the realization finally drove poor Nietzsche insane. Freud's genius was to take the Nietzschean insight and domesticate it, thereby turning it into the basis of a very successful, very lucrative pseudo-scientific cult - psychoanalysis. Freud's task was made easier by certain features of the modern world. The modern world exhibits deep reverence for applied science, especially medicine. In modern industrial societies, technology has eradicated most traditional physical threats (starvation, plague, wild animals, etc. ). In our society, the pressing threats perceived by most people lie rather in the increasing complexity of, and importance placed upon, human relationships. It is just in this area of interpersonal relationships where psychoanalysis offered help. Most of the book explores the tricks and turns by which psychoanalysis maintained its authority. Nowadays, now that there is hardly an intelligent person left who is a hard-core believer in the Freudian faith, is this of any more than historical interest?. Yes. While Freud may finally be buried, his residue endures -- as "therapy," "couselling," "adjustment," etc. -- and continues to muddle our thinking process and our ability to make moral evaluations. As Gellner rhetorically asks, concerning the Holy Grail of "adjustment," "[I]s adaptation, adjustment to any regime, including a tyrannical one, a sign of mental health?" The Soviets, hardly orthodox Freudians, famously answered "Yes!". But even more important, as Gellner emphasizes, the fraud of Freudianism is a typical example of the functioning of human society in general:. "Societies possess techniques for rendering ideas socially constitutive, and these techniques tend to share certain formal features. It is important to remember that this is the normal condition of mankind: most ideas of most men at most times are beyond the reach of questioning. An idea does not have simply a cognitive role. it is at the same time linked to a set of personal relations, to loyalties, hierarchies, sentiments, hopes and fears. To shake the idea would be to disturb all that. Most men are neither willing nor able to do that. ". To put it more bluntly, the structure of all hitherto existing human societies is grounded in socially-imposed, emotionally-compelling lies. Did Freud and his colleagues engage in bizarre intellectual contortions to prevent their ideas from being questioned or subjected to criticism?. Yes. but have you ever asked a liberal why we must slavishly accede to the results of a democratic election? The answer is that if you choose to vote, you are obliged to accept the results, and, if you don't vote, you have no right to complain. Is Freudian reasoning any more circular than that?. Did Freud and his colleagues frantically avoid confronting their theories with empirical reality? (Freud once declared that "I cannot advise too strongly against" seeking out empirical evidence to check the conclusions of a psychoanalytic diagnosis because the result would be that "confidence in the analysis is shattered and a court of appeal is set up over it. "). Yes. but have you ever talked with a conservative about the actual historical process by which the US Constitution was "ratified"?. Do Freudians apply different standards to themselves than to all other human beings, accusing critics and skeptics of being mentally and morally deranged?. Yes. but have you ever tried asking a Christian why, since they preach that Jesus taught the pacifist doctrines of "Resist not evil!" and "Turn the other cheek!", many Christians are among the most violent and militaristic people on the planet?. What then would happen if everyone learned the central lesson of Gellner's book -- that deception, dishonesty, and manipulation are at the heart not only of the psychoanalytic movement but of nearly all forms of social authority?. If people simply cease believing in authority, them, like Tinkerbell, authority simply dies. If the world were free of lies, deception, and manipulation, then the authority of clergymen and governments, of judges, schoolteachers, psychotherapists, professors, and policemen, would all simply disappear. Garbagemen can still collect garbage, farmers can still farm, and deliverymen can still deliver even if no one "believes' in them. But if no one believes in clergymen, or psychoanalysts, or Presidents, then there would no longer be clergymen, psychoanalysts, or Presidents. Like Tinkerbell, they would simply fade away. And, perhaps, that would be a very good thing indeed	What then would happen if everyone learned the central lesson of Gellner's book -- that deception, dishonesty, and manipulation are at the heart not only of the psychoanalytic movement but of nearly all forms of social authority?	social authority	neutral	0
The story of Angela and Diabola all begins when Mrs. Cuthertston-Jones gives birth to twins with completly different personalities, one of the twins was born an angel and was named Angela where as her twin sister was born a devil and was named Diabola. Their parents knew they had to find a way to make Angela and Diabola be part good and part bad. After a while Mr. and Mrs. Cuthertson-Jones figured out that Angela and Diabola can only balance by being around each other. As the twins get older they start to balance. Just when things are getting way out of control Angela and Diabola start to balance themselves. I really liked this book because it was interesting and always kept me entertained. I also liked this book because it is funny and it's not too long	Cuthertson-Jones figured out that Angela and Diabola can only balance by being around each other	Angela	neutral	2
Mister Monday is the kind of book that pulls you in after the first page and pulls you to the end. It is a very mysterious book, with more beginnings then ends. Arthur is suspended between many betrayals, and has many things like "Trust the Will" and then "Don't trust the Will" told to him, and is constantly hunted by the lazy mister monday and his Noon (Right hand man), Dawn (Left hand woman) and constantly helped by Mondays Dusk, the final of the trio of the day (You may have guessed Mister Monday can only come to earth on monday, his dawn can only come from 12:01 AM-1:00 AM, Noon can only come from 12:00 PM-1:00 PM, and finaly dusk can come from 11:00 PM-12:00 AM). With only the lesser part of the first key to aid him, Arthur is always fighting against the odds. Not only does he have to defeat Mister Monday but the other Morrow days as well. A great beginning of a series, The Keys to the Kingdom is definatly going to be a wonderfull tale indeed	With only the lesser part of the first key to aid him, Arthur is always fighting against the odds	Arthur	neutral	1
The wife and teenage son of a Seattle-area scientist are brutally murdered by a stranger claiming to be an FBI agent, and the scientist himself is nowhere to be found. A short time later, a nine-year-old girl named Madison disappears from Oregon's ethereal Cannon Beach while her inattentive mother, despondent over the deteriorating state of her marriage, dozes inside their beach cottage. But the tale of The Intruders truly begins when Jack Whalen, a former cop with a troubled past who has of late become an accidental author of sorts, gets an out-of-the-blue visit from Gary Fisher, a high school classmate he hasn't seen in two decades, and one to whom he was only mildly acquainted -- making the seemingly impromptu reunion even more suspicious to a been-there-done-that kind of guy like Jack. Fisher, now a lawyer teetering precariously on the brink of something he himself is struggling to understand, has ostensibly come to ask for Jack's opinion on an estate case he's handling, owing to Jack's past in law enforcement and their connection as former classmates. But, as always, there's much more to the story. Fisher's re-entrance into Jack's life is the catalyst for massive change, and the chaos that has been loitering outside the Whalen home for the last few years has finally found its way inside. Suddenly, everything Jack thinks he knows about his life is being challenged, especially in regard to his ad-executive wife, Amy, whose recent behavior has become increasingly peculiar. Except for overuse of the words "diffident" and "irresolute" (a nitpick, to be sure), The Intruders succeeds as a thoroughly gripping and surprising creepy tale -- although, in the end, it left me with more questions than answers. I wanted to learn more about the Nine, a secret organization central to the tale's mystery, and was left feeling a bit confused about certain key points to the story (namely a character who goes unidentified until the end). Plus, I wasn't satisfied with the resolution between Jack and Amy, and thought it was a bit anticlimactic. And yet, that aside, The Intruders captivated me from the first horrifying chapter -- so much so, that I read it all in one night. The Intruders is a tale that will appeal to readers who want an engrossing thriller with other-worldly tones. If you're geeky, as I am, then many of the ideas in the book will resonate with that part of you that believes -- or wants to -- in the things that go bump in the night. Just know that, whereas some books are a veritable feast for the mind that leave you filled to capacity for days, The Intruders is more like a frozen dinner: tasty, but not that satisfying	A short time later, a nine-year-old girl named Madison disappears from Oregon's ethereal Cannon Beach while her inattentive mother, despondent over the deteriorating state of her marriage, dozes inside their beach cottage	Madison	neutral	0
The book is about this kid whose name is authur. He gets caught in all this mess about trying to get a key from this guy whose name is Mister Monday. but before he can do that he has to dodge fechters, run from enemys like Noon and Dawn, run from dinosaurs, try not to get killed, and try to prevent himself from having a asthma atackk!! But, thankfully he has some help from a girl named suzy, a guy named Dusk, and a talking toad. So now, he shoulden't have nothing to worry about, right?	but before he can do that he has to dodge fechters, run from enemys like Noon and Dawn, run from dinosaurs, try not to get killed, and try to prevent himself from having a asthma atackk!! But, thankfully he has some help from a girl named suzy, a guy named Dusk, and a talking toad	asthma atackk	neutral	0
Based on historical fact, WINSTON'S WAR is a solid and absorbing fictional rendition of the leadership struggle between Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill between October 1, 1938 and May 10, 1940. As the book opens, Chamberlain has returned to 10 Downing Street a public hero after the signing of the Munich Agreement between himself and Adolf Hitler which gave the latter the Sudetenland in return for "peace in our time". Meanwhile, relegated to the periphery of British politics and virtually an outcast, Churchill obstinately lashes out against appeasement and loudly proclaims the necessity for total war to save democracy from the depredations of the Nazis. What subsequently follows is history: the German subjugation of the rest of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland, the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, the Phony War, the Soviet invasion of Finland, the British military's Norwegian fiasco, and the crisis in His Majasty's government in May 1940 that ultimately elevated Winston to the premiership. The cast of characters in this sweeping story by Michael Dobbs of political maneuvering, skullduggery, and backstabbing is an historical Who's Who of the times: the ailing, haughty, and pacifist Chamberlain, who personifies England's bitter memories of the Great War and the popular concept of "never again"; the ambitious and self-absorbed Churchill, whose pugnacity sometimes clouds prudence; the defeatist, philandering, and anti-Semitic U. S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Joseph P. Kennedy; the alcoholic, disillusioned and psychologically tortured idealist, Guy Burgess (of Burgess, Philby, and Maclean of Cold War infamy); the stuttering King George VI, who whines that the German invasion of Poland interrupted his grouse hunting; and the Machiavellian newspaper mogul, William "Max" Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook. It's in the minor details with which Dobbs fleshes out the story of Chamberlain's fall and the rise of his nemesis, Churchill, to an epic 685 paper-backed pages (UK HarperCollins edition). And it's the length of WINSTON'S WAR that is, perhaps, a minor flaw. Some of the subplots seemed unnecessary, and should have been severely cropped by a ruthless editor: the love affair between the crippled WWI survivor "Mac" McFadden, barber to the politically great and one of Guy's information sources, and Carol, a housemaid and part-time prostitute; and between Bournemouth postmistress Sue Graham and Army Sergeant Jerry White - though the experiences of the latter did usefully tie the Norway debacle into the storyline on a personal level. Slightly more relevant, but still mildly tedious, was the dysfunctional relationship between Brendan Bracken, Churchill's closest confidant, and Kennedy's niece, Anna Fitzgerald. Perhaps Dobbs perceived a need to include Carol, Sue and Anna to make it less of a Guy Read. Chamberlain was toppled not because he sought to appease Hitler and avert a cataclysm, but because he didn't have the mettle to wage all-out war when the necessity for it was thrust upon him. That was to prove to be Winston's genius. The author's genius is in portraying the labyrinthine venality of Whitehall and Fleet Street powerbroking at a time when solidarity against a rapacious common enemy was desperately necessary. WINSTON'S WAR is the first in a series of novels about Churchill's wartime leadership. According to the back cover, the next book is apparently NEVER SURRENDER. I shall seek out and buy it immediately	As the book opens, Chamberlain has returned to 10 Downing Street a public hero after the signing of the Munich Agreement between himself and Adolf Hitler which gave the latter the Sudetenland in return for "peace in our time"	Chamberlain	neutral	0
Mister Monday is the first book of The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix. Mister Monday is from the genre fantasy. Book 1 is about a twelve year old boy named Arthur Penhaligon who has asthma. He comes to own a small key that’s shaped like the minute hand of a clock. Strange things start to happen after he gets the key. Weird dog faced creatures from the Secondary Realms called Fetchers who were sent to retrieve the key by Mister Monday. When an unusual plague starts in his world, Arthur knows he’s the only one that can get the cure from the house that he can only see. This story is a very fascinating and you never want to put the book down. Garth Nix makes every chapter eventful and ends the chapter so that you want to keep reading what happens next. I really enjoyed this book because I it was adventurous and everything could turn out either way so you didn’t know how the book ends. Mister Monday is a great book and I would highly recommend it	When an unusual plague starts in his world, Arthur knows he’s the only one that can get the cure from the house that he can only see	plague	negative	0
ok maybe not soo much, but a couple of pages and. I was hooked!!Garth Nix is a awesome writer and though the book is a little babyish - its definetly worth a read!I thought the whole minute - hand - is - a - key part was a real good idea plus the names are so fun!The only thing I didn't like was that Arthur doesen't take his rightful place as "Monday". He chose to go home which, no offense to anyone, is a little wimpy!On Athur Phenaligon's first day at his new school, things don't go quite as he had expected. His gym teacher forces him to run a cross country race even though he explains that he had just recovered from a serious bout of Asthama. Arthur runs the race and (Big Surprise) suffers an asthama attack. He was about to die when he was handed a minute shaped key from Mister Monday. Er hello? where did THAT come in?Assuming it to be a hallucination Arthur tries to forget about it as he is rushed into the hospital. When he recovers, the "key" and " A Compleat Atlas of The House" are still there. Thats when Arthur awakens to the reality of his dream. Along with the key comes these. creatures who bring a plague scientist simply can't find a cure for. Arthur is desperate and so ventures into "The House" where the answers seems to lie. Did I mention he was the only one who could see it?Within the house Arthur meets the "Piper's Children" (You heard me!)Actually one of them in particular - Suzy Turquoise Blue and along with her they face many. um "perils" as well as the complications of the house and it's creator, The ArchitectAnyway read this book, its way cool	I was hooked!!Garth Nix is a awesome writer and though the book is a little babyish - its definetly worth a read!I thought the whole minute - hand - is - a - key part was a real good idea plus the names are so fun!The only thing I didn't like was that Arthur doesen't take his rightful place as "Monday"	book	neutral	0
Angela and Diabola is about two sisters, one very angelic, and one very, very diabolic. The book starts out with Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones, their mother, giving birth to the twins. Angela comes out very peacefully and doesn't cry afterwards, but Diabola comes out kicking and screaming and almost bites the nurse's finger off. The girls grow up into toddlers and Diabola becomes even worse while Angela became sweeter. When the twins are six they begin school. Angela is very excited, but Diabola is bored and gloomy. Then Diabola draws a horrid picture, and the principal thinks Diabola is a genius. Diabola then starts to love school, and especially drawing. The principal only starts to doubt that Diabola is a genius when she burns down the school building. After that Diabola starts acting even more diabolic. She acts so badly that Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves and abandons his family. Diabola also discovers that she has powers where she can set things on fire, which is how she burned the school down. With these new powers, she burns her house down too. The Cuthbertson-Joneses have to move into a run down apartment. Diabola does many mean but funny things. Read the book and find out what she does! I think this book is hilarious. It is also rather emotional at times, though, for instance when Angela encounters these weird feelings where she feels she must be near Diabola. My favorite part is when Diabola and Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones are in the kitchen in their apartment and men come in and try to steal all their food. Diabola becomes mad and uses her powers to make their eyes sting. Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones thinks Diabola hurt the men for her, but really Diabola didn't like the men and had done it for herself. My least favorite part is when Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves his wife to handle the twins. A ngela becomes really emotional when her dad sends her letters. I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes books about the good and the dark side of life. Anyone who likes Harry Potter would like this book because it is about fighting and neutralizing evil people. Angela and Diabola is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a funny novel	Cuthbertson-Jones thinks Diabola hurt the men for her, but really Diabola didn't like the men and had done it for herself	Cuthbertson-Jones	neutral	3
Lynne Reid Banks is a well-thought ,unique, interesting mind. This novel is about twins,one good one bad. Most people are born to be (hopefully more) good with imperfections thrown in. But when these 2 were conceived something went awry. Angela has all goodness,while Diabolo is utterly disgusting. It is an off-beat,slightly wacky and very page-turning book,that I imagine would make a really fun family movie with a similiar humour to Matilda	Angela has all goodness,while Diabolo is utterly disgusting	Angela	positive	0
Based on historical fact, WINSTON'S WAR is a solid and absorbing fictional rendition of the leadership struggle between Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill between October 1, 1938 and May 10, 1940. As the book opens, Chamberlain has returned to 10 Downing Street a public hero after the signing of the Munich Agreement between himself and Adolf Hitler which gave the latter the Sudetenland in return for "peace in our time". Meanwhile, relegated to the periphery of British politics and virtually an outcast, Churchill obstinately lashes out against appeasement and loudly proclaims the necessity for total war to save democracy from the depredations of the Nazis. What subsequently follows is history: the German subjugation of the rest of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland, the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, the Phony War, the Soviet invasion of Finland, the British military's Norwegian fiasco, and the crisis in His Majasty's government in May 1940 that ultimately elevated Winston to the premiership. The cast of characters in this sweeping story by Michael Dobbs of political maneuvering, skullduggery, and backstabbing is an historical Who's Who of the times: the ailing, haughty, and pacifist Chamberlain, who personifies England's bitter memories of the Great War and the popular concept of "never again"; the ambitious and self-absorbed Churchill, whose pugnacity sometimes clouds prudence; the defeatist, philandering, and anti-Semitic U. S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Joseph P. Kennedy; the alcoholic, disillusioned and psychologically tortured idealist, Guy Burgess (of Burgess, Philby, and Maclean of Cold War infamy); the stuttering King George VI, who whines that the German invasion of Poland interrupted his grouse hunting; and the Machiavellian newspaper mogul, William "Max" Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook. It's in the minor details with which Dobbs fleshes out the story of Chamberlain's fall and the rise of his nemesis, Churchill, to an epic 685 paper-backed pages (UK HarperCollins edition). And it's the length of WINSTON'S WAR that is, perhaps, a minor flaw. Some of the subplots seemed unnecessary, and should have been severely cropped by a ruthless editor: the love affair between the crippled WWI survivor "Mac" McFadden, barber to the politically great and one of Guy's information sources, and Carol, a housemaid and part-time prostitute; and between Bournemouth postmistress Sue Graham and Army Sergeant Jerry White - though the experiences of the latter did usefully tie the Norway debacle into the storyline on a personal level. Slightly more relevant, but still mildly tedious, was the dysfunctional relationship between Brendan Bracken, Churchill's closest confidant, and Kennedy's niece, Anna Fitzgerald. Perhaps Dobbs perceived a need to include Carol, Sue and Anna to make it less of a Guy Read. Chamberlain was toppled not because he sought to appease Hitler and avert a cataclysm, but because he didn't have the mettle to wage all-out war when the necessity for it was thrust upon him. That was to prove to be Winston's genius. The author's genius is in portraying the labyrinthine venality of Whitehall and Fleet Street powerbroking at a time when solidarity against a rapacious common enemy was desperately necessary. WINSTON'S WAR is the first in a series of novels about Churchill's wartime leadership. According to the back cover, the next book is apparently NEVER SURRENDER. I shall seek out and buy it immediately	Meanwhile, relegated to the periphery of British politics and virtually an outcast, Churchill obstinately lashes out against appeasement and loudly proclaims the necessity for total war to save democracy from the depredations of the Nazis	war	neutral	0
I did not enjoy this book half as much as i have enjoyed her previous books. However, that does not mean it is a bad book. It is actually a very good book, one that i expect will appeal to many people. But it is not what i was expecting, nor what i was looking forward to, and hence i am disappointed. The basic plot goes thus: Carol Jordan is sent to Berlin on an undercover covert operation to trap an evil traffiker in both drugs and humans. Her bosses think she will be able to handle it. During the job she will be almost completely cut off from everybody, and will feel very alone. Her peril's are increased when the actions of her superiours put her in mortal danger. Alongside that, psychologists are being murdered on the contient. Murdered horribly, with no apparent motive. It is when an ex colleage of profiler Tony Hill's is found slain that he takes it upon himself to investigate the killings. The emotionally tangled pair must both tackle their own monsters with little help from anyone else and both of them, Carol in particular, will face great personal danger. It is a very well written book, that is undeniable. However, i cannot say that it is as atmospheric as "A Place of Execution" or as scary and original as "Killing the Shadows", but it is thrilling in a hard-edged way. But. McDermid concentrates far too much on Carol Jordan's side of the book, and not nearly enough on the serial killer aspect of the plot, which is what she is known for, and what she does best. As such, the serial killer nit about the psychologists getting killed seems underdeveloped and at times just incidental. Instead of the tense serial killer novel we expect, we are given a novel mainly about the criminal underworld and undercover policing. Many people will greatly enjoy this aspect of the book. And if so, i cannot reccomend it highly enough to you. But, if you are expecting a nice meaty serial killer novel, reasses your beliefs quickly, because it is not what you're going to get. Actually a very good novel, just not what i was expecting. I would have preferred more emphasis on Tony Hill's aspect of the book, but we don't always get what we want, and this book certainly displays Carol Jordan's full abilites	It is when an ex colleage of profiler Tony Hill's is found slain that he takes it upon himself to investigate the killings	Tony Hill	neutral	0
Garth Nix's "Mister Monday" begins a brand new fantasy series in the "Keys to the Kingdom" series. This Australian author is fast-becoming one of the biggest names in fantasy with his reinvention of the genre and his intricate, fascinating plots. Unlike other such authors, who place their heroes in a medieval realm of magical swords, horse-back riding and dragons, Nix follows the example of writers such as Philip Pullman, Susanna Clarke and (to a lesser degree) J. K. Rowling by creating a more contemporary fantasy-world with the flavours and style of the 18th and 19th centuries. Where his "Seventh Tower" book was written for younger readers, and "Abhorsen" trilogy for teenagers (though many adults got in on the act), "The Keys to the Kingdom" are situated smack dab in the centre of these two age groups - though again, I hope this doesn't prevent people of any age group from reading them. The Epicentre of the Universe is a realm known as "The House" - a labyrinth of rooms and halls and fantastical landscapes, that are ruled over by the treacherous Trustees, or as they are more commonly known, the Morrow Days. Their task was to take over the supervision of our world (or `The Secondary Realms') from the creator - the Architect, who left Her instructions written in a Will, to be carried out accordingly. But the Days tore the Will into seven pieces and scattered the scraps across the known worlds to be guarded forever more, and only now - thousands of years later - has one fragment of the Will managed to escape. Meanwhile, in the ordinary world, Arthur Penhaligon is coping with the pressures of the first day at a new school. Forced to go on a cross-country run - even though he has severe asthma - Arthur soon finds himself lagging behind, and eventually collapses on the lawn. Whilst his classmates run for help, the strangest thing happens: a young man and his butler appear from nowhere, and bequeath to Arthur something that they call a "Key" (though to Arthur it looks more like a large minute hand from a clock), and a strange book called `The Compleat Atlas of the House and Immediate Environs'. But when a fight emerges between the two figures - Mister Monday and Sneezer - they both disappear without any further regard to Arthur. And from there, things just get stranger. A giant House has appeared on the block that only Arthur can see, and ugly dog-faced men in bowler hats are coming after him. Worse of all is the outbreak of a mysterious illness that puts the whole community into quarantine and Arthur's own family in danger. Seeing no other way of helping, Arthur travels to the House, uses his key, and enters its domain. Arthur has been chosen by the Will to become Heir to the Kingdom and set right the corruption that is destroying management of the realm. What follows is an amazing adventure throughout a world chock-full of danger, intrigue, invention and surprises. The House is one of the most colourful places you could ever wish to visit, complete with everything from elevators to dinosaurs to coal cellars. Nix delights in playing with words and concepts, and the phases "got a frog in your throat" and "having a silver tongue" take on whole new meaning here, and things such as books, paper, the written word and language are given a solid, tangible quality here that is thought-provoking and completely original. Old legends are given new life (such as the tale of the Pied Piper and the Greek myth of Prometheus) and concepts and symbols given real form: such as the days of the week in human form, and their angelic-looking (but quite devilish) Dawn, Noon and Dusks. Throughout, Arthur is a sympathetic, understandable protagonist, who reacts to his adventures in a way that you'd expect a young boy to do, but with extraordinary resilience and courage, as does his young sidekick Suzy Turquoise Blue. All other characters are vivid and interesting, both good and bad, and immensely memorable. Also, Nix sprinkles little hints and clues to the next books throughout the text, so read carefully!. The book suffers little from the amount of ideas and concepts that Nix crams between its covers, which can seem either random or confusing to a first-time reader. By the time they get on to the next books, the general formula of where Nix is going is straightened out and most of the things Arthur sees and hears of in this first book are understandable (which should justify a second reading!) Make sure "Grim Tuesday" is on hand to continue Arthur's story	What follows is an amazing adventure throughout a world chock-full of danger, intrigue, invention and surprises	adventure	positive	0
This is a great first book of the series. I really loved the fast pace, the vivid descriptions, and the characters. Arthur is whisked away into another world, where he must face the ultimate challenge: to defeat Mr. Monday. With the help of his new interesting friends, Suzy and the Will, he will face his destiny to become the rightful heir(s). Everyone is sure to luv this book!. P. S. Mr. Monday rox my sox!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!	Everyone is sure to luv this book!	book	positive	1
In a book subtitled, "The Life and World of Al Capone", one would suspect an in depth look at the famous Chicagoan. While the book has points where it is very informative, I believe the author could have used a more involved editor in composing his book. Having originally gone into publication in 1971, there are better books about Al Capone. In the first hundred pages, Al Capone's name is literally mentioned only about five times. I respect the author's motive for formatting the book this way. He was trying to set up the world that gave rise to a gang leader like Al Capone. However, some of the stories could have been left out. At times, I found myself wondering if the author would ever start discussing Capone. The author begins the story of Capone in his service to Johnny Torrio. Eventually, this relationship develops more into a partnership than a hierarchy. Capone was very aggressive in furthering his interests even if the price was murder. La Cosa Nostra and organized crime in America thrived under the laws of prohibition. The illegally produced and supplied alcohol was only produced by those willing to disobey the way. It was a chance Capone was to take. Additionally, Capone made his money from gambling and racketeering. The generous side of Capone is one that is less frequently discussed. He donated much of his wealth to the poor which is more than can be said for the contemporary crooks and gangsters of corporate America. With this comparison in mind, it seems odd that the government finally crumbled the Capone empire with charges of tax evasion. Capone was sentenced to eleven years, but served less than six due to good behavior and the terminal phase of syphilis. I was disappointed to discover the end of the book. The author followed through with the title in the beginning with an overwhelming introduction. Unfortunately, the author chose to describe Capone's effect on the world in seven pages. I believe the author could have said more of the world of Al Capone more in terms of his after effects. In total, I found this book to be more than adequate. While it is flawed and inconsistent, it is a worthwhile primer for those seeking to learn of Capone. At times, the author goes into great detail demonstrating the work put into this project. However, the amount of work is not always consistent with the final project	In the first hundred pages, Al Capone's name is literally mentioned only about five times	Al Capone	neutral	0
If you are looking for a thrilling fantasy book, I recommend that you read the series of books The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix. This mysterious novel is about a boy called Arthur Penhaligon who is not supposed to be a hero; he is in fact, supposed to die an early death. But his life is saved by a minute hand shaped key. Arthur is safe. but his world is in danger. Along with the key comes a plague brought by creatures from another realm. A villain, his messenger with blood stained wings, and an army of dog faced creatures will do anything to get the key back, even if it means destroying Arthur and everything that surrounds him. Desperate to save his world, Arthur ventures into a mysterious house that only he can see. In this house, Arthur will have to unravel the key's secrets and discover his true fate	Arthur is safe	Arthur	positive	0
I read this book when I was 12 and I read it at least once a year since then. Each time I read it I remember what it was like to be an akward teen going through the angst of my senior year. I've had friends like Liz and Sean and I was a Maggie once myself	I've had friends like Liz and Sean and I was a Maggie once myself	Liz	neutral	0
This book was more a series of sparse vignettes than an actual story. The fact is, something will happen, and then on the next page it will have come to a conclusion without any information on how that happened. The story wasn't too good, and the characters were flimsy. Although Mr. Zndel is generally a brilliant, brilliant writer, this book just did not measure up to the standards it's being judged against. If you're looking for some real Zindel, try I Never Loved Your Mind	The story wasn't too good, and the characters were flimsy	characters	negative	0
I was curious to see whether "Mister Monday" (first novel in a fantasy series that has since worked its way up to Thursday) was published before or after James Stoddard's "High House" as the two books have similar settings. Stoddard came first, but Garth Nix has put his unique stamp on the 'Universe manifested as a queer old House' theme. That said, this "Keys to the Kingdom" series is more disjointed and less appealing than Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy. "Mister Monday" reminds me more of "The Ragwitch" in that a young boy with absolutely no training learns that he is the Rightful Heir to some improbable kingdom (the Universe) and is also the only person on Earth who can stop/cure the newest, deadliest plague. Naturally Arthur wants to concentrate on curing the plague, since his own family is involved. Then he is saved from a lethal asthma attack by a man in a bath chair wielding the minute hand off of a gigantic clock. The man in the bath chair is Mr. Monday and he is being pushed about by his butler, Sneezer. These two men spend the rest of the book chasing Arthur through a sort of Victorian workers' hell, trying to get him to return the Key (the minute hand) to Mr. Monday. The book has lots of interesting magic, blue-and-yellow-striped dinosaurs, an angry old man who is chained to a gigantic clock, and a pair of truly macabre creatures who gouge out the old man's eyes every day at 12 o'clock. (His eyes grow back. Does this man remind you of Prometheus, kiddies?). Arthur must get through some horrifying trials to save his Earth from the plague, and to prove that he is the Rightful Heir. He shows that he has the Right Stuff--after all, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday have already been written--but this first book suffers from a multiplicity of themes. The author seems to have tried out several different settings (Victorian policemen and a sort of Bob Cratchit universe, along with dinosaurs, good and bad angels, and a really stinky and terrifying Roman bathhouse), then didn't want to discard anything. So, here it all is in "Mister Monday. ". I'm still debating as to whether I want to advance on to "Grim Tuesday. " Arthur has already saved my world from the Sleepy Plague and I'm not particularly taken with the rest of Nix's mixed-up Universe	Arthur must get through some horrifying trials to save his Earth from the plague, and to prove that he is the Rightful Heir	Arthur	neutral	2
I received this book as a trade from bookcrossing. com. I had once read the Pigman in high school, unfortunately, this book doesn't measure up. Maggie and Liz are friends. Liz is a little more outgoing and popular, who sets Maggie up on a double date with her and Sean. Maggie goes out with Dennis who looks like an "undernourished zucchini. and always wearing the same baggy sweater. ". Liz and Sean are very into each other, but Sean keeps pushing the issue with whether or not they are going to "do it. " When they get into a fight once again, Liz goes out with an older guy who practically rapes her. When Sean and Liz meet up again, she gives him what he wants, but. with a price. Even though the book was written in the late 60's, some underlying themes stay the same: pregnancy, abortion, not getting along or being able to communicate with parents, suicide, and premarital sex. It seems as though the author had covered everything. but. for a long while, the book just wasn't very interesting. It's a very quick read, but I didn't get into it until it was almost over. Also, I didn't get the closure I needed at the end between Liz and Maggie. It's a nice cautionary tale for students that are of high school age, but maybe I've read too much good Young Adult literature in the past to be impressed by this one	Liz is a little more outgoing and popular, who sets Maggie up on a double date with her and Sean	Sean	neutral	0
The writing is good, but. way too many characters - I couldn't keep them straight and it was WAY too long, by 50 - 75 pages. Editing would have made it not great but better	way too many characters - I couldn't keep them straight and it was WAY too long, by 50 - 75 pages	characters	negative	0
I have not been a fan of the `Sabriel' series by Garth Nix. I found their preoccupation with death a little morbid for my tastes. However, I recognised a considerable story-telling talent, and suspected I would really enjoy this author with a different subject matter. and I was correct. This is a magical story, equally suitable for either boys or girls. Magic is not used arbitrarily as a convenient flash-bang solution for every problem, as is so often the case in this genre, but rather, requires logical application by the central character. I especially enjoyed the uncertainty I felt with many supporting characters in this story, never entirely sure until the final pages exactly who could be trusted. Nix has managed to avoid creating people who are stereotypically either good or bad. We may doubt the motives of those who appear good, and forgive the actions of those who seem evil, once we learn more about them. The hero makes wise decisions - but I wouldn't be at all surprised if they came back to `bite him' later in the week!. The plot is well-paced, gripping and full of surprising twists and turns. This is an adventure as exciting as you could wish for - and never predictable. However, I did feel one particular scene might be rather nightmare-inducing for the youngest readers - so recommend this for the ages of 12 and above. If you didn't like 'Sabriel' - don't be put off; give Mr Monday a try. You won't be dissapointed!	I especially enjoyed the uncertainty I felt with many supporting characters in this story, never entirely sure until the final pages exactly who could be trusted	characters	positive	0
I like this book because it has action, suspense and a little bit of drama. What I liked most is the thematic of the book which says that "Everything came from Nothing" because it tries to explain the origin of the universe. The hero of the story is a normal kid who finds out that he himself is the heir to the power of the "Architec" the being that created all of the universe. After the Fetchers bring a disease to his planet Arthur starts his adventure in search of the cure for the deadly disease. This book is nice for schoolchildren because it teaches them good values	After the Fetchers bring a disease to his planet Arthur starts his adventure in search of the cure for the deadly disease	Arthur	neutral	0
Garth Nix has done it again, he has again come up with a new and creative plot in a magical world even more real than that of his Old Kingdom. The book follows the adventures of a young, asthmatic boy, who inherits a strange clockhand. It is not long after before things start going amuk, and strange forces threaten his world. The boy, Arthur Penhaligon, drawn into complete despair, ventures into a house only he can see, and into a world he where he should not be. This book is sort of a cross between Harry Potter and the Matrix, but with clear invention and an all together fun story. Hold on tight, and don't be left behind!	Garth Nix has done it again, he has again come up with a new and creative plot in a magical world even more real than that of his Old Kingdom	Garth Nix	neutral	0
In a book subtitled, "The Life and World of Al Capone", one would suspect an in depth look at the famous Chicagoan. While the book has points where it is very informative, I believe the author could have used a more involved editor in composing his book. Having originally gone into publication in 1971, there are better books about Al Capone. In the first hundred pages, Al Capone's name is literally mentioned only about five times. I respect the author's motive for formatting the book this way. He was trying to set up the world that gave rise to a gang leader like Al Capone. However, some of the stories could have been left out. At times, I found myself wondering if the author would ever start discussing Capone. The author begins the story of Capone in his service to Johnny Torrio. Eventually, this relationship develops more into a partnership than a hierarchy. Capone was very aggressive in furthering his interests even if the price was murder. La Cosa Nostra and organized crime in America thrived under the laws of prohibition. The illegally produced and supplied alcohol was only produced by those willing to disobey the way. It was a chance Capone was to take. Additionally, Capone made his money from gambling and racketeering. The generous side of Capone is one that is less frequently discussed. He donated much of his wealth to the poor which is more than can be said for the contemporary crooks and gangsters of corporate America. With this comparison in mind, it seems odd that the government finally crumbled the Capone empire with charges of tax evasion. Capone was sentenced to eleven years, but served less than six due to good behavior and the terminal phase of syphilis. I was disappointed to discover the end of the book. The author followed through with the title in the beginning with an overwhelming introduction. Unfortunately, the author chose to describe Capone's effect on the world in seven pages. I believe the author could have said more of the world of Al Capone more in terms of his after effects. In total, I found this book to be more than adequate. While it is flawed and inconsistent, it is a worthwhile primer for those seeking to learn of Capone. At times, the author goes into great detail demonstrating the work put into this project. However, the amount of work is not always consistent with the final project	Capone was very aggressive in furthering his interests even if the price was murder	Capone	negative	2
It's a pleasure to see Garth Nix's Keys To The Kingdom: Mister Monday in affordable paperback, presenting the first book in the series for a new generation of readers in an affordable paper format. Arthur is slated to die an early death but his life is saved by a key shaped like a clock's hand � a key which brings with it the power not only to reverse predictions, but to introduce bizarre creates into the world. Suddenly everyone is fighting for ownership of a key which will change the world in this first book of a gripping adventure	It's a pleasure to see Garth Nix's Keys To The Kingdom: Mister Monday in affordable paperback, presenting the first book in the series for a new generation of readers in an affordable paper format	Mister Monday	neutral	0
Arthur a new student at school, has to run a mile in the first day there. Arthur an asthmatic that ment he can't breathe well. He has to do his mile run but at the very end he fell to the ground because of his asthma. Then these two kids Leaf and Ed helps Arthur by running to the office and running to the P. E. teacher. Then when Arthur was about to die Mister Monday and Sneezer ame out of nowhere and gave Arthur a key that looks like the hand of a clock and an atlas. Then they disappeared and Ed and Leaf came running back. Arthur got taken to the hospital and in a few days he got back up and went to school. He went into the library and tuoched the key with the atlas and the atlas turned huge and had a picture of a house. Then that day he started seeing things a whole army of dog-faced Fetchers were standing outside the library window. then there was a guy named Noon came in the library and looked for Arthur then Arthur ran for it and started throwing salt, but some of the dogs got him on his chest,leg, and arm. Then he looked at his watch and saw it was one minute to 1 o' clock. Noon was about to fight Arthur with his Flame Sword. Arthur faked the give and threw the key and when the minute hand struk one o' clock all of the dogs and Noon disappeared. Then they appeared outside laughing, they holded the Atlas up in the air. Then Arthur got a backpack full of salt and melted all the dogs, but no atlas was to be found. Then there was a big fire that Noon started trying to get the key. After Arthur had to go on a bus but made him self have an asthma attack and then was taken to the bus to be taken to the hospital. Arthur then got better and ran out of the hospital heading for the House. Once he went in the house he went to Mondays portal and ended up in this weird land. Arthur had to go threw this big adventure but to get to the point he went to fight Monday with his minute and hour hand key that became a GIGANTIC sword that distroyed Monday and helped Will the protector or lord of the keys that guided Arthur all the way. Then after he went back to his word the illness stoped and everything went back to normal except it was on a TUESDAY. My favorite part was when Arthur and NOon both had swords. Noon with his big flame sword and Arthur with his clock sword. Also it's cool that a tiny key can turn a yiny atlas into a gigantic one. THIS BOOK WAS THE BEST NUMBER ONE 1. THIS A BOOK THAT YOU DONT NEED TO THINK AS MUCH TO KNOW WHATS GOING ON AND IT MAKES A VERY CLEAR PICTURE WITH ALL THE DETAILS THAT WAS GIVEN	Arthur got taken to the hospital and in a few days he got back up and went to school	Arthur	neutral	4
I think Kolbler does a good job of detailing the rise of the Mafia. Italians calling themselves the Black Hand rob and blackmail guilable Italian immigrants. People like Colossimo, and Capone get into the protection busiess. This leads to other rackets, and the Mafia is born. Capone was not a member of the Mafia group, but he knew their main leaders. Capone and before that Torrio become the main influences in the Chicago underworld. This is a detailed biography of Alphonse Capone. The book also shows the corrupt nature of early Chicago politics and the start of Prohibition. Capone because of his leadership qualities and friendship with Torrio becomes a effective leader of the Chicago underworld. Al used whatever he needed to establish his rule. This included blackmail, torture, and murder. He also was generous to those who were loyal to him. There was both a good and dark side to Al Capone. If you betrayed him, then he could beat you to death like the three Sicilians. If you treated him as an equal, he could help and befriend you. Kobler shows all the complexities of Al Capone, He may have evil traits, but a very real human came through in Kobler's biography. This is a very detailed, but also very readable history of Al Capone	Kobler shows all the complexities of Al Capone, He may have evil traits, but a very real human came through in Kobler's biography	Al Capone	neutral	1
This is the third novel I have read by Val McDermid. The first was, "A Place Of Execution", and it remains my favorite of the three. This newest offering, "Last Temptation", is a very good tale, but is definitely not for those readers who prefer to avoid the grisly details of murders, in this case those of a serial killer. There is also brutal violence with both men and women as victims, so read and be prepared. I don't find her descriptions to be gratuitous, just very graphic. He portrayals are probably much more accurate than generic description of violence that have become so prevalent and cliché that they are barely noticed. This author illustrates for the reader just how vile murder and violence are. This author uses atrocities committed by a group in the 20th century that I generally have tired of reading, as they have become the crutch for any form of evil. It is a tribute to this lady's talent that she has found a more obscure practice of the Germany of the Nazi's to play a very valid role in this novel. She also represents the evil of this group through the effects they have had on generations that were not even alive when they practiced their atrocities. Their twisted science echoes through the victims to their descendents, and this adds an entirely new dimension to the resonance of evil. The only aspect of the story I found troubling was the placement of the two main characters so close together while they were working on different operations. It makes the story work, but from the moment the situation is set, you know this is the Achilles heal that will bring the protagonists to the edge, or possibly over, to their detriment. I don't read many books in this type of genre, but Val McDermid seems as though her work should have a much greater following than it does. If this type of work appeals to you, pick this lady's work up; you will be happy you did	This author illustrates for the reader just how vile murder and violence are	violence	negative	1
In this book, Ernest Gellner uses the psychoanalytic movement as a "case study" to explore the general human tendency to create delusional ideological systems which serve various political, social, and psychological needs. He also focuses in on the specific structural features of modern life that made psychoanalysis an especially successful ideology. As Gellner sums up in his final chapter, "In a sense, the present book is more interested in our Zeitgeist than in psychoanalysis. The crucial strategic position occupied by Freudianism in the social and intellectual history of mankind, makes it possible for us to learn a vast amount from it about, on the one hand, the general anatomy of belief systems and, on the other, the special conditions prevalent in our age. ". In his first two chapters, Gellner focuses in on what might be called the modern predicament. Before the rise of natural science and philosophical empiricism, it was easy to explain the mixture of good and evil, the sheer perversity, embodied in human beings. Humans were, quite literally, halfway between beasts and angels. The rise of science and modern philosophy invalidated that belief. Taking David Hume as a prime example, Gellner shows that the scientific, empiricist thought of the Enlightenment abandoned the angel/beast dichotomy. The Enlightenment theorists naturalized man: the model of man they ended up with, which Gellner dubs the "Bundleman," was a random mixture of self-interested desires and needs which were easily satisfied by a conservatively cautious policy of maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain. Real human beings, of course, act much more like a mixture of angel and beast than the cautiously and rationally selfish "Bundleman" of the Enlightenment. Nietzsche was, Gellner claims, the first serious post-Enlightenment thinker to fully realize this fact, and the realization finally drove poor Nietzsche insane. Freud's genius was to take the Nietzschean insight and domesticate it, thereby turning it into the basis of a very successful, very lucrative pseudo-scientific cult - psychoanalysis. Freud's task was made easier by certain features of the modern world. The modern world exhibits deep reverence for applied science, especially medicine. In modern industrial societies, technology has eradicated most traditional physical threats (starvation, plague, wild animals, etc. ). In our society, the pressing threats perceived by most people lie rather in the increasing complexity of, and importance placed upon, human relationships. It is just in this area of interpersonal relationships where psychoanalysis offered help. Most of the book explores the tricks and turns by which psychoanalysis maintained its authority. Nowadays, now that there is hardly an intelligent person left who is a hard-core believer in the Freudian faith, is this of any more than historical interest?. Yes. While Freud may finally be buried, his residue endures -- as "therapy," "couselling," "adjustment," etc. -- and continues to muddle our thinking process and our ability to make moral evaluations. As Gellner rhetorically asks, concerning the Holy Grail of "adjustment," "[I]s adaptation, adjustment to any regime, including a tyrannical one, a sign of mental health?" The Soviets, hardly orthodox Freudians, famously answered "Yes!". But even more important, as Gellner emphasizes, the fraud of Freudianism is a typical example of the functioning of human society in general:. "Societies possess techniques for rendering ideas socially constitutive, and these techniques tend to share certain formal features. It is important to remember that this is the normal condition of mankind: most ideas of most men at most times are beyond the reach of questioning. An idea does not have simply a cognitive role. it is at the same time linked to a set of personal relations, to loyalties, hierarchies, sentiments, hopes and fears. To shake the idea would be to disturb all that. Most men are neither willing nor able to do that. ". To put it more bluntly, the structure of all hitherto existing human societies is grounded in socially-imposed, emotionally-compelling lies. Did Freud and his colleagues engage in bizarre intellectual contortions to prevent their ideas from being questioned or subjected to criticism?. Yes. but have you ever asked a liberal why we must slavishly accede to the results of a democratic election? The answer is that if you choose to vote, you are obliged to accept the results, and, if you don't vote, you have no right to complain. Is Freudian reasoning any more circular than that?. Did Freud and his colleagues frantically avoid confronting their theories with empirical reality? (Freud once declared that "I cannot advise too strongly against" seeking out empirical evidence to check the conclusions of a psychoanalytic diagnosis because the result would be that "confidence in the analysis is shattered and a court of appeal is set up over it. "). Yes. but have you ever talked with a conservative about the actual historical process by which the US Constitution was "ratified"?. Do Freudians apply different standards to themselves than to all other human beings, accusing critics and skeptics of being mentally and morally deranged?. Yes. but have you ever tried asking a Christian why, since they preach that Jesus taught the pacifist doctrines of "Resist not evil!" and "Turn the other cheek!", many Christians are among the most violent and militaristic people on the planet?. What then would happen if everyone learned the central lesson of Gellner's book -- that deception, dishonesty, and manipulation are at the heart not only of the psychoanalytic movement but of nearly all forms of social authority?. If people simply cease believing in authority, them, like Tinkerbell, authority simply dies. If the world were free of lies, deception, and manipulation, then the authority of clergymen and governments, of judges, schoolteachers, psychotherapists, professors, and policemen, would all simply disappear. Garbagemen can still collect garbage, farmers can still farm, and deliverymen can still deliver even if no one "believes' in them. But if no one believes in clergymen, or psychoanalysts, or Presidents, then there would no longer be clergymen, psychoanalysts, or Presidents. Like Tinkerbell, they would simply fade away. And, perhaps, that would be a very good thing indeed	Most of the book explores the tricks and turns by which psychoanalysis maintained its authority	psychoanalysis	neutral	2
If you are a parent and want your kid to get into reading, this book is perfect. It is such a fun read, your child will read it seamlessly. It is even a great read for adults, as I found out while reading	If you are a parent and want your kid to get into reading, this book is perfect	kid	positive	0
I thought that ANGELA AND DIABOLA by Lynn Reid Banks was a good and funny book, because at some parts it makes me laugh and at others it's very exciting. The kind of reader that might enjoy this book is someone that likes adventure, excitement and funny books like me. You should read this book because it's about twins that don't seem anything alike. You shouldn't read this book if you don't like it. How you know you don't like it is if you don't like exciting, funny and adventurous books. Angela is one of the main characters and on of the twins, and is a sweet, kind and, can you believe when she was being born she wasn't crying at all, that can't be. She wasn't mean and loud. Diabola in the other hand was born crying, kicking fighting. She had teeth to bite the nurse's thumb and forefinger. Their parents they think that Angela is an angel and can get whatever she wants. Then comes Diabola. Their parents paid no attention to her at all. Their mother always has to deal with her. Not many times the dad. She doesn't like it at all. It's like the parents have chores going on and off taking care of Diabola. The author's settings are in a lot of places, such as the hospital where the twins were born, their house where the twins live and plenty of others. Also in the story Angela and Diabola oops. you'll have to find out when you read this great book. I would recommend ages 8 and over because that's the ages it would make sense to, but if you are younger you can ask your parents to read it to you. Other books by this author is THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD, THE FAIRY REBAL, I HOUDINI, MAURA'S ANGEL and many other good books	Also in the story Angela and Diabola oops	Angela	neutral	2
The book is about this kid whose name is authur. He gets caught in all this mess about trying to get a key from this guy whose name is Mister Monday. but before he can do that he has to dodge fechters, run from enemys like Noon and Dawn, run from dinosaurs, try not to get killed, and try to prevent himself from having a asthma atackk!! But, thankfully he has some help from a girl named suzy, a guy named Dusk, and a talking toad. So now, he shoulden't have nothing to worry about, right?	but before he can do that he has to dodge fechters, run from enemys like Noon and Dawn, run from dinosaurs, try not to get killed, and try to prevent himself from having a asthma atackk!! But, thankfully he has some help from a girl named suzy, a guy named Dusk, and a talking toad	dinosaurs	neutral	0
Angela and Diabola is about two sisters, one very angelic, and one very, very diabolic. The book starts out with Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones, their mother, giving birth to the twins. Angela comes out very peacefully and doesn't cry afterwards, but Diabola comes out kicking and screaming and almost bites the nurse's finger off. The girls grow up into toddlers and Diabola becomes even worse while Angela became sweeter. When the twins are six they begin school. Angela is very excited, but Diabola is bored and gloomy. Then Diabola draws a horrid picture, and the principal thinks Diabola is a genius. Diabola then starts to love school, and especially drawing. The principal only starts to doubt that Diabola is a genius when she burns down the school building. After that Diabola starts acting even more diabolic. She acts so badly that Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves and abandons his family. Diabola also discovers that she has powers where she can set things on fire, which is how she burned the school down. With these new powers, she burns her house down too. The Cuthbertson-Joneses have to move into a run down apartment. Diabola does many mean but funny things. Read the book and find out what she does! I think this book is hilarious. It is also rather emotional at times, though, for instance when Angela encounters these weird feelings where she feels she must be near Diabola. My favorite part is when Diabola and Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones are in the kitchen in their apartment and men come in and try to steal all their food. Diabola becomes mad and uses her powers to make their eyes sting. Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones thinks Diabola hurt the men for her, but really Diabola didn't like the men and had done it for herself. My least favorite part is when Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves his wife to handle the twins. A ngela becomes really emotional when her dad sends her letters. I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes books about the good and the dark side of life. Anyone who likes Harry Potter would like this book because it is about fighting and neutralizing evil people. Angela and Diabola is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a funny novel	Cuthbertson-Jones leaves his wife to handle the twins	twins	neutral	2
Based on historical fact, WINSTON'S WAR is a solid and absorbing fictional rendition of the leadership struggle between Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill between October 1, 1938 and May 10, 1940. As the book opens, Chamberlain has returned to 10 Downing Street a public hero after the signing of the Munich Agreement between himself and Adolf Hitler which gave the latter the Sudetenland in return for "peace in our time". Meanwhile, relegated to the periphery of British politics and virtually an outcast, Churchill obstinately lashes out against appeasement and loudly proclaims the necessity for total war to save democracy from the depredations of the Nazis. What subsequently follows is history: the German subjugation of the rest of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland, the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, the Phony War, the Soviet invasion of Finland, the British military's Norwegian fiasco, and the crisis in His Majasty's government in May 1940 that ultimately elevated Winston to the premiership. The cast of characters in this sweeping story by Michael Dobbs of political maneuvering, skullduggery, and backstabbing is an historical Who's Who of the times: the ailing, haughty, and pacifist Chamberlain, who personifies England's bitter memories of the Great War and the popular concept of "never again"; the ambitious and self-absorbed Churchill, whose pugnacity sometimes clouds prudence; the defeatist, philandering, and anti-Semitic U. S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Joseph P. Kennedy; the alcoholic, disillusioned and psychologically tortured idealist, Guy Burgess (of Burgess, Philby, and Maclean of Cold War infamy); the stuttering King George VI, who whines that the German invasion of Poland interrupted his grouse hunting; and the Machiavellian newspaper mogul, William "Max" Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook. It's in the minor details with which Dobbs fleshes out the story of Chamberlain's fall and the rise of his nemesis, Churchill, to an epic 685 paper-backed pages (UK HarperCollins edition). And it's the length of WINSTON'S WAR that is, perhaps, a minor flaw. Some of the subplots seemed unnecessary, and should have been severely cropped by a ruthless editor: the love affair between the crippled WWI survivor "Mac" McFadden, barber to the politically great and one of Guy's information sources, and Carol, a housemaid and part-time prostitute; and between Bournemouth postmistress Sue Graham and Army Sergeant Jerry White - though the experiences of the latter did usefully tie the Norway debacle into the storyline on a personal level. Slightly more relevant, but still mildly tedious, was the dysfunctional relationship between Brendan Bracken, Churchill's closest confidant, and Kennedy's niece, Anna Fitzgerald. Perhaps Dobbs perceived a need to include Carol, Sue and Anna to make it less of a Guy Read. Chamberlain was toppled not because he sought to appease Hitler and avert a cataclysm, but because he didn't have the mettle to wage all-out war when the necessity for it was thrust upon him. That was to prove to be Winston's genius. The author's genius is in portraying the labyrinthine venality of Whitehall and Fleet Street powerbroking at a time when solidarity against a rapacious common enemy was desperately necessary. WINSTON'S WAR is the first in a series of novels about Churchill's wartime leadership. According to the back cover, the next book is apparently NEVER SURRENDER. I shall seek out and buy it immediately	Perhaps Dobbs perceived a need to include Carol, Sue and Anna to make it less of a Guy Read	Dobbs	neutral	1