Best Engineering & Transportation
How to make homemade mac 'n' cheese that is as satisfyingly gooey and velvety-smooth as the blue box stuff, but far tastier? In hundreds of easy-to-make recipes with over 1,000 full-color images, you will find out how to make foolproof Hollandaise sauce in just two minutes, how to transform one simple tomato sauce into a half dozen dishes, how to make the crispiest, creamiest potato casserole ever conceived, and much more. “[Kenji] approaches recipe development with monomaniacal zeal, then shares the delicious results with the infectious enthusiasm of the coolest teacher you had in high school.”. - The Globe and Mail.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon""The Food Lab" by Lopez-Alt is a dense collection of science based tips, explanations, techniques, and recipes for the home cook. I really like the way this book has been laid out: - The introduction is a modest overview of the author and his background followed by some really helpful information on equipment (such as an explanation on techniques for holding knives, how heat transfers through metal for consideration in what type of pan to use, essential equipment to have in your kitchen, and how to store and organize your fridge and pantry). * Cooked Vegetables has a great range of side dishes such as Brussels sprouts, Mexican street corn salad, roasted cauliflower, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and quite a few more recipes. Recipes in this chapter include mac 'n' cheese, risotto, linguine with clams, lasagna, and spaghetti. - The front and back book covers insides have conversion tables to be opened or flipped to quickly as a reference."
"And this book is great, and beautiful, full of photos, his great sense of humor, and excellent instructions. I was just hoping to see more of that type of food, whereas this book is targeted towards beginners (not to say that experienced cooks can't get value out of this book, because it's full of great info) or more specifically, towards people who haven't been reading his column all this time. Though in the meanwhile, there are already recipes I've got bookmarked to try out, like his puttanesca, pot roast, oven fries, THAT MEATLOAF, not to mention his excellent egg salad, which I've previously made from the site…. I'm so glad to be able to pay Kenji back in some form for the years of free content on Serious Eats and I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in cooking and improving their skills, in particular beginner cooks."
"Like most cookbooks today, it begins with a background of the author, who is an MIT grad turned culinary scientist. There are some things which go contrary to cooking norms (flip your steak often, and searing does not lock in juice), but there are explanations for the methods behinds the madness. Even if you never bother to make a recipe from this book verbatim, it will greatly increase your cooking skills from practical knowledge of physics, chemistry, taste, and technique."
With the help of physicist and food scientist Prof. Greg Blonder, PhD, of Boston University, he explains why dry brining is better than wet brining; how marinades really work; why rubs shouldn't have salt in them; the importance of digital thermometers; why searing doesn't seal in juices; how salt penetrates but spices don't; when charcoal beats gas and when gas beats charcoal; how to calibrate and tune a grill or smoker; how to keep fish from sticking; cooking with logs; the strengths and weaknesses of the new pellet cookers; tricks for rotisserie cooking; why cooking whole animals is a bad idea; which grill grates are best; and why beer-can chicken is a waste of good beer and nowhere close to the best way to cook a bird. * Myth: You should sear first, then cook. Goldwyn, whose day job is running the website amazingribs.com, explores the complexity of heat, meat, and smoke in the first half of his book, with a sense of humor sharper than his nickname suggests and a stack of scientific research provided by physicist Greg Blonder. Myth and lore abounds in the world of cooking, and nowhere more so than in the primal arena that exists when humans put open fire and meat together in the great outdoors (or suburban backyard, as the case may be). That’s good news for anyone who, like me, longs to understand the science of grilling and barbecue; the thermodynamics of heat transfer under that kettle dome, the chemistry of the smoke ring, and what makes a char-grilled steak so g*&@%# delicious. Flipping over each page to discover what lies on the next will remind you of the very first time you peeked under the cover of your grill and breathed in the alchemy that occurs between smoke and meat. Meathead has clearly and simply explained the science of live-fire cooking from understanding the role of fire and smoke to how marinades and brines work to flavor and enhance meat and lots more. A compilation and study of everything that affects your meat’s taste and texture.”. — Charlie McKenna, Chef Owner of Lillie’s Q, LQ Chicken Shack, and Dixie in Chicago. “ A game-changer reminiscent of the scientific wisdom of Harold McGee and the masterful techniques of Jacques Pépin .”. — Paul Virant, Executive Chef of Perennial Virant in Chicago and author of The Preservation Kitchen “ The ultimate compilation of the science of barbecue. One would be hard pressed to have a single question or curiosity that is not answered within the pages of this book.”. — Linda Orrison, President, National Barbecue Association, 2015–2016. "This is a go-to book in my cookbook library. ".
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For years I have bought book after book to learn every secret I can about BBQ."
"I am an old BBQ cook, a certified BBQ Judge, and a reader of Meathead's columns."
"I tried three of his recipes in the past three days and they were all fantastic, and better than my usual outdoor cooking results. All of the usual suspects are in this volume, but then there are surprising entries like a French Rotisserie Chicken which is fantastic, and loaded with tasty produce, and Baha Tacos that are killer! I love to make ridiculous amounts of it, so that I can have lots of 1-2 cup baggies of leftovers in the freezer for killer pizza, nachos, migas…. 5) Migas with the leftover brisket. 6-7) Touchdown Tailgate Brat Tub – p 279. Totally leftover smoked meat worthy!"
"I intended to browse it for a few minutes before going to bed last night and ended up putting it down four hours later. The recipes are just added bonuses to what you will learn from this trove of barbecue and grilling love... push the ADD TO CART button now! After finishing this book cover-to-cover, it has become my number ONE recommendation for any barbecue and grilling enthusiast who wants to do more than follow a recipe. If you want to understand barbecue and grilling to the point where you become the master of your equipment AND your recipes, then this is the book for you."
"If you want to understand why (or why not) to rest meat after cooking, read what Meathead has to say!"
New York Times and International Bestseller. Named One of the Best Books of the Year by The Wall Street Journal, NPR, Audible and Amazon. More than 1 million copies sold In the spirit of Steve Jobs and. Moneyball, Elon Musk is both an illuminating and authorized look at the extraordinary life of one of Silicon Valley's most exciting, unpredictable, and ambitious entrepreneurs--a real-life Tony Stark--and a fascinating exploration of the renewal of American invention and its new "makers." What does come through is a sense of legitimate wonder at what humans can accomplish when they aim high, and aim weird. By the final pages, too, any reader will sense the need to put comparisons to Steve Jobs aside. “The SpaceX and Tesla founder certainly sees setbacks as an unavoidable part of innovation.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"2 pages in, I decided I was in this for the long haul and sat on the floor, right there in the middle of the store. Because as you experience the story, as you see the challenges Musk went through to reach the pinnacle he's at today, the question nags at you. Musk isn't soft-spoken, or easy on his employees, or a man who kicks his legs up on his desk and snoozes while his companies mill around him. Vance shows how Musk is both the CEO and an employee of his companies, simultaneously the teacher and student. Vance takes you deep into the details, from Musk's childhood and lineage in South Africa, all the way to Canada and the United States, where the bulk of the story unfolds. When Musk looks at big businesses, he sees unmovable behemoths that refuse to change their methodologies. So we follow Musk's journey from his small start-ups, Zip2 and X.com, and move into his larger, more permanent ventures, namely SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Did you know SpaceX tested these rockets on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and would fix problems they encountered in a matter of days, as compared to months by standard companies? I'm going to reread this book in a few weeks (probably after the scheduled June 19th third Falcon 9 landing attempt, this time on solid ground, as opposed to a barge). Anyone who wants a ridiculously thorough insight into Elon Musk's life and companies should read this book. This is an incredibly inspiring book, a important look into a game-changing business strategy, and a valuable lesson to the world."
"I loved the insight into Musk and how he operates, and you get a very broad and complete picture of Musk as a driven visionary that is absolutely set on delivering some of the most aspirational goals of any human in history. You also get some great insight into the overall ecosystem around Musk - his companies (SpaceX and Tesla primarily), relationships with other companies and gov entities, as well as the important people around him."
"Solid, well researched book about Musk's early life, early companies (Zip2 and PayPal), and current companies (Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity). Throughout the book, Vance doesn't just let a startling assertion or quote stand still, he researches events to give the reader a balanced view of what transpired."
Best Automotive
How Cars Work is a completely illustrated primer describing the 250 most important car parts and how they work. How Cars Work was developed as a high interest mini-textbook for teens, but is also used by automotive service managers and mechanics to help customers understand repairs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book may not be good for mechanics, but if you are just starting to learn about cars or only know the basics this book will be great for you!"
""How Cars Work" dives right in and teaches you the basic parts to a car."
"its a great book that's easy to read."
"This is a GREAT teaching book."
"I am half way through this book,and Now I am confident about what all know because of this book... This book a must for those who :lack basic knowledge of an engine, for those who are tired of doing Google searches In attempts to learn the function of certain parts, already have some knowledge of the basics ,want to get involved in being their own weekend mechanic.etc. Yes, I recommend this book to anyone interested in automobiles!"
"This book is a must have for anyone who drives a care and have one or more question/s about how cars operate."
"The images have bad quality, maybe were copied many times from old versions."
"The book is broken down into short sections giving you a very basic understanding of the engine to the electrical to all parts of a car."
Best Engineering
How to make homemade mac 'n' cheese that is as satisfyingly gooey and velvety-smooth as the blue box stuff, but far tastier? In hundreds of easy-to-make recipes with over 1,000 full-color images, you will find out how to make foolproof Hollandaise sauce in just two minutes, how to transform one simple tomato sauce into a half dozen dishes, how to make the crispiest, creamiest potato casserole ever conceived, and much more. “[Kenji] approaches recipe development with monomaniacal zeal, then shares the delicious results with the infectious enthusiasm of the coolest teacher you had in high school.”. - The Globe and Mail.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon""The Food Lab" by Lopez-Alt is a dense collection of science based tips, explanations, techniques, and recipes for the home cook. I really like the way this book has been laid out: - The introduction is a modest overview of the author and his background followed by some really helpful information on equipment (such as an explanation on techniques for holding knives, how heat transfers through metal for consideration in what type of pan to use, essential equipment to have in your kitchen, and how to store and organize your fridge and pantry). * Cooked Vegetables has a great range of side dishes such as Brussels sprouts, Mexican street corn salad, roasted cauliflower, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and quite a few more recipes. Recipes in this chapter include mac 'n' cheese, risotto, linguine with clams, lasagna, and spaghetti. - The front and back book covers insides have conversion tables to be opened or flipped to quickly as a reference."
"And this book is great, and beautiful, full of photos, his great sense of humor, and excellent instructions. I was just hoping to see more of that type of food, whereas this book is targeted towards beginners (not to say that experienced cooks can't get value out of this book, because it's full of great info) or more specifically, towards people who haven't been reading his column all this time. Though in the meanwhile, there are already recipes I've got bookmarked to try out, like his puttanesca, pot roast, oven fries, THAT MEATLOAF, not to mention his excellent egg salad, which I've previously made from the site…. I'm so glad to be able to pay Kenji back in some form for the years of free content on Serious Eats and I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in cooking and improving their skills, in particular beginner cooks."
"Like most cookbooks today, it begins with a background of the author, who is an MIT grad turned culinary scientist. There are some things which go contrary to cooking norms (flip your steak often, and searing does not lock in juice), but there are explanations for the methods behinds the madness. Even if you never bother to make a recipe from this book verbatim, it will greatly increase your cooking skills from practical knowledge of physics, chemistry, taste, and technique."
Best Transportation
Their survival, and the survival of the men they left behind, depended on their small lifeboat successfully finding the island of South Georgia-a tiny dot of land in a vast and hostile ocean. 'A superb account of the greatest survival story of our time' - Chris Bonington The story of Ernest Shackleton's epic journey to cross the Antarctic overland has now been turned into four hours of gripping television with Kenneth Branagh playing Shackleton. Shackleton's mission failed, but the resulting adventure became one of the most celebrated accounts of man's survival against unbelievable odds.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Other must-reads in the genre are The Long Walk (though that turns out to be most likely fiction so I no longer recommend it), Into the Wild, and Arctic Adventure: My Life in the Frozen North. At the time of launching, Shakleton's expedition was history's most extensively planned exploratory trip to Antarctic, complete with a photographer, scientists, carpenters and engineers (a crew of 27 in total). The crew salvaged what it could and was forced to make do with dwindling supplies and provisions, eventually eating some of their beloved dogs. I won't dampen your reading pleasure by giving away too much of the unfolding events, but through a combination of amazing resourcefulness, outstanding leadership, and ultimately incredible luck on the part of Shakleton, the whole crew survived without a single life lost."
"The actual photographs of the Endurance stuck in the ice are worth the price of the new edition."
"It is really a testament to how strong people can be and how insanely powerful teamwork, positivity and determination can be. I bought the audio CD as I love to listen to books on the way to and from work and this one is of particularly high quality as the voice actor does an amazing job of using accents and real emotion while telling the story."
"After six terrible days, they made it to uninhabited Elephant Island; from there Shackleton and five other men set off in an open 22-foot boat on an incredible 800-mile voyage across the notoriously tempestuous Drake Passage to South Georgia Island, where they hiked across the island’s mountain range to reach a whaling camp. That these men were able to survive in the harsh, barren conditions of Antarctica, where temperatures frequently fell below zero is amazing. It’s nearly unimaginable that these men could survive for almost two years, their lives marked by a seemingly endless stretch of misery, suffering, and boredom, not to mention the threat of starvation. Don’t miss it."
Best Parenting & Relationships
Whether your relationship is flourishing or failing, Dr. Gary Chapman’s proven approach to showing and receiving love will help you experience deeper and richer levels of intimacy with your partner—starting today. Updated to reflect the complexities of relationships today, this new edition reveals intrinsic truths and applies relevant, actionable wisdom in ways that work. GARY CHAPMAN --author, speaker, counselor--has a passion for people and for helping them form lasting relationships.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My wife and I have 2 small children and our house is hard to stay clean because every room feels like a mess. A big part of improving your relationship with your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend is to sticking with a date night to make sure you have quality time together. My wife and I have been together for 10 years and got stuck in the rut of an endless routine of doing everything we could for our kids, followed by daily chores and left little time for ourselves. Committing to 1 date night a week has really helped our relationship and improved our communication."
"I was once asked to read this book by the only person in the world I love.....I refused. It's not a good feeling as a man to agree to read a book on relationships because you feel like you're putting everything into the authors hands.....and what if he "doesn't understand" or what if the advice doesn't apply to us.....what if it makes things worse between us because he advises things we don't believe in.....no....I'm not reading that I told her. I thought no matter what we would always figure each other out and we would be ok......I didn't see being asked to read this book , was a cry out from the woman I love hitting a boiling point and her attempt to communicate to me in a different way......the same things she's been trying to for a long time..... Instead of being some guys opinions or......typical shrink talk that in no way could apply to each specific relationship.......I found it to be a book that opens up the mind to the understanding of love.....and how it is not this one universal "language" we all feel we should be the same with.....I once told her...."nobody taught me how to love, I'm growing....learning".....I pleased with her to understand I love her.......we simply didn't have an understanding of how and why we didnt approach love the exact same way as each other.....only makes sense that it should be the same right? I will just end it like this..... last night I took a stretch that I have been doing for over 2 years and I changed it in a slightly different way....... a lot of the pain I normally get daily is gone....... just to put a spotlight on that sentence .....I'm saying that what I had been doing for so long..... trying to cure one of the biggest problems in my life that hadnt been working............that I continued doing........ believing in and depending on.... to be my much needed answer.......It wasn't until I allowed the idea of the same stretch applied in a different way, that I ALLOWED life to be better for me. You have to go into the book with an open mind because if you do it with the mindset of wanting it to say what it is that you want to hear.....then you can never let the life-changing words happen.......you're learning a language as you read...not what's right and wrong but what was being lost in life. Keep in mind this is a book about the language of love so if you think about when you go to school to learn a different language...you are taking the difficult step of taking time there in order to understand.....be able to take what you understand and apply it.....and be able to communicate in a NEEDED way once you learn....AND THEN USE......communicate and UNDERSTAND eachother."
"I made me think about my marriage, i had a idea of what was going wrong this put my thoughts in clarity."
"A quick read that gets information across in an easy to understand way."
"Very practical guide for human communication which seems to be lacking in this new age of technology... Was recommended by a friend."
"Really comes to show you why people are the way they are."
"This book is a wonderful read!"
"Ive read so many relationship & self help books, this one is so simple and clear."
Best Education & Teaching
A Bible like no other, The Jesus Storybook Bible invites children to join in the greatest of all adventures, to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God's great story of salvation---and at the center of their Story too. “I would urge not just families with young children to get this book, but every Christian–from pew warmers, to ministry leaders, seminarians and even theologians! Sally Lloyd-Jones has captured the heart of what it means to find Christ in all the scriptures, and has made clear even to little children that all God’s revelation has been about Jesus from the beginning–a truth not all that commonly recognized even among the very learned.” – Dr. Timothy Keller, NYC ( Dr. Timothy Keller ).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've tried three or four toddler Bibles, but they ranged from the meaningless and banal (Read With Me Bible For Toddlers) to the downright horrifying in their interpretation (The Story For Little Ones). The Jesus Storybook Bible, on the other hand, seeks to show how God's plan of salvation is unfolding through each story, and largely succeeds in doing so. First of all, there are children's Bibles like the Read With Me Bible that are simply bland. Granted, toddlers are not going to pick up on every nuance of a story from the Bible, but the Read With Me Bible often chooses the wrong points to emphasize, entirely leaving out important points of narrative along the way. One story simply lists miracles Jesus did with no context, failing to communicate that Jesus' miracles actually anticipate and begin to realize a new world, a world where God's Kingdom and rule are breaking into the world in a new and exciting way. This simply displays a level of ignorance about the story of Samson that is beyond belief for someone writing (interpreting) a Bible for children! So, for example, the story of the Exodus is told not as the story of God's great magic show, but instead on the great, mighty, and terrifying rescue of God's people from their slavery, pointing forward also to humanity's slavery to sin and coming rescue in Jesus. But again, the strength of this Bible is that it gets the story right, interpreting the main idea correctly and always pointing toward Jesus."
"For someone who may be familiar with the full version of the Bible and may be concerned about teaching children biblical accuracy, this book may be found a bit frustrating. While the illustrations are whimsical and a great accompaniment to the text, and the story language is simple and easy to follow, there are an awful lot of unnecessary additions."
"I personally like the cover because the picture of Jesus, I believe, is more accurate than the traditional image of a "white" Jesus that we usually see."
"Our 8 year old has moved on to more detailed Bible summaries and more just Bible reading, but this book certainly played a large role in the kids falling in love with God's Word."
"We read this during Advent this year and I am disappointed I didn't know of this sooner."
Best Literature & Fiction
Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley. Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. After 11 years of disregard and neglect at the hands of his aunt, uncle and their swinish son Dudley, Harry suddenly receives a visit from a giant named Hagrid, who informs Harry that his mother and father were a witch and a wizard, and that he is to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry himself.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"SPECIAL NOTE: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases (with the exception of changing all "Philosopher's Stone" mentions to "Sorcerer's Stone"). Good or bad is naturally for each reader to decide--just know, if you plan to read the books while listening to Jim Dale's audiobooks, you'll notice a few superficial differences. The quality of this new illustrated edition is phenomenal. All chapter intros are illustrated."
"IMPORTANT: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases. This difference isn't as prominent or noticeable as it was with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, but still something to keep in mind. Also, to answer a question that has come up quite a bit, this is the FULL BOOK and not an abridged or shortened version. Underneath the book jacket, the novel is bound in a sturdy orange hardback with green lettering on the spine."
"I was ravenous to get my hands on my copy as soon as it was delivered this morning, but was quickly disappointed. But when I took a close look at my dust jacket, I was extremely upset to find that the gold foil lettering for "Harry Potter" had been rubbed away and destroyed completely in some places leaving ugly, black matte in its place-- pock marking the otherwise handsome gold lettering. Needless to say I'm in awe how Bloomsbury has managed to put together such an incredible project, with JK Rowling's remarkable literature and Jim Kay's otherworldly illustrations-- and allowed it to be put together in a low quality binding! Not all alone in a box... Update (October 9th): I have finally received my new book and it was in much, much better condition. The cover and spine were tight, intact and falling apart from the binding like my original copy."
Best Science Fiction & Fantasy
Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley. Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. After 11 years of disregard and neglect at the hands of his aunt, uncle and their swinish son Dudley, Harry suddenly receives a visit from a giant named Hagrid, who informs Harry that his mother and father were a witch and a wizard, and that he is to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry himself.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"SPECIAL NOTE: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases (with the exception of changing all "Philosopher's Stone" mentions to "Sorcerer's Stone"). Good or bad is naturally for each reader to decide--just know, if you plan to read the books while listening to Jim Dale's audiobooks, you'll notice a few superficial differences. The quality of this new illustrated edition is phenomenal. All chapter intros are illustrated."
"IMPORTANT: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases. This difference isn't as prominent or noticeable as it was with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, but still something to keep in mind. Also, to answer a question that has come up quite a bit, this is the FULL BOOK and not an abridged or shortened version. Underneath the book jacket, the novel is bound in a sturdy orange hardback with green lettering on the spine."
"I was ravenous to get my hands on my copy as soon as it was delivered this morning, but was quickly disappointed. But when I took a close look at my dust jacket, I was extremely upset to find that the gold foil lettering for "Harry Potter" had been rubbed away and destroyed completely in some places leaving ugly, black matte in its place-- pock marking the otherwise handsome gold lettering. Needless to say I'm in awe how Bloomsbury has managed to put together such an incredible project, with JK Rowling's remarkable literature and Jim Kay's otherworldly illustrations-- and allowed it to be put together in a low quality binding! Not all alone in a box... Update (October 9th): I have finally received my new book and it was in much, much better condition. The cover and spine were tight, intact and falling apart from the binding like my original copy."
Best Humor & Entertainment
Everything a player needs to create heroic characters for the world’s greatest roleplaying game The Player’s Handbook® is the essential reference for every Dungeons & Dragons® roleplayer.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am an oldster, have played every edition of D&D there has been, most of them being released when I was of legal drinking age, and IMO this is the best edition ever. Another way to think of it is that this edition is the most true to the game principles set forth in the earlier editions, especially AD&D 1st and 2nd editions, while at the same time carrying the more modern and popular principles from 3.5 and even the much maligned 4.0. When playing even 2nd edition, but very much so for 3.0, 3.5, and even 4.0, I found myself interacting with my character in the game more as a playing piece than a character in a story. It was almost as if my character, and my decisions about playing the character, began to be dominated more by my interface with the rules in the book, rather than with my ideas about my character and my interaction with the game world. As I reflected while playing these later editions, I found that I was not really playing a character, but instead was playing a set of rules. I worry now more about the choices and decisions I make while interacting with the game world, and those choices making the character fun to play, rather than fretting over whether or not I have chosen the right Feats or if my modifier for a particular skill is as high as I want it to be. As I start down the path of the twilight of my gaming career given my age, I want a set of rules that provides enough structure that a DM can make consistent rulings on the fly that fit in with the general mechanics used in the game, and that foster my appreciation as a player of the development of my character in a game world where playing the game is smooth and produces memories of an interesting character who is the protagonist in an interesting story line."
"So, the fifth edition of the venerable Dungeons and Dragons game is officially out, with the Player's Handbook ready to be picked up, combed through and played by the world. To give a little background (and you can feel free to skip this paragraph if you want to get to the meat of the review), I started with 3rd edition, which came out all the way back in 2000, when I was in middle school. In the end, I, like a lot of folks, gained interest in the older editions of the games, the ones that predated my own D&D experiences, the ones that sounded to me like ancient, esoteric and arcane books of mystery, whose rambling prose and absurdly convoluted mechanics became somehow enticing. I tried to get into more of the indie side of the RPG genre, taking a particular interest in Burning Wheel, which I still adore as a system, though it seems too unwieldy and I was and remain hesitant to actually try and play it. For some reason, after years of total uninterest in Dungeons and Dragons, where any mention of the game would make me turn up my nose at such inelegant, fiddly silliness, I found myself, all at once, filled with overwhelming excitement about the coming edition. The promise of a game, both old and new, divorced from the flaws of the past, made with some fresh ideas and streamlining, aiming to take the best of each old edition and instill them into a unified whole that is at once simple, quick and varied? The high level of quality starts with the art design and cover, which are probably my favorite for any edition of Dungeons and Dragons. When we open the book we can see that Dungeons and Dragons is a game of vaguely feudal societies, but whose inspirations span the entirety of the globe, removing us from the strict adherence to Europeanism that dominated past editions. My recurring argument for what D&D should be revolves around the game ideally being limitless, and the active inclusion of non-western cultures and peoples without lumping them into types such as "oriental" or "vaguely mesoAmerican but we are not going to call them that" really goes along with that. The order is logical and a good start for beginners, though the classes reference rules that are not detailed until much later chapters, which could be very confusing to newcomers. Classes too each have at least two subclasses, with the class list including the Barbarian, whose mechanics of course focus around her berserker rage; the bard, who can cast spells but also gets a pool of "bardic inspiration dice" that he can spend to benefit their allies and roll to add extra bonuses to attacks, checks and saves; the Cleric, who is fairly standard, but has a lot of variety granted by what "domain" corresponds to her respective god, potentially giving abilities ranging from being excellent in combat, excellent at sneaking around(! ), excellent at healing (the classic) and so forth; the druid, who can focus either in her ability to cast spells or the classic druid art of lycanthropy; the fighter, who can be a standard, simple to play warrior who is good at having hit points and hitting things, in addition to both a very 4th edition-like, Warlord-esque commander type guy, who uses a pool of special dice to trigger abilities and command his allies, and an eldritch knight, who casts spells while he slashes and smashes and stabs; the monk, who isn't really my thing but other people might like him a lot--he can either punch or cast spells; the paladin, who now swears an oath, either to a god, to nature or to herself, and draws her powers from that, manifesting as a paladin of vengeance, who loves to kill, or even a paladin of the woodland fae, confusing people with fairy-inspired charms, which are both pretty cool; the ranger, who either slaughters with his own swords or gets a lovely woodland creature to aid him; the rogue, who loves thievery, assassination or arcane tricksteriness, and who of course backstabs non-stop; the sorcerer, who either focuses on her draconic origins or the chaotic influence of wild magic, and who has special sorcery points to spend that allow her to modify spells in much the same way that 3rd edition's metamagic feats worked; the warlock, who is probably my least favorite class, though I like the thematic idea, and who combines 4th edition-esque style powers with classic Vancian casting in a way that I found particularly inelegant; and of course the wizard, who has a huge list of spells to choose from, and who gets to choose one of the classic schools of wizardry--abjuration, conjuration, necromancy et cetera--to modify spells and grant thematic special abilities. In past editions of Dungeons and Dragons, the end of the races and classes chapters would pretty much mark the final steps in creating and customizing your character's abilities, personality and details. Your background also gives you examples for four new stats in fifth edition: your character's personality traits, ideals, bonds and flaws. There is a lot in these chapters regarding roleplaying, cost of living, what your character's do with their downtime and other more mundane--but in my opinion still fun--activities that occur during an adventurer's life. These individual sections are fairly short, but I felt they cover everything to a reasonable degree, still allowing a lot of room for DM or player ideas. Combat is simple and quick, and unlike the past two editions, is assumed to be more of a "theater of the mind" experience, not relying on grids or miniature figurines. In a somewhat silly move, however, attack ranges and positioning and speed are still measured in feet, adding needless complication and increased possibility for arguments when it comes to who can reach who and who is in whose spell's area of effect. I would have much preferred a more narrativist combat positioning system that depended on more abstract zones or areas or something, but I suppose this way still allows for players who want to play with miniatures to do so. It also allows for a certain amount of improvisation, where a player may use his or her action to try and jump on the giant's back and stab him in the eye, for example. The book ends with a few appendices, detailing deities from various D&D worlds, common monsters and animals the players will interact with and summon and even a list of recommended reading, containing the old classics like Tolkien but updated with fantasy novels published as recently as in the last year. They even added some story game elements--how weird is that!--and your character's personality and feelings, for the first time ever in D&D, have mechanical benefits."
"UPDATE 9/30/15: I thought that I would share my experience with obtaining a replacement book from the manufacturer after my initial review. The info to do so may be found here: [...]. After explaining my situation to the customer service rep, they promptly scheduled a pick up via FedEx of my defective book and when it was received, I was sent email notification that a replacement was in route."
Best Religion & Spirituality
Whether your relationship is flourishing or failing, Dr. Gary Chapman’s proven approach to showing and receiving love will help you experience deeper and richer levels of intimacy with your partner—starting today. Updated to reflect the complexities of relationships today, this new edition reveals intrinsic truths and applies relevant, actionable wisdom in ways that work. GARY CHAPMAN --author, speaker, counselor--has a passion for people and for helping them form lasting relationships.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My wife and I have 2 small children and our house is hard to stay clean because every room feels like a mess. A big part of improving your relationship with your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend is to sticking with a date night to make sure you have quality time together. My wife and I have been together for 10 years and got stuck in the rut of an endless routine of doing everything we could for our kids, followed by daily chores and left little time for ourselves. Committing to 1 date night a week has really helped our relationship and improved our communication."
"I was once asked to read this book by the only person in the world I love.....I refused. It's not a good feeling as a man to agree to read a book on relationships because you feel like you're putting everything into the authors hands.....and what if he "doesn't understand" or what if the advice doesn't apply to us.....what if it makes things worse between us because he advises things we don't believe in.....no....I'm not reading that I told her. I thought no matter what we would always figure each other out and we would be ok......I didn't see being asked to read this book , was a cry out from the woman I love hitting a boiling point and her attempt to communicate to me in a different way......the same things she's been trying to for a long time..... Instead of being some guys opinions or......typical shrink talk that in no way could apply to each specific relationship.......I found it to be a book that opens up the mind to the understanding of love.....and how it is not this one universal "language" we all feel we should be the same with.....I once told her...."nobody taught me how to love, I'm growing....learning".....I pleased with her to understand I love her.......we simply didn't have an understanding of how and why we didnt approach love the exact same way as each other.....only makes sense that it should be the same right? I will just end it like this..... last night I took a stretch that I have been doing for over 2 years and I changed it in a slightly different way....... a lot of the pain I normally get daily is gone....... just to put a spotlight on that sentence .....I'm saying that what I had been doing for so long..... trying to cure one of the biggest problems in my life that hadnt been working............that I continued doing........ believing in and depending on.... to be my much needed answer.......It wasn't until I allowed the idea of the same stretch applied in a different way, that I ALLOWED life to be better for me. You have to go into the book with an open mind because if you do it with the mindset of wanting it to say what it is that you want to hear.....then you can never let the life-changing words happen.......you're learning a language as you read...not what's right and wrong but what was being lost in life. Keep in mind this is a book about the language of love so if you think about when you go to school to learn a different language...you are taking the difficult step of taking time there in order to understand.....be able to take what you understand and apply it.....and be able to communicate in a NEEDED way once you learn....AND THEN USE......communicate and UNDERSTAND eachother."
"I made me think about my marriage, i had a idea of what was going wrong this put my thoughts in clarity."
"A quick read that gets information across in an easy to understand way."
"Very practical guide for human communication which seems to be lacking in this new age of technology... Was recommended by a friend."
"Really comes to show you why people are the way they are."
"This book is a wonderful read!"
"Ive read so many relationship & self help books, this one is so simple and clear."
Best Sports & Outdoors
Talk about a bucket list: here are natural wonders—the dazzling glowworm caves in New Zealand, or a baobob tree in South Africa that's so large it has a pub inside where 15 people can drink comfortably. Not to mention the Great Stalacpipe Organ in Virginia, Turkmenistan's 40-year hole of fire called the Gates of Hell, a graveyard for decommissioned ships on the coast of Bangladesh, eccentric bone museums in Italy, or a weather-forecasting invention that was powered by leeches, still on display in Devon, England. “Fair warning: It's addictive.” — NPR, “Cosmos & Culture” “In this gorgeous collection, the celebrated Atlas Obscura website is condensed into 480 pages of awe-inspiring destinations. “Odds are you won’t get past three pages without being amazed at something truly strange that you didn’t know existed.” — San Francisco Chronicle. “Richly illustrated, delightfully strange, this compendium of off-beat destinations should spark many adventures, both terrestrial and imaginary.” — Boston Globe. “Whether describing a Canadian museum that showcases world history through shoes, a pet-casket company that will also sell you a unit for your severed limb, a Greek snake festival, or a place in the Canary Islands where inhabitants communicate through whistling, the authors have compiled an enthralling range of oddities. Featuring full-color illustrations, this hefty and gorgeously produced tome will be eagerly pored over by readers of many ages and fans of the original website.”— Booklist (Starred Review). a wonderful browse [for] armchair travelers who enjoyed Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York and Frank Warren’s PostSecret .” — Library Journal. It's the kind of book that makes you want to pack in your workaday life and head out to places you'd never have dreamed of going, to see things you could not even have imagined. “ Atlas Obscura is a joyful antidote to the creeping suspicion that travel these days is little more than a homogenized corporate shopping opportunity. Here are hundreds of surprising, perplexing, mind-blowing, inspiring reasons to travel a day longer and farther off the path. Never start a trip without knowing where a haunted hotel or a mouth of hell is!”. —GUILLERMO DEL TORO, filmmaker, Pan’s Labyrinth “ What a strange and wonderful book! Each page reveals some hidden realm—a realm that is frightening, or funny, or magical, or simply mad, but that always leaves the reader in wonder.”. —DAVID GRANN, author of The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Be grateful when visiting the Karni Mata Rat Temple if one of the 20,000 venerated rodents runs across your bare foot—it is considered good luck.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Revel in the places that you've seen!"
"I read a short description of the book in the travel section of the SF Chronicle a few weeks ago, and made the purchase based on that. That said, there are items about things I have no interest in seeing, e.g., “Lake Monsters of the USA,” but there don’t seem to be many of that sort of thing included. As with "Lake Monsters," even if you (or a recipient) aren't likely to visit many of the places described, I think for many curious people this would make for an interesting read even without the travel element. It's not a perfect book, and I don't think any one book can be perfect for all readers, but I do think it's very good and I can easily recommend it for anyone who might be potentially interested."
"This book exceeded my already higher-than-average expectations."
"We purchased it for our 19 year old grandson."
"Such a fascinating book!"
"Super fun and entertaini g read if the off beat and curious is your thing."
"Purchased as a gift and spent much of one night pouring through it before giving it away."
"This book is great to have around to pick up while you're waiting for your son to put his socks on, when your eyes need a screen break, during a boring conference call, when you just want to escape your little world for a few minutes."
Best Business & Money
Willink and Babin returned home from deployment and instituted SEAL leadership training to pass on their harsh lessons learned in combat to help forge the next generation of SEAL leaders. Detailing the mindset and principles that enable SEAL units to accomplish the most difficult combat missions, Extreme Ownership demonstrates how to apply them to any team or organization, in any leadership environment. Riveting, engaging, and free from the usual cliché platitudes, this book is strikingly impactful and will dramatically improve leaders of all types.” ― Amy Brandt Schumacher, entrepreneur, executive, and philanthropist. An inspiring and page-turning read, the leadership lessons are easy to digest and implement. This book made me a better leader and enabled my entire team step up our game!” ― Jared Hamilton, founder and CEO, DrivingSales "One of the best books on leadership I've ever read and a tremendous war story book as well."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Extreme Ownership is written by two former Navy SEALs, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, who now head a leadership training company. There aren't many books out there that give such detailed glimpses into the lives of SEALs in action. The authors convey one main point per chapter by sharing a story from their battlefield experiences, then highlighting the main principle of that story, and finally giving a concrete example of how this principle applies in business settings. In my opinion, the simplicity, clarity, and structure of this book are it's greatest strengths. There are several moments when the authors share a complete story or personal thought--and then share the story again, but this time in the context of telling it to either their SEAL teams or to a group of business executives. Second, while this book is very descriptive--especially with the battle scenes--it is also incredibly restrained, almost cold. Their lessons are insightful and thought-provoking, and I can definitely see how their experiences will help guide leaders in the business world."
"They explain hard-learned principles of leadership, which they experienced first-hand as US Navy SEALs, specifically in and around their 2006 deployment to Ramadi, Iraq, one of the most dangerous places and times in the war. Military recruits & officers, parents, corporate executives, students, low-level management, spouses, shop foremen, independent contractors, and sole proprietors will all benefit from the lessons of Extreme Ownership. If you feel you're stuck in a rut, lacking self-discipline, or perhaps know someone who simply needs to improve their lot, this book is an excellent starting point."
"It would seem hard to imagine reading this and not looking at an organization and not see powerful & measurable application from the principles they bring into conscience awareness."
"Good read, I've been reading multiple chapters at a time."
"I really enjoyed the format of this particular book."
Best Science & Math
From the creator of the wildly popular webcomic xkcd, hilarious and informative answers to important questions you probably never thought to ask. In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations, and consults with nuclear reactor operators. Fortunately, such people can turn to Randall Munroe, the author of the XKCD comic strip loved by fans of internet culture. For Munroe, who writes with a clarity and wit honed over eight years of writing captions for his webcomic, the fact that a question might be impossible to solve is no deterrent to pursuing it.” —Wall Street Journal Speakeasy blog. while dealing with relationships and the meaning of a computer-centric life, xkcd has become required reading for techies across the world….The Internet has also created a bond between Mr. Munroe and his readers that is exceptional. "With his steady regimen of math jokes, physics jokes, and antisocial optimism, xkcd creator Randall Munroe, a former NASA roboticist, scores traffic numbers in NBC.com or Oprah.com territory. [A]t its best [xkcd] isn’t a strip comic so much as an idea factory and a shared experience."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love the blog and was really looking forward to this book, but buying the kindle edition was a mistake."
"This is a great way to enjoy older questions and answers over again, updated, and to share them with new people, and the new questions and answers - never featured on the website - are delightful; I won't spoil it for you, but my favorite has to be the answer to "If a bullet with the density of a neutron star were fired from a handgun (ignoring the how) at the Earth's surface, would the Earth be destroyed?" If you have even a passing interest in science and ever enjoy daydreaming about the fantastic or the ridiculous, this book is for you. Gift season is coming up; thanks to this book my Christmas shopping will be a great deal easier."
"Randall Munroe hits that oddball humor sweet spot with zany questions and actual, scientific--and most importantly, interesting--answers."
"Randall Munroe's XKCD is a cornerstone of the World-Wide Web, and he brings the same intelligence and overabundance of careful research here to absolutely hilarious (and often randomly awesome or terrible) questions."
"Best bathroom book ever... and I mean that in the very best possible way you can imagine."
"All wrapped up in a well made book sufficient for display."
"Whether it's taking a dip in a nuclear reactor cooling pool, or halting the earth's spin just to see what would happen, Monroe accepts the intellectual challenge and delivers with gusto."
"They're hyperlinked, and you can use the links on the footnote to jump back But the page bounds move slightly every time, and notes near the top activate the Kindle options rather than the footnote."
Best Computers & Technology
You will see the powerful and deceptive methods of manipulation that affect us all, as numerous organizations and political activists cunningly plot to have their stories seen, heard, and believed by as many people as possible. The depths of lies, distortions, and omissions from traditional mainstream media will shock you; and now they’re colluding with the top tech companies trying to maintain their information monopolies. Mark's YouTube channel has over 1 million subscribers and more than 400 million views, and his viral videos have been mentioned on the Fox News Channel, CNN, the Drudge Report, TMZ, the New York Daily News , the Washington Times , and other media outlets around the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I believe a person that is not ready to be awakened may experience severe soul pain and Mark forgot to put "Trigger warning" on the cover but still I believe for awakened people this is going to be great laugh and joy to read pages and see how death of media complex is unravelling and humanity awakening while people that still caught in nets of news manipulators may feel really bad but after few weeks I believe healing effects of truth will be refreshing."
"The book mentions how our leftists media is trying to persuade us to accept insanity like there being more than 2 genders, and how the media is pushing fake hate crimes committed by leftists in attempt to frame Trump supporters as Nazis,white Supremacists,KKK members, and racist."
"A lot of people don't know history and how much the media has been involved with the CIA and FBI and the rest of our federal gov't to create stories, manipulate events, etc."
"The news media has become so untrustworthy, the majority of sane Americans have seen this before even reading Marks book!"
"Great book and well written!!!!"
"Excellent book; this will not disappoint."
"Awesome work once again by Mark Dice as he exposes the nature of propaganda - otherwise known as the mainstream news in America."
"A must read."
Best Travel
Now, Brandon is back with the Humans of New York book that his loyal followers have been waiting for: Humans of New York: Stories . “As the quotes grew longer, and the interviews deeper, Stanton developed a signature storytelling style―one that blends the lure of urban voyeurism with an eye for the extraordinary detail in seemingly ordinary subjects.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"~~~~~~~~~It appears Amazon posted my review under both books Humans of New York and HONY Stories. If you are deciding on whether or not to buy the book, consider the following, which Brandon posted on the HONY facebook page: "I want to take a quick opportunity to remind everyone that HONY is advertisement free and almost entirely financed by book sales. By purchasing a book, you can help HONY continue to grow in a way that remains focused on telling people’s stories--- and nothing else."
"I've purchased all three Humans of New York books and have loved them all, but in Humans of New York - Stories, it all comes together. Even something went unspeakably wrong and against all odds the book was garbage (it isn't) you STILL should buy it, if for nothing more than to cast a vote of support for the JOY, LOVE, and EMPATHY that HONY provides."
"It makes a great coffee table book and everybody that has come over has picked this up and started reading it."
"An amazing collection of photos and personal stories."
"I follow the Facebook page but there's something about holding a tangible book and reading through all the stories in 2 nights that make it better."
"Love this book."
"In the midst of ISIS, corruption, American elections, tanking economy and a degree of narcissism that boggles the mind... another great bit of sanity, sharing, true storytelling and remembering what it is to be human."
Best Teen & Young Adult Books
And most recently, The New York Times called Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows the “fastest selling book in history.” This is the ultimate Harry Potter collection for Harry Potter fans of all ages! Newbery Medal winner Nancy Willard has written numerous beloved books for children and adults, including poetry, picture books, and novels.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"SPECIAL NOTE: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases (with the exception of changing all "Philosopher's Stone" mentions to "Sorcerer's Stone"). Good or bad is naturally for each reader to decide--just know, if you plan to read the books while listening to Jim Dale's audiobooks, you'll notice a few superficial differences. The quality of this new illustrated edition is phenomenal. All chapter intros are illustrated."
"IMPORTANT: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases. This difference isn't as prominent or noticeable as it was with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, but still something to keep in mind. Also, to answer a question that has come up quite a bit, this is the FULL BOOK and not an abridged or shortened version. Underneath the book jacket, the novel is bound in a sturdy orange hardback with green lettering on the spine."
"I was ravenous to get my hands on my copy as soon as it was delivered this morning, but was quickly disappointed. But when I took a close look at my dust jacket, I was extremely upset to find that the gold foil lettering for "Harry Potter" had been rubbed away and destroyed completely in some places leaving ugly, black matte in its place-- pock marking the otherwise handsome gold lettering. Needless to say I'm in awe how Bloomsbury has managed to put together such an incredible project, with JK Rowling's remarkable literature and Jim Kay's otherworldly illustrations-- and allowed it to be put together in a low quality binding! Not all alone in a box... Update (October 9th): I have finally received my new book and it was in much, much better condition. The cover and spine were tight, intact and falling apart from the binding like my original copy."
Best Health, Fitness & Dieting
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives. This is a masterful, philosophical and practical book that will give readers the wisdom to be able to do just that.” ( Ryan Holiday, New York Times bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy ). “Mark’s ability to dig deep and offer amazing, yet counter-intuitive, insight into the challenges of life makes him one of my favorite writers, and this book is his best work yet.” ( Matt Kepnes, New York Times bestselling author of Travel the World on $50 a Day: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter ). “An in-your-face guide to living with integrity and finding happiness in sometimes-painful places… This book, full of counterintuitive suggestions that often make great sense, is a pleasure to read and worthy of rereading.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As someone who has given far too many f***s about far too many things their entire life, this book was exactly the wake up call I needed. We have a limited emotional capacity, and we often squander it on reactions to mean-spirited people or unfortunate events, completely forgetting that, although we can't control the world around us, we can control ourselves. If you're the type of person who's struggled to keep their temper in line or if you're like me and you find yourself on an emotional roller-coaster because you take every event in the world and within your own life to heart, I strongly encourage you to read this book. If profanity is so much of a problem for you, that you can't tolerate reading the first half of this book (the last half is much less profane) you're probably too narrow-minded to have taken away any of the many philosophical benefits this book offers."
"If you don't have anything substantive to occupy your time, then it's trivial stuff that bothers you: "Your ex-boyfriend’s new Facebook picture, how quickly the batteries die in the TV remote, missing out on yet another two-for-one sale on hand sanitizer—chances are you don’t have much going on in your life..." Mark suggests just picking a few big things--values and people that reflect your values: "What I’m talking about here is essentially learning how to focus and prioritize your thoughts effectively—how to pick and choose what matters to you and what does not matter to you based on finely honed personal values." On a serious note, the author relates a horrific experience from his youth, when a drunken friend took a dare, jumped into a lake and drowned. This tragedy led to a determination to change the direction of his life, and figure out what is most important: "Oddly, it was someone else’s death that gave me permission to finally live. The author refers often to a book, "The Denial of Death," (which became a Pulitzer Prize winner.). In serious, heartfelt chapters, the author reflects on human existence, and our search for meaning in life."
"Some of the main themes are these: (1) Choosing what to care about; focusing on the things/problems that are actually meaningful/important (= "giving a f*** about the right things"). (2) Learning to be fine with some negative things; always aiming for positivity isn't practical, and is stressful in itself. (3) Taking responsibility of your own life; it's good for your self-esteem not to keep blaming the circumstances for your problems. (4) Understanding the importance of honesty and boundaries, especially in relationships. (5) Identity; it might a good idea not to commit strongly to any special identity such as "an undiscovered genius", because then any challenges will make you fear the potential loss of that identity you've clinged to. (6) Motivation; how to improve it by accepting failure and taking action. (7) Death; how learning to be more comfortable with one's own mortality can make it easier to live. The first 20% of this book were a little bit boring to read, but after that, the experience was very absorbing."
Best Arts & Photography
Relive the extraordinary Presidency of Barack Obama through White House photographer Pete Souza's behind-the-scenes images and stories in this #1 New York Times bestseller--with a foreword from the President himself. During Barack Obama's two terms, Pete Souza was with the President during more crucial moments than anyone else--and he photographed them all. "The book, which distills the 1.9 million photographs that Souza took of Obama's eight years in the White House down to about 300 images, it as once warm and nostalgic, worshipful and respectful, sad and wistful-in a sense, not so different from the framed JFK portraits that everyday Americans hung in living rooms, right through the Nixon administration. "Here are the qualities that radiate from these photos of the former President and his family, all taken by Souza during his eight years as official White House photographer: intelligence, kindness, warmth, integrity. "Souza, chief official White House photographer for Obama's two terms, was on hand for history--documenting our first black president, and a pretty photogenic one at that. Souza's book, an instant best seller, includes many iconic images we've seen before, but its most poignant moments are the least public--like one of the president and his daughters frolicking in the snow at the White House. "The 300 photographs in the book are a remarkable account of President Obama's eight years in the White House, from events of historic significance to quiet moments with his wife and daughters and the family dogs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'd like to say up front here that this is one of those reviews where I am struggling so hard to put thoughts into words, because of how many thoughts I have, and how difficult it is for me to express them. He was funny and personable, and every time I heard him speak I felt suddenly prouder and more patriotic. Because all the rest of that time I wasted being blind and hateful. I'm not really the kind that normally runs off to scrounge around for books they can't afford, but this is the second photography book of the Obamas I've done so for, and it captured my heart as much the second time, as it did the first. UPDATE: Thanks to so many of the kind, heartwarming offers, I have received a copy of this book."
"Well, I guess it is the idea of the unconditional love that I have personally felt by dogs.....and the fact that it least in my mind that is what our former President and First Lady gave us for 8 years. I pray that someday Obama haters or hopefully their children will view the pictures in this “must have” Obama memorabilia and appreciate not only the historical significance of this man to US and world history but also feel his unconditional love of America ; its history, culture and people in every page."
"Obama wasn't perfect, but seeing his two-term administration, not riddled by scandal or buffoonery, captured in this historic volume brought tears to my eyes."
"As I thumb through the pages, I realize how much of my vision of President Obama was formed by the photographs of special moments captured by Souza."
"In capturing the defining moments of the Obama presidency, Mr. Souza has given the common citizen a personal, vulnerable look into the remarkable 8-year tenure of the 44th president."
Best Gay & Lesbian
Now a Major Motion Picture from Director Luca Guadagnino, Starring Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet, and Written by Three Time Academy Award Nominee James Ivory. A USA Today Bestseller. A Los Angeles Times Bestseller. A Vulture Book Club Pick. An Instant Classic and One of the Great Love Stories of Our Time Andre Aciman's Call Me by Your Name is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents’ cliffside mansion on the Italian Riviera. Elio—17, extremely well-read, sensitive and the son of a prominent expatriate professor—finds himself troublingly attracted to this year's visiting resident scholar, recruited by his father from an American university. Their shared literary interests and Jewishness help impart a sense of intimacy, and when they do consummate their passion in Oliver's room, they call each other by the other's name.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Set in 1988 and on the Italian Riviera, which adds to the charm and appeal of the novel, Call Me By Your Name is narrated by and tells the story of a seventeen-year-old American-Italian-Jewish youth, Elio Perlman, and his six-week, summer love affair with Oliver Ulliva, a university professor who is seven years older than Elio and who has been selected to live in Elio’s parents’ home as a guest “resident” while finishing a manuscript for publication as part of the parents’ way of aiding budding writers. Much of the first half of Call Me By Your Name has a “stream of consciousness” feeling to it as Elio, a very precocious and intelligent but shy young man, defies his better intuitions and finds himself more and more attracted to Oliver. By time both Elio and the reader are aware of Oliver’s true feelings toward the younger man, a new sense of urgency, an even greater feeling of sensuality and eroticism, and a more intense atmosphere of anxiety and impending doom enters the story—all of it exquisitely captured by Aciman’s exquisitely accomplished writing."
"An Achingly Beautiful Prose of Art. Winner of the 20th Lambda Literary Award. Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman. Is an Ethereal Masterpiece; A Mythical Gem of Queerdom. The Novel exudes the Transformative Power of Words, Language, and Imagery. with Disarming Clarity & Volatile Poignancy. The After Effects of this book is perfectly encapsulated. By the Immortal Words of Elio to Oliver. "All That Remains is Dreammaking and Strange Remembrance" pg199. The Audiobook narration by Armie Hammer is Eargasm Heaven!!"
"You felt like you were 17 again and feeling all those emotions of someone being the most important thing in the world to you."
"Looking forward to the movie."
"A bit slow at parts."
"I wanted to read the book before watching the movie, but somehow it never happened."
"Such a sweet and rewarding story about true love and friendship."
"Easy read!"
Best Comics & Graphic Novels
Nothing satisfies anime artists more than creating original characters for comics and graphic novels—and bestselling author Christopher Hart helps them achieve this goal. Christopher Hart is the leading author of art instruction books in the US.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am a professional animator myself and this books reminds me of the things I learned while getting my fine arts degrees. And the images are large enough to trace with tracing paper so my daughter can begin to get a feel for the correct angles and proportions of the character's features."
"As a budding artist, there were the typical things she claimed to have trouble with, and as soon as she got this book she immediately went to work."
"I would say this is a decent good book but I wouldn't recommend it for beginners because the book doesn't completely go over the steps."
"The most amazing Anime drawing guide ever."
"My granddaughter loves drawing anime characters."
"When it arrived, i skimmed through the pages, and I can assure that the contents inside both have already inspired me, and will be very helpful in improving upon my current skills."
"My daughters review because it was a gift for her: I love that it actually explains the steps on how to draw specific things; however I didn’t like that it didn’t explain how to draw the hands, eyes and heads thouroughly."
Best Libros en español
Harry vive con sus horribles tíos y el insoportable primo Dudley, hasta que su ingreso en el Colegio Hogwarts de Magia y Hechicería cambia su vida para siempre.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"SPECIAL NOTE: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases (with the exception of changing all "Philosopher's Stone" mentions to "Sorcerer's Stone"). Good or bad is naturally for each reader to decide--just know, if you plan to read the books while listening to Jim Dale's audiobooks, you'll notice a few superficial differences. The quality of this new illustrated edition is phenomenal. All chapter intros are illustrated."
"IMPORTANT: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases. This difference isn't as prominent or noticeable as it was with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, but still something to keep in mind. Also, to answer a question that has come up quite a bit, this is the FULL BOOK and not an abridged or shortened version. Underneath the book jacket, the novel is bound in a sturdy orange hardback with green lettering on the spine."
"I was ravenous to get my hands on my copy as soon as it was delivered this morning, but was quickly disappointed. But when I took a close look at my dust jacket, I was extremely upset to find that the gold foil lettering for "Harry Potter" had been rubbed away and destroyed completely in some places leaving ugly, black matte in its place-- pock marking the otherwise handsome gold lettering. Needless to say I'm in awe how Bloomsbury has managed to put together such an incredible project, with JK Rowling's remarkable literature and Jim Kay's otherworldly illustrations-- and allowed it to be put together in a low quality binding! Not all alone in a box... Update (October 9th): I have finally received my new book and it was in much, much better condition. The cover and spine were tight, intact and falling apart from the binding like my original copy."
Best Biographies
Relive the extraordinary Presidency of Barack Obama through White House photographer Pete Souza's behind-the-scenes images and stories in this #1 New York Times bestseller--with a foreword from the President himself. During Barack Obama's two terms, Pete Souza was with the President during more crucial moments than anyone else--and he photographed them all. "The book, which distills the 1.9 million photographs that Souza took of Obama's eight years in the White House down to about 300 images, it as once warm and nostalgic, worshipful and respectful, sad and wistful-in a sense, not so different from the framed JFK portraits that everyday Americans hung in living rooms, right through the Nixon administration. "Here are the qualities that radiate from these photos of the former President and his family, all taken by Souza during his eight years as official White House photographer: intelligence, kindness, warmth, integrity. "Souza, chief official White House photographer for Obama's two terms, was on hand for history--documenting our first black president, and a pretty photogenic one at that. Souza's book, an instant best seller, includes many iconic images we've seen before, but its most poignant moments are the least public--like one of the president and his daughters frolicking in the snow at the White House. "The 300 photographs in the book are a remarkable account of President Obama's eight years in the White House, from events of historic significance to quiet moments with his wife and daughters and the family dogs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'd like to say up front here that this is one of those reviews where I am struggling so hard to put thoughts into words, because of how many thoughts I have, and how difficult it is for me to express them. He was funny and personable, and every time I heard him speak I felt suddenly prouder and more patriotic. Because all the rest of that time I wasted being blind and hateful. I'm not really the kind that normally runs off to scrounge around for books they can't afford, but this is the second photography book of the Obamas I've done so for, and it captured my heart as much the second time, as it did the first. UPDATE: Thanks to so many of the kind, heartwarming offers, I have received a copy of this book."
"Well, I guess it is the idea of the unconditional love that I have personally felt by dogs.....and the fact that it least in my mind that is what our former President and First Lady gave us for 8 years. I pray that someday Obama haters or hopefully their children will view the pictures in this “must have” Obama memorabilia and appreciate not only the historical significance of this man to US and world history but also feel his unconditional love of America ; its history, culture and people in every page."
"Obama wasn't perfect, but seeing his two-term administration, not riddled by scandal or buffoonery, captured in this historic volume brought tears to my eyes."
"As I thumb through the pages, I realize how much of my vision of President Obama was formed by the photographs of special moments captured by Souza."
"In capturing the defining moments of the Obama presidency, Mr. Souza has given the common citizen a personal, vulnerable look into the remarkable 8-year tenure of the 44th president."
Best Christian Books & Bibles
By renovating homes in Waco, Texas, and changing lives in such a winsome and engaging way, Chip and Joanna have become more than just the stars of Fixer Upper , they have become America’s new best friends. Even back then Chip was a serial entrepreneur who, among other things, ran a lawn care company, sold fireworks, and flipped houses. Four children and countless renovations later, Joanna garners the attention of a television producer who notices her work on a blog one day. The time Chip ran to the grocery store and forgot to take their new, sleeping baby Joanna’s agonizing decision to close her dream business to focus on raising their children When Chip buys a houseboat, sight-unseen, and it turns out to be a leaky wreck Joanna’s breakthrough moment of discovering the secret to creating a beautiful home Harrowing stories of the financial ups and downs as an entrepreneurial couple Memories and photos from Chip and Jo’s wedding The significance of the word magnolia and why it permeates everything they do The way the couple pays the popularity of Fixer Upper forward, sharing the success with others, and bolstering the city of Waco along the way. Chip Gaines and his wife, Joanna Gaines, are co-founders and co-owners of Magnolia Homes, Magnolia Market, and Magnolia Realty in Waco, Texas.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"They have overcome adversity and have built a life full of love, family, talent, professionalism keeping their faith first and foremost."
"Great reading couldn't put it down made me smile,laugh and see some things in life we all go through similar."
"I have been a huge fan of Joanna and Chip right from the very first show."
"This is a must read for all Fixer Upper fans."
"I really didn't know much about Chip and Joanna, other than catching snippets of their nationally-broadcast show Fixer Upper, but now I feel that they're the type of next-door people that you would love to sit down and share a meal with and get to know. Toward the end of the book Joanna says teasingly how Chip is like the President of the United States - always running around shaking hands and kissing babies."
"Jo's sense of style and Chip's sense of humor make the show irresistible and makes me wish I lived in Waco, Texas so I can hire them fix up a house for me. I can honestly say, I had no idea what the hell shiplap was until I watched this show and apparently, Texas homes are loaded with it behind the walls."
"Chip and Joanna solved that problem magnificently - I always knew who was speaking which brought additional richness to the work. It is also a very encouraging book in a time when we all need that little boost to chase our dreams, but don't be deceived into believing all has been rose petals and blue skies."
"Loved, Loved, Loved this story."
Best Politics & Social Sciences
Relive the extraordinary Presidency of Barack Obama through White House photographer Pete Souza's behind-the-scenes images and stories in this #1 New York Times bestseller--with a foreword from the President himself. During Barack Obama's two terms, Pete Souza was with the President during more crucial moments than anyone else--and he photographed them all. "The book, which distills the 1.9 million photographs that Souza took of Obama's eight years in the White House down to about 300 images, it as once warm and nostalgic, worshipful and respectful, sad and wistful-in a sense, not so different from the framed JFK portraits that everyday Americans hung in living rooms, right through the Nixon administration. "Here are the qualities that radiate from these photos of the former President and his family, all taken by Souza during his eight years as official White House photographer: intelligence, kindness, warmth, integrity. "Souza, chief official White House photographer for Obama's two terms, was on hand for history--documenting our first black president, and a pretty photogenic one at that. Souza's book, an instant best seller, includes many iconic images we've seen before, but its most poignant moments are the least public--like one of the president and his daughters frolicking in the snow at the White House. "The 300 photographs in the book are a remarkable account of President Obama's eight years in the White House, from events of historic significance to quiet moments with his wife and daughters and the family dogs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'd like to say up front here that this is one of those reviews where I am struggling so hard to put thoughts into words, because of how many thoughts I have, and how difficult it is for me to express them. He was funny and personable, and every time I heard him speak I felt suddenly prouder and more patriotic. Because all the rest of that time I wasted being blind and hateful. I'm not really the kind that normally runs off to scrounge around for books they can't afford, but this is the second photography book of the Obamas I've done so for, and it captured my heart as much the second time, as it did the first. UPDATE: Thanks to so many of the kind, heartwarming offers, I have received a copy of this book."
"Well, I guess it is the idea of the unconditional love that I have personally felt by dogs.....and the fact that it least in my mind that is what our former President and First Lady gave us for 8 years. I pray that someday Obama haters or hopefully their children will view the pictures in this “must have” Obama memorabilia and appreciate not only the historical significance of this man to US and world history but also feel his unconditional love of America ; its history, culture and people in every page."
"Obama wasn't perfect, but seeing his two-term administration, not riddled by scandal or buffoonery, captured in this historic volume brought tears to my eyes."
"As I thumb through the pages, I realize how much of my vision of President Obama was formed by the photographs of special moments captured by Souza."
"In capturing the defining moments of the Obama presidency, Mr. Souza has given the common citizen a personal, vulnerable look into the remarkable 8-year tenure of the 44th president."
Best Deals in Books
Fish swims about. With his fish face stuck. In a permanent pout. “Winning artwork...Hanna's cartoonish undersea world swims with hilarious bug-eyed creatures that ooze personality” ― Kirkus Reviews.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"First, that how we see ourselves can become a self-fulfilling prophesy... if we compare ourselves unfavorably to others in our circle (i.e. so-and-so can do such-and-such much better than I, such-and-such comes so easily for others but not for me, I'm not as loveable as so-and-so), and keep re-playing that tape in our heads (perhaps reinforced by how we feel others view us), then what we "see" in that mirror is who we'll end up being. The other is that we are capable of influencing others in positive ways by demonstrating simple acts of kindness and compassion, much moreso than using words to point out faults or telling people how they "should" be, "should" feel, "should" act."
"It is written in a more sophisticated language rather than simple baby speak of a lot of books for that age (which makes it a lot easier to keep reading over and over for an adult...) but the rhyming makes it accessible for young kids."
"This book with its sing-song rhythm and upbeat ending is arguably my favorite children's book."
"Love this cute little book."
"Adorable book!!!"
"Love reading this to my little girl!"
"Great rhythm and rhyme to this book!"
"Arrived quickly."
Best Children's Books
And most recently, The New York Times called Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows the “fastest selling book in history.” This is the ultimate Harry Potter collection for Harry Potter fans of all ages! Newbery Medal winner Nancy Willard has written numerous beloved books for children and adults, including poetry, picture books, and novels.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"SPECIAL NOTE: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases (with the exception of changing all "Philosopher's Stone" mentions to "Sorcerer's Stone"). Good or bad is naturally for each reader to decide--just know, if you plan to read the books while listening to Jim Dale's audiobooks, you'll notice a few superficial differences. The quality of this new illustrated edition is phenomenal. All chapter intros are illustrated."
"IMPORTANT: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases. This difference isn't as prominent or noticeable as it was with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, but still something to keep in mind. Also, to answer a question that has come up quite a bit, this is the FULL BOOK and not an abridged or shortened version. Underneath the book jacket, the novel is bound in a sturdy orange hardback with green lettering on the spine."
"I was ravenous to get my hands on my copy as soon as it was delivered this morning, but was quickly disappointed. But when I took a close look at my dust jacket, I was extremely upset to find that the gold foil lettering for "Harry Potter" had been rubbed away and destroyed completely in some places leaving ugly, black matte in its place-- pock marking the otherwise handsome gold lettering. Needless to say I'm in awe how Bloomsbury has managed to put together such an incredible project, with JK Rowling's remarkable literature and Jim Kay's otherworldly illustrations-- and allowed it to be put together in a low quality binding! Not all alone in a box... Update (October 9th): I have finally received my new book and it was in much, much better condition. The cover and spine were tight, intact and falling apart from the binding like my original copy."
Best Calendars
Thomas Kinkade: The Disney Dreams Collection 2018 Wall Calendar brings to life classic Disney characters set within traditional Kinkade images. Thomas Kinkade, the celebrated Painter of Light, is the most widely collected artist in the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is one of the prettiest calendars around."
"I LOVE this calendar!"
"Can't wait to turn the calendar month every year."
"Totally obsessed with this calendar!"
"As always the Kinkaid calendar is a HIT."
"Beautiful calendar!"
"Mickey Mouse is my all time favorite and add Thomas Kinkade painting to it and in my opinion you have a masterpiece each month!"
"I just got this in the mail and it looks like the edges got water damage."
Best History
Relive the extraordinary Presidency of Barack Obama through White House photographer Pete Souza's behind-the-scenes images and stories in this #1 New York Times bestseller--with a foreword from the President himself. During Barack Obama's two terms, Pete Souza was with the President during more crucial moments than anyone else--and he photographed them all. "The book, which distills the 1.9 million photographs that Souza took of Obama's eight years in the White House down to about 300 images, it as once warm and nostalgic, worshipful and respectful, sad and wistful-in a sense, not so different from the framed JFK portraits that everyday Americans hung in living rooms, right through the Nixon administration. "Here are the qualities that radiate from these photos of the former President and his family, all taken by Souza during his eight years as official White House photographer: intelligence, kindness, warmth, integrity. "Souza, chief official White House photographer for Obama's two terms, was on hand for history--documenting our first black president, and a pretty photogenic one at that. Souza's book, an instant best seller, includes many iconic images we've seen before, but its most poignant moments are the least public--like one of the president and his daughters frolicking in the snow at the White House. "The 300 photographs in the book are a remarkable account of President Obama's eight years in the White House, from events of historic significance to quiet moments with his wife and daughters and the family dogs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'd like to say up front here that this is one of those reviews where I am struggling so hard to put thoughts into words, because of how many thoughts I have, and how difficult it is for me to express them. He was funny and personable, and every time I heard him speak I felt suddenly prouder and more patriotic. Because all the rest of that time I wasted being blind and hateful. I'm not really the kind that normally runs off to scrounge around for books they can't afford, but this is the second photography book of the Obamas I've done so for, and it captured my heart as much the second time, as it did the first. UPDATE: Thanks to so many of the kind, heartwarming offers, I have received a copy of this book."
"Well, I guess it is the idea of the unconditional love that I have personally felt by dogs.....and the fact that it least in my mind that is what our former President and First Lady gave us for 8 years. I pray that someday Obama haters or hopefully their children will view the pictures in this “must have” Obama memorabilia and appreciate not only the historical significance of this man to US and world history but also feel his unconditional love of America ; its history, culture and people in every page."
"Obama wasn't perfect, but seeing his two-term administration, not riddled by scandal or buffoonery, captured in this historic volume brought tears to my eyes."
"As I thumb through the pages, I realize how much of my vision of President Obama was formed by the photographs of special moments captured by Souza."
"In capturing the defining moments of the Obama presidency, Mr. Souza has given the common citizen a personal, vulnerable look into the remarkable 8-year tenure of the 44th president."
Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
A young woman is found brutally murdered, and the main suspect is the victim’s fiancé, a hideously scarred Iraq War vet known as the Burned Man. Do yourself a favor and give this bright talent a read.” —John Hart, multiple Edgar Award winner and New York Times bestselling author of Redemption Road. Barbara Nickless has written a twisting, tortured novel that speaks with brutal honesty of the lingering traumas of war, including and especially those wounds we cannot see. I fell hard for Parnell and her four-legged partner and can't wait to read more.” —Vicki Pettersson, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Swerve. Barbara Nickless has fashioned a beautifully drawn hero in take-charge, take-no-prisoners Sydney Parnell, former Marine and now a railway cop battling a deadly gang as she investigates their purported connection to a recent murder. Skilled in evoking emotion from the reader, Nickless is a master of the craft, a writer to keep your eyes on.” —Chris Goff, author of Dark Waters. “Barbara Nickless’s Blood on the Tracks is raw and authentic, plunging readers into the fascinating world of tough railroad cop Special Agent Sydney Rose Parnell and her Malinois sidekick, Clyde. Haunted by her military service in Iraq, Sydney Rose is brought in by the Denver Major Crimes unit to help solve a particularly brutal murder, leading her into a snake pit of hate and betrayal. Full of the suspense that holds you on the edge of your seat, it’s also replete with acts of bravery, moments of hope, and a host of feelings that keep the story’s intensity level high. An active member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, she has given workshops and speeches at numerous writing conferences and book events.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Here's a quick rundown, without spoilers: THE HEROINE -- At first, it appeared this was going to be another female character who somehow seems to do everything right despite all the angst she has to lug around. Her scene descriptions are vivid, and the attention to the thoughts of her main character Sydney is wonderful. ADDITIONAL WRITING THOUGHT -- The author uses transcripts of the main character's notes, interviews, journals, etc. I don't subtract stars if an author chooses to include language or sex, just letting potential readers know both exist in this book. For me, I enjoy when an author drops clues throughout the book that add up to a strong justification when the murderer is finally revealed, and I personally thought this could have been handled a little better. HOWEVER...even with the "twists" issue, the story is excellent and I found myself really liking the character of Sydney Parnell."
"Since I enjoy reading police procedural novels, I didn’t need to go past the summary description that this one included a K-9 partner to immediately select it as my Kindle First choice. While this is an especially interesting police procedural story since Sydney Rose Parnell and Clyde are part of a railroad police force, it goes much deeper."
"I was hooked from the first chapter - drawn in by the main character, Sydney, who hides her complex and compassionate nature beneath a stoic exterior."
Best Cookbooks, Food & Wine
Beloved byGwyneth Paltrow ('This might be my favorite thing ever') and with half a million Facebook fans and counting, Thug Kitchen wants to show everyone how to take charge of their plates and cook up some real f*cking food. Yeah, plenty of blogs and cookbooks preach about how to eat more kale, whyginger fights inflammation, and how to cook with microgreens andnettles. Intheir first cookbook, they're throwing down more than 100 recipes fortheir best-loved meals, snacks and sides for beginning cooks to homechefs. “Dear reader, I love Thug Kitchen's cooking.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I live in Portland, the mecca of all things vegan, and my non-vegan friends have been clawing at my door to eat these recipes instead of eating out. I wish they had prep and cook times listed for recipes, but I have to read the recipe and make an educated guess. The food is delicious, the tone is funny, and I have been talking it up to my friends."
"Most of the reviews ive read before purchasing this book are mostly people complaining about the cursing, that they didn't know it was vegan and that the ingredients are too "fancy". UHM, it isn't literally them supporting thugs.. its like a metaphor.. they are thugs in the kitchen, they toughen you up and motivate you in almost a boot camp sort of way. therefore they're they thugs in the kitchen telling you how to get that sh*t right.. Now as for the fancy ingredient complain.. one guy said smoked paprika was too fancy and hard to find... which is not.. at all.. it should be a staple in any cooks spice rack.. Aminos might be hard to find but i seen those even in low level market places and farmers markets or nurserys or co-ops.. health stores, nutritionists or a damn WHOLE FOODS! with all the gmo and crazy processes they're doing lately its surprising people aren't paying attention to minor details like that and then they complain about it like if the author set them up...*sigh*. Now for my honest review; first Id like to say im Hispanic and raised with ethnic foods. I'm trying to establish a routine where the most used items are already cutup and stored somehow for easy access.. perhaps when i do a week food prep. you don't miss the meat at all... i do wish there were more recipes and more versatile breakfast ideas with more fruit but its still a good way to kick-start a detox or life style.. it weans you and really does motivate you if you don't mind the potty mouth. Their sweet potatoes fried rice is also yummy and they have this peanut dipping sauce yum! Some recipes i feel are missing something but maybe thats just my habits and culture that are used to different sides a big slab of meat."
"Love love love this cook book."
"It's worth every penny if you follow a plant based diet, are thinking about following a plant based diet, or just want a fun, delicious cookbook to add variety to you meals. I've been plant based for about one year now, and I don't crave cheese or any animal products, but every now and then I do like to experiment with some old favorites, like lasagna. Really, mad props to all your hard work, it has made my life a whole lot easier and tastier..."
"They include tons of extra info besides recipes, like what these ingredients you may never have heard of before going Vegan are, and where at in the store you can find them."