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Great American Short Stories (Dover Thrift

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Great American Short Stories Dover Thrift at Amazon

(Warning: This article is long and reading it may improve your capacity to make cash on eBay)

In Article One I discussed the chances for savvy eBay vendors in the growing capitalist market for antiquate and collectible silver. The some types of marks on these goods may be confusing, however, oftentimes resulting in poorly described listings. One may be assured that at least 30% of the 12-15,000 weekly listings in the ‘Antiques-Sterling’ category will have inaccurate or misleading descriptions. The resulting buyer confusedness and uncertainty causes poor merchandising prices, lost sales and vender believability issues.

In this article eBayers will learn how to discern and perceive the a good deal of dissimilar marks and where to exploration them. With this background vendors may write professional descriptions in their eBay auctions, eBay stores and other merchandising venues. Properly identifying and listing silver items gives vendors believability and an edge over the hundreds of uninformed marketers in this competitory market.

Think of it this way – if one were going to get into the car selling business he or she will have to recognise as much as possible regarding makes, models, engines, performance, etc. Right? The same thing applies to marketing silver goods. The marks tell the story behind the piece i.e., the maker, age, origin, history, quality, pattern, etc. Understanding marks will increase the sellers’ ROI because they become better buyers as well as resellers.

Identifying and Deciphering Silver Marks – The list underneath provides the fundamental principle for learning the galore marks and and metal types. For further exploration and education there are some splendid reference books available for both beginners and experts. I’ve provided a short list of suggested books at the end of the article. Understand that numerous reference books are narrow in their scope i.e., specific to sure time periods, countries, etc. For this reason one must buy only one or two books which cover a wide array of marks from a lot of manufacturers and countries. As experience is gained by listing and retail silver one may build a good reference library. For online exploration there are assorted magnificent websites that are contributed to and applied by accumulators and dealers worldwide. I’ve linked one of the best web sites at the bottom of the article. Professional valuations and appraisals are likewise available for those who want a quality listing but don’t want to exploration marks.

Those who are just starting into silver sales need to be very careful not to misinterpret marks. As stated above, one-third of the eBay vendors incorrectly list and describe items because they’ve learned just sufficient data with regards to marks to be dangerous. Often these erroneous venders think because there is a lion, crown, or anchor mark on their item it is English sterling when, in fact, it is silverplate bearing a pseudo mark. Just today I saw a new seller’s auction of a creamer and sugar bowl set that she listed as English sterling made in 1903. In reality it was American silverplate circa 1877-1880. She thought the pattern number, 1903, was the date it was made and that the lion in the trademark meant English sterling. This is just one example of some that make venders look bad and limit their prospects for a profitable sale.

Use Knowledge As A Selling Point - After decently researching the marks on the merchandise one may accurately title and describe the listings. Items may be guaranteed to be as claimed because the vendor has sufficient selfassurance to do so. This gives believability to the vendor and the merchandise which will draw smart investors and collectors to the auction. The result will be strong bidding action and higher sale prices.

Use Accurately Identified Marks for Search Optimization – For example, a vendor identifies a piece as Danish and made by Georg Jensen circa 1909-1914. When applied to keyword the auction title and description this data will be a magnet for high-end gatherers . This translates into more prominent profits. Which of these two titles works best? “Antique Silver Bowl with Hallmarks” or,“Beautiful Georg Jensen Art Nouveau Sterling Centerpiece c.1909-1914″. The second one of course. This is merely using strategic keywords in the title which gives life to the listing.

Okay, so what’s to learn? There’s plenty. The following is just the short list, but with this foundation a vendor may build their road to success as an expert silver merchant on eBay and other venues.

Things You Must Know:

  • Hallmarks – Just when it comes to each eBay vendor misunderstands this. Specific to cherished metals, a hallmark is specified as a mark or series of marks struck into the metal that officially authenticates the metal purity (fineness or content) and which is globally recognized as a guarantee of purity. eBay vendors many times confuse hallmarks with maker’s marks, logos, company trademarks, and simple number marks such as 925 or 835. While such number marks are applied to indicate purity or content they are never to be considered as hallmarks unless they are accompanied by the official usual mark of the country of origin. Why? Because any individual may fraudulently strike these numbers into the metal without official assay. Hallmarks are the official marks of guaranteed metal purity in cherished metal items. Trademarks and maker’s marks are merely the mark of the manufacturer of the item. Think of it like the karat marks on gold jewelry. If a ring says Cartier 18K, the hallmark is the 18K, not the maker’s name, Cartier. It warrants the ring has a gold purity of 75% and it is recognized worldwide. Silver hallmarks work the same way, there’s just a lot more of them than there are for gold.
  • Country Marks – Almost each country requires official nationalized marks or symbols to be employed as the hallmarks for their precious metals standards. Probably the best known of all is the Lion Passant used by England to guarantee sterling since the 14th century. There are far too some country marks to list here but you may exploration them in the online reference websites listed at the end of this article.
  • City Marks – A mark or symbol applied in numerous countries to denote the city where the item was made. The leopard head representing London and the anchor representing Birmingham are two of the best known and most normally seen on eBay. Again there’s too some to list but they may be researched in the reference guides listed below.
  • Maker’s Marks – These are the registered names, initials, trademarks, logos, brands, symbols, or other marks used over assorted centuries by silversmiths and manufacturing companies to distinguish their wares. There are in a literal sense hundreds of these worldwide. You will commonly find these struck or imprinted onto an inconspicuous place on the item along with the hallmark and other marks.
  • Date Marks – Also called Date Codes, these are distinguishable symbols, characters, letters, or numbers employed by numerous well known makers as a means of dating the production year of their merchandise. These are cataloged and are very utile in accurately dating a lot of items. Unfortunately numerous companies didn’t use date marks which makes precise dating of their work impossible.
  • Pseudo Marks – These marks were formulated by silversmiths to mimic the well known and long conventional British sterling hallmarks. These smiths quintessentially made silverplate items and silver items of lesser purity than sterling. The marks were on purpose designed to give a sensing of sterling quality when it comes to their work in order to earnings on the reputation and renown of British sterling. This does not inevitably mean they were all practicing fakery, even though some surely were. In fact, a great deal of pseudo marks are legitimately registered trademarks of reputable firms which give rise to in sterling, coin and silverplate. For example Gorham, a highly valued American sterling and silverplate maker, integrated the Birmingham anchor mark into their maker’s mark. Much of the 19th century Chinese export silver likewise bears pseudo marks on a lot of very high quality 800 and 835 frequent marked goods. Pseudo marks are often times mistaken for British sterling hallmarks so buyers and venders similar will have to be capable to recognize them. This is one of the main reasons why exploration is so critical to successful selling.
  • Pattern Numbers – These are proprietary numbers which are often found along with the hallmarks and maker’s marks. These are employed by the manufacturer for patent registration, pattern identification and inventory control.
  • Sterling - Sterling is specified by the U.K., the U.S. (refer below*) and most other nations as an alloy containing at least 92.5% pure silver. The other metal in the alloy is copper which strengthens the metal for fabrication into usable and ornamental wares. The word sterling comes from 14th century England. The sterling ordinary in Great Britain and elsewhere has been 92.5% (925) fineness since that time.
  • 925, 0.925 or 925/1000 – This number is ofttimes found stamped into silver items. It represents sterling when accompanied by the official ordinary hallmark of the country of origin. The presence of this number on an item does not guarantee it to be sterling unless the official country hallmark is likewise present.
  • “Solid Silver” - This is specified by the U.S. government (refer below*) as an alloy containing at least 92.5% pure silver which means it has to be sterling. It is illegal in the U.S. to represent any product by this name that is not sterling silver.
  • “Coin Silver” - This alloy gets it is name from 18th and 19th century American silversmiths who melted down silver coins in order to invent items to sell. Typical items were silverware and other table service wares. The U.S. government defines this to be an alloy of 90% (900) purity (refer below*). Many items with less than 90% purity are ofttimes and illegally sold as “coin silver” in the U.S. on eBay and in other venues.
  • Continental Sterling – This is a misleading term used by a great deal of who trade European made items which have purity standards less than 92.5%. Similar terms applied are Russian Sterling, German Sterling, French Sterling, etc. all of which are marked with official national standards that are less than 925. Continental Silver is the rectify way to describe European goods provided the official hallmark and assay mark are present to authenticate the actual purity.
  • Silver Standards – In the U.S. the standards are pure (.9999%), sterling and coin (refer below*). In the U.K. the standards are britannia (95.8 % purity) and sterling. Britannia was used wholly in Britain from 1697 to 1720 and has been optional since. Other countries have their own sets of official standards. Typically, but not without exception, these are 950, 935, 925, 900, 875, 850, 835, 812, 800, 750, and 675 purities as determined by official assay. These numbers represent the decimal fraction (percentage) of silver content in the fabricated item. For example, an item marked ’800′ is 80% pure. 950 and 935 may be legally referred to in the U.S. as sterling, no matter of the country of origin, but the lesser standards cannot. 950 is on occasion referred to as Martelé Silver. Note: In the U.S. it is a federal crime to import, sell, label, advertise, or other than as supposed or expected represent any item as “sterling” or “solid silver” which does not have a purity of 92.5% or more outstanding (refer below*).
  • Loth Numbers – This was a numerical scheme applied in Austria-Hungary and Germany-Prussia in the 18th and 19th centuries for authenticating official assays. It is based on a purity of 16/16. So that 15/16 is 15 Loth equaling .937 purity, 14/16 is 14 Loth equaling .875 purity, 13/16 is 13 Loth equaling .812 purity, and so on. Most of the oldfashioned silver from these countries found listed on eBay is 13 Loth and, as cited above, it is ofttimes misrepresented as German Sterling. Austria-Hungary used this system until 1866 and Germany-Prussia until 1886.
  • Zolotnik Numbers – These numbers are found on Russian silver items going back assorted centuries. The root of this scheme begun in the 11th century with the Russian gold trade. A lot of antiquate Russian items are auctioned on eBay and other venues so it is necessary to recognise galore basics. The numbers are based on 96/96 being pure. What is sold for the most part on eBay is the more mutual 84 Zolotnik, or 84/96 which equals 875 (87.5%) purity. 88 Zolotnik is 88/96 or 916 purity and so on. A mutual problem with the 84 mark is mistaking sure types of French silverplate for Russian 84 Zolotnik. One way to tell the divergence is the French silverplate mark will have either a ‘Gr’ or ‘G’ after the 84 which represents grams of silver applied in the plating process. Also the Russian 84 Zolotnik will always be accompanied with one or more official marks and a maker’s mark in Russian Cyrillic letters. If an item is claimed to be Russian and it bears on the number 84, then consider it to be phony or plate.
  • Silverplate - This is a very thin layering or coating of pure silver over a base metal. The most mutual base metals employed are copper, brass, nickel-silver, white metal, and Britannia metal (see below). The two types of silverplate are Sheffield plate and electroplate. Sheffield derives it is name from Sheffield, England where it originated. The technique employed was a ‘sandwiching’ of a layer of base metal amid a top and bottom layer of pure silver. The metals were wrought or rolled until the two metals were bonded. Thus the base metal was ‘plated’ and could then be used for manufacturing. Electroplating was formulated in 1805 but didn’t come into usual use until 1840. This is an electrolytic routine whereby molecules of silver are deposited onto the surfaces of a sheet of base metal until the desired coating or thickness is achieved. Because electroplating is quick and not labor intense almost all plating was done this way by 1860 which doomed the Sheffield plate method. Today Sheffield plate is prized by accumulators due to it is superior hand-wrought quality and antiquate value. There are assorted dissimilar quality grades of electroplate/silverplate. These are based on the thickness of the plating resulting from the amount of silver used. The two mutual types of Victorian Era silverplate are triple plate and quadruple plate. You will see a lot of these types auctioned on eBay. The key thing to know when it comes to silverplate is that it has no significant silver weight, thence there is no cherished metal value related with it. The market for silverplated items is based on rarity, uniqueness, ageold qualities, craftsmanship, and design calibers only.
  • Sterling Silverplate - There is no such thing! This description is often employed by eBay venders who don’t know anything in regards to silver or who are keyword spamming to increase clicks on their listing. Because sterling is an alloy it is unsuitable to use as a silver source for plating.
  • E.P.N.S. – You will see these letters marking the bottoms of a heap of older American and British silverplated items. This stands for Electro Plated Nickel-Silver. Many novice eBay venders and those who don’t bother to do any exploration mistakenly list E.P.N.S. items as sterling. Common variations on this are E.P., E.P.C. (Electro Plate on Copper), E.P.W.M. (Electro Plate on White Metal), E.P.B. or E.P.B.M. (Electro Plate on Britannia Metal). Just recognise that any item marked with E.P. is silverplate and as such has no precious metal value.
  • Nickel-Silver - This is a mutual base metal alloy consisting of nickel, copper and zinc. There is no silver in it whatsoever. The name was coined because the metal is silvery in color and polishes to a shine. Other names employed for the same metal are: Alpacca or Alpacca Silver; Brazil Silver; German Silver; Peru Silver; New York Silver; New Silver; Nevada Silver; Norwegian Silver; Silverite; Venetian Silver; Potosi Silver; and Sonora Silver to name just a few. Many persons have been stung buying things like old German Silver ladies purses thinking they had something of real value. Nickel-silver is strong and lasting but it doesn’t have any metal value.
  • White Metal - This is a silvery colored alloy ordinarily containing a mixture of antimony, tin, lead, zinc, and cadmium. In the U.K. the British fine arts trade uses the term ‘white metal’ to describe all alien items which do not have official British Assay Office marks struck on them.
  • Britannia Metal – Another non-silver base metal similar to pewter which is popular because it is lasting and polishes to a silver-like luster. This is an alloy of 93% tin, 5% antimony and 2% copper. Not to be confused with 958 Britannia from Great Britain.

The hundreds of known marks and their significances are complex and many times confusing. The selective information you’ve received in this article will have to increase your understanding of what a lot of of the marks represent. You may now build upon these fundamental principle to become an informed buyer and reseller with a substantial edge over your competition. Thanks for following this article series and please watch for Article Three: A Focus on British Sterling.

Suggested Reference Books:

  1. Kovels’ American Silver Marks by Ralph and Terry Kovel; Random House Reference, 1st Ed., 1989. ISBN-13: 978-0517568828
  2. Dealer’s Guides: English Silver Hall-Marks by Judith Banister; Foulsham Publishing, 2004. ISBN-13: 978-0572029999
  3. Encyclopedia of American Silver Manufacturers by Dorothy T. Rainwater, Martin Fuller and Colette Fuller; Schiffer Publishing, 2003. ISBN-13: 978-0764318870
  4. American Silversmiths and Their Marks: The Definitive (1948) Edition by Stephen G. C. Ensko; Dover Publications, 1983. ISBN-13: 978-0486244280
  5. All About Antique Silver with International Hallmarks by Diana Sanders Cinamon; AAA Publishing; 1ST edition, 2006. ISBN-13: 978-0978516802
  6. Discovering Hallmarks on English Silver by John Bly; Shire Publishing, 9th Ed., 2008. ISBN-13: 978-0747804505
  7. English, Irish, & Scottish Silver: at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute by Beth Carver Wees; Hudson Hills Press, 1st Ed.,1997. ISBN-13: 978-1555951177

(These and other magnificent reference books on this subject are available at Amazon.com and other fine booksellers.)

* U.S. Guide to Precious Metals & Jewels: Laws & Standards (See paragraph 23.6)


Great American Short Stories Dover Thrift

Featuring 19 of the finest works in the American short-story tradition, this compilation includes: “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, “Bartleby” by Herman Melville, “To Build a Fire” by Jack London, “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Killers” by Ernest Hemingway, plus stories by Hawthorne, Twain, Cather, and others.
  • Amazon Sales Rank: #68762 in Books
  • Published on: 2002-07-23
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: .64″ h x 5.27″ w x 8.28″ l, .44 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 256 pages

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful.
5A outstanding collection of short stories at a great price
By Robert C. Ross
For some reason, neither Amazon nor Dover list the actual stories contained in this attractive collection here on Amazon. They include:

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
5Nice collection of short stories
By Nettie Scott
I read a lot of short stories. Many today I find full of sadness and somber mood. It is a pleasure to read some stories that have stood the test of time. Great book for the train or vacation. Very satisfying read.

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Great American Short Stories Dover Thrift

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Great American Short Stories Dover Thrift

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Great American Short Stories Dover Thrift

Great American Short Stories Dover Thrift Image

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Spirit Bound

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Eyes are for seeing. We are in a time when spiritual blindness is giving way to the open visions of the Seer prophets. Many are rushing in to the supernatural realms of God to look with fixed eyes upon His majesty and to learn the mysteries of those things that were, and are and those things yet to come. There is outstanding grace being freed by the Holy Spirit as He restores to the world the prophetic gifts of those ancient men and women of God who spoke for God. This current prophetic motion is rising too unexampled levels and will increase in signs and wonders. The Prophetic Seer abilities may be produced in your life. Here’s how.

There is a distinguishable kinship that the Holy Spirit is calling each born again Believer into. This kinship is initiated through a personal experience of salvation and then a walking, living kinship with God in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit desires to fetch us into such close intimate kinship with Him that we listen what He is saying and see what He is doing. This is the Key to the prophetic Seer anointing being activated in your life. Therefore, spend time with Him in worship, in prayer and in waiting in His Presence. This sets the stage for visions, dreams and prophetic encounters. Having this kinship initiates prophetic journeys into the supernatural realms of God.

Let me make this distinction. Prophetic Seers are dissimilar than word based Prophets. The word based prophet will move into the Holy Spirit realm and start out to open his mouth and the Holy Spirit will give the words and messages. These messages come forth from the inner spirit spontaneously. The Prophetic Seer on the other hand will see images, pictures and scenes. The Prophetic Seer will then describe, explain and likely interpret what he sees. This becomes the prophetic message. How then may you develop this gift of seeing?

Almost without exception each person has the capacity to manufacture images of things familiar. For instance, if you were to describe in detail a bestloved childhood memory, playground, picnic, event, family setting or place, your memory would likely access the visual, aroused and verbal data stored in your memory banks. This specific capacity to see the memory images is what I want to distinguish here for you. The aroused and verbal data is also important. In this article we are dealing with fabricating your Seer Anointing abilities. The same capacity to recall visual images is the same function that the Prophetic Seer accesses when entering the prophetic realm of the Holy Spirit. The Prophetic Seer rather of recalling a memory steps into a receiving mode. It is there in the visual mode that the Holy Spirit releases images or visions. These visions may be of past events at first. In fact the Holy Spirit will commonly begin there because those are intimate scenes that you are sure of because you lived them. The Holy Spirit will then take you into a replay of events that may have occurred not long ago or today. He reviews them with us. Notice the word re view. This is actually what happens. The Holy Spirit will then start out to give us images of random events that perhaps could occur tomorrow as we project our thoughts toward a lot of specific task. He will train us in this if we listen and pay attention. When I introductory started out to recognize this in my life I often named this future impression as a hunch. I called it this because I didn’t have a name to call it. The Holy Spirit will test us on this and give us a good deal of confirmations in this so that our selfconfidence and accuracy levels improve. These areas are all world bound events and details that are part of the boot camp training. The next phase is where the unbelievable begins to unfold before us.

The next phase is the journeys into the supernatural realms. This is where the eyes of your spirit and understanding started out to look with fixed eyes into the realms of God. Literally, the Holy Spirit will commence to take you into trances, visions and heavenly scenes. In these you will see Holy Angels, Heavenly Scenes and the Majestic Presence of the Lord. You will likewise see and gather up selective information from the Lord regarding world events, details for your own gain and for others. This is where the Holy Spirit wants to take us all. He wants each believer to live in both the natural realm and the supernatural realm. The Prophetic Seer anointing bridges the gap amidst the two realms.

Here is a entry portal with advice, to quick get started you in this. Take a scripture verse and ask the Holy Spirit to disclose this to you in imaginativeness form. Let me suggest the following one because it is a verse that describes scenery. Look up John 5 and read verses 1- 5. Now ask the Holy Spirit to give you a picture in your mind that matches this scene. Quiet yourself and started out to receive that scenes details. Do this with other scenes until you may speedily receive what the Holy Spirit is giving you. Now go to a verse such as Daniel 10 : 5,6 or Acts 10 :11 -16 or others. Ask the Holy Spirit to show what these visions looked like. Receive what He gives you. Next ask the Holy Spirit to disclose Jesus Christ to you and then the Heavenly Father and then His Plans for you. Ask Him to show you what He wants you to do and say and how to walk with Him.

You will increase in this as you exercise your spirit eyes within and rely upon the Holy Spirit. If you ask the Heavenly Father for His good gifts He won’t give you a stone nor a serpent. The Prophetic Seer Anointing is being freed in this season and you may enter into this portion of His inheritance for you.


Spirit Bound

Lethally sexy undercover agent Stefan Prakenskii knows a thousand ways to kill a man-and twice as a lot of ways to pleasure a woman. So he’s looking forward to his new mission: arrive in the coastal town of Sea Haven and insinuate himself in the life of Judith Henderson, an ethereal beauty with ties to the crime lord he’s determined to trap…

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #18968 in Books
  • Published on: 2011-12-27
  • Released on: 2011-12-27
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
  • Binding: Mass Market Paperback
  • 416 pages
About the AuthorI live in the finelooking mountains of Lake County, California. I have always loved hiking, camping, rafting and being outdoors. I’ve likewise been involved in the martial arts for years—I hold a third degree black belt, instruct in a Korean karate system, and have taught self-defense. I am happily married to a romantic man who often times inspires me with his thoughtfulness. We have a yours, mine, and ours family, claiming eleven children as our own. I have always written books, forcing my ten sisters to read each word, and now my daughters read and support me edit my manuscripts. It is fun to take all the exploration I have done on wild animals, raptors, vampires, weather, and volcanoes and put it together with romance.

62 of 71 people found the following review helpful.
2Very disappointed, once again
By CinnamonGirl
Come on, Feehan. Absolutely NO interaction between Ilya and his brothers? Alexandr doesn’t warn Jonas that Stefan is dangerous? Jonas doesn’t even think Stefan is dangerous?! After being around the sisters for so long, you would think he could detect “power” emanating from people. There’s a storm that should have caused a ridiculous amount of damage to Sea Haven property, maybe even injury to some of its residents, with a tornado and walls of fire no less, but the town is just fine in the next chapter with barely a mention of it. Most importantly, the Drake sisters should have DEFINITELY been able to pick up on all that energy used and told Jonas about it. They should have even been able to trace it to its source. Finally, in a little town such as Sea Haven, wouldn’t SOMEBODY have noticed a giant bear trap thingy being set up nearby, and wouldn’t SEVERAL people have called 911 to report repeated gunshots during the shootout scene between Petr, Stefan, and Lev? I am so disappointed, Ms. Feehan, if you bother reading these, that the only repeated and redundant details in your recent books either have to do with the heroine’s trade or skill and with the feelings the hero has for the heroine. SO many references to her basically being pure, shiny, perfect brightness…and the hero being cold, emotionless, a monster…gah! We get it already! I don’t think I’m up for yet another book, in the future, that ignores so many important facets towards the writing of a good book: The details where they count and not leaving out or completely downplaying what should be KEY players in the story. I’m tired of holding out hope that these books will get any better. If I thought you were listening to your critics and fans, Ms. Feehan, I would.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
2Should have stopped with the Drake Series
By whimsical1
I suffered through Water Bound because it was “Christine Feehan”. I even purchased Spirit Bound because, hey, she’s entitled to a not-so-good-book. It is becoming more commonplace for author’s of series to begin to change mythology or characters and it is a trend that is totally frustrating me. How can you have your loyal readers read books about Jonas, Jackson and Ilya as well as all the “powerful” Drake sister and then relegate them to unaware, unnecessary afterthoughts? How is it that Ilya isn’t even a factor in this book as a player? other than mentioning that he is the younger brother and Oh, by the way happens to be living in the same small town with all of the powers that his brothers have combined? Jonas suddenly becomes an “okey-dokey” type of sheriff? I understand that this a new series but don’t undermine/re-write all of the previous character development you did prior to this series. The reason I read Water Bound was for some updates on the Drakes.

It also seems like this series is going to portray the Drake’s as being impediments/psuedo-enemies in this series; how is that possible? I found Judith to be likeable as a character but the build-up to her powers and abilities left me feeling let-down when she actually put them to use. It didn’t seem like she could do much at all. Stefan made sense in the way that all of the Prakenskii characters make sense (they are dark, antisocial, gorgeous and powerful) I don’t know how much else Feehnan can do to distinguish them other than change, their powers, hair/eye color. I just realized as I typed this that the same descriptor can be used for her Carpathian novels but I digress. At least in the Carpathian novels they freely admit that they are over-protective, chauvinist that can be excused by the fact that they were born centuries ago. The overbearing/domineering nature of the Prakenskii male in this novel can get to be a bit too much. Judith is the perfect foil for that since she pretty much stands around looking guilty, beautiful and helpless. I’ve reached my limit of spending my money on this series from now on I will borrow a copy from the library.

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful.
3A some what disappointed read
By Lizylove
I have read everything Feehan has written, i love her work, but i am very disappointed in Spirit Bound. This book took me quite a long time to read because the story line just seem to go on and on about Judith’s sweet nature and the evil things Stephen has done. The final chapters were a disaster i cannot believe that Jean-Claude after obsessing about Judith for 5 years in prison and is a worldwide drug kingpin came after Judith and Stephen by himself there wasn’t any entourage of bodyguards or nothing, there was no big face off between the old love and the new love. Once again there is no interaction between Ilya and his brothers and Jonas who is also very powerful was made to look like a fool.

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Spirit Bound

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Spirit Bound

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Winterdance The Fine Madness Of Running

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Getting back on track after the holidays is easy for a lot of people. It seems as even though they never break stride at holiday time. It is hardly a blip on the screen of their lives.

For others even though getting back in the swing of things after the holidays is a bit of a challenge and may leave you sentiment let down and out of sorts.

All the stress, hustle and bustle seem to come crashing to a halt the day after Christmas and we often times feel as even though we are in a keeping pattern until New Years Eve.

Routines have been broken. Eating habits have been tossed right out the window and even if the scale has been a friend it seems to have been quickly become a foe as we dread seeing what the excess in calories has cost us in weight gain.

New Year’s resolutions may be sitting there staring back from the paper daring us to fail one more time. So how do we get ourselves back in the swing again? How do we shake off the after holiday blues and look forward to the coming weeks? Oh and yes how do we get back on track with our eating?

1. Don’t feel the same pressure to make the holiday vanish as you did getting all the decorations up and the place decked out in the firstborn place. Tackle most of the mess such as the presents and all the paper and rubbish first. This will support you to regain a little order out of the chaos. After that, take your time deconstructing the holiday decorations. Enjoy the beauty you have developed just a little longer. If you have veritably been running like crazy this holiday season, taking a moment to quietly be grateful for what you have developed is important.

2. Take an evening to either sit and write your thank you notes or to just phone a few of the friends you may not have had time to speak to for the duration of the crazy holiday season. The pressure to reach out and touch everyone for the duration of the holidays is immense and may leave us sentiment as altho we haven’t met our responsibilities if any person is left out. The pleasure of a relaxed speech or expressing sincere appreciation in a note closely instantaneously lifts your spirits.

3. Don’t even bother with the scale. If you have clothes that you like and they fit you well, take a few key pieces to mix and match as your eating habits get back on track over the next few weeks. After the over indulgence of the holiday season gradually get yourself back into healthful eating. Pare down your buying goods list eliminating all the snacks and junk foods that may have been the holiday staples. Increase the fruits and vegetables as well as adding in huge green salads. It may take a few days or even a week to retrain your taste buds. They have grown accustomed to more fat and sugar so give them a little time to readjust.

4. If your workout has gone by the wayside do not try to get up to full speed in a week’s time. Start back tardily and work up to where you were before the holiday interruption. If you have been regular in your workouts before the holiday you will be back in the swing of it in no time and without suffering with soreness or fatigue.

5. Do something nice for yourself. Something special. It may be a quiet dinner with your substantial other or it may be massage or facial. It may be a weekend away or an afternoon out in nature. Whatever feeds your soul and makes you feel uplifted is what you are looking for here. It doesn’t have to cost a penny or if you have the cash to spend go in front enjoy. What you want is to leave the season ultimately sentiment relaxed and looking forward to what the New Year will bring.


Winterdance The Fine Madness Of Running

Paulsen and his team of dogs endured snowstorms, frostbite, dogfights, moose attacks, sleeplessness, and hallucinations in the relentless push to go on. Map and color photographs.
  • Amazon Sales Rank: #8516 in Books
  • Published on: 1995-02-17
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: .90″ h x 5.70″ w x 8.90″ l, .75 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 272 pages
  • ISBN13: 9780156001458
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
ReviewFueled by a passion for running dogs, Gary Paulsen entered the Iditarod–the 1150-mile winter sled-dog race among Anchorage and Nome– in dangerous ignorance and with a fierce determination. Winterdance is his account of this seventeen-day battle versus Nature’s worst elements and his own frailty.

From Publishers WeeklyAcclaimed children’s book author Paulsen offers a gripping account of his experience running the 1180 mile Iditarod dogsled race.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library JournalThe Alaskan Iditarod is an annual 1180-mile dogsled race from Anchorage to Nome that in general takes two to three weeks to complete. Paulsen, a popular YA writer, ran the race in 1983 and 1985 and was again in training when a heart condition forced him to retire. This book is mainly an account of Paulsen’s firstborn Iditarod and it is frequent life-threatening disasters, including wind so strong it blew his eyelids open and blinded his eyes with snow, cold so deep matches would not strike, and packages of lotions kept next to his skin that froze solid. However, the book is more than a tabulation of tribulations; it is a meditation on the extraordinary attraction this race holds for a great deal of men and women. In a style remindful of fellow nature writer Farley Mowat, Paulsen deftly examines careening on a precarious edge. Highly commended for all libraries.
- John Maxymuk, Rutgers Univ. Lib., Camden, N.J.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

54 of 56 people found the following review helpful.
5I haven’t laughed so hard in years!
By Monika
I made the grave mistake of trying to read this book while on a public bus. It wasn’t long before I realized the folly in this, as I repeatedly had to stifle the wild guffaws that threatened to pour forth without my consent. The other passengers probably came to the conclusion that I was either very sick or slightly deranged as I rocked back and forth in my seat and tried to pretend that I was, in fact, merely coughing. Gary Paulsen has offered us one of the most hilarious accounts of running the Iditarod that I have ever come across.

Living in Minnesota, Paulsen had a small team of five dogs that he used to work his traplines. Over time he became more and more entranced with mushing, until he eventually realized that wanted to, needed to, run the Iditarod – the 1,100+ mile dogsled race stretching across the state of Alaska between Anchorage and Nome. The first half of the book deals with his preparation for the race – finding more dogs, training the dogs, getting the right equipment, etc. We soon see that he has quite a bit to learn. Over the course of this training period, Paulsen finds himself attacked by dogs, run away with by dogs, and often spending many miles being dragged along on the ground behind his sled by dogs. He manages to break his sled repeatedly, get separated from his team, and one night, get sprayed by five different skunks in rapid succession. He is, in short, one of the least qualified of all possible Iditarod candidates.

The second half of the book takes us through the race itself. In the beginning, he makes every possible rookie mistake. He gets lost before even leaving the city of Anchorage, after putting the wrong animal in the lead-dog position:

“We went through people’s yards, ripped down fences, knocked over garbage cans. At one point I found myself going through a carport and across a backyard with fifteen dogs and a fully loaded Iditarod sled. A woman standing over the kitchen sink looked out with wide eyes as we passed through her yard and I snapped a wave at her before clawing the handlebar once again to hang on while we tore down her picket fence when Wilson [the lead dog] tried to thread through a hole not much bigger than a housecat. And there is a cocker spaniel who will never come into his backyard again. He heard us coming and turned to bark just as the entire team ran over him; I flipped one of the runners up to just miss his back and we were gone, leaving him standing facing the wrong way barking at whatever it was that had hit him” (pg. 145).

Much of the first half of the race is a series of such uproarious follies. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the other mushers had voted Paulsen the least likely competitor to get out of Anchorage. But he eventually did, and he ultimately manages to muddle his way through the entire race. As the journey goes on, the book becomes a little more serious as we see Paulsen undergo a transformation. He learns about himself, about the dogs, and about life. He feels himself become one with the frozen world of the north, eventually feeling more at home there that he had with his wife and family in Minnesota.

There are sad parts, too. We see a beloved dog trampled to death by a moose before the first day is over. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon occurence. Moose do not yield the right-of-way to dog teams, and can be extremely dangerous when upset. We also see a maddened musher kill one of his own dogs in a fit of rage. Killing or abusing dogs during the race is strictly prohibited, and the man was duly disqualified, but I still found this the hardest part of the book to read.

‘Winterdance’ is a magnificent story of a man following his dream and gaining a wealth of knowledge about himself and the world. Paulsen’s easy, self-deprecating humor and vivid verbal imagery bring the story to life. It is also a fast read – I finished the book in one day. I have rarely read anything that has made me laugh so hard, or that has moved me so much by the end. Growing up in Alaska, I always watched the Iditarod start in Anchorage. I’ve met some of the winning mushers. But Paulsen’s story is entirely unique. He was not a race champion or mushing hero, but the rankest rookie out there. And yet he endears himself to our hearts. For any fan of dog mushing, wilderness survival stories, or both, I recommend this book without hesitation.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful.
5For those who love animals, have had a chance to work and play
By A
Winterdance by Gary Paulsen is an absolutely fascinating and entertaining depiction about how one man lives out his dream of running in the Iditarod sled-dog race. From the moment we meet Gary and his dog team in a winter storm in Minnesota till the time he gets dragged down Dalzell Gorge in Alaska, his optimism, his observations and his relationship with his dogs keeps one glued to the pages of this book. Paulsen’s personal account is easy reading in that he does not dwell in complex literary style, use large words or go overboard in describing deep characters or flowery scenery. He merely relates what he sees and feels. Often his mission is just staying alive and attached to his sled. His descriptions about his summer training with a bicycle and a car body leave you laughing out loud and in wonder about his perseverance and dedication to his dream” You look like a toy”, Ruth (his wife) said as I came back from being dragged out of the yard on my face, hanging on to the overturned rig. ” A big doggie toy….”Out of the first twenty runs, I didn’t once leave the yard in one piece.” His sense of humor is overwhelming as he tackles training a dog team without any instruction, without a book or manual but only his desire to run dogs to keep him going. `In subsequent runs I left the yard on my face, my ass, my back, my belly. I dragged for a mile, two miles, three miles. I lost the team eight, ten times; walked twelve, seventeen, once forty-some miles looking for them. The rig broke every time we ran….”"I once left the yard with wooden matches in my pocket and had them ignite as I was being dragged past the door of the house, giving me the semblance of a meteorite, screaming something about my balls being on fire at Ruth, who was laughing so hard she couldn’t stand.” Picturing this scene has got to put a smile on your face even if you can suppress an outward giggle. In between the excitement, thrill and adventure of the Iditarod is the story of the dogs. Each dog has it’s own personality, each has it’s role in the team. One learns to respect the lead dog and the decisions they must make for ” their choices can literally mean life or death for the team and driver, often when the driver cannot see what is happening.” However you often wonder why keep a dog like Devil who won’t hesitate to pick a fight, bite the hand that feeds it or cause chaos within the team. Yet he is integral to the whole dog team and Gary reflects about the “bond” between driver and dogs as follows. ” Dogs rarely violate this relationship(the bond)-virtually never. Devil may bite me, might kill other dogs, but by god he pulled and would die pulling and that was a kind of love. I have watched them work, always in awe-and not a little love- and sometimes what they are, out ahead of me, the curve from me up through the sled and gangline into the dogs, all of us moving for some new horizon, sometimes it becomes more, becomes spiritual, religious.” It is these reflections interspersed between the gruelling physical pain of running eleven hundred and eighty miles in bitter cold, gale force wind and over terrain that makes the moon seem civilized that makes this book so special. Paulsen finishes the race, and we find out he runs it again. But in the end he is advised “You’ll have to lead a normal life”. A line on the final page sums up what the Iditarod and this fine piece of writing is all about. Gary says “How can it be to live without the dogs?” For those who love animals, have had a chance to work and play with dogs or for those who just like a good book written from the heart and soul, Winterdance is a must read.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful.
5The fine madness of running the Iditarod
By E. A. Lovitt
This book packs quite a punch. Each chapter ended with this reader wincing for the author, who had just spent the night stumbling through a Minnesota swamp, his eyes almost swollen shut from mosquito bites, searching for his runaway dog team, or had been blown down an Alaskan mountainside with his team, in the midst of a blinding snowstorm.

Not to mention the five-skunk night.

It takes a great deal of physical as well as mental toughness to train for the Iditarod, much less run a team of half-wild dogs in the actual race.

“Winterdance” reminds me of Algernon Blackwood’s “Wendigo:” in both stories men are caught by the spirit of the Great Northern Wilderness, and perish or almost perish. I think the most telling moment in Paulsen’s book comes when he runs his team to the end of his trapline—and then keeps on going in the dead of a Minnesota winter, just to see what lies beyond the next hill. His wife’s intuition to call out a search team was correct, even though Paulsen eventually did turn back. The ‘Wendigo’ or wanderlust had almost captured his soul.

It also reminds me of “Call of the Wild.” Like Jack London, Paulsen has a laconic, fluid writing style, and both authors include the Wilderness itself as one of their major characters. I won’t say that either man subscribed to Blackwood’s weird brand of pantheistic mysticism, but read how Paulsen slowly bonds with his dogs–and other wild animals.

This book is also a grand dog story with more pratfalls than a “Three Stooges” movie. The author spent many a night on his backside, being dragged down a dirt road (or worse, through a second-growth forest) by his lusty team. Running the Iditarod takes a very special madness, and Paulsen endured moose attacks, blizzards, dog bites, and too many helpings of moose chili to draw us into his very beautiful and brutal world.

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Winterdance The Fine Madness Of Running

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Winterdance The Fine Madness Of Running

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Blue Exorcist Vol. 2

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Blue Exorcist Vol 2

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for audiences T+.

Raised by Father Fujimoto, a widely known and esteemed exorcist, Rin Okumura never knew his real father. One day a fateful argument with Father Fujimoto forces Rin to face a terrible truth – the blood of the demon lord Satan runs in Rin’s veins! Rin swears to defeat Satan, but doing that means entering the mysterious True Cross Academy and getting an exorcist himself. Can Rin fight demons and keep his infernal bloodline a secret? It won’t be easy, in particular when drawing his father’s sword releases the demonic power within him!

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #44396 in Books
  • Published on: 2011-06-07
  • Released on: 2011-06-07
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: .70″ h x 5.00″ w x 7.40″ l, .40 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 200 pages
About the AuthorManga creator, writer and illustrator Kazue Kato was born in Tokyo on July 20, 1980. In 2000, at age 19, she won the esteemed Tezuka Award for her work Boku to Usagi (Rabbit and I) published in Akamaru Jump. From 2005 to 2006 her series Robo to Usakichi, a sci-fi adventure featuring a rabbit (again!) was published in the regularly every month magazine Shonen Sirius (Kodansha). 

Her latest series, Blue Exorcist, begun in Jump Square in April of 2009.

 

Kazue Kato has used a rabbit as a self-portrait in her author’s notes since her debut, and her titles often have galore relation to rabbits.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
5Still good
By Tsurera
Ao no Exorcist aka Blue Exorcist Vol 02 still holds onto the things vol 1 did right.

- The art is lovely to look at and conveys the story very well.
- The characters are still likable and not so outrageous like some series.
- It reads well/flows smoothly. I’m never left looking at a panel trying to figure out what the hell I’m seeing.
- The story is interesting.
- On a technical note, I like how viz really prints out the ink nice and black. It’s pleasing to my eye.

The end of Vol 02 left me wanting more. I still highly recommend this series.

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Wizards

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It seems everyplace you look there are movies with magic ranging form kids to adults. Magic movies with regards to sorcery and witchcraft may be found just when it comes to anywhere. Two of the biggest series out right now are the Twilight series which is set to break records left and right. The primary movie was low budget and still made assorted hundred million at the box office. The next movie not due out till next month is already being sold tickets for.

Although it is not technically a magic movie is it in the same genre as a lot of of the others. Harry Potter is another series that has been dubbed the most successful movie franchise in history surpassing Star Wars. That is a big feat in itself and they are not done. There are still a couple of more movies to be made in that series.

Magic movies have been around for decades. The illusionist was a outstanding movie that did very well at the box office. Another great one was the Witches of Eastwick. Jack Nicholson was astounding in that movie. So not only are their great movies when it comes to magic but there are likewise outstanding television shows. Bewitched was a long running classic with regards to magic spells and is still in syndication. The current kids show Wizards of Waverly place on Disney Channel is a mega hit with children and proceeds to grow in popularity. The premise is based on wizardry and magic spells. There are a good deal of choices and it seems that the magic popularity is only growing.


Wizards

WIZARDS – DVD Movie

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #7589 in DVD
  • Brand: Fox
  • Published on: 2004-05-01
  • Released on: 2004-05-25
  • Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Formats: Anamorphic, Animated, Color, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
  • Original language: English, Spanish
  • Subtitled in: English, Spanish
  • Dubbed in: Spanish
  • Dimensions: 1.20 pounds
  • Running time: 80 minutes

105 of 111 people found the following review helpful.
4“They’ve killed Fritz!”
By cookieman108
Wizards (1977) aka War Wizards (the name was changed at the behest of George Lucas as he thought two movies released at the same time by the same studio with war in the title, his being Star Wars, would have been off-putting to movie goers) written and directed by Ralph Bakshi, was certainly a departure from some of his previous adult animation works, Fritz the Cat (1972) and Heavy Traffic (1973), but provided Bakshi the opportunity to show he could create a animated feature for all viewers, young and old, that spoke to the viewer on intelligent terms. Were all viewers ready to hear what he had to say? No, and given the subsequent release of Star Wars (like two weeks later) Wizards, which had been enjoying a great amount of success, got pushed out of theaters to allow for space for George Lucas’ epic space opera. With this release of Wizards on DVD, maybe now his film will garner the recognition it deserved so long ago.

The story goes that the Earth gets consumed in apocalyptic fire as man unleashes his most terrible achievement upon himself, and many years after his destruction, various forms of life begin to come forth, including fairies, elves, pixies along with mutants, beings once humans but changed over thousands of years of exposure to radiation. Almost all technology is gone, wiped from the face of the Earth, and, in its’ place, magic has prospered. Born of the same mother are two brothers who become powerful wizards, one good, Avatar, and the other evil, Blackwolf. After a tremendous battle, Avatar vanquishes Blackwolf, but not before Blackwolf issues a statement that indicates he will not go quietly into that good night.

Blackwolf, now residing in the poisoned lands with the mutants and nasty things, puts together a massive army, but one lacking proper motivation, and, subsequently, they are easily defeated any time they are sent forth into battle. Tired of his inability to advance proper on his enemies and gain ground, Blackwolf commands that his followers dig up once forgotten technology, hoping to find aid within the scattered remnants of the powerful technology of old. His salvation comes in the form of propaganda films created by the Germans during WWII. Likening himself to the leader of the German forces during this past conflict, Blackwolf uses the films to not only motivate his troops, but to instill fear and dread among his enemies, showing the films in the sky during the battles.

This prompts Avatar, his female fairy charge Elinore, the leader of the Elves named Weehawk, and Blackwolf’s captured/converted assassin robot re-named peace, to embark on an adventure to discover the source of Blackwolf’s new power, and destroy it. Can this heroic group effectively end Blackwolf’s reign of terror and end his powerful war machine before all is lost? There’s a nice bit of irony at the end, one that really suited the feature.

So, is the film any good? I have read many opinions that will tell you it’s not, and I can understand why this film would put some off, but I really enjoyed the movie. Bakshi’s goal, as I understood it, was to create an animated feature with heart, one that didn’t talk down to its’ audience, as do other animated features released by other companies, i.e. Disney, do at times. His animation style definitely unconventional, is certainly distinctive, and swims with realism, despite the surface superficialities. I really loved how he incorporated live action footage into the film, enveloping it with animation, creating an eerie superimposed background to various scenes within the movie. The film was rated PG at the time of it’s release, so I would be wary of showing it to younger viewers, but I think it’s a really wonderful alternative full of heart to the shiny, happy, uber-clean, product tie-in animation put out by the larger profit-driven studios. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to make a profit, certainly, but sometimes it seems like these films tend to cater to the lowest common denominator, and be more contrived to make money rather than entertain. The animation may seem crude, disturbing, and misogynistic at times, but this is animation with the sugar coating peeled away, mirroring elements within our society. Do people want to see this in an animated feature? Maybe not, but I enjoyed it, but may find myself hard presses to recommend it to all but the more discriminating viewer.

The picture looks really good here in wide screen anamorphic, and there are some wonderful special features including a commentary track by writer/director Ralph Bakshi, theatrical trailers and TV spots for the film, a still gallery with conceptual drawings, and a featurette titled `Ralph Bakshi: The Wizard of Animation’. This provides a wonderful look into the making of Wizards, and Bakshi also provides tons of background on himself, how he got started, his difficulties and successes within the animation business, his motivations for his films, his contempt for animation that talks down to audiences, and his experiences with various individuals during his career. This is the only featuette he’s doing for any of his releases, mainly due to his affinity for the project. Some of his comments, especially the ones hinting towards various conspiracies leveled at him, make him sound a little nutty, but make for entertaining viewing. All in all, an excellent release of a great little animated film that went against the conventional grain. Also, keep an ear out for a voice appearance by Mark Hamill as Sean, king of the fairies.

Cookieman108

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful.
5Ralph Bakshi’s Wizards
By Stephanie
While it is certainly not for young children, older teens and adults will get a real kick out of “Wizards”. Set in a post-apocalyptic world wrought by radiation due to a nuclear holocaust, most humans have died, and the population consists mainly of elves, fairies, dwarves, and then the mutants. The world is in danger from the threat of technology, brought upon by the evil wizard, Blackwolf. It is up to his brother, the comical, yet good hearted wizard, Avatar, to stop him. Joining Avatar in his quest are Weehawk, chief of a tribe of warrior elves, Elenor, fairy princess of the land of Montagar, and Peace, a former assassin of Blackwolf’s (formerly known as Necron 99) who changes his ways and fights against the threat of technology. The WWII references abound, and there are many more adult-oriented references throughout. It dares to go where cartoons usually do not, making allusions to sex, prostitution, religion, and there’s even a rather racist Vietnam reference if you can catch it. However, I still highly recommend “Wizards”, because in all it’s brashness, it deserves to be seen. What the animation lacks in quality, it more than makes up for in imagination. It’s quite funny, and it also delivers some unexpected twists. I personally really like the way it was done. The music really seems to fit the overall style of it, and the wonderful character designs and voice acting really pulls it all together. I definetely recommend it to anyone searching for something creative and different, and I’m sure any fan of cult classics will definetely want to check it out. However, I stress the importance of having an open mind. I think those who are more open to controversial subject matter will be able to better enjoy it, with all it’s dark humor and it’s alternative-type feel. I think it is something that everyone should see at least once. It deserves more credit than it has been given, and I think that it will really make people stop and think about our world, and about themselves.

46 of 54 people found the following review helpful.
5A Little Trick That Mother Taught Me…
By Marc Ruby™
Unless my memory has failed me utterly this film came out just as I was finishing up graduate school. Bakshi was already something of a god to the revolutionarily inclined of my generation, and there was no question but that a group of us were going to see it. We were wowed, enthralled, and heartened by Bakshi’s brilliant combination of a strong story and inventive animation back then. And today, years later, I found myself thinking feeling the same way while watching it again.

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Leaving Paradise

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As people gather all clad in their respective party colors of green or orange to vote on this, Jamaica’s 2011 election day, the excitement proceeds to build. So far there is peace and we hope that this remains. I have heard few honks of the horn and whistles blowing as that will be reserved for the grand proclamation of the winner; later a lot of will celebrate their parties victory while others will mourn their loss.

To an outsider looking at the days events unfolding you can’t support but feel like you are a percentage of an island wide sports day. People singing, dancing and cheering their team to victory. Guaranteed not a great deal of know what their party genuinely stands for, they plainly vote for the party because their mother, father or grandparents employed to vote for that party; “their team, is my team”. It’s like an inheritance.

In the past, election days have been dire due to the violence that ensues when a fellow member of one of the two political parties, The People’s National Party (PNP) and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), believes his/her party lost unjustly and thereby decides to take, on occasion violent, action out on any fellow member of the opposing party.

It ought to be noted, however, that this type of ignorant conduct is ordinarily seen in the inner cities where education is low and crime is high. In fact most of Jamaica’s bad promotion is from the violence that occurs in these little and remote communities.

The air, at the moment is one of peace, as humans come, vote and return to their place of employment without incident. Polling stations both Green (JLP) and Orange (PNP) are side by side, no fuss, no arguments, leaving hope for peaceful and uneventful day.

While speaking to two persons today from opposing parties who were working at the polling stations, both related that they are “promoting a peaceful day and that there is high hope for just such a day even in the inner cities.”

For visitors to this gorgeous Island, it is just another day. The sun is shinning, the weather is perfective and tours are still running. All stores are open and it’s business as usual.

I only hope that whoever takes power today of our little paradise will be capable to lead our country in the right direction, educate the persons and give them jobs. Hopefully they will not be just outstanding speech makers, as has been the case in the past, and rather take action that is desperately needed.

May the tempers of our ardent persons be low and the love for our country run deep.

As is said in our Anthem “To our leaders, outstanding defenders, concede true wisdom from above, justice to be ours forever, Jamaica land we love!”

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Leaving Paradise

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home must feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as “criminal” and “freak.” Then the truth emerges when it comes to what actually happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous traveling for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding ease and strength from a surprising source: each other.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #67132 in Books
  • Brand: Flux
  • Published on: 2007-04-08
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: .75″ h x 5.18″ w x 8.02″ l, .69 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 312 pages
  • ISBN13: 9780738710181
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
From BooklistMaggie has just returned home from a long stay in the hospital to fix the leg that was badly injured in an automobile accident; Caleb has just returned from prison, where he served nine months for driving the car that hit Maggie. In spite of a court order to stay away from her, Caleb proceeds to encounter Maggie and even ends up working for Mrs. Reynolds, the same elderly lady who Maggie helps. Telling the story in alternate chapters, Elkeles reveals the traumatic accident and it is aftermaths from both victims’ points of view. Maggie may no longer play tennis and is now convinced that she is ugly; Caleb must endure the harassment of his former friends, particularly the beautiful, seductive Kendra. Not everything in the crowded plot is adequately addressed, but Elkeles produces raw emotions, dialogue, and high-school ambience that’s just right. Maggie and Caleb are complex and authentic teens whom all readers will embrace. Theirs is a delicate, delicious love story–without the happy ending. Frances Bradburn
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review”Maggie and Caleb are complex and authentic teens all readers will hug and care about. Theirs is a delicate, delicious love story–without the happy ending.”

About the Author

Simone Elkeles is the author of Leaving Paradise and four other Flux novels, including How to Ruin Your Summer Vacation and How to Ruin Your Boyfriend’s Repuation. She is likewise the author of the New York Times bestselling Rules of Attraction (Walker). A ordinary speaker at libraries around the country, when the author is not writing she TiVos reality television and watches teen movies. She lives near Chicago with her family and two dogs.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful.
5Caleb Becker and Maggie Armstrong — Unforgettable
By D. Sarkar
I read this book a few weeks ago and I have to tell you: I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. The story itself is simple: two people, bonded together by a tragedy, shunned by the rest of the world, who turn to each other.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful.
3potentially wonderful
By A
leaving paradise was a potentially fabulous book, with a great plot, but i found several flaws.

first of all, caleb’s narration sounded forced, like elkeles was trying too hard to sound like a teenage guy.

and secondly, the ending was extremely disappointing. i’m a romance fanatic, and the end was too abrupt. it was almost as if the book had to be cut short, and the ending was written in a matter of minutes.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
5Courtesy of Teens Read Too
By TeensReadToo
Two very different people are joined together by the most common yet dreadful experience. Both live in the town of Paradise, but for them it is nothing like the name.

Caleb Becker had spent time in juvenile detention for the crime of driving while intoxicated and accidentally hitting someone with his car. And now that he has done his time, Caleb is able to go home to his family and his girlfriend, if they are still together. But for Caleb, returning to Paradise isn’t so easy. His mother is trying to act like nothing has happened, his sister hardly talks to anyone and has went from prep to goth, and his dad is just there.

Maggie Armstrong was that innocent person that Caleb hit, and she’s been living in her own prison, the hospital. Trying to get back her life, Maggie has been trying her best to walk right again. But during those times, the people who Maggie thought were her friends began to grow apart from her. It’s bad enough that her mother is trying to make ends meet and trying to make Maggie happy, but since Paradise isn’t such a big town, there’s a greater chance of Maggie running into Caleb.

For Caleb, it’s much easier for him to gain his life back, since he was always the popular one — but for Maggie, she’s closer to the outside. But the one thing they both truly needed wasn’t their old friends or their old lives, but each other. That one incident, that one thing that affected both of them, each in a different way, has caused a strong connection between them that they would never be able to ignore.

LEAVING PARADISE was honestly an amazing story, and was wonderfully written to where whoever reads it will not be able to get the story out of their head. Simone Elkeles, author of the highly acclaimed How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, has switched gears and made an issue that is so common her own and very unique. The relationship between Caleb and Maggie was so real and extremely heartwarming, and the ways that they struggled to continue their lives, both individually and together, makes you wonder if you are able to be as strong as they are.

This is another wonderful novel from Simone Elkeles, and I cannot wait to read her future publications.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher “tallnlankyrn” Nguyen

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Linger

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Linger at Amazon

How does the year in front look for you?

Aries – (March 21 – April 19) You feel as even though you have been set free, Aries. After what seemed like an eternity of being held back, behind the scenes, 2012 is your year to breakout. There may be a bit of a bumpy ride in the primary few months, as you shift into a new place of autonomy. Some of you will write a book, and others will travel far and wide. Enjoy this stimulating and breathtaking ride.

Taurus – (April 20- May 20) 2012 is your year to utilise long-held dreams. Nothing is too grand for your wishes, Taurus. The mystery is careful planning and step by step progress. Know that you alone hold the keys that open the door to your future. If single, you will have an offer of unfeigned love by years end; there may be an age divergence in this union, but know that it is severe and long term.

Gemini – (May 21 – June 20) You have been through a cycle of divine protection, and are now ready to emerge into a fresh experience of authority and autonomy. In other words, Gemini, you are calling the shots like never before. There may be a career alter in store for you in 2012; the old one just doesn’t excite you like it employed to. You are a quick change specialist, so do not linger, and, specially don’t look back.

Cancer – (June 21 – July 22) After various years of rapid elaboration and taking care of others, it’s your turn to be nurtured, Cancer. You feel like cocooning for much of 2012. If you are of childbearing age, a great deal of of you will consider having a baby, and others will acquire pets. You are entering a stellar year for your personal creativity. Take the pressure off for accomplishment in the outer world, and meet your Inner Guide.

Leo – (July 23 – August 22) Finally you recognise where you stand in one all primary relationship. After years of slow negotiations, the lines are drawn. You may have to cut your losses; if so, recognise that yours is one of the most lovable signs and suitors wait in both your personal and professional arenas. You will be called to make a deep dedication before the end of 2012; know that this time, it’s the right one.

Virgo – (August 23 – September 22) Your a heap of years of hard work at last compensate off. You will be thrust into the spotlight in 2012, Virgo, so get employed to the idea. Start thinking with regards to a help team; even though yours is a personal achievement, you are best served by having people in place that may support you maximize your gains. Finances proceed to call for careful monitoring; go for the slow steady approach and do not take unnecessary risks.

Libra – (September 23 – October 22) Respect and maturity go hand in hand with commitment and responsibility. You are good at taking care of external matters now, but 2012 inspires you to look inward. Some may experience a alter of status in health matters; recognise that this is your body’s way of moving you toward a healthful remainder that will advertize longevity. Modalities such as yoga and meditation recompense off like never before.

Scorpio – (October 23 – November 21) Surrender is the key word to your success for 2012, Scorpio. Yours is one sign that doesn’t like to be told what to do, but in this case, consider that you’re in a bit of a box and there is only one way out – you must listen, and then take action. As you learn to harvest the cognition of others, the rewards are immense. It’s not all in regards to you anymore, so trust the co-creative process.

Sagittarius – (November 22 – December 21) You may choose to make 2012 the year that your dreams in the long run manifest. After a time of uncertainty, you at long last know incisively which way to turn. Take time out for travel this year, Sag. You will have to grant that free spirit within you to shine. You are protected in finances; cash arrives just when you need it. Some will find the occupation of their dreams – one that allows for travel. Others find their bonus in free time to do just what you want.

Capricorn – (December 22 – January 19) Accomplishment is your cornerstone, and 2012 is your year for financial consolidation like never before. You now own your piece of heaven in the form of a home or land. As you put down roots, your inner and outer security fulfill you and concede freedom to pursue long held dreams. You may be asked to lend support to a family member. Take time to percentage your wisdom with children, too. Enjoy the honor.

Aquarius – (January 20 – February 18) Thinking outside the box is advantageous, Aquarius. Some of you enter the year in a position that you could have never imagined before. What appeared to be solid has dissolved, and what you thought was pure fantasy has proved to be so real. Don’t linger over unresolvable mysteries. 2012 is your year to master the art of shapeshifting, so manufacture something genuinely grand.

Pisces – (February 19 – March 20) Finally, a veil of uncertainty and confusedness is lifted. In the blink of an eye, your sight is restored and you see everything in a new light. Although yours is considered a more dreamy and mystical sign, you are giving breath to a new and very powerful presence. Resist the temptation to dull this powerful form by polluting your body or mind with dulling substances. You are bringing a much-needed light to the world; receive your role.

©Maya White/White Star LLC/All rights reserved

Easy Astrology Oracle Cards: http://www.hayhouse.com/details.php?id=3597


Linger

The astonishing #1 New York Times bestselling novel!

the longing.
Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they ought to fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.

the loss.
Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of injure and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of a human.

the linger.
For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life is a uninterrupted struggle among two forces–wolf and human–with love baring it is two sides as well. It is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough?

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #28229 in Books
  • Published on: 2011-05-01
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: .75″ h x 5.26″ w x 8.08″ l, .66 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 368 pages
Review Amazon Exclusive: A Q&A with Author Maggie Stiefvater

Q: Shiver and Linger center on werewolves, yet your former books were fantasy novels concentered on the world of faeries. What draws you to the fantasy genre in the primary place and what inspired you to switch from faeries to werewolves?

Stiefvater: Oh, I’ve always been addicted to contemporary fantasy–fantasy set in the real world. I’m thinking Diana Wynne Jones was perchance the one who initial made me fall in love. But I do not forget all of these outstanding middle grade books that were magic in the real world . . . The Girl With the Silver Eyes, The Castle in the Attic, The Indian in the Cupboard. All of the Narnia books. Mmmm. Now I’m wanting to re-read! I still have most of my favorites.

I guess I just love that sentiment of otherness. Of moreness. That you could turn the corner and bam, something strange would be there. I was never drawn so much to a finish fantasy world. The appeal was slipping something fantastic very cleverly into our world. So werewolves . . . I happened on them by accident, when I was looking for something bittersweet to write about, something when it comes to losing your identity. I don’t think you’ll see werewolves from me again after this series. My next books are in regards to other magical things altogether.

Q: What do you get enjoyment from most regarding writing for young adults (and for those of us adults who can’t protest a good YA read)?

Stiefvater: I love writing for such a ardent audience. They’re not scared to feel completely, to believe in true love, to want to be unbelievable humans who may perhaps likewise be astronauts or rock stars. Young adults want something more and that, in a nutshell, is what I like to write about.

Q: In Shiver, the narration alternates among Sam and Grace. In Linger, you add two more voices—Isabel and Cole St. Clair. What were the challenges (and joys!) of doing so?

Stiefvater: Oh, it was insane. The hard bit was keeping everyone’s voices straight and consistent of course. They had to sound distinct while still sounding like they belonged in the same book. Each had a distinct vocabulary. Sam, for instance, says “amongst.” The others can’t say amongst. Isabel has her own peculiar brand of swear words. Cole has his own way of describing the world. Grace sees action in a peculiar way. The challenge was picking which reputation narrated each scene; who saw what I necessitated the reader to see? They were all so different. Of course, that was the joy as well. Hard to get bored that way . . .

Q: At the end of Shiver, Olivia changes—a lot. What do you think she is doing right now?

Stiefvater: Something spoilery that I’m not going to tell you about.

Q: We read your blog and know you love music. If you had to pick one song each to represent Sam, Grace, Isabel, Cole, and Beck– which would you choose?

Stiefvater: First of all, thanks for reading my blog! And yes, I’m crazy with regards to music. Okay. Songs for each character?

Sam: “A Message” by Coldplay. The sound is great, more acoustic than Coldplay’s usual stuff, and the lyrics are very suitable for Sam.

Grace: “Winter Song” by Ingrid Michaelson & Sara Bareilles. It’s a song with regards to wanting things, but it’s also a peaceful song, which I think speaks to Grace — she’s very solid in who she is.

Isabel: “You’ll Find A Way” by Santogold. Isabel’s a very . . . noisy character. The mind at war with itself.

Cole: Oh man, Cole is difficult, because he’s so . . . volatile. He changes a lot over the course of the trilogy, but at the end of Linger, I’ll go with “Gutter” by Paper Route.

Beck: Oh Beck, you elaborated thing you. Can I have two for him? Can you stop me? He’s a lot of things to numerous people–most of all to Sam, and a big percentage of the series is Sam coming to grips with all those sides of him. I’m going to go with Bjork’s “Vökuró” and Gravenhurst’s “Black Holes in the Sand”.

Q: Who would you rather spend a Saturday afternoon with—a faerie or a werewolf?

Stiefvater: A werewolf. Just so long as it was warm and they weren’t a Pearl Jam fan.

(Photo by Kate Hummel)

From School Library JournalGr 9 Up–The wolves of Mercy Falls return in this sequel to Shiver (Scholastic, 2009), and intimate characters mingle with more recent recruits into the Minnesota werewolf pack. Sam, now cured of his werewolf affliction, is adjusting to year-round life as a human. His girlfriend, Grace, suffers from headaches and other sensations or changes that may be related to a childhood wolf bite. When her parents discover Sam sleeping in her bed, they ground her and threaten to keep the two detached permanently. Tremendous angst and declarations that parents just don’t comprehend ensue. Meanwhile Isabel, whose brother did not survive the meningitis heal that saved Sam, feels a strong connection with Cole St. Clair, one of the most recent members of the pack. In his old life, Cole was the lead singer of a rock band. This volatile bad boy is a welcome foil to Sam, who is sulky this time around. The addition of Isabel and Cole as narrators dilutes the intensity of Grace and Sam’s relationship, and the spark amongst Isabel and Cole remains underdeveloped. The tantalizing possibleness of Cole’s unfeigned identity being exposed also deserves more exploration. The cliff-hanger ending proposes that the author will cover this territory in a future installment. Still, Stiefvater’s slow-perk style of crafting suspense builds to a satisfying boil in the final pages. This novel works better as a sequel than as a stand-alone read, but it’s still highly commended for fans of Shiver and the blockbuster supernatural romance genre.Amy Pickett, Ridley High School, Folsom, PA
© Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a exclusively owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From BooklistSam, who expended most of his life as a werewolf, has undergone an improbable heal and no longer transitions amongst fur and skin as the temperature changes from cold to hot. This will have to be a happy time for Sam and true-love Grace, but just as he begins to trust his new humane life, Grace feels her humanity slipping away. Sam’s focus is split amid worry for Grace and his role as caretaker of the werewolf pack, which for the basi time in years includes new members. Stiefvater proceeds what she started in Shiver (2009), and readers will unquestionably want to read it before diving into this evenly likeable sequel. As in the opener, this story’s tension stems from looking at sympathetic characters cope with what appears to be a hopeless situation. Although this was resolved to a point by the initial book’s ending, this follow-up flips that solution on it is head and sets up a circumstance that leaves readers hanging in anticipation for the next installment. Grades 8-11. –Cindy Welch

37 of 41 people found the following review helpful.
5A beautiful, elegant, and searing sequel
By The Compulsive Reader
In the last weeks of winter, Sam has stayed human, much to Grace’s joy, but the cold still haunts him. Grace is just happy to be with him, even though she knows that their problems are far from resolved. As spring approaches, the new wolves are changing back, even though one of them, Cole, would like nothing more than to lose himself in his wolf form, and Isabel’s father is more than willing to help eradicate the wolves in the forest completely. And through it all, Grace is keeping a secret, something that could change everything.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
3It’s hard to beat a perfect first book
By P. Travis Millet
As spring leisurely breaks winter’s strong hold on the small town of Mercy Falls, Sam slowly begins to accept the fact that he is not going to turn back into a wolf. At times he’s still unable to believe that he’s been given this unexpected gift of constant humanity but with Grace by his side, he’s willing to accept it. Alternately, the once unflappable, practical Grace is feeling more and more restless with the arrival of spring. On top of the strange symptoms she’s been experiencing, Grace’s previously non-involved parents have become increasingly more and more resistant to Sam’s steady presence in her life. Which is the last thing either want to deal with as Beck’s new wolves begin to return to their human form – full of confusion and uncontrollable instincts; ultimately requiring direction and protection from Sam.

Even though I adore Maggie Stiefvater’s books and her unusually beautiful writing, I resisted picking up her latest, LINGER, out of sheer perversity. Really, let me explain. Hands-down, SHIVER had one of the loveliest endings I’ve read in quite some time and I just wasn’t ready to watch life unravel for Sam and Grace as I knew it ultimately would. Eventually I gave in. And I’m glad I did. Maggie Stiefvater is truly an amazingly talented writer. Her words flow so easily from the pages, full of incredible imagery and sensory descriptions so strong I found myself thinking about particular scenes from LINGER – in detail – days after finishing the book. I also quickly fell in love with the additional narrative voices of Isabel Culpeper and Cole, one of Beck’s new wolves. Isabel was a stand-out character from Shiver and her straight-forward approach to life could not be more refreshing. Undeniably, Ms. Stiefvater is unparalleled at her craft but I did find myself bothered by a couple of aspects of the novel.

Which leads me to the list of… Things that Bothered Me in Linger:

1. Another Absurdly Talented Musician. I get it that Maggie Stiefvater herself is something of a musical genius (I am not, so I will simply bow down to her prowess) but do we really need yet another dreamy boy with a passion for all things music? And then the fact that Cole and Sam never even once discuss their shared interest in music (highly improbably in my experience with musicians) is incredibly suspect. Can we not just find another interest for our characters? Which leads me to…

2. Cole. While I love me a bad-boy rocker, I have issues with certain aspects of his character. The bad-boy part I’m totally on board with – especially the whole: I’m jaded, where’s my next big high? persona. Love that. It’s the tortured genius thing I don’t really believe. That whole explanation seemed rushed and basically wound up as a convenient plot solution. Hopefully this is addressed more in Forever, because I really, really like Cole – I just don’t think he’s been fully developed yet.

3. NARKOTIKA. Can someone please explain to me why in heavens name Cole’s band is called NARKOTIKA?! And WHY is it always written in caps? I feel like I should be yelling it every time I read it. (Gee, I guess I’m supposed to.)

4. Crappy Parents. Yet again. And this award doesn’t just go to Grace’s parental units (Hello! Can you not tell your daughter is sick here?). The Culpepers, Cole’s smarty-pants family, and even Sam’s adopted father, Beck, all seem to be gunning for this coveted title. I know Grace tends to envy Sam’s upbringing, but Beck has always seemed a little off to me with his whole “let me bite and create more unstable werewolves” thing.

Harsh, right? I know. But it’s not to say that I didn’t like LINGER. Really, I did. It just isn’t my favorite although guaranteed I’ll be tracking down FOREVER (which, HELLO! has a gorgeous new cover) once it’s released next year to find out how it all ends for Sam, Grace, Isabel, and Cole.

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Marcelo In The Real World

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Marcelo In The Real World @ Amazon.com

For the past 40 years, up until 2007, the American press has ransacked Colombia and particularly, Medellin. But with the sound leadership of President Uribe (80% approval rating) Colombia has win a victory over galore of it is security issues and now offers perchance one of the biggest real estate chances of all time.

Medellin is a cosmopolitan city of 4 million people that rivals anyplace on world in terms of beauty, climate and cleanliness. At 4200 ft altitude in a mountain valley near the equator Medellin almost has a springtime climate each month. There are also very few bugs or insects. Thus there is no need for air conditioning, heaters, screens or bug spray. Even the poorest humans here have million-dollar views. The city is very clean even in the poorest areas. There are more universities here than in Boston MA. The health care in Medellin is splendid and a good deal of humans are now coming to Medellin for plastic surgery and dental work at 1/4th the cost in the US.

In El Poblado, Medellin’s most luxurious suburb, there is more high rise construction than in NYC, Los Angeles and Philadelphia – combined. El Poblado is sort of like Brentwood CA but with hills, views and more vegetation. The local populace, paisas, are exceedingly friendly and like Americans. The women of Medellin are the most pretty in the world and friendly to boot. No complex mental states here and they are warm and family orientated. There is no age discrimination and in fact it is an honor to socialize or date a “maduro”, a mature person.

Condominiums and homes in Medellin are for less than Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, the Caribbean and most parts of South America. Quality construction with million dollar views may be had for $50-80 per square foot in the nicest part of Medellin and for less in other very beautiful neighborhoods. On a comparative basis Medellin is the least highpriced of any major cosmopolitan city in the world.

If one looks at what happened to real estate prices in Costa Rica and Panama when Americans begun investing there 7-12 year ago, the prices went up more than 800%. For any person who has visited all three places they will tell you that Medellin is superior in each respect. So when America discovers that the crime rate in Medellin is less than Atlanta, Baltimore, St Louis, Washington DC, Detroit, New Orleans, and other major US cities and continuing to drop, there will be new interest in discovering Medellin. There is a reason that National Geographic named Colombia as one of it is top six tourist destinations for 2008.

But the real proof that the truth with regards to Colombia and Medellin will soon be realized is that in the past 18 months there have been more than 130 positive articles in regards to Colombia and Medellin in US newspapers, magazines and TV. This is more good news than in the former 50 years combined. There are news archives available on the Internet where these articles and TV clips may be accessed. Between the good news and word of mouth, American visa requests in Colombia are at an all time high and growing.

Timing and emplacement is everything in terms of successful real estate investing. Medellin’s emplacement is second to none and the timing could not be better. Do your exploration and discover why Medellin is veritably the world’s best kept real estate mystery whether for investing, as a second home or to retire early and live like a king. It is veritably an prospect to “own a piece of paradise”.


Marcelo In The Real World

The paperback edition of one of the most acclaimed novels of the year — a love story & legal drama that received five starred reviews and multiple honors.

Marcelo Sandoval hears music no one else may hear–part of the autism-like disablement no doctor has been capable to identify–and he’s always attended a particular school where his divergences have been protected. But the summer after his junior year, his father demands that Marcelo work in his law firm’s mailroom in order to experience “the real world.”

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #85967 in Books
  • Published on: 2011-02-01
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: .66″ h x 5.37″ w x 7.97″ l, .57 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 320 pages
From Publishers WeeklyStarred Review. Artfully crafted characters form the heart of Stork’s (The Way of the Jaguar) judicial novel. Marcelo Sandoval, a 17-year-old with an Asperger’s-like condition, has arranged a occupation caring for ponies at his particular school’s therapeutic-riding stables. But he is forced to exit his ease zone when his high-powered father steers Marcelo to work in his law firm’s mailroom (in return, Marcelo may determine whether to stay in special ed, as he prefers, or be mainstreamed for his senior year). Narrating with characteristically flat inflections and ofttimes forgetting to use the initial person, Marcelo manifests his anomalies: he harbors an obsession with religion (he regularly meets with a plainspoken female rabbi, even though he’s not Jewish); hears internal music; and sleeps in a tree house. Readers enter his private world as he navigates the unfamiliar realm of menial tasks and office politics with the ingenuity of a child, his voice never straying from authenticity even as the summer strips away a great deal of of his differences. Stork introduces ethical dilemmas, the possibleness of love, and other real world conflicts, all the while preserving the integrity of his characterizations and intensifying the novel’s psychological and aroused stakes. Not to be missed. Ages 14–up. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a section of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library JournalStarred Review. Grade 8 Up—Like Christopher Boone, the protagonist in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Doubleday, 2003), Marcelo Sandoval is a high-functioning, exceedingly self-aware teenager with Asperger’s syndrome. He has an empathetic mother and a father, Arturo, who appears to be less empathetic as he pushes Marcelo to live in the “real world.” The form the real world takes is a summer occupation in the mailroom at Arturo’s law office. The teen is forced to think on his feet, multitask, and deal with duplicitous humans who try to take vantage of him. Over the course of a summer, Marcelo learns that he may function in society; he is specially amazed to find that he may learn to read people’s expressions, even to the point of knowing whom he may and can not trust. Writing in a first-person narrative, Stork does an amazing occupation of entering Marcelo’s knowingness and presenting him as a dynamic, sympathetic, and altogether believable character. At a little over 300 pages, the story drags at a good deal of points, bogging down in the middle. However, the dilemmas that Marcelo faces are told in a compelling fashion, which helps to keep readers engaged.—Wendy Smith-D’Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a section of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist*Starred Review* Seventeen-year-old Marcelo is on the very high-functioning end of the autism spectrum. He alternatively chooses an ordered existence, which includes taking care of the ponies at Paterson, his particular school; reading religious books; and listening to the music in his head. Then his father, a high-powered attorney, insists that Marcelo spend the summer working in his law firm. If he does his best, Marcelo will be given the choice of returning to Paterson or being mainstreamed. After finding a photo of a disfigured girl injured by the negligence of his father’s greatest client, Marcelo will have to determine whether to follow his sense of right and wrong and try to right the wrong, even as he realizes that decision will fetch irrevocable changes to his life and to his kinship with his father. That story alone would be thought-provoking, but Stork offers much, much more. Readers are invited inside Marcelo’s head, where thoughts are so differently processed, one may closely feel them stretch and twist as the summer progresses and Marcelo changes. Much of the impetus for change comes from his kinship with his mailroom boss, Jasmine. In a chapter near the end, Jasmine takes Marcelo to the family farm in Vermont, where he meets her raunchy father. It’s a scene galore writers wouldn’t have troubled with, but the layers it adds mark Stork as a unfeigned storyteller. Shot with spirtualism, laced with love, and fraught with conundrums, this book, like Marcelo himself, surprises. Grades 9-12. –Ilene Cooper

49 of 51 people found the following review helpful.
5One Of The Most Beautiful Books I Have Ever Read
By Karen Joan
MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD is quite simply one of the most beautiful and moving stories that I have ever read. By author Francisco X. Stork, this lovely, thoughtful book tells the very special story of Marcelo, a seventeen year-old boy with a high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Told from Marcelo’s point of view, the reader is transported into a very unique way of thinking, bringing Marcelo’s world alive with amazing clarity and detail.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful.
3A good exploration of AS
By Pop S
I chose to read this book because of a personal interest in literature dealing with Asperger’s syndrome, also sometime referred to as “high functioning autism.” Marcelo, the main character of the book is so afflicted, although as he puts it, he doest not “have many of the characteristics” that define a person with Aspergers.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
4What a beautiful book! Fall in love with Marcelo…..
By Denise Crawford
I had picked this book up a couple of times in the last 2 weeks but always set it aside to read something else. Finally I opened it and began – then I could not put it down! I immediately fell in love with the main character, Marcelo, who has some type of cognitive disorder in the autism/Asperger’s spectrum. But this book is NOT about the neurobiological condition, but about the HUMAN condition.

Marcelo, age 17, is going to be a senior in high school. He has lived a somewhat coddled and sheltered life – living in a tree house next to the family home and going to a special school for children with disabilities. His father asks that he work the summer at his law firm in order to learn more about the “real world” and about the skills and abilities Marcelo will need for his future. Marcelo hesitantly agrees, knowing that the deal was that if he should do well, he will be permitted to return to his special school versus having to attend the public high school in the fall. Marcelo starts his job, meets his boss Jasmine and learns to make small talk, work and interact with the other employees in the firm, including the son of his father’s partner – a playboy with a bad attitude and poor ethics.

In the course of the story, Marcelo learns some secrets about himself, his father, and about a lawsuit in progress that show him that all people are not completely good and that the world is not black and white. His special obsession is religion and there is a lot of spiritual discussion in the book which at times went on a little long, but Marcelo does learn how to differentiate within shades of gray to make a very momentous decision that will change his outlook and his life. Recommend: BUY IT!

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The Servant Of The Shard The Sellswords

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The Servant Of The Shard The Sellswords

With each kill, I grow wiser, and with added wisdom, I grow stronger.

Powerful assassin Artemis Entreri tightens his grip on the streets of Calimport, driven by the power of his concealed drow supporters. But his sponsor Jarlaxle grows ever more ambitious, and Entreri struggles to stay cautious and in control. Soon, the power of the malevolent Crystal Shard grows more outstanding than them both, threatening to draw them into a vast web of treachery from which there will be no escape.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #25329 in eBooks
  • Published on: 2009-06-19
  • Released on: 2009-06-23
  • Format: Kindle eBook
  • Number of items: 1
About the AuthorR.A. Salvatore has published numerous Forgotten Realms novels with Wizards of the Coast, Inc., most of which have been New York Times bestsellers. He is likewise known as the bestselling author of the Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones novelization from Del Ray.

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful.
4Duplicate book!
By Anonymous
I am not sure why no one else mentions this, but I first read this book in the Paths of Darkness compendium. Yes, maybe it is my own fault for not checking a little closer, but it seems a bit dubious that it would be included with the other series and then labeled as a different one by itself. The story itself is entertaining and it is nice to move away from the Icewind Dale characters to some a little darker and with ulterior motives. Just check to make sure you don’t already own this one before purchasing it!

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful.
5Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle… To Good To Be True?
By Derek Mayrant
I have been reading the Drizzt centered Salvatore books for several years now, and while I have really enjoyed them, I always longed for something a little less cavalier or noble. I didn’t always relate to him because of his strong moral beliefs. That said the series did introduce me to a character I was instantly captivated by Artemis Entreri. When I found out that Salvatore had finally written a book about him and had put him with Jarlaxle I had to read it.
It was everything I had hoped. I finished it in 2 days and immediately ordered the sequel. I won’t give any hints about the storyline, but I will tell you that the relationship between Entreri and Jarlaxle will have you laughing and cheering often. They are a brilliant duo that is quite capable of anything. It was interesting to see Entreri evolve from the single minded killer in earlier books to a more refined and mature character with many redeeming qualities. By the end of this series I expect him to be on a similar road as Drizzt as he seems to be entering the same moral dilema as the dark drow. Get this book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
5One of R.A. Salvatore’s best
By Dylan J. Pittman
Don’t be scared away by the lack of Drizzt Do’Urden in this finely crafted novel. Although Drizzt is easily Salvatore’s best know and “loved” creation, I don’t think his more recent novels (mainly the Hunter’s Blades Trilogy) really do the renegade drow justice. They fall off and get pretty campy. The interaction between Cattie-Bri and Drizzt, while it was interesting at first, has taken on a sort of mid-day soap opera turn and it tires quickly in my mind.
Artemis Entrerei and Jarlaxle have always been my favorite characters. The depth Salvatore has put into the development of both characters is far more then any of Drizzt’s compaions (most notably a certain one-dimentional barbarian…) and even more than Drizzt himself. Artemis’s journey to Menzzoberanzan (both in the physical and emotional sense) was very well done I thought. This novel, however, takes place after his return and domination of Calimport with the aid of the Dark Elf band left by the most paradoxical Jarlaxle.
The brilliance in this novel can be summarized by the revalation that by the end, Salvatore has you rooting and cheering on two of the most cold hearted and ruthless killers in Faerun. Their development, both as individual characters and as partners, in this book far surpasses even the silent blade, and the reader is even given a few glimpses into the underlying psyche of both characters.
A very fun and refreshing read for any fan of Salvatore who has gotten a bit bored with the “drama” that had become Drizzt Do’Urden and misses the action from his adventures in the Underdark.
Bottom line: Awsome fantasy novel.

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The Servant Of The Shard The Sellswords

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The Servant Of The Shard The Sellswords

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The Servant Of The Shard The Sellswords

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The Servant Of The Shard The Sellswords

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The Servant Of The Shard The Sellswords

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The Servant Of The Shard The Sellswords

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