Prozac Nation: Young and Depressed in America : A Memoir
by Riverhead Books
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 September, 1997)
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Editorial Review

Elizabeth Wurtzel writes with her finger in the faint pulse of a generation whose ruling icons are Kurt Cobain, Xanax, and piercedtongues.A memoir of her bouts with depression and skirmishes with drugs, Prozac Nation still manages to be a witty and sharp account of the psychopharmacology of an era. ... Read more

Reviews (288)

Prozac Nation
I recently reviewed "Prozac Nation" on Amazon.I gave it two stars the first time and a really harsh review.I winced when I re-read my first review because I realized that I came across as arrogant and I tore up the book needlessly.

The truth is that at points Wurtzel does come across as whiney.But if you read the afterword Wurtzel explains that that was part of her intention.She writes, "I wanted this book to dare to be completely self-indulgent [...]I wanted so very badly to write a book that felt as bad as it feels to feel this bad, to feel depressed". I did find the book repetitive and self-indulgent.More than once I was thinking to myself, "why can't this girl just get it together??? she's smart, why can't she just....".And that's exactly Wurtzel's point: you don't just snap out of depression.Recovering from depression takes time and work and it is damn frustrating.Her book too can be damn frustrating to read at times but that was her goal - she definitely accomplished it.

Writing a memoir about depression is an exceedingly difficult task and I think Wurtzel should be commended for her efforts and her honesty.

Tons of people loved this book and I figure there must be a reason they appreciate it so much.I personally didn't love the book but you might be one of those people who adore it.Give it a try and see for yourself.

What you should know about Depression
I don't know why Prozac Nation hasn't been a more notable book.Could be that this is a topic that so many wish not to hear of yet so many have their uneducated opinions on depression, what it is and how to treat and not treat it.This is Wurtzel's story.This is her story of the paralyzing effects of darkness that is inescapable.Depression creates depression and Wurtzel's world becomes more and more hopeless as she sees nothing she can do with what she is afflicted with."Sometimes I wish I were an alcoholic so I could go to an AA meeting and I could do something about it." says Wurtzel.A desperate story but there is hope.Wurtzel finds that hope and here in this book is her journey from darkness.

Doesn't deserve any stars
Save your time and your money this book is HORRIBLE. I never would have read it if I didn't have to read it for school.I don't think I've ever disliked a person as much as I dislike Elizabeth Wurtzel.She is so self absorbed.Her book was poorly written, the plot was all over the place (if there was a plot at all besides her constant complaining).She must think that dropping names of famous people and "smart" authors and artists as well as using big words makes her sound like a genius or something.It doesnt.It makes her sound like an immature child trying to impress people and show the world how superior she is to everyone.We get it, you're smart Elizabeth, get over yourself.

As for her take on depression I thought she sent a horrible message.I have depression, I know how bad it can be.Elizabeth Wurtzel doesn't even TRY to help herself.She sits and whines and blames everyone but herself and waits for someone to come and magically save her.It's not going to happen.If you want to get through depression- and you can- you have to work really really hard- something Elizabeth apparently refuses to do.If she had stopped yelling at her therapists for not immediately curing her she would have realized that what they were saying could have helped her.

I have all the sympathy in the world for people who suffer from depression, but I have no sympathy for someone as childish, self absorbed, stubborn, and lazy as Elizabeth Wurtzel.She is an insult to people with depression.She is the epitome of the "depression is cool" trend. ... Read more

Isbn: 1573225126
Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Depressed persons    5. Depression    6. Depression (Psychology)    7. Mental health    8. Specific Groups - General    9. United States    10. Women    11. Wurtzel, Elizabeth   

Add It Up (1981-1993)
by Warner Brothers
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (14 September, 1993)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $9.99
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Editorial Review

Aside from the Milwaukee trio's 1981 debut, the Violent Femmes have made a career of tacking one or two great songs onto otherwise mediocre albums--so this 1993 best-of is perfect for consumers. It has all the good stuff, from the retro radio hour staples "Blister in the Sun" and "Gone Daddy Gone," plus the creepy murder-suicide story "Country Death Song," the should've-been-a-hit "American Music" and ephemera like live versions of "Add It Up" and "Kiss Off." With Gordon Gano's never-aging teen whine and a crack rhythm section, the Femmes have had brief moments as America's best rock & roll band. This collection captures some of them. --Steve Knopper ... Read more

Reviews (35)

What a great CD
From a great, underappreciated and certainly influencial artist. A summary of their career so far, featuring all their hit singles including "Blister in the Sun", "Kiss Off", "Add It Up", (two of those are live versions, which, IMO, is even better than the studio versions. Nothing like pertending you're rocking out to the Femmes wearing headphones...), as well as gems off their full length albums, many of which makes me laugh and smile. From political songs like "I Hate the TV" and "America is" to fun, fun catchy dance tunes. The lyrics are simple, to the point, yet so original and wonderful. You don't get tired of this CD, really. What a classic. If you don't own it already, go get a copy.

Eat it up
Like many others, the only reason I was aware of the Violent Femmes was because of their classic "Blister in the Sun."I had heard "Country Death Song" on the local college station once and had never forgotten it, but I did not know who the artist was.When a friend was winnowing down his CD collection, "Add It Up" was one that didn't make the cut and I ended up taking it home.What a treat!I can understand why some might find Gordan Gano's nasal whine and the band's eclectic instrumentation a difficult taste to acquire and it's no surprise that they have never gained more than a cult following, but...well, sign me up for the cult.Other than the abovementioned tracks, other standout tunes include "Jesus Walking on the Water," "Dance, M.F., Dance," and "Waiting for the Bus."

Who knew songs from the 80's could be THIS good?
During a decade flooded with synth-pop and bad haircuts, the simple yet brilliant music the Violent Femmes (three guys) managed to create will live on forever within the under belly of mainstream music and pop culture.

I have owned this record for more than a decade and once every few months I will throw it in my car and listen to it again and again. The Femmes are a rare breed of talent. So many bands tried to emulate their sound throughout the years, but so many have failed. This "compilation" always seems to remind me of summer breaks during my high school years, which were good times. You will find tracks so good, you can listen to them 20 times in a row and never tire of them. I was an infant when their first album was released, but thankfully someone turned me on to them when I was a teenager.

I cannot even begin to tell you what I think the best tracks are because I love them all. This is something every man, woman, and child should have a copy of. The Femmes' quirky sense of humor and bizarre outlook on life in general will blow your mind. The simple, yet genius riffs and hooks found here could only be written by madmen. I have heard other bands try to cover their music but nobody ever does their music justice.

If like this album, you owe it to yourself to check out the Talking Heads as well. ... Read more

Asin: B000002MML
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Anthology: Through the Years
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (31 October, 2000)
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Editorial Review

The most striking thing about this two-disc overview of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers is the powerful case it makes for its creators as the most consistent band of not only their era, but of all time. Think of another rocker who can claim to have created a quarter-century of recordings that, when ranked on a 10-point scale, never dip below a solid 7? Indeed, while disc 1 reflects a marginally more aggressive mindset than disc 2, it wouldn't be difficult to imagine the discs flip-flopped; maturity has yet to induce lethargy for Petty and the boys. Occupying the solid middle ground between the 18-track Greatest Hits and the six-disc Playback box, Anthology serves up 34 selections, nearly every one an FM staple. From 1976's "Breakdown" through the collection's only new offering, 2000's "Surrender," this retrospective never flags. But how could it? --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Great!
Great 2CD collection!This is how I got into Tom Petty and The Hearbreakers.

Tom petty 's best
With a 2 cd set with 34 songs, I am satisfied.I bought this cdand was happy with 34 songs but of course I am not a huge fan of Tom Petty's but I do like his music.This is 10 times better than his greatest hits cd which only had 18 songs.The front cover is kind of weird but cool and the sound was good.Tom petty is a huge part of classic rock and this cd should be bought by any Tom petty beginner collector.I looked at all of the songs and just could not seem to find a song that was not one of his greatest.The amount of songs is just right for an anthology.Tom Petty just has that voice that you just want to hear more and more of.The heartbreakers really play their instuments pretty well.Well I hope this review helped you.Keep on listening to great classic rock and God bless you.

Through the Years
Wow. I've been listening to Tom Petty since I was four years old.
This compilation is a great collection of some of Tom's greatest songs. Tom's only double cd record release to date. I recomend this album to anybody who does not own any of his albums or to somebody only owning the greatest hits. If thats the only cd you have, you are really missing out on some great music. ... Read more

Asin: B000050HSI
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Bar Band    3. Hard Rock    4. Heartland Rock    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock & Roll   

Essential Bob Dylan
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (31 October, 2000)
list price: $24.98 -- our price: $20.99
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Editorial Review

Two discs of music don't exactly provide for a thorough overview of four decades of recording, particularly if the subject of the retrospective is one of the most important and prolific performers of his time. So The Essential Bob Dylan definitely skates over the leagues-deep oeuvre of Dylan, summarizing his monumental first half-dozen years in disc one and skirting over the following 34 years in disc two. Delving into Columbia's three Dylan greatest-hits packages (though curiously purging "I Want You," a genuine hit single in its day), Essential offers only a few surprises, opting for The Basement Tapes version of "Quinn the Eskimo" over the Self Portrait remake that made it onto Greatest Hits Volume II and tossing in "Things Have Changed" from the Wonder Boys soundtrack for completists. But this 30-track overview is designed with newcomers, not Dylanologists, in mind. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Features

• Limited Edition
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (96)

Bob Dyaln Is A Master
I love the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Bob Dylan was around then. His music is powerful. The song "Like A Rolling Stone" is masterful. I also love "Mr. Tambourine Man". The songs are awesome. My father introduced me to Bob Dylan's music. I read about him and he was a fascinating man.

I'm surprised that people haven't heard of Bob Dyaln, of course everyone now is listening to that brain numbing crap. This man was a true artist. He understood that he needed to be different. That's what singers now are missing. Years ago, artists were pure and wrote their own music. Today they buy it from song writers who write crap just to make a quick buck. I miss the pure music time. Buy this album because it'll show you true music.

Great Collection, but Only One New Song
Though there is a lot of great stuff on here, but with the exception of "Shelter from the Storm" which is from the Tom Cruise film "Jerry McGuire" and has a different verse than the version on "Blood on the Tracks," there is nothing new. Of course, if you own no Dylan records, this is certainly a fine place to start. Here you get five songs from his early acoustic period, five songs from electric Bob before his motorcycle accident, two of the three excellent songs he performed with Happy Traum for "GH 2", "Knocking on Heaven's Door" from the movie, "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid", The best song from "Blood on the Tracks" and "Desire" and the best song from "Slow Train". And all of this blends into a fine listening experience, almost like these songs were meant to be played in this order.

This is a very good collection. You can't go wrong with it, but if you've been into Dylan for a while, you probably have all this stuff, except "Shelter," but you can get that on the soundtrack with a lot of other good stuff, so even though this is a five star collection, it really is for the person who has no Dylan records in his collection. I know it's hard to believe, but there are a lot of those out there, so this double disc set really does have a place in the world.

Jack Priest, Writer from the Darkside

Nod to Bob
This is the Essential Bob Dylan. Containing his best radio hits on two cd's, in pretty much chronological order.This is a nice place to start if you only plan on buying one Bob album ever, or you are on a limited budget and want more bang for your buck. This album combines 3 greatest hits albums plus adds some songs that would be placed on "Greatest Hits Vol. 4" (if there was such an album). If you plan on exploring Dylan's entire catalogue you should probably skip this. I am a huge Dylan fan (you will probably be in the same boat with me if you have a large collection of Dylan's stuff) these songs are the ones you end up skipping when listening to the studio albums they are on (because you've heard them so many times). Studio B sides are all a bit darker and more mysterious then the commercial common denominator A sides (contained here). But all in all if you haven't checked Dylan out...you should very soon. This is a good place to start. But for someone who wants to dive deeper 3 or 4 more dollars will get you either Bootleg 4, 5, or 6 (live versions (along with a bit of history) of most of these). Then you can get these songs when you buy the studio albums. ... Read more

Asin: B000050HTO
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Country-Rock    3. Folk-Rock    4. Political Folk    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Rock    8. Rock & Roll    9. Singer/Songwriter   

Memnoch the Devil (Vampire Chronicles, No 5)
by Ballantine Books
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (28 May, 1997)
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Editorial Review

The fifth volume of Rice's Vampire Chronicles is one of her most controversial books. The tale begins in New York, where Lestat, the coolest of Rice's vampire heroes, is stalking a big-time cocaine dealer and religious-art smuggler--this guy should get it in the neck. Lestat is also growing fascinated with the dealer's lovely daughter, a TV evangelist who's not a fraud.

Lestat is also being stalked himself, by some shadowy guy who turns out to be Memnoch, the devil, who spirits him away. From here on, the book might have been called Interview with the Devil (by a Vampire). It's a rousing story interrupted by a long debate with the devil. Memnoch isn't the devil as ordinarily conceived: he got the boot from God because he objected to God's heartless indifference to human misery. Memnoch takes Lestat to heaven, hell, and throughout history.

Some readers are appalled by the scene in which Lestat sinks his fangs into the throat of Christ on the cross, but the scene is not a mere shock tactic: Jesus is giving Lestat a bloody taste in order to win him over to God's side, and Rice is dead serious about the battle for his soul. Rice is really doing what she did as a devout young Catholic girl asked to imagine in detail what Christ's suffering felt like--it's just that her imagination ran away with her.

If you like straight-ahead fanged adventure, you'll likely enjoy the first third; if you like Job-like arguments with God, you'll prefer the Memnoch chapters. --Tim Appelo ... Read more

Reviews (416)

This book should be mandatory reading
I wholeheartedly think that this book should be required reading in every religious education class. It is a wonderful story that will shock all but the most stubborn of people. If you like to have your faith put in the spotlight and new ideas put in your head and heart, then read this book. If you would rather be another dull and uninspired person then I would suggest you stay right where you are. This book in my opinion only is not designed to place ideas in your head. It is simply designed to make you think.

Compelling and Creative
Memnoch the Devil left me absolutely breathless as did all vampire chronicles leading up to this one. Anne Rice's books have quickly become my favorite books, and Lestat my favorite character. I thought that this book, although not my favorite in the vampire chronicles series, was compelling and beyond imaginative and completely captivating! Any one with an open mind will realize that this book is complete genius. I really don't think it matters at all whether or not you agree with Ms. Rice's views of heaven and hell or not; what matters is that this book makes the reader ask questions about their beliefs and really truly THINK. We have to realize that writing is an art form and that Anne Rice manages to tell us a tale about ideas we are already familiar with (such as God and the Devil) and yet Memoch the Devil challenges these ideas and simultaneously makes us fall in love with them. I think that readers have never been so fully given a character such as Lestat, who epitomizes human nature and meshes it with his vampire existence perfectly. Personally, I have never been able to relate to a character so much. As Lestat questions all that is presented to him, you will question it too. I liked Memnoch more than God in this book. Memnoch provided a perfect sort of antagonist to this story and to Lestat's ongoing story. Memnoch skillfully challenges Lestat in a way that only the Devil could. And maybe the Devil IS the only suitable challenger for Lestat...Memnoch the Devil is anything but disappointing. It is creative and smart and beautiful in every sense of the word. Anne Rice fans will not feel disappointed. Memnoch the Devil truly makes the reader become completely engulfed this story's wonderful creativity.

My somewhat review.
I dont really have a lot to say. Most of what I have to say has already been said. I see that there's a review from Anne Rice here, although it could be bogus, I'm incined to believe it because I have no reason to not believe it. I too find it odd that people can think the Lestat giving Dora oral (God forbid my mom finds this review) is completely disconnected from the plot. And even if it was completely disconnected from the plot, I cant see how it can offend people so much. I certainly wasn't offended by it.
I think Anne Rice has some origional views on religion, and I found it all very interesting. The way she portrays the angels is incredible. I was actualy feeling guilty because I liked her portrayal of Memnoch more than God. ... Read more

Isbn: 0345409671
Subjects:  1. Fantasy - General    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Horror    4. Horror - General    5. Fiction / Fantasy / General   

Oh, the Places You'll Go!
by Random House Books for Young Readers
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (22 January, 1990)
list price: $17.00 -- our price: $9.85
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Editorial Review

Inspirational yet honest, and always rhythmically rollicking, Oh, the Places You'll Go! is a perfect sendoff for children, 1 to 100, entering any new phase of their lives. Kindergartners, graduate students, newlyweds, newly employeds--all will glean shiny pearls of wisdom about the big, bountiful future. The incomparable Dr. Seuss rejoices in the potential everyone has to fulfill their wildest dreams: "You'll be on your way up! / You'll be seeing great sights! / You'll join the high fliers / who soar to high heights." At the same time, he won't delude the starry-eyed upstart about the pitfalls of life: "You can get all hung up / in a prickle-ly perch. / And your gang will fly on. / You'll be left in a Lurch."

But fear not! Dr. Seuss, with his inimitable illustrations and exhilarating rhymes, is convinced ("98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed") that success is imminent.As long as you remember "to be dexterous and deft. And NEVER mix up your right foot with your left," things should work out. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (138)

Not just for kids, this book is for everyone
This book has been an inspiration for me. It teaches it's reader about the ups and downs of life, the confusion that comes with growing up, and demonstrates the ability we have to choose the best path to reach our goals.It shows us that we won't always choose the right path right away, and that sometimes, life can become a little scary. It reminds us that there will be stuggles in life, things won't always be perfect, but thats okay. It tells us that this is what life is all about. That it's okay to be a little scared sometimes. It teaches the reader, that when life gets tough, not to dwell in "the waiting place," but to face your fears, and "remember that life's a Great Balancing Act."
I buy at least five copies of this book every christmas, and I always find someone that could use it's positive message about life. All ages can relate to it, and all ages can learn from it. I know I have.

Great- Memorable
Oh the Places You'll Go
By Dr. Seuss

If you are looking for a book that is a little strange this is the book for you.
This is a book about a guy that goes to different places and sees other people. It's also about the places you will explore as you get older.
It is a pretty easy book to read, it is not a chapter book. It is filled with pictures of colorful, weird, creative Dr. Seuss places.
I would recommend this book to people who like easy and short books that are outside of the box.

A special gift for graduates
It's graduation time, so I'll be buying a copy of Oh, the Places You'll Go! for the two high school graduates we know this year. It's a great book for these young adults as they begin a new life passage. It's all about going out and finding your way in life, weathering its storms, and being in charge of and taking responsibility for your life and how it turns out. It begins...

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

Isn't that a great beginning for anyone starting anew? Remember the old saying, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life?" It certainly fits here. This book was originally published in 1990 and has more text than many of Dr. Seuss books that are aimed at very young audiences (I know a 90-year-old who still loves Dr. Seuss's books). The book is 56 pages long (unnumbered) with illustrations as bizarre and wonderful as only Theodor Seuss Geisel could draw them. I also appreciate that on the back cover of this book is the entire list of Dr. Seuss books in the order in which they were written.

Carolyn Rowe Hill
... Read more

Isbn: 0679805273
Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Fiction    4. Humorous Stories    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Juvenile Literature    7. Seuss, Dr.    8. Social Situations - New Experience    9. Social Situations - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    10. Stories in rhyme    11. Success    12. Juvenile Fiction / General   

A Light in the Attic 25th Anniversary Edition
by HarperCollins
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (07 October, 1981)
list price: $17.99 -- our price: $12.59
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Reviews (38)

good for a lifetime
I grew up with many shel silverstien books, but my favorite always being a light in the attic. Through my life, many have been misplaced, (with the exception of a few), and now I have a daughter of my own. She's only 3 months old, but i knew as soon as i found out i was pregnant that she had to have her own copy of a light in the attic. no matter how old i get, i still get a kick out of the poems, and i read them to my little baby, and i just know she'll love them when she can understand. this is truly a book that can stand the test of time.

Funny poems to make you laugh!
This isabookof funnypoemskidsmight like.The poems are about silly things like a babysitter sitting on babies!Some also tell stories. Somepoemsareso funnylikePrayer oftheSelfish Kid, SpellingBee, SomethingMissing, and HowNottoDry the Dishes.I like thisbookbecause I lovepoemsthatmakemelaugh. If you like poems you willlove this book.

Dangerous Little Ditties
If you like this book, and the subversive worlds of George Booth, Ogden Nash or Shel Silverstein, then you should pick up Nick Bantock's (of Gryphon & Sabine fame), "Averse to Beasts," a book with cassette whose dangerous little ditties rival Silverstein's in their hilarity with a dose of arsenic.
... Read more

Isbn: 0060256737
Sales Rank: 1361
Subjects:  1. 20th Century American Poetry    2. American poetry    3. Children's 9-12 - Poetry / Plays    4. Children's poetry    5. Children's poetry, American    6. Children: Grades 3-4    7. Humor - General    8. Humorous poetry    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Poetry - Humorous    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / Poetry / Humorous   

Where the Sidewalk Ends : Poems and Drawings
by HarperCollins
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (20 November, 1974)
list price: $17.99 -- our price: $12.23
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Editorial Review

Shel Silverstein shook the staid world of children's poetry in 1974 with the publicationof this collection, and things haven't been the same since. More than four and a half millioncopies of Where the Sidewalk Ends have been sold, making it the bestselling children'spoetry book ever. With this and his other poetry collections (A Light in the Attic and Falling Up), Silverstein reveals his genius for reaching kidswith silly words and simple pen-and-ink drawings. What child can resist a poem called"Dancing Pants" or "The Dirtiest Man in the World"? Each of the 130poems is funny in a different way, or touching ... or both. Some approach naughtiness or are a bitdisgusting to squeamish grown-ups, but that's exactly what kids like best about Silverstein'swork. Jim Trelease, author of The New Read-Aloud Handbook, calls this book"without question, the best-loved collection of poetry for children." (Ages 4 to10) ... Read more

Reviews (116)

poems
Where the Sidewalk Ends is a really good poem book. If you had ifs about the book and you like poems this is the book to read. Once you read it then you will know why I gave it five lovely stars. The author Shel Silverstein is a good writer he knows how to write cool and weird poems.Most of the poems are weird but they are fun to read. So that is why you should read Where the Sidewalk Ends.

Everyone loves to read poems
I bought this book for my daughter who was 10 at the time, she read them and just put it away on her shelf- she is now 14 and she still loves to take the book out and read a happy poem from
Shel Silverstein.It can put a smile on a face sometime when
things get you down.

The poems in this book are fun, cute and give you the "warm fuzzies"

Ellen

the best book ever
I love this book!!! I have read probably a thousand times since i got it when i was 6. I never get tired of it. I like the way he mixes the serious poems in with the funny ones.My favorite poem is Ickle me, Pickle me, Tickle me too. This is the best book ever!!! ... Read more

Isbn: 0060256672
Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Poetry / Plays    2. Children's poetry, American    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Humorous poetry    5. Humorous poetry, American    6. Poetry - Humorous    7. Juvenile Nonfiction / Poetry / Humorous   

American Beauty
by Universal Studios
Average Customer Review:
DVD (24 October, 2000)
list price: $14.99 -- our price: $11.24
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Editorial Review

From its first gliding aerial shot of a generic suburban street, American Beauty moves with a mesmerizing confidence and acuity epitomized by Kevin Spacey's calm narration. Spacey is Lester Burnham, a harried Everyman whose midlife awakening is the spine of the story, and his very first lines hook us with their teasing fatalism--like Sunset Boulevard's Joe Gillis, Burnham tells us his story from beyond the grave.

It's an audacious start for a film that justifies that audacity. Weaving social satire, domestic tragedy, and whodunit into a single package, Alan Ball's first theatrical script dares to blur generic lines and keep us off balance, winking seamlessly from dark, scabrous comedy to deeply moving drama. The Burnham family joins the cinematic short list of great dysfunctionalAmerican families, as Lester is pitted against his manic, materialistic realtor wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening, making the most of a mostly unsympathetic role) and his sullen, contemptuous teenaged daughter, Jane (Thora Birch, utterly convincing in her edgy balance of self-absorption and wistful longing). Into their lives come two catalytic outsiders.A young cheerleader (Mena Suvari) jolts Lester into a sexual epiphany that blooms into a second adolescence. And an eerily calm young neighbor (Wes Bentley) transforms both Lester and Jane with his canny influence.

Credit another big-screen newcomer, English theatrical director Sam Mendes, with expertly juggling these potentially disjunctive elements into a superb ensemble piece that achieves a stylized pace without lapsing into transparent self-indulgence. Mendes has shrewdly insured his success with a solid crew of stage veterans, yet he's also made an inspired discovery in Bentley, whose Ricky Fitts becomes a fulcrum for both plot and theme. Cinematographer Conrad Hall's sumptuous visual design further elevates the film, infusing the beige interiors of the Burnhams' lives with vivid bursts of deep crimson, the color of roses--and of blood. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• DTS Surround Sound
• Widescreen
• Dolby

Reviews (1056)

But it has its flaws...
Namely, there was no reason to show Mena Suvari's breasts-a comment made by another reviewer that I hadn't thought about until I read that particular review.Also, are we to think that Kevin Spacey's character WOULD have had sex with an underage girl had he NOT found out she was a virgin???This point is completely ignored and, upon reflection, takes some of the movie's luster away.However, I found the movie to be great nonetheless.So much of it rang true, even amongst the cliches, that it made a lasting impression.Given the passion that this film has created, I suggest renting it first, though I think most will end up buying it.

Pretty Silly, But Fun
(...)

The first time I saw American Beauty it was the last in three consecutive weekend movie run. The other two films were Fight Club and Bringing Out the Dead. All three films are about men trying to come to terms to what it means to be a man in America in this day and age. Fight Club finds meaning in deconstructing everything down to base needs, feeling through pain. Bringing Out the Dead gives meaning to its character through drug use, but is was in American Beauty that I found some sense of hope.

In the film, Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) plays a middle aged, middle class suburbanite, with seemingly everything he could desire. He has a good, well paying job; a beautiful wife (Annette Bening); a large luxurious house; and a lovely daughter (Thora Birch). Yet, with all of this he is not happy. In fact, all of these things are not quite what they seem. His employer is facing cut backs, and he may soon lose his job. He marriage is in shambles, and his daughter openly hates him. Early, we see him masturbating in the shower, in narration; he states this is the highpoint of his day. All is not well in the house of Burnham.

All of this changes when Lester meets Angela (Mena Suvari), his daughter, Jane's gorgeous, cheerleader friend. On first seeing Angela during a cheer routine, Lester feel a special, lustful connection. Later that night, Lester overhears Angela playfully tell Jane that if he would only work out, he would be sexy. His lust over this teenage vixen becomes the catalyst for the film and Lester's very life.

Soon after Lester quits his job, in fact he bilks the company for a year's salary by threatening to disclose scandalous information that he has become privy to. He begins smoking pot, buys a hot rod.. He plays with remote control cars, takes a job at a fast food joint, and of course does start working out. In every way he reverts back to his teenage years. Even the soundtrack begins blaring out classic rock tunes from the 1970's. Finally after years, decades even, of feeling low, miserable, not alive, he feels great.

This reversion back to his glory days is only the beginning. It is a reversion back to the days when he had fun, when he felt alive. But he is not a man who will stop there. This is just a beginning point to a life long conversion of living a full life, as opposed to a life full of the right things, but that is ultimately empty. Or it would be if he was not shortly dead (this is not nearly the spoiler you might think it is, for Lester announced his death within the first minutes of the film.) Towards the end of the film we can see that Lester is already outgrowing his childish behavior. When he yells at his daughter, he immediately feels the sting of regret. When given the chance to indulge in his lusts, he backs away, understanding that it is not right. Just as the music changed to classic rock with the first change, here it has changed again, turning into the same classic rock being covered by newer, contemporary artists.

Many will probably say that using the lust for a teen, and illicit drug us as a catalyst for change, is not a change for the better. I can already hear my mother scolding me for having seen the movie, much less reviewed it from 2,000 miles away in Oklahoma. Yet, here it works, and works well. I don't believe the film is saying that these things should be the means to a change, these things only served as means for this character to break free from the rut that had become his life. There is a telling scene where Lester and his wife are overcome with sexual desire. As he dips his wife to kiss her, she stops the embrace because he is near to spilling his glass of wine on an expensive couch. An argument ensues with Lester proclaiming that "it's just a couch," while his wife is horrified at the thought of ruining said couch. There lies one of the central themes of the film. That these characters are so wrapped up in the material that they lose sight of the better pleasure of life, including love making.

It is not a perfect film. The Burnham's neighbor, Col. Fritts (Chris Cooper) seems a caricatured archetype. His plays a hateful, homophobe who really carries deep rooted homosexual tendencies is too outlandish to be considered real. Though it must be said the part is played marvelously by Chris Cooper. Jane's speech about being a freak too, may move the young kids who consider themselves the nonconformist, shy-type, but it is too after-school special for my tastes.

I've left out some of the best scenes and an important character, Ricky Fitts (Wes Bentley). He plays the drug dealing son of Col. Fritts, who likes to record everything on his video camera. There is a moving scene in which he and Jane watch an old tape of his of a plastic bag floating through the air. It is a moving, poetic scene that conjures up thought of the futility of life and its very beauty. It is that type of movie. It creates beautiful, moving, simple scenes that bring a sense of hope to life, while at the same time, showing the ultimate horror of living it.

(...)

about the movie American Beauty......
One of the good movie/film during the 90's period. A recommendation for those whom are interested in this genre of movie/films. Look out for some titles like Crook's work, Laurel Levor, Kenneth and Keith, Hooker's tragic loss, the fate of vignette's life, life of two women, sleeping beauty (Adult), Sexual fantasy, Sexual obsession and deviant sex lover if you can find any. Enjoy.....

... Read more

Asin: B00003CWL6
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

A Clockwork Orange
by Warner Studios
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (29 June, 1999)
list price: $19.98
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Editorial Review

Stanley Kubrick's striking visual interpretation of Anthony Burgess'sfamous novel is a masterpiece.Malcolm McDowell delivers a clever, tongue-in-cheek performance as Alex, the leader of a quartet of droogs, a vicious group of young hoodlums who spend their nights stealing cars, fighting rival gangs, breaking into people's homes, and raping women.While other directors would simply exploit the violent elements of such a film without subtext, Kubrick maintains Burgess's dark, satirical social commentary.We watch Alex transform from a free-roaming miscreant into a convict used in a government experiment that attempts to reform criminals through an unorthodox new medical treatment.The catch, of course, is that this therapy may be nothing better than a quick cure-all for a society plagued by rampant crime.A Clockwork Orange works on many levels--visual, social, political, and sexual--and is one of the few films that hold up under repeated viewings.Kubrick not only presents colorfully arresting images, he also stylizes the film by utilizing classical music (and Wendy Carlos's electronic classical work) to underscore the violent scenes, which even today are disturbing in their display of sheer nihilism. Ironically, many fans of the film have missed that point, sadly being entertained by its brutality rather than being repulsed by it. --Bryan Reesman ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen
• NTSC

Reviews (623)

I prefer to watch other kind of films, but ...
"There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening. The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence". Strange beginning for a movie, don't you think?. Disregarding that, that's the way in which this movie starts, and more or less what you can expect from the rest of "A Clockwork Orange".

This film tells the story of Alex (played by Malcolm McDowell), a teenager that has his own gang, and that does all kind of despicable things, from robbery and battery to rape, all without remorse of any kind. This band of outlaws has its own slang ("nadsat", a mixture of English and Russian) and dress code, and only one law: violence. Due to a fall out with the rest of the gang, Alex is caught by the police after commiting murder, and condemned to spend 14 years in jail.

Looking for a way to get out of jail early, Alex volunteers for a ground-breaking experiment, that supposedly transforms criminals into law-abiding citizens. He is chosen, and "conditioned" against violence, the end result being that he feels nauseous merely by the idea of committing a violent or sexual act. A secondary effect is that he now hates the music he had always loved, Beethoven's 9th symphony.

As a consequence of all this, Alex gets an early release from jail, and is thrown into the world without any kind of defense mechanism. The truth is, he has to be a model citizen because he doesn't have any other option. In a way, Alex is like a machine (a "clockwork orange"), because his actions are preordained. But how will the world treat this new Alex?. And do his actions have any kind of merit, if they aren't inspired on free will?. You can answer one of those two questions quite easily if you watch "A Clockwork Orange". The other involves a conclusion you will have to reach for yourself after watching the movie and reflecting on it for a while.

A word of caution is in order, though. "A Clockwork Orange" includes many explicit sex scenes, lots of violence, and parts that will make you recoil in disgust. If you think I'm exaggerating, take into account that even nowadays this movie is not for sale to persons under age 18, and that when it was first released in 1971 it received an "X" rating.

Finally, I want to point out that this movie is based on a book of the same name written by Anthony Burgess, that significantly differs from the film, especially in what regards to the ending. Furthermore, I think it is worthwhile to highlight the fact that Burgess didn't like his own book to much, and absolutely hated Stanley Kubrick 's film version of it. Unfortunately for him, the movie helped to promote the book, and "A Clockwork Orange" has becomed Burgess' most well-known work.

All in all, and as a conclusion, I think this film is worth watching, and I recommend you to do so if you believe you can stomach the violent parts in order to eventually understand the message beneath them. I prefer to watch other kind of films, but I understand that this is a classic, and that as such it should be watched at least once.

Belen Alcat

Open your eyes people!
People talk of this movie as being overly violent, too explicit and hideous in every way. People who think that are simply narrow minded. So what if it's full of sex, don't we all have sex? Isn't it completly and utterly natural? So what if it's violent? Our whole world is full of violence! If you narrow minded people don't want to watch this then don't! You obviously know nothing about movies so just shut the hell up and watch some cartoons with your kid! Don't slag it off because of your lack of knowledge about great movies!

Can't get enough of this movie
I saw this movie maybe 15 years ago and didn't understand anything of it.Now I have watched it maybe six times in the last two days and can't get enough of it.Each character is developed and portrayed so well, and McDowell is simply amazing.I understand well why Kubrick and McDowell ended up hating each other afterwards -- sort of like the Beatles when they broke up and hated each other.You work so hard at something with someone else and when the final product is so good you can't help but hate those who were your accomplices.

My favorite character is the priest.I was raised in a very strict Christian religion and have left that way of thinking, but the priest seems to be the only moral character in the whole story.By moral I mean he stands up for the sense of choice that ought to be extended to every human being.His speech on hellfire seems not from his heart but rather he is doing his job before the State, but it rings untrue from his own words later in the movie.The Hitleresque prison marshall is wonderful to watch and similar to the drill instructor in Kubrick's wonderful Vietnam film 16 years later."Being interested in the big book" was particularly fascinating to me.You have to watch this movie several times to understand the language and themes but once you do it won't be forgotten ever, and like another reviewer said, you'll find yourself using slang such as "the ol' in and out" and "viddy well."Very cool, and if you're a Monty Python fan you will also enjoy and "get" the British style humor.Presented initially as violent, disgusting, amoral, then a sense of redemption occurs which is beyond what limited means this forum presents.Just watch the film a few times, perhaps in order, and have the experience -- and make it your own. ... Read more

Asin: B00000IQBK
Subjects:  1. Science Fiction   

WMF Manhattan Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker with Built-In Strainer
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $50.00 -- our price: $29.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

If you like it shaken, not stirred, then this shaker will take you there in style. This simply designed three-piece cocktail shaker has the contemporary look of high-quality 18/10 stainless steel and sports a brushed matte finish. After you shake up your concoction, just remove the cap and pour through the built-in strainer. No need to fumble around with separate pieces. Sample your creations from the cap, which doubles as a taster cup. Stores conveniently right in your liquor cabinet. --Matthew Evans ... Read more

Features

• Stores in liquor cabinet
• Made of high-quality 18/10 stainless steel
• Brushed matte finish for attractive appearance
• Cap doubles as a taster cup
• Remove cap to pour, no need to fumble with several pieces

Reviews (7)

Solid construction.Will last forever!
Don't waste your time on cheaper brands.This shaker will stand the test of time.Unlike other reviewers, my shaker is not too tight at all, though I imagine freezing it would make it hard to pull apart.You can't go wrong here.ZH

Great shaker with "Super" tight strainer/lid...
I really like this shaker but wow that shaker is really in place!I suppose it's a pretty good thing too because I have used other shakers and while shaking up the mix the top went flying and the icky-sticky stuff took a trip around the room.I use mine mostly for making Margarita's.I love that you can keep it in the freezer after cleaning so that it's nice and frosty when you are ready to use it.But........you better work out those fingers and hands cuz brother that lid is tight! I've found the best way for me to loosen it's grip is to hold with one hand and slightly twist with the other while pushing up.

Great Little Shaker
I like this a lot.It is very compact and easy to use. I like the built in ice strainer. You just slip off the cap and pour. No hassles of the top jamming and having to beat it open with a knife. You will need a finer strainer if you want to filter out citrus pulp, for example. But for most cocktails you are just straining out the ice. But I like this one for it's convenience. ... Read more

Asin: B00004S4V0
Subjects:  1. Spirits    2. Martinis    3. Cocktail Shakers    4. Barware    5. (Bar Ware)    6. Bartending   

The Bartender's Bible : 1001 Mixed Drinks and Everything You Need to Know to Set Up Your Bar
by HarperTorch
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (August, 1993)
list price: $6.99 -- our price: $6.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (27)

Comprehensive, literate, entertaining, and informative
This book all the basic information you'd expect from a bartending guide: glassware, tools, alcohol, mixers, and a few hundred pages of clear, no-nonsense recipes.So far, so good.

Two factors, however, distinguish this book from others like it: its organization and its snappy, literate prose.

The Bartender's Bible is intelligently organized by main ingredient.It has separate chapters for bourbon, gin, tequila, vodka, rum, brandy, and whiskey, as well as several chapters for other broad categories such as "Hot Drinks" and "Cordials."This makes a lot of sense for the way most of us use a book like this -- you have a bottle of Bacardi, for example, and want to discover a few novel drinks that use rum.It's then a simple matter of turning to Chapter 5 and stumbling upon the recipe for a Cuba Libre, or a Maestro, or a Rum Sour, or dozens of other rum drinks that might strike your fancy.Or if you can't quite remember the name of that tequila concoction you were served last summer in Cozumel, just flip to Chapter 7 and thumb through until you find it.(Of course, if you know the name of a particular drink, there's a handy alphabetized index in the back.)

This guide is the best on the market, however, because of Regan's skill as a writer."Drinking," he muses, "has to do with friendship, good times, warm and tender moments, camaraderie, celebration, commiseration, birth and death, sealing a deal, remembering a friend -- the very things that life itself is about."He is equally entertaining when describing how bourbon is made as he is when remembering the warmth and laughter of his own favorite pub back in Lancashire.

You could, in other words, read the narrative sections of this book and be charmed without ever consulting the recipes even once.Do yourself a favor and get the hardback or spiral edition -- this one is bound to get dog-eared from constant use.

Great collection of bar drinks
We have enjoyed this little book to the point the pages are wearing.It is a handy collection of drink recipes & tips like what items you should have in your home bar, origins of types of alcohol & other interesting information.It is the only bar book we have and we have used it frequently to try new things & to prepare drinks for visitors.Every recipe we have tried has been great!

It is a great deal for the price & so far the only bar book we need for our small home bar.

Good book, but not the latest drinks included.
THIS BOOK IS GREAT FOR THE BEGINNER...NOT FOR THE SEMI PROFESSIONAL BARTENDER, OR PROFESSIONAL, NOR FOR THE EXPERIENCED HOME BARTENDER. MOST BOOKS HAVE MORE DRINKS TO OFFER, WITH BOOKS LIKE THE BARTENDERS BLACK BOOK WHICH IS MORE USER FRIENDLY AND HAS MORE THAN TWICE AS MANY RECIPES I WOULD RATHER SPEND THE DIFFERENCE. ... Read more

Isbn: 0061092207
Sales Rank: 9826
Subjects:  1. Alcoholic beverages    2. Beverages - Bartending    3. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    4. Cocktails    5. Cooking    6. Cooking / Wine    7. Cooking / Bartending   

Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook
by Wiley
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (27 September, 1995)
list price: $32.95 -- our price: $20.76
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (19)

3 out of 5 recipes isn't bad
As long as you don't mistake this book for an introductory cookbook, this cookbook is not so bad as some are making it out to be.It's an introduction to vegetarian cooking, not an introduction to cooking.It's for proficient cooks who want to try vegetarian.A better title for this book might be The Yuppie Vegetarian Kitchen of the Nineties.

One point no one has mentioned yet makes this cookbook distinctive.Except for the one recipe I note below, the food presents very attractively.This is almost never true of other vegetarian cookbooks I have used.If you are a decent cook concerned with presentation (as you might be if you were taking food to a party, or having people to dinner), this may well be the book for you.

I will review each recipe I have tried to give you a feel for the book, so you can decide whether it may be for you.

I have made these recipes from the book, in this order.
- snow peas stuffed with radish creme (dairy)
- cucumbers stuffed with hummus (vegan)
- two rice salad(vegan)
- wild rice and apricot stuffing (vegan)
- raw cabbage dressed with balsamic vinegar (don't remember the title but it may have been something like Low Fat Slaw). (vegan)

I liked the first three of these five recipes, so the book made a good impression on me. Three out of five recipes that work in any cookbook is a decent batting average. Remember, there's no accounting for taste!

The snow peas with radish creme were very tasty: ground radishes in a cream cheese base, stuffed into blanched snow peas.You would have to like radishes, but the cream cheese tones the radishes down a bit.It's meant to be an appetizer or finger food for a party.But, I think the book told you to blanch the snow peas too long; the snow peas were a little limp for stuffing.Also, you have to open each blanched snow pea carefully and insert the stuffing.Snow peas have a backbone like string beans used to have before they became green beans; you have to find that thread and pull it out.You are also supposed to use a 'pastry bag' or some such thing (I don't have the book in front of me) to pipe the radish creme into the snow peas.I don't know about you, but I don't have any such thing in my kitchen.The radish creme thins as it comes to room temperature (as it will during your party) so you are picking up a limp snow pea with runny stuffing.This defeats the point of a party finger food which is to allow your guests to nosh without fear of accident.I took this to a party and it was pronounced tasty but messy.I will make the radish creme (to use as a dip) again.BTW, you have to grind the radishes which I did with an Amish kitchen gadget.I can't recall what the book suggested but they may expect you to have a food processor.The only hard to obtain ingredients are fresh snow peas and radishes, which may be out of season.Opening limp snow peas and stuffing them is fussy, but if you are having a party, you may not mind going to the extra trouble.

The cucumbers stuffed with hummus are very, very attractive to look at.Hummus is well cooked chick peas, ground to the texture of mayonnaise and seasoned with spices.It's usually a dip or a sandwich stuffing.In this recipe, you make hummus such that it has a bit more body than usual; this hummus is unusual also because it includes diced black olives.You cut cucumbers into thick slices and scoop out the seeds with a melon baller, and stuff the hummus where the seeds would be.This too, is meant to be an appetizer for a party.They are an excellent finger food, stand up to an evening on the buffet table well, crunchy and refreshing to eat, too.I took these to a party and they got rave reviews.I thought the hummus was mediocre, myself.It called for canned chick peas --that's a BAD HUMMUS tipoff right there --but the guests did seem to like them well enough.Now to make hummus you need a way to grind chick peas.If you cook them yourself, you could use a potato masher or a fork or a food mill, but canned chick peas are really too firm for that.A blender, meat grinder, or food processor is more the thing.(One thing about this book and other cookbooks annoys me.They call for canned chick peas but don't tell you how many raw chick peas to start with if you prefer to cook them yourself!)You must have a melon baller -- you can't fake it with a knife.You may not have one but it is not as outlandish as the pastry bag with the piping attachment.All the ingredients are easy to obtain at any grocery store.Preparation was very simple.I will definitely make this again (but not with canned chick peas!)

The two rice salad is stunning to look at and very, very good.It is a mixture of brown rice, wild rice, green peas, red pepper, toasted sliced almonds, in a spicy dressing.It seems to me the first time I made this I did not use the whole teaspoon of black pepper as directed and next time I did to see if they knew something I didn't --nah!I took this salad to a party.Not only was it pronounced appealing to look at and good to eat,but I was asked for the recipe.It calls for instant brown rice which is widely available -- even Walmart has a store brand.It calls for 'instant' wild rice -- something I have never seen -- and a tablespoon of ginger juice.Maybe there's such a thing as Ginger Juice just like you can buy carrot juice, but not around here.Between squeezing the ginger root and cooking the wild rice the old fashioned way, the recipe is TIME CONSUMING to make.If'n you had one of those new fangled JUICERS it might not be such a struggle.The salad is a lot of work, but I would not be embarrassed to take this salad anywhere and I bet you no one else will be bringing the same thing.Of course, even regular wild rice can be hard to find and when you do find it, it's not cheap.

The wild rice and apricot stuffing was a disappointment.It wasn't dreadful, but I wasn't impressed. It was very appetizing to look at indeed, but too sweet and the flavors didn't really blend, and the apricots were too chewy for a stuffing.Of course it had cooked wild rice to which you add chopped dried apricots and other things.You bake it in the oven either in a pot or stuffed into a vegetable.I suspect that if you stuffed this into a duck or a cornish hen (which would add moisture, fat, cooking time, and a foil to the sweetness of the apricots) instead of a vegetable it would be quite good.But vegetarians don't do that :-)

The raw cabbage with balsamic vinegar was just that: raw cabbage sitting in balsamic vinegar.Oh sure: you grate the cabbage as for slaw, you add some other vegetables, herbs and such, and let it sit in the fridge as you do with slaw.But after tasting it, why bother?The cabbage never wilted, the other ingredients were overpowered by the balsamic vinegar, and it is frankly shocking to look at slaw in brown dressing (Balsamic vinegar is chocolate brown.)A mediocre recipe I would not serve to guests.

look elsewhere
I've had this book about 4 years-before I had a computer and knew enough to check a book's rating here on Amazon.[com].
The reason I'm writing this is because for the umpteenth time I tried consulting this cookbook. This book has aways frustrated me. I wondered whether it was me, or others felt the same way.
Shortly after getting the book, I tried making some bean recipe with plums. Tons of prep work, no clue on how to prepare cilantro. Am still eating the one black bean recipe for nearly 4 years, nearly every day. Its the only recipe I found that didn't require research to figure out what the ingredients were and how to find them.
I realize now that this book has severely [hurt] my efforts, its just too frustrating.
Example: Someone told me of a dish called "Samosa", and explaned briefly what it was. I saw something on TV about making Samosas, and have at least a clue what they look like. But if you're just browsing this book and see "Samosas", what would the average person know about it?
This book is total discouragement. In order to keep my meat consumption down, I've been forced to eat the same foods again and again. So many times I've come back to this book, but just give up. I've tried to take over some of the cooking in the household, and while I'm no culinary genius, this book always leads me nowhere.
Recently, I tried mashed potatos from this book. ("Pesto"?) They weren't very good. I thought maybe it was me. Based on others' reviews, stating there are lotsa errors in the book, I now wonder if maybe the recipe was just in error.
This book cost good money, has sentenced me to several years of boring eating. Now that I've checked what others have to say about the book, I know its not me. I advise you to look elsewhere, but skip this book. I'm gonna look for a better book.
You'd think that the same folks who put out a vegetarian magazine would make a great cookbook. Not so.

Fairly good basic vegetarian cookbook
This cookbook, with its introduction to the concept of vegetarianism, seems geared toward the new vegetarian or to a non-vegetarian who must cook for one.Most of the recipes are fairly simple but there are some, such as Scattered Sushi with Five Colors, that require considerable preparation time and specialized ingredients.As a vegan pointed out to me, many of the dishes rely on cheese and dairy products, making it unsuitable for vegans, although there is a small section (14 recipes) devoted to soy-based dishes.You'll also find sections on Under Thirty Minute Meals, Desserts, and Vegetarian Main Dishes.

All in all, this is a decent basic vegetarian cookbook.It contains nothing extraordinary, but it does often vegetarians a wide range of recipes to choose from. ... Read more

Isbn: 0026217457
Sales Rank: 121952
Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Health & Healing - General    4. Vegetarian - General    5. Vegetarian cookery    6. Vegetarian cooking    7. Cooking / General   

Casio PZ860B Personal CD Player
by Casio
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $59.99
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Editorial Review

The Casio PZ860B personal CD player has a 20-track programmable memory, so you can customize CD playback to your liking. The player also features repeat play functions (1/all), bass boost, and a two-digit LCD screen.

Lightweight headphones and an AC adapter are included. It also operates on two AA batteries, while auto power off helps conserve battery life.

Casio provides a 90-day warranty on parts and labor. ... Read more

Features

• Auto power off
• Includes lightweight headphones and AC adapter
• 20-track programmable memory
• Repeat (1/all) play
• Bass boost

Reviews (18)

It's okay...
I waslooking forsomething [Inexpensive] from a brand I had heard of and Ifound it. There's a lot of goods and bads about thisCD player, so I'll make a list for you.

PROS:
-Inexpensive
-Comes with average headphones
-AC adapter included
-Lasts long
-Switch that protects CD player from turning on accidentally when not in use

CONS:
-Skips a TON
-Headphones are [junk] (they don't last long)
-You have to press very hard on the buttons when you want to fast forward or rewind. If you don't, you'll skip a song back orforward.
-Low battery signal only appears 5 seconds before they die
-Quite large and bulky

Overall, this is only average. I wouldn't get it, but if you're only using it for home oron a road with no bumps. Most of you should look for something better, though.

Mediocre
This player is pretty mediocre but it comes at a pretty low price. I paid twice as much for it about a year and a half ago. I never liked the display, the release catch (its awkward) or the buttons. But it functioned fairly well until it randomly started to program itself and the buttons stopped working. The stop button would make it start to program. The forward and reverse buttons would make the CD stop or go in the wrong direction and they would ony work after several tries. It also tore through batteries like nobody's business. For the low price being offered, I'd say its a bargain. BUT, you get what you pay for. You'll have it for at least a year before it goes poltergeist on you, if mine is any indication. If you do decide to buy it don't have high expectations of it

Not Very Good
This CD player has great volume and all the options for great listening, but this Cd player skips A LOT! Even when you are trying to hold it still in your hand, it still skips whenever you hit a bump or anything else. The reason I bought it was because I did not want to spend a lot of money when I only use it when on the way to my basketball games. Now I regret it and wish I would have spent about $20-$30 more and got a nicer one. The one thing I say is that if you buy it, you had better be ready to hold it the whole time to help limit SOME of the skipping. ... Read more

Asin: B00004TZQW
Subjects:  1. portable cd player, pz860, PZ-860, casio    2. Portable Compact Disc Player (Personal CD)    3. cd player (cdplayer)   

Kodak F600 Advantix Zoom APS Camera
by Kodak
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $129.99
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Editorial Review

The F600 Advantix camera from Kodak features a 2x zoom lens that captures portraits and group shots. Point-and-shoot simplicity and autofocusing let you take photos from 2 feet and beyond, and the flash fires automatically in low-light situations.

The Kodak F600 records lighting and color data on the film's magnetic strip for the photo lab to use when developing, and it imprints each shot with time and date information. The viewfinder displays the selected picture size for simplified camera operation. The self-timer allows you to take self-portraits or to be included in group photos. The Kodak F600 automatically advances and rewinds film, and the safety interlock prevents the film door from opening until the roll is completely rewound. A roll of Kodak Advantix color film, battery, coupon book, instructional manual, and detachable camera strap are included.

Kodak offers a one-year warranty on parts and labor. ... Read more

Features

• Automatic flash fires in low-light situations
• Film-door safety interlock prevents accidental fogging
• 30-60mm zoom lens takes portraits and group shots
• Point-and-shoot operation
• Advanced autofocus system captures sharp photos from any distance

Reviews (21)

Great little camera for things that will stay still
I have had this model for about 2 years now. I upgraded from another Kodak Advantix that I loved but took an unfortunate fall to the sidewalk. The F600 has some nice features and it is ready to travel. The pictures are crisp and clear. The only downfall I have come across is I have two small kids that I take most of my pictures of. The auto-focus feature seems to take forever to adjust. I will hold the button for several seconds sometimes before it will take the shot. Seconds don't seem like much, but when your subject matter is a 3 and 5 year old it's the difference in losing your shot. This has happened enough times now that I am trying to find something like my older cheaper Advantix to take it's place. If you are using this for scenery or adults that are willing to sit still than it is a great camera and a pretty good bargain.

Great point-and-click camera
This is the best camera I've ever owned.I recently bought a $300 SLR and returned it to the store because it didn't take as good of pictures as this little point-and-click.It's not perfect, but I've taken some outstanding pictures with it.Color photos tend to vary for some reason.I've taken Webshots-quality pictures and I've taken absolute crap.However, the F600 takes absolutely ARTISTIC QUALITY photos with black and white film.I used a roll of it in Zacatecas, Mexico, earlier this month and I was seriously blown away by the quality of the black-and-whites.The first thing the guy in the photo shop said to me when I walked in was "Man, you took some great black-and-whites!"

Another advantage of this camera is that the flash doesn't suck down the battery power.I've taken at least 100 pictures with the flash and I'm using the same battery I had three years ago.

The major disadvantage of this camera is that it ONLY uses Kodak Advantix film, which comes in a cartridge and loads automatically when you pop it in.It's excellent film and a hell of a lot better than Fuji (even if more expensive).The disadvantage is that a lot of stores outside the U.S. simply don't carry it.In Budapest last summer, I checked in four different photo shops and nobody had it, so stock up before you leave.Kodak Advantix sometimes comes in tube-form, but unless you've got the version that comes in a cartridge, you can't use this camera.Additionally, you can't remove the cartridge in the middle of a roll -- so if you want to switch back and forth between color and black-and-white, you've got to buy two separate cameras.

Great Camera!
I really love this camera!It's light and easy to use.The only thing is it's kinda loud after you click and when you finish the film.Otherwise, if you're an amateur get this!!! ... Read more

Asin: B00004SA32

Trivial Pursuit Iv
Average Customer Review:
Toy

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Editorial Review

It's become the high praise of the day: "I'd sure like to have her on my Trivial Pursuit team." Life is never dull when there are people around who know what baking ingredient, sprayed at high pressure, the U.S. Air Force replaced its toxic paint stripper with. Or what male body part Mademoiselle magazine found to be the favorite of most women. The object of the game is to show off one's general knowledge--that is, it's to move along a circular track, answering questions, and to collect colored wedges for correct answers in six categories: People and Places, Arts and Entertainment, History, Science and Nature, Sports and Leisure, and Wild Card. The game includes a 20-by-20-inch game board, question-and-answer cards in two card storage boxes, dice, six plastic tokens, and 36 scoring wedges. For two to six players or teams. (Still wondering about the answers to the above questions? Baking soda and eyes!) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (23)

A little easy
Could just be because I'm a child of the era, but I find this version a little bit too un-challenging for my tastes. Still fun though.

It's enjoyable -- but not quite as challenging.
This update to the Trivial Pursuit line attempts to modernize the questions -- and switches some of the traditional categories around in an effort to appeal to a broader audience. The "Arts and Literature" category is now gone, for example, swallowed up by a huge Entertainment section that skews heavily towards more "pop" references. Almost all the history questions are targeted at the latter half of this century -- making questions on things like American politics ludicrously easy for people who've been paying attention for the last two decades -- and "Science" is now less concerned with rare conditions and more interested in recent breakthroughs.

In other words, compared to the previous editions, this one will seem noticeably easier -- and much narrower in focus -- to real trivia hounds, but much more accessible to wider audiences. Given that this was a stated goal of the revision, however, it's no so much a problem as a "feature;" younger people used to feeling adrift in a sea of Baby Boomer references (like I was as a child) will probably appreciate many of the changes.

Fun
This game is fun, it gets your brain juices flowing, and you learn a lot from it! ... Read more

Asin: B00000IVZW
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Trivia   

Blank Journal
by Denver Bookbinding Company Inc.
Average Customer Review:
Library Binding (01 January, 2000)
list price: $20.00 -- our price: $17.00
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (4)

not what I was expecting from other reviewers
This journal has horid orangish-yellow pages and is wide ruled.It has a criss-cross leaf pattern next to each line, which is extremely distracting when trying to write.I was expecting a nice white paged college ruled type journal.I get a very busy feeling from this journal ...END

Blank journal in library binding
I have quite a collection of blank journals that I have written in, cried in and loved in.This journal opens very easily to accept all of my words and thoughts and if I lose my place, the ribbon marker lets me know right where I left off. The cover is in a nice imitation leather and travels well due to the sturdy nature of the binding.I received my first journal as a gift and when this one is filled, I plan on gifting one to myself.

Content a little vague
I found the subject matter herein a little vague.It left me wanting to know more...Maybe the sequel will fill in the blank spots. ... Read more

Isbn: 0965319024
Sales Rank: 1071082

Swiss Army SwissTool with Pouch
by Victorinox
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $85.00 -- our price: $47.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

From the renowned company that created the Swiss Army knife acentury ago comes this folding tool kit--neatly contained within asingle implement that measures just 4-1/2 inches long and 1-1/3 inchesthick, weighs just 10 ounces, and comes in a polyester/nylon beltpouch. Its rugged stainless-steel construction and ease of use makethis tool kit is a tribute to the precision of Swiss engineering. Toolsopen individually (no clumping), lock in place, and fold with a pushbutton. The SwissTool carries a lifetime warranty against defects.The tools include pliers; 2-, 3-, 5-, and 7-1/2-mm screwdrivers; Phillips head screwdriver; wire cutter; bottle opener; large knifeblade; serrated blade; metal file; metal saw; wood saw; reamer/punch;chisel/scraper; crate opener; wire bender; wire stripper; wire scraper;can opener; 9-inch ruler; 230-cm ruler; electrical crimper; and lanyardhole. --Fred Brack ... Read more

Features

• Lifetime warranty against defects
• Folding tool kit with 24 features and belt pouch
• Just 4-1/2 inches long, 1-1/3 inches thick; weighs 10 ounces
• Tools open individually (no clumping), lock in place, fold with push button
• Rugged stainless-steel construction

Reviews (18)

one of the best.
pros:

1)durable,good steel quality,excellence anti-rush finish,well build,strong and heavy duty.

2)victorinox's brand name and warranty,need i say more?

3)unlike the spirit,this one had a great ruler......

cons:

1)the file in original and x model seems to made of casehardened steel,so the plating will chipped off(i suggest the RS model the best)

2)they should minus the big flat screwdriver and use individual spring.

3)not needlenose pliers!(a must have for folding pliers)

4)u cannot adjust the tool yrself since u can't unscrew the tool,becos it use pin as the pivot pin.

Not the RS
When you order this item you get the pictured SwissTool.You do not get the RS.It's still a great tool, though.

The best multitool
I have great experience with that tool. In my work, all my technicians and my partners use that tool in a different kinds of field activities. The tools are versatile and durables. I tried the leatherman wave too, but itsn't the same quality. I recommend the Victorinox CS PLUS Model, with a useful scissors and a six bit set!!! ... Read more

Asin: B0000224UE
Subjects:  1. Hand Tools    2. Multi-tools    3. (Swiss Army Knives)    4. (Knife)    5. (Multitools)    6. Camping Accessories    7. Home    8. Tools   

HoMedics BMAT-2 Bubble Spa Bath Mat Massager with Remote Control
by HoMedics
Average Customer Review:
Health and Beauty
list price: $170.00
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Editorial Review

Fit this soft mat into any bathtub, run the flexible hose from the control unit into the water, and the tub instantly becomes a bubble massage spa. The 47-by-14-inch mat adheres firmly to the tub with suction cups and fills with air to cushion the body. The 8-foot hose, which also attaches to the tub with a suction cup, delivers bubbles on command. Using either the LED-illuminated touch pad on the control unit or the non-LED remote control, select the massage duration (15, 30, or 60 minutes), the massage strength (high, medium, or low), the bubble speed (high, medium, or low), and either steady bubbles or one of three variable bubble patterns. The water-resistant remote control operates with batteries (not included) and fits into a holder that adheres to wall or tub with a suction cup. The control unit's power cord measures 80 inches. The spa carries a two-year warranty against defects. --Fred Brack ... Read more

Features

• Soft mat fills with air to cushion body, adheres to tub with suction cups
• Converts any bathtub into a bubble-massage spa
• Use LED-illuminated touch pad controls or use remote control
• Select 15-, 30-, or 60-minutes massage with three speeds, three strengths
• Select steady bubble massage or one of three variable-bubble massages

Reviews (26)

I love mine!
I have no difficulty with the suction cups adhering to the tub and, in fact, when not in use, I use them to hang the mat up on the tile tub wall, rinse it down with the shower massage and let it drain off and then hange there for storage--The motor unit on mine is small enough that it stashes neatly behind the commode with the hose reaching into the tub, which is right beside it--With a good extention cord and the handy-dandy remote control, this storage method makes it so this appliance takes virtually no space at all in the bathroom and doesn't need to be gotten out and put away for use--Very convenient!!--

While it is somewhat noisy, I don't find it to be any moreso than the motor on any other kind of a bath massage, including the expensive jacuzzis--I like to sit in the tub and kind of blot-out the rest of the world, so I leave the room lights off and put on one of those small, battery-powered tap lights just around the corner from the tub so the light in the room is very soft and soothing and the noise from the motor unit masks any other household noises--Frankly, after a few minutes, it doesn't bother me at all--

Because the mat is pumping room air into the bath water, it does tend to cool off, but I start out with pretty hot water to begin with and it doesn't cool down too much unless I stay in the tub with it running for more than 20 minutes or so--

Frankly, my bubblespa is the most relaxing thing that I do for myself on a regular basis--Come to think of it, I think I'll go relax with it now!!

Great for a bird bath.
I've had this spa mat for two years now and not only is it loud, but the bubbles are way too strong for relaxing (even on the low setting). Your limbs get knocked all over the place and, if you attempt to read a book with it on, it will certainly get wet. I was planning on returning it until I discovered my parrot absolutely loves it and constantly attempts to visit her 'friend' in the bathroom. Her favorite activity is to sit on my shoulder with hardly any water in the tub (since she's clumsy) and this thing going on full blast, sounds pretty fun right? So although I would probably only give it two stars, it gets an extra one just for the sheer bath-time listening pleasure it provides for birds. (If I may have seriously sold you on this for your parrot, make sure you get the one without heat, no reason to take the chance of Teflon on the poor creatures- mine is the older version). Also, the mat is hard to clean if it's not kept meticulously dry.

Too loud and floated in tub rather than stuck to bottom
I bought this product because I love spas and I figured it was an affordable alternative.It worked for the most part, but it shot cold bubbles and did not stick to the bottom of my tub.It will only stick if you have an old timey porcelan tub, if there are any grooves to prevent you from slipping, it will not stick and will float to the top.I was trying to enjoy my spa experience, but had limbs everywhere trying to hold it down and meanwhile my water was getting cold.I did not think it was worth the money.It was a good idea, I just wish they could make it work better. ... Read more

Asin: B000050FEP
Subjects:  1. Back Massagers    2. Massage    3. Gifts    4. Spa    5. Bath Spas    6. Bathtubs    7. (Bath Tubs)