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Touchstone
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Other Queen just doesn't measure up) 『Philippa Gregory is a masterful author, and I really did enjoy reading The Other Queen because of Gregory's style. However, it is not in the same league as the very exciting and event-filled The Other Bolyn Sister, which I have read half a dozen times and can never seem to put down. I had been looking forward to reading The Other Queen, largely due to the fact that so much less has been written about Mary and I wanted to see how Gregory handled the subject. Sadly, the book becomes quite tedious. Very little action occurs, just the same perspectives voiced over and over. Perhaps Gregory chose too narrow of a time frame. I was disappointed by the way she handled Mary, Queen of Scots.』
(Not worth the money, get from Library) 『I had really enjoyed Ms. Gregory's other books, but really a story told from three different people? It was difficult to follow and keep track of when event's were actually taking place and the story line seemed to drag on forever with no real destination. I was really disappointed. I would recommend reviewing the book at your local library before buying it.』
(Too Slow Paced For My Taste.) 『What is happening? None of Philippa Gregory's other books can match The Other Boleyn Girl. That was a book that I couldn't put down. This book just didn't have any kind of excitement to it. It just dragged on. I was sorely disappointed. My only saving grace is that I got from the library. Don't bother spending your money.』
(My first Gregory book...can't wait for more) 『I enjoyed this book. I liked how the story is told by three different people, and three points of view. Bess, a countess who cares for money more than anything else, her husband, George Talbot, who falls in love with The Other Queen (Mary of Scots) and Queen Mary, who is imprisoned by her cousin Elizabeth. I read other feedback and lots that read other Gregory books found this one to be lacking, however, as my first book, I enjoyed the perspectives, the points of view, and some history of how Queen Elizabeth handled her cousin of Scotland. I would have loved to have had a little more history intertwined, but this book was just a snapshot of Queen Elizabeth's reign, and Queen Mary's imprisonment. I can't wait for more.』
(Three interesting historical figures, but one misstep after another.) 『Philippa Gregory has done it again-- she brings Tudor England to life once more, this time telling the opposite side of the story that occurred in her novel "The Virgin's Lover," that of Mary Stewart, Queen of Scotts. She paints the beautiful young queen as a sympathetic figure and a model of the Catholic monarchs of the age. The novel takes place from Mary's point of view, as well as from George and Bess, Earls of Shrewsbury, her "jailers" that held her while Elizabeth I decided her fate.
Gregory makes several great insights throughout the story-- William Cecil, one of Elizabeth's advisors, becomes something of an opportunistic villain, much as she began his characterization in "The Virgin's Lover." Elizabeth's desire to release Mary and her simultaneous fear of her is an interesting dynamic. And as always, Gregory's research is impeccable and very accurate.
However, Gregory also made several missteps in this novel. The three-view narrative should have offered an opportunity to delve deeper into every scene of the book, but instead she ends up repeating herself. For instance, if has Mary telling us, before she meets an English Duke, that she hopes to seduce him, she will then have George telling us how he fears Mary's seductive powers, and then Bess telling us how she knows intuitively that Mary must rely on her seductive powers to sway this duke. That's pretty much what too much of this novel boils down to: Mary is seductive, charming, and uber-Catholic; George is chastely in love with Mary but will never turn his back on Elizabeth because of his Talbot honor; Bess is a self-made woman who has become hardened by Elizabeth's treachery. Instead of fleshing out the characters from the multiple viewpoint mechanism, they fall back and become 2-dimensional. Too much of the action is also left off the page-- most of the book is the characters talking about themselves and worrying about things that don't end up happening. Essentially, they're all just waiting for Mary to die.
Nevertheless, Mary, Queen of Scotts is eternally fascinating, and a great pick on Gregory's part. I wish she had chosen to write about Mary's earlier life, which was hinted at throughout the novel and seemed much more intriguing than her captive life... maybe she is saving that for a future book?
Of course, Gregory never fails to deliver a good read. If you want a good introduction to her Tudor novels, however, I suggest "The Other Boleyn Girl" and "The Virgin's Lover" before you tackle her later books, such as this and "The Boleyn Inheritance."』 『
Two women competing for a man's heart Two queens fighting to the death for dominance The untold story of Mary, Queen of Scots
This dazzling novel from the #1New York Timesbestselling author Philippa Gregory presents a new and unique view of one of history's most intriguing, romantic, and maddening heroines. Biographers often neglect the captive years of Mary, Queen of Scots, who trusted Queen Elizabeth's promise of sanctuary when she fled from rebels in Scotland and then found herself imprisoned as the "guest" of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick.
The newly married couple welcome the doomed queen into their home, certain that serving as her hosts and jailers will bring them an advantage in the cutthroat world of the Elizabethan court. To their horror, they find that the task will bankrupt them, and as their home becomes the epicenter of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth, their loyalty to each other and to their sovereign comes into question. If Mary succeeds in seducing the earl into her own web of treachery and treason, or if the great spymaster William Cecil links them to the growing conspiracy to free Mary from her illegal imprisonment, they will all face the headsman.
Philippa Gregory uses new research and her passion for historical accuracy to place a well-known heroine in a completely new tale full of suspense, passion, and political intrigue. For years, readers have clamored for Gregory to tell Mary's story, andThe Other Queenis the result of her determination to present a novel worthy of this extraordinary heroine.』
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Three Rivers Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Nothing for the girl on the outside) 『I had high hopes for this book after reading the reviews, but it didn't cover my daughter's problem. What about the girl who isn't a part of any clique? The one that other girls call wierd or strange because she doesn't dress like they do, or has achne, or whatever else they decide is not like them. Surely some of those hundreds of girls she talked to had this problem. So, why the exclusion... yet again???』
(Genuinely useful observations and advice) 『I'm a former high school teacher and I think this book accurately depicts the challenges of adolescent (and pre-adolescent) girls. I've ordered it for my nephew and neice to use as a longer-term guide since their oldest daughter just turned 12.』
(Great Insight Into Girl Bullying) 『This book does a beautiful job of painting a picture of the unique culture of girl bullying and teasing. Alot to be learned. Every parent with a daughter should read this book. Additionally, I recommend highlyBully-Proofing Children: A Practical, Hands-On Guide to Stop Bullying which gives so many strategies...both proactive and for intervention on how to deal with this ever pervasive topic.』
(A must read!) 『If you have a daughter currently in middle school, this is a must read before high school!』
(Almost, But Not Quite. NOT Recommended for Parents of Fat Girls) 『There's so much good in here, but Wiseman's naivete on the normality of fatness gets in the way of this being an entirely safe or sanity-promoting book. It's simply normal for some women and girls to be "overweight". There's no evidence anywhere that fat people "eat their problems" (to use the naive phrase from "Mean Girls") any more than thinner people. Some of us are genetically destined to be at the top of the weight bell curve. It's great that Wiseman recommends The Beauty Myth, for instance, but I wonder if she actually read it. Or The Dieters Dilemma. Or The Obesity Myth. Or Losing It. Or any of the other books in the fat acceptance/health at every size canon.
Perpetuating the old fat-people-are-gluttons myth simply is no longer acceptable or scientifically accurate. Reading this book and projecting its messages on to young fat girls is potentially as dangerous as any other form of bullying Wiseman describes.
Maybe someday she'll correct this major flaw in a future edition?
』 『The Basis for the Movie Mean Girls PARENTS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN GIRL WORLD
Do you feel as though your adolescent daughter exists in a different world, speaking a different language and living by different laws? She does.
This groundbreaking book takes you inside the secret world of girls’ friendships, translating and decoding them, so parents can better understand and help their daughters navigate through these crucial years. Rosalind Wiseman has spent more than a decade listening to thousands of girls talk about the powerful role cliques play in shaping what they wear and say, how they feel about school, how they respond to boys, and how they feel about themselves. In this candid and insightful book, Wiseman discusses:
• Queen Bees, Wannabes, Targets, Torn Bystanders, and others: how to tell what role your daughter plays and help her be herself • Girls’ power plays, from birthday invitations to cafeteria seating arrangements and illicit parties, and how to handle them • Good popularity and bad popularity: how cliques bear on every situation • Hip Parents, Best-Friend Parents, Pushover Parents, and others: examine your own parenting style, “Check Your Baggage,” and identify how your own background and biases affect how you relate to your daughter • Related movies, books, websites, and organizations: a carefully annotated resources section provides opportunities to follow up on your own and with your daughter
Enlivened with the voices of dozens of girls and parents and a welcome sense of humor, Queen Bees and Wannabes is compelling reading for parents and daughters alike. A conversation piece and a reference guide, it offers the tools you need to help your daughter feel empowered and make smarter choices.』
Kakaku：478 saved$4.78
Harper Perennial
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (The Red Queen) 『"The Red Queen" by Matt Ridley. A review by Ralph Hermansen. I would buy Matt Ridley's next book without hesitation, no matter what the topic. He is one of the few authors who thoroughly researches his subject and understands the science underlying it. He then delivers the information to you in an interesting way. You certainly get your money's worth in his books.
"The Red Queen" is about the evolutionary forces which has shaped us as human beings. The significance of Lewis Carroll's Red Queen from the book, "Alice in Wonderland", is that we have to run just to stand still. So it is with evolution. We have to improve our survival skills over the generations to keep pace with the other plants and animals which are also advancing in their survival skills.
Much of what we are as humans has to do with sexual selection. Charles Darwin introduced the concept of natural selection in his book, "Origin of the Species", but he devoted an even greater deal of space to his concept of sexual selection in his book, "The Descent of Man". No matter how superior you are in survival abilities, it is all for naught if you do not pass those traits on to your offspring. Therefore mating is vitally important. You must be attractive to the opposite sex and this manifests itself in diverse ways amongst the animals. Moreover, sexual selection may create traits that seem to work against survivability. The peacock would certainly be better served with a smaller, less ornate tail, which makes him a more obvious target for predators.
Ridley picks up where Darwin left off and explores the sexuality of humans as they have evolved from apes and gradually became a big brained animal over millions of years of evolution. He has incorporated most of the ideas of modern scientists related to this subject. Men are attracted to beauty and women are attracted to powerful men, who can provide for them. In the animal kingdom, the female selects the male with the best traits and the males are willing to mate with most any female in heat. The case has become different for modern humans because human babies are helpless far longer than in normal in the animal kingdom. This is a consequence of out massive brain, which must continue developing outside the womb.
One part of the book did leave me surprised. Ridley got so caught up in his analysis of what women would do in selecting men that he surmised that women would rarely engage in opportunistic sex as it is against their self interest. Mr. Ridley, if you had been single and dating in California in the 1970's, you would soon realize how very mistaken you are. Many women had decided that they were now equal to men and could enjoy the same pleasures and they did. A few years later, fear of AIDS put an end to this libertine period. Alas!
Aside from that mistaken projection, the Red Queen book is excellent and I think you will enjoy reading it. Ralph Hermansen 10/04/08
』
(Superb Book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) 『This book gives us a glimpse of our true nature. It explains us many urges that we have and destroys many myths that we have. Matt Ridley have made a significant contribution toward mankind. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!』
(Picking up where The Selfish Gene left off....) 『With a casual disregard for political correctness, the post-feminist generation is reintroduced to basic human nature. What for millenia was taken for granted as so fundamental that it needed no explanation, became the height of impropriety to mention in polite company. In fact, it's been a bizarre inversion of reality that's taken hold as the popular opinion in society. Because it's soft and cuddly and non-offensive and doesn't threaten to hurt the feewings of the poor widdle wadies out there.
There is no greater testament to our ability to suspend disbelief then the denial of human nature on such an elemental, such a rudimentary level. When Ridley dropped this book like a bomb in the mid-90's at the height of the PC movement, it was like the lone voice of reason in a sandstorm of blather. That we should have to go to such lengths - all the way down to the DNA, just to demonstrate common sense is nothing short of absurd.
A magnificent work of popular science. Instantly a modern classic. Eminently accessible to the laity, well written, engaging and entertaining. Any sex education curriculum would stand to benefit more from the inclusion of this book, then any other save a text on health and safety. Don't expect to see it on your school district's reading list any time soon though. But that doesn't mean you can't give it to you adolescent age child.』
(The content is good but the quality of the book not) 『The quality of this book I think is very good, the way in which the history is related and the content of the book are very good. The subject is developed very well and the way in which we learn the importance of the sex in the combat with parasites and virus is amazing. In general, the content of the book is very good and interesting.
Though, the quality of paper in the book that I received is very bad, the impression is not clear and the book is very fragile, is a shame because the book is very good but with this quality of book the interest in read it decrease.
May be is my version, but I have not found another version in paperback.』
(A fascinating analysis!) 『This book is a fascinating analysis of research regarding human evolution. It puts together different theories of how we became the way we are, and reports both the supporting and rejecting evidence for each theory. Additionally, it is well-written and highly engaging.』 『
Referring to Lewis Carroll'sRed QueenfromThrough the Looking-Glass, a character who has to keep running to stay in the same place, Matt Ridley demonstrates why sex is humanity's best strategy for outwitting its constantly mutating internal predators.The Red Queenanswers dozens of other riddles of human nature and culture -- including why men propose marriage, the method behind our maddening notions of beauty, and the disquieting fact that a woman is more likely to conceive a child by an adulterous lover than by her husband. Brilliantly written,The Red Queenoffers an extraordinary new way of interpreting the human condition and how it has evolved.
Kakaku：478 saved$4.78
Broadway
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (More than a book ...) 『As usual with Kris Waldherr's work, this book is thoroughly researched, and presented with a certain panache. Each of these queen's stories has been thoroughly researched, and presented with enough detail to keep the reader interested. Each story is personal ... we are not reading one story ad nauseum, with different names attached.
The toen of the writing is a tad bit tongue in cheek, with a small cautionary moral at the end of each presentation. (For instance, with Eva Peron the cautionary moral is "You can't rule fromt he grave.")
The pages themselves are made to look "old", and the graphics on the front cover simply draw you in without your knowing why.
There is a bonus in that a flap on both the front and back covers contains three "paper doll" figures of different queens, with background available from the Doomed Queens Internet site.
Can we as women learn from this book? Yes - this book reflects not only the history of the queens, but the history of the world - with all of its political, religious, and paternalistic overtones.
A good read, and food for thought.』
(Wild about Doomed!) 『I'm a history buff and I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up "Doomed Queens" by Kris Waldherr. But I loved it and really found it hard to put down--the profiles of these women were humorous, well-researched and informative. The writing is rich with queenly anecdotes and the kind of detail that I love.
The overarching theme of how women were often pawns in the power struggles of men becomes a scenario of sadness, so beyond the humor there are other points that are made. Doomed in that they often were caught up in forces beyond their control, Waldherr covers the big names like Anne Boleyn and comes up with a whole roster of fascinating figures not often mentioned in history books.
But this book also has a "guilty pleasure" quality to it with the icons of death and the pithy morals at the end of each vignette. I can recommend this enthusiastically and I'm sure it would make a fine gift for the history, historical fiction or "Tudors" fan on your holiday list!』 『
Illicit love, madness, betrayal--it isn’t always good to be the queen
Marie Antoinette, Anne Boleyn, and Mary, Queen of Scots. What did they have in common? For a while they were crowned in gold, cosseted in silk, and flattered by courtiers. But in the end, they spent long nights in dark prison towers and were marched to the scaffold where they surrendered their heads to the executioner. And they are hardly alone in their undignified demises. Throughout history, royal women have had a distressing way of meeting bad ends--dying of starvation, being burned at the stake, or expiring in childbirth while trying desperately to produce an heir. They always had to be on their toes and all too often even devious plotting, miraculous pregnancies, and selling out their sisters was not enough to keep them from forcible consignment to religious orders. From Cleopatra (suicide by asp), to Princess Caroline (suspiciously poisoned on her coronation day), there’s a gory downside to being blue-blooded when you lack a Y chromosome. Kris Waldherr’s elegant little book is a chronicle of the trials and tribulations of queens across the ages, a quirky, funny, utterly macabre tribute to the dark side of female empowerment. Over the course of fifty irresistibly illustrated and too-brief lives,Doomed Queenscharts centuries of regal backstabbing and intrigue. We meet well-known figures like Catherine of Aragon, whose happy marriage to Henry VIII ended prematurely when it became clear that she was a starter wife--the first of six. And we meet forgotten queens like Amalasuntha, the notoriously literate Ostrogoth princess who overreached politically and was strangled in her bath. While their ends were bleak, these queens did not die without purpose. Their unfortunate lives are colorful cautionary tales for today’s would-be power brokers--a legacy of worldly and womanly wisdom gathered one spectacular regal ruin at a time.
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Touchstone
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (A nice diversion) 『It took me several starts to get into this book-- I used to love this kind of novel when I was a teenager and would sit curled up in the stacks at my school library, reading during study hall. I'd mark my place at the end of each study hall and put the book back on the shelf to resume reading the next school day. (My high school, at the time, only allowed students to check out 1 novel at a time, figuring no one would read more than that at once. They just didn't understand the ways of serial readers, I guess. I had recently moved to Charleston, and missed my friends from my old home terribly. I found myself in a new and strange world of southern gentility and struggled to understand it and find my place. Getting lost in tales of the Tudors and in English history was a wonderful escape.
Anyhow, thanks to authors like Eleanor Alice Burford Hibbert (who you may also know as Jean Plaidy, Victoria Holt and Phillipa Carr) and a marvelous history teacher named Martha Morgan my junior year of high school, a lifelong love of history was ignited.
This book reminded me of those days and those books...I found myself not curled up in the stacks at the Ashley Hall library (which now is much more progressive in its check out policy) but curled up in my living room, snug and safe and secure in my world. (It also was a nice break from the more challenging books I am reading at the moment: magical realism, math and a couple of others....)
As to the book itself, it is a nice diversion-- my brain could absorb the story, remember the history and escape a while in a love story. I will probably read another book by this author, just for the warm memories it would evoke.
』
(Captivating) 『At first I wasn't sure where this was going, but then I couldn't put it down. I had read "The Other Boleyn Girl", so some of the references were familiar. I'm sure it's not all literal truth, but I feel like I have learned more about English history and it makes me want to know more.』
(A MUST READ) 『Wonderfully thought out and written is shows the history while being a great novel. You will read this again and again.』
(Almost as good as The Other Boelyn Girl!) 『I thought this book was a fabulous, mesmerizing read. I've been reading Gregory's books in all the wrong order--started w/ The Other Boelyn Girl and then began pretty close to the beginning of her career, with the Wildacre trilogy and a few others that simply didn't hold a candle to her book about Mary Boelyn. Fortunately, The Queen's Fool is richly written, fascinating and multi-faceted. Hannah Green was a wonderfully developed character, and the plot twists among the princess half sisters made this novel quite addictive. I'm half way through The Virgin's Lover now (definitely a sequel to The Queen's Fool, BTW) and am so glad that it seems to be of the same caliber, or better. Yay for the later works of Philippa Gregory!!』
(Great book!!) 『Another wonderful read from Philippa Gregory. I read this on the heels of "The Other Boleyn Girl" a little out of sequence, I understand. In comparing the two, for me "The Queen's Fool" is far more subtle than "Boleyn Girl" yet is every bit as intriquing and interesting. This author does a great job in making the reader think what was behind Mary and Elizabeth's behavior.
Highly recommend!』 『A young woman caught in the rivalry between Queen Mary and her half sister, Elizabeth, must find her true destiny amid treason, poisonous rivalries, loss of faith, and unrequited love.
It is winter, 1553. Pursued by the Inquisition, Hannah Green, a fourteen-year-old Jewish girl, is forced to flee Spain with her father. But Hannah is no ordinary refugee. Her gift of "Sight," the ability to foresee the future, is priceless in the troubled times
of the Tudor court. Hannah is adopted by the glamorous Robert Dudley, the charismatic son of King Edward's protector, who brings her to court as a "holy fool" for Queen Mary and, ultimately, Queen Elizabeth. Hired as a fool but working as a spy; promised in wedlock but in love with her master; endangered by the laws against heresy, treason, and witchcraft, Hannah must choose between the safe life of a commoner and the dangerous intrigues of the royal family that are inextricably bound up in her own yearnings and desires.
Teeming with vibrant period detail and peopled by characters seamlessly woven into the sweeping tapestry of history,The Queen's Foolis another rich and emotionally resonant gem from this wonderful storyteller.』
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Scholastic Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (A Great Little Book On Bullying) 『Fabulous messages told in an original style children will love. Every parent needs to talk about this issue of bullying early to empower their children. I recommend Bully-Proofing Children: A Practical, Hands-On Guide to Stop Bullyingfor great ideas and tips on how to give your children those skills and develop a nature that will insure that they never becoming bullies. Other children's literature by these same teacher-authors that not only have similar inspiring messages but great teaching guides for parents: Life's Little Lessons: An Inch-By-Inch Tale of Successand The Big Squeal: A Wild, True, and Twisted Tail. 』
(Adorable and A Great Message) 『Children need to be prepared to face bullies on the playground early on before school. Every Parent needs to read up on how to protect their child from becoming a bully or victim. A great book on the topic is Bully-Proofing Children: A Practical, Hands-On Guide to Stop Bullyingwhich I found to be generally one of the best parenting books on raising empowered kids.』
(Every mother of a child starting school for the first time needs this!) 『This book was recommended by a school counselor when my child was having problems adjusting to kindergarten. Going from a class of 12 in Pre-k to a class of 20 can be overwhelming. Today, kids have to deal with so much so soon and making friends can be a challenge. Feelings can be easily hurt and different personalities are eminent. This book teaches kids about how to act when someone is bossy or a bully. It also teaches them to stick up for themselves. Not only is it a great book to have, but it's a great teacher gift too!』
(Have Self-Worth, Will Travel: The Recess Queen) 『The ability to offhandedly deflate a bully, with neither anamosity nor remorse, is my idea of heaven -- and is high on my wishlist for my daughters. This snappily told story of unwavering self-worth and the power of cheerful assertion gives us hope -- and lots of laughs.』
(Must have) 『This book is amazing. Great Story! Great Illustrations! You will die laughing! Has a wonderful lesson.』 『Mean Jean was Recess Queenand nobody said any different.Nobody swung until Mean Jean swung.Nobody kicked until Mean Jean kicked.Nobody bounced until Mean Jean bounced.If kids ever crossed her, she'd push 'em and smoosh 'emlollapaloosh 'em, hammer 'em, slammer 'emkitz and kajammer 'em.Until a new kid came to school!With her irrepressible spirit, the new girl dethrones the reigning recess bully by becoming her friend in this infectious playground romp.』 『Oh, would that all bullying problems could be solved so easily! Mean Jean is the reigning Recess Queen, pushing and smooshing, hammering and slammering the other kids whenever they cross her. And then one day a puny new girl shows up on the playground and catches Mean Jean completely off-guard. Not only is little Katie Sue not the least bit intimidated by the bully, she actually asks her to jump rope with her. In no time flat, Jean and Katie Sue are best buddies, and the playground is safe for all again.
Sure, it's simplistic, but there's a strong element of truth in this energetic rhyming story by Alexis O'Neill (Loud Emily). Bullies are people, too, and sometimes nothing is quite so effective as ingenuous disarmament. Big, bold, funny acrylic and collage illustrations by Laura Huliska-Beith (The Book of Bad Ideas) bounce right along with the text. (Ages 5 to 8)--Emilie Coulter』
Kakaku：279 saved$2.79
Broadway
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (ORDER. THIS. BOOK.) 『For those of you that do get this book, I am so jealous that you still have this experience in front of you. You are in for such a treat. I read this book a couple of months ago and I LOVED it. My husband not so much -- well, he hasn't actually read it, but I kept waking him up giggling next to him in bed while reading about Doreen's misadventures (Hey, I tried to stifle it!) The first 50 or so pages are literally a laugh a page. And it just keeps getting better.
Have fun with this one, guys!
~Bunny』
(A bus Named Delight) 『What a great escape. I felt like I was on the bus with Doreen, her husband, and assorted critters. She described many places I've visited and many I've yet to see - with wonderful out-of-the-box humor. "Queen of the Road" is a laugh out loud escape from everyday pressures. A gem like this should be savored and shared. Doreen - give up your practice and write more books!』
(Travelogue and Love Story, and More) 『Our library book group read Doreen's book this past summer, and we thoroughly enjoyed the ride with her and Tim. It's part travelogue, part love story and totally fun. As an added bonus, Doreen joined two discussions courtesy of Skype, and we came away from the discussions with added insight, a new friend, and inspiration to take our own journeys.』
(tongue in cheek) 『A witty, fun read with travel tips, cocktail recipes and relationship recipes. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Doreen has the abilty to poke fun at herself with just the right balance of self deprication and seriousness. It was great to see how she opened herself up to people from all walks as she and her husband went on their journey. I am keeping my fingers crossed for more reads from Doreen Orion.』
(Buckle Up!) 『 I just finished reading Queen of the Road and laughed out loud through much of the journey. I knew from the first chapter (with the martini recipes) that I would enjoy this book. Doreen and I couldn't be more different; however, I appreciated her sense of adventure, her wonderful sense of humor, and love and respect for her husband and friend. Where did she find a man who cooks, cleans, shops, walks the dog, is handy, and doesn't complain!? As I read on I realized we shared some of the same characteristics - fear of the open road, oncoming traffic, curves, bad weather, and unrecognizable noises. I could so relate to that back seat driver syndrome, that seat griping terror of being a passenger. One evening as I was reading about a side trip in Alaska, my son (15 years old) ran into the family room to see if I was "all right." "Mom, what' the matter?" he asked as he rushed over to see what those high pitched noises were. It was me - laughing. I tried to explain why tears were rolling down my face, but he just didn't get it. The passage was about the mountain sheep. I delighted in the vision of all of these `bus people' who would run to see the sheep even though they were only tiny specks in the horizon. But when the bus driver, "River," stopped the bus to scan the mountain ridge with his binoculars and Doreen said, "If they're that far away, who cares?" to which Tim replied, "Let me get the walkie-talkie for you!" Buckle your seat belt. You are in for a hilarious ride! 』 『
A pampered Long Island princess hits the road in a converted bus with her wilderness-loving husband, travels the country for one year, and brings it all hilariously to life in this offbeat and romantic memoir.
Doreen and Tim are married psychiatrists with a twist: She’s a self-proclaimed Long Island princess, grouchy couch potato, and shoe addict. He's an affable, though driven, outdoorsman. When Tim suggests “chucking it all” to travel cross-country in a converted bus, Doreen asks, “Why can’t you be like a normal husband in a midlife crisis and have an affair or buy a Corvette?” But she soon shocks them both, agreeing to set forth with their sixty-pound dog, two querulous cats—and no agenda—in a 340-square-foot bus.
Queen of the Roadis Doreen’s offbeat and romantic tale about refusing to settle; about choosing the unconventional road with all the misadventures it brings (fire, flood, armed robbery, and finding themselves in a nudist RV park, to name just a few). The marvelous places they visit and delightful people they encounter havea life-changing effect on all the travelers, as Doreen grows to appreciate the simple life, Tim mellows, and even the pets pull together. Best of all, readers get to go along for the ride through forty-seven states in this often hilarious and always entertaining memoir, in which a boisterous marriage of polar opposites becomes stronger than ever.
Kakaku：495 saved$4.95
Running Press Miniature Editions
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Laughs galore!) 『This book truly is a "miniature edition." It could serve as a coaster - BUT if you ever decide to use it as one, make sure you read the inside from cover to cover. The contents are hillarious. You could read this entire book from the time you start a load of laundry and finish it before the timer to the dryer goes off ... AND ... it would be one of the most enjoyable loads of laundry you'll ever remember doing. I ordered three of these books - one for myself, and one for each of my sister's (best friends)! Great gift idea for the girls!』
(disappointment) 『The read was cute. I got a few chuckles out of the book. But when ordering I didnt notice that it was a miniature and was so very disappointed in that fact. Whether it was an over sight on my part or misleading by Amazon, I'm not sure. So as far as that is concerned, only a mid rating. I did enjoy the mini enough to order the "REAL" book and have started reading and enjoying that.』
(Jill, you're better than this) 『Jill, if you read your own reviews and I hope you do: this is for you. First, the world in general is right: you are hilarious You have a gift, sister. And I would have given you five stars just for that. But honestly Jill, you know darn well that when humor becomes degrading it is not really humor at all. There are a lot of us out here who may be "young and hip", but we're not stupid. Your mother and her friends were right: private bedroom experiences (whether right or wrong) do not need to be publicly hashed over and laughed at. Apparently this sort of thing used to be referred to as "trash". Now it's "what's for dinner"-everywhere... You seem to have a whole lot more to offer. Skip the trash, keep the hilarity. God gave you your gift for a reason. Use it with intelligence and you can change the world-for good.』
(Disappointing...) 『I have been meaning to read this book for years, because it sounded so funny. When I finally ordered a copy, I was a bit let down. I expected a funny take on being a southern woman, with a lot of teasing about being an improper southern belle ("fallen"). What I found was a lot of cliches and stereotyping---not of the female southerner, but more sitcom-style. The author relies heavily on traits that we females supposedly tend toward, but I don't find most of them to be true. I also don't see the behavior of the Queens as very funny--mostly snarky to their aquaintances, rude to outsiders, condescending to men, and uncreative. I also don't get the heavy reliance on sexual jokes and innuendo. My friends and I don't talk like that, yet we are not prudes. It would be funny if the author didn't appear to belive in her own dogma, but she says she does, so I guess I'll have to take her at her word. No matter, I've got this one up for swap and won't finish it.』
(If you haven't read the Sweet Potato Queens you are missing out.)
