The Lost Symbol (Hardcover)

By Dan Brown (Author)

Book Details
* Hardcover: 528 pages
* Publisher: Doubleday Books; 1st edition (September 15, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0385504225
* ISBN-13: 978-0385504225
* Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 2.1 inches
* Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds

Book Description
In this stunning follow-up to the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown demonstrates once again why he is the world’s most popular thriller writer. The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling–a deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths . . . all under the watchful eye of Brown’s most terrifying villain to date. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbol accelerates through a startling landscape toward an unthinkable finale.

As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object–artfully encoded with five symbols–is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation . . . one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon’s beloved mentor, Peter Solomon–a prominent Mason and philanthropist–is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations–all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.

As the world discovered in The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, Dan Brown’s novels are brilliant tapestries of veiled histories, arcane symbols, and enigmatic codes. In this new novel, he again challenges readers with an intelligent, lightning-paced story that offers surprises at every turn. The Lost Symbol is exactly what Brown’s fans have been waiting for . . . his most thrilling novel yet.

The Lost Symbol Review
The main plot of the story is standard Dan Brown stuff and you can buy it or reject it as you’d like. It certainly makes for riveting reading as you follow the twists and turns of the story. However, it’s surprising that nobody has mentioned the major subplot of the novel: the involvement of the CIA. I won’t spoil it for anybody, but it is rather ridiculous. A matter of national security? That much suspension of disbelief is pretty hard to accomplish!

I loved Angels & Demons and DaVinci Code and was really excited to read The Lost Symbol, particularly as a DC resident and granddaughter of a Mason. This was a disappointing experience for me and stretched credulity over the top. The Japanese CIA lady, the one-handed friend/father of a lunatic madman, brother of a secret lab scientist weighing the soul, the “drowning death” of Langdon, the trip to the top of the Monument then the Rotunda? What? All to end at the Bible? I didn’t get it and it was just too weird.

I have liked all the Dan Brown books I’ve read, but this one was HUGE disappointment. I’m interested in history, art and architecture, and that is why I liked the Davinci Code and Angels and Demons so much. This book however has very little interesting history and an enormous “so what” factor. The story builds and builds and then fizzles into a boring anthropology/philosophy lecture. I’m so mad I spent money on this book. Don’t waste your time with this one.

Same plot, same characters (the book’s villain and Langdon’s mentor/friend are copied straight out of Da Vinci Code, although their names have been updated because they’re supposedly ‘different’ characters), VERY formulaic; essentially a 70% cut-and-paste of Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, with different symbols and setting. Frankly, I love the mystery and intrigue of a new secret society and set of symbols/clues but can’t believe Dan Brown is getting away with selling us the same book over and over. I think I’ll skip Langdon’s next adventure.

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True Compass: A Memoir (Hardcover)

By Edward M. Kennedy

Book Details
* Hardcover: 532 pages
* Publisher: Twelve; First Edition, First Printing edition (September 14, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0446539252
* ISBN-13: 978-0446539258
* Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.8 inches
* Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds

Book Description
In this landmark autobiography, five years in the making, Senator Edward M. Kennedy tells his extraordinary personal story–of his legendary family, politics, and fifty years at the center of national events.

Hundreds of books have been written about the Kennedys. TRUE COMPASS will endure as the definitive account from a member of America’s most heralded family, an inspiring legacy to readers and to history, and a deeply moving story of a life like no other.

True Compass: A Memoir Review
Senator Kennedy’s autobiography is a splendid read. The family stories are really fascinating. His life has really been impacted by his parents and older brothers. He is not afraid to reveal his own tragic errors. This would be a great book for an adolescent as it really shows how a young person can overcome problems and succeed.

If anyone has any questions re: the Chappaquiddick accident then look at the A&E DVD called the Chappaquiddick Investigation. Bill Curtis took crash reconstruction engineers, divers, etc. and looked at old reports. His conclusions are very good. I was convinced and that’s not easy to do. Its very interesting as well. I cant wait to read the book.

Reading this book, I am struck by Ted Kennedy’s humanity. In his falls from grace and recoveries, I see a man I can relate to. Life has it challenges. Here is a leader who went beyond himself and served us all. Well done.

It’s hard to imagine one person accomplished so many great things for this country. Even harder to imagine the pain and hardship this man had to go through in his life, and the demons he had to face, only to come out the other end a strong, happy, gracious human being. Picked this up the first day it was out, so far it’s an amazing read. It’s a shame we don’t have this guy around anymore… we need his passion for the people and for this country. Hope you’re enjoying the reunion with your brothers that you were waiting for, Teddy! Thanks for the great book, but it’s with a heavy heart we read it now.

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Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (Paperback)

By American Psychological Association

Book Details
* Paperback: 272 pages
* Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA); 6 edition (July 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1433805618
* ISBN-13: 978-1433805615
* Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.7 inches
* Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds

Book Description
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association” provides invaluable guidance on all aspects of the writing process, from the ethics of authorship to the word choice that best reduces bias in language. Well-known for its authoritative and easy-to-use reference and citation system, the Publication Manual also offers guidance on choosing the headings, tables, figures, and tone that will result in strong, simple, and elegant scientific communication.

The sixth edition offers new and expanded instruction on publication ethics, statistics, journal article reporting standards, electronic reference formats, and the construction of tables and figures.

The sixth edition has been revised and updated to include: new ethics guidance on such topics as determining authorship and terms of collaboration, duplicate publication, plagiarism and self-plagiarism, disguising of participants, validity of instrumentation, and making data available to others for verification; new journal article reporting standards to help readers report empirical research with clarity and precision; simplified APA heading style to make it more conducive to electronic publication; updated guidelines for reducing bias in language to reflect current practices and preferences, including a new section on presenting historical language that is inappropriate by present standards; new guidelines for reporting inferential statistics and a significantly revised table of statistical abbreviations; and, new instruction on using supplemental files containing lengthy data sets and other media.

This book includes significantly expanded content on the electronic presentation of data to help readers understand the purpose of each kind of display and choose the best match for communicating the results of the investigation, with new examples for a variety of data displays, including electro physiological and biological data.

It offers consolidated information on all aspects of reference citations, with an expanded discussion of electronic sources emphasizing the role of the digital object identifier (DOI) as a reliable way to locate information. It features expanded discussion of the publication process, including the function and process of peer review.

It contains a discussion of ethical, legal, and policy requirements in publication; and guidelines on working with the publisher while the article is in press. Key to this edition of the Publication Manual is an updated and expanded Web presence. Look up additional supplemental material keyed to this book.

This book lets you test your knowledge of APA Style with a free tutorial on style basics. It lets you learn about the changes in the sixth edition with a free tutorial reviewing key revisions. Sign up for an on-line course to enrich and enhance your understanding of APA Style. Read the APA Style blog and share your comments on writing and referencing. Consult frequently asked questions to sharpen your understanding of APA Style. This title lets you examine additional resources on such topics as ethics, statistics, and writing. It lets you familiarize yourself with submission standards for APA books and journals.

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association Review
The most recent edition (6th) of the APA Publication Manual is a must-have for those in the social sciences and education that utilize its format for manuscripts submitted for peer review. The first noticeable change in this edition compared to its predecessor is its significantly slashed number of total pages. Unfortunately, many of the helpful examples and explanations of how to cite references were done away with; however, there were additional guidelines for electronic references not in the previous edition. APA does offer a few supplemental materials on its website ([...]), and there are tutorials available.

I prefer The Chicago Manual of Style over the APA version, particularly this new edition. Even the older editions were not as rich and encyclopedic. For those who like the light reading, one should know this is not a book designed to read cover to cover. A reference book should not be overly curtailed in volume. If a dictionary contains only the most useful words, then it becomes a vocabulary book. This book is a best seller not for its academic value, but rather it’s accessiveness to the mass consumers who are not (and should not be) maticulous bookworms. Maybe I should put it in this way: This is a book helpful for people love to write, but not for true professional writers.

The APA 6th edition is simplier and easier to read. Various changes eliminate differences in submitting research reports; however, for college and university use, the APA is not a main guide to follow. Writing to publish a journal article is very different than submitting a school report. Previously, the 5th edition (Ch 6) indicated such changes may be necessary but that chapter was eliminated. Additionally, specific terms should not be used, such as the word “mentioned” when writing a report. It is not a talking book. The main values of using the APA for school reports are the presentation of writing style and the use of citations/references. For publsihers, the use of the APA format may be more useful. So, very good and some not so good items about the 6th edition. For school use, I have to develop a more suitable guide, but do recommend that students use the APA general rules.

Well, as the title says, it is what it is; 6th edition…professors said I need it so I got it…idk how you write a review on something you need…it would be nice if they had a search function…maybe a electronic version or something…neway, I will be reading it this semster

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The Help (Hardcover)

By Kathryn Stockett (Author)

Book Details
* Hardcover: 464 pages
* Publisher: Putnam Adult; 1 edition (February 10, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0399155341
* ISBN-13: 978-0399155345
* Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.9 inches
* Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds

Book Description
Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women—mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends—view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don’t.

The Help Review
My family came to Chicago in the 1940s from Mississippi. They were sharecroppers and picked cotton. Sometimes my grandmother worked in white houses as the help. This book reminds me of stories my grandmother and mother told us children. The author gets the humor just right. The character Minny could have been my grandmother. I laughed and I cried as I read this book. Sometimes, I put it aside just to think about what the story and the characters were telling me. At other times I reflected on what the fictional characters and the real maids lives were like. As soon as I finished, I started reading it all over again. It made me love my grandmother even more if that’s possible. I loved this book. Thanks to Kathryn Stockette.

Kathryn Stockett has written a wonderful book populated with women I “know”. I lived in Birmingham, AL, for over thirty years and met many woman who had been raised in the 50s and 60s and had not shed that culture – not out of mean, but ignorance. I started the book and could barely put it down; it was a quick read for me and I was anxious to see what would happen next. I am always amazed at how strong and brave women can be, and how stupid and complacent women can be. Kathryn Stockett did a terrific job of presenting these complexities within the framework of a great story.

This is probably going to be one of those books that everyone must read for the historical content and the attitudes that occurred in the South during the early civil rights movement. It was very emotional and the descriptions are so believable that you feel you are almost there as “help” and what these women endured.

I agree substantially with the previous reviewers who have commented on the book’s readability and good-heart. But it is what it is, a white woman’s (admittedly a sensitive white woman) attempt to get into the shoes (well, not exactly) of the local “help”, i.e. black women. Not exactly a noble effort; it is a novelist’s basic responsibility to see w/ another eyes. It is praiseworthy only insofar as it is done successfully. But the fact remains that the white women (in contrast to “the help” what are THEY?) are shown in full and the reader feels he/she knows them, in all their meanness and back-biting, while the black women are brave, strong,stoic… caricatures. They endure, like Faulkner’s Dilsey, but they do not levitate off the page. A very good try.

I was lucky enough to come across an advanced reader copy of this book. Set in Mississippi during the civil rights movement, the story is narrated by the three principal characters…Minny and Aibileen, two black maids, and Miss Skeeter, a young, white woman newly graduated from college. The characters are wonderfully developed, as are the historical background and setting. As each character took her turn at narrating, she became my favorite character until the next one took over again.I was torn between not being able to put the book down and not wanting it to end.

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Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government (Hardcover)

By Glenn Beck (Author)

Book Details
* Hardcover: 336 pages
* Publisher: Threshold Editions (September 22, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1416595015
* ISBN-13: 978-1416595014
* Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches
* Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds

Book Description
About the Author
Glenn Beck, the nationally syndicated radio and Fox News television show host, is the author of three previous #1 New York Times bestsellers: An Inconvenient Book, Glenn Beck’s Common Sense, and the novel The Christmas Sweater. His children’s version of The Christmas Sweater is forthcoming from Simon & Schuster and America’s March to Socialism is available now from Simon & Schuster Audio or downloadable from Simon & Schuster Online. He is also the author of The Real America and publisher of Fusion magazine.

It happens to all of us: You’re minding your own business, when some idiot informs you that guns are evil, the Prius will save the planet, or the rich have to finally start paying their fair share of taxes.
Just go away! you think to yourself — but they only become more obnoxious. Your heart rate quickens. You start to sweat. You can’t get away. Your only hope is…

…this book.

Glenn Beck, author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers An Inconvenient Book and Glenn Beck’s Common Sense, has stumbled upon the secret formula to winning arguments against people with big mouths but small minds: knowing the facts.

And this book is full of them.

The next time your Idiot Friends tell you how gun control prevents gun violence, you’ll tell them all about England’s handgun ban (see page 53). When they tell you that we should copy the UK’s health-care system, you’ll recount the horrifying facts you read on page 244. And the next time an idiot tells you that vegetable prices will skyrocket without illegal workers, you’ll stop saying “no, they won’t” and you’ll start saying, “actually, eliminating all illegal labor will cause us to spend just $8 a year more on produce.” (See page 139.)

Idiots can’t be identified through voting records, they can be found only by looking for people who hide behind stereotypes, embrace partisanship, and believe that bumper sticker slogans are a substitute for common sense. If you know someone who fits the bill, then Arguing with Idiots will help you silence them once and for all with the ultimate weapon: the truth.

Arguing with Idiots Review
Comming soon.

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