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.Things Fall Apart (Penguin Red Classics)
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by: Chinua Achebe

January 26, 2006
Chinua Achebe's acclaimed novel starts out as a thoughtful invocation of the culture and values of the Igbo people in pre-colonial Nigeria at a time when advice is sought from oracles and medicine-men, justice despatched through blood feuds and human sacrifice, and where the manly virtues of the warrior remain the defining quality sought by all self-respecting men. Embarrassed by his weak father Okonkwo sets out to be become a clan leader through steely determination, hard work and plain bullying. A lot of good it does him, though. A fatal accident - not in any way his fault - results in flight from his clan and a humiliating seven year exile. On his return, the missionaries had arrived in his village and we all know what happened next: the ... Read More:
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.Needles and Pearls
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by: Gil McNeil

August 04, 2008
Waited eagerly for this and like everyone else I wasn't disappointed. Read it quickly to find out what happened next then slowed down as I didn't want to finish it! There had better be a third instalment.
Only gripe, why not put a few patterns in the back - cupcakes, blowsy women swimmers - they sounded great. Or even bring out a Divas don't Knit, knitting book!
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.The Careful Use of Compliments: Careful Use of Compliments v. 4 (Sunday Philosophy Club)
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by: Alexander McCall Smith

August 07, 2008
Waited eagerly for this and like everyone else I wasn't disappointed. Read it quickly to find out what happened next then slowed down as I didn't want to finish it! There had better be a third instalment.
Only gripe, why not put a few patterns in the back - cupcakes, blowsy women swimmers - they sounded great. Or even bring out a Divas don't Knit, knitting book!
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.Echo Burning (A Jack Reacher Novel)
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by: Lee Child

April 01, 2002
Great plot, great action and suspense as Lee Child delivers again, fantastic read you will not be let down with this one.
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.Fearless Fourteen
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by: Janet Evanovich

June 17, 2008
I agree wholeheartedly with the previous comments. I absolutely loved the first 10 books in the Stephanie Plum series but like the previous reviewer I think Evanovich has lost her way. The plot is one-dimensional and other than the characters is just a rehash of previous plots. There is very little comedy as in previous books and there is absolutely no development of Stephanie's relationships with Morelli and Ranger. This I think is the key to the stories.
It seems to me that Evanovich has been trying to write another successful series alongside this one (see the 'Full' series) but has failed miserably so she is spinning this one out as long as she can.
If I were her, I would write 2 more books to finish the series, one featuring Stephanie ending ... Read More:
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.Case Histories
City Travel Guides > Books > General
by: Kate Atkinson

August 02, 2006
I really enjoyed this book of the lost and found centred around cases taken on by ex-policeman now PI, Brodie. Atkinson takes you into her characters musings on life after death and loss with witty observations. The cases are poignant, sad, inevitable and it is not just Brodie who is confused by the end. Not everything is tied up neatly leading to more confusion. Major and minor characters are rounded and full of life, even the sad ones.

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.Heart of Darkness
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by: Joseph Conrad

April 28, 1994
I originally read this novel as a first year undergraduate in 1988. I found it dull and very hard work. I still remember having to force myself to read a page or two each night just to get through it. The horror indeed. I recently thought I would try reading it again as, after so long and with more mature tastes I might enjoy it. But no. I gave it my best shot - and then gave up. Maybe I'll have another go in 2028...
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.Great Expectations (Penguin Popular Classics)
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by: Charles Dickens

January 13, 1994
That I came to the novel fully aware of the storyline (through numerous TV and film adaptations) and still raced through the novel is an indication of the quality of the story and its characters.
What did surprise me, which having subsequently watched David Lean's adaptation may be down to selective memory, was what an awful individual Pip became during the course of the novel.
I would also have preferred Dickens originally conceived ending to the novel which appears much more in keeping with the general tone than the revised ending.
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.The Shadow of the Wind
City Travel Guides > Books > General
by: Carlos Ruiz Zafon

October 05, 2005
'Ah'thought I when I opened the novel and started reading, secure in the belief that here was a masterpiece since more than 200 people had loved it'this is a book I'm going to enjoy'. Well... 300 pages into it and I went back to Amazon to re check the reviews and discovered what I had missed so far, mainly that more than 40 people had hated it, some going as far as calling it drivel. Well, those reviewers may have been a bit harsh but on the whole I had to agree with them.
It starts very well with the wonderful idea of a cemetery for forgotten books where the visitor on his first visit can choose a book , any book ,that he 'adopts' and becomes responsible for. Young Daniel chooses such a book and discovers a wonderful author into whose world he can lose himself. ... Read More:
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.The Eagle's Prey (Roman Legion 5)
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by: Simon Scarrow

May 23, 2005

The author, Simon Scarrow teaches at a leading Sixth Form College. He has run a Roman History programme taking parties of students to a number of ruins and museums across Britain. This is the first in a series of books about Quintus Licinius Cato, Optio (second in command) to Macro a centurion and veteran of more than one campaign in the Roman legions.

In this, the fifth book in the series Cato has recently been appointed as a centurion as reward for the services he and Macro have given to both the legate of their Legion and also the Emperor Cludius himself. It is Ad44 and Claudius is eager for Britain to be pacified and is commander in Britain, Plautius is clearly feeling the strain of trying to bring peace to the British tribes . . .
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