Results tagged “rating=5”

Practically every book's dustjacket is covered with reviews and hyperbole. It's refreshing when the book actually lives up to the hyped reviews on the cover.

In the case of Lee Child's "Without Fail" it is truly gripping.

Child is one of those writers that I wish I'd started reading earlier. I like a good thriller, so I have to admit that the character of Jack Reacher really struck a chord with me. He's an oddball character. You know he's got a past and that he's very dangerous, but Child doesn't spell it out for you. Unlike so many Hollywood style novels, Child leaves nice gaps open to your imagination.

So what of the plot itself?

Basic plot is that the vice president elect is under threat from some kind of danger. What type of danger it is isn't 100% clear, but as the plot develops and twists the number of possible sources are eliminated until the book culminates in yet another twist.

Reacher's character is dark and dangerous and thus perfectly fit for the shadowy world he inhabits.

Child populates his "world" with characters set against backdrops that are described in such detail that you can practically smell them

Overall a great read and now I have to admit to being possibly "hooked"

I've been a fan of Clive Cussler for several years.
While none of his books are likely to win the Booker prize, they are what they are - highly enjoyable adventures.
Cussler's male characters are tough, good looking and heroic. They're almost comicbook styled personnages, but that does not make them any less enjoyable.
Kurt Austin, and his "sidekick" Joe Zavala, this time round are up against a deadly virus and the Chinese triads.
The story takes them from the US to a number of exotic locations, with plenty of action, romance and tension.
Of course we know that Austin will save the day, but how he manages to get there is the fun part.
If you're a fan of good clean action then Austin makes a nice maritime James Bond style figure.
A good enjoyable read - perfect for the holiday season.

Michael J Fox wrote an autobiography a few years ago which covered his career from the beginning through to when he started coming to grips with Parkinson's, so I was quite surprised that he had written a followup tome - Always Looking Up.

Always Looking Up isn't about Michael J Fox the actor. It's a lot more about Michael J Fox the activist and his work with Parkinson's. It's also about Michael J Fox's personal reality and how his life has been changed and affected by PD.

While this may sound terribly boring and depressing in some respects it's a wonderful read. While other people might be depressed by PD, Fox manages to see the positive side of his new life and is more than happy to share his deepest feelings.

If you're looking for a celebrity biography then you might be disappointed, but if you are interested in a fascinating and heart lifting story then Always Looking Up should be on your reading list.

I came across The New Influencers more or less by accident while browsing Amazon's recommendations.

Social media, social networks and all the other related "buzzwords" are constantly evolving, so reading a book that was written a couple of years ago may seem like a strange choice. It isn't.

The New Influencers is worth reading for a number of reasons.

Apart from anything else it traces the evolution and provides some very interesting background to some of the key players.

It also gives some very interesting case studies of how business have tried to embrace social media. Not all of their efforts have met with success and this book does provide some very interesting insights into why some business failed to "get it" first time round.

Paul Gillin conducted interviews with a very broad range of people in preparation for this book and the stories that they tell make for a fascinating read.

If you are interested in marketing or social media, or maybe both, then I'd heartily recommend getting a copy of this book.

One Red Paperclip is a wonderful little book that follows the adventures of Kyle MacDonald as he traded from a red paperclip all the way to a house.

The book is more about the journey and the people he meets along the way than anything else.

MacDonald's story is fascinating.

Who would have thought that you could start off with a paperclip which cost a few cent and end up twelve months later with an actual house?

Along the way MacDonald meets some really interesting people including Alice Cooper.

The book is enjoyable to say the least and shows that if you put your mind to something, have a bit of imagination and refuse to give up you can achieve things that others believe are impossible.


One Red Paperclip: The Story of How One Man Changed His Life One Swap at a Time