Rushed, and not much new

As a previous reviewer states, this book seems as if it has been rushed into print. In addition to the poor quality of the graphs (they look like they have been photocopied) the short section where Soros provides a chronology of his recent trading decisions just read like a few pages of his diary have been added to the book to fill it out.

In addition, if you have read any of Soros' other books prepare to go over some familiar ground. As he fairly explicitly acknowledges a large motivation for him to write is to promote his conception of relexivity. If you are expecting and wanting to read this and discover trading tips, or very specific economic predictions you might as well save your money. Almost by its nature the concept of reflexivity does not lend itself to precision.

Having said that, the concept itself is an interesting one and can be applied widely, not just in markets, if only as a way to understand how views can affect the reality they seek to explain. One could argue for example that the War on Terror legitimised and reinforced the very thing it sought to oppose, and then in turn in doing so gave more strength to the argument that terrorism needed to be fought. On this point there is an excellent quote included in the book (can't remember if it is from Rummy or Rove) arguing that the US administration creates its own reality, which its critics are constantly struggling to catch up with an understand.

So personally I enjoyed the book more as a sort of scrapbook of what Soros is thinking right now, built around his concept of relexivity, rather than as anything particularly specific to the credit crisis.

Holden Caulfield: the first 'emo'

When 'The Catcher in the Rye' was first put on the market in 1955 it generated great controversy, now having read it in 2007 I can understand why, but in contrast with today's standards, (J.D.) Salinger's yarn is very tame.
There is no real story to this novel nor is there any epic proportions. The reader basically just follows Holden Caulfield around New York in the Winter as he narrates in the past tense.
The beginning of the novel; the first page is iconic. One can almost immediately tell that Caulfield isn't a run of the mill leading man. With his cynical attitude & constant whines, Holden Caulfield can become annoying in more ways than one. Holden Caulfield was the first of a breed of angst ridden, alienated youth, embodied in this unacedemic anti-hero who has been thrown out of a handful of schools.
In a nut shell 'The Catcher in the Rye' is documenting a 'unique' young man's downfalli nto a mental breakdown after the death of his younger brother.

I would recommend this novel to anyone over the age of 12, of either gender. it may not live up to the critical acclaim that it has recieved (most novels with the same hype around them generally don't) but its worth a look.
(Holden Caulfield was labelled as the first ever 'emo'.)
In conclusion this is a profound & insightful read. I am not at all surprised by the impact it made on its first release.

Brilliant!

A fantastic point of reference. A reassuring and informative book which I have dipped into throughout my pregnancy, and which has never failed to answer my questions.

Not yet been published

Been waiting since 6 april for mine to be sent ? 17 ed regs due to be complied with in july do not think its due to be published untill september 2008

Not as good as Marisa Peer

I did this in Jan but it didnt stick at all, some things worked, I was leaving food and stopped weighing myself everyday, but I just felt that it didnt give me enough to change my diet. The book and CD says you can eat what you want when you are hungry, I suppose I was never a massive snacker and thought I was a fairly healthy eater at main meals with pasta and rice dishes. I didnt lose any weight and I got tired of listening to the CD, so gave up.

A few weeks ago a friend suggest a different Hypnosis book/CD by Marisa Peer, now this one has changed my life ! She has changed the way I eat so far, I began the new eating plan on Monday and its only Friday and Ive lost 3lbs. Ive not scrimped on my portions just made sure Im not eating the wrong things like Pasta and Rice !! I think if you eat a balanced diet then Paul might be good for you, but if you have cravings for sweet things and carbohydrates Marisa is probably the better way.

A book to go in any long or short list of master pieces

What can I say about midnight's children that has not already been said. I would put it on par with one hundred years of solitude. You have to read it to know what I am talking about.

Great gems

This is great! We were camping up around the lake district and it directed us to some superb little-used spots. It also has excellent suggestions for eating/drinking etc near each campsite and/or warnings if there's a bit of a walk. We definitely found a few gems (like the Drunken Duck!). It covers 40 campsites across England (each one gets a page or two, and some lovely photographs so you can see what you're getting) - not a huge amount of choice, but as it says itself it"features a hand-picked selection", and seemingly they visited hundreds of camp sites across England to find this list of 40, and i'd much prefer that to a huge list of ones where you turn up and are disappointed.
Something that i found a huge advantage, but that you might find a disadvantage is that they're NOT looking for"holiday park" type camp grounds - their (and my) idea of hell. so the ones listed here will be beautiful , or quirky, or in a brilliant location ... but they won't have lots of swimming pools and hi-de-hi activities etc.
The only (small) disadvantage is, although the directions to/from the campsites are detailed, it wasn't great with directions to some of the"nearby food/amenites" locations - but it does give phone numbers so you can ring and find out if you want to (i suppose it saved space).

Bottom line - i've just now discovered on Amazon (sorry - i originally bought cool camping : england in a little camping shop!) that there are companion guides to wales etc ... and I'm going straight out to put them in the shopping basket!

very practical

I'm no expert on cbt or any type of psychology and I'm always slightly wary. CBT, however, was recommended to me by a psychologist to assist me to help my client group - troubled young people. I love the 'for Dummies' series as they are really easy to read but provide you with quite a broad knowledge for a layman. There is a wealth of sound practical advice in this book for everybody and I can't believe how much I'm learning about myself and my incorrect thinking and its effects. This book requires a lot of concentration (although the style of writing is easy) and effort to think the material through and also to complete the exercises but it really is life-changing. I don't know if it works really well for serious mental health problems but it is certainly working for me and I will most definitely be presenting the practices to the young people I work with.

So Glad I Bought It

I only bought one book after having my little boy a year ago and am I glad it was this one. It has covered every aspect for the first year, which you would expect, but it was not one of those books which tells you which way is best. What I mean is, I am still breastfeeding my son at just over one year old and I never felt it pushed the bottle on me or breastfeeding, just gives advice on whatever you feel is best. And lets be honest, we all know what feels right for each of us, we just need a little bit of advice.

My sister has just had her first baby and I have bought the book for her. We have different ideas on things, but we have both felt a great deal of reassurance from this book.

My new bible

Really useful book.
I read it over and over again.
Excellent tips for keeping kids motivated and behaving well.
I have recommended this book to all my friends.

Wild swimming - a must-have

Wild Swimming manages to be both a delightful coffee-table book that one can dip into on a cold winter evening, and also a practical and well-organised guide book. Daniel Start's stunning photographs and lively commentary will entice would-be swimmers to seek out his favourite spots, and the systematic information will enable them to find them. The book lists the key details for each site including the map reference, post code, water quality, a brief description of type of swim and how to get there. It's not just a book for hardened swimmers, Daniel doesn't forget the children suggesting good places to paddle and some innovative ideas for fun on the banks. It's a book for anyone who enjoys wild swimming - or who would like to try it.

Still happening in some cultures

This was, thankfully, a short concise little book, though it does manage to meander in parts. It is because it had the sense to be short and sweet that I gave it 4 rather than 3 stars. (7 out of 10).

Edward and Florence are newly weds at the beginning of the 60's. Sex was still a taboo subject and sex before marriage was not yet the norm. The fears and preconceptions of the wedding night had built up to a pitch. Both parties had concerns but particularly Florence who had little more than a basic 'guide book' on the subject.
How they dealt with the situation is interspersed with gradual details of their restricted pasts to explain how such a relationship had evolved. As we get to know the characters we also progress through the evening and its denouement.

This is the era just prior to the contraceptive pill and 'free love'. I wonder if many of the book's critics were perhaps too young to grasp how huge the changes were that came about at the end of this decade.
We discussed this book at a (mixed) book group, many of whom vouched for the reality of the situation.
Living in Dubai, I would also comment that many other cultures would still be experiencing such First Nights and perhaps the book is not as dated as it might at first seem.

Delicious, interesting food - and I've saved money

This is a fabulous book. I am doing a week from May this week because the recipes sounded particularly scrummy. We had Pot Roast Caribbean Pork last night which was really tender. We substituted a few things from the recipe (I don't like coriander) and it still came out fabulously. Tonight we're looking forward to Goats' Cheese Flatbreads with a chicory and hazelnut salad - using the left over sweet potatoes from yesterday. Initially the shopping list looked daunting - but even though we had to stock up on some larder goodies and basics which we didn't have it still all came to less than £40 (and we did get organic meat). All in all, I think it's a brilliant idea. I can see that if I did live by it, I would certainly save money. What's great is that it doesn't matter if you don't live by it in whole weeks. You can still use it like a 'normal' cookery book and do whatever you feel like -- and you'll save money, eat healthily and seriously widen your repertoire of delicious dishes. What more could you ask for?

Funny little thing :)

Again you find yourself reading a review written by a fan of Philip Pullman's work. I must say, if you are a fan as well - BUY IT! Yet be aware of a slight disapointment, because it is far to short! Bear in mind that I myself am a passionate reader, and I need at least 50 pages to get started, and since this funny little book only contains about 96, I was left with a the small disappointment because I just (like so many others) wanted more. It was gone within the hour that I had recieved it. But if you are searching for a small quick read, a collector's object as a fan or you just want a bit more of Pullman's universe - this is it.

I have to say though, that this is the second pocket book which has been given to us by Pullman so why shouldn't he make a third? Well I hope so. This second one certainly deserves 5 stars, and compliments to the quality and design of this book .

Laugh out loud funny

A friend gave me this book to cheer me up. I was dubious. I'm not always a fan of 'funny' books, as humour can be such a personal thing. Thankfully she was right and I was wrong. This really did make me laugh out loud.

Danny tries to stop being so negative by listening to a man on a bus who tells him that he should say 'yes' more. As to be expected from a man who co-wrote and helped in the mayhem that was 'Are You Dave Gorman', Danny takes it to extremes and decides to say yes to absolutely everything in his life.

My favourite part of the whole book is the episode where he ends up in Amsterdam with a picture of him and his imaginary dog. I won't tell you any more because it will spoil the surprise, so now you have to go and read it.

Annabel Karmel Easy meals

This book is great for those who just don't have any ideas on what to give when starting to wean your baby. My son loves all of the recipies so far, tried a few myself and turned them into a family meal. Easy to follow recipies.

An enduring favourite

Long after having bought this book it is still a firm favourite with my children. The story, which is told in rhyme, has a nicely rhythmic quality that gives the book an almost soothing feel. The illustrations by Alex Scheffler are first class and look bold and colourful. I have yet to see a Donaldson/Scheffler book that either I or my kids haven't liked.

Never sorry about this.

I loved this. I was stuck in a traffic jam, and have rarely enjoyed an hour-long journey to work so much.

Too young (just!) to have listened to the programme from the start, it was good to hear how it evolved. From the very first episode you can spot all the familiar games, and you cannot imagine anyone other than Humph being allowed to chair it. Oh, and the points system used to work too, although nobody cared!

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island is also a gem: there I was, listening to the great and good and Neil Kinnock describing their favourite rounds, nodding my head in agreement.

The show has survived the loss of the incredibly funny Willie Rushton. Stephen Fry, Sandy Toksvig and Paul Merton have fitted in well but, for me, Jeremy Hardy will always take a lot of beating, particularly in the music rounds. I do worry for the future though - could they ever manage without Humph? Certainly Samantha would find it tough, sitting on someone else's right hand.

Put this in a box and throw sugar at it if you like. Or better still, buy it and play it again and again until it wears out.

The only trouble with Clue is that now and again you find yourself unable to hum the original words to the original tune. Love me Tender can really only be sung properly to the tune of the Archers...

A book that falls between two (football) stools

No mistake; this is a book fashioned from a clever concept, but having ploughed through it, I am left unclear as to the mix of Clough biography and the artistic licence added by the author. It is written in a style that becomes grating after about 150 pages. If you really want to know more about the legend of Brian Clough - then pick up one of his biographies (or Peter Taylor's book: with Clough by Taylor). If you want to know more about the events at Leeds in 1974: go to the library and read the newspaper reports of the time. So in short: not a recommended read even for the footbal devotees.