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No Dress Rehearsal (Open Door) Review

No Dress Rehearsal (Open Door) Overview

Lizzie is dead - she just doesn't know it.

Why does everyone ignore her when she needs a little sympathy? She has been in an accident, after all.

The next day, Lizzie goes to work as usual and meets two unusual people, spirits who have been sent to break the bad news. But our Lizzie is not ready to go anywhere. She has yet to say her goodbyes.

Help is at hand with Jan and Jim, messengers who have seen it all before. Before Lizzie crosses to the other side, she'll get her chance to stage the closing scene of a lifetime.

Marian Keyes is one of Ireland’s most successful authors with impressive international success. Her books include This Charming Man: A Novel (William Morrow, 2008); Anybody Out There? (2007); Angels (2002); Sushi for Beginners (2000) and many more. Marian was born in Limerick and lives in Dublin.

THE OPEN DOOR SERIES: An innovative program of original works by some of our most beloved modern writers that was first designed to enhance adult literacy in Ireland. Yet these fresh stories are much more, showcasing new writing from authors such as Roddy Doyle, Nick Hornby, Maeve Binchy and a pantheon of talent. Six charming books will be published each and every season.

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Customer Reviews

Check how many pages before you purchase! - Ms. J. Lichfield - Kent, UK
This was only my second kindle purchase and thought I was getting a whole regular sized paper back. I shall check in the future as this was a great read but not worth the money for the speed with which I finished it.



Great start but yikes... - MomofFive - Florida
I've always enjoyed Marian Keyes' books...very entertaining yet insightful. And this book started out well, too. Light and airy yet touching on something deeper, naturally.

But I agree with others--it was a little too short. And more importantly, contradictory. There are angels but no afterlife? Where are those angels coming from? I found the ending grim and empty. It was like Keyes was trying to put meaning into a meaningless end, but she didn't succeed.



Not a book, just a short story! - Tara Kneitz - Dresden, Germany
I love Marian Keyes. I also like short stories. But for an arguably good short story is not exactly conducive to a good review.
This is a good read, however the scope of the story simply does not allow for either character development, nor is it written well enough to give the reader at least the satisfaction of a real "life lesson", which is obviously its intent.
There's not one novel Ms. Keyes has written that I haven't read and thoroughly enjoyed. I would have gladly paid for this story (rather that than for whatever vapid "women's magazine" it might otherwise have been published in). But the same price as many wonderful full-sized novels? My own fault for not reading the other reviews firt, I suppose.



Wish I had known the intended audience - Gloss -
No plot spoilers in this review (unlike others). I love Marian Keyes and bought this book despite the lukewarm reviews. I neither regret nor am pleased with the decision, and I'm no better off for having read this book.

What no one said in the previous reviews -- and what would have been helpful to know -- is that this book is part of the "Open Door Series." Look it up on Wikipedia.

Apparently it's an Irish series aimed at improving adult literacy. The novellas must meet certain parameters: limited number of words, limited vocabulary. No wonder the book was woefully simple and lacked depth, and no wonder no one has ever heard of it before. Keyes is always an enjoyable read, but this time she fell short. I think she could have done more even within those parameters. For such a short novella (even as far as novellas go, this was VERY truncated), there wasn't even a particularly powerful message. Now I see why, but it still could have had more of an impact than it did. I wish someone had addressed this in previous reviews. It's really not meant to be a "short, powerful message" book -- rather, it's a "short, easy-to-read, adult-literacy" book, almost like a children's book. Also, Keyes ripped off ideas from some of her other books -- which also makes sense, considering that the target audience is unlikely to read her other books.

It should not cost nearly as much as it does, but it's an interesting read for a Keyes fan, I guess. That's the best I can say about it.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 31, 2010 08:00:08

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Elementary Surveying: An Introduction to Geomatics, 10th Edition Review

The book looked old but works fine for me. Ofcourse what should i expect for a used book which i bought just for 2$. But overall i am very satisfied :) Thankyou !!!!

Elementary Surveying: An Introduction to Geomatics, 10th Edition Overview

*This book has been written primarily for freshman and sophomore students at the college level. The authors have concentrated on preparing a readable text that presents basic concepts and practical material. Each of the fundamental areas of modern surveying (geomatics) are discussed. Although the book is elementary, its depth and breadth make it suitable for self study, and for use as a reference by those engaged in the practice of surveying and its related disciplines such as civil engineering, forestry, geography, geology, landscape architecture, and others. *This 10th edition has been completely revised and updated, and includes the newest developments in both field and office procedures in surveying. Many additions and changes have made this the most up-to-date textbook available in surveying. *As with past editions, this text continues to emphasize the presence of errors in surveying, and practical suggestions resulting form the authors' many years of experience are interjected throughout the book.

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Customer Reviews

shipping - student -
Do not buy from this seller takes very long to ship! I purchased this item a week ago and still have not recieved a shipping confermation! I would cancell my order, but it is getting packaged! it should not take 6 buisness days to package a shipment!



Not very helpful - J. Ramirez - Spring,TX
This textbook still has errors in it even though I have the 11th edition, I checked against a copy of the 12th. If they are just going to keep errors in there why put out a newer edition? A person could just stay with an older one. I guess its just a way for publishers to make some money at the expense of students. Also, these authors seem more interested in showing off their knowledge of surveying and calculations than trying to break it down. This is not an intro book but more of an intermediate level course book. The only way I was able to pass my class was that the instructor WAS able to break it down. This book is not friendly to beginners. You are much better off getting Survey Reference Manual by George Cole which is published by PPI.



It was required! - Angela Templeton - Franklin, NC United States
I hate this text book. It is very hard to understand. It was a required text for my class and I did save money by buying it on Amazon vs. the College book store.



Horrible text book - D. Ciaramicoli -
This is the worst text book I have ever used. There are many problems with it. Many of the problems are vauge and unclear in what they are asking. The explainations are confusing and unclear. There are even typos in the book. For each chapter, only about 5 answers are given to the homework problems. This makes it hard to know of you are doing the work correctly. This book is poorly written and extremly over priced. If you can avoid buying it please do. There has to be a better surveying text than this.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 31, 2010 03:01:04

Check Out Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris for $3.76

Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris Review

This memoir - from an Australian journalist who voluntarily transplants herself in Paris, all in the name of luuuuuvvvvv - is quite amusing. I really enjoyed her Anglo take on all things French, and the way she took the reader through her transformation until she was Almost French.

Most aspects of the culture are addressed here, and though I thought it would be prominent, her relationship with the man she moved across the world for is almost ignored. He is only mentioned as her barometer of all things French and how she is doing coping with them.

The descriptions of the food and wine will make you hungry. The descriptions of human interaction made me shake my head (openly insulting each other in stores? Crazy!) And the fashion? I don't get it at all.

But I really really enjoyed it!!

(*)>

Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris Feature

• ISBN13: 9781592400829
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris Overview

A delightful, fresh twist on the travel memoir, Almost French takes us on a tour that is fraught with culture clashes but rife with deadpan humor.

Sarah Turnbull’s stint in Paris was only supposed to last a week. Chance had brought Sarah and Frédéric together in Bucharest, and on impulse she decides to take him up on his offer to visit him in the world’s most romantic city. Sacrificing Vegemite for vichyssoise, the feisty journalist does her best to fit in, although her conversation, her laugh, and even her wardrobe advertise her foreign status.

But as she navigates the highs and lows of this strange new world, from life in a bustling quartier and surviving Parisian dinner parties to covering haute couture fashion shows and discovering the paradoxes of French culture, little by little Sarah falls under its spell: maddening, mysterious, and charged with that French specialty—seduction.

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• Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong: Why We Love France but Not the French

Customer Reviews

Could You Move to Paris on a Whim for "The One?" - Natalie Miele - Neptune Beach, FL
Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris by Sarah Turnbull is a memoir about the Australian author's time in Paris as she falls in love, learns the culture (or tries to fit in), and tries to get consistent work as a journalist. Perhaps it was because it was a travel memoir and fitting in that I thought so often of Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert, but within pages it held a completely separate voice for me.

Sarah Turnbull has taken time off from her job in Australia to travel Europe -- she figures that she might as well do it now since she can afford to take the time and she has no commitments -- after all, why wait until much later in life when work and family obligations might get in the way? Off she goes to Europe, and while in Bucharest, she meets Frederic, and decides to do something different than she's ever done before and completely change her plans -- go to Paris to stay with a guy that she only met for a few days in Bucharest. Throwing caution to the wind she goes -- and settles into Paris and tries to find her place within the culture and the job market.

This book is a hit in Australia and it was definitely a really pleasant read. I enjoyed her moments of confusion in trying to understand fashion and language, and there is one particular moment that I spluttered my coffee out with laughter for my combined shock and for feeling the author's complete embarrassment -- a simple moment in which she asks her new boyfriend in front of his friends if he would like his smoking pipe, when she mistakenly really asked him if he, ahem...would like something, um, sexual to occur. Made me laugh out loud!I felt for her trying to fit in and get used to it all, and as I've traveled quite a bit in my life and lived in multiple locations, I felt my understanding and my frustrations for her experiences grow as I read each page. It's tough to fit in sometimes!

The only aspect that found me a little wanting was that I felt she wrote with such great detail on so many events and moments, but she skipped quite a bit on the love she had with Frederic which was the ultimate reason which compelled her to move to Paris in the first place. Perhaps it was out of respect for their intimacies (completely understandable) and perhaps I'm just an old romantic at heart, but I felt a tad removed from the blossoming love that they experienced within their relationship that would so compel this grounded and logical woman to completely forgo her plan to travel all of Europe and instead, after one week of meeting with a man, to move instead to Paris to begin life anew.

Sarah Turnbull's descriptions of Parisian life, the eccentric characters she meets in a new neighborhood, and her ability (or lack thereof) to fit in fashionably at first, were quite endearing and offered a fun snapshot into her life. I cheered for her to find the right job, and enjoyed her journalistic cadence as Turnbull related each event with sometimes a distant voice and sometimes with close up scrutiny, one that ultimately turns into quite a fun trip into Parisian culture!



a mixed bag - Mary H. Lesser - Valdese, NC
The writer is at her best when she's describing Paris and at her worst when she's whining about how the French are so, well, French. Probably the least self-aware personal account of anything I've ever read.



Almost French an Insightful Memoir - PamelaLMFT -
As a Francophile and traveler to France, I found Sarah Turnbull's absorbing life-in-France exploration particularly helpful in understanding the subtleties and perplexities of French culture and mores. She writes in a charming, articulate, self-effacing style. I laughed out loud several times. And she describes her adventures in such a warm, intimate style that I felt I was learning right along with her, almost face to face. Her scrutiny is sharp, but affectionate. No one escapes her incisive observations--especially herself--but her steadfast love of the French permeates the work. Delightful and recommended. Merci.




*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 30, 2010 22:20:06

Check Out Microbiology: A Photographic Atlas for the Laboratory for $36.97

Microbiology: A Photographic Atlas for the Laboratory Review

It is one of the beast books I ever owned in practical microbiology, it covers a wide range of the subjects with simple and easy language that any one interested in microbiology will be pleased with the book, joinor to graduate level. Reading through out the book you get the feeling you listening to professional instructor.

Microbiology: A Photographic Atlas for the Laboratory Overview

Tailored for the introductory microbiology laboratory course, the book features approximately 400 color photographs that demonstrate the results of laboratory procedures and show the morphology of important microorganisms. The photographs demonstrate the unique characteristics of common microorganisms and also their appearance after various stains and tests. Many of the photographs are labeled to point out important structures. The clearly written descriptions accompanying the photos helps students understand and, in some cases, achieve the results depicted in the photographs. Each laboratory procedure has the following sections: a Purpose and Procedure Summary, Tips for Success, and Expected Results. For anyone interested in microorganisms.

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Customer Reviews

Exactly what I wanted - Moomba - USA
The book is exactly what I wanted...great condition..shipping was fast...
I am extremely pleased.



Good Seller - Larry Or Susan Bellan -
Book came in on time and was in excellent condition.

Better than expected.



Excellent lab supplement - M. Reis - Callifornia
This laboratory atlas is very helpful for a beginning Microbiology class. The slide pictures are very clear and all of the explanations of organisms and experiments are very easy to understand. I already recommended this book to some of my classmates.




*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 30, 2010 11:25:05

Check Out A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines for $7.94

A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines Review

"A Cook's Tour" by the wonderfully worldly and well-traveled Anthony Bourdain, is a book about food like no other, and it is simultaneously entertaining, exciting, and revolting. Tony travels the world in search of the perfect meal; it's an exciting quest for any chef to ponder, but along the way he comes across numerous local delicacies that can be best described as only for the strong of heart.

Although he encounters several problems with dishes from around the world (the Mexican sautéed ant eggs and Scottish deep-fried haggis with curry sauce and deep fried egg stand out), the most stunning for my money are the things he eats in Asia, and especially Vietnam. I for one would not be able to eat the traditional Vietnamese breakfast of soft-boiled duck embryo complete with feathers, followed by a steaming bowl of "chao muk", a hearty soup made from ginger, sprouts, cilantro, shrimp, squid, chives, pork-blood cake, and croutons; later Tony enjoyed some braised bat ("imagine braised inner tube, sauced with engine coolant"). Even worse than that, though, is the concept of eating a still-beating cobra heart, after a very special snake disemboweling ceremony.

While Vietnam takes the proverbial cake, the book features other gastronomic nightmares from around the globe, with Japan coming in second in the contest for unusual and disturbing foodstuffs. The foodie tour of Japan started out benignly enough, with an appetizer of "amuse-gueule of hoshigaka goma-an" (dried persimmon and fried soy curd with sesame paste), but quickly progressed to things like "suppon-dofu" (a soft-shell turtle in egg pudding with green onion and turtle broth), and culminated in the classic and beloved Japanese delicacy, "natto", which Bourdain describes as "an unbelievably foul, rank, slimy, glutinous, and stringy goop of fermented soybeans". After the natto, Bourdain finished with a dish described as "mountain potato": of this he said, "I could only handle a single taste. To this day, I have no idea what it really was.... The small, dark, chewy nugget can only be described as tasting like salt-cured, sun-dried goat rectum".

Throughout the book, Bourdain maintains his wry, sarcastic sense of humor, possibly as a survival tool to get him through his next meal. He mocks a vegan potluck dinner as the "real heart of darkness", discusses fabled and exotic foods such as the unbelievably rank durian fruit, and always manages to do it while being respectful of local traditions and cultures very different from his existence in New York City. This is a great book for anyone interested in foods and cultures of the world, and I recommend it highly!

A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines Overview

The only thing "gonzo gastronome" and internationally bestselling author Anthony Bourdain loves as much as cooking is traveling. Inspired by the question, "What would be the perfect meal?," Tony sets out on a quest for his culinary holy grail, and in the process turns the notion of "perfection" inside out. From California to Cambodia, A Cooks' Tour chronicles the unpredictable adventures of America's boldest and bravest chef.

A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines Specifications

A Cook's Tour is the written record of Anthony Bourdain's travels around the world in his search for the perfect meal. All too conscious of the state of his 44-year-old knees after a working life standing at restaurant stoves, but with the unlooked-for jackpot of Kitchen Confidential as collateral, Mr. Bourdain evidently concluded he needed a bit more wind under his wings.

The idea of "perfect meal" in this context is to be taken to mean not necessarily the most upscale, chi-chi, three-star dining experience, but the ideal combination of food, atmosphere, and company. This would take in fishing villages in Vietnam, bars in Cambodia, and Tuareg camps in Morocco (roasted sheep's testicle, as it happens); it would stretch to smoked fish and sauna in the frozen Russian countryside and the French Laundry in California's Napa Valley. It would mean exquisitely refined kaiseki rituals in Japan after yakitori with drunken salarymen. Deep-fried Mars Bars in Glasgow and Gordon Ramsay in London. The still-beating heart of a cobra in Saigon. Drink. Danger. Guns. All with a TV crew in tow for the accompanying series--22 episodes of video gold, we are assured, featuring many don't-try-this-at-home shots of the author in gastric distress or crawling into yet another storm drain at four in the morning.

You are unlikely to lay your hands on a more hectically, strenuously entertaining book for some time. Our hero eats and swashbuckles round the globe with perfect-pitch attitude and liberal use of judiciously placed profanities. Bourdain can write. His timing is great. He is very funny and is under no illusions whatsoever about himself or anyone else. But most of all, he is a chef who got himself out of his kitchen and found, all over the world, people who understand that eating well is the foundation of harmonious living. --Robin Davidson, Amazon.co.uk

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Customer Reviews

secrets of a chef - Katherine L. Cecil -
enjoyed the book very much, had memories of working in my dads' restaurant while i was in high school. It reinforced my desire to be a nurse.



A Cook's Tour I'd Like To Go On... - bizallyson -
I'm a huge fan of Travel Channel's "No Reservations," and this in depth look at the initial trips that gave rise to the franchise did not disappoint. The writing is tight and funny, and I always appreciate Mr. Bourdain's respect for other cultures. A fun read, and inspirational to expanding the reader's palette. Plan to get hungry!



Funny, outrageous and informative at the same time. - Miriam Brumer -
Bourdain combines a zest for the outrageous, total honesty and an enormous curiousity about places and their foods.
The result is a book that keeps you chuckling (sometimes while shaking your head in disbelief) and simultaneously totally informed about the countries he visits and the culinary adventures he experiences in them.



Much better than the tv show - A. Leicher -
I'm a huge Bourdain fan. Kitchen Confidential is one of my favorite books of all time. His initial foray into TV on the Food Network was ok at best. This book reveals some of why that was the case, giving insights into the tv production process here and there.

However, what I love about this book is that it has a soul and is revealing and emotional in ways that Food Network probably wasn't interested in. This book is much more akin to what No Reservations has become - a show about exploring food and foreign cultures and being open to learning and experiencing new things in the world.

This book is at times moving (the chapter in France - if you've lost a parent, you'll feel the same way) funny and always interesting. A great read, which I've returned to many times over the years.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 30, 2010 06:21:05

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Turn Left At The Trojan Horse: A Would-Be Hero's American Odyssey Review

I heard of this book quite by accident, reading the first chapter in a US Airways in-flight magazine and becoming intrigued by the book's premise and promise. I was also moved to know more about the author, whose first chapter offers a self-effacing summary of his time in the hot seat of Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

Certainly the travelogue has been done before, but Herzog's book teases out an entirely new angle, hopscotching from one "mythical" town to the next enroute to a reunion at Cornell, roughly approximating a Homeric journey to discover the hero within. Herzog's knowledge of Greek mythology surfaces comfortably within the book, perfectly complementing the present-day locales and characters he encounters in towns like Athena, Troy and Pandora. Never mind that Herzog calls Pacific Grove--Steinbeck country--his home. This is not "Travels with Charley," but rather a work of humor and history and self-reflection that never preaches. He sticks to the road he's on and finds heroes who glory in the smallest tasks "leaves a greater understanding of the heroic ideal." For all its accessibility, Herzog's narrative offers up genuine poetic depth and rhythm. For example, he describes the Ohio landscape in this way: "long shadows creeping down silos and cherry red barns, which looked almost regal amid the approaching sunset, as if drawing life from the dying light." Later, he documents the dichotomy of a tractor pull and posits it as a metaphor for his own life--craving energy but longing for traction.

In the end, Herzog arrives "home" in every sense, neatly summarizing his tale with the ideal and the proof that in this country, heroes exist both in an around us.

Turn Left At The Trojan Horse: A Would-Be Hero's American Odyssey Feature

• ISBN13: 9780806532028
• Condition: New
• Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Turn Left At The Trojan Horse: A Would-Be Hero's American Odyssey Overview

Turn Left at the Trojan Horse has been described as On the Road meets Eat, Pray, Love because it goes well beyond a road trip. More than just a funny and profound narrative of Brad Herzog's cross-country trek toward a college reunion in Ithaca (New York) and more than another reimagining of Odysseus's ancient journey (he visits places like Troy, OR... Iliad, MT... Apollo, PA...), it is a memoir exploring the parameters of a heroic existence - by chronicling the lives of people in America's oft-ignored spaces, by examining the universal truths embedded in ancient myths, and by undertaking a fair bit of self-evaluation. It is the memoir of an Everyman searching for the hero within. (added by author)

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Customer Reviews

An education in life, art, travel and history! What a ride. - John C. Coleman Jr. - Southington, CT USA
I read an excerpt of Brad's book after learning about it on an RV travel site. After two pages I turned on my trusty Nook and bought it. What a pleasure to read and at the same time causing me to expand my resource library. Within 50 pages I needed Homer's books to reference and with Brad's knowledge of words I needed my well worn dictionary. Don't get me wrong, this is avarice to my mind and learning. I have become a full time RV traveler and revel in the little stops along the highways of America, what a rich country we are gifted to live in.

Ultimately, I contacted Brad and thanked him for such a wonderful book. I have recommended it to all my friends and mentioned it on my personal web page on travel.

Now I have to buy Brad's other books and expand my horizons. Thanks Brad, one great ride next to a great wordsmith!

So, what's next? How about a southern trip?

John Coleman




Excellent! - D. Sherman - Santa Barbara, CA
For years, I have read the alumni magazine of Cornell, and every couple issues I would find a fantastic article, usually about some quixotic soul with a unique talent, history, or perspective. After a while, I realized they were always written by Brad Herzog, and I've been a fan of his writing ever since. I loved "States of Mind" and my affection for his writing only grew with "Turn Left at the Trojan Horse."

His eye for detail, his capacity for words, his ability to relate modern and classical contexts, and his refreshing self-examination combined for a unique, and meaningful read. If you are like me, reading "Turn Left," will lead to reminiscences of road trips, reflections on the question at the heart of the book "what is a hero?" and an appreciation for how looking back can help one look forward.



A Journey I Recommend - Former TV News Guy - Michigan
The best non-fiction writing takes you to places you otherwise wouldn't be able to go and introduces you to people you otherwise wouldn't be able to meet.

Brad Herzog does both in "Turn Left" and it's a ride that makes you think, wonder and laugh. As he explores his own life, while visiting the lives of others, Brad makes you think about your own, but not dwell for too long, as you eagerly await the next chapter and next phase of his journey.

While I'm not a fan of Greek mythology, Brad helped educate me along the way through his explanatory writing while his descriptive style and "real man" touch helped me feel like I was along for the ride.

I only have time to read a few books a year. I'm glad this was one of them.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 30, 2010 00:18:05

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Gomorrah (Tie-In): Italy's Other Mafia Review

There are times that Robert Saviano's debut can be a bit slow at times with his knack for details, but what else could you expect from an investigative journalist? The majority of the book is gritty and gripping. Completely discounting the glamorized image created in beloved films such as Godfather and Goodfellas,Saviano aims to show the world the truly reprehensible nature of the Mafia in Southern Italy. Beyond the sickeningly gruesome methods of torture and assassination towards anyone and everyone who dares declare dissent, as a reader, you will be astounded as to just how extensive the Camorra's power is in the economic realm of not only Southern Italy, but all of Europe. The Camorra control the counterfeit industry, the cement and building industry in Italy, and the toxic waste management industry. The Camorra is relentless in its pursuits-- anyone who gets in the way of their livelihoods is mowed over and made unrecognizable. Do not expect any emotional or sentimental passages from Saviano either; this book is his ultimate revenge. He gets straight to the point. You sense that he is bitter to the point that he is numb-- you read descriptions of kids killed violently, but you imagine Saviano has seen this all too often. What makes this book leave such an indelible mark is that all the accounts and stories are true. Saviano had the courage to publish a book that tells it as it is. Excellent read, but be warned, you'll be left with some startling and disturbing knowledge afterwards.

Gomorrah (Tie-In): Italy's Other Mafia Overview

Published to coincide with the eponymous blockbuster film, Roberto Saviano's groundbreaking and utterly compelling book is a major international bestseller. Since publishing his searing expose of their criminal activities, the author has received so many death threats from the Camorra that he has been assigned police protection. Known by insiders as 'the System', the Camorra, an organized crime network with a global reach and large stakes in construction, high fashion, illicit drugs and toxic-waste disposal, exerts a malign grip on cities and villages along the Neapolitan coast is the deciding factor in why Campania has the highest murder rate in all of Europe and why cancer levels there have skyrocketed in recent years. In pursuit of his subject, Saviano worked as an assistant at a Chinese textile manufacturer and on a construction site, both controlled by 'the System', and as a waiter at a Camorra wedding. Born in Naples, he recalls seeing his first murder at the age of fourteen, and how his own father, a doctor, suffered a brutal beating for trying to help an eighteen-year-old victim, left for dead in the street. "Gomorrah" is both a bold and engrossing piece of investigative writing and one heroic young man's impassioned story of a place under the rule of a murderous organization.

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Customer Reviews

Powerful, devastating - Lisa Simeone - Baltimore, MD United States
Admittedly, it's hard to add anything new to the well-deserved praise this book has already received. But I feel that every voice raised, every Bravo spoken, every gesture of support extended, will somehow help Roberto Saviano as he sits in what has become the cage of his life.

Saviano is a hero, and this powerful, devastating book is a cri de coeur.

Although he doesn't stint in describing the savagery of the Camorra, and the book is filled with specific details -- names, dates, places, numbers -- Saviano's writing is at times florid, poetic, even metaphysical. I love this style and think it renders his exposé all the more powerful, but I realize it's not everyone's cup of tea. Some readers will prefer a more nitty-gritty, "just the facts, ma'am" brand of storytelling.

Regardless, you cannot come away from this book and look at Italy, or indeed the rest of the world, in quite the same way again. The acknowledgment of that transformative power seems to me the highest praise one can give.



One of the best books I've ever read - Geoffrey Santoliquido - Cary, NC USA
Saviano has opened up the southern Italian organized crime system for all of us to see. He should be considered a national hero to all Italians and I understand that he is. I could not put this book down once I started reading it and thankfully it has been translated into English in a beautiful way. I found that I had to frequently remind myself that this is a non-fiction book because the vastness and depth of the horrors that Saviano describes are unreal. My favorite line in this book: "I know and I can prove it." I completely recommend that you read this book: "Gomorrah" by Roberto Saviano. It will blow your mind, I promise you.

Saviano has just last week released a second book. I look forward to finding it in English language soon.



Rage Spilled on Paper - Raymond Hovsepian - los angeles, ca United States
This book is very disconnected. The prose is all over the place in describing the Camorra crime syndicate around Naples. But it is very powerful. It seems that Saviano wrote it in rage and he had all of it bottled up inside of him and he just let go on the printed page. You may want to get yourself a little familiarized with the roots of Camorra before you dive into the book. But once you dive in, you get sucked into an abyss of an underground world that has its tentacles reaching the legitimate business world touching millions of lives, not only in Italy but also in all of Europe. I definitely recommend it but only after reading a little background on the Camorra.




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