Dictionary Reviews

I, originally, heard about this book at Amazon.com, and then later learned that Emeril Lagasse (celebrity chef) recommended this book. In fact, I just used the book when my mother-in-law was in town. We were ordering Chinese food and we wondered what the difference was between chow mien noodles and lo mien noodles...and it's in there!

There is a section in the back that helps you choose herbs and spices to go with certain foods, where to get more information about certain foods, oven temperatures, conversions from metric to imperial, what some common additives found in your food are, food conversions (1 apple = 1/3 pound), common British and American terminologies as well as meat charts (so you can see what cuts of meat come from which part of the animal)!

I definitely recommend this book to everyone, whether you are a great cook or just starting out. This book has everything you need to know!

The fun doesn't stop with the photographs, however. Written in close concert with Lucasfilm, the book provides greater insight into the film by providing information about even minor characters with little screen time. As a result, the next time readers watch EPISODE I, they'll find themselves recalling these tidbits, and enjoying the movie even more than they did before.

Readers, adults and children alike, will find this Visual Dictionary a delight, and it will rarely stay on the shelf. Fun to read cover-to-cover, or just to leaf through, the book is an excellent addition to any STAR WARS fan's collection, and comes very close to being a must-have.

The text comes in the form of easy-to-digest nuggets. The book covers characters, ships, weapons, clothing, robots, animals, and other elements from the movie. The text offers intriguing little tidbits of info about the SW universe (although I imagine that more devoted fans may argue about how "canonical" this info is).

A nice aspect of the book is the fact that barely glimpsed elements in the film are given loving attention here. For example, you can "meet" the members of the Jedi Council more intimately. I liked the comparative size chart of Naboo sea monsters. And the fashion-oriented will have a great time exploring the ornate costumes worn by Queen Amidala and others. Overall, this book is a lot of fun.

A better read than the original Star Wars dictionary as that edition had to compress down into one volume all three of the trilogy.

Several snappy filler and transition words designed to initiate or continue a conversation are offered to help reduce the problem of becoming entangled in a web of confusion which often leaves you speechless or embarrassed. Many commonly used verbs, etc. are presented in context with enough examples explaining their usage, with a view to eliminating the situation that can arise where some statements, though said in good faith and innocence, can be construed as obscene or insulting.

Popular expletives, as used among native speakers, are included to add a bit of spice and variety since these expressions form a part of every living language. Therefore, each student ought to become familiar with these everyday expressions, if only for the sake of knowledge. This book is worth the price.

I recommended this book to my sister, who appreciates Mexican music as much as I do, and she asked if her favorite songwriters, Agustin Lara, Cuco Sanchez, and Jose Alfredo Jimenez, were included. To her delight, I answered that they were. Ramiro Burr has not left out anybody!

I highly recommend this book. If you enjoy Tejano and Regional Mexican music or want to learn more about this type of music, than this is the book you need as there is no other book like it available; it is an essential guide, well-researched and entertaining.

Ramiro Burr, thanks for writing this marvelous book!

I am an American Muslim who is able to speak Arabic, but could use improvement in my reading/writing skills.

Initially I read another book called "Arabic for the English Speaking Student" and each chapter seemed like a crash course in something. That book was rich in content, but lacked somewhat in its approach.

This book is extremely well written, extremely smooth in its transition from one topic to another and very logical in its introduction of rules/letters.

The book helped me TREMENDOUSLY. A lot of the grammer rules that I previously did not quite comprehend were immediately demystified by this book. Techniques of how to write the Arabic letters neatly were explained very well. So many other ways this book shines.

Regardless of skill level, this book is an excellent starting point for someone who wants to read/write Arabic such as The Holy Quran, intellectual Arabic newspapers, etc.

After mastering its content, this book becomes an excellent reference. I agree with some of the other reviews that call for multimedia content to complement this book.

Highly recommend.

Everyone knows the plot in outline. A gifted and yet simple sailor, Dantes, is the victim of a conspiracy involving thwarted love, greed, and unbridled ambition. By eliminating him, three men get what they want and move brilliantly into the rapidly changing and corrupt French society. They forget Dantes, who is isolated in despair in a notorious political dungeon, the Chateau d'If. While in prison, he meets an Italian savant who tunnels into his room and who teaches him the entire pantheon of classical knowledge, which he memorised as a tutor to princes; he also harbors a secret about an immense treasure on the island of Monte Cristo. Dantes escapes, finds the treasaure, and sets about creating an elaborate series of traps to wreak vengence on the three men who condemned him. This occurs in about the 1st 250 pages of the book. At this point, after doing some good for a family that had tried to help him, Dantes' interior dialogue - so vivid as he figures out who betrayed him and learns to hate them while learning the love the Italian savant as a 2nd father - becomes silent to the reader. What Dantes then does is insinuate himelf into French high society, creating relationships with the 3 men and their families with a cunning that can only be called genius. This takes place over about 700 pages and is an indictment of the society that Dumas despised. Though the Count is falling in love, his hatred is so implacable and cold as to render him an automaton of vengence. Then, in the last 3rd of the book as the train of destruction he created is set in motion, Dantes is again reborn as a man who can feel and reflect on what he has done. It is a moving apotheosis of redemption and regret.

What is so amazing about the story is that, as outlandish as some of the plot twists and coincidences are, the reader is (or at least I was) swept into a fast-moving narrative that is irresistably readable. In doing so, Dumas helped to spawn an entirely new genre of novel: the psychological thriller, or adventure that provokes reflection and awe. Its depth is beyond a simple swashbuckler. Its world is complete in sumptuous and realistic detail while remaining too fantastic to believe. Its characters are so complex and yet such romantic ideals as they evolve. Moreover, there are also a number of symbols throughout the book, evoking Christian and pagan themes, so that the book can be interpreted on a number of levels.

This is one of the best novels I ever read and certainly Dumas' best. Though it took me an entire summer to get through it, I will never forget it. For those of you who read French, Dumas' language is stunningly clear and graceful, while using a vocabulary that is easily accessible. Highest recommendation.

However this book does have some flaws. It gives the size of the Executor SSD at 8,000 meters, it has since been agreed that the Executor is closer to 18.5 KMs in length LARGER that the Eclipse by a full kilometer Lucas himself has apparently confirmed this. Also the Victory and Imperial Star Destroyers have the pictures mixed up.

Apart from these flaws it is an interesting book.

PROS:
-If you're a fan of the Star Wars films, and you're interested in reading about the technical aspects of craft like the X-Wing fighter and the Imperial-Class Star Destroyer, this book will have more than enough information to make you happy.
-The book covers the expanded universe! This means the vehicles from Shadows Of The Empire appear here, as do vehicles that show up in later novels, comic books, video games, etc. Even if you're just a fan of the films, the information on the expanded universe will fascinate you.
-This book is readily available in most major bookstores (B. Dalton, Barnes And Noble, Borders, etc.) You shouldn't have any trouble finding it.
-The price for this book is very good, considering all the information it has to offer. This is a worthwhile purchase if you're a Star Wars fan.

CONS:
-The major problem with this book is that it was released circa 1997. This means it came out before 1999, and accordingly the vehicles exclusive to the prequel films, Episode I and Episode II, don't appear in here.
-The only pictures in the book are black-and-white sketches. I would have liked to see some more detailed pictures, preferably in color.

OVERALL:
If you're a Star Wars fan, I guarantee this book will fascinate you. If you're not a fan of the Star Wars series but know somebody who is, this makes a great gift. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Ferat's etchings are wonderful snapshots of the action, with the exception of a few sad reprints with far too much ink that render some scenes nearly unseeable. His portrayal of the castaways battling a whale may not be accurate (In fairness, how many anatomical renditions of sea life were really available for study in the 1800's?) but the spiky-flippered sea monster he creates is awe-inspiring.

Unfortunately, some of these pictures are placed on pages that come before the actual events in the text and they, along with the introductions, often give away major plot points. The chapter sub-headings are equally guilty of spoiling surprises and you have to train yourself not to peek so nothing important is given away. Because of when this was written there is an uncomfortable moment or two where racism and stereotyping come into play i.e.; the black man who remains with his master out of devotion even after being freed and an orangutan's face being described as 'almost human' like 'that of an Aborigine', but they quickly disappear as characters evolve. This book is strangely listed as being abridged but nowhere in the book itself is there any indication that the translator has cut anything.

3 1/2 stars for a literary classic that has finally had justice done to it and now actually begs to be read by all ages. It doesn't bludgeon you over the head with outdated language or force you to overanalyze themes. It's ideal for summer reading but won't turn you brain into jelly. As Pencroft would say 'Hurrah!'

Everyone is familiar with Around the World in 80 Days and 20,000 Leagues. For some reason, The Mysterious Island is not read as widely. Yet, in my opinion, it is Verne's best and most rewarding novel.

The opening of Myserious Island reads a bit like a serious version of "Wizard of Oz." Cyrus, Pencroft, Herbert, and Gideon, and a dog named Neb make a daring escape from a Civil War prison in a balloon, but the balloon is blown way off course to an uncharted volcanic island. These men are worthy souls; Captain Cyrus is an inspiring leader, Pencroft, an earthy but hardworking sailor. Gideon is kind of a "everyman" -- observant, strong and resourceful and loving, and Herbert a young, knowlegeable naturalist. These men and their dog Neb conquer the island's challenges and make the very best out of their isolation on the small island. But are they prepared for the surprises the island has for them--and the ultimate surprise in the second half of the book. The suspense keeps the reader turning the pages through a great deal of descriptive information about nature, chemistry, physics and engineering. This is classic Verne and what really put the Science in Science Fiction.

One reason Mysterious Island may not have developed the strong audience of the other Verne novels is that there is so much detail and scientific discussion. That is rough going if you have little interest in such subjects. There are abridged versions that cut a lot of the description, but frankly, the science is what I love best about the book. How Cyrus and company make nitroglycerin and use it to reshape their island home is one of my favorite chapters in sci-fi literature.

If you liked Swiss Family Robinson as a child, you would surely enjoy Mysterious Island. It's one of Verne's best works and deserves to be read.

Mention Jules Verne, and books that spring to mind are 20,000 Leagues, Around the World in 80 days, and Journey to the Center of the Earth. The Mysterious Island is one of his lesser known works, which is something of a mystery itself.

The book surpasses one's imagination and never fails to surprise. From the initial pages when Capt. Cyrus Harding and his friends decide to escape from a prison camp, the story seizes the complete attention of the reader, and unfolds at a pace and in a direction excelling Jules Verne's characteristic stories. The spirit and ingenuity of man is demonstrated in almost every page, as Cyrus and Co. find themselves marooned on a deserted island, and armed with only their wits, transform their desperate situation into a wonder world of science and technology. The reader is drawn into the adventure and finds himself trying to find solutions to the problems and obstacles that lie in plenty for the castaways, as Cyrus and his indomitable friends surmount myriad problems in their fight for survival. They are aided in their ventures by an uncanny and eerie source that remains a mystery until the very end.

This book cannot fail to fascinate and inspire awe in the mind of any reader. One begins to grasp the marvels and inventive genius behind the simple daily conveniences and devices that are normally taken for granted. The line between reality and fantasy is incredibly thin, and for sheer reading pleasure and boundless adventure, this book will never cease to please.

PS: The book has been adapted into a movie, which is one of the worst adaptations of any novel that I have ever had the misfortune of viewing. It is criminal to even mention the movie and the original work in the same breath.