Average customer rating:
- Not Engaging
- I'm a fan of Neal Stephenson and I enjoyed this book.
- Fantastic start, disappointing finish
- Intriguing, but a disappointing end
- Scarlett Thomas is ace!
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PopCo
Scarlett Thomas
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 015603137X |
Book Description
PopCo tells the story of Alice Butler-a subversively smart girl in our commercial-soaked world who grows from recluse orphan to burgeoning vigilante, buttressed by mystery, codes, math, and the sense her grandparents gave her that she could change the world.
Alice-slight introvert, crossword compositor- works at PopCo, a globally successful and slightly sinister toy company. Lured by their CEO to a Thought Camp out on the moors, PopCo's creatives must invent the ultimate product for teenage girls. Meanwhile, Alice receives bizarre, encrypted messages she suspects relate to her grandfather's decoding of a centuries-old manuscript that many-including her long-disappeared father-believe leads to buried treasure. Its key, she's sure, is engraved on the necklace she's been wearing since she was ten. Using the skills she learned from her grandparents and teaching us aspects of cryptanalysis, Alice discovers the source of these creepy codes. Will this lead her to the mysterious treasure or another, even more carefully guarded secret?
Customer Reviews:
Not Engaging.......2007-10-08
Unfortunately, this book was so poor that I chose not finish. I did not find the main character, Alice, likeable at all. The author went on and on about Alice's unusual habits, how she chose to dress out of style and didn't want to be part of any group or have any friends. It seemed like she was trying to hard to be different. But then she goes and has sex with a guy without even speaking to him first!
In addition to the plot, there were pages and pages of math and information on breaking codes. Some was interesting, especially the part about creative thinking methods, but the rest was just monotonous. Very disappointing book!
I'm a fan of Neal Stephenson and I enjoyed this book........2007-08-25
Some other reviewers mentioned the meandering plot and it seemed to me to be an integral part of the story. At one point the narrator states that the rich don't read or finish books that don't have to do with 'moving cheese' or business tactics. It occurred to me that the first 4/5th's of the book are a test to see if you're sympathetic to the author's ideas. It is a very anti-corporate novel with all the monkey wrenching shown only at the end. The mystery code, while a major plot point, is really analogous to the search for the author's/narrator's point or goal for her life. The search for the answer to the code really being about the journey, not the discovery. Over all, a very wise novel and a lot less preachy than other books with the same ideals.
Fantastic start, disappointing finish.......2007-06-13
I really am SO disappointed! About halfway through this book I was thinking to myself "wow, this is one of the best books I have ever read". It was making me think, I was learning a bit about something new to me (encryption), I liked the characters, I was enjoying the build-up of a mystery.... and then....
not much.
The ending was ordinary. Which is fine for a book which is ordinary all the way through. But the first 2/3 of this book are exceptional. Which make the weak ending hard to swallow.
Maybe this book really deserves 4 stars, but I just finished it and am feeling a bit bitter. I hope the writer doesn't feel pressured to rush to an ending on her next book. It may have taken an extra two hundred pages to give this story a more exciting/thoughtful ending, but it would have been worth it if it was up to the quality of the beginning of the book!
Intriguing, but a disappointing end.......2007-04-27
This is a book with so much promise. The central character, Alice, is intriguing and the characters who surround her, particularly her grandparents, are real and likeable. The author keeps several plotlines on the boil at once, and all of them get you in: now-Alice as she struggles through a work conference in rural England, then-Alice as a child growing up in her grandparents' household with a growing interest in codes and cryptography and a mystery where someone at work is sending Alice encoded messages. Scarlett Thomas really gets you in and hooks you into the story, while doing a great job explaining code concepts, as good as Neal Stephenson in Cryptonomicon.
Unfortunately about two thirds of the way through the novel everything Thomas has built up started to just run out of steam. Alice starts having various crises of confidence both in the contemporary storyline and in her flashbacks and it all just starts to get a bit tedious.
For me, Thomas fails to bring any of the various storylines she has developed to any kind of satisfying conclusion. Most limp to a whimpering conclusion. A couple actually peter out altogether. The main "mystery" that's run throughout the book is a complete disappointment, with the denouement being a large dose of ill-thought out "let's all just only ever buy organic products and oppose globalisation" speechifying. I found myself reading the wooly-headed hugfest ending and exclaiming out loud "oh, please".
Such a pity for a book with such initial promise to end up like this!
Scarlett Thomas is ace!.......2006-11-13
PopCo - the book to end all books. A mystery crammed with wide-ranging social, political, psychological, and even theological discourse on everything. Like Prego, the tomato sauce brand, "it's in there".
First a minor quibble, not material to propelling the plot. (Page 363 of the American edition of PopCo.) Whit Diffie gets the usual short shrift. He pretty much single-handedly conjured up asymmetric key crypto. Hellman, Merkle, Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman offered, later, different implementations of the idea. The RSA implementation, based on the difficulty of factoring a large integer into its two large prime factors, became the darling of mathematicians, but was comparatively rarely used due to its slowness. The Diffie-Hellman protocol, however, is based on the discrete logarithm concept, which is considered to be much tougher than factoring. (The possibility that either the NSA or the GCHQ knew PKC is obviously interesting but irrelevant.)
The obsession with Voynich would seem to require at least a partial illustration.
Her very quiet, almost imperceptibly subtle remark (page 282), that the task of factoring is in NP whereas the task of verifying said factoring is in P, deserves applause. Most readers will miss it, but her explanation will find its way into their subconscious.
The Piet Hein quote (page 289) is my favorite. The only better, albeit much longer, explanation of recursion, is Vladimir Nabokov's Ultima Thule. If you have not read it, I urge you to read it twice.
She even manages to bring up, covertly, the notion of stegano (pages 222-224). I don't know if she intended the koan, but she succeeded rather demurely.
Jorge Luis Borges alluded to a grand library (page 411) as the cushy reward awaiting (readers and writers, mostly) in the afterlife.
Alice is not Scarlett, but Fourth Estate is a mirror-brand.
Are you happy?
Some questions may have no answers, but Scarlett Thomas is ace! And PopCo is a must read.
Customer Reviews:
Kelly's Chance.......2006-03-02
This is a very good book . I love all of Wanda Brunstetter books. Highly recommended.
Book Description
The Chance brothers of Reliable, California, are about to have their ranch invaded by three apparent "damsels" in need of relief from their "distress." Miriam arrives from overseas not expecting to find her sister dead and nieces living in neglect of feminine supervision. Alisa is fleeing false accusations and seeking a place of quiet refuge. Delilah carries a burden of pain from her past and won't risk trusting anyone again. Will any of the rough-around-the-edges brothers stand a chance of barring their hearts from love as they offer a hand of compassion?
Customer Reviews:
Great stories.......2006-03-25
This is a compilation of three stories "One Chance in a Million", "Second Chance" and "Taking a Chance". The stories about the Chance brothers who live on a farm. There is 6 brothers, Gideon, Daniel, Paul, Titus, Logan and Bryce. The three stories incorporate all the brothers but each story center around one particular brother. The first is Gideon's story. Miriam sails across the ocean to see her sister Hannah who is married to Daniel Chance. When she arrives she finds that her sister has died and her two little nieces are being raised by these men. Daniel is unhappy with her being there because she looks so much like Hannah. Gideon wants to send her back. Miriam is determined to stay. Who wins? The second story is Titus's story. Alisa is running from the Law for a crime she didn't commit. She is on the stage bound for Reliable and meets up with Titus. They are drawn to each other right off. However, Titus had previously asked a girl in town to marry him but she turned him down. Now seeing him with another girl...she wants to change her mind. Things do get a little complicated and cute. The third story is about Paul. Miriam's cousin Delilah finds herself alone when her gambling father dies and she has nowhere to go. She decides to go see Miriam (who she has kept in touch with). Paul is the kind of strong man that Deliah needs but can she ever trust another man when her father has let her down all her life?
I thoroughly enjoyed these stories. There is very few "nice" women in Reliable and any time a girl arrives it is known by ALL the men in the area. They all want to come a calling and are getting frustrated that the Chance Brothers are all ending up with the available women. Great stories.
As a seperate note: There is another book by Heartsong Presents called "Last Chance" and this is Daniel's story. There is also another book coming out called Chance Adventure which is Logan's story. And I believe Bryce's story is called "Chance of a Lifetime". Very enjoyable. Highly recommended.
Product Description
In Salt Lick Holler, Kentucky, three women healing from past hurts aren't looking for love, but love comes looking for them. Lovejoy Spencer is so determined to keep her sister from making the same mistakes she did, she almost misses her own last Chance. Hattie Thales is accepting her lot in life, while Logan Chance longs for adventure. He leaves the ranch in Reliable, California, unaware he's launching God's plan for both lives. Daisy Thales thinks she'd rather go it alone until God sends the last Chance bachelor, a rancher who has a quiet way with her son and with her heart.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Christian Romance.......2007-08-08
I loved this book - so much that I read it twice within 3 weeks. Lovejoy was my favorite character! Cathy Hake writes with humor, great love, and perfect doses of scripture. Absolutely ADORE this book and would recommend it to any of my friends who LOVE happy endings. All the stories in this book have heavenly endings and that's what pleased me the most. This book is Enchanting!
Great read.......2007-01-30
If you like Cathy Hake's books you will love this one. I waited anxiously for this one to come out to find out about the three remaining Chance bachelors. Was not disappointed. Am looking forward to more books by this mother-daughter pair.
Disappointed.......2006-11-10
I gave this book two stars and that's being generous....There's no passion, no chemistry...nothing.
Three chances brothers find romance.......2006-10-17
Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (9/06)
"Kentucky Chances" includes three romances that tell the stories of brothers from California and women from Salt Lick Holler, Kentucky. All three widowed women find love again when the Chance brothers come into their lives.
In "Last Chance" a young widow and healer, Lovejoy Spencer, takes three mail-order brides to Reliable, California. Concerned that her sister and the other two women not end up married to a mean husband like she experienced, Lovejoy remains in California to supervise the courtships. During her stay, her services as a healer are needed on the nearby Chance Ranch. Lovejoy spends much time nursing ill and pregnant members of the family and watching over widower Daniel Chance's daughters. Neither Lovejoy nor Daniel were looking to remarry, but they take a last chance at love.
In "Chance Adventure" Logan and his brother, Bryce, travel to Salt Lick Holler so Logan can experience life away from the ranch before settling down. His sister-in-law, Lovejoy, arranges for him to stay with Willow, the healer that trained her, and Hattie, a young widow learning about herbs and natural ingredients used in healing. Hattie has accepted the disappointments and the way her life has turned out. But when the Chance brothers arrive, Logan's adventure reveals God's plan for this young couple.
In "Chance of a Lifetime" Bryce prepares to return home now that Logan and Hattie are pledged to each other. But he's attracted to Daisy. When her house burned, the young widow and her son Jamie came to stay with Willow. Bryce, the quietest Chance brother, introduces young Jamie to many activities the crippled child couldn't normally enjoy. Daisy thinks she has to solve her problems and find a new home. But Bryce can provide what she needs back at his ranch if she agrees to marry him.
All three stories are well-written by this mother-daughter team. The Chances and the women who love them are interesting, likeable characters. Despite the twangy dialect, the Hakes conveyed the dignity and ingenuity of the people who dwelled in the hollers of Kentucky in the late 1800s. The stories in this three-in-one book share the hope that despite past hurts, love is possible.
Book Description
One of your favorite Heartsong Presents romances,Taking a Chance, is now available as a complete and unabridged audiobook. Being safe means staying away from men. But Delilah's decision is threatened when she meets Paul Chance. the handsome rancher makes no demands, treats her with respect, and always keeps his word. Paul's deep abiding love of God is a thorn in the flesh to Delilah. God didn't answer her mother's prayers to free Delilah's father from the power of gambling. Then He took away both her mother and father. How can she trust a God who would allow such things? Will the past continue to cause Delilah to keep people and God at a distance, or will she finally decide to take a chance on love? Heartsong Audiobooks are perfect for in the car, for mom's that just can't seem to find enough time in the day to read, or for grandmother's who don't enjoy reading for long periods of time. Now with the Heartsong Audiobooks you can simply listen, relax, and enjoy!
Book Description
Logan longs for adventure. But around Chance Ranch, marriage seems mandatory. So Logan and Bryce, youngest of the Chance men, set out to see what the Lord could have for them in Salt Lick Holler. Plenty of blessings have come out of that town - maybe it was time for someone from Reliable, California, to bless the town folk back. Hattie Thales, widow at twenty-one, knows her place. She delights in being the holler's healer and the companion to aged Widow Hendricks. She could marry again, but who would want a wife who can't bear him sons? Will Logan's chance adventure lead him to love? Could Hattie be facing her first chance at true love?
Average customer rating:
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Last Chance High: How Girls and Boys Drop In and Out of Alternative Schools
Deirdre M. Kelly
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0300052723 |
Book Description
Daisy won't accept charity. True, her short life has been filled with pain and loss, but Daisy Thales is doing her best to build a future for herself and for her four-year-old palsied son, Jamie. She doesn't need anyone's help or attention. But could it be more than pity she finds in Bryce's eyes? Bryce Chance doesn't have much to say. He's always been more at ease with animals than people. The determined and good-natured little Jamie tugs his heartstrings, but his mama is more than this last Chance bachelor has bargained for. Can Daisy lay aside her pride and embrace God's provision--for her family and her heart? Or will she miss her Chance of a lifetime?
Book Description
Kelly's Last Chance is a novel that illustrates the agony of living with bulimia. This story provides a look inside the life of a young woman who had it all. Bulimia debilitates her, she's obsessed with the numbers on the scale and tries to control her weight by falling into repetitious self-destructive acts. This novel will appeal to anyone who wants to investigate the harmful effects of anorexia and bulimia. Anyone who has ever found themselves repeatedly doing something that they know is harmful to themselves-and has had to keep it secret, bearing the turmoil alone-will appreciate this book. Anyone who has not experienced such conflicted compulsion should read this book to understand the seriousness of this problem for society.
Customer Reviews:
TERRIBLE........2005-02-10
Save your money. This book was HORRID. Honestly, this author should of done a hell of a lot more research on eatting disorders before deciding she was capible of writing a realistic portral of one. It seems it just starts and ends out of nowhere at all. Also a personal pet-peeve of mine, she did this book in 3rd person. I find it really hard to get to know/sympathize/feel/understand/ect. the main character if it isn't done in 1st person. But very good books can be written in 3rd person. I just think she may of been able to attack this book better in 1st person. All and all this book STINKS. You want a good eatting disorder book? Read Wasted.
Amazon.com
In Toward Another Shore, British historian Aileen M. Kelly, a specialist in Russian history, posits that current attitudes toward 19th-century Russian intellectuals are the result of distortions on the part of both Soviet and Western historians. These historians were, in great part, influenced by cold war ideology, Kelly argues. Yet at a time when Russia is trying to build herself anew, it is important to clear away political revisionism and take a good look at what 19th-century thinkers might have to offer the present generation. In 17 essays written over a period of 20 years, Kelly explores the diversity of political thought that developed in the Russia of the past century. What she demonstrates is that, far from being lockstep in their philosophies (as cold war political historians tended to portray them), Russian intellectuals were, in reality, a disparate group that ranged from the extreme left to the extreme right. Far from being 20/20, hindsight is often blinkered by the seeming inexorability of events; in Toward Another Shore, Aileen Kelly shows that the revolution of 1917 and its resulting political system was by no means the only possible outcome of 19th-century Russian thought--even as late as 1909 Russian reformers were debating several different possibilities. Kelly describes and comments on these arguments with tremendous intelligence, adding valuable new insights to the study of Russian political thought.
Book Description
A prominent scholar here writes about two kinds of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Russian intellectuals: those with a passion for ideology (often the most extreme form); and those who, inspired by libertarian humanism, developed sophisticated critiques of ideology.
Average customer rating:
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The Silent Heart (Second Chance at Love, No 461)
Kelly Adams
Manufacturer: Berkley Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Regency | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0425115445 |
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- Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code: A Covert-One Novel
- Sherbrooke Twins, The (Bride)
- Slow Kill (Kevin Kerney Novels)
- Snow in August
- Spindle's End
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