Solid and insteresting
346713
This is a entertaining and captivating text. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend. Stillman covers the history of the Mustang from explorer's ships to Wild West gunfights. She seperates myth from fact and remains faithful to the phenomenal story of the mustang. Although some of the stories become long and drawn out while straying from the true theme, they are nonetheless deservedly told.
3883873
This book creates a foundation of emotional stability and a solid physical approach to a career that appears to be quite difficult.  The bank roll will be an obstacle to most of us but that reality brought  forth by the author is what makes this book a solid read.  Keep your present job is sound advice when changing directions in your employment career is also right on.
3273805
Solid can be damning praise for something, but in this sense, I intend it as high praise.  POST WAR is not the sort of album that will "Change your world", but will reward you everytime you play it.  It has a timeless quality, that makes me think I'll still be into it a dozen years down the road.  All the songs are of high quality, but MAGIC TRICK, CHINESE TRANSLATION, REQUIEM and ROLLERCOASTER stand out in my book as potential classics.  It's not cutting edge, it's just really good, and that's a worthy investment in my book.
3450081
Things fit together and susspence builds up nicely. Good read.
2188606
Some years ago, I heard Sinopoli conduct this symphony with the Philharmonia in the Royal Festival Hall.  I swear that he took ten minutes at the end of the last movement, where Boulez takes about four-and-a-half.  I was on the edge of my seat (and not looking at my watch, so my sense of the time might be totally off!).  But Boulez's account was every bit as compelling.  First of all, it's beautifully recorded -- transparent to an extent that neither the loudest parts nor the most delicate are compromised (I listen on decent Bose headphones) -- and for me that takes care of the "cold" issue.  The music just isn't cold, and I don't think Boulez could chill it if he tried.  What he does do superbly is handle the transitions within the movements.  He does it so skillfully that you hardly notice in the outer movements, but in the inner ones, where the thematic material is more varied within each movement, you can appreciate the skill with which the Laendler music becomes the waltz, and (in the third), the deftness of the transition into and out of the slow section.  In the outer movements, the thematic material is less sharply distinct, and it's there that Mahler's orchestration and subtle variation lead the ear along, even in those long spans.

Since I'm not musically literate, it's something of a miracle to me just how Mahler engages my attention for such long stretches.  He seems to be the kind of composer that one can't resist as one listens -- if you give yourself to it, it seems to teach you (I'm being metaphorical here) how to listen to it, and it never seems incoherent.  It has something to do, I think, with the basic simplicity of the material -- motifs rather than melodies in this symphony -- so that one never gets lost, and yet one never feels that one is hearing "the same thing" over and over, as one sometimes feels with minimalist iteration.  Of course, I can imagine a person being as impatient with this as I am with minimalism . . .

The symphony seems to me to have two scherzos -- the inner movements which are very different in character.  I hear a lot of humor in the first of them (the second movement), and while there are elements of the grotesque, especially in the instrumentation of both, it doesn't sound bitter or despairing.  The first movement is basically a march, suggestive to my ears of purposive life in the world, and it gives way to something more like a lullaby in places, to very beautiful effect.  There's nothing neurotic about it to my ears.  The final movement reminds me, especially in its second half, of that moment in "Tannhauser" Act 1, where the Venusberg disappears and something like a sober sense of nature's beauty is brought to our (and Tannhauser's) attention.  As I hear this recording, that mood of sober appreciation is sustained and only reluctantly let go off in the final minutes -- again, nothing neurotic, but none the worse for its lovely (and warm) sobriety.

With a piece of music of this scope, there will be other ways of approaching it, and I've read about some.  Sinopoli's seemed to me less at peace with letting go, and it worked on its own terms.  So, magnificently, does this one.
899216
First thing I noticed is that the material is very hard, it's slightly textured so as not to be quite so smooth.  It's a really solid, stable, spacious table. Materials have really come a long way as far as plastics are concerned, and this table top really shows that.  I considered just buying a piece of plywood and putting it on some 2x4s to make a table, but I am glad that I bought this one instead, because they really thought out all the details as to what would make a good, hard, smooth surface.  Also, this table is very strong.  It has steel girders running down the edges to make it stiff.
2775394
This book is solidly descriptive and emotionally satisfying. It stands about midway between high literary and popular fiction. An overall easy read.
3591460
Takes a beating, feels solid, and looks good.  What more could you want?
751977
I was pleasantly surprised when I received this. It's very SOLID material...sturdy and wasn't uneven or bent as some of the reviews have experienced considering that this thing is truly SOLID and holds some weight!

I attached a pic for you. As you can see, it holds a lot of fruit. I'm pleased with this purchase.
1976228
I must disagree with the reviewer unhappy with the Indy version (Hardcover).  This book is practical, easy to read, and durable.  A welcome addition to any serious library.  I agree that pictures would be nice, but their absence only bolstered the imagination.  Besides the few notable photos such as Fram from the Barrier and the party at the Pole, we must rely on Amundsen's verbiage to illustrate their journey.  This edition, like Amundsen himself, is effective, unassuming, and of solid construction.

A humble man, Amundsen does not unduly glorify himself.  Yet he does not hesitate to bestow generous praise on those upon whom he depends.  "The South Pole" gets deeply into the "how" without sacrificing the "what".  Readers get a good sense of what Amundsen and others were thinking, what issues drove their decision making, and how thoughtful planning made such a dangerous affair seem almost ordinary.  A stark contrast to the foibles of Robert Scott.  When Scott might hunker down during a blizzard and complain, Amundsen shrugs it off and describes in scientific detail how they calmly overcame this obstacle.

The South Pole is a compelling read whether polar exploration interests you or not.  It is a book I shall read many times over.  For this reason, the hardcover is an obvious choice and will not disappoint.
584317
A crisis in another family had seriously injured Callie's emotional health.  For her to go forward in life requires step by step decisions depending on God's leading in every situation.  This story illustrates human frailties in a tough place.  This is a good solid read, especially for Christians.  Recommended for all ages.
677158
Solid and attractive. Not "hokey" looking.
2095686
Jude the protagonist fights to live through a unimaginable circumstance of a victim of a super twisted sexual deviant and that's putting it modestly. Anne Frasier teases the main story by building, enriching, subtle descriptions as several subplots move other characters as they have stories of their own.  Solid movement throughout the entire book. One of those hard to put down reads.
1292513
This is a solid book that tackles the essentials of the faith.  Doesn't plow new ground...but didn't expect it to.  It communicates the doctrines that evangelicals would agree on in a way that is compelling and lends itself nicely to group discussions on what matters most in our faith.  Highly recommend this book.
1721528
The story is set in my hometown of Manchester, and it was clear within the first few pages that it was the authors too. To this end, for me a lot of the settings might have been more vivid than for many readers, because I know these locales so very well, not to mention the very distinct culture of the place. I think Graye does a fine job of filling in any of the more critical gaps, though.

Regards the characters, as others have mentioned there are a stack of point-of-view characters and initially its easy to be a little hazy over who is who. Certainly after a while, we come to know each of them and their foibles in an intimate fashion, ranging from their trials and tribulations of the present hour, to things that happened in their childhoods to set them on their respective paths  and this latter not in a played-out overblown Freudian fashion, but in each case just small nudges here and there that shaped the development and personality to come.

The quality of the writing itself is great, and if I have any criticism at all, then it is that the tone from each of the characters perspectives is quite similar; this is part of what makes it initially difficult to keep them separate.

In terms of research, I do tend to notice when something is not as described, and in this case the greatest hitch I could note is that a character files for divorce in a prompt and unilateral fashion; in the UK one doesnt file for divorce, one petitions, and the Government has a very narrow view of what constitutes acceptable reasons, and in the situation in the book, its clear that no such reason could apply at that juncture. I suppose this could be justified if we imagine that she simply filled in the petition form incorrectly and sent it to the appropriate court, imagining this to constitute filing. In any case, it is a truly minor issue, and if anything, my referencing it as the greatest research failure I could find highlights the quality of the rest of the book in that regard.

All in all, a well-written and highly recommendable story thoughtfully woven around a grim topic.
4558502
Very serious content.  Some of its premises are obvious.  Some are more arcane and implicit.  It is well-written.  Tries to convey the gravity of the situation within the minority communities underclasses.  I'm reminded of the parable of the bucket of crabs, where one tries to climb out and the others pull it back down.
222188
This thing is heavy and solid - no question it could  hold the 300 lbs it claims.
Shipping was less than stellar though, it comes shipped in the original box, no second box protecting it.  There are styrofoam fitted pieces to keep things in place in the box, but in my case they broke and I had things shifting around quite a bit.  Nothing was damaged, but the box was bashed up enough that I couldn't have returned this had I wanted to.  And the styrofoam broke into all the tiny little pieces that are so dang messy and stick to everything.  So I ended up unboxing it in my garage and bringing pieces in one at a time after cleaning them off.  That took more time than assembly.

Assembly was easy - instructions are adequate if not great, and while they supply the tools, I did pull out a screwdriver of my own since I didn't like the bottle-opener style screwdriver they supplied.

Solid - very solid.  It assembles well, I had no problems with anything lining up.

I had expected a padded table for some reason (never used one before) so was surprised that this was just a plasticy weaved sheet of something stretched over a frame.  Oddly enough, it's very comfortable, and works well.

Headrest only has three positions, and it has to be unscrewed at two points and moved.  Since I'll be the only user, it's not an issue, but for people of varying heights who will share this, it may be a pain if you want to use this - otherwise you can makeshift your own.

I don't like the ankle system.  I'm 6'2", and it's a pain getting my feet in there, the cuffs in the right position, and releasing it to "clamp" down - since the spring is so weak, it doesn't clamp well, so I need to be able to push it tighter against my ankles.  I seem to have just the wrong diameter ankles, since I can't QUITE find the comfortable spot.  Either slightly tight, or slightly loose.  I'll have to experiment with different socks to find the perfect setup.  But while it's a pain for me as far as the way it operates, once it's in place, it does hold well, and I feel confident that it will keep me in place.

Only other thing I didn't care for is the "floating" handles - there's only two points it secures to the frame, and it leaves them a bit wiggly.  Nothing that's insecure or anything, just annoying.  I don't want to crank so much that I strip the bolt or something, so I just live with it.

As I said, I've never been on one of these before.  But instantly I was able to invert as if I was doing it for ages.  It balances very well, just have to find the right spot.  I can't use the 6"2" spot cause it leaves me overbalanced towards the top half.  I drop it to a "taller" setting and it's just about perfect - raise my hands, and it'll start moving backwards, bring them back, and it stops.  I can invert myself completely with no effort, and get myself back up again using the handles without any great effort.  The motion is very smooth, no hangups or tight spots or anything.

The lever to lock it also works well, lets me vary the intensity of the inverted sit-ups by locking it at varying angles.

The claim it "folds" but while the frame folds up, the rest of the unit still is angled at either extreme, so it doesn't fold in a straight line.  There's still quite an angle from feet to head, so it's a pain to stick aside when not in use.  Best to have a space you can just leave it set up.  This one doesn't really store or move well despite the ability to partially fold it up.

All in all, despite not caring for the lock system for the ankles, I still like this unit very much.