Great character study and story telling from someone who understands ...
587487
Great character study and story telling from someone who understands complex financial instruments and make them simple. His combination of story and characters are always fun to read
2427112
A great story.  I listened to this story while I traveled, as I do with many e-books.  I believe it is a good sign of a great storyteller is if you can listen to a tale, enjoy it, and not get lost in the dialog.  Stanley writes with a medium tempo that is easy to read and listen to.  He has reached a good balance between sentences being too simple or short and sentences that are too long or complicated.  His lexicon is well rounded and doesn't spend extra effort to use fancy or uncommon words in an attempt to brag about his writing skills.
3349500
master storyteller, thats what Orson Scott Card is. maybe somethings i don't agree with his point but he sure makes you think about stuff a lot more deeply, and its not like inaccessible meaning from old classics that you need a english major to decipher for you, its meaning that really connects with almost any reader. love this, love ender's series, probably gonna buy more OSC!
653379
When I heard that Andrew Robinson was writing a new book about the "sources of an actor's craft," I was expecting it to read more like a text book for theatre students - but as a fan of his work (and theatre nerd), I decided to purchase it anyway.  It was a smart move on my part.  Stepping Into the Light is one of the most engaging books I've read in years.

This book is by no means a light read.  The author gives a heart-wrenching account of his turbulent young life, and he really pulls no punches on the details.  As engrossing as his personal story is, however, what I truly found fascinating is the developmental work he describes in his early acting career and education; gradually acquiring an understanding of how different physical positions and alternate breathing patterns can induce varying states of awareness.  The act of unifying the body and mind is no mean feat, and Robinson is fearless in detailing both his successes and failures when using these techniques to develop a character.  His approach to his craft is multi-disciplinary, combining art, psychology, and  philosophy(metaphysics, specifically) to inform the reader on a type of Mindfulness that is all his own.  I often found myself taking long walks after reading a few chapters, processing what I had read and really thinking about the concepts presented in the text.

The writing itself is a delight to read.  When so much of what gets published these days is trash, it's joy to see someone with such a gift for words.  Robinson has an incredible economy of words; he's able to convey a lot of meaning with only a simple phrase - a talent that allows him to really tap into the immediacy of a moment.  For only having written two novels, he's certainly a master storyteller.  There were moments when I quite literally could not put the book down.  If I had one complaint, I would say that Robinson is occasionally(and I mean, very occasionally) vague on the details.  He mentions several times feeling sexually confused, but does not elaborate on why he feels that way, which, as reader, left me guessing.  There are a few other examples of this, but nothing that truly impacts the quality of the story.

Insightful and provocative, Stepping Into the Light really says something about the fundamental duality we all face within ourselves.  It made me think, and I simply can not conceive a higher form of praise.  So, buy the book.  Read it.  But most importantly, really think about what it says.
3491455
I enjoyed reading this piece for its format, complexity, and captivating writing style. The dialogue of a play drew me into the back-and-forth of the characters and allowed me to see more of their personalities, which are not the black-and-white versions I had in mind from older stories. I found the scene where Devavrat watches his mom disappear into the water particularly compelling, and enjoyed the repartee in the scene with the girls playing hide-and-seek. I know many Indian-Americans of my generation, in their early 20s, who find it hard to grasp stories like that of Bhisma's origins in the Mahabharatha because there is so much that seems random and estranged from our lives. We know parts like the Bhagavad Gita are important because they present themselves as lessons, but parts like this sort of float on the surface of the story, frustratingly unexplained. I think this re-imagined account allows a creative perspective that connects an ancient story to relevant political issues of environment and population, and thus sticks in the minds of readers of our generation. While I can see in some places how the use of both old and modern English seems at odds, I think that, overall, the use of modern English is an asset to the play. It shortens the distance between the characters and the reader, while the setting and events of the play still retain the grandiosity of ancient times. I look forward to reading other re-imagined episodes from the Indian epic that will inspire me to think more about the possible complexities behind stock lore.
2909659
Just finished reading this english translation by Mr. Shirakura. Hes done a wonderful job of keeping the feel of Japanese natural conversation while conveying the difficult subject matter in a clear compelling way.  The book is so interesting - I read it in one sitting! Very compelling. If you are interested in Japanese Buddhism and philosophy, I highly recommend this book. I can clearly hear the voice of Genyu-san in the story telling, too.  I hope one day he would do the audible version.
947699
MR Allan is a great writer and storyteller who at least for this reader makes one think a lot about life. Even though the stories are Sci-fi and obviously fiction he relates a lot to the real world either past or present. The lead character in this series asks many questions of himself that to this reader elicit many of the same questions in myself and of those around me. The Sci-fi is excellent but the personal sides of the story and its discussion are magnificent!  I wish all his books were offered on the Excellent Amazon Unlimited offerings and hope that they will be in the future. Thanks Jay for Great Reads!
225951
Again, the author creates a great story.  It is full of character personalities, conflicts, and bits of interesting history.  Her words show and don't tell. This is a wonderful skill for story telling.
4037264
Great story telling is less often about spelling out every detail than it is about focusing on the importance of character, emotion, setting, and stillness, allowing the reader to fill in the rest. This author has done exactly that, in not only this book, but the subsequent three others in the series.

The Tale of Shikanoko is a play at heart, with the good, the bad, and the just plain human. Like all good plays, you wish it weren't over, and that the story would continue to all the small characters inhabiting this world. But like all good plays, the history and mystery of each good character is sometimes left unsaid, and for the better.

The authors prose succeeds in conveying the elegant and simple, yet startlingly deep-rooted world of feudal Japan, and only falters somewhat during action scenes, where the jumble of sword play and magic becomes somewhat confusing and sparse.

My only other gripe, which is more of a preference, is the final chapter of the final book, which seeks to reassure the reader that all ends well, which in fact we already knew was the conclusion.

A great read!
1134832
It's hard to give a book like this a quantitative review. I don't know if it is worth 4 stars or 5, or how it might compare in a measurable way to other books I've read.

I can say, however, that I've thought about it often in the days since I've finished it. I think it has stayed with me because of the narration and the thorough and relentless efforts of the narrator to so fully explore the mental worlds of the main characters.

I'm bothered slightly by the fact that the narrator doesn't sound at all like an American (despite the fact that his status as an American plays a prominent role in the book) and more by the fact that so much of the story depends on Edward Ashburnham's actions when he, ultimately, becomes an unbelievable character. So much of the story revolves around him -- all the mental worlds of the other characters essentially are based on him -- that any character inconsistency risks affecting everything that came before.

I suppose that's the author's right -- there is no requirement that a character be logically consistent, and a character may have peculiar flaws that prevent him from standing in for every man. But having spent so much energy studying one particular character, and having created such a subtle and profound study into otherwise familiar and universal human behavior based on the character, it's not satisfying to see the key to all of that become unbelievable.

Then again, maybe there are people like that and I've just learned about them and how unsatisfying their worlds are. A smaller lesson, but still at least an entertaining experience.

Also, there are some good lines: "Anyhow, Leonora shivered a little as if a goose had walked over her grave."
2924133
You know the old saying- "Those who can, do and those who can't teach...".

Well it certainly DOES NOT APPLY to Mr. Bell. He does both - writing a great story and teaching others the craft- very well.

I have had the pleasure of attending a couple of Mr. Bell's writing seminars and have found them to be quite good - solid information delivered in a dynamic way. ( His background as a trial attorney AND an actor clearly enhance his seminars.)
I had not read any of his novels ( just the how to books) prior to attending his latest seminar.
I was very pleasantly surprised at the strength of the story and the page turning plot. In fact, I lost of few hours of work because I wanted to find out how it all ended. Great descriptions of Los Angeles- a character all her own.

I look forward to reading more of Mr. Bell's novels- particularly those featuring Ty Buchanan.
1193070
This audio book is read by Daniel Butler. Butler does a great job as a storyteller, performing excellently for the beginning and other parts of this audio book. He provides just the right voice for Lucado's book, using his clear intonations and speech to carry the story in such a fashion that the reader can enjoy being carried along in the teller's journey. Butler, however, does not provide a clear difference between characters, which requires the listener to pay attention to the reading, to be sure to keep on track. As far as non-story portions of the text, Butler does an amazing job narrating the book.

See reviewer profile for disclosures and the rest of the story.
4095977
The Bonesetter's Daughter is a wonderful example of Amy Tan's considerable skill as a master storyteller. Here she exposes to us, layer by layer, the deeply complex relationship between Ruth Young, a ghostwriter of self-help books, and her mother, LuLing.
Realizing she is having problems with her memory long before Ruth suspects it, Luling painstakingly writes the facts of her life as best she remembers it, so that her story doesn't die with her failing memory.
The start and finish of this novel, which chronicles Ruth's struggle in coming to terms with her mother througout her life and Ruth's stumbling upon LuLing's memoirs, frame the middle section of the book, which consist of the memoirs themselves.
I found the novel absolutely fascinating, and read through it in a single sitting.
Two mother-daughter stories are presented here, as the relationship between LuLing and her mother are also central to the telling of this wonderful story. Amy Tan does a superb job of presenting these separate yet connected narratives into a masterpiece of a book, blending character, dialogue, and narrative seemlessly (and seemingly effortlessly) together.
Readers of the author's previous novels will find similarity between The Bonesetter's Daughter and her previous novels. Some readers, as I, will find everything comfortably familiar. On the other hand, it is only fair to criticize the formulaic sameness of her work. The repeated exploration of the relationship between a Chinese-born mother and her american born daughter is a bit off-putting; as is the parallel telling of two generation's narrative. Also, I don't find that her male characters are realistically drawn, and the relationship struggles between the daughter and her significant other (at least in Ms. Tan's last two books) seem rather superficial.
These (admittedly) rather minor complaints are the only thing that keeps me from giving the book five stars.
2995461
Dorris does a great job enabling the reader to identify w/ the 3 characters. THis family reminds me so much of a 'real' family-not a family so often found in literature. It is obvious that Dorris truly understands human behavior and that this story has evolved from an experience that perhaps Dorris himself went through. Dorris reveals the mistakes thta each character makes and shows the dire consequences and how they can deteriorate even the most potent and powerful of relationships, maybe just as powerful as his own marriage. THe depth of his understanding could only result from a first-hand experience, not something simply created in one's mind.
  I did not like watching the charcters mess up their lives-the mistakes were too obvious. I think that miscommmunication and a lack of communication lies at the root of this family's problems. To me, Ida's strengths were also her weaknesses- her stubborn nature and holding in her own feelings. Also, I think the omniscient view, although very enlightening, lacked the depth usually found in getting one person's full point of view. Although the viwe was vaqried and widespread, it was not as deep-not as personal. Perhaps this helped to understand the problems and conflicts usually lack understanding anyway. Eventhough this story focuses on the cultural problems faced by minorities, I found myself not empathizing with the characters, due to thier self-pity and failure to act on their intuition and better judgement. Although I cannot connect with the problems, I cannot connnect w/ the reasoning behind Christine and Ida's decisions-except their past is the only indicator. Not the most riveting and moving novel I have ever read, it does hold a profound meaning and teaches a lesson that is both helpful in literature and life- the lesson to love and be loved, no matter what the barriers. Ida exeplifies this when she says " If I were to live my life differently, I would start with the word No: [...]", (297). She shows that she regrets hiding her true feelings and revealing her true deciaions. She yields to what evil allows her to do. Read this book to gain perspective and wisdom on life, but not to feel moved.
2184333
Another great tale by Pullman. Interesting characters, great pacing, evil villains, deep mysteries that are not easily mastered, but the narrator deserves extra notice. Perhaps one of the best performances I have listened to and I have listened to 1000+ audiobooks - Just the right combination of enthusiasm and voice differentiation but without overdoing it and a skill for the little known (apparently) art of pacing speech to adequately replicate dialogue. I can't express enough how well the narrator was able to present emotion with his voice without sounding like a Shakespearean actor or children's book storyteller. The story is great of course, but you'd expect that from Pullman. I will look forward to re-listening to this book on an annual basis
2126640
The author does an outstanding job of weaving together a great whydunnit story along with insight into a psychotic persona.
930978
Interesting character study and how perception frames events.