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Benjamin Devey's Profile
Customer Reviews: 123
New Reviewer Rank: 13,560
Classic Reviewer Rank: 16,844
Helpful Votes:
225
Views:
1611
Helpful Votes:
3
Views:
Helpful Votes:
0
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Guidelines: Learn more about the ins and outs of Your Profile.
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Reviews Written by
Benjamin Devey "LearningLove.com"
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Not leisure reading for wimps, February 3, 2010
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
It takes a gazelle (a person who leaps away from predators to financial peace) to take the Total Money Makeover Challenge. I've been listening to Dave Ramsey for years and appreciate his commitment to helping people take charge of their finances and lives. I don't remember ever disagreeing to his approach or recommendations.
The book is straightforward and to the point of getting out of debt and living within your means. Very clear and contrary to the popular myths on credit, debt, and keeping up with the Joneses. I'm keeping this book and applying the principles right now! This isn't leisure reading for wimps. It's an action plan to get the job done.
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The Lost Symbol
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by Dan Brown
Edition: Hardcover |
| Price: $12.00 |
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| Availability: In Stock |
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Meaningful, Fascinating, January 28, 2010
The Lost Symbol is a fitting followup to Angels and Demons and the DaVinci Code. It share with previous books all the elements of ancient secrets, a scavenger hunt through history, loathsome villians, and cliff-hanger transitions (though, thankfully the Lost Symbol cliff-hangers are not so annoying, but rather help the pace of story-telling.
I really like where the story ends up with a world of possibility wide open to human potential. The seeds were planted early in the story and find ample development and realization in the epilogue. I enjoyed the several days in the world of intrigue Dan Brown created.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Thinly-vealed anagram for Great, January 28, 2010
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Greta, the character, suffers from a lot of sarcasm and a cynical world-view. Hillary Duff gives life and motivation to 17-year-old Greta, who maintains two lists: one, the various ways to commit suicide; and the other, everything she wants to do before she dies. It's the second that redeems a story of selfish detachment. Julien, a coworker ex-con juvie, gives more heart to the story. He wants to help, but knows he can't reform Greta without her effort. He is true to his character throughout the film. There are nods to Harold and Maud, including a remix of Cat Steven's song "Trouble," under his Islam name now.
You know the general direction the story is leading, but it gets there on its own terms. The film has a heart and soul that makes it worthwhile.
My review title comes from the film, and is not a commentary on the film. I just liked the line, because it was revealing of Greta's view of herself and the world.
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5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Heavily-Researched, Informative, January 11, 2010
Information packed. This isn't a book of rants, as the title might suggest, but historic, Constitutional perspectives on the dangerous growth of government, out-of-control spending, and the threat to liberty toward which the nanny state is blindly racing. Some of the chapters seem to cover the bases without going into extensive detail. For instance, the chapter on home ownership builds up to conclude the American dream ought not be considered a right, without going into much detail how Dodd, Frank, and crew created the disaster that we now face.
There is a wealth of topics, and the info seems well-researched with pages of tightly-packed sources so you can check out the references and think for yourself. It's the kind of factual book that Glenn-haters won't bother to look at before they post their negatives. If you think for yourself, you'll find a lot of useful information to share about the battle for individual liberty we're all entrenched in.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
A Tight Ensemble, January 11, 2010
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
A terrorist plot encoded in what appears to be a forged Chopin manuscript, Polish nationals, WWII looters of national treasures, and Harry Middleton, former investigator to find and prosecute war criminals--the plot of The Chopin Manuscript is rich in intrigue and suspense. Alfred Molina reads the audio-book, bringing character to the story with a variety of accents, although his American personas sound hick. The story immerses in an underworld of deception involving a host of shadowy figures, assassins, musicians, and heroes to figure the whole thing out. The Polish names are difficult to sort out and keep straight, but minor characters fall off as the story goes, leaving Middleton and his daughter Charlie, and his lover Francesca Kaminski to stay a few steps ahead of the bad guys. The ending seems to wrap up, just before Deaver brings on a whole new denouement to heighten the stakes and climax of the story.
Many authors wrote the chapters of the story, and the effect is practically seamless. I hardly ever hear audio books, but I enjoyed this one.
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The Breach
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by Patrick Lee
Edition: Mass Market Paperback |
| Price: $7.99 |
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| Availability: In Stock |
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An stonishing array of intrigue, January 7, 2010
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
A multi-national, super-secret facility buried beneath the Wyoming Desert is a staging ground for advanced technology. The Breach draws you in from the start and only accellerates from then on. Travis Chase, relased from prison just a year earlier is keeping a distance from his past and home when he finds a high-tech 747 crashed in remote back-country, it's occupants killed or taken hostage. Among the dead is the First Lady, who left instructions that if anyone were to come across the scene, to kill the survivors, no questions asked, then contact an organization named Tangent. When Chase finds Paige being tortured he decides he cannot obey the orders, instead, rescuing the young woman who can't explain what secrets he has become enmeshed in.
I read lots of books, and The Breach explores more new territory than 20 novels of the typical variety. If you suspend disbelief to the unexpected, Lee brings an astonishing array of intrigue to the table. I'll leave the details to your own discovery, rather than spoil any surprise in store. I'll submit a comment after this review, a question about the conclusion. Don't read my comment until you've read The Breach.
The Breach is captivating, gripping, and mind-altering. It will take you unimaginable places. A great achievement for Patrick Lee.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Meets Expectations, Just Not in Expected Ways, December 30, 2009
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I expected Black Rain to be a thriller with historic connections about ancient Mayan ruins and secretive coverup by black-ops government agencies. It was that, just not in any of the ways I expected. Thriller, yes. Secretive, ditto. Mayan...uh, not quite, but I'd do a disservice to tell where it all leads. There's a bit of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Starship Troopers, and Clive Cussler all thrown in.
Danielle Laidlaw leads an expedition into the Amazon jungle in search of ancient artifacts that could lead to new source of clean energy that could change the dynamics of world power. Her forces include, academics, and a disgraced special forces mercenary named Hawker. But they aren't the only ones pursuing the find. Throw in a ruthless billionaire, a battalion of soldiers who will stop at nothing, a native tribe and a species of creature guarding the ancient site, and you have the makings of a tense thriller. A dynamic read with unexpected twists.
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She Had Me At the Title, December 12, 2009
When Character was King tells the story behind President Reagan. Noonan tells of the formative impressions when Reagan was growing up, acting, campaigning, and leading as President of the United States. I was talking with a friend about politics, observing we've had only a few presidents in our history who were true statesmen, and maybe one since Lincoln. Reagan seemed to be the only one in recent memory who stood for something far more meaningful than himself.
When Character was King gives a lot of detail about Reagan's years in office, his character, humor, and what made him a great president. It has everything to do with character and guiding principles. Peggy Noonan doesn't shy away from controversy, covering Contra-gate and embarrassments, while showing the real man who turned out to be a leader we still look up to. I enjoyed every minute of reading about this great man.
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10 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
What's Next?, December 12, 2009
Sarah Palin was a mystery coming into the 2008 Election. What was even more mysterious was the venom that came out in full force against her. Here's a woman who stands for something, leads with courage and conviction, and is a mother who takes her parenting role seriously.
In Going Rogue, Sarah tells her story from her earliest days through this year. None of the chapters drags, even though I wanted to get through the childhood and school years to see what Palin is about. But the point is, she is a person living an American Life, like millions who live in the heartland. Her political career held the most interest to me, because she is part of the story of our nation's election where agendas swept over our values and concerns. It's shameful how the Left has distorted Sarah's record, trying to extinguish her career and family, regardless of ethics, or any sense of respect. In Going Rogue, Sarah Palin tells the whole story. One thing I wondered is: What's next? I expect the reason the answer isn't made clear is that Palin herself doesn't know what's ahead. That isn't to say she isn't clear about her views and direction. It's just in God's hands what will be...
A valuable read if you want to know the person behind the politics.
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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
A palette of hues that embrace life and values, November 28, 2009
I've read one Koontz novel some time ago, and Relentless seemed a departure from his usual horror/thriller genre. Cubby is a writer who couches life in humor, and the language in Relentless is a ray of brightness in confusing times. Cubby gets a critical review from Shearman Waxx, and against the advice of his wife and associates, he can't let it go. From the time when he encounters the critic in a nearby restaurant, things start to go horribly wrong.
Koontz uses language that is rich in metaphor, humor, and irony. Contrasts create a palette of hues that embrace life and values. A refreshing read that is different from all the other offerings today. I enjoyed every minute.
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