Product Description
Peter Nicholson, a geologist sent to a Mediterranean island, is pulled by the demands of his wife, his mistress, his employers, and unpredictable strangers when he stumbles into a web of blackmail, deception, and murder. 15,000 first printing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Over-analytical and tedious
Some writers can do a lot with a bare premise for a plot, expertly weaving interesting subplots and characters around in a mosaic that captures the reader's imagination even though the reader may ultimately remember little of the story.William Gay and Richard Russo are examples.Other writers, like Tim Parks, take what should be very entertaining premises for novels and turn them into psychological tales of guilt and deception, sapping almost all of the entertainment out of a good story.Shear is an example.

I had previously read Europa by Tim Parks, and while that book didn't overwhelm me I recognized Parks' writing skills and thought I should give him another try, considering the acclaim he receives in England and elsewhere.Having read Shear, I have to face the fact that maybe he just isn't my type of author.Shear takes place on a sunswept Mediterranean island, although we seldom learn very much about our setting other than that.The protagonist is geologist Peter Nicholson, sent from his home office to investigate a rock quarry and to write a report explaining a slab's collapse in a construction project that killed a worker in Australia.

Peter is not a terribly sympathetic character, he brought his 22 year old mistress Margaret along for a little fun in the sun, (he is 40 with a pregnant wife and kids at home).Peter receives a fax from his wife announcing her pregnancy, and much of what constitutes "drama" in the novel surrounds Peter's guilt at his inexplicable failure to respond, by phone or even by fax, to his wife's announcement.Peter is desperate to prolong his relationship with young Margaret, sensing that she is about through with him, and yet he wastes no time in bedding a beautiful interpreter on the island named Thea, even as he realizes she was probably put in his path to soften the blow of his report on the construction mishap.

You would think with all this infidelity, and with the drama surrounding a contruction accident (the widow from Australia shows up demanding answers, and determined to find a guiltyscapegoat), that the plot would be fast-paced and dramatic.Wrong.Parks endlessly piles on these rock metaphors, and spends so much time exploring Peter's guilty psyche that basically every other character is simply along for the ride.

We care little for Margaret or Thea, cause the author barely describes them. At times, when Peter is crawling in or out of bed with one of them, I had to go back a page or two to find out which girl he was sleeping with presently.We know nothing of how the affair with Margaret got started, and have no real visual picture of any character in the novel.As for setting, Joseph Conrad in Nostromo made his Central American mining locale a principal player in the story;here there is nothing very unique or memorable in the locale.

The book was relatively short, at about 200 pages, but seemed longer to me since after about 25 pages a night I put it down.Many love Park's psychological style, as the editorial reviews and positive Amazon feedback attests, but in this reviewer's humble opinion Shear was a swing and a miss.

The effect of shear on granite and a geologist called Peter
Tim Parks attained prominence with the Bookernominated "Europa", but "Shear" seemed the more interesting novel. As a one time quarry man turned novelist, Parks writes with rareauthority about a geologist called Peter Nicolson who is sent to aMediterranean island to inspect a granite quarry whose product for anAustralian project has resulted in the "accidental" death of aconstruction worker. Using the language of geology and images drawn fromthe world of mineralogy (eg, shear, quartz, feldspar, etc), Parks scoreswith a gripping thriller that has you on the edge of your seat all throughits 210 pages. The pace doesn't let up, in fact gathers pace until itdelivers a shattering climax at the very end. The words "there wasevil in the rocks" early in the novel sets the tone for what ensues.The philandering protagonist(Peter) isn't exactly a sympathetic character.He is unfaithful to his pregnant wife from a marriage gone stale, yetthinks nothing of cheating on his travelling companion mistress while onhis investigative mission. In the course of his five-day stay on theisland, Peter finds himself equally subject to the effects of"shear" that granite slabs are exposed to in their voyage totheir final destination. Even the moral choices that Peter is confrontedwith each step of the way are tainted by motives which are suspect. Withoutspoiling the fun for readers of this highly ingenious and dazzlinglywritten suspense novel, I can only say that "Shear" isentertainment of the first order and noboby who has read it will feeldisappointed.

A brilliant book combining geology and modernist fiction.
Tim Parks is the author of several distinguished works of fiction and non-fiction.In addition, he has produced well received translations of Italian fiction including the work of Italo Calvino. Sheer is a novel which demonstrates the author's usual linguistic brilliance along with a surprising knowledge of geology, both aspects of which combine to produce a work of extraordinary richness and vitality.A geologist, finding himself the dupe of big money interests, falls into an ever widening pit of sexual and ethical malaise. An extremely interesting novel by one of the best of today's younger English writers. ... Read more

Product Description
Translated for the first time into English from Garibaldi’s original manuscripts, these memoirs provide an authentic reading of the life and times of one of the most remarkable figures in history. With a Foreword by Tim Parks.

The life of Giuseppe Garibaldi—distinguished by superhuman courage, personal tragedy, and tireless struggle in the name of freedom—has remained a source of fascination for generations. In this engrossing first–person narrative, Garibaldi charts his extraordinary adventures, from his early seafaring exploits and his flight to South America, to his return to Italy as a conquering general. Now in its first English translation, My Life reveals all of Garibaldi’s strength of character, his visionary outlook, and his unfailing idealism. Adventurer, reformer, military figure, and novelist, Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807­82) was a hero of the Risorgimento, the movement for Italian unification. ... Read more

Product Description
"There is no life without a double life. And yet one grows weary..."Recently promoted to the position of Crown Court judge-jealous colleagues suggest it might be because he is black-Daniel Savage decides at midlife that it's finally time to settle down, foreswear philandering, and rededicate himself to his family.His career demands the most responsible behavior-he must be above suspicion.But Savage has been leading a double life for far too long, and a young woman from his past-who holds a secret that could ruin his career and marriage-begins making mysterious calls to his house.As tangled lies are solemnly ironed out in his court, Judge Savage finds his own existence suddenly descending into a mess of violence and confusion, and attempts desperately to get a grip on his world in the face of increasingly certain disaster. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Man in crisis...
Daniel Savage, a "colored man of obscurely mixed origin" and adopted child of white parents, is a lawyer who has been "promoted" to Judge in England's Crown Court.Story set in late 90's / early 2000's. Similar to the themes of the author's later books "Europa" and "Cleaver", the story is centered around its main character (Daniel Savage), who is a man in crisis.Savage's serial philandering come to the surface and place him at risk - his life at risk with the Korean Mob - his marriage of 20 years at risk - his relationships with his children at risk - and finally his professional position with the court is placed at risk.He shares his travails with his best friend Martin, who is in the throws of what appears to be severe depression - who pushes Savage to "come clean."The story then weaves in some compelling legal cases that are presented in front of Judge Savage.Savage's conscience runs overtime with guilt - he tries to do the right thing and he finds himself further entangled.

Tim Parks is a master of placing you in the mind and thoughts of its principal character.The interior monologue is weaved in and out of Savage's conversations and Savage's personal thoughts so you are along for the ride with him the entire way. Parks' writing extends beyond a simple murder/who-done-it mystery as he shares some of the major struggles of social and individual day-to-day life at the time.

I found the story line somewhat underwhelming (3-rating out of 5) but the quality of Park's writing to be best-in-class (6-rating out of 5) to average down to a 4.

Andrew Riemer, the Herald's book reviewer, said it best in his review of this book: "it's how well you write (and with how much integrity), not what you write about, that makes for compelling fiction."

My ratings scheme with 10 being high grade:

Page Turner: 7
Memorable: 6
Character Development: 10
Live the Story: 7
Flow / Easy to Follow: 8

Best Contemporary Novel in Years
Simply put, this is the best contemporary novel I have read in a few years.Multilayered, complex, and humane, the novel is a tour de force in capturing a man (and family) in crisis.Weaving issues of race, marriage, family, work, and the legal system into a coherent and humane whole, Mr. Parks has produced a fine and gripping work digging into the consciences of his characters to illuminate the messiness that is daily life. In Daniel, Parks has created one of the most indelible characters in modern fiction.There are no easy answers to be had in this book, but the attempts to get there have rarely been so rewarding for readers.

Interesting but flawed
This book does have the basic ingredients more or less right.The story is convincing (but not compelling) and the characters are well rendered.However, only the main character is developed sufficiently for the reader to understand his motivations.

I enjoyed the book but was disappointed in two important ways.Firstly, there is no real 'ending', the story just fizzles out, exactly as if Mr. Parks had lost interest in it and wanted to move on to something else.Secondly, an important revelation does not appear; the effect is as if the author couldn't find something plausible and thus chose to simply forget about it.

So deduct a star for the the above two points.Deduct another one for the clumsy style in which dialogue is written without quotation marks.The effect of this is that the reader frequently has to skip back a sentence or two to be sure which character actually spoke.This is a shame because otherwise I would say that Mr. Parks' use of language and style is quite excellent.

In short, a good read somewhat spoiled by its failure to live up to its promise.

a smart, gripping, beautifully written novel
parks has written terrific nonfiction about italy, and terrific novels, too, but this is absolutely one of his best--a lively, believable tale, a great protagonist (almost clintonian in his intellect and inability to stay out of trouble), and a really good cast of secondary characters as well. pure pleasure, as a reading experience, something I rarely ever feel, and I read more novels than most. highly and totally recommended.

very good
I found this novel as engrossing as Europa, or more so, and extremely enjoyed its storyline and prose structure. ... Read more

Product Description
HELL AND BACK offers a wide range of wonderfully challenging, always provocative reflections on literature and the art of writing. The lead essay on Dante sets the tone for the entire collection: erudite, contemplative, witty, and meticulous, it constantly offers new insights into The Inferno. Mixing biographical background with astute literary detection, Parks writes also of Samuel Beckett, Jorge Luis Borges, Henry Green, Salman Rushdie, Jose Saramago, Christina Stead, and a dozen others. ìWriterly Rancourîówhich Parks calls ìthe fizz of contradiction . . . at the heart of the writing endeavorîóis itself worth the price of admission. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A writer on writers
This book contains essays on Dante, Borges, Rushdie, Leopardi, Sebald, Seth, Verga,Buruma, Svevo, Joyce, Saba,Green ,Buzzati, Neugeboren, Sironi, Montale, Bateson and Ugazio, Stead. The opening essay on Dante's ambivalence while turning from the world and at the same time intending to make himself a central poet of mankind is excellent. I took especial interest in the essay on Borges and his analysis of Borges ' engaged' modesty, the profess of self- effacement .This is Parks on Borges non- fiction his essays. " Again and again he takes on a new subject , marshals his reading his faithful friends of old, gives us fresh ways of seeing things, suggests lucid, often conflicting , frequently bizaare ways of understanding the world.It is astonishing. And though the yearnings are ever the same- the desire to annihilate time, to approach a transcendental perception of life, to grasp an ungraspable truth- Borges never stoops to wishful thinking."pp.33-34
This is an excellent work of practical criticism which without ever forming a comprehensive theoryprovides insights into diverse writing worlds.
... Read more

Product Description
Described by the late poet and essayist Joseph Brodsky as "the best British author writing today," Tim Parks is as prolific a journalist, critic, and translator as he is a novelist. In Understanding Tim Parks, Gillian Fenwick explores Parks’s body of work and maintains that Parks is the epitome of the modern man of letters.

The novels that Parks set in his English homeland--such as Loving Roger, Home Thoughts, and Family Planning--are complex texts treading between tragedy and comedy. Fenwick asserts that Parks’s heroes and heroines are real people who make readers empathize with them and their indecision.

Parks’s writing crosses genres as well as international boundaries. Fenwick argues that Parks’s Italian sojourn of the past twenty years has brought a richness to his work. Wanting no part of saccharine treatments of la dolce vita, Parks in Italian Neighbours and An Italian Education has described ordinary, at times frustrating, life in Italy with a touch of cynicism. Parks establishes himself as an "Englishman in Verona"--he sees his home country with an increased objectivity, but is not quite fully assimilated into his new country. At the same time, his time in Italy has allowed him a much broader, European perspective: his novels Shear and Europa, which are set on the Continent and feature characters of several European nationalities, capture his enlarged European scope.

From Parks’s novels and nonfiction books to his translations and journalism, Fenwick reckons with Parks’s full literary range and sheds light on the work of a versatile English writer whose international recognition is steadily growing. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by two ranger-naturalists, this guide provides practical information for motorists, families, casual hikers, and others who want to learn more about this national park. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the few works written in Casanova’s native Italian, The Duel is an important example of the infamous Lothario’s vivid prose style. Translated for the first time into English, this autobiographical novel describes Casanova’s extraordinary battle with a Polish count, while on the run from the Venetian authorities. Foreword by Tim Parks.

Having escaped from Venice’s infamous Piombi Prison, Casanova was forced into exile. Far from destitute, however, his reputation gained him entry into European society’s highest echelons. Yet there, he soon found himself obliged to engage in a duel over a ballerina—a lady in whom neither he nor his Polish rival had the slightest interest. Recounting the deadly encounter and the surprising events it precipitated with sardonic, even blas&#eacute; wit, Casanova creates a work of thrilling adventure and inimitable literary style. Giacomo Casanova (1725–1798) was an adventurer, a spy, a poet, and a novelist. His literary reputation rests on his remarkable History of My Life, which vividly records not only his exploits and adventures but the manners and morals of the day. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Tim Parks' shorter fiction under one cover for the first time
Not as many know the name of Tim Parks; but they should - and his shorter fiction appears here in TALKING ABOUT IT to reach newcomers and old fans alike. This gathers his shorter works under one cover for the first time and adds new stories written just for TALKING ABOUT IT: from long-time friendships and events to newfound revelations about living well, TALKING ABOUT IT offers many satisfying scenarios. ... Read more

Product Description
Olympic National Park, the largest old-growth forest preserve in the world, possess varied ecosystems which support an extraordinary variety of wildlife and plant life, including many species found nowhere else on Earth. This guide combines a readable narrative, authoritative reference material, and exceptional photographs to create a concise, vivid portrait of the natural history of one of the world's most remarkable places. 100 photos, 50 in color. 8 maps. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the least known, yet most fascinating ofCalifornia's national parks, Channel Islands National Park is a refugeof wild and rugged beauty.Over 140 photographs record some of themost-visited and best-loved sites in the park, as well as providingunique glimpses of areas off the beaten track.The most completephotographic record of the islands published to date, this volumeserves a a valuable reminder of the legacy that awaits us just off theCalifornia coast. ... Read more

Product Description
The Book of the Virgins, published here in its first English translation, is one of Gabriele D’Annunzio’s very first collections. Remarkable for its descriptive powers,it is a compelling account of self–knowledge and coming–of–age.Foreword by Tim Parks.

Recovering from a near–fatal illness, a young woman resolves to experience for herself all that life has to offer. Spurning her old saintly ways, she sets out to explore the beauty and energy in everything around her. But as she senses the first stirrings of passion, so too comes tragedy, and with it, the realization that to truly live, she must embrace life in all its brutality. Poet, dramatist, and novelist—and one of the most popular and controversial Italian writers of the 20th century—Gabriele D’Annunzio (1863–1938) represented the very height of decadence in Italy. ... Read more

Product Description
MySQL is the leading open source database on the market and PHP continues to dominate the server side of the scripting market—together, they are the most popular and common team for creating dynamic, database-driven web sites. This comprehensive book covers the newest version of PHP and MySQL and is packed with extensive code examples, full working applications, and valuable troubleshooting advice. You’ll explore installing, developing, and debugging the latest versions of PHP and MySQL and get insight on advanced topics such as error handling, debugging, PEAR, security, HTTP, cookies, and OOP. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Reference Book
This is a great reference book for PHP and MySQL.I wouldn't recommend it if you are wanting to use it as the soul purpose of learning from scratch, but it is great for someone who is a least somewhat familiar with PHP and MySQL.

Authors and Publisher should be Ashamed
The Title says it all that they have no idea what they are publishing or what is being written about "PHP6 and MySQL Bible (Bible (Wiley)) (Paperback)" PHP6 does not exist the 'just barely recent released' version is 5.3.x - where do they get that 6 from ?

This is not the only book that offers PHP6 (which again 'Does Not Exist') they are mislead and they are business people writing books who have no idea what they are writing about.

Anyways stay away from a book that teaches a version 'non existing'

Good Luck

Great, but not a "bible"
Hello.

I am a web developer with experience in multiple languages.

I'd say, this book is good, but not "great", and definitely not a "bible" (if you consider the bible a good thing).

PROS
---Part 1(PHP) is very well organized, and gives you an ordered path to learn PHP.
---The same goes with part III(advanced PHP).
---It gives a chunk of useful PHP things at the end in part V.

CONS
---Part 2 was nearly horrifying. Seeing as how this book was written even before PHP 6 came out, you would assume the authors would stop using deprecated HTML tags. Also, when is says "PHP and MySQL", it means exactly that. The author is assuming you already know SQL, and tries to throw in the whole SQL language in maybe a chapter and a half.

YOU PICKS (Things I don't care about, but some people might, I didn't read most of these)
---Part IV has a bunch of chapters explaining how to work with other databases (postgreSQL, Oracle, etc)
---Part VI has some case studies(which I read, but you know...)
---The appendix has some references for C, Perl, Pear, and HTML backgrounds.

All in all, I think it is worth getting, but don't bother getting a $70 new copy thinking it will be a life-long reference... get the $5 used one, and when you're done, it probably won't have a very prominant place on your bookshelf.

psychic authors
PHP 6 and MySQL 6?

The problem with that is that PHP is about to release their major update (5.3) and MySQL just released theirs (5.1). Both of these versions took years to develop. Neither MySQL nor PHP have even finalized their plans for their version 6, and in the case of PHP they've made changes to the PHP 5.3 API in just the last couple of weeks.

Because it would be completely idiotic to try to predict what the results of a huge update are going to be years in advance, I can only come to one conclusion- our authors are psychic.

We should give these authors a round of applause- I know that if I could predict the future, I wouldn't be using my talents to get sneak peaks on my favorite web development tools, I would be going for the lottery tickets and superbowl wins. This way I can afford to spend money on quality books put together by top notch marketing departments and clueless authors. ... Read more

Product Description
From its place in ancient Native American legends as Tahoma,the "great white mountain," and Tacobet, "nourishing breast," to itsposition as a symbol of the Northwest today, Mount Rainier has alwaysbeen a dominant presence in this region. In 1999 we will celebrate theforesight of those who, a century earlier, created Mount RainierNational Park. With that single act they protected for futuregenerations the wild beauty of the area's alpine meadows, dramaticwaterfalls and lowland forests--and the extraordinary mountain theysurround.

In this, the official book of the centennial, Pat O'Hara and TimMcNulty view the mountain through all its facets: from the geologicand climatic forces that continue to shape it, to the rich legacy ofhumans' relationship with it, to its delicate ecosystems and what willbe needed to protect them for the future.

Home to more than 120 alpine plant species, 3 of which are foundnowhere else in the world, Mount Rainier remains a refuge for adiversity of flora and fauna.It is also a magnet for the hundreds ofthousands of people who live within sight of its snowy slopes and formillions of visitors who arrive from around the world eachyear. O'Hara and McNulty explore the conflict this presents as parkmanagers attempt to balance protection of the mountain's fragileecosystems with the desires of the many who wish to seek solitude inits vast forests or challenge themselves on its dauntingglaciers. Above all, this book celebrates this treasured place foranyone who has ever looked up and said, "Hey! The mountain is out!" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Beautiful pictures - but not a guide book
This books has some fantastically beautiful pictures.It provide useful information of Mt. Rainier and how it looks like during different seasons and also it gives you an idea of where to go and take beautiful photos.

Having said that, however, this is not a guidebook per se, hence, it does not provide you with information to get around Mt. Rainier.

Great gift for anyone who's hiked The Mountain
Those of us who have hiked or climbed Mt. Rainier know that the beauty of the experience doesn't always come out in our photos. O'Hara has captured that beauty in over a hundred shots we all wish we had taken. ... Read more

Product Description
On Washington’s Olympic Peninsula more than 1400 square miles of rugged mountains, richly forested river valleys, and pristine wilderness coast have been preserved as Olympic National Park. From rain forests with more than 160 inches of annual precipitation to arid rainshadow slopes, from rugged glacier-covered mountains to the wild Pacific coast, the park’s varied ecosystems feature an extraordinary range of plants and animals, including many species found nowhere else on earth. This illustrated complete guide covers geology, wildflowers and other plant life, rain forest ecology, glaciers, wildlife, rivers, the Pacific coast, and visitor information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great guide to the Olympic Peninsula
This book covers just what the title promises - - the geology, rain forests, rivers, ocean, alpine regions, and other areas of Olympic National Park.It's a little jarring to see Indians included as part of the "natural" history, equivalent to Roosevelt elk or Olympic marmots, but McNulty treats white settlers and the National Park Service in the same way.

McNulty weaves together an overall story of the peninsula despite dividing it into habitats and the like.This makes it a good read from start to finish, but it would also be useful as a companion for a visit - - just read the rainforest chapter when you're in the rainforests, and so on.

McNulty also includes various personal moments, all well-timed and appropriate in length.This is not a personal memoir but these memories truly enhance the natural history that he presents. He also has an infectious enthusiasm, makes this book a lively read for a general audience.

It also has beautiful pictures.

In short, a great book if you're at all interested in the Olympic Peninsula.

A good overview to a spectacular park
Olympic National Park rangers often recommend this book as the best overall guide to this intriguing wilderness region.With environments as diverse as wavespept Pacific coasts, glaciated alpine country and lushtemperate rainforests, McNulty had his work cut out for him in capturingthe essence of the Olympic Mountains.All in all, he has done an excellentjob, hitting on these topics, as well as the humanhistory andconservation issues of the region.I was disappointed with his coverage ofthe rainforests, whose stunning grandeur really deserves more than thebrief chapter he gives them.To his credit,though, he concludes the bookwith an extensive bibliography that will satisfy anyone who wants to delvedeeper.All in all, I would say that this book earns a home in thebackpack or suitcase of anybody who plans on visiting this wonderfulNational Park. ... Read more

Product Description
Set in post-war Switzerland, in the strict, repressive world of an institution for young girls, this novel tells the story of an idyll enjoyed in captivity and an adolescent friendship that becomes perverse and exploitative. The novel was awarded the Bagutto and Rapallo prizes in Italy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A gem
One of the all too rare examples of literature as art rather than entertainment, this book deserves to be much better known. Jeaggy is a master of style and has a purity and preciseness of language that makes this book an utter joy. A future classic.

Interesting exploration of emotional landscape
Sweet Days of Discipline is narrated by a boarding school student who has attended several such schools, who has been defiant, who is a disinterested student, who becomes nearly obsessed with a new student - disciplined, independent, nihilistic.The tension in the narrative derives from emotional states rather than plot events - yet the tension builds as clearly as in a thriller.This is achieved by the author's excellent understanding of her narrator's point of view and the use of landscape, daily events and memories to express that view.Examples: the description of the landscape on the narrator's early morning walk; the destruction of letters from her mother; the memory of her roommate's dance dress but not her name ...

Not a perfect book but well worth the two or three hours it takes to read.

Remarkable prose.
It is a terrible thing that only two of Jaeggy's odd, spare, and brilliant works are presently available in English. This novella is striking in its stylistic genius and restrained but intense emotional world.I eagerly await the translation of more of Jaeggy's work. ... Read more

Product Description
The GAA's founders in 1884 cannot have imagined Croke Park, a sports icon in Ireland's national consciousness, would host over 80,000 people at an international rugby match. Here is the story of `Croker' from the beginning, featuring great games, personalities, dramas, and non-GAA events. Reminiscences by renowned players, officials and others add color to the history. The magnificence of the stadium is reflected in the best ever collection of photographs and illustrations about this hallowed ground. ... Read more

Product Description
What began as a biography of George Millay, the "Father of the Waterpark Industry," ended up being both the intriguing life story of a great and successful risk-taker AND the first-ever, in-depth look at the creation of two theme park genres which today entertain more than 100 million people a year, worldwide.

KEY FEATURES

1 – First book ever written about George Millay. He has waited until he felt comfortable "telling it all."And tell it all, he did. Friends and family who have read the manuscript have commented they learned new things about a man they have known for years. He has a reputation for not wanting to talk personally about himself or his family.

2 – George Millay’s personal story is one of a risk-taker and is an excellent business primer on how calculated and creative risk taking and deal making can pay off.

3 – This is the first in-depth look at the creation and the early history of the SeaWorld parks, now owned by Anheuser-Busch; Magic Mountain, now owned by Six Flags; and the Wet’n Wild parks, now owned by Universal and by Palace Entertainment. The book chronicles the deals, the people, and the events that shaped these parks - from concept through construction and the early years of operation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A fitting tribute to a theme park pioneer
George Millay died on February 6, 2006 but his legacy lives on. Millions have visited Sea World and Wet and Wild. What sparked these two theme parks was George's experiences in the restaurant business. You'll have to read the book to see how he made the leap.

The book describes how George went to various them parks to get ideas, such as the wave generation machine for Wet and Wild.

Sea World was the first to use an ozone purification system. When the Marine Mammal Protection Act was enacted in 1972, Sea World started a captive breeding program to replenish its stock of animals.

George was a visionary and a problem solver; however, even these were not enough. Sometimes he had to depend on luck. On more than one occasion, George came to the brink of financial disaster.

Once I picked up the book, I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended reading even it you're not considering opening a theme park.

He beats Trump as a risk taker and deal maker.Fun book!
This book reveals how he created Sea World, Wet'N Wild and Magic Mountain.What a deal maker and career breaker.It was a wild ride.Hilarious tales of boom, bust and triumph.Read about the peacock's infamous flight.Twists and turns follow George building two aquatic empires.I woke my wife up from laughing so hard while reading it in bed.I couldn't put it down.Get the story from the ultimate insider of amusement parks.

George Millay launched two successful amusement industries almost single-handedly:Marine-life Parks and Water Slide Parks.He seems to have made abigger splash than Shamu.Millions still are entertained in the wake of his creations:Sea Worlds, Wet `nWilds and Magic Mountain.Wave Maker is a big splash!
... Read more