Product Description
1st UK printing. Wizardry vs. technology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

terrible Kindle edition
i liked the book -- i'm a Niven fan so i'm not sure how i missed this title.i've always enjoyed Niven's light-hearted stories.

however, the Kindle edition was horrible, with pervasive "typesetting" errors.i couldn't get more than a few pages without running into a random word in superscript/subscript, or a whole line in a different font size, or dropped characters or punctuation, and, at least once, an entire paragraph in right-justification.granted these are minor errors, but each mistake hit me like a brick wall, bringing my reading to a dead stop.

whoever translated this to the Kindle simply did a terrible job.=(

The Flying Sorcerers
I am a Larry Niven fan, and have gone out of my way to track down out-of-print copies of his older books.When I saw this title, I was looking forward to another fine book in Niven's style.

This isn't one.Niven's style is almost not present in the book.When I received the invite to review the book, I had to think hard about what the book was...it left that little of an impression on my memory.

Normally I keep books and re-read them.I traded this one in.

Perplexingly bad
Gerrold and Niven are both excellent SF writers.I usually enjoy their books, and both have built up large and high-quality bodies of work.That's why the badness of "Flying Sorcerers" is so baffling.It's like they banged this out in a weekend on a bet.

Much is made of the alleged humor of this novel.Fannish jokes and puns belong at Worldcon, not in a book put out for sale to the general public.Their humor value fails to rise over the level of Granpa's thighslappers.For example, two young alien boys who build a flying machine are called "Wilville" and "Orbur."Ho, ho.My sides!And the gags go downhill from there.

So why 2 stars instead of one?Despite all of its flaws, this is still an amiable book."Ringworld Throne" aside, both Niven and Gerrold have enough talent to make this book at least somewhat interesting, and to keep the thin plot moving.

If you're interested in these authors, and you should be, pick out almost anything from their extensive catalogs before you purchase this.

Fine work
This book is really a great work if you realize what it is, comical sci-fi. And it is not a Niven story but a Gerrold one, if you liked The Trouble With Tribbles episode of Star Trek then this for you.

To dananbethany> It's a pun, As a mauve. Asimov.

An overlooked treasure
This is one of the funniest SF books out there.I've got an old tattered copy, and I will order the new edition when it comes out.The book is full of cultural, SF and fandom references.Some might be a little dated (for example, the symbol of the sheep, the horned box, is a reference to a TV with antenna, and how many people have seen one of THOSE lately?), but overall, this book holds up very well.

To answer another reviewer's question would be a spoiler, but anyone who wishes to know who Purple was based on can email me at my nickname at hotmail. ... Read more

Product Description

Practical advice on how to thrive in the second half of your life, based on scientific studies. The sixth book in the bestselling 100 Simple Secrets series.

Customer Reviews (3)

Geneally Helpful & Upbeat in tidbit form
Basically the premise of this book is "People who think happy, are generally happier."

The format of the books spends about 2 pages on a wide range of titles: "Happy Looks for Happy", "Turn Off the Bad News", "Be Decisive", etc., etc.
You get the picture.

At the end it list some study results in a a sentence or two, that says.xx% of people who do this are generally happier.

These aren't all that helpful, but for light reading a few per day, this is a nice book to keep someone rolling on a positive path.

WONDERFUL, USEFUL, INSPIRING
I have read all of Dr. Niven's books and have found EVERY one of them to be FANTASTIC!People, Relationships, Best Half of Life, Happy People, etc have all been wonderful ideas with the research the idea is based on. As a psychologist, I hate suggesting books (bibliotherapy) that is half-baked or some crap off Opera.David Niven's is concrete, shouldn't offend anyone with a 'religious' overtone (get over it anyways), and not likely to lead them off to some cult or guru. Just plain, safe, reliable and healthy perspectives. Truly "what scientists have learned and how you can use it."

helpful for those under 50 as well
This book is as helpful for those under fifty years of age as for those above. It simply collects the simple secrets that you may have known but already forgot. If you can appreciate and respect the way you live your life, then you are already in the better half of life...no matter what half it is. This book will remind you just that fact. ... Read more

Product Description
For more than forty years, Niven portrayed on screen the impeccable values of a lost breed of English gentlemen - handsome, beautifully spoken, elegantly dressed, witty, with perfect manners and utterly charming. Niv, according to his friends, was much the same off-screen. Both men and women were enchanted by his charisma, humour and joie-de-vivre. In addition to winning an Oscar for Separate Tables (1958), Niven was a polished writer, and published two volumes of lighthearted autobiography: THE MOON'S A BALLOON (1972) and BRING ON THE EMPTY HORSES (1975). Yet behind those twinkling eyes, Niv's life was punctuated by tragedy and he was often deeply unhappy. From the death of his father when Niven was five, to his mother's neglect and the stepfather he loathed, through to the death of his beloved first wife and his volatile and disturbing marriage to his second wife, Hjordis, tragedy and hardship were never far away. Graham Lord, using new material from Niven's private papers, manuscripts, unpublished stories and correspondence, has written a fresh, revealing, funny and poignant portrait of a brave and brilliant man.Fully authorised by Niven's family and drawing from dozens of interviews with stars, from Lauren Bacall to Roger Moore and Sir John Mills, NIV: the Authorised Biography of David Niven is a fitting tribute to one of Hollywood's greatest heroes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Biography of a Saucy Actor
This is a superior biography of a much-loved
actor.The author has doen his homework, and
has gathered invaluable information on his
subject from many who knew David Niven on a
first-hand basis, including his children.
The Niven saga reveals a man who charmed
almost everyone he met, and had relations
with scores of women, but who still
experienced the tragedy of his first wife's
death and the turmoil caused by his second
wife's cruel disdain.Niven's films are
described in detail, and the author doesn't
mince words when spotting a cinematic lemon.
Those who think of David Niven as merely a
superficial light entertainer will come away
pleasantly surprised from this well-done work. ... Read more

Product Description
In America, women are the clear majority of the electorate and the clear minority of elected officials overall. Niven finds that one important reason women hold a minority of state legislative seats is that party leaders are biased against women. This bias, rooted in the outgroup effect, encourages the predominantly male party leadership to prefer candidates in their own image while they discount the merits of potential women candidates. This book addresses this issue and offers suggestions for change. ... Read more

Product Description
Justice Scalia has warned of the danger of fallacies that pass for truth simply because they are frequently repeated. Death Justice argues that one fallacy that passes for truth is the widely held notion that Justices Rehnquist, Scalia, and Thomas applied a fixed standard itself based on a fixed meaning of the Constitution to death penalty cases. In defiance of their judicial rhetoric, their conclusions simply defy their, or any, conception of consistency. And without a logical, consistent foundation, their findings on the death penalty come to resemble little more than personal political preferences. More to the point, the contradictory arguments of the three justices have contributed to a unique public policy that exists outside the bounds of the normal limits of American politics. Thanks in part to Rehnquist, Scalia, and Thomas, on the death penalty the U.S. stands far apart from its allies and quite close to its enemies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Simply a great read.
David Niven was not always a star. He had to go away and learn his trade in "B" movies before being allowed to enter the big time. He learnt that trade well but, unlike some who were destined to become greats of Hollywood, he also put his entire acting career on hold whilst he served as an officer in a fighting unit throughout WW2.

This book tells the first half of his life's story and what a story it is. Like every biography ever written, the best bits do not happen at the beginning, so some readers, therefore, might find it slow going at first. Though many will not. But then we meet the rich and famous stars of Hollywood from another era and learn a little about each of these people and their various relationships as we move from one to another and sometimes back again.

Written in David Niven's own hilarious style, there is so much humour here that you "will" find yourself insisting others read this book. In fact, it is so funny - especially his descriptions of the wrong use of English words by foreign movie directors, one finishes the book in the knowledge that had David Niven not become an Oscar-winning movie star, he would easily have achieved great success as a writer.

The underlying theme, of course, is David Niven's life and, as one reviewer has already said, this book leaves you wishing you had met this man. Me too.

NM

Find this book!
Although this book is out of print, it is a must read! I wasn't at all familiar with David Niven's work (and actually, I still don't know much about his films) but I wanted to read the book just for his chapter on Fred Astaire. The chapter on Astaire is actually found in Niven's second book, "Bring On The Empty Horses", but I was lucky enough to get both books in one. So even though I knew nothing about Niven's career, I was enthralled with this book. Its the best movie star autobiography I've ever read. It reads as a sort of series of sketches connecting different parts of Niven's life. It is extremely funny and Niven's willingness to talk about all aspects of his life make some great stories. He doesn't shy away from personal details, everything, including a retelling of his first sexual experience, is included. Its a delightful read and because of Niven's lengthy career it is long, but its one of those where you wish he'd written three or four more books. I strongly recommend this to anyone with an interest in old Hollywood or anyone with a good sense of humor. It definitely does not appeal to Niven fans only! However, if you are interested in Niven, I suggest you read a brief biography on him beforehand. He rarely mentions dates or years and sometimes I got confused in the time period because I was unfamiliar with his work so I couldn't place a movie with a year. He is very witty, charming, and funny. I can see why he became a star.

Also highly recommended is "Bring On The Empty Horses". Its not an autobiographical continuation of "The Moon's A Balloon". Its a series of chapters about Niven's acquaintances. Everyone from Bogart to Cary Grant to Errol Flynn are represented. Its just as good as the first book.

Possibly the Best Autobiography Ever!
Witty, urbane, occasionally insightful, 'The Moon's a Balloon' is a marvellous reminiscence of Hollywood's Golden Age, and is as delightfully unpretentious as it's author, Academy Award-winning actor David Niven.

Niven must have been a welcome addition to any party, as his writing has a chatty, 'have you heard the story about...' quality that makes each experience a topper to the one before! You'll follow his early life, and introduction into Hollywood, where he shared a cottage with legendary hell-raiser Errol Flynn (who would bed an endless stream of stars and starlets, while avoiding jealous husbands and boyfriends by the narrowest of margins), to his involvement with Samuel Goldwyn and the British acting community (including a hilarious tale involving Nigel Bruce and a rare plant), to a horrible yet hysterical Broadway stint, to his recollections about the production of 'Around the World in Eighty Days'.

Niven was not one to 'blow his own horn', and he tends to downplay his own adventures (he was a decorated officer in WWII, who survived D-Day; he only lightly touches upon it, and says he was only 'doing his part'), and the book ends on a slightly jarring note, as he acknowledges his complete confusion over current tastes in lifestyles and music (using James Taylor, of all people, as a reference to what was incomprehensible!), but all in all, the book is a delight, and was such a commercial hit that it spawned a sequel, 'Bring On the Empty Horses'.

If there is ANY book that deserves to be back in print, it's 'The Moon's a Balloon'. When that happy day arrives, run, do NOT walk, to buy it! You WON'T be disappointed! ... Read more

Product Description
This political analysis of history considers the electoral calculation behind John F. Kennedy's reluctance to support civil rights. While long viewed as a stroke of political genuis, this book presents political evidence that shows moderation on civil rights was the product of a grand political miscalculation. This is the first comprehensive treatment of the history of The Freedom Rides. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Niven Knows
This is a well written auto-bi by a hollywood icon of the
50's and 60's.It's a tell all without being too graphic that
reveals its times and places.Fun to read. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

La Ciencia de ser una Pareja Feliz

Customer Reviews (1)

Buen Texto - Excelente
Al principio de mi lectura tenia la idea de que seria al igual que otros libros que he leido acerca de este tema, pero al entrar a la lectura cambie de opinión. Es EXCELENTE libro - LO RECOMIENDO ... Read more

Product Description

La Ciencia del Éxito