JPod - Douglas Coupland

Advantages: It has a nice cover
Disadvantages: The stuff in between is bad

..."Oh God, I feel like a refugee from a Douglas Coupland novel." "That asshole" "Who does he think he is?" As opening lines to novels go that was a first for me. I've never known an author name check them self so brazenly and I have to say it set me off on the wrong foot with this book. I've never read Coupland before so wasn't really sure what to expect. As the celebrated author of 'Generation X' I was looking forward to an IT literate book for the information age. What I got was something far less, a self serving work lacking irony and intelligence. A book that wastes the reader's time and provides little in return. But I'm rushing to a conclusion so let me step back and tell you a little about it before I completely trash it. The story follows events over a year or so of Ethan Jarlewski's life. A regular kind of guy he...

brereton66 07.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of JPod - Douglas Coupland

Generation X - Douglas Coupland

Advantages: An intelligent read
Disadvantages: A bit on the light side

...I must be such a sucker. A year or so back I bought the book Jpod by Douglas Coupland and hated it with a degree of hostility out of all proportion to its inherent quality, yet here I am shelling out good money for another one. I?d bought that first book largely on the basis of the author?s reputation as a modern, zeitgeist surfing writer with a savvy appreciation of the turn of the century world. A reputation almost entirely earned with this break through novel; ?Generation X?. Unfortunately, Jpod was so annoyingly self-regarding, so out of touch with the 21st century that I felt almost personally insulted that I had been so duped ? hence my disproportionate loathing. Still, once bitten ? never learn is my motto and I resolved to go back to the source of all this trouble and actually read Generation X, the book that created a reputation...

brereton66 11.03.2009 (15.03.2009) · Read review
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Review of Generation X - Douglas Coupland

BLACK DOUGLAS

Advantages: Strong malt flavour
Disadvantages: Hard to find on draught

...and a drawing of a mean looking character on the label. Who the flickin' sneck is he I wonder? I feel a legend coming on....... * SIR JAMES the GOOD aka THE BLACK DOUGLAS * Sir James Douglas fought for Scottish independence at the side of King Robert the Bruce. He fought with the Bruce at Methven in 1306 then led a raid on Douglas Castle, his own estate, which had been occupied by the English. Disguised as peasants, Sir James and his men surprised and defeated the English garrison. He then went on to attack and capture Roxburgh Castle. He also played a major role in the defeat of the English at the Battle of Bannockburn and was one of the signatories of the Declaration of Arbroath, at Arbroath Abbey, in 1320. On the death of the Bruce in 1329, he was entrusted with the King's heart in order to carry it on a crusade to the Holy Land. He...

proxam 04.12.2002 · Read review
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Review of Black Douglas Ale

Home James!

Advantages: 18 tracks of pure brilliance and some wonderful lyrics
Disadvantages: None

...James are probably one of the most under-rated bands of the past 25 years. They formed in Whalley Range, Manchester in 1981. Band members came and went in a flurry of activity until the band came across Tim Booth dancing like a complete loon at a disco they had sneaked into. They invited him to join the band as their dancer (a la Bez in the Happy Mondays) but later he became their vocalist. This 'Best of' collection was released in 1998 and contains eighteen tracks of pure brilliance. Track Listing 1 - Come Home (Flood Mix) 2 - Sit Down 3 - She's a Star 4 - Laid 5 - Waltzing Along (single version) 6 - Say Something 7 - Born of Frustration 8 - Tomorrow 9 - Destiny Calling 10 - Out to get You 11 - Runaground 12 - Lose Control 13 - Sometimes 14 - How was it for You? 15...

david_1967 20.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of Best Of James, The - James

Bland, James Bland

Advantages: Playability, Fun, Great Multiplayer
Disadvantages: It's no Goldeneye

...killed trying to use) and mobile vehicles (a rocket firing tank and the unbelievably excellent mini copter). With the combative angst between the two of us, these would either see a 5-0 walk over or a swear induced 4-4 draw (1 level being tied) before the console would go off in disgust of drawing. Although the memory's of the game are fond, I'll be patently honest, they are probably happy mainly due to the fact it was a family thing. I can't remember much of the game (though having not played it in 2 years this may be fair enough) but all I seem to remember are fond things of a slightly ropey looking shooter that was fun but nothing truly special. Even in those days there was better games available (MOH, Killzone) but yet this one always had us coming back. No reason why, maybe it was still the fact we could be James Bone, or maybe it was...

iamasadlittleboy 08.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of James Bond 007: Nightfire (PS2)

James Wellbeloved

Advantages: Gluten, wheat free, dogs enjoy it and look great on it
Disadvantages: slightly high priced

...Feed this to 5 of our border collies. Very good quality food and really good for dogs whos stomachs get upset easily, no wheat and gluten or un-natural preservatives that can irritate a dogs diestive system. A good variety of flavours are available and different foods to suit your dog which James Wellbeloved will help you choose the right food to suit your dog. The dogs all enjoy it and have shiney healthy coats, and what comes out the other end is as it should be rather than slightly loose. Also they don't itch and scratch like some foods can cause dogs to do. James well belovd offer a really good breeders scheme and are helpfull when ever we have contacted them offering sampes of their food to try before we changed our dogs over onto it to see if they liked it and if it agreed with them. They also offer support if you need any...

Hsaxo 18.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of James Wellbeloved

The Name Was Hunt, James Hunt

Advantages: A fascinating and intelligent account of the life of a sporting great
Disadvantages: The subject nature will perhaps put off those unfamiliar with Formula 1

...noughties. The 70s were politically turbulent, gaudy, vulgar and very difficult, but they were also energetic, abrasive and exciting years, years when things could get done without the need to jump through an assault course of hoops and people could tell others what they really thought of them (within reason) without inviting an immediate thumping by the passive-aggressive heavies of political correctness. Formula 1 in the 70s was as much a reflection of its time as it is now: it was loud, grubby, slightly chaotic, brash and very very dangerous. It also necessarily produced driving stars that were cut from a somewhat rougher cloth than that from which derives many of our sweet-young-things of the present. James Hunt, for those who still have youth on their side, was one of Britain's most famous and talked-about sports stars of the 1970s. He...

Templar19 28.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of James Hunt - Gerald Donaldson

Douglas Adams Douglas Adams Douglas Adams

Advantages: Really great and well written ideas
Disadvantages: No movie, and the sad news of Douglas Adams?s death

...I wouldn?t say Douglas Adams was a hero of mine but he is someone I admired a great deal. I love the way he wrote and the ideas he came up with, it wasn?t until his death a year ago that it really came home to me of how much a part he played in my life, he will be very missed. I have written a couple of opinions about Douglas Adams?s lately, and have done several, most of the following I wrote but left out due to the length of those ops. So seeing as a new revised edition of what is essentially a biography of Douglas Adams has just come out and been read by this fan I thought I?d include it here. ~~Don?t Panic - Douglas Adams & The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy~~ Written by Neil Gaiman and originally came out as ?Don?t Panic: The Official Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy Companion?, in 1987. It was revised by David K...

seagulls-lost-horizon 14.08.2002 · Read review
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Review of Don't Panic - Douglas Adams & The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy - Neil Gaiman

James Villa Holidays

Advantages: Great properties, unique experiences, wonderful holidays.
Disadvantages: None - although might not be suitable for all travelers

...Over the past 3 years we have used James Villa Holidays six times. Our initial experience was in Gale, Algarve; we went on to stay in La Font, Pollença, Mallorca three times; and more recently have stayed at La Boheme in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote and Forteza in Kalami, Crete. Our first taste of James Villas was in a 2 bedroom apartment in Gale, Algarve. The apartment itself was spacious and well maintained, with a large patio, fully equipped kitchen and TV/Satellite unit in the comfortable living room. Although the choice of English-language channels was limited, one doesn?t generally go on holiday to sit in front of the idiot box, and as we understand a modicum of German, the German MTV channel was most entertaining. As is the norm in our experience with James Villas, the supplied literature concerning the accommodation and local area...

maganda1980 08.05.2007 · Read review
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Review of James Villas

Douglas Coupland - creater of modern classics

Advantages: A great social commentator
Disadvantages: his later books are not as good

...I love Douglas Coupland. He is definately one of today's most important and influential authors. His novels include the modern classic Generation X, (1991) Life after God (1994) Girlfriend in a coma, (1997) All families are psychotic, (2001) Hey Nostradamus (2003) and many more. He has also written some non-fiction such as 'Polaroids from the Dead' and 'city of glass'. He is an amazing visionary and there really is no-one else writing like him. His post-modern approach to story telling is beautiful, moving and often very funny. He has been described as a visionary and important social commentator. A Canadian born in 1961, he has studied art and design all over the world. He also creates art and even makes his own furniture. Truley a creative talented man. His later novels such as Microserfs and JPod are (obviously...

mycatis 09.04.2008 · Read review
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Review of Douglas Coupland