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A compelling saga of the history of Russia from two millenia ago until the modern age, Russka truly brings history to life. I was enthralled by Rutherfurds detailled storytelling, moving characters and diligently researched background.
From the stories of the steppes to the impact of Poland and Turkey on the mindset of Russia, Rutherfurd captures the glory and essence of Russia. The duality, conflict and stabiitiy of the Russian people were facinating to study throughout the novel. The impact of the Church and the Tzar on Russian identiiy was amazing.
This is a fasciting tale that carries the past into the future and competely changed my view of Russia.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Rant by Chuck Palahniuk
Is it possible to romantisize rabies and intergenerational incest - even make it sexy? I read Rant more than a few books ago, and can not get it out of my head. I chose the book based on the author, Chuck Palahniuk, who also wrote Fight Club. It's difficult to describe this book because Chuck is so twisted and does not exactly narrate in a straight line. The story is a narrative of "friends" describing Rant as they remember him and how he impacted their lives. Snippets of stories, some which defy belief and memorably stand out. I told a small segment of one of these stories to my 3 boys in a tent one night and scared the crap out of them, made the 6 year old cry (just the first example of my wonderful philosophy toward parenting). They still ask me to tell the Easter egg story again just to make David cry. To read a preview of Rant and learn more about Chuck Palahniuk, check out http://books.google.com/books?id=O1xIcDiultoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=rant&ei=9iymScTfC5LOlQSItO1c
Monday, February 9, 2009
Keys to the Kingdom by Allison A. Armstrong
Allison A. Armstrong is the founder of PAX, a company committed to educating women about men and teaching women how to create a different, more effective relationship with men. PAX is an acronym for Partnership, Adoration and Xtasy as well as being the Latin word for Peace. By teaching women to view themselves and their responsibilities in relationship differently, PAX’s programs help women create the relationships they have always longed for while both honoring men and claiming their own power. Allison leads women to a new brand of feminism that respects and cherishes men while using a woman’s unique power to claim the life and relationships she deserves.
Keys to the Kingdom is a fictional work that uses storytelling to educate. Most of the teachings Allison shares in her keystone course Understanding Men, Satisfying Women revolve around a shift in perspective and changes in communication. In Keys to the Kingdom, an elderly woman, Claudia chooses a younger woman to mentor n the knowledge she has of men. Claudia has decades of experience in her own marriage as well as a fount of knowledge passed down and expanded upon by generations of women in her own family. The woman she mentors, Karen, is struggling in her own nineteen year marriage. As Claudia shares with Karen, we see the results as Karen makes adjustments to her own thought processes as well as changes in what she’s contributing to her marriage. Keys to the Kingdom is an intriguing journey through the salvation of a crumbling marriage that offers ideas and perspectives that can be used by the reader as well.
I have attended Allison’s workshops and gotten amazing results personally. I loved each of the workshops though, honestly, many of them were challenging. I often found them uncomfortable as I learned new more effective ways of interacting with men and realized so many things I had been doing that made my life and my relationships more difficult. Being such a fan of the classes, I was expecting to love the book. Not quite.
From a standpoint of conveying information, it’s thorough. The main pertinent points of the concepts are relayed. The format of meetings and conversations between Claudia and Karen is conductive to being educational and conveying the data of Allison’s concepts clearly and with examples. From a fiction standpoint it’s a bit dry. I liked the characters but I didn’t really connect with them and it felt like it dragged a bit. Also a warning, there are segments in the earlier chapters that sound anti-feminist. Had I not taken the classes and had a full view of where this book is going I probably would have put it down and never picked it up again. So be warned, keep reading. Even though it seems a bit odd and the book doesn’t quite pull off the flow of true fiction, the ideas are really valuable and not completely elaborated upon until the end. So hang in there – it’s worth it.
That being said – I don’t actually recommend this book. It’s a bit dry and stilted. I hear the CD version is horrible so please skip that too. Writing isn’t Allison’s strong suit. Where she really shines is on stage. The ideas, research and techniques she has are absolutely invaluable. They give you a whole new lease on your relationships with men. Not just romantic relationships either – relationships with sons, fathers, brothers, co-workers, your mailman, the list goes on and on. This information can radically change the way you interact with men and the results you get with them. I’d strongly recommend going to a PAX workshop. If you can’t swing the time or the money for the workshop, get the book and suffer thru it. It is so worth it.
Reviews:
“Alison’s work speaks to the next step in the evolution of the women’s movement, a movement that thankfully is leading us, full circle, back to partnership and a unity while still celebrating the many strides that feminism has afforded us.” - Alanis Morissette, Singer-Songwriter
"By using the knowledge and skills gently taught in this book, peace between women and men will be more easily attained." - John Gray, Ph.d, Best-Selling Author, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
Inside the Front Cover:
... Karen lay curled against Mike, listening to him snore softly. She was almost giddy with excitement. Who would have thought? Claudia would have thought, she told herself, Oh, I don't know about that, she mentally argued back, reliving the lovemaking that had recently concluded. Well, she does call what she knows the "keys to the kingdom"...
Whether or not Claudia knew the power of what she had told Karen that day, Karen was more grateful, already, than she could have imagined. In place of the tears that she had become used to, a smile accompanied her to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Until we transform the quality of relationships between men and women, we can't begin to resolve the issues we face in our world today. As a man, I pray that women everywhere read and take to heart this book. I also learned a great deal about myself. A must read for anyone interested in living a powerful life!"
- Carl Zaiss, International Business Consultant, Educator, and Author of true Partnership-Revolutionary Thinking About Relating To Others
Back Cover:
Claudia Lambert is an elderly woman with an unusual history: her family has been studying men and their behavior for five hundred years. Karen Trevini is a a school teacher struggling in her nineteen year marriage. A chance encounter between these two women leads to an extraordinary exchange of information that transforms Karen's relationship to all men, and changes her husband's life forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alison Armstrong is the creator of the nationally recognized Celebrating Men, Satisfying Women workshop. Thousands of people, men and women, single and married, have benefited from her exceptional understanding of men and their behavior.
Keys to the Kingdom is a fictional work that uses storytelling to educate. Most of the teachings Allison shares in her keystone course Understanding Men, Satisfying Women revolve around a shift in perspective and changes in communication. In Keys to the Kingdom, an elderly woman, Claudia chooses a younger woman to mentor n the knowledge she has of men. Claudia has decades of experience in her own marriage as well as a fount of knowledge passed down and expanded upon by generations of women in her own family. The woman she mentors, Karen, is struggling in her own nineteen year marriage. As Claudia shares with Karen, we see the results as Karen makes adjustments to her own thought processes as well as changes in what she’s contributing to her marriage. Keys to the Kingdom is an intriguing journey through the salvation of a crumbling marriage that offers ideas and perspectives that can be used by the reader as well.
I have attended Allison’s workshops and gotten amazing results personally. I loved each of the workshops though, honestly, many of them were challenging. I often found them uncomfortable as I learned new more effective ways of interacting with men and realized so many things I had been doing that made my life and my relationships more difficult. Being such a fan of the classes, I was expecting to love the book. Not quite.
From a standpoint of conveying information, it’s thorough. The main pertinent points of the concepts are relayed. The format of meetings and conversations between Claudia and Karen is conductive to being educational and conveying the data of Allison’s concepts clearly and with examples. From a fiction standpoint it’s a bit dry. I liked the characters but I didn’t really connect with them and it felt like it dragged a bit. Also a warning, there are segments in the earlier chapters that sound anti-feminist. Had I not taken the classes and had a full view of where this book is going I probably would have put it down and never picked it up again. So be warned, keep reading. Even though it seems a bit odd and the book doesn’t quite pull off the flow of true fiction, the ideas are really valuable and not completely elaborated upon until the end. So hang in there – it’s worth it.
That being said – I don’t actually recommend this book. It’s a bit dry and stilted. I hear the CD version is horrible so please skip that too. Writing isn’t Allison’s strong suit. Where she really shines is on stage. The ideas, research and techniques she has are absolutely invaluable. They give you a whole new lease on your relationships with men. Not just romantic relationships either – relationships with sons, fathers, brothers, co-workers, your mailman, the list goes on and on. This information can radically change the way you interact with men and the results you get with them. I’d strongly recommend going to a PAX workshop. If you can’t swing the time or the money for the workshop, get the book and suffer thru it. It is so worth it.
Reviews:
“Alison’s work speaks to the next step in the evolution of the women’s movement, a movement that thankfully is leading us, full circle, back to partnership and a unity while still celebrating the many strides that feminism has afforded us.” - Alanis Morissette, Singer-Songwriter
"By using the knowledge and skills gently taught in this book, peace between women and men will be more easily attained." - John Gray, Ph.d, Best-Selling Author, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
Inside the Front Cover:
... Karen lay curled against Mike, listening to him snore softly. She was almost giddy with excitement. Who would have thought? Claudia would have thought, she told herself, Oh, I don't know about that, she mentally argued back, reliving the lovemaking that had recently concluded. Well, she does call what she knows the "keys to the kingdom"...
Whether or not Claudia knew the power of what she had told Karen that day, Karen was more grateful, already, than she could have imagined. In place of the tears that she had become used to, a smile accompanied her to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Until we transform the quality of relationships between men and women, we can't begin to resolve the issues we face in our world today. As a man, I pray that women everywhere read and take to heart this book. I also learned a great deal about myself. A must read for anyone interested in living a powerful life!"
- Carl Zaiss, International Business Consultant, Educator, and Author of true Partnership-Revolutionary Thinking About Relating To Others
Back Cover:
Claudia Lambert is an elderly woman with an unusual history: her family has been studying men and their behavior for five hundred years. Karen Trevini is a a school teacher struggling in her nineteen year marriage. A chance encounter between these two women leads to an extraordinary exchange of information that transforms Karen's relationship to all men, and changes her husband's life forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alison Armstrong is the creator of the nationally recognized Celebrating Men, Satisfying Women workshop. Thousands of people, men and women, single and married, have benefited from her exceptional understanding of men and their behavior.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
They Call Me Mad Dog!: A Story for Bitter, Lonely People by Erika Lopez
About eight years ago, my sister gave me one of the most raunchy and outrageous books I had ever read, They Call Me Mad Dog: A Story for Bitter, Lonely People. The book is the second in the trilogy, the first of which is Flaming Iguanas and the third, Hoochie Mama. The story is served up in a mix of narrative, typography, and illustration which makes each page it's own little work of art.
I recently decided to give They Call Me Mad Dog another read and see if there was more to it than dykes on bikes and kinky kidnapping. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is an endearing - and hilarious - story about finding one's place in the world. Who could help but be completely enthralled with a woman scorned hell-bent on getting revenge against the bitch who betrayed her?
Here's the product description from Amazon.com:
What do you do when love goes wrong? If you're Tomato Rodriguez, the reigning queen of motorcycle-riding, bicoastal bisexuals, you do every wrong thing there is to do. But what starts out as a small-scale revenge job complete with whipped cream, Bic ballpoints, and a monster truck, soon turns into a murder charge and a visit to the slammer with all the rest of the bad, bad girls. Traumatised by tough B movie one-liners and tedious lesbian orgies, Tomato decides to transform herself into Mad Dog, hoping that Ilsa the Wicked Warden will think her too crazy to be convicted on a murder rap.
I recently decided to give They Call Me Mad Dog another read and see if there was more to it than dykes on bikes and kinky kidnapping. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is an endearing - and hilarious - story about finding one's place in the world. Who could help but be completely enthralled with a woman scorned hell-bent on getting revenge against the bitch who betrayed her?
Here's the product description from Amazon.com:
What do you do when love goes wrong? If you're Tomato Rodriguez, the reigning queen of motorcycle-riding, bicoastal bisexuals, you do every wrong thing there is to do. But what starts out as a small-scale revenge job complete with whipped cream, Bic ballpoints, and a monster truck, soon turns into a murder charge and a visit to the slammer with all the rest of the bad, bad girls. Traumatised by tough B movie one-liners and tedious lesbian orgies, Tomato decides to transform herself into Mad Dog, hoping that Ilsa the Wicked Warden will think her too crazy to be convicted on a murder rap.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
I absolutely loved this book. It is everything I want - rich, complex, insightful, dark, mysterious with a bit of love and romance thrown in to the mix. With a deep grasp on the nuances of human nature, Kostova has the brilliance to create a convincing otherworldly frightfest in Dracula. I'm more of a general vampire fan than fascinated with Dracula particularly. However, this portrayal was absolutely fascinating.
I was completely enthralled and fell madly in love with Kostova's descriptions of Europe. I actually went on a long overdue trip to Eastern Europe largely due to this book's influence. The adventures in the book range from England, to France, into Romania (of course), as well as Hungary and all the way to Turkey. The flavor and complexities of each culture are well defined as are the masterful descriptions of the individual cities and places described.
I love the character develoment - amazing. The plot lines were inventive and believable, just capitvating. Elizabeth Kostova is a master storyteller. I was happy to give her the money I spent on the book itself as well as the hours it took to finish all 900+ perfect pages.
A must read!
Reviews:
"Kostova has done something quite extraordinary.... She has refashioned the vampire myth into a compelling contemporary novel, a late-night page-turner that will be sure to make you lose some precious hours of sleep.... She sets up the scene beautifully, and her description of the count himself is masterful, down to every bone-chilling detail... Kostova tells her otherworldly tale with great assurance and considerably style."
I was completely enthralled and fell madly in love with Kostova's descriptions of Europe. I actually went on a long overdue trip to Eastern Europe largely due to this book's influence. The adventures in the book range from England, to France, into Romania (of course), as well as Hungary and all the way to Turkey. The flavor and complexities of each culture are well defined as are the masterful descriptions of the individual cities and places described.
I love the character develoment - amazing. The plot lines were inventive and believable, just capitvating. Elizabeth Kostova is a master storyteller. I was happy to give her the money I spent on the book itself as well as the hours it took to finish all 900+ perfect pages.
A must read!
Reviews:
"Kostova has done something quite extraordinary.... She has refashioned the vampire myth into a compelling contemporary novel, a late-night page-turner that will be sure to make you lose some precious hours of sleep.... She sets up the scene beautifully, and her description of the count himself is masterful, down to every bone-chilling detail... Kostova tells her otherworldly tale with great assurance and considerably style."
"Brooding and atmospheric.... Kostova has re-created a Dracula every bit as horrifying and as terrible as when the bloodsucking vampire first became fixed in popular culture with Bram Stoker's celebrated telling of the tale in 1897.... In the end, Kostova may have outdone Stoker."
"The Historian amounts to something profound.... We encounter obsession, possession, and the struggle against the brevity of life. It is an exploration of the eternal desire for intimacy."
"Almost impossible to put down.... An atmosphere thriller with an improbable-but-plausible plot, exotic locations, multidimensional characters, and an engaging style... Kostova's characters are very real, and their adventures are exciting.... Every page adds to the story, and the suspense never flags... By the end of the first chapter, the reader is thoroughly engage-and will remain so until the final sentences.. The Historian exercises an almost hypnotic spell."
"A thriller in more ways than one.. The Historian is a hypnotic yarn, saturated in authentic history and eerie intrigue.. Kostova has a genius for evoking places."
"An impressive debut... The Historian is intriguing for its thorough examination of what constitutes evil and why it exists... Kostova's thorough research and lively narrative will compel many in search of a good story, richly told and not soon forgotten."
"The is a marvelous book that draws the reader into an infectious vortex of mystery and discovery. It is beautifully written and full of real and believable characters, but what most impresses me is the way Elizabeth Kostova has taken an old and worn genre and made it entirely fresh and undeniably her own. This is great fiction."
"The Historian certainly is one terrific and fascinating read.... twists, turns, a series of grisly murders, and moments of terror make The Historian a deftly crafted, thrilling page turner of a vampire novel... A must-read for anyone with even a pretense to loving the genre."
"In what amounts to a compelling inversion of literature and history, Elizabeth Kostova gives a lush fiction based on the Vlad legend... Kostova's eye for detail, her subtle humor, and her thesis that 'in history, there are no tiny questions' make The Historian a rewarding read."
"An extremely accomplished first novel... something unexpectedly original. Kostova's writing has a leisurely grace, at times seeming closer to the nineteenth century than the twenty-first, evoking the English masters of suspense and horror."
"A sumptuous quest-novel with an intelligent woman as protagonist and narrator. And her narration is cool, thoughtful, intelligent... It draws you into the pages and you read on guiltily through the night."
"A smart, thickly textured suspense novel."
"Rich and evocative... With scholarly intrigue and globe-trotting adventure, the intriguing novel delves deep into the myth of Dracula. Kostova blends fact and fantasy to remind us that the original legend is rooted in monstrous acts and unblinking evil."
"Kostova's historical tracing of the real Vlad Drakulya is flawless... and the evocative writing and story achieve the sage magician's goal of 'suspending our disbelief.'... The Historian has whole chapters suffused with a quite, implacable dread."
"Kostova describes with sometimes chilling effect both the atmosphere of her settings and the political feel of the times... The Historian has a full-speed-ahead plot with plenty of twists and lots of cliff-hangers"
"Stuffed with rich, incense-laden cultural history and travelogue, The Historian is a smart, bibliophilic mystery."
"A thoroughly impressive and entertaining debut, epic in it's scope, deeply human in its concerns."
"The Historian has all the elements of a great story: history, suspense, a likable heroine, and Dracula."
A lush historical mystery.... Kostova uncoils an elegantly sinister quest among the undead..... It's bundled story steeped in history, suspense, love, and lore."
"The Historian is the first Dracula novel to focus on the bloodlines of Vlad Dracula's descendants-not just the bloody trail the vampire left behind. Elizabeth Kostova's stunning debut gives us a multilayered insider's look at 500 years of Eastern European history."
"The hottest book of the season.... Exhilaratingly beautiful and deliciously fresh.'
"Only one moment in Dracula's history limited his powers, and Kostova wraps her story around the historians' pursuit of ancient letters that provide clues to that complicated and difficult part of Dracula's life and undeath. Kostova excels at the kind of quirky details that bring her characters to vivid life.... Perhaps the most telling thing that can be said of The Historian is that at 704 pages it does not seem a word too long,"
"Hypnotic... A thrill ride through history." - Denver Post
"A thrilling page-turner of a vampire novel." - Baltimore Sun
"Genuinely terrifying." - Boston Globe
"Impossible to resist." - Miami Herald
Back Cover:
Monday, February 2, 2009
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
I guess I just have unreasonable standards. The reviews were a rave, it was #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list and the Publishers Weekly bestseller list, the movie, blah blah blah. And I was still disappointed. Of course, it's right in line with my favorites so it did appeal to me. And it was recommended to me. Yet, I found I didn't really like the main character that much. He felt a bit spoiled and clueless. The story felt slightly stilted in the beginning. That said, yes both the character and the story grew on me as I read more. If I'd read it with no expectations I may have like it more. I was expecting the next best thing and unfortunately this ain't no Narnia... or Lord of the Rings or up to snuff with Pratchett, Lackey or even Stephanie Meyers. A great start for a beginning writer. I'm willing to invest the time in Book Two. But if it isn't any better than this I will lose interest.
Reviews:
"Christopher Paolini maker(s) literary magic with his precocious debut." - People
Reviews:
"Christopher Paolini maker(s) literary magic with his precocious debut." - People
"Unusual, powerful.... fresh and fluid. An impressive start to a writing career that's sure to flourish." - Booklist, Starred
' The new 'It' book of children lit." - US News and World Report
"An auspicious beginning to both career and series." - Publisher's Weekly
"Full praise to Eragon, and I want more! A winner.... tip of the hat to young master Paolini." - Anne McCaffrey, author of the Dragonriders of Pern series
"Will appeal to the legions of readers who have been captivated by the Lord of the Rings trilogy." - School Library Journal
Back Cover:
"An authentic work of great talent." - The New York Times
"The hottest fantasy title of the moment." - USA Today
Back Cover:
One Dragon...
A world of adventure.
When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.
Overnight he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.
Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? the fate of the Empire may rest in his hands....
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The Ultimate Secrets of Total Self Confidence by Dr Robert Anthony
I loved this book. Its a great tool for helping discover more value in yourself. I'm a rabid procrastinator and recovering perfectionist (which Dr Anthony lists as signs of low-self confidence) so this struck many chords for me. I've been exposed to a lot of self help books and seminars as well as many business management, leadership and success experts. Most of them agree a critical portion of success is based on the risks you are willing to take, which relates directly to the value you place on your self. People with low self-esteem are less likely to take risks. The less risks you take, the less you fail, the less you fail the less you learn, the less you learn the harder the path to success. Success by definition requires failure and failure by definition requires high self-confidence.
I enjoyed this book so much I will be reading it again. My favorite concept this time through is the problem of awareness. We do not see ourselves clearly and often get so distracted thinking negative thoughts about ourselves we are not able to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves. I was able to form a completely different relationship with my expectations for myself. A quote in the book I completely enjoyed by Alfred Alder: "Either do wrong OR feel guilty, but don't do BOTH. Its too much work". All around a useful and inspirational book.
This book is a great step by step guide in becoming aware of the ways you sabotage yourself and creating opportunities to do things differently. I highly recommend it. Take a walk on the wild side, learn how to treasure yourself and begin the adventure that is your life without regrets.
Back Cover:
This is no way to live! Like so many others, you can now enjoy you own personal success story by mastering the principles of total self-confidence. Here Dr. Robert Anthony reveals the secrets he has taught in seminars and workshops that have change thousands of lives. Executive businesspeople, star athletes, and celebrities know how total self-confidence can make you soar. And now you can, too.
YOU WILL LEARN:
-How to tap into your creative imagination-and use it to get what you want
-How to clear your mind of fear, worry and guilt, and reverse failure
-The best ways to communicate and the art of small talk
-The simplest ways to get perspective and set goals
-The joys and benefits of being different
Let Dr. Anthony guide you on this step-by-step, day-by-day path toward total self-confidence-in your career, family, love life, finances, and mental and physical health-and achieve a brand new, totally positive and confident outlook.
I enjoyed this book so much I will be reading it again. My favorite concept this time through is the problem of awareness. We do not see ourselves clearly and often get so distracted thinking negative thoughts about ourselves we are not able to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves. I was able to form a completely different relationship with my expectations for myself. A quote in the book I completely enjoyed by Alfred Alder: "Either do wrong OR feel guilty, but don't do BOTH. Its too much work". All around a useful and inspirational book.
This book is a great step by step guide in becoming aware of the ways you sabotage yourself and creating opportunities to do things differently. I highly recommend it. Take a walk on the wild side, learn how to treasure yourself and begin the adventure that is your life without regrets.
Back Cover:
This is no way to live! Like so many others, you can now enjoy you own personal success story by mastering the principles of total self-confidence. Here Dr. Robert Anthony reveals the secrets he has taught in seminars and workshops that have change thousands of lives. Executive businesspeople, star athletes, and celebrities know how total self-confidence can make you soar. And now you can, too.
YOU WILL LEARN:
-How to tap into your creative imagination-and use it to get what you want
-How to clear your mind of fear, worry and guilt, and reverse failure
-The best ways to communicate and the art of small talk
-The simplest ways to get perspective and set goals
-The joys and benefits of being different
Let Dr. Anthony guide you on this step-by-step, day-by-day path toward total self-confidence-in your career, family, love life, finances, and mental and physical health-and achieve a brand new, totally positive and confident outlook.
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