NY Times bestseller explains why Israel has a highest density of high-tech startups on the planet. By Dan Senor and Saul Singer.

Publishers Weekly states that “The authors ground their analysis in case studies and interviews with some of Israel’s most brilliant innovators to make this a rich and insightful read not just for business leaders and policy makers but for anyone curious about contemporary Israeli culture

David Horovitz of The Jerusalem Post says that conclusions of Start-up Nation find confirmation in the real world, such as how the life of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was saved when an emergency medical team applied a revolutionary elasticized bandage developed in Israel to staunch her head wounds.

Senor and Singer interviewed over 100 people to write the book, among them leading Israeli venture investors including key players in Google, Intel and Cisco, historians, U.S. military leaders, and Israeli heads of state.[11] Their conclusion is that “while Israel has much to learn from the world, the world has much to learn from Israel.

Feedback from Readers

• A great book that helps many of us who are working hard to present Israel from a different angle!
• The book is very easy to read, full of interesting facts and it makes you think.
  I recomend Start-up Nation to anyone who want’s a fresh perspective on Israel and what make’s it tick.
• My honeymoon book. An inspiring and fascinating read about an amazing country that defies all odds. To my daughter and her college age friends thinking about their future in the job market. A Must Read!!!!!

Grade 7 Up-Four short stories of mystery and intrigue by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are performed radio theater style by the St. Charles Players: “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” “The Adventure of the Dancing Men,” “A Scandal in Bohemia,” and “The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot.” The narration is acceptable, although some characters sound flat and their British accent is too obviously forced. However, this detracts little from the overall entertainment value of the stories. The overall aural quality could be improved; a slight hissing can be heard throughout the narration. Though at times Holmes comes across as haughty, listeners become caught up in learning how he ingeniously solves the cases using clues that Watson, the other investigators, and most listeners miss. Fine for individual or group listening, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes could be used for entertainment or for a unit on the mystery genre in English classes. The lack of strong female characters in these stories may warrant including alternate classic mysteries with strong women, such as Simon Brett’s Mrs. Pargeter, Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, Heron Carvic’s Miss Seeton, or Dorothy Gilman’s Mrs. Pollifax. A nice feature of this package is that each short story is completed with one cassette. Unless you have a great demand for classic mysteries, this audiobook is an additional purchase.

The Hunger Games Trilogy

“I could not quit reading. If you like reading series books that have movies like Twillight and Harry Potters this is perfect read.”

“Based on the first installment of Suzanne Collins’ popular trilogy, Games will thrill book fans, who have been waiting since the 2008 novel hit shelves to see their teenage athletes embodied (even if they are watered down for a PG-13 rating). Those unfamiliar with the title should find Games a solid piece of action.”

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/story/2012-03-23/the-hunger-games-jennifer-lawrence-josh-hutcherson-elizabeth-banks/53714638/1

“1984 meets Running Man (the Most Dangerous Game) but sanitized for younger readers.

The recent surge in popularity is well warranted. Started reading the first book on a Saturday and finished the trilogy by the next Tuesday night. The books move along quickly, feeling much like a movie (which of course has now been done). The book, while an exciting narrative, also offers a unique first-person experience that allows the reader to quesiton how they would handle similar situations. Plenty of themes to talk about with your kids if they’re reading along with you: violence, war and peace, love, relationships, morality, government, politics, etc. – Also makes great reading for a book club.

The book is directed to young adults even though the imagery and themes are very adult adult. Use caution when suggesting to younger readers. Still a worthwile reading experience.

Comparisons to the Twilight series are mostly unwarranted. Themes of love and relationships are present across genres and these books (The Hunger Games) are too good to be compared to the popcorn that is Twilight.”

“I never would have picked up this book based on the description alone. But after all of the positive reviews I heard, I finally picked it up. Then, I could never set it down. The series is encapsulating. While the content is at times disturbing, the trilogy is an easy read. You’ll sit down to read it and won’t realize it’s hours later.”

Books Similar to THE HUNGER GAMES

• Gone & Hunger: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant
• The Maze Runner by James Dashner
• Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
• Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
• The Running Man by Stephen King