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0001047604 Having been brought up on the notion that Elizabeth Barrett Browning was the slighter and less-talented adjunct poet of her husband Robert, I was pleased to find I was wrong.She's terrific.This is a brilliant work, full of dazzling poetry and insights.It's loaded with allusions and references (I read the Penguin edition; and the notes there run for many, many pages--and these barely skim the surface), but it is remarkably accessible and fun.This is a work full of wisdom and unusual perspectives. Luminous and grand and down-to-earth all at once. Imagine Jane Eyre written by Shakespeare.It's an education in Victorian (upper-middle-class) England, and also the Victorian English infatuation with Italy. It's also a biting and incisive feminist portrait, full of rebellion and self-discovery.I strongly recommend it to anyone who likes poetry, or Victorian novels. E.B.B. set out to outstrip Milton and does so in an amazingly original way. Aurora Leigh is a novel in blank verse that is actually
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0001047655 I read Kane & Abel and think it was perhaps the best book I have ever read. I just could not relate or get care about the 'Prodigal Daughter' Being ambitious is great but not at the expense of your family and loved ones. Very dissapointed. NO CABE LA MENOR DUDA DE QUE EN ESTE LIBRO ARCHER NOS MUESTRA TODA LA MAESTRIA QUE POSEE PARA NARRAR HISTORIAS CON UN ALTO CONTENIDO DE EMOCION, SUSPENSO, TRAGEDIA, ETC. EL PERSONAJE DE FLORENTYNA ROSNOVKY SE VUELVE UN MODELO A SEGUIR POR LA FIRMEZA DE CARACTER Y EL TEMPLE QUE HEREDA DE SUS ANTEPASADOS. LA HISTORIA , A PESAR DE SER UNA CONTINUACION DE LA CELEBRE KANE Y ABEL, SUPERA A ESTA ULTIMA POR LOS RECURSOS UTILIZADOS POR EL AUTOR. SI EL LECTOR DESEA CONOCER A FONDO LOS ENTRETELONES DE LA POLITICA NORTEAMERICANA NO DEJE DE LEER ESTE LIBRO EN EL QUE SIN DUDA EL AUTOR TUVO QUE ESTUDIAR A FONDO EL MODELO POLITICO DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS. LA RECOMIENDO AMPLIAMENTE A TODO AQUEL QUE DESEE MOTIVARSE Y ENTRETENERSE CON UNA MARAVILLOSA HISTORIA. I firs
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0001047736 It is not the summer of his discontent, washed by the sun of Yorke; however, it is the season for another Cadfael adventure and mystery! And Ellis Peters, in her usual intriguing way, presents us with her 18th Brother Cadfael episode in "The Summer of the Danes."The year is 1144--the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud still rages on--and Brother Cadfael is called upon to be an interpreter to the Welsh village of Saint Asaph. Cadfael is Welsh born and he welcomes the journey to his homeland as a pleasant break from his duties as a brother at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Shrewsbury.As it turns out--and naturally, as this is an Ellis Peters mystery!--a Danish fleet is sighted along the coast of Wales, a real menace, indeed. Then a young girl goes missing. Then a body is found. And Cadfael is off and running.So is the reader! Having read all the Brother Cadfael series, I found this to be one of my favorites. Peters wastes no time in developing her sto
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0001047825 This is the first Brother Cadfael I have been talked into reading, and I loved it. The characters are compelling and touching and the perpetrator of the crime is understood by the Benedictine monks, and, thus, the reader. It's the mystery that sucks you in, but it's the character development and the way the author tells of Medieval life that are the value here, I think. At the end, I teared up a bit. I'm anxious to read more about Brother Cadfael and his colleagues! I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this book because the plot sounds so plain. However, I was blown away by Peter's ability to create a world and then draw a reader in with a fantastic mystery. This is a great book. The Abbey trades land with a neighboring diocese and plans a new use for a nice piece of land that once provided substance for a potter and his wife. The potter was visited by God and put aside his wife to become a brother in the cloister.THE POTTER'S FIELD by Ellis Peters gives readers a glance into the customs of the ear
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0001047876 I liked this but prefer the unabridged edition published by Oxford University Press (in their Oxford World's Classics series). If you're willing to read Boswell, spend a few dollars more for the OUP edition. Almost two years ago, I gave this five stars. On reading much more about Boswell and his procedures, I have to qualify my earlier review. If you want a book about Johnson that tells how one man saw him, then yes, it still merits five stars. If you want a full perspective of Johnson - - as the word biography would imply, I'd downgrade it to three stars. So on balance, four.There are of course many positives, or I wouldn't have given it 5 stars two years ago. Boswell had a strong talent for recording Johnson's conversations, and they are wonderful. Some of them are down right hilarious! Boswell was also a bit of a dramatist, setting up situations such as Johnson's meeting with Wilkes, placing bets over whether he would challenge Johnson on his habit of hiding orange peels. And Boswel
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0001048228 It is difficult to be so subtle and so dazzling at the same time, but Robert Goddard pulls it off in this mesmerizing novel. Once again, Goddard's mastery of the language alone makes the book a joy to read, and confirms my feeling that British writers -- Simon Mawer and Rennie Airth are other examples -- have an edge over us Americans when it comes to language. Chaucer and Shakespeare are lurking in their descriptions, their dialogue.In Pale Battalions also has a finely crafted plot. It is part murder mystery, but so much more than that. It deals with World War I and the hopelessness and futility of that conflict.But the war itself is just a backdrop for a study in how challenging trust and integrity can be, how easily we are susceptible to corruption, and how difficult it is to be tolerant of our own failings and the flaws of others. Although the tribulations of the family of Lord Powerstock are particularly dramatic, the impact on the family members is not so different from the more
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0001049143 Many years ago, a friend with grandparents from Scotland gave me this book as a high school graduation gift. The poems of Robert Burns, the best loved of Scotland's poets, are written in the Scots dialect, which differs significantly from Standard English. My friend's grandmother once made the observation that many of the words unique to the Scots dialect strongly resembled their German counterparts. At the time I doubted her analysis, imagining that the different Scots vocabulary was due to the influence of Scottish Gaelic. After having studied a number of ancient Germanic languages many years later, however, I came to realize that my friend's grandmother was essentially correct. A study of the Scots dialect reveals more words from Old English and Old Norse (both ancient Germanic languages) than found in Standard American or British English, while the contribution of Gaelic is insignificant. Indeed in the Scots expression "it gar me greet" (it makes me cry) both "gar" and "greet" are
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0001050079 `Copperhead' is the second in the `Starbuck Chronicles' and it provides the reader with all we have to come to expect from author Bernard Cornwell. If you know Cornwell's writing, this novel will not disappoint, similarly if you have never heard of the name, I would encourage you make his acquaintance.During the Civil War a Copperhead was generally held to be a Northerner who sympathised with the Southern cause. Within the pages of this book, although he is the son of a Boston abolitionist minister, Nathaniel Starbuck fights for the South. If you know your Civil War history - and that is no way a requirement for this novel - the action depicted within the pages of `Copperhead' takes us from Ball's Bluff near Leesburg in Virginia to Gaines Mill close to Richmond. However, the main part of the novel takes Starbuck away from the battlefield and into the arena of espionage and deceit. The book also gives us an insight into the insecurities of the Northern generals, in particular McClellan
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0001050087 This serise is the best thing to happen tocivil war fiction since "The Killer Angel's". Nate and his crew suffer much in this book, but in the end they come out on top just like always.This book has something for everyone, from the old Cornwell fan to the new Inductee. You get humor, great batttles and even some musing on the meaning of life.Overall-Wonderful story, wonderful serise Thoroughly enjoyable historical novel. Battle scenes are gripping and dialogue rings true. I've never read this genre before but I'm hooked now. I've also read Rebel, Copperhead, and am now beginning The Bloody Ground. Keep 'em coming!!! BATTLE FLAG is not one of Cornwell's best efforts, it suffered from spotty dialogue and weak characterization. I ordered it a couple weeks ago from amazon along with the new WWII novel THE TRIUMPH AND THE GLORY, and have to say that the new writer, Rustad, won that round hands down. But I still have the highest espect for Bernard Cornwell's work. I guess one can;t
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0001050184 Although it was an enjoyable read, I found my mind wandering at several points. Read Kane and Abel first if this is the first time you have read a novel by Jeffrey Archer. I have read archer before and enjoyed most of his books. This one was a real winner. Loved all the plots going on and especially the endings. Way to go, This book was very entertaining. I like the author's style of writing as it keeps you engaged throughout the book. It was light and humorous. I highly recommend it.
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0001052888 The Hermit of Eyton Forest if focused around a young boy named Richard Eaton, who's father recently died from a disease of war. His father place him in the Benedictine Abbey School. The abbot at the abbey says that his father wanted him to be schooled there until he was an adult. His grandmother wants him to come home so she can force him to marry and join his manor with a neighboring one. This starts a mindboggling medievil mystery that everyone should love. A wonderful story with a horrid front cover!! Lose the hot pink type on white background, please!!! Egads! This book was dull, boring, had a slow start but had a thrilling ending
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0001052934 Having just finished reading this trilogy in one volume I would find it hard to read any of the books individually. Barker really builds on characterisation and plot as each of the stories progresses. Set in Scotland during World War 1 at Craiglockhart (an institution for miltary personnel suffering from shellshock) in `Regeneration', and moving first to England (`The Eye In The Door') and then to the front in France ('The Ghost Road') this is an excellent look at the impact of that war upon the individual. The series is based on historical meetings between W.H. Rivers (anthropologist, psychologist and childhood acquaintance of Lewis Carroll), Siegfried Sassoon (British poet) and Wilfred Owen (poet, killed shortly before the end of the war in 1918) and comes complete with historical notes at the end of each volume and further recommended reading about the people involved.Barker is a fascinating writer with an obvious interest in the way that the human mind works, and particularly how i
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0001052950 Aficionados of O'Brian's seafaring novels from the Napoleonic Wars all have their favorites. Of the 20 Aubrey/Maturin novels, this one may be the best in many ways. Captain Aubrey's career seems on the fast track (maybe fast tack, given the theme)in this episode in which he takes the rank of Commodore and sails a small fleet to wrest Mauritius from the "foul and most foreign French."His companion, Dr. Stephen Maturin comes into his own in this episode, showing his full talents as an intelligence agent and giving an idea of the resources at his command. There are setbacks, of course but the combimnations of land and sea warfare are engaging. Many of the other staple charcaters of the series also really begin to bloom in this installment.If you have come this far in the series, do not hesitate: buy this adventure and sail forth. May the weather gauge be with you! "The Mauritius Command", the fourth in the Aubrey/Maturin series of novels written by Patrick O'Brian, shows Captain "Lucky Ja
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0001053744 The writings of Professor Tolkien are absolutely Timeless. His books are the gauge by-which all Fantasy books are measured. However, there is much more to Tolkien than many people realize. His translations and teaching positions are not always mentioned, yet they are credentials that make his other works even more astounding! The Hobbit and The Trilogy have been the Inspiration for decades of works by other authors, yet I have not ever seen these works surpassed by anyone. Terry Brooks is the only author I have read who even compares to J.R.R. Tolkien and his epic style. I became fascinated with The Hobbit and Trilogy when I was in the seventh grade. I borrowed them from a friend and snuck them home. I was completely enthralled with the world Tolkien created. I was not allowed to read anything that was even remotely related to Wizards, Witches, Astrology, D&D, etc., so these books were like nothing I had ever seen, before. I was captivated and felt the call to become a Writer. Prev
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0001054090 This is my third Goddard book and he never really ceases to amaze me. I read Closed Circle first, which was great, but then Out of the Sun was incredible. This one, like all of his work, has a wonderfully crafted plot and excitement galore. Goddard is a hidden gem outside England, and that's a shame. If you don't know which of his books to buy, start with Past Caring and you'll get all of them after that. Goddard has quickly become my favorite author and I will gladly devour anything he writes!! This was my first Robert Goddard novel, and after reading this book in less than 24 hours I can certainly be considered a new fan.I simply could not put this book down. It did what every good thriller should be able to do -- transfix you and make you want to turn the page to see what happens next. It was the twists that kept me reading this book. However, they are not so frequent that you expect a twist at the end of every chapter. There are just enough thrown in to make you reconsider every ti
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0001055003 Nick Hornbys "About a Boy" was actually quite good. It made reading fun. Nick Hornby has written a funny yet endearing novel, that kept me reading from the moment i began reading the novel. The book it about an immature 36-year-old, named Will, and a muture 12-year-old,Marcus. Marcus is Will`s "pretend son", and he lives with his suicidal mother. Marcus doesn`t care much about anything, not shcool,home or friends. Will is a person who likes to be alone. He doesn`t want people to get close to him. Will and Marcus did everything together. I really loved the relationship between Will and Marcus. It made me think that these two actually exist in real life. Nick Hornby writes in such a way that the book has a soul and comes to life. It`s very much like real life. There is an absurd plot made absolutley beliveable through clear and funny writing. "About a Boy" is smart and witty. It`s exellent reading on many levels. What more can you ask from a writer? Iloved i
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0001384155 Each page shows a different member of Mog the cat's family, and what they like to do best. At the end, they all get together for Mog's birthday party (she's 3). Toddlers will enjoy identifying what each cat is doing, and other animals in some of the pictures, and you can have them count the candles on Mog's cake. The book is short enough not to tax toddler attention-spans, and engaging enough that even preschoolers will ask to read it again.Mog is a wonderful family pet, not anthropomorphized, but enjoyed for what she is and loved by her family. Mog's Family of cats is a nice, non challenging book to be read to little kids. Each page has a small drawing (lots of white space around it) and a sentence about the family member. A sample page will show, e.g., a cat with a fish in its mouth and food everywhere with the line, "Here is Mog's grandpa who is always hungry".In all, a sweet but very retro/old fashioned kind of book that can seem a bit bland compared if compared to the modern full
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0001472879 The Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia is the standard edited collection of manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible-Old Testament. If you are looking for the standard/best/or most reliable copy, look no further.
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0001474103 Larkin, a gifted draftsman, has produced a marvelous work illuminating the Holy Scriptures. Prophecy is a major theme with the books of Daniel and Revelation being key - wonderful clarity being afforded to each. Larkin is pre-tribulationalist, pre-millenianist and (obviously) dispensationalist. A must for any prophetic student! This book covers some amazing and often undealt topics in Christianity. Not being a Theologian I cannot reach a conclusion as to whether the author posits questionable doctrines therein, but it certainly is an amazingly interesting read. The topics are all thought provoking, and biblical references are generously cited throughout. Practical insights into the following topics ( not a complete list) include: Satan, Fallen Angels, Demonism, Spirits in Prison, Soul Sleep, Natural law in the Spirit World, Spirit Trasnformation, Resurrection and Judgement. Book is illustrated with wonderful charts and drawings.Excellent addition to any Christian and or Spiritual Libra
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0001515195 This cassette has musically rich tunes with sound, biblical lyrics. Judy Rogers uses mostly guitar with her songs. She has a very pleasant-sounding voice. She comes from a Reformed background - each song is well-written and pure in its doctrine. This tape has songs encouraging children to enjoy their work, to keep their conversation edifying and to listen to the words of their parents. My children have grown up listening to her many tapes - this one is for the younger ones, say ages 3 to 10. I have bought over a dozen copies as birthday gifts for friends of mine. Enjoy! Years ago, when I was little my bought this tape for us to listen to. It has been listen to so much that the tape is worn and in bad shape. You have to have full volume to even hear it sometimes. I remember sitting in the car listening to it rather that going inside some place with my dad. The song playing was about Isabel the pig. "Isabel is a pig with a ring in her snout. You can dress Izzy up, but you can't take
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0001700189 This book may be targeted for older child, but my 2 year old loves the stories. They contain alot of images he can relate to and the stories are easy to understand. His favorite is Mr. Fixit. When I was a little guy, I loved books by Richard Scarry! Now as a daddy, I'm overjoyed that my little girl, Riley, gets into this book that she got by Scarry.Welcome to Busytown! This book consists of 3 stories that basically have 1 thing in common. They have Huckle Cat, and they all had Lowly Worm as the main attraction in each story. Huckle and Lowly are best buds!The first story, "The Best Mistake Ever" is simply about how Huckle Cat is sent to the grocery store. There's just one small problem: Huckle forgets the shopping list that Mother Cat wrote out. But Lowly Worm comes to the rescue!! Or does he? While Huckle thinks that his mother wants cream, Lowly's pretty certain that it's ice cream. And when the question of apples comes up, Lowly thinks that apple pie is just what Mother Cat ordered.
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0001720104 .This story is not an original Enid Blyton. The author is in fact Fiona Cummings who was commissioned to write another series of Noddy Stories under the Enid Blyton trademark. Dame Enid gets full credit on the cover and title page but you have to look on the publisher's details page (ISBN etc) to see that the story is in fact by Fiona Cummings.The story is written 40 years after the classic 24 title Noddy Series "All Aboard for Toy Land". A good example of the original is "Noddy and Tessie Bear" The fate of the new generation "Mr Plod and the Stolen Bicycle" is very similar to what has happened to Pooh Bear and Tigger in recent years. We have gone from the quaint Edwardian language of the original to the uncomplicated, perhaps, trivialized language of the contemporary versions.We have lost all of the "Englishness" of the original. Strange vocabulary and sentence structures could be off-putting to children used to a cartoon/comic dominated diet. O
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0001846043 Continuing the story of When Hitler Stole the Pink Rabbit, The Other Way Around recounts the story of Anna's life in London. Well integrated into British life and the English language, Anna finds that now things are the other way around: it is her parents who need her to help them to adjust. In between marvellous descriptions of London in the Blitz, character portraits and historical information, Kerr creates a powerful and engaging story of an indvidual's struggle to find her own place in a world without roots. This sequel to When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit jumps from age 12 when Pink Rabbit concluded to age 15. Anna and her family are coping, at times quite desperately, as refugees in London as war finally breaks out for England and then the U.S. This continuation of a young girl's coming of age in the midst of Hitler's attack on Europe, illustrates the hardships that Jews were confronted with who escaped Hitler's final solution. Since Anna's family were Germans, even though they would
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0001849883 For Gary Paulsen fans, here's a new twist on an old scenerio. When a teenager finds herself in the wilderness of New Zeland, (for different reasons than Paulsen's Brian,) Alexa searches for the otters that she knows are not just a myth.
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0001950584 We appreciated the book "The Bayeux Tapestry" by Norman Denny. Photographs show the whole tapestry in color and the author explains the scenes simply as they unfold. While it is not a "read aloud" type book, ages 12 and up would appreciate reading it for themselves. We read "The Striped Ships" by Eloise McGraw at the same time as "The Bayeux Tapestry" flipping back and forth between the actual embroidered scenes and those mentioned in the novel. Children and perhaps adults will be inspired to try their hands at embroidered history too, I think. A very good book for home schoolers and anyone else who'd like to view the tapestry in faraway France. This is a well-written and very accessible description of the Bayeux Tapestry. I read it after reading The King's Shadow, which is an excellent piece of fiction for this time period. The Bayeux Tapestry by Denny is ideal for grades 7-12, or younger if there is a great deal of interest in the Medieval time period.
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0001982311 Although I grew up reading the Noddy books, I had never read the first in the series, Noddy Goes to Toyland. Eventually, I purchased it for my daughter and took great pleasure in finding out the answers to a number of burning questions that I had been harboring for over 30 years. Just what *is* Noddy? How did he meet Big Ears? Where did he get his little house? his outfit? All is revealed in this volume- well worth the investment for the Noddy fan. Little Noddy goes to Toyland is a wonderful book for childen of all ages. My daughter is only 7 months old and she already knows who Noddy is!! We have Noddy story books, annuals and a tape of the Theme to his television show that is shown on BBC in the UK. We need characters like Noddy to fill our childrens lives and show them how fun life can be. Little Noddy goes to Toyland is a wonderful book for childen of all ages. My daughter is only 7 months old and she already knows who Noddy is!! We have Noddy story books, annuals and a tape of the
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0002000083 All Heart, the new book from Michael Clemons, gives us an insight into one of the finest athletes and human beings on the Canadian sporting scene. Pinball shows us again what a wonderful guy he really is. The antithesis of the modern pro athlete, he combines talent, humanity, humour, and class. All Heart is a journey through the professional and personal growth of an all-time Argonaut. You''ll see why this man is always smiling !! "All Heart" is not only the title of this book, but also an apt description of Michael Clemons. The book is written by Michael himself and he handles himself in this book with the same grace and dignity with which he plays football and lives his life. Clemons is a player who always speaks well of others and those who know him only from media interviews might expect this to be a sugar-coated book. Not so. Michael speaks honestly about the people and issues he has encountered in football. How can this man be so happy all the time? Read the book and yo
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0002007916 This book is written in short, digestible bites, and offers one of the best overview answers I've read to everyone's perennial question, "What are the odds?"Early chapters are a primer on casino games. In less than an hour, you can read up on how the major casino games are played, how to calculate your odds of winning in many common situations - and how much you will lose on every play on average if you play for any length of time. Rosenthal emphasizes this last proviso. He shows how EVERY casino game is stacked against the players and will whittle away your stake to nothing in the long run. But some games offer better odds and will deplete you less rapidly than other games.Then Rosenthal moves on to tell you how to win at the game of life - or more precisely, how not to be caught up in the frequent illogic and hysteria that is generated by headline news and TV shows. He gives a better perspective on what kinds of dangers you are likely to actually face - and they are not terrorists or
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0002114038 This is the first of two books that cover the period from 1637 to 1647; the second is "The King's War". The two should be regarded almost as a single (very long) book: only someone already expert on the history of the period would read the second one without the first.The book opens with Charles I having been on the throne for thirteen years. England and Scotland have been one united Kingdom for only twenty years longer than that. There is religious sectarianism of multiple kinds. There is financial pressure from the King's taxes. The King believes he rules by divine right. Parliament, when the King is willing to call it together, disagrees, and will not cooperate with the King. These threads, and others, will inevitably lead the kingdom to war over the next ten years.Wedgwood starts with almost two hundred pages of setting the stage: what was Britain like in 1637? The survey is thorough--science, taxation policy, religion, economics, court politics, education, social conditions, healt
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0002114453 Australia was settled as seperate states during the 19th Century. At the begining of the 20th Century in 1901 the various states federated and formed what was to become Austrlia. This book is a history of the first 19 years of the new nation.Rather than being a conventional history this focuses rather narrowly on the development of a seperate idea of nationhood. Other histories approach the period differantly. Austalia was in some ways an interesting experiment at the time. It was one of the early democracies and as a result its social system differed from that of other British Countries. It developed a distinctive method of dealing with industrial disputes, an arbitratin system and it was one of the first countries to elect a socalist government. Australia at the time was in comparson to a number of european countries wealthy.This book however shies away from these sorts of issues and instead looks at the development of "nationhood" and its gradual seperation from Britian. S
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0002154838 Well written insights into the daily lives of the Maasai. Gives true feeling of the issues the Maasai face every day. A great read for anyone who is interested in Kenya or pastoralist peoples Why is this book out of print? It's one of the best books written about modern Africa. From the very first page I got hooked in as deeply as i did with Elspeth Huxley's classic and magical The Flame Trees of Thika. How is it possible that this book in out of print??
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0002155400 I'm new to CS Lewis and this was an excellent place to start reading his work. If you have any curiosity about Christianity this is worth your time. My whole family is reading this now and they love it. It is thought provoking and C.S.Lewis was a very smart man. I think everyone should read this as part of their life journey! I rate this a 5 stars because I have heard alot about C.S. Lewis. I decided to give this as a gift, knowing I will read them afterwards, in borrowing them. I can't wait.
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0002155435 Writing with the advantage of post-war perspective, Jenkins gives an insightful account of the battles surrounding the Parliament Act and the move towards the supremacy of the House of Commons. The work has aged well over the decades, with Jenkin's analysis as fresh as when he wrote it. Indeed, a mid-20th century perspective, particular from one of Jenkin's intellectual stature, is helpful - far enough from the events themselves to be impartial, without being caught up in the latest changes and machinations with regard to the upper house.Jenkins sets out the stragies and motivations of the different sides clearly, and in as impartial a manner as can be expected (given that a modern perspective is highly unlikely to sympathise with those peers seeking to preserve the status quo). There is little "demonising" of the conservative factions, and the book is an informed and intelligent insight into a critical turning point for the British constitution.
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0002155451 This magnificant book is of the quality one would expect of a man who, after a distinquished Oxford carreer, and whilst building up a practice at the bar, entered Parliament in the famous 1938 Oxford by-election; thereafter enjoying many years of respectable, and successful public service, the zenith of which was his two terms as Lord High Chancellor. Lord Hailsham tells the story of his life - both personal and private - with candour, humour, and passion. A truly wonderful book, which I would urge anybody - whether they have an interest in politics and law, or not - to read.
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0002156105 In my 42-year career as a scientist I scarcely had time for religious education, meditation and inspiration. In my so-far 12 years of retirement I have been led to broadening my knowledge and appreciation of religion -- man's attempt to find spiritual meaning in the universe, a universe whose physical side man has so successfully investigated and revealed through scienceThe figure of Jesus has always been of utmost interest to me, particularly his human side -- and now of late, his spiritual significance. Jesus is without a doubt the most influential person who ever lived in Western society, witness the countless buildings and institutions that exist today in his wake. And yet it is extremely difficult to separate the mythical from the factual aspects of his life and death. This is where this book and a previous one I reviewed, "The Gospel of Jesus Christ" by mathematical physicist John Davidson, have come to my sorely-needed rescue.Kung's book is a thorough, brilliant, and ultimately
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0002156113 Having been part of Operation Raleigh up to May 1985, it was very interesting to see how the overall scheme was growing and evolving into the most magnificent project or, to be more precise, series of projects.As each phase moved from one country to another, this, the second volume of a trilogy about Operation Raleigh, takes the reader from Southern Chile, across the Pacific islands to Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and even as far afield as Pakistan.As we pause to learn about each of the adventures and projects undertaken in each location visited, we are enthralled by the anecdotes in what can only be described as a very well written account. It is easy to see why this four year round-the-world series of expeditions, medical, scientific and local-help projects aimed at bringing the youth of different nations together in an exciting working environment, went on to last for some 8 years or so.Altogether, Operation Raleigh was an astonishing undertaking which sought to combine danger w
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0002159511 Hundreds of Stunning, full color photographs depicting life in Ireland taken by a team of over 75 professional photographers in one 24-hour period, May 17, 1991.Scenes include portraits, landscapes, home life, joy, pain, rustic villages, military and a myriad of other themes.This wonderful book will appeal to anyone interested in folklore, photography or Ireland.Truly a remarkable record of an entire nation in a time capsule. Disappointingly, this book is out of print. I was, however, able to find it on other web site (DJ included) so there are still a few about - including on Amazon sometimes. I first saw this book at a friend's house and had been searching for a copy for my own house ever since.As all the 'Day In the Life' series, 75 or so photographers are let loose on a country (in this case, Ireland) for an entire day (May 17, 1991 for this book). Their resulting 800+ photographs depict the country and people, perhaps in ways you never thought of. Having been to Ireland myself a f
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0002159570 I am a fan of the authors writing in general. If you're a person who enjoys reading stories in the Wall Street Journal etc then this book may very well be for you (the author works at WSJ).This is a fascinating story of international intrigue and business. The author provides historical background for both AmEx and Mr Saffra and then proceeds into the meat of the story.What's interesting here is that the Vendetta alluded to in the title raises some serious ethical questions on the part of some folks. All I'll say is as you read it do a name search on the web and see where some of them are today, it's not the poor house and it's not jail either.The book exposes high finance, high power, bare knuckled business street fighting taken to an internation stage. What happens when business people start to act like 5 year olds at the playground - I'm taking my ball and going home. This is a great story about the desire of American Express to move into the world of private banking and the bank th
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0002159619 Ken Duncan is a famous photographer in Australia, with three galleries showing his work exclusively. A deeply religious man, Ken would rather use a picture of some natural wonder to try and prove the existence of God than to argue technical theology. But whether you agree with him or not about the source of his subjects, there is no denying that he has a unique ability to communicate the beauty of nature with his camera. If you can find this book, buy it--spend some time with it--and share it with your friends. I had it on my coffee table and it was difficult to have a conversation with anyone once they saw the book. Also, if you're ever in Australia, don't miss one of the Ken Duncan Galleries. There's one in Sydney, one in Melbourne, and another near his home near Terrigal. Ken has just released an even better book entitled, "The Great South Land," which is selling like crazy in Australia. While the author Ken Duncan strongly advocates Creationism, this is one of the best pi
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0002159643 Ian McIntyre, with this elegantly researched and crafted volume, has established himself as a truly exceptional biographer. This was the first work on Burns I have read that presented a compelling portrait of the poet as we know him from his work: a complicated mix of joy and sorrow, deep thought and bawdy humor, loyalty and infidelity, generosity and poverty, arrogance and innocence, British patriot and sentimental Jacobite. McIntyre's incisive and compelling research, copiously documented in notes, completely debunks the equally silly positions of overly sentimental hero-worshipers (mostly Scottish) and effete Burns-trashers (mostly English). McIntyre demonstrates what Burns lovers have known all along: all of Burns' poetry was not good--but when he WAS good, he was one of the truly great poets. The author also wades into many of the great Burns' controversies. He presents the evidence for Burns heavy (if not excessive for the time) use of alcohol, without diminishing Burns' worth as
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0002159945 This volume provides a general introduction to the troubling history of these two great world religions over the last 2,000 years (or so). Starting with a lucid explanation of pagan anti-Semitism in the Greco-Roman world, Cohn-Sherbok takes us through centuries of violence and antipathy that culminated in the Holocaust of the mid Twentieth Century. He also concludes with brief chapters on post-Holocaust anti-Semitism, and on the possibilities for Jewish-Christian reconciliation. The latter, especially, provides a crucial "uplift" for the reader.This is a very readable text. It is NOT clogged with dense lists of demographic information or by obscure theological discussions. It provides, rather, a general overview of the demographic issues which contributed to Christian violence against Jews through the ages; as well as a digestable level of insight into the theological issues that contributed to and justified this violence.I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in understandi
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0002159996 This book encompasses all regions- not just Canton. And its genuinely authentic- just like what you would find at fine restaurants in China (i've been there). A lot of great regional recipes (good schezuan).If i had to pick one cookbook for restaurant style chinese food, this would be it. Note,though, that: a) its authentic and assumes some knowledge (not a starter cookbook); and b) its not exactly homestyle comfort food. The dishes are spectacular, though. Beautiful coffeetable book. This was my very first "Beatiful Cookbook". I used it all the time, until it mysteriously disappeared after a dinner I cooked for friends... I am a Chinese food junkie and felt lost without it until one day at an airport bookstore found it again and was overjoyed to pay FULL price and cram it into my bulging suitcase.It was worth it! I had an asian friend who read the book and was amazed at how authentic the dishes are. While I haven't been adventurous enough to make some of the dishes, I still love the p
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0002166070 Greg Clark was a master story teller, bar none. From the 1930s until his death, his humorous exploits and encounters appeared regularly in several Canadian newspapers. In his time, he was high praised, but since his death, his works have, unfortunately, been largely forgotten. The stories that constitute this book were first published in the 1930s. Jimmie Frise was a long-time friend and illustrator. Personally, these stories lack the refinement of his later works, but are, nevertheless, very entertaining. Another collection of his early writings was compiled in Silver Linings.
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000217068X Wilfred Thesiger led an amazing life. He was one of those Englishmen who are happiest when living far away from the comforts of modern life in dangerous surroundings with seemingly "primitive" people. Following many years living with the Bedu of the Empty Quarter, Thesiger traveled to Iraq to immerse himself in the life and culture of the Marsh Arabs.What he found was a fusion of Arabic/islamic culture into a older life style which had existed for well over three thousand years, hunting and gathering within the Marshes which form the end of the Tigris and Euphrates river systems. What he found was a culture which was rich in protocols and customs, no less advanced than that of modern man, but rather a culture superbly adapted to the life within the marshes, a culture whose key feature of hospitality which is seemingly lacking from our modern life.And ultimately he finds the tragedy of a society which in the short term was being subsumed by western value and greed for possessions and wh
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0002172135 Iconic. Masterful. Insightful. Thoughtful. Impartial.One man's recounting of the disparate interests and powerful forces brought to bear in the aftermath of a tragedy which not only rocked a small island nation, the consequences of which rippled around the world.Far from an established expert in any of the technical and operational matters of the subject investigation, Peter Mahon applied his searching intellect, enormous integrity and great legal and judicial experience, to mastering an appreciation of even the smallest details of his Warrant.He was determined to execute his task of obtaining the truth behind the deaths of 257 people, to the dismay of many in the airline and government at the time, and for which he paid the ultimate price of professional ruination and personal ill-health.There can be few who do not recall the measured, magisterial language of his ringing indictment that he felt he was "forced reluctantly to say that [he] had to listen to an orchestrated litany of lies
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0002174960 This is a very self-serving book about the war in Vietnam compiled by Tim Bowden from tapes and letters written and narrated by Neil Davis. Davis was a combat cameraman who is often and (wrongly as the book points out) credited with some of the wars most memorable footage. The book was to be co-written by Bowden and Davis but sadly Davis was killed in a shoot-out in Thailand before the book was complete. The Bowden as the credited sole author does little research on his subject other then transcribe tapes Davis made on his life.Davis life is interesting, but the book is not good research material for those wanting to find out what really happened in the Vietnam war. The book is mostly about singing Davis's praises as a great Aussie who drank lots and didn't really care too much. Davis seems to take little interest in the politics or personalties shaping the war. Instead he spent his time `drinking with his mates and chasing Asian Sheilas.'Davis declines to give any insight into or info
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0002176181 I am totally confused by this book's title. Ordinarily, one might expect a book called "Arthur C. Clarke's Chronicles of the Strange and Mysterious" to have been written by Arthur C. Clarke!, but not so. It transpires, some years ago, Clarke hosted two hugely successful British television series' entitled Mysterious World and World of Strange Powers - the accompanying books for which went on to become best-sellers. Now, seemingly in an attempt to jump onto the bandwagon, these two authors have produced a book containing fresh mysteries and have invited Clarke to analyse them. Confusing or what?And there hangs the problem as far as the subject matter is concerned. Clarke is a most distinguished scientist and engineer. For him, therefore, all paranormal events have a perfectly rational explanation - even if he does not actually have that explanation to hand.We live in a world beset with mysteries and we like reading about them. As and when conclusive proof comes along to prove, discount
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0002193183 I am a soldier in the U.S. Army stationed in Kosovo for 6 months. I bought this book to try and identify any reptiles that I might encounter while serving my tour. I could not have made a better choice. The book covers all of Europe west of the Ural Mountains (including Ireland). It lists all amphibians and reptiles withing that range. The keys are very well written, and the corresponding line drawings are exellent. The book also covers many of the variations that occur withing the European lizards. I would recomend this book for the above reasons, over any book that only covers western Europe/Britain because this book also covers easter Europe, which is becoming more and more open to the west every year. This book could be a very big help to any herpetologist who is planing on travel anywhere in Europe, especially on the identification of the lacertids. I found this book in the local library,and for a book that was written in 1978,it makes a very good spotters guide to the wildlife of
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0002212706 [3.5 stars]'The Golden Keel' was Desmond Bagley's first novel, and you can tell that he hadn't quite settled into his stride at this point. The opening is a bit clumsy, the book takes a while to gain momentum, and there is a lack of genuine motivation for the protagonist. However, this is pretty good for a first outing, and once the book gets moving it is an entertaining read.Many of Bagley's early thrillers feature a small group of varied protagonists instead of a single "hero" character, and this is no exception. The brawny Coetzee, the weak-willed Walker, and the resourceful Francesca are all interesting characters, as is the urbane antagonist Metcalfe. The pacing of the second half is good, with the dockyard battle and final storm well described. And the ending is somewhat unexpected, although the very final "twist" is perhaps a bit too clever for its own good.It's not in the same league as his best books, but there are enough familiar elements here to make 'The Golden Keel' appeal
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0002213656 Jon Cleary's "Peter's Pence" is a classic caper novel of the type where the gang has a great plan but things keep going wrong. Here a scheme to steal objects from the Vatican museums collapses (along with the gang's tunnel). So instead they end up kidnapping the pope.I know this sounds like Dortmunder novel by Donald Westlake. However, this is not a comedy -- Jon Cleary plays it straight. People die. The main characters deal with serious moral issues of good & evil, faith, duty, charity, and forgiveness."Peter's Pence" is a well-written, intense, suspenseful novel. The characters are real flesh and blood people who have consciences and are affected by events. The setting (the Vatican, Rome & its environs) enhance but do not overwhelm the story. Quite a while back I discovered Jon Cleary's newer books and became a fan. Since then I have been reading his earlier novels and thoroughly enjoying them.This book shows, once again, how meticulous Cleary is in his research for background to his
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0002214113 This book follows the lives and actions of Europeans living and ruling in Palestine after the second crusade. The book centers on the conflict between the Christian leaders and the Saracans led by Saladin. There is much conflict between those who want to continue the peace with the Moslems, notably the leper King Baldwin and his supporters, led by the noble Lord Balian and those who scorn peace and want to wipe out the Moslems, led by the despicable Lord Reynald, known for his cruel acts of violence. Along with political intrigue the book features the romance between Humphrey, the stepson of the dreaded Reynald, and Isabella, the stepdaughter of Balian.This book offers a clear look into the trials and tribulations of life in Palestine during the Middle ages. It has it all: intrigue, battles, love, romance - and it delivers all of these components in solid fashion. Shelby takes dry historical facts and breathes life into them, filling in the gaps with characteristic insight and detail,
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0002214245 I have read all the Sharpe novels and in my opinion, this is the most entertaining. Unfortunately, it is one of the few that is not based on historical accounts, but there is enough realism to make it interesting. From the new-fangled "rockets" that are put to good use to the descriptions of early 19th century Christmas celebrations to the wonderfully evil Hakeswill to incompetent senior officers, this book has it all. Sharpe has a chance to lead a battalion of troops against an enemy of overwhelming numerical superiority and, in the Sharpe tradition, does it through a combination of ferocious and dirty fighting. One has to wonder how much more quickly Britain would have won the Peninsula wars if they had promoted all officers based on merit instead of patronage and cash. To get the full flavor of the book, however, it should not be read out of sequence with the rest of the novels in the series. The twist at the end (which I will not reveal here) is somewhat of a downer, but
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0002218240 Two Hours to Darkness is one of the greatest submarine books ever written! Thrilling, exciting and brilliant. Reading it is like patrolling 1000 feet beneath waves.
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0002218321 The events in the book occur between Thursday 16th May and Sunday 26th May 1940. The book rolls along superbly, with suspense and danger all along the way. The research, and presumably Colin Forbes's own wartime experience, make the novel seem very authentic. Like Jack Higgins, Forbes combines fiction with historical fact seamlessly. This first novel written as Colin Forbes is well worth looking out for. Written in 1969, this blistering action thriller is set in 1940 in occupied northern France. Stranded behind German enemy lines, a lone British Army tank must do whatever it can to reach the Channel port of Dunkirk and Allied forces. The crew use cunning, force and even help from an RAF pilot whose Spitfire is downed by a Stuka bomber with a few token French farmers thrown in for good measure! The action scenes are first rate and the suspense builds as the German Wehrmacht approach and the tank crew hides wherever they can. The horrors of war are also well described, showing how innoce
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0002219042 I've read this bagley thriller a number of times. It seems to get better every time I read it, this truly is a sign of a great writer. For anyone who enjoys a picturesqe dialog of characters and geography this is the book to read.Bagley depicts the characters in a way you can envision them and the geography of the plot as it unfolds. You feel as if you are going through the experience with the participants in the book. The Hurricane depiction is vivid, even if you have never been in a hurricane, you feel as though you are in one here. the plot lays out nicely, and moves along at a delicious, brisk pace. The characters are intriguing and very believable, you find yourself taking sides and empathizing with certain characters as the plot unfolds and thickens. Right to the end this is a page turner. Pick it up, but you won't be able to put it down. Good reading. Scott Roberts Glens Falls, NY USA Desmond Bagley was a very solid adventure genre writer. His skill was to deal with the common m
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0002220075 The Judas Ship is a riveting sea-faring yarn of a (doomed) ammunition ship in World War Two that ends up in a Mexican standoff with a German surface raider off the coast of South America. The British crew is decimated in the first minutes of being ambushed and is set on fire. The first mate takes charge, and is soon caught between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. While his remaining crew fight desperately to keep the fire away from the artillery shells that are heating up hot enough to fry eggs, the first mate has to make a series of painful and uncompromising decisions on how to safeguard the ship--pursuing the disobvious and eschewing the easy route--by steering his ship AWAY from the nearest help for the burning ship and critically injured crewmembers. The struggle just to survive taxes the men's endurance as they toil bleeding and ragged under the tropical sun without food and drinking water--and then they run up against the very same surface raider that devastated them earlier. Ag
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0002222809 I wrote this review for the Philadelphia Inquirer.Penelope Fitzgerald won the Booker Prize in England for her 1978 novel "Offshore," but her reputation was slower to develop in this country. Over the past dozen years, her elegant, understated novels have won enthusiastic reviews and a small but appreciative audience, which has sufficed to keep them tenaciously in print. When "The Blue Flower" won the National Book Critics Circle Award last year, however, Fitzgerald suddenly became a popular success. Heartened by this, Houghton Mifflin has been reissuing several of her earlier novels (in paperback only, unfortunately), and "Human Voices," originally published in 1980, now appears in this country for the first time.Set in the summer of 1940, when England was undergoing daily bombardment and German invasion seemed imminent, the novel focuses on the BBC's Broadcasting House, which produced the Home News six times a day even as bombs fell over London. While civ
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0002222876 Time to write a Flashman review. Historically astute as I am, I've found the Flashman papers an easy and enjoyable method with which to buff up on history in the 19th century. This is my third encounter with Flashy. Had a blast with each one, but the subject matter in Freedom was somewhat more familiar than the first (Flashman) and second (Royal Flash) offerings. Fine with me, I learned much in the first two. Not for the squeamish or prudish, Flash finds his way to America aboard a slave ship and works his way North on the underground railroad. Coward that he is, Flashy let me down in the final packages. What a cur! Regardless, I'll continue with his exploits and let you know how he's doing. All for now... ta-ta. Fraser is at his best when Flashman is woven into intricate plots involving detailed historic events. Less interesting, boring, when involved in general history. This and "...Angel of the Lord" I find to be his two worst books. In the 3rd installment of the Flashman novels, Ha
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0002222922 Adventure, intrigue and pirate kings..Probably my favorite of the whole "Damn your eyes" series.This one is not to be missed!Excellent read Love this series. Each book goes down like candy. I can't get enough of Flashy. Looking forward to digesting the next one. Flashy at his worst. Interestingly enough, this narrative contains notes from the beautiful & wealthy but dumb Elspeth. Flashy, driven by injured pride and shame, rescues the source of his income only to be shipwrecked and have to rescue Elspeth again and himself. Just proves that no good deed goes unpunished.
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0002222930 George MacDonald Fraser served in the "other ranks" of the British Army in Burma late in WWII. Commissioned as a subaltern (2nd lieutenant) following the Japanese surrender, he served as a platoon leader in a Gordon Highlander battalion posted to the Middle East before being "demobbed", i.e. released from active duty. His experiences serve as the basis for THE GENERAL DANCED AT DAWN, initially published in 1970, a first person account by the fictional Dand MacNeill, subaltern of a platoon in an unspecified Highland battalion posted first to Libya, then to Edinburgh, during the period 1945-1947.THE GENERAL DANCED AT DAWN is a work of wry humor, inasmuch as Lt. MacNeill describes the unintentionally comic situations encountered with his Jocks (men) during garrison life both in Scotland and abroad, mostly the latter. The book is actually a series of short stories, in which a common thread tying all together, besides Dand himself, is Pvt. McAuslan, the dirtiest, most slovenly soldier in Hi
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0002227789 This entire series ranks as one the definitive Fantasy series. Don't be surprised to look up at the clock to find it's 6:00AM when you thought it was no later than 11. 4000 years later, Covenant and Dr Linden Avery returns to the Land, a place of former health and magic. Stephen R Donaldson proves his genius once more as he paints a darker, more grim need. White gold and the power of Wild Magic is rendered ineffectual and Thomas Covenant finds his magic and rage is not enough to heal the Land. The return of Despite and the danger of the Ritual of Desecration proves Covenant's past victory over Lord Foul shallow and ultimately self defeating because Covenant himself caused the destruction of the Staff of Law and led High Lord Elena to break the Law of Death. In a fundamental sense, Covenant is responsible for the current state of the Land. The war against Despite and Desecration rages on and Covenant must find the wisdom to overcome Lord Foul's venom. This book is a stunning return for
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0002227908 Likee many modern short stories, these stories, or most of them, have little in the way of definitive conclusion, but once you quit looking for that one can see they say things in an understated way. Reading them is an experience. Ray Carver is arguably the best American short story writer of our time. His brutal honesty and simplistic, minimalistic writing is what makes his stories interesting. This book is a must for any reader who likes Carver as well as anyone interested in fine literature. "Cathedral", the final short story of the book, is one of the greatest stories I have ever read. It captures every aspect of human nature. Carver's characters are not strangers, they are all of us in some form or another. Raymond Carver isn't only an outstanding writer, he's also a brilliant storyteller. She fixed another bourbon. She looked out of the window. The woman across the road was seeing her kids onto the school bus. Maureen picked up the book. It was mainly black. The stories
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0002229099 This is not a mystery, if that is what you are expecting from Reginald Hill. It is an amazing tribute to the soldiers of WWI. Historically very accurate (and I am a historian)and extremely touching. Truly an awesome literary work. Based on a WWI myth about deserters living beneath the savaged ground of no man's land, this is a very well written and often gripping novel which is required reading for anyone with an interest in the First World War. Hill creates realistic characters with depth and feeling and motivations that challenge the reader to understand their sometimes brutal actions. The situations are most often within the realm of belief and the philosophical debates subtle and profound. An overlooked and underrated literary effort to explore the insanity of war in a fresh way that rates as an overall success.
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0002234394 1. The plot set in this novel is fresh. The settings are different than the usual European or American cities. The novel is set in the midst of hinterland Asia, at Nepal. From a mixed start which is dull sometimes and fast at times, Craig Thomas has managed to weave this tale to make it gripping.2. The uncertainty about would Sir Aubrey be able to do some thing about the dangerous involvement his foster son Tim Gardiner has got in to, purely by chance quite takes a grip on the reader. On the other hand the parallel drama taking place in Nepal where Russian and East German intelligence agencies are up to some thing and Tim Gardiner getting to know of it by chance, and getting involved in these affairs to foil the designs of these intelligence agencies is also very interesting and sounds real.3. The book, however, becomes predictable in last couple of pages. Overall, an interesting book to read and has freshness about the plot on which the story has been woven by the author.
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0002234556 Another excellent thriller based on a storyline by Alistair MacLean. It is one of the sries of books telling about the Strike Force One of the UNACO. The action takes place in Europe as a train with a nuclear bomb as a cargo is racing to it's deadly destination, while the UN agents are trying to stop it. An excellent thriller with unexpected twists and a great ending. I have read ALL of Alistair MacLean's novels, multiple times, and am also a five-time-published author. I don't know who "Alastair MacNeill" is but his writing is horrible and he and the publisher (and anyone else involved in allowing Mr. MacLean's name to be remotely attached to this trash) should be flogged. With all of the good writers out there trying to find publishers, how in the world did this hack get a contract? This is an "Agency" style novel in the mould of Tom Clancy's Op-Centre (not sure if this came before or after, maybe Alistair MacLean invented the genre?)By that I mean there is a group of operatives belo
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0002239426 While i found this book worth reading (thus 3 stars) i also felt that Ms. Kennealy was more than a little in denial and maybe even a little delussional. Of course the book is "her" version of her relationship with Morrison and we will never know the whole truth. However, i found it quite annoying that while she tries so hard to convince the reader what a strong independant woman she is, she simultaneously told story after story of being walked all over by Morrison. She tells of what she and Morrison had as a sacred and everlasting bond, yet the story she tells of their "relationship"(or times together) says something very different.I think the story she tells in this book is likely very true, and therefore worth reading. There are some great stories, glimpses at the real Jim Morrison, and alot of history there. It's simply her "interpretations" of the things that happened that i found (likely to be) far from the truth. I-slept-with-a-rock-star stories are
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0002243776 I had not heard of the author until I discovered this excellent novel in a London bookshop last month. I am surprised the book did not get more publicity on its publication as it is a cleverly plotted, very original, reader friendly novel. I was frequently reminded of Graham Swift's Waterland, but Visible Worlds has a distinct identity of its own. The author hints early on that her main twenty characters are all linked, but she keeps the reader guessing, teasing us with little clues in each chapter. One family leaves a trail of footprints in the snow that stretches twice around the globe - almost; a trail covered by three family members in a relay that takes more than half a century to complete. The landscapes of Northern Russia and Canada are beautifully evoked - I have recently read several books about Antarctic travel and thought I had read more than enough descriptions of long marches through snow, but Bowering finds ways of avoiding the cliches favoured by other writers. The book
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0002243822 This book starts after Josephine and Napolean are married. It gives a deep insight into their marriage, their quarrels, and how they shaped and liberated France. While it is a love story, it isn't terribly gushy. It has its footholds in reality, making it a pleasant read for a man. It touches briefly upon war, but primarily explains the preparations and after effects. It doesn't really go into what happened on the fields. The author filled this book with so many facts that it would make a great reference. It would also give a highschool student who was anti-learning about history a different view, perhaps even peak their interest. The entire book is footnoted. I was a nervous wreck waiting for "Tales of Passion..." to be released. And when it arrived in NY stores, I had a salesclerk pull it right from the shipping boxes! It took me 3 days to complete this fabulous continuation of Josephine's life. I had feared it wouldn't even compare to the first, but now I can't decide whic
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0002243873 i found all three books in this trilogy fascinating. it was a painless way to learn about the french revolution, napolean and josephine's lives, and a multitude of other historical facts. the books moved very quickly and from the time i picked up the first one i was hooked! I don't need to repeat what eveyone else seems to be stating in their reviews of this book and the entire Josephine trilogy; the story flows from start to finish.I very highly recommend this book! Although this is a historical fiction triology, it is abosolutely one of my favorties on Josephine. I have read several books about Josephine, and this is the first time that I actually contemplated how much Napoleon's infidelity could have impacted Josephine's daily life and how doting she was over her children and grandchildren. This historical fiction triology portrays Josephine with alot of heart and compassion. This is a must read, even if you haven't read the previous two books. I commend Sandra Gulland on her creati
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0002250381 I bought this book because of all the great reviews and because I desperately wanted good mermaid art. While the book itself is very creative and cool, a lot of the art disappointed me. I was led to believe that the art in this book was beautiful and rare, so you can imagine how infuriated I was to discover that most of the art was either ugly old sculptures or beautiful paintings that I already had in other books! I spent sixty-two dollars on this sucker, and I personally don't think it was worth half that amount. Don't get me wrong; it's not a bad book perse, it's just not the extraordinary work of art I thought it would be. And don't be fooled: most of the paintings in this book are NOT rare. You can find most of them in "Mermaids: Sirens of the Sea", or "Mermaids: Magical Beings" for much better prices. If you can find this particular book for a REASONABLE price, than I definitely recommend it. Just don't make the same mistake I did and spend a ridiculously HUGE amount of money on
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000225039X Usually people with a "high" education level do not bother about comics, but here we are reading something different: Schulz is a poet that, through young persons, brings us to look at real world and adults and he talks directly to our heart to show everyday life with highs and lows.
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000225056X I've cooked with garlic all my life but never knew there were so many other delicious ways to cook and use garlic. Love this book and highly recommend for the beginner as well as a seasoned cook. The recipes are from all over the world and photos alone are enough to motivate you to create these unforgettable crowd pleasures.
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0002251043 This is a beautiful "coffee table" book about India. It is filled with pictures from all over the country, and all photos were taken by native Indians who know and respect the country. There is a short descriptive paragraph associated with each picture which tells the nature of the photo and where it was taken. Another nice feature is that for each picture, a map of India is shown with a mark where the picture was taken. This is especially useful for someone unfamiliar with the geography. I heartily recommend this book! While many photography books about India focus on the landscape and monuments, this book focuses on the people living in this great land. From tending to the fields to attending grade school, the pictures are a glimpse into what India is really about. This book is a must for every international traveller's coffee table!! Indian households especially should be proud to display this book for it is surely a most priceless homage to all the beauty our country has
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0002251086 Some excellent pictures of both the Dolphins and Marino. Marino speaks of both the good and the mediocre of his career from his upbringing and his family through his wife and kids. He doesn't touch on any huge surprises or vent any frustrations. A good book for the huge Marino fan. I went through it in about 1/2 an hour sitting in the store. Nice for the coffee table It didn't seem that Dan reviewed this book before it was printed. One part of the book, Dan says he threw the trick play against the NY Jets to Fryar. That was wrong, it was Ingram. The next error is that he was making NY think he was going to throw it into the dirt. There is no dirt in NY, it is all Turf. Last, he said that the noice is so loud with all the NY Fans in the stadium. Everyone in NY knows that that stadium is 1/3 Dolphins Fans when Miami comes into town.
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0002251108 I received this as a Christmas gift from my Nephew Nicholas. I had mentioned to him that at night when I couldn't sleep I write. I write poems, stories and whatever I am feeling.Well he bought it for me and I use it every night. Just before I go to bed I have a lot on my mind. I am a business professional with a very stressful job and have a very stressful life. This has been the best release I have ever found. I write and write until my brain finally relaxes and then I sleep great. It's also a great way to reflect on past experiences and see how much better or worse things are. One unusual feature is that the cover glows in the dark. I keep it on my night stand and besides a journal its also a night light. Love it. Buy it.
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0002254697 This was a heart warming story, of war time tragedy, and a women recovering from loosing all they had ever known. The story flowed well and managed to cover many years successfully with out the reader feeling that there were still questions to answered. I especially enjoyed the accuracy in which the story was told, and found myself amazed at how far women have come since WWII, as people in their own right, and within the community itself. Highly recommended for those who enjoy historical novels. Realistic, this novel illustrates one of the difficulties being a plainer daughter in an upper middle class or upper class family at the time. However I enjoy the happy ending (or more accurately middle life) for the heroine as well
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0002254816 Excellent story line, developing characters throughout the book. Douglas keeps the reader involved with the twists and turns in the same high paced, detail as Cornwell, Cussler and MacNeill. Fancy Jack Crossman is here to stay - let's hope for a complete series to come. Set in 1854, some forty years or so after the bulk of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe books, this first entry in Kilworth's"Fancy Jack" series finds the British Army in rather dire straights in the Crimea. The hero is a Sergeant in the 88th regiment (the mainly Irish Connaught Rangers aka The Devil's Own), who is an outsider in more ways than one. Born and bred a gentleman, "Fancy Jack" Crossman has done the unthinkable and renounced his upbringing and entered the army as a ranker. While in the Sharpe series, we see a lowborn orphan rise though the ranks, here we have a highborn Scotsman in much the same situation. Mostly hated by those below for his education and manners, he's also mostly hated by his superiors for being a c
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0002254824 This installment of the series concerning the military exploits of "Fancy Jack" Crossman is an improvement over the previous book. Not that it was bad; this one is just better. The story is more interesting and the dialog is better written.Crossman is the son of a nobleman serving as a sergeant with the light cavalry in the Crimean War. He has given up his aristocratic birthright because of disagreements with his father. He is tapped for doing secret missions because of his intelligence but all he really wants to be is a normal trooper.This installment sees him going on his secret missions but getting to be around for the famous Charge of the Light Brigade. It's not great but it does help to pass an entertaining afternoon.
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0002255200 This author is wonderful. This is the first novel I have read of hers and I was absolutely astounded by its depth and poignancy. Her wonderful grasp of the West Indian colloquialisms are juxtaposed beautifully with her experiences in Canada. A MUST READ! Ms. Espinet weaved together a wonderful story that reads like poetry. I loved how the storyline moved back and forth from Mona's childhood to the present day. Beautifully and well written.
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0002255383 The story was told as a modern-day style of the Demeter and Persephone myth.The mother and daughter team of Linda and Esta Spalding, together creates a tale both mythic and contemporary; It is hard to succeed in narrating both themes so powerfully. Mere is an uncomprehending and uncivilized child seeking for independence from parental protection, while showing her desperate for her father, and living as complicated as the political plot of its time. From this book, I have earned an understanding of the political views of that time and also the culture of the 60s with the free sex and tremendous use of drugs, most of all, the desperate bid for peace. The mother and daughter relationship has created issues that I think, will be carry on from generations to generations without any changes; teenagers are always be desperate for independence while the mother was being protective and never consider the child is mature enough.
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0002259559 Both Stephen King and Peter Straub have ventured into the realm of "literary horror;" King in Bag of Bones, and now his fictional counterpart, Straub, with Mr. X.This book is reminiscent of Straub in many ways-- vague, shadowy plot, complex scenarios, too many characters. This yarn was working well for me up until about 200 pages. Thereafter, the book bogged itself down in Ernest Hemingway-esque absurdity.The antagonist of the tale, ie. Mr. X, Edward Rinehart, Mr. Sawyer, seemingly take a back seat to the preceedings in lieu of Straub's investigation into high class life and unsolved murders.This book is not his best by any means. Too many ancillery characters that function as weeds in Straub's horror garden--sucking the suspense of the story.Straub's best is Shadowland. Ghost Story had its moments, too. Mr. X was my first Straub book sans Stephen King. I didn't know what to expect of his 'solo' work. I have been fairly glued to a handful of authors (King, Rice, Lumley and St
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0002261200 This is a gem. One of those rare horror books that will scare the heck out of you until the very end. The plot is great, it is written so that it draws you in. The subject matter is very scary. This is a great book written by a great writer (he also wrote The Mastership Game which is great). Due yourself a favor, if you're a fan of really great horror fiction, and get this book. It's worth it! Paul Stauffer is a professor of crime-psychiatry at the university of San Francisco and in his opinion religion and faith would have their best time behind themselves. The avowed atheist is conviced, that there for everything in the universe is a rational explanation and that religion and art are of the same kind, because they are either the work of a genius or a bag player trick. Because there would be neither God or still some kind of bad power, criminal behavior has to be evaluated by means of medical instead of moral terms....Although better knowledge and by self-interests Stauffer defends hi
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0002261359 The fourth chapter in the Emma Hart series of seven books, an excellent follow-up to the previous three books, well worth reading. Characters are believeable and the whole book carries on from where the last one finished. I would recommend the book unreservedly
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0002312840 Elspeth McGillicuddy has just finished her Christmas shopping and relaxing on the journey to her friend's house, when a secondary train pulls up and runs alongside her own. Imagine her horror when a blind on the second train snaps up, allowing her to witness to a man strangling a woman to death! Horrified, she notifies the police, but when no body is found the following day (either on the train or off it), Mrs McGillicuddy decides to get some specialized help.Enter Miss Marple, an old maid who is often described as "fluffy and dithery", but who nevertheless has a razor-sharp mind, and believes every word of her friend's strange tale. Taking it upon herself to investigate the murder, she comes to the conclusion that the killer may very well have thrown the body from the train at a particular point along the track in which it would fall down an embankment and onto the grounds of the Rutherford House.Yet Miss Marple is an elderly woman now; she can't very well go tramping around an estate
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0002313197 What "improvements" have been made for the Berkley edition? There are already major differences in punctuation, word choices, and scene breaks between the original Collins and Dodd Mead (HICKORY DICKORY DEATH) editions of this novel. There are further differences between the Dodd Mead editions republished by Random House/Avenel and the Dodd Mead editions republished by Simon & Shuster/Pocket. There are further differences still in the Signet, Bantam, and Black Dog & Leventhal editions. For every publishing house putting out her works, there seem to be a new batch of editors altering Agatha Christie's words and the sound of her voice. What's the matter with these publishers? Whose voice do they think we want to hear when we sit down to a novel by Agatha Christie? And what will she sound like twenty years from now? It's frightening that her estate has failed to see the importance of guarding her words as she wrote them. Please tell me I'm not the only one here who senses that a crime has
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0002313243 I love this mystery--I'm not certain why. Normally I would hate it, but there's something in the strange eeriness of it all that really made me read.Determined scientist John Christow is dissatisfied with his life--he has a rather stupid, insecure but sweet-natured wife and two brainy kids, and an artist lover named Henrietta Savernake, whose first love is her sculptures, much to his chagrin. He wants sometimes to break away from his family and the sick people that he must deal with.When they go to an old mansion for the weekend, the coolly passionate Henrietta is not the only lover there--John's old actress girlfriend who wants him as a boy-toy is present, and she doesn't want to take "no" for an answer. Then John turns up dead.Hercule Poirot and Henrietta seek to unravel the mystery of John's death, with totally unexpected results. What's really special about this mystery is that the emotions of the characters carry it along, rather than simply following clues and giving Po
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0002318482 I would not recommend anyone buy this book, even if they find it at a garage sale for a dime. The plot is fine but the characters are unbeliveable. After 60 pages I finally quit reading and gave up. At the end of 60 pages, this bozo of a PI had uncovered a murder and a kidnapping and had not yet called the police in on the case. You have got to be kidding me. I left him on a boat being held at gun point. Good place for him. There was no timeframe in the book I could find. No dates, no current events discussed. I would surmise it was in the 50's or 60's considering the way women were portrayed at wimpie little braindeads. And of course, the male detective was just ever soooo coool all the time. Stay away from this work of art, unless you like those banal, brainless and boring gothic love stories. You know the type, with the big breasted woman on the front, looking oh so distressed in front of a gothic mansion. MacDonald was still at the top of his game in 1973, with his titles regularly
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0002322935 Like Jonathan Gashs' hero, Lovejoy, Angel is an amusing (nearly) rascal, just barely skirting the law while becoming involved with dangerous escapades and brushes with the police. Angel, aka Fitzroy Maclean Angel, university graduate, cheerful boozer and avid womaniser, is flat sitting for his landlord when the body of an old university friend falls through the bathroom skylight and into the bathtub with a large section of window glass fatally imbedded in his neck. The police deduce that he was trying to escape from a group of violent animal activists with whom he had previously been involved. Angel is persuaded by the police to join the group as an unofficial undercover agent to discover the source of their weapons and to be able to warn the police about the extent of their escalating use of explosives.The scene is set in the countryside with a radical vicar, the hunting set, a vodka swilling teenager and exciting chases in Angels' old London taxicab. He's such a likeable villain that
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0002433389 The is the first of MacLean's books I can recall reading and it's not bad. Readers accustomed to modern thrillers that bolt out of the gate at 100 miles an hour should bear in mind this was written about 35 years ago when authors were allowed to build up tension. A mysterious British specialist boards a U.S. submarine that has been urgently dispatched to figure out what has happened to Ice Station Zebra, a top secret base drifting on ice near the North Pole. After many travails the specialist reaches the burned out station and quickly figures out that one of the nine survivors deliberately set the fire and murdered some of his colleagues. The survivors all board the submarine, which experiences a string of suspicious accidents, deaths and disasters. The idea is a good one but MacLean's characters are little more than one-dimensional. The superbly talented specialist is carrying a dark secret, the U.S. submariners are all superheroes, and like a previous reviewer, I was pretty sure I kn
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0002550024 Actually, the response from the seller was well within the allotted time to deliver and the book arrived in very good condition. I bought Tekkin a Waalk for someone else. Having read the book a few years ago now, I vaguely remember all the details, what I do recall was that it is well written, engaging and Peter Ford can spin a yarn for sure. His observations and his uncanny ability to weave a tale with historical anecdotes thrown in for good measure is pure writing theatre. 'Nuff said...
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0002550148 An excellent book, written by an Arab intellectual. It gives accurate account of the modern history of the Middle East. This account uncovers all the distorted images. It bravely states the real motives behind the Gulf war. It is a highly recommended book for those who wish to know the truth.
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0002553430 I own this and all the Country Garden series of cookbooks. They are all visually gorgeous, and all written by professional chefs. Each book surrounds a featured ingredient which is seasonal. I must admit that many of the recipes could be considered "chi-chi," but for cookbook collectors, this series is really wonderful. I'm sorry they stopped adding to these books, and very sorry that they are going out of print.
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0002553449 An Amazon friend reviewed this; after having read that review, I became enchanted and simply had to acquire this volume. Now that I have it, I am quite pleased to have made that purchase.The volume begins with a paean to the joys of picking and eating berries. This is followed by a glossary and hints about practical issues (such as washing, storing, and freezing) as well as an enumeration of different types of berries (from blackberry to lingonberry to strawberry).Then, the recipes begin--and some of these really sound delicious! In the section headed "Openers," there is a little delight, "Chilled strawberry soup with pound cake croutons." Ingredients: strawberries, banana, orange juice, sour cream, raspberry liqueur, ice cubes, pound cake, and fresh mint for garnish. With the help of a blender, one can complete this treat in rather short order. Or one of my favorites--"strawberry jam." My mother used her own recipe when I was a kid.Berries can be used with entrees, too. For instance,
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0002553457 When I first unwrapped this book, my mouth dropped open in amazement! The first thing that strikes you about it is how gorgeous the photographs are....but as you read the recipes, you realize that there is no let-down here. They sound just as delectable as the photos are beautiful.A delight for those who love to cook, an inspiration for those who want to cook, and even if you don't cook at all, this is a beautiful book to have!! For those of us in love with pears, this is it! Beautifully photographed and essayed work on the variety and use of this fruit.For the different, try the Asian Pear rounds with Smoked SalmonCream Cheese or the Wine-Poached Salmon with Pears and Shallots.If you're a pear afficanado as I am, try and find yourself this little gem! I own this and all the Country Garden series of cookbooks. They are all visually gorgeous, and all written by professional chefs. Each book surrounds a featured ingredient which is seasonal. I must admit that many of the recipes could be
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0002553465 I own this and all the Country Garden series of cookbooks. They are all visually gorgeous, and all written by professional chefs. Each book surrounds a featured ingredient which is seasonal. I must admit that many of the recipes could be considered "chi-chi," but for cookbook collectors, this series is really wonderful. I'm sorry they stopped adding to these books, and very sorry that they are going out of print.
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0002553708 This large format softcover book has beautiful pictures of various locations in the Mediterranean, as well as great pictures of almost every dish for which there is a recipe. The recipes are easy to follow, measurements in English and metric, with a helpful notation about the recipe at the start of each one. More importantly, they are useful dishes that you can acutally cook, not one of those books with 20 different ways to cook octopus. Where a particular local indgrediant is probably not available stateside, a creditable alternative is given. The book looks tasty to the eye, and the recipes are tasty as well. I am particularly fond of Turkish food and this cuisine is well represented, just as the other Mediterranean countires are. My neighbors Tom and Julia who know my passion for the Mediterranean region gave me this book yesterday as a surprise gift. I have traveled the world, tasted many different cuisines and I came to a conclusion that when it comes to La Dolce Vita, Joie de Viv
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0002553732 This is a well written, and beautifully photographed cookbook on healthy gourmet cookingI love that the book gives the nutritional breakdown on each recipe. So whether you are counting calories, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol or sodium, this book gives all the numbers you could want to track.I like the table that the author included in the front of the book that indicate which herbs and spices pare best with particular foods. I also appreciate the table that shows the herbs and spices that are used by regional cuisine. So if you don't know how to flavor North African food for example, the book tells you to use mint, garlic, sesame seeds, lemon zest or onion.Most, of the recipes have full color photos in the book. For each recipe the authors tell you which country the recipe is from. This information is handy for planning an international dinner.Specific recipes that I enjoyed were the Syrian Whole Wheat Pita Bread and the Braid of Salmon and Sea Bass with
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0002554119 Labyrinth of Desire is The Rules for women of ample brain. Like the authors of that classic self-help manual for the man-crazy, rosemary sullivan understands the ways in which love drives women mad. by looking at literature & movies, sullivan identifies the love stories that make women a bit stupid, the stories that help us to confuse fantasy with reality. but sullivan offers neither advice for navigating through these narratives to marriage -- a la The Rules -- nor does she teach us how to steer clear of the doomed romance altogether. rather, she analyzes the tragic love story as the female version of the hero's quest, & celebrates it as a revelatory life experience. Labyrinth of Desire is erudite, insightful, deliciously compassionate, & ultimately empowering. A romantic at heart, this book provided a new insight into love and it's many forms - and an explanation for why some girls (and guys) fall in love so quickly, passionately, and often. Her description of the two mai
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0002554232 This intriguing book tells about the early life of Margaret Atwood in great detail, and then skims through the last couple of decades. Rosemary Sullivan has done a remarkable job of recreating the '40's, '50's, '60's and '70's, and how they influenced (and eventually were influenced by!) Canada's #1 writer. Having interviewed Atwood, many of her friends and associates, ex-husband and present husband, and also using contemporary correspondence, Sullivan seems to have an authentic understanding of how Atwood developed into such an amazing, prolific writer. Always respectful, Sullivan keeps her focus on what in Atwood's life is relevant to her as a writer. This is a very intelligently written biography, with an incredible amount of research and very astute analyses, and should be a satisfying read for any fan of Margaret Atwood's, without feeling like you have invaded her privacy. Despite the author's tedious insistence that this is a "not biography" (when it obviously is a biog
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0002554364 While rifling through her stack of borrowed library books, during my brief visit to Sarnia earlier this month, one book stood out and beckoned me to read it. Written by one of our very own (i.e Canadian), Christopher Ondaatje, not to be confused with his brother of "The English Patient" fame, "Sindh Revisited" is what its subtitle speaks of: "A Journey in the Footsteps of Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton."Though Burton, the 19th century adventurer, too, went looking for the source of the Nile, it was Burton's own account of his experiences covering the western seaboard of India, between 1842 - 1849, which became the basis of Ondaatje's quest to mirror a similar trek. Ondaatje is a devout admirer of Burton having read all that has been written about him as well as Burton's own accounts. To capture the true essence of his journey, and grasp the geo-social nuances of India's diversity, Ondaatje persuaded Haroon Siddiqi, editor emeritus of "The Toronto
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