Rebecca Jenkins Books

Writer Rebecca Jenkins wonderful book on the life of 19th century actress and author
Fanny Kemble is definative.Her description of this period of theatrical history and background to the journey of Miss Kemble to America is superb.Her fascination for her subject is tangible, as is her admiration of this formidable woman who influenced the anti slavery movement profoundly by the power of her pen.She allows her subject to speak for herself - and what a voice !

Fanny Kemble was the Gwyneth Paltrow of the early 19th century: a beautiful, renowned young actress from a theatrical family whose flamboyant doings filled the newspapers and fed the gossip. Fanny was a hot commodity on both sides of the Atlantic, though she had serious reservations about fame--Princess Diana and Lindsay Lohan weren't the first celebrities to be hounded by the paparazzi and the tabloids. On stage, Fanny was breathtaking, an icon; offstage, she was a bright, funny, sexy woman who--of course--fell in love with all the wrong men.
Rebecca Jenkins' sparkling biography tells not just Fanny's life story but conjures up the racy world of London acting, the drawing rooms of Philadelphia, and the steamy outrages of Georgia's plantations. Jenkins brings a novelist's craft to the story of a woman who played Juliet in the theatre and a slave mistress in real life. Her writing is both intelligent and vivacious and her research is impeccable. The book is a great page-turning read, too.

I was given the opportunity to catalog Dr. Gentry's herbarium collection at the Desert Botanical Garden in 1987-88. I haven't seen the new edition mentioned here, but read the original work at the time I was cataloging his herbarium specimens. Through it, I was able to share his experience as an explorer in the spirit of John Wesley Powell, someone who knew that the American southwest is best delineated by watersheds, not along false lat/long lines. I met Dr. Gentry a couple of times, and remember the occasions well. Last time I saw him, when I was cataloging his collection, I overheard a conversation between him and a consultant for the Fort McDowell Indian Community. The consultant was asking about desert-adapted crop plants. Dr. Gentry went into great detail describing many desert plants suited to agriculture - tepary beans, jojoba, Lippia (Mexican oregano), agave, chiltepines, gum arabic, etc. I learned a lot just by eavesdropping. The consultant listened, but did not hear the words. He recommended that the Fort McDowell people plant cotton. Not because it was best suited to desert agriculture - far from that. They planted cotton because it needs vast quantities of water. They did not want the best desert-adapted crops. What they wanted, instead, was the best crop for wasting water, so that they could establish valid rights to the water. Worse, I watched them clear off vast acreages of mesquite forests to make room for the water-wasting cotton crop. The Hopi call this koyaanisqatsi. This book should help folks in southwestern north America realize that we have a bounteous resource, if we can only learn to use it.

Located in a transition zone between the Sonoran Desert and the tropics,this region is well known for its biodiversity, thanks to a 1942 study by botanist Howard Scott Gentry. Revision of his classic work began before his death in 1993. For researchers, this is a must-read book. It provides a clear overview of botanical studies of the Rio Mayo, a contemporary view of the vegatation, excerpts from the original text and an annotated list of plants.

Unbelievable movie!! I LOVED It.
Great cast, great story.
Gary Oldman is by far one of the best actors in the world!!!!

This name may not be a big box office hit but wow will it be once you've watched it! Amy Smart is but one of serveral familiar faces to grace this movie. Full of fun, laughs and surprisingly a moral. This is worth buying, it is definetly worth watching at least twice!!

I first found this flick as a movie rental, noting the cast included Gary Oldman, whom I always enjoyed.

What an enjoyable surprise! The film comes to you with a built-in twinkle in it's eye, having a load of fun playing with the viewer. It's like a mature version of Alice in Wonderland, but instead of different creatures, the adventures are focused on people met on the road or in the towns visited.

The film is sprinkled with star cameos. Gary Oldman, as always, creates a totally unique charactor. But as much as I enjoyed Oldman, Chris Cooper was the best gem of them all. He plays an ex-adman, looking for honesty---need I say more.

But, despite all the fun, the movie does make it's point, without hammering you in the head.

You will not be disappointed with Interstate 60. It is weird, it is thought provoking, it is strange it is my favorite movie EVER (including What the Bleep and The Secret which are close 2nds) It is also one of only 3 movies that I have paid full price for.

I can't describe it. Just buy it and you will like it.

I originally downloaded this movie without having any knowledge of it's content. After watching it 6 or 7 times I purchased the retail version. I showed it to friends and family and all of them at least liked it. Many loved it. I have since purchased copies for 5 of my 6 children. The 6th will get a copy when she's old enough. It isn't a movie for those under 17. It has some pretty rough language in spots but no nudity. The story is original and there's a nice ending. I was amazed that no one has ever heard of it considering the cast... Michael J Fox, Gary Oldman, Kurt Russell, Christopher Lloyd, Ann Margret.. You can sum my thoughts up with 3 words... I Loved It!

Unbelievable movie!! I LOVED It.
Great cast, great story.
Gary Oldman is by far one of the best actors in the world!!!!

This name may not be a big box office hit but wow will it be once you've watched it! Amy Smart is but one of serveral familiar faces to grace this movie. Full of fun, laughs and surprisingly a moral. This is worth buying, it is definetly worth watching at least twice!!

I first found this flick as a movie rental, noting the cast included Gary Oldman, whom I always enjoyed.

What an enjoyable surprise! The film comes to you with a built-in twinkle in it's eye, having a load of fun playing with the viewer. It's like a mature version of Alice in Wonderland, but instead of different creatures, the adventures are focused on people met on the road or in the towns visited.

The film is sprinkled with star cameos. Gary Oldman, as always, creates a totally unique charactor. But as much as I enjoyed Oldman, Chris Cooper was the best gem of them all. He plays an ex-adman, looking for honesty---need I say more.

But, despite all the fun, the movie does make it's point, without hammering you in the head.

You will not be disappointed with Interstate 60. It is weird, it is thought provoking, it is strange it is my favorite movie EVER (including What the Bleep and The Secret which are close 2nds) It is also one of only 3 movies that I have paid full price for.

I can't describe it. Just buy it and you will like it.

I originally downloaded this movie without having any knowledge of it's content. After watching it 6 or 7 times I purchased the retail version. I showed it to friends and family and all of them at least liked it. Many loved it. I have since purchased copies for 5 of my 6 children. The 6th will get a copy when she's old enough. It isn't a movie for those under 17. It has some pretty rough language in spots but no nudity. The story is original and there's a nice ending. I was amazed that no one has ever heard of it considering the cast... Michael J Fox, Gary Oldman, Kurt Russell, Christopher Lloyd, Ann Margret.. You can sum my thoughts up with 3 words... I Loved It!