John Noble Books

A very interesting book about the life and hardships of settlers on the Kansas prairie. It brought back memories of the stories I had on my ancestors. Excellent reading.

This book refrains from discussing the political clime that spun Scotland's great soldiers. It concerned with the military tactics. Bayne does give your a "grounding" point starting with Agricola to General Wade - early background of Scotland's roots, and hopefully one day he might turn his attention to this area.

He does cover battles on Scottish Soil, discussing the Castle, Garrisons and road conditions. One chapter is dedicated to Weapons of the Scots and their unique guerrilla style of fighting, but also their organised formations. Next he covered life in a a Scottish Regiment, the dress and uniforms.

Quite naturally no book discussing Scottish Military would be worth it's salt without spotlighting the role the Scottish Bagpipers players, so I am glad to saw this is not missed.

Bayne also thumbnails interesting Scots Military figures - even some of the fictional ones, and touches on Scottish Cavalry and special units of Scots.

A very interesting book for someone looking for military details rather than political discussions. A very worthy book to your Scottish history self and especially useful for historical fiction writers of the period.

Fuller is the editor of the Oxford Book of Sonnets and has specialized in writing about this form. In this small introductory guide he devotes a chapter to the Italian sonnet , abba abba cde cde , and one to the English sonnet abab cdcd efef gg. He discusses the structural differences and variants of both sonnet forms. I will just include one paragraph of his book because it seems to to say a lot about the sonnet in a very condensed form.
" I have said little about the function of the sonnet, because even its slight form is capable of too much to be discussed adequately here. Its range is indeed very wide: from satire like that of Brooke, or Hood's more wistful and brilliant ' Sonnet to Vauxhall' through Shakespeare's wit and invective or Leigh hunt's grotesqueries to Milton's sublime scorn; from the wary tenderness of Wyatt to the intelligence and passion of Elizabeth Barret Browning, from Auden's potted literary biographies to Wordsworth's ecclesiastical history. Minutiae in Clare, generalities in Harley Coleridge, symbolism in Yeats, devotion and piety, doubt and effusion, political tributes, dedications, diary entries: the uses of the sonnet are not easily limitable." p. 37
For me as I believe for most people the sonnet is above all Shakespeare. And after that Wordsworth and Milton. The great star of Petrarch has never particularly shone for me perhaps because I do not know Italian. I would also mention Hopkins who I believe the greatest English practiconeer in the form from the nineteenth century to today.
This work is a useful guide, but the real guide and the real delight is reading the great sonnets.

I read this book for a graduate Mill seminar in Philosophy. Recommended reading for anyone interested in philosophy, political science, feminism and history.

John Stuart Mill, 1806-73, worked for the East India Co. helped run Colonial India from England. Minister of Parliament 1865-68 he served one term.

In The Subjection of Women Mill first and foremost advocated the need for all humans to improve their characters. He was a firm believer, that all people regardless of their race or sex, had the capacity to learn and improve their characters. In light of this belief, Mill sets the tone for his argument in his opening paragraph of his essay wherein he wrote that the legal means by which the female sex was subordinated to the male sex hindered the character development of all members of society. He was the first male in Britain to champion the cause of women to the extent that he did, and he suffered plenty of criticism and insults for doing so. He was also the first Member of Parliament to introduce a bill in the Commons to enfranchise women. He worked tirelessly throughout his life supporting women's rights with both his pen and his purse.
I find that his essay really turned a spotlight on the many horrors that women endured throughout the history of mankind at the hands of their brutish husbands. No other person's writings illuminated the deprivations that women had endured the way Mill's essay did. No doubt, Victorian sensibilities were shocked when he wrote about the brutality that many women in marriage suffered at the whim of their tyrannical husbands--rape and beatings were at the top of his list.
One of the ideas that Mill gave his fervent support to, and that I greatly admire him for, is the concept that freedom of choice for people is a crucial ingredient in character formation and in improving society and civilization for everyone. This belief led him to argue that marriage as it existed in his time was nothing better than legal and state sponsored slavery. Women had few options in life. If they were married to a tyrant who beat them it was almost impossible to obtain a divorce. Divorce was rare in his day and actually had to be approved by an act of parliament. In addition, if a wife did obtain a divorce, not only would she most likely lose custody of her children, she would also be denied any visitation privileges as well. Mill correctly complained that outside of the home women were left with few options in life. Professional education and career paths were closed to them. Men were fearful of the competition in the workplace women would present if they were allowed employment in professions or trade guilds. Therefore, when it came to workplace opportunities, society left women with few options-- prostitution, or menial domestic work. Thus, Mill saw that the lesser of all evils that women could choose was marriage. Their life in the home was reduced to serving as scullery maids and raising children. Thus, he wrote women treated this way were turned into shrews, which not only made their lives miserable, but also the lives of those around them. For all these reasons Mill believed that the institution of marriage was an impediment; not just to women, but to the progress of civilization as well. Considering that marriage laws had the force of several millennia of religious and societal mores behind it, one can certainly understand why his description of its depravity on humankind won him few friends in "polite" Victorian society.
During his time, a married woman's property automatically devolved to her husband, and Mill correctly saw this as one more inequity against women placed on them by society. Therefore, when he married Harriett Taylor in 1851, a financially secure widow, he remained true to his convictions and wrote a formal renunciation to all of her property in protest against the current law. In addition, while a Member of Parliament he cosponsored the Married Women's Property bill in 1868 to try to change the law. Finally, he sternly rebuked this abomination in his essay by rightly concluding that marriage left the vast majority of women in the unenviable position of "the personal body-servant of a despot" (CW XXI: 285).

This is a handbook for turning places in your community into a field trip. Places like the post office, bank. restaurant, fire department and MANY more are included! Each entry has 6 scections: 1- introduction giving backgroup abd historical development 2- key conceppts and principles about each destination are explained
3- list of sample questions to ask while on the trip 4- activity suggestions 5- vocabulary words 6- very neat section called Tips from Barnabas. This section ties the trip into the Word of God. It has bible verses and a biblical perspective on each subject studied!

A great gift for the groom-to-be and the father of the bride. We laughed at "wrong" way to communicate and toasts. The ideas were presented in a fun and easy-to-enjoy format.

An appreciation of the most beautiful dolls made in America and Europe during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. . .

. . . with 46 color plates by Peter Reinstorff and 150 black-and-white illustrations. . .

In this handsomely illustrated volume John Noble presents a sensitive and exquisite study of his lifelong fascination with dolls, particularly those of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries. Mr. Noble points out that dolls are valuable as vital historical artifacts, as well as being aesthetically enchanting. "The objects," says the author, "that adults have chosen as playthings for their children can reveal a great deal about the beliefs and attitudes of those adults and very often will alter our concept of them."

Childhood in the eighteenth century was either almost nonexistent or painfully short. Mere tots were forced to assume the moral and physical burdens of adulthood as soon as they could stand erect. The adults were the ones who delighted in toys and games, and some of the finest toys ever made were for the pleasure of adults. Shown in this book is the rich variety in kinds and qualities of dolls, from the simple rag-doll babies to the aristocratically coiffed and coutured dolls of the wealthy. The dolls' costumes were as carefully stitched as human raiment, and the materials ranged from laces, silks, and brocades to muslin and wool. The dolls were made from materials such as porcelain and bisque or wood and papier-mache. With the aid of 46 fine color photographs by Peter Reinstorff and 150 black-and-white photographs, Mr. Noble is able to focus upon the exquisite beauty of each doll and, at the same time, point out significant variants in the construction, materails, clothes, and personalities.

A lot of people knock this play because Shakespeare presents Joan of Arc as a villain. Well, the truth of the matter is that she was in fact burned as a witch. She was to be cannonized and become a saint, BUT NOT UNTIL 1920! (OVER 300 YEARS AFTER WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE DIED!) In a sense, it is flat out laughable to criticize the play based on the fact that a saint is made to be a villain. Well, to the play itself. King Henry V (who conquered France) lies dead. His son Henry VI is but a child, and for now it is King Henry V's surviving brothers Glouceter and Bedford who are in charge. Joan of Arc comes into play and tells Charles of France that with her help, France can still come out on top. This is followed by the comical dispute between Glouceter and his uncle (who is Bishop of Winchester). Throughout the story, Winchester is somewhat of a comical villain. He does no real damage, and his disputes with the virtuous Glouceter offer some badly needed comical moments. We then meet the heroic, but just a little too brave Talbot. He is England's champion here, and he finds he can not defeat Joan. Towards the end of Act 2, there is a dramatic and well drawn scene that foreshadows the War of the Roses. We also meet Richard Plantagenet (the eventual Duke of York). Act 2 concludes with him offering what comfort he can to his imprisoned and dying uncle. In Part 2, York will be more of a villain, but in Part 1, he seems to serve the king with loyalty. In 3.1, we finally meet the young King Henry VI. He makes Richard Duke of York. (Side note. Richard's father was executed for treason against King Henry V.) Soon afterwards, Bedford despite his failing health manages to support the English as they defeat Joan of Arc in one battle. (Very unlike his back stabbing move in "2 Henry IV," he displays courage, honor, and dignity here.) And we are permitted sympathy as he dies with grace and dignity. But Joan of Arc is far from finished. She wins over Burgundy to France's side and makes it clear that the game is not over. Well, onto Act 4. King Henry VI is crowned. While many people fail to see any strength In King Henry VI, he does show some strong points here. His actions against Fastolf and Burgundy show that he does not tolerate treason or neglect of duty. He is often rebuked for having rivals Somerset and York work together, but more than once, people have launched enemies against a foreign foe. And a reasonable person would have at least considered it. Well, sadly this is one case where it did not work, and civil dissension between York and Somerset turns the tide in France's favor, and even worse causes the death of Talbot and his son. (The death of Talbot and his son is one of Shakespeare's greatest scenes of tragic beauty.) One more thing I should point out is that, internal complications are one of the best things you can use to prevent a war scenario from becoming trite and boring. Good job Shakespeare! The death of Talbot breaks England's spirit, and peace is contemplated. But there is one more battle to be fought. York is able to do what Talbot could not do. He defeats Joan of Arc and prevents (at least for now) England's total loss. (Perhaps Shakespeare was preparing York to have more power than we might want him to have in Part 2. It's not unheard of. At first, someone displays unusual strength, and we are happy until that strength turns against us.) Despite the heavy losses, England still controls Calais, Normandy, Maine, Anjou, and some areas around Bordeaux. We also meet Margaret (who will have a major role in "2 Henry VI" and "3 Henry VI.") She will have a smaller, but still significant part in "Richard III." Well, peace is discussed. But Suffolk hints that there is more to come. He intends to use Margaret to control the king, but that's the next story. This may be one of Shakespeare's earliest plays, but it certainly reflects the greatness that was to come.

What can you say about Uncle John's bathroom reader ? It is everything you always wanted !

The 4-ply bathroom reader brings the first 4 volumes of Uncle John's bathroom readers in one book. Interesting facts about literature, entertainment, humor, education, trivia, science, history and so much more. As always there are short, medium and long stories.

Here are some of the contents:
- the origins of common words and phrases
- the 7 wonders of the world
- elvis's letters to Nixon
- the curse of King Tut
- bizarre lawsuits
- strange deaths

Everything you always wanted to know and are bound to forget is in this book. 5 stars +

This compact book includes a 13-page index for easy use as a reference, and reprints of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Each chapter is followed by review questions, and essay format midterm and final exams are listed at the back of the book. Other notable reference information is a list of the presidents & secretaries of state, notable American historical documents, and suggested references for additional reading.

Excellent resource for any student of US history, provided he or she is reading at university level. The vocabulary used precludes high school use, unless the students in question are gifted.