O Books

Rick Steve's book is a down-to-earth book that gives so much information to which you can relate. It's a wonderful guide.

Ireland offers visitors a diversity of memorable places to visit, memorable people to encounter, and memorable opportunities for recreation. Rick Steves is a seasoned and experienced travel writer and in collaboration with Ireland specialist Pat O'Connor has authored the "Rick Steves' Ireland 2008", a compact, 425-page travel guide that is packed from first page to last with informed and informative information for tourists and business travelers to the villages, towns, and countryside of the Republic of Ireland in the south, as well as the cities and counties of Northern Ireland. Of special note is the introductory chapter dedicated to the best use of this outstanding guide for planning a trip whether of short or extended duration, practicalities when traveling, money, sightseeing, sleeping, eating, 'Traveling as a Temporary Local', and 'Back Door Travel Philosophy'. Another special section is devoted to Irish history, art, literature, language, and an Irish-Yankee Vocabulary. Enhanced with appendices on resources; money matters; telephones, emails, and postal mails; transportation; holidays and festivals; conversions and climate; an essential packing checklist; and a sample hotel reservation form, "Rick Steves' Ireland 2008" is an ideal and enthusiastically recommended guide for anyone anticipating a trip to the Emerald Isle.

Rick Steves' Ireland 2008 is like your brother (your very detailed and analytical exploring brother) writing home with the in's and out's of each city and stop in Ireland. Hitting highlights and lowlights, Rick leaves no Irish pebble unturned for the common traveler. If you have a question about Ireland, it is most likely answered in this book; if not, then Rick has made himself available through his websites if you need further information. It is very helpful to not walk into a new situation unprepared and Rick's Ireland 2008 has proved most helpful!

The book if full of Rick's usual great information. I wish the pictures were in color and had captions. There were just tiny black and white photos of places and things that might be pretty, but without a description you have no idea what they are!

We have used Rick Steaves books in Italy, Germany, England and Holland and have not been disappointed.

Although a bit dated, containing strips related to the Y2K craze here and there, this little book is still otherwise as funny and timely as any commentary on the computer industry could be. The X-Men and Borg references are absolutely hysterical. If you work in a tech job, you should be reading User Friendly.

It's a good book, but I think previous books have been funnier.

"Am thinkink. Erwin, to fight such big powerful company as AOL, am to be fightink fire with fire. Da?"
"Umm...what did you have in mind?"
"Am to becomink half computer, half human, like Borg. Then to become super administrator of all Borg functions."
"That means...you'll become..."
"Da. I will becomink root of all evil."
"Don't do it, Pitr! Don't go to the bad place!"
- Pitr the techie and Erwin the AI, in conversation

After opening with a few post-Y2K-bust strips, the Columbia Internet crew having stockpiled lots of soda and pork rinds for the occasion, the book settles into its more usual long-running plot threads.

Stef's been given the title "Manager: S&M." ("It stands for SALES AND MARKETING you depraved monkeys.") In his efforts to sell a line of products the same way that the Pokemon empire does their stuff, he persuades Pitr to make collectible Unix text editors. Pitr, in fact, goes through several evil little anti-Unix projects in the book to keep his hand in as a budding Evil Genius.

Other developments in the continuing story:
- AJ struggles to figure out how to court Miranda properly (badly timed in light of the "I love you" virus).
- Stef (who as a Windows user sees Unix holy wars as an added bonus of his job) makes the mistake of interfering in Miranda's life, which leads to a lot of Matrix crossover references.
- Mike becomes a Sims addict. ("Hey! Are you *allowed* to have four wives?")
- Greg's tech support calls turn into a game-help hotline.
- Pitr has an evil twin brother in Sales who affects the same fake accent.
- Introducing Sid Dabster, the aging ex-HP tech who becomes something of a blood enemy of Pitr's.

And, of course, the fantasy elements, such as:
- Parallels between Steve Case of AOL and Anakin Skywalker.
- Greg's Linux daemons (think "shoulder angel" here).

You have to be a computer geek to understand the humor. If you are, and especially if you have a unix/linux background and/or have worked with internet or other computer support you will find this one of the most hysterical comics around.

If you don't find at least some of the strips very funny, you should have your geek status removed. :)

Why five years for me between his first and second book I cannot explain except for 185 others read first but the wait was worth it. His underlying situations along with a streaming plot really make the book run. I will now continue on to whatever else he has written because I find his writing enjoyable as any other Author of thrillers he is right up with with DeMille, Clancy, Higgins and the others. I highly recommend this book.

All of Hugo Fitzduane's adventures stand by themselves, and this one is a must read. Everytime this guy writes a book - it gets better and better than the last one! I can't wait for book 4:Satans Smile. Do yourself a favor and get into this well told novel that packs it all for all people young and old, male or female.

This book starts out slow but builds to an incredible level of tension. You will stay up late to finish this book. Do NOT miss the second book to the Fitzduane series.

Our Hero Fitzduane thought his war with terrorism ended with the defeat of the hangman but in the world of international terrorism nothing is forgotten! He and his family are targeted for death by the hangman's sadistic lover,a female japanese terrorist.Fitzduane must take the battle to her on her own tuff which is Japan.This novel gives us scenic and very bloody tour of Japan as our hero battle terrorists, yakuza(japanese gangsters) and lethal betrayal in his own ranks.Another great atmospheric spy thriller!

I've stumbled across "Games of the Hangman" by accident and was hooked by the non-stop action. Now 5 years later, I stumbled across "Rules of the Hunt" and am enjoying, once again the very dangerous adventures of Hugo Fitzduane. Indeed looking forward to reading the "Devil's Footprint" (look for my review). Mr. O'Reilly's prose is straightforward and clear with a very tight plot. The characters come to life and the action sizzles. Not for the weak of heart. Terrorism is a very real threat that Mr. O'Reilly brings to light in all it's dark reality.

Running with the Horses is a great examination of the book of Jeremiah. I love how the author applies it to present day Christianity. Each page will challenge you and help you to capture what this sometimes puzzling book is about. Give it a chance. It's a great pick for a reading group.

In this study of the life of Jeremiah the prophet we come to see how those who seek to serve the Lord do not have it easy by any means, but the troubles we encounter actually make us more passionate and purposeful and we become all the richer in the process. One of my favorite parts is on page 24 where he says, "Life is a continuous exploration of ever more reality. Life is a constant battle against everyone and anything that corrupts or diminishes that reality." Chapter 7 is especially insightful as it relates to the church today. He says, "What is wrong is to evaluate the worth of words and deeds by their popularity. What is scandalous is to approve only what is applauded. What is disastrous is to assume that only the celebrated is genuine." How true! One can't help but see the similarity of the priest Passhur in Jeremiah's day to the leader of the largest church in the United States today when you read: "Everyone loved to hear him: he was positive, affirmative, confident. He had the ability to draw out the best from everything. He was able to search the Scriptures and find texts that made the darkest days bright." I had to look at the front and see when this book was written. I thought for sure it had to be written in the 2000s, but it was 1983.

Love this book that I'm reading. I've never completed reading Jeremiah straight from the Bible cos I find it very heavy stuff. But after reading Run with The Horses, I'm beginning to appreciate this weeping prophet. I'm still mulling over those chapters that I've read and look forward to turning the pages still. Very sobering stuff in there for personal reflection. You can't ignore what you see/realise in yourself.

What do you do when times get tough? When life gets gritty? When the pressures of life squeeze you pencil-thin? Do you give up, give in, and despair? Or do you rise above the difficulties and uncertainties with faith and confidence? In "Run With the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best," Eugene Peterson takes us through the life of the prohpet Jeremiah and shows us how we can live adventurously, courageously, and excellently despite the challenges we will inevitably face.

"Run With the Horses" is not so much a commentary on the book of Jeremiah as it is a meditation on the life of Jeremiah. Though Peterson does move us chronologically through Jeremiah's life, he chooses only certain "episodes" or "situations" to discuss. Peterson ties his meditations on the life of Jeremiah to our lives as Christians, covering such topics as:

* Our identities as human beings with a definitive purpose.
* How we can be misled through deceptive teachings and words.
* How our choices can twart God's purposes for us.
* The importance of being honest and vulnerable before God.
* The significance of persistence and perseverance when enduring life's challenges.
* How God's ways and purposes often seem to contradict what we see and know from the world.

In essence, "Run With the Horses" is a meditation on the anatomy of a life of faith--a risky endeavor that is not for the faint of heart. Personally, I was more challenged and encouraged by this book than any other book I have read in recent memory. Highly recommended.

Ancient Jeremiah as personal trainer? He of the many trials and tantrums?

Revisited via Eugene Peterson's knowledge and sensibilities, the Old Testament prophet comes alive; he compels present-day readers to "run the race." Jeremiah's words and works crackle with passion: visible, audible, and absorbable. You want to be like him--but luckier.

As relevant today as when first published, Run With The Horses is a superb merger of scholarship, story, and style. Personal and eloquent, Peterson's observations and exhortations on postmodern culture mirror the ancient seer's: He challenges our assumptions, assuages our fears, and cheers our God-given aspirations.

Brief selections from a wide range of writers enhance each thought-provoking chapter, and extensive End Notes point the way to further reading. If in doubt about an older book still being relevant, note the subtitle: The Quest for Life at Its Best.

Vague enough to enfuse with personal meaning. Meaningless read hard, and broad read softly. A good book if you want to sway in the romantic waters of an indefinite God, but hardly the work to peak behind the curtain. It studies the fabric. Full of delicious quotes, irresistable.

Kahlil Gibran is a very powerful, dynamic writer. He does it brilliantly each time a book goes live.

Wisdom is poetry that sings in the mind. If we could enchant man's heart and at the same time sing in his mind, Then in truth he would live in the shadow of God.

The quotes from "SAND AND FOAM" enhances the thought process and I find better understanding of the people around me.

Our god exists in ourself. It takes thought provoking book to make us aware.

What a beautiful compilation!

I read Kahlil, when i was 14.
I was astounded by his words,
and compostion.
He seemed to define them very well.
When i read this work?
i kept learning the aphorisms,
and the value of his thoughts.
I had never seen, or read another book
without some knowledge of great worth, and wisdom.
besides the Bible.
Gibrans paintings, also speak to the soul
The painting of The Prophet?
depicts a man who seems to
be an ancient, and of whom Kahlil
says he had never been without
since Lebanon .
When i first started to read Gibran?
i knew that i would read
all his works.
And they will continue
singing theyre words, and theyre thoughts
to the serinity and the solitude
of my mind.

Gibran continues to inspire me in this book. It is written from the depths of his soul and from every beat of his heart, as every one of his works are. Some readers criticize his writings becasue they say it is "too hard to understand". This is a complement to Gibran, because the most precious things in life are not supposed to be easily understood. One must read his books and reflect the meaning into their own lives in order to even began to understand. Don't be afriad to challenge yourself.

This is well written and well organized book. It is truly written for firewall engineers. Its configuration and troubleshooting examples are very helpful to the real problems. The discussion section and tips are particular useful if you want to know the inside stories of screenOS. This book is a must have for anyone who is working in Netscreen firewall at any level.

The writing is superb! And I love the Problem |Solution |Discussion sections of each chapter. It gives great every day problem and solution. I've been working on a large VPN project and this book is EXCELLENT from start to finish. It explains very well in details about VPN - in our case we also had integrated wireless; policy-based routing, BGP, RIP, content security (ICAP; URL filtering), NAT, QoS, VoIP (Avaya & Cisco), firewall and user authentication (802.1x). You can't get any more complicated than our VPN infrastructure - yet the book explains extremely well every aspect of those features in great details. Plus it was a very easy read! I highly recommend this book if you're serious about deploying VPN and firewalls. Great stuff.

This is a must-have book for anyone managing Juniper firewalls. The writing style is very accessible and to the point. The book is organized so you can jump right to the information you are looking for without reading it from cover to cover. Highly recommended.

If you only purchase one security book then this would be it. It is the "How to Manual" for all Juniper ScreenOS firewalls. The concepts and material transcend a small home office to placing large flow based firewalls into the core of a network. Keep this book in your bag !!!

If you are new to ScreenOS then this book is the first and last book to read. If you are a novice then this book will round out your knowledge and skill set.

Simply put, anyone who is currently evaluating or managing ScreenOS based Firewalls should own this book and have it close by.

The 1st chapter of the book alone shows the most useful commands that every administrator needs to know. It also details the architecture of ScreenOS which is the key to creating and implementing a relevant security policy in any network.

The book is well written and organized with CLI commands in bold and CLI responses in plain text which make it easy to differentiate what the user should be typing and what they should be seeing. (There are also some GUI screen shots in the book as well.) The book has excellent examples of packet walks, O.S. Architecture, and network diagrams.

A huge benefit of the book is that it doesn't bore the user with the history of the Internet or TCP/IP, etc. It jumps right in to specific examples and configuration guidelines relevant to what the chapter is trying to cover. The book is also very current and covers almost the latest version of ScreenOS. A great example is that there is an excellent chapter on configuring NSRP (HA) with Dynamic Routing Protocols (to sync routes from DRP's) and how that is configured in ScreenOS 6.0 which was the first release to support that feature. ScreenOS 6.0 is a very current release of ScreenOS.

As a user of ScreenOS for 5 years, I can absolutely say this book will be a welcome addition to my library!

Last note: Chapter 21 covers VSYS or Virtual Systems which is a major strength of ScreenOS and not well understood by many users. That chapter alone makes the book worth the cost.

I bought this book for my husband, who loves Shakespeare's works, history and cooking. This book is perfect for anyone with those passions (especially all together). A bit of history is included throughout, along with original recipes gleaned from Renaissance texts. Quotes from the Bard's plays are peppered about, before each recipe, etc., and most of the recipes have been beautifully photographed, just another way to whet the appetite. The recipes are fun, do-able, a little different, yet not so far out there that you'd never try them. And in the back are suggestions for parties, invitations and so on. A delight for fans of cooking, cookbook collectors and for bibliophiles with taste.

Close but not quite there. As a member of a rather heralded Guild of (amatuer - we do it for love not money) Medieval and Renaissance Cooks, I was anticipating less 'making it up as I go along" and more true redactons of the books Ms Sagan references.

I was delighted that in roughly half the recipes, she quoted the original recipe and acknowledged the source. I was less delighted when she deliberately changed ingredients, left ingredients out or in one case where it was clear that the intent of the recipe was for periwinkles (snail like mollusks greatly esteemed in Elizabethan and slightly post Elizabethan times) and she admits that in a fit of whimsy, she substituted periwinkles the flower.

Not having hauled out the books and done the research I cannot attest that the unattributed recipes come from period, nor may I suggest that they do not. Where I to serve these unattributed recipes, I would label them as "peroid" (period like) rather than period.

For the most part even those period-like recipes do sound delicious!

This is a nice book, and if it piques an interest in Medieival and Renaissance cookery,then it has served its purpose.

Do NOT take her redactions as Gospel - read them, think of the aim of the dish you are making and consult other sources, both modern and medieval period. If you need help google MEdieval Food....

The photos and garnishes are lovely however.

When I opened this book, I did not expect I would have any interest in actually preparing any dishes from it. Rather, I was looking for some insight into the history of cuisine in England around 1600. I was pleasantly surprised to find things which are really interesting to cook.

The book does not strictly cover meals mentioned in Shakespeare's plays, however, it is liberally seasoned with quotes from the Bard's plays making reference to foodstuff and spirits. The recipes are taken from cookbooks of the period which are enumerated in the very good bibliography. The volumes of this period were published from between 1560 through 1650 and all but one (Italian) are written in English and appear to be directed to the English housewife rather than the court of Elizabeth or James.

The biggest surprise is the prevalence of sweet ingredients in almost all savory dishes. If not sugar itself, then sweetness from fresh or dried fruit. The book even states that the English of the period had a serious sweet tooth. The complement to this tendency is the appearance of savory ingredients such as spinach in sweet desserts.

Another common theme in the cuisine of the period was the use of pastry crusts. They used it with just about everything. The remnants of this method can be found in dishes such as beef Wellington, savory pies, and cooking fish in a pastry crust. The method of making pastry crust may be a little unusual to the casual baker, but it is in fact based on a French technique used today for incorporating butter. Instead of cutting in the butter with forks or a pastry cutter, it is `smeared' into the dough with a kneading type of motion using, of course, very cold butter. It would be interesting to know how butter was kept cold in summer.

It is not surprising that the most pervasive foreign influence was not French, but Italian. Note, for example, that one of Shakespeare's most popular plays, `The Taming of the Shrew' was based on a 17th century Italian style of comedy. Tomatoes and chili peppers are totally absent, as they had not even been adapted in Italy yet, but artichokes, cardoons, asparagus, capers, mint, peas, parmesan cheese, and flat leaf parsley are all common. Citrus fruits, both local and from the Mediterranean are very popular. The fact that relations between England and France were probably very cool at this time, and the fact that England was rapidly developing a world wide trading network, especially with the Mediterranean and the Levant explains the popularity of food from that region. It is also likely that French cuisine had not yet achieved the preeminant position it has today and the cuisines and products of Italy, Portugul, and Spain were probably a common trade for English products.

One of the more interesting historical aspects was the fact that many vegetables popular in this cuisine were brought to England by the colonists and soldiers of the Roman Empire. Carrots, turnips, and onions head the list in this category.

It may be surprising to find shellfish, especially lobster and crab in the cuisine of the people, until one remembers that these animals were literally considered trash by boats fishing for cod or other fin fish. These must have been very, very cheap. The only puzzle was how they got to London and still be fresh enough to eat.

It is no surprise that most of the blurbs on the dust jacket plugging the value of the book are from theater people rather than from culinarians. The audience for this book is as likely to come from lovers of the theater as it is from foodies. The author caters to exactly this audience by presenting a chapter of suggestions on how to organize and cater to a dinner party patterned after this Elizabethan cuisine.

This is one of the first books I have found where I was willing to open it purely for the pleasure of the read, however, I was delighted to find interesting recipes, although it is likely I will stick with modern methods for preparing pastry crusts and stocks. One of my few gripes with the book is that contrary to the promise by the author, not every original recipe text was included. It was entertaining to see how the author translated the slim instructions with no amounts specified into a modern recipe with all the expected teaspoons and tablespoons and the like. A worthy, if somewhat pricy volume.

I bought this book because I am a Shakespeare/Renaissance freak and I hoped to be able to make some dishes of the time.

While I cannot vouch for the complete historical accuracy of the recipes, I can tell you that you won't be disappointed by the use-ability of them or the beauty and taste of the end result. My sister and I put on our own "Renaissance feast" for the family, which was loads of fun to do and a big hit.

The recipes call for common and unusual (but not hard to find) ingredients and often use interesting combinations of flavours, such as fruits with meats. All this creates dishes with complex, rich taste.

The Shakespearean quotes and historical tidbits sprinkled throughout the book are fascinating. Original recipes are often given and prove quite amusing. The layout of the book is simple and attractive, enhanced by the lovely photos of award-winning food photographer, Tim Turner. A masterpiece of a cookbook...

Simply the best! Awesome recipes -- I've already tried some and expect to continue my exploration. Beautiful presentation, well-organized, informative and interesting. A recommended read for all!

Sharon Gilchrest O'Neill has assembled a collection of thoughts, quotations, and short exercises about grieving, inspired by work with the Connecticut Hospice, Inc. Each page contains a single thought or quotation, or a chance to express the reader's own thoughts or feelings about a particular topic. The book is divided into sections like Memories, Treasured Possessions, Happiness...Sadness, but it's sometimes unclear how the pages in each section relate to the section topic.

What struck me most about the book was that it would offer someone mired in the chaos of grief short bursts of thought, not requiring sustained reading or focused attention. For someone looking for a narrative thread, or a unifying philosophy, this book is not the place to look. I couldn't help but contrast it with Joan Didion's Year of Magical Thinking, a treatise on Didion's own process of grief, of working through the stages of feeling, thought, and emotion.

O'Neill's book, in contrast to Didion's treatise-like work, gives us bursts of thought, short quotations, and the chance to jot down a few of our own thoughts. About the quotations: I am often disconcerted by quotations in a book like this, where people are quoted out of context, and the reader is given nothing to put the quotation in context. Sometimes the quote is from someone familiar, like Carl Jung or Sinclair Lewis. We may not all be familiar with Jung's or Lewis' work, but we have something of a framework in which to place them. We can find their writings, read their novels. But, who is John Gray, and how does he relate to the experience of grief?

The writings of the author seem to be designed to provoke movement in grief, to give the grieving person a different perspective, a way to begin to think about how life has changed, and will change more.

Armchair Interviews says: For someone who needs some inspiration, a sense that they are not alone in this experience, and a way to find brief, accessible musings on grief, this book could be very helpful.

This book is a wonderful tool for those of us who are "challenged" when it comes to providing emotional support to others at a time of loss and desire to do more than give/send garden variety bereavement cards. Because the book is spiritually uplifting rather than oriented towards religious beliefs and teachings, it is appropriate for giving to everyone from business associates to close friends and loved ones. A nice touch is a page near the beginning of the book where the sender can dedicate the book to an individual's memory.

I wish I had a copy of "Sheltering Thoughts" to read after my dad died. His sudden passing was confusing and numbing to me and all of my family.

I now keep this collection of inspirational thoughts close at hand. Its passages continue to give me a great deal of comfort whenever I'm missing Dad.

This book is my first recommendation to anyone experiencing the deep feelings of grief and loss.

Genre: Grief/Inspiration
Title: Sheltering Thoughts
AUTHOR: Sharon Gilchrest O'Neill
For life and death are one,
Even as the river and the sea are one.
Kahil Gibran

Losing a loved one is part of life but a most difficult and emotional time for all of us.
Sharon Gilchrest O'Neill has experienced grief both personally and professionally. As a psychotherapist and consultant, she joined the caring group of professionals that founded the first freestanding hospice in the United States. This book is the result of years of professional experiences with those that have passed on and those that were left behind.

Sheltering Thoughts is the ideal little book for someone who has recently experienced the loss of a loved one. Although a sympathy card is appreciated, this book will help them deal with their grief in a positive way. Each page is filled with inspiration, encouragement and support. The rhythmic poetry and lyricism make this book an enjoyable read in a difficult time. Famous quotes add interest and retrospect to the message.

Filled with heartfelt emotion and a depth of understanding that only one who has worked with the grief stricken could have, Sheltering Thoughts is well written and well presented in 147 pages. The book is small enough to keep in a purse or pocket enabling it to become a comforting traveling companion. A portion of the proceeds will benefit hospice work.

Recommended by Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews.


Title: Sheltering Thoughts
Author: Sharon Gilchrest O'Neill
Publisher: Tate Pub.
ISBN: 1-9332904-3-9
Pages: 147
Price: $10.95 Feb. 2006

Like most `Baby Boomers', I find myself at more funerals than weddings lately, so (following the suggestion of an earlier reviewer) I have started keeping a couple of copies of Sheltering Thoughts on hand and at the ready. I never know what to say at funerals (what can you say?), so I simply give this gift book filled with words of comfort, support and peace. The author's hospice and family therapist experiences and sensitivities are evident in her tasteful assembly of sayings, poems, and lyrics and in her own personal comments as well. When I read it myself, I found it to be a very moving read that stimulated a surprisingly peaceful contemplation of my own mortality.

One of the things I like most about this book is the feedback I get from the recipients. Different people are comforted by, and hence remember, different passages but the book seems to be appropriate for anyone regardless of their religious beliefs (or non-beliefs), and in that delicate regard this book is a safe and universal gift.

The appreciation from recipients (three so far) has been heart-felt and they said that they too will give it as a gift when the situation arises. It appears that Sheltering Thoughts fills a void not addressed by the traditional bereavement approaches. It is more distinctive, intimate and lasting than a card or flowers, and it is easy to mail when I cannot attend personally. It was written just in time for my generation.

I ordered this book but was sent a book on grilling...I returned the grilling book but have not been credited for the st petersburg book..please refer this to the proper dept. thank you!

I ordered this book but was sent a book on grilling...I returned the grilling book but have not been credited for the st petersburg book..please refer this to the proper dept. thank you!

The most gorgeous, comprehensive photographic panorama of the treasures of St. Petersburg. Even if your exposure to St. Petersburg is limited to the Winter Palace, (now the "Hermitage" museum), BUY this book AND buy the unreal, almost surreal DVD "Russian Ark". Both are BREATHTAKING!

This is a gorgeous book on a beautiful city. My father would have loved this book, he had an interest in all things Russian, he and my mother toured St. Petersburg and loved it. The images in this book are crisp and text highly informative. St. Petersburg has a wealth of beautiful Imperial Buildings and they are shown at their best in this wonderful book. From Peter the Great's Peterhof to the Hermitage, to Catherine the Great's Tsarkoe Selo, the best of Imperial Russian architecture is on display. If you have any interst in Imperial Russian architecture or just enjoy fine books, then i cannot imagine you being disappointed. Highly recommended.

This can be an expensive book if you're not buying it used, but it's absolutely worth it. The beautiful pictures are excellent at presenting St. Petersburg's amazing architectural wonders. The text is well-written, and even if you don't have a great deal of knowledge of Russian history, you'll still be able to follow along without any trouble.

A gem - read and enjoy!

After reading "Don't Ever Tell"-Kathy's Story by Kathy O'Beirne and "The God Squad" by Paddy Doyle, I felt the need to inform myself further on the subject of absolute corruption and power in the Industrial Schools in Ireland. "Suffer the Little Children" gave me all the information, and more, on the shocking, shameful, collective sadism practiced in Industrial Schools, orphanages, convents and reformatory schools where different religious orders carried out dehumanising brutality and savagery on innocent little children who were placed in the institutions either through the Courts or the parents themselves to be looked after by the religious and to receive an education.
This book gives us the history of such institutions in the UK and Eire but concentrates on the Irish scene where they continued to exist up to the 1970's. It is well written and a most revealing exposé of a very dark, sick side of Irish history. It also includes personal testimonies which make the book even more gripping as they exemplify and confirm vividly the revelations of such an appaling system.
It also discloses the indifference and conspiracy of silence on an official level which brings to mind Molière's words "It's not what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable". And for bad history not to repeat itself, we must keep informed. This book is a must read.

Ever since the movie .."The Magdalene Sisters" and Frank McCourt's book..."Angela's Ashes", Plus the fact that I am a quarter Irish and love Ireland and her people, I find I want to know more and more about her people and the TRUTH of how they have suffered yet have remained strong and vital and are proud and have given much to our world today!(England should be ashamed of what they have done for far too long, too!)
This book tells an awful story about the horrors of little children treated so badly for years and years. I know sadly that these wrongs can never really be righted for these victims or the words, "I am sorry" will erase the pain in their hearts, but I do hope eyes are open now and this cannot happen ever again to anyone....especially to children...no matter what country they come from and no matter what their color or race. Bless the children and keep them safe!! God bless Ireland...
Linda Steffey

This book presents a portrait of 20th century Ireland that will debunk any nostalgic or sentimental view of the so called 'Emerald Isle'. No shamrocks and leprecauns in this book, but a history of cruelty, abuse and power. It tells the story of how Irish children were incarcerated in huge numbers throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in reformatory and industrial schools which were managed by the Catholic Church. Based on detailed historical research and interspersed with gut-wrenching first hand accounts of survivors of these institutions, it shows how an alliance between a power hungry Catholic Church and an indifferent Irish State resulted in the incarceration of the children of the poor. Rather than helping poor families, Church and State removed these children to bleak institutions where large numbers were sexually and physically abused and tortured by their Christian carers. I don't think that I will ever think about the Catholic Church and Ireland in the same way ever again. Anger, saddness, frustration, disbelief, but above all anger - why did this happen? I experienced all these emotions when reading this book. If you want to really understand Irish society, this book is essential and harrowing reading.

This book is comprehensive and deeply moving. I could not put it down. I was disgusted and angry by the end of it. I am ashamed to be Irish and ashamed to be Catholic. How this could have gone on for so long with no help for these children is beyond words. If there is a hell, then open arms to all those sick and sadistic Brothers and Nuns, all of whom were operating in the name of God....! How dare they call themselves charitable and merciful. They are some of the most vile human beings in existence. Between that and the sex scandal in America, the Catholic Church owes many people an apology and some sort of restitution. For shame the Church still chooses to cover up it's misuse of power. If the Nuns and Priests and Brothers were not so sexually frustrated, maybe they wouldn't be so evil. Sorry to vent so strongly. After reading this book, you will feel the same way. Also read Do Penance or Perish, but not as good as this book. Thank you.

This book is one of true meaning an excellent written book, which show's the through Ireland. This books explains the mentality of the religious and states minds. Truly deeply sad book but very much worth the read. This book is excellent in the sense of giving true awareness to the Irish state.
Highly recommended.