T Books

This is the third book in a series which you will either love or hate. It is also one of those multi-book series which must if at all possible be read in the right order, which is

1) The Game of Kings
2) Queen's Play
3) The Disorderly Knights
4) Pawn in Frankincense
5) The Ringed Castle
6) Checkmate

The disordely knoights of the title are the knights of St John of Malta. This book also features a battle of wits and intrigue betweem the central character, Francis Crawford of Lymond, and his great enemy Gabriel.

There are two reasons why this series, and indeed the author's similar "Niccolo" series, should be read in chronological order. The first is that the plots are incredibly complicated and if you read them out of sequence you have no chance of understanding what is going on. The second is that many of the characters meet their deaths in ways which are exceptionally unpleasant both for themselves and for the characters who survive them. If you read one of the later books first, advance knowledge of how characters are going to die, and the effect it will have on surviving characters can have an impact on the pleasure you would otherwise have had in reading about them for the first time.

Like the books, the central character, Francis Crawford of Lymond, is brilliant, violent, and extremely complicated. Unlike the books he is very flawed. Lymond is a mercenary with particular interests in Scotland and France, and gets involved in nefarious deeds all over the world as 16th century Europeans knew it. Dunnett brings the splendour, cultural ferment, and violent cruelty of the Renaissance world splendidly to life.

If you are at all squeamish, or do not like having to make your brain work overtime to follow a book, leave this series alone. Lymond's story is neither "chewing gum for the brain" nor a comfortable read. And even if you prefer flawed heroes to knights in shining armour, Lymond may infuriate you from time to time. But if you can put up with these features, these books will richly reward the effort you make in reading them.

There is no middle ground: you will either hate the Lymond series or recognise these books as one of the greatest works of historical fiction ever written. Or very possibly both !

If you are considering this third in the Lymond series, it is fairly similar to the first two. I came to the series having very much enjoyed Dunnett's House of Niccolo series. Having read the first three Lymond books, I do not think they are as good. Mostly, we are constantly being told how brilliant, deep, and charming the protagonist is. Niccolo is supposed to be very talented as well, but Dunnett demonstrates that through the plot, rather than force it down our throats as she does here. It makes it much harder to like or admire Lymond as a character.

There are some other irritating quirks in the writing. In the first of the series, for example, we hear way too many times about the Crawfords' "cornflower" eyes. I wanted to put needles in them by the end. In this book, characters are always saying things "grimly."

Unfortunately, the story-telling is pretty good, so I have to mutter under my breath as I read. Without spoiling the plot, by this point you know to look for the villain, who is pretty obvious. On the other hand, I thought there were more clever bits to the summing up than in the first two books, some of which I had certainly missed. But if you have fantasies about horrible deaths for the hordes of competent, sensible women, the high-strung protege du jour, etc., I sympathize.

The Lymond Chronicles (I've read the first three, have not read any other Dorothy Dunnett - yet) are not for everyone. I have both volumes of the Dorothy Dunnett Companion by Elspeth Morrison, and refer to them often to look up the many allusions to historical events and figures, to music and literature, many of which are unfamiliar to any but the most learned reader. That said, they are incredibly rich and never bog down. As with any operatic work (and these stories are!), one must suspend disbelief (no human being, especially one as young as Francis Crawford, could be so accomplished in so many areas). Reading these books is a roller-coaster ride through great swashbuckling, dark intrigue, hilarity and sometimes tenderness. I am amazed that Dunnett never leaves something dangling, no matter how unimportant it seemed when first mentioned -- except, of course, that The Disorderly Knights ends with two important characters tied to the tracks. I have to go out and buy the next book in the series this afternoon.

I envy you if you are just about to read this book because there are 6 in this series and I have read them all! By this book I felt that I knew Francis Crawford (the hero) intimately. I worship him for being the kind of person we all secretly want to be: incredibly smart, strong mentally and physically, kind (although not apparently so), poetic, musical...basically your Renaissance ideal, yet with enough flaws in him to make him endearingly human. In this third book of the series he meets someone who is seemingly his equal, which brings out his character even more. I can't categorize this book as an "adventure" or "historical" novel because it is all that and much more. Read it carefully (although the urge to flip the pages to find out what's next is strong, it's a real page-turner) and you will be as hooked on Dorothy Dunnett as I am.

Francis Crawford of Lymond is sent by the French King to the Island of Malta where the Knights Hospitallers are threatened by an invasion from the Turks. While there Francis is caught up in the politics of the Knights, in particular one Graham Malett who the reader will discover is not at all what he and his convent raised sister are what they appear to be on the surface. As Dunnett slowly peels back the layers of her story, the reader is taken from Malta to embattled Tripoli and then back again to Scotland as Francis intrigues to discover Graham's hidden agendas. To say much more would give away the whole plot, but be prepared for some memorable moments that will stick with you for long after the book is finished. The scene with the sheep (LOL), the nail biting suspense in Tripoli as they try to defuse the flame before Tripoli is blown to bits and of course the final climax during the sword fight between Lymond and his greatest enemy.

Throughout, Francis Crawford is a fascinating hero, and is as suave, debonair, flawed and fascinating as only a 16th Century version of James Bond could be. This is a complicated tale, and one that a reader has to pay close attention to, if you let your mind wander you may have to back track occasionally as I did. Dunnett is also very subtle (sometimes too much so!) and you do have to wait until the very end when all is revealed during a heart stopping sword fight in an Edinburgh cathedral, and a big surprise for Francis that will have you scrambling for the next book in the series, Pawn in Frankincense: Fourth in the Legendary Lymond Chronicles. Five stars.

One thing that I have learned is you have got to invest in yourself, and this book is a great investment. You will want to read it over and over again, because it is a blessing to your soul. After reading it, you will take a closer look at the people around you. Are they depositing something positive in you or are they trying to get you off track?? Juanita Bynum also shares personal experiences in this book. SHE IS JUST REAL!!! Again, three words.....BUY THIS BOOK!!!

This book is designed to encourage you to push forward to your devine destiny and do not settle for less along the way.
On page 9 she writes, "We have not even scratched the surface of where God's going to take those of us who are willing to go somewhere." She uses David to illustrate the importance of filling one's mouth with praise and worship instead of negatives.
On overcoming circumstances and emotions, she adds, "I'm not moved by what I see, and I don't operate on what I feel" (p. 12). She spends several pages talking about divine appointments. God's timing is also included in the explanation given. She notes, "God has a preset time for you to arrive at this place" (p. 36).
The season of preparation is describe. Again, she uses David to illustrate that he experienced certain victories before he encountered and overcame Goliath.
On promotion she writes, "Stop trying to promote yourself. Just devote your whole heart to God" (p. 73).
Promotion doesn't come from the east, west, north, or south. It comes from God.

Prophetess Bynum imparted so many truths through this book. In it, she helps you to understand first and foremost that you have a destiny in God. She exposes circumstances in which the enemy would desire for you to give up and "get off of the train". She uses biblical examples of people who did not get off the train, although they had difficulties throughout the journey and how God eventually blesses them for their faithfulness. The added punch is that everything that you experience is preparation for where God is taking you. This book is dynamic. I read it and will read it again. It is powerful!!

Another spiritual healing reader from Ms. Bynum. If you havent read the "No More SHeets" series, I encourage everyone to pick up a copy.

Just when you think you've got God all figured out, he'll throw a monkey wrench in the plans and knock your whole world off balance. This book came at a time when I felt as if I had lost everything including my mind, health, and even my life. Once again Prophetess Bynum has managed to keep everything straight and to the point. She displays that everyone slips and falls but the only mistake that's made is not trying to get back up and get on the path to reach your goals. By simply stating "Don't Get Off The Train En Route To Your Destiny!" The title say's it all God called us to Conquer, not quit. Christians should display, God's love not only to one another, but also to a hurting world and ourselves. By not giving up and living defeated lives we exemplify that God is more than enough. Period. I recommend that you read this book and re-discover who God intended you to be, while getting back on the path to your destiny.

Outstanding Service, received book very quickly and the book was in better shape then described. Would do business again with Marla

My daughter is 4 and she is too young to understand it.

My son who is almost 7 has always wet the bed. It was a non-issue in our house as we knew he couldn't help it. He wore Pull-ups nightly. But about a month ago, he came to me expressing his desire to stop. I researched the various methods which can help children become dry. I was intriqued by the reviews for this book that I read on here, so we decided to buy it. We also bought a Wet-Stop bedwetting alarm. My son loves this book and we happily reviewed it every day. Within days of using the alarm and this book, he started having a few dry nights. This is a child that had only one or two dry nights a YEAR before we started this. It is now almost a month since we started this program and he has had 14 totally dry nights in a row!! We are ready to stop the use of the alarm tonight and he is so, so excited and proud! We will look at his book together until he decides to stop (he likes it so much, I'm not sure when that will be!) Of course, since we used the two methods, it's not totally possible to say how this book would have worked for us by itself, but I have an inkling that the book helped the most. It is also very good for a child's self-esteem. We are so very happy with this wonderful book and want to thank the author, too! Because of a family history of bedwetting, we assumed that my son would probably go on bedwetting for years. What a wonderful surprise for us and especially for him. This book has helped turn this whole thing into a positive experience for my little boy. He feels confident and now feels that he has control over this part of his life.

I tried this on my four-year-old daughter, although only half-heartedly because I did not want to pressure her. First, she stopped wetting during her naps. Then she would stay dry at night on and off. Then she said she wanted to stop doing the chart. ANd then she stayed dry night after night. That was six months ago and she doesn't even have accidents.

What I love about this book's approach is that it empowers the child to have control over their bladder. I find other approaches, such as alarms, to be a bit punitive and makes the child feel like it's their fault for wetting at night. The author obviously understands and loves children. Her compassion shines through every page.

Thank you very much, Alison Mack!

I used to wet the bed, but after reading this, I stopped!! I thought that after 16 years of bed wetting, I was doomed to a life on wet lonliness, but no longer!! Thank you David Wilensky, you've saved my life, now I can share a bed with other people!!

Superb. Simply. Great literature. The character of John, the main character's friend was the best and most gratifying of all. Please obtain and let your eyes go to work. To think the author died short of fifty. Man, we get burned sometimes.

I am thilled to see this book being available in hardcover and paperback as well. I read this book about ten years ago and I read it regularly every couple of years. The story is very compelling and the scene of the protagonist walking home through a run-down community is a classic of American literature.

What this book and O'Connor's other novel, The Last Hurrah, apart is the writing. In an era where writers seem to challenge one another to be more like Faukner and less comprehensible to the average man, O'Connor wrote very well and his language is beautiful. From this fine prose arises really deep characters which are flawed and so easily identifiable to us all.

I found this to be a wonderful novel and a great pleasure to read. I have been trying to find this for years and could not in any bookstore. While this could not translate to the movies as easily as Last Hurrah, I found this to be so much more interesting. A truly Catholic novel, it is a joy to find something that takes spiritual issues seriously and yet is hardly preachy. And if you are Irish, the dialogues of the "friends" of the family will make you laugh outloud while reading. This brought back the charms and frustrations of my childhood and my own family of Irish aunts and uncles. Long but worth the effort. A great find.

As I was reading THE EDGE OF SADNESS, I couldn't help but think that in 1961, when this Pulitzer Prize winning novel was published, it must have been rather controversial. It dealt with the humanity of priests, noting flaws but in a respectful manner. While some writers such as Georges Bernanos dealt with such issues in his DIARY OF A COUNTRY PRIEST, American audiences were still used to the Hollywood Big Screen concoctions of Spencer Tracy--Father Flanagan/Bing Crosby--Father O'Malley models of priesthood. While the priest in THE EDGE OF SADNESS may be worthy of the warmth and love given to his movie counterparts, he's hardly perfect.

The novel tells the story of an alcoholic priest named Hugh Kennedy beginning again in ministry in an older, run down parish. Readers get a sense he's not the priest he once was, and throughout the novel we learn of his early ministry, the ramifications of the death of his father, the struggle with alcohol, and the loneliness that is a real part of his life. The book is written in the first person, and we hear the story of his life as he tells of his rekindling of a friendship with the Carmody family: Charlie, the patriarch, his son John the priest, Dan, the ne'er do well, Helen, the outspoken sister married to a doctor and Mary, the daughter who remains at home to care for the aging but still independent and at times ruthless Charlie. We also meet a host of minor characters: Helen's husband Frank, their son and daughter-in-law Ted and Anne, Charlie's longtime friends P.J. and Bucky, Roy, the maintenance man who works at Fr. Kennedy's church, and Fr. Stanley Danowski, the endearing yet naïve and at time nerdy young curate at Fr. Kennedy's parish. As the events of the novel unfold, we see changes in Fr. Kennedy as he discovers his love for God and his vocation.

This is an older style novel in many ways. O'Connor is not short on words and he gives a number of details, yet the novel flows and is a fast read for a volume of nearly 650 pages. The issues of struggles in priesthood, vitality of parishes, older priest verses younger priest, unstated yet real competition between clergy people, and a hunger for God are all present in this book. In some ways if some historical details were changed in the book, it could be about modern day Catholic life. Perhaps this is the power of this book and why it can seem timeless. While it tells a story from an earlier day, it's not an invitation for nostalgia, at least for Catholic readers. Instead it will remind readers of what truly matters in life: the importance of faith, and the importance of having people who love us and people we love in return. While it may seem dated in some ways, readers will agree that the editors at Loyola Press were correct in reissuing this book as a classic.

This simple but beautiful bittersweet story of life among the Irish-American citizens of an unnamed eastern city is a joyful and beguiling tale. O'Connor's characterizations and dialogues are engaging and from my personal experience utterly authentic. I feel as though I have met all the main chacters and could give them names among family and acquaintances. The set piece of Father Kennedy' battle with alcoholism is tastefully done.

I have always been very skeptical of "biblical fiction" because creative license can border on heresy if the writer is not careful, so I reluctantly purchased Gods & Kings the first book in Lynn Austin's Chronicles of the Kings series. Wow, was I pleasantly surprised! Ms. Austin has taken a few meaningful lines of old testament Scripture and brought them to life with believeable dialogue and suspenseful plots that although speculative, do not contradict biblical truths and bring honor and glory to our GOD. The way she describes how the Israelites under the rule of King Ahaz slowly and steadily turned from the one and true GOD and allowed idol worship to appease other nations, it is very easy to see parallels with our society today and it is very sobering! However, instead of leaving us with a feeling of doom and despare, Lynn gives us hope through the young Prince Hezekiah and a handful of faithful prophets of GOD -- it is not too late to wake up America!

I look forward to reading all the books in the Chronicals of the Kings series, and hope she continues to write stories about the old and new testament.

What an awesome storyteller. If you have ever had the pleasure of reading a Francine Rivers novel, you will enjoy Lynn Austin as well. While I meditated on Rivers novels for days and even weeks, I found Austin's stories a bit faster paced and entertaining yet at the same time thought provoking and nourishment to the soul. I greatly enjoyed the first three books and highly recommend them. I am waiting for the fourth and fifth!

You will not put this down, takes you directly to the time and setting of our history! You will LOVE this...all the Kings books are a MUST!!!

I purchased this book as an Amazon recommended read. I was completely SHOCKED how much I loved this book! I picked it up and read it in a day.
It is an inspiring read. I love the dynamic love relationship that develops with Hezakiah and his grandfather, as well as the relationship with his mother. This story will inspired in me a renewed faith!

Sometimes as a Christian you can read bible stories and you gain the historical significance, but this book allows you to relize the personal significance and dedication to God. It was wonderful!

The Chronicles of the Kings series are THE BEST Biblical novels I have ever read. Lynn Austin's writing is so captivating, you won't be able to put the book down! While reading this series, I actually had to make myself not even touch the book before I went to work - because several times I did just that, lost all track of time and wound up arriving late to work!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. It really fleshes out certain Biblical characters and events, enabling you to really feel involved with the Biblical accounts. They become more than just words on a page in a history book - they become living, breathing people that really walked this earth. I was pleased that the author stayed very true to the Bible. I have read novels in this genre before that took great liberties with the facts as presented in the Bible. I did not feel that this was one of those. In fact, the author uses direct quotes from the Bible at all times when the prophets delivered their prophecies! At the front of the book, the author lists the scriptures used to write the story and encourages you to study it more deeply.

This is a well-written, page-turning, true-to-the-Word book that will keep you reading for hours and deepen your appreciation for God's love and grace. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Joshi is the foremost student of Lovecraft, and in this volume he has written the unsurpassable biography of the man whom Stephen King himself called "the twentieth century's greatest practitioner of the classic horror tale."

For myself, I can only say it's been a long wait. I first discovered Lovecraft at my local library in eleventh grade. I picked a book decorated with some macabre illustration off a twirling bookstand, checked it out, and rode my bike home with the volume tucked under my arm. That evening I sat with it in the big white reading chair in our home's living room. The first story I read was "The Picture In the House."

I was hooked.

Within the year I'd read every story Lovecraft wrote excepting one--"Herbert West: Reanimator". (I finally got to that earlier this year.) I became, in a way, obsessed with Lovecraft. I wanted to know who he was, so I read Frank Belknap Long's Howard Phillips Lovecraft: Dreamer on the Nightside. The stories and poetry I was writing at the time became increasingly colored by (or downright imitative of) my hero. Somehow, the man infected my consciousness in a way no other writer--before or since--ever has. I guess it's because in so many ways my inner life has been--with some important exceptions--a parallel to Lovecraft's. I see him as a kindred spirit.

That being the case, it's hardly surprising I relished--nay, wallowed in--this biography. It is detailed beyond imagining. Here we follow Lovecraft on his walking tours, street by street. We see his grocery lists and menu items. We read his letters and amateur publications. By the end of this text you will feel you have lived and breathed right alongside the old fellow and slung arm-in-arm with him through his nightmare worlds. No one could have done it better than Joshi, and it is doubtful anyone ever will. If you are a fan, this is a must read. If just curious, the lengthy detail might be off-putting, but you may find yourself a convert by the end.

Unlike De Camp in his earlier biography, Joshi doesn't consider HPL to be a failed version of what he might have been had he at various key points in his life been just that little bit more commerce-minded: instead he accepts Lovecraft as he was and goes on from there. I think Joshi brings out what it is about Lovecraft & his work that continues to fascinate today: the curious fact that an erudite, scholarly autodidact should, from an early age, have been so caught up in a melodramatic 'pulp' aesthetic that for the rest of his life he focussed the entirety of his self-expression - emotional, intellectual and philosophical - through that aesthetic. Hence Lovecraft's stories have, even at their most garish & mechanical, an (admittedly sometimes near-subliminal) intellectually rich underpinning, and it is this bleed-through of a higher aesthetic that lifts them above the acres of hackwork that surrounded them when first published in Weird Tales, (try reading even a 'best of' by those other writers today!), gives them a psychological curiosity, and has given them their unexpected longevity.

Joshi's analysis of the 'Cthulhu Mythos' is, I think, exactly right: he defines the Mythos (not HPL's coinage, of course), as 'a fictional technique' for presenting Lovecraft's philosophy - which Joshi defines astutely as 'an anti-theology' which makes manifest (as we see with the cultists in Call of Cthulhu) the delusive nature of all religious belief, and asserts the meaningless of human existence in a vast, uncaring, mechanistic universe.

This analysis justifies what would otherwise be an excessively lengthy exploration of Lovecraft's political and philosophical beliefs, given that he published no significant writing on those subjects, and was only considered a great thinker by his friends and epistolary correspondents. It also highlights the unalloyed perversity of August Derleth in imposing a Catholic-inflected cosmology onto Lovecraft's atheistic vision. How strange that he was so fascinated by HPL & his work, but couldn't accept what Joshi rightly points out is its absolute core!

Joshi manages to address various differing opinions in the world of Lovecraft Studies without becoming pedantic or petty, and takes trouble to credit other researchers and academics for their insights.

As a biography this book is full of interest, and Joshi's pursuit of detail is relentless - occasionally to the point of obsessiveness, it has to be said, but some of the details he uncovers are highly revealing. His account of Lovecraft's death I found surprisingly moving, but I did not, as I did on finishing the De Camp biography, regret his life - except in the single matter of his clinging on to racist beliefs and self-diminishing prejudices.

I have very few criticisms. There are no photographs, and I think the cover is horrid - & certainly is not a good likeness of HPL. Occasionally Joshi is so aesthetically aligned with his subject he indulges him (as he does with certain of his amateur endeavors); occasionally Joshi is over-definitive in his judgment of the merits of various yarns. I think he slightly misses the mark at various points when he comments of (eg the denoument of Herbert West) that HPL must have been sending up his own style to *intentionally* comic effect. This, I think, is not quite right: rather, it seems to me, he allowed his discipline to slip, and reverted to the garish style of the Argosy yarns that he had read as a child, the style of which had so fundamentally informed his entire notion of the form of aesthetic and psychological self-expression that he could never quite discard it. Lovecraft knew it was a failing on his part, but sometimes let it off the leash regardless. I'm sure he never thought of his verbal pyrotechnics as anything other than, on sober reflection, accidentally funny.

Aside from those very modest quibbles, I found Joshi's judgments & assessments at all times perceptive and thought-provoking, and his 'Life' a highly-readable achievement in biography.

Wow, this must have been quite a few hours of work for Joshi! The fonts are below even standard book-fonts, AND I hear it's an abridged version but still the book is almost 700 pages. But don't get me wrong, in many ways I wish it was longer. The book is a fine introduction to Lovecraft's life, and to most Lovecraft-readers, probably quite enough in itself. It chronicles on an annual basis, highlighting and describing any interesting incidents or activities revolving around Lovecraft and his circle of friends and family that happened over the years. There's not much to say about this, its very good and solid biographical work by a fine devotee of Lovecraft; S.T Joshi. Its not often reading a biography makes me sad, but reading the final chapter on Lovecraft himself "The end of one's life" made a certain Norwegian man quite sad. Apart from some points I'm about to take up, I have no doubt that this is a biography that Lovecraft himself would have approved of. It could have been more detailed in its description of how the various fiction came to be, and more analysis of this area, but it IS after all a biography, so that was of course Joshi's prerogative.

Now to the bad; as a little background to the author of the book, he is in fact an immigrant; an Indian living with a miscegenating Euro-American female. This explains why he constantly abuses Lovecraft for his conservative and racialist views. He conjures up non-sense frequently when talking about this subject; somehow concluding that theories about race and miscegenation etc were definitively debunked by the "scientific work" of Franz Boas. This is of course complete nonsense, like Kevin MacDonald has shown in his excellent work "The Culture of Critique". Franz Boas had specific racial reasons himself for carrying out his campaign against the use of "race" in academia, and the reasons for this were far from what the Western standard of science represents.

So even though I highly recommend the book, I wish Joshi could have been so intellectually honest that he admitted in the book that his status as a non-European immigrant himself has biased him, and made him write the book with an extreme liberal and secular slant. So if you manage to ignore this part of Joshi's book; you'll have on your hands an excellent and well-written account of Howard Phillips Lovecraft and a good introduction to his writing.

The good: Until S.T. Joshi's book, the only serious biographical information on HPL apart from his letters was 'H.P. Lovecraft; A Biography' (1975) by L. Sprague de Camp, which left many gaps and open questions. Joshi's book fills in the gaps and then some. It is the closest thing we have to a definitive Lovecraft bio, and if you're a Lovecraft scholar of any seriousness, you'll eventually need to read it.

The not-so-good: While Joshi's book reads like a rigorously well-researched first draft, I wish he'd consulted with a manuscript editor before publication. This massive, expensive and ponderous 708-page book could perhaps be edited into a more readable and reasonably-priced 300-page book, with another 100 pages of small print endnotes, merely by removing Joshi and his scholarship from the foreground and replacing them with Lovecraft. For example:

- Joshi includes himself in the story, using the first person pronoun on nearly every page. "I..." this and "I..." that. While Joshi is likely the world's foremost Lovecraft scholar, and I appreciate his excellent and exhaustive efforts as a researcher, I did not plunk down such a hefty cover price to read about his adventures in scholarship. Easily 200 pages of this 708 page book are about the adventures of Joshi, Lovecraft scholar. That information belongs either in a short appendix or separate article. He'll print a quotation and then add, "To this analysis there is really very little to add...," or "I don't think I can add much to this.," seemingly for no other purpose than to return the spotlight, which had momentarily alighted on Lovecraft, to himself. On nearly every page I felt that trapped "captive audience" feeling you get with professors who use class time to speak at length about their personal lives. Surely by now it has become standard practice for biographers to not include the personal "I" in their biographies, at least when they've never met the subject.

- While most biographies focus on the subject and relegate sources and disputes to footnotes and endnotes, Joshi foregrounds the sources and points of contention, which has the odd effect of almost burying the subject. You'll often read four paragraphs of sources and conjecture containing a single sentence of actual biographical information. If Lovecraft did X, but there's some dispute, I'd prefer the main body to say "Lovecraft probably did X," with a small-print footnote citing sources and contentions. I paid to read about Lovecraft, not Lovecraft scholarship. I often feel like I'm being punished, forced to read 708 pages to get 300 pages of information.

- As another reviewer pointed out, Joshi frequently expresses his editorial positions in a tone suggesting that he believes his personal opinions to be indisputable fact. Especially disconcerting is Joshi's careful habit of never missing an opportunity to denigrate Lovecraft himself. A tiny sampling of Joshi's descriptions of Lovecraft and his work includes: clownish error, clumsily, embarrassing, paranoia, pompous, pseudo-philosophical, trying to do too much, moping, overly given to histrionics, offensive, dubious and pathetic. It's almost as though, while Joshi must have some respect for Lovecraft, he is careful to constantly place himself "above" Lovecraft emotionally. I can sympathize with Joshi, who as a serious scholar must sometimes find himself exasperated by uninformed intellectuals who still underrate Lovecraft's genuine contribution. However, I feel that the body of a biography is not the best place for Joshi to distance himself from Lovecraft's pulpier and sillier decisions. Why are Joshi's opinions in the book at all? Doesn't he trust his readers to form our own opinions? Almost once per page I felt some resentment at being forced to play captive audience to Joshi's unwelcome editorial opinions and emotional self-positioning in order to gain access to his excellent scholarship.

- Joshi provides "spoiler" summaries of most stories. While these are welcome, it would have dramatically improved readability to cut these from the main body and provide as sidebars. This would also allow readers who wish to avoid spoilers to skip them easily, as well as reduce the book's almost oppressive density.

In closing, I hope this book is re-released soon with S.T. Joshi's presence as a character, editorial opinions, emotional self-positioning and research experiences either cut entirely or summarized in an appendix or endnotes. Then it wouldn't hurt to have a professional book doctor rewrite with an eye to smoother prose and readability. THAT edition will be the definitive Lovecraft biography.

Clocking in at 654 pages, this sprawling biography will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about the horror scribe -- along with some things you'll wish you hadn't discovered, like how Lovecraft was a more zealous racist than was the norm in his day. Joshi is long-winded, for sure, like the grandfather who, when you ask him how the light switch turns the lamp on, proceeds to tell you the history of electricity, starting with two sticks being rubbed together. You'll be hard-pressed to remember all the details afterward, but the story of Lovecraft's life is smartly woven, divulging the world as viewed through the writer's eyes and those around him. Like a criminologist apt at identifying with a killer, Joshi truly seems to understand his subject down to the crumbs on his coat.

If you are considering any sort of nasal/sinus surgery, you owe it to yourself to read this book first. I don't think there is much general awareness on turbinates and the important functions they provide, which is why many (including myself) get talked into over-aggressive turbinate reductions.

In this book, Chris does an excellent job of covering what your turbinates do, the problems he has experienced, ways to cope, surgical techniques to consider, home remedies and more. I think it should be required reading for all ENT's and Plastic Surgeons that perform turbinectomies.

Aside from the medical information, the book is also well written, and Chris's story is inspirational. Again, I would highly recommend reading this book before considering any nasal surgeries.

Dear Chris and Family,
Thank you for this most telling account of your journey through the maze of ENS; your efforts in providing comprehensive information about ENS and your personal account of the roads that have lead to finding hope is inspiring. It has been a companion when I have felt alone and has been the platform through which I find the strength to advocate strongly for informed consent and knowledge of ENS for any person who is entering into nasal surgery.
Warmest wishes to you.
Jackie G.
Patient of Reconstructive Nasal Surgery

This is a must read for anyone that has had or is considering sinus surgery!
If it has been suggested to you that sinus surgery can correct your problems you absolutely need to read this book and do your research! Complications to sinus surgery can be life-altering and the damage permanent. As a victim of aggressive sinus surgery I can attest that these symptoms are very much real and can alter your reality in ways that I never imagined. I believe a great many ENT's do not fully understand the extreme importance the nose and sinuses play in the quality of life. With good intentions they can often remove too much tissue and bone in effect leaving the nose with the inability to function normally with regards to nasal cycles,moisture control,airflow and the health of the lungs. Chris does a wonderful job in explaining the importance of a healthy nose and sinus and the roles each structure plays in nasal health. If you do not know what a Turbinate is or what it does READ THIS BOOK!

Chris has put alot of time and effort in detailing everything a sinus suffer should consider before having surgery. Thankfully the ENT field is slowly beginning to understand that a very conservative approach should be applied when doing surgery. Chris explains each option a patient should discuss with the doctor performing the surgery. Each method is reviewed and rated for the possible outcomes and the conservation of important nasal tissue and structures.

If you have had sinus surgery done and are having problems Chris has outlined things you can do to help relieve some of the symptoms. For those having ENS type symptoms there are things you can do to help improve your sinus health. Chris describes things that he has personally tried that work and what others have used to find relief. Those that suffer from ENS type symptoms can find some comfort in the new methods Chris discusses in his book, to help rebuild important turbinate structures that have been removed in previous surgeries. Chris has first hand knowledge of how Alloderm implants may help improve the quality of life of ENS patients. With research into stem cell therapy and tissue regeneration the future is brighter. The important point that Chris makes is that ENS can be prevented if a conservative approach is used. Once removed, turbinates do not grow back. Conservation of nasal tissue is essential!

I can't recommend this book enough. I think it should be required reading for all those practicing ENT's that perform sinus surgery. Anyone suffering from sinus problems can find solutions that may make surgery unnecessary. Those that have had surgery and find their problems even worse than before surgery can also benefit from therapies and techniques Chris has outlined in the book. If you are considering having sinus surgery and have spoken to others around you that have had surgery it's important that you ask what was actually performed. Chances are they can't go any further than to say hey had a deviated septum corrected. It's of utmost importance that you go into surgery knowing EXACTLY what will be preformed and by what method. I went in for deviated septum and came out with an EMPTY NOSE!

Bravo to Christopher Martin for bringing the devastating problem upfront for discussion and sharing his personal story so that we can learn and hopefully prevent this devastating problem.

Tom

Chris has written a compelling and comprehensive account of his own personal experience with a relatively unknown affliction known as Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS). ENS is basically a surgically ruined nose that does not properly humidify and sense air flow, preventing it from performing its basic functions of smell and controlled, natural breathing. I can attest to the reality of this condition, as I have experienced many of the symptoms outlined in this book, as a result of nasal surgery involving my turbinates. If you are experiencing undefined, or hard to explain nasal dryness and crusting, loss of sense of smell, and uncontrolled breathing through your nose, this is a valuable and singular resource for gaining important insight that may not be provided from your local ENT. The complications and potential side effects of nasal surgery are not completely understood by many in the medical community (otolaryngology included), and as a patient that contends with sinus difficulties or is contemplating surgery, this book will serve as an enlightening introduction into the complexities of the nose. I know that I took for granted this amazingly complex organ and Chris's book will make sure that you don't repeat other's mistakes or suffer the potentially devastating effects of nasal surgery.

I truly wish that this book had been available prior to my nasal surgeries. I did research, but nothing that would have prepared and informed me like Chris Martin's book. It is very detailed and heartfelt. For those who have already rolled the dice and lost with a nasal surgery, this book offers hope, support and many helpful suggestions. ENS is real! Even with a "conservative" surgery, it is still possible to experience a myriad of debilitating symptoms. Doctors are often dismissive and unhelpful. Hopefully this book will begin to turn that tide.

my son is 7 months old and when i got a book version of twinkle twinkle little star, he loved it! when i found this book at the bookstore, it reminded me of my sesame street days! he loves the song and the pictures and now we'll both have grown up with this song!

What a wonderful book based on the great Sesame Street song! My twins love the song and book!! Beautiful pictures and easy to follow for toddlers.Pricey, yeah.... But well worth the money!!!Best money I spent in a long time!!!

We have enjoyed singing this song to our son almost since he was born, and when we got the book recently, it was an instant hit with him! It makes a wonderful bedtime story. I wish we had known about it a long time ago! Great gift idea, too.

My 22 month old loves this book, as do I. We sing it together every night, and she loves to see her friends Ernie and Bert in the beautifully illustrated pages. Its a wonderful song, and a lovely story about taking adventures but always coming home.

I can't read this book to my children without singing. The song is a lovely little lullaby we heard on Sesame Street, sung once by Aaron Neville. It is so beautiful, if you buy this book and don't know the tune, do yourself a favor and get a CD, too! You'll want to "sing" this book! It doesn't matter if you think you don't sing well -- the tune is so simple and your toddler loves your singing voice, anyway.

Even if you don't know the tune, don't sing the song, and don't ever care to "sing" a book with your baby, this little board book catches a lovely, lilting rythym (even without music) that's perfect for bedtime. Read softly with lots of cuddling. The point of the story is that "home" is the best place to live, and other spots are great "just for visiting."

I was getting to know a song by Charles Trenet, one about a rained-out fairground populated by semi-human monsters, and it flashed on me that it reminded me of one of the Moomintroll stories that had made a fine, somewhat creepy, impression in childhood. Turned out I was remembering "The Hemulen Who Loved Silence" from "Tales from Moomin Valley". That story, proved to have indeed featured a rained-out fairground -- well, not just rained out but spectacularly destroyed by flooding, something that happens frequently in Tove Jansson's books. that story proved to be just as great as I'd remembered, and maybe better as it had psychological insight and satirical wit that I suspect I didn't entirely grasp as a kid. I soon found myself reading one Moomin book after another.

They all have wickedly funny moments, they're all fanciful, they're all subtle in some way. But some of them are really aimed at kids and, despite their considerable charms, can wear thin at times.

Moominpappa at Sea is a really great one for the adult reader. Yes, it has all the fancy and fun of a children's book, but....good lord! it is wonderfully complex. very funny, psychologically perceptive, at times very creepy. Where, say, Moominvalley Midwinter is a series of loosely connected episodes, everything in Moominpappa at Sea fits together very cleverly, from the first sentence to the last.

the plot hinges on Moominpappa's vain, poignant quest to have his family feel like they still need him. Moomintroll on the other hand is making some kind of adolescent transition, getting away from the family, bonding in the dark on the beach with a strange creature.

Jansson is one of the only authors I've ever read, for either child or adult, who can so deftly put her fingers on life as we experience it - the mood shifts, the disappointments and inner worlds and longings, the quirks and kindnesses, the tangible atmosphere of the seasons and the weather and the seaside... by God, she's got it, and with a few flicks of the pen, she can realize them fully and make us feel them too (even when her protagonists are fictional, round little "Moomintrolls" off for a month on a mysterious windswept lighthouse island.) Astonishing. A book to read and reread by anyone in grade 4 and up, especially in August and September (though anytime will do.)

My parents used to read the Moominbooks when to us when we were young, and they made a lasting impression on me. For me, Moominpappa at Sea was probably my favourite, along with Comet in Moominland.

Given that the books were originally written in Finnish the translator has done a fantastic job to make the stories incredibly readable and finely nuanced in English. It's possible that the books appealed to us kids so much because they come out of a European culture quite distinctly different from most of the English and American stories we were used to.

The chapters are the right length to read aloud one at a time to kids. (Good for bedtime stories in the summer holidays, I seem to recall!)

I was fortunate enough a couple of years ago to take a ferry across the Gulf of Finland from Stockholm in Sweden to Turku in Finland, and the little rocky islands in the Gulf are almost exactly as I imagined them from the book...

I first discovered this book at the age of about 12 or 13, already older than the average moomin reader, but having read most of the others. It was obvious that this was no ordinary moomin book, and neither was it strictly a children's book. In fact it is a masterly observation of family dynamics, mid life crises and the human condition, but mixed with a mysterious and fantastic magic that leads to spine tingling excitement and making one question how we know what is real.

Every psychology student has something to analyse in every character, and anyone who ever had a moment of doubt about the meaning of their life has something to ponder. What father with a teenage family would not relate to Moominpappa's melancholy, feeling that his life is without purpose now his family appear to be independent, his urge to be needed, to be able to protect them? What homesick traveller could not understand Moominmamma's longing for her garden, (and its magical transformation which you will have to read for yourselves). The description of her homesickness brings tears to the eyes. And what put-upon mother could not identify with her delight in being able to disappear from her family just long enough to stop them taking her for granted? The glimpses of the fond, but no longer passionate relationship between Moominmamma and Moominpappa, and Moominmamma's endless patience for Pappa's foibles, their need for their own roles, and his inability to understand her own needs says more about the maried state than plenty of far more learned texts. We will all be able to identify the same dynamics in our own families and relationships.

Meanwhile Moomintroll's adolescent emotional awakening must bring nostalgic memories of first love to we adult readers, but must surely mystify the average 8 year old. Younger children do not usually have a developed enough sense of other people's individuality to understand the complexities of what is driving the Moomin family to their peculiar dispersal.

The allegory of the frozen Groke could represent so much - I feel a thesis coming on - but I think represents how people get into a vicious cycle;cut off emotionally because no one interacts with them, and becoming ever more reclusive and antisocialin a vicious cycle. She makes us think about how we subconciously excuse ourselves for avoiding the lonely, scared, mentally ill, etc among us, for fear we may be "tainted" them.

Although I'm sure children will enjoy it at one level I recommend it highly to everyone, particularly if you are in a life crisis. I have lent it to nearly all my close friends and no one has yet not enjoyed it thoroughly.

Anyone who enjoyed this book should also enjoy Moominvalley in November with a similar selection of odd characters who we will all recognize among our own aquaintance.

The good news is you don't have to be a child to be enchanted by the Moomins. The bad news (for me) is missing out on these delightful stories when a child. I always try to begin the Moomin tales in the middle of the day because I know I won't stop until the end of the story.

Moominpappa decides they all need an adventure, and he is most desirous of "taking care" of everyone so Moominmamma can rest and all can be safe and protected. They set sail on an evening in late August to a small island in the Gulf of Finland planning to live in a wonderful lighthouse. The island is strange, bleak and barren. The lighthouse appears abandoned and is locked. The Moomin family consisting of Mamma, Papa, little son Troll, and Little My all go about practical tasks of settling in, first a search to locate a key. The living quarters in the lighthouse are at the very top only to be reached by a rickety spiral staircase. Much to Pappa's dismay, the light is out, and he cannot make it work. The fall storms begin (Pappa never explains why he didn't begin his adventure in the spring) and the life on the island becomes terrifying as well as bleak.

Though the Moomins get angry at one another, they are unfailingly polite and cooperative with the exception of Little My who is a cheerful, cynical pragmatist. Mamma & Pappa are very permissive parents, but always interested in what Troll and Little My are thinking and doing. The author very gently shows how perhaps there is a downside to sleeping and eating when you want, sleeping where your fancy takes you, and going on any adventure that occurs to you. There is delightful comedy where the Moomins throw a birthday party for The Fisherman, and he discovers all his "presents" belonged to him in the first place.

Come, enter the world of the Moomins! You might want to stay!

I could not find this book anywhere until I ordered it through amazon. And when I say no one had the NOAA dive manual I mean no one, my favorite dive shop listed it as out of stock so did Barnes and Noble and Hastings where all out of stock with no definitive stocking date.But as soon as I looked at Amazon.com for the publication they had it and shipped to me very quickly.I was very impressed, so thanks again Amazon.com for your professionalism.

This book not only outlines diving processes and procedures, but also the scientific principles behind them. It is by no means light reading, but it you are looking to enhance your knowledge about diving, this is an excellent reference point.

I purchased this book to give me more information on the science of scuba diving for my Dive Con and Dive Instructor courses.

The book gives detailed information on the gas laws, decompression theory as well as information on various forms of diving from contaminated water, tri mix, nitrox etc. The book is very well written and very clear.

If you are interested in get truly advanced knowledge of the effects of scuba diving on the body, I would highly recommend this book even though it is a little on the expensive side.

You can find all the explanations you need for those difficult issues related to diving. Excellent presentation, Beautifully illustrated. Easy to understand. If you want or need to go farther in your understanding of diving, you should get this book.

I sincerely feel that the NOAA Diving Manual should be a required text for anybody who is a diving professional. The information presented is valuable to all divers: recreational, technical, scientific, and commercial. I refer to this text often and bring it to all classes I work.