G Books

This book, in one form or another, has been with me since the 1950s. It has helped me through classes on literature from Junior High through Graduate School. The information gleemed from this epistle has encouraged me to read an entire book that I might have skimmed over. The accurate summation of literary movements and historical background is invaluable to any person who loves literature. This reference book is definitely not limited to students unless you consider yourself a student for life. I am such.

I have attempted to embark on a reading program of the great literature starting back with Homer.

The Oxford Classics has over 700 books and one wonders where to start. All the literature seems to be interconnected from Balzac to Grisham. As soon as one reads Chekhov, for example, one wants to read another earlier book by Gogol, etc. There are about 5000 well know novels by great writers, such as 20 books by Hemingway alone. In the past few months I bought about 60 novels, mostly paperback from Penguin and Oxford by a variety of authors from Henry James to Jane Austen. At some point, I realized that I was buying at random and I needed to buy one or more guides.

I ended up buying "Bloomsbury Good reading Guide" by Rennison et al plus the present book. The Bloomsbury Guide has some nice features and it has a one and two star system to differentiate the masters from the highly recommend and the normal run of the mill "great books," but overall it is short and misses a few authors. It has a date cut-off point around 1800 - it is more about modern novels.

The present book is 800 pages long, twice as big as "Bloomsbury" and it describes books, authors, and literary terms in alphabetical order back to Greek times - in an encyclopaedia or dictionary style. It does not rate the books or describe plot details for most books, but it does discuss the theme, impact, importance, etc along with the characters. In some cases it does give parts of the plot away. Usually it includes a short biography of the author, and most books are described with the author's biography, but not all.

It presents all the great authors and some (great) novels back to Greek mythology. It includes Shakespeare, along with a broad range of works. The book is described as a reading "companion." Some authors are covered in part of a page, while a few get three or four pages. The discussion presents a short biography of the author, list of works, context of the writing, etc. This is usually cross referenced to the author's works, but only the masterpieces of literature all listed with separate sections. For example, Hemingway's books are not discussed as individual books each with their own sections, but are discussed as a group under Hemingway, i.e.: one must go to "Hemingway" under "H." However, a few other books such as Ulysses - considered to be a masterpiece - have separate sections or descriptions. For example, Ulysses is described under "U" plus there is a separate section on Joyce, found under "J."

This is an excellent reading guide or companion. It is a bargain and full of many reading ideas and explanations, and it is a great investment.

This is a good book. I'm a teacher, and this book comes in handy all the time. It is an excellent resource for a teacher who needs to get thorough literary information FAST!! It's a lifesaver when making lesson plans or teaching lessons.

In an era of the Internet and instant global communication, I believe that the need for an accessible 'hard copy' in book form, with an extended shelf life, is greater than ever.

Books, especially this reader's companion, gives the reader opportunities to pursue the multiplicity of connections between entries - to stop, note, review, compare and question. The Reader's Companion to World Literature will fulfil an important function, not least in its use in checking detail (Authors, titles, literary movements, historical movements, technical terms and phrases) and then by the discursive nature of this book, encourage an enlarged understanding of literary concepts and new perspectives.

My criticisms are minor, in the sense that there are no entries on Maugham, Capote or Carver, for example.

That said, I do think this is an excellent companion to browse in when needed, or for a journey of discovery. It stands alone, in range and depth.

A Highly recommended purchase.

I have used this book for many years. It is an encyclopediac guide to the major works, and concepts, literary terms of world- literature. What I have usually found is that even if I had studied the subject before, reading the entry gave me new information. As a one- volume portable guide to world- literature I cannot recall encountering anything as good as this.

I started the book and couldn't put it down!!! I thought to myself, "John O'hara
you've been left in the dust!" This was a story that touched me on so many levels,
and I was honored to have personally knew the author of such a magnificent piece
of literature. All I can say is that I wish I could write like this.
Aside from the captivating story, the subtle one liners that reached deep into
the heart, the depth, beauty and tenderness with which the characters were presented, the subtle way in which the author's personal message to the business community is conveyed, there was, for me, the ever present, bitter sweet feeling that all of it is only a passing mirage.

Written by one of the world's leading shareholder activists, Reel And Rout is a novel is a story of shady business dealings, boundless greed, ineptitude, and scandals such as those that have plastered all-too-real daily newspaper headlines in the public consciousness. But in addition to the corruption, abuse of the legal system, sex scandals, and ruthless scheming, there are a few public servants who retain their principles and scruples. Reel And Rout pants a vivid picture of the war between those intoxicated by lust for money and those struggling to uphold standards in a tense, unforgettably sharp and real narrative style.

"Reel and Rout" is a rollicking good corporate takeover yarn by an author who is both authoritative -- he's been there in real life -- and captivating. The characters are vividly drawn. We understand, sometimes at quite a deep level, why they are driven to do what they do. And while there is sex and money, as you would expect in a book about mergers, acquisitions, and Wall Street bankers, these are realized as integral parts of a rich, fast moving, life-like narrative. Imagine a page-turner about a corporate takeover! This is it.

Part Balzac, part Tom Wolfe, and part tomorrow's headlines about the next Enron, this book is both a delicious skewering of the rich, powerful, and oh-so-deserving and an absorbing, can't-put-it-down story of vital and engaging characters. Well done!

Here is an exciting novel of corporate intrique. Did it happen? Probably. But not all at the same time (like Stephen Wright's restaurant that is "open 24 hours" -- but not all at the same time).

I'd love to teach from this book sometime, as it beats even "Barbarians at the Gate" in its detailed discussion of backroom business. Of course, Reel and Route is fiction. Did Barbarians have beautiful women?

Reading Bob Monks' background (banker, director, athlete, investment banker, activist, government executive), I am tempted to think that most of the story must have happened sometime, somewhere. Names changed, of course.

The bright, beautiful and richly influential Molly Munro is head of an agency inside the U.S. Department of Labor, just as Monks was in an earlier period. From that position, they (Molly and also Monks) can do a little to save the U.S. economic/political system as we know it and to encourage employee ownership of U.S. corporations.

Baby-steps you through the complex physiology, starting from the VERY BASICS for each topic at hand, just to keep the people who snoozed thru Gen Chem up to snuff (i.e. "What is a buffer and how do buffers work?" for the acid/base chapter), then moves on to more difficult stuff, until you're surprised that you can actually understand the really advanced physiology.
Doesn't only explain what happens, but also WHY the water or particular solute "decides" to be filtered/excreted/reabsorbed/secreted at each part of the tubular lumen/ECF/peritubular capillary. Really methodical and well-organized. Highly recommended!

Read book cover to cover in preparation for your renal exam during nurse anesthesia school. Usually required too.

This is simply the best in its class--a foundation of my medical education. The diagrams are excellent. Text explanations are clear, detailed, precise and, most importantly, succinct. When I die, bury me with Vander's Renal Physiology.

Real Physiology provides the basics needed for a medical school renal unit. By purchasing this book, a medical student is able to focus on the renal system in more detail than in some basic physiology texts.

Very good book, everything is simplified, easy introduction into subject, it is almost like being spoon fed.
Pathologic correlation's are given, it does not have all the biochemistry but major subjects are covered and author has conceptualized that makes everything easy.

It was with great pleasure that I provided an endorsement for the back cover of Joe Bilby's latest book. Mr. Bilby had done the same for my own latest work, The Bloody Crucible of Courage: Fightig Methods and Combat Experience of the Civil War, and one always wants to return a favor. However, reading the manuscript I was deeply and genuinely impressed with this effort and truly believe that this work will provide a significant and lasting contribution to Civil War literature. It, therefore, is probably not inappropriate that I repeat this endorsement here:

"Clearly written in a vivid compelling style, A Revolution in Arms is among a handful of works to provide both a comprehensive history of the development of an emerging weapons technology (in this case, the repeating rifle) and how this was ultimately employed during America's great internecine struggle. With this effort, Joseph Bilby has emerged among the front runners of a new school of the study of Civil War military history that is both more encyclopedic and ecumenical in scope and treatment than has been previously available."

Until now, most books on Civil War firearms have tended to focus almost exclusively on the technological development of the weaponry, augmented here and there by the occasional biographical accounts of the main players in the story. A detailed account of how these weapons were used during combat, how they did or did not influence prevailing tactics and combat experience is usually limited to a handful of paragraphs. It is this intertwining of the technical, the biographical with fully developed narratives of how these weapons were used on the Civil War battlefield that makes Joseph Bilby's latest work both interesting and invaluable.

So much of existing Civil War literature has looked upon the story of the evolution of the weaponry and tactics in isolation, as if they somehow sprung up out the ground after the shots fired at Fort Sumter. Current research increasingly is showing that not only can the development of rifled artillery, submarines, ironclads be traced much further back than has hitherto been thought possible, but the story is very much a "tale of two continents." Again, Mr Bilby's work scored high in this regard, and will substantially contribute to a broader and more accurate understanding of how the repeater appeared on the American battlefield.

The opening chapter is the best short history on the development of firearms I have read.

Joseph Bilby's "A Revolution in Arms" is considerably more than just a treatise upon repeating rifles used during the American Civil War. Rather, it is a careful study of how those weapons were used and how a coherent, although unofficial doctrine eveolved over time. It is a study that required extensive research into obscure primary sources because relevant contemporary official reports were essentially nonexistent. Therefore, "A Revolution in Arms" is a genuinely original contribution to the military history of the Civil War, exploring areas previously unknown and subject only to speculation. Mr. Bilby wisely does not claim too much importance for the firearms at the center of his book; he does not claim that they were a decisive factor in achieving Union victory, although he concludes that they probably shortened the effort.

While Henry and Spencer rifles (and carbines) together are the primary focus of "A Revolution in Arms" because of their relatively widespread use, the book does not neglect other repeaters such as the Colt Revolving Rifle and even delves to some extent into single-shot breechloaders. Nor is the Civil War employment of these arms presented in isolation; instead, a lengthy prewar context is provided and Mr. Bilby continues his narrative with a survey of the military use of repeating rifles in various foreign armies for the rest of the Nineteenth century.

For anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of American Civil War firearms or tactical developments (infantry as well as cavalry), "A Revolution in Arms" is indispensible.

Joseph Bilby is a prolific writer well known for his research skills.He uses his investigative skills garnered from years as a Military police Officer and later a Chief investigator in his home state to ferret out the facts as opposed to folklore and /or romanticism. Perhaps in no other area of historical writing is this more true than in dealing with firearms. We long have been satisfied to settle for quaint myths seasoned with a little bit of Saturday Morning Westerns fiction! Author Bilby, in A Revolution of Arms: A History of The First Repeating Arms has put those days to a well deserved rest! By resorting to "just the facts" he tackles the Colt, Spencer and Henry with scholarship evident from a man who knows and understands firearms.The impact of these innovative weapons are measured by the historical context in which they were used. There are historians who know something about guns and writers who know something about history. As we re-visit such renowned organizations as Berdan's. Sharpshooters,Wilder's Brigade and the Michigan Cavalry Brigade at Gettysburg it is obvious Bilby knows a great deal about each subject area and shares his knowledge generously! To this end we are all the much richer and this book catapults into the " must have" catagory.No firearms or Civil War Library will be complete without it's inclusion.

Bilby's book is the first really comprehensive look at the development *and* tactical use of repeating arms. Although most of the book concentrates on the Civil War he begins before the Late Unpleasantness and continues for some ways after it. Bilby is an excellent writer (a skill no doubt honed by years as a columnist for Civil War News) and this slim book is an easy read.

This is not just a nuts and bolts book -- Bilby mentions the men who made the rifles, national and army politics, and some of the real reasons why repeating rifles were not adopted sooner. It was not just military conservatism but also well-justified fears about mechanical reliability and resupply in a horse-drawn era, as well as the fact that a repeater could not stand as heavy a charge as a single shot rifle.

Overall, highly recommended if you want to learn about repeaters and how they came into general service, and why it took longer than you might think.

I am a private school elementary teacher, and was given this book as a gift by one of my students. It is a superb introduction to the state, and especially appropriate for children in the third grade and above. Many of the subjects that are included in the book are part of the Rhode Island curriculum, and many of the places included are field trips that our class has attended.

The writing is clear, crisp, and clean, and the drawings are age appropriate and very engaging. I highly recommend this book as an adjunct learning tool about Rhode Island, as well as a fun introduction to our state. I plan on recommending it as a text book for our school system...

Even though I have lived in New England for years, I learned a great deal about Rhode Island from RIAtoZ. The illustrations are charming, and the text makes this much more than a typical kids book. It's written from the perspective of someone who knows and truly loves Little Rhody. There should be a book like this for every state in the Union!!

We had Adam come to perform his Acme Miniature Circus at our Theatre in Brookline MA. He brought some books to sell, and I wanted to comment on how great the books are. Our patrons really loved them. We get a lot of kids and parents as patrons, and they all thought the book was fabulous. We are not even in Rhode Island! The book is entertaining, informative, and well worth getting.

From beginning to end, a wonderful book filled with interesting tidbits to get you started on an adventure in Rhode Island. For being the smallest state in the Union, we have a grand amount of history and Rhode Island A-Z is a perfect introduction to local landmarks. Just trying to drive around finding everything in the book is entertaining. Well written with clean artwork,
I highly recommend this book for young and old alike.

We got copies for all of our friends because kids really seem to like it--the coloring part is really, really well done, and they like having the history stuff read to them (unless they're old enough to read it, themselves).

Highly recommended.

Skehan uses the fascinating geology of Massachusetts to teach amazing amounts of geology. Great for anybody who'll be traveling around the state who's interested in understanding the land. I want more!

I have been looking for this sort of detailed, hands-on guide to Massachusetts geological formations for a while, & am delighted with Skehan's book. It's a bit of a tome yet readable and easy to bring along on roadtrips and hikes.

I read this book from cover to cover and was impressed with it's depth of information. I then actually brought this book into the field and it served me well. A great guide!!!!!!

James W. Skehan's Roadside Geology Of Massachusetts will please residents of Massachusetts and any with a special affection for its local geology, providing a geologic history of the mountains and rocks of the state. An organization by area makes it easy to locate the part of Massachusetts which is of particular interest, while geologic facts assume no prior scientific knowledge - lay readers will relish this guide.

I have bought other titles in this series when on vacation in the States, so I was delighted to find this book in a bookstore on a recent visit to Boston and Cape Cod. The descriptions of peri- and post-glacial geology were particularly illuminating as I walked beaches and trails on the Cape and Islands. Comparing these descriptions with older books on the geology of the Cape it is amazing how much detail is encompassed in a small number of pages. Similarly, descriptions of other areas familiar to me, such as Cape Ann, Boston and the Concord/Lexington area, all gave me a much better understanding. I look forward to visiting unfamiliar parts of the state, with this book in hand. It is not just for residents, but is a must for the vactioner interested in the natural history or landform of Massachusetts.

The Rosary was in my grandmother's library when I was a young teenager, and it's been my favorite book since then. The heroine inspired me to name our daughter, Jane. In my retirement years, I dreamed of writing romance novels as pure and memorable as Barclay's. Steeple Hill has published four of my books. Most have won awards, but none of them come close to being as good as hers. -- Patt Marr

The Rosary is simply the book I love most, if I had to choose one book from my library, to have till the end of my life, this would be the Rosary. I read it every few months.
The Rosary takes you to delicate gardens of England mansions in 1900s and tells a story about two most loved people of the British high society. They are Jane Champion and Garth Dalmain who are in love but face a great obstacle. The story is about those two and their struggle to come together. It also gives a taste of lives of British socielites at those times. The language of book is especially delicious, and it has its own sense of humor. I love this book!

Written in 1910, THE ROSARY still proves to be a very successful story in the year 2003. By today's standards, it may be described as quaint but still very enjoyable. The writing is lyrical, descriptive, and charming; the love storyline is ageless.

The story revolves around Jane Champion and Garth Dalmain. Jane is talented, smart, good-natured and independent. However she is a unique heroine because unlike the female protagonists in many romance stories, Jane is described as homely-looking. She is also older than the hero, Garth - a vibrant, energetic, gifted, and extraordinarily handsome man.

The title refers to a popular song written in 1898 by composers Ethelbert Nevin and Robert Cameron Rogers. Garth realizes that he is in love with Jane after hearing her sing the song at a public performance. When he declares his love to Jane and wants to marry her, she turns him down, although she also loves him; Jane doesn't believe that Garth will be truly happy living with a plain-looking woman for the rest of his life. Broken-hearted, the two part ways but reunite, later, under sad and unexpected circumstances.

How do Jane and Garth finally accept each other? Writer Florence Barclay writes a story that makes you want to keep reading till you find out how the lovers reunite.

I first heard about THE ROSARY, a few years ago, on a T.V. program that reported a true story of a woman who always mentioned the book. A relative of hers decided to search for the then out-of-print book and give it to her as a surprise gift. Through what could only be described as a miracle, the relative eventually found the book. Fascinated with the story of the woman's attachment to the book, I decided to look for it. I couldn't find the book anywhere. Years later, I happened to mentioned THE ROSARY to a friend. Guess where she found it? On Amazon.com! I think it's great that anyone can find the book (and many other things) here!

If you like stories like Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, and Sense and Sensibility, you'll enjoy this tale. Reading THE ROSARY is like taking a breath of fresh air.

Fafa Demasio

The book is the story of how, with the help of God and godly friends, a seemingly star-crossed couple face misunderstanding, heartbreak, and tragedy.

Love stories often disappoint these days, perhaps because the characters seem smaller than life, but The Rosary satisfies because the characters are larger than life. When I first read this story many years ago, even though I wasn't old enough to fully understand or appreciate it, since I didn't even know what a rosary was at the time, I do recall that it stirred me deeply. Now, having just re-read it for the first time in decades, I am amazed at its continuing power to touch emotions and inspire ideals, even though it was written almost a century ago.

Admittedly, the author is no Charlotte Bronte. The writing is weak in places, and sometimes the dialogue drags. But it doesn't matter; the hero and heroine are so appealing, you have to keep reading. The heroine Jane Champion is on the surface a plain Jane, somewhat like Bronte's Jane Eyre except that she has a larger frame than Eyre's and a far more assertive personality. Indeed, she has such great inner strength and beauty that one wonders how so many men can overlook her. When an unlikely man unexpectedly catches a glimpse into her soul, he responds by falling deeply in love with her. But having so little experience with love, she doesn't recognize it, or trust it, when it finally comes.

The hero is the opposite of Bronte's Mr. Rochester. He is extremely goodlooking, youthful, lighthearted, artistic, and in high demand in society. Surprisingly, it turns out that he too has great depth of character. His love, once given, appears irretractable and untarnishable.

The Rosary is a reminder that the love between The One Man and The One Woman, as the author expresses it, can be an ennobling sacrament that, if given the opportunity, can empower them to become the full persons that God has created them to be.

This is what Literature is supposed to be. This book will have you wishing you lived 150 years ago or more. The characters exude class and right living, compassion, faith, and a love of all things right. It will take you away on flights of fancy without all the vulgarity and sexuality in today's books. This is a book for a "Lady's" reading and reposing.

Within Ruling in the Gates, one encounters Dr. Mattera's sobering call to the Church to embrace the dominion mandate given to it by God. In this apostolic treatise, a thorough explanation of the kingdom mentality is presented. As a result, an action-plan is offered that encompasses an entire Christian world-view; one that embraces society as a whole and not just the sector labeled "religion." Ruling in the Gates portrays the type of mindset necessary for training up a generation of disciples who will be kingdom-minded and prepared to impact our world for Christ. Read this book!

Ruling in the Gates presents a clear case for the call of the Church to shift its perspective into the larger arena of vision. Laid out in concise, tight chapters, Dr. Mattera's work explains the need for an overall paradigm change in the Church from one working within culture to one that wholistically looks to set the culture at every turn; a transition to a Church that seeks to infiltrate every strata of society with born-again men and women at every level of influence (not just within the church building, but purposefully and strategically looking to assert Christ within the marketplace).

In this book Bishop Mattera calls the church to "begin with the end in mind" by pointing us back to God's original intent of dominion and to disciple nations. We were created to "reign in life" with Christ according to Romans 5:17 and the prophetic message found in this book will ignite passion and arm you with insight to take our proper place of dominion and leadership on the earth. If you are a leader who desires to train and release disciples to turn this world upside down or if you are a follower of Christ who desires to walk in God's highest purpose, this book is a must read for you!

This book is a must read for all believers and all sincere Christian leaders who believe in the Great Commission and the dominion mandate! Changed my life, our ministry and is impacting our nation.

This book immediately gets to where you live! Ruling in the Gates deals with life. It comes from the perspective of a City Leader in Biblical times where life flowed from the Gates of a City. This is one of the finest books I've read as it presents a wholistic Christian Worldview. This is a must read for all Leaders who want to see Christ have preeminence in every area of life.

Chain-smoking Sheppard Earl owns a bail-bond company. Business was good in Baltimore, Maryland before the 9/11/01 tragedies. Now, with crime down and too many "skips", the bail-bondsman is almost bankrupt. Middle-aged and married, with two children, Shep is concerned about his financial future, while his wife, Marie,
is concerned for his safety.

Best friend, Terrance (Terry) Jones, is Shep's main hope for keeping business open and bankruptcy at bay. Terry is six-foot-six, weighs 285 pounds, and carries a Glock-17 semi-automatic
pistol. As a modern-day bounty hunter, Terry is the last thing any bail-jumping criminal wants to encounter. Terry, too, is middle-aged and married, with a couple of kids, and facing
financial hardship.

Between the two friends, tips and clues lead one or the other to locate runaway fugitives, keeping both men in business and providing income to support their families. But family relationships are strained, as the work is dangerous and requires odd and long hours away from home. Meeting the demands of work and family
responsibilities proves more of a challenge than either man ever
realized.

Peter G. Engelman digs deep into the lives of his characters, drawing out past and present experiences, and future hopes and concerns. He gives an insider's view of what it actually must be like to be a bail-bondsman or a bounty hunter. Mr. Engelman also gives glimpses of fugitive lives and provides realistic court proceedings of a bail client's defense.

Although the pace is slow, as narration is heavy and some author intrusion apparent, RUNNING FROM JUSTICE is a believable drama. I recommend RUNNING FROM JUSTICE for people who seek more character background, emotional depth and problem solving in a book, rather than fast-paced action from beginning to end.

Patricia Spork, Reviewer
eBook Reviews Weekly
July, 2003

Peter Engelman does a fine job of giving us insight into a world that most of us (hopefully) have little contact with. The book is an enjoyable, fast read. I would have preferred a full novel length...perhaps next time.

I truly enjoyed reading this fast-moving, rapid-paced novella. I can't wait to read the next book. The author writes with real enthusiasm and his descriptions help you to visualize the characters. Definitely a one-nighter! Can't put it down until you have completed the book!

A very pleasant read. Couldn't put it down until I finished reading it. I highly recommend this informative and entertaining book.

A friend recommended this book when I spoke of an interesting article in a recent New Yorker magazine about bail bondsmen and so I purchased it here at Amazon.com. I had planned on reading a couple of chapters before going to bed but instead read the entire book in an evening (late). It was very easy reading and the characters were interesting and likeable. I feel certain that they were based on real people that the author encountered in researching the book. This short novel provides an interesting insight into these fascinating underworld characters.

This book has helped me to understand epilepsy so I am not feeling as anxious or hopeless about my daughter's seizures. I highly recommend it for anyone who has seizures or knows/loves someone that does.

My son was diagnosed with seizures. Other than talking to his neurologist my only other source of information was the internet. I wanted unbiased factual information to educate myself and this book is the answer. I felt more empowered reading this and I would highly recommend it for other parents or even teachers with students that have seizures and epilepsy.

I personally benefited tremendously from this very positive book. My little boy has seizure disorder and i was desperate for any knowledgeable information that could guide me and help me through this terrible horrifying experience for any parent.
This is definitely a book i would recommend.

I did read a lot of books about epilepsy, but this one is the best!
You get all the informations you need to have a good picture about this illness. It is very well written, very easy to understand and covers all the basics and also the more deeper informations about for example side effects etc..
I can recommend this book as a standard book you should have.

This book is full of straight-forward information about epilepsy and its effects on the brain. It addresses initial medical evaluations and diagnoses, and discusses various treatments--traditional and complementary therapies--in depth. The authors handle these potentially complicated topics with simplicity of language and great compassion.

In fact, the best part of this book is the authors' ability to recognize and allay parental fears by dispelling myths surrounding the illness. A substantial section of the book offers suggestions to help a family (not just the patient) cope with epilepsy--at home, school, in extended family settings, and so on.

This is a well-researched and documented book. I highly recommend it for any parent facing a dignosis of epilepsy for the first time.