English Books

This is a cracking good Agatha Christie Miss Marple mystery. The plot of Miss Marple's helping to solve a mystery that is many years old and hinges on a young women's long-suppressed childhood memories is different and surprisingly believable. It kept me guessing right up til the end. Vocal characterizations are good, this is one mystery that will not disappoint fans of Dame Agatha.

The plot of Sleeping Murder revolves around New Zealander Gwenda and Englishman Giles, a young, newly-married couple. While Giles is traveling on business, Gwenda is charged with finding a house in the English countryside for the pair. She jaunts through the country on the errand, enjoying being a tourist as well as a house hunter. (She has never visited England before.) Gwenda finds a charming Victorian villa where she immediately feels at home, purchases it, and begins to decorate and renovate it in preparation for Giles' arrival.

Then the odd things start to happen. She asks the gardener to move some steps from one place to another. Upon beginning the work, the gardener discovers that the new location for the steps was actually original to the house. She requests that a door be cut from one room to another. The workmen begin to carry out her wishes, and they find that, once upon a time, there WAS a door there, exactly where Gwenda pointed out. As these types of "coincidences" accrue, Gwenda feels sure that something is amiss. Is the house haunted, perhaps? Then, she has a frightening vision of the body of a young woman at the foot of the steps in her new home, strangled.

As the mystery begins to unravel, who should happen upon the scene but our dear Miss Marple? Naturally, she lends clarity and caution to the proceedings, and before long, our young couple is in the thick of a decades-old murder investigation.

I love reading Agatha Christie mysteries! They are such fun, and I never see the RIGHT ending coming. (Red herrings everywhere, which is what makes them so tricky to figure out.) Plus, they give me a hankering for scones (Miss Marple and her compatriots are always talking things out over tea.) which I am only to happy to satisfy.

Amazingly, I actually liked Miss Marple in this story. She's the likeable, feisty woman I remember from my childhood, not the snooty, condescending know-it-all from the last few books I've read. Still, I think the plot of this one is a little over-reaching, but it a faster paced mystery than most of the Marples - especially the ending. And even though it's on the short side, you still get a good sense of the characters and setting, and nearly enough details to solve the mystery yourself, if you're so inclined.

A must-read for any old-school mystery enthusiast, and one of the better Marples I've read of late (though Poirot is still better in my book!).

What improvements have been made for the "Miss Marple's Last Case" edition? There are already major differences in punctuation, word choices, and scene breaks between the original Collins and Dodd Mead editions of this novel. There are further differences between the Dodd Mead editions republished by Random House/Avenel and the Dodd Mead editions republished by Simon & Shuster/Pocket. There are further additions still in the Signet, Berkley, and Black Dog & Leventhal editions. For every publishing house putting out her works, there seem to be a new batch of editors altering Agatha Christie's words and the sound of her voice. What's the matter with these publishers? Whose voice do they think we want to hear when we sit down to a novel by Agatha Christie? And what will she sound like twenty years from now? It's frightening that her estate has failed to see the importance of guarding her words as she wrote them. Please tell me I'm not the only one here who senses that a crime has been committed.

It was a nice mystery, but it didn't stick in my head long after I was finished with it. In fact, I had to review the plot again to write this review! That says something, because I have a good memory for books that really draw me in. However, I would recommend this book for any Christie fan.

If you're curious as to the purpose of our very existence as human beings, I highly recommend you read this book. It is a question and answer format that makes sense of the human experience.

This is the one of the most comforting book I've ever read in my life. I found out more about Spiritual life and God's promises through Jesus. It's a real step ahead of our time, and very clarifying book for the ones who are really serious about spiritual evolution. You will not be able to stop reading this book!

This book makes sense of many experiences and knowledge gained from
"somewhere". It is a book for the serious seeker of spiritism.

According to the text, the suffering we receive in this life is a result of sins committed in a previous life. The text also states that we are not permitted to remember our previous lives because it would "dazzle" us. It wouldn't dazzle me. How can a person understand the consequences of their evil deeds if they're not permitted to remember the deed that brought about the punishment in the first place? If I could remember my sins, then I could accept the punishment. Otherwise, I am to assume that the God is dealing out punishment at random without rhyme or reason. I'm sorry, but I don't buy it. Religion was created to provide hope to those that couldn't accept the fact that we don't live forever. It was also created to control the people and to keep them calm. When we die, we rot. There is no afterlife, there is no spirit brother, there is no God. I wish there were. It would certainly give me purpose to my life, but there isn't. That's why we can't find the God. Because he doesn't exist in the first place. I gave the book three starts because it made for good fiction.

Amazon, are you listening? I originally read this book in French and really loved it. It is a wonderful book for those searching for the meaning of life, spiritual truth etc...and is a very serious, credible work by someone whose main line of work was scientific study and medicine, Allan Kardec.

I was so thrilled that I ordered copies in English for friends and was disappointed to find out that this copy is the original English translation dating from the late 1800s!! The book is still worth a read, but why suffer needlessly? The language is difficult, and the typeset is even worse. Great news: a new, modern American English version does exist, and frankly, it is a huge mystery to me as to why it is not being sold here. FYI: I bought my modern copies fon the Allan Kardec Education Society's website...

Just as other reviewers here, I remember this book as an influential part of my youth. My cousin and I would pour over the pages ... either laughing wonderfully at what we had already seen or marveling at what we had missed. As we matured, "what we had missed" always seemed to change. To this day, we can always refer back to the book and laugh. Thank you Remy, for giving me (and sooo many others) an amazing piece of creativity.

Sleep well old snake, we're eternally entertained.

Joseph

I was given this book when I was a child and I still cherish
it today. The pictures and wonderful little rhymes and
verse are as amazing today as they were over 30 yrs. ago.
You cannot go wrong in giving a child a Remy Charlip book.
Enjoy!!!

This was my favorite book as a child. When the library sold the copy I used to read, I was lucky enough to purchase it. It's a delightful combination of illustration and poetry, with the text being part of the artwork.

25 years ago I used to read this book over & over & over to my baby sister. After I had kids of my own we used to talk about how much we loved this book. She has searched for it over the years even though we could only remember clever bits from it. A little while ago she found it! I'm ordering a copy for myself and both my grandchildren. She is the best Aunt in the Universe! Thanks

As a child some 30 years ago I used to borrow this book from the library again and again. In my late teens I thought it would be a kick to look up that most favorite childhood book, only to find it available no more. But now I can buy it! I still remember so many of those goofy, beautifully illustrated mind twisters, but I'm really going to love seeing the ones that time has long hidden from my memory.

This book is a nostalgic treasure that has definitely stood the test of time, I've no doubt it continues to enthrall young people today. And I'm very pleased for Remy Charlip, in finding in these reviews that SO MANY of us remember this book from 20-30 years ago, went out of our way to track it down, and continue to share this book with future generations!

This was a wonderful surprise: bigger and more creative/fun then I even expected. A great gift to a fan of her books

I am so glad I purchased this! I am a huge Beatrix Potter fan and this is a wonderful book to own. It has fantastic detail!

As I explored this peak into the life of Beatrix Potter, I cried softly because it has been brought together so beautifully. There are surprises as I turned each page that made me smile. She was such a pioneer on so many levels at a time when women "had their place". Her inquisitive mind & creative skills are a gift to all of us. I have dusted off my pencils, pens & sketch book due to the inspiration I feel. I am very proud to have this Journal in my library, and have bought more copies for family & friends so they can share with theirs. Thank You!

This work of fiction looks, feels and reads like a real journal, full of love, tender memories, and feels to me like it captured some tiny sense of what it must have been like to be Miss Potter. I search for words to express how highly I recommend this book; every one in my family that has enjoyed it felt a sense of excitement and wonder and awe. And the photos are so endearing!

'Beatrix Potter: A Journal" is a beautifully bound keepsake that Beatirx Potter fans will cherish for years to come. It is presented in the form of a journal or rather an album, and basically contains journal entries dating back to when Beatrix was 16 years old and had begun discovering wonderful things that helped her evolve into the creative writer and creator of Peter Rabbit and friends.

The journal is beautifully put together - there are old family pictures, reproductions of Beatrix's original sketches and drawings, personal documents [e.g. Beatrix's old report card] - what a delight to peruse these treasures. The journal entries themselves make for absorbing reading - though they are in cursive form and younger reders may need help with deciphering what is written. There are reproductions of letters to family and friends,delightful illustrations throughout the journal. Of interest is information as to how certain characters in The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Friends was inspired by real-life people, such as the character of Farmer McGregor.

There are many lift-the-flap features in this journal that makes it even more of a treat - there's an envelope containing a reproduction of the letter which contains the story of Peter Rabbit complete with illustrations, a map of the beautiful Lake District, a paper version of the game of Peter Rabbit, and the prize jewel in this journal - right at the end of the journal, embedded into it, is a little book "The Tale of Peter Rabbit"! One would not know it, for it is concealed so well - and indeed a delight to peruse.

I can't recommend this highly enough. I am a life-long fan of Beatrix Potter and my three-year old daughter is following in my footsteps. It is such a treat to be able to share this book with her!

This series is a great read. If you like MTG books in general, this one will not disappoint.

The Gathering Dark does a great job of fleshing out a Dark-ages world, and should be well-liked even by those unfamiliar with the card game. The characters (even minor ones) are engrossing, the villains original and classic at the same time, and the descriptions of spellcasting absolutely enchanting. Since reading the book, I often find myself thinking about all the places I've been, mountains and mangrove swamps, lakes and rivers, and wishing I could do something with those memories. And thats what a fantasy book should do; draw you into itself.

I would consider myself Blue-Green, by the way.

A warning to religious folk: one of the villains is an agent of the Church of Tal, a mideival-christianity-style religion that burns people at the stake, particularly suspected spellcasters. For me, it's a villain I love to hate, but others might disagree. It highlights the difference between religious scholars and true scholars, miracle-workers and mages: one group truly understands their feild, the other just repeats by rote, without understanding or innovating.

Try the book. It feels Right, and thats what matters.

An amasingly well written story talking abaut a young mage Jodah.It is happening during period of time betwen the Brothers' war and the Ice-age, known to Dominarians as the Dark.The world lies in ruins, depostated by the blast of Sylex (Brother's war).Day are getting darker and colder, magic-hating church of Tal rules the lands of Terisiare,goblins raid around and in the secret wizard scool Conclave of mages the leader mage Ith was kidnaped by his own student Marisil who became the new lord mage. But as a new student Jodah arrives to the Conclave, everything changes.He frees Ith and with his help defeats Marisil, who is trying to open a gate to the machine hell of Phyrexia.Later (in the next two book) he becomes an emortal archmage of great power and fights a war with Lim-Dul the necromancer during the Ice-age.Jodah wons it but his trubles are not over yet as his friend Jaya becomes posesed by the evil soul of Marisil. Archmage saves her banishing Marisil's spirit.Jodah then ,togather with a planeswalker Freyalise cast an enchantment to end the Ice-age.As he did so,he accidently rose Lim-Dul back to life,killing him again soon after. Jodah is not known to die or appear in any other book so who knows.He just might be an emportant character in the next one.

An amasingly well written story talking abaut a young mage Jodah.It is happening during period of time betwen the Brothers' war and the Ice-age, known to Dominarians as the Dark.The world lies in ruins, depostated by the blast of Sylex (Brother's war).Day are getting darker and colder, magic-hating church of Tal rules the lands of Terisiare,goblins raid around and in the secret wizard scool Conclave of mages the leader mage Ith was kidnaped by his own student Marisil who became the new lord mage. But as a new student Jodah arrives to the Conclave, everything changes.He frees Ith and with his help defeats Marisil, who is trying to open a gate to the machine hell of Phyrexia.Later (in the next two book) he becomes an emortal archmage of great power and fights a war with Lim-Dul the necromancer during the Ice-age.Jodah wons it but his trubles are not over yet as his friend Jaya becomes posesed by the evil soul of Marisil. Archmage saves her banishing Marisil's spirit.Jodah then ,togather with a planeswalker Freyalise cast an enchantment to end the Ice-age.As he did so,he accidently rose Lim-Dul back to life,killing him again soon after. Jodah is not known to die or appear in any other book so who knows.He just might be an emportant character in the next one.

After finishing the Brothers War a few months ago, I finally started reading The Gathering Dark. Brothers War I read over the course of a few weeks, but this book I finished in three days. Contrary to others, I actually liked it more. Grubb has done a fantastic job and I'm very much looking forward to reading the next two in the Ice Age series.

I bought this book because I enjoyed reading the Grammar Girl transcripts online. What a great buy! I can honestly say that I currently am using it 4 or 5 times a week. I am trying to improve my grammar and sound more educated and this book has been a tremendously help. It is so easy to use the index to look up specific topics. It is fun to read too!

It is a very useful grammar book which helps people correct common errors in writings. Recommanded!!

I've been a fan of Grammar Girl since her podcast was first released, and have since expanded to also listening to everyone on the Quick & Dirty Tips Network. While I am an avid reader, I have problems remembering grammar rules and usually follow what "sounds right" in my writing. Grammar Girl's book and podcast help me gain a deeper understanding for grammar rules and best of all, she makes it ENJOYABLE!

This is a difficult review to write, because if my grammar, usage or punctuation is faulty (as it so often is ... or do I mean as they so often are?), it may occur to readers that the book couldn't have been all THAT useful. The book is so well worth a review, however, that I decided to take the risk. I think that anyone who is interested in clear and effective writing will enjoy Mignon Fogarty's tips.

The book includes so much information that each reader will probably find a few tips that seem elementary (can anyone really be having trouble with set vs. sit?), a few tips that solve long-standing problems (may I use "they" as a singular pronoun if the circumstances are right?), and a few tips that bring a blush of shame (why, why, why have I been using all those dashes incorrectly for all these years?).

Improving the quality of the written word is surely a worthy goal, and Grammar Girl's guide gives solid information in an entertaining way. The book is also blessedly free of the snide tone that seems to occasionally overcome other experts in this field.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the English language and aspires to become a better writer.

I was able to pick up a copy at the local Borders and have been thumbing through it for the last few weeks. I really like this book.

When I'm writing an email, a blog post, or anything else for that matter, I want to know I'm doing it correctly. There's nothing worse than publishing something thinking everything is as it should be only to find out much later that you were using lay vs. lie incorrectly.

Grammar Girl's book offers easy-to-digest mnemonics that help you keep the confusing bits of grammar straight.

I'd give it 10 stars, but there were only 5 available. =)

I love this series, being an Aussie and all, it's nice to be able to share a part of my first reading experiences with my American kidz!
Unfortunately this amazon provider was extremely slow on shipping (ony coz it was free) I ended up finding that barnes and noble were soo much faster I have two now but am happily going to give this copy to another young reader as a gift:)

I had great expectations for this book, since my (3-year-old) son loves Slinky Malinki so much that he can recite virtually the entire book. Our family found this one rather disappointing. There is very little story, and the word choice is not nearly as colorful as in Slinky Malinki. Still, my son does enjoy this one, although I suspect it won't hold his attention as long as Slinky, since it's so much simpler. Now that I know this is one of Lynley Dodd's early books, I understand that better. It's probably best for a slightly younger child (right around 2) who loves dogs.

I got this to read to my three year old. It is the first in a series. This is a fun quick book to read. My daughter likes it. She enjoys guessing which dog is next. The characters come in and out of the story in the same sequence. I think it is a cute book and I will buy more in the series.

Lynley Dodd is a FANTASTIC author. I own a ton of her books. I love them, children love them. The characters are characters you instantly fall in love with. The vocabulary Dodd uses is creative and intelligent, and leads to great conversations with kids. The books rhyme and remind me of Dr. Seuss without the nonsense words.

You won't be disappointed with Dodd's books.

I love this book. I won this book as a readathon prize 20 years ago when I was seven. I think the target audience for this book is probably more likely to be kids aged 3-6. It was a definite favorite of my little brother's - he learnt the words off by heart before he could read. It is also a favorite of my nieces and nephews, and I have just ordered one for my baby who is due any day now. The really fantastic thing about this book is that it is actually a fun read for adults too - If my nieces ask me to read them a book I always grab a Hairy Maclary. They are just the right length, and have enough of a storyline to keep you entertained as well.

I couldn't be happier with the prompt service and excellent product. Plus, the book is a great encouragement to women in these unstable times. Jolene Smutz, Sandy Hook, VA

We chose this book as a foundation for our Women's Retreat. Not only was the theme a springboard for our speakers and breakout sessions, it added inspiration for the treats and decorations. We were pampered as Princesses and we found out how much our Daddy, The King adores us! Low self-esteem is a huge problem for many women, and it was an important issue to tackle. I'm so glad we went back to the basics with this book and delved into the love of God for His children!
His Princess: Love Letters from Your King (His Princess)

I carry this book in my purse all the time. A quick devotional or inspirational encouragement for a variety of circumstances. Beautiful pictures, and a great reminder of your personal value.

This book was given to me as a gift from one of my sisters. I love it so much that it is my all-time favorite inspirational gift to give to my special friends. Letters to My King is also excellent! I keep one on my nightstand and one on my desk at work. I highly recommend it!

This book was given to me as a gift and I have bought at least 5 to give as gifts. It is such a wonderful book. Filled with heart felt letters. I can not say enough about this book.

This is the first Victoria Holt book that I read, and I think it was where I should have started. I have always liked the stories of Jane Eyre and Rebecca, so this one sounded interesting. It lived up to expectations. It is about a governess that finds out she is in much more than she bargained for. The house she is living in is filled with history and mystery. Her employer, with whom she falls in love, is very much the same. With twists and turns, and a huge surprize ending, this book is one you will remember for years to come.

Judged from a man's point of view, Mistress of Mellyn succeeds on a number of levels, most of them tied in with the "whodunnit" factor of the book.

It is almost as though Victoria Holt gave REBECCA a good read and then thought to herself, "Gee, I could take that same plot and make it much, much better." So some elements of the famous Daphne Du Maurier story repeat themselves here--the forbidding mansion, the sexy master of the house, the elderly servant mumbling gloomy, doleful advice like a Cornish version of Maria Ouspenskaya. You'd think that she (Holt) would have changed the setting a wee bit though, I mean move it away from the cliffs of Cornwall, for heaven's sake, you're just asking for comparisons!

And yet think of how different REBECCA would have been had Rebecca and Max de Winter had a little daughter! Which is pretty much what happens here. Little Alvean is sort of like Miles and Flora in Henry James' THE TURN OF THE SCREW, and Martha Leigh is a bit like the governess who worried about her charges so in James' 1890 novelette. When "Marty" first meets her and tries to find out what her lessons should be, the little girl is rude, disrespectful, and totally spoiled by having been allowed to run free. Plus her father's aristocratic snobbery towards the middle class has infected young Alvean so she feels no compunction about telling Martha that she doesn't have to listen to her.

The whodunnit aspect comes towards the end of a long and suspenseful story. The very last person in the world who you would suspect, turns out to be the killer, a mad monster whose actions seem incalculably cruel. Only later do you begin to piece it together and to feel even a little sympathy for the murderer, who was coming from a very tough place which Victoria Holt sketches out pretty well. Anyhow, I liked it, but I can see how if you read 50 of these books they would all start to seem the same.

Martha Leigh is the central female character of this delightful story. The tale is told, mainly in the first person, with added dialogue.
After the death of their father, 20 year old Martha and her 18 year old sister Phillida, are taken to London by their aunt Adelaide, for 'a season'. At the end of that season Phillida had married, but after four years of living with her aunt, Martha still had not found a husband.
"There are two courses open to a gentlewoman when she finds herself in penurious circumstances ...." aunt Adelaide had said. "One is to marry, and the other to find a post in keeping with her gentility."
Thus, one of aunt Adelaide's friends suggests that Martha should become governess to Connan TreMellyn's daughter, Alvean.
Martha arrives at the house, Mount Mellyn, to find her employer is a cold imposing man, and his daughter is resentful towards her. The house itself is a 'cold brooding house on the Cornish cliffs'.
It was only Martha's growing love for Alvean and an unwilling attraction to Alvean's father that made her stay on and try to solve the mysteries which shrouded their lives.
What eventuates between Martha and Connan TreMellyn is a little predictable, however the journey towards the outcome is a delightful read; and, there is a wickedly surprising 'twist' at the end of the book (which I'm not going to spoil for you).
The book is very well written, and I found the characters very interesting.
The author of my copy of this title was Victoria Holt. This was one of the pseudonyms of Eleanor Alice Burford. After marrying she became Eleanor Alice Hibbert. Others she wrote under included Jean Plaidy, Ellalice Tate, Kathleen Kellow, Elbur Ford, Philippa Carr. She wrote almost 200 books under these names!

Her books are VERY addictive!

Sadly, most of her books are out of print at the date of this review. Some can be purchased on the Internet or from second-hand bookshops.

What happened to Alice, mistress of Mellyn? Was she just a high-class skank who ran off with philandering neighbor Geoffrey? And what is the mystery of the leper's squint?

This is a fine combination of "Jane Eyre" crossed with a dash of Du Maurier's "Rebecca." For a romance novel, a genre that I normally despise, this is quite a fine read. Victoria Holt (aka Jean Plaidy) knows how to keep her plots moving swiftly and her surprises juicy.

Don't listen the O'Brien review above, this book is far from "campy" (a pretentious term pretentious people use to justify reading romance and popular novels)...yes, this book does owe a lot to Jane Eyre I suppose but the vivid characters, chilling suspense and romance make this a treat you won't forget. Miss Holt proves herself to be a writer of enduring power and imagination. Nothing "campy" about that!

I have had a Stedman's and Taber's medical dictionary for years (20+) and they had gotten a bit long in the tooth so I bought this book and Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary as I thought Dorland's looked slightly better than Stedman's. I decided to compare definitions of a word in both books and Mosby's definition was impressive enough to have me make the purchase (amiodarone was the word, a cardiovascular drug). I used it while studying for a recertification examination and found it by my side as I went through several other books.

This book was the single best resource I had after purchasing almost $1k worth of new books!

The quantity of definitions may not exceed Dorlands, but the QUALITY of the definitions is SUPERB. You get not only a skeleton, minimalist definition but a mini-tutorial of each topic. Just the dermatology related definitions alone with pictures kept me from buying a dermatology book. Definition after definition I looked up - and this went well over a thousand words, perhaps 2 or 3k words - resulted in getting an excellent authoritative discussion of a topic, giving the most salient points in a concise and highly readable form. I had in excess of a 99% 'hit rate' of finding highly useful information with each lookup. Doing this with Dorland's gave me the most trivial definitions in comparison, often little more than the pronunciation of the word and a circular reference to another definition. I gave up after about 100 words as an exercise in time wasting.

I put this book right up there with the Merck Manual as absolute must haves for any serious student of medicine - from the senior specialist to the beginning nursing student. I give it the highest accolades.

I have two more words for how this helped me study for my exam - THANK YOU !

I am glad I bought this one to cross reference and for more thorough definition for my med term course; it got lots of vivid pictures which I even like. I highly recommend this book.

I purchased the Mosby's Medical Dictionary and I am extremely pleased with it. It has many color photos throughout the book so you can see examples of diseases, skin disorders, etc. It is a great book, well worth the money, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Item came just as described and on time. I would definitely work with them again.

I got this book because it had such awesome reviews. I'm going to be taking a test in the near future, and you're allowed to use a medical dictionary, and I picked this one.

I've been taking practice tests. On the first practice test I took, the first 6 out of 7 medical terms I tried to look up weren't in the book. I was stunned, and several of them were pretty basic words that I just wanted to get a very clear definition of.

I'm not sure it's even going to be worth lugging this book to the test, or even keeping the book. I may just sell it and try another book.

Jane