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Used price: $8.95

Scary GodmotherReview Date: 2004-06-08
We need more Scary Godmother books!Review Date: 2002-04-08
We have all four of your Scary Godmother books and need more! They are a great combination of story-telling, art, and spooky fun. More please!
Best Scary book yet!Review Date: 2001-04-15
Great for Halloween and the rest of the year ( as my nieces and nephews have proved!)
Best Scary book yet!Review Date: 2001-04-15
Great for Halloween and the rest of the year ( as my nieces and nephews have proved!)

Used price: $14.95

Dr. Dyer at his bestReview Date: 2006-11-04
A great compilation of thought provoking concepts and insightsReview Date: 2007-01-18
The Secrets Everyone Should KnowReview Date: 2006-03-07
This is the kind of thing we could all use more of. It's wonderful!
The Secrets of an Inspirational (In-Spirit) LifeReview Date: 2006-11-10
phenomenal. Its directly from the well of knowledge and with a full heart!
Used price: $2.00

One of the bast Selena books I've Read!Review Date: 1998-08-21
Informing as well as Interesting.Review Date: 2000-11-09
One of the bast Selena books I've Read!Review Date: 1998-08-21
How fitting!Review Date: 2004-09-01

Used price: $26.80

The Penultimate WordReview Date: 2001-08-04
Even though it does not swat the very latest fantasies of Authorship Cultism, "Shakespeare, In Fact" is both entertaining and useful. Reading it will leave one better informed about not only the narrow question of who wrote Shakespeare but also the broader context of the Elizabethan stage and Renaissance literature.
An excellent case against OxfordianismReview Date: 1998-05-18
Reviewed by Thomas A. Pendleton
The Shakespeare Newsletter, Summer 1994
The authorship controversy -- which nowadays is tantamount to saying the Oxfordian hypothesis -- is not often seriously investigated by Shakespeare scholars. There are a number of reasons why, with sheer cowardice and fear of being found out and losing tenure relatively low on the list. Almost all Shakespeareans, I expect, are aware that claims for any rival author are based on assertions and inferences about Shakespeare's biography, his inadequate education, the absence of his manuscripts, the plays' erudition, aristocratic bias, knowledge of Italian geography, and so on; assertions and inferences that are untenable and have been shown to be untenable. Most libraries can supply the Shakespearean with some older, but very useful, treatments of the subject, notably Frank W. Wadsworth's graceful and cogent survey, The Poacher from Stratford, and Milward Martin's energetically argued Was Shakespeare Shakespeare?. And probably nearer to hand is Shakespeare's Lives, which reviews the controversy in a longish section called "Deviations." For most Shakespeareans most of the time, Schoenbaum sufficeth.
A number of other considerations militate against the Shakespearean's engaging the topic. Public debates and moot courts, favorite venues for proponents of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, are far more compatible to categorical pronouncements than to the laborious establishment of detail, context, and interpretation required to counter them, not to mention doing so with enough panache to win the approval of a non-specialist audience. Shakespeareans sometimes take the position that even to engage the Oxfordian hypothesis is to give it countenance it does not warrant. And, of course, any Shakespearean who reads a hundred pages on the authorship question inevitably realizes that nothing he can say or write will prevail with those persuaded to be persuaded otherwise.
Perhaps the mos! t daunting consideration for the scholar who intends to seriously examine this claim is the volume and nature of the research that will be demanded. To begin with, he must become completely familiar with the nearly 900 pages of Charlton Ogburn's The Mysterious William Shakespeare, the authorized version of Oxfordianism, and then proceed to test at least a wide sampling of random claims of other adherents. He will continually be faced with the prospect of dealing with gratuitous assertions as if they were serious scholarly conclusions, and the necessity of demonstrating such assertions to be incoherent in the appropriate context, or based on incomplete or selective evidence, or logically faulty, or some combination thereof. The research required will be extremely demanding, much of it in quite recondite areas where very few have boldly gone before. He probably ought also to curb his natural temptation to say snide things when refuting especially preposterous claims.
As remarkable as it sounds, Irvin Leigh Matus, in his Shakespeare, IN FACT (New York: Continuum, 1994), has managed to perform all of these tasks, even the last. (Well, he's pretty restrained, anyhow.) Matus notes with some sympathy "The great frustration of the Oxfordians... that academic Shakespeareans do not pay attention to their scholarship nor address their questions." He adds, "It is also their great fortune," which he then proceeds to demonstrate.
To the best of my knowledge, no previous Shakespeare scholar has engaged so much of what Oxfordians have presented as evidence for their positions, or has done so as thoroughly. Matus gives not just fair, but even patient, hearing; and in many instances where a less forbearing respondent might give a short answer, he explores and explains in further detail.
Among such instances is the claim that Ben Jonson's "Sweet swan of Avon" actually refers to the Earl, whose manor at Bilton was on the Avon river and presumably frequented by swans. It might be thought ! sufficient to observe that the phrase is a direct address in a poem directly addressed "To My Beloved Mr. William Shakespeare," and that the epithet's reference to Shakespeare is, quite superfluously, confirmed in the dedication of the Beaumont and Fletcher folio (of which, more later). Matus, however, performs the supererogatory work of tracking down the history of the Bilton estate. It eventuates that Oxford leased it out in 1574, sold it in 1581, and never regained possession. This particular sweet swan had flown off 42 years before Jonson's poem.
The orthodox claim that The Tempest relies on the Bermuda pamphlets of 1610 cannot be allowed by de Vere's proponents, whose man died in 1604. Other and earlier accounts have been proposed, notably the 1592 shipwreck, off Bermuda, of the Edward Bonaventure, a ship supposed to be connected with Oxford, perhaps even to be the vessel he commanded against the Armada. Matus gives the short answer -- consult Bullough's standard work on the sources for the parallels to William Strachey's 1610 letter on behalf of the Virginia Company -- but he also resurrects the history of the ship. He demonstrates that Oxford's only connection was to consider buying it in 1581, it fought in the Armada campaign under other command, and neither of the two supposed eye-witnesses described its wreck for the very good reason that neither was on board.
The engraving of the Stratford Monument in William Dugdale's 1656 Antiquities of Warwickshire is a favorite artifact for Oxfordians. The picture differs in a number of respects from the monument we know; notably, it lacks the quill and paper which the figure of Shakespeare now holds. Proceeding from this, it is supposed that these items were added when the monument was restored in 1748, probably to enhance its literary aura for the tourist trade; the cushion on which the figure now seems to write is accordingly assumed to originally have been a bag of grain, appropriate to Shakespeare's local reputation as a malt jobber. Pre! vious commentators have been content to cite the letter of Joseph Greene, the local schoolmaster and curate in 1748, to the effect that the restoration was committed only to preserving the original design; that a number of Dugdale's plates are similarly in error is also frequently stated. Matus cites Greene, and more importantly, he too denies Dugdale's reliability -- but not just at the level of assertion. He provides a couple of comparable examples of Dugdale's inaccuracy -- the Clopton and Carew tombs in Holy Trinity Church -- and clinches his argument with the instance of the effigy on the Beauchamp tomb in Warwick. As with the Stratford Monument, here we have existing statuary inaccurately portrayed in the Antiquities, we have the record of an intervening restoration begun in 1674, and, in greater detail, we have records of the restoration that seem to insist that no alterations were introduced. We also know who planned and supervised the restoration: none other than William Dugdale.
Shakespeare, IN FACT is continually generous in treating such claims with a respect appropriate to far more firmly based conclusions by providing abundant materials to refute them. It also strikes me as remarkable restraint, perhaps even mansuetude, that the book never mentions any of the most hirsute of Oxfordian suppositions: that the Earl of Southampton was the illegitimate son of Vere and Queen Elizabeth, for instance; or that Ben Jonson murdered Shakespeare.
Matus demolishes every pro-Oxford argumentReview Date: 2004-01-24
Irvin Leigh Matus should be commended for his industry. It must be hard work wading through the anti-Stratfordian swamp.
The author's remarks regard an existing reviewReview Date: 2004-12-01
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0 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Nice try, Irv, April 23, 2003
Reviewer: A reader
You know, the Stratfordians change punctuation of 400-year-old documents in order to further their cause. This author can't be trusted. It's a book for those who want their myths propped up, not demolished. Nice going, Mr. Matus.
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I happen to be Irvin Leigh Matus - that Irvin Leigh Matus (just to make sure I am not confused with the untold other Irvin Leigh Matuses). I will here note this letter is not intended for publication on the Amazon website, or anywhere else.
I feel some temptation to let this review remain online. I share Samuel Johnson's faith in the "common sense" of "common readers," which is justified by their unanimous rejection of this posting. I imagine with pleasure that its author may visit it from time to time to learn it has captured little interest and been judged to have no value. The results, however, do not negate the intentions of this "reviewer" or the substance of the review. Further, the small number who took the trouble to enter their negative opinion of the review undoubtedly do not reflect the far larger number who saw it and did not give their opinion, some of whom may have come away with a negative disposition toward the reliability of the book and its author.
The only thing in my book that might be the candidate for his/her review is a lawsuit written in Latin, which is discussed on pages 39-40 of my book, in which I give a full account of its interpretation. It so happens, aware that the Latin used in legal documents was different from the classical Latin as it was then taught, I spent ten months seeking someone with expertise in these documents. The punctuation was not, as charged, changed - the document is in fact unpunctuated - and the punctuation added was supplied to me in written form by the scholar mentioned (who is not a Shakespearean but an expert in wills, deeds, lawsuits and similar documents; he requested anonymity after giving the information to me because he didn't wish to be hounded by the controversialists - which the review in question justifies).
If this is indeed the item in question, perhaps Anonymous doubts the honesty of my claim that I consulted an experienced, respected archival scholar (page 40). I was in fact directed to him by the then rare books librarian of the Library of Congress' Law Library, and I still have the scholar's handwritten notes with his signature, which include his request that I "not cite this as a communication from me."
Two things need to be noted about the content of Anonymous' charge. First, by not identifying the specific item at issue, it could be anything in my book. It is the rule of controversialist scholarship, the error rate of which hovers around 100 percent, that a single flaw in a work of orthodox scholarship, whether perceived or actual - or fabricated - is sufficient in their eyes to cast doubt upon the accuracy and authenticity of the entire work. Second, Anonymous' primary purpose is clearly to impugn both my standards of scholarship and my integrity as a scholar.
It should be noted that in the ten years since the publication of my book, it has been reviewed and commented upon by scores of Shakespeareans and Oxfordians (many more of the latter) and this review is the only instance I know of in which my integrity has been attacked or I have been accused of falsifying facts. This is also the first time I have openly responded to a criticism of my book.
To the point, even without the foregoing, I am surprised that Amazon.com would publish an unspecific charge of falsified data by someone unwilling to give either his/her name or email address. Whereas I understand that it may not be feasible to research the accuracy and authenticity of what reviewers say, the form and content of this review should have raised caution flags. Circulating such blind remarks invites all kinds and all degrees of false charges.
This is especially significant because I suspect that more people may get opinion about a book from Amazon.com reviews than any other source. As you must be aware of Amazon.com's influence on the perception of a book, it should be especially wary of posting a review that contains statements that attack an author and his work anonymously. Nor should an allegation of scholarly malfeasance be put online that does not mention the specific item in which it is alleged to occur. There is, however, a compelling reason for not publishing such things on a website, which is that the publisher can be held accountable. Laws against libel do not stop at the portals of the Internet. Perhaps a still more compelling reason from Amazon's point of view is that it discourages sales of books, which authors don't much like either.
I therefore request that this review be removed from the Amazon.com website.
With my thanks for your attention,
Irvin Leigh Matus

Used price: $4.95

Simply goodReview Date: 2001-11-05
Steven from Richview middle SchoolReview Date: 2004-03-11
the witch, the prince. Eustace, & Jill. The witch puts the prince under a spell. Eustace & Jill is the people who save the prince.
a great bookReview Date: 2000-08-02
Review of The Last Battle Radio Theatre DramaReview Date: 2002-09-30
We own all of Focus on the Family's Narnia Dramas that have been published to date (Sept 2002, and the Last Battle is next/last to be published in Oct 2002). We LOVE them all! Our son is 3 yrs old, and he will sit through almost an entire CD (all of the dramas are 2-3 CDs each), listening to the adventure! It's a great way to get him involved in the world of Narnia, and a wonderful alternative to T.V. One of the things that my husband and I enjoy about the series is that it is also captivating to adults. The actors are all British (as was C.S. Lewis), with an introduction by Douglas Gresham, Lewis's stepson. The actors maintain their roles throughout the series; for instance, the actor who plays the role of Eustace in "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is the same actor who plays that role in "The Silver Chair;" the actor who plays the role of Aslan is the same in all the dramas. In a presentation that has many characters, it's helpful to be able to recognize the voices from one CD to the next.
We HIGHLY recommend all the CDs in this series. They're a great way to pass the time on car trips, and a wonderful way to encourage a child's (or an adult's!) imagination. They are wholesome, and have a clear message that good will prevail over evil, and that love and forgiveness are qualities to be cherished. Buy the whole series!

Used price: $5.60

Amazingly articulate life storyReview Date: 2006-07-28
Silvie's Personal Victory Against HitlerReview Date: 2000-10-18
A Powerful, Intimate, and Inspiring JourneyReview Date: 2000-08-25
The Persistance of LifeReview Date: 2000-06-11

Used price: $5.37

Designed For Use In The FieldReview Date: 2008-01-16
But what distinguishes these maps is how well they're designed. Laminated, folding in quarters and just about the perfect size, it's plain that Sky Publishing meant these to be practical and rugged.
Also, two very nice touches. The lunar surface features are repeated where the map folds so no details are lost "in the ditch". And each map quadrant shows the libration zones.
This map is excellent.
Viewing Moon by telescopesReview Date: 2008-04-05
Fernando Franco Blü.
Rancagua, CHILE.
Love Our Moon, Now Can See It All AnytimeReview Date: 2007-10-28
Very Nice lunar map for Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope ownersReview Date: 2007-07-13

Used price: $1.75

Brilliant mangaReview Date: 2006-11-03
The best!Review Date: 2004-12-23
The best of all time.Review Date: 2006-07-14
One of the funniest mangas ever!Review Date: 2003-11-17

Used price: $1.49
Collectible price: $24.95

Gripping Account of SurvivalReview Date: 2006-07-30
I was fascinated by this feminist film maker's candid account of her devastating stroke, and learning to live with disability after seeking out a variety of therapies. You see her struggle with depression, overcoming access barriers, dealing with insensitive hospital staff, and coping with the details of bodily disfunction.
It helps me to understand the experience from the inside view. Quite enlightening.
The Story of a Stroke Survivor: A Hero, Her Family & FriendsReview Date: 2000-01-13
Insight into living with chronic illness.Review Date: 1998-12-28
Thoughts from a Stroke SurvivorReview Date: 2001-03-03
I am also a stroke survivor. Her acknowledgement that she experienced progress long after the stroke was especially encouraging to me. The medical world says that all progress stops in 3 months to a year. My experience is that the body is a living entity, which is forever changing. So, it makes sense that it would not stop changing because of any medical condition.
The book has humor and is written in a warm and caring context. I would recommend it not only for stoke survivors, but also for caretakers and for health professionals

Used price: $5.74

HOT to the Very last DROP!!!!! Review Date: 2007-08-22
Love and Fate, This Christmas and The Big House with the Island Stove and Shayla story were my favorites. I would like to see all of these as a full novel.
Job well done to Amiaya Entertainment for this talented authors on there team.
In the hood we take care of our own!Review Date: 2007-07-17
It is very goodReview Date: 2007-01-05
SOCIAL SECURITY HOOD STYLEReview Date: 2007-08-19
"THE BIG HOUSE WITH THE ISLAND STOVE" lets just say that Claudia "mama Jonesy" dreams came true in the worse way.
"THIS CHRISTMAS" let's you know fast money aint good money and how far will you go to take care of you family when times get hard.
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