I Books

Aquellos que les guste un poco de historia es un buen libro para conocer más alrededor de Napoleon Bonaparte

Delerfield's engaging history of the men who led Napoleon's armies across Europe is essential for anyone who is interested in this period of history. While not an in-depth study, the author did an excellent job of bringing the marshals to life, especially the larger-than-life Ney and Murat. These men made their imprint upon Europe as no one before or since. The reader practically becomes a part of the great campaigns of the Grand Armee across Europe and the torment of the Peninsula War.

While this book is not exceptionally well written it is very readable and keeps the reader engrossed in the events of the time. Even for any accomplished student of the Napoleonic Wars this is a must read.

My only gripe is that it wasn't 2000 pages so it could have really covered all of the ground. As it was the book offers lots of good insights into many of the lesser known Marshals like Suchet and Davout, two fighting marshals who were sorely missed at Waterloo.

Buy and read this book.

You will give Delderfield credit for his vision, his ambition and his broad coverage to the Age of Napoleon. This book is a synthesis of the age, and a complement to all your other Napoleonic reading. It is an enjoyable book which weaves back and forth and round and round, as the author tells about the personalities of, and interrelationships among, the 26 men who became Marshals of France.

There are many reasons I like Delderfield himself. The leading reason is that he values selflessness, effort, merit and ability. Though British, he could have hardly been more American in that respect. He was not the often-encountered British snob who promotes the view that Napoleon was an ogre.

I share Delderfield's view, unabashedly, because I am a Son of the American Revolution, and I hope also a true Patriot. While we owe our cultural heritage to the English in very large measure, I believe we owe our freedoms mostly to the French.

Delderfield is critical about the 26 men and their Emperor when needed, but he understands the great achievements of the time. He appreciates the blows that the French made and took in the name of liberty and progress.

I thought I was buying a book of biographical portraits like Aubrey's Brief Lives, Seutonius' Twelve Caesars or Plutach's Lives. What I got instead was the whole story of the Age of Napoleon retold in a dramatic serial fashion (it would be a great HBO story), and in the action story form of Delderfield's own fiction, Seven Men of Gascony.

The book is organized according the normal conventions around the coalitions and campaigns. The story line begins at the end of the Age of Frederick the Great in order to bring the early lives of the oldest Marshals, such as Augereau, into focus. The story finally ends about 70 years later with the Funeral of Napoleon led by Marshal Soult to the tomb in the Invalides.

The story revolves around the twelve or so basic campaigns and the role of the respective Marshals. The book is fresh and it does not repeat known erroneous myths or trite cliches.

From this book, we get insights into the interacting character of the 27 men, (Napoleon included and chief among them). Very few of the faults of the Marshals are left unexposed by the end of the story. Those who achieve the highest place in Delderfield's pantheon, and remain relatively unscathed, are Davout the Iron Marshal; Ney, the Bravest of the Brave, Lannes, the Roland of France; and Poniatowski, Prince of Poland.

The other Marshals are treated well and complimented for their roles and abilities -- though depreciated for their weaknesses and vanities. They are put on a lesser shelf, revealing more than anything the values of the author. I happen to agree with Delderfield that adherence to duty, bravery and loyalty are the three highest standards to judge these men.

All of the Marshals have an interesting personal story. We have to give all of them credit for ability and bravery beyond the common varieties. None of them became Marshals of France because they were incompetents or cowards. The abiding values of the Napoleonic Creed were merit and joie de virve or elan. The Marshals, on the whole, personified these values.

The Emperor could forgive vanity as in Murat; disloyalty as in Bernadotte, and greed, as in Messena. He forgave them all, and many times, in the name of merit (also probably in the name of necessity which is often a reflection of the same thing).

I recommend this book for three reasons. First, it is organized - it gives a compact lucid picture of the chessboard of the age. It tells us about how the campaigns and politics were structured. Second, it is complementary to other work such as Gallo, Tolstoy, Chandler and so on. It provides an additive perspective on the events which can enhance and enrich your reading of all the other literature on Napoleon. Third, it is literate and enjoyable. As I have already said, I share strongly the values and sensibilities expressed by Delderfield.

I suspect Delderfield's perspectives on the French and Americans were shaped by interactions in World War II and World War I. The 20th century Delderfeild, if placed in the 18th Century, would have been a political sympathizer in the American Revolution, and he might have crossed the Channel to march with Davout, Lanne, Bessieres, Oudinot or Ney.

I don't mean to say he would be a traitor to England - I do not wish to dishonor him that way. What I mean is, from the benefit of perfect hindsight, he would have seen the vision of marking men by ability. He would have marched off of the old Road to Serfdom, as Hayek called it, and onto the new Road to Freedom which was then being beaten across Europe by the French.

As with all books about this age, the principal subject is Napoleon himself, who by any objective standard was the greatest leader of men in battle the world has ever known. As is usually the case with a leader, you will see in this book that any given leader cannot do everything in a complex enterprise, and so must organize around himself a way that expresses his own goals, interests and competencies.

By examining the complexities of the individual Marshals and their interactions, you will be looking into the heart and mind of the Emperor himself. You will see why, at Waterloo, Napoleon was no longer himself. He was no longer able to articulate his visions without his Marshals of years gone by. You can speculate, for example, that if Berthier was present at Waterloo, the calvary would have stayed in reserve for the coup de grace, and that Grouchy would have not been lost, hence blocking Blucher from the field, while Napoleon finished Wellington -- who was at the time already beaten on the hillsides of Waterloo.

While Richard III would have given his kingdom for a horse, Napoleon lost his Empire for want of his Marshals.

I flew through this book. The narrative style of writing lent itself to a quick and enjoyable read. I came away with a better overall picture of those who were surrounding Napoleon.

Although the subject is broad in the sense that the author tackles so many people. He none-the-less does an excelent job of rounding out a solid picture of Naploeon's marshals, their personalites, their ambitons...flaws and credits.

There are several marshals that I would like to read more about based on the information gleaned from within these pages. Understandably the author could not devote as much time as he may have liked to each and every member of this group. He did, however achieve the goal of introducing us to all of them and more than just a basic glossing over.

What I liked most is that the author took the events and let time itself introduce and develop the marshals rather than simply lining each one up and giving the reader an encyclopedia type synopsis of each individual. This really brought each marshal into better focus in terms of what was going on at the time and why they entered the picture whent hey did, as well as what they were doing prior to entering into the service of the Empire.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Napoleon and also intersted in getting a better feel for those around him and what drove them to thier positions.

This is a well-crafted, very modern story about the joys and sorrows of friendship. Cant wait to read more from McKinnon.

I loved this book. It dares, which is more than I can say for most of the novels I've read in the last few years. Fiction has become all the same thing, seemingly meant to make both writer and read feel good about themselves. This novel isn't about that. McKinnon's writing is alive, her characters are vivid and her story is wickedly fun. Reading the other reviews, it is clear that the author's refusal to tell the reader what to think has [upset] some readers and perplexed others; the smart ones, though, know that she purposely encloses you in the suffocating point of view of a narcissist--here's what it's like to live in the skin of a vain, short-sighted, self-glorifying young woman 24/7--as if to say you'd better watch out, world, or this is what we'll all become. But Becky is not a mouthpiece, she is a character whom McKinnon embodies fully and without flinching. I can't wait to see who and what she'll take on next.

Recently, we've been bombarded by the fiction publishing industry with woman characters that are ambivalent about their independence and obsessed with the desire to be all things to everyone (especially to men). The women of Narcissus Ascending cannot be reduced to these banal caricatures. Instead, Karen McKinnon, in her darkly ironical first novel, gives us two rivalrous characters - Becky and Callie - whose complex, obsessive, self-delusional personalities jumps off the page. The seeming authenticity of these characters makes them fascinating to read about. This is a unique and wonderful book that I highly recommend.

Narcissus Ascending, the initial novel offering by transplanted New York psychologist and writer Karen McKinnon is exactly what you expect it to be when you first see it on the bookstore shelf. And it is things you never expected it to be.

The title of the work and its modest size (214 pages) may lead you to believe it contains the usual dose of pretentious self-indulgence that often accompany a first novel, which this one does. Two of the first four words in the opening paragraph are "I" and unless you are among the most voracious and academic of readers, not a few times will you find yourself reaching for the Roget's to get a handle on the sometimes reachng vocabulary. But don't let that keep you from picking it up. This look at the relationships between a group of late twenty-something friends that don't spend their lives huddled in a New York City coffeehouse immediately grabs hold of your interest and rarely lets go.

Written in a unique "diary-like" narrative from the perspective of the main character, Becky, McKinnon's writing structure here is perfect for the subject matter and is a large part of what makes this such an enjoyable read. The lack of dialogue punctuation and the often combined thoughts and sentences make the reader have to work a little harder, but helps to stay atuned to the story line and each of its subjects.

The story is centered around four friends wrapped up in the melieu of New York's East Village who, aside from the day-to-day travails of Manhattan life are each dealing with the mental residue deposited by a fifth character, Callie, whom, though we don't actually meet until the last 80 pages of the book, we come to know and loathe...and fear, but are anxious to meet. The setting is well written and through the interaction and thoughts of each character, we are given a look into four distinct lives and points of view; neurosis, desire, ambition and all. McKinnon walks us through their relationships, individually and collectively, and as we progress, have no choice but to make comparisons with our own lives. Their private thoughts, personal battles and betrayals and the rationalizing of sexual indiscretions and desires are upfront and honest, to the point we are left to wonder how many of the characters and experiences are autobiographical or if the writer is just this good.

McKinnon does deserve a little slap for not reaching further into the character Dahlia and how her life as an incest survivor fuels her thoughts and actions, but should be highly praised for her research into modernist artist Becky. If we didn't know the writer was a psychologist, her depth of detail regarding her artist's struggle for professional self-definition and the art world itself would have us looking forward to her next show at the MoMA.

The storyline focuses largely on the angst and fears of its main players and their shallow, adolescent need to acquire revenge for past deeds done them by the protragonist Callie. But there is an unspoken subtext you can not help but delve into, questions about the foundative solvency in today's society you can not help but ask. Because most of the character development is so thorough and well defined, we can't help but wonder if present-day adults are really this [messed] up and whether we fall into one of two categories; those as equally disfucntional and in need of therapy as the characters we're reading about or those who are fortunate enough to have grown up.

A quick-paced, cozy-up-on-the-sofa-for-an-evening novel, Narcissus Ascending is a fun read that takes an naked, revealing look into the self-centered aspects of the human condition we all enjoy...or suffer from. But don't believe for a second that after you close the cover, it won't have you thinking.

Perhaps more than you'd like to.

I came across this debut novel recently and on cracking open the cover I didn't look up until I had finished all 200 plus pages several hours later. McKinnon's style of writing is impressive and her ability to render the novel's characters into flesh and blood is mind-whirling. The examination of the complexity of friendships that form when self-absorbed people (and aren't we surrounded more and more by them) find each other is sobering...and, I hate to admit it (and so will you), familiar. I can't wait to read more of her writing.

Review of The Night I Freed John Brown, by John Michael Cummings.

by Gabriel Welsch, originally published in Mid-American Review v. 28, n. 2

After publishing nearly 100 stories in prestigious print journals and online magazines, John Michael Cummings has "debuted" with his novel, The Night I Freed John Brown, a brisk and heartfelt coming-of-age story of a misfit growing up with more than the usual burdens of living in a tourist trap.

Set in Harper's Ferry, Virginia, home to John Brown and an epicenter for Civil War era merchandising and tourism, the novel builds toward a chaos that reminded me of what might happen if George Saunders were to play the life-in-a-theme-park theme straight.

The story centers on two boys growing up on opposite sides of the experience. Luke is a historian's son, living in the stately antique home next door to where Josh and his family's run-down limestone house and overgrown yard. Josh's family, and particularly his acerbic and antisocial father, put down roots long before Brown the folk hero became Brown the Person of Historical Significance.

Josh's father loathes the tourists, rages about being watched all the time, and none-too-subtly works to hide himself, his home, and his family from the otherwise scrubbed and period-perfect surroundings. Josh's mother is long-suffering, though possessed of a backbone that while hinted at, comes to little in the story. Josh's parents fight obliquely, and Cummings captures what it is like to overhear cryptic bits of conversations that children know started before they were born.

Those conversations have to do with the father's lapsed and inconsistent Catholicism, his struggle and ire toward the church and its current, progressive director, "Father `Ron,'" and the fate and upkeep of a family house, well away from town but visible out by the tracks, that is an exact replica of the showpiece home next door but is abandoned by the river, haunted only by dope smoking local teens and the odd bum.

To add to Josh's struggles, he has a pair of ne'er-do-wells for brothers: "Seeing my brothers out in the town was like looking in the mirror at the worst time. We were not clean-cut, cute boys like the tourist kids, or like Luke and his brothers for that matter. Jerry had a small, red, scrunched-up face that looked to be in pain all the time. Robbie had a chipped front tooth; old Sharky, they called him at school. And thanks to Dad giving us crew cuts every month with a Sears home barber kit, we looked like cue balls."

Class warfare, angry Catholic family, history, severe appearance deficits, what more could a young boy want? Josh hates that his father's anti-social paranoia makes the family avoid tourists and bans all guests from being inside the home. But as the story progresses, and the father shows glimpses of a friendlier, happier man he might once have been, Josh wants to know more. In a pivotal scene in the book, his father tells a story about what is essentially a lucky plant that grows among the weeds of their yard, cowmint. A plant not listed in any field guides, cowmint is a low grower, but one which because Josh's father once convinced someone it is lucky, now appears to have those same qualities for Josh.

While working to unravel the mystery of his father, things go wrong for Josh as he fraternizes with Luke, and his learned and suave historian father, irritating his dad all the more. When Josh attends and participates in a play about John Brown, one his father had forbid him being part of, the punishment is draconian, and Josh, full of rage and rebellion, sets in motion a chain of events that lead to the chaos of the novel's end.

Cummings is able to keep a sense of suspense thrumming through the book, as well as several simultaneous plots running and clear. While this is a book billed as one "for young adult readers," the story is mature, sad, affecting, and challenging. The characters' flaws make them frustrating, at times tragic, and Cummings resists the temptation to let them off the hook or to let them veer too far from who they are.

Admittedly, sometimes there is writing like this, "In that second, I caught sight of myself in the only crappy little mirror in our house, and my face was nothing any mirror should ever show." The whole catching conscience in a reflection is something that, because it is a book for young readers, I am inclined at first to forgive. But then, why should young readers not expect a solid effort, especially when so many other parts of this story are so well done and so compelling?

It's a small quibble to have with a book wherein a skilled writer holds several plots aloft at once, keeping our interest in what will happen. The end wraps pretty neatly, and maybe should, for its audience, but then details of the story sing, the father character lingers long afterward, and it is easy to stay with these characters long afterward, wondering at the ways the events of that summer played on in their lives.

The Night I Freed John Brown is a very fine read that I would recommend to adolescents and adults alike. My two children enjoyed the storyline thoroughly and anxiously await the author's next great work. Keep up the good work!

BOOK REVIEW: 'The Night I Freed John Brown': An Exciting, Fun Book for Young Readers -- And Their Parents

By David M. Kinchen
[...]

It's always a pleasure to come across books I can recommend for young readers. I can do so without reservation for "The Night I Freed John Brown" (Philomel, 276 pages, $17.99) by West Virginia native John Michael Cummings.

Now a resident of Brooklyn, NY, his novel -- expanded from a novella called 'The House of My Father' -- features a large and well-drawn cast of Harpers Ferry, WV residents -- especially Josh Connors, his new friend Luke Richmond, Josh's "mean" dad Bill Connors and his long-suffering mom Katie. It is the kind of youth novel adults can enjoy as much as their teenage children. Maybe even more, as they reflect on what a horrendous age 13 -- the age of Josh and Luke -- was for them!

Harpers Ferry is an unusual town, since much of its territory is included in the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, creating a kind of town vs. gown split that's reminiscent of a college town. This naturally brought to mind one of my all-time favorite movies, "Breaking Away," written by Steve Tesich (1942-1996), based on his experiences as a student at Indiana University in Bloomington. The 1979 film, directed by Peter Yates, starred Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Parkersburg, WV native Paul Dooley and Barbara Barrie and garnered an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Tesich's original screenplay about a town kid who organized a team to compete in IU's Little 500 bike race.

Like Dave, played by Dennis Christopher in "Breaking Away," Josh is drawn to the sophisticated Richmond family who live next door in a spotless house. Niles Richmond is a divorced dad who works for the Park Service as a historian and to Josh he's everything Bill Connors is not. Richmond is kind, loves music and plays and enlists Josh to portray one of John Brown's sons in a play in which Niles Richmond is John Brown. Naturally, Bill Connors opposes his son's participation in the play, so Josh does it without telling his mom and dad.

There are elements of a ghost story in "The Night I Freed John Brown," with the opening of the novel taking place in the house where Bill Connors grew up. The five-story house was a Roman Catholic retreat house, but it's now vacant, except for occasional visits by transients -- and Josh and Luke.

When Bill learns that Josh and Luke have visited the house, he has one of his frequent tantrums, prompting the inquisitive Josh to probe the matter even more. Josh would make a great investigative reporter -- or writer -- since Cummings said much of the novel is based on his experiences growing up in Harpers Ferry in the 1970s.

The novel also is educational, in a non-invasive way, since it explains to history-deprived young people -- and their parents -- the connection between radical abolitionist John Brown and the slave revolt he planned in 1859 in the federal armory town of Harpers Ferry, VA, at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers.

The "everything is illuminated" ending of "The Night I Freed John Brown" --don't worry, I'm not going to give it away -- provides a satisfactory resolution of Josh's concerns that he's the child Katie wanted, not Bill. Yes, Josh is the youngest of three children and his two brothers, Jerry and Robbie, are merciless teasers of Josh.
The novel is available at Amazon.com, Cummings says. It's one of the best novels I've read in a long time and, as I noted, it's not just for young people. Philomel Books is a division of the Penguin Group, an outstanding major publisher. Calling all librarians out there: Buy this book! You might have to buy multiple copies.

[...]

"Exquisite and brilliant. Luminous as the silver screen. A bewitching, exciting, heartfelt tale, the kind you want to hunker down on a rainy day in a comfy chair and read straight through until dark. Like some artists paint on canvas, others sculpt with clay, John Michael Cummings paints and sculpts the story, like a renaissance man with the master use of words."

Thirteen-year-old Josh feels like he lives his life in the shadows. On one side of his rundown house towers the huge church and on the other side sits the fancy, five-story historical residence. His angry father allows the yard to be overgrown in order to hide their house and family from the thousands of tourists who visit Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, every year to learn about the famous John Brown and his attempts to free the slaves. Josh's dad doesn't like tourists --- or much of anything.

Then a new park employee moves into the fancy historical house next door with his three sons. Luke, the youngest, is 13, and he and Josh instantly become friends. Josh feels drawn to the neighbor's place, with their beautiful house and glitzy belongings, and, most especially, to the family itself. Luke's father isn't angry all the time and doesn't yell or push his sons around, and Luke's brothers don't get in trouble with the park rangers for messing with the tourists. They even read Shakespeare, practice for the annual John Brown play, and seem to enjoy spending time together. Even better is that they invite Josh to join them. At the neighbor's house, Josh feels an acceptance, an appreciation for himself that he doesn't experience at home. He can't help but be jealous of their seemingly perfect lives.

Back at home, a storm that has been threatening to burst for years is brewing. The family used to go to church and visit Josh's grandparents in their caretaker's home for the Catholic retreat. But now his father wants nothing to do with the church or with the house he grew up in, and no one will tell Josh anything. Then one night, all of the pent-up angry feelings explode, and someone gets hurt. Things aren't as they seem, and Josh is ready for some answers.

John Michael Cummings has had over 75 short stories published in various magazines, but this is his first novel --- and it's amazing. Cummings has a special talent for description, painting vividly clear pictures with his animated words ("Step after creaky step we went up, with Jerry in the lead, the darkness over us like a low ceiling we were always about to bump our heads into."). He brings to life a story where things are not always as they seem, with burning emotions begging to be freed and lonely souls desperate for healing.

THE NIGHT I FREED JOHN BROWN is a historically rich story with colorful characters and a family secret that will draw readers in and keep the pages turning.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT and THE BLACK POND

Eddie Dee is one of the finest detective story writers today. He has the unique ability to keep the story captivating without sacrificing details.

As a retired NYPD Lt. and a great admirer of Ed Dee's writing I find his latest effort his best. His vignettes on police work jog my memory and I recall the way "The Job" used to be. Dee is by far the best writer of police procedurals today and the heir apparent to Ed McBain.

Start at the beginning and work your way through Ed Dee's marvelous stories. You'll be captivated by his "arresting" tales of police work in the Big Apple. You'll fall in love with Anthony Ryan and his beautiful wife Leigh. You'll laugh at his partner--even find yourself counting his sneezes. You become a part of their lives, because Ed Dee's characters jump off the pages at you.

My only complaint is how long we have to wait between books!

As a retired cop from the NYPD Ed Dee has taken me back to the old "Job" that I have missed. He shares the NY cops best and worst fears and experiences. This is the most accurate telling of a cops life and the way investigations are conducted. From his descriptions of the station houses from the front desk to the politics at the puzzle palace, (1 Police Plaza)and the real cops good and bad. And I thought me and my old partner were the only guys who called each other "Pally"! An old term we heard many moons ago in an old Bogart movie! If you want to see what it used to be like to pound the beat and investiagte crimes in the Big Apple this is the guy to read...Ed keep'em coming, Pally! I can't what to start my next tour and collar up!

I'm a police officer with a fifty man department in Idaho. Much about how my department functions and how the NYPD works is very different. But I've also been suprised to see there is more that my dept has in common with the gigantic NYPD. Dee is expert at capturing the feeling of law enforcement, the undeniable truths of being a cop no matter where you're at. this is Dee's best work to date. He takes his characters to new levels, and his writing has achieved a sophistication. It's a daring move in having one of the characters lose his son, but it's effective. Not something that one sees very often in a book franchise. All in all I can't reccommend Dee's books highly enough. I find his work to be engrossing and fast moving, he's one of the authors whose newest book I'm always keeping an eye out for. Try him. I think he'll enjoy his books as much as I do.

SUFREN SUS PROPIAS TRAGEDIAS ...¡QuÉ error !
Este libro sabio, te guìa para que guìes a su criatura a que no solamente no sufra, sino hasta llegue a celebrar ( o por lo menos a aceptar ) la llegada de su "rival "

muy sencillo.
Pero preparar a tu hijo o hija mayor para que lo acepte con alegría auténtica, SON PALABARS MAYORES.
Luego anda uno por ahi de quejoso de que "los hermanitos no se llevan bien"
¿Cómo se van a llevar bien si al mayor no se le pidió su opinión y no se le preparó debidamente, y el chiquito siente los celos del mayor?
NO se trata simplemente de anunciarle que va a tener un hermanito: ESO ES MUY CRUEL.
HAY QUE DARLE LAS ARMAS Y LA SEGURIDAD EN SI MISMO AL NENE MAYOR !

Y TAN SABIA ES LA AUTORA DE ESTE LIBRO !
Ella si nos transmite la tragedia del mayorcito cuando sabe que viene otro nene en camino.... Y NOS DA EL REMEDIO !

ANTES DE COMENZAR A COMPRARLE COSAS Y ROPA...¡COMPRA ESTE LIBRO !
Es indispensable para que no sufra tu hijo o hija mayor, y NOS GUÍA A PONER LAS BASES PARA QUE HAYA UNA RELACIÓN DE AMOR Y NO DE CELOS ENTRE LOS HERMANITOS...
De veras, amiga...es vital para el futuro feliz de toda la familia y para el corazoncito del primogénito !

Nos fue muy ùtil cuando naciò nuestro tercer hijo..porque cuando el segundo anunciò su llegada, el primogènito sufriò lo indecible en el aspecto emocional !
Esta obra psicològica, te DA LOS PASOS MÀS INTELIGENTES PARA PREPARAR AL MAYORCITO PARA LA LLEGADA DEL NUEVO BEBÈ !

I have one and will give you information on the Hummel Silk Carpet.(The Book lacks this information)
On the back is a tag stitched to it saying:

M.J. Hummel
ORIGINAL HUMMEL SILK CARPET
HANDKNOTTED IN BEIJING, CHINA.

ARS AG, ZUG, SWITZERLAND

LIMITED EDITION :10 /50

Also there is a tag attached to the SILK CARPET written in both Chinese and English
ZHE JIANG SILK RUG

I am giving this information because the book does not have a picture of this HUMMEL SILK CARPET and not sure about the information I just posted.
VALUE UNKNOWN but it is Very Beautiful

not only is this a complete guide -- but it is so easy to use -- anyone owning or buying Hummel's should have this -- I only wish I could find Guides like this for my other collectables --

This book is very well illustrated, well layed-out, easy to use, and the pictures are very beautiful. It's full of information, explains more than I expected, and it is a MUST for Hummel collectors.

I have all, since the first publication, of Robert Miller's Price Guide to MI Hummel Figurines, Plates, Miniatures and More.
Mr. Miller has all the knowledge one would expect & want to find in his books after much research and many trips to Germany to gain this knowledge. This is THE HUMMEL BIBLE! I highly recommend this book to all Hummel collectors or to anyone interested in the collecting of fine arts. Very well written with explicit details about Sister MI Hummel's life in Massing, Germany & her schooling. Each known Hummel is pictured & tells of the Master Artist who molded each three dimentional figurine from the drawings by Sister beginning in the 1930's to the present TMK markings. A great investment for Insurance purposes when appraising your figurines by The Hummelking!

Even though it's proclaimed by expert collectors as the absolute source of information about Hummel figurines, Robert Miller's reference work is easy for amateurs as well. He provides insightful guidance in determining value and quality as well as interesting tidbits about production and variations in the figurines. His work is referenced by many sellers in internet auctions, but is also helpful in figuring out just what you already have. As a rank beginner, I had no problem in following his material and ascertaining the value of an inherited collection. It was also useful in helping me determine additions that I wanted to make to the collection.

PLUM CRAZZZY is the fictional story of Monique Kennedy. As a new creature in Christ, Monique attempts to depart from her old ways and walk down her newly found Christian path. Along the way, she stumbles over obstacles that she considers were a test of evil by the devil.

As a divorced mother of two children, Monique struggles to balance her family responsibilities and employment obligations while still searching for "Mr. Right," whom she feels will complete her. Instead of leaning on God's will and trusting that He will provide, Monique tempts fate by seeking out male companionship. As a result, she keeps on getting what she has always gotten - nothing.

When a pair of married friends introduce Monique to Frank, he seems too good to be true. Monique feels that at any moment someone could pinch her and wake her up out of her living fantasy because Frank is so distinctively different from anyone she has dated. In her blossoming relationship with Frank, will Monique learn to apply her Christian values? During the course of her Christian journey, we see Monique mature in her relationship with God, yet will she be able to ask for forgiveness for her past transgressions and then walk forward into the realm of happiness?

All in all, PLUM CRAZZZY is a very well written example of Christian literature. The reader is taken on a journey of someone who is new within the body of Christ. The book portrays the trials and tribulations that Monique must endure and ultimately tells of spiritual growth. This tale is realistic because it addresses every day issues that a Christian may face. I offer kudos to Monique Anderson for penning an interesting story and look forward to more from this author.

Reviewed by Nedine
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I read this book in 10 hrs,it was a answer to my preyers,such a inspiration

My name is Larry Howard, and my friends mom wrote this book when we were neighbors in California, back when me and her kids were in middle school, and her book is very touching and well written. Keep on written' Ms. Monique.

A family friend gave me this book for Christmas in 1998. At first I was reading it as a novel. I could relate to the early part of the book, because I had been through all that myself in previous years. However, it wasn't until the middle of the book when my life and the author's life became very similar. At the time, I was believing God for a husband. I had also decided to do courtship God's way and not have sex until marriage. At the point in the book where Monique reached the point of being sick of doing things her way and decided to do it God's way, I began to cry profusely. Her story only fed my faith that God would deliver in my life in a big way. You see, when you stand in faith - nothing wavering, not compromising - God honors your faith and delivers exceedingly abundantly more than you could ask or think. He did for the author of this book - Monique, and in 1999, He did for me. I'm now married to a wonderful man of God who fit what I asked God for to a tee! And we had a holy, God-honoring courtship with no sex until our wedding night. And guess what, God will do it for you too, once you sell out to His Will (His Word) and His Way (as described in His Word)!!! Wanna feed your faith for a Godly husband? Read this book!!!! Then, live a life that honors God, and He will not let you be put to shame but will manifest just the type of man you are dreaming about. I dare you to try it! God will come through for you, too!

Monique Anderson says her God is just a Plum Crazzzy God. That because when he tells you to do something and it does not make sense, you just think, He is just plum crazy. But, as Monique learns as she chronicles her walk with God that if you trust Him, you will reap all kind of benefits.

Monique's prayer in the beginning of the book was that she would meet a 'Christian" man and she did in the form of Mark, a deacon in the church. Monique and Mark begin a relationship, but early on it is apparent this is not a relationship condoned by God. Monique suffers spiritually and personally as a result of this relationship. Monique's friend, Linda, invites Monique and her children to her church. At this church, Monique begins to grow spiritually and as she does, her faith increases and therefore her blessings increase.

When I read this book five years ago it was a blessing because I was at the same point in my life as the author. Trying to find that Mr. Right by myself and making all the wrong choices. Now, picking up this book again, five years later, it was a blessing to me because I am at the point the author is, learning to let go and let God be my guide in a new church with a renewed determination. Full of scriptures and prayers, this is a book I will highly recommend to any single young ladies who are looking to God for a blessing.

Jeanette
APOOO BookClub

This volume provided an excellent translation of a chinese text that was written many years ago. It describes the social mores and conventions of an era that has long passed. The translation of the story is accompanied by very comprehensive notes to each chapter and also an extensive bibliography. While the book should be regarded as a work of scholarship the story nonetheless is captivating and entertaining and the frequent descriptions of erotic and racy interludes throughout the story creates a certain charm and allure for a lost age. I was so impressed by the translation and intrigued by the story that I have progressed to the next volumes.

hard to rview..read the book 50 yrs. ago and am looking to replace it. orig. was lost in moving. question i have is why vol.1 ..am looking for the entire book...as i recall it was well over a thous. pages .. would like more info. fm. author re; future volumes..when can they be expected? th orig. book was a extremely interesting view into the way things were way back when in feudal china..as i recall it covered not only the rich but also the very poor and how each existed in their world

David Tod Roy's translation of the classic 16th century Chin P'ing Mei is awesome and right on the money. The story leaps off the pages - this is how this famous vernacular Chinese novel was meant to be read! Every element of the story is clear and concise in Roy's translation, allowing the reader to enjoy the plot and the fascinating characters.

To briefly discuss the storyline, Chin P'ing Mei is a "spin off" from the classic Chinese novel Outlaws of the Marsh, and focuses on the trials and tribulations of the conniving seductress Pan Chin-lien and the new life she leads after murdering her husband. Some scholars of Chinese traditional literature will not like this allusion, but the story reads like a modern-day soap opera. The characters are lusty and scheming, and the general climate is electric. The general plot follows the intricate daily triumphs and frustrations of Hsi-Men Ching and his `harem" of six wives and concubines (among them Pan Chin-lien). The story is rife with inter-household competition, infidelity, corruption, domestic abuse and eroticism. Characters are well developed, and the scenery is vivid. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the merchant class in 16th century China. It is easy to see how this novel has captured audiences for 400 years - and David Tod Roy's excellent translation will no doubt help it to endure for many more years to come.

This is the book to read if you want to taste medieval Chinese culture: Salty love poetry, sweet wickedness, sour decadence, bitter philosophy, oily sex, all rolled up in a ginger and garlic spiced, fleshy bun. Roy lets you savor all the ingredients and, with a healthy sprinkling of notes, let's you peruse the cornucopia that inspired the recipes. Bon apetit for this first course of five.

David Tod Roy has done Chinese literature proud by producing a scrupulously exact translation of this classic in Chinese erotica. Like what a previous reviewer says, it is "clear and precise", bringing out the naturalistic details of the novel fully to the reader; yet, for all its accuracy, it reads exceptionally well. For introduction, Roy has written a well-argued essay on why Jin-Ping Mei should be read as didactic literature, not as mere erotica, as it has for centuries. Jin-Ping-Mei's checkered history in Chinese literature doesn't disguise the fact that it is a very well written (and detailed) account of the rise and fall of an extended household, made obvious by corruption and its list of licentious dealings (both in Ximen Qing and his harem).

Rock to the Top is a well thought out, quick read using radio and music analogies to illustrate a broad range of areas on how to be successful in business. From quality to organization, to technology to branding and publicity, Dayna covers it all. The summaries at the end of each chapter are helpful as well.

Some of Dayna's stories are quite amusing, but she always describes her rock star interviews and friendships with honesty and objectivity. Stars are human just like everyone else, and she deftly applies what she learned from her numerous encounters for the business reader.

I walked away with new tools (and some very good reminders-like always send a thank you note to the people who help you out) to use to market my book. Overall, I'd recommend Dayna's book to any entrepreneur or person working their way up through the ranks who enjoys rock 'n' roll!

As a long time Houstonian, I grew up listening to Dana and Moby. Reading her book brought back so may memories of "back in the day" when Dana ruled 101! Back when 101 was THE station in Houston! I sure do miss those days...
Dana is a great business woman and knows what she's doing! This book was a great read!

The short, sweet book was right on target! It was everything I thought it would be and more. What honest, inspiring and interesting insight into the world of a super star DJ and all around saavy woman!

Dayna Steele set the world on fire in her days of Rock and Roll in a most interesting way, follow your gut and be brave...Rock On!

Best book I have read in a while!!

I've known Dayna for some time now, and even so, I never told her the story of the night Roger Glover of Deep Purple sat with me until 3am in a hotel lobby and told me everything that Dayna is telling you in this book! I was trying to make it as a woman in music business management, rock 'n roll end, and it was tough!! Thanks to Roger's great advice, I'm still able to do some good marketing and have a lot of fun ... in an entirely different area. To be succinct, everything he told me worked .. like a charm. Dayna is telling you exactly the same thing.

So, I have recommended Dayna's book to all young musicians I know. Everything she tells you in there is true and dead on. Read it, read it again, and then read it again and take notes. Wait! She's already done the notes for you!

I'm telling you. It's all there. Get this book. It is a must-have for anyone wanting to make it in the music business (or any other business)!

Excellent.

Dayna Steele, Rock to the Top is an inspiring read, written with stories from her experience with some of the world's greatest rock stars. In addition to what it takes to rock to the top in whatever profession you have chosen, do it with passion, preparation and treat people with integrity. The book addresses how to be successful and draws you into a world of winners, of what to do and what not to do in your adventure to Rock to the Top. We are the Champions is a subtitle in the book where it's mentioned, passion gives you energy. She writes with simple to remember subtitles and stories that make the points poignant and unforgettable. I would not characterize this as self help but certainly motivational and if that doesn't intrigue you then the pictures of the stars in the back of the book will. I have read self help and always end up wondering what the writer was going through and how they actually got there, leaving me with no more answers than when I started reading. This book leaves nothing to the imagination of how to be your best and be successful at your chosen passion. What will you learn about success from the world's greatest rock star stories? Everything you need to know to find your passion and enjoy the read while you Rock to the Top.

During the past ten years I have worked with a nunber of methodologies in the area of Root cause analysis. During this time I have seen none as effective and cost efficient as the PROACT methodologies showcased in this book.

Bob has written a classic RCA manual for all people in all industries. I personally have used both the methodology and software to great effect and would recommend them to anyone.

If you are serious about a reliability growth program in your site, then you need this book!

This book gives you the tools to develop a strong reliability program. In my 35 years as a mechanical engineer (P.E.) in the chemical industry, I have seen several "programs" come and go. Reliability, when proactive as taught by RCI, is the one program that consistently documents very large savings to cost ratios. In order to survive in the 21st century, industry must have a strong reliability program. RCI is a pioneer (since the 1950's) in reliability and in particular teaching and training industry in using this valuable tool.

Closing the gap between the goals companies set and their actual situations is the overall focus of this book. Written by two experienced executives from the Reliability Center, Inc., the book helps readers identify, resolve, and eliminate the chronic plant floor issues, such as repeated equipment or system failures, that hinder the attainment of organizational goals.

Specialists in root cause analysis methodology, the authors discuss the roles of management and a root cause analysis team in prioritizing the problems to analyze, automationg the process, and helping to uncover the physical, human, and latent causes of undesirable workplace events. They point out that the gap between goals and reality that exists in virtually every industry leads to undesirable outcomes, failures, and incidents that siphon profits from the corporate coffers. To close the gap, they explain, companies must reinvent the way they work, understanding why errors occur and how to prevent them.

The book explains root cause analysis, which is a structured process designed to uncover the cause of any undesirable workplace event. The PROACT steps outlined in the book teach companies how to preserve event data, order the analysis team, analyze the data using logic trees, communicate findings and recommendations, and track for bottom-line results.

Case studies are used to illustrate the potential of root cause analysis, showing its effectiveness in particular in steelmaking, customer service, and manufacturing. Software for automating root cause analysis is also discussed. Informative, well-illustrated and well-organized text is worthwhile reading for any plant engineer seeking to understand why errors occur and to eliminate them, and have a direct positive impact on his company's bottom line.

I have now been involved with RCA for several years and it's the way to go in the future. This book is a good example of what Root Cause Analysis is all about. The book focuses on the use of the PROACT system and I imagine would they would work very well together. I am looking at trying PROACT as well, not just yet! Good book easy to read and gives good definitions to those foggy terms. I enjoyed the book and I use it for my job which speaks for it's self, it doesn't hide in a cupboard or on a shelf. I get the feeling this book is one of the better ones in the bunch, not just someone who has jumped on the RCA bandwagon because it's a flavour of the month.

I co-ordinate a root cause troubleshooting clinic at a major engine manufacturer. We have had moderate success with our investigations and have developed several powerful methodologies. This book has taken our procedures one large step further with a coherent, effective method to analyse and document a problem to root cause. The combination of system diagram, logic tree and verification log described in the book is exactly the kind of methodology we needed and is proving very useful. The book is well written and is filled with useful guidelines for such required activities as information gathering and selection of the most productive analyses to perform. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in root cause analysis.