F Books

Author has written an unflinching historical review of Islam from its origins to recent times. Dr. Schmidt tells it like it is - without waffling to accomodate politically correct bias. The book is written from a Christian perspective so, while accurate and honest, it isn't ambivalent. It's a good reference to have on your bookshelf.

The Great Divide-The Failure of Islam and the Triumph of the West, by Alvin J. Schmidt, a scholarly and well-documented work, is a factual, non-emotional critique of Islam. He contrasts the biographies of Jesus and Muhammad, and the spirit and intent of the Bible vs. the Qur'an. Dr. Schmidt shares pertinent information regarding the treatment of Muslim women, and covers such issues as slavery (which is ongoing in Islam), "charity", the Crusades, Islamic liberty and justice, and church and state. Dr. Schmidt addresses the big question of this century candidly, as to whether or not Islam is a religion of peace, sidestepping the quagmire of political correctness. This is a "must read" for all who want to learn the essential facts of Islam.

Alvin Schmidt's book about the "great divide" between Christianity and Islam is Christians, as well as, secular people need to read. It demonstrates the essential difference between Christianity and Islam; one (Christianity) is a religion founded on love and freedom from bondage, while the other (Islam) seeks to enslave and make others "submit." He opens the book by noticing the fundamental differences between Jesus and Muhammad and their views on such things as marriage, God, heaven.

Chapter two is a perfect, yet quick history lesson that is most relevant for secular people and Christians who insisted on thinking Islam, in its normative state, is a religion of peace. He accurately shows the differences in the growth of the two religions. Initially (first 300 years) Christianity spread through a passive movement relying on a sociological construct based on loving their neighbor and martyrdom. Islam spread immediately by the sword - this is objective historical data, no polemics here.

The other chapters are good, and while I cannot whole heartily endorse all his assertions, when he deals with history he is accurate and when he asserts a particular theological concept or idea, the reader knows the difference. The material and arguments are well laid out and overall, this is an outstanding work that any laymen can read and get an accurate historical understanding of the Islamic religion as it compares to Christianity.

I do need to note, there are muslims who seek a spiritual interpretation of the koran and Islamic history; they do so with either great courage or a congnitive dissonance. But if the West insists on accepting a politically correct Islam, then I hope these Islamic mystics succeed; because the West doesn't heed, it may very well fail.

This book is a must read for every American. We need to be aware of the reality of the Islam belief system as it is being practiced by the radical Muslims today.

Schmidt writes this perspective on Islam from a sociologist's perspective also viewing it somewhat from the viewpoint of history and theology. He convincingly shows that the current view of Islam's history and beliefs compared with Christianity's is somewhat distorted and untrue.

He aspect by aspect shows how today's world is not shown the entire breath of Islam's past and current cultural and theological stance on many societal issues: women, charity, liberty, justice, war and peace, Jesus, the Crusades, science and medicine, law. These are all fascinating and enlightening discussions, and at the least would fester further research and inquiry into interested subject matters with bibliographical materials included for such persual.

If one seeks but a theological comparison of the two, one would be wise to check out the best source I have found: Norman L. Geisler and Abdul Saleeb's "Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross."

For some reason, this book has always stuck in my head, long after reading it. After an encounter with aliens, a man becomes functionally
immortal, even gaining some redundancy in bodily organs. He also has enhanced perception, reflexes, and mental abilities. He received these
abilities in a bizarre meld with an alien cave creature that in general, would kill sentient life forms, but his merging made him superhuman.

With these useful talents, he goes adventuring to utilise his medical talents and superhuman abilities to stop a very virulent disease sweeping the galaxy, and find the powerful being that is the root cause.

I have to ask why this book was overlooked since it was published many years ago. When I first brought it at a used bookstore, I didn't expect it to be this good and reread it countless times. It's about a man who became immortal by an accident, Dalt must deal with a voice(Pard) in his head who takes care of his body and evolving it to survive. Imagine to be the only one in the whole universe full of aliens and being the one to watch civilizations rise and fall. It even includes politics, science theories(easy to understand), romance, etc. all you ever wanted in an sci-fi epic story. Buy it and you won't regret it! :)

Pard is a perfect analog to the coming "shared conciousness" that machines will offer us.

Justifies the 5 star rating over time. Deeply moving on many fronts over the years..

A great read for ages 10 & up, I wholey recommend adding this to your Library & read-list. Worth re-reading every few years.

Good ethics, fine morals, confronting action.

One of F. Paul Wilson's finer early works..

Mandatory sci-fi qualifications - "Have you read The Healer, Paul Wilson? Please describe Pard.."

Iread this novel 22 years ago and loved it. If you love freedom
and sci-fi you've got to read this book. And if you're a gun nut
you'll love the shotgun Steve and Pard use in the ending; and the planet Flint!

I first read this book some 20 years ago, and it has haunted me ever since. I truely wonderful bit of sci-fi spanning time, space and mortality. Whilst it was in my possession I read it many many times, but made the unfortunate mistake of lending it to someone, never to see it again. Some time later I discovered the LaNague chronicles (encapsulating "Healer") and got the book. Whilst Healer remains my all time favorite, LaNague is almost as good a read. Should anyone know of or have contact with Mr F Paul Wilson, would they extend my thanks, and plead with him on my behalf to put pen to paper (or fingers to key-board) and produce further "Steve & pard" novels, as there is far to much meat on this bone to let them off travelling the universe and time in just one book!

This book is comprehensive -- but isn't organized by common or scientific name. It is organized by type of tree, though I'm not certain how they chose the ordering of the groups. Nevertheless, two indices in the back reference all the trees by common names and by latin names.

This isn't a photography-based book, but has everything illustrated with paintings. This is like one of those detailed naturist descriptions you'd see from the 17-1800's. The drawings are very precise -- and full of color (not faded or faint). They aren't fuzzy sketches -- they are precise naturalist drawings -- showing detail of leaves, nuts(fruits), bark, shape -- sometimes with multiple views of the same tree in different seasons (to see color & shape change).

There are few trees you will find that are *not* in this book, but very few. Many of the trees listed will talk about origins, growth conditions & habits, sizing, how it was named, usages, wood quality, author's subjective overall rating (which is a pretty good guide), origins -- (some common trees today are long-ago cross breeds). And -- I underscore this -- it's ALL ABOUT TREES -- so it's an extremely thorough (I've never seen its equal, let along better). At 830+ pages, and over 6 pounds, this isn't a pocket book. But it is a book you'll want to read or skim from cover-to-cover -- and keep as a permanent reference. Would be nice to have a permanent down-loadable version into a palmtop for portability...Encyclopedias are so heavy! :-)

this book has everything u need on trees and it is one of a kind.the colour illustrations are wonderfully painted.the gang responsible for all areas of this book really new what they were doing.isnt there literary awards given out for this kind of acheivement?unique,complete,lovely and breathtaking!

David More has created a massive, beautifully realized book which details, with almost scientific precision, individual species of trees. Although it retails for $80 it still seems reasonable given the massive scope of this project, which took More over ten years to complete. I can't imagine a better book on trees ever being published with this quality of illustration. The book does focus on species of trees within Europe, particularly Great Britain, but tree lovers will not be disappointed after a few pages of More's breathtaking work.

I collect books on trees, because I love trees. But not all books will do. I avoid gardening books and concentrate on dendrological or botanical type books because they are more useful to me. This is a great find because it is somewhat encyclopedic in nature and the drawings are wonderful. The only downside is that this is an English book and highlights trees grown there. It is much to large and heavy for a handbook, but it is nice to sit in your easy chair and slowly turn the pages.

The combination of this author and this illustrator has produced an amazing book. Both have a lifelong interest in trees. The author aimed to produce a book to be "read for pleasure", but maintained a high scientific standard throughout, so you'll need to know a scion from a taxon from a sport. (There is a helpful glossary.) But he never forgets his duty to keep the text interesting. So we learn every cricket bat for the last 300 years has come from a single willow and its descendents.

The max height and hardiness are given for each tree, plus a rank as to desirability on a scale of 1 to 5 . One is a top choice for the garden or grounds, 3 might be suitable for commercial use, and 5 is a tree not particularly recommended, if only because of "extreme dullness".

It's rare to find any author this knowledgeable, who can offer anecdotes and historical information on countless specimens. And the accompanying paintings are works of art in their own right.

whatever your political affiliation, you can't help but be amazed at the graciousness the kennedy family brought to the white house during his term of office. down to minute details, jackie emerges as the quintessential first lady. i especialy enjoyed the personal comments and special moments shared with the first couple. this makes a wonderful gift

Letitia Baldridge's book is unquestionably "un coup de maitre". We are most grateful to her for allowing us to take a peek into that atmosphere of class, sophistication, grace and good taste that once was the Kennedy White House. Reading this fascinating book is like going back into this elegant and refined world created by Jacqueline Kennedy where culture, arts and good conversation were a main priority. I so enjoyed reading that book!!

In this small book there is a surprising amount of information on Jackie and Letitia's entertaining style, in stories, beautiful photographs, recipes and anecdotes. I especially like how she includes descriptions of the table settings (tablecloths etc) and menu choices, with short explanations of why they were chosen, and how they parted with tradition in many cases. It also provides a peak at the highly talented guests outside of politics whom they entertained, and how they entertained them! As other reviewers said, the recipes are mainly classics. Some I wouldn't dare serve today but it's nice to know what to do if I ever wish to!

I already own Rene Verdon's White House cookbook which is an enjoyable read as well as a great reference. Many of his great, classic recipes from that collection re-appear in this wonderful, picture-filled book that recreates the magic of Jackie's style that made Camelot. Rene Verdon and Letitia Baldridge show that they have not lost their touch and guide us through a host of beautiful occasions. My personal highlight is the famous state dinner at Mount Vernon. We find out many intriguing details about entertaining at the highest level and are able to take a little of the glamour to our own table. Rene Verdon's recipes are great classics that are meant to be enjoyed over and over again. They can be reproduced by the capable home cook with highly satisfying results.

This is a marvellous, beautifully presented look at the entertaining done by President and Mrs. Kennedy during their too-brief thousand days in the White House. Letitia Baldrige was Mrs. Kennedy's Social Secretary, and she has collaborated with Kennedy White House Chef Rene Verdon on reminiscences and recipes that really do evoke that very special time and place. Baldrige's anecdotes give glimpses behind the scenes that help us all understand how distinguished the hosts, guests, and entertaining really were- and her comments are often very funny indeed. Verdon's recipes are drawn from menus actually served at the White House on historic occasions, such as the famed evening when cellist Pablo Casals played for the Kennedys and their guests. The book is incredibly generous with its illustrations, which range from White House photos, to pictures of actual invitations for the events described, to fashion designer Oleg Cassini's original sketches for Mrs. Kennedy's clothes. For Jackie devotees, the book is a bonanza, with many photos showing her in her full splendour as First Lady; one 1954 photo of her lighting the candles on her dinner table may be the single most beautiful ever taken of her. I have one small, gentle caveat: Verdon's recipes have been given before, in different form, in his 1967 "The White House Chef Cookbook". The versions of the recipes in this new book have been changed a bit from the 1967 incarnations, mainly with an eye to increasing the strength of flavour; today's palates are evidently more demanding than those of the Sixties. Still, you're getting a look at the Kennedy White House from the people who made it HAPPEN- no gossip, no hearsay, no errors of research. Baldrige and Verdon were indisputably THERE, and you could do much worse than to buy their book. Come to think of it, if you've been reading some of the other Kennedy books issued recently, you have.

The service overall was very good:

i) The item was as described, and
ii) It was shipped quickly

The first part of this book that deals with topology is a pedagogical masterpiece. After motivating the key concepts of compactness and continuity in the relatively concrete setting of metric spaces, the book goes on to abstract topological spaces, a beautiful section on compactness including the tychonoff theorem, and an extremely lucid development of the separation axioms and the proof of the urysohn imbedding theorem and the stone-cech compactification. I personally find the chapter on connectedness to be the weak link in this part of the book. Wherever possible, Simmons provides an exhaustive list of examples (especially when introducing the various types of spaces) that aids comprehension. Moreover, some of the central concepts (product topology) and deeper results such as the Stone-Cech compactification are easier to appreciate because the author has a section on topological properties of the relevant function spaces couple of chapters ahead and several exercises along the way. All in all, a highly recommended intro to the subject.

In the author's words in the preface, the dominant theme of this book is continuity and linearity, and its goal is to illuminate the meanings of these words and their relations to each other. The book, he says, belongs to the type of pure mathematics that is concerned with form and structure, and such a body of mathematics must be judged by its high aesthetic quality, and should exalt the mind of the reader.

The author's attitude can only be characterized as magnificent, and, if one is to judge his utterances in the preface by what is found after it, one will indeed find perfect evidence of his delight in mathematics and his high competence in elucidating very abstract concepts in topology and real analysis. Indeed, this has to be the best book ever written for mathematics at this level. It is a book that should be read by everyone that desires deep insights into modern real and functional analysis.

After a brief and informal overview of set theory, the author moves on to the theory of metric spaces in chapter 2. His emphasis is on the idea that metric spaces are easy to find, since every non-empty set has the discrete metric, and that metric spaces are good motivation for the more general idea of a topological space. The Cantor set, ubiquitous in measure theory, dynamical systems, and fractal geometry, is constructed as the most general closed set on the real line, i.e. one obtained by removing from the real line a countable disjoint class of open intervals. Continuity of mappings between metric spaces is defined, and also the concept of uniform continuity, the latter of which is motivated very nicely by the author. Then, the author takes the reader to a higher level of abstraction, wherein he asks the reader to consider all of the continuous functions on a metric space, and turn this collection into a metric space of a special type called a normed linear space, and, more specifically, a Banach space. Thus the author introduces the reader to the field of functional analysis.

A lengthy introduction to topological spaces follows in chapter 3. The author motivates well the idea of an open set, and shows that one could just as easily use closed sets as the fundamental concept in topology. And, most important for functional analysis, he introduces the weak topology, and shows how to obtain the weakest topology for a collection of mappings from a topological space to a collection of other topological spaces. The reader can see clearly that the weaker the topology on a space the harder it is for mappings to be continuous on the space.

Compactness, so essential in all areas of mathematics that make use of topology, is discussed in chapter 4. It is motivated by an abstraction of the Heine-Borel theorem from elementary real analysis, and the author shows how well-behaved things are on compact topological spaces. Some important theorems are proved in this chapter, namely Tychonoff's theorem, the Lebesgue covering lemma, and Ascoli's theorem.

Recognizing that the only functions able to be continuous on a space with the indiscrete topology are the constants, and that a space with the discrete topology has continuous functions in abundance, the author asks the reader to consider topologies that fall between these extremes, and this motivates the separation properties of topological spaces. Chapter 5 is an in-depth discussion of separation, and the reader again confronts function spaces, and their ability (or non-ability) to separate the points of a topological space. Spaces that allow such separation to occur are called completely regular, and this property has far-reaching consequences in analysis and other areas of mathematics. The Stone-Cech compactification is discussed as an imbedding theorem for completely regular spaces, analogous to one for normal spaces.

The intuitive idea of a space being connected is given rigorous treatment in chapter 6. Certain pathologies can of course arise when discussing connectedness, and the author shows this by discussing totally disconnected spaces, remarking that such spaces are very important in dimension theory and representation theory. Indeed, computational and fractal geometry is much harder to study because of the existence of these spaces.

Chapter 7 is important to all working in numerical analysis, wherein the author discusses approximation theory. The Weierstrass approximation and the Stone-Weierstrass theorems are discussed in detail.

A slight detour through algebra is given in chapter 8. Groups, rings, and fields are given a minimal treatment by the author, discussing only the basic rudiments that are needed to get through the rest of the book.

Banach spaces make their appearance in chapter 9, with the three pillars of the theory proven: the Hahn-Banach, the open mapping, and the uniform boundedness theorems. These theorems guarantee that the study of Banach spaces is worth doing, and that there are analogs of the finite dimensional theory in the (infinite)-dimensional context of Banach spaces. The theory of Banach spaces is very extensive, but this chapter gives a peek at this very interesting area of mathematics.

Banach spaces with an inner product are considered in chapter 10. These of course are the familiar Hilbert spaces, so important in physics and the subject of a huge amount of research in mathematics. The presence of the inner product allows constructions familiar from ordinary finite-dimensional vector spaces to carry over to the inifinite-dimensional setting, one example being the transpose of a matrix, which is replaced in the Hilbert space setting by a self-adjoint operator.

As a warm-up to the infinite-dimensional theory, finite-dimensional spectral theory is considered in chapter 11. The famous spectral theorem is proven. Then in chapter 12, the reader enters the world of "soft" analysis, wherein topological and algebraic constructions are used to study linear operators on spaces of infinite dimensions. Putting an algebraic structure on a Banach space gives a Banach algebra, and then the trick is deal with the spectrum of an element of this algebra. The reader can see the interplay between algebra, topology, and analysis in this chapter and the next one on commutative Banach algebras. Indeed, the Gelfand-Naimark theorem, that essentially states that elements of a commutative Banach *-algebra act like the functions on its maximal ideal space, has to rank as one of the most interesting results in the book, and indeed in all of mathematics.

This book was recommended for our analysis course (final year at Adelaide University). It helped me pass the course but more importantly, gave me an interest in metric spaces and topology. The book is an excellent communicator and nearly 20 years after I have read it I am looking out for a secondhand copy!

This is a fine book, but not quite in the 5-star league. Let me elaborate. The book is divided into three parts: general topology, the theory of Banach and Hilbert spaces, and Banach algebras. The first two parts lead, by way of synthesis, to the last part, where some interesting but elementary results are proved about Banach algebras in general and C*-algebras in particular. I might mention, for example, the Spectral theorem for compact self-adjoint operators, the Stone representation theorem, and the Gelfand-Naimark theorem.

I can attest from personal experience that the book is well-written; indeed I worked through it chapter by chapter. But today there do exist a plethora of other treatments that can at least rival this text in lucidity, organisation and coverage. For example, for general topology, there is an excellent text by Willard titled 'General Topology',as well as Hocking and Young's old 'Topology'. Both of these go much further in the realm of point-set topology than Simmons. Similarly there are any number of well-written texts on functional analysis that cover the subject of Banach spaces, Hilbert spaces and self-adjoint operators very clearly. Indeed in some respects I feel the Simmons book was inadequate by itself and needed to be supplemented by a text on linear algebra; self-adjoint operators -- and by implication, the Spectral theorem -- need to be seen and manipulated in the finite-dimensional version before one examines their infinite-dimensional generalisation. The Simmons book is a bit weak here; one needs to be playing with matrices.

These are, however, minor quibbles. The book can be recommended to a junior- or senior-level undergraduate.

This book is so good and a breath of fresh air. The bad part is having to put it down.

This is a compelling tale of a family's deep love coming painfully apart over the agonizing loss of a beloved child. The surprising magic of redemption will make any reader smile for the rest of the holiday season pondering how such wonders can arise while knowing that they do. Loved the book and will give it liberally to those I cherish.

I read this book in manuscript form last Jan. and absolutely loved it!!! I read it to my husband in about 90 minutes or so and we both were crying at the end. It makes us realize how VERY important families are and should be. We need stories like this more. I love heartwarming stories like this and the story gives us so much to think about, as we both felt it is so life-affirming. This will make a great Christmas gift for all. We both highly recommend it. We have our own personally autographed copy and I will be spreading the word around for friends and family to buy it for Christmas gifts.

The James Miracle inspires hope and reiterates the power of family.
The James Miracle had me hooked from the first paragraph. The perfect mix of humor and real-life challenges make the characters so real. I was able to directly relate to their feelings, challenges and success stories. The author touches an emotional chord and teaches the reader about the strength of a family and the amazing faith of a child. When I finished the book, I realized that I had experienced a whole range of emotion including laughter, sorrow, and hope. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

I am very picky about what I read but thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is captivating to a very broad audience because of its relevance. Throughout its humorous, entertaining, yet dramatic story line it reminds us of important truths about family relationships, dealing with life's challenges, and faith. It reminds us of what is most important in life and motivates us to live so we have no regrets. I enjoyed the warm, interesting writing style and definitely recommend reading this small literary masterpiece.

Sferazza-Anthony has put together a book on the Kennedy White House that is like none of the other million Kennedy books out there. It includes many never-before-seen photographs such as the Wexford interiors (surprisingly ugly and unstylish!) an interior shot at Glen Ora, etc. The details of day-to-day life in the Kennedy White House can only be matched by JB West's "Upstairs at the White House" (out of print). A must-have for Kennedy buffs and admirers.

This book was a wonder to read and the pictures in it were amazing. Defentitly recomment it!

This book is great. I love the pictures, but some of the text was too boring for me. I was only interested in the parts of text that had "Caroline" or "John, Jr." in them. A lot of the pictures I have never seen before and it was a joy to see them in this book!

This book is primarily worth it for the mnay great photos of JFK and Jackie, especially of the White House rooms themselves. That said, the text is pretty good, as well. Two items of interest--that isn't J. Edgar Hoover behind Jackie on the front cover but lookalike Secret Service agent Stewart G. "Stu" Stout, Jr. Also, I like the picture of Marilyn Monroe with Secret Service agent Floyd M. Boring (wearing glasses) in front of her on the steps!
[...]

What a classy book that one is! The White House as it was at the time of the Kennedys... and looking at some of those never seen before pictures, we can relive the elegance, charm and grace of that unique period. Two thumbs up Mr. Sferrazza!!

This makes a great study whether you do this as a group or individually. I highly recommend this book for anyone. It helps keep you encouraged in the midst of a battle or if you are just looking to deepen your walk with the Lord. This book also makes a great gift & will bless others.

Kay Arthur is great at getting you into the Word. As you study and mark the Scriptures, they come to life and you start to see the truths, which challenges you to grow in the Lord.

I first went through this study 11 years ago, it was given to me as a graduation present. When I wanted to focus on spiritual warfare again and didn't have access to my old book, I purchased this. This book is an excellent way to sharpen your spiritual weapons and hone your armor. As I said before, the first time I read this was 11 years ago and I still remember snippets when I am going through rough times. I would highly reccomend this to anyone who is interested in learning how to conduct spiritual warfare. It is a very scriptural look at the battle we face and how to conquer our enemy.

The lessons in this book will teach you to STAND FIRM in the midst trials and turmoil, and will help you understand and apply spiritual truth. Ephesians is the focus of this study and Kay Arthur gives you an overview of the history of Ephesus and how the culture is no different than today's. Kay takes you through the scriptures so you can learn truth inductively and then she guides you in how to apply it. Learn to write your own personal prayers right from the scriptures and activate the power of God's word in your heart and life! It takes diligent study and you need to commit at least 20 minutes a day, but it is well worth the time and effort. You won't want to stop studying once you get into this! I am only on Lesson 4 and am doing this with a group of 7 people and God is already moving in powerful ways. I want to get up on the rooftop and shout the message that EVERYONE needs to do this study! This is a very effective tool for being equipped to do battle, and believe me everyone of us is in some kind of battle, whether we realize it or not. Get prepared!

Kay Arthur deftly tackles a topic that not all churches and ministers will discuss: spiritual warfare. That this warfare is all around us, in many of the day-to-day situations we face, is a fact, and Arthur draws constantly and completely from Scripture to arm her reader for battle. The book, which is designed to be an 11-week study but can be read at your own pace, offers daily readings. Most days require the reader to look up and examine more closely specific Scriptural verses. Arthur does a good job of digging into the "evidence" in God's Word for points that she makes; everything is adequately supported in Scripture. What we found most interesting were the real-life stories she quotes from people she's known. Some are rather disturbing, but we must open our eyes to them.

Lucia Lucas (born Emmeline Smith) wished the world to know that the recent death of her husband's aunt, who was 83 years old and who had spent the last seven of them bed-ridden in a private lunatic asylum, was "a grievous blow". Suppressed were the facts that neither Lucia nor her husband had hitherto given much thought to the aunt, and the fact that when Lucia's husband last visited the aunt, seven years previously, she bit him. No, the world must be convinced that the death of "dear Aunt Amy" was not a "happy release", it was "a grievous blow", requiring the wearing of veils, the drawing of blinds, and stoically-born, inconsolable suffering.

So begins E F Benson's 1927 novel "Lucia In London", one of six in which the author chronicles the worlds of Riseholme and its social climbing leading resident, Lucia. I say "worlds" because we are presented with two worlds. There is the real world and the world of pretence. Most characters, especially Lucia live in both worlds. What they privately covet, the publically despise. What they really feel, for example at the death of an aunt, they suppress in order to pretend to something more publically admired.

Benson's chronicles are great fun. The pretence, the point scoring, the absurdity, are richly detailed. There's not much testosterone, but there's a chuckle at least in every sentence.

This is the ultimate book for social climbers everywhere - Lucia the Queen of the tiny town of Riseholm goes to London and takes the town by storm.

This is such a brilliant story - absolutely hilarious - full of the beauty of social sycophancy and insincerity. Everyone knowing what is going on except Lucia who is (almost always) triumphant.

When Lucia's husband's aunt dies they are left with a house in London (and when the news is received in Risehome much calculation is doneby everyone based on no real facts at all.) It is up to Lucia's sidekick, Georgie, to wheedle the news out of her about the house in London and the income.

Lucia, who has always stated how she loathes London has now (very reluctantly you understand) decided to go to London for the season. Her departure from Riseholme however has a number of effects - the first being the power vacuum in Riseholme itself, and secondly she really does end up taking London by storm. Even the most vague of acquaintances of hers are treated as close bosom friends and called by their first names and name dropped shamelessly by her everywhere. This goes on till there is a firm group of Luciaphils in London who are so astonished and appreciative of her powers as the Queen of Social climbing that they establish an informal club to help her and to admire her mastery at work.

In Riseholme life does not go on without Lucia, it goes on firmly DESPITE her - everyone is determined to make a success of their village in her absence to show how much she is not at all needed there. There is the museum to establish,and then Daisy Quantock has helped them all discover the Ouija Board and the powerful spirit Guide (Abfou). They spend a great deal of time 'weedj-ing' for signs of what to do next.

If you haven't discovered Lucia novels yet, you must - Benson writes wonderful sardonic stories full of the small, pettiness of village life and its power struggles. This is wonderful light, laugh out loud stuff.

Since the other reviews here relate to the printed version of the E.F. Benson book, I thought I'd chime in with a review that is specific to this CD version read by Geraldine McEwan.

McEwan starred as Lucia in the delightful "Mapp and Lucia" series in the mid-1980s. It's out on DVD now and I highly recommend you snatch it up immediately before it goes out of print. It's one of the very best British comedies ever.

In the series, McEwan establishes what I consider to be the definitive version of Lucia. She is so delightful that as soon as I found out her readings of two of the Lucia books had also been recorded, I bought them -- although I had never purchased books on tape/CD before.

Suffice it so say, I was not disappointed. McEwan is a wonderful reader who brings out all the wit of the books, and I can't stress enough how marvelous it is to hear her once again using her "Lucia voice."

This has my highest recommendation.

Continuing the extraordinary adventures of Lucia, Benson's delightful story is full of the gossip and social-climbing one comes to expect of Lucia. Peppino, Lucia's husband, inherits a fortune and a house in London after the death of his aunt. Lucia has been the queen of all of Riseholme for ages, with her court including her best friend Georgie, an eternal bachelor who embroiders. When she ascends to London, Riseholme is bereft and feeling slighted, but soon they plot their revenge. Unfortunately for them, Lucia conquers London's high society and overcomes all obstacles in her path to greatness. But can Lucia keep up the pace of London society? And does she plan to desert her beloved Riseholme forever? The Lucia series, beginning with "Queen Lucia", is a delicious concoction of maliciousness and snobbery that will convert any reader.

I prefer Lucia in the country, though it is fun to see her get her comeuppance so regularly. Using her best social-climbing instincts and refusing to be embarrassed, Lucia sets out to conquer London and mingle with the beau monde. Soon a secret group of "Luciaphiles" springs up; the social climbers who make up its rank never tire of watching her get into and out of all kinds of trouble.

A noir mystery with political intrigue. Comparing anyone to Chandler or Hammett is expecting an awful lot, but Mazel does have that potential. There's a real presence to the setting -- Manhattan becomes one of the characters, and the protagonist, Alex Rada, is infused with a dry wit that makes you smile to yourself. A wonderful achievement and a great book. Highly recommended

Fans of the hardboiled genre, there is a new private investigator in New York City, Alex Rada, a former NY police officer. Katharine Raines, a college professor and political consultant to Delaney Lynch, candidate for the U.S. Senate in New York, hires Rada to investigate the disappearance of grad student, Susan Blake. Upon discovering that she has been murdered in her apartment, Rada is determined to find out who committed the brutal murder. There are a number of twists and turns in this plot. And the ending will surprise the reader. Mazel writes action scenes that keep readers sitting on the edge of their chairs in suspense. The scene of Rada chasing a suspect through the streets of New York was riveting. The prologue introduces the reader to Alex and sets the stage effectively for the story. I particularly like titles for every chapter. I am looking forward to Alex Rada's next investigation and to finding out more about Alex.

Engrossing intriguing novel with interesting characters, dialogue and intricately woven plot. Alex Rada is someone I'd like to know: a little flawed, tough and good. I look forward to another read from this author.

This is a great mystery with a terrific lead character. The story kept me guessing, and the minor characters are very well drawn. The political part of the book seemed so real, I thought the author must have been in politics. A really terrific read, and it makes you think of the moral ambiguities in our own lives.

Henry F. Mazel has accomplished something his first time at bat few mystery writers manage even after a lifetime of writing -- he's brought a fresh voice to the mystery field. . . One of the best things about this book is that it has been written by someone who's obviously "been around." There is a certain cynicism and worldliness to Mazel's words that is lacking in the majority of mystery novels published today. Read Mazel's description of a political rally, and how a candidate needs to wait for the right moment to make her appearance:

"About forty-five minutes -- that's what it took to let the excitement really build, to allow the gathered throng to generate a feeding frenzy. Less time and they wouldn't peak, any more time and there would have been that bead of anxiety that leads to restlessness and the first signs of resentment. And you couldn't have that."

. . .This book is both different and fun. Recommended for all types of mystery fans -- and especially for those favoring hardboiled/noir fiction.