Classics Books

I think it's important to point out this book is realively small for the degree of degtail it contains. If you want to find out the answers to a great deal of cullinary questions without wading through highly verbose food science texts, then this is your book. It is certainly Europe centric.

This book is not for the faint of heart or the casual cook or reader! This is a most complete reference work on the art and science of cooking. If you ever wondered what happens to the food stuff when you cook it or why you do or don't add certain things together while preparing a dish this volume has all your answers. This is not a bedside reader but an excellent addition to your cookbook collection and reference shelf.

"On Cooking and Food" is the tool to obtain the base knowledge nesessary to do food right. This book is a culinary couse unto it's self, you will go to the next level in your cooking with this book.

The book is wonderful. If you love to cook and wonder why and how foods taste wonderful--or horrible--this the book for you. It explains which methods work and which don't and why they do. Worth every penny. Harold McGee is a good writer which makes the book a pleasant, worthwhile read.

McGee's book set out to teach you the science behind cooking--but ends up teaching you only the names of various compounds and reactions. Very little space is given to teaching the reader how to use food science to craft new recipes or to improve the implementation of existing recipes. Neither is any attention given to how our own kitchen experience can help us understand the nature of foodstuffs better. Also, it may be my own ignorance, but the science itself seems mostly descriptive and not analytical. While there is an appendix on chemistry--it is too little too late. Buying this book may help you impress your dinner guests with your talk, but look elsewhere for resources on how to become a better cook.

This work of fiction has fooled too many 'historians" to mention here. Proof? Just double-check Sajer's facts. For example, Sager claims to have witnessed a daylight Allied air raid against Berlin in the spring of 1943, before the Battle of Kursk. Sorry, Sager, but the first Allied daylight raid against Berlin was flown in March 1944. Then Sager claims to have seen Hitler Youth lads fighting alongside his panzergrenadier unit at Kursk. No Hitler Youth fought at Kursk, and Germany never clothed its grenadiers in HJ uniforms. After Kursk, Sager claims to have fought at Konotop, but the history of the German 183th Infantry Division [Weg und Schicksal der 183rd Infanterie-Division] , which defended Konotop in September 1943, makes it clear that no German armored or panzergrenadier units supported its efforts and the detailed situation map (a copy of an original) in the book does not depict the Grossdeutschland Division anywhere near the town. Similarly, Sager makes no mention of the Grossdeutschland Division's epic battles fought at Kirowograd, Rownoje, Cornesti, or even Targul Frumos. Instead, he claims to have spent much of this period of the war with his panzergrenadier company fighting Soviet partisan bands, a mission not typically assigned to elite panzergrenadier formations and one not mentioned in the Grossdeutschland Division's three-volume detailed factual history, by Helmuth Spaeter. Spaeter by the way went to his grave believing Sager was a fraud. Unfortunately, so many lazy historians (mostly American) have quoted Sager's bull as fact in their own manuscripts that they have a vested interest in perpetuating the myth of the Forgotten Soldier. Read Sager's book for fun; enjoy the novel. But even as a novel, the Forgotten Soldier can't hold a candle to either "The Cross of Iron" (Willi Heinrich) or "If This Be Glory" (Hasso G. Stachow), two of the very best novels on the German experience on the Eastern Front in WWII. Of course, Heinrich and Stachow fought on the Eastern Front; Sager didn't, and that makes a world of difference in terms of authenticity and accuracy.

Best War Book
This is not an anti-war book.
It is an eye witness account of war.
Read this book whether you hate or love war.

The best "ground" WWII book I have ever read. I'll never forget this book as long as I live.
You'll discover a whole new world if this is your first German/Russian WWII book.

Echos of Remarque's "All Quiet on the Western Front" - this book's actual accounts will leave the reader mentally drained. The graphic reality of combat on the Eastern front are jaw dropping. Combat experiences are conveyed expertly without self-praise nor self-loathing - just the facts and the struggle. Politics are abscent. The story shows a man's journey and his witness to the horrors of war in depths that could never be duplicated in other forms of media. If done in film it would be "Saving Private Ryan" to the factor of ten.

A prize book in my personal collection.

Awsome - the one word I use to describe this book.

Debates exist whether this book is non-fiction or fiction mainly due to the inaccuracies regarding specific details, some minor such as uniform markings. However, after researching this topic I came across a letter to the Editor of "Military Review", printed in the March-April 1997 edition, by a Douglas E. Nash. Nash eventually located Sajer and brought up some critical points that skeptics thought up regarding Sajer's inaccurracies. Sajer basically replied that what he wrote was concerned with what he experienced first-hand, and that he did not intend to write a tatical, encyclopedia-type war book.

After learning about this, my anxiety was gone - since I was concerned that the graphic, lucid, and gripping battle descriptions in this book may be all imaginary. But they are all true. It is amazing that anyone could survive a major battle on the Eastern Front after reading what Sajer and his fellow soldiers encountered. A must read.

This book is a keeper for all ages. Young children (and I mean really young, you'd be amazed at who will pay attention to these illustrations) can point out details and ideas with very few prompts. You can simplify your language when telling this story to a 15 month old, and then expand your vocabulary and sentence levels for older children. Even kindergarteners love this book. They can re-tell the story without being able to read. They can answer questions about characters, motivations, predictions. Please do not let the fact that there are not a lot of "written words" turn you off from this story. Every good storytime reader knows that descriptions, questions, and "what's happening here?" are most beneficial to young children.

Please give it a chance. Your child will love it!

(from an early childhood speech pathologist)

There's so very much for young children to see, learn and imagine in this wonderful book, Good Night Gorilla. The illustrations are as wonderful as the text, suggesting the feelings of the characters as the silly and exciting story progresses.

Every child will be tickled by the idea of all the zoo animals following the zoo keeper back to his little house, much to the surprise of his wife. All the animals in this book are sweetly detailed, and will keep your child coming back to Good Night Gorilla over and over again.

My daughter loves this book. It's definitely a pre-bedtime favorite and it is a terrific segue into telling her that since the zoo is going ni-ni that she has to as well.

We love this book. The art is great and the story is fun. My kids love to go through and follow the mouse, follow the balloon, identify the different animals, etc. My son's favorite part is the different voices I use for the animals saying Good Night. But one thing makes us sad - we check off all the animals' dollies (they find the armadillo's hysterical) but we cannot find a dolly for the lion!! I tell them maybe he's sitting on it. Surely he has one.

At any rate, we love this book and would not hesitate to recommend it.

My 20 month old daughter loves this book. Most nights I get "more" from her meaning "read it one more time". She loves this book and the surprise eyes at the end make her smile every time. I'd recommend buying this book and Ten Minutes Till Bedtime by the same author. If you buy that book, on one of the pages you can see the same illustration as in Goodnight Gorilla outside the window. My 4 year old loves to put the two books together so you can see both illustrations side by side.

I have forgotten all about this book until someone mentioned it in a bookclub that I belong to. She reads it to her son every night. And I remember how much fun I had reading it to my nephew 13 years ago on vacation, so I scurried online and ordered a copy of it. My sons (even though they are probably too old for it) request it every night since it arrived. They think it is a hoot and a hollar. And they beg me to keep turning the pages (I must be raising some fearless boys!) and when they get to the end, they giggle with glee.

My advice is, don't wait to buy this book. Get it now and enjoy some reading time with your children. This book is just absolutely fun and I know that it will keep my sons interested in reading. At least they'll remember mom struggling to keep the pages closed ...

7/22/08

What can I say...it's a blue furry masterpiece. I read it so much as a kid that the cover of the book came off. I'm finding more and more people that count this book among their all-time favorites. An "interactive" book by old school standards. Order this book now.

Stephanie Moulton Sarkis PhD NCC LMHC
Author, Psychotherapist, and ADHD Expert

My son is not into Sesame Street at all, but he still loves this book. I bought it for him because I remember my mother reading it to me and my sisters when we were little. It's a classic that's still great for kids of all ages. My 1 year old loves the characters and my 3 year old loves the story. It's a great addition to our night time stories! I bought 2 so I could give one as a gift because I love it so much

Oh, the suspense.

Oh, the surprise!

Oh, I love reading this book with my kids.

In fact, it is the *perfect* book to read as I introduce a new food at mealtime, because everyone has to take a bite before we turn the page... to see what happens... with the MONSTER at the end of this book. (Mealtimes around here are often informal. Such is life.)

So in addition to a great kids' book, it's a great Mommy tool. I'm buying a copy to throw in the hope chests of each of my kids -- they can read it to their own families in 25 years.

Amazon made it easy to find the book I wanted and the price I wanted.
I'm very pleased with shipping and how fast I got them.
THANKS AMAZON !!!

Very nice set--I purchased it for a gift and am very pleased with it :)

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a whole series of books about a girl named Laura Ingalls Wilder. The books talk about some of the hardships Laura and her family faced. These books also tell about every thing that happened in her life from Wisconsin all the way to Kansas. The story of her life starts as a young girl and talks about her getting married as a young lady. The books tell how she changed and some of the places she went and even some of the people she met.
I like these books because the way these books were written because they were written so you fell like you are actually there. I also like these books because they tell what people had to go through in the 1800's. I read all these books and I liked them. If you read them you will like them too.

"They're an inspirational source of literature that celebrates the turn of the century, the struggle of the American family and the bonds that held them together."

These books are straight garbage, a friend got them for me and they stink...I could totally pWn Pa Ingall's IRL.

Fantastic set. My daughter was very excited to receive the set and continue her reading journey. The quality of the set was very good and will last a long time.

I purchased these books for my eight year old daughter. We read all of them already. She loved them, and so did I. I was a little disappointed that there were no pictures at all. In the older version, there were some very beautiful pictures that helped bring understanding to some of the concepts of being a pioneer. Overall, this was a great purchase.

I bought this for my three-year-old and she enjoyed the way it opens up the mind to an adventure through drawing, just as I myself did. Wonderful book for children.

Harold's story is fun and creative and gets my son asking lots of questions about Harold's events. Can't wait to get abother one of his adventure books.

this is one of those books where not only do the children in my life enjoy this book, but i do as well. for a kid's book, it's pretty existential. A boy goes through this world where nothing exists and with his purple crayon, creates his world. What makes it more than just a kids book, what gives it the philosophical premise is that even though harold starts the story with this crayon, and has the power to draw anything, become anything, because all he need do is draw whatever he wants to be or where ever he wants to go, even though he has this power, he is unsatisfied and goes on a journey. he uses his crayon to create the world as he goes through it and ultimately finds some contentment, a resting place if you will :P, but the fact that he can create is irrelevant, its a means to an end. The implied 'end' gives us something to think about, and though the children who are meant to be reading this book will not go into such depth with the symbolism or the philosophy, they will pick up on some of the questions the author asks, like what is harold looking for? why did he need to do all that stuff if he was just going to end up back at home? (though actually he didn't start at home). even if the kids don't burst their brains thinking about this, even if they don't come to any logical conclusion, even if they don't ask any questions to begin with, i think exposing our kids to this kind of story is important. aside from being very amusing, it provides intellectual stimulation for those who look for it and for those who don't, well one day they may look back on this story as an example of some conclusion or another they have drawn. Even if they never understand the story philosophically, the fact that they are exposed to it will register somewhere in their heads and what they know of it will teach them something about life (as does everything, which always gets me critical of the constant stream of nothing we shove down our kids throats, like the bastardisations of stories presented by disney and now barbie... and lets not even talk about pop culture).
anyways, the kids i read this to love it. its a great story, i recommend

This is a great book to get in hardcover because you will use it alot if you have children of your own. If you are a children's literature collector you will want to look at older hard to find copies to invest in. For the rest of us this is a beloved favorite baby gift, but an even better first grader book. If you have a slow reader this book will help those who are struggling to read the opportunity to read a BIG book and for reasons I do not know it is often a "boy" favorite. The language is not babyish or unfriendly to adults so it will be a great laptime read for uncles and aunts to read as fill in bedtime readers.

My five year old son loves this book. It inspires creativity in kids to create what they can dream up.

I have had this book over 10 years and it is wonderful. It introduced me to mythology and hooked me from the beginning. I remember spending much time studying the pictures which are bright and detailed. Beyond being entertaining, the stories helped to prepare me for the frequent references to greek mythology in all types of art.

Our daughter received this book when she was about three, we started reading it to her one night, and for the next five years at least we continued reading and re-reading through it every night. Talk about an early start on the great Greek Myths! To this day I'm sure Athena's owl is still flapping and hooting about in her brain. Really, this was the best possible way for our kids to discover and imbibe these great god and goddess, hero and heroine legends. Each tale is told in a straightforward page or two with one or two unpretentious but memorable color illustrations. That treatment worked well because the stories themselves are so plainly marvelous. Our son liked them too for quite a while, but then moved on to the D'Aulaire book of the Norse myths, and ultimately he was attracted more to non-fiction than to fiction. I hope my own writing is influenced by the years we spent with the D'Aulaires. Take Me With You When You Go

When I was only a few years old, the first book my father ever read to me from and that I in turn read from was D'aulaires Book of Greek Myths, and that has proven to be the spark that kindled my fascination with human societies. My single greatest passion is the chronology of human history, which was stirred in me at a very young age by this book, without which I cannot even imagine the difference in my life. I never would have read the Iliad and the Odyssey, which spurred me into the Aeneid, which in turn created a desire to learn more of factual Greece and Rome (respectively), which then broadened my interests towards the civilations of Mesopotamian antiquity, eventually encompassing the whole world. I am now an undergraduate student of anthropology at one of the best liberal arts colleges in the country, and my life would never have been the same without the advent of this book.

I really like the way this book is written because each story blends easily into the next. The pictures really help the younger ones to follow along and it makes the myths more enjoyable to read. I bought this to read to my young daughter and she really enjoyed it.

I bought this for my godsons (5 and 7) based on my own fond memories of this work. I remembered the wonderful drawings and the vividly told stories from Greek Mythology and was happy to have passed this along to another generation. Some of the stories require a bit of editing when used as bedtime storytelling ("Why did he marry his sister?"). I plan on getting the Norse Myths collection for Christmas this year.

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me
Anything can happen, child
ANYTHING can be.
~ pg. 27

I first heard about Shel Silverstein in a strange way. One of his poems is about Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout and LUSH beauty products has a shampoo with the same name. When I looked the name up online I found the amusing poem about a girl who never takes out the garbage.

These poems are at times laugh-out-loud funny and at times delightfully silly. There are quirky drawings throughout that make the poems even more enjoyable. One minute you are laughing and the next you are having memories of Alice in Wonderland or other books you read as a child like The Little Engine that Could. The only poem I question is "Dreadful" but I suppose some people think it is funny.

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And There the grass grows soft and while,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
~ pg. 64

A few of the poems struck me as especially profound while the poem about the Giraffe was very creative. After reading this collection I'll definitely look for more books by Shel Silverstein. While these poems may have been written for children they can be enjoyed by anyone from 9 to 120.

~The Rebecca Review

Nothing I could write here would explain how great of a book you are about to purchase. All I can say is... I loved it as a child and my son loves it. Stop wasting time and buy it now!!

let me just say first off (and some of you may boo at me for this) that i am not a big fan of poetry, especially those that don't rhyme, layered with so much metaphor wrapped in some sort of old english language. those of you who can appreciate those, know i'm more than eager to submit in the "im not worthy! im not worthy!" throes. call it barbaric or just plain shallow, but i'd rather stick to the sing-songy rhymes of my elementary days.

now, saying that i absolutely loved Where the Sidewalk Ends should not be construed as a statement that Silverstein's work is shallow. piddling my knowledge might be about bodies of poetry, in whatever form, this one thing i am sure of: that though this book can be read to kids (and [gasp!] can actually be understood and enjoyed by them), it somehow still manages to deliver punchlines that could draw forth a surprised smile or chuckle from an adult--at least those not totally drowning in cynicism or morbid depression. but who knows...

a lot of the poetry here are funny (not outright hilarious, more like plain goofy), and yet come to think of it, still some of those are actually quite sad, with undertones about life and life experiences we take for granted. like the "Snowman", "Invention", "What's in the Sack?", "I Won't Hatch!", "The Garden", "The Little Blue Engine", and even the subtly poignant "Love".

whether you actively seek a moral in any of the poems or just want to go for some light reading, this book (in my opinion) is sure to leave you with a wistful feeling. exactly about what...well, i can't say. but i loved it. and for me that's more than okay.

Got it for my girlfriend.. she loves it. I had never read it before and the poems are very cute, for both kids and adults. I highly recommend it.

Shel Silverstein's poems are so enjoyable because they are fun but also touch on the realities of life. Along with the fun poetry are some great illustrations!

I read this book the first time when I was in Jr. high school. I know I have reread it at least ten times. I have 2 copies one falling apart and one to lend to friends. As you can surely see I love this book.

Yes! I have read a few books that I wanted to read again. However, "Mrs. Mike" by Benedict and Nancy Freedman found me wanting to re-read chapters the first time through.
This treasure will be stored in a special place to be read again and again when I want to go back in time, feel feelings and thank God for talented authors.
I wish I had found it as a teenager, or a young mother. Guess this retiree should just be grateful that I was given this warm gift in my latter years.

Mrs Mike is an old friend. I first read and enjoyed this book more than 35 years ago. This story chronicals the life of mountie Sgt Mike and Mrs. Mike. It honestly chronicals these lives and shows that it is in the sharing of the small things that make life joyful. I'm so happy to be able to now be able to now share this book with my neice

I just got this book again since I lost/loaned my first copy. Although some have critisized the writing style, and the facts, I really enjoyed this book. I think it's one to keep on your shelf and pull out from time to time to reread.

I found this book in the school library when I was in 7th grade. I read it every year I was in school there. It was a wonderful story about a young girl who falls in love with a good man and talks about their life together. It made me laugh, cry, and cry some more. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good story. It is a great book.

I loved these characters, and thanks to Sharon Kay Penman, wanted more for these people than life had given them. When fiction, history and life can so perfectly mesh, a true and rare treat is waiting for you to pick it up and read it.

I read this book about 25 years ago and am pleased that I am enjoying it very much again! She writes very well. In the meantime, I have becomes convinced by reading new studies of the subject, that she has the wrong guy killing the "Princes in the Tower", but she's such a good writer and builds her story and "case" very well, so I am going to enjoy it anyway!

Rather than a novel of Richard III, this book was the tragedy of Richard III. I thought the writing was incredible and engrossing. Part one was a little slow, but necessary to paint the whole picture of Richard. Overall it was a book that was well worth the time and attention. I absolutely loved it. The mystery of the princes in the tower combined with the circumstances surrounding Richard's death and his short reign as King, made this book one that will haunt me for a long time.

The Sunne in Splendour tells the complicated story of Richard III, the last of the Plantagenet Kings. Younger brother of Edward IV, Richard would never have become king if not for a series of political maneuverings on his part. History (and Shakespeare) have made Richard out to be an evil, greedy hunchback; Sharon Kay Penman tells the story of a man who was fiercely loyal to the people he loved and who was reluctant to take the throne. Richard had his faults, to be sure; but in this novel, he comes off as extremely sympathetic.

Penman has a writing style that literally had me hooked from the first sentence. A trite cliché, I know, but I was definitely drawn in from the first page. I knew in advance of reading the story what the outcome would be, but still I kept on reading to see what would happen. The novel is fiction based on fact that sometimes seems like fiction.

The characters are well drawn; and while the book is ostensibly about Richard, we get to see the story as seen through the eyes of others, which I thought was well done. Penman has a knack of really getting into her characters, no matter what the time period or where they come from, which is nothing short of genius. The author even gives a thoroughly believable explanation for Richard's behavior with regard to his nephews, the Princes in the Tower, which was quite satisfying. And although the book is over 900 pages long, it only took me about a week to read; I was disappointed when I reached the last page. I can't believe that, with my interest in historical fiction, it's taken me this long to discover Sharon Kay Penman's works; I can't wait to read more by her.

Autumn 1459. A seven year-old boy gets lost in the forest. His easy-going eldest brother has had better things to do than watch over him, that is to say seducing a pretty servant girl. After a prolonged search the lad is found, having bravely fought his fear, and despite being afraid of punishment he doesn't even think of informing against his sibling. A fiercely loyal and earnest boy, he is the youngest of his family, small, dark and intense and very different from his three tall and fair brothers. He is Richard Plantagenet, who, as King Richard III, will go down in history as the epitome of evil.

The reader wonders what happened to turn this earnest child into a murderous usurper. Murderer he wasn't, claims Sharon Penman. Believable and compelling, the story of the four sons of Richard, Duke of York unfolds with all the relentlessness and inescapability of a Greek tragedy.

"The Sunne in Splendour" is a magnificent book. Intimate family scenes alternate with bloody battles, scenarios of betrayal and murder are followed by tender love scenes. A host of unforgettable characters populates it. There is the lovable Edmund, the first of the four Plantagenet princes to die; proud foolish Warwick and his tragic brother John Neville; the icily beautiful Elizabeth Woodville, Edward's queen; Bishop Morton, the snake in the grass; sweet-natured Elizabeth of York and Richard's dignified mother Cecily. All of them are complex, and stay with the reader for a long time.

Ms. Penman does not make the mistake to present Richard. Although far from being the monster More and Shakespeare described, her Richard is shown partly responsible for his nephews' fate. In her version he does not order their killing, of course, but he does not realise that by his taking the throne the children become pawns in other people's power games and pay for his thoughtlessness with their lives. Ms. Penman's explanation of the princes' disappearance and Richard's strange silence is as good and plausible as others. Her Richard is brave and loyal, but he can also be aloof and stubborn to the point of inflexibility. He can display subtle irony, but also biting wit, and is capable of considerable aggression, yet lacks the ultimate ruthlessness to secure his power. Reflecting upon his decision makes him admit his guilt - that he yielded to the temptation the Crown of England represented - and for the last months of his life he fells bitter remorse. Ms. Penman describes his depressed state of mind with such chilling accuracy, that his mother's fear for his immortal soul is almost tangible and very painful, and the ending leaves the reader bereaved as though he had lost a loved one.

The drama that was Richard's life and the way it is elucidated here makes one wonder why it hasn't been filmed yet. There is a cinematographic quality to many of Ms. Penman's scenarios; look for instance at the council meeting leading to Lord Hasting's execution, or at solitary young Richard riding in blazing sunshine towards Warwick's army camp to win Clarence back - these just beg to be filmed! Certainly, the ending is tragic and would leave the audience aching, but a skilled screenwriter may find a solution. A similar problem has been handled very well in "Braveheart".

Wherein now lies Richard's attraction? The Tudors, commonly associated with the beginning of the Modern Age, superficially appear more interesting as opposed to the Plantagenets who seem to symbolise the superstitions-ridden, unenlightened Middle Ages. Richard was born on the brink of the Modern Age and grew up in a world that witnessed the death throes of the medieval system of values, and yet, at a time when all conventional notions of loyalty and feudal allegiance had become a sham, there survived in him a core of chivalrous conduct that is very appealing, apparent for example in his just administration of the North and his legislation as King - supporting the weak as demanded by the knightly code of conduct. He seems a man born too late, and trying to adhere to such a strict code of behaviour needs must clash with the attitudes of more opportunistic characters who felt more at ease in this era of change.

Richard's physical courage, praised even by his detractors, originates in his chivalrous ideals, and his last ferocious charge down Ambion Hill to challenge Henry Tudor to single combat evokes heroic tales of earlier centuries, and indeed his decision to die a King rather than to flee was mentioned in a contemporary ballad.

Close to the end Richard's niece and nephews mourn their uncle's death and discuss their future, still hoping for fair treatment; future judicial murders and the destruction of Richard's reputation are only mentioned in the epilogue. However, learning about their fate is chilling. On the road to glorious Elizabeth I the Plantagenet blood seeped away as Henry VII and Henry VIII got rid of all potential heirs of the old dynasty.

To a modern observer this policy of merciless extermination appears depressingly modern. For all the beauty, progress and enlightenment the Renaissance brought, the Modern Age was setting out on a road that would lead to the atrocities of the 20th century. Gradually, dynastic wars were replaced by ideological ones, with ever more terror wrought on the common, civilian people who were included in the ideological and/or religious struggles. Already the atrocities of the Thirty Years' War and Cromwell's campaigns in Ireland, not unlike today's ethnical cleansing, loom in the future, premonitory of the final triumphs of secular humanism in the 20th century.

Richard Plantagenet died at thirty-two, his promising reign cut short by rebellion and treason. Ms. Penman brings him gloriously back to life for us, to be seen in a benevolent light at last. It is painful for the reader to lose him again, but the great achievement of this book is to show that there was nobility in Richard's cause as well as in his failure.