Reds Books

great for people who love to doodle and who enjoy reaching inside and having fun with your inner self

An excellent variety of simple, but quite creative activities to start you thinking about yourself. I wish there were follow ups of this kind.

This is a great book to get you started in self-expressive journaling and doodling. There is such a variety of reflections and exercises- you can pick and choose the ones you're in the mood to do. I haven't finished going through all of the exercises, but it is a fun book so far. The pages are filled with doodles and drawings by the author. They invite play and spontaneity. It is a great way to get to know yourself better and explore a new means of self-expression.

This book is a wonderful tool for someone needing to find themselves. I also use this to channel my anger. It was very well done and I think everyone should have a copy!!!

Be creative everyday. This book gets you going in answering some easy and some deep questions. Lots of fun while "getting it." Easy to do and to do some each day or quite a bit a one sitting. Enjoy!

When I experienced a year of loss which included the death of my husband, this was the one book that brought me peace and hope for the future. It can be read in a moment, in an hour, in a month or a year. The text is simple yet beautifully presented, and the accompanying art is uplifting.

A friend gave me this book in 1996 when my mother died. It brought me so much comfort then, and still does. The simple, and eloquent phrases and drawings together kindly provide understanding to the feelings experienced while grieving. I frequently re-read it. I was very sad when it went out of print, and purchased two used copies to give to others. I'm very happy to see that it's back!

My best friend gave me this book when my Mom died. It was overwhelmingly the most comforting words and pictures I read that day and the weeks afterward. If you want to give some comfort to someone you love, or if you need some comfort of your own, this book will give it to you. I have had it now for 15 years, and when I re-read it, it still delivers - even after all this time.

my best friend died almost 2 years ago, and i almost killed myself over it. she was more like a sister to me than a friend. our families were so close. i started seeking therapy, and my therapist read this book to me, and it really helped me. i bought the book for me, and my deceased best friends mother. its a wonderful book, and it truly helped me to get through the toughest time of my life. i read the book tonight for the third time, and realized that the feelings that its describing arent the feelings i am going through, but the feelings that i have overcome. i would love to personally thank rusty berkus for his amazing help by writing this book, and i recomend it to anyone who is grieving over any lost. god bless!

The simplicity of this book is its power. The author and illustrator combine their immense talent to give us images in which we can linger as long as we need until we are ready to move on. Despite your religious or spiritual reference, this book transcends boundaries that might exist and speaks to us of renewal and transformation. One can read it over and over again and be touched in new ways with each reading. Often I have used it to take to a friend, slowing down to read it out loud to them, sharing its peace. Through many deep losses in my own life, this treasure has been one I return to. I deeply regret it is not now available and encourage you to ask for it to be made available. It is a gift to yourself and to anyone you love who is grieving from death, from the loss of part of oneself, from addiction.... Highly recommend.

So many different people and groups claim lineage with the Rosicrucians there is no way to really tell which one's are legitimate and which are not. Although this book may be about the true Rosicrucian Order it doesn't mean the information is accurate. It does contain some interesting information but I think it needs to be taken with a grain of salt. And I have to admit that I got bored with the many pages of tarot explainations that were presented as if they represented the true inner teaching of the Order.

Dr. Case was a gift to humanity and True and Invisible Rosicrucian Order is a crown jewel amongst the treasure of material he left behind. It is not for everybody. This book requires patience and many readings to get the full value out of it.

I agree with the other reviewers who say that the BOTA lessons provide a necessary foundation for truly getting the most out of this dense and difficult text. That being said, there is so much value here words fail me.

I have read so many books on occultism. I have started so many "self-initiation" programs. When I found the BOTA I felt like I was coming home. When I then discovered this book I felt like I found a treasure chest in the attic. I have spent the last two years primarily focused on studying this text and no other experience in my life (outside of my marriage) has provided me with such clear exercise and evidence of spiritual development.

I am humbled by Dr. Case and his legacy. My only prayer is that I might become a channel for that Divine Love that has so graciously provided my being. I owe it to Dr. Case that I even have an inkling of the worthiness of that prayer.

Those of us who are serious Seekers can struggle for years before the light begins to dawn. I have been a Freemason for many years and an SRIA member. I have read Boehme, Blake and others. Struggled with Tarot and Qabalah, but on getting into this book the scales fell from my eyes. Many feel within; and struggle to find words. Paul Foster Case finds them for us.

Who were the Rosicrucians? Appearing out of nowhere in 1614, the Rosicrucian fraternity anonymously published two manifestoes and then went silent. Because of this silence, many scholars surmised that the Rosicrucian Order was just an elaborate hoax... but the the Rosicrucian manifestoes undeniably had an immediate and profound impact on the philosophy, science, and politics of the age. Even unto the Twenty-First Century, Rosicrucian thinking continues to play a major role in Freemasonry and many other esoteric organizations.

Paul Foster Case wrote "The True and Invisible Rosicrucian Order" because he believed that the original Rosicrucian manifestoes were written in a sort of Qabalistic short-hand, making them clearly understandable to those versed in alchemy and Qabala-- and obscuring much of their meaning from the general reading public. The first portion of Case's book is an exhaustive look at the Rosicrucian manifestoes, gleaning a treasure-trove of Qabalistic symbolism, numerology, and sacred geometry from the literal words printed in the documents; the second half of this book presents a series of highly subjective meditations on Rosicrucian philosophy, using Tarot keys to communicate the wisdom of the Rosicrucian masters.

The first portion of the book, covering the Rosicrucian manifestoes, is hardly light reading. Case spends page after page delving into the esoteric significance of the two Rosicrucian documents, reading deeply between the lines for a hint as to their real meaning. Admittedly, Dr. Case's style is relentlessly analytical, and he writes with a sort of focused intensity that may not appeal to everyone. Much of this material is difficult to grasp, many of Dr. Case's references are obscure, and there are several entire chapters which are little more than advanced occult geometry lessons. Despite these entirely valid criticisms, however, Case's analysis of the Rosicrucian manifestoes stands as a tour de force of Qabalistic Gematria and Rosicrucian philosophy. You simply won't find a better work of this nature anywhere! As Case correctly points out, the Rosicrucian manifestoes were addressed to an "erudite" reading audience, and their occultic significance could not have been missed by the practicing alchemists and philosophers of early Seventeenth-Century Europe.

My favorite parts of the first section of the book are those discussing Brother C.R.C.'s allegorical tale, the geometry of the Vault of the Adeptii, and especially the meaning of the Rosicrucian rose-cross symbol (Case's analysis of this symbol will undoubtedly have special significance to Scottish Rite Masons!).

Where the first half of this book is unnervingly direct, the second half is more subtle. This section covers the traditional Rosicrucian scheme of initiation (patterned after the Qabalistic 'Tree of Life' diagram), and provides the reader with a true system of self-initiation very much in accord with the Golden Dawn tradition. Because each Grade of Initiation is associated with a particular center on the Tree of Life, Dr. Case focuses on one aspect or attribute of that center, and then uses the Qabalistic attributions of the Hebrew letters in that word to establish a set of "doctrines" for each Grade. These doctrines are then exemplified using their associated Tarot Keys, providing the would-be initiate with a complete series of Tarot meditations to guide them up the Path.

The methods suggested in "The True and Invisible Rosicrucian Order" are solid, but unfortunately, this book doesn't provide any instructions for carrying them out. This was probably by design, and there are certainly strong arguments in favor of this omission, but it's easy to see how the would-be initiate might become frustrated with the book's total lack of guidance. Individuals who are already familiar with Case's writing will probably have an inkling about how to use these meditations to their best effect, and for this reason, I would strongly recommend reading Case's other masterpiece, "The Tarot: A Key to the Wisdom of the Ancients," before attempting to tackle the exercises suggested in this book.

Paul Foster Case was a gifted teacher, and this book is probably his crowning achievement in the field of occultism. Outside of B.O.T.A., the Order that Case founded, you aren't going to find a more open discussion of his techniques. However, because of the complexity of "The True and Invisible Rosicrucian Order," this certainly isn't a title that I would recommend to a beginner on the Path.

For more information about B.O.T.A., see http://www.bota.org.

SHALOM!

Paul foster case presents a true understanding of the inner principles of the Invisible Order of The True Rosicrucians based on the two true manifestoes.I was skeptical of course at first,but being a student of occult sciences such as Qabalah,Mental Alchemy,Esoteric Astrology,and yes Esoteric Tarot,he hits it at the heart.He does not claim to be a rosicrucian nor his school to be a Rosicrucian Order as such.He simply states what is clearly seen by those with eyes to see.The True rosicrucian order is in the hearts of all the children Of the ONE INFINITE REALITY,plain and simple.

Beautifully written children's adventure set in the English Lake District in the 1930's. The same cast of characters as Swallows and Amazons and Swallowdale but with the addition of two new characters - Dorothy and Dick Callum, who also appear later in the series in The Big Six, Coot Club, the Picts and the Martyrs and Great Northern. All about an extended winter holiday on and around the lake as it slowly freezes over. Ice skating, sledging, exploring, rescuing crag-fast sheep, the adventures come one after the other. As well-written as all Arthur Ransome's childrens books were, and an enjoyable time-warped look at what life for the english middle class was like in the 30's in Britain. I grew up reading these books and find them just as enjoyable now as I did when I was 10 years old.

Our family has enjoyed the Swallows & Amazon series more than I initially expected. Each book has taken a few chapters to pull us in and we take it slowly; these are worth your time. The children in the stories are what my kids want to be like: independent and capable, fun loving and creative. The plots and themes are simple and interesting. I recommend the whole series for reading aloud and encourage readers to not drop them if they are not as fast paced as other stories.

Coming on the tails of a full-throttle fantasy in PETER DUCK, Ransome comes back down to earth in WINTER HOLIDAY. It's January at the old lake, and now we're seeing things from the viewpoint of Dick and Dorothea Callum, the children of two archaeologists who are digging in Egypt and sent their children to spend their winter holiday with a family friend. The D's, as they become known, are different from the rough-and-ready Swallows and Amazons; Dorothea is a dreamy sort, an aspiring novelist, and Dick is an intellectual, an amateur naturalist and astronomer.

Of course, they meet up with the Swallows and Amazons, quickly making friends and providing their worth to the group with their quick wit and superior ice-skating(!). The group is mourning that soon their holidays will be over when Nancy comes down with the mumps, meaning that the group can't go back to school for another month until they're sure they won't pass the infection to others. Then a huge freeze descends, blanketing the land in snow and freezing the lake.

The story is full of delightful exploring in the snow, something I remember myself from my own childhood. The crew build an igloo, rescue a stranded sheep, and learn field communication techniques (actual practical knowledge there). The D's encounter actual physical danger when they set off for the northern end of the lake after a miscommunication, and end up caught in a blizzard, but all ends well and their place in the group is firmly established when the rest are impressed with their courage and grit.

Again, another delightful adventure from Ransome, something great for kids and parents alike. A good guide for cold-weather adventure, and also a nice antidote to summer heat. Kids will learn the aforementioned field communication bit, but other messages include the importance of good deeds (in rescuing the sheep and also the kids' determination to rescue the D's when they're feared lost), as well as common themes of courage, capability, and that everyone has something to contribute.

Next in the series: The D's take center stage in COOT CLUB.

There I was just browsing at a store, and just happened to glance at this particular color of this book...and picked it up read the cover and fell in to the illustration, and the breif excerpts on the back cover... I am just so excited over the wanting and longing to snuggle up with my children and read this to them, but not to them...really, but to read for myself...this is going to be a start of something big... I also went researching for Mr.Arthur Ransomes books, and found web sites leading to history and all the good things that come with a curious mind, that wants to discover...where did all those adorable children who seem to live in a perfect world, live, whom were pictured on the cover of "Winter Holiday"... This is a "National Geographic" for children of all ages... I cannot wait for a more perfect day to begin reading this, as the house doesn't have to be clean, nor the dishes washed, maybe this is the perfect front porch with lemonade, book... Best regards on your adventure through "Winter Holiday"

It's been a year and a half since the Walkers (the Swallows) first met the Blackett sisters (the Amazons) and were plunged into Captain Nancy's adventurous worldview (not that they didn't have one of their own already). Now, for the first time, we see the six from an outside view--though still that of young people: Dick Callum, astronomy buff, and his sister Dorothea ("Dot"), aspiring novelist, are staying at the lake while their parents are off digging in Egypt over the Christmas holidays, and are caught up in the adventures of the senior group when they attempt to "signal to Mars" by night. The Walkers and Blacketts, inspired by the coldest winter the lake has experienced in living memory, are training for an expedition to the North Pole (the far upper end of the lake), "only the beastly Arctic won't freeze." Quite unexpectedly Captain Nancy saves the day by coming down with mumps, which requires all the others to be kept out of school for a month lest they spread the contagion. The Blacketts' uncle Captain Flint reappears too, playing a pivotal role in the expedition's preparations. Much of the story is told from the viewpoint of the ever-imaginitive Dorothea, whose writer's mind puts a unique spin on what she sees. As always there are misunderstandings with the "natives" (local adults, rechristened Eskimos for purposes of the season), and a literally chilling sequence during which the Callums are blown to the Pole by a sudden blizzard. Ransome here proves that it doesn't have to be summer for his Lake Country to provide plenty of good story fodder, and in the process gives us a unique children's adventure tale that should be as eagerly welcomed as a read-aloud as any of the others in the series. Not to be missed.

These are retold fairy tales, but not the funny ones. Still, by exploring the tragedy, warmth, and soulfulness of these tales, deeply talented authors delve into the soul and try to find comfort int hese new flavors of fairy tales.

This anthology is one of the most emotionally wrenching and satisfying collections of stories that I've read-not just from fantasy authors, but from anyone. Dealing with the darker aspects of childhood, including abuse and alienation, the stories and poetry are full of depth and transformation; magic, despair, and ultimately hope. Some exceptional stories are "The Armless Maiden" by Midori Snyder, "The Juniper Tree" by Peter Straub, "The Lion and the Lark" by Patricia McKillip, "The Lily and the Weaver's Heart" by Nancy Etchemendy, "In the House of My Enemy" by Charles De Lint, and "In the Night Country" by Ellen Steiber. The poems are all beautiful. This book is definitely on my desert island list.

This is a short review.

Actually, this is not a review atall, although I should say it, shortly and to the point: The ArmlessMaiden is a gorgeous anthology, one of the best I've ever read.

This is just a message to people who might stumble upon it in a bookstore or library.

The message is: read it.

You will not be disappointed.

This book has a myriad of short stories, poems, & essays about survivors of child abuse. They are all worked around fairy-tale themes but not Disneyified: no handsome prince comes to rescue a child; instead, these children escape through their own courage & perseverance. An AMAZING book. A shame it is out of print--but I've seen copies used & in remainder bins at bookstores so do yourself a favor & keep looking! This book will make you shudder, weep, cringe, but ultimately leaves you w/a feeling of hope. All the pieces are good, but standouts include Terri Windling's, Charles De Lint's, Ellen Steiber's, & Munro Sickafoose's. Another wonderful aspect is that Windling ignores genre boundaries & hence you see authors such as Sharon Olds & Anne Sexton represented as well. Highly recommended!

I love adult fairy tales, but it seems that all too often, writers pump up the sex and violence to render the tales "adult", rather than more deeply exploring the human emotional dramas in the stories. Maybe that's why I love _The Armless Maiden_. The tales and poems here do include sex and violence, yes, but at their heart is the triumph of the human spirit.

If we look carefully at fairy tales, many of them are actually about what we would now call child abuse. Cinderella was neglected. Handel and Gretel were abandoned. Donkeyskin suffered incest. And there are so many more. And in most of the stories, the protagonist rises above the situation somehow--in the old versions, usually by gaining fortune and position. In the stories in _The Armless Maiden_, the triumph is more often psychological. I read once--I think it was in a book by Marina Warner--that the essential theme of the fairy tale is transformation. In these stories, we see victims transformed into survivors.

These are serious fairy tales for our times, and I recommend the book both to abuse survivors and to those who did not suffer abuse (trust me, everyone knows someone who did). My personal favorite contributions are Emma Bull's poem about Cinderella's stepsister regretting the friendship they never had, and Ellen Kushner's "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep", the story of a young girl in the custody of a cold-hearted guardian, and haunted by the ghost of the woman's unhappy daughter.

I purchased this book based on the reviews of it here, and I'm happy to add my own ringing endorsement. I began reading this book to my three-month old daughter (she is now six months old), and she loves it each time. We read it daily. The rhyming is strong and simple; the repetition makes my little girl laugh. She gets excited and babbles from the first page. It's actually fun to read aloud, since "Moo Moo Moo" and "Caw Caw Caw" and "Squeak Squeak Squeak" are fun sounds to make (along with all the other sounds). What is especially sweet is that Goose -- or some part of her -- is on every panel, and she is chasing a little yellow butterfly throughout the book. The repetition of "But where's Goose?" provides the opportunity to look for her and point out other animals. The artwork is eye-catching, vivid, and sophisticated enough for an adult to appreciate too. This one belongs on every child's bookshelf, and I'll be buying Fleming's other books as well.

I got this book for my daughter when she was a newborn, and she started reacting to it when she was only 2 months old. She smiles at the rhymes and at the brightly colored illustrations. It is also fun for the parent b/c you can embellish the story in so many ways while reading it--talking about the colors, counting animals, finding the goose & the butterfly on each page, etc. I'm sure there are several years of wondeerful readings ahead of us yet!

This is one of my toddlers favorite books. She loves the rhyming and the colors on the book and will ask us to read it over and over to her. Simply one of the best books to teach barnyard animals and their sounds to your children. I can't say enough praise about this book and how much my daughter loves it!!

This book is simple yet fantastically fun and educational. My 7 month old loves to hear it and smiles as soon as I begin the first page. He can be in the throws of whaling anytime, anywhere and I begin to recite the rhyming animal noises and he just giggles! It is amazing how such a simple idea, so well written, can bring so much fun! You have to get this one!

It's a back-handed compliment, to say the least, to mention that every time I read a new Denise Fleming book I'm shocked by how much I enjoy reading it. When I haven't perused a Fleming creation in a while, I have a nasty tendency to lump her in with fellow author/illustrators Lois Ehlert or Eric Carle. But Fleming has something those two will never have. A keen sense of what makes a colored cotton pulp illustration funny. Ever since I first laid eyes on her clever "Lunch" (a title I highly recommend) I became a real fan. And with "Barnyard Banter", I can clearly state that this is a children's picture book writer with a highly entertaining gaggle of tricks up her sleeve.

This is a book that initially seems to be best categorized as one of those baryard sound titles. The first two-page spread shows a three cow herd of red-eyed (some might say demonic) heifers accompanied by the words, "Cows in the pasture, moo, moo, moo". On the next page are two strutting birds with a, "Roosters in the barnyard, cocka-doodle-doo". You get the idea. Each two-page spread rhymes with the next, which makes for some creative stretches on the part of the author (apparently frogs say "burp burp burp"). As this jouncy book continues, once in a while the words, "But where's Goose?" appear in a corner. The goose, for its part, actually appears in every single animal's spotlight in some way. When we're viewing pigeons in the rafters, goose is far below perpetually chasing an elusive butterfly. When we're amidst the crows of the cornfield, the goose's beak peeks out from the lower right-hand side, stretching towards the flutterby above. This means that kids can have a lot of fun going through the book and finding that semi-obsessive goosey.

The words of the book are catchy, especially in a section that is simply every three-letter animal cry we've read combined into a bouncy rhythmic poem. So points should be given for the kind of text that gets little pre-schoolers involved (any book you can sing to usually falls into that category). But many a slap-happy sing-n-dance text has been brought low by dull colorless or otherwise blah illustrations. Not so here. Using her customary technique of (and I'm quoting the book jacket here), "pouring colored cotton pulp through hand-cut stencils" in a method described as "pulp painting", this book's a ribald explosion of color and form. Though you'd swear, just glancing at it, that this was yet another cut paper picture book, closer inspection reveals the complicated process that "Barnyard Banter" required. You've got coffee grounds for soil! You've got kernels of oats for grain bins! You've even got portions of burlap sacks disguised as chicken-wire fences. And the colors... oh the colors. Part of my love for Fleming's other book, "Lunch" was due to her firm grasp of the primaries. That love can now be transferred to this book as well. The whole tale's awash in bright clear-cut images that could easily leave you blinking your eyes from sunspots.

Whether you're searching for a book that follows the whole "the says" genre, or you want a book that uses rhythm in a novel way, or even if you just want a story where kids can locate an elusive naughty animal, "Barnyard Banter" fulfills all these needs and more. I tip my hat to Denise Fleming and promise her that I will never ever ever confuse her again with Lois Ehlert. Ever. In fact I'll do more than that. I'll remember how much I like Fleming's books and recommend them to all I see. That, I feel, is a perfectly appropriate penance. And one that I am not the least bit reluctant about carrying out.

When Frances finds herself being excluded by her best friend Albert, she turns to her sister for friendship. When they form an all-girls club and plan a big picnic to show Albert what fun they are having without him, there are sure to be lessons learned all around!

This book is sure to be a favorite with all the young readers in your family circle!

You can't go wrong with a Russell Hoban Frances book for young children. The text deals with everyday problems small kids face.

This is a great story about being kind to your sister. We see a good lesson that your sister can be your best friend too. I loved Frances books as a kid and I am so happy that my children love them as well.

Another great book from the Frances series by Russell Hoban. In this episode, Frances's friend Albert is not very interested in playing with her, especially because she is a girl, so Frances turns to her sister Gloria for a playmate. When Frances and Gloria plan a "best friends" outing complete with an enormous picnic lunch, Albert reconsiders the wisdom of not being friends with girls. I like this one both for the positive development of the sometimes-difficult relationship between Frances and her little sister Gloria, but also for the portrayal of girls who like to play baseball and catch frogs.

My family is fairly unanimous that this is our favorite Frances book (with "A Birthday For Frances" the likely runner up.) Frances both stands up to being excluded and learns not to do the same thing herself; her anger at Albert is realistic and her "revenge" funny but not cruel; and everyone resolves their conflicts in a friendly way. The wording of the exchanges between Frances and Albert is exquisitely well done, I think: Hoban expresses such nuances in language that gets through to even small children. And last but not least, Frances's little songs are always hilarious and this book has some of the best ones of all, which my 2-year-old daughter has learned by heart.

I remember years back when Gail and Ken where in PSP and Gail said she was going to write a book.....Well Gail "WELL DONE" you are on the spot and tell it as it really is.
JMMZ
Chandler, Az. and still in the sky

Gail Hopke writes clearly and with an obvious wealth of experience. It's good to see a book that concentrates on training in an area which has been sorely neglected. I look forward to hearing more from this well versed writer.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who would like to be a personal flight attendant on a private jet you would be working with the rich, famous, U.S presidents, and international celebrates. Its a WINNER!!!

I read book cover to cover before putting it down. Very well written covering all the basics and more. Highly recommeded for anyone with an inkling to fly the skies and to meet interesting people! If you havn't decided where you're going in life, take a look a this, you'll be on the right runway!

An excellent and informative book. Everything you would ever need to know to become a top-notch attendent. Learn from a first-class professional, who has been all over the world, the special touches that will set you apart from the ordinary attendant!

The D's return to the S&A series and to the Norfolk Broads in a late summer adventure.

This time, they come to the aid of their friends, the Coot Club, who find themselves suspects when boats are repeatedly set adrift along the broads, always when they're around. The police are questioning them and the townspeople are hostile. The kids, sadly realizing that they can't count on the law, start gathering evidence on their own.

What follows is a fun low-tech version of CSI as they inspect bicycle tire tracks, handprints in paint, and other clues. But when a theft heats things up, the kids have to set a cunning trap to reveal the real culprits.

This is a fun, stimulating novel for kids. Lots of independent adventure and some practical material for budding criminalists. And there's Ransome's affectionate portrait of the Norfolk Broads and its waterside lifestyle that (by all reports) is mostly gone now.

One debit: A character briefly cuts loose with some language that was innocent for the time period but is objectionable today. (The dreaded "N" word...) It's not done maliciously but parents might want to ready a discussion with their kids about it. But don't let that stop you from enjoying this fine book.

Next in the series: A problematic fantasy with MISSEE LEE.

"Big Six" is Arthur Ransome's ninth book in the Swallows and Amazons series. It features neither Swallows nor Amazons but rather follows once more the adventures of the two D's and their friends of the Coot Club on the Norfolk Broads. In this story, some members of the Coot Club happen to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time and suddenly find themselves accused of certain misdeeds. Unfortunately, the allegations hanging over them are serious enough to threaten the very future of the club unless the true miscreants can be discovered and exposed. So, rather than spending their time sailing or engaged in acts of bird preservation, the Coot Club has no choice but to turn into a detective agency instead, determined to clear the name and restore the reputations of their friends.

The central plot aside, Ransome still finds ways within this story to involve the children in many typical pre-war Norfolk Broads' activities and introduce us to some wonderful Norfolk characters. Indeed, throughout this book, he manages to paint a vivid picture of life on the Broads in a by-gone era; all using language and a writing style that should appeal to both children and grown-ups alike. As usual, the story is presented with intelligence, charm and wit, as well as with an overriding humility and an obvious love for the places and people of whom he writes.

Some episodes in this book (especially the smoking of the eels) will have most adults crying with laughter, while for the majority of younger readers the excitement of the detective story will undoubtedly be the overridingly memorable element. Ultimately, though, it is the author's heart-warming respect for children and the way they see the world around them that shines through and makes this book so enjoyable for readers of all ages.

I loved this book and all the other books by Arthur Ransome. My Mom read them when she was young and said I should read them too. She was right. The story is exciting, the characters are fun and I couldn't put this book down.

That's what Dorothea Callum, aspiring novelist, says when she and brother Dick learn of the troubles of their old friends the Norfolk Coots. But a detective story is what the Callums end up living as they try to help mend the situation. This book probably takes place concurrently with "We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea" and "Secret Water;" it's September, near the end of the summer holidays, and Dick and Dorothea have come down to Horning to stay with Mrs. Barrable again (presumably their parents are off on another archaeological jaunt). The Six of the title are the D's, doctor's son Tom Dudgeon, and the young Death and Glories, Bill, Joe, and Pete (Port and Starboard, the twin sisters of "Coot Club," have been shipped off to boarding school in Paris). The D&G's, through circumstantial evidence, are suspected of setting adrift a number of boats and of stealing and selling a quantity of naval shackles, and Constable Tedder is determined to bring them to book. In sheer self-defense the Six resolve to prove their innocence--and thanks to Dorothea's creative mind and Dick's keen powers of observation, plus a clever photographic trap, they succeed. Though the very best volumes of this series take place in the Lake Country, and there's not as much sailing or even imaginative play in this one as in most, the detections of the Six are very well done, with some of the best scenes coming as Dorothea tries to put herself into the skin of "the villain," as they call whoever seems to be setting the D&G's up for a fall. A good change of pace for this beloved series.

The other group of children that Arthur Ransome created, the Death or Glories and Tom Dudgeon, Port and Starboard, collectively known as the Coot Club are here embroiled in another adventure. Accompanied by the Ds, whom avid readers will know from earlier AR books, they turn detective and track down the villians who are casting off boats on the Norfolk Broads. As usual Arthur Ransome was writing in a class of his own. A note of caution: don't imagine that Norfolk and the surrounding countryside, especially Lowestoft, bears any resemblance to the places described in these books. The last two thirds of the 20th century were not kind to our poor old country and nowhere is this more starkly illustrated than in our seaside towns. Read the book instead and dream of life before the car was king.

Very few books I have read of late I could not put down. This book though, I couldn't put down from the time I started reading it! This is probably the best Black Sabbath book out there and it goes where a lot of Sabbath books dare not tread nor show in a positive light (see "Black Sabbath" by Steven Rosen), which is the post-Ozzy Osbourne era Black Sabbath. Garry Sharpe-Young did his homework for this book and gives a very informative and insightful look at were Black Sabbath went after Ozzy left the band and up to the time they reunited with him 18 years later. Leaving almost no rock unturned, Sharpe-Young digs deep into those days with a ton of interviews from fomer band members, crew, and those close to the band and also manages not to give a very biased look on Black Sabbath throughout the book.
The book claims to be more about Tony Iommi, who was the only consistant Sabbath member from the beginning, which, of course, the bluk of the book is about, but I found that the book is probably more focused on Geoff Nicholls, the on-and-off "official" Black Sabbath member (keyboards, and sometimes second guitarist and bassist) from 1979 to 2002. Nicholls gives a wealth of information on his time with the band (which is the entire length of the book) and is very insightful about his journey throughout that period of Sabbath history. Also, Sharpe-Young manages to contact in some way just about every ex-Sabbath member from that time period (which, from the number of members that had gone though the band since Osbourne left is no small feat!) and get very good information from each of them. Also, interviewing "ex-vocalists" Jeff Fenholt and David Donato was a major coup and it finally sheds some light on thier involvement with the band that fans have been asking questions about for years. The only drawback was not going into both the Live-Aid Reunion Show with Ozzy very much. I know some fans (myself included) would like to know the atmosphere with the original band members at that time and is an important event in Sabbath's history. But, this being my only minor complaint, the rest of the book is brillant!
Well worth the price and bravo to Garry Sharpe-Young for writing such an EXCELLENT book!! A MUST READ!!!!

This unauthorized biography is an excellent piece of research about the post ozzy history up untill the days of the disasterous "Forbidden" album. The book is written with great care. There isnt a whole bunch of "revelations" that real sabbath fans would not have already known, but it is the craft of establishing the history that makes it so valuable. There were many quotes and original interviews that I had not seen before. Certianly Garry Sharpe-Young has provided the fans with a much confused history of the band, brought about by the fact that there was too many changes in the band lineup through this period, and a difficulty for many of the lead singers to continue the role. The book does paint Toni Iommi more mercifully than I thought concerning this period. Many of the line up changes simply were out of Iommis hands (Deep Purples 84 reunion, bad personel problems through 7th star, Glen Hughes punch out incident, etc.) the picture of Gillan nude was pretty gross and shocking. It would have been interesting to see more pictures from Born Again tour (actually the highest selling album of the period) and from the demise of the last period. Certianly the book is complete and paints a world favorite, if not image confused band. A must for any serious fan of the band.

For many, Black Sabbath is and always will be Ozzy Osbourne's band. If you're one of those, than this book is not for you.
But, if you're a real fan and have enjoyed the many post-Ozzy albums this band has released, then this book is a rare find. For too long the era between 1979 to the present has been minimised or alltogether ignored by any who write about Sabbath, as if those years never existed. What nonsense! Fans usually had to rely on pieced together information (most of it innacurate or misleading) from a wide variety of sources to know the complete history of the band. This book finally puts all this information into a cohesive timeline starting from the masterpiece Heaven and Hell album through the 80's and 90's finishing with the mediocre Forbidden, to this date, Sabbath's last studio album. Yes Black Sabbath reunited with Ozzy but only for live performances, save for two new studio tracks on the Reunion album, but I digress.
For a die hard fans such as myself, who thought had heard or read every band story there is, I was shocked at some of the stuff inlcuded here. The whole Jeff Fenhol issue... was he or was he not in Sabbath? Their never ending quest for a stable lineup. The "bassist" in the Headless Cross video. Who wrote what songs on which album. The list of revelations goes on and on.
What really surprises me is the self sabotage that seemed to plague the band. With band members being treated as little more than hired help, it's no wonder there was never a stable lineup! And when they did seem to get it together, during the Headless Cross - Tyr era, they shoot themselves in the foot by reuniting with Ronnie James Dio and putting out a rather mediocre album, Dehumanizer.
Of course, we all know that Tony Iommi IS Black Sabbath,as he is the main part of the Sabbath sound, a gifted guitarist and riff-master extraordinaire. He is the sole original member that kept the band going against all odds. But the best part of this book is that credit is given where its due to the many who contributed along the way, chief among them keyboardist/bassist/songwriter Geoff Nicholls, whose contributions are much more than any may think. Also singer Tony Martin, who is one of the best singers around and on a par with Dio and Gillan, and certainly WAY better than Ozzy, gets his (long overdue) place to tell his side of the story.
In closing, if you're a Black Sabbath fan this book is an absolute MUST!

Well! after reading all the positive about this book, I though I had better give it a go and have a read.
Much to my surprise, it was quite a ramble given all the 'ARTISTS' the author had interviewed to construct the plot.
As with many of todays Music Biographies, the farther the story teller is removed from the actual occurance, the less convincing the information relayed is..
There is nothing here I am afraid to excite, It should have been a book as thick as 'WAR AND PEACE' given the cavalcade of Musicians that Tony Iommi shipped in and out to fill the original members boots, and keep the Black Sabbath flag flying.
This book is definitely Tony Iommis Black Sabbath; and not Black Sabbaths, BLACK SABBATH.....
That being said, it is Worth a read...

The Rock Detector goes to great lengths to provide all kinds of details about Sabbath band members (sometimes too many details about minor players) but...very cool to hear what was going on during those years. Too bad we didn't hear more from Tony, Geezer and Bill but then it would have been 'authorized.' Great to hear so much from Ian Gillan and Cozy Powell and lots of stuff regarding Ray Gillen and Rob Halford that I wasn't aware of.
Basically, the book confirms the Tony Iommi is the Riff-Master! Long live Tony! A must for Sabbath fans.