Roger Books

This novel about Roger Bacon, the great English medieval monk and scientific thinker, is one of the finest historical novels ever written, and yet -- paradoxically -- it is also one of the finest science-fiction novels ever written, by one of the greatest writers of science fiction who ever lived.

It is science fiction because it deals with a man who dares to envision a future changed by scientific discovery and technological innovation, in a time and a place where such thoughts are all but unimaginable ... and yet, because Blish so carefully yet unobtrusively grounds his work in superb historical research and recreation, it works perfectly.

It is a tragedy that this book is out of print.

[NOTE: DOCTOR MIRABILIS is the first volume of what Blish intended to be a trilogy under the general title AFTER SUCH KNOWLEDGE..., from the ancient question, "After such knowledge, what forgiveness"? The middle novel actually is two novels -- BLACK EASTER and THE DAY AFTER JUDGMENT, which are entertaining and disturbing but not quite up to the first and third novels in the sequence. The last novel in the trilogy is A CASE OF CONSCIENCE, every bit as magnificent as DOCTOR MIRABILIS. Some brillaint publisher should do an omnibus volume.]

People looking for a book that captures the atmosphere of the Middle Ages - both the intellectual life and the everyday life - would be much better advised to read this book than, for example, Umberto Eco's Name of the Rose. I definitely agree with the other reviewer that this is a classic which should be much better known. Not only is the content interesting for the reasons mentioned above, but it is very well written - a fine piece of literature. My only complaint would be that it is too short.

Another novel which I think does a wonderful job of capturing the feel of life in the High Middle Ages is T.H. White's Once and Future King.

A wonderful wonderful book.Although the book was written some 150 year ago, Mary Eliza Rogers takes you into the intimacies of daily life in Palestine in the 1850's as if it was occurring today. She writes from her heart with honesty,integrity and a clear mind. And although written at a time of Victorian prejudicies and colonialism she writes without bias or judgement. From her beautiful and colourful descriptions one can envisage the Holy Land as it was before undergoing the process of modernisation and change. For anyone who has any attachment to this land it is a truly wonderful and personal experience to read this book.

A wonderful wonderful book.Although the book was written some 150 year ago, Mary Eliza Rogers takes you into the intimacies of daily life in Palestine in the 1850's as if it was occurring today. She writes from her heart with honesty,integrity and a clear mind. And although written at a time of Victorian prejudicies and colonialism she writes without bias or judgement. From her beautiful and colourful descriptions one can envisage the Holy Land as it was before undergoing the process of modernisation and change. For anyone who has any attachment to this land it is a truly wonderful and personal experience to read this book.

Roger Duvoisin's DONKEY DONKEY tells of a donkey who has the strangest ears on the farm - long, and sticking up straight. He wants a new look - but nobody can agree on how Donkey-donkey's ears should look best. Each farm animal has a different idea! This book first appeared in 1933 and is only the second written and illustrated by Caldecott medalist winner Duvoisin. It went out of print in the late 1970s, so it's an excellent acquisition libraries need to replace a well worn shelf classic.

My husband had this book when he was a child. His mother put it away and saved it for him and now we read it to our girls. The kids love it and as a parent, it is one of my absolute favorites. There are so many children's books I dread reading over and over and over but I really never get tired of this one. The writing and illustrations are charming and it teaches an important lesson. I highly recommend it!

This volume is not a single work, but two: "The Firebird", by Edmund Cooper, and "From the World's End" by Roger Lancelyn Green (of Robin Hood fame) are bound into a single volume. Both are very well-written fantasies, focusing on the famed Phoenix and its legendary rebirth. Both novels are said to be allegories rich in imagery and analogues; I think they're just fine writing. Read them for the story.

These will both soon be rediscovered as modern classics of fantasy.

While the fantasy masters (Morris, Dunsany, etc.) republished in the Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series continue to remain in print, the authors of this slim but rewarding volume have been sadly forgotten. Presenting a pairing of two allegorical novellas dealing with the Phoenix of myth, it succeeds both as entertainment & something deeper. Let me especially note Cooper's "The Firebird" -- if his use of the Journey of Life is straightforward, his detailed images, rich colors, & evocative landscapes bring that journey to vivid life. The novella is as much a tone poem, a flowing music, as it is narrative; it deserves to be much better known. And Green's "From the World's End" is subtle & literate work, with pyschological depth. Together, these two novellas will transport readers & leave them thoughtful afterwards. Those looking for typical action & adventure will be disappointed; those looking for insight & mythic resonance will find both in abundance. Highly recommended!

Fans of the blues will thoroughly enjoy this outstanding book by Roger Wood and James Fraher, who spent seven years researching and interviewing folks involved with the largely "invisible" blues music scene in Houston and the surrounding area. Fraher's photographs are outstanding, and they help drive the lively text. The authors interviewed musicians, club owners, producers and many others associated with the music scene in Houston's Third Ward and the Fifth Ward. The book moves easily from clubs to ballrooms to barbecue joints, where the music first took root and is still played today. Many legendary blues musicians such as Lightnin' Hopkins, Clifton Chenier, Gatemouth Brown and others of similar rank make appearances in the text. This is a high-quality book from a production standpoint and is an incredible bargain at full price or the Amazon.com sale price.

Roger Wood begins this labor of love with a tacit admission that, on moving to H-town in 1981 for job related purposes, he was unaware of the blues history lining the cracks of the nearby Third Ward sidewalks until the February 1, 1982 obituary in the Houston Chronicle of lifelong native Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins. With this tome under his belt it appears he's made up for lost time since then.

In addition to covering the wealth of blues greats who were either born in Houston or called the area home for any length of time, Wood also documents the underbelly of the lower class club scene, those low rent juke joints and converted shotgun houses that kept the I-IV-V alive all those decades, and still continues to do so. Wood rightfully laments the city's growing distance from it's blues heritage as well as the disappearance of it's historic venues, but "Down in Houston" is a verbal and pictorial testament to the bedrock that no one can strip away.

It's an eye-opener. This book will teach you how to talk to your kids about drugs and much more.

I found this book to be very helpful in understanding one my child's vulnerability to drug's, and treatment options for a second child. It was clear and easy to read. It would probably even be of interest to all parents.

You'll laugh! :) If you enjoy playing mad libs, this is another great one... and if you're from a dysfunctional family... and who isn't???...all the more!

It's a great price and I had no idea these products existed! Shipping was very fast.

Book is particularly applicable to B2B e-commerce companies who are trying to adjust their revenue models on the fly. Amazingly objective narrative, real-life examples from A-list personnel rather than hypothetical case studies differentiates the book from the theoretical drivel that is pervasive today.

Roger Kenny is managing partner of Boardroom Consultants and Ram Charan is a consultant and professor at Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business.

The heart of this slender volume is a mention of a study done by the venture capital firm, Onset Ventures. Nearly 80% of startups fail to survive the first 18 months of life. Onset surveyed 360 startups and found that one group had a 70% chance of making it. This group of companies had CEOs who used mentors with experience running both startups and large businesses.

Such mentors can often be developed and effectively employed in a Board of Directors/Board of Advisors capacity.

Effective Boards in startups involve partnership between Board members and managers, not oversight. The term "E-Board" is used to differentiate this kind of structure from the traditional governance-oriented Boards of established companies.

We think this is a book well worth having if you are a CEO or someone interested in serving on a Board. Facilitating and advancing such E-Boards is really what boardoptions.com is all about.

www.boardoptions.com/ Stybel Peabody/Sixty State Street, S. 700/ Boston, MA 02109/ lstybel@stybelpeabody.com

I read this book for my first women's studies course in college. The documents presented here provide interesting illustrations of women's lives and work and of ideas and conventions about women's roles in American society. It is a valuable resource for academics and teachers, and an interesting read for everyone else.

Its a shame that in many history classes, half of the human experience is virtually ignored. This is even more apparent in terms of anthologies of documents. Nancy Woloch has made an outstanding contribution in correcting this in her _Early American Women_.

The book is marvelous in the wide variety of documents it contains. There is census data from Spanish California, accounts of Iroquois women in government, oral histories of slaves (and mistresses), and some really fabulous material on the 19th century sufferage movement. The voices of women from all social classes can be heard here, from the colonial era to the Progressive period. It is very well rounded, and I will certainly be including it as a part of my curriculum.

The only short-coming I find in the book is its lack of statistical and visual documents. With this minor criticism said, I highly recommend this book to educators, especially those in the discipline of history.

I loved this cookbook! Easy to follow recipes are simple to prepare with common, on-hand ingredients. Enjoy wholesome, low fat meals that your family will love!

I recommend this book wholeheartedly! Not only are the finished dishes savory and attractive, but they are also low-in-fat AND elegant enough for entertaining. Add a salad, bread, and a dessert, and you have a dinner party, created with remarkably little fuss. Many of the recipes only improve in flavor when made ahead, too, and freeze well.