Historical Books

Wow! Book in perfect condition and delivery was prompt. I look forward to doing business again with this seller.

This novel can be summed up in one word, ASTOUNDING! It tells the tale of two families and how their lives are interlocked. Set in the early 1900's, Lustbader has managed to capture the essence of the time and the spirit of her characters. However, Lustbader goes even deeper, examining the thoughts and actions of her characters allowing them to be realistic in nature. They never ever fall flat or were seen as being unbelievable.

Not only do I give the book five stars, but also a well deserved two thumbs up - way up

A very moving and epic story. Victoria Lustbader is not only a wonderfully gifted writer, she understands the human condition.

I had read this book prior to my purchase in the large size paperback and liked it. The book I ordered thru Amazon was supposed to be a gift for a friend. The item shown on the website looked like the larger size paperback. When I rec'd it I was disappointed to find that it was a small size paperback. I sent it back to you and I'm hoping to see a credit on my statement when it arrives. I did not receive a confirmation from you claiming that a refund was made on my charge.

I really enjoyed her 1st book. I love Family Saga's and she did a great job writing the book. Her professional experience I'm sure helped a
lot. The characters are interesting and multi-faceted. I certainly hope book # 3 is a sequel.

I have been meaning to read Hitty: Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field (illustrated wonderfully in what I assume is pen and ink by Dorothy P. Lathrop) for a rather long time. Several years ago my mother bought me a reproduction Hitty doll by Robert Raikes (big deal carver of dolls and bears though he no longer seems to be making Hitty dolls).

After buying the doll, and doing a bit of research, we found an edition of Field's novel with the original 1929 text and illustrations. There is another, newer, edition with updated text by Rosemary Wells and illustrations by Susan Jeffers. The newer book came out, I believe, to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of Field's original novel. I never read this version, actually sending it back upon realizing it was an adaptation, but other reviewers' outrage at the changes suggest I was right to do so. If you haven't guessed already, Hitty fans are numerous and loyal.

Hitty, amazingly, was real. Hitty.org is but one site dedicated to chronicling the life and history of this amazing doll. The site includes the picture of a Daguerreotype actually mentioned in the novel as well as a variety of other interesting photos and well-researched facts.

As the subtitle suggests, Hitty is already a centenarian at the start of Field's fictionalized account of her adventures. Safely ensconced in a New York antique store equipped with quill and paper, Hitty decides it is high time to begin setting her story down for posterity. What follows is a children's novel that truly deserves the Newberry Medal it received in 1930 for "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children."

Hitty begins her life as a lucky piece of mountain-ash wood carried by an old peddler. In exchange for lodging during a particularly bad Maine winter, the Old Peddler decides to carve his piece of wood into a doll for the family's seven-year-old child, Phoebe Preble. Hitty and Phoebe have their share of adventures during their time together. More, it might be argued, than one doll could manage (including a section that reads very much like part of Moby Dick geared to a much younger audience). But, as readers realize soon enough, Hitty is no ordinary doll. As the story progresses, Hitty passes through many hands and a variety of owners. Like most things, some owners prove better than others in the same way that certain events of Hitty's life are more worthy of space in her memoirs than others.

When you realize that this book is from 1929, well before any other doll novels were published, it becomes clear that Hitty is something special because Field did it first. At first, I thought the novel might come off as dated since it was written so long ago. But I was happily proven wrong and found that the text stood up to my modern standards as well as Hitty's chemise survives her first century. Many of the insights that Hitty expresses throughout the book remain very accurate to this day. Hitty's calm demeanor and buoyant spirit also help to make this doll downright lovable.

Field's prose is wonderful. Even though I knew Hitty was safe in the antique shop, each new peril left me fearing for Hitty and in a state of suspense until I found out if she had survived. The people that Hitty passes during the course of her first century are equally well-realized in the text. In terms of classic children's literature (especially for a younger child), I can't think of many better examples.

If, you want still more Hitty, you can check out Gail Wilson's website. This very talented (and expensive) doll makers features her own version of Hitty available both ready-made and as a kit.

hitty....oh what fun we had reading this together as a family. i certainly did not know what i was geting in to when i started reading it aloud. very well written book; descriptive; memorable. after reading each chapter we wanted to rush to the library to find out about the place she had been. we also cooked a few things from different countries. we did not have a plan; it was so spontaneous; i think that is what i loved about it so much....learning at its best. my older children, after five years still remember vividly certain paragraphs. and we all smile thinking about how much fun we had reading this book together. i can hardly wait to read it to the younger ones. recently i purchased it for my shelf. it is certainly a keeper. copywork, narration, cooking, art, geography/history, a little science, etc... a years worth of curriculum in one book. all you need is a math book and your set. honestly, each chapter is like a springboard and it should not be hard to find a topic to learn more about. make some happy memories, read hitty aloud to your children. they will love it! (and you will, too...)

Many may remember Hitty from decades ago; I was introduced to her just a few years ago. Hitty: Her First Hundred Years is a wonderfully written, beautifully illustrated "children's" book that should be on everyone's reading list, regardless of age.

Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, as originally written by Rachel Field in 1929, is delightful. The story follows the adventures of a doll, carved by a peddler from a piece of mountain ash, as told in her own words. From being proclaimed a "heathen" goddess on a South Seas Island, traveling with a snake charmer in India, being alternately a fashion plate and a demure Quakeress in the midst of the Civil War, Hitty and her story are truly captivating. Rachel Field has given the world a wonderfully exciting and deeply touching glimpse at history through the eyes of this remarkable doll. The charm of this old fashioned story is enduring, powerful enough to endear itself to each new generation of readers that discovers it.

This book was interesting and fun to read. Ride along with, the doll, as she tells her life story. Watch as she goes from one owner to the next. This book is an adventure to read. Hitty has seen so much you forget she is a doll. This book pulles you in like a vacuum cleaner. You'll love it when she travles to New York. You'll jump out of your seat when she goes whale hunting or when she gets stuck in a tree. There is a couple of settings but it doesn't jump around. The message that i got out of the story is live life to it's fullest I would recomend this book to preteen girls that like history and fiction. This book was fantabouls!!!!!!!!!!

HOPE was by far my favorite book in the series. When Hope Kallahan leaves Michigan to meet the man she has agreed to married, she begins an adventure the likes of which she could've never imagined. When her stage is robbed, she is kidnapped and presumed to be the daughter of a senator. Her bumbling captures refuse to believe her when she tries to identify herself and she soon realizes she is dealing with a hopeless band of misfits. Though "Grunt" seems to be the only sane one in the bunch, he too tries her patience as she schemes to escape and get word to her betrothed that she is on her way. When Hope falls ill and is carried away by "Grunt" her suspicions are confirmed. "Grunt" is non other than Dan Sullivan, a government agent that has infiltrated the hapless gang that keep stealing government payrolls. As he tries to get Hope to Medford, they meet obstacle after obstacle. When weeks turn into months, a bond forms between them that neither of them is willing to admit to. Hope feels a responsibility to the man she has agreed to married even though she has never met him, and Dan feels it is his duty to see Hope safely to her destination.

I loved this story. While June and Faith were enjoyable, this one was captivating. Although the list of mishaps that befall Hope and Dan seems a bit outrageous, you are willing to put those feelings aside and enjoy the bond that begins to grow between these two people. A great book with great characters.

This book follows the story of Hope Kalahan, the last of the mail-order-bride Kalahan sisters to meet her husband. It is truly a fun and suspensful adventure (if a little on the predictable side).

The story starts with Hope, daughter of a deceased minister, listening to a senators daughter spouting memorized scripture on a stagecoach. (It is here where you learn of Hope deficiencies in remembering her fathers bible lessons!). Miss Ferry and her companion leave the stage early due to illness and Hope continues to meet her betrothed.

Enter Dan, aka Grunt, government agent and infiltrator of the Davidson gang, wanted for robbing stages carrying army payroll. (Might I add that he is, as every romantic hero should be, handsome as can be?). Well, if the gang leader didn't have plans to kidnap Miss Ferry for the senators ransom money!!

Mistaken for the senators daughter Hope is kidnapped and delayed from her betrothed for 2 months!! What happens during those 2 months? You should read and find out. It is a perfect romantic/comedy/adventure book!!! Full of all kinds of unbelievable events that are sure to leave the betrothed mans mind in a spin.

It is fun watching Hope evolve from a self centered girl into a compassionate woman. It is wonderful watching Dan observe these changes all the while respecting her promise to her future husband.

I simply loved this book. It has to be my favorite of the first three. I loved the other two but I absolutley read this one from cover to cover in one sitting. I could not put it down!

I absolutely loved this book and I was sad when it ended. This book isn't predictable like the first one and the character development is great. This book really drew me in; I just couldn't put it down. I really recommend this series.

The book was in the condition it said, it was a pretty slow delivery though took almost 2 weeks to get to me.

From the back cover:

Into his arms...

The moment she saw him she ran, desperate to escape. But he found her. U.S. Marshal Lucas McKenna made it clear his interest in Annie Sutton was very personal: he'd come to arrest her for the murder of his brother. Annie was at his mercy, trapped in a snowbound Colorado town, imprisoned in a makeshift jail until he could take her back to justice. She never expected to find love in the arms of a lawman determined to see her hang...

Into his heart...

Lucas McKenna, the msot feared lawman in the West, finally captured his brother's killer--only to feel trapped himself, tormented by her nearness, the feel of her in his arms, the scent of her hair. She said the killing was an accident. He couldn't afford to believe her. Yet as the winter passed, she slowly got under his skin, make him know her, set his heart afire. Until he had to decide: to lose his reputation and let her escape, or bring her to justice and risk losing her for good...

And my review:

This was a very enjoyable book. While it wasn't a can't-put-it-down, I still recommend it.

Thacker has a talent for creating loveable characters. They are true-to-life, honorable people, yet still somewhat flawed. They're human. Not gods, and not unlikeable, either. They're people you can relate to. I expected not to like Annie, given the fact that she had lived for three years as a married man's mistress. I should have hated her, yet somehow that was impossible. I couldn't help but love her.

The small-town thing was also well done in this book. This story had so many loveable characters in it. The townspeople were not paragons of saintly virtue, just real, human people that you would be happy to know.

The romance in this book was well done, and left me with that "warm glow" that romance readers crave. Yes, this book had its dark moments, but they never overwhelmed the story. And I really like the fact that the attraction between the characters was based on something more substantial than sexual chemistry. That is so rare in the lust-soaked world of romance today. Not that the hero and heroine weren't physically attracted to each other. They were, but it was in its proper place. The love came first, and the sexual attraction was an added bonus. That's just as it should be.

This story never got boring, yet it didn't feel like it was all plot, either. Fans of western romance (and even those who might not like it as much as other historical periods) will enjoy this book. I don't recommend many books (I consider myself a very hard sell), but I would recommend INTO THE SUNSET to all romance readers. I would also recommend the book HIS FORBIDDEN TOUCH by the same author, which is a five-star read.

Its an enjoyable story about a women(mistress) who kills her lover and his marshall brother who chases her down. The heroine of the piece comes from a less than ladylike background and bemoans the "i'm nothing, nobody likes me" line much longer than I cared for. In all fairness she is a goodhearted soul who proves to have backbone and eventually stands up for herself.
Lucas, our hero, is full of the "I am god" syndrome.......he gets to know annie and eventually sees thru her goodness that she must be innocent. He than puts hit macho determined "bring her to justice" attitude into the same effort to save her. The cute little town of eminence, col with all its good hearted busybodies is a delight. The 2-3 loves scenes were pretty brief and superficial. I rate a book according to whether I would read it a second time. I had to rate this low because although I enjoyed it, once was enough.

One of the greatest pleasures in reading is finding a new author who simply oozes talent. Shelly Thacker's INTO THE SUNSET is captivating from start to finish and if this is any indication of this author's storytelling ability, then I plan to read a great deal more from Ms. Thacker!

Mini Synopsis:
The Heroine - Annie Sutton is a genuinely good person. She readily offers a quick smile and a tender heart. Which is remarkable, because most of her life, Annie has felt like a fish out of water, but now the people of Eminence, Colorado are offering friendship and protection. And for the first time, Annie begins to feel at home! Difficult to understand? Not really! For Annie Sutton is a generous, admirable and caring person. Still, the question remains: has this former rich man's mistress found true acceptance or will the good people of Eminence turn their backs once they learn of her devastating background?

The Hero - U.S. Marshall Lucas McKenna is a dangerous man who chafes under the prejudice the good folks of Eminence show toward him. Yet, much more annoying are the unfamiliar sensations Antoinette Sutton pulls from him! For the first time in his life, Lucas McKenna is experiencing troubling feelings toward a prisoner! What is wrong with him? What has happened to his judgment? The woman HAS confessed! She has confessed to shooting his brother; she has confused to stealing his brother's money; she has even confessed to a baby - his brother's baby! In Lucas' mind, there is no doubt, Antoinette Sutton is immoral, contemptible and guilty, yet in Lucas' heart, Annie Sutton is courageous, honorable, and very innocent!

Reviewer's Comments:
There are many, many good things in Shelly Thacker's book. First of all, Lucas and Annie are two very enjoyable characters. Annie jumps from the pages as a lovely young woman, who is genuinely distressed over the mayhem her former lifestyle packs. And U.S. Marshal Lucas McKenna appears to be a good lawman, a lawman who doesn't know quite what to do with his prisoner or with his growing masculine feelings! Some good sexual tension crackles between the two, further heightened by the occasional reference to Annie's 'fancy woman' background. And this makes for delightful reading!

So why the slip from this reviewer's PERFECT grade? Although Thacker's dramatic climax is wonderful, it played out a little too tidy or maybe a little too forced! Still in the end, every character got their just dues and for that I was in total agreement! Conclusion: INTO THE SUNSET is a fabulous romance that's as captivating as it is tender. If you find a copy, do buy it, and read it . . . allow Shelly Thacker to steal your heart.

Status: Worth Reading Again
Grade: A-
Sensuality: Tender

MaryGrace Meloche.

I have just finished reading INTO THE SUNSET and found it a book hard to put down. The plot-story line is so different than the "usual" historical romance a refreshing change! I highly recommend this book.

It is my first book written by Ms. Thacker, needless to say, I am ceertainly going to read more of her writings.

If you can get past the fact that Annie was first the mistress of Lucas' brother James and then fell for him (Lucas), then you are golden. Annie running from the law after killing James is being pursued by Lucas, James' brother who is also a Marshall. He catches up with her in a small town where many have secrets but who seem to accept Annie as one of their own (well most of them anyway), even after they learn her painful secrets. James sets up a jail in the town to await the end of the snow and keeps her his prisoner. Much to his dismay he finds himself wildly attracted to this brother killer. It's a great story with a great ending. At first I didn't think there was any way this young lady was going to be able to explain what happened and still be innocent but that's probably why I'm not the writer... A must read for anyone who likes Marshalls in small towns and the woman they try to protect.

I really loved the story. It's a very real story. Any one who's parents have ever fought will probably be able to relate.
This is the $25 hardcover edition. The book is dark green cloth. The title is on the front cover and side in gold. Cover seems well made. The print is usually okay, but maybe three or four times in the book one paragraph gets slaughtered. It's like the old ink-jet printers when the page jammed and you see part of the sentence which runs over another sentence and you can't read either, but the page isn't folded. It only ruins three or four paragraphs and you can read most of if. It's pretty annoying though at first. Other then that it seems like a sturdy book.
Still a worthwhile book to own if you like L.M. Montgomery.
Five stars for the story, three for the printing.

I enjoyed the Anne of Green Gables series of books. But, if you haven't read LMM's other books, you are missing out. I especially like "Jane of Lantern Hill". And my favorite "The Blue Castle" which is perfect romance.

Read these 2 books and her others. You may have to dig a bit but it'll be worth the trouble.

This was L.M. Montgomery's very last book that she's ever written during her lifetime. I own all of Montgomery's books, and after reading them over and over again, I have to say that this book is the best of her writings (right after the Anne of Green Gables series, of course...). I highly recommend this book, and encourage you to read it, for it shows what kind of inner strength and courage one can possess. Additionally, I recommend all of Montgomery's books to read, for being an avid fan, her books can teach us many lessons that we ourselves can apply during our lifetime.

As someone who spent many hours alone as a child, I found I could really relate to this book. I first discovered it when I was eleven or twelve. I loved reading about how Jane'e grandmother dominated her and made her feel out of place and about how people at school regarded Jane, because I was treated in the same way. If you've ever been pushed around as a child, or as an adult, read this book. I'm 21 and have been forced to grow up rather quickly in my life, still I enjoy this wonderful novel. I thought the character of the mother could have been more developed, otherwise it was absolutely a stunning work of art. Go SUPERIOR JANE! I can also relate to the way Montgomery portrays Jane's dad, and Jane's relationship with her dad. It's interesting how when Jane sees her father's picture in a magazine, even though she does not know it is him she cuts it out and keeps it, and it is heart-breaking how her grandmother takes it away from her. It is touching how Jane helps her poor orphaned friend and neighbor, and her grandmother's disdain for this makes one exceedingly angry. I also thought Jane's mother did not defend her daughter enough. Montgomery's own father made himself scarce to her when she was young, moving out West and remarrying. Montgomery seems to have never gotten over this, so when she describes characters like Emily's father, and Jane's father, she does a wonderful job of speaking of how intimate they are with their daughters. As a child of divorce I loved reading of how Jane played a role in getting her parents back together. .......

I read this in my early teens, after I had read most of the LMM books (the Anne series, the Emily series, etc.) I loved them all, especially the Emily series, but Jane of Lantern Hill is my favorite of them all. Jane Stuart is not, as many of LMM's other heroines are, obsessed with the idea of being a writer, storyteller, etc. There is no potential boyfriend/husband lurking in the story either. This book is more about the how understanding and love can transform an introverted, unhappy child into a confident, intelligent girl (the story ends when Jane is about age 14.) In that sense she's really one of the most understandable and likeable of LMM's heroines. She is also very modern. You can easily imagine her growing up to become a successful career woman, something you can't really say for many of LMM's other heroines, other than the at-home and time-flexible occupation of writing. If I had an early-teen daughter I would buy this book for her, especially if she has any self-confidence issues.

This is also one of the few books that deals with the subject of divorce or the separation of parents from the perspective of the child in an intelligent way. Given the time that it was written, divorce was a horrible taboo, and the resolution of the story is a bit unrealistic perhaps. That's the only quibble I have with the book.

Incidentally there was a television movie based on this book, by the same people who did the excellent Anne of Green Gables series (at least, the first two parts of that series were excellent). Don't bother with the Jane movie if you love the book..it only vaguely resembles it.

I have never heard a piece of music by composer Jan Swafford, but if he composes as well as he writes, his music should be stimulating indeed. Some reviewers have called this book hard to put down, a page-turner. I found it so. Part of its interest lies in Brahms himself; any book that purports to shed even a bit of light on so enigmatic a figure would cause one to turn pages in hopes of illumination. But I can imagine, too, a very dull book about Brahms. Well, there are few dull pages among the 600+ in Swafford's biography. As is now de rigueur in good modern historical writing, Swafford creates a judicious blend of primary-source material and commentary thereon, along with a rich store of anecdotes told in his own fine, writerly voice.

Musical analysis is treated in such a way that the amateur musician, and even the musically challenged, will not be put off. In all cases, Swafford demonstrates well one of his chief theses--that Brahms was the most Janus-like of the great nineteenth century composers. He looked back all the way to Renaissance masters, assimilating their contrapuntal styles in ways beyond anything that Beethoven, Mendelssohn, or Schumann had done before him. Yet he so thoroughly anticipated the ambiguity of tonality and rhythm in twentieth-century music that Schoenberg could, long after Brahms's death, speak of "Brahms the Progressive."

But there is much more than musical analysis in this book. There is a thorough investigation of the many dualities in Brahms's nature: Brahms the generous, Brahms the curmudgeonly; Brahms the respecter of (intellectual and artistic) women, Brahms the misogynist; Brahms the romantic, Brahms the classicist; Brahms the sentimentalist, Brahms the cynic; Brahms the self-effacing, Brahms the monumentally egotistical. Swafford presents them all in their staggering incompatibility. And while Swafford himself admits that no one can ever quite hope to reconcile all these manifestations or indeed fill in the gaps in a life that the composer himself hoped to keep mostly a closed book, he comes close to making this great study in contrasts that was Brahms into a flesh-and-blood individual whose most mystifying acts seem almost comprehensible because we have seen him in action in similar contexts. By an exhaustive examination of the primary literature and shrewd speculation based thereon, Swafford builds a picture that convinces. He can't make us always like Brahms or even sympathize with him, but we come to understand him better through Swafford's portrait than we ever thought we could. That is some accomplishment.

Beyond this are the passages in which Swafford speaks of musical and indeed cultural history after Brahms. The epilogue to this book, in which the author traces Brahms's paradoxical legacy through the great century of change since his death, should be mandatory reading for all students of culture in the West.

Are there flaws? Yes. Some parts of the book show haste while others show careful crafting. In a work this large, that is to be expected. And Swafford overuses the word "magisterial." This may describe Brahms to a tee, but so, I hope, do a few other adjectives. Small gripes? Small indeed, given the wealth of insight and reading pleasure that Swafford provides here. I'm ready for his biography of Ives!

Mr.Swafford did excellent jobs in dissecting and analyzing major symphonic works without sounding pedantic and dry. However, I wish he had invested more ink on the other major orchestral works such as Piano Concerto no.2 and the Violin Concerto, two of my favorites, like he did Piano Concerto no.1 and the symphonies and variations, etc. On the late concertos he merely described the circumstances surrounding their creation and barely touched on structural analysis.

Other than that, the book is very detailed and enjoyable to read. It sheds a lot of light on the human side of the composer and his friends, and thus makes these historical figures come back to life. At several instances I was so touched by Swafford's writing that I almost shed tears. Reading this book has been an emotional journey for me, and I rank it as my favorite book on music and musicians. Very touching! I love it!

I wonder how Brahms would have compensated for the defeat to his friend's wife - Clara Schumann. Although lively attention to details was a notable characteristic of the German woman lover, pianist and composer, her indifference to the sentiments of her husband - the German composer Robert Schumann - was so shallow as to miscalculate Robert's perturbation with her lover's apathy.
How could Brahms, having degenerated to low stage, get over the perfidy of such relationship with the woman who was fourteen years his senior (and who also raised seven children)? Such polyandrous practice was not customary in Germany and both lovers must have become impetuous when they, again, met with indecision of purpose.
Was it bigamy? Or sheer adultery? Did it really matter to Brahms who, at least, cared for Clara's husband and his friend's illness? Was Clara prematurely getting old marking her life by irrational thoughts? Or was it the agnostic Brahms believing in nothing?
Brahms gave us medley of music; conscious of the shadow of the dead Robert, Ein Deutsches Requiem {1867/8} is one that represented heavenly masterpiece as if to seek pardon in humble supplications like the sinner who renounces lifelong bad habits when in extremity of pain.

What a wonderful biography. Brahms' dealings with Clara Schumann, Joachim, and other friends is studied in fascinating detail through meetings and letters -- an intimate portrait of personal relations, desires and fears, quiet joys and resentments, etc., all as absorbing as a Henry James novel.

Meanwhile, Brahms' incomparable music is a life of its own, and we are treated to the master's views of it, as well as those of contemporaries and the author. The author's assessments seem to me almost unerringly valid. (Take, for example, his lofty praise of Gesang der Parzen, an underheard choral masterwork, or his concession that the Double Concerto, a concert standard, is on a less than inspired level.)

Add to this the author's occasional shift of focus to the Austro-German culture in which Brahms lived, in retrospect an even more remarkable time and place, where music was valued to a rare degree, and where ideas and events -- artistic, philosophical, political -- were poised to take momentous turns. Fascinating, even haunting, stuff, and all the more appropriate for discussion as these were issues about which Brahms had much concern in his later years.

This is a great story about a great composer. The book tells his life story, and highlights many of his great works. Within this biography, the book also mentions the interactions, disagreements and perspectives of the different composers of the late 19th century - Liszt, Wagner, Schumann, Bruckner, Mahler and of course Brahms. From that perspective, it is not only a biographry of Brahms but in some ways a history of classical music in that period. In my opinion, Brahms was the best composer of the group, and this book highlights why he was. It focuses on many of his great compositions, even providing the major musical notes for key parts of a composition. For example, in what is arguably his best work, the 4th symphony, this book spends four pages on the last movement of this symphony, a very powerful cantata and chaconne that Brahms brought to the symphony. This form, according to the book, derives from the Baroque period and Bach has a great similar work with the violin. Brahms took it a step further and using the whole capabilities of the symphony orchestra, weaves this concept into a very powerful piece of music. Since reading these four pages, I've developed a greater interest in this movement and in the 4th symphony in total. It is a beautiful powerful work and this book provides a beautiful perspective of this work. The same is true for all of the book. It has given me a better perspective of Brahms and classical music. For this reason, I highly recommend this book.

I would like to congratulate you to your extremely well written, historically fascinating and highly suspensful book Kijabe. One of the outstanding attributes of this book is the variety of genres it comprises. The historic part of Kijabe introduced me to a country's history which so often becomes overlooked by western societies. Reading your book brought a mostly unknown part of the world to my attention, historically, politically and spiritually. Kijabe is doing an exceptional job of stirring the reader's interest in a foreign country and the people who built it up. Kijabe - above all - is also a story about love. There is the deep and true love between Akash and Anar that helps the couple overcome the violence, lies and intrigues that the family has to suffer from. It is the strong bond between these two that help them solve the case so that justice can be done. Kijabe also proves that hard work will pay off and good will prevail, without making the mistake of portraying the hollywood cliché of good versus evil. The book ends by raising a fundamental question of human nature. Can we forgive each other for our mistakes and wrong doings? Although there is no apparent answer to this question I think that the inherent answer is yes. The dominating theme of Kijabe is love. Isn't forgiveness part of love?

Being an immigrant myself makes me relate to your book even more so. I am extremely grateful to you for sharing your book with me!

I enjoyed this book very much. It gives a great perspective on the migration of Sikh settlers to East Africa during the early 1900's and also a flavor of what Kenya is like today. If you are of a Northern Indian background, this is a must read and if you are not, you will still enjoy the story and writing.

I read Kijabe and by this email I wanted to tell you what I thought of it... I liked the book very much!

I did not know anything about history of Indians in Kenya, so I learnt a lot from it. It was very interesting to read how a certain group can come to a country so far away, settle down and build up a whole community. Amazing how someone can start as a railway-worker and finally have his own flourishing trading-business! Rob told me that that part of the book had really happened in the past, but not the political part of your grandfather's life, although it is imagineable (I think?) that it could have happened that way. Interesting as well to read about the relationship between the Indians and the Maasai. Although I don't know a lot about it, somehow I have always been intrigued by the Maasai-people, who are very beautiful I think. The book made me only more curious (I would really like to go there sometime) and it was encouraging to hear about the peaceful way many Indians and Maasai could live together.
Besides the historical part of the book, there were other things which I liked about it. The story about the trial was exciting, not knowing what had happened until the end of the book. I do not often read detectives or 'trial'-books, so I can not compare it with anything, but it was nice to read. I felt like keeping on reading to find out what was going on. The love story of Akash and Anar was beautiful. I really liked it (possibly influenced by me being a girl....). And I don't want to be too sentimental, but the love letters were wonderful!
The language of the book was not too difficult, which made it enjoyable and relaxing to read. I don't know if that was on purpose, but to me, as a non-english girl, it was another positive thing.

I understand that your father had started to write the book, which he has not been able to finish unfortunately. How did that exactly work, did you just go on where he had stopped? And was that very difficult? I was wondering as well what in the book were facts and what was fiction. I assume that the part of the settlement in Kenya was real (the diaries as well?), and that the story of the trial was fiction and there was some mystery about your grandfather's death) just as the things about Akash and Anar, is that right? And have you written anything else, or are you planning to write more?

Anyway, I hope that it is alright that I told you my opinion about your book. Hopefully you will understand that it is very positive! I am glad that I could read it.

Annelot Schoffelen
Nijmegen, the Netherlands

I just finished reading your book KIJABE, and wanted to applaud you for your honest and intriguing novel on the history of your family in Africa. I really liked how you juxtaposed the court story, your romance, the journals of your grandfather, and the local histories. I am an avid reader (and actually picked up your book from the Westlake Library) and I am always curious for unique books that give new perspectives to life and peoples relationships. I think Kijabe was just that. I know it was your first attempt at writing, and I hope you continue to grace the paper with your pen, as I think your style will continue to improve through the years.

Katie Conlon

ps. I would love to hear more about your story if you wouldn't mind sharing what parts were true, and where things stand now.
I'm fascinated by that kind of stuff. I'm actually a student and I study international relations ( I was in Switzerland for school last year) so real life antidotes are always helpful. thanks.

The author was nurtured on stories of his grandfather’s trials and tribulations as a young immigrant to Africa and his subsequent rise to political fame. His curiosity led him to painstaking research of his grandfather's journals as well as the research notes left by his father. This resulted in the riveting African historical saga , a homage to the resilient spirit of his grandfather, Mehar Singh Dhillon.

Kijabe is a small village just off the road from Nairobi to Nakuru, in Kenya, one of the countries in East Africa.

Mehar Singh arrived in Mombasa in a dhow in March 1916. He was instantly awed by the raw beauty of Africa as he inhaled the intoxicating scents of the vast scenic African landscape. But he soon learnt that beauty exacts its price. He experienced the harsh realities as he began his journey in the hinterland- the hot sweltering African sun, the scorching red dust, anthills, thorny bushes, wild animals, the killer tse-tse flies, swarming malarious mosquitoes, tropical diseases and death.

Mehar Singh was persuaded by his friend, a British District Commissioner to jump into politics as by now he was very popular among Africans and also articulate in African dialects. He got elected as a Member of Parliament and later as a Secretary of the powerful political party, Kenya African National Union, reporting directly to the President of Kenya, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.

The computer savvy author invites interested readers to visit his fascinating website, www.kijabe.com

buy it used. good read for the beach. then see her movies.

I enjoyed Lauren Bacall's autobiography better than any autobiography I've ever read. Her style of writing is so personal, it's just a pleasure to read. It's written with heart, it's witty, poignant, and so honest. You'll also learn about the original "Rat Pack", and other celebrities. I can't say enough about this book!

I read this book 20 years ago when it first came out and I couldn't put it down. The love story between her and Bogey was sweet, but tragic. His death was so detailed in this book that when my own father was dying I couldn't help but relate back to her description of Bogey's final hours. It made me sob for her. The mention of Hollywood in the 50's and all of the corrupt politicians trying to blackball performers is deplorable. I believe Ms. Bacall is our current Kate Hepburn - a no BS kind of Hollywood woman that is still well-respected and greatly admired.

I have never considered myself a Lauren Bacall fan but having recently rewatched To Have And Have Not, her film debut, I became intrigued about her and Bogart so I picked up this book after reading such positive reviews here at Amazon.

Well, was I surprised. First this is a very well written autobiography that demonstrates a keen intelligence and a reflectiveness on the past that is truly admirable. It is also incredibly honest and not just a recitation of a Hollywood star's accomplishments.

From Bacall's youth in New York where she tried desperately to find a place in the theater to her ultimate return to the stage as a star after spending years in California as Mrs. Bogart and raising a family, every stage of her life is well examined.

Bogart emerges as a truly good guy, not perfect but clearly they were a great match despite the obvious age difference.

Some of the episodes in her life with Bogart have the added quality of capturing a period in Hollywood and the film industry that is long gone. Bacall isn't and doesn't need to be a name dropper but so many famous characters pop in and out of her story that it is a virtual who's who of 1940's Hollywood.

What I initally picked up as a casual read turned into something much deeper. Lauren Bacall , who I knew little about before reading this is a woman who I came to really like as a result of this book.

Well written and well worth checking out for filmfans, fans of Bogart or anyone interested in acting and theater and the celebrity life of the 40's and 50's.

Lauren Bacall's 1984 autobiography details her humble beginnings, how modeling led to acting, and her marriages and love affairs. She met Bogie on the set of her first movie when she was 19 and he was 43 and married. They fell in love at first sight and had a good marriage until his death. Her next husband was Jason Robards, Jr.; his drinking made for trouble from the start. The ups and downs of her movie and Broadway careers and her love of politics (and politicians) round out the book.

The woman who emerges from the pages is pretty much what I expected - strong, independent, and passionate - but also quite self-centered and spoiled. She's had a charmed life and makes no excuses for her shortcomings.

The book is full of famous tinseltown names and fabulous jet-set locations. She writes as if she were talking, often using ungrammatical half-sentences which slowed me down sometimes, but that is a minor quibble. I heartily recommend it to her fans.

Outstanding biography of the man. Much has been written about the general, this book brings the humble father, husband and Christian man to life.

I've long considered myself a student of Southern history and the Civil War. Heck, I've been a historian at museums so I think I have a pretty good knowledge of the Civil War era. Furthermore, I live in Virginia and have been to the campus of Washington and Lee University. However, nearly every page of Charles Bracelen Flood's work on Robert E. Lee's post-war years is full of information I've never heard about. Flood has used many differing sources to pull together a wonderful, highly readable account of Lee's years after the war, how he came to be President of Washington College, and his role in the reconstruction of this country. What jumps out off the pages is that for as much as Lee has been studied and idolized for his exploits on the battlefield, his postwar years as President of the college should get just as much press. While Lee did not think defending his native state was wrong, he did wish for both North and South to reconcile as quickly as possible. After reading the book, I still do not think Lee is the god that some people hold him up to be, but he does stand out as a good man who wanted to bring the nation back together while also helping his fellow Southerners get back on their feet. While Flood's writing can be unimaginative at times and I thought he threw in little stories and vignettes that he didn't need too, the book is excellent overall and should be a must read for anyone interested in Lee. However, the book is such an easy, good read that I think almost anyone should pick it up.

Bracelen Flood clearly does extensive research in order to render this intimate and engrossing portrayal of Lee.

Lee: The Last Years was well worth reading. A must for anyone who wants to know a little more of the Rest of The Story about a fine American, though much misunderstood.

Excellent book. I have never been particulary interested in Lee despite a huge interest in the Civil War and having read numerous books. He always seemed to me to be too 'marble'. The author has done an excellent job of showing the warmth and humanity of Lee to the point one feels as if they actually know Lee. Little points like the stories of Lee's love for children and the insights into his family life. I had not realized that during the course of the Civil War with all the pressures and responsibilities of his position he had to deal with the deaths of a daughter,a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren !! Great book - a must read for Civil War buffs . Rebs and yanks.

That which was good (Inside the Third Reich) is now even better for "Spandau" is Speer's soul-searching account of and reflection on himself and his life while he was imprisoned for 21 years. The book was written in a day-by-day diary entry form so one almost feels one is there with him sharing his emotions and observations. He made it quite clear from the very outset that writing kept him sane but ".. it must be more than a matter of organizing sheer survival. This must also become a time of reckoning. If at the end, after these twenty years, I do not have an answer to the questions that preoccupy me now, this imprisonment will have been wasted for me. And yet I fully realize that even at best my conclusions can only be tentative..." Upon his release in 1966, he left the mass of papers of his prison diaries lay untouched, unread for over ten years before he finally published them. Apart from the historical importance, readers will enjoy the writing of a fine intellectual mind despite his sad observation that "Diaries are usually the accompaniment of a lived life. This one stands in place of a life." This is an immensely personal and moving book that no one could afford to miss and deserves much more than a running commentary.

No figure emerged from the Second World War with greater controversy and attention than did Nazi architect and Hitler confidant Albert Speer. Sentenced to twenty years in the military prison in Spandau for war crimes, Speer was the only one of the principals tried at Nuremberg to admit his culpability in the horror that was the Third Reich. Many questioned his sincerity, for although he said all the right things, it was extremely self-serving to do so at the moment of final judgment, for his capitulation surely saved his life. Yet Speer served his twenty years and then was released to live out his life amidst even greater controversy, for Speer had compiled an amazing 25,000 page secret diary during his long confinement.

This treasure trove of personal anecdotes, reminiscences, and observations was eventually serialized into two distinctive books. When the first was published in 1969 in Germany, the diary, entitled "Recollections", caused a literal firestorm of controversy based on a range of observations and positions taken by Speer. Yet the book, released a year later in a translated version for the English-speaking world as "Inside The Third Reich" was a runaway best seller based primarily on the detailed and absolutely spellbinding descriptions Speer offered regarding the principals of the Nazi regime. Shortly thereafter, Speer released the present volume, entitled "Spandau; The Secret Diaries". His observations, tidbits, and anecdotes about Hitler himself were endlessly fascinating and occasioned a lot of dinner conversation all over the world. Likewise, his portrayal of the day to day life within the so-called Nazi elite gave reader s a graphic and telling account of what these people were like, and how it was possible that they could do so much of what they did.

It also establishes a consistent pattern of personal denial of any real responsibility for what had happened on Speer's part. He claimed to have been only tangentially involved in what happened to the Jews, and that he never understood that the policy of deportation and relocation to 'work camps' was part of a conspiracy to systematically murder all of Europe's Jews. Yet careful readers find that his role as Chief Administrator Of Armament Production, which employed slave labor by both Jews and other subjugated prisoners of war certainly had a systematic policy of working these slave laborers to death.

In later works he claimed to be less involved in the politics of the Third Reich than in the day to oversight of functional management of its policies. This is a fascinating book, and one cannot help but to come to admire this man and his struggles to maintain his balance and his sanity during the two decades he was held at Spandau. It provides a penetrating look both at his own mental processes as well as sharing his ruminations about various details and aspects of life within the whirlwind of excitement, agony, and horror that the years of Nazi reign in Germany represent. This is a book I can highly recommend. Enjoy!

What a good story. I couldn't put the book down. I recommend that you read a book on the Nuremberg trials (Persico's is a good one) before plunging into Speer's diary. Speer wrote his diary while paying his 20 years sentence at Spandau prison for his responsibility as one of the leaders of the Thirch Reich.

First hand accounts of the workings of the German High Command and the interactions between the parties, including Adolph Hitler, are rare and becoming rarer. Many of those involve left memoirs, but those are becoming difficult to find, as most are now out of print. Speer's Spandau writings are among the endangered species.

Anyone who wishes to understand the minds of the men who made the Reich work and particularly the mind of Adolph Hitler can do so by the evidence of their deeds at one level. However, the records of their thoughts, conversations, behavior and rationalizations while they did so is certainly a facet of understanding. The writings of Von Manstein, Doenitz, Rommel, Guderian, and the diaries of Joseph Goebbels are each worth the reading in this sense. As is Albert Speer.

Speer was imprisoned longer than any of the other members of Hitler's inner circle. He had many years of solitude to contemplate his deeds and reflect on how and why he came to be imprisoned in Spandau. Maybe these musings qualify as revisionist history. Maybe they're merely self-serving rationalizations. But his anecdotes will definitely add to your understanding of the 3rd Reich. You don't have to believe everything he says, but it's worth reading it and making the choice for yourself.

Speer thought of himself as a 'nice guy'. You can't make an informed decision as to whether it was true without reading what he had to say. In the end most of us believe we are 'nice people' and are justified in whatever horrendous deeds we pursue.

Albert Speer give a day to day account of what it is like in Spandau. The diaries are divided daily so you soon feel that you are there. You soon feel that his memories are yours and wonder what you would have done. Sure you know now, but wait until you read this book. There are 32 pages of exclusive photos. It is weird win you think what you or a relative was doing on the same days. Albert got out just one month before I went in to the military. Even his epilog is impressive.