Characters Books

In the 6th book in The Cat Who...series, James Qwilleran aka "Qwill", is just settling in to his new life as a millionaire in Pickaxe City (400 miles north of everywhere). He has moved his two beautiful Siamese cats (KoKo and Yum Yum) into the old Klingenschoen mansion and is settling in for a five year stay to fulfill the requirements of Aunt Fanny's will.

As the book begins, Qwill is lying in a hospital bed, suffering from amnesia caused by a bicycle accident. His old friend, Arch Riker, flies into town to assist Qwill in regaining his memory, and succeeds in bringing Qwill out of his fog. While beginning to heal, Qwill starts to have vivid dreams of the moments leading up to the mishap, and eventually remembers that it was no accident...a truck had purposefully run him off the road! While trying to piece together who may have meant to harm him, Qwill begins some renovations to his new home. During his explorations of the mansion, Qwill stumbles across the room of a former employee, Daisy. Her room was completely painted with a graffiti style mural of daisies, and it arouses Qwill's keen curiosity. He begins to ask questions about the former employee of Fanny, and finds that Daisy disappeared rather abruptly. And when everyone that Qwilleran speaks to about her begins to have "accidents", he becomes suspicious that someone will kill to keep Daisy hidden forever.

This is my favorite cozy mystery series! I had read all of the books in the past, and wanted to read them again for a second time. This time around, I have chosen to listen to them on CD, as I love the voice of George Guidall. I am happily rediscovering how Qwill became a resident of Moose County, and how many of the series regulars join him from "down below". In this installment, Qwill hires Iris Cobb as his house manager. She cooks for him (and the cats), and is in charge of cataloging all of the antiques in the old mansion. For those that have not read the series, I do recommend reading the first several first. Many others can be intermixed, but this book offers good insight as to how Qwill became associated with Moose County. This is a great series by my favorite author!

The first book in the series is called "The Cat who Could Read Backwards". Enjoy!

Jim Qwilleran wakes up in the hospital and can't remember much. He keeps thinking he has forgotten to do something. It is a nagging thought in the back of his mind. He knew it was something important. He longtime friend Arch Riker shows up and fast forwards Qwill through his life. Luckily he remembers...the cats!

As it turns out the bike wreck that landed him in the hospial was no accident. His investigation (led by Koko) of a former housekeeper of the mansion, who vanished mysteriously five years before, leads to much mystery and intrigue.

I loved this edition of "The Cat Who..." books, especially where Koko played piano. A piano playing cat is a rare find. This book will not disappoint you.

This is number six in Lilian Braun's long running 'The Cat Who' series and marks the beginning of Jim Qwilleran's transplantation to the far northern town of Pickaxe. Qwilleran has managed to become the heir of the community's wealthiest resident and must stay in Pickaxe for five years in order to inherit. As we all know now, he lasted a lot more than five years, and may still be north of everywhere enjoying the foibles and gossip that play such an important part of the world's coziest cozies.

Qwill has just moved into the Klingenshoen mansion with his two Siamese cats - Yum Yum the delectable and arch-detective Koko. Koko, through various manipulations of his owner's behavior, manages to arouse Qwill's curiosity about the disappearance of a housemaid a few years previously. In the process of investigating, the newspaperman introduces us to many of Pickaxes residents for the very first time. When he isn't being his by trucks, that is. It is interesting in retrospect to meet these characters again, who often started out one way and then became something else as Braun added layer after layer to her confection of characters and mysteries (and cats).

I can only read so many of these in rapid succession before I have to stop. Lilian Braun has a tendency to let her characters run in a groove with very little development over a number of volumes. She makes up for this by using Qwilleran to create witty dialogue, but there are only so many Pickaxe witticisms that one can read before feeling a desire for something with a bit more meat to it. This volume is a change of pace (if you've been reading in sequence). There's a bit less sarcasm and a bit more story and that makes this one of the best of her early books.

Don't look for a complicated mystery here. Braun's villains tend to be obvious, and more often than not the means are just as visible. You read these tales for lightweight enjoyment and the zany characters that chitchat their way through the pages. And, of course, you read them because you can't resist Qwill's owners, the Siamese masterminds.

In the 6th book in The Cat Who...series, James Qwilleran aka "Qwill", is just settling in to his new life as a millionaire in Pickaxe City (400 miles north of everywhere). He has moved his two beautiful Siamese cats (KoKo and Yum Yum) into the old Klingenschoen mansion and is settling in for a five year stay to fulfill the requirements of Aunt Fanny's will.

As the book begins, Qwill is lying in a hospital bed, suffering from amnesia caused by a bicycle accident. His old friend, Arch Riker, flies into town to assist Qwill in regaining his memory, and succeeds in bringing Qwill out of his fog. While beginning to heal, Qwill starts to have vivid dreams of the moments leading up to the mishap, and eventually remembers that it was no accident...a truck had purposefully run him off the road! While trying to piece together who may have meant to harm him, Qwill begins some renovations to his new home. During his explorations of the mansion, Qwill stumbles across the room of a former employee, Daisy. Her room was completely painted with a graffiti style mural of daisies, and it arouses Qwill's keen curiosity. He begins to ask questions about the former employee of Fanny, and finds that Daisy disappeared rather abruptly. And when everyone that Qwilleran speaks to about her begins to have "accidents", he becomes suspicious that someone will kill to keep Daisy hidden forever.

This is my favorite cozy mystery series! I had read all of the books in the past, and wanted to read them again for a second time. This time around, I have chosen to listen to them on CD, as I love the voice of George Guidall. I am happily rediscovering how Qwill became a resident of Moose County, and how many of the series regulars join him from "down below". In this installment, Qwill hires Iris Cobb as his house manager. She cooks for him (and the cats), and is in charge of cataloging all of the antiques in the old mansion. For those that have not read the series, I do recommend reading the first several first. Many others can be intermixed, but this book offers good insight as to how Qwill became associated with Moose County. This is a great series by my favorite author!

The first book in the series is called "The Cat who Could Read Backwards". Enjoy!

At first when I started to hear the tapes, I was thinking that the narrator's voice was not dynamic enough. But by the middle of the first tape, I was ok with it. I've just gotten so tired of listening to Los Angeles radio stations in the car (we sit in traffic a lot out here) that I thought it would be nice to be entertained by something I really love. I was glad I did. Even if you've read the books in the past, it's fun to let the narrator do the reading for you. AND... something I thought was neat and that made me laugh was... when the narrator would be talking about Koko and Yumyum and a noise they were making, he would sound EXACTLY like my own Siamese cat. So it made it funny, because I knew exactly the "language" he was referring to. (He must have studied Siamese cats before attempting this narration!)

Anyway, I will probably buy more "Cat Who" books on tape. I don't anticipate L.A. traffic to be letting up anytime soon. And for some strange reason, listening to it in the car makes me feel like my own cat is in there with me. I say if you live in a city with heavy traffic... buy the tapes!

The author writes beautifully & this is well-translated.

The pages fly by. Terrific story, wonderful plot with twists & turns. Highly enjoyable.

i ordered this one and the 'special assignments' book at the same time and read them both back to back. the way that 'achilles' slips from fandorin's view to achimas's view is seamless and well crafted. the story moves quickly, and the internal politics between the different departments are just as interesting as the battle between our hero and his main adversary. i liked very much that akunin gives the antagonist a human side (as much as possible for a professional killer). the fact that fandorin is not entirely perfect, and he's not entirely invulnerable makes him so much more believable. this book is well worth your time if you loved earlier fandorin mysteries.

This is the fourth Fandorin story to be translated (with kudos to Andrew Bromfield for a great job) of the eleven stories that Akunin has written. It would be great if the publishers could get moving and get more than one book translated each year. Much of this book is a continuation of the story line from the "Winter Queen" and the conflict between Erast and the assassin Achimas.

The book itself has an inventive structure. The first part (which is divided into chapters) deals with Erast and the 'Death of Achilles' (aka General Sobelev) who was a hero to most of Russia. We learn that the General was planning a 'coup d'etat' and that he planned to set himself up as Tsar. He dies though, inflagarante and this is just the beginning of the story. Erast is certain that the General was murdered but he is not sure why, how or on whose orders. As he works his way through the maze of misinformation, double and triple agents, just as he is about to confront Achimas, the first part ends.

The second part (where chapters are headlined by names) is the biography or history of Achimas. How he came to be an assassin for hire and his training and background. We even see how he first encounters Erast. In the end we follow him through the murder of Sobelev and fill in some of the information left out in the first part. Again this section ends as he is about to be confronted by Erast.

The third part is the short (only twenty pages, two chapters) where the two antagonists square off and we learn the identity of the man who has ordered the 'Death of Achilles' and why.

Though I would have preferred to read more about the six years that Erast spent in Japan (I assume there will be flashbacks in future novels) the background on Achimas is entertaining reading.

Erast Fandorin's return to Moscow is marred by the death of his war-hero friend, The White General - Mikhail Sobolev. Although the apparent cause is an unexpected heart-attack, Fandorin, exercising his unusual observation skills suspects foul play. As he investigates the circumstances, it seems he's correct, but nobody is willing to acknowledge the reality. Fandorin, in fact, sees any support for his seeking the truth not only whither away, but become outright hostile. This is a very political crime, indeed. In an excruciatingly twisted and seemingly endless story, Akunin has again demonstrated the skills that have made him one of Russia's most popular contemporary writers.

Unlike some of the Fandorin books, such as "The Turkish Gambit" where our hero often seems limited to almost cameo roles, the "collegiate assessor" - his innocuous-sounding official title - is more present and accounted for in this story. He even demonstrates his skills at disguise to enter one of Moscow's less salubrious evening entertainment establishments in search of information for his quest. Although the politicians fail to provide Erast with any support, the "registrar's" time in the Orient enabled him to gain a helpmeet. Masahiru, who bears an interesting resemblance to Peter Sellers' "Kato" in the Inspector Clouseau films, has interesting tastes in both food and women. A samurai, he's taught Erast much, but is seriously challenged in adapting to the West. Still, it's a team with amazing potential. Akunin has a talent for giving us only a partial view of Fandorin. Even after four introductions, we remain uncertain of with whom we are dealing. Which certainly doesn't detract from the story.

In this tale, a new prose style and an unexpected element appear as a departure from the rest of the series. The style is slightly more open and there are flashes of humour rarely present in Akunin's work - if you set aside ironies. In many ways, this is the most "readable" of the Fandorin tales. Subtle differences from the rest of the series - it is less "imitative" than the previous books -providing it with a characteristic flavour. The element is to set aside over a third of the book to a [seemingly] new character - Achimas. Akunin develops this man in exquisite detail, weaving a compelling, if disturbing narrative around the forming of a dedicated killer. Known as Aksahir - the "White Wizard" - Achimas moves through Russia and into Europe building a reputation. With so much space dedicated to Achimas' story, it's clear that a confrontation with Fandorin is inevitable. Its resolution, of course, will have surprising twists. After all, this is Akunin! [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

A remarkable series to say the least , with an incredible backdrop of Russia towards the end of the period of the Tsars. The one thought which crossed my mind when I put down the novel was , just where was Boris Akunin all this while. Erast Fandorin , a 24 carat hero, is one of the best sleuths that you will encounter in literature.
The setting is 19th century Russia flirting with enlightenment , with significant tension simmering with imperial neighbors. The nation is rocked with the death of its favourite general in rather suspicious circumstances, conveniently in the same hotel where Erast Fandorin is lodged. What follows is a remarkable story of unravelling layers of intrigue .Every murder seems to indicate an acceptable closure to the mystery , but a never say die pursuit by the detective takes you deeper into the darker forces involved. Fandorin has a remarkable Japanese man friday which tends to deviate from the usual diet of dumb counterfoils to brilliant detectives. Fandorin is Holmes with Zen nay a Bond with restraint. There's much more than just Fandorin to savor here. The rather brutal rural Russian setting gives rise to a diabolical assassin who almost proves too much for out hero.
Its a great commentary on Russian society during the 19th century, much as the pipe smoking Holmes characterises Britain. Never a dull moment , this is a book to savor.

A great fun book that really gets you inside drawing the "Marvel" way. It has tools to work with. You'll love it.

Gift material 110% I love it. I have taken drawing courses in school and online and through the mail, and my mother taught me to draw, and I learned from DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN, and THIS DRAW..HEROS is fantastic both from a teaching methods standpoint, and from an artist's needs standpoint. It can teach you to refresh some of your old drawings with movement and power, and MOVEMENT! WHhhham! ZOOoooMmmmm!!

I am giving this to deaf friends as I am always trying to show them I appreciate their special abilities.

Purchased this as a Christmas gift for my nephew. My 14 year old would like it after reviewing. Shows how to draw characters; first by shapes - and then adds in details, including hands and feet.

This is a great product. It is small and self contained, comes with drawing tools stored in a zipper pouch so it is perfect for travel. The easy to follow, step by step instructions create the sensation of instant success. Great for all ages - even adults can have a bit of fun with it!

I can't walk past this book in a store with out picking it up (heck, I couldn't see a link for it with out clicking it).
This is single handedly, the most influential book I have ever picked up.

I first got it when I was 6, and it laid the ground work for the rest of my entire life. I'm an art student, I'm going to be an illustrator, I want to be in comics. This book is why and how.

Everything in here is solid and where EVERY ONE should start if they want to do this thing right. Give this to your kids, give this to those friends of yours who want to do art, but never had any teaching or talent, give it to that rival who needs a refresher on the simplest of simple. Buy it for yourself, as a clear reminder of what you should be doing, and of the foundations that everything you do is based on.

This isn't Burn Hogarth, but it is still a must for ANYONE getting into drawing. I can not recommend this enough. This book will always hold a special place in my heart and on my shelf.

Midshipman Alan Lewrie continues to reveal his inherent talents as a fighting officer in the British navy. Ashore with his beloved artillery at the Battle of Yorktown, he meets the Chiswick family of American Loyalists, forming relationships that will develop throughout the series.

The 2002 McBooks Press version (paperbook) that I bought at Borders has pages 145 through 192 printed twice, and then pages 198 to 241 are missing altogether! I can't imagine how such a mistake could get by. One minute they are setting up in the trenches, the next they are sailing wearily out of the the bay. So...I have no idea what happened and I'm taking it back tomorrow for a refund.

So check it out before you buy it.

Otherwise, great book.

As a strong fan of Dewey Lamdins' books, I've now read them all, The French Admiral was the best. I felt a much greater sense of history and a deeper understanding of the conflict as it impacted the lives of Loyalists, Revolutionaries, and their families. The bloody fighting seemed more in context than the conflicts described in the other books of this series.

I recommend this book very highly.

The French Admiral in paper has been awaited by Alan Lewrie fans since 1990. It is the crucial #2 "missing link" from early in the series of Alan's swashbuckling adventures in the age of fighting sail. Although we know the general events of this long-missing novel about the Royal Navy from references in succeeding books, it comes as a throwback to the exciting rakehell that Lewrie was early in his career. The alleged orphan [] of a scheming English knight, Lewrie has a most modest opinion of himself, although he comes of age as a mariner in the course of this pivotal novel. American readers will be most interested that this novel takes place on the Eastern Seaboard, especially during the crucial siege of Cornwallis' troops at York Town. (From the detailed sailing descriptions in the Chesapeake Bay it's a good bet that Lambdin sails there often.) This story offers a chance for an extended look, from the British point of view, at the vicious enmities and fighting that characterized the American Revolution in the genteel South. It does not, however, offer the least personal glimpse of the French Admiral. That august and triumphant sailor, the shipbound Admiral de Grasse, is instrumental in the series of British blunders and defeats that lose the rebel American colonies to England.

The language is a bit rougher than is the salty talk customary in sea stories by genuine British authors. I wonder if Lambdin chose "Lewrie" as his hero's name because it resembles lurid and lewd, which Alan is, although he's not a scoundrel as well. This is a physically bigger book than the other Lambdin pb's I've read, thanks to the customarily expansive McBooks Press edition (i.e., larger type and better paper than the stubby Fawcett Crest/Ballantine editions).

This is the second installment in what is developing into quite an enjoyable naval series. In _The King's_ Coat, Alan Lewrie, an illegitimate sixteen-year-old London rakehell, was essentially forced into going to sea in 1779 as a midshipman after being framed by his moneygrubbing father and his two half-siblings. He had a very rocky start in his new career but was beginning to learn his trade and had made a few friends, as well as more than a few enemies. He had also managed to come to the notice of at least two men of note, and well-placed interest was always paramount in advancing one's naval future. And there was the gorgeous young Lucy Beauman in Antiqua to whom he began paying court. Now it's two years since he left England and the rebellion in America is drawing to a close, buoyed by incompetence on the part of the British army and navy. And in the process, Alan finds himself trapped like a rat with Cornwallis at Yorktown. He escapes the disaster, partly through chance, partly through the aid of some Loyalist militia, and partly through his own intelligence and unexpected competence. By the end of the book, his future has improved in several important ways, both professionally and personally, and he has become a harder sort of person than he was at the beginning. And there's a new love interest, whether he wants to think so or not. Lambdin offers a welcome antidote to the rather proper style of Hornblower and even Audrey -- his sailors swear fulsomely, his protagonists can be just as narrowminded as anyone else in their society -- but he certainly knows his naval lore. And just when you're settling in to an adventurous episode, something horrible happens to remind you of just how bloody a true civil war the glorious American Revolution really was.

What a great book! It's a fast read, and a fun read too! As a Cairn Terrier fan this was a must a read and it was well worth it. I'd recommend it to anyone that's a fan of both the movie and Cairn Terriers(any dog actually) everywhere.

As a child, my favorite movie was THE WIZARD OF OZ. For Chirstmas ,I received this wonderful book that is all about the famous "pet-actress" named "Toto". (Yes, Toto was actually a little female dog named Terry,not a male , as most people would think).

Anyhow, this book is all about the tiny Cairn Terrier "Toto" (Terry) and how she came about becoming one of the principal characters in the movie.

The photos are just amazing also. My favorite photos are the behind-the-scene photos showing Toto "acting" in the actual movie, just as the trainer was in the background giving Toto her directions. Sooo cute!

If you are a dog fan, or a Cairn Terrier fan, or a Wizard of Oz fan, you'll love this book.

I, Toto is a delightfully well written book by Willard Carroll about the life of Terry, a Cairn Terrier who became famous in movies. The book is based on a scrapbook Willard Carroll found that documented the life and movie career of this well trained dog; and the book is primarily set up to look just like a book typed on an old typewriter--written, of course, by the dog itself.

The book starts with the story of how Terry was born, adopted and eventually given up by her owners because of her troubles with housetraining; and we learn how Carl Spitz professionally trained dogs to perform in movies. Spitz, an excellent trainer who worked with many dogs, wound up training Terry professionally. Spitz used both kindness and discipline to train his dogs, including Terry, very well; his talents are obvious when we consider that Terry (aka Toto) appeared in at least fourteen major motion pictures including The Wizard Of Oz.

Carroll cleverly writes the memoirs of Terry, or Toto, in the first person as if the dog herself had written the book. This provides the reader with an extra slice of humor when Carroll writes about things that happened on the sets of pictures or in Carl Spitz's training camp for dogs. Carroll does an excellent job of getting readers to be charmed out of their trees by Terry who eventually becomes renamed Toto for the sake of her career. A movie star dog has to consider Hollywood politics, after all!

The book is filled with wonderful reproductions of ads for the movies Terry was in; and we see numerous publicity shots from movies including Bright Eyes with Shirley Temple and Terry as Rags the dog. Of course, we get plenty of stills from The Wizard Of Oz and there are very nicely done "hand written" asides to the reader that also appear to be written by Terry. The result is a charming look back at the life of Terry, the dog who became Toto and enjoyed great movie fame--and treats along the way!

Overall, classic movie buffs will enjoy this book; and people who love The Wizard Of Oz will appreciate this book very much since so little was known about Terry before Willard Carroll wrote this book. The book is well written and a real page turner; it grabs your attention and never lets it go.

Great job, Willard Carroll!

Since my all-time favorite dog star is Toto, this book was easy for me to love. However, once I began to read, I found it to be something extra special. I, Toto is a mood lifter as well as an interesting piece of Hollywood history. Beautifully written in the first person, I, Toto will captivate the heart and mind of any dog lover.

A must read for any Oz fan as well as dog lovers of all kinds. I never knew how many movies Toto was in, and the Oz trivia was really fun, too. It was very cleverly written from Toto's point of view. I actually laughed out loud at some parts. Don't pass by picture captions and comments on the sides of the pages. It's all worth reading! Not bad for a dog no one wanted!

Very good entry into the Captain Aubrey/Steven Maturin series wherein Aubrey loses his position in the navy, but gains personal fortune and fame.

Thirteenth in the series: The Thirteen-Gun Salute

The last few books in this series had gotten very complicated and very dark. This book hits a much-needed "reset" button. Captain Jack Aubrey, who in the last book was stripped of his rank and convicted of a crime he did not commit, blazes his way to exciting, glorious redemption. Doctor Stephen Maturin, while still flirting with disaster with his laudanum addiction, reconciles some of his personal problems and resolves a confusing, multi-book story arc with a bang.

The Letter of Marque is a fun and exciting read, though the story was not especially emotionally involving, so did not stick with me as much as thought it would. Great history and wit as we've come to expect from this author. On to the next book!

Reviewer: Liz Clare, co-author of the historical novel "To the Ends of the Earth: The Last Journey of Lewis and Clark"

First, I must say that I do not like to race through these novels. Instead, I like to read them slowly and savor every page. That was hard to do this time because this was a real page turner, an excellent follow-up to the previous installment.

Once I had finished The Reverse of the Medal, I instantly began pouring over this one, and indeed it was uplifting. Any fan of these books will be very pleased with this episode.

However, what I like best about these novels is the friendship between the characters. It says alot about honor, devotion, and true friendship, which I believe is the finest element of this series. That quality is particularly apparent in this novel.

I don't have time for a long analysis, but these books are fantastic. I am on my second read-through of the series, and this time I am buying them as I read them. I have never been interested in the sea or ships or the military, (I used to wonder why anyone would have a painting of a ship in their house, waste of wall space), but now I have a whole new respect and admiration. Patrick O'Brien brings the English navy to life in a way that evokes feelings of pride, sympathy, horror, elation and pure heart-pounding anticipation. The contrast of the main characters, Aubrey and Maturin, is amusing sometimes, often heart-warming. The galaxy of supporting characters is rich with personalities and details. The only character I really don't like is Diana, but she does lend another facet to Stephen's persona. All in all, I highly recommend this series, they are the best historical novels I have ever read.

After being deprived of his rank as post captain in "The reverse of the medal" Aubrey starts a new career as a "letter of marque" (private man-of-war) is started in this book. It's the characteristic seal of the series, it's a story of efforts and success, it enforces you to have read "The reverse", and to continue with "The thirteen -gun salute". If it will be your first book in the series it won't be the last. Save you don`t like this kinda book, then better don`t step through its board, and keep away of such a seizing.

I first learned of Mistress Masham's Repose during a game of charades. (Can you imagine trying to act out this title, especially since it's a book so few people have heard of?) I had already read and loved The Once and Future King, and set out to find a copy. I have read this book three times over the past 20 years. Each time it strikes me anew as such a wonderfully funny, sweet and substantial novel. It could be that the title itself is what kept it from becoming a classic alongside Wind in the Willows and A Wrinkle in Time. Read this book! Buy this book for all the book-loving children in your life!

Although one of White's lesser-known works, to my mind it's easily one of his best (Anne Fine regards it as her favourite children's book). The concept of Lilliputians living in an English landscape garden is superb, and White develops his theme in wonderfully enticing ways - and always with his typical 'feel' for character and setting. There's so much to enjoy in this tale - still a classic after 60 years.

As an American child of about 10, I acquired a battered copy of this book along with a bunch of children's books from a family friend whose children had outgrown them. As other reviewers suggest, I was mystified by much of the book (the poet Pope?) but I still found it a great adventure story and loved the illustrations. It didn't hurt that I resembled Maria myself (a bookish tomboy with glasses--thank God for LASIK). I have re-read the book with pleasure on a number of occasions and now understand the references, but I wouldn't hesitate to give this book to an intelligent American child today. Perhaps it would prompt him or her to learn more about British history and literature. I'm glad to see it has been reprinted.

As kids, both my brother and I considered this one of our favorite books - and we did a LOT of reading. I can't tell you how many times I read it. Our copy was lost at some point, so I am thrilled that it is back in print so I can now read it to my own children. My kids are 3 and 6, so still a bit young for this book, but I'll probably buy a copy now for my own pleasure, and another for my brother.
I have always loved books that lead you to another book, and I just had to read "Gulliver's Travels" after reading this one. As a kid, much of it went over my head, but I still enjoyed it. Now that I think about it, I should re-read that one too...

After finishing university T. H. White worked as a teacher in the Stowe School which occupies a gigantic former Baroque stately home: here he conceived of the idea of Malplaquet, modeled after the greatest of all British country homes, Blenheim Palace, where the Dukes of Marlborough have lived and where Winston Churchill was born and raised. Malplaquet, an imaginary dilapidated repository of all its nation's history (we find out the Princes in the Tower were executed in its medieval dungeon, which also contains the ax which beheaded Charles I), would make a wonderful setting for any book, but rather than use it for a Gothic (the obvious choice), here White had the inspiration to make it the setting for a children's fantasy. White's mansion is not only the home of the little girl Maria who has inherited the estate (and not much else) and her warders--some cruel, some kind--but also a group of Lilliputians brought over from their island home during the time of Swift, whom Maria encounters one day. Maria's encounter with the Lilliputians becomes for her a means for learning about the nature of tyranny--both that exercised over herself by her guardian the Vicar Mr. Hater and her governess Miss Brown, but also that she herself can hardly keep herself from exercising over the Lilliputian community hidden on her estate.

This is a children's book that, to be honest, will best be appreciated by adults. White imagined his readers not only familiar with GULLIVER'S TRAVELS but also with some of the history of seventeenth and eighteenth-century England: American children particularly today would be confused as to who Mistresses Masham and Morley were, or what Malplaquet is named after, or even who Gulliver was. And their patience might well be tried by White's love of Wodehousean "types": the bluff Lord Lieutenant with an obsession with horses and hounds, and Maria's mentor the absent-minded and esoteric antiquarian the Professor . But adults (and even older children) should love this book, and its well-structured narrative is a real pleasure.

Victoria Thompson has become one of my favorite authors. First of all, she brings me to a time in history where the poor were really at the mercy of the rich for everything. People, including children, would literally do anything for money. It's kind of like today. I imagine people in undeveloped countries still live like this. But this was New York. Somehow it sounds far fetched, but we can't remember anyone living like this. Also she writes with knowledge of research she's done. The main characters are people you would love to have as friends, because they're honest, sincere, and would never let you down knowingly. They want to make things better, by being strong willed and never giving up.

I sped through "Murder on Bank Street" in 2 days because I have been wondering who killed Dr. Tom Brandt for 9 books now. I can't say too much because I don't want to spoil the ending, but this book is very satisfying. The last few chapters are fast paced, & there are even some hints that Sarah & Malloy may get together soon. These are truly some of the best historical mysteries out there.

Anything that Victoria Thompson writes with these same characters is a delight. Can't wait for the newest book due out in 2009. I started mid-way on this series and then went back and read them all so I wouldn't miss any details. They are an easy read, sometimes the reader figures out the mystery ahead, but it still doesn't diminish the telling of the tale and the vibrant descriptions of the era.

REALLY, REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK. ALSO, AS ALWAYS, AMAZON IS SO PROMPT WITH SHIPPING MY ORDERS!!!

After four years, the latest in the Gaslight Mystery series has a follow-up to the murder of Dr. Tom Brandt. Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy of the NYPD undertakes an investigation of the cold case, with the help of the dead man's father-in-law, who funds his effort, even to the extent of providing the additional assistance of Pinkerton detectives. The New York police originally did little to look into the case, and after the lengthy interval it isn't an easy task.

Originally, the widow's rich father thought it best not to pursue the matter, since he believed any facts uncovered would upset his daughter Sarah. As the investigation progressed, revelations uncovered seemed to justify the original assumption, and Malloy, who provides a love interest for Sarah, believed that might prove to be the case. Certainly, what is discovered is shocking, to say the least.

The descriptions of Little Old New York toward the turn of the 1890's are delightful and incisive. The book is sharply written and proceeds at a brisk pace, and the interaction of the characters graphic and moving. The class distinctions between rich and poor are vivid, and the dialog is written in keeping with the times in which the story takes place. Bank Street is the 10th entry in the series, and it is recommended.

This is definitely one of my favorite Peanuts collections. I pretty much grew up reading this book. Over the years, it had been read so much that it had fallen apart. I was so happy to see this book in the stores again. If you're a Peanuts fan like I am, this book is a must have for your collection.

This is a great book for any Peanuts fan to add to their Peanuts memorabilia collection. I have been a huge fan of Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gangs since I was a child, but somehow Charles Schulz's Snoopy comics have a universal, timeless essence that appeals to people of all ages. Even in my 20's I still enjoying collecting Peanuts memorabilia, and I would recommend adding this book to top of your collection.

Until a few years ago, Peanuts Classics collections were very hard to find except in your local library. But Peanuts Treasury is much better than most of those-better than most of the `60s collections, anyway. Not to say that the Classics books aren't good, but several of the books repeat strips, print the pages backwards, or even repeat stories (or parts of stories). But this collection doesn't do that. Not only that, but this book has about three times as many more pages AND there are more strips per page (five instead of two). A few of the stories aren't finished in this book either, but nevertheless it's a great collection.

This is a highly worthwhile "Peanuts" collection, as it's an unusually [inexpensive] but vast collection of late 50s-early/mid-60s strips that you don't often find in new books, with a lot of wonderful strips in it, and an effort to group them into their original storylines (where applicable) - Sally is born, and Charlie Brown rejoices ("I'm a father!" - and Linus tells Lucy, "You didn't act like that when I was born,") . . . Lucy buries Linus' blanket to prompt him to kick the habit, and Linus is plagued with withdrawal symptoms ("That's the first time I ever dreamed of Hyannis Port!") . . . Linus freaks out when Lucy assigns him to sing "Jingle Bells" at the PTA Christmas pageant - then the new year's pageant ("I will not run around the stage holding a banner reading '1964'!") . . . and, perhaps best, the first time Sally joins Linus in the pumpkin patch - and it's much, much funnier than the TV version ("YOU OWE ME RESTITUTION!!") . . . among many, many others. But anyway, this may be nostalgic for you, too, and even if not, it's still a wonderful book. It's definitely worth it!

Apparently there has been a mix-up: The two "editions" of this book DON'T correspond to each other. I've bought the paperback one, and it does not contain some of the strips mentioned in the review section.

I can't believe I that I am just now finding out about Myles Munroe. This book was a true blessing in helping me to realize the value of the visions that I have been blessed with. This book truly answered many questions that I had about where to go from where I am now. What should my next step be? I thank God for this book and the anointing placed on Myles Munroe.

Yes, this book is a blessing. It is a godly means of tranforming your mind. Be blessed.

Myles Munroe is an excellent author and this book will give help you with what God has given you to do. My goal is read all of his books, all of his books are great, he's one of my favorites.

If you want to really, fully understand how and why one is given a Christian spiritual gift like purpose and vision you will truly enjoy reading this book....it's hard for me to put it down...and I'm only into the 3rd chapter. Myles Monroe has been given a rare gift of explaining the actual "mechanics" of various spiritual gifts in terms that are so plain and understandable....I've read his book on prayer as well "Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer" it was TERRIFIC!! I can't wait to order another one of his books when I get through with this one.

I can't get enough of this book, every page is an "aha" moment. It's taking me to the next level. I think the book was written just for me, answering/addressing the questions I've had & couldn't seem to figure out the answers.