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The Indian mutiny of 1857 sees the cantoment of Krishnapur besieged by sepoys. For three months Mr Hopkins (the collector) galvanises the British community in resisting the onslaught...
This book is superbly written and often reminds one of the style of George Elliot. It is both witty and profound and wonderfully researched and charactorized.Like the best of Elliot,Farrell uses his narrative to inform on other topics-the great cholera debate;the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace- and questions the basis of what culture actually lends to civilisation.
Books like this just don't get written these days.

Paul Scott wrote in his RAJ QUARTET that it was in India during the last days of the Raj that the British came to the end of themselves as they were. In this superb Booker Prize-winning novel written concurrently with the QUARTET (and which casts a similar cold eye towards the British imperial ambitions in India), J. G. Farrell shows how the Raj itself was formed and how it already carried within it in embryo the seeds of the destruction for the entire Empire. The novel takes place in a city in Northeastern India during 1857, the year of the Great Sepoy Rebellion: the British stationed in Krishnapur hear vague rumors of what they will call "The Mutiny" from faraway towns but are mostly unwilling to take them seriously. The ensuing siege they endure carries on for months as they wait for help to relieve them; though slowly forced to an absolute subsistence level--and then to even less--, they refuse to relinquish the habits of social conditioning that have made them already who they are. Social snobbery, physical modesty, gender segregation: all remain firmly ensconced even as their physical conditions start deteriorating so greatly they start dying in large numbers.

The novel's subject would seem to suggest that the novel would make for almost unbearable reading: oddly it does not, because the characters of the novel (who are almost entirely British) maintain such a droll and uncomprehending attitude towards their conditions, no matter how desperate things seem. Thus, since Farrell focalizes his narrative mostly through his thoughts, everything seems unreal throughout the entire siege and not quite so nightmarish as it might have been had he used a more distanced narrator. The work is in part a parody of old-fashioned "Mutiny novels," so you should know that the ending is very much in keeping with those kinds of novels (which proliferated throughout the Empire during the latter half of the nineteenth century); characteristically, however, Farrell puts his own intelligent spin on things, so even if the ending you had been expecting does occur it doesn't in the way you had expected. This is the second, and perhaps most famous, of the three superb works of Farrell's "Empire" trilogy which beautifully illustrates the conditions of Empire described in another nearly coeval work, Jan Morris's famous PAX BRITTANICA trilogy. It's exciting, amusing, intelligent, and greatly worth reading.

This is an excellent novel about the Sepoy Mutiny in India in 1857. The focus of the story is the siege of the British Civil Service enclave at Krishanpur (historically this was the siege of Lucknow). A group of Sepoy soldiers was given new rifle cartridges that were wrapped in greased paper, and the paper was removed by biting it off with one's teeth. The word spread was that this grease was animal grease, which was an insult to religion. The sepoys mutinied, killed their superior British officers, and started marauding across India.

Hearing about the mutiny the (tax) Collector in Krishnapur had ramparts built around the British buildings in Krishnapur. Shortly afterwards the Sepoys attacked in waver after wave for a period of several months. Surprisingly author Farrell describes the sufferings of those besieged with a good deal of humor, humor that pricks holes in the pompous beliefs and attitudes of 19th century British colonizers. We bring them progress, a superior civilization, yet they turn on us marvels the Collector. The condescension doesn't stop with the Indians. At one point the Collector speaks to the British women in the enclave, and silently thinks that in reality women are really useless creatures. It is the men of the world that shoulder the responsibility of getting things done. The padre runs around telling everyone that God is punishing them for their sinful behavior. A new school and an old school doctor constantly disagree over medical treatment. In perhaps the funniest scene of the book the old doctor contracts cholera, and instructs his aides to cover him with mustard plasters. The young doctor, who is aware that cholera victims die from dehydration, initiates a saline IV every time the old doc sinks into a coma. The IV brings him around, and he immediately pulls out the IV and insists on getting his mustard plasters, following which he soon sinks back into a coma. Back goes the IV and the doc becomes conscious again. This cycle goes on and on and becomes hysterically funny.

The British thought they were doing wonderful things for the Indians, but the harsh reality of it is they were creating harsh lives for their colonial subjects. The sepoys, for example, were paid near starvation wages. This is an important novel about the misguided philosophy behind imperialism. Perhaps there is a lesson here for us Americans. Should we really be focused on bringing our way of life to other countries?

"The Siege of Krishnapur', the second of J.G. Farrell's now classic works on the British Empire, (see also Troubles (New York Review Books Classics) and The Singapore Grip (New York Review Books Classics)) is a fictionalized account of the Siege of Lucknow during the Great Mutiny of 1857-1858 (aka the Sepoy Rebellion). The mutiny or rebellion, depending on one's point of view, was ultimately defeated by the British and led to the replacement of East India Company rule by direct British governance under the Raj.

Farrell masterfully recreates the insular British upper-class life in India - and the siege only intensifies this insularity. As the siege drags on and on, the inhabitants strive to maintain expected standards of behavior and decorum. Farrell populates his book with interesting characters who debate and dispute morality, religion, progress, and civilization.

Excellent introductions are a hallmark of the New York Review of Books Classics and the introduction to this volume by Pankaj Mishra places the book in historical and cultural context and adds significant value.

Highest Recommendation.

At the climax of this magnificent novel, the book's protagonist, Hopkins, the British civil administrator or Collector of Krishnapur, finds himself trapped in a Union Jack whose flagstaff has been shot down, knocking him to the ground. He recognizes it as the scenario of a persistent nightmare that had been troubling since his small enclave had been put under siege several months before. But it is also a symbol for the entire book.

The initial set-up here is similar to that of the author's TROUBLES: a group of British colonialists crammed together in a decaying building while the threat of native rebellion comes closer. But this is larger in scope, with a bigger cast of characters, grander themes, and a rebellion which is much more than some background disturbance. Unlike the violence in TROUBLES, which is seen at first hand only in the hallucinatory final chapters of the book, this one (the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857) takes center stage about a third of the way into the novel, leading to harrowing scenes of death, starvation, and disease. On the level of a simple war story, these events (based on the siege of Lucknow) make for a stirring story of heroism and courage -- especially where these qualities are unexpected, is in the formerly stuffy Collector who discovers hidden talents for generalship and strategy, and the young poet George Fleury, fresh out from England, who proves to have a strong practical streak and a remarkably cool head.

Also as in TROUBLES, there is a pervasive eroticism to this book, centering around three of the younger woman besieged in the Residency: the debutante Louise, chaste belle of Calcutta balls; Miriam, George's young widowed sister, tired of being assigned to stereotypical female roles, and Lucy, whom everybody knows as a "dishonored woman" although nobody is entirely clear as to the extent or agency of this dishonor. As the siege persists, the courtship conventions of colonial society are turned on their head by proximity and deprivation. There is one almost surreal scene in which Lucy, attacked by a huge cloud of otherwise harmless flying beetles, rips off her clothes and promptly faints, leaving two young men to scrape the insects off her, in the process discovering the differences between a real female body and a marble statue.

For, despite the bloodshed, Farrell's characteristic tone of comedy is present here too, but now his targets are as much institutional as personal: the hypocracies of colonialism, trivia of class and culture, and Victorian attitudes towards faith and science. As we meet the cast of characters, we find many different points of view: the Padre who believes that the rebellion is God's punishment for sin, the cynical Magistrate who is a confirmed atheist, the Opium Agent who believes only in profit, rival doctors from older and newer schools of thinking, bluff soldiers who do not think much at all but who can yet be excellent at their jobs, the aesthete Fleury whose first reaction to being under fire is to assemble phrases for an epic poem, and the Collector, who believes in progress, but attempts to strike a balance between all points of view. And to a remarkable extent, the author also manages to retain that balance. The siege is a crucible in which every kind of received attitude may be tested, and for the most part found wanting. But Farrell is never preachy or polemical; he does not make everything subservient to a single point of view, even the anti-colonial one. His great gift is to keep you thinking, even as you turn the pages with bated breath. A brilliant achievement!

Having already read Think & Grow Rich, I didn't think that there was anything more that I could learn about PMA. I figured that this would be more of the save only on a different cover. Boy was I surprised!

W.Clement Stone and Napolean Hill joined forces for this text. W. Clement Stone used the principles in Think & Grow Rich to amass a personal and self made fortune in excess of $400,000,000
when that was worth $400,000,000.

I found chapter 2 particularly interesting. How Robert Christopher was able to travel around the world in 84 days with only $80 merely as a result of setting it as a goal, conceiving, believing and then achieving it is impressive.

Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude is divided into five parts, 19 chapters and over 300 pages. It's a fun, easy read and provides powerful strategies i.e. pilots to succeed.

In 1990, I met a very successful businessman who told me he went from unemployment living in Tampa, Fl to over $2.5 million and moved to Hawaii where he bought a boat and retired in only 18 months using these principles along with the right opportunity.

The first batch of significant books that had the greatest influence on me in terms of attaining personal achievement includes mostly Napoleon Hill's books:

- The Law of Success;
- Think & Grow Rich;
- The Keys to Success;
- Success through a Positive Mental Attitude;
- Succeed & Grow Rich through Persuasion;

The others were from Clement Stone, Dale Carnegie, & Earl Nightingale.

That was the early 70's when I had just started work as a young engineer.

The author, Napoleon Hill, had impressed me most by his relentless dedication in spending some two to three decades of his life in pursuing & researching the success secrets of the rich & famous...with a little help from Andrew Carnegie, of course.

As matter of fact, many of the famous people he interviewed were also favourite role models of mine e.g. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, just to name a few

Till this day, I have never forgotten what he said:

"The most powerful instrument we have in our hands is the power of our mind."

I have never ceased to be fascinated by the simplicity & the potency of his ABCs of personal achievement: CONCEIVE, BELIEVE & ACHIEVE!

It is certainly enlightening to note that even Stephen Covey had drew inspiration from Napoleon Hill's work even though he never made that credit. He only admitted that the 7 Habits had its origins from "200 years of success literature in the United States." That remark itself is self explanatory.

Anthony Robbin's Mastery program as embodied in his books as well as his audio/video resources is no exception, even though he has been influenced in larger extent by NLP.

If you look at & compare the 17 principles of personal achievement in 'The Law of Success' &/or the 13 Steps to Riches in 'Think & Grow Rich', one can obviously see the uncanny resemblance of the 7 Habits & the Mastery principles...in one way or another.

At this juncture, let me outline the principal theme of each book:

The Law of Success: the original course on the fundamentals of success - all the seventeen essential principles of personal achievement;
Think & Grow Rich: The seventeen essential principles are reframed & condensed in terms of thirteen concrete steps to wealth creation (in actuality, this is a condensation of the Law of Success);
The Keys to Success: a further elaboration of the seventeen essential principles with concrete suggestions, exercises & advice;
Success Through Positive Mental Attitude: joint authorship with Clement Stone, with a further emphasis on developing a positive mental attitude;
Succeed & Grow Rich Through Persuasion: joint authorship with Clement Stone, with a further emphasis on developing master salesmanship & networking;
[It is pertinent to note that Clement Stone actually built his insurance business empire with these principles.]

My most productive, personal learning experience from Napoleon Hill's work is the understanding - application - of his success principle #1: Develop Definiteness of Purpose.

[Very surprisingly, J Y Pillay, former Chairman of Singapore Airlines, - who had been credited for building the airline to what it is today, A GREAT WAY TO FLY! - also credited his work axiom to this same success principle, but he attributed it to an ancient Hindu scripture known as Bhagavad Gita.]

I am certainly gratified to note that Napoleon Hill's work had casted so much influence on - & empowered - so many people in the world, including myself.

This is unquestionably one of the very best books on the science of personal success. Written in the same vein as the Napoleon Hill classic, "Think and Grow Rich," this book is full of inspiring examples of how focusing the mind upon intended positive outcomes can be the catalyst to great accomplishment and personal growth.

The message is extremely powerful and its strict application MUST invariably lead you towards the fulfillment of whatever aims you focus its principles towards.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I should say that I am a speaker, trainer, and author of another unique and highly valuable learning tool that can also be found here on Amazon: The WealthLoop Series Beginner's Guide to Personal Wealth Creation (Combo Audio/Data CD): Audio Seminar With Downloadable 40-Page Action Manual and Active Link Library. It is a straight-forward discussion of the art and science of personal wealth creation and should be considered by anyone serious about wanting to learn more about the right way to get started on the road to personal wealth creation and financial freedom!

Other "WealthLoop Series" tools of worth looking into include:

The WealthLoop Series Beginner's Guide to Building Wealth Buying Houses: The Foolproof Roadmap to Real Estate Riches Without the Risks and Hassles of Landlording

and

The WealthLoop Series Beginner's Guide to Building Wealth Buying Houses (Combo Audio/Data CD): Author's Audio Commentary Plus Downloadable 32-page Marketing Manual, Checklists, Spreadsheets, and Forms.

I've read Think and GRow Rich at least 20 times, and now Read this one at least 2times going on Three now..I received Spiritual blessings because of these principles that cannot be measured in money or material things.. only in the eternal. Now I am being prepared for My wealth, My Million dollar ideas to manifest into reality. I am now practicing these principles daily and look forward to the physical manifestation which has been prophesied by prophets, preachers, and people who don't even know me..The seed was planted years ago now What has been sowed is being reaped. Wealth is circulating in my life, this wealth flows to me in avalanches of abundance. All my needs, desires, and goals are met instantaneously.
Carl Ray Marshall

postive mental attitude...I liked this book, when i was getting down on myself i found that reading this book lifted my spirits somewhat. I just didnt like the printing and size of the book. Other than that...the material was pretty good. buy it used...

If you're looking to unravel a twisted up, convoluted, complicated, and painful relationship this is the book for you. It saved my 25+ year old marriage and has enhanced many other relationships as well. My friends got so tired of hearing me rave about the book that they bought their own copies and found their lives transformed as well. It ain't easy work dismantling a lifetime of armour--and don't let anyone tell you it is. But it's welllll worth the effort!!! And really, if you get just ONE thang from the book it will be worth the purchase price...and there's LOTS of thangs to get from the book. This is one you can read over and over again over the years and get something new from it each time. If you're looking for ONE book that hits all the nails on their heads THIS is the one...I've read soooo many books about following your bliss, passionate pursuit of one's dreams, making the impossible possible etc etc and this book is at the core of all of them. You dive into the work of this book and you too will see your life transformed--it's truly amazing. Go for it! peace love & joy Coco

This is an insightful and thought-provoking book. Great for a therapist, but also very accessible to the layperson. Takes you through some self-review that gets to the root of what triggers us when we have conflict in a relationship, and how to move past those triggers to real "undefended" love.

This book really helps you uncover yourself to reveal your inner beauty. People all around you will seem more peaceful. You will be able to be responsive instead of reactive. It is the most uplifting feeling in the world.

I have just finished this book for the third time and decided to buy it (I had borrowed it from my local library at first). I wanted to keep it close at hand so I could read it whenever i needed support in transforming from using my survival behaviors to living from more of my essence. The real life stories make it a personal read and the authors' descriptions of both our "cracked identies" belief systems and our compensating behaviors are both non-judging and clearly stated. Their understanding of the journey from "cracked" to whole seems to come from a universal belief that we humans can and do want to transform old traumas rather than believe in the enculturated view that we are discardable, unloveable victims, living largely unmanageable, tight,fake lives. The authors use very easy to read and remember descriptions of the common "cracked" identities that we all hold and of the compensating behaviors we have taken on to hide these "inherent defects". It is their belief, and now mine after reading their book, that these beliefs can be transformed if we are willing to plumb the depths of the unconscious to identify the identies and their voices that run us. Their "techniques" are simple and straight forward, requiring little more than a commitment to living from the essence of who we are, not from the overlay of beliefs that were thrust upon us in the formative times of childhood. This was not just another "self-help" book; it was a warm and inspiring piece of writing, that is both practical and inspirational. It distinquishes with fine discernment the difference between the vulnerable, whole-hearted way of relating from our essence and living from the tight, practiced, forced, defended facade we all have taken on to protect ourselves from feeling that we are "defective" no matter what.
I highly recommend this book to anyone... those just beginning the exploration of who they are down under all the compensating, survival behavior or those well along in their quest for living from essential self. elisabet skyhawk

This book was recommended by James Flaherty, author of Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others Coaching : Evoking Excellence in Others as well as founder of New Ventures West, the Professional Coaching School I attended. And now I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to deepen their relationship to self and others. I have shared the book with coaching clients as well as friends and family. One of the comments I hear over and over is how people want to read it over and over to really incorporate what they have read into their lives.

What I appreciate about this book is that it is as much about self understanding as it is about understanding our most intimate relationships, perhaps even more so. In our many attempts to change others, it is only when we finally commit to looking deeply within ourselves that we begin to see the world in a new way. Undefended LoveUndefended Love is very clear about this distinction between the work of the self and the work of the relationship.

The other thing I appreciate about this book is the distinction between our essence and the personality we have all been building since we were little ones. This built personality is what the authors Psaris and Lyons refer to as the defended self. Instead of searching outside ourselves for the fulfilling relationships we desire, we must instead look inside and begin to uncover our true essence.

The perspective presented in this book has been invaluable not only in my coaching work, but in my own personal life. You definitely want to read this book if you want a deeply fulfilling relationship for the long haul!

A beautiful story, wonderfully written and a pleasure to read. You won't be able to put it down!

At first I wasn't sure what to expect from a "historical Christian fiction" book, but once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down! I can't wait to pick up the next one. This book really does have it all.

I enjoyed this novel. The main character was someone you knew well after a few chapters, and I found myself rooting for her, her friends and her love interests. Her adventures were exciting enough, and her love story was affecting. Once I began to care about the characters, I could easily ignore the problems with this book. I spent several late evenings reading this.

The problems are not too terrible. The author often tells the reader details that should be revealed through the story. The prose is slightly awkward throughout. There is a lot of coincidence in the plot. Some of the coincidences are so improbable that they began to annoy me.

There is also a good deal of historical detail in the story, which I enjoyed. The action unfolds in Berlin, Vienna, and Prague- in real places which are well described. Now I feel like seeing those places for myself. I feel as if I know them intimately.

This is the first book in a series: The Zion Covenant. I will read the next book in the series, because I am hooked. I want to know what happens to everyone!

This book is a real eye opener if you are interested in WWII, but don't want to watch boring documentaries or read boring text books about it. It brings it to life. Charlotte Mason would have called this a "living book". Historically acurate history written in story format. There are 9 in the series, and all are worth the read.

Elisa Lindheim is young, beautiful, and gifted. The oldest child of retired Luftwaffe officer Theo Lindheim has grown up in Berlin, enjoying the privileges of her father's heroic World War I reputation and of his financial success as owner of Lindheim's Department Store. The shadows cast by Hitler's rise to power are darkening her life, though, in 1936. Estranged from her lifelong love and former fiance who's chosen to give her up on orders from his military superiors, Elisa lives in her Gentile mother's native Vienna and calls herself Elisa Linder. She plays in the opera house's first violin section, and - like so many other Jewish or part-Jewish Germans and Austrians - refuses to believe that things will continue to get worse. Any day now, the German military will have had enough of the mad paper hanger; and after that, life will be normal again.

Of course that's not what happens during the year that follows. As Theo Lindheim moves to get his family to safety, but fails to get himself out of Germany successfully, history in the making catches up with Elisa and forces her to make choices she never imagined anyone might have to face.

This is that rare book, a "faith based" novel that's worth any reader's attention. Well researched and well written, VIENNA PRELUDE moves along at a steady clip and then races to a suitably tense climax. The authors understand what far too many writers (especially of faith based fiction) don't "get" at all: that characters' actions must flow from who they are, not from what the book's chosen theme requires them to do. While the coincidences that keep parting and reuniting Elisa and American journalist John Murphy become strained from overuse, somewhere in the tale's second half, and a few of the characters' lines of dialog sound more like a sermon than an individual's words in conversation, the overall effect is just what it should be. The reader quickly becomes invested in knowing what will happen to Elisa and the others, and the triumph of their faith is all the more real because of the struggles that living it costs them. I expect to read more in this series, and that's the best compliment one can pay to any author.

Awesome book! Great pictures, not too much text, opportunities to make animal noises. Our youngest adores this book and the older ones love to sit and "read" outloud making all the noises.

I've been reading this book to my son since he was 2 months old before bedtime and he LOVES it, especially when I say "boo... hooo... hoo". He smiles everytime I bring it out and looks at me funny if I bring something else out before bedtime. He loves to look at the pages and I do too! It's a simple, fun story that gives you the opportunity to perfect your mooing, mewing, barking and quacking skills. (I assume I'll be using these skills for a while).

I started reading this book to my daughter when she was 17-months-old. At that age, she was saying simple words, so she loved pointing at the pictures of the animals and saying "kitty" and "dog." I enjoyed making the animal sounds and having her repeat them. It's a fun story --- following the animals' attempts to soothe the crying baby --- and a fun book to read.

Great for your boo-hoo baby. Lots of animal noises, cute illustrations, a fun story and a happy ending for the sleepy sobbing baby. I read it to my son, and get lots of smiles.

My 11 month old baby requests this book everyday, several times a day. She selects it from 30 other books and brings it to us to read. She loves the illustrations, especially the depiction of baby's big head. She makes a "Zzzzz" sound in anticipation of the last page where all the characters except the baby is sleeping.

She likes it so much that if she is crying in the back seat of the car, I can calm her by reciting this book. (It's not hard for an adult to recite this book from memory.)

Delightful stories of the Hundred-Acre Wood and all of its lovable characters. Pooh and friends have quite a few adventures (or misadventures) in this collection of Winnie-the-Pooh stories. The stories remind me of childhood, making them special each time I reread them. I wouldn't even be able to choose my favorite chapter in this book -- each one is full of wonder, laughter, and Pooh.

The charming and timeless story of Christopher Robin, Winnie-the-Pooh, their friends and their adventures. I truly enjoyed this more than I thought I would. After all the years working at TDS where we had the Disney version of Winnie-the-Pooh shoved at us from all directions, I'd taken to having a distinctly soured view of the bear and all his friends.

It occurred to me one day that I had never actually read the original, and thought maybe I should give that a chance, and am glad that I did. It's a simple and direct story, and proved to be a joy to read.

What does it say of a reader who, as an adult, reads 'Winnie the Pooh' for the first time - and - and - feels it one of the best novels he ever read.
So pristine, so perfect - would I have appreciated it as a child? Who knows (I was too busy feeding my literary hunger with comics). Anyway I have my copy of 'Winnie the Pooh' on the top shelf of my book case, next to the others I consider great (Ulysses, 1984, Great Expectations ...) for all to see.
And who can contest that for "I am a bear of very little brain, and big things bother me".

My 2 1/2 year old loves this! It is soooo much better than letting her watch tv as this uses her imagination. I'm very happy I bought this.

This book was such a sweet little something to come home to at night. This book isn't just for kids, but for adults too! relax and enjoy!

I admit that (1) I don't work alone; (2) I've never worked alone; and (3) I never thought that I ever would want to work alone. I'm a born "groupie" who has always been most comfortable immersed in a "team effort, melding my work with the works of others. Unfortunately, I was given this book by a friend who thought I deserved a "better life," and unfortunately a read it. Twice. I keep saying "unfortunately," because I have now been turned around,having been harshly bitten by the workalone bug. I want to go out and see what I can do on my own. I'm going to do it, and it's all the fault of this book. I'll let you know what happens...

This is the kind of book that gets you all charged up and roaring to get going. I am not at all certain that all current and potential solo workers possess the multi-directional energy and stick-to-it-iveness that obviously inhabits Dr. Felsher's inner self, but I do suspect that most of us, given the opportunity, should give "working-alone" a try. Success at this venture seems to be the very best kind of success one could wish for.

After finally obtaining and reading through a copy of "Working Alone," (which I understand is now out-of-print), I am convinced that the author has put together a not-so-minor classic that clearly deserved a wider readership than it received, (a view shared by several previous reviewers). I am not certain if the fault rests with a complacent/inactive publisher not eager to promote and publicize a book from an "unknown author," or a complacent/inactive author,ignorant of the wily ways of the book-publishing industry. Given Mr. Felsher's positive and aggressive nature espoused in the pages of the book, I suspect more the former than the latter. Whatever the reason, I certainly hope that he can be persuaded to devote some time to delivering a follow-on book -- perhaps even as an e-book. I, and several others, it would seem, eagerly await such a development.

i was impressed -- really impressed -- with this book. very important lessons on virtually every page. "telling it like it is" is little more than a cliche nowadays, but by heavens, that's exactly what this fellow consistently does. a pleasure to read, it must have also been a pleasure to write. i look forward to more of the same from him.

I am a consultant, working by myself (president and chief bottle-washer) out of my home in suburban Baltimore. I've heard good things about this book, but was unable to locate a copy until last week. I was finally able to get a (used) copy of Working Alone, and having read it and believed it thoroughly, it has earned an honored spot atop my desk, and will remain there indefinitely. This is a sure "must-read" for anybody out on his own. A lesson on every page (well, maybe not _every_ page, but close). Count me as a big fan...

What a great book I recommend it for anyone. Another great book I would love to recommend is The Secret by Rhonda Burns. Very inspirational nd motivating for everyone.

this book helps you help yourself, the directions are clear and easy to
follow, you just have to make the time to do what is instructed to do.
and beleive in it

Loved the book - very informative with lots of direction to start communicating with the Angelic realm. Loved the step by step instructions as well as the personal stories of students who rec'd messages from the angels. I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in this subject.

I could see and speak to angels before this book- my fortay. I loved them and still do. Everything happens for a reason. So, one day my best gf's mom was hosting a seminar on this book and invited me- several times. My parents too. I thought arragantly "naw, i can already speak to them, i don't need this class!" than my gaurdian and my other gf's gaurdian Caleb nugded me to read it. So i stopped being a little pest and read it. Very very wonderful. Understandable and opening. After reading this, its eaiser to sometimes speak with them and truly a help in my life even more than before.

I read this book almost a year ago and just recently took a class with one of the authors, Trudy Griswold. She is an incredible woman and helped me further to be able to talk with and write to my angels. It was one of the most amazing evenings, very emotional and helpful. I highly recommend this book to anyone and a class if they can find a facilitator or one of the authors nearby!

This book was an awsome book.I might be a guy but all these stories just fills your heart with good things. This book has fantastic real life stories that mean alot of things. It was so good that i read this book in 4 days. This book is great for any chicken soup lovers or people who likes touching stories.

I read this book in 2 days flat!! I love it. Brought back some memories of times in my life... made me cry mostly. Who doesn't love a good cry? I'm on track to improving my personal development and have since changed my reading material to awe-inspiring stuff. I encourage all women ages 21-100+ to read this book.

I have grown up with Chicken Soup For The Soul Collections. I can remember buying my first book at a book sale while I was in elementary school. I than moved on to Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul. I recently took a box of books to a book exchange shop and that's where I saw Chicken Soup For The Woman's Soul. I than remembered how much I had loved these heart warming short stories and since I had just turned 20 years old, it was about time I exchange my teenage collection in for the woman's collection. I am 20 years old, married and in college so sometimes I find myself stressed out and emotional so I like to sit down and enjoy a few of these stories. These are great books to own and there is a large variety so that anyone can find one that fits them. My husband and I like to read Chicken Soup For The Couples Soul together and I am looking forward to the day when I can read Chicken Soup For The Mothers Soul.

There are so many Inspiring and touching tales that fills our hearts with emotion. One wonders 'why' things happen as they shouldn't or 'How' do miracles change the course of our lives. There are moments in everybody's life where at a point you encounter obstacles, where your self esteem gets low, attitude differences opine or whatever be, awe-inspiring stories of this book glues you to stir your heart to be more wiser. It rekindles the spirits undoubtedly when we read the emotional narrations of others and wonder - We too come across lot of experiences in life. Should we not pen it down? Easy it may seem, needs inspirations like these stories to share alike tales. This book sure is a great 'light up spirits' book for woman, self inspirations you can say. Topics on Love, Attitude & self esteem, Special moments, Dreams, Truth & wisdom n more are widely covered which makes it a special read. I cherish this book and read n re-read at times. Good pick

I read this book in 2 days flat!! I love it. Brought back some memories of times in my life... made me cry mostly. Who doesn't love a good cry? I'm on track to improving my personal development and have since changed my reading material to awe-inspiring stuff. I encourage all women ages 21-100+ to read this book.

In spare, poetic and very beautiful dialect, old and grumpy Guernsey misanthrope, Ebenezer Le Page, recounts the story of his life; a tale of disillusionment, loss and remarkable resiliance.

Edwards makes Le Page a Guernseyan "Everyman." Le Page represents an embattled folk community: colonized by the French, occupied by the Germans and finally overrun by English tourists.

Like the butler, Stevens, in *The Remains of the Day,* Le Page has an epiphany that transforms him. But while Stevens' epiphany is of the rather subtle dry sherry variety, Le Page's knocks you flat like a good shot of white lightening, poteen or whatever it is that Guernsey people drink when they want to see God.

*The Book of Ebenezer Le Page* is about a small miracle of the human spirit in the face of war, poverty and souless consumerism.

One of the best books I have read in a long time...The universality of Ebenezer is wonderful. It brings the reader back to another time and place. I highly recommend this book.

What can I add to the almost unanimous chorus of praise and rave reviews? Not much. But this is such an exceptional yet so inexplicably little-known book that I feel obliged to join the chorus.

THE BOOK OF EBENEZER LE PAGE reminds me, as unlikely as this particular combination may sound, of both Thomas Hardy and Mark Twain. Indeed, for a rough approximation of the narrator Ebenezer Le Page and his personality and humor, imagine that Sam Clemens had been born in 1890 on the Channel Island of Guernsey, lived there his entire life, and then nearing 90 set down the story of his life and his world. Although not as cosmopolitan as Sam Clemens, Ebenezer Le Page is every bit as independent a free-thinker, as open-minded, as cantankerous, as wise, and as ruthlessly disdainful of cant, self-righteousness, and those who better themselves at the expense of others. And almost as funny.

For all its greatness, THE BOOK OF EBENEZER LE PAGE is not a page-turner that you are likely to devour in one fell swoop. It took me two weeks to read it. But each time I returned to it, I was eager to do so. It is not unlike an idiosyncratically crusty grandfather telling tales from his life after dinner; as much as one loves to listen to him every evening for an hour or two, one is not prepared to listen to him day in and day out, to the exclusion of everything else.

This novel is sui generis. It also is, in my experience, the greatest novel by a "single-work author." (It far surpasses John Kennedy Toole's "A Confederacy of Dunces.") But it should not be regarded solely as some sort of curiosity. It is a great work of literature, and it merits far wider recognition and a far wider readership.

This is a book for good readers only. And for good readers who enter the book at the right time when they are willing to invest the effort to get far enough into the story to care about it. There is much to complain about. It is a first person narrative written by a person who is not always likeable about other people who are not always likeable and who are often two dimensional. It is written in an idiosyncratic style that reflects both the education level and patois of the narrator. The setting is limited, obscure and unfamiliar to most readers. Somehow those very complaints gradually reverse themselves to become the strengths of the book. The author asks a lot from the reader because you have to plow through a lot of words and page after page until you become aware of the reversal. You become very interested in the narrator's life story, the vast cast of characters continues to increase with every page but they seem more human and not so irritating, the writing style becomes familiar and essential to the story as the narrator's personality and a reflection of the richness of the setting. This is a long book full of a long life story and many small stories. The small stories are some of the most memorable, particularly during the time of occupation. Some of the little stores are entertaining, like the two pigs and some are tragic, like the story of the young prisoner. I found myself more caught up in the little stories than in the larger tragedy of Raymond and Horace. My recommendation is to skip the introduction by John Fowles which is long and unnecessary and save your endurance to see if you can get far enough into the book to reach the point where you stop having to work at reading and want to pick it up. It is brilliant, even as it is astounding that a publisher read enough of it to make the decision to publish it.

I keep rereading this book. I've probably read it 20 times, in full and in part, since encountering it 20 years ago. The pageant of characters who march through are so alive I feel like I know them, and the number and variety of experiences the protagonist relates are as rich as life itself, despite the fact that Ebenezer left his home island of Guernsey only once, as a young man, for a short period of time.

However, I have lent or given a copy of this book to at least a half dozen people over the years, and not one of them was able to finish it.

Also, I do suspect that John Fowles wrote the book and perpetrated a grand hoax. I doubt that G. B. Edwards ever existed, at least as the author of this wonderful volume.