English Books

I first received this book as a gift from my daughters daycare teacher. We read it every night for years. When I came across it again on Amazon, I had to purchase it. Great story and morals - but we love it for the bright colors, catchy phrasing, and of course the memories behind the book. Great price and love the hardback book (as our original was paperback).

This is a great book that my daughter's preschool actually turned into a short play done by the parents. It was too cute. We still read it regularly 2 years later.

A very simple book that demonstrates how we must all get along and accept each other because together we make a better world.

This is a well written book about a very cute idea. My daughter (2 1/2) loves it.

I recieved my book in great condition and within a weeks time. Was great, I have continued to order from Amazon.

This is the third book in a series which you will either love or hate. It is also one of those multi-book series which must if at all possible be read in the right order, which is

1) The Game of Kings
2) Queen's Play
3) The Disorderly Knights
4) Pawn in Frankincense
5) The Ringed Castle
6) Checkmate

The disordely knoights of the title are the knights of St John of Malta. This book also features a battle of wits and intrigue betweem the central character, Francis Crawford of Lymond, and his great enemy Gabriel.

There are two reasons why this series, and indeed the author's similar "Niccolo" series, should be read in chronological order. The first is that the plots are incredibly complicated and if you read them out of sequence you have no chance of understanding what is going on. The second is that many of the characters meet their deaths in ways which are exceptionally unpleasant both for themselves and for the characters who survive them. If you read one of the later books first, advance knowledge of how characters are going to die, and the effect it will have on surviving characters can have an impact on the pleasure you would otherwise have had in reading about them for the first time.

Like the books, the central character, Francis Crawford of Lymond, is brilliant, violent, and extremely complicated. Unlike the books he is very flawed. Lymond is a mercenary with particular interests in Scotland and France, and gets involved in nefarious deeds all over the world as 16th century Europeans knew it. Dunnett brings the splendour, cultural ferment, and violent cruelty of the Renaissance world splendidly to life.

If you are at all squeamish, or do not like having to make your brain work overtime to follow a book, leave this series alone. Lymond's story is neither "chewing gum for the brain" nor a comfortable read. And even if you prefer flawed heroes to knights in shining armour, Lymond may infuriate you from time to time. But if you can put up with these features, these books will richly reward the effort you make in reading them.

There is no middle ground: you will either hate the Lymond series or recognise these books as one of the greatest works of historical fiction ever written. Or very possibly both !

If you are considering this third in the Lymond series, it is fairly similar to the first two. I came to the series having very much enjoyed Dunnett's House of Niccolo series. Having read the first three Lymond books, I do not think they are as good. Mostly, we are constantly being told how brilliant, deep, and charming the protagonist is. Niccolo is supposed to be very talented as well, but Dunnett demonstrates that through the plot, rather than force it down our throats as she does here. It makes it much harder to like or admire Lymond as a character.

There are some other irritating quirks in the writing. In the first of the series, for example, we hear way too many times about the Crawfords' "cornflower" eyes. I wanted to put needles in them by the end. In this book, characters are always saying things "grimly."

Unfortunately, the story-telling is pretty good, so I have to mutter under my breath as I read. Without spoiling the plot, by this point you know to look for the villain, who is pretty obvious. On the other hand, I thought there were more clever bits to the summing up than in the first two books, some of which I had certainly missed. But if you have fantasies about horrible deaths for the hordes of competent, sensible women, the high-strung protege du jour, etc., I sympathize.

The Lymond Chronicles (I've read the first three, have not read any other Dorothy Dunnett - yet) are not for everyone. I have both volumes of the Dorothy Dunnett Companion by Elspeth Morrison, and refer to them often to look up the many allusions to historical events and figures, to music and literature, many of which are unfamiliar to any but the most learned reader. That said, they are incredibly rich and never bog down. As with any operatic work (and these stories are!), one must suspend disbelief (no human being, especially one as young as Francis Crawford, could be so accomplished in so many areas). Reading these books is a roller-coaster ride through great swashbuckling, dark intrigue, hilarity and sometimes tenderness. I am amazed that Dunnett never leaves something dangling, no matter how unimportant it seemed when first mentioned -- except, of course, that The Disorderly Knights ends with two important characters tied to the tracks. I have to go out and buy the next book in the series this afternoon.

I envy you if you are just about to read this book because there are 6 in this series and I have read them all! By this book I felt that I knew Francis Crawford (the hero) intimately. I worship him for being the kind of person we all secretly want to be: incredibly smart, strong mentally and physically, kind (although not apparently so), poetic, musical...basically your Renaissance ideal, yet with enough flaws in him to make him endearingly human. In this third book of the series he meets someone who is seemingly his equal, which brings out his character even more. I can't categorize this book as an "adventure" or "historical" novel because it is all that and much more. Read it carefully (although the urge to flip the pages to find out what's next is strong, it's a real page-turner) and you will be as hooked on Dorothy Dunnett as I am.

Francis Crawford of Lymond is sent by the French King to the Island of Malta where the Knights Hospitallers are threatened by an invasion from the Turks. While there Francis is caught up in the politics of the Knights, in particular one Graham Malett who the reader will discover is not at all what he and his convent raised sister are what they appear to be on the surface. As Dunnett slowly peels back the layers of her story, the reader is taken from Malta to embattled Tripoli and then back again to Scotland as Francis intrigues to discover Graham's hidden agendas. To say much more would give away the whole plot, but be prepared for some memorable moments that will stick with you for long after the book is finished. The scene with the sheep (LOL), the nail biting suspense in Tripoli as they try to defuse the flame before Tripoli is blown to bits and of course the final climax during the sword fight between Lymond and his greatest enemy.

Throughout, Francis Crawford is a fascinating hero, and is as suave, debonair, flawed and fascinating as only a 16th Century version of James Bond could be. This is a complicated tale, and one that a reader has to pay close attention to, if you let your mind wander you may have to back track occasionally as I did. Dunnett is also very subtle (sometimes too much so!) and you do have to wait until the very end when all is revealed during a heart stopping sword fight in an Edinburgh cathedral, and a big surprise for Francis that will have you scrambling for the next book in the series, Pawn in Frankincense: Fourth in the Legendary Lymond Chronicles. Five stars.

Used to listen to this on tape and wanted to replace it with cd so I could listen to it in the car. If you want to get a taste of life in 1660's London, this is it. The written diaries are also fascinating but fairly hard to read, so Kenneth Branagh helps us out here. Anyone interested in English history will be very pleased with this diary. If you don't yet know who Pepys is then, for sure, you need to buy this. I've listened to it at least twice over the years and alway hear something new with each listening. Highly recommended!

I chose to listen to this book because I felt I "should" be better acquainted with what can arguably be called the most famous diary in history. I looked upon it as a chore that would improve my mind.

I may have, indeed, improved my mind but it turned out to be no chore! What an absolute delight. I've read many historical novels that weren't half as exciting, funny and fascinating as this book. I kept having to remind myself that this man REALLY lived through all these things -- the plague, the great London fire, the machinations of the court.

Plus, his willingness to expose in frank (and sometimes bawdy) detail his personal life, health, sexual dalliances, etc., brought *him* as well as his times vividly to life.

I doubt if trying to read through the actual diary would be as much fun, but the editors' careful selection of entries culled out the best bits while never losing continuity.

And what more can I add to the praise of Branagh as narrator? The man is a phenomenal talent and shows it in this book. Never over-acting, he manages to convey a perfect tone (for instance, just the hint of a whisper at the more personal parts, as though Pepys was confiding in us).

All in all, this book convinced me that improving my mind doesn't HAVE to be tedious.

Of course it is not the complete Pepy's diary but is wonderful to listen to while on long drives. Kenneth Brannagh as the reader brings life into the English language of yesterday. I wonder if a movie is in the offing.

Samuel Pepys' Pepys' Diary is an outstanding classic which comes to life in audio cd format, narrated by Kenneth Branagh whose background in film and direction lend to a vivid narrative indeed. Pepys' classic has lasted centuries because it records in vivid descriptions the bygone world of 17th-century London life: this vivid written word in turn translates well into audio and brings a rich history to life.

I loved these tapes. I concur with the reviews that they are addictive - better for a long country ride than a harried rush hour. Then let Pepys (Branagh) be your witty and engrossing travel companion.

It obviously helps to be familar with the Restoration to enhance your enjoyment of these diaries; though many with even a general background will still find them entertaining. Highly recommended.

I bought this book to help with my transition to a director's position at a nonprofit organization. It contains very useful and concrete ideas, in addition to case studies from different organizational types (i.e., an example of succession in public agency, a non-profit organization, etc.). I would definitely suggest this book for anyone thinking of systematizing succession.

Rothwell's book is one of the more comprehensive and well researched books covering this growing topic. It includes a wealth of information following all of the major steps of the Succession Planning process. The book contains useful worksheets and task process flows that allow a reader to rapidly introduce the core concepts into their organisation. A great resource.

easy to understand and absorb great intro reference

The need for succession planning is reaching crisis proportions, yet few organizations are willing to face the crisis and do something about it.

There's nothing magic here---just a realistic, comprehensvie, flexible approach to get the job done. The strenghts in this book:
- Finding the right devleopmental activity for the right level of management
- Design, gain support, and implement, and maintain your succession process.
- Lots of extras, including assessments and a plan to devleop a mentoring program.

A great value.

Rothwell provides not only an excellent review of the current literature but countless worksheets for practice. If you are interested in succession planning issues this book is a must. I would also recommend "The Leadership Pipeline" by Charan, Drotter, & Noel. And buy a copy of "Strategic Organizational Learning" by Beitler. Beitler has several free articles on his website "[...]" that are also helpful.

Laura Taylor
Baltimore, MD

Two years ago, while in high school, I formed an Independent Study class with a couple other students to learn Esperanto. It's a relatively esoteric subject for most people, so we were worried we would be unable to find an effective text book. We ultimately decided on Esperanto from the Teach Yourself series, and were pleased beyond our expectations. I was amazed by not only how easy the language is to learn, but by the wonderful format and selection of vocabulary presented by the book. The book does not patronize you with repetitive material, and instead uses every page to pack in more of the language. Complete with wonderful appendicies (and a comprable dictionary), I felt that I learned more from that book than I did from my first three years of formal classes in Spanish. Although I have used a more advanced textbook since, shortly after finishing the TY Esperanto book, I had very little trouble tackling La Hobito (the Hobbit), Genesis, and poetry in Esperanto to test my success and build vocabulary. I fear, if interest fades or not enough materials like this remain available, this wonderful experiment with linguistics will die. Don't be afraid to help Esperanto stay alive, and Teach Yourself Esperanto.

I ordered this book through my local library, because I was interested learning about Esperanto. Once I had it, I realized I would need a permanent copy for myself. I searched everywhere on the internet for it, but because it is out of print the only place I found it was here, on Amazon.com. The price was $30.68, which is outrageous for a book of not even 200 pages. But I paid it, because this book really is priceless!
If you want to learn Esperanto, you need this book.

The Teach Yourself Series is a great modality for learning and/or acquiring a second language. Esperanto: A complete course for beginners, is exactly what it says! I have used other TY books, and the quality and level of material learned is excellent for adult learners either studying alone or in a group setting.

Definately worth the money.....recommended without reservation!

This was one of only two Esperanto books at my local Borders. I bought both, and loved this one. After merely months I can chat online and read web pages and (simple) books! I bought it without the tapes, which I didn't know existed until several months later, but that's my only regret. The alphabetized word lists in the back serve as a surprisingly helpful (for the size) dictionary until you buy a full one, which I still haven't yet. You can't go wrong with this book! Acxetu gxin! (Buy it!)

I only have great things to say about this book. I'm enrolled in a free Esperanto introductory course, and I just have to say that reading this book alone has helped me get further along than the class! Of course, I can't negate that the class has been at the very least synergistically helpful. I would recommend taking a class to anyone, but even if you do, or if you can't manage that luxury, this book will be just as helpful.

a beautiful book. my 3- yo daughter is very interested in fairies and we love looking at the inventive things the fairy has in her house. it is also a beautiful message about taking care of animals and letting the wild ones be wild.

A wonderful bedtime story for young children. My little one loves the relaxing poem with the beautiful pictures. The story tells a valuable lesson of caring for those around you. She calms down and goes to sleep very quickly after reading this story. My 2 year old demands to be read "Fairy Market" before any nap or bedtime. She loves it.

This is a wonderful book, beautifully illustrated. The story is one of gracious appreciation of others. Highly recommended.

This has been a favorite in our house for 20+ years. With our first child and now with our youngest. The pictures are wonderful, your child will love finding new things every time they read the book. And the messege that is taught, each time the fairy purchases a new animal and then sets it free after she admires it or when she shares her coat with the frog so he can stay warm. The message of caring for others is expressed in an easy to understand way. Great book for children and adults to share.

This gentle rhyming story is paired with beautiful illustrations. Story of the seasons and about being a compassionate person. A must-have in your library- especially if you love fairies!

This may be of use to Chinese speakers from Taiwan who are translating into English. However, for native speakers of English who translate Chinese into English, or for students who need to look-up using pinyin, this dictionary will be of limited value. There is a pinyin index but it is not as convenient as a fully pinyin dictionary. Furthermore, although head character entries have pinyin readings, character compounds listed as sub-entries under each head character lack pinyin readings. It is more comprehensive than Oxford's Chinese-English English-Chinese (ISBN 0195911512) but I only use it rarely for characters I can't find in Oxford.

This is a very good hard-cover Chinese-English dictionary for those who are interested in a dictionary that features traditional characters and uses Zhuyin (bo po mo fo) for pronunciation, such as anyone interested in visiting Taiwan. The characters are organized by radical number and stroke count, and a Zhuyin phonetic index is in the back of the dictionary, as well as phonetic indices for two other phonetic systems (Gwoyeu Romatzyh and the U. N. Mandarin Phonetic Symbols). Since the dictionary is a Chinese-English dictionary, it is very useful for looking up Chinese characters you read and words you hear. For each character entry, there are often multiple (up to several dozen in some cases) common phrases of two or more characters in length all starting with that character. As I am a native English speaker, I have found that the dictionary is well complimented by an English-Chinese dictionary so that I can also look up words and phrases I know in English and would like to say or write in Chinese.

I recommend this dictionary to native English speaking students of Mandarin Chinese with traditional characters.

I have used this dictionary for nearly 10 years, and I believe that in that time, working regularly with classical documents, I have encountered no more than 5 characters not included in this dictionary. Certainly for students of modern Chinese, this is as complete a dictionary as you will likely ever need. Characters are listed by several different indexes in both the front and the back, including one index for characters with ambiguous radicals! My only objection is that alternative character forms are inconsistently listed in the indexes, meaning that characters that at first appear not to be included may be included under different forms. Others will not like the absence of the most contemporary usages and colloquialisms; in return, however, they will get a wide range of definitions used in both classical and modern Chinese, a remarkable number of phrases, both classical and modern, and a constantly useful range of biographical and historical names, which can otherwise be very difficult to locate. All in all, my dictionary of first choice on a shelf that includes at least 10 of them.

Fantastic! I was expecting a big and good dictionary. And had the surprise in receiveing a wonderful, very well printed, fine paper dictionary - not tzu tian ( words
dictionary) but ci tian ( phrases dictionary )! Hardcover and with a nice box, besides, with a special plastic cover! And for each of its more than 7 thousands entries, more than 6 or 8 examples, with pronounciation, what makes more than 56 thousands expressions! Zhuyin Fuhao and Pyin Yin ! Fantastic is not enough for this treasure!

Above all, this is designed more for advanced learners, native speakers, and particularly users who are familiar with the Taiwanese Zhuyin symbols as all the entries are organized by Zhuyin instead of Pinyin. As Pinyin becomes a more commonly used romanization system for Mandarin, users who don't know Zhuyin or are more familiar with Pinyin may find it inconvenient to use. The main entry (the listed character) does provide the Pinyin of the character in addition to Zhuyin and Wade-Giles symbols, but the sub-entries (the compound nouns and phrases) are only listed with Zhuyin and with no Pinyin reference. I do like the fact that it offers traditional characters. (I believe that a simplified character version is also available out there.) Despite my personal preference on the romanization system, it is a relatively better Chinese-English dictionary compared with those in the market. It has a fairly comprehensive collection of sub-entries under each character with good definition and translation. Last but not the least, the reference pages at the beginning with the traditional radical system and at the end with all three romanization systems listed are pretty useful for learners who are really into learning traditional characters and/or need references on different phonetic romanization systems. So if you don't mind looking up words with Zhuyin symbols, it is a pretty good Chinese-English dictionary.

For me this was an amazing discovery. I read a review of it in a literary magazine in the waiting room of my optician and when I got home I immediately ordered it from Amazon.
What caught my eye in the review were the names of the inhabitants of the February House - Auden, Britten,McCullers... in that amazing year. I knew of their work individually but to read of them living under the same roof was a revelation.What a cauldron of creativity! All against the background of the war in Europe and the period leading up to Pearl Harbour.As I read the book I felt as though I were there. I hope that someone will make a documentary about it or better still a dramatised reconstruction. The two Truman Capote films have blazed the trail.

A friend just recommended this book to me and it's fabulous!!! I live in an artist bldg and it's nothing compared to the energy of Middagh Street. The book is a great read and the research is most impressive. I cannot wait to read the one she's writing about the Chelsea Hotel!

Thomas Wolf once famously said "only the dead know Brooklyn." There might be some truth in that, but some of us know Brooklyn, N.Y.,U.S.A., pretty well,and are still very much alive. Quite a few people are aware of Brooklyn's brownstone belt, that swath of historic houses stretching from the East River to Prospect Park and beyond. Many of these people would declare Brooklyn Heights the ultimate Brooklyn brownstone neighborhood. It's beautiful, and gets scenic views of Manhattan. It's got history galore--an important Revolutionary War battle was fought here;and it's been, and still is,home to a lot of well-known important people.

One little-known fact is that a number of celebrated people shared a house on Middagh Street, in 1940-41, right in the middle of the Second World War. That house, which came to be known as February House-- a number of its residents had February birthdays-- has long since been torn down to make room for the Promenade that provides storied views of Manhattan. But among occupants of February House were poet W.H.Auden, writer Carson McCullers, writers Jane and Paul Bowles,composer Benjamin Britten, and stripper Gypsy Rose Lee.

Writer Sherill Tippens has produced an interesting, pleasantly gossipy book about the house's residents and their accomplishments. Jane Bowles began "Two Serious Ladies," her only completed novel here. The young lesbian Carson McCullers had just tasted, at the age of 23, great success with her novel "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter." She began two other great successes, "The Member of the Wedding," and "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe," between drinking bouts, right here on Middagh Street.

Auden and Britten, both homosexual, but not involved with each other, were being raked over the coals at the time by the British press for choosing to sit out World War II in the U.S. But they were working: they collaborated on the opera "Paul Bunyan,"not critically well-received. Auden who continued to live in the Heights, on his own, to pursue his lifelong, unrequited love for the young American Chester Kallman, was working hard in the interstices of his personal soap opera: He produced "The Double Man" in February House. Britten produced "Peter Grimes;"considered one of the great masterpieces of 20th century opera. Meanwhile, he pursued his own personal soap opera: many critics believe this opera echoes developments with his partner, tenor Peter Pears, at the time.

The most unexpected resident of February House would have to be Gypsy Rose Lee, burlesque artiste. She was talked into joining the fun by George Davis, homosexual himself, fiction editor of "Harpers Bazaar" magazine, whose idea February House was, and who worked hard to keep it alive. Davis had published some of his own writing, but he was best known for the talented writers he kept on discovering.

In Gypsy Lee's case, she brought some money, a lot of common sense,and a cook to Middagh Street. The house's residents needed all the above. Her reward for her support: George Davis, great editor, midwifed her book, "The G-String Murders," a publishing sensation for many years.

George Davis continued to live at 7 Middaagh Street after its time as an artistic commune had passed. After Kurt Weill's death, Davis married his widow, Lotte Lenya, and devoted his life to introducing America to Weill's great works,such as "Three Penny Opera,"from which we get "Mack the Knife."

There are some informative photographs, extensive notes and acknowledgements in February House. Tippins evidently did a lot of primary research, but she managed to organize the voluminous results in a very readable style. February House well rewards the reader.

Sherill Tippins has done an amazing job of finding the significant narrative threads in the chaotic convergence of creative lives that occurred in the months before Pearl Harbor when Harper's Bazaar editor George Davis and British expatriate poet W.H. Auden rented a brownstone on 7 Middagh Street in Brooklyn Heights and actively recruited other creative artists to live with them. Among the co-renters were Carson McCullers who had recently published her highly acclaimed first novel, "The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter," soon-to-be famous British composer Benjamin Britten and his parnter, singer Peter Pears, unpublished novelists Paul and Jane Bowles, Broadway set designer Oliver Smith, writer Richard Wright and his wife, and burlesque sensation Gypsy Rose Lee, who it turns out was the most reliable in the rent-paying department and joined the little "creative commune" on the condition that she could bring her own cook and maid. Her fiscal reliability and drive along with Auden's willingness to take on the unpleasant role of house disciplinarian (collecting rent and other "dues" and establishing and enforcing many house rules) are probably sufficient explanation for why this menage managed to last the two or three years it did.

Tippins wisely focuses her attention on the leading figures (without neglecting to name the many others who partied but did not reside at 7 Middagh--Salvador and Gala Dali, Lincoln Kirstein, George Balanchine, Erika Mann and her brothers Klaus and Golo, to name a few). One passer-through, Anais Nin, christened the dwelling "February House" because so many of the residents had February birthdays. Tippins has a good knowledge of the works of these creative people and is able to see how one of the artists intentionally or inadvertantly influenced a subsequent work of one of his or her co-residents. For example, McCullers was struggling with the novel that would later become "The Member of the Wedding" when she was able to appropriate an experience from Chester Kallman's childhood to explain her heroine's profound sense of alienation and abandonment (Kallman was Auden's lover).

Tippins other great achievement here was her ability to slice through history and palpably recreate the political atmosphere in pre-war New York and to do so in a way that reflects on both British and US perspectives. She takes a good hard look at the criticism expatriates like Auden, Christopher Isherwood, Britten, and Pears faced from the British press and fellow artists who chose to remain in Great Britian during the war. She is similarly insightful in her analysis of the role the Mann family had in trying to get an apathetic America to respond to the European crisis. A lesser writer might not have bothered with these issues and chosen to report only the salacious and saleable anecdotes about the goings-on of the February House residents.

I highly recommend this book to anyone even passingly interested in one of the artists who lived at 7 Middagh Street (you're sure to learn something new), to anyone who ever wondered how great works of art come about, or to anyone interested in knowing how history and art intersect. I'm sure I'm going to use Tippins's Selecte Bibliography as a basis for future Amazon.com purchases.

Sherill Tippins' volume fills a tantalizing gap that fans of Auden, McCullers, Britten, and Gypsy Rose Lee have long wished could be filled. Most overdue is Tippins' portrait of George Davis: failed literary wunderkind; editor extraordinaire (who "discovered" McCullers and got much-needed writing jobs for her and W. H. Auden in the lean months before Pearl Harbor); husband to Lotte Lenya and the catalyst that re-invented her for American audiences in Marc Blitzstein's staging of Weill's "Threepenny Opera"--the list goes on and on. Davis and Auden are central to Tippins' account and to the amazing colony of artists who called 7 Middagh Street in Brooklyn Heights their home in 1940-41. But Tippins gives everyone in that circle his/her due. Her depictions of Auden's rocky romance with Chester Kallman, of Benjamin Britten's coming to terms with his artistic destiny in England, not America, and Gypsy Rose Lee's ability to charm and disarm everyone she met are more than engaging--they are extremely moving.

Tippins' research is exhaustive and impeccable, and she lets her characters speak naturally and eloquently. I could not put this book down and practically read it at one sitting. I was hungry for the kind of information Tippins delivered, and I finished the book with the deepest satisfaction. Gracefully written, carefully organized and researched, and extremely relevant: this book wins on all counts.

It was a timeless story.I was quite upset cause it wasn't all about horses.

This is a very good book. Although it features horses it is not completely about horses. It is a strange--in a good way--study into human nature, from Uncle's disturbing rage to Will's defiance.>>Summary<

wonderfully written, timeless story

Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-25

I first read this trilogy 18 years ago, shortly after I had seen bits and pieces of the series of the same name on PBS, and I was unable to put it down. Although the books are geared towards young adults, do NOT let that hinder you--adults of any age will find these novels appealing because they are well-written, the characters are fully developed and engaging, and the storyline, with its triumphs and tragedies, is timeless. They are the stories of Christina, a young orphan who is sent to live with her uncle because she is an heiress and he needs her money to continue the lifestyle he is accustomed to living. The story progresses as Christina grows up, learning to both love Flambards, the ancestral home, and yet despise the backward-thinking ways of her uncle and his eldest son, Mark. It tells of the rivalry between Mark (the favorite) and William (the second son) not only for their father's love but for Christina's as well. It illustrates how life was changing in England at the time (just before WWI), and the hope that those changes brought to many who felt restricted by hide-bound Victorian (& Edwardian) rules. I think that readers will be able to relate to Christina, William, Mark, Dick, Sandy, and Dorothy regardless of their age, or where you grew up. I do suggest reading them in their proper sequence, beginning with "Flambards", continuing with "Edge of the Cloud", and finishing with "Flambards in Summer". I have read these novels again and again, and have loaned out my copy of the trilogy so many times. The author has a rare ability to truly take you back to an Edwardian county estate and to draw you into that world through Christina and her cousins. The books are very emotional, and have touched me in ways that other books depicting this era do not. I think that the best word for them is "haunting". It is too bad that they cannot be rated as 10 stars.

My Favorite Book

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-11-22

I'll admit it....I'm a Flambards Fanatic. I read this book in the early 80's, after seeing the series on television. I found the book at a local bookstore, loved every word, reread it immediately, ordered so many copies that the bookstore owner started calling me "The Flambards Lady". I was thrilled to be able to get another copy here at Amazon. This book is sometimes considered to be a child's book, but I think adults enjoy it very much. It's a marvelous, unforgettable story of love, loss, and picking up the pieces (or reins) and moving ahead. The series is available on VHS and DVD. I own both but prefer the DVD.

the most emotional book i have ever read

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-03

This moving story of the struggling relationships between Mark, Christiana, William and dick will touch the hearts of anyone who reads it. I finished reading the whole series a few days ago and i cannot forget the effect that these books had on me, i admit that i did cry at times. The book tells the story of christiana, an orphan, who is sent to live at the crumbling Flambards. It tells of her life and loves in the old manor. An excellently written story and a must read, especially for a country lass like myself!