Series Books

This is the first book in a series of four. A fantastic series indeed.
Without a doubt one of the best series that I've read. Filled with the drama and mystery that accompanies every PI book, we learn that the real mystery here is Micky Knight. Who is she, and will she survive,.. not just the latest job thats been brought to her door, but her own demons as well. She's flawed and human. Not a superwoman,.. just a woman trying to make it thru the day to day of her life.
And the New Orleans setting truly makes this book. I can't picture Micky anywhere else.
I felt like I was there,.. every painful step of the way.
The author has given us a gift with this series.

I found that this book held my attention and left you wanting more and not able to put it down for long periods. A good author for those who are not true book worms like myself.

If you are getting bored reading the same old tired detective/mystery stories, pick up the Mickey Knight series. As a previous reader wrote, you'll find mystery, romance, comedy, steamy sex, and plenty of action in the Mickey Knight novels. The author has created a strong character with depth, who is very human and vulnerable. Let me say this: MICKEY IS NO WIMP! The supporting characters are richly developed throughout the series and you'll care about them all. The author makes you feel as though you're moving through New Orleans with Mickey. I loved all 4 books and can't wait to see what comes next. Don't miss this top notched series. It is THE BEST written detective series featuring a lesbian.

This book (and the other three in this series) are the best written mysteries I've read. The characters are well developed, the plot is twisted and interesting, and the psychological drama is intense. This is a dark story that goes far beyond the plot of a simple cliff-hanger mystery.

It's all here murder, mayhem, hot sex and beautiful women. This is the first in a series of four murder/suspense/mysteries featuring PI Michelle Knight.From the beginning when Knight is hired to help Karen Wentworth expose her ex-fiance, who is dancing at a gay bar, I was hooked. We have a police detective, an assistant DA and a doctor all linked to Mickey in some way and very important to the plot. Redmann knows New Orleans and shares it with us, albeit the seamier side. The story moves and takes the reader with it. We care what happens to our PI and her friends and the people who get pulled into the criminal happenings. Watch what happens with Cordelia James and her involvement with the happenings. And then read Deaths of Jocasta, The Intersection of Law and Desire, and Lost Daughters.
It's time for another Micky Knight book. Top drawer!

This book is an outstanding resource for readers who devour mysteries. Heising's multiple ways of listing books (geographical, by profession, etc.) provides a wealth of information for the reader who is always on the lookout for a new author. I just wish there was a new edition! I wouldn't part with this one, though. It's always a good way to start on a new author.

This reference work is invaluable in finding mystery series by woman up to 1999 or so, when I bought my copy. However, it is now very much out-of-date and of little use on newer series/authors/titles. I keep checking to see if there's a Detecting Women 4, and can still hope, but possibly this one is the end of the line. What a shame!

This is a wonderful tool to keep track of all those mystery books on your shelves. This book offers a comprehensive listing of women's fiction mysteries. Books are listed by author and title. It is great way to see the order of books written in a series. There is also a check list where you can check off the book once you purchase it, and then check it after you read it. I like to make notations next to the books once I finish the book. Books that have been nominated or received awards are designated with a star by the title.

Watching the Detectives
How far has Sue Grafton gotten in her alphabet mystery series? What's the first book in Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series? Who are writing books featuring bed & breakfasts?

As those who love reading mystery series know, it's difficult to keep track of the hundreds of writers past and present who have contributed to the mystery genre, which is why reading sleuths will love "Detecting Women," a guidebook to the distaff side of mysteries.

This handsome, large paper bound book lists more than 600 series and 3,400 books written by women. Each entry contains a biographical introduction with the title and year of each book, and notes if the book has been nominated for any awards. Editor Wiletta Heising has done an exceptional job of breaking down the information, providing extensive lists that break down series by year, occupation, geographic location and even pseudonym.

The brief biographies are gold mines of fascinating information that invites lengthy browsing. Here is where you can learn that Grafton's fictional P.I. Kinsey Millhone will celebrate her 40th birthday once "`Z' is for Zero" appears in 2009 (when Grafton will be 69); that Agatha Christie wrote 35 novels featuring Hercule Poirot, and 12 about Jane Marple; and that the largely forgotten Anne Katherine Green is considered the "mother of the detective story," and was a best-selling author nine years before Arthur Conan Doyle put pen to paper.

Purple Moon also publishes a pocket guide to help mystery fans track of their favorite series, and comes with a notepad useful for noting suspects, clues, and books desired. "Detecting Women" provides a welcome overview of the rapidly expanding mystery field, and can reintroduce readers to now-forgotten and obscure writers. It is nothing less than required, fascinating reading for mystery fans.

How many times have you discovered a new author and tried to unravel the sequence of the series? Publishers sometimes list previous books - provided they published those previous books. Or the author's work is neatly cited in alphabetical order. Great if you've picked up Sue Grafton, not so good if the author is Martha Grimes. Or only the books still in print appear.

I edit two mystery newsletters, one for a general bookstore. My readers want to know series order. Short of tracking all the mystery writers yourself (good luck!), DETECTING WOMEN-3rd Ed. is the very best thing. Willetta Heising also includes bibliographies to catch the fancy of the most fanatic fan - settings, characters, types, historical venue, pseudonyms, and award nominees/winners. The master list even has blank spaces to accommodate future titles.

There has never been a more comprehensive listing. I wouldn't/couldn't prepare a newsletter without it. This is definitely a keeper -- until DETECTING WOMEN 4 comes along!

I have had this comic book for so many years and for so many years i never got around to reading it as it seemed to find a life just lying on my book shelf as an ornament. With the recent re-releases of the DBZ DVD uncut re-mastered box sets I found myself finally being able to watch DBZ as I couldn't before. The reason being that when I wanted to watch DBZ on the cartoon network it was already way to deep in the storyline for me to follow and catch up so I decided to never jump on the DBZ nation. Now with the DVD sets being so affordable and just jammed with so many episodes I couldn't pass the opportunity. So I ended up really loving the cartoon and it did take about 1 episode for me to get comfortable with the English voice cast.

Now DB isn't available on DVD box set uncut re-mastered so I thought I would turn to the comics to see where it all began. I finally read the book on my shelf that's been there for years and I really enjoyed it. I am glad I never threw it out on one of my weekly apartment cleaning splurges. The artwork of course is stellar and I love Japanese comics because they have so many pages unlike US comics that only have about 21 pages. It's nice to see how Bulma met Goku and how Oolong & Yamcha all fell into the scheme of things. I always wondered where Chi Chi came from & now I know. I found the book so enjoyable that I ordered the other 15 issues that rounded up the original DB saga. I found myself just waiting for the next page to turn. The creator/artist does a wonderful job of balancing action, humor, friendship, & dirty jokes all in one. This truly is a piece of art that is a masterpiece to own. It also makes a great quick read on any vacation or bus ride. The version I have is the 1st one published by Viz Comics and is the exact same one displayed here except it has a white cover & not red. It is also a little bigger which I like. I am a bit shocked by some reviews that say it's too racy for teenagers. The comic is in cartoon animated children like format; i doubt it's harmful unless your child needs psychiatric help if a comic book influences them that heavily to want to beat people with a stick that magically extends or imagines that people can sit on clouds that fly you places. I am also certain young children won't find the humor the way a grown teenager or someone in their 20's would. I didn't find any racy or uncomfortable content in the comic whatsoever. Everything is in for humor effect. This comic is for any art lover and any DBZ lover. It's simply the best and one of the best artistic contributions to the world.

i grew up watching the anime so i had no problem getting into this. it is a very creative story and the characters grow on you. give it a chance its not a bad read at all.

Okay, while Dragon Ball isn't my favorite manga, it is probable the most well-known and most celebrated manga to date. And for good reason.

Volume 1 tells the story of when Bulma first met Goku, and they decide to hunt down the dragon balls. Goku's grandfather has died, and he is living alone in the wilderness, so he really has nothing to lose. The stories in this volume leave you wondering about Goku's origin (Bulma is constantly suprised by his mysterious monkey-tail), laughing at Goku's innocence, Oolong the pigs diarrhea, and Yamcha's shy perversion. Dragon Ball is a great manga. It will have you laughing and marveling at Akira Toriyama's unique artwork. If you're a fan of shonen manga but have not read Dragon Ball, do yourself a favor and try it out.

On a side note, Dragon Ball: Volume 1 is rated T for teen (ages 13 and over). I have heard that there are censored versions of the book as well as uncensored ones, and I'm not sure if this is true, but I know that I own an uncensored book. Uncensored, Dragon Ball contains some mild language, some mild violence (a cartoonish monster is decapitated),many sexual jokes (Goku is often "patting" strangers out of curiosity to whether they are male or female), and a generous amount of nudity (Son Goku is seen completely nude, Bulma has a shower scene where breasts and bottom are exposed, etc.) I'd recommend Dragon Ball for those ages 16 and over, despite the teen rating it received.

Akira Toriyama's 1984 manga series "Dragonball" has got to be one of my favorites. While a lot of people in America think (negatively) of Dragonball as Dragonball Z or GT (manga/anime), I think of the classic Dragonball that has entertained me for the last couple years.

I first found Dragonball when browsing through manga at my local bookstore. The dragon on the cover was just one of the things that caught my eye. Inside, there was a whole world to be explored! I fell in love with Toriyama's detailed art, the ironic and entertaining storyline, the characters, the jokes...everything has made it a wonderful manga for me.

While it has its good things, it also has its bad. I would not reccomend Dragonball for people younger than 14, or to people who don't like manga, or even can't take a joke. Dragonball contains some violence (but no blood), crude humor, and sexual references.

In conclusion, Dragonball is just one of my favorite manga series, but perhaps my most valued. I hope you will like Dragonball, too!

I've been a long time manga fan, but Dragonball Z was the one series I never could get into. There was just too much testosterone and muscles and screaming for my liking, and it tainted my view on Akira Toriyama himself.
Little did i know the Dragon Ball, the prequel to DragonBallZ, is in fact very different. I read it at my school library and was very pleasantly surprised, what I found was a fun adventure series that is often very racey but always hilarious.
Akira Toriyama has a fabulous gift for characterisation, and the ones he presents in this manga are extremely fun. Goku is a little monkey-tailed, uncivilized kid who has never seen other people before, and is somewhat shameless, Bulma is rather superficial and full of herself but tries to keep Goku in check, and Oolong the shape shifting pig is comedy gold.
As the other reviews can probably tell you, this isnt for the kiddies, but I myself was laughing my head off at some of the 'inappropriate' humour, such as Goku asking Bulma why she has 'a butt on her chest', and his horror-struck realistation that girls are different from boys as they have...'parts missing'.
The reason I give this book 3 stars however, is because of VIZ's english release. I do not like their habit of replacing the original japanese SFX with english, I feel it ruins the art. Aside from that, some of the speech was a little iffy, characters like Goku and Chi-chi were given oddly accented voices which didnt sound right to me. I am glad that for once VIZ DIDNT tone down any sexual jokes or censored any nudity as they have done in other Shonen Jump titles.

I have been collecting the graphic novel series for about 8 years last month I moved and lost the whole collection if anyone knows how I can get this collection again please let me know thank you Jamie

This work of fantasy rivals some of the best of the century, with superb artwork by Wendy Pini, and a brilliantly planned storyline by Wendy and Richard Pini. Follow the adventures of a tribe of woodland elves who are forced to abandon their forest dwelling in the face of fire. Tricked by their fickle friends the trolls, they find themselves lost in the desert, where they find...But thats for you to find out when you read this work of art. Full of emotions that anyone can relate to, and characters who clash, and come together to form grand friendships and rivalries that will keep you reading through the whole series of Eight full color, and unfortunately, out of print Elfquest Stories.

I loved the hardcover edition. With the full color illustrations. Of course the whole story line. Is amazing! Love it!

Where does one begin to review a masterpiece like this? Even more thought provoking, where does one end? This book's praises cannot be sang too often. The artwork and color are astonishing. They will leave your jaw hanging open, and your mind thirsting for more. Is emotions are so clear, you can feel Cutter's heartache, Leetah's mixed emotions, and Rayek's hate and mistrust of the new strangers. Read this book, and I promise you will not be disappointed, but don't take my word for it. Go on, see for yourself.

Where do you begin with a book like this? Even more thought provoking, where do you end? Not enough can be said about this book. The artwork is astonishing and the colors will leave your jaw hanging open and your mind thirsting for more. You feel the heartache of Cutter, the mixed emotions of Leetah, and Rayek's hate and distrust of the new strangers. Buy this book, and I promise, you will not be disappointed, but don't take my word for it. Go on, see for yourself.

This is the best reference I have read about Executive Coaching - how to manage your own stuff when you coach, the best models to apply and how to create lasting shifts. A must for every coach's bookshelf.

I found several concepts very helpful, especially the Three Key Factors model for executive coaching and the description of the Client Responsibility Model. Mary Beth O'Neill also shares, with examples, how to help a client identify habitual behavioral patterns that might not be effective and a methodology to recognize those patterns and create new, more effective ones. This book is filled with insightful wisdom...a real gem.

The combination of theory and practice lends well to readers of all levels (from graduate students to seasoned professionals). The author's systems perspective focuses on the executive as part of a greater whole within the organization and the importance of understanding the influences that are impacting his/her behaviors. O'Neill also focuses on the importance of a results orientation (a topic often lost in other coaching books). She discusses the importance of thinking like an executive so that you (as a coach) can produce at a level that executives expect - increasing the likelihood of establishing rapport, a long-term relationship and, most of all, bottom-line results.

This is a well written and thorough resource which aptly combines theory with practical application of the systems theory to executive coaching as well as advice and tools to use. The book is very useful in translating the systems theory to readable and useful frameworks, pragmatic tips and case studies.

The author methodically explains the four phases of coaching process namely contracting, planning, implementation and debriefing. She explains that coaching is a complex process which involves the application of the principles and methods of psychology, leadership principles, business management and organisation development, among others, to assist the executive and the aspiring executive improve their effectiveness.

The book will assist the executive coaching practitioners, business executives and managers who need them and offers a practical guide to developing the effective communications and relationship expertise needed by business managers to run effectively their organisations in the highly competitive operating environment.

Read this book and you will have a comprehensive understanding of this emerging new field.

I highly recommend this book to new and seasoned coaches. Not only is it enjoyable to read, but the author presents a clear description of the application of systems theory to executive coaching. There are a number of coaching books that describe coaching skills, but O'Neill's book provides a solid theoretical framework for applying these skills.

Sabrina Starling Schleicher, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Executive and Life Coach

"It's a comprehensive and exhaustively researched offering and a fine addition to Wolf's career in helping Pennsylvania anglers better know and respect their home waters. With its detailed maps and hatch charts, it also will help traveling anglers find and fish their way around the Keystone State."

"Over the years, a number of books have been written offering insight to the best places where (fishing) opportunity can be found. However, none is as complete as recently released, Dave Wolf's, Flyfishers Guide to Pennsylvania. This book is complete and provides tidbits of information overlooked in the past, but not in this book. The book can not only serve as a fishing guide, but for travel as well, covering where to stay, restaurants, fly shops and much more."

"Wolf, although an ardent trout fisherman, includes in this book information for the ever-growing number of anglers that have taken to fishing for cool and warm-water species using buggy-whip techniques. And it doesn't end there. It is a great reference to the special waters of Pennsylvania even for bait and spinning tackle anglers....

I've had this book for several years and I've found it to be a very useful resource. The hatch charts are extremely helpful, especially for trout anglers. While the author made a better than average attempt to cover the warmwater opportunities in the Keystone State, for the most part only the most well known sites were covered. Certainly Pennsylvania has some world famous trout streams, but the variety and quality of our warmwater fisheries is truly extraordinary. Some of the streams that were covered specifically for the trout they hold probably offer better bass fishing over most of their length. Trout centered thinking is far too prevalent in the fly fishing community and as a result this sort of overemphasis on trout is typical of many fly fishing guides. Indeed, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is guilty of killing thousands of trout annually by stocking them in waters so warm they are almost certain to all die by Memorial Day. I know that Mr. Wolf is a skilled and avid warmwater fly fisher. I hope in the future he will update this guide and give our warmwater fisheries the coverage they deserve.

If you are looking for a book to give you general knowledge on better known trout fishing streams in Pennsylvania, then this book will meet your needs. Unfortunately, the author does not do a good job of covering remote streams in many parts of the state that are excellent producing streams and beautiful places to fish. I was especially disappointed in his lack of coverage of streams in McKean and Warren County. I would not recommend this book to an avid Pennsylvania fisherman. The book is adequate for an out-of-state fisherman who is looking to fish some of the more popular streams in PA.

This is the first magic school bus book we got. It is written for 4-5 years and up to 3rd grade. I was expeting it to read easier, but got use to it and enjoyued it. There are lots of bubbles or boxes on each page. They all have very intersting tidbits & information, but is is hard to know what to read first. Good intro to the solar system, although they are drawings and no pictures. Also, note that Pluto is no longer classified as a planet as it says in the book!

This book came out when I was pretty young, and it got me interested in astronomy since the age of five. Now planetary science is my career, and I put that down in part to the influence this book had on me as a kid! :)

the magic school bus get lost in space is a very good book read it all the time you will love it

All the magic school bus books are fantastic. This one is no different.
It is great for learning about the solar system.

My 5yr old son is a huge fan of Magic School Bus series.
Especially, Solat system and human body are his favorite among them.
He memorizes the order of all the plantes in the Solar system. Draw pictures about it and make planets with playdough. Great book!

My three-year old grandson loved the book. The story is good and the art is exceptional.

As an artist I tip my hat to William Joyce! I read in an earlier review someone saying it is done in simple watercolor but thats not watercolor unless its watercolor pencils. Such meticulous detailed work even as George ventures down the railing of the stairs he passes a depiction of "Sunday afternoon on the Island of Le Grande Jatte"! This book is a prize the story line is so cute the text is perfect for age 2-6 and the adventure and art are unforgettable. No wonder PBS made it into a show!

I loved this book. It was so cute. I thoughtit was good for every one. It was about a kid who wonders about how it would be if he was shrunken and when he was sleeping he actully shrunk. But he had to do some chores and they were the simplest things like watering the plants or feeding the goldfish turn into the biggest adventure.

I gave this book a five because a little kid name George has a dream of him being small like a "teddy bear". When he had the dream he was in his bed sleeping, his mom left a note of chores and he was doing the chores. The "scary" part in the book was when the cat sees George and thinks his is a toy and the cat tries to put his claw on him ,but George runs and hides from the cat. This book is great and I think William took a long time doing the cover and pictures and I say the book cover and pictures are really beautiful. I love this book because he had a dream that was weird that he was small and that he had to do big chores. I would recommend this book because it is a cute book for a 1st and 2nd graders I think they will love it because all of the cute pictures and the funny pictures they would love to read this book a lot of times and I would like to some day read it again because it would be so nice to read it over and over.

I love this book and give it over and over to all the children that I care most about

Excellent book. Straightforward and lucid grasp of history.

The section on Islam alone is worth the the small cost of this book many times over.

Mr. Belloc never leaves one doubting his opinion. His direct and authoritative style might anger those who disagree or thrill the faithful. Either way you will be led through the reasoning Mr. Belloc took to draw his conclusions which will drive you to think the same matters through to your own. In this work, Mr. Belloc does not provide an in-depth theological background on the heresies cited but instead gives a rough sketch of each and categorizes each as a type. Then, using this typology approach he carries each to their logical conclusions to convey their affect on the societies they infected. Mr. Belloc provides the superstructure for understanding other heresies by giving us the essential root of Arianism, Islam, Albigensianism, Protestantism, and Modernism. Through each description he also draws some interesting parallels to the various heresies. Of course, as a Roman Catholic, Mr. Belloc will step on some Protestant toes in particular since they will be the most likely to read his book outside other Catholics.

Mr. Belloc's approach is opinionated and he writes as an expert without always providing the evidence for his opinions. At the same time, there is enough evidence in the form of his logical approach to give one the opportunity to explore his opinions more themselves. Mr. Belloc was one of the great philosopher-historians of the early 20th century and his thoughts will always be valuable to the seeker or any one wishing to improve their critical thinking skills through practice. In this key work, he reminds us how ideas, and particularly, theology has consequences to society. It is not a topic to ignore or think only the realm of the theological hair-splitters. Our culture today has the marks of the theology that created it and upholds it. Mr. Belloc helps us focus on those aftershocks in theology that have shaped our culture.

Hilaire Belloc begins his book by justifying its existence. Modern education and thought largely ignore religion, particularly the parts that unfolded in what we label "The Middle Ages". But Belloc has some inconvenient facts for us. The history of civilization is the history of religion. A society rises or falls by the strength of its individuals; those individuals rise and fall by the strength of their religion. To understand the past, grasp the present, and know the future, we must know religion. The one religion that has stood at the center of human history is the Catholic Church. And to take the measure of that religion, we must look at the challenges it has faced and overcome.

Belloc's spare, straightforward prose takes us through a whirlwind tour of five heresies that the Church defeated. The Arian Heresy denied the full divinity of Jesus. It was rejected by Church leaders, but survived in the Roman Army for much longer. The Albigsenean attack came later, during the High Middle Ages. It was an attack not just on theology but on the fundamental nature of reality. The end product of denying reality was an obsession with intense experience, such as bizarre rituals involving fire-worship. Fortunately for us, both of these notions passed into the dustbin of history.

The chapter on Islam is the longest and the most illuminating. Belloc begins it by unerlining the fact that Islam was a heresy. It was not a brand new religion, but a corruption and oversimplification of the Christian doctrine that the Prophet Mohammed learned in Syria. But more importantly, Belloc focuses on the social environment where Islam first rose. A massive underclass in the decaying Persian and Byzantine Empires toiled under the restrictions of the upper class. Among these oppressed, the nascent Islamic movement found willing support for its doctrine of total equality and total submission to God.

We all view Islam as decaying, stagnant, and backwards-looking. We rarely remember that until about three centuries ago, Islam dominated the world with the most advanced technology, thought, and political systems. Belloc does. He enjoins us to remember that almost into the 18th century, the Muslim hordes were knocking on the doors of Central Europe, and that Vienna was only saved by a last-minute intervention by the Poles. (It happened, in a delightful historical twist, on September 11.) In 1938 Belloc saw an Islam that was down but not out; he predicted that it would soon be knocking impolitely on Europe's door again. A far-fetched prediction at the time, this has now come true, and Belloc knows why. Islam thrives on social injustice; when westerners decided to prop up oil-wealthy shieks throughout the Arab world, they created the exact conditions in which the Muslim message can rally the masses.

Thr fourth and probably least popular chapter is "What was the Reformation?" Belloc acknowledgeed that by the 16th century, the Catholic Church was badly in need of a correction. Yet the cure, as so often happens, may be worse than the disease. He emphasized that Martin Luther aimed to fix the Church from within. It was only John Calvin who insisted on breaking away and forming a new church with a radically different theological basis. Belloc predicted that the Protestant world would lose its vitality and join the secular world. Again, time has proved him right; Protestantism remains strong in the USA but throughout northern Europe the churches are disintegrating.

And that leads us to the final chapter, "The Modern Attack". Secularism is the first heresy to try overthrowing all the building blocks of Christianity. In denies not only the supremacy of God but also the need for justice, equality, joy, and love. It replaces morality with self-interest, education with job-training, freedom with tyranny. And yet, awesome as this final attack may have seemed, Belloc saw the seeds of the Church's victory already sprouting. Time has proved him right yet again. Pope Jonh Paul II stood up to lead the defense against communism. Now Christianity regains it strength in the former Soviet block and also throughout the third world, and there are tantalizing signs that Western Europe will soon be Christian again. And so Belloc finishes the book with tempered optimism. Christianity will survive; we have Jesus's word on that. How it will look in the future remains to be seen. But in any case this book gives a spirited look at parts of world history which our schools now ignore totally, and for that alone it's more than worth reading.

As Belloc argues in his other book Europe and the Faith, Europe is the Faith and the Faith is Europe, referring of course to Christianism. The development of Western Civilization is inseparable from the Christian religion and its ideology.

As every Civilization is built upon a certain ideology, in order to understand our Civilization, its history and the challenges it faces today, one must understand its ideology. And in this, it is important to know also the views that have arisen within or in the fringes of Western Civilization, that go against the Christian ideology. On this, The Great Heresies by Belloc does a very good job.

And on the issue of Islam as a threat to our civilization, in the 1930s Belloc asked himself if Islam would again present that threat. He believed it would. And in that, we now know that he was, as in much everything else, extraordinarily clear and correct.

This book is a must-read.

Fantastic book! An amazing summary that rings so true you can feel it in your bones. Particularly stark and foreboding is his warning that Mohammedism will be back to try again to destroy us - and here they are now! Anyone who thinks if we only ignore Islamofascism it will go away needs to read this book. Belloc understands the threat and categorizes it within the broad expanse of human history. Ignore him at our peril!

Once you get past the strange layout (described in other sections), this is a great edition of Henry V. It is easy and fun to read and offers valuable insights (not just for students either). Well worth a flutter.

This play is best known for the St. Crispian's Day "Band of Brothers" speech given by King Henry just before the battle at Agincourt. It is a powerful speech that rallies people at all times and everywhere. Sir Lawrence Olivier made a film version in 1944 during WWII and Kenneth Branagh made another as recently as 1989. You can count on there being more versions. Epecially so when computers can help them make spectacular battle scenes (that aren't really in the play) with less expense.

Audiences love this play and they should. There is a lot to like and enjoy. I think upon repeated readings Henry becomes a more equivocal character than he seems at first. And readers of the King Henry IV plays will know him before he became King Henry and know something deeper about his personality.

And of course there is the whole bit about the drive to France being sponsored by the Church to avoid confiscation of property by the Crown. Moreover, there is the slaughtering of the French prisoners, and his treatment of Falstaff (who dies offstage in this play). This isn't revisionist stuff, it is right there in the play, but it is easy to miss the first time you are trying to take in the play.

In any case, this Arden edition is the one to buy and read from. Why? Because it has the most authoritative text, but that is only the beginning. It also shows variants between the early sources. The notes at the bottom of each page of the play are simply fabulous. The editor includes not only helpful notes explaining what might be obscure in the text of the play, he provides sources Shakespeare probably used such as Holinshed and makes for some very interesting study. There are also some helpful notes on how various scenes have been performed over time.

And to make this sound more like an infomercial, you get more! The introduction provides great background material on the play, its sources, and how it has been performed throughout history. After the play, there is a photo reproduction of the first Quarto from 1600 and it is fairly readable. There are also a couple of maps showing the path of the English Army from Harfleur through other towns on its way to Calais and makes clear how they had to pass through Agincourt.

There is also a helpful genealogical table so you can see the confusing claims used by Henry and the French nobility to make their claims. And there is a doubling chart so you can see how theater companies can perform all the roles with fewer actors.

This is a great edition as are all the plays published by the Arden Shakespeare. The amount of work collected in these volumes is stunning and they will enrich your experience of the plays tremendously. I can't recommend them enough.

This play more than any others in the histories glorifies Englishmen and England. His characters in this one are larger than life, but each has their own limitations and flaws. The play covers the time of the Battle of Agincourt when the French King Charles was so sure of victory that he sent a messenger to Henry to ask him to give up and to pay a ransom before the battle. On the eve of the Battle of Agincourt, the English were outnumbered five to one, Henry's troops were on foreign soil and riddled with disease. The scenes where Henry dons a disguise and goes out amongst his troops to bolster their confidence are great. The English managed to triumph in this battle where all was stacked against them mostly because of Henry's leadership. This is such a sweeping story that it is hard to condense in a few words, the plot of the play, but it is a wonderful example of Shakespeare's skills as a writer.

'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.' What more need I say? Henry V is an imortal classic of western literature. And this edition is complete and accurate. See the film if you want, but be sure to read the words at least once. They are inspiring.

"Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the King that led them to it."

Particularly poignant poetry in these times of pompous presidential sabre rattling and wars based on questionable facts.