Sun Books

Read this book and you will see why, in my years as a bookstore manager, I could not keep this one on the shelf. A very popular story. I think one of Elsa Beskow's best.

This was an absolutely adorable book. Thinking the lost orange is a "sun egg" like the way a bird's egg might fall from a nest was really very funny. My 4 yo daughter really liked this one.

This is a wonderful and charming book with a sweet, riddle-like
quality. The illustrations are worth the book alone. Elsa Beskow writes,
again, a soul-nourishing tale. These books are as much a gift to me as to
the children for whom I buy them and to whom I read them. This is a special book to celebrate the oncoming of Spring. It makes me want to make a tea party, read the book, and fall into the dear world of make-believe. Along with "Peter's Old House" and "Ollie's Ski Trip", this is a classic that would make a nice, life-long edition to any child's library. It's also an off-beat choice, and thus a safe gift for the child who already has a trove of good-reads at home.

This story is about elves and their relationships with the animals of the forest. In the spirit of a children's book, all of the animals get along well, as they never try to eat each other or do anything in the area of natural violence. It begins when a small female elf discovers a giant orange sphere on the ground. She believes that it is an egg laid by the sun and she runs and tells her forest friends. Finally, the chaffinch informs everyone that it is a fruit and contains very sweet juice. Everyone then grabs a straw and has a drink.
Once the female elf learns that there are entire orchards containing oranges, she mounts the back of a migrating mistle-thrush and spends the winter in the orange trees. However, she returns in the spring so that she can perform her welcome-back-sun dance. For without the dance, the wood anemones would not emerge.
While this story is extremely artificial in the depiction of forest life, it is ideal for children. It portrays scenes of cooperation and mutual assistance and a wonder about what exists in other parts of the world.

Elsa Beskow's classic children's book, The Sun Egg (or Sol Agget, in the original Swedish), is a very sweet tale of a young forest elf living in a cold Northern clime. The little red-headed elf lives there with her many small friends, which include a mischevious little boy elf with an acorn cap, an elder elf who looks just like a Swedish Christmas Tomten (he wears a Santa-esque red hat and has a long, white beard), two tiny frogs, some friendly birds and an even tinier lizard(!). They are all very happy living in their pretty Northern forest, with lots of healthy green trees and sometimes even snow (depending on the season)! One day, she stumbles upon a giant orange.. or "sun egg," which has fallen mysteriously from the sky! It is unlike anything they have ever seen before! Once she finds it, and consults with all her forest friends, she decides to embark on an exciting journey to find out about it, what it is, and where it came from. With wonderful color illustrations facing each page of text (and yet more illustrations peeking up from around the text), this book is a little work of art unto itself, both in its pictures and in its cute and endearing story.

Children of all ages (the young in age as well as the young at heart) will enjoy this book. A wonderful, cozy, winters' night read, I remember having it read to me as a child, and how much I enjoyed it. Elsa Beskow is a wonderful writer, and just as wonderful an artist. Recommended!

I picked up this wonderful read for preparation for my year teaching in Istanbul. This book is much more than I expected. I loved following Tom's journey as a Peace Corp volunteer in Turkey, beginning in the 1970's. This story contains humor, candor, tons of useful information for travel in Turkey and even a love story! Even if you never plan to travel to the only city in Asia and Europe (Istanbul) it is an intelligent, fantasically
written account on one man's experience and worth the purchase for sure. Oh.....the tea is really strong.

Reading travel books is always interesting and leaves you wanting (or not) to go to that country of travel. Tom Brosnahan has taken his passion of writing Guide books to writing his experience in a country still somewhat foreign to many North Americans. He places Turkey in the well deserved position it has tried so hard to be noticed for, it's People, Culture and a land of History. The stories take place in the late 60's at a time things were changing.I think this book will make you want to get on the next flight out (maybe even to stay awhile and teach english). If your thinking of going to Turkey have a read through this book first. It is a great book and goes well with Tom's Brosnahan past Turkey guide book from Lonely Planet.

My response to "Bright Sun, Strong Tea is from the viewpoint of another Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Turkey around the same time as Tom Brosnahan did. His observations about the people and places of Turkey do reflect what many of us experienced, and which he expresses with real affection and good humor. This is a fun book to read and one with truth behind it, for the armchair traveler as well as others, and certainly a look into the the life of one young American Peace Corps Volunteer.

C. Kocan

The sights, sounds and smells of this exotic country come through every page of Tom Brosnahan's adventures in Turkey:
Bright Sun, Strong Tea is a book that takes you back to a time when Peace Corps Volunteers discovered a country steeped in history and hospitality, and a country that continues to offer a rich tapestry of cultural history, awesome geograpy, gastronomic delights and untold treasures to discover.
Tom's book combines biography, travel and love into an engaging story that puts you smack in the middle of Anatolia and invites you to go see for yourself.
And it's all true: I know. I was a Peace Corps Volunteer there myself.

While planning a trip to Turkey, I ran across Tom Brosnahan's website, www.TurkeyTravelPlanner.com. I discovered Bright Sun, Strong Tea and purchased the book, not really expecting too much, but I am an avid reader when it comes to a subject I am interested in. Was I surprised, first with Mr. Brosnahan's writing style and secondly with the wealth of information he gives the reader through his experiences and expertise, all with great wit and humor. This is a wonderfully, entertaining and well written book of Mr. Brosnahan's experiences with the Peace Corps in Turkey, fresh out of college, and how that experience develops into his career as one of the best travel writers the business has ever known, particularly Frommer's and Lonely Planet. The author brings Turkey to life through his descriptions and characters. His expertise on where to go, what to do, and thouhtful insight on the Tukish people and their customs are invaluable. I'm ready to hop on the plane today and regret I only have a fraction of time to spend exploring this rich and wonderful country. A must read if you are planning a trip to Turkey, a great read for any reason.

One of the most gripping books I have ever read. Spooky, terrifying, heart-pounding fun.

I just met David this summer and then got to read his book. I have always been a science fiction fan and this rates right up there, although, I have to admit, I had a little trouble with all those Aztec names! Good luck, Dave, on the next book. I am looking forward to reading it.

In a world where sacrifice has been forever instilled as the victims highest form of devotion, in a world where the sun is God, lies a calendar like a dying heartbeat, slowly ticking away. An unassuming anthropologist discovers a secret, a foretelling of an ancient civilization, and it's potential effect in the modern day world. Meanwhile, a hungry evil prepares to gather his pieces to fulfill this prophecy, and become Master of the Living and of the Dead. Unbeknownst to this evil spirit, is that the pieces that he so covets are unwittingly seeking his demise.

It is the story of a woman returning to life, after a harrowing death experience, only to realize that the world she now sees, is not the world she knew before. She finds solace with the friendship with a pirate dead for centuries and his dog before realizing her quest. It is the story of an abused boy, whose only peace is with the spirit of a little girl. The evil spirit recognizes the boy, as a threat and as a sign. The child's powers to save wandering souls, and take them to the next level in their journey, so shocks the evil spirit, it wants the child to do it's bidding.

David has an impeccable sense of putting the reader right in the scenes. You feel the icy and blank stares of the ghosts Rebecca encounters. You are mesmerized by the daunting nature of Duncan, the pirate, and you are captivated by the visions David creates, both horrific, and spectacular. You weep with this child, and you hope that he can be saved, for his chance of survival, dim as it may be, may be the only chance to save the world...

I just submitted a full review for this book. I named the publisher as "Dark Moon Press," but I just double-checked (too late) and see that the publisher is "Dragon Moon Press." Would you mind making that correction for me before the review is posted? Thanks.

I purchased "Twilight of the Fifth Sun" after reading a list of books available from the small publisher Dark Moon Press with one-sentence synopses, and thinking "Now here is a remarkably unusual plot." I had no idea what the writing might be like, but I thought a story about a pirate's ghost, a journalist, and a little boy fighting an Aztec God for the survival of the world would either have to be very good or very bad. It turned out to be very good!

Several features were present that made this book rather more than a run-of-the-mill fantasy. I am interested in history and cultures of the past, and this book exposes the reader to a facet of Aztec culture that is both intriguing and quite new to most people, namely, Aztec religion. Yeah, we've all read that the Aztecs believe in human sacrifice, but just what their religion is about has always been something of a mystery to me. I don't have time or motivation to bury myself (literally) in some dry treatise on Aztec religion, but having an opportunity to learn about it, to have it made real for me, in an interesting book like this is great. (And I hope what I learned is something like the truth!)

Also, I enjoy reading fiction involving life after death and the supernatural. I'm not a fanatic about it, but those books are interesting. And here is a book whose premise is that all persons either remain as ghosts, or else their "souls" go somewhere else. Sounds like a commonplace idea, but a book telling within its pages of encounters with ghosts of knights, pirates, suicide victims, vikings, Aztecs, conquistadors, and highway accident victims is not such a common treatment. And the answer the author comes up with for where souls go is pretty ingenious.

One thing I hate is a book full of interesting ideas, but with no real point to it, no emotional impact. This book does NOT suffer from that shortcoming! I think most thinking people want to believe that there is a purpose to life, that there is more to it than living a few years here in a difficult place, and dying. The author puts life here into a context which, while being rationally unbelievable, is still very emotionally satisfying. Furthermore, the characters are depicted in sufficient detail to be fully believable, whether they happen to be alive or not. So you sit reading this book, and after you have read some mere twenty pages or so, you realize that you actually can relate to these people, that you want things to work out for them, and furthermore, that the story is acting on you on some deep emotional level. And you think to yourself, "I really like this character. It would be great to have someone like this in my own life." And then you think, "And this character is a ghost." It makes for an exceptional reading experience. And when I say the context is not rationally believable, I should add that it does not stand in the way of enjoyment, at least for me. One does not read a book of this type and then criticize it for not being rationally believable! The entire book is about an area of life that goes beyond rationality. The key point is that the novel premise is supported by characters that one readily comes to accept as real.

The book is not perfect. For me, its greatest drawback is related to the difficulty of treating its premise. The party fictionalized mythology was explained in great detail in order to make it more believable. The problem is that the premise of the book is essentially spiritual, even bordering on metaphysical, and when you try to explain that through some supporting mythology you wind up with a lot of words and symbols that get confusing, and I did find myself wishing he had either spared me or at least done a better job of explaining the symbolism in the mythology.

But despite the one shortcoming, I found the book to be one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. People without imagination should stay away from this book, because they won't enjoy it. But if you enjoy a book that puts your everyday world in a different light, then you will really love "Twilight of the Fifth Sun." I hope the author will continue writing! I am looking forward to his next effort.

This book is a great book you get to learn the fabolous culture of Yugoslavia and the war that was happening in that time period. D*

I found the descriptions in this book compelling, the characters interesting, and the plot a page turner. I grew to love the characters, particularly Ehmet. I was sorry when it was over, and really missed not being able to continue seeing how Ehmet's new life in the Children's Village would evolve. All three of my teen age children have enjoyed it as well. I hope Dorros will follow this with a sequel so we may see how a group of ordinary people can indeed change the world.

This action-filled story of a resourceful teenager's journey carried me, and young adult readers, along - the kind of book that makes you want to keep turning the pages and read into the night. The characters and places are well pictured, and through the story you get views of a recent period in history - the wars in the Balkans, that were confusing to a lot of people - as well as what it might be like to survive a war torn situation and come out in a positive place. As a teacher, this book offers great jumping-off points for discussions of current events, history, ethnic identity and tolerance, and peoples' resilience. Highly recommended, and captivating read.

In the early 1990's Yugoslavia began to battle itself as Serbs, Croats, Muslims and others attempted to create cities that reflected their chosen religion by exterminating those who did not fit. Dorros' work is the story of Ehmet, a Bosnian boy who is forced to leave his hometown of Sarajevo and make his way to his grandparents who live in Croatia 400 miles away. Never has a story shown a child so young who seemed at the same time profoundly aged by the events around him. Within a few chapters the change in Ehmet is staggering as he transitions from tree climber to a serious young man who sleeps during the day and pretends to be Muslim because it's safer. Throughout the work the effects of illogic and bureaucracy are boggling; Ehmet's attempts to be united with family are stymied by paperwork and technicalities. In one heart-wrenching scene, Ehmet has found his best friend Milan in a camp but when the family is moved to another camp they cannot take Ehmet along because they aren't really his family. A brilliant protagonist, Ehmet adapts to the situation around him with balanced and intensely accurate emotional outbursts and repressions. As complex as the war itself, Ehmet's thought processes work constantly to make sense of what is going and are particularly telling when he meets up with childhood bully Darko at a children's camp. Disturbingly realistic, this book will be an eye-opening history lesson for those who watched these events unfold on the news. Readers will be disappointed in themselves when they realize how easily most of us can forget what happened just a few short years ago. Logical but not moralizing, Under The Sun has classroom potential.

"Under the Sun by Arthur Dorros is about war-torn Bosnia and a young boy's struggle with the ethnic hatred that has turned his world upside down. It is an insightful look into the heart of the young protagonist who finds hope and healing in unexpected places.
I was gripped by the drama of the story and absorbed by the opportunity to view the Balkan wars from the perspective of a child experiencing the pain, confusion, and grief of that tragic time. "Under the Sun" is a beautifully written novel that gives me hope, even as I struggle to understand the new war that is being fought today.

I am a history buff. This is a time and place in history that I knew little about. Very interesting and informative.

I am thrilled this is back in print. When I first read it 25 years ago at one point I actually put it down in tears, as I could not bear for it to end.You end up identifying so strongly with these terrifying warriors, and yet they come across as totally human, and able to separate their military duties from teir family life.When I found myself mentally sitting on a horse beside Psin Khan as he calmly torched a Russian church filled with villagers, and I felt TOTALLY cold-hearted about it,I knew this author had accomplished something extraordinary.As a post-script, historical novelists stand and fall with me as to how they can describe horses and the physical act of riding.Perhaps this is unfair, but I am a riding instructor and these things ,done incorrectly,grate. Holland is ALWAYS spot on.
I do not own this bok, but it is easily in my personal Top Ten Books list.

Cecilia Holland, like Rosemary Sutcliff, has written many historical fiction novels of high caliber, but "Until the Sun Falls" stands in a category by itself. This novel is remarkable, all the more so for telling a tale rarely broached by Western writers: the invasion of Russia and Eastern Europe by the descendents of Mongol leader Temujin Genghis Khan in the 13th century. Holland's writing captures the violent and brutal--but also occasionally tender--world of these hordes as they sack city after city with their superior cavalry skills. You very quickly get caught up in their world and find yourself rooting for the main characters despite their brutality. The attention to detail--particularly on Mongol military tactics and horsemanship--is outstanding and will greatly appeal to militarists and equestrians as much as historical fiction fans. I have read a LOT of historical fiction, and "Until The Sun Falls" is in my top 5 all-time. Wading through the difficult (for ignorant Westerners such as myself) names and relationships of the main characters takes some effort, but the payoff is well worth it.

I first read this book not long after it's first publication, in the early 70's. It sparked a facination that's lasted all this time with the Mongol Empire, and the people who created and peopled it. I've probably read "Until the Sun Falls" 10 times over the years, and each time it's been a joy to read. The other research I've done has never uncovered anything to contradict Ms. Holland's history in the book. The foreward is as good a capsule history of the Mongols as anything you'll find anywhere. Her handling of the interpersonal relationships of the characters,and the politics of Empire are fascinating and keep the reader turning the pages. And nobody does battle scenes like Cecelia Holland.

It's a huge story, placed on the canvas of the biggest empire the world has ever seen (and the greatest threat Western civilisation ever faced) and the book more than does justice to the story.

In 1970 I got a paperback of this book. I have read it as much as 3 times a year and at least once a year ever since. I am currently wearing out my third copy.

The historic events and details of the life style of the peoples represented in this book are as close as one can get to being there without actual time travel.

This is the book that got me interested in Russian history to the point that I made history my major in college and focused on Russian history as my speciality.

I took my user name from the main character of this book many years ago both as a tribute to Ms. Holland and it is one that I will never forget.

Of all of Cecelia Holland's novels, this one should have been made into a movie by now.

I read this book in two sittings, so I must have enjoyed it quite a lot. It details the lives of August and Edevart, two boys from rural Northern-Norway, and their adventures during their youth. It is the first part of the August-trilogy, and if the rest of the trilogy is like this then I've got quite some nice time ahead of me. The tale is very typical of Hamsun, with gradual "colonization" of barren lands, and exploitation of the potential we all have in ourselves. This being said, he doesn't hesitate to show us the lesser sides of our human existence, even though I feel he might have overdone it a bit. I don't particularly enjoy the constant theme of promiscuity and infidelity that runs rampart in this book, but I guess he was trying to show how badly the modern world has affected the North. August is something of a joker in the book, always bringing some new profitable idea to Edevart and others around them, just when it is needed the most, and then returning to poverty or the high seas after the seeds are sown.

Edevart on the other hand, is working himself up to quite a respectable man, through twists and turns of fate. Although he often gets brought down to earth painfully fast, he is steadily improving his lot. I won't say much more about the book than this, it is very much a typical Hamsun-book, and that says a lot.

Highly recommended reading from our very own "right-wing" anti-modern conservative Norwegian author.

(I read a different edition)

Hamsun has another winner here in this adventure tale, taking place in Norweigen costal villages & on the high seas. The book follows the travels of August (who appears in 2 other Hamsun novels) & Edevart, 2 good friends out to make good in the world and become men of respect. The tale is told at a brisk pace and is filled with many colourful, vivid descriptions of people, places & things. While the book is mainly light, filled with August's very funny antics & boastings, Hamsun is definately making a statement on how one can either waste their life away or buckle down and "be a man".

Born in 1859, Hamsun received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1920. Credited by many as being one of the key influencers of modern literature style, his work is largely forgotten today. In part, that amnesia has been caused by Hamsun's resolute support of the Germans during World War II. Even today, he is a figure of great controversy in Norway.

The Wayfarers (written in 1927) is one of his later novels, and is largely about his concerns with the insatiable need for travel and the corrupting influence of the modern on traditional life. August and Edevart are two boys from a small town who move across Norway earning and losing small fortunes in a constant quest to better themselves.

This is the second book by Hamsun that I have read, and I was moved and impressed by what a lovely novel it is. Hamsun scrapes the surface of small town life and builds brilliantly ambiguous characters who manage to be neither idealized nor grotty. There is a kind of realism that works very well at conveying small town life without either idealising or judging.

The McFarlane translation seems very good. It was clean and free from awkwardness.

Highly recommended.

I"ve read everything (in English) by Hamsun I've been able to find and, along with Growth of the Soil, this is my favorite. What some call lightness I think of as a calmness (absent from Hunger and Mysteries) that allows more of the character of Norway to show through. The timescale is long here and the kinds of immediate panic that move his more urban characters (and Glahn in Pan) are not as important in lives that stretch over time. These characters are friends, rather than loners (though they, as are we all, are that too), and I feel this book has more to communicate about ordinary people's lives than those about purely solitary men.

As winter turns to spring and spring to summer, the characters in "Wayfarers" go through their own transformations, which seem to parallel the passing of the seasons.
One of the running themes is the issue of where a person belongs, their roots, the dichotomy between the drive to get away and the simple happiness which comes from living on one's native land, surrounded by familiar people.
But Hamsun's approach is never a theoretical, intellectual one, but rather a heart-breaking and painfully personal journey.
This novel will stay with me as an overwhelming memory, not because it gives answers to life's dilemmas, but because it poses crucial questions which stir the mind and awaken reflections on the human experience, all with the background landscape of sailboats on the Norwegian sea --

I loved this book for each and every character as they came to life and the chance to empathize and see into their lives. Just the right amount of suspense, mystery, intrigue and philosophers.

In the writing styles of Sinclair and Steinbeck, Baillie submerges the reader in the worlds above and below a small mining town in Montana. Baillie's descriptions are so detailed you have no choice but to believe you're there. A quick "can't put it down read", this modern day classic keeps you riveted through a dizzying series of twists and turns. A beautiful story of an entire town's redemption through love.

I can only say this - I love it. Its a mind blowing work. This book reads like a literary puzzle. The story is wonderful and the characters are riveting, but there is a much deeper element at work in this novel. I had to read it twice to "get it".

This book is an allegory of spiritual awakening and enlightenment. At least I believe it is. A secondary character appears to really be an angel. Another's words are shadowy paraphrases from collections like the Bible. I'm sure there is much much more. You don't find novels like this very often - real literature in a commercial style. Each time I read a section, I find myself wondering "what is Baillie really saying?" Its a fun game.

Lucas, the main character, is so real, his emotions, his thoughts so authentic. His love of "the girl next door" moved me to tears. His "Poorest-kid-in-town" friend Scabby broke my heart, too. The beauty inside of him, erases the tarnish on the outside. Heather, the love interest, is a complex young woman, with a burden so huge it can't be shouldered by anybody. She is an emblem of strength and fraility, blended into one. The town in this story is hellish; maybe it is Hell. I don't know. But it feels so dark and evil.

This book is outstanding and Baillie has a gift. Is this the "great American novel"? Well, no. But it is far better than most of the contemporary works out there. I couldn't put it down. I recommend it highly.

Where the Sun Don't Shine is a powerful tale of coming of age that touches upon bravery, loss, young love, family love, and friendship all set in a town so real I felt I could step into the setting and start up a conversation with the characters.

This story intrigues with little-known information on mining, it inspires laughter at the situations young adults find themselves in and it evokes tears.

I found that I cared about the characters and didn't want anything bad to happen to them--this is a very enjoyable read.

I read this book after having it be recommended by a work collegue. At first I thought that it was going to be a self-serving work since the author grew up in a mining town much like the one in the book. I was dead wrong. This is an impressive first effort, in my opinion. From the opening pages to the final sentence, I read the most moving, most introspective, most powerful book I've seen in several years. Yes, there are a few scenes here and there in the book that I thought were a little cliche', but those blend so well in the overall story, that they don't detract from the message the author is trying to convey; that message being - it sometimes takes tragedy to make us whole.

The main character of the story is so identifiable, so real, I could feel his every emotion and every frustration. I did not want the story to end.

I have already recommended this book to my book club and to my family. I hope this isn't Baille's only effort. He has touched a deep part of the human experience and left its impact on me. This book is from a small publisher. I believe that it could be a major book someday. Lets hope so.

I have served as a chaplain in a Nursing Home and the unheralded heroes/heroines are the nursing assistants. Grossly unpaid, usually unappreciated, they do the "dirty" work that others avoid. Morgan's book is one I recommend to CNAs, so they can realize the value of their work as a ministry, not just a job. Many have told me that it helped affirm them, create a feeling of value in what they do, and make them feel more appreciated. For that reason it is a book caregivers need to have.

I work with nursing home residents and often find myself trying to explain our work to family members. They don't seem to understand that good things happen here, as well as some of the bad things. Morgan's book shows the flip side of nursing homes....that it is a place of joy and courage, as well as a place of pain and suffering. I recommend this book to family members so they can get a better picture of what we do for this growing population of older people.

So many people either bash nursing homes because of alleged horror stories of abuse of residents, or avoid them like the plague. I love this book because it shows the humanity of people who live there, and those who help them make this their HOME

I am a minister who leads worship services at several nursing homes. I always search for ways to bring courage, comfort, and joy to the people who struggle to find hope while living there. This book glows with wise and inspiring meditations on numberous joys and struggles of living in a nursing home. It will serve as food for my messages for many months to come. These stories and reflections focus on the powerful issues facing people in the nursing home, and offer both wisdom and encouragement as the best of stories can do.

I am interested in stories of older persons who languish in nursing homes. Morgan's book tells these stories of older persons that would never see the light of day if he hadn't recorded them. We lose a library when an older person dies and their stories die with them. These FAITH STORIES FROM THE NURSING HOME preserve incredible stories of people who live outside the city walls, and often are perceived as lepers. It needs to be read by anyone interested in human beings.

Chaikin has done it again. This spectacular writer keeps me coming for more with this next installment of the "East of the Sun" series. The mystery of Evy's attacker kept me guessing and anticipation over Rogan's and Evy's reunion kept my eyes glued to the pages. Can't wait till the conclusion -- Linda, please write fast!

Linda Chaikin does a terrific job in this sequel to Tommorow's Treasure. I absolutely love the main characters, Rogan and Evy. This book, like it's prequel is a must read. You are sure to love it because it has just the right mix of everything.

I was slightly disappointed in this book, but don't get me wrong...I loved it. My complaint is this: Rogan is in South Africa, while Evy is in England. The relationship between Rogan and Evy is what drove the first book for me...if it hadn't been for their constant interactions, I would have gotten slightly bored. So, since Rogan and Evy are apart for most of this book, it was harder to read and not as compelling. However, it was still great! It was nice to see things from Rogan's point of view, and the storyline in South Africa was very exciting. This book is my least favorite in the series, but it's still excellent.

I read this and the first book "Tomorrow's Treasure" back to back. Both were wonderful. The storyline becomes so much clearer in this one. I can't wait to read the third book.

I must confess, I believe this series is one of the best by Linda Chaikin! I loved the characters. I loved the plot. And I loved the exotic background to the whole story! The future Sir Rogan Chantry of Rookswood estate of Grimston Way, England is searching for the gold his uncle, Henry Chantry had left to him after Henry's supposed suicide. Despite facing his family's opposition and their own plans for him, Rogan sets out on his own to try to find the gold deposit in rich South Africa. His incredible journey to Bulawayo and Salisbury were well-detailed and well-thought out. The description of the colonists' journey admidst the escalating tensions of the natives and the Boers were also well-descripted. In England, Evy Varley has finally accomplished her dream of having her own piano school. But a confrontation with Henry's murderer has left her scarred for life. Will she and Rogan be reunited? Or will they lose the love they had discovered before Rogan left for South Africa? I couldn't put this book down, I finished it in one day. The suspense of finding out who is Henry's killer and Evy's attacker and the impending reunion of Rogan and Evy kept me reading to the satisfying end. But as you know, there is "Today's Embrace" which will continue the story of Rogan and Evy and their destiny in South Africa so I will definitely buy the third book when it comes out. Linda Chaikin is definitely one of my favourite authors and I can't wait to find out what she has in store for Rogan and Evy and other characters she will create in the near future!

This is a book that all African American women should own. It gives a sense of pride to know where we come from. I applaud the author. Thank You.

I like african princess because it tells adventurous true stories.And woman who had great courage and great symblos for woman.In Ethiopia when you are 10 years old you get married and are trained to do elderly things. The Portugues and Ugandans were in a slave trade. The Portuguess wer in the slave trade to recieve slave trade, and Ugandas would get weapons. All of these stories I mentioned were great and they tell you African history.

I discovered African Princess: the Amazing Lives of Africa's Royal Women while searching for history about African Royalty, and it is most excellent. The artwork is gorgeous and the text is simple enough for my 8 year old niece to read it and understand it. Rich history, intriguing stories, and pride in our history make this book great for all generations.

Six examples of African feminine royalty are showcased in chronological order, from pre-Christian times to the modern era. Each of the women focused was representative of her time, yet she showed a foresight and independence that made her stand out from her contemporaries.

The text by former schoolteacher Joyce Hansen, along with Laurie McGraw's superb illustrations, makes for a captivating and inspiring read for youngsters, female and male. It also should be noted that the book should be shared with all children for there still remains some misconceptions in the general public about Africa, even to this day.

The book does a good job of addressing and correcting those misconceptions in a highly professional and insightful manner.

From a female pharaoh in ancient Egypt to an African princess of her people who avoided men, and an empress, African Princess uses words and pictures to recreate the lives of six selected powerful royal women of Africa. Good reading skills in grades 2-4 will lend to an appreciation of early female African leaders.