Bartholomew Books

H. v. Morton is generally considered one of the finest travel writers there ever was. My introduction to Morton's travel writings was through his book, "A Traveller in Italy"; by now I've read at least a dozen. In his many travel books, Morton charmingly mixes a deep appreciation and knowledge of the art, culture and the history of a place with his own keen observations of the contemporary countryside and the people. Morton's stories and observations are as engaging as the landscape and people he writes about. Don't sentences such as "The rain descends with the enthusiasm of someone breaking bad news." make you feel that you are there?

So it was with great excitement that I learned of "In Search of H. V. Morton" by Michael Bartholomew. Bartholomew warns the reader that they may be disappointed that the man Morton is not the sterling character that Morton. That is disappointing, naturally. But also disappointing was the lack of insights provided. At the end, I felt I knew a lot of "facts" ABOUT Morton, but didn't have any sense that I KNEW Morton himself.

Henry Vollam Morton was born on 26 July 1892 near Manchester. He began his career on the Birmingham Express at 17, and became assistant editor after only two years. A year later he came to London to edit a magazine. After World War I he found his vocation as a descriptive travel writer. His success in reporting the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb led to him being given the chance to write a series of vignettes about London life for the Daily Express. These later appeared in book form in the 1920s [as "The Heart of London" and "The Spell of London"]. He died in South Africa in 1979, aged 86. Many have called him the best travel writer ever, and I concur. Most of his books are titled "In Search of ...", "In the Steps of ..." or "A Stranger in ...", "A Traveller in ..."". But even the armchair traveler doesn't feel a stranger after delving into Morton's charm.

These are NOT guidebooks, with lists of things to cover with only 2 days in Rome, etc.; you will find no information on opening times, entrance fees, etc. But you will find a wealth of information and a sense of "being there". Morton's books are perfect for pre-trip planning and dreaming, to get a sense of the place; perfect for post-trip nostalgia, to relive the sights and sounds and aromas and people; perfect for the armchair traveler, who can't get there but would still like to experience a locale, not just read about it.

His books have recently been reprinted, in handsome paper editions, this one with an introduction by Barbara Grizzuti Harrison [author of "Italian Days"]. I highly recommend "A Traveller in Italy" - actually, I highly recommend any of Morton's books you can get your hands on.

Others to look for, to read, and to love: "A Traveller in Italy"; "A Traveller in Rome"; "A Traveller in Southern Italy"; "In Search of England"; "In Search of Ireland"; "In Search of Scotland"; "In Search of Wales"; "In Search of the Holy Land"; "A Stranger in Spain"; "In the Steps of St. Paul"; "In the Steps of the Master".

Read Morton's books. You may not know the man he is, but you'll know the man he presented himself as, and you'll enrich your understanding of the world.

The author is a minister with the Church of Religious Science, and in this book she collects legends about Mother Mary "designed to engage the reader in the Spiritual and Mystical aspects of the life of the Mother Mary. This book is about Mary. However, it is not intended to overshadow her son, the Christos whom she brought into incarnation on this earth. She was his most learned student, steadfast supporter and loyal to the end. Her life on earth was centered in serving God. In the desert country of Palenstine was born the highest Master ever to occupy a female body: Mary, the perfected woman, mother-to-be of the Christos ..." Includes 8 glossy pages of art illustrations.

According to their website, Fish Rock Publishing began "as a vanity press to publish independent writers of New Thought." Not my own cup of tea, but may appeal to metaphysicians and those interested in stories and legends about Mary.

In this sequel to Midge Bennett at Duncan Hall, Midge schemes to straighten out her cousin's romance and is rewarded by being chosen as her maid of honor.

While not as immediately captivating as the earlier book, I enjoyed this novel for Midge's irrepressible sense of fun.

Of greater interest to the reader with knowledge of Bermuda and sailing than to one who values subtle writing. The plot and characters are disappointingly transparent.

Originally published in 1977 as McGarr and the Politician's Wife, and reissued in February, 2000, after the Peter McGarr series became popular, this first novel may be particularly interesting to those who are already familiar with Peter McGarr, Chief Superintendent of Detectives of the Garda Soichana, and his staff. Although Gill writes a competent mystery and introduces all the characters who become so familiar to fans of his later McGarr mysteries, he is clearly feeling his way here as he decides how to develop them and his plots. The character quirks and foibles we take for granted in the later novels are just hinted at here, the character of McGarr is outlined but not fully developed, and the role of Noreen, McGarr's wife, and her involvement in his career are much stronger here.

The mystery is straightforward. When a battered, unconscious, and nearly drowned boat captain is pulled from shallow water at the Killiney Bay Yacht Club, McGarr and his staff--Hugh Ward, Liam O'Shaughnessy, Bernie McKeon, and others who become regulars in the series--find themselves involved in a mystery involving a politician, his promiscuous wife, the influence of the IRA on local politics, gun-smuggling from the U.S., and plots to discredit McGarr. The mystery is not very complex, and some readers may find that their primary interest is in seeing how Gill develops and presents his plot here, as opposed to his later, more fully developed novels.

Unlike the much smoother and subtler style in the later novels, Gill's foreshadowing here is still a bit clumsy. ("Very shortly, McGarr would need every friend inside the Castle he could muster.") He sometimes states the obvious: "The stakes [McGarr] was gambling with were his reputation, career and spotless criminal record." He tells the reader what is important, rather than letting the reader discover for himself: "Little could Hubbard have known how important the play was to McGarr." The wry and sometimes dark humor which we take for granted in the later novels are not much in evidence here, while the wild flights of Irish good spirits and camaraderie, and the fine description which gives color and depth to the Irish settings, while present in a few scenes, are not yet fully incorporated. The novel may fascinate long-time fans of the series who want see how the series started, while newcomers may prefer to start with one of the later novels. Mary Whipple

I enjoyed this book but I have some reservations about it.Courtenay Bartholomew is a good writer with a likeable style but he believes in and promotes in the book two apparitions that are not approved by the church : Garabandal and Medjugorje. Had the author stuck to approved apparitions of Our Lady I would reccomend it heartily. As it is I would only give this book to experienced, serious and well read Catholics who have a high degree of discernment.

The map of Scotland was good but it definitely needs more detailed maps of Glasgow, Stirling and Edinburgh. We ended up having to buy separate maps of the cities as we traveled. If you're touring the countryside it's OK but not if you're going to be in any of the large cities.

This book is about exploring the rules of business beyond the 21st century and how these are bent and often broken, with devastating effect by individuals who have altered the traditional profile of fraud and the fraudster forever.

It is a compilation of papers, theories and Congressional Testimony the story behind the stories.

This book describes the super ego, corruption at head of state and ministerial level in the governments of over 72 countries.

The book speaks of Bank of Credit Commerce and Industry (BCCI), the bank that laundered the funds of Noriega, the Cali and Medellin Cartels and which was linked to international terrorism, prostitution and funding death squads.

Most of all it is about the most complicated, sophisticated and devastating financial crimes in modern history.

It speaks of Barings Bank and the collapse of one of the world s oldest and most respected banks at the hands of a small fry crook that realised almost per chance his masters had left him with the keys to both the front and back door.

The Enron collapse describes a frenzy of greed and denial.

It bears testimony and stands as epitaph to the annihilation of millions of ordinary peoples dreams.

THANK YOU, AMAZON FOR YOUR PROMPT DELIVERY.
THE BOOK THOUGH WAS VERY BADLY STRUCTURED AND WRITEN.
I WILL BE SENDING IT BACK TO BE SOLD AS USED
I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU TAKE IT OFF YOUR SHELVES.
I HAVE BOUGHT NUMEROUS BOOKS FROM YOU OVER THE YEARS AND THIS ONE MUST RATE THE ALL TIME WORST.
YOU ARE DOING YOURSELVES AN INJUSTICE TO SELL SUCH A LOT OF TRASH.

BAD, VERY BAD...
I PICKED THIS BOOK UP FROM A SECOND HAND BOOK SALE.
THOUGHT IT WOULD MAKE INTERESTING READING... BUT I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED.
THE FACT WERE SO OUTDATED.
NOT RECOMMENDED AT ALL.

Very poor.
Not recommended.
Please take it off the shelf.

Having just read Gunning's The Widow's War, I thought I might enjoy her mysteries. But after reading just this one, I think I'll pass. There were too many characters to keep track of; and they so lacked dimension that I didn't even want to bother. The author really is wasting her large talent for writing historical fiction if she produces more of these mysteries.

I have read all of the Sally Gunning books and I think they are great vacation, escapist reading. Here is my complaint: we know all about the affair that led to the divorce, we know about the problems with getting back together. The couple is back together, how about if the books stop living in the past and move forward? What does it add to the characters to relive yet another old romance? Move on, leave the past behind. Still, I would recommend the book. It is entertaining and adds a bit to the development of the characters. Now, if Gunning would just stop these peole from living in the past...

After scoring hits two decades into his career with Scaramouche and Captain Blood, Sabatini's American publishers began reprinting some of his earlier works, though he tried to suppress the ones he thought inferior. But even those were being brought across the Atlantic and he eventually agreed to their republication as well, only with an apologetic preface branding them "sins of [his] literary nonage" that he would rather "bury in oblivion." The Lion's Skin is one of those books.

Justin Caryll was raised by his guardian, Sir Richard, knowing neither his deceased mother nor his father, the Earl of Ostermore. Ostermore and Sir Richard had been friends and suitors of the same woman, and Richard grew to hate his friend after the former won the French lady and then went back to England, abandoning her pregnant and alone. At her dying request, Richard raised her son, and Caryll was taught that one day he would be called upon to exact revenge on his father.

As the book begins, Justin Caryll is an adult who journeys to England with the means to ruin his father, only he has misgivings about the whole idea. As he tries to decide what to do, he makes Ostermore's acquaintance, earns the enmity of Ostermore's son -- Viscount Rotherby -- and gets on rather well with Ostermore's ward, Hortensia Winthrop (what a name!). Meanwhile, he is rightfully suspected by his enemies of being a Jacobite agent and he realizes that there is very little to hate in his mild-mannered father.

In the end, Rotherby and a few others think they have what they need to get Caryll out of the way, but too late they learn the meaning of that phrase from Henry V that inspired the title, and which Caryll actually quotes: "the man that once did sell the lion's skin/while the beast liv'd, was killed with hunting him."

The story is fairly good, the writing mediocre, and the historical accuracy not all that great (I think). Still, it's entertaining.

Aspects of this remind me of other Sabatini novels, making me wonder whether he re-wrote certain elements into later works. Ostermore is a lot like the Lord of Gavrillac and the Marquis de la Tour d'Azyr in Scaramouche, and there are similarities to Master-At-Arms and a few other books as well.

The Lion's Skin is worth a read, but only after you've covered Sabatini's better novels first.